JP2000195596A - Surface mount pin header increased in capillary phenomenal action - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a capillary-action intensified surface mount pin header capable of strengthening solder connection between pins and a printed circuit board. SOLUTION: One end part of each of a plurality of pins 30 extends through a corresponding plated through hole and the other end part thereof extends to the side surface of a first board 10. Each pin 30 is housed in at least a corresponding through hole 22 and has its outer surface at a portion delimiting a cross-section, The pins 30 each have a square or hexagonal cross-section and the plated through holes 22 each have a circular cross-section. The size of an elongate groove parallel to an axis is determined so as to facilitate a capillary action of molten solder at an opening part and to cause the solder to be sucked up through the groove in the direction of a confronting side surface of the first board 10. A second board 20 is disposed substantially in a position in a previously determined arrangement, and the solder before melting is disposed at a position near the groove in at least one plated through hole.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to electronic fittings, and more particularly to capillary action enhanced surface mount pin headers.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, electrical components and connectors such as pins have been mounted on circuit boards by extending the leads of the components or the legs of the upright pins through openings in a printed circuit board (PCB). It has been soldered to circuit boards. This conventional method was commonly referred to as "through-hole" (TTH) technology.

However, instead of TTH technology, surface mount technology (SMT), in most applications, mounts components and contacts / connectors on the surface of a PCB without forming or using openings or holes in circuit boards. Was gradually used.

[0004] Electronic components that are frequently mounted in this manner include semiconductor components, capacitors, resistors and smoothing coils or tuning circuits. However, while SMT technology allows components to be mounted quickly and effectively on printed circuit boards, there are several issues that must be overcome in order to use this technology effectively. As an example,
Each component must first be accurately positioned on a land or pad on the printed circuit board.

In such an arrangement on a circuit board, tolerances are important, especially in the case of high-density configurations, so that both before and during reflow of the solder, the components are stabilized in their respective positions, And need to be finally fixed to the site. To do so, these places
Parts must not "move" before re-soldering and during literally "floating" re-soldering on the molten solder layer.

[0006] The problem is that at least for individual pins, US patent application Ser. No. 08 / 600,112 entitled “Capillary Action P
In this patent, the surface mount pin consists of a withdrawn wire pin located within the outer eyelet. The cross-sectional configuration of this wire pin and eyelet is spaced around the pin A plurality of grooves, which enhance the capillary action when the eyelets are placed on the lands or pads of the printed circuit board where the wire paste has been deposited and the solder has been reflowed.

[0007] Solder is drawn into these grooves or spaces between the pins and eyelets by capillary action, removing some of the molten solder from the pads and pulling the surface mount pin assembly in the pad or land direction. As a result, a good electrical and mechanical connection is established between the surface mount pin assembly and the printed circuit board, and the mechanical and electrical integrity between the wire pins and the eyelets is enhanced.

[0008] While such surface mount pins are useful, many such pins must often be mounted on a single printed circuit board in a pin grid arrangement. Placing such a large number of pins is time consuming and
The pins must be accurately placed on the lands and the stability of these pins must be maintained before and after reflowing the solder.
This is especially true for the recently used high density packaging technology where the number of such pins or terminals per unit has increased significantly. In some cases, header assemblies have been used to maintain the spatial relationship of many of these pins and to facilitate quick placement on printed circuit boards.

A method for mounting a surface fitting is disclosed in US Pat.
No. 5,303,466, in which a series of pins are surface mounted on electrical pads or conductors on a printed circuit board. The insulator used as a header houses various pins. However, the holes in the header are not plated,
The solder is not contained in the holes by capillary action.

The present inventor proposes that the pins are first mounted on a circuit board, the pins are aligned with pseudo contacts, and fixed on the circuit board with solder. In this case, unless the pins are attached, the insulator is placed on the circuit board to accommodate the mating contacts, and the contacts cannot be prevented from being accidentally damaged. Thus, the insulator performs no electrical function and does not help to enhance the solder connection between the pins and the printed circuit board.

[0011]

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a surface mount pin header which does not have the disadvantages associated with prior art headers.

