Pressure contact holding-type connector

• US 7,201,613 B2
• Filed: 03/16/2004
• Issued: 04/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Shin-Etsu Polymer Company Limited (Shin-Etsu Chemical Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Shin-Etsu Polymer Company Limited (Shin-Etsu Chemical Company Limited)
• Inventors: Sasaki, Yuichiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Hyeon; Hae Moon
• Application Number:
  US10/549,153
• Publication Number:
  US 20060172613A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,120 Days
• Field of Search: 439/700, 439/824
• US Class Current: 439/700
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/2421 using coil springs

Abstract

A pressure contact holding-type connector in accordance with the present invention is configured to be interposed between opposing electrodes. A conductive pin is located in at least one end portion of each through-hole of an insulating housing having a through-hole oriented in a thickness direction. A flange section provided on the conductive pin is mated with a small-diameter section provided in one end portion of the through-hole to maintain at least part of the conductive pin in a state of accommodation inside the through-hole. And, a conductive coil spring having one end thereof mated with the flange section provided on the conductive pin and pushing the conductive pin with a snap to an exterior of the through-hole is installed inside the through-hole. The conductive pin can be disposed at both ends of the coil spring.

Claims

1. A connector for interconnecting electrodes, comprising:

an insulating housing, said insulating housing having an inner surface defining within said insulating housing a through-hole having a large-diameter portion and a reduced-diameter portion;

a conductive pin having a contact portion; and

a conductive coil spring mounted within said large-diameter portion of said through-hole and biasing said conductive pin such that said contact portion of said conductive pin is resiliently urged to protrude from said reduced-diameter portion of said through-hole,

wherein at least one outer lower corner portion of said insulating housing is chamfered for cooperating with a corresponding portion in an alignment jig so as to align said insulating housing within the alignment jig.

2. The connector according to claim 1, wherein

said inner surface includes a first portion extending in a thickness direction of said insulating housing, a second portion extending inwardly from said first portion at one end thereof, and a third portion extending from said second portion in the thickness direction of said insulating housing, such that said large-diameter portion of said through hole is defined by said first portion and said reduced-diameter portion is defined by said third portion, and

said conductive pin also has a flange, with said conductive coil spring biasing said conductive pin such that said contact portion of said conductive pin is resiliently urged to protrude from said reduced-diameter portion of said through-hole by being in contact with said flange such that said flange is biased against said second portion to thereby maintain said conductive pin within said through-hole while said contact portion protrudes from said reduced-diameter portion of said through-hole.

3. The connector according to claim 2, wherein said inner surface further includes a fourth portion extending inwardly from said first portion at another end thereof, and a fifth portion extending from said fourth portion, in a direction opposite to the direction in which said third portion of said through-hole extends from said second portion of said through-hole, such that said fifth portion defines another reduced-diameter portion, and further comprising:

another conductive pin having a flange and a contact portion, with said conductive coil spring being in contact with said flange of said another conductive pin so as to bias said flange against said fourth portion to thereby maintain said another conductive pin within said through-hole while said another contact portion protrudes from said another reduced-diameter portion.

4. The connector according to claim 3, further comprising:

an end stop for preventing an excessive compressive force between a circuit board or an electronic component, to be electrically connected by the connector, and said insulating housing.

5. The connector according to claim 4, wherein

adjacent coil turns of said conductive coil spring have different diameters.

6. The connector according to claim 5, further comprising:

a rib, on a lower surface of said insulating housing, for preventing solder on one side of said rib from contacting solder on an opposite side of said rib.

7. The connector according to claim 4, further comprising:

a rib, on a lower surface of said insulating housing, for preventing solder on one side of said rib from contacting solder on an opposite side of said rib.

8. The connector according to claim 3, further comprising:

a rib, on a lower surface of said insulating housing, for preventing solder on one side of said rib from contacting solder on an opposite side of said rib.

9. The connector according to claim 2, further comprising:

an end stop for preventing an excessive compressive force between a circuit board or an electronic component, to be electrically connected by the connector, and said insulating housing.

10. The connector according to claim 9, wherein

adjacent coil turns of said conductive coil spring have different diameters.

11. The connector according to claim 10, further comprising:

a rib, on a lower surface of said insulating housing, for preventing solder on one side of said rib from contacting solder on an opposite side of said rib.

12. The connector according to claim 9, further comprising:

a rib, on a lower surface of said insulating housing, for preventing solder on one side of said rib from contacting solder on an opposite side of said rib.

13. The connector according to claim 2, wherein

adjacent coil turns of said conductive coil spring have different diameters.

14. The connector according to claim 13, further comprising:

a rib, on a lower surface of said insulating housing, for preventing solder on one side of said rib from contacting solder on an opposite side of said rib.

15. The connector according to claim 2, further comprising:

a rib, on a lower surface of said insulating housing, for preventing solder on one side of said rib from contacting solder on an opposite side of said rib.

16. The connector according to claim 1, further comprising:

an end stop for preventing an excessive compressive force between a circuit board or an electronic component, to be electrically connected by the connector, and said insulating housing.

17. The connector according to claim 16, wherein

adjacent coil turns of said conductive coil spring have different diameters.

18. The connector according to claim 1, wherein said inner surface further defines within said insulating housing another reduced-diameter portion, and further comprising:

another conductive pin having a contact portion, with said conductive coil spring biasing said another conductive pin, in a direction opposite to a direction in which said coil spring biases said conductive pin, such that said contact portion of said another conductive pin is resiliently urged to protrude from said another reduced-diameter portion of said through-hole.

19. The connector according to claim 1, wherein

adjacent coil turns of said conductive coil spring have different diameters.

20. The connector according to claim 1, further comprising:

a rib, on a lower surface of said insulating housing, for preventing solder on one side of said rib from contacting solder on an opposite side of said rib.