JPS63200475A - Electric connector assembly and electric terminal - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Industrial Application) This invention relates to surface mount connectors, and more particularly to the field of surface mount connectors, and more particularly to the field of surface mount connectors, and more particularly to the field of surface mount connectors, and more particularly to the field of surface mount connectors. Relates to braze joint inspection elements for assessing the presence of material.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Surface mount electrical connections between a connector and an area on a printed circuit board are typically brazed.

To compensate for distortions between these circuit boards and connectors, as well as to allow for their differential expansion, without stressing this braze joint, surface mounting allows the electrical terminals within the connector to be unconstrained, but vertical and Move laterally. Typically, each terminal is biased against the 11 housing of the connector to ensure compliance of the distal end of the solder tail with respect to an area on the printed circuit board.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Due to board distortion and other factors, the distal ends of the solder tails do not always compliantly engage areas on the printed circuit board, or the solder tails may Formed with insufficient solder metal. Either of these situations will result in an unacceptable braze joint between the connector and the W+1 circuit board.

According to the present invention, a solder joint test element is integrated into the solder joint tail of the contact at a predetermined distance from the distal end of the solder joint tail. Although the preferred embodiment is described with respect to a surface mount connector, the invention is not so limited. This is because the present invention can be used with any other connector that has contacts that pass through plated through holes.
This is because it is J-Noh. The test element is the wax connection tail or the printed circuit)! When soldering is applied to an area on the 5th plate, etc., it is visually shown that sufficient solder material is present in the fillet portion of the soldering portion. When the connector is soldered to the trace on the printed circuit board, the solder joint inspection element rolled up in the solder material indicates that there is sufficient solder material to form the solder joint. and that the solder tail is properly seated against the footprint on the printed circuit board. A solder joint inspection element that is not wrapped in the solder material indicates that the solder joint was formed with insufficient solder material, or that the solder joint tail was not close enough to the trace. Not showing any of that. The scalloped edges of the nose of the retaining plate, which flare towards the rear in the direction of insertion, have themselves an insertion element which transfers the insertion force applied to said retaining plate. to the plane of the contact, thereby preventing the contact from scraping the inner surface of the passage in which it is received.

(Example) Examples will be described below with reference to the drawings.

Referring to FIG. 1, the /'% housing 10 has a mating surface 12 surrounded by a mating flange 14, an opposite rear surface 15, and a mounting surface 20, with the mounting surface 20 having a plurality of It has a spacing part (convex part) 22, and the spacing part 22 is
The mounting is secured to the circuit board 2 by means of metal fittings received in corner through holes 23 in the flange 21. Said hole 23 is shaped with a protrusion to accommodate the rivet neatly within manufacturing tolerances regardless of diameter variations, thereby acting as a precision alignment element. The housing 10 is injection molded from high temperature plastic and has parallel rows of contact receiving passages 24 extending between surfaces 12.15. A rib 16 extends across the rear surface 15 below the passage 24, and the rib 16 has a plurality of grooves 17, the grooves 17 being spaced the same distance as the centerline spacing of each passage 24. There is. Multiple core holes 3G save material and ensure uniform cooling of the plastic after molding. The cutout 38 facilitates handling and positioning of the connector by the robot.

Each of the typical stamp-formed contacts 40 has a socket 42 and a retaining plate 46 received within each passageway 24, the retaining plate 46 being stepped from the socket 42 via a neck 44. It has been lowered to An insertion element on retaining plate 48 is used to insert socket 42 and retaining plate 46 into passageway 24.

The insertion element can be used on any type of terminal contact having any type of terminal and being inserted axially along the terminal contact from either direction.

As best seen in FIG. 7, retaining means are formed on the retaining plate 46. The portrait shown [
The 21 means is a scalloped single-summer edge 48 terminating in a reverse spine 72. Each scalloped edge 4
8 is tapered and extends rearwardly from the centerline of retaining plate 46 in the direction of terminal insertion into terminal receiving cavity or passageway 24 . The tapered shape of edge 48 facilitates insertion of terminal 40 into passageway 24. Upon insertion, the barbs 72 projecting beyond the distance between each sidewall 32 in the passageway 24 groove the plastic of the lambda housing forming the sidewalls 32, and the plastic grooves around the barbs 72. , thereby holding contact 40 in an interference fit (crimped) within passageway 24 .

Therefore, the insertion resistance to be overcome is the retention plate 4
6 and therefore in the plane of the retaining plate 46. The barbs 72 dig into each wall of the passageway 24, thereby stabilizing the contact 40 within the passageway 24 and
Prevents pulling out of 0.

