Press-fit terminal

• US 7,922,545 B2
• Filed: 02/07/2005
• Issued: 04/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Autonetworks Technologies, Ltd. (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Electric Industries Limited (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Autonetworks Technologies, Ltd. (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Electric Industries Limited (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Inventors: Saitoh, Yasushi
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel; T C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Imas; Vladimir
• Application Number:
  US11/050,942
• Publication Number:
  US 20050176267A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,255 Days
• Field of Search: 439/751, 439/887, 439/892
• US Class Current: 439/751
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/585 Terminals having a press fit or a compliant portion and a shank passing through a hole in the printed circuit board
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/03 characterised by the material, e.g. plating, or coating materials
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/308 Adaptations of leads connectors to printed circuits H01R12/00

Abstract

A press-fit terminal is adapted to be press-fitted in an through-hole of board for electrically conducting with the press-fit terminal. The press-fit terminal includes a terminal-base portion and a board inserting portion at least partially plated with tin. A thickness of the plated tin is from 0.1 to 0.8 μm.

Claims

1. A press-fit terminal adapted to be press-fitted in a through-hole of a board for electrically conducting with the press-fit terminal, comprising:

a terminal-base portion; and

a board inserting portion extending from the terminal-base portion, the board inserting portion at least partially plated with tin, the board inserting portion defining an elliptical-shaped opening, the board inserting portion including a proximal end closest to the terminal-base portion and a distal end farther from the terminal-base portion, wherein

a thickness of the plated tin is from 0.1 to 0.8 μ

m to inhibit scraping of the tin on the board inserting portion, and

a portion to be plated with the tin is undercoat-plated with nickel to a thickness of from 1 to 1.3 μ

m, wherein

the elliptical-shaped opening is substantially symmetrical in a top and bottom direction, the elliptical-shaped opening extends completely through the board inserting portion, a width of the opening at the distal and proximal ends is less than a width of the opening between the distal and proximal ends, the width of the elliptical-shaped opening at the distal and proximal ends defining a curved base portion of the elliptical-shaped opening.

4. The press-fit terminal according to claim 1, wherein

a portion to be plated with tin is plated with copper and nickel.

5. The press-fit terminal according to claim 4, wherein

the portion to be plated with the tin is interlayer-plated with the copper, and

the portion to be plated with the tin is undercoat-plated with the nickel.

6. The press-fit terminal according to claim 5, wherein

a thickness of the copper-plated interlayer is from 0.5 to 1 μ

m, and

a thickness of the nickel-plated underlayer is from 1 to 1.3 μ

m.

7. The press-fit terminal according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the plated tin is from 0.3 to 0.5 μ

m.

8. The press-fit terminal according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the plated tin is sufficiently thin to inhibit scraping during insertion into the through-hole that may adversely effect surrounding circuits on the board.

9. The press-fit terminal according to claim 1, wherein the board inserting portion defining a slit.

10. The press-fit terminal according to claim 1, wherein the board inserting portion defining a hole.

2. A press-fit terminal adapted to be press-fitted in a through-hole of a board for electrically conducting with the press-fit terminal, comprising:

a terminal-base portion; and

a board inserting portion extending from the terminal-base portion, the board inserting portion at least partially plated with tin, the board inserting portion defining an elliptical-shaped opening, the board inserting portion including a proximal end closest to the terminal-base portion and a distal end farther from the terminal-base portion, wherein

the thickness of the plated tin is from 0.1 to 0.8 μ

m to inhibit scraping of the tin on the board inserting portion, the portion to be plated with tin is plated with copper and nickel,

the portion to be plated with the tin is interlayer-plated with the copper,

the portion to be plated with the tin is undercoat-plated with the nickel,

a thickness of the copper-plated interlayer is from 0.5 to 1 μ

m, and

a thickness of the nickel-plated underlayer is from 1 to 1.3 μ

m, wherein

the elliptical-shaped opening is substantially symmetrical in a top and bottom direction, the elliptical-shaped opening extends completely through the board inserting portion, a width of the elliptical-shaped opening at the distal and proximal ends is less than a width of the elliptical-shaped opening between the distal and proximal ends, the width of the elliptical-shaped opening at the distal and proximal ends defining a curved base portion of the elliptical-shaped opening.

3. The press-fit terminal according to claim 2, wherein

a tin-copper diffusion layer is formed between the tin-plated layer and nickel-plated layer by heat treatment.