Connecting terminal for electromagnetic shield

• US 5,876,223 A
• Filed: 07/23/1996
• Issued: 03/02/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Molex Incorporated (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Molex Incorporated (KOCH Industries Incorporated), Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Yamaguchi, Masato, Matsunaga, Takashi, Kaneshige, Akira
• Primary Examiner(s): SWANN, JUDY J
• Application Number:
  US08/685,283
• Time in Patent Office: 952 Days
• Field of Search: 439/76.1, 439/92, 439/95, 439/96, 439/108, 361/212, 361/220, 361/753, 361/816, 361/818, 174/35 R, 174/35 MS, 174/51
• US Class Current: 439/108
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/24 resilient; resiliently-mounted
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/2457 consisting of at least two resilient arms contacting the same counterpart
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/16 for telephony
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 9/0037 Housings with compartments containing a PCB, e.g. partitioning walls

Abstract

An improved connecting terminal for an electromagnetic shield is provided for use with a printed circuit board. The printed circuit board is contained in a shielded casing having shielding walls to define compartments. The connecting terminal makes an electric connection between the ground pattern, the shielded inside and shielding walls of the shielded casing, thereby preventing an electromagnetic field from interfering with surrounding electric circuits. The connecting terminal comprises an elongated base strip having an undersurface to be soldered to a selected portion of the ground pattern and a pair of inwardly directed contact arms integrally connected to the opposite ends of the elongated base strip. Each contact arm makes contact with the shielded inside and shielding walls of the casing.

Claims

1. A connecting terminal for connecting an electromagnetic shield to a ground pattern formed on a printed circuit board comprising an elongated base strip with an undersurface to be soldered to a selected portion of the ground pattern and a pair of inwardly directed contact arms having a first end, and a second end, said first end of each said contact arm being integrally connected to respective opposite ends of the elongated base strip, a tip of said second end of each contact arm being inwardly directed to provide a contact for mechanically and electrically contacting the electromagnetic shield;

said terminal further comprising a shape retainer occupying the space defined between the elongated base strip and the contact arms.

2. A connecting terminal according to claim 1 wherein a top surface of the elongated base strip has a generally planar portion to which a negative pressure may be applied to suckingly hold the connecting terminal and apply the connecting terminal to the selected portion of the ground pattern.

3. A connecting terminal according to claim 1 wherein the top surface of a shape retainer has a generally planar portion to which a negative pressure may be applied to suckingly hold the connecting terminal and apply the connecting terminal to a selected portion of the ground pattern.

4. A connecting terminal according to claim 1 wherein said printed circuit board contained in a shielded casing includes shielding walls defining compartments, said connecting terminal being designed to make electric connections between the ground pattern, and the shielding walls of the shielded casing.

5. A connecting terminal according to claim 1 wherein the contact arms converge toward each other.

6. A connecting terminal according to claim 1 wherein the contact arms are inclined.

7. A connecting terminal according to claim 1 wherein the contact arms have an elongated straight portion to minimize the spaced defined between the arms and the base strip.

8. A connecting terminal according to claim 1 wherein the shape retainer has a recess therein for receiving a portion of said contact arms.

9. A connecting terminal according to claim 2 wherein the terminal is symmetrical with respect to the planar portion.

10. A connecting terminal according to claim 4 wherein one of the shielded walls includes a notch for receiving the connecting terminal.

11. A connecting terminal according to claim 1 having a shape which is generally symmetrical.

12. A connecting terminal according to claim 1 which is generally symmetrical with respect to the base strip.

13. A connecting terminal according to claim 3 which is generally symmetrical with respect to the planar portion of the shape retainer.

14. A connecting terminal for connecting an electromagnetic shield to a ground pattern formed on a printed circuit board comprising an elongated base strip with an undersurface to be soldered to a selected portion of the ground pattern;

a pair of inwardly directed contact arms integrally connected to opposite ends of the elongated base strip, each contact arm having a contact for contacting the electromagnetic shield and an inwardly directed tip;

a shape retainer occupying the space defined between the elongated base strip and the contact arms, a top surface of the shape retainer having an exposed generally planar portion to which a negative pressure may be applied to suckingly hold the connecting terminal and apply the connecting terminal to the selected portion of the ground pattern; and

the connecting terminal having a shape generally symmetrical with respect to the planar portion of the base strip.