Electrical connectors – Including or for use with tape cable – For connection to rigid preformed panel circuit arrangement,...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-13
2001-05-29
Bradley, Paula (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
Including or for use with tape cable
For connection to rigid preformed panel circuit arrangement,...
C439S629000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06238237
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a connector having a housing and terminal pins mounted on the housing for electrically connecting connection terminals of a circuit board to a counterpart conductor pattern wherein the housing is bonded to the circuit board by the use of an adhesive for mechanical connection thereto.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Conventionally, a circuit board and a housing of a connector are bonded by an adhesive as shown in
FIGS. 8A and 8B
. Specifically, a housing
32
of a connector
31
has a plurality of terminal pins
33
projecting therefrom. The terminal pins are inserted into through-holes formed in a circuit board
34
at portions corresponding to a plurality of connection terminals
35
. After the circuit board
34
and the housing
32
are precisely aligned, an adhesive having a relatively high viscosity is applied between the circuit board
34
and the housing
32
by the use of an expensive coating equipment such as a dispenser.
In such a bonding method, however, the adhesive may flow into the housing
32
, resulting in conduction failure between the terminal pins
33
and a conductor pattern of an object to be connected such as a flat cable. Further, a spring member for sandwiching the object between itself and the housing
32
may be bonded to the housing so that the object is hindered from being inserted therebetween. Moreover, since the adhesive is applied between the housing
32
and the circuit board
34
, problems are likely to be occur that the position of the circuit board
34
relative to the housing
32
is shifted or that the circuit board
34
rises from the housing
32
. If the adhesive to be applied is reduced in amount to solve these problems, the mechanical strength of the connection becomes insufficient, resulting in the release of the connector
31
from the circuit board
34
.
These problems have not yet been solved even by the use of an adhesive having a relatively high viscosity and by the use of an expensive coating equipment such as a dispenser for applying an appropriate amount of an adhesive.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a connector which is capable of being bonded to a circuit board positively and strongly without using an expensive coating equipment, and which does not suffer from a conduction failure or a failure in mechanical connection with an object to be connected.
In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a connector comprising a housing and terminal pins mounted on the housing for electrically connecting connection terminals of a circuit board to a counterpart conductor pattern, the housing being bonded to the circuit board by an adhesive for mechanical connection thereto, characterized in that the housing is provided with a projection which, together with the circuit board, forms a recess for applying an adhesive thereto.
According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the projection comprises a linear body, a first bend extending generally perpendicularly from an end of the body, and a second bend extending from the other end of the body generally in the same direction as the first bend, the first and the second bends having end surfaces for coming into contact with an edge surface of the circuit board.
According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the housing may have an elastic member for clamping the circuit board between the elastic member and the housing.
According to a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, the elastic member comprises a first contact portion formed at an end of said said terminal pin for coming into contact with the connection terminal of the circuit board.
According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the other end of each said terminal pin is formed with a second contact portion for coming into contact with the counterpart conductor pattern to clamp the counterpart between the second contact portion and the housing under an elastic force.
According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the terminal pin may be held mounted to the housing by the elastic force of the second contact portion.
In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a connector comprising a housing and terminal pins mounted on the housing for electrically connecting connection terminals of a circuit board to a counterpart conductor pattern, the housing being bonded to the circuit board by an adhesive for mechanical connection thereto, characterized in that the housing is formed with a hole which, together with the circuit board, forms a recess for applying an adhesive thereto.
According to a preferred embodiment, the hole extends through the housing, and an end of the hole is closed by a principal surface of the circuit board to form the recess.
According to another preferred embodiment, the hole is an elongated hole.
According to a further embodiment, the housing has a generally rectangular mounting surface to be mounted on the circuit board, and wherein the housing is provided with two holes one of which is provided at a longitudinal end of the generally rectangular mounting surface, the other hole being provided at the other longitudinal end of the generally rectangular mounting surface.
In accordance with a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a connector comprising a housing and terminal pins mounted on the housing for electrically connecting connection terminals of a circuit board to a counterpart conductor pattern, the housing being bonded to the circuit board by an adhesive for mechanical connection thereto, characterized in that the housing is provided with a projection which, together with the circuit board, forms a recess for applying an adhesive thereto, and a hole which, together with the circuit board, forms a recess for applying an adhesive thereto. various features and advantages of the present invention will become clearer from the description given below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
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patent: 3697926 (1972-10-01), Krafthefer
patent: 3706954 (1972-12-01), Krafthefer
patent: 4150863 (1979-04-01), Krafthefer et al.
patent: 4550959 (1985-11-01), Grabbe et al.
patent: 4629278 (1986-12-01), Norton et al.
patent: 4738625 (1988-04-01), Burton et al.
patent: 5009605 (1991-04-01), Crumley et al.
patent: 5460546 (1995-10-01), Kunishi et al.
patent: 5944536 (1999-08-01), Seong et al.
patent: 54-12885 (1979-01-01), None
patent: 55-11087 (1980-03-01), None
patent: 64-40176 (1989-03-01), None
patent: 1-129875 (1989-09-01), None
patent: 3-280368 (1991-12-01), None
patent: 8-37048 (1996-02-01), None
patent: 8-45582 (1996-02-01), None
patent: 6-77168 (1999-10-01), None
Kishimoto Tokihiko
Nagahata Takaya
Suzuki Shigemitsu
Wada Koichi
Bradley Paula
Gushi Ross
Merchant & Gould P.C.
Rohm & Co., Ltd.
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