It is another object of the present invention to use a capillary action to pull the header in the direction of the solder application pad or land on the printed circuit so that the header floats on the molten solder when reflowing the solder. The object of the present invention is to provide a surface mount pin header which prevents the displacement or movement of an undesired position.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a surface mount pin header which, like the above objects, allows a pin header having a large number of pins or other contacts to be easily and quickly mounted by surface mount technology. It is to be.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a surface mount pin header that can be used to mount electrical pins and other contacts arranged in a high density array.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a surface mount pin header of the type contemplated that allows a large number of contacts to be mounted on a circuit board with a high degree of reliability.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a surface mounting method for mounting a high density pin array on a printed circuit board and ensuring the stability and integrity of all pins or contacts. It is to be.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a surface mount pin header that exhibits significantly higher pin retention than a J-lead type surface mount header.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a surface mount pin header that is flexible so that some substrate distortion can be tolerated and coplanarity problems are minimized.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a surface mount pin header that provides a visual indication that proper mounting has been performed, thereby providing a high quality assurance of manufacture. is there.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a surface mount pin header that exhibits a high degree of resistance to thermal shock and thermal cycling, as well as the above objects.

[0021]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION To achieve the above objects and other objects which will become apparent hereinafter, a surface mount pin header in accordance with the present invention which promotes capillary action is provided with a substantially parallel axis and a substantially parallel axis. A first substrate having a predetermined array of plated through-holes each having an inner surface defining a uniform first cross section. The plurality of pins each define a longitudinal axis, one end extending through the corresponding plating through hole, and the other end
The first substrate extends from one side surface.

Each of the pins has an outer surface at least at one end or a portion thereof that is received in a corresponding plating through hole and defines a substantially uniform second cross section. The first and second cross sections are different and include spaced contact lines and elongated grooves substantially parallel to the axis between the inner and outer surfaces and between adjacent lines of the contacts. Is formed.

The groove is dimensioned to promote the capillary action of the molten solder at the opening of the groove on one side of the first substrate, so that the solder passes through the groove and It is sucked up in the direction of the opposite side surface of the first substrate. The second substantially planar substrate is substantially aligned with the predetermined array of locations and near at least one groove in the at least one plating through hole before the solder melts. It is formed so that solder is arranged at an adjacent position.

Thus, due to the melting of the solder, the solder flows into the at least one groove in the at least one plating through hole, and the second substrate is moved to the first substrate.
Pulled in the direction of the substrate, a reliable solder joint between the pin and the plating through hole is formed. In a presently preferred embodiment, the second substrate aligns solder with all of the plating through-holes in the predetermined arrangement.

[0025]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In view of the above and other objects and advantages, the present invention, as set forth below, describes the apparatus of the components specifically described below and illustrated in the accompanying drawings of the preferred embodiment. , Couplings and configurations.

Referring now particularly to the respective drawings, similar or identical parts are designated by the same reference numerals throughout. Referring first to FIG. 1, a conventional printed circuit board (PCB) is indicated generally by the reference numeral 10. The printed circuit board 10 includes a non-conductive substrate 12 having a plurality of conductive lands or pads 14 on one side. Although the lands or pads 14 are shown as squares, the particular configuration of these flat conductive lands or pads is not important for the purposes of the present invention and different shapes or configurations, such as circular as shown at 14 '. May be included. A solder paste commonly placed on the top surface of such lands or pads 14 is indicated by reference numeral 16. Solder paste 16
Forms a generally tacky surface that helps keep the placed components in contact with the surface prior to resoldering.

An important feature of the present invention is that the interior 24 of the hole is plated and the second substantially flat substrate 20 is provided with a plurality of holes 22 having a substantially parallel axis A _h (FIG. 3). Is to provide a header assembly 18 including: In the illustrated embodiment, each aperture has an interior surface that defines a substantially uniform circular cross section.

Preferably, substrate 20 is at least partially flexible. Such flexibility may be more specific to the particular material from which the substrate 20 is formed, or may be provided by forming scored lines 26a, 26b on both sides of the substrate as shown, when manufactured from a rigid material. Can be. The score lines 26a, 26b extend along one direction, but additional score lines 28 may be formed in orthogonal / perpendicular or other directions to make the substrate flexible.

The score lines can be formed on one or both sides of the substrate 20. Further, although only two score lines are shown in FIG. 1, it is clear that the number of score lines to be formed may be larger or smaller as necessary. Therefore,
Referring to FIG. 2, a single score line 26 is shown extending along the short dimension of the header substrate 20 and approximately halfway between the two short sides, with a score line 28 in an adjacent row. It is formed between each pair.

