EP0134094B1 - An improved compliant section for circuit board contact elements - Google Patents

An improved compliant section for circuit board contact elements Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0134094B1
EP0134094B1 EP19840304942 EP84304942A EP0134094B1 EP 0134094 B1 EP0134094 B1 EP 0134094B1 EP 19840304942 EP19840304942 EP 19840304942 EP 84304942 A EP84304942 A EP 84304942A EP 0134094 B1 EP0134094 B1 EP 0134094B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
segments
compliant section
spring members
attached
circuit board
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
EP19840304942
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0134094A1 (en
Inventor
Howard Wallace Andrews
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
TE Connectivity Corp
Original Assignee
AMP Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by AMP Inc filed Critical AMP Inc
Publication of EP0134094A1 publication Critical patent/EP0134094A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0134094B1 publication Critical patent/EP0134094B1/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R12/00—Structural associations of a plurality of mutually-insulated electrical connecting elements, specially adapted for printed circuits, e.g. printed circuit boards [PCB], flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures, e.g. terminal strips, terminal blocks; Coupling devices specially adapted for printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures; Terminals specially adapted for contact with, or insertion into, printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures
    • H01R12/50—Fixed connections
    • H01R12/51—Fixed connections for rigid printed circuits or like structures
    • H01R12/55—Fixed connections for rigid printed circuits or like structures characterised by the terminals
    • H01R12/58—Fixed connections for rigid printed circuits or like structures characterised by the terminals terminals for insertion into holes
    • H01R12/585—Terminals having a press fit or a compliant portion and a shank passing through a hole in the printed circuit board

Definitions

  • U.S. Patent 3634819 discloses a contact element having a compliant section which may be inserted in a plated-through hole in a circuit board.
  • the compliant section includes two resilient or spring members, located intermediate the ends, having an arcuate configuration, forming a shape similar to an eye of a needle.
  • the periphery of the compliant section is greater than the plated-through hole which receives it so that the section is compressed upon being inserted thereinto.
  • the spring members will maintain the contact element in position and further will also provide an excellent electrical connection.
  • the present invention is intended to provide a contact element of the above kind which is substantially improved to yield better retention and electrical connection.
  • a contact element as defined in the second paragraph of this specification is, according to the present invention characterised in that the spring members are provided with second, axially extending segments attached to and positioned below the load-receiving oblique segments, and with downwardly and inwardly extending segments attached to and positioned below the second axially extending segments.
  • Compliant section 10 may be included into any one of several different contact elements or pins which are mounted in plated-through holes 12 ( Figures 2-5) in printed circuit board 14 or the like.
  • the compliant section is that part of an element or pin which is driven into the plated-through hole and retained therein by the resilient characteristics of the section.
  • Two most important aspects of a compliant section is the force required to insert it into the hole and the force required to withdraw it from the hole. Although the two are related through a given range for a particular design and metal used, the relation may not hold at the higher extremes.
  • compliant section 10 overcomes the above and other problems.
  • the major structural features of compliant section 10 includes two spring members 16, positioned between a tail section 18 (note, however, that the compliant section could be the lowest part of the contact element) and an upper contact section 20.
  • these sections can be of any shape and are not directly important to the present invention, they are not shown.
  • the members are identically shaped and include five segments.
  • the uppermost segments, indicated by reference numeral 22, are attached to section 20 and extend downwardly (towards tail section 18) and obliquely outwardly therefrom.
  • Elongated segments 24 extend straight axially downwardly from their attachment to the first segments 22.
  • the fifth and last segments 30 extend downwardly and obliquely inwardly to their attachment with tail section 18.
  • the outwardly facing surfaces 32 of the spring members are preferably non-symmetrically curved from side to side; i.e., traverse to the axis of the contact element.
  • the cross-sectional drawings in Figures 4 and 5 show this curvature.
  • the overall configuration of the two spring members 16 are such as to define an angular bowed compliant section with a disruption therein occasioned by the second and shorter vertical segments 28.
  • Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view showing compliant section 10 fully inserted into plated-through hole 12 in board 14.
  • the outwardly facing surfaces 32 on segments 24 are abutting the wall defining the hole.
  • the spring members are in compression, having been inserted into a hole of less diameter than the distance between surfaces 32 on opposing segments 24. Accordingly, there is excellent electrical contact therebetween.
  • Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 in Figure 2. This view shows second segments 24 pressing against the wall of plated-through hole 12.
  • Figure 3 shows the first stage which is inserting the section up to the third segment 26.
  • Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 5-5 in Figure 3.
  • the significance of the two stage insertion operation is that it permits beam loading nearer to the axial center of each spring member. Accordingly, the spring members, which are beams secured at each end, are able to enjoy maximum resiliency because the stresses imparted to them from the loading are more evenly distributed along their length.
  • Central loading occurs whether the plated-through hole is of maximum, minimum or intermediate diameter. In a maximum diameter condition, the two lower segments 28 and 30 will enter the hole under substantially no insertion force. Loading, i.e., pressure exerted by the wall, begins against the oblique surfaces on segments 26 as they engage the wall of hole 12. In a minimum diameter hole, loading still begins with segments 26 but some very little insertion force may be required to drive the compliant section in that far, particularly if manufacturing tolerances are too loose.
  • the compliant section is faily well into the plated-through hole before the insertion forces become substantial.
  • the first stage insertion provides partial seating in the proper alignment and registration and after final insertion, the contact element will be correctly mounted on the board.
  • resiliency is achieved from central loading as noted above. Further, resiliency is maximized by the long, overall length of the spring members. Such length, however, does not distract from the ability of the compliant section to have high retention in the hole.
  • the oblique segments 22 and 30 provide a stiffness to the members required for such retention without degrading the aforementioned resiliency.
  • the compliant section of the present invention exerts a strong force against the wall so that with the high retention characteristics, the contact element cannot be easily rocked laterally by a force directed against the sections of the element extending above or below the board.

