EP0148792A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Compliant pin
Assignee: H AND V SERVICES
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Filing: 1985-01-14
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2005-01-14
Abstract
Abstract A compliant pin (10) for preferable insertion into a multi-layer backpanel (12) is disclosed. The pin (10) includes a wire-wrap area (D), a pin stop (B), and a connector area (A). Between the connector area (A) and the stop (B) there is located the compliant area (C) which forms the critical function of pin support and electrical connection. The compliant area (C) includes first and second legs (L1, L2) spreading out to define an eye (60) from the pin stop (B) adjacent the wire-wrap area (D) of the pin. Similarly, the paired legs (L1, L2) come together at a symmetrically defined eye (61) adjacent the connector area (A). In between the eyes, along the compliant portions of the leg, are formed opposing offset wedges (50, 51). The opposing offset wedges are defined by a stamping process which process does not deform the sheet of material out of which the pin is made from its original planar disposition. Looking at the pin in section, paired and offset wedges are formed