Patent ID: 6368167
Filing Date: 2002-04-09
Classification: H01R,Y10T

Abstract:
A method of making an electrical connector comprising the steps of:forming an insulative housing; making a contact module having a dielectric insert and a plurality of contacts retained in the insert; stamping and forming a conductive shield having a body portion and two integral solder tail on the body portion; applying a first plating on both the body portion and the integral solder tails of the conductive shield; applying a second plating on the at least one integral solder tail only; and assembling the contact module, the insulative housing and the conductive shield together wherein the housing defines a chamber therethrough in rear-to-front thereof for engageably inserting the contact module in the chamber; wherein the contacts are insert-molded in the insert; wherein, during first and second plating, the integral solder tails each have a shoulder and a pin outwardly and perpendicularly extending from a corresponding side plan sheet of the body portion of the shield; wherein, during application of the second plating, only the pins dip in a plating bath to apply the second plating thereon; wherein, after the second plating, the solder tails are bent to be generally perpendicular to the shoulder; wherein, during application of the second plating, the shield is turned edgewise and only the pin of a selected solder tail is dipped in a plating bath to apply the second plating thereon; wherein, following application of the second plating to the pin of the selected one solder tail, the shield is rotated 180 degrees and is dipped edgewise a second time in the plating bath to apply the second plating to the other solder tail; wherein, after the second plating, the pins of the solder tails are bent to be generally perpendicular to the corresponding shoulder.