Abstract:
A connector assembly and a method of utilizing a connector assembly to enhance performance, improve reliability and provide ease of assembly of electronic equipment are presented. The connector assembly comprises a rigid bracket capable of holding multiple connectors. The bracket acts as a common ground for all of the connectors. The connector assembly has multiple legs and connector conductors that insert into corresponding apertures on a PCB. The legs of the connector assembly are configured to permit the placement of circuit traces on the PCB in the spaces between the legs. After placement of the connector assembly onto the PCB, soldering or other techniques may be used to secure the connector assembly to the board and to connect the proper circuits to the connectors. Because the connectors are installed on the rigid bracket, repeated physical stresses induced on the ports or jacks do not affect the integrity of the PCB.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to electronic communication equipment, and more particularly to a connector assembly for electronic hardware. 
   2. Background Art 
   There are a wide variety of instances in which it is desirable to mount connectors, such as input/output ports (or jacks) on a printed circuit board, for transmission of signals between different internal elements of an electronic device or for transmission of signals between one or more elements of the device and electronic equipment external to the device. For example, audio/video devices such as switchers may include a number of ports protruding through an outer frame for connecting with a number of external electronic devices. Each port is typically connected, within the switcher or other type of device, to one or more unshielded wires leading to one or more locations on an internal printed circuit board (PCB or PC board) that deliver an output signal(s) and/or receive an input signal(s). 
   If the port is an output port, a mating plug or connector when connected thereto will receive an output signal from the PC board. If the port is an input port, a mating plug or connector when connected thereto can deliver an input signal to the PC board. In this manner, audio, video, communication and/or control signals may be transmitted in and out of the electronic device via those port connections. 
   Many types of ports are commonly used by those in the art. One example of a widely used port is the BNC connector (variously known as a “bayonet nut connector” or “Bayonet Neill Concelman” connector). When multiple BNC connectors are installed on a printed circuit board, the integrity of the PCB board may be compromised each time a cable plug is attached to or removed from one of the connectors. The printed circuit board is flexible whereas the connectors are generally inflexible, resulting in the creation of stress points where the connectors meet the PC board. The frequent attachment and removal of cable plugs from the assembly may result in wearing of the PC board material and/or cracking of traces or solder on the printed circuit board, particularly in the vicinity of the connectors. Thus, after repeated use, these electronic devices may fail. 
   Another issue with placing multiple connectors on a PC board is that each connector must be individually placed and soldered. This added complexity adds to assembly time, as well as wear on the assembler. Further, the opportunities for alignment errors and solder failures increase with each connector. Obtaining uniform performance across multiple copies of the same PC board is made more difficult. 
   A further issue with connectors of the sort described above is that they have a detrimental effect on the transmission of high frequency signals. For example, the unshielded lengths of wire used to couple connectors to the PC board are subject to undesired effects such as crosstalk, and the added impedance of the unshielded wire and its contacts with the connector and the PC board results in degradation of the system frequency response, attenuating and distorting signals at higher frequencies. 
   There is a need for an improved connector assembly that provides more ease and reliability in manufacturing, structural strength to the printed circuit board assembly, and improved frequency response characteristics. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   A connector assembly for one or more electronics connectors, such as input/output jacks or ports, and a method of utilizing a connector assembly are described. Embodiments of the connector assembly may be used to strengthen a printed circuit board assembly, provide improved reliability and ease of assembly for electronic devices, and improve signal transmission performance. 
   In one embodiment, the connector assembly comprises a rigid metal bracket upon which multiple connectors may be mounted. The metal bracket may provide a common ground to the connectors mounted thereon, and may act as a strength-enhancing rigid support for a printed circuit board to which it may be attached. The metal bracket may be configured for easy installation of connectors for electronic equipment, such as BNC connectors. The metal bracket may be further configured with legs that may seat in apertures on a printed circuit board. 
