JP2000106240A - Socket contact element and its manufacture - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To form a socket contact element so that a large clamping force can be applied to an inserted pin contact element. SOLUTION: This socket contact element 1 for storing a small diameter pin contact element, particularly contact pin of a PCMCIA plug element, has an almost flat and slender lower base element 5. A first spacer element 6 extends upward from the front narrow side of the base element and has a hole 7 for inserting the pin contact element into the socket contact element 1. A spring tongue piece 8 is formed in the base element behind the first spacer element 6 and presses the pin contact element 4 inserted in the socket contact element 1 against a mounting face 9 from below. The mounting face is formed at the first spacer element 6 above the hole 7. A second spacer element 10 extends upward from the base element behind the spring tongue piece 8. The first spacer element 6 has a reinforcing element.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a small diameter pin contact element with a substantially flat, elongated lower base element, and more particularly to a socket contact element for receiving a contact pin of a PCMCIA plug element. A first spacer element extends upwardly from a narrow side in front of the base element, the spacer element having a hole for inserting a pin contact element into a socket contact element, and a base element behind the first spacer element. Spring tongue, which presses the pin contact element inserted into the socket contact element from below onto the mounting surface formed above the hole of the first spacer element, The socket contact element has a second spacer element extending upwardly from the base element behind the piece.

The invention further relates to a small diameter pin contact element, particularly a PCMC, with a substantially flat, elongated lower base element.
A method for fabricating a socket contact element for receiving a contact pin of an IA plug element, and more particularly, a first spacer element extending upwardly from a narrow side in front of a base element, wherein the spacer element comprises a pin contact. A spring tongue is formed in the base element behind the first spacer element, having a hole for inserting the element into the socket contact element, the spring tongue connecting the pin contact element inserted into the socket contact element. For producing a socket contact element, which presses from below onto a mounting surface formed above the first spacer element and the second spacer element extends upwardly from the base element behind the spring tongue. According to the method.

[0003]

2. Description of the Related Art Various embodiments of such a socket contact element according to the state of the art are known. Sockets are usually often located on the end face of a PCMCIA plug-in card, forming a socket element on the end face of the PCMCIA plug-in card. The socket element is a PCMCIA which is arranged in a computer so as to be accessible from outside.
It can be plugged into a plug-in card.

In order to dispose the socket element in the PCMCIA plug-in card, an accommodating passage opening outward is formed in a predetermined range on the end face of the PCMCIA plug-in card. The socket contact element is inserted into the receiving passage from inside. The spacer element serves to position the socket contact element within the receiving passage so that the base element always extends to the bottom of the receiving passage. That is, with a base element positioned obliquely within the receiving passage, the receiving passage will be blocked and the insertion of the pin contact element will be difficult or prevented.

When the socket contact element is inserted into the receiving passage, the first spacer element is located in the receiving passage hole on the end face of the PCMCIA plug-in card.
The pin contact element is insertable into the socket contact element through a hole in the receiving passage and a hole in the first spacer element. The inserted pin contact element is held between the spring tongue and the mounting surface. Thereby, the pin contact element and the socket contact element make electrical contact.

[0006] Socket contact elements of the known type are usually stamped from sheet metal. The outer contour of the socket contact element and the hole of the first spacer element are also punched. In the stamping process, except for the side supported by the base element,
Both the spacer element and the spring tongue are stamped from the base element. Subsequently, the stamped part is reduced to the form of a finished socket contact element. For example, since the spring tongue is bent somewhat upwards with respect to the base element, the spring tongue protrudes into the area of the socket contact element into which the pin contact element is inserted. Furthermore, the first spacer element is bent upwards with respect to the base element, and the mounting surface is formed against the spring tongue by bending once more against the first spacer element. Finally, the first spacer element is bent upward so as to be steep with respect to the base element.

[0007]

The disadvantage of this known socket element is that only a relatively small clamping force can be applied to the inserted pin contact element via the spring tongue and the mounting surface. There is. Therefore, there is a disadvantage that the socket contact element and the pin contact element cannot be reliably brought into electrical contact in any situation.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a socket contact element of the kind mentioned at the outset in such a way that a large clamping force can be applied to the inserted pin contact element via the spring tongue and the mounting surface. Forming and improving.

[0009]

To solve this problem, the invention proposes, starting from a socket contact element of the type mentioned at the outset, in which the first spacer element comprises a reinforcing element. I do.

