Method of making a contact assembly

• US 6,041,498 A
• Filed: 06/25/1998
• Issued: 03/28/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: The Whitaker Corporation (Meggitt PLC)
• Original Assignee: The Whitaker Corporation (Meggitt PLC)
• Inventors: Hillbish, Warren Christian, McCleerey, Earl William
• Primary Examiner(s): Arbes, Carl J.
• Application Number:
  US09/104,829
• Time in Patent Office: 642 Days
• Field of Search: 29/883, 29/622, 29/884, 29/842, 29/843, 29/844, 264/272.14, 264/272.15
• US Class Current: 29/883
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/724 containing contact members forming a right angle
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6271 Latching means integral with the housing H01R13/6276, H01R13/6277, H01R13/6278 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/24 Assembling by moulding on contact members
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4922 with molding of insulation

Abstract

A contact assembly (90) includes separate conductive members (42,54) with insulative material (90) molded about body sections (50,64) to define an integral unit for handling during connector assembly. The method includes stamping the conductive members (656,658,660,662) from a common blank (680) to have beams (610,612,614,616) associated in pairs to define sockets (606,608), second contact sections (648,650,652,654) at other ends, and body sections (656,658,660,662) joining the respective beams and second contact sections (648,650,652,654). Final separation of the conductive members may occur after molding of the insulative material (670), prior to which the conductive members may be retained on carrier strip facilitating the stamping, plating and molding processes. One contact assembly (604) provides sockets (606,608) having pairs of beams (610,612 and 614,616) with the beams defined on separate conductive members (640,642,644,646) and is inserted into a housing doubling the contact density of the connector without increasing the size of the housing.

Claims

1. A method for making a contact assembly, comprising the steps of:

forming first and second contact pieces having beams of contact sections thereon and respective board engaging posts thereon, and further forming a gap between said first and said second contact pieces,

using said gap to separate a first beam of said beams on a first contact section of said contact sections from a second beam of said beams on said first contact section,

positioning said first beam and said second beam adjacent each other for receiving a pin into connection therewith, and for the pin to make an electrical connection between said first beam and said second beam, and

imbedding said first and second contact pieces in insulating material with said posts protruding from said insulating material to make connections to a board, and with said first beam and said second beam protruding from said insulation material to make an electrical connection to said pin, whereby, upon said first beam and said second beam of said first contact section making connection to said pin, an electrical connection is established between said first contact piece and said second contact piece.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, and further comprising the steps of:

making duplicates of said contact assembly, and

assembling contact sections on said contact assembly and said duplicates of said contact assembly into passages in a housing of an electrical connector, with posts on said contact assembly and said duplicates of said contact assembly projecting from said passages for connection to a board.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, and further comprising the steps of:

forming a flange on said insulating material that extends from a main section of said insulating material and that extends in said gap that is used to separate said first beam and said second beam, and

extending said flange beside bases on said first beam and said second beam.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said step of forming first and second contact pieces having beams of contact sections thereon, further comprises the step of:

forming projecting barbs on edges of bases on said first beam and said second beam,

and further comprising the steps of;

forming a flange on said insulating material that extends from a main section of said insulating material and that extends in said gap that is used to separate said first beam and said second beam, and

extending said flange beside said bases on said first beam and said second beam.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said step of forming first and second contact pieces having beams of contact sections thereon, further comprises the step of:

forming said first beam of said first contact section on said first contact piece together with forming further beams of a further contact section on said first contact piece.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, and further comprising the steps of:

forming a third contact piece having a first additional beam of a second contact section thereon and having at least one additional board engaging post thereon,

forming said first beam of said first contact section on said first contact piece together with forming a second additional beam of said second contact section on said first contact piece and further forming an additional gap between said first and said third contact pieces,

using said additional gap to separate said first additional beam on said second contact section from said second additional beam on said second contact section,

positioning said first additional beam and said second additional beam adjacent each other for receiving a corresponding pin into connection therewith, and for the corresponding pin to make an electrical connection between said first additional beam and said second additional beam, and

wherein the step of imbedding said first and second contact pieces in insulating material further comprises the step of;

imbedding said third contact piece in said insulating material with said at least one additional board engaging post protruding from said insulating material to make a connection to a board, and with said first additional beam and said second additional beam protruding from said insulation material to make an electrical connection to said corresponding pin, whereby, upon said first additional beam and said second additional beam making connection to said corresponding pin, an electrical connection is established between said first contact piece and said third contact piece.

