Electrical connector with combined electrical contact and housing mount assembly

Abstract: An electrical connector for a printed circuit board having a housing and a combined electrical contact and housing mount assembly. The assembly has a first member and a second member. The first member passes through the housing. A ledge on the first member is located on a ledge of the housing. The second member is connected to the second member such that they can sandwich a portion of the printed circuit board therebetween. The bottom of the first member extends past a bottom portion of the housing to make electrical contact with a contact pad on the printed circuit board.

Description: The present invention relates to electrical connectors and, more particularly, to an electrical contact assembly that also mounts a housing to a printed circuit board, according to the preamble of claim 1. US Patent 3,881,799 discloses a pin contact with a head having a contact junction. US Patent 5,207,588 discloses an electrical grounding stud. US patent 4,734,044 discloses use of rivets to connect conductors to a piezo-electric film and plastic strips. Other patents that disclose connectors include US Patent 5,370,559 and 4,820,173. DE-B-1 213 507 discloses an electrical connector according to the preamble of claim 1, wherein the first member of the combined electrical contact and housing mount assembly is made as a contact tongue having projections cooperating with the second member made as two springs, wherein the springs contact opposite sides of the printed circuit board. The invention provides an electrical connector according to the preamble of claim 1 and characterized by the characterizing features of claim 1. The foregoing aspects and other features of the invention are explained in the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an electrical connector incorporating features of the present invention shown connected to a printed circuit board; Fig. 1A is an enlarged view of area 1A shown in Fig. 1; and Fig. 2 is a perspective view of an electrical contact piece shown in Fig. 1. Referring to Fig. 1, there is shown a cross-sectional view of an electrical connector 10 incorporating features of the present invention. Although the present invention will be described with reference to the single embodiment shown in the drawings, it should be understood that the present invention can be embodied in various different forms of alternative embodiments. Features of the present invention may also be incorporated into different types of electrical connectors other than a printed circuit board connector. In addition, any suitable size, shape or type of elements or materials could be used. The connector 10 generally comprises a housing 12 and a combined electrical contact and housing mount assembly 14. Preferably, the connector 10 also has other contacts (not shown). The housing 12 is made of dielectric material and forms a receiving area 16 for receiving at least a portion of a second electrical connector (not shown). The housing 12 has a hole 18 that passes therethrough. An upwardly facing ledge 20 is located in the hole 18 that interlocks with the assembly 14. In alternate embodiments, other types of housings could be provided. The assembly 14 generally comprises a first member 22 and a second member 24. Referring also to Fig. 2, the first member 22 is comprised of electrically conductive material and has a general column shape. However, in alternate embodiments other shapes could be provided. The first member 22 has a top section 26, an enlarged width middle section 28, and a bottom section 30. A threaded hole 32 extends into the first member 22 from its bottom. A downwardly facing ledge 34 is formed at the junction of the middle section 28 and bottom section 30. The two ledges 20, 34 engage each other to locate the first member 22 at a fixed position relative to the housing 12 when connected to the printed circuit board P. The top section 26 extends into the receiving area 16 for connection to a contact in the second electrical connector (not shown) inserted to the receiving area 16. The printed circuit board P has a hole H therethrough and a contact pad C 1 on its top surface. The second member 24 of the assembly 14 has a threaded shaft 36 and a head 38. When the connector 10 is connected to the printed circuit board P, the second member 24 extends through the hole H and into the threaded hole 32 of the first member 22. The head 38 comes to rest against a star washer 39 which is pressed into a second contact pad C 2 at the bottom side of the board P. The housing 12 and first member 22 come to rest on the top side of the board P. Referring also to Fig. 1A, the bottom 40 of the first member 22 has a peripheral piercing ring 42 and an interior surface 44. The inner side 46 of the piercing ring 42 is sloped. When the second member 24 is secured into the first member 22, the bottom 40 of the first member 22 contacts the top contact pad C 1 . Further tightening of the second member 24 into hole 32 causes the piercing ring 42 to penetrate into the top contact pad C 1 until the interior surface 44 contacts the top contact pad C 1 . Due to the clamping pressure exerted during