In the socket contact element, the mounting surface is fixed to the first spacer element above the hole. The spring tongue is fixed to the first spacer element directly (if the spring tongue is mounted on the front side) or indirectly (if the spring tongue is mounted on the rear side) via the base element. Have been. The inserted pin contact element is clamped between the spring tongue and the mounting surface. A clamping force acts on the pin contact element on the one hand from the lower side via a spring tongue, and on the other hand from the upper side via a mounting surface. This clamping force will create a bending moment in the first spacer element. When the pin contact element is clamped, the area of the first spacer element is the area with a large load and the stability of the first spacer element is determined by the pin inserted through the spring tongue and the mounting surface. It has been found that the magnitude of the clamping force acting on the contact element has a significant effect.

By reinforcing the socket contact element according to the invention in the region of the first spacer element, the first spacer region can be very resistant to bending moments. As a result, a large clamping force can be applied to the pin contact element inserted into the socket contact element via the spring tongue and the mounting surface, so that the plug contact element (pin contact element) and the socket contact element A reliable electrical contact between them is always ensured.

The reinforcing elements in the area of the first spacer element can be formed in different forms. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is proposed to form the reinforcing element as a rearwardly extending support area. The support area which extends rearward, ie transversely to the extension direction of the first spacer, allows the first spacer element to receive very large bending moments. Thereby, the clamping force acting on the inserted pin contact element can be greatly increased by the steep design of the spring tongue.

[0013] Advantageously, the edge area of the first spacer element is narrowed rearward on the sides of the hole. As a result, the support area can be produced very simply by a deep drawing process within the production area of the socket contact element according to the invention.

[0014] The stability of the first spacer element can be increased by the reinforcement element being formed as a material accumulation. The material stack is suitably formed in the region of the first spacer element which is subjected to a very high bending moment load when pinching the pin contact element. The material accumulation may be formed separately in the area of the first spacer element or may be formed in connection with the support area.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the mounting surface is formed as another spring tongue. Such a configuration of the socket contact element is only possible with the reinforcement according to the invention of the first spacer element. Only when the first spacer element is reinforced is it sufficiently stable to receive the force of the other spring tongue during pinching of the pin contact element. In this case, in particular, the first spacer element undergoes no elastic deformation or very little elastic deformation. The mounting surface is also formed as a spring tongue, which facilitates the insertion of the pin contact element into the socket contact element. This is because flexible spring tongues are arranged on opposite sides in the receiving channel.

An embodiment according to the invention of a socket element with a reinforced first spacer element is characterized in that the spring tongue is supported at its front end and has a contact point at its rear end, which pin is inserted with this contact point. Preferably, it is conductively connected to the contact element. In the case of a socket contact element formed in this way, the pinching force acting on the pin contact element inserted via the spring tongue or via the spring tongue and the mounting surface acts on the first spacer element. Significantly affected by stability. This is because the spring tongue or the spring tongue and the mounting surface bear directly on the first spacer element, between which no area of the base element or other intermediate elements is arranged.

The socket contact element preferably comprises an alloy of copper and beryllium. This alloy is particularly desirable for its elastic and conductive properties.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a socket contact element that can apply a large clamping force to an inserted pin contact element via a spring tongue and a mounting surface. To provide different types of methods.

To solve this problem, the invention starts from a method of the type mentioned at the outset, in which the socket element is stamped from a sheet metal, in which case the first spacer area is the second of the completed socket contact element. The dimensions of the first spacer element of the stamped part are stamped to have dimensions larger than the dimensions of the one spacer element, and the area of the first spacer element of the stamped part is deformed during the deformation process to the dimensions of the finished socket element, and the excess material is deformed. The reinforcing element of the first spacer element is characterized in that the deformed stamped part is bent into the form of a finished socket contact element.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, during the deformation step, the edge area of the first spacer element is deep-drawn rearward as a reinforcing element beside the hole.

In another preferred embodiment of the invention, during the deformation step, a material accumulation as a reinforcing element is stamped on the surface of the first spacer element.