Obviously, as the score lines formed become deeper and more numerous, the flexibility of the header substrate increases,
The board is better adapted to the primary printed circuit board 10 and can absorb such distortions in the circuit board or in the header substrate 20 itself.

As best shown in FIG. 2, the plated through-holes 22 are formed in the header substrate 20 in a predetermined arrangement.
Placed on top. The arrangement shown is the “p” column and “q”
An array surrounded by straight lines. However, it will be apparent that different arrangements can be used, such as circular, oval or other arrangements, depending on the particular application to which the strengths differ. However, a straight line arrangement of the type shown is a more general arrangement and will serve most applications.

Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a plurality of pins 30 are, each pin defines a longitudinal axis A _p, a plated through-hole 22 having one end portion 30a (FIG. 6) corresponding through And the other end 30b extends from one side surface 20a (the upper surface in FIG. 6) of the header substrate. Each pin 30 has at least a portion 30 that is received within a corresponding plating through hole 22 and defines a substantially uniform cross section.
a has an outer surface. 1, 5 and 6, such cross sections are uniformly square throughout the length of the pin.

However, the pin portions 30a and 30b
It is also possible to have different cross sections. Thus, the lower portion of pin 30a has a square cross-section as shown in FIG. 5 or an octagonal cross-section as shown in FIG. 8, or fits in a desired manner with cylindrical plating 24 in hole 22. It may be a regular polygon. On the other hand, the upper protrusion 30b of the pin
Is designed to mate with a corresponding female fitting, and the cross-section of the pin 30 can be selected to better fit with its female counterpart. Thus, by way of example only, lower portion 30a has a square cross section and upper portion 30b has a circular cross section.

As apparent from FIGS. 5 and 8, the cross section of the plated through hole and the cross section of the inserted pin portion 30a are different, and the dimensions of the inner surface of the plated through hole 22 and the outer dimensions of the pin are at least somewhat 5 can be inserted into the plating through-hole by the interference fit. In the case of the arrangement shown in FIG.
Selecting the axis A _h of the hole so as to form a substantially spaced parallel contacts 32a~32d a line. An elongated groove 34a~34d resulting is substantially parallel to the axis A _b similarly plated through hole.

The grooves 34a to 34d are formed between the inner surface of the plated through hole and the outer surface of the pin and between adjacent lines of the contacts 32a to 32d. The resulting grooves 34a-
The dimension of 34d promotes the capillary action of the molten solder disposed in the groove opening of one side surface 20b of the header substrate 20,
The solder is selected so as to be drawn through the groove in the direction of the opposite side surface 20a of the substrate. As shown in FIG. 1, when the solder plate 16 is disposed below the header substrate 20, the solder 16 melts on the printed circuit board 10, so that the solder is sucked up through the grooves 34 a to 34 d. Dimensions of the grooves 34a to 34d, the thickness t ₁ of the header substrate 20, temperature, etc., depending on various factors, solder actually rises above the level of the upper surface 20a of the header substrate 20, a groove in 16a with solder A bank to be filled, that is, a fillet 16b must be formed. The bank or fillet 16b is a visual indicator that the solder has been drawn upward through the grooves 34a-34d and a good mechanical and electrical connection has been made.

As described above, the primary printed circuit board 10
Comprises conductive lands or pads 14 on a substrate 12, which lands or pads 14
The plating through-holes and the pins are arranged at positions substantially aligned with the positions on the arrangement of the pins. By forming a corresponding or mating arrangement on the two substrates, the solder on the pads 14 is drawn through the grooves of the corresponding holes. Due to this wicking action or capillary action, the substrates 12 and 20 are pulled in the other direction and the solder
Natural redistribution from the pads 14 to the grooves formed in the header substrate forms a reliable solder joint between the pins 30 and the plating through holes 22.

In the embodiment of FIG. 2, the spacing between adjacent rows and adjacent columns is substantially equal. In this embodiment, the spacing S1 between adjacent rows is about 0.1 inches, and the spacing S2 between adjacent columns is also about 0.1 inches. However, obviously, these dimensions S1, S2 can be varied depending on the particular application.

