Abstract:
The present invention relates to electrical connectors, and, in particular, to power connectors and to improved contact structures and methods related thereto.

Description:
This application is a divisional of pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/252,578, filed on Oct. 19, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,160,122 which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/622,018, filed on Oct 27, 2004, the contents of which are incorporated herein. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to electrical interconnection systems, and more specifically, to improved power connectors and contacts 
     2. Discussion of the Background 
     A variety of power connectors are available in the art, such as, e.g., products by companies, such as, e.g., Winchester Electronics. 
     For example, Winchester Electronics offers a line of press-fit power terminals for backplane applications that feature C-Press® compliant pin technology. Winchester Electronics&#39;press-fit power terminals may be used in wire-to-board power applications, such as, e.g., to provide a cost-effective and reliable method to connect lead wires terminated with ring or fork tongue terminals to backplanes. In some examples, power terminals have a DIP (Dual In-line Package) footprint and are available in 6 or 10 positions, with or without protective insulation, and with or without 6/32, 4/40, M3 or M4 mating screws. In addition, a 10-position power terminal with two 0.250 inch Quick Disconnect tabs is also available. Winchester Electronics offers a 121 Series, including, e.g., a 0.100×0.300 inch grid 10-position power terminals and a 0.125×0.250 inch grid 6-position power terminals. 
     In addition, Winchester Electronics offers a line of PC Power connectors that provide means of supplying low-to-mid range power for board-to-board applications. In some examples, PC Power connectors are available in 8, 12 and 30-position socket receptacles and pin headers. In addition, connector types are available in straight and right-angle solder terminations as well as in straight compliant press-fit terminations. In addition, compliant press-fit connectors are available for the standard press-fit PCB hole size of 0.64″ and also in a 0.080″ PCB hole size for the direct drop-in replacement of solder termination connectors. 
     PC Power compliant termination connectors utilize Winchester&#39;s unique C-Press® contact design. The press-fit installation of C-Press® contacts do not require soldering and, as a result, can be a more cost-effective means of board termination. In addition, C-Press contacts readily conform to plated through-holes and maximize mating surface area for reliable and effective board connections. 
     In addition, Winchester Electronics offers CompactPCI® Power Connectors that are designed to the requirements of PICMG® Power Interface Specification 2.11 R1.0 for use in connecting CompactPCI pluggable power supplies to backplanes in sub-rack equipment based on IEEE 1101.1, IEEE 1101.10, and VITA 30 packaging specifications. 
     In this regard, the PICMG Power Interface Specification recommends using 47-position power connectors in all new CompactPCI system designs, superseding prior practices incorporating either similar looking 38-position connectors or DIN 24+8 Type-M power connectors. Typical CompactPCI system packaging involves right-angle male connectors to be mounted onto daughtercards (e.g., free boards) and vertical female socket connectors to be mounted onto backplanes (e.g., fixed boards). 
     In addition, systems containing 3U power supplies utilize one mated pair, while systems containing 6U power supplies use two mated connector pairs. In addition, the 47-position CompactPCI Power Connector provides both versatility and performance through its combination of DC and AC power contacts. 
     As for backplane systems, some illustrative background backplane systems include a complex printed circuit board that is referred to as the backplane or motherboard, and several smaller printed circuit boards that are referred to as daughtercards or daughterboards that plug into the backplane. Each daughtercard may include a chip that is referred to as a driver/receiver. The driver/receiver sends and receives signals from driver/receivers on other daughtercards. For example, a signal path is formed between the driver/receiver on a first daughtercard and a driver/receiver on a second daughtercard. The signal path includes an electrical connector that connects the first daughtercard to the backplane, the backplane, a second electrical connector that connects the second daughtercard to the backplane, and the second daughtercard having the driver/receiver that receives the carried signal. 
     Previously, power socket contacts were often fabricated by the use of machining techniques (e.g., screw machining). However, such techniques have some limitations, such as, for example, fabrication costs. 
     A need exists in the art for improved power connectors and for improved power connector contacts and methods of fabrication of such connectors and contacts. 
    
    
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a power contact, a method of making the power contact, and a power connector that utilizes the power contact. 
     A power contact according to one particular embodiment of the present invention includes: an outer body comprising a c-shaped contact portion connected to a tubular main body; and a heat sink housed within the tubular main body, wherein an end of the tubular main body defines a cavity for receiving a contact. 
