Electrical connector with planar mounting members

• US 6,305,976 B1
• Filed: 04/07/2000
• Issued: 10/23/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AMP Limited
• Original Assignee: AMP Limited
• Inventors: Tsuji, Junya, Futatsugi, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Sircus, Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Son V.
• Application Number:
  US09/545,640
• Publication Number:
  US 20010041475A1
• Time in Patent Office: 564 Days
• Field of Search: 439/570-572, 439/108, 439/80-83, 439/567, 439/566
• US Class Current: 439/570
• CPC Class Codes: N/A

Abstract

An electrical connector (1) for circuit board installation is provided using solder pegs (60) to reduce the mounting area. Mounting holes (40) for insertion of solder pegs (60) are provided, along the side walls (36), on both sides of the housing (2) of the electrical connector (1) to be installed on a circuit board (30). The mounting holes (40) are formed perpendicular to the circuit board (30), from the top wall (18) of the housing (2) toward the bottom wall (34). The mounting holes (40) are connected to the mating aperture (6) of the connector (1), and are opened to the outside via the bottom part of the side walls (36). When the solder pegs (60) are inserted into the mounting holes (40) and the connectors are mated, a mating connector is guided by a solder peg face (61) of the solder pegs (60). The mounting holes (40) are connected by solder to the circuit board (30) at the tip (62a), and the tips (62a) of the solder pegs (60) serve as solder connection parts which can be visually inspected from the outside via the opening.

Claims

1. An electrical connector comprising:

a housing having mounting holes on opposite sides of the housing proximate side walls of the housing, the mounting holes extend from a first wall to a second circuit board receiving wall;

a plurality of contacts mounted in the housing;

planar solder pegs inserted into the mounting holes through the first wall and mounted in the mounting holes such that soldering tips of the solder pegs extend beyond the second circuit board receiving wall, whereby as the electrical connector is mounted to a circuit board, the soldering tips engage the circuit board and are soldered thereto to secure the electrical connector to the circuit board; and

an opening is provided on each respective side wall of the housing, the openings extend from the side walls to the mounting holes and are positioned proximate to the second circuit board receiving wall, the openings are dimensioned to have a width which is larger than the width of the soldering tips to allow visual inspection, repair or removal of the solder provided between the soldering tips and the circuit board, such that the planar solder peg can be removed from the housing.

2. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the housing further comprises a mating aperture for receiving a mating electrical connector and the mounting holes are linked with the mating aperture whereby a side of each solder peg is exposed to the mating aperture and provides a ground connection for the mating connector receivable in the mating aperture.

3. An electrical connector as recited in claim 1 wherein mounting bumps and the soldering tip of each respective planar solder peg are positioned in the same plane thereby minimizing the space required for the solder pegs in the electrical connector and reducing the circuit board space required for mounting the electrical connector thereon.

4. An electrical connector as recited in claim 1 wherein chamfers are around the mounting holes on the first surface of the electrical connector, whereby the chamfers facilitate the insertion of the solder pegs through the first wall and into the mounting holes.

5. An electrical connector comprising:

a housing having a plurality of contacts disposed within a mating aperture;

mounting holes provided on opposite sides of the housing proximate side walls of the housing, the mounting holes extend from a first wall to a second circuit board receiving wall;

planar solder pegs inserted into the mounting holes through the first wall, the solder pegs disposed in the mounting holes in the housing for soldering the electrical connector to a circuit board, the mounting holes being located on either side of the mating aperture, and a side of each solder peg being exposed to the mating aperture and providing a ground connection for a mating connector receivable in the mating aperture;

an opening is provided on each respective side wall of the housing, the openings extend from the side walls to the mounting holes and are positioned proximate to the second circuit board receiving wall, the openings are dimensioned to have a width which is larger than the width of the soldering tips to allow visual inspection, repair or removal of the solder provided between the soldering tips and the circuit board, such that the planar solder peg can be removed from the housing.