As described above, when the cross section of at least the lower portion 30a of the pin 30 is square and the cross section of the hole 22 is circular, at least the edge of the pin 30 is
In 2d, the contact is made with the inner surface of the plating through hole, and this contact is preferably a press fitting contact. for that purpose,
Hatched S3 of the pins 30 should not substantially equal, or no slightly larger in inside diameter D _i of the plated portion 24. The same is true for the inscribed regular polygon, such as the polygonal cross section of the pin 38 shown in FIG. In this case, there are six surfaces that define six edges 40a-40f,
The hexagonal diagonal line S4 may be equal to the diagonal line S3 of the square pin, but the edges are diagonal lines S extending along opposing edges.
It is preferred that the press-fit contact be made with the inner surface of the plating through hole by selecting 4 to be substantially equal to the diameter D of the plating through hole.

As [0039] the side of the regular polygon inscribed in the yen increases, becomes grooves 42a~42f is small resulting length t ₁ of the axis is of course identical to the grooves 34a to 34d. Also, as a side of a polygon defining the cross-sectional area of the pin is increased, wicking performed action, and although the dimensions of the groove resulting for containing molten solder becomes small, shaded D _p of the polygon Is the same.

Thus, for a pin having a uniform cross section in the shape of a regular polygon having "n" sides, the maximum thickness t _m of the resulting groove (FIG. 5) is determined by the following equation: be able to.

T _m = (D _p / 2) [1-cos (180 / n)] where D _p is the length of the polygonal oblique line, and the width of the groove is as follows.

L = D _p [sin (180 / n)] In the case of the illustrated square pin having a side surface of 0.25 inch and n = 4, D _p = 0.035 inch, t _m = 0.052 inch,
L = 0.025 inch. In the case of a hexagonal cross section with n = 6 shown in FIG. 8, t _m = 0.0024 inch and L = 0.
017 inches. For the square pin embodiment, it has been found that good results are obtained with a substrate height t ₁ = 0.063 inches. In this case, the hole 22, when the tin plating to the inner diameter of slightly less about .027 inches than the dimension calculated for hatching D _p of square cross-section, when the pin 30 is pressed into the hole, the pins 30 sharp The corners displace the plated metal to form a press fit. Thus, the actual values of t _m and L are actually slightly smaller than the calculated values. However, the values of t _m , L and t ₁ are acceptable as long as they are of the above-mentioned magnitudes, and a wicking action, ie, a capillary action according to the present invention occurs.

As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, plated through holes
The cross section of 22 is shown as a circle, and the pin portion 3 accommodated in the hole
Although the cross section of 0a is shown as a cross section corresponding to a regular polygon,
The reverse configuration can also be used. Therefore, the plating through-hole may have a regular polygonal cross section, and the pin portion accommodated in the hole may have a circular cross section. Allowing the pin to be press-fit into the hole, and forming a groove as described above to facilitate the wicking of the solder by capillary action, resulting between the inner surface of the plated through hole and the outer surface of the pin. Other cross-sections that fill the resulting grooves can be used. However, forming a circular hole in a printed circuit board is generally very simple and inexpensive,
These alternatives are not very practical and costly. Thus, while the above arrangement is preferred in certain cases, other methods have varying degrees of advantage.

As best shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, a generally cylindrical plated portion 24 covering the inner surface of
Preferably forms annular ridges or rings 24 ', 24 "which extend the plating 24 radially outward beyond the diameter of the hole 22 on both the upper and lower surfaces of the substrate 20. These annular rings or ridges Promotes the flow of molten solder on the surface of the header 20 by capillary action,
A bank or fillet 16b is formed as described above in connection with FIG. These fillets provide a visual indication that the solder has been sufficiently pumped through the chamber at 16a and that a good physical and electrical connection has been made between the plated through hole and the pad 14 and pin 30. .

Referring to FIGS. 9 and 10, the lower portion 30a of the pin extends through, but does not exceed, the hole 22, so that the pin projects below the annular ridge or ring 24 ". 10 shows another use of the header assembly 18 in which the conductive terminals 44a, 44
electrical component 44, such as a resistor or capacitor having
Are the lands or pads 14 of the primary printed circuit board 10
Is placed directly above the header assembly 18 is disposed on the electrical components 44, the axes of the plated through hole A _h of the pin or post A _p conductive contacts or terminals 44a, to 44b substantially coincide So that they are aligned.

Thus, the solder paste 16 is applied to the pad 1
When applied to both 4 and terminals or contacts 44a, 44b, header assembly 18 can be placed directly on electrical component 44. By selecting the spacing between the pads or lands 14 and the size of the electrical component 44, the capillary action of the solder disposed on the electrical component 44 is achieved and formed within the header assembly as described above with respect to FIG. Solder may be drawn into the recessed groove, or at least one or more grooves, to form an acceptable electrical and mechanical connection.