     A method, according to one particular embodiment for making the power contact, includes the steps of: providing an inner body; providing an outer body to be wrapped around the inner body; removing a corner portion of the outer body; wrapping the outer body around the inner body such that the step of wrapping the outer body around the inner body forms a c-shaped contact portion connected to a tubular main body that houses the inner body. 
     A method, according to another particular embodiment for making the power contact, includes the steps of: obtaining an electrically conductive sheet of material; and feeding the sheet into a progressive die, wherein the progressive die is configured to: (a) form a generally rectangular outer body from the sheet, wherein the outer body remains connected to the sheet by a small portion of the sheet; (b) cut away a corner portion of the rectangular outer body; (c) dispose an inner body on a major face of the outer body; and (d) tightly wrap the outer body around the inner body to form a power contact having (i) a tubular main body that houses the inner body and (ii) a c-shaped contact connected to the tubular main body. 
     A power connector according to one particular embodiment of the present invention includes: a body having a plurality of holes, wherein each of the plurality of holes houses a power contact according to an embodiment of the invention. The power connector may be connected to a circuit board having a plurality of plated through holes, each of which is electrically connected to a power source, such that each of the plurality of power contacts is pressed into a corresponding one of the plated through holes. 
     The above and other features and advantages of the present invention, as well as the structure and operation of preferred embodiments of the present invention, are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form part of the specification, help illustrate various embodiments of the present invention and, together with the description, further serve to explain the principles of the invention and to enable a person skilled in the pertinent art to make and use embodiments of the invention. In the drawings, like reference numbers indicate identical or functionally similar elements. 
         FIG. 1(A)  is a perspective view of a power contact according to some embodiments of the invention. 
         FIG. 1(B)  is a perspective view of a heat sink component according to some embodiments of the invention. 
         FIG. 1(C)  is an end view of the contact shown in  FIG. 1(A) . 
       FIGS.  2 (A)-(G) illustrate a process for making the contact shown in  FIG. 1(A) . 
         FIG. 3(A)  is a perspective view of an illustrative power connector according to some embodiments of the invention. 
         FIG. 3(B)  is a side view of the power connector shown in  FIG. 3(A) . 
         FIG. 3(C)  illustrates a use of the power connector shown in FIGS.  3 (A)-(B). 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     While the present invention may be embodied in many different forms, a number of illustrative embodiments are described herein with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as providing examples of the principles of the invention and such examples are not intended to limit the invention to preferred embodiments described herein and/or illustrated herein. 
       FIGS. 1(A)-1(B)  show an illustrative embodiment of a power contact  1 . In the illustrative embodiment, the contact  1  includes two components: (a) an outer body  10  and (b) an inner body  20 . The outer body  10  is preferably formed from a metal sheet (such as, e.g., an alloy made with, e.g., brass and/or copper or the like), such as, e.g., a stamped metal sheet. In some illustrative embodiments, the body  10  can be made from a sheet having a thickness of about 0.01 inches to 0.03 inches, or in some embodiments, about 0.020 inches to 0.025 inches. 
     Inner body  20  is preferably fabricated so as to be similar to a dowel pin, such as, e.g., substantially solid and substantially cylindrical in some embodiments. Preferably, inner body  20  is configured to operate as a heat sink so as to adsorb or dissipate heat from body  10 . Accordingly, body  20  is preferably made from a heat absorbing material (such as, e.g., a metal or other heat absorbing material). 
     In some embodiments, the contact  1  can be sized so as to be used within applications similar to any of the connector contact applications described above under the section entitled Background of the Invention. 
     Among other things, the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1(A) to 1(B)  can significantly reduce costs of manufacture. By way of example, costs for contact manufacture could be reduced by over 50%-80% or even more. 
     In some embodiments, contact  1  consists of a contact portion  10 CP and a main body  11 . Contact portion  10 CP may be configured to provide a c-shaped compliant end  111  that can, e.g., be fitted into a plated through hole (“via”) of a circuit board or the like. In some embodiments, contact portion  10 CP is generally elongate and c-shaped along its entire length. Alternatively, other configurations of the end can be employed, such as, e.g., I-shaped configurations and/or any other known configurations for compliant and/or other connections. In some embodiments, main body  11  is generally in the form of a tube having a generally circular cross section. Accordingly, an end  107  of contact main body  107 , which end  107  is opposite of end  111 , defines a cavity  109  for receiving an electrical contact (not shown). 
     In some illustrative embodiments, a contact  1  can be fabricated using some or all of the following steps, as illustrated in FIGS.  2 (A)-(G). 