[0022]

Next, two preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

In FIG. 1, a socket contact element according to the present invention is generally designated by the reference numeral 1. The socket contact element 1 is arranged in a receiving passage 2 of a partially shown PCMCIA plug-in card 3. The socket contact element 1 serves to receive a pin contact element (plug-in contact element) 4. This pin contact element 4 is shown in FIG.
It is formed as a contact pin for a plug element of CMCIA. The diameter of the pin contact element 4 is about 0.5 mm. The accommodation passage 2 is open outward at the end face of the PCMCIA plug-in card 3. The socket contact element 1 is inserted into the receiving passage 2 from the inside and is fixed therein. Then, the pin contact element 4 is inserted into the socket contact element 1 from the outside,
Held in it.

FIG. 2 shows that the socket contact element 1 is a PCMC
A state where the IA plug-in card 3 is inserted into the accommodation passage 2 is shown. Similarly, the pin contact element 4 is shown inserted into the socket contact element 1.

The socket contact element 1 has a substantially flat, elongated lower base element 5. The length of this base element 5 is about 5.6 mm. At the narrow side on the front side of the base element 5, the first spacer element 6 extends upward. The height and width of this first spacer element is about 0.86 mm. The first spacer element 6 has a hole 7 for inserting the pin contact element 4 into the socket contact element 1. The diameter of the hole 7 is about 0.52 mm. Behind the first spacer element 6, a spring tongue 8 is formed on the base element 5. This spring tongue 8 presses the inserted pin contact element 4 against the mounting surface 9. This mounting surface is formed on the first spacer element 6 above the hole 7 so as to face the spring tongue 8. Behind the spring tongue 8, a second spacer element 10 extends upward from the base element 5. The spacer elements 6, 10 keep the socket contact element 1 in place at the bottom of the receiving passage 2 when it is inserted into the receiving passage 2. Therefore, a sufficiently large space is formed in the receiving passage 2 so that the pin contact element 4 can be inserted without any problem.

The edge area of the first spacer element 6 on the side of the hole 7 is narrowed rearward as a support area 11. Thereby, the first spacer element 6 can well withstand bending moments without significant elastic or plastic deformation. As a result, the spring tongue 8 and the mounting surface 9 can apply a much greater clamping force to the pin contact element 4, ensuring that the socket contact element 1 and the pin contact element 4 are always in electrical contact. be able to.

In the case of the socket contact element 1 shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the spring tongue 8 is mounted at its rear end 12 on the base element 5. The front end 13 of the spring tongue 8 has a contact point 14
Are formed. At this point, the socket contact element 1 is conductively connected to the inserted pin contact element 4.

In the case of the socket contact element 1 shown in FIG. 4, the mounting surface is formed as another spring tongue 15.
The spring tongues 8, 15 are mounted at their front ends 13 on the first spacer element 6. The rear ends of the spring tongues 8, 15 each have a contact point 14. This contact point 14 is conductively connected to the inserted pin contact element 4. In the case of the socket contact element 1 according to FIG. 4, the spring tongues 8, 15 extend from their bearing points in the first spacer element 6 at a very shallow angle into the receiving channel 2. Thereby, the insertion of the pin contact element 4 into the socket contact element 1 becomes very easy. Since the first spacer element 6 is significantly reinforced, a very large clamping force can be applied to the inserted pin contact element 4 via the spring tongues 8,15.

To make the socket contact element 1,
First, a sheet metal is punched. The metal sheet is made of an alloy of copper and beryllium and has a thickness of about 0.12 mm. The outer contour of the socket contact element 1 and the first spacer element 6
Hole 7 is punched out. In this stamping step, the second spacer element 10 and the spring tongue 8 are also stamped out of the base element 5. In this case, the spacer element and the spring tongue are stamped out, except for the side that is supported on the base element 5. Always a plurality of socket contact elements 1 are stamped from a sheet metal in the form of a grid of about 1.27 mm. First spacer element 6
The socket contact element 1 is stamped from a sheet metal so as to have a width of 1.27 mm. The width of the first spacer element 6 of the completed socket contact element 1 is approximately
0.86mm.

Subsequently, the area of the first spacer element 6 of the stamped part is deformed to the dimensions of the completed socket contact element 1 during the deformation process. In this case, the surplus material is deformed and becomes a reinforcing element of the first spacer element 6. During the deformation process, the edge area of the first spacer element 6 is deep drawn rearward as the support area 11 on the side of the hole 7.