   During assembly of an electronic device, the connector assembly may be seated in a printed circuit board by sliding the legs of the metal bracket into pre-made apertures on the printed circuit board. After seating the connector assembly in the apertures of the printed circuit board, soldering or other adhesive techniques may be used to secure the connector assembly to the board and to electrically connect the proper circuits to the connectors. Signal pins of the connectors may protrude through the metal bracket for insertion directly through further apertures in the PC board for subsequent soldering, without the addition of intervening unshielded wires as may be required in circuits of the prior art. Precision placement of ground and signal contacts on the PC board may thus be achieved, with much improved quality control. Further, the proximity of the connector to the PC board minimizes any associated impedance effects and signal crosstalk. Higher frequency signals can therefore be supported with less signal degradation than in prior art systems. 
   In one embodiment, the connector assembly may be configured to accept multiple connectors. Because the connectors are installed as a group on the rigid metal bracket, frequent attachment and removal of external electronic equipment to and from the ports or jacks (i.e., connectors) place much less stress on the attached PC board. The soldering integrity is maintained and the printed circuit board is stiffened and supported by the rigid connector assembly. 
   In one or more embodiments, the connector assembly may be configured to accept connectors in an inline fashion or any other arrangement. For instance, the connector assembly may be configured such that apertures for installation of connectors are arranged in a line along the top plate from one end to the other end. The line could be straight or assume any other shape. The connector assembly could also be configured to accept connectors in a two-dimensional grouping, such as a two-by-two bank of connectors, or a two-by-four bank of connectors, etc. The particular configuration may be selected based on other considerations, such as the form factor of the device in which the connector assembly is to be mounted, or the traditional configuration of individually placed connectors of the prior art for the given type of device. Thus, the arrangement of the connectors on the connector assembly may vary among different embodiments. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a front view of a connector assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a top view of the connector assembly that is illustrated in  FIG. 1 , in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 3A  is a first side view of the connector assembly illustrated in  FIG. 1 , illustrating the coupling of an input/output connector, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 3B  is a cross-sectional side view of the connector assembly illustrated in  FIG. 1 , in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention. 
       FIG. 4  is an expanded view of a leg of the connector assembly illustrated in  FIG. 1 , in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 5  is a partial top view of a printed circuit board configured to accept the connector assembly illustrated in  FIG. 1 , in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 6  is a partial assembly view of the connector assembly illustrated in  FIG. 1 , illustrating mounting of the assembly on a printed circuit board, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   A connector assembly for one or more electronics connectors and a method of utilizing the connector assembly are described. In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a more thorough description of the present invention. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art, that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known features have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the invention. 
   In general, one or more embodiments of the invention may include an assembly for a plurality of connectors (e.g., audio/video) to be mounted, as a group, on a printed circuit board (PCB or PC board). The connector assembly of the present invention may be configured for a plurality of input/output connectors. For instance, an embodiment of the present invention may include a plurality of BNC connectors for audio/video equipment. 
   In one embodiment, the connector assembly includes a metal structure that incorporates multiple connectors. The metal structure acts as a common ground plane and provides a rigid support for the input/output connectors. Though referred to as a metal structure, reflecting the preferred embodiment, the structure may be formed from any material or combination of materials that provide the characteristics of rigidity and conductivity, including, for example, metal-plated materials. 
   The connector assembly, comprising the metal structure and the connectors, is configured to mount onto a printed circuit board as a single unit, simplifying the manufacturing process for electronic equipment requiring connectors attached to a PCB. In addition, in one or more embodiments, the metal structure provides structural strength to the assembly and PC board when mounted on the PC board. 
