Electricity: conductors and insulators – Conduits – cables or conductors – Preformed panel circuit arrangement
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-07
2001-01-09
Gaffin, Jeffrey (Department: 2841)
Electricity: conductors and insulators
Conduits, cables or conductors
Preformed panel circuit arrangement
C439S062000, C439S081000, C361S789000, C361S791000, C174S068100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06172308
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a terminal to be attached to a circuit assembly comprising an insulating substrate on which a circuit is printed and it relates to a terminal attachment structure which makes it possible to attach the terminal to the circuit assembly.
Japanese Utility Model Publication (kokai) No. 4-6172 discloses one example of the conventional lead terminal attached to a substrate in order to connect a circuit on the substrate with a lead. The lead terminal has a columnar pin part formed on one side thereof, a lead terminal part formed on the other side and a fit part arranged between the pin part and the lead terminal part. The lead terminal part is provided with a V-shaped groove defined by opposing pointed edges. In fitting, by inserting a lead into the groove under pressure, an insulating cover of the lead is peeled by the pointed edges. In this state, since a core part of the lead comes into electrical contact with the pointed edges, a distal end of the lead can be connected with the lead terminal electrically.
In order to fix the so-constructed lead terminal on the substrate, the pin part of the lead terminal is firstly inserted into an attachment hole formed in the substrate, so that the fit part abuts on a periphery of the attachment hole. Thereafter, the pin part projecting from the back surface of the substrate is soldered with a circuit on the substrate. In this way, the attachment of the conventional lead terminal to the substrate can be completed.
Thus, in the conventional lead terminal, the above insertion of the lead into the V-shaped groove facilitates the electrical connection of the lead with the circuit in the substrate.
Beside the above-mentioned terminal structure, there is also known another terminal structure which can be attached to the substrate by means except soldering. This terminal structure is provided by bending an elongated conductive metal plate, The terminal structure comprises a circuit-contact part which is to be fitted to the insulating substrate so as to expose itself on one side of the insulating substrate and a connecting part which penetrates through the substrate and projects on another side thereof. The insulating substrate is provided, on the former side, with a circuit printed thereon and electrically connected with the terminal structure. In assembly, by connecting the connecting part of the terminal structure with a mating terminal, the circuit on the insulating substrate can be connected with the mating terminal.
Now, providing that the lead is inserted into the above-mentioned lead terminal on pressure in the former case or that the terminal structure is connected with the mating terminal in the latter case, any force for the substrate will be applied on the lead terminal or the terminal structure. Consequently, the pin part soldered with the substrate may become rickety in the former case, while the circuit-contact part may be lifted from the insulating substrate thereby to cause the terminal structure to be clattered in the latter case.
In the former case, even if the lead terminal totters against the substrate in this way, no problem would be caused because the lead has only to be fitted into the V-shaped groove. To the contrary, if the circuit-contact part of the latter terminal is raised from the insulating substrate unsteadily, it would be caused a problem that cracks are produced in the circuit formed on the circuit-contact part, so that the circuit is broken down.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a terminal and a terminal attachment structure which is capable of preventing the terminal from tottering against a circuit assembly.
The object of the present invention described above can be accomplished by a terminal attachment structure comprising, in combination:
a circuit assembly consisting of an insulating substrate and a circuit printed and formed on a surface of the insulating substrate;
a terminal attached to the circuit assembly and connected with the circuit electrically;
wherein the terminal comprising, under its attached condition to the circuit assembly:
a circuit-contact part interposed between the surface of the insulating substrate and the circuit to come in contact with the circuit;
a connecting part formed to project from the other surface of the insulating substrate and connected with a mating terminal; and
a cradle part arranged between the circuit-contact part and the connecting part for receiving a force applied on the connecting part toward the insulating substrate thereby to prevent the terminal from clattering with respect to the insulating substrate.
With the arrangement mentioned above, when a force directing the insulating substrate is applied on the connecting part, the cradle part operates to receive the force. Accordingly, since the force is not transmitted to the circuit-contact part, it does not rise from the insulating substrate, so that tottering of the terminal against the circuit assembly can be prevented.
Preferably, the connecting part may be arranged to penetrate the insulating substrate from the surface to the other surface, while the cradle part may be constituted by a projection which is formed so as to project from a portion of the connecting part toward the surface of the insulating substrate and which engages with the insulating substrate.
In this case, when the force directing the insulating substrate is applied on the connecting part, the force is countered by an engagement of the projection with the insulating substrate. Thus, also in this case, since no force is applied on the circuit-contact part, it does not rise from the insulating substrate, so that tottering of the terminal against the circuit assembly can be prevented.
More preferably, the circuit-contact part of the terminal is provided, at a leading end thereof, with a press fit projection which is fitted into the insulating substrate under pressure.
In this case, owing to fitting of the press fit projection at the leading end of the circuit-contact part into the insulating substrate under pressure, it is possible to securely fix the terminal on the insulating substrate in position without causing the tottering of the terminal against the insulating substrate.
In the present invention, preferably, the circuit assembly has an engagement recess formed on the surface so as to engage with the terminal while the circuit-contact part is exposed on the side of the surface of the insulating substrate.
In this case, owing to the engagement of the engagement recess with the terminal, it is possible to attach the terminal to the circuit assembly firmly.
More preferably, the circuit assembly has an engagement groove formed so as to engage with the press fit projection of the terminal.
Also in this case, it is possible to attach the terminal to the circuit assembly firmly.
Furthermore, according to the present invention, it is also provided a terminal for electrically connecting a circuit of a circuit assembly with a mating terminal, the terminal comprising:
a circuit-contact part for the circuit of the circuit assembly, the circuit-contact part being shaped in form of an elongated plate;
a cradle part joined to one end of the circuit-contact part; and
a connecting part for the mating terminal, which is connected with the cradle part, the connecting part being shaped in form of an elongated plate.
Preferably, the cradle part may comprise a projection.
In the present invention, more preferably, the circuit-contact part of the terminal is provided, at a leading end thereof, with a press fit projection.
These and other objects and features of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims taken in conjunction with the accompany drawing.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4392181 (1983-07-01), Jabben
patent: 4423920 (1984-01-01), Cooper et al.
patent: 4668032 (1987-05-01), Bouvier et al.
patent: 5590465 (1997-01-01), Santo
patent: 4-6172 (1992-01-01), None
Katsumata Makoto
Mori Toshiyuki
Ushijima Hitoshi
Cuneo Kamand
Finnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner L.L.P.
Gaffin Jeffrey
Yazaki -Corporation
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