assembly by the second member 24, and the resulting compression of the displaced portion of the contact pad C 1 within the interior periphery of the piercing ring 42, the portion of the contact pad C 1 in intimate contact with the surfaces 44 and 46 creates a gas tight (GTH) electrical interface. The connection causes a portion of the printed circuit board P to be fixedly sandwiched between the head 38 of the second member 24 and the bottom 40 of the first member 22. Because of the interlocking nature of the two ledges 20, 34, the housing is pulled against the printed circuit board P by the first member 22. In an alternate embodiment the first member could be screwed into the housing. This stationarily mounts the housing 12 to the printed circuit board P. In addition, the first member 22 functions as an electrical contact between the top contact pad C 1 and a second electrical connector (not shown) inserted into the receiving area 16. The assembly 14 provides two significant features. First, it provides an increased area of electrical contact of the assembly with the printed circuit board P. Second, it provides long term stability and reliability due to piercing of the top contact pad C 1 by the piercing ring 42. In the past, connectors similar to the connector 10 relied only upon an area of contact between the contact and the printed circuit board similar to the area of contact at star washer 39 transferred inside hole 32. However, the surface area provided by screw threads alone from a member similar to member 24 to a member inside a housing has been found to be incapable of providing sufficient surface area for proper conductivity of higher currents, such as 20 A or more. This insufficient surface area has been found to increase constrictive resistance and temperature rise. This results in a wide variations in voltage drops. The connector 10, on the other hand, has been designed to accommodate higher currents. The housing 12 and first member 22 have been designed to allow the first member 22 to pass through the housing and directly contact pad C 1 . This increases the electrical surface area of contact. This eliminates constrictive resistance and the resulting temperature rise seen in prior art devices. Piercing the top contact pad C 1 also increases the surface area of contact and, promotes long term stability and reliability. It should be understood that the foregoing description is only illustrative of the invention. Various alternatives and modifications can be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. Accordingly, the present invention is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variances which fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims: An electrical connector (10) for a printed circuit board (P), the connector comprising: a housing (12) the housing being made of dielectric material and having a hole (18) therethrough ; and a combined electrical contact and housing mount assembly (14) for connecting the housing to the printed circuit board, the assembly having a first member (22) passing through the hole of the housing and having a surface interlocked with the housing, and a second member (24) attached to the first member, the first and second members being suitably sized and shaped to contact opposite sides of the printed circuit board, sandwich a portion of the board therebetween, and make electrical contact with a contact pad (C 1 ) of the board located under the housing, characterized in that said electrical contact and housing mount assembly (14) provides a contact surface for connection to a contact in a second electrical connector, wherein said hole (18) has a first ledge (20) in the hole and said first member (22) comprises a second ledge (34) on its exterior and an interior threaded area (32), said second member (24) having a threaded shaft (36), wherein the first member extends through the hole (18) in the housing with the ledges (20, 34) contacting each other and a bottom (40) of the first member projecting from a bottom of the housing, wherein the second member (24) is connected to the first member in the interior threaded area with first member making electrical contact with the contact pad (C 1 ) on the board under the first member. A connector (10) as in claim 1, wherein the bottom (40) of the first member (22) extends past a bottom portion of the housing (12) to make contact with the contact pad (C 1 ). A connector (10) as in claim 1 or 2, wherein a (the) bottom (40) of the first member (22) is suitably sized and shaped to pierce into the contact pad (C 1 ). A connector (10) as in claim 3, wherein the bottom (40) of the first member (22) has a peripheral piercing ring (42) that pierces into the contact pad (C 1 ). A connector (10) as in claim 1 or 2, wherein the first member (22) extends into a second connector receiving area (16) of the housing (12). A connector (10) as in claim 3, wherein the first member (22) has a general column shape with its bottom (40) being located to contact the contact pad (C 1 ).

Inventors: PERUGINI MICHAEL N, PERUGINI, MICHAEL N.
Applicants: FRAMATOME CONNECTORS INT, FRAMATOME CONNECTORS INTERNATIONAL
Application year: 1996
Main classification: H01R12
IPC codes: H01R4