Electrical connectors – Preformed panel circuit arrangement – e.g. – pcb – icm – dip,... – With provision to conduct electricity from panel circuit to...
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-02
2001-10-23
Paumen, Gary F. (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
Preformed panel circuit arrangement, e.g., pcb, icm, dip,...
With provision to conduct electricity from panel circuit to...
C439S630000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06305948
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an IC card connector, and particularly to a contact for an IC card connector which provides a reliable connection with a printed circuit board and a uniform connection force against the IC card.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 5,879,169, referring to
FIG. 5
, discloses a connector
10
for connection with an IC card (not shown). The connector
10
consists of an insulative housing
200
and a plurality of contacts
100
disposed in the housing
200
. The housing
200
has a plurality of cavities
202
and opposite sidewalls
204
. Each contact
100
includes a generally L-shaped beam
103
having an interferential fit with a corresponding sidewall
204
, a curved contact portion
104
at one end of the beam
103
, and a soldering tail
102
at the other end of the beam
103
. The contact portions
104
of the contacts
100
project slightly from a mating surface
206
of the housing
200
for contacting corresponding connecting pads on the IC card. The soldering tails
102
extend outwardly along a bottom surface of each sidewall
204
for being surface mounted on a circuit board. In addition, there is no means for supporting and restraining the contact portions
104
, each being a cantilever, whereby the contact portions
104
may protrude beyond the mating surface
206
with uneven heights. Thus, the contact portions
104
exert different normal forces on an IC card situated close and parallel to the mating surface
206
of the connector
10
, resulting in an inferior connection therebetween. Surface Mounted Technology (SMT) provides so many advantages that it is ever increasingly utilized in connector manufacturing. Furthermore, it is well known that the coplanarity of the soldering surfaces of the contacts in SMT applications is a critical factor for the quality of the connection. However, the '169 patent provides no means for ensuring the coplanarity such that defective surface soldering between the soldering tails
102
and the circuit board may occur.
Hence, an improved electrical connector is required which is suitable for SMT mounting and which ensures reliable connection with an IC card parallel to the connector's mating surface.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A first object of the present invention is to provide a contact for a surface mounted connector which can be more reliably mounted to a circuit board;
A second object of the present invention is to provide a contact for a surface mounted connector which ensures a uniform normal force applied against an IC card mated thereagainst to establish reliable connection with the IC card.
To achieve the above-mentioned objects, a surface mounted connector of the present invention includes an elongate housing defining a plurality of lateral passageways along its length and a plurality of terminals received in the passageways.
The housing defines a pair of step-shaped sidewalls and forms a pair of spindles. Each spindle longitudinally extends along the length of the housing and intersects each of the passageways. The step-shaped sidewall defines a lower surface and an upper surface at an underside thereof.
Each terminal comprises a base defining a mounting surface at a bottom thereof for mounting the connector to a circuit board, a soldering tail and a bridge separately opposite ends of the base, an annular beam connected between the bridge and a spring beam, the spring beam doubling back toward the base. The terminal is assembled in a corresponding passageway in a manner such that the soldering tail is secured to the lower surface of the sidewall, the annular beam surrounds the spindle, and a retaining portion of the spring beam presses upward against the upper surface of the sidewall.
Since the soldering tail is proximate to the base and it is easy to control the orientation of the soldering tail, which is formed parallel to the base, coplanarity between the mounting surface and a circuit board is so improved that the connector can be reliably mounted to the circuit board. Moreover, the length of the terminal is increased while the normal force provided by the connector against an IC card is uniform because the spindle supports the annular beam of the terminal and the retaining portion is restrained by the upper surface of the sidewall, which together ensures that the normal force exerted by the spring beam on the IC card is even.
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: 5746607 (1998-05-01), Bricaud et al.
patent: 5879169 (1999-03-01), Wu
patent: 5980268 (1999-11-01), Mischenko et al.
patent: 5980323 (1999-11-01), Bricaud et al.
Chung Wei Te
Hon Hai - Precision Ind. Co., Ltd.
Paumen Gary F.
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