EP0627797B1 - System of printed circuit boards - Google Patents
System of printed circuit boards Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP0627797B1 EP0627797B1 EP94201555A EP94201555A EP0627797B1 EP 0627797 B1 EP0627797 B1 EP 0627797B1 EP 94201555 A EP94201555 A EP 94201555A EP 94201555 A EP94201555 A EP 94201555A EP 0627797 B1 EP0627797 B1 EP 0627797B1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- contact
- printed circuit
- contact pin
- circuit boards
- 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 - Lifetime
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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
- H01R43/00—Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing, assembling, maintaining, or repairing of line connectors or current collectors or for joining electric conductors
- H01R43/16—Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing, assembling, maintaining, or repairing of line connectors or current collectors or for joining electric conductors for manufacturing contact members, e.g. by punching and by bending
-
- 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
- the invention relates to a system of printed circuit boards, comprising a central printed circuit board and further printed circuit boards at each side of the central printed circuit board.
- EP-A-0 047 469 discloses a method for manufacturing contact elements with a contact pin part 1 including a twisted portion 3 at one end and a female contact element at the other end.
- the contact pin part 1 is inserted into a plated through-hole of a printed circuit board and the pin part 1 is used for wire-wrapping connections.
- US-A-3 530 422 discloses a connector with a housing having a plurality of contact elements wherein the contact elements are fixed in the housing by rotating a part of the contact element when the contact element has been inserted into the housing.
- the contact pin part of the contact element is used for wire-wrapping connections.
- the invention aims to provide a system of printed circuit boards wherein suitable contact faces are available for contacting complementary contact elements at both sides of the central printed circuit board.
- the invention provides a system of printed circuit boards, comprising a central printed circuit board, a further printed circuit board at each side of the central printed circuit board, said further printed circuit boards mutually crossing each other perpendicularly, and a connector assembly connecting the printed circuit boards to each other, said connector assembly comprising a plurality of contact pins having two contact pin parts with opposite contact faces for contacting complementary contact elements of the connector assembly, wherein at each contact pin one contact pin part is twisted along 90° with respect to the other contact pin part.
- Fig. a shows two adjacent contact pins 1 formed out of a strip of conductive material, such as for example a suitable copper alloy, of which only a narrow band 2 is present connecting the successive contact pins with each other.
- the parts of the material strip lying between the successive contact pins 1 are cut away.
- the intermediate parts are cut away in such a manner at the top side of the narrow band 2 that the contact pins have a shoulder portion 3 lying in the plane of the strip.
- each contact pin 1 has a contact pin part 4 with opposite contact faces 5 lying in the respective main planes of the strip and are therefore extending substantially parallel to the shoulder portions 3.
- These contact faces 5 are formed in a usual manner for contacting a complementary element.
- the faces of the contact pin parts 1 directed towards each other are not suitable for contacting a complementary contact element due to the cutting away of the intermediate parts of the strip.
- the contact pins 1 are provided at their lower side with a press fit portion 6 known per se, wherein a contact pin is adapted to be inserted into a hole of a printed circuit board with this press fit portion 6.
- This press fit portion 6 guarantees a good contacting of the wall of the hole plated with a conductive material, and holds the contact pin 1 in the hole.
- the shoulder portion 3 is provided to press the contact pin 1 in a suitable manner into the hole of the printed circuit board.
- each contact pin 1 opposite of the contact pin part 4 can also be provided with opposite contact faces 5 extending in the main planes of the material strip.
- Such contact pins 1 with two contact pin parts 4, 7 are suitable for applications wherein the contact pins should be contacted at both sides of a printed circuit board.
- Fig. b it is indicated that in the embodiment shown the contact faces 5 of the contact pin parts 4 are advantageously plated with a noble metal, such as for example gold, when the contact pins 1 are still in the material strip.
- the coating layer 8 obtained is shown in the drawing by shading. Thereby a good contact with complementary contact elements can be guaranteed.
- Fig. c shows that the contact pin parts 4 are twisted along 90° with respect to the plane of the material strip when the contact pins 1 are still in the material strip. In this manner the contact pin parts 4 each include a twisted portion 9. Thereby it is obtained that the contact faces 5 extend transverse to the direction of the shoulder portions 3. Finally, the contact pins 1 are cut loose from the material strip as shown in Fig. d. A coating layer 8 of the contact faces of the contact pin parts 7 is schematically shown by shading in Figs. c and d.
