Metal working – Means to assemble or disassemble – Means to assemble electrical device
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-01
2001-05-15
Gerrity, Stephen F. (Department: 3729)
Metal working
Means to assemble or disassemble
Means to assemble electrical device
C029S741000, C029S845000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06230392
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electrical connectors and more particularly to methods and apparatus for attaching electrical connectors to a substrate.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Developments
In the assembly of electronic devices it is frequently necessary to mount connectors having a plurality of signal pins or pin like elements on a printed wiring board or on other substrates. There will ordinarily be a plurality of pin receiving apertures on the surface of the printed wiring board and conventionally each of the pins on the connector will be aligned with one of the pin receiving apertures and the connector will then be engaged with the wiring board. The connector will also often be equipped with a pair of mounting brackets at its opposed ends. Each of these brackets will have a hold down aperture which is aligned with a hold down aperture on the printed wiring board. An eyelet, rivet or any other number of well known commercial fasteners may be inserted through these hold down apertures to fix the connector to the wiring board but only after the signal pins have first been aligned with them inserted into their respective pin receiving apertures.
The method as described above for fixing a connector to a printed wiring board has several disadvantages. First, the alignment of the signal pins with the pin receiving apertures is a rather exacting procedure which must be accomplished within close tolerances. Further, the conventional method as described above involves two distinct procedures in that the eyelet is not attached to the connector and the wiring board until the signal pins have first been aligned with them and inserted into the pin receiving apertures. The carrying out of these two distinct procedures may result in a significant addition to the time and expense required for the overall assembly operation. A need, therefore, exists for a method and apparatus for mounting a connector on a printed wiring board or other substrate which can be performed quickly and efficiently in essentially a single integral procedure.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In the method and apparatus of the present invention the hold down apertures of the connectors are first superimposed and aligned with locating projections which extend perpendicularly upwardly from a tooling plate. The connector is then lowered toward the tooling plate until the hold down apertures are initially engaged with the tooling projection. Downward motion of the connectors continues until the pins first engage then are seated in the pin receiving apertures in the printed wiring board and the hold down apertures are fully engaged with the locating projection. An axial force is then applied downwardly to the eyelet against a deformation means in the tooling plate to bend the eyelet to engage the printed wiring board within its thickness and on its lower side. The eyelet also engages the connector on its upper side so as to fix the connector to the printed wiring board. By the term “eyelet” what is meant is any type of tubular rivet or other fastener which can concentrically engage a projection that fits through an aperture.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2856593 (1958-10-01), Gookin
patent: 3980367 (1976-09-01), Laserson et al.
patent: 4287667 (1981-09-01), Urushiyama
patent: 4328613 (1982-05-01), Kirkpatricik
patent: 4717219 (1988-01-01), Franz et al.
patent: 4719695 (1988-01-01), Sturner
patent: 4721470 (1988-01-01), Humphrey
patent: 4812130 (1989-03-01), Altenschulte et al.
patent: 4884336 (1989-12-01), Waters et al.
patent: 4953061 (1990-08-01), Nitkiewicz
patent: 5066237 (1991-11-01), Shiley
patent: 5108308 (1992-04-01), Northcraft et al.
patent: 5230639 (1993-07-01), Schuppert, Jr.
patent: 5277618 (1994-01-01), Mitra
patent: 5392510 (1995-02-01), Chapman
patent: 5762523 (1998-06-01), Clark et al.
patent: 393 568 (1990-10-01), None
patent: 0598 492 A1 (1994-05-01), None
patent: 0 743 704 A2 (1996-11-01), None
patent: 1196457 (1970-06-01), None
Clark Stephen L.
Horchier David C.
Nailor, III William K.
Pontius Glenn J.
Stoner Stuart C.
Berg Technology Inc.
Gerrity Stephen F.
Hamilla Brian J.
Page M. Richard
Sands Rhonda E.
LandOfFree
System for mounting an electrical connector on a printed... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with System for mounting an electrical connector on a printed..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and System for mounting an electrical connector on a printed... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2528600