     First, a sheet of material  202  (see  FIG. 2A ) is obtained. In some embodiments, the thickness of the sheet ranges between 0.01 and 0.03 inches. 
     Second, the sheet of material  202  is fed into a progressive die  204  (see  FIG. 2B ). In some embodiments, progressive die  204  includes a plurality of die units (e.g., die units  205   a - c ). 
     Third, a first die unit (e.g., unit  205   a ) of progressive die  204  forms an outer body  10  from sheet  202  (see  FIG. 2C ). The die unit may form body  10  by removing portions of sheet  202  by, for example, a cutting or stamping operation. As illustrated in  FIG. 2C , body  10  may be attached to sheet  202  by a small piece  209  of sheet  202 . 
     Fourth, in some embodiments, a second die unit (e.g., unit  205   b ) may form dove tail tabs  10 T on one side of body  10  and may form corresponding dove tail cut-outs  10 C on the opposite side of body  10  (see  FIG. 2D ). Additionally, die unit  205   b  or another die unit may also remove a portion  250  of the body  10  from a corner of body  10  as shown in  FIG. 2D . The portion of body from which portion  250  is removed is used to form the contact portion  10 CP. By removing corner piece  250 , the resulting contact portion  10 CP can be formed into a tapered or narrowed shape. 
     Fifth, an inner body  20  is directed or fed into a position proximate the outer body  10 . For example, the body  20  may be placed on major face of the outer body  10  as shown in  FIG. 2(E) . 
     Sixth, a die unit (e.g., unit  205   c ) folds outer body  10  around the inner body  20  so that body  20  is encased by body  10  (see  FIG. 2F ). Preferably, body  10  is tightly wrapped around body  20  such that body  20  is substantially unable to move relative to body  10 . In some embodiments, just like the outer body is wrapped around the body  20 , the contact portion  10 CP of the contact  1  can be rolled into a substantially C-shape cross-sectional configuration, such as, e.g., shown in  FIGS. 1(A) and 1(C) , wherein  FIG. 1(C)  shows an illustrative end view of end  111  shown in  FIG. 1(A)  showing a generally c-shaped structure. 
     In some embodiments, the contact portion  10 CP can be formed substantially or generally concurrently with or subsequent to the wrapping of the outer body around the body  20 . In various other embodiments, as indicated above, other types of contact shapes can be formed in the contact portion  10 CP as may be desired. 
     In some embodiments, as shown in  FIG. 1(A) , after being wrapped around body  20 , body  10  can be retained in the cylindrical configuration shown in  FIG. 1(A)  by providing an engagement means, such as, e.g., a mechanical connection, such as, e.g., a mechanical interlock, such as, e.g., a dove-tail tab and cut-out connection mechanism as shown. In some alternative embodiments, by way of example, the outer body could be welded together, crimped together and/or the like. Among other things, such a mechanical connection can facilitate the fabrication process of the connector contact, especially in environments where such contacts are fabricated so as to have minute sizes, such as, e.g., in various connectors described herein-above in the Background of the Invention. 
     Seventh, after (or before) the wrapping step, body  10  can be separated from the sheet  202  (see  FIG. 2G ). 
     Substantially all, or all, of the foregoing steps for creating contact  1  may be carried out by the progressive die  204 , but this is not a requirement. 
       FIGS. 3(A) , (B) and (C) show exemplary environments in which a plurality of contacts  1  similar to that shown above can be implemented within an illustrative connector. In the illustrative embodiment, an illustrative connector includes a housing  30  (which can be, e.g., made with, e.g., an insulating or dielectric material), and includes a plurality of through-holes  30 H configured to receive and house respective contacts  1 . In some embodiments, the contacts  1  can be snap-fit or press-fit into the respective through-holes  30 H. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3(C) , in operation, contacts  1  are housed in body  30  and end  111  of each contact  1  is inserted (e.g., press fit) into a plated through hole  335  of a circuit board  333 , and a contact  390  is inserted into the contact receiving end  109  of each power contact  1 . In preferred embodiments, plated through hole  335  is electrically connected to a power source  399  (e.g., a battery or electrical outlet or other power source). Accordingly, each power contact  1  functions to electrically connect a contact  390  with the power supply. 
     While various embodiments/variations of the present invention have been described above, it should be understood that they have been presented by way of example only, and not limitation. Thus, the breadth and scope of the present invention should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents. 
     Additionally, while the process described above is described as a sequence of steps, this was done solely for the sake of illustration. Accordingly, it is contemplated that some steps may be added and other steps omitted, and the order of the steps may be re-arranged.