- contact pins 1 By means of the method described contact pins 1 are obtained wherein the contact faces 5 of the contact pin part 4 extend transverse to the shoulder portions 3.
- the contact pins 1 are thereby particularly suitable for application in connector assemblies in systems with a central printed circuit board, wherein printed circuit boards mutually crossing each other perpendicularly are connected to the central printed circuit board at both sides. Further, the contact pins 1 are very suitable for applications, wherein the contact pins must be closely spaced.
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
- Coupling Device And Connection With Printed Circuit (AREA)
- Multi-Conductor Connections (AREA)
Description
The invention relates to a system of printed
circuit boards, comprising a central printed circuit board
and further printed circuit boards at each side of the
central printed circuit board.
In EP-A-0 627 789 of the same date and same applicant
a system of this type is described, wherein the further
printed circuit boards are mutually crossing each other
perpendicularly. The printed circuit boards are connected to
each other by means of at least one connector assembly. In
such a system contact pins are used with contact pin parts
projecting from the central printed circuit board at both
sides. Said projecting contact pin parts have contact faces
for contacting complementary contact elements. In manufacturing
such contact pins portions of a material strip between
subsequent contact pins are cut away and due to this cutting
step only two opposite faces of the contact pin parts are
suitable for contacting complementary contact elements.
EP-A-0 047 469 discloses a method for manufacturing
contact elements with a contact pin part 1 including a
twisted portion 3 at one end and a female contact element at
the other end. The contact pin part 1 is inserted into a
plated through-hole of a printed circuit board and the pin
part 1 is used for wire-wrapping connections.
US-A-3 530 422 discloses a connector with a housing
having a plurality of contact elements wherein the contact
elements are fixed in the housing by rotating a part of the
contact element when the contact element has been inserted
into the housing. The contact pin part of the contact
element is used for wire-wrapping connections.
The invention aims to provide a system of printed
circuit boards wherein suitable contact faces are available
for contacting complementary contact elements at both sides
of the central printed circuit board.
To this end the invention provides a system of
printed circuit boards, comprising a central printed circuit
board, a further printed circuit board at each side of the
central printed circuit board, said further printed circuit
boards mutually crossing each other perpendicularly, and a
connector assembly connecting the printed circuit boards to
each other, said connector assembly comprising a plurality
of contact pins having two contact pin parts with opposite
contact faces for contacting complementary contact elements
of the connector assembly, wherein at each contact pin one
contact pin part is twisted along 90° with respect to the
other contact pin part.
The invention will be further explained by reference
to the drawings, in which Figs. a, b, c and d show
successive steps of a method for manufacturing contact pins
to be used in the connector assemblies of a system according
to the invention.
Fig. a shows two adjacent contact pins 1 formed out
of a strip of conductive material, such as for example a
suitable copper alloy, of which only a narrow band 2 is
present connecting the successive contact pins with each
other. The parts of the material strip lying between the
successive contact pins 1 are cut away. As shown in Fig. a the
intermediate parts are cut away in such a manner at the top
side of the narrow band 2 that the contact pins have a
shoulder portion 3 lying in the plane of the strip. Above this
shoulder portion 3 each contact pin 1 has a contact pin part 4
with opposite contact faces 5 lying in the respective main
planes of the strip and are therefore extending substantially
parallel to the shoulder portions 3. These contact faces 5 are
formed in a usual manner for contacting a complementary
element. The faces of the contact pin parts 1 directed towards
each other are not suitable for contacting a complementary
contact element due to the cutting away of the intermediate
parts of the strip.
In the embodiment shown the contact pins 1 are
provided at their lower side with a press fit portion 6 known
per se, wherein a contact pin is adapted to be inserted into a
hole of a printed circuit board with this press fit portion 6.
This press fit portion 6 guarantees a good contacting of the
wall of the hole plated with a conductive material, and holds
the contact pin 1 in the hole. The shoulder portion 3 is
provided to press the contact pin 1 in a suitable manner into
the hole of the printed circuit board.
The contact pin part 7 of each contact pin 1 opposite
of the contact pin part 4 can also be provided with opposite
contact faces 5 extending in the main planes of the material
strip. Such contact pins 1 with two contact pin parts 4, 7 are
suitable for applications wherein the contact pins should be
contacted at both sides of a printed circuit board.