   One embodiment of a connector assembly of the invention will now be described in more detail. Referring to  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  3 A and  3 B, connector assembly  100  includes a metal bracket  101 . As illustrated in  FIGS. 3A and 3B , metal bracket  101  may be, but is not limited to, a U-shaped structure. In one embodiment, metal bracket  101  may be composed of a nickel-plated SPCC steel or other metallic material. The shape and type of material for metal bracket  101  may vary and may depend on a variety of factors including: providing adequate strength to the assembly and providing electrical conduction to act as a common ground plane for multiple input/output connectors (e.g.,  111 – 115 ) mounted thereon. The number and type of connectors depend on the application and is not limited to those illustrated herein. 
   Metal bracket  101  may have a variety of configurations. In the configuration of the current illustration, the U-shaped metal bracket  101  has a top section  130 , a front side flange  103 A and an opposing rear side flange  103 B. The top section  130  of metal bracket  101  is of generally uniform thickness, with a top face  131  and a bottom face  132 . The front side flange  103 A and rear side flange  103 B (see  FIG. 3A ) are located along opposing sides of top section  130 , and extend generally parallel to one another, and generally perpendicular to the top section  130 . The thickness of flanges  103 A and  103 B are shown as being generally the same as the thickness of section  130 , though this need not be the case for all embodiments. In one embodiment, flanges  103 A and  103 B and section  130  may each be approximately 0.024 inches thick, for example. 
   Along the bottom edge  102 A of front side flange  103 A are multiple legs  121 A,  122 A,  123 A,  124 A,  125 A, etc. Similarly, along the bottom edge  102 B of rear side flange  103 B are multiple legs  121 B,  122 B,  123 B,  124 B,  125 B, etc. The number of legs in each flange may vary and generally depend on support strength requirements for the connector assembly. For stability reasons, it is preferred, though not required, that one flange comprise at least one leg, and the opposing flange comprise two or more legs. Two-dimensional stability is improved by having at least three support points (legs), where one point does not fall on the axis defined by the other two points. In embodiments comprising more than two flanges, it is possible to have zero legs on one or more flanges and/or one or more legs on two or more flanges. It is also preferred, though not required, that the legs be generally evenly distributed with respect to the connectors to obtain uniform conductivity over the common ground plane. 
   One leg configuration in accordance with an embodiment of the invention is illustrated in  FIG. 4 . As illustrated,  FIG. 4  is a cut-out section of one of the legs, for example, leg  121 A, illustrated in  FIG. 1 . In this embodiment, the leg is configured to have one or more steps, for example, a two-stepped shape having a wider section  401  and a narrower section  402  (the tip of the leg). The edge or surface  403  between sections  401  and  402  provides support (i.e., a seat) for metal bracket  101  when metal bracket  101 , and hence leg  121 A, is seated on a printed circuit board. For instance, when metal bracket  101  is installed on the board during assembly, section  402  is inserted into, and possibly through, an aperture (e.g., a drilled or otherwise pre-made hole) on the printed circuit board, until edge  403  abuts the top surface of the printed circuit board (i.e., the hole is typically of smaller diameter than the width of section  401 ). 
   A stepped leg configuration makes soldering easier by preventing deeper penetration of the leg than desired. Of course, other configurations of leg  121 A may be used that will provide the desired support and manufacturing convenience. For example, surface  403  may exist on only one side of leg  121 A, rather than both sides as shown. Further, section  401  may be omitted entirely if the design permits the metal bracket to abut the printed circuit board along surface  102  between respective legs. 
   An advantage to using the stepped approach in the leg design is that by maintaining some distance between the metal bracket and the printed circuit board, the designer is able to place conductive traces on the board surface between the legs of the connector assembly. This provides the designer with more flexibility in board design, particularly with respect to setting traces for the connectors themselves. 
   In other embodiments, the surface  102  may be coated with an insulating material where the metal bracket would abut the printed circuit board. This would permit traces to be set under surface  102 . However, the stepped design is preferred because an abutting metal bracket, even if coated with an insulator, may damage any underlying traces, resulting in possible circuit failure; or the insulator may be worn away, allowing a short to the common ground provided by the metal bracket. 
