Electrical circuit package for greeting cards

• US 4,611,262 A
• Filed: 05/11/1984
• Issued: 09/09/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/1984
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AMP Limited
• Original Assignee: AMP Limited
• Inventors: Galloway, Michael D., Rose, William H., Shaffer, David T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Envall, Jr., Roy N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thompson, Gregory D.
• Application Number:
  US06/609,164
• Time in Patent Office: 851 Days
• Field of Search: 176/52 FP, 200/46, 206/232, 206/328, 206/329, 206/330, 235/487, 235/492, 357/68, 357/70, 357/74, 357/75, 361/395, 361/398, 361/421, 361/401, 361/403, 369/63, 369/68, 40/455
• US Class Current: 361/813
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/182 associated with components mounted in the printed circuit board, e.g. insert mounted components [IMC]
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0397 Tab forming integral conductive tabs H05K3/4092
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09118 Moulded substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10037 Printed or non-printed battery
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10083 Electromechanical or electro-acoustic component, e.g. microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/1059 Connections made by press-fit insertion
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10643 Disc shaped leadless component
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/202 using self-supporting metal foil pattern
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/326 the printed circuit having integral resilient or deformable parts, e.g. tabs or parts of flexible circuits H05K3/365 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/4092 Integral conductive tabs, i.e. conductive parts partly detached from the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0086 portable, e.g. battery operated apparatus casings for switching devices H01H9/02
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/901 Printed circuit
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49105 Switch making

Abstract

An electrical circuit package comprise a stamped and formed lead frame to which is molded a dielectric housing member which includes openings having exposed electrical contacts, the housing member providing support for the lead frame. Some of the exposed contacts in the openings serve to support electrical components in the openings and to make electrical contact therewith while other of the exposed contacts in the openings electrically engage the electrical components and maintain them in the openings. Further exposed contacts electrically engage another electrical component and the housing member and the further exposed contacts maintain the other electrical component in the housing member. An electrical switch is part of the lead frame.

Claims

1. An electrical circuit package, comprising:

a stamped and formed metal lead frame including metal strips defining circuit paths for forming an electrical circuit; and

a dielectric housing member secured onto said lead frame such that said circuit paths are insulatingly disposed in and supported by said housing member, said housing member having component-receiving openings in which electrical contact members of said metal strips are exposed in cooperating arrangements so that some of said exposed contact members serve to support leadless electrical components in respective said openings and to make electrical contact therewith while other of said exposed contact members in said openings electrically engage said electrical components and maintain them in said openings.

2. An electrical circuit package according to claim 1, wherein said housing member includes another component-receiving opening in which further exposed contact members are located for electrical engagement with another leadless electrical component, means provided by said housing member in conjunction with said further exposed contact members for maintaining said another electrical component in said another opening.

3. An electrical circuit package according to claim 2, wherein said maintaining means comprise flexible latch means extending outwardly from opposing walls of said another opening.

4. An electrical circuit package according to claim 1, wherein additional exposed contact members of said metal strips define switch means.

5. An electrical circuit package according to claim 1, wherein recesses are disposed in said housing member in communication with respective component-receiving openings to facilitate insertion of the electrical components into the openings.

6. A continuous strip of electrical circuit packages, comprising:

stamped and formed metal lead frames including metal strips forming circuit paths and connected to carrier strips;

dielectric housing members secured to respective lead frames such that said circuit paths are insulatingly disposed in and supported by a said housing member, each said housing member including component-receiving openings in which electrical contact members of said circuit paths are exposed in cooperating arrangements so that some of said exposed contact members serve to support leadless electrical components in respective side openings and to make electrical contact therewith while other of said exposed contact members in said openings electrically engage said electrical components and maintain them in said openings.

7. A continuous strip of electrical circuit packages according to claim 6, wherein each said housing member includes another component-receiving opening in which further exposed contact members are located for electrical engagement with another leadless electrical component, means provided by each said housing member in conjunction with said further exposed contact members for maintaining said another electrical component in said another opening.

8. A continuous strip of electrical circuit packages according to claim 7, wherein the maintaining means comprise flexible latch means extending outwardly from opposing walls of said another opening.

9. A continuous strip of electrical circuit packages according to claim 6, wherein additional exposed contact members of said circuit paths define switch means.

10. A continuous strip of electrical circuit packages according to claim 6, wherein each said housing member includes recesses in communication with respective component-receiving openings to facilitate insertion of said electrical components in respective said openings.

11. An electrical circuit package for a greeting card having a first section and a second section closeable thereagainst, comprising:

a stamped and formed metal lead frame including metal strips defining circuit paths for forming an electric circuit;

a dielectric housing member secured to said lead frame such that said circuit paths are insulatingly disposed in and supported by said housing member, said housing member having component-receiving openings in which electrical contact members of said circuit paths are exposed so that some of said exposed contact members serve to support leadless electrical components in respective said openings and to make electrical contact therewith while other of said exposed contact members in said openings electrically engage said electrical components and maintain them in said openings whereby when said electrical components are in said openings and in electrical engagement with said exposed contact members an electrical circuit package assembly is formed having a complete electrical circuit;

said electrical circuit package assembly is securable onto said first section of said greeting card; and

switch means formed by further exposed contact members of said circuit paths which is engaged by said second greeting card section when said greeting card is in a closed position to keep said switch means from activating said complete electrical circuit and when said greeting card is moved to an open position, said switch means closes thereby activating said complete electrical circuit.

12. An electrical circuit package according to claim 11, wherein said electrical circuit package assembly is securable onto an inside surface of said first section and a further section of said greeting card covers said electrical circuit package assembly.

13. An electrical circuit package according to claim 12, wherein said switch means has a hook section that extends through a hole in said further section.