Metal working – Method of mechanical manufacture – Electrical device making
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-26
2001-06-26
Young, Lee (Department: 3729)
Metal working
Method of mechanical manufacture
Electrical device making
C029S874000, C029S876000, C029S879000, C029S881000, C219S119000, C439S874000, C439S083000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06249966
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present inventions relates to electrical connectors, and more particularly to electrical connectors which are attached to flat surfaces with solder.
2. Brief Description of the Related Art
A variety of electrical connectors have been proposed in the past for numerous specific purposes. For example, electrical connectors have been proposed for use in glass, e.g., vehicle windscreens, for allowing electrical connection between electrical devices embedded in the glass and sources of power and/or other electrical devices. Windscreens often are equipped with electric heaters or defrosters which are embedded between layers which make up the windscreen, and include a simple flat electrical contact for establishing an electrical connection with the defroster. Such flat connections are typically formed by screening a conductive coating, e.g., silver, onto an exterior portion of the windscreen in which a lead from defroster protrudes. Thus, in order to make electrical contact with the defroster, an electrical connector must be mounted onto the glass so that the connector establishes electrical communication with the flat conductive coating.
One electrical connector which has been proposed for mounting on a conductive coating of a windscreen includes an upstanding cylindrical post and a flat base which cares a layer of solder thereon. Such an electrical connector was first made available by Antaya, Inc., Cranston, Rhode Island. The layer of solder is pressed against the contact on the windscreen, and the solder is heated to flow the solder. Pressure is simultaneously applied to the connector, which presses against the windscreen's contact. While this device has in the past proven to be useful and has advantages in certain applications, because this prior connector has a flat surface which is soldered against the flat surface of a windscreen's contact, the pressure applied when soldering tends to press or squeeze much of the solder out from under the connector. Thus, the prior connector is oftentimes mismounted to the windscreen because most of the solder has been squeezed out from between the connector and the windscreen's contact during the soldering process. This results in connectors which cannot meet vehicle manufacturing standards for the strength of the connections between windscreens and their electrical connectors. Such mismounting of the prior electrical connectors results in a considerable amount of rework, scrap, and in increases in labor time and costs to correct mismounted connectors.
A further difficulty encountered with prior electrical connectors is that they are typically very small. The size of some standard electrical connectors, including many battery connectors, makes the manufacturing processes for forming large quantities of these small connectors extremely difficult to automate. Close tolerances are also difficult to maintain during the manufacturing process, and even small changes to such a connector can necessitate complete retooling after considerable expenditures in reengineering.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In a first exemplary embodiment in accordance with the present invention, an electrical connector useful for making electrical contact with a glass surface comprises a post member having fist and second ends, said post member including a cylindrical portion having a closed top at said first end a foot portion at said second end, and a base member mounted to said foot portion, said base member having a bottom surface facing away from said post member, said bottom surface including at least one standoff extending from said bottom surface, whereby when said base member bottom surface is rested against a contact surface to which said electrical connector is to be soldered, said at last one standoff defines a minimum volume between said bottom surface and said contact surface which, when filled with solder, is sufficient to hold said electrical connector to said contact surface.
Still other objects, features, and attendant advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from a reading of the following detailed description of embodiments constructed in accordance therewith, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
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Antaya Stephen
Machado Manuel
Pereira John
Antaya Technologies Corporation
Chang Rick Kiltae
Hamilton Brook Smith & Reynolds PC
Young Lee
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