Electrical connectors – With supporting means for coupling part – Having resilient means engaging panel opening
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-18
2001-12-11
Abrams, Neil (Department: 2839)
Electrical connectors
With supporting means for coupling part
Having resilient means engaging panel opening
Reexamination Certificate
active
06328599
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is related to electrical connectors. More particularly, the present invention is related to a device for positioning and securing an electrical connector to a printed wiring board.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to improvements in electrical devices intended for surface mounting on printed wiring boards and in the mounting components thereof. Conventional mounting posts typically include hooked ends that are used to snap an electrical device into place on a printed wiring board. However, such mounting posts have many deficiencies. For example, when the hooked ends of the mounting posts of a board-mounted device snaps into engagement with the underside of the board, the impact may cause other components to be jarred loose. Further conventional mounting components typically include separate elements for locating the electrical device and for retaining the device to the printed wiring board.
An improvement over the hooked-end mounting post is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,244,412, to Hatch et al., entitled “Electrical Device for Surface Mounting on a Circuit Board and Mounting Component Thereof.” The Hatch et al. mounting device includes a pair of positioning posts and a molded mounting post. The position posts cooperate with corresponding openings in a printed wiring board to position the connector with respect to the board. The separately provided mounting post includes a clip that forms tangs that extend beyond the sides of the post. When the connector employing the Hatch et al. mounting device is mounted to a printed wiring board, the tangs deflected within a receiving hole in the board to retain the connector on the board.
While the Hatch et al. device is an improvement over other conventional mounting posts that mechanically connect devices to printed circuit boards, the Hatch et al. still presents problems in surface mount applications. The Hatch et al. device fails to address problems encountered when mounting electrical connectors to printed wiring boards that have components mounted to both sides of the board as the Hatch et al. mounting device protrudes through the board. Further, the Hatch et al. device does not provide for a reduced-sized connector as separate positioning and mounting posts are required to retain the connector on the board. It would, therefore, be desirable to reduce the space required by the retaining mechanism of an electrical connector. It is also desirable to have a retaining mechanism that reduces the likelihood of interference with other components mounted to the printed wiring board. The present invention provides such a solution.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An electrical connector that may be surface mounted to a circuit board that includes an insulative housing, an outer shielding, and mounting posts formed at abase of the insulative housing. The mounting posts define a groove that is formed in the bottom of each mounting post and a generally “U-shaped” opening in the wall of the mounting posts that faces outward of the connector. The outer shielding surrounds the insulative housing and includes two “T-shaped” extensions that are formed at a bottom of the shielding. The“T-shaped” extensions are bent at approximately a 90° angle with respect to the lateral walls of the housing and through the opening in the mounting posts such that the top of “T” is retained within the groove that is formed in the bottom of each mounting post.
The top of the “T” has length that is longer than the diameter of the mounting post such that the ends of the “T” extend beyond the periphery of the mounting post, and are longer than the diameter of a receiving hole of a printed wiring board into which the mounting post is inserted. When the connector is mounted to a printed wiring board, the mounting posts are inserted into their respective receiving holes and the ends of the “T” that extend beyond the periphery of the mounting posts are deflected upwardly in a direction opposite of the direction of insertion to retain the connector on the printed wiring board.
In a further feature, the length of the mounting post is less than the width of the printed circuit board to which the connector is mounted. This feature advantageously provides for a connector that may be mounted to one side of the board without interfering with components mounted on the other side of the board.
Other features will be described herein.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3487350 (1969-12-01), Hammel
patent: 4195900 (1980-04-01), Hughes
patent: 4655517 (1987-04-01), Bryce
patent: 4728238 (1988-03-01), Chisholm et al.
patent: 4907987 (1990-03-01), Douty et al.
patent: 5115375 (1992-05-01), Garay
patent: 5120257 (1992-06-01), Halm
patent: 5244412 (1993-09-01), Hatch et al.
patent: 5378172 (1995-01-01), Roberts
patent: 5409399 (1995-04-01), Georhegan et al.
patent: 5441423 (1995-08-01), Champion et al.
patent: 5613877 (1997-03-01), Patel et al.
patent: 5981877 (1999-11-01), Sakata et al.
patent: 5984722 (1999-11-01), Ito
patent: 0 801 446 A1 (1997-03-01), None
patent: 04349374 (1992-12-01), None
Hull Gregory A.
Marshall Robert E.
Abrams Neil
Duverne J. F.
FCI Americas Technology Inc.
Woodcock Washburn Kurtz Mackiewicz & Norris LLP
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