An insertion element 99 with a protrusion 50 is integrated into the retaining plate 46 of the contact 40, the insertion element 99 (being compressed from both sides) contacts the inner surface of the terminal receiving passage 24 of the electrical connector. The insertion force is generated to insert the contact 40 into the passageway 24 while avoiding the formation of the contact. A portion of the holding plate 48 is attached to the holding plate 4
8, thereby forming a vertical surface 51 facing away from the direction of insertion of the contact 40 into the passageway 24.

Vertical surface 51 is perpendicular to retaining plate 46 and does not deform during insertion of contact 40. The insertion element 99 is
It is oriented vertically along the length of contact 40 from vertical surface 51 to sufficiently withstand insertion forces without shearing. The length of the insertion element 99 will vary according to its material, thickness, shape, and insertion force to be withstood. The insertion element 99 substantially transmits the insertion force applied to the vertical surface 51 and makes it equal to the force opposing the insertion of the contact 40 into the passageway 24 introduced by the scalloped edge 48 . Thus, the insertion element 99 is formed in the contact 40 in a region where resistance to insertion is encountered. Insertion element 99 provides contact 40 into passageway 24
protrudes from a vertical surface 51 along the contact point 40 in the direction of insertion, the vertical surface 51 terminating as a leading edge 74 of the retaining plate 46 . In a preferred embodiment,
Although leading edge 74 is shown as arcuate, it may have other shapes. Leading edge 74 may be a shear line formed in a surface similar to vertical surface 51.

In a preferred embodiment, vertical surface 51 is formed from a shear line segment of the strip of material during the formation of contact 40. The illustrated vertical surface 51 is arcuate, more preferably semicircular. Vertical surfaces 51 project upwardly from the upper surface of retaining plate 46 and toward each other approximately three times the thickness of retaining plate 46, thereby forming a cylindrical structure, which is the preferred embodiment.

Behind the holding plate 46, a cantilevered arm 54
extends to a bent portion 56, and the bent portion 56 is formed by bending over 105 degrees from the plane of the strip-shaped material. A soldering tail portion 58 extends from the bent portion 56 to the distal end portion 61;
The distal end 61 is received against a soldering pad on the trace 4 on the printed circuit board 2 .

The solder tails 58 on the contacts 40 received in the lower row of passages 24 are shorter than the solder tails on the contacts 40 received in the upper row of passages 24. Each tail 58
includes a section 6 of generally V-shaped cross section received within each groove 17.
0 is formed.

Referring also to FIG. 2, the strip-shaped socket contact 40 is
Formed by punching from a strip of material on its centerline or in parallel. A carrier strip 52 is disposed intermediate each opposite end of the contact 40 and has a plurality of septa 62 extending between the plurality of solder tails 58 and A tail band 63 is attached near the distal end B1. This configuration allows for plating of the distal end 61, but protects the distal end 61 from damage during handling. The contact strips shown are intended for insertion into the upper row of passageways 24, and those for insertion into the other row have their tails 58 shortened.

Referring to FIGS. 4A and 5A, each passageway 24 includes an upper portion 28 and a subfloor 30 toward the rear surface 15;
The upper part 28 has a plurality of arcuate side walls that converge towards the pin-receiving lead-in section 26, said subfloor 30 being located next to a plurality of side walls 32, the side walls 3
2 similarly converge and attach the retaining plate 46 to the subfloor 3.
0 (FIG. 5C), it has the shape of a dovetail groove. FIG. 46 shows the contact 4o assembled to the housing 10, and the ■-shaped portion 6o on the wax core tail 58 has two rows of passages 24, so the passage 2
It is received in each groove 17 at a position half the centerline spacing of the traces 4 on the substrate 2, the spacing corresponding to the spacing of the traces 4 on the substrate 2. Rivet 2 as shown in Figure 46
5, the fitting is attached to the tail 58 in area 4.
It is used to attach the housing IO to the substrate 2 before soldering it to the substrate 2.

To assemble the contacts 40 into the housing 10, contact "combs" corresponding to the number of passages 24 forming a row or part of a row are cut from a continuous strip of material according to known techniques. , and the tail portion 58 is bent approximately 105 degrees at a predetermined distance from the vertical surface 51. The sockets 42 are then inserted partially into the row of channels 24 and the carrier strip 52 is punched out along the shear line between the index holes 53. The socket 42 of said contact 40 is then fully inserted into the passageway 24 by pressing on the vertical surface 51 of the insertion element 50.

5B and 50 show the socket 42 fully inserted into the upper passageway 28 with the retaining plate 46 being received flush against the subfloor 30 and the scalloped edge 48 is a plurality of side walls 32
There is an interference state (crimped state) between them. The plastic has edges 4 to prevent axial pull-out.
8 and flows onto the rounded surface of the retaining plate 46 to prevent upward movement.