The stamped part is finally squeezed into the form of a finished socket contact element 1. If, for example, the spring tongue 8 is bent somewhat upwards with respect to the base element 5, the spring tongue protrudes into the area of the socket contact element 1 into which the pin contact element 4 is inserted. Furthermore, the first spacer element 6 is connected to the base element 5
And the mounting surface 9 is bent upward with respect to the first spacer element 9.
Is formed so as to face the spring element 8 by bending once again. Finally, the second spacer element 10 is bent upward so as to be steep with respect to the base element 5.

[0032]

According to the socket contact element of the present invention, a large clamping force can be applied to the inserted pin contact element via the spring tongue and the mounting surface, so that the socket contact element and the pin contact element can be securely connected. Has the advantage that it can be electrically contacted. Furthermore, the method for producing a socket contact element according to the invention makes it possible to simply produce a socket contact element which can apply a large clamping force to the inserted pin contact element via the spring tongue and the mounting surface. There is an advantage that you can.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 shows a socket contact element of the invention according to a first embodiment, together with a partially shown PCMCIA plug-in card and a pin contact element.

FIG. 2 is located in a PCMCIA plug-in card,
FIG. 2 shows the socket contact element according to the invention shown in FIG. 1 with the plug-in contact element inserted.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the socket contact element according to the present invention shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of a socket contact element of the present invention according to a second embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Socket contact element 4 Pin contact element 5 Base element 6 Spacer element 7 Hole 8 Spring tongue 9 Mounting surface 10 Second spacer element 11 Support range 12 Rear end of spring tongue 13 Front end of spring tongue 14 Contact point 15 Spring tongue

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (71) Applicant 597076152 1105 North Market Street Suite 1217 Wilmin gton Delaware 19801 United States of America (72) Inventor Wolfgang Haller Welkheim, Germany 72) Inventor Martin Golhofer DE-70736 Fell Bach Welzheimer Strasse 35

Claims (10)

[Claims] 1. A socket contact element for receiving a contact pin of a small diameter, in particular a PCMCIA plug element, having a substantially flat, elongated lower base element, the socket contact element having a narrow width in front of the base element. A first spacer element extending upwardly from the side, the spacer element having a hole for inserting the pin contact element into the socket contact element; a spring tongue on the base element behind the first spacer element; The spring tongue presses the pin contact element inserted into the socket contact element against the mounting surface formed in the information of the hole of the first spacer element from below, and the spring tongue is formed. Socket contact element characterized in that a second spacer element extends upwardly from the base element behind the piece, the first spacer element comprising a reinforcing element. 2. The socket contact element according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing element is formed as a rearwardly extending support area. 3. The socket contact element according to claim 2, wherein an edge area of the first spacer element is narrowed rearward as a support area on a side of the hole. 4. The socket contact element according to claim 2, wherein the reinforcing element is formed as a material stack. 5. The socket contact element according to claim 1, wherein the mounting surface is formed as another spring tongue. 6. The spring tongue and the other spring tongue are supported at a front end thereof, a rear end of the spring tongue has a contact point, and the contact point is electrically connected to the pin contact element inserted into the socket contact element. Socket contact element according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the socket contact element is electrically connected. 7. The socket contact element according to claim 1, wherein the socket contact element is made of an alloy of copper and beryllium. 8. A socket contact element for receiving a contact pin of a small diameter, in particular a PCMCIA plug element, with a substantially flat, elongated lower base element, the width of the front side of said base element. A first spacer element extending upwardly from the narrow side, the first spacer element having a hole for inserting the pin contact element into the socket contact element; and the base behind the first spacer element. A spring tongue is formed on the element, and the spring tongue lowers the pin contact element inserted into the socket contact element on a mounting surface formed in the information of the hole of the first spacer element. And a second spacer element extending upwardly from the base element behind the spring tongue, for producing a socket contact element, comprising: Punching from, the first of said first socket contact elements range is completed the spacer
The dimensions of the first spacer element of the stamped part during the deformation step are reduced to the dimensions of the completed socket element, and the excess material is deformed during the deformation step. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the deformed stamped part is bent into the form of a completed socket contact element as a reinforcing element of the spacer element. 9. The method according to claim 8, wherein, during the deformation step, the edge area of the first spacer element is deeply drawn rearward as a reinforcing element beside the hole. 10. The method according to claim 8, wherein during the deformation step, a material accumulation as a reinforcing element is stamped on the surface of the first spacer element.