Telephonic communications – Terminal – Housing or housing component
Reexamination Certificate
1998-05-11
2001-06-12
Chiang, Jack (Department: 2742)
Telephonic communications
Terminal
Housing or housing component
Reexamination Certificate
active
06246762
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to microphone sub-assemblies for inclusion in telephones and the like, and particularly to microphone sub-assemblies which lend themselves to automated mounting procedures.
As last steps in the manufacture of a telephone handset, a fairly rigid substrate, which may comprise one or more printed circuit boards with various electronic/optical components mounted thereon, is sandwiched between two molded plastic housing halves which are snap-fitted or otherwise fastened together. These last steps are well suited for automated assembly processes using relatively simple robotic (programmed) tools. A complication in the assembly process, however, is the microphone sub-assembly which must also be mounted within the telephone handset.
In one arrangement, the microphone sub-assembly comprises a quite small circular cylinder having end ports for admitting sound to a transducer within the cylinder and a two-part molded plastic container snap-fitted around the microphone cylinder. The plastic container serves a number of roles: it encloses and protects the microphone (as well as providing one or more internal acoustic sound chambers); it provides surfaces for firm mounting of the container within the housing; and it provides a sealed exit port for wires from the microphone to a wire terminating connector which, as part of the assembly process, is snap-fitted within a mating connector on the component containing substrate.
The complication presented by the microphone sub-assembly is that it is quite difficult to assemble the sub-assembly into the handset. Thus, in addition to the steps of picking-up and properly orienting and mounting the sub-assembly, the connector at the end of the microphone wires must be inserted into its mating connector on the substrate and the microphone wires must be properly nested within the housing. If the wires are not properly nested, they can be pinched between the two housing halves when they are snap-fitted together. This, of course, causes numerous problems. Indeed, owing to the difficulty of assembling the microphone sub-assembly into the handset, this assembly is generally done by hand rather than, as preferred, by machine. This problem, among others, is addressed by the invention.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A one piece tubular housing contains a microphone within a passageway through the housing. The microphone includes terminal pins which are electrically connected within the housing to electrical leads which extend through the wall of the tubular housing into the housing passageway. The housing electrical leads provide means for direct, spring biased electrical contact with conductive lands on the substrate. In one embodiment, the electrical leads are shaped to provide leaf springs directly engaged with the substrate lands. In another embodiment, the electrical leads are electrically connected to coiled springs which are compressively engaged with the substrate lands.
With either embodiment, the microphone tubular housing is forcibly snap or press fitted within a seat on the substrate. The forced mounting of the microphone sub-assembly on the substrate provides positive electrical contacting between the sub-assembly terminals and a mating connector on the substrate. Preferably, the microphone tubular housing is mounted at right angles to the plane of the substrate such that the opposite open ends of the tubular housing face in opposite directions relative to the substrate. The housing open ends are then acoustically sealed by engagement with sound admitting portions of the hand-set housing halves which are snap fitted into place on and around the substrate.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4443666 (1984-04-01), Cote
patent: 4556264 (1985-12-01), Tanaka
patent: 4690242 (1987-09-01), Mark
patent: 4700383 (1987-10-01), Takagi et al.
patent: 4773091 (1988-09-01), Busche et al.
patent: 4803724 (1989-02-01), Utoh
patent: 5802198 (1998-09-01), Beavers et al.
patent: 5982882 (1999-11-01), Kasbekar et al.
Goyal Suresh
Kasbekar Pratod V.
Mangrulkar Harish S.
Upasani Sanjay
Chiang Jack
Epstein Michael Y.
Lucent Technologies - Inc.
Schanzer Henry I.
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