Patent ID: 9054477
Filing Date: 2015-06-09
Classification: B22F,H01R

Abstract:
1. A method of manufacturing a metal frame for an electrical plug connector, the method comprising: using a metal injection molding process to form a green part from a feedstock comprising metal and thermoplastic polymers, the green part having: (i) a width, height and length dimension; (ii) an insertion end including first and second opposing sides extending in the width and length dimensions, the first side including a first opening and the second side including a second opening registered with and opposite the first opening, and including third and fourth opposing sides extending between the first and second sides in the height and length dimensions; and (iii) a flanged end including a third opening that communicates with a cavity that extends in the length, width and height dimensions from the flanged end into the insertion end past the first and second openings; thereafter, debinding the green part to form a brown part; thereafter, sintering the brown part to form a metal part having the insertion end and flange end; and thereafter, machining the first and second sides of the insertion end of the metal part without machining the third and fourth sides of the insertion end, wherein each of the first, second, third and fourth sides of the insertion end has an outer layer that has a porosity less than a porosity of a remainder of each side, and wherein the outer layer at the first and second sides is thinner than the outer layer at the third and fourth sides.