Electrical connectors – Preformed panel circuit arrangement – e.g. – pcb – icm – dip,... – Distinct contact secured to panel circuit
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-18
2001-08-14
Patel, Tulsidas (Department: 2839)
Electrical connectors
Preformed panel circuit arrangement, e.g., pcb, icm, dip,...
Distinct contact secured to panel circuit
Reexamination Certificate
active
06273732
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to electrical connectors. More particularly, the invention relates to apparatus and methods for connecting a through mount electrical connector to a printed circuit board.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It is known in the art that through mount connectors having contacts with fine tail pitch have been prone to bending or stubbing during insertion of the connector into a printed circuit board (PCB). This problem can be overcome by properly aligning the contact tails with the corresponding PCB holes before insertion so that they do not stub during insertion. Another problem is damage caused by handling prior to PCB insertion. This problem can be overcome by protecting the contacts during shipping and handling.
Additionally, some through mount connectors include rivets or screws that are used to attach the connector to the PCB before soldering. These connectors are known to be difficult to manufacture. To address this concern, connectors with fasteners such as interference hold-downs have been introduced to eliminate the need for screws or rivets. It is known that approximately 6-30 pounds of force is needed to press this type of connector into the PCB. With this type of connector, alignment of the contact tails with the corresponding receiving holes is important because this amount of force does not allow for tactile feed back of the contacts either entering or not entering the PCB holes. Thus, any contact tail that is not properly aligned with the corresponding hole, can be bent or even destroyed when force is applied to press the connector hold-downs into the PCB. Significantly, the user is typically unaware that any of the contact tails have been damaged until after the connector has been seated on the board.
To reduce the incidence of contact tail bending, alignment devices have been used with both vertical and right angle through mount connectors to hold the contact tails in alignment with the corresponding PCB holes before the connector is pressed onto the PCB. The alignment devices known in the art, however, are typically inside the connector housing, with the contact tails extending away from the alignment device. As the mounting ends of the contact tails extend farther away from the alignment device, they can be, and often are, farther out of alignment due to larger angular displacement and spring back. In addition, a longer cantilevered beam is less rigid than a shorter cantilevered beam and is more prone to misalignment.
Thus, there is a need in the art for an alignment device for a through mount connector that improves the alignment of the contact tails with the corresponding PCB holes by preventing the contact tails from extending away from the alignment device before insertion, thereby reducing the incidence of contact tail bending during insertion.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The above described needs in the art are satisfied by a through mount electrical connector having an alignment device according to the present invention. The connector of the invention is mountable to a substrate, such as a printed circuit board, and comprises a housing, a plurality of contacts, an alignment device, and at least one latch. Each of the contacts has a contact tail that extends through the housing and beyond the face thereof.
The alignment device has a first face adjacent the housing, a second face positionable adjacent the substrate, and a plurality of apertures extending between the first face and the second face for receiving a respective contact tail. The latch slidably couples the alignment device to ends of the shell such that the alignment device is selectively disposable between a first position in which the contact tails generally do not extend beyond the second face of the alignment device, and a second position in which the contact tails generally extend beyond the second face of the alignment device.
In another aspect of the invention, the alignment device comprises a contact receiving portion having a plurality of contact receiving apertures extending therethrough. The alignment device includes at least one latch located generally at each end thereof. The latches form a connector receiving area therebetween, and are adapted to slidably couple the alignment device to the shell, such that the alignment device can be selectively disposed in either a first position in which mounting ends of the contacts are disposed generally within the contact receiving apertures, or in a second position in which the contacts extend through the contact receiving apertures.
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Cowley Simon C.
Johnescu Douglas M.
Berg Technology Inc.
Patel Tulsidas
Woodcock Washburn Kurtz Mackiewicz & Norris LLP
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