Method of making an electrical circuit package

• US 4,675,989 A
• Filed: 04/07/1986
• Issued: 06/30/1987
• 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): Echols, Percy W.
• Application Number:
  US06/848,651
• Time in Patent Office: 449 Days
• Field of Search: 29/622, 29/827, 29/832, 29/841, 29/846-850, 29/854-856, 174/52 FP, 361/401, 361/403, 361/421, 264/272.14, 264/272.15, 264/272.16, 264/272.17, 264/273
• US Class Current: 29/622
• 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 5/02 Details
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49105 Switch making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49121 Beam lead frame or beam lead device
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4913 Assembling to base an electrical component, e.g., capacitor, etc.
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49156 with selective destruction of conductive paths

Abstract

An electrical circuit package comprises 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. The method involves molding a dielectric housing member on the lead frame with exposed circuit path parts in openings either stamped into pairs before molding or severed into pairs after molding, and further forming ones of the pairs of exposed path parts into cantilever contact members while the others of the pairs define stationary contact members.

Claims

1. A method of making an electrical circuit package, comprising the steps of:

stamping and forming a metal lead frame having at least one circuit path;

selecting a pair of contact areas along said path to electrically engage corresponding contact areas of an electrical component;

molding a dielectric housing member on said lead frame insulatingly covering portions of said path remote from said selected contact areas, defining an opening adapted to receive therewithin a said electrical component and exposing said selected contact areas of said circuit path, said opening including ledge portions spaced laterally from said exposed contact areas; and

forming an exposed portion of said circuit path containing one of said selected contact areas into a cantilever contact member extending into said opening from one side thereof and having said one of said selected contact areas on a free end thereof, the other of said selected contact areas being disposed on an exposed portion of said circuit path comprising a second contact member spaced from said cantilever contact member and electrically unconnected thereto at least after said forming of said cantilever contact member, whereby an electrical component is insertable into said opening and securable therein by said cantilever contact member biasing said component against at least said ledge portions and said corresponding contact areas are electrically engageable by said selected contact areas of said cantilever contact member and said second contact member.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said selected contact areas are disposed on a continuous portion of said circuit path extending across said opening prior to said forming step, and said continuous portion is severed between said selected contact areas prior to said forming step.

3. A method as set forth in claim 1 further including forming said second contact member into a cantilever member.

4. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said forming of said cantilever contact member includes forming an S-shaped bend therein proximate the wall of said opening and remote from said selected contact area thereof.

5. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said ledge portions are formed integrally with said housing member.

6. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said ledge portions are parts of said lead frame.

7. A method as set forth in claim 6 wherein said ledge portions are electrically connected to said second contact member and comprise additional contact members engagable with corresponding contact areas of said electrical component.