Landscapes

  • Coupling Device And Connection With Printed Circuit (AREA)
  • Multi-Conductor Connections (AREA)
EP19840304942 1983-08-15 1984-07-19 An improved compliant section for circuit board contact elements Expired EP0134094B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US52350583A 1983-08-15 1983-08-15
US523505 1983-08-15

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0134094A1 EP0134094A1 (en) 1985-03-13
EP0134094B1 true EP0134094B1 (en) 1987-05-27

Family

ID=24085308

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP19840304942 Expired EP0134094B1 (en) 1983-08-15 1984-07-19 An improved compliant section for circuit board contact elements

Country Status (9)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0134094B1 (ja)
JP (1) JPS6062071A (ja)
BR (1) BR8403975A (ja)
DE (1) DE3463991D1 (ja)
ES (1) ES292531Y (ja)
HK (1) HK26791A (ja)
IE (1) IE55604B1 (ja)
MX (1) MX155399A (ja)
SG (1) SG11990G (ja)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE3804041A1 (de) * 1988-02-10 1989-08-24 Harting Elektronik Gmbh Stiftfoermiges kontaktelement zur befestigung in leiterplatten-bohrungen
DE10325134A1 (de) * 2003-06-04 2004-12-23 Conti Temic Microelectronic Gmbh Einpresskontakt

Families Citing this family (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4691979A (en) * 1983-08-04 1987-09-08 Manda R & D Compliant press-fit electrical contact
EP0205461B1 (en) * 1984-12-04 1989-09-06 Amp Incorporated Method of making an electrical terminal having a compliant retention section
DE3784938T2 (de) * 1986-09-01 1993-06-24 Whitaker Corp Elektrisches endglied.
DE9016257U1 (ja) * 1990-11-29 1991-04-04 Thomas & Betts Corp., Bridgewater, N.J., Us
US6121416A (en) 1997-04-04 2000-09-19 Genentech, Inc. Insulin-like growth factor agonist molecules
US7413484B2 (en) * 2006-08-02 2008-08-19 Tyco Electronics Corporation Electrical terminal having a compliant retention section
CN106207531B (zh) * 2016-06-21 2018-08-24 上海沪工汽车电器有限公司 免焊pcb式音叉端子及其安装方法
WO2021106546A1 (ja) * 2019-11-29 2021-06-03 株式会社オートネットワーク技術研究所 プレスフィット端子、プレスフィット端子付基板及び機器

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3825562A (en) * 1972-07-18 1974-07-23 Gen Electric Process for recovering 2,2,4-trimethyl-4-(4-hydroxyphenyl)chroman
US4186982A (en) * 1973-08-01 1980-02-05 Amp Incorporated Contact with split portion for engagement with substrate
JPS593478U (ja) * 1982-06-29 1984-01-10 富士通株式会社 端子構造

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE3804041A1 (de) * 1988-02-10 1989-08-24 Harting Elektronik Gmbh Stiftfoermiges kontaktelement zur befestigung in leiterplatten-bohrungen
DE10325134A1 (de) * 2003-06-04 2004-12-23 Conti Temic Microelectronic Gmbh Einpresskontakt

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
BR8403975A (pt) 1985-07-09
MX155399A (es) 1988-02-26
ES292531U (es) 1986-11-01
EP0134094A1 (en) 1985-03-13
JPH0521315B2 (ja) 1993-03-24
HK26791A (en) 1991-04-19
IE842082L (en) 1985-02-15
ES292531Y (es) 1987-07-16
IE55604B1 (en) 1990-11-21
JPS6062071A (ja) 1985-04-10
DE3463991D1 (en) 1987-07-02
SG11990G (en) 1990-11-23

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