Referring to FIGS. 11 and 12, an arrangement similar to that of FIGS. 9 and 10 is shown, except that the pin 30 is located below the plated through hole 22 and in an annular ring or bump 2.
The difference is that it has a pin portion 30c extending below 4 ". As shown in FIG. 12, such a header assembly 18 '.
Can be similarly mounted on the board 12 of the printed circuit board 10, but the extension 30c does not exceed the thickness or height of the electrical component 44, and the board 20 of the header assembly is still secured. Must be in contact with the terminals of the electrical component and the solder placed thereon.

FIG. 13 is a diagram of another method of mounting the header shown in FIGS. 9 to 12 on the printed circuit board 12, in which the electrical component 44 is first placed on the pad 16, Thereafter, the substrate 20 of the header assembly 18 'is placed over the contacts or terminals 44a, 44b of the electrical component.

In addition to the applications of FIGS. 11 and 12, the ends of the pins are generally flush with the bottom of the header printed circuit board or board 20. Extension 30 of FIGS. 11 and 12
c generally does not require the pins to be supported within the plated through holes. This is because the size of the hole ensures that the pin is held in a press-fit or friction-fit relationship as described above. The resulting cavity or groove is
Dimensioned to promote capillary action as described above.

The score lines 26a, 26b and 28, which may be shallow or very deep, are present along one or both sides of the header substrate 20, making the substrate flexible.

The printed circuit board 10 has a plated through hole 22
, And these pads 14 must be arranged at the same interval as the plating through holes 22. Accordingly, the configuration and spacing of the pads 14 define an array that matches the array of plated through holes in the header assembly 18. The solder paste 16 is screen printed onto the pads 14 on the printed circuit board 10 and the header assembly 18 includes the solder pads 14 on the printed circuit board 10 and an annular ridge or ring 24 "on the bottom of the substrate 20. The solder paste 16 is placed in a substantially aligned arrangement over the solder paste.When the solder paste 16 is heated and reflowed in a furnace, the capillary action created by the four cavities 34a-34d of FIG. And soldering the header assembly into the printed circuit board while simultaneously securing the pins in the corresponding plating through holes.

The force F in FIG. 7 is caused by the molten solder being sucked into the cavity, and further pulls the header assembly 18 and the printed circuit board 10 together. The score lines make the printed circuit board header assembly 18 flexible, so that if one or both of the header assembly and the printed circuit board are slightly distorted, the printed circuit board header assembly will remain on the printed circuit board 10. Match the shape. Capillary forces have two additional advantages. First, these forces pull the header into the correct position for alignment with the solder pad, even if the header is initially off-center. The suction effect is further improved by the header and the printed circuit board 1.
It forms a much stronger solder joint between zero.

Since the solder is a very weak alloy, it is preferred that the solder between the two surfaces to be mounted be minimal. Capillary action sucks up any excess solder, so the solder joints are much stronger. The melted solder rises through the plating through-hole and rises on the upper surface 2 of the header substrate 20.
0a, forming a ring around the pin 16b, which indicates that the reflow process has been completed and sufficient solder has been used. This is a quick and easy-to-view inspection method, which ensures that the quality of the process is appropriate.

The present invention provides all the advantages of the stand-alone pin described in US patent application Ser. No. 08 / 600,112.
However, the header of the present invention further provides a large base for stability and, of course, substantially reduces the number of arrangements required for mounting on a printed circuit board. Generally, this type of header has 6-4 rows arranged in one or more rows.
Although it includes eight or more pins, a two-row arrangement is common in the case of two rows because a simple jumper or shunt shown at 36 in FIG. 5 can be accommodated.

Although placing pins individually costs 0.05 cents per pin, the placement of surface mount (SMT) pins secured by a header assembly of the type disclosed in the present invention is , Reducing the cost per pin to about 0.01 cents.

The present invention has a number of advantages.
For one thing, pin retention may be about 50% higher than a J-lead type surface mount header. The header assembly of the present invention minimizes coplanarity problems and circuit board distortion is acceptable and insignificant for proper and reliable mounting of the pin header. By making the pin header substrate 20 relatively flexible, such flexibility compensates for distortion of the main printed circuit board substrate 12 or the header substrate 20.