   Returning back to  FIGS. 1–3B , there may be multiple apertures  140  (not shown exclusively) on metal bracket  101  wherein multiple input/output connectors may be mounted. For instance, input/output connectors  111 ,  112 ,  113 ,  114 , and  115  may be mounted on top plate  130  of metal bracket  101 , through apertures  140 A,  140 B,  140 C,  140 D, and  140 E, respectively. Input/output connectors  111  through  115  may be BNC connectors, for example. 
   As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , these connectors may comprise input and output jacks  111 – 115 , such as for audio and video signals. The particular types of jacks, ports or connectors that are mounted may vary. For example, the connectors or jacks may be for S-video, coaxial audio or video, component video, composite video, digital optical or coaxial, RS-232, USB (Universal Serial Bus), power, or a wide variety of other types of connectors now known or later developed. As indicated, the metal bracket  101  may be configured to accept more than one connector. 
   Each connector may be mounted as illustrated in  FIGS. 3A and 3B , for example. In one embodiment where the connector is a BNC connector, the connector  111  may be mounted on the top plate  130  such that the external connector end is situated on the top surface side  131 . 
   Means may be provided for mounting the connectors on metal bracket  101 , which acts as a support structure for the connectors. In one embodiment, those mounting means may comprise one or more fasteners, such as threaded fasteners or bolts. In addition, adhesive or other means may be utilized. In an alternative embodiment, the inner surfaces of the apertures in top plate  130  may be threaded to permit a threaded connector to be screwed into the aperture. In such an embodiment, top plate  130  may have an increased thickness to accommodate threading. A combination of mounting means may also be used. 
   Multiple apertures  140 A–E (not visible) may be provided in the top plate  130  of metal bracket  101 . As illustrated, these apertures  140 A–E comprise holes or openings through the top plate  130  from the top surface  131  to the bottom surface  132 . In the embodiment illustrated, five apertures  140 A through  140 E are provided, arranged in an inline pattern on the centerline of top plate  130 . Other numbers and arrangements of apertures may be provided and they may be located in a variety of positions. For better grounding performance, it is preferred, though not required, that the connectors be generally evenly distributed. 
   The opening of each aperture  140  may be defined by the type of connector. For instance, in one embodiment, the aperture is generally a circular opening that may be centrally located in the top plate  130  between flanges  103 A and  103 B. 
   The base  104  of the connector  111  provides support for each connector on the top surface  131  of top plate  130 . On bottom surface  132  of top plate  130 , a hex nut  302  or equivalent device provides support for securing the input/output connector  111  on top plate  130 . Base  104  and hex nut  302  may be a metallic type of material in order to provide structural support for the connector  111 . Also, the type of material used in base  104  and/or nut  302  may be such that it provides electrical conduction from the ground of the connector to the metal bracket  101 , which may act as common ground to one or more of the connectors  111 – 115 . 
   Secure mounting of connectors  111 – 115  on metal bracket  101  allows for using a thinner center conductor or signal pin (on or about 0.039 inches in diameter in one embodiment, for example) for each connector than in the prior art. For instance, center conductor  301  may be thinner than those in the prior art, because metal bracket  101  provides solid structural support for the entire connector assembly, minimizing any lateral movement of the PC board or the connectors with respect to each other. 
   Further, in one or more embodiments, the center conductor  301  may remain within the shielded environment of the coaxial cable structure through the length of the connector to a point that is near the surface of the PC board. For example, in  FIG. 3B , center conductor  301  may extend beyond the shielded environment of the connector on or about the depth of edges  102 A and  102 B, and couple to the PC board at the depth of surface  403  (see also,  FIG. 4 ). The length of section  401  of each leg may be used to insure that the connector body itself (e.g., either insulating layer  305  or outer conductor  304 ) does not make contact with the PC board. 
