ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS HAVING CONTACTS CONFIGURED TO ENGAGE THRU-HOLES USING AXIAL FORCES

• US 20110244705A1
• Filed: 04/02/2010
• Published: 10/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TE Connectivity Corporation (TE Connectivity Ltd. (United Kingdom))
• Original Assignee: Tyco Electronics Corporation (TE Connectivity Ltd. (United Kingdom))
• Inventors: MORGAN, Chad William, FREDERICK, Robert, SHARF, Alex Michael
• Granted Patent: US 8,123,572 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/353
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/58 terminals for insertion into holes
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09845 Stepped hole, via, edge, bump or conductor
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/1059 Connections made by press-fit insertion
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/308 Adaptations of leads connectors to printed circuits H01R12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/325 by abutting or pinching, i.e. without alloying process; mechanical auxiliary parts therefor adaptations of leads inserted in holes for press-fit connections H05K3/308
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/42 Plated through-holes or plated via connections

Abstract

An electrical component configured to engage a circuit board having a thru-hole. The thru-hole has a plated portion of conductive material that includes an outward facing contact pad. The component includes a housing having a mounting surface that is configured to be mounted to the circuit board. The component also includes an electrical contact that is coupled to the housing and projects away from the mounting surface. The contact is configured to engage the thru-hole of the circuit board. The contact includes an elongated body that extends along a contact axis to a leading end that is configured to be inserted into a passage of the plated portion. The contact also includes an engagement projection that extends away from the body and is biased against the contact pad to maintain an electrical connection.

Claims

1. An electrical component configured to engage a circuit board having a thru-hole, the thru-hole having a plated portion of conductive material that includes an outward facing contact pad, the component comprising:

a housing having a mounting surface configured to be mounted to the circuit board; and

an electrical contact coupled to the housing and projecting away from the mounting surface, the contact being configured to engage the thru-hole of the circuit board, the contact comprising;

an elongated body extending along a contact axis to a leading end, the leading end being configured to be inserted into a passage of the plated portion of the thru-hole; and

an engagement projection extending away from the body and being biased against the contact pad to maintain an electrical connection.

2. The electrical component in accordance with claim 1 wherein the engagement projection maintains an axial force against the contact pad in a direction that extends along the contact axis.

3. The electrical component in accordance with claim 1 wherein the engagement projection is configured to flex toward the body when the body is inserted into the passage of the plated portion and flex away from the body when the engagement projection has cleared the contact pad.

4. The electrical component in accordance with claim 1 wherein the engagement projection extends from the body to a distal tip of the engagement projection at an acute angle with respect to the contact axis.

5. The electrical component in accordance with claim 1 wherein the engagement projection includes a pair of engagement projections, the body further comprising a pair of legs extending alongside each other toward the leading end and separated by a gap, each leg including one of the engagement projections, wherein the legs flex toward each other when the engagement projections enter the passage and flex away from each other when the engagement projections clear the passage.

6. The electrical component in accordance with claim 1 wherein the engagement projection is a first engagement projection and the contact further comprises a second engagement projection extending away from the body, the first and second engagement projections being separated from each other by an axial distance and configured to provide opposing axial forces when engaged to the thru-hole.

7. The electrical component in accordance with claim 1 wherein the contact further comprises a collar extending around the body about the contact axis, the collar and the engagement projection being separated from each other by an axial distance and providing opposing axial forces when engaged to the thru-hole.

8. The electrical component in accordance with claim 1 wherein the engagement projection extends from the body to a distal tip of the engagement projection, the engagement projection curving away from the body as the engagement projection extends to the distal tip.

9. An electrical assembly comprising:

a circuit board including a substrate having opposite substrate surfaces and a thru-hole having a plated portion of conductive material, the plated portion of conductive material forming a contact pad and a passage extending from the contact pad, the contact pad having a mating surface that is recessed with respect to one of the substrate surfaces; and

an electrical component having a housing configured to be mounted to the circuit board and an electrical contact extending from the housing and configured to engage the thru-hole of the circuit board, the contact comprising an elongated body extending along a contact axis to a leading end that is configured to be inserted into the passage of the plated portion, the body comprising an engagement projection extending therefrom, the engagement projection being biased against the mating surface of the contact pad to maintain an electrical connection.

10. The electrical assembly in accordance with claim 9 wherein the contact pad is a first contact pad and the plated portion further comprises a second contact pad having a mating surface, the passage extending between the first and second contact pads and the mating surfaces of the first and second contact pads facing substantially away from each other.

11. The electrical assembly in accordance with claim 9 wherein the passage extends along an axis, the engagement projection maintaining an axial force against the mating surface in a direction that extends along the axis of the passage.

12. The electrical assembly in accordance with claim 9 wherein the passage extends a length and the contact pad has a diameter, the length of the passage being less than the diameter of the contact pad.

13. A circuit board comprising a substrate having opposite substrate surfaces and a thru-hole having a plated portion of conductive material, the plated portion forming a contact pad that includes a mating surface sized and shaped to engage an electrical contact and a passage extending from the contact pad, wherein the mating surface is recessed with respect to and faces one of the substrate surfaces.

14. The circuit board in accordance with claim 13 wherein the passage extends a length and the contact pad has a diameter, the length of the passage being less than the diameter of the contact pad.

15. The circuit board in accordance with claim 13 wherein the thru-hole includes a bore extending between the substrate surfaces, the contact pad being located a depth from said one of the substrate surface within the bore.

16. The circuit board in accordance with claim 15 wherein the contact pad has a diameter and the bore has a diameter, the diameters of the contact pad and the bore being substantially equal.

17. The circuit board in accordance with claim 15 wherein the contact pad has a diameter and the bore has a diameter, the diameter of the contact pad being less than the diameter of the bore.

18. The circuit board in accordance with claim 15 wherein the bore and the passage extend along a bore axis, the mating surface of the contact pad extending away from the bore axis at a non-orthogonal angle.

19. The circuit board in accordance with claim 13 wherein the contact pad is a first contact pad and the plated portion further comprises a second contact pad having a mating surface, the passage extending between the first and second contact pads and the mating surfaces of the first and second contact pads facing substantially away from each other.

20. The circuit board in accordance with claim 19 wherein the opposite substrate surfaces are first and second substrate surfaces, the first contact pad being recessed with respect to the first substrate surface, the second contact pad being recessed with respect to the second substrate surface.