Figures 6A and 6B show one of the passages 24 in the upper row.
FIG. 47 is a side cross-sectional view corresponding to FIGS. 4A and 46 taken through FIG. A bottom recess 37 similar to a cored passageway 36 is provided to ensure uniform cooling of the plastic after molding. The retaining plate 46 is received between the plurality of side walls 32 in an interference condition (crimped condition) so that it provides a locking point for each cantilevered arm 54;
and therefore allows for upward bending to ensure compliance of the distal end 61 with respect to each area 4 on the printed circuit board 2. Said ribs 16 and grooves 17 therein are located along the edges of the mounting surface 20. Since only the spacing portion 22 on the end flange 21 separates said rib 18 from the substrate 2, this is such that each end 61 is spaced apart from each other in the same way as the groove 17 and also in the same way as the area 4. I guarantee that it will happen. At the same time, the spacing portion 22
The reflow of the solder metal over region 4 allows for the existence of a chamber in which the solder joint is formed. The ends 61 are arranged in a single exposed row that can be readily brazed by radiant or other line-of-sight heat sources as well as vapor phase brazing.

The single exposed row also allows inspection of the braze joint 88. A test element 86 is incorporated into the solder tail 58 near the end of the solder tail 58 during manufacture of the contact 40. Brazing tail 5 in the area of test element 88
8 has a multi-sided cross section. All of the solder tails in the preferred embodiment are formed along the rear surface 15 with only one side of each solder tail 58 visible from the rear of the housing so that the test element 86 is Formed within one side of tail 58 . In other configurations of the housing and contacts, the test element 86 may be formed on other sides of the solder tail 58 or on multiple sides of the solder tail 58 rather than a single side. It's okay.

Test element 86 can take a variety of forms.

In a preferred embodiment, test element 86 is a score line or serration provided within solder tail 58 during manufacture of contact 40, for example.

Test element 86 is positioned a predetermined distance from the end of braze tail 58, which positions test element 86 a predetermined distance from region 4. As shown in the preferred embodiment, the test element 86 and the end of the solder tail 58 for abutting connection with said solder tail generally perpendicular to the printed circuit board 2. The predetermined distance between test element 86 and region 4 when soldering tail 58 engages region 4
equal to the predetermined distance between The two predetermined distances may not be the same when the bond is not an abutting bond or when the solder tail is not perpendicular to the printed circuit board.

Without inspection element 86, it is difficult to determine how far into fillet 88a the braze tail 58 for an abutment joint is, although it is not difficult for other types of joints. When the end of the solder tail 58 engages the area 4 on the circuit board 2 or is brought close enough, e.g., within a few tenths of an inch, to ensure a good solder joint, and a sufficient The solder material forms a fillet 88 around the solder suffix 58.
When forming the test element 58, the test element 58 is encased in the solder material so that it cannot be viewed as shown in FIG. 3A. The test element 58 being encapsulated in the solder material indicates that there is sufficient solder material to form the solder joint 88 and that the solder tail 58 is in the area 4 on the printed circuit board 2. This indicates that the seat is properly seated. In a preferred embodiment,
The test element 86 is approximately 0.0 mm from the end of the soldering tail 58.
Located at 15 inches (OJ8mm).

If the end of the solder tail 58 is not close enough to the trace 4 during brazing, as may occur if the substrate 2 is warped, an unacceptable solder joint will result. 88b is formed as shown in FIG. 3B.

Similarly, if the braze fillet does not contain sufficient braze material, an unacceptable braze joint 88b may occur in FIG. 3C even though the braze tail 58 is seated against the printed circuit board 2. formed as shown. Unacceptable braze joints are detected by visual inspection, which indicates that the braze joint inspection element 86 is visible.