According to the present invention, the tolerance of the arrangement tolerance of the header is further increased. Capillary forces pull the header in place even if only half of the header is initially placed on the solder pads of the printed circuit board. This feature is particularly advantageous when the header is manually placed or placed on a printed circuit board. As described above, the fact that the solder is sucked into the groove to form an annular bank or fillet is a visible indicator that ensures appropriate quality control. A ring of solder around the pins on the top of the header indicates that the reflow is complete and that the correct amount of solder paste has been used and that the header is in the correct position on the circuit board.

The resulting secure connection exhibits the highest resistance to thermal shock and thermal cycling. Since the material of the circuit board and the material of the header are the same, no stress is induced in the solder joint by heat, and long-term reliability is guaranteed. Furthermore, the header structure of the present invention allows for optimization of the mounting density on the circuit board, thereby minimizing the area required for the circuit board.

Although the present invention has been described in detail with particular reference to preferred embodiments thereof, modifications and variations thereof will occur without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined and set forth in the appended claims. It will be appreciated that this can be done within a range.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a capillary action enhanced surface mount pin header assembly according to the present invention, wherein the headers supporting the connection pins have aligned lands or land on a printed circuit board to which solder paste is applied before reflow. Shows the position immediately before being placed on the pad.

FIG. 2 is a top view of a header circuit board according to the present invention with plated through holes arranged in a straight lined array of “p” columns and “q” rows.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the header of FIG. 2 taken along line 3-3.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the printed circuit of FIG. 1 taken along line 4-4, where the header is located.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a portion indicated by “5” in FIG. 2, and a plating through-hole and a connection disposed therein and forming a groove therebetween to enhance or promote the capillary action of the header. 2 further illustrates the geometric and dimensional relationships with the pins.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the header of FIG. 5 taken along line 6-6.

FIG. 7 is similar to FIG. 6, but after being placed on the substrate portion of the printed circuit board, solder reflow has increased solder flow through the resulting groove in the header The following header part is shown.

FIG. 8 is similar to FIG. 5, but with a hexagonal rather than square or rectangular cross section to vary depending on the size and number of solder absorption grooves formed between each plating through hole and the corresponding pin. 3 shows a pin having a cross section.

FIG. 9 is similar to FIG. 6, but shows two pins or posts housed in a header substrate according to the present invention, the lower end of the pins or posts extending substantially to the bottom surface of the header are doing.

FIG. 10 illustrates one method of using the header of FIG. 9;
The plated through holes in the header are located and soldered to the pads on the board of the lower printed circuit board or the electronic components on the lands, so that the electronic components are soldered to both the board and the underlying printed circuit board. To further enhance the capillary action according to the present invention.

FIG. 11 is similar to FIG. 9, except that the ends of the pins or struts inserted into the header extend below the substrate of the header.

FIG. 12 is similar to FIG. 9, but shows the arrangement of the pins or posts of FIG. 11, with the depending portions of the pins or posts further attached to intermediate electronic components and / or lands or pads on the underlying printed circuit board; Can be installed directly.

FIG. 13 is an exploded perspective view similar to FIG. 1, wherein a header assembly of the type shown in FIGS. 9 and 11 is mounted on an underlying printed circuit board on which electronic components have previously been placed or mounted.

[Explanation of symbols]

 18 Header Assembly 10 Printed Circuit Board 20 Header Board 22 Plating Through Hole 14 Pad 24 "Ring 16 Solder Paste

Claims (22)