   The small, unshielded span of center conductor  301  may be much shorter than the length of unshielded wire that typically couples the center conductor of connectors to PC boards in circuits of the prior art. This reduction in the unshielded length of the center conductor provides greater protection from crosstalk between the center conductor and other signal sources (e.g., other center conductors, signal traces on the underlying PC board, etc.). Also, the impedance at the transition between the connector and the PC board is reduced, improving high frequency performance. 
     FIG. 3B  is a cross-sectional view of a connector assembly having a BNC connector, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. As shown, the connector  111  is seated within a connector aperture of metal bracket  101 . Connector  111  is held in place by base  104  butting against the top surface ( 131 ) of bracket  101 , and the nut ( 302 ) and washer ( 303 ) combination butting against the underside ( 132 ) of bracket  101 . In one embodiment, base  104  is an annular protuberance formed around the outer surface of connector  111 , though in other embodiments base  104  may be formed as a separate element (e.g., as a second nut threaded onto the outer surface of connector  111 ). 
   In an embodiment, outer conductor  304  is configured with a hollow bore within which lies the center conductor  301 , separated from the outer conductor by a surrounding insulating layer  305 . At the external end of connector  111 , the inner bore of the outer conductor is widened and the outer diameter of the insulating layer  305  is narrowed to form a cylindrical gap. An end of center conductor  301  is exposed within the cylindrical gap, to be mated with the center pin of a coaxial cable. The outer surface of the outer conductor is configured with two opposing stubs  306 , which facilitate the connection of the outer conductor of a coaxial cable to connector  111  in a known manner. 
   At the internal end of connector  111  (i.e., the end protruding within the space bounded by the side flanges and top of metal bracket  101 ), in one or more embodiments, outer conductor  304  may extend through the connector aperture on or about 0.27 inches, and insulating layer  305  may extend slightly beyond the outer conductor. For example, insulating layer may extend through the connector aperture on or about 0.30 inches. Center conductor  301  may narrow from 0.083 inches in diameter to 0.039 inches in diameter as it extends past the end of the insulating layer. Center conductor  301  may extend, for example, to a distance on or about 0.50 inches from the connector aperture. 
   In this same embodiment, the lower edge  102  of the flanges may reside on or about 0.325 inches below the connector aperture, and the step surface  403  (i.e., where the PC board will abut) may reside on or about 0.375 inches below the connector aperture. Given these exemplary values, outer connector  304  and insulating layer  305  do not protrude beyond lower edge  102  of the flanges. The unshielded distance between where center conductor  301  extends beyond outer conductor  304  and makes contact with the PC board is on or about 0.105 inches. 
   The actual distance values may vary from those above in other embodiments. However, as previously discussed, an advantage of having the center conductor  301  extend straight into the PC board, with a minimal unshielded distance between the connector body and the PC board, is that the circuit can transmit and receive higher frequency signals with less attenuation and distortion. The impedance associated with the connectors is reduced and crosstalk between the connectors is minimized. 
   In one embodiment, the material for bracket  101  may comprise SPCC steel, the material for outer conductor  304  and nut  302  may comprise brass, and the material for lock washer  303  and center conductor  301  may comprise phosphor bronze, for example. In addition, bracket  101 , outer conductor  304 , lock washer  303  and nut  302  may be nickel-plated. Center conductor  301  may be gold-plated. 
   The materials and measurements listed above are provided as examples of one operational design. Other materials may be used in other embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention. 
   In one embodiment, a center conductor  301  may be aligned, from the frontal view of  FIG. 1 , in a straight line between legs  121 A and  121 B. Subsequent center conductors may also be arranged between legs on opposite flanges. For instance, a center conductor of connector  112  may be aligned between legs  122 A and  122 B; a center conductor of connector  113  may be aligned between legs  123 A and  123 B; a center conductor of connector  114  may be aligned between legs  124 A and  124 B; and a center conductor of connector  115  may be aligned between legs  125 A and  125 B. Other positions of center conductors are also possible, while still obtaining the benefit of rigid support from metal bracket  101 . 