An electrical connector assembly has been described in which the braze contact tail includes a braze test element located a predetermined distance from the distal end thereof. The braze joint test element is used to evaluate the integrity of a braze fillet that brazes the tail to a trace on a printed circuit board. The contact may be provided with a test element formed to extend out of the plane of the retaining plate, in which case the retaining plate has a scalloped edge that widens towards the rear in the insertion direction. The insertion element transmits the contact insertion force applied thereto to the plane of the retaining plate, so that the contact (e.g. due to deflection of the insertion element) displaces the inner surface of the passageway in which the contact is received. Prevent scraping.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 shows a connector with contacts embodying solder joint inspection elements disassembled from the connector housing.
FIG. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the manufacturing process of a contact having the above-mentioned test element. FIG. 3A is an enlarged partial side view of the contact and braze fillet showing an acceptable braze joint. Figures 3B and 3C are enlarged partial side views of contacts and braze fillets showing unacceptable braze joints. FIG. 4A is a rear view of the housing. FIG. 46 is a rear view of the housing with the contacts located and attached to the printed circuit board. FIG. 5A is an enlarged rear view of the contact passage. FIG. 5B is an enlarged plan cross-sectional view of the contact retaining element. FIG. 5C is an enlarged rear cross-sectional view of the retaining element taken along line C--C of FIG. 5B. FIG. 6A is a side sectional view of the housing. FIG. 6B is a side cross-sectional view of the housing with terminals arranged and assembled to a printed circuit board. FIG. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the contact showing the retention plate insertion element; 2...Printed circuit board 4...Area 10...
・Housing 12...Mating surface 14...Mating flange 15...Rear surface 16...1 rib...Groove 20...Mounting is on the surface
21...Flange for installation 22...Separation part 23...Hole 24...Passage
30...Subfloor 32...Side wall
36...Coring passage 38...Notch
40...Contact 42...Socket 44
... Neck 46 ... Holding plate 48 ... Scalloped edge 50 ... Protrusion 51
... Vertical surface 52 ... Supporting strip material 53.
... Index hole 54 ... Cantilever-like arm 58 ... Brazing tail portion 60 ... V-shaped portion 61 ... End portion 6
2... Bulkhead 63... Tail band material 72
... Reverse spine 74 ... Leading edge 86
... Inspection element 88 ... Corner 99 ...
・Insert element, 104...Trace FIG,
3A FIG, 38 FIG, 3C

Claims (10)

[Claims] (1) an electrical connector assembly mounted on a printed circuit board (2) and electrically interconnected to a trace (4) on the printed circuit board (2), the electrical connector assembly comprising an insulating housing (10);
), the insulating housing (10) having a plurality of terminal receiving passages (24) therethrough;
4) each has an electrical terminal (40) disposed therein.
The terminal (40) has a fitting part (42) and a soldering tail part (58), the soldering tail part (58) has an end part (61), and the soldering tail part (58) has an end part (61), An electrical connector assembly characterized in that the mating tail (58) has a solder joint test element (86) located a predetermined distance from the distal end (61) thereof. 2. The electrical connector assembly of claim 1, wherein said braze joint inspection element (86) is a score line within said braze joint tail (58). (3) the brazing tail (58) in the area of the test element (86) has a cross-section formed with a number of sides, and the test element has a cross section formed with a number of sides; 3. The electrical connector of claim 2. (4) each of the electrical connectors (40) further comprises a retaining plate (46), the retaining plate (46) comprising:
A plurality of scalloped edges (48) for snugly securing the electrical terminal (40) within the terminal receiving passageway (24).
), and these scalloped edges (48) extend rearward in the insertion direction from the center line of the retaining plate (46), and each of the electrical terminals (40) has an insertion means (99). the insertion means (99) are integral with the retaining plate (46) for inserting the electrical terminal (40) into the terminal receiving passage (24); 2. Electrical connector assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that it has a surface (51) perpendicular to (46), said surface (51) facing towards said insertion direction. 5. The electrical connector assembly of claim 4, wherein said rearwardly facing vertical surface (51) is formed from a shear line in said retaining plate (46). (6) surface mounting onto the printed circuit board (2);
and an insulating housing (10) of an electrical connector electrically interconnected to the trace (4) on the same printed circuit board (2).
an electrical terminal for insertion into a terminal receiving passageway (24) in a mating area (40);
2) and a solder tail (58), the solder tail (58) having an end (61) remote from the mating area (42); (58) is a solder joint inspection element (
86). 7. The electrical terminal of claim 6, wherein said braze joint inspection element (86) is a scored line in said braze tail. (8) The solder joint tail in the region of the test element (
8. Electrical element according to claim 7, characterized in that the test element (86) has a multi-sided cross-section, and the test element (86) is only one of the multi-sided sections. (9) The electrical terminal further comprises a retaining plate (46), the retaining plate (48)
0) in the terminal-receiving passage (24), the scalloped edges (48) being connected to the retaining plate (
The electrical terminal extends rearwardly in the insertion direction from the center line of the electrical terminal (46), and the electrical terminal has an insertion means (99);
9) connects the electrical terminal (40) to the terminal receiving passageway (24).
integral with said retaining plate (46) for insertion into said retaining plate (46), said insertion means (99) being integral with said retaining plate (46);
) has a surface (51) perpendicular to this surface (51
) faces rearward in the insertion direction. 10. The electrical terminal of claim 9, wherein said rearwardly facing vertical surface (51) is formed from a shear line segment in said retaining plate (46).