GB1591574A - Insulating contact pin carrier - Google Patents

Description

(54) INSULATING CONTACT PIN CARRIER (71) We, E. I. Du PONT DE NEMOURS AND COMPANY, a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware, United States of America, of Wilmington, State of Delaware, United States of America, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: The invention relates to an insulating pin carrier for the insulated fixation of contact pins in holes in a plate of metal or in holes with metallized surfaces and to a method of securing contact pins in holes in a plate using such a pin carrier.

In the computer industry, use is made on a large scale of printed circuits. For connections, contact pins are inserted into holes in the circuit board and soldered. Sometimes, in cooperation with these printed circuits, metal rear panels are used, in which contact pins must be placed in such a way that they are insulated with respect to the metal plate. In large scale processing of contact pins of standard size for this purpose, it is desirable that the assembly of the pins in the rear plates can be automated and standardized as much as possible.

It is the aim of the present invention to facilitate an automated assembly and insulation of pins in a simple and inexpensive manner.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided an insulating pin carrier for the insulated fixation of contact pins in holes, comprising a strip of plastics sleeves, each provided with an enlarged head, adjacent enlarged heads being interconnected by a flexible web, the pin carrier being molded in a single piece, and a notch in the side of each sleeve head for facilitating the separation of adjacent sleeves.

A strip consisting of any desired number of sleeves can then be used, depending only on the number of plate holes in which pins must be fixed.

In another aspect, the invention provides a method of securing contact pins in holes in a plate in which the pins are mounted in the sleeves of a pin carrier of the type defined above, the carrier being formed with sleeves disposed at spacings corresponding to the spacings of the holes.

With a strip of insulation sleeves according to the invention, it is possible to fix and simultaneously insulate a row of contact pins in corresponding holes in a metal plate. The individual pins may be inserted beforehand at the head side of the insulation sleeves, so that a preassembly is obtained which can be placed on a metal plate: the individual sleeves are inserted into the holes in the plate and, subsequently, the contact pins are pressed through, during which the plastic material is urged outwards and thus assures a solid fixation.

In order to ensure retention in the plate, it is proposed in a preferred embodiment of the invention that the insertion end of each contact sleeve be split into two lips with inwardly extending enlargements. When the contact pin is pushed through the sleeve into engagement with the enlargements on the lips, the split ends of the sleeve are bent away from each other and thus assure retention in the plate.

An exemplary embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side view of an insulating pin carrier according to the invention with contact pins partially inserted therein.

Figure 2 is a top view.

Figure 3 is a side view, parts having been broken away and shown in section to reveal details of the pre-assembly.

Figure 4 is a sectional view of the sleeve in a plate after full insertion of a pin.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, an insulating pin carrier comprises a row of insulation sleeves I of a synthetic polymeric material such as nylon. At its lower end, each sleeve 1 has an insertion part 2 which tapers slightly and, at its upper end, an enlarged rectilinear head 3. Adjacent sleeves are connected to each other by flexible connecting webs 4 and a break off notch 5 is provided in the side of each head to enable two adjacent sleeves to be separated. The strip of sleeves and connecting webs can be manufactured in one single piece by injection molding.

Each sleeve has an outside periphery 6 that corresponds in diameter to the standard hole size in a circuit plate or rear plate of the type used in the computer industry. The inside diameter 7 of each sleeve is less than diagonal of a square contact pin 8. Thus, when the contact pin is pushed through, it is fixed in the sleeve.

The insertion part 2 at the lower end of the sleeve is provided with a slot 9, so that two lips 10 are formed there. each of which has an enlargement or tongue 11 at its inner side.

In this way, the two lips are bent away from each other when a contact pin is pushed through and the sleeve is fixed in its hole (Fig. 4).

The assembly of contact pins in a metal plate takes place as follows. After a preassembly consisting of a row of interconnected insulation sleeves 1 with contact pins 8 extending through heads 3 has been placed in corresponding holes 12 in a metal plate 13, the pre-assembled pins 8 are pushed through the sleeves and the metal plate, so that each sleeve, as a result of the fact that the inside hole therein is smaller than the contact pin, expands itself radially and is clamped against the wall of the hole 12. In this way, the sleeve is fixed completely in its hole, whereas the head rests on the upper side of the plate and the outward bent lips 10 assure retention at the under side. In the illustrated embodiment, the pins 8 have a square section and also have notches 14 which guarantee a good anchorage in the sleeve.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. An insulating pin carrier for the insulated fixation of contact pins in holes, comprising a strip of plastics sleeves, each provided with an enlarged head, adjacent enlarged heads being interconnected by a flexible web, the pin carrier being molded in a single piece, and a notch in the side of each sleeve head for facilitating the separation of adjacent sleeves.

2. A pin carrier according to claim 1, wherein each sleeve, at its insertion end away from the head, is slotted to form two lips, each enlarged at its inside.

3. An insulating pin carrier substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

4. A method of securing contact pins in holes in a plate in which the pins are mounted in the sleeves of a pin carrier according to any one of the preceding claims, the carrier being formed with sleeves disposed at spacings corresponding to the spacings of the holes.

5. A method according to claim 4 in which the inside diameter of each sleeve is smaller than the maximum cross-sectional dimension of a contact pin.

6. A method of mounting contact pins substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (6)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. be separated. The strip of sleeves and connecting webs can be manufactured in one single piece by injection molding. Each sleeve has an outside periphery 6 that corresponds in diameter to the standard hole size in a circuit plate or rear plate of the type used in the computer industry. The inside diameter 7 of each sleeve is less than diagonal of a square contact pin 8. Thus, when the contact pin is pushed through, it is fixed in the sleeve. The insertion part 2 at the lower end of the sleeve is provided with a slot 9, so that two lips 10 are formed there. each of which has an enlargement or tongue 11 at its inner side. In this way, the two lips are bent away from each other when a contact pin is pushed through and the sleeve is fixed in its hole (Fig. 4). The assembly of contact pins in a metal plate takes place as follows. After a preassembly consisting of a row of interconnected insulation sleeves 1 with contact pins 8 extending through heads 3 has been placed in corresponding holes 12 in a metal plate 13, the pre-assembled pins 8 are pushed through the sleeves and the metal plate, so that each sleeve, as a result of the fact that the inside hole therein is smaller than the contact pin, expands itself radially and is clamped against the wall of the hole 12. In this way, the sleeve is fixed completely in its hole, whereas the head rests on the upper side of the plate and the outward bent lips 10 assure retention at the under side. In the illustrated embodiment, the pins 8 have a square section and also have notches 14 which guarantee a good anchorage in the sleeve. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. An insulating pin carrier for the insulated fixation of contact pins in holes, comprising a strip of plastics sleeves, each provided with an enlarged head, adjacent enlarged heads being interconnected by a flexible web, the pin carrier being molded in a single piece, and a notch in the side of each sleeve head for facilitating the separation of adjacent sleeves.

2. A pin carrier according to claim 1, wherein each sleeve, at its insertion end away from the head, is slotted to form two lips, each enlarged at its inside.

3. An insulating pin carrier substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

4. A method of securing contact pins in holes in a plate in which the pins are mounted in the sleeves of a pin carrier according to any one of the preceding claims, the carrier being formed with sleeves disposed at spacings corresponding to the spacings of the holes.

5. A method according to claim 4 in which the inside diameter of each sleeve is smaller than the maximum cross-sectional dimension of a contact pin.

6. A method of mounting contact pins substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.