7. A method for making a contact assembly, comprising the steps of:

forming first and second contact pieces having portions of contact sections thereon and respective board engaging posts thereon, and further forming a gap between said first and said second contact pieces,

using said gap to separate a first portion of a first contact section from a second portion of said first contact section,

positioning said first portion of said first contact section and said second portion of said first contact section adjacent each other for receiving a pin into connection therewith, and for the pin to make an electrical connection between said first portion of said first contact section and said second portion of said first contact section, and

imbedding said first and said second contact pieces in insulating material, with said posts protruding from said insulating material for connection to a board, and with said first portion and said second portion protruding from said insulation material for making connection to said pin, whereby, upon said first portion and said second portion of said first contact section making connection to said pin, an electrical connection is established between said first contact piece and said second contact piece.

8. A method as recited in claim 7, and further comprising the steps of:

making duplicates of said contact assembly, and

assembling contact sections on said contact assembly and said duplicates of said contact assembly into passages in a housing of an electrical connector, with posts on said contact assembly and said duplicates of said contact assembly projecting from said passages for connection to a board.

9. A method as recited in claim 7, and further comprising the steps of:

forming a flange on said insulating material that extends from a main section of said insulating material and that extends in said gap that is used to separate said first portion and said second portion, and

extending said flange beside bases on said first portion and said second portion.

10. A method as recited in claim 7, wherein said step of forming first and second contact pieces having portions of contact sections thereon, further comprises the step of:

forming projecting barbs on edges of bases on said first portion and said second portion,

and further comprising the steps of;

forming a flange on said insulating material that extends from a main section of said insulating material and that extends in said gap that is used to separate said first portion and said second portion, and

extending said flange beside said bases on said first portion and said second portion.

11. A method as recited in claim 7, wherein said step of forming first and second contact pieces having portions of contact sections thereon, further comprises the step of:

forming said first portion of said first contact section on said first contact piece together with forming further portions of a further contact section on said first contact piece.

12. A method of making a contact assembly, as recited in claim 7, and further comprising the steps of:

forming a third contact piece having a first additional portion of a second contact section thereon and having at least one additional board engaging post thereon,

forming said first additional portion of said second contact section on said first contact piece together with forming a second additional portion of said second contact section on said first contact piece and further forming an additional gap between said first and said third contact pieces,

using said additional gap to separate said first additional portion on said second contact section from said second additional portion on said second contact section,

positioning said first additional portion and said second additional portion adjacent each other for receiving a corresponding pin into connection therewith, and for the corresponding pin to make an electrical connection between said first additional portion and said second additional portion, and

wherein the step of imbedding said first and second contact pieces in insulating material further comprises the step of;

imbedding said third contact piece in said insulating material with said at least one additional board engaging post protruding from said insulating material to make a connection to a board, and with said first additional portion and said second additional portion protruding from said insulation material to make an electrical connection to said corresponding pin, whereby, upon said first additional portion and said second additional portion making connection to said corresponding pin, an electrical connection is established between said first contact piece and said third contact piece.

13. A method as recited in claim 12, and further comprising the steps of:

making duplicates of said contact assembly, and

assembling contact sections on said contact assembly and said duplicates of said contact assembly into passages in a housing of an electrical connector, with posts on said contact assembly and said duplicates of said contact assembly projecting from said passages for connection to a board.

14. A method as recited in claim 12, and further comprising the steps of:

forming an additional flange on said insulating material that extends from a main section of said insulating material and that extends in said additional gap that is used to separate said first additional portion and said second additional portion, and

extending said additional flange beside bases on said first additional portion and said second, additional portion.

15. A method as recited in claim 12, and further comprising the steps of:

forming projecting barbs on edges of bases on said first additional portion and said second additional portion,

forming an additional flange on said insulating material that extends from a main section of said insulating material and that extends in said additional gap that is used to separate said first additional portion and said additional second portion, and

extending said additional flange beside said bases on said first additional portion and said additional second portion.