[Claims] 1. A capillary action enhanced surface mount pin header having a substantially parallel axis and a predetermined array of plated through holes each having an inner surface defining a first substantially uniform cross section. A substantially planar first substrate comprising: a first substrate, each defining a longitudinal axis, one end extending through a corresponding plating through-hole, and the other end of the first substrate A plurality of pins extending to one side, each pin having an outer surface on at least a portion received within a corresponding plating through-hole and defining a second substantially uniform cross-section. And wherein the first and second cross-sections are different cross-sections and are substantially parallel to the axis between the spaced lines of the contacts and the lines of the adjacent contacts with the inner and outer surfaces. Forming a long and narrow groove and opening the groove on one side surface of the first substrate. A plurality of pins sized to promote capillary action on the molten solder, so that the solder penetrates the groove toward the opposing side of the first substrate, and a second substantially flat substrate, Placing the solder in a location substantially aligned with the predetermined array location and near at least one groove in the at least one plating through-hole before the solder melts, so that the solder The melting causes the solder to flow into the at least one groove in the at least one plating through hole;
A second substrate that pulls the second substrate in the direction of the first substrate to form a secure solder joint between the pin and the plated through hole. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined arrangement is an arrangement in which spaced parallel rows are surrounded by straight lines intersecting with spaced parallel columns orthogonal to the rows, and wherein the plating through holes are arranged in the rows and the columns. The enhanced capillary action surface mount pin header of claim 1, wherein the header is located at the intersection of: 3. The enhanced capillary action surface mount pin header of claim 2, wherein the spacing between adjacent rows and adjacent columns is substantially equal. 4. The capillary action enhanced surface mount pin header of claim 3, wherein said spacing is about 0.1 inches. 5. The capillary action enhanced surface mount pin header according to claim 1, wherein the first substrate is at least partially flexible. 6. The method of claim 2, further comprising at least one score line extending between two adjacent rows to increase flexibility along a direction substantially parallel to the columns. Capillary action enhanced surface mount pin header. 7. The method of claim 2, further comprising at least one score line extending between two adjacent columns to increase flexibility along a direction substantially parallel to the row. Capillary action enhanced surface mount pin header. 8. The capillary action enhanced surface mount pin header according to claim 1, wherein said first cross section is circular and said second cross section is square. 9. The enhanced capillary action surface mount pin header of claim 1, wherein said first cross section is circular and said second cross section is hexagonal. 10. The enhanced capillary action surface mount pin header of claim 1, wherein said first cross section is square and said second cross section is circular. 11. The enhanced capillary action surface mount pin header of claim 1, wherein the first cross section is octagonal and the second cross section is circular. 12. The enhanced capillary action surface mount pin header of claim 1, wherein at least one cross section is a regular polygon. 13. The capillary enhanced surface mount pin header of claim 1, wherein the pin has a uniform cross-section substantially along its entire length. 14. The capillary enhanced surface mount according to claim 1, wherein the second substrate is a printed circuit board with an array of conductive lands or pads substantially matching the predetermined array. Pin header. 15. The capillary action enhanced surface mount pin header of claim 14, wherein said conductive lands or pads are square. 16. The enhanced capillary action surface mount pin header of claim 14, wherein said conductive lands or pads are circular. 17. The land or pad, wherein the second substrate comprises lands or pads and is spaced from the first substrate and at least one electronic component is soldered to both substrates. Claim 1 implemented in
The surface action pin header with enhanced capillary action according to item 1. 18. The enhanced capillary action surface mount pin header of claim 1, wherein said pins are received within said plating through-hole without extending beyond said plating through-hole. 19. The enhanced capillary action surface mount pin header of claim 1, wherein said pins extend through said plating through-holes and beyond said plating through-holes. 20. The plating through hole comprising plating on the inner surface, the plating extending beyond the inner surface and substantially in one or more planes of the first substrate perpendicular to the axis. The enhanced capillary action surface mount pin header of claim 1, wherein the at least one annular ring is formed in the pin header. 21. The enhanced capillary mounted surface mount pin header of claim 20, wherein said annular ring is formed at each end of each plated through hole. 22. A method of mounting a plurality of surface mount pins on a printed circuit board having an array of lands or pads, comprising: a substantially parallel axis and a first substantially flat substrate, A header for inserting a plurality of pins each defining a longitudinal axis, one end of which extends through a corresponding plating through-hole and the other end of which extends to one side of the first substrate. Forming an array of plated-through holes each having an inner surface defining a first substantially uniform cross-section in a substrate of the type:
An outer surface at a portion received within the corresponding plating through hole and defining a second substantially uniform cross-section, wherein the first and second cross-sections are different and are spaced apart from a line of contact; And between the inner and outer surfaces and an adjacent line of contact are configured to form an elongated groove substantially parallel to the axis, wherein the groove is present on one side of the first substrate. Sized to promote capillary action of the molten solder at the opening of the groove so that the solder can be drawn through the groove toward the opposite side of the first substrate; Applying a solder to a second substantially planar substrate at a location substantially aligned with the location, contacting the first and second substrates with each other, and wherein at least one Small number of plating through holes Disposing a solder paste in the vicinity of one of the grooves; and melting the solder, so that the solder flows into the at least one groove in the at least one plating through hole, and the solder is securely connected between the pin and the plating through hole. Forming a portion.