   Connector assembly  100  provides an easy mount for input/output connectors on printed circuit boards.  FIG. 5  is an illustration of an aperture pattern on a printed circuit board that is configured to accept a connector assembly  100  having a connector arrangement as shown in  FIGS. 1–3B . Note that PCB  500  may be configured to accept as many connector assemblies as needed. 
   As illustrated, printed circuit board  500  comprises leg apertures  501 A–B,  502 A–B,  503 A–B,  504 A–B, and  505 A–B for mounting connector assembly  100 . In addition, PCB  500  further comprises center conductor apertures  511 ,  512 ,  513 ,  514 , and  515 . PCB  500  may be configured to include the circuits for a particular application. For instance, PCB  500  may be configured to include the circuits and conductive traces for a particular application. For instance, PCB  500  may include traces to provide electrical continuity between terminals on the connector assembly, e.g., center conductors and ground connections (e.g., legs), and other circuit elements mounted on PCB  500   
   As illustrated, leg apertures  501 A–B,  502 A–B,  503 A–B,  504 A–B, and  505 A–B comprise holes or openings through PCB  500 , from the top surface to the bottom surface. Electrical connections may be provided, as necessary, between one or more leg apertures and the system ground. In the illustrated embodiment, a leg aperture is provided for each leg of connector assembly  100 . However, it is not necessary to provide traces between each leg aperture and the system ground since the common connector assembly  100  provides the common ground plane for all of the connectors mounted on the connector assembly. 
   Each leg aperture provides a slot for insertion of a corresponding leg on the connector assembly. For instance, leg aperture  501 A may be provided to accommodate leg  121 A; leg aperture  501 B may be provided to accommodate leg  121 B; leg aperture  502 A may be provided to accommodate leg  122 A; leg aperture  502 B may be provided to accommodate leg  122 B; leg aperture  503 A may be provided to accommodate leg  123 A; leg aperture  503 B may be provided to accommodate leg  123 B; leg aperture  504 A may be provided to accommodate leg  124 A; leg aperture  504 B may be provided to accommodate leg  124 B; leg aperture  505 A may be provided to accommodate leg  125 A; and leg aperture  505 B may be provided to accommodate leg  125 B. 
   Other numbers of leg apertures may be provided and they may be located in a variety of positions on the PCB  500 . In one embodiment, there may be a minimum of one leg aperture for each leg of connector assembly  100 , and the leg apertures may be aligned to accept connector assembly  100  via its multiple legs. Each leg aperture may comprise a conductive material, preferably metallic, that also provides sufficient strength for coupling connector assembly  100 . In one embodiment, the coupling between each leg aperture and each connector assembly leg may be accomplished by soldering. 
   Insertion of the legs into the apertures on PCB  500  inhibits lateral movement of the connector assembly with respect to PCB  500 . The soldering of one or more legs to PCB  500  inhibits separation of the connector assembly from PCB  500 , preventing any of the legs from slipping out of their respective apertures. The number of legs that are soldered to PCB  500  (from the total number of available legs) may vary according to the application and the environment in which the electronic equipment will be used. Better electrical ground stability is provided by an even distribution of soldered leg contacts and larger number of such contacts. Also, the structural stability of the equipment improves with the number of legs that are soldered (or otherwise coupled) to PCB  500 . 
   The opening of each center conductor aperture may be defined by the type of connector. In one embodiment, the center conductor aperture is generally a circular opening that is centrally located between opposite leg apertures. For instance, center conductor aperture  511  may be located between opposite leg apertures  501 A and  501 B; center conductor aperture  512  may be located between opposite leg apertures  502 A and  502 B; center conductor aperture  513  may be located between opposite leg apertures  503 A and  503 B; center conductor aperture  514  may be located between opposite leg apertures  504 A and  504 B; and center conductor aperture  515  may be located between opposite leg apertures  505 A and  505 B. 
