Electrical connectors – With insulation other than conductor sheath – Metallic connector or contact secured to insulation
Reexamination Certificate
1998-08-28
2001-03-27
Bradley, Paula (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
With insulation other than conductor sheath
Metallic connector or contact secured to insulation
C439S404000, C439S751000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06206735
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates electrical connectors and, more particularly, to press fit contacts for through-the-hole mounting and a strip of contacts formed of same.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Press fitting of contacts through plated through holes in a printed circuit board (PCB) to provide an electrical connection without solder has been common and basic to the industry since the 1970s. Typically, an electrical contact is provided with a leg or post which is designed to be received within a plated through hole in press or interference fit therewith. This may be achieved by selecting the dimensions of the leg or post somewhat larger than the plated through hole diameter to provide the interference fit by deforming the coating and/or substrate of the plated through hole. Alternatively, the leg or post may be provided along at least one portion thereof with a compliant or flexible region which is compressible when forced into a smaller dimensioned through hole.
Referring to
FIG. 1
, a press fit contact or terminal
10
in accordance with the prior art is illustrated, following the teachings of U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,156,553; 4,188,715; 4,220,393; and 4,045,868, all issued to Ammon et al. and assigned to Elfab Corporation of Dallas, Tex. Referring to
FIG. 1
, the prior art terminal
10
is provided with a contact portion
10
′, a leg or post portion
10
″ and load bearing shoulders
12
, formed between the contact and leg portions, which project laterally in opposite directions as shown. The means for transmitting the force to the load-bearing-, in each instance shoulders is an external tool (not shown) which imparts forces F directly on the terminal's load-bearing-, in each instance shoulders
12
, such as an insulator housing with contact cavities containing corresponding load-bearing-, in each instance shoulders by which the forces are transmitted from the shoulders of the housing contact cavity to the corresponding load-bearing-, in each instance shoulders on the electrical terminal
10
. The drawbacks of this aforementioned prior art contact include the fact that the load-bearing-, in each instance shoulders
12
formed on the electrical contact or terminal require the contact to include significant projections or protuberances which project laterally of the main body portion of the contact so that the contact becomes wider than would normally be required in a non-press fit design. These load-bearing-, in each instance shoulders
12
also necessarily have sharp corners and edges as a result of the cutting and forming operations in the stamping process. Minimal distances between electrical contacts and sharp corners typically generate undesirable cross-talk in today's high speed electronic systems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is, accordingly, an object of the present invention to provide a press fit contact for through hole mounting which does not have the disadvantages of comparable existing contacts.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a press fit contact which is simple in construction and economical to manufacture.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a press fit contact for through-hole mounting which can be mounted individually or a plurality of such contacts may be simultaneously mounted in banks or strips.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a press fit contact of the type above suggested which does not materially alter the exterior dimensions and/or the intercontact minimum spacing.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a press fit contact as in the previous objects which minimizes undesirable cross talk in high speed electronic systems.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a press fit contact for through hole mounting which provides a suitable load bearing mechanism while reducing the amount of metal required as compared to prior or existing contacts.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a press-fit contact of the type under discussion which can be manufactured in strip form as a continuous series of contacts and arranged for use as one or a plurality of contacts that can be separated from the continuous strip.
It is still an additional object of the present invention to provide a press fit contact for through hole mounting that can be readily used both in the assembly of connectors as well as for direct mounting on a substrate or printed circuit board (PCB).
It is yet an additional object to provide a method of making press-fit terminals or contacts as in the previous objects individually and in continuous strips.
In order to achieve the above objects, as well as others which will be become evident hereafter, a press fit terminal or contact for through-the-hole mounting and having a longitudinal axis comprises a contact portion along said axis for mating with an associated electrical component to make electrical contact therewith. A leg portion is provided which is configured and dimensioned to be inserted through a mounting plated through hole of a support member, such as a printed circuit board. Said leg portion includes interference means along at least a portion thereof dimensioned to be receivable within said plated through hole to establish a press or interference fit providing both mechanical and electrical contact with the plating on said mounting hole. An intermediate portion is provided between and integrally formed with said contact and leg portions. Said portions are all generally aligned along said longitudinal axis and said intermediate portion having lateral edges which generally define a width normal to said longitudinal axis which is no greater than the width of said contact portion. Pressure-bearing means is provided on said intermediate portion between said lateral edges. Pressure applying means is provided arranged on said intermediate portion to transmit forces applied thereto and acting along said longitudinal axis in the direction from said contact portion toward said leg portion. In this manner, insertion forces applied to said pressure-appling-, in each instance means are transmitted to said intermediate and leg portions for facilitating insertion of same leg portion through the plated through hole by coupling said forces to said pressure-bearing-, in each instance means.
In accordance with a presently preferred embodiment, said pressure-appling-, in each instance means comprises a molded member molded about said intermediate portion for encapsulating and making contact with said pressure bearing, which is in the form of a hole between said lateral edges of said intermediate portion. Said molded member extends through said hole in order to encapsulate it and make contact therewith.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3862791 (1975-01-01), Miller
patent: 3922477 (1975-11-01), Glowacz
patent: 4012102 (1977-03-01), Cherney et al.
patent: 4384757 (1983-05-01), Andrews, Jr. et al.
patent: 4575176 (1986-03-01), Castello et al.
patent: 4579404 (1986-04-01), Lockard
patent: 5108317 (1992-04-01), Beinhaur et al.
patent: 5139446 (1992-08-01), Costello et al.
patent: 5224879 (1993-07-01), Mullins et al.
patent: 5411418 (1995-05-01), Welsh et al.
patent: 5433628 (1995-07-01), Sadaishi et al.
patent: 5595513 (1997-01-01), Kondo
patent: 5823830 (1998-10-01), Wurster
Bradley Paula
Lackenbach Siegel Marzullo Aronson & Greenspan P.C.
Nguyen Truc
Teka Interconnection Systems, Inc.
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