Electrical connectors – Preformed panel circuit arrangement – e.g. – pcb – icm – dip,... – Distinct contact secured to panel circuit
Reexamination Certificate
2000-10-10
2002-03-12
Paumen, Gary P. (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
Preformed panel circuit arrangement, e.g., pcb, icm, dip,...
Distinct contact secured to panel circuit
Reexamination Certificate
active
06354849
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a structure for contacts of an electrical connector.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Referring to
FIG. 6
, one board-engaging structure for a conventional contact
60
of an electrical connector is a “press-fit” or “needle-eye” structure. Contacts with this structure require no soldering for connection to a printed circuit board
80
. A contact area is created between each bulge portion
62
a
of a tail portion
62
and each inner surface
84
of a hole
82
defined in the printed circuit board
80
. However, each contact area is merely point-to-point, and is not sufficiently large to ensure reliable electrical contact. Furthermore, each point-to-point contact area causes the inner surface
84
of the hole
82
to be prone to damage when the tail portion
62
is removed from the PCB
80
.
Hence, an improved board-engaging structure for contacts of an electrical connector is required to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a board-engaging structure for contacts of an electrical connector wherein the structure has a pair of elastically deformable locking arms which increase the contact area between the structure and a printed circuit board (PCB).
To fulfill the above-mentioned objective, a contact for an electrical connector in accordance with the present invention comprises an elongate body portion and a board-engaging structure extending downward from a lower end of the body portion. The board-engaging structure comprises a tail portion defining a vertical elongated hole in its middle. At each of two lateral sides of the hole, the tail portion forms a locking arm curved clockwise around part of the girth of the tail portion. Each locking arm has a contact surface. Each contact surface is oblique such that an upper portion thereof extends further away from a longitudinal axis of the tail portion than a lower portion thereof does. Thus a considerable contact area is created between each contact surface and an inner wall of a hole in a PCB.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present embodiment when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4735575 (1988-04-01), Shaffer
patent: 4746301 (1988-05-01), Key
patent: 4784620 (1988-11-01), Tanaka
patent: 4936797 (1990-06-01), Wehrle et al.
patent: 5139446 (1992-08-01), Costello et al.
patent: 5565654 (1996-10-01), Zell et al.
patent: 5667412 (1997-09-01), Takahashi et al.
Chung Wei Te
Hon Hai - Precision Ind. Co., Ltd.
Paumen Gary P.
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