   In general, the arrangement of center conductor apertures is arranged to match the configuration of connectors on the connector assembly (or vice versa), such that when the legs of the connector assembly are inserted into respective leg apertures on PCB  500 , the center conductors of the connectors will also be inserted into corresponding center conductor apertures. In embodiments where a connector has multiple signal conductors, additional conductor apertures may be drilled to accommodate the additional conductors in a similar fashion. 
   Each center conductor aperture ( 511 – 515 ) may comprise a conductive material, preferably metallic, that electrically couples each connector&#39;s center conductor to the circuit on PCB  500 . In one embodiment, coupling between each center conductor aperture and each connector center conductor may be accomplished by soldering. If one connector is not needed in the circuit, the associated center conductor may be omitted from any soldering process. Also, the unneeded connector may be omitted from the connector assembly. The open connector aperture in metal bracket  101  may be left open or it may be covered with an aperture plug. 
   The multiple leg apertures and multiple center conductor apertures on PCB  500  provide the points by which connector assembly  100  is mounted.  FIG. 6  is an illustration of connector assembly  100  mounted on PCB  500  to create assembled system  600 . In this illustration, legs  121 A and  121 B of connector assembly  100  may be seated into leg apertures  501 A and  501 B, respectively, to form coupling points  601 A and  601 B. Legs  122 A and  122 B of connector assembly  100  may be seated into leg apertures  502 A and  502 B, respectively, to form coupling points  602 A and  602 B. Legs  123 A and  123 B of connector assembly  100  may be seated into leg apertures  503 A and  503 B, respectively, to form coupling points  603 A and  603 B. Legs  124 A and  124 B of connector assembly  100  may be seated into leg apertures  504 A and  504 B, respectively, to form coupling points  604 A and  604 B. Legs  125 A and  125 B of connector assembly  100  may be seated into leg apertures  505 A and  505 B, respectively, to form coupling points  605 A and  605 B. 
   In similar fashion, the center conductor of each input/output connector may be seated into a center conductor aperture on the PCB  500 . For instance, the center conductor of input/output connector  111  may be seated into center conductor aperture  511 ; the center conductor of input/output connector  112  may be seated into center conductor aperture  512 ; the center conductor of input/output connector  113  may be seated into center conductor aperture  513 ; the center conductor of input/output connector  114  may be seated into center conductor aperture  514 ; and the center conductor of input/output connector  115  may be seated into center conductor aperture  515 . 
   The connector assembly  100  is simply constructed and easy to install. The connector assembly  100  need only be connected to a PCB by soldering the legs and/or center conductors to the PCB. The connector assembly may be pre-fabricated before the PCB assembly process, such that a single placement process may mount the connector assembly (and hence multiple connectors) to the PC board. This process simplification reduces assembly time, as well as wear on the respective assembler (whether human or machine). The correct positioning may be achieved and confirmed by a single successful insertion of the connector assembly onto the aperture pattern of a PC board. 
   All of the apertures in the PC board may be formed (e.g., drilled) in conformance with a single aperture pattern, providing better connector reliability and quality control within each PC board and within each PC board lot. 
   As a further advantage in manufacturing, in one embodiment, the center conductors and the legs may be manufactured with similar cross-sectional distances, such that apertures of the same size and shape may be used for both legs and center conductors. The same tool(s) may be used to create both types of apertures, and the same process may be used to couple the legs and center conductors to the PC board. By using the same drill to create the conductor apertures and the leg apertures, and foregoing the use of rectangular apertures for the legs, the cost of manufacturing is reduced. Further, because the center conductor pin and the legs are of a small size, less solder is needed, reducing the level of heat exposure the PC board must undergo during the manufacturing process. 
   Thus, a connector assembly for one or more electronics connectors and a method of utilizing the connector assembly have been described. Particular embodiments described herein are illustrative only, and should not limit the present invention thereby. The invention is defined by the claims and their full scope of equivalents.