Electrical connector

Details Electrical connector Electrical connector

1996-10-28

1998-11-03

Abrams, Neil

Electrical connectors

Metallic connector or contact having part permanently...

Adapted to be secured to conductor formed on printed circuit...

228 39, H01R 909

Patent

active

058300147

DESCRIPTION:

BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrical connector for connecting a circuit board. In particular, the invention relates to a connector housing which improves soldering of its terminal connectors to the circuit board.
2. Description of the Related Art
A mother board has a plastic connector housing on its surface side for a conventional vertical card connector. The mother board is connected to a daughter card via vertically inserted plugs in the plastic connector housing at the edge of the daughter card. Contact terminals are located in the housing, and each contact terminal has a contact beam for making electrical contact with a corresponding plug of the daughter card. Each contact terminal also includes a solder tail to be soldered to the mother board. Basic functions of the contact beam are to receive the daughter card plug for making an electrical connection and holding the plug in place.
One known process for mounting such a connector on the mother board is as follows: The solder tail of the contact terminal is inserted into a corresponding through hole of the mother board. The mother board is inverted so that the housing is set on a "down" side and the solder tails on an "up" side. The solder tails are soldered to the mother board by applying melted solder to the solder tails on the soldering side of the mother board.
During the above steps, since an amount of melted solder flowing onto the solder tail is not controlled, more than necessary melted solder may be supplied to the solder tail. Melted solder will flow down the solder tail into the mother board and toward the plastic connector housing. Melted solder may also flow inside the connector reaching the contact beam. In such a situation, excess solder narrows the plug receiving gap in the connector terminal. Ultimately, the excess solder will impair a basic function of the connector terminal by not fitting a plug.
Another prior-art process for mounting the aforementioned connector on a mother board is as follows: The solder tail of the contact terminal is inserted into a through hole of the mother board. The mother board and connector terminal pass through a wave soldering machine while the mother board is held in such a way that the solder tail faces downwards. The wave soldering machine forces melted solder to go upward from the bottom of the connector terminals towards the connector housing through the mother board. Since the connector terminal is very short, pressure acting upon the melted solder causes the solder to penetrate into the connector housing. As a result, the melted solder still may reach the contact beam and impair the basic function of the contact beam.


SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an electrical connector which can solve the aforementioned problems which are inherent in the existing electrical connectors. Thus, an object of the invention is to provide an electrical connector which can prevent any undesired flow of solder upon soldering.
According to one aspect of the present invention, an electrical connector is provided which connects a plurality of plugs to a circuit board with a plurality of bores. The electrical connector comprises a housing which has a first surface that is mountable to the circuit board and a second surface opposed to the first surface. A plurality of spaces extends from the first surface to the second surface of the housing to receive corresponding plugs. A plurality of contact terminals is located in the spaces for establishing an electrical connection with the plugs. Each contact terminal has a corresponding solder tail inserted into the bore in the circuit board and extends through of the first surface of the housing so as to allow soldering to be effected to the circuit board. A heat-resisting insulating resin sheet covers the first surface of the housing. There is a first gap between the circuit board and the heat-resisting insulating resin sheet. The solder tail of the contact t

REFERENCES:
patent: 3989331 (1976-11-01), Hanlon
patent: 4010992 (1977-03-01), Crimmins
patent: 4872845 (1989-10-01), Korsunsky

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