In Fig. b it is indicated that in the embodiment
shown the contact faces 5 of the contact pin parts 4 are
advantageously plated with a noble metal, such as for example
gold, when the contact pins 1 are still in the material strip.
The coating layer 8 obtained is shown in the drawing by
shading. Thereby a good contact with complementary contact
elements can be guaranteed.
Fig. c shows that the contact pin parts 4 are twisted
along 90° with respect to the plane of the material strip when
the contact pins 1 are still in the material strip. In this
manner the contact pin parts 4 each include a twisted portion
9. Thereby it is obtained that the contact faces 5 extend
transverse to the direction of the shoulder portions 3.
Finally, the contact pins 1 are cut loose from the material
strip as shown in Fig. d. A coating layer 8 of the contact
faces of the contact pin parts 7 is schematically shown by
shading in Figs. c and d.
By means of the method described contact pins 1 are
obtained wherein the contact faces 5 of the contact pin part 4
extend transverse to the shoulder portions 3. The contact pins
1 are thereby particularly suitable for application in
connector assemblies in systems with a central printed circuit
board, wherein printed circuit boards mutually crossing each
other perpendicularly are connected to the central printed
circuit board at both sides. Further, the contact pins 1 are
very suitable for applications, wherein the contact pins must
be closely spaced.
Claims (3)
- System of printed circuit boards, comprising a central printed circuit board, a further printed circuit board at each side of the central printed circuit board, said further printed circuit boards mutually crossing each other perpendicularly, and a connector assembly connecting the printed circuit boards to each other, said connector assembly comprising a plurality of contact pins (1) having two contact pin parts (4, 7) with opposite contact faces (5) for contacting complementary contact elements of the connector assembly, wherein at each contact pin (1) one contact pin part (4) is twisted along 90° with respect to the other contact pin part (7).
- System according to claim 1, wherein the surfaces of said contact pin part (4) lying in the plane of the strip are plated as contact faces (5) with a noble metal before twisting the contact pin part.
- System according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the contact pin (1) are cut loose from the strip after the twisting step.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| NL9300970A NL9300970A (en) | 1993-06-04 | 1993-06-04 | Method of manufacturing contact pins. |
| NL9300970 | 1993-06-04 |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| EP0627797A1 EP0627797A1 (en) | 1994-12-07 |
| EP0627797B1 true EP0627797B1 (en) | 1998-11-25 |
Family
ID=19862491
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| EP94201555A Expired - Lifetime EP0627797B1 (en) | 1993-06-04 | 1994-06-03 | System of printed circuit boards |
Country Status (2)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| EP (1) | EP0627797B1 (en) |
| NL (1) | NL9300970A (en) |
Families Citing this family (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US5722861A (en) * | 1996-02-28 | 1998-03-03 | Molex Incorporated | Electrical connector with terminals of varying lengths |
| JP3994282B2 (en) | 2002-12-10 | 2007-10-17 | 住友電装株式会社 | Manufacturing method for male terminal fittings |
| EP1786074A1 (en) * | 2005-11-10 | 2007-05-16 | Tyco Electronics France SAS | Header for electrical appartus, method for the manufacture thereof and electrical appartus. |
Family Cites Families (5)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US3530422A (en) * | 1968-03-25 | 1970-09-22 | Elco Corp | Connector and method for attaching same to printed circuit board |
| DE2631107C2 (en) * | 1975-07-21 | 1992-01-23 | Elfab Corp., Dallas, Tex. | Electrical connector with at least one contact element and method for its manufacture |
| CH642488A5 (en) * | 1980-09-05 | 1984-04-13 | Zuest Harry | CONTACT INSERTABLE INTO A METAL HOLE OF A PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD, MANUFACTURING METHOD AND USE OF THIS CONTACT. |
| DE3724033A1 (en) * | 1986-12-22 | 1988-06-30 | Erni Elektroapp | Method for producing integral contact springs |
| US5183421A (en) * | 1991-07-24 | 1993-02-02 | Foxconn International, Inc. | Connector contact and method of manufacture |
-
1993
- 1993-06-04 NL NL9300970A patent/NL9300970A/en not_active Application Discontinuation
-
1994
- 1994-06-03 EP EP94201555A patent/EP0627797B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| NL9300970A (en) | 1995-01-02 |
| EP0627797A1 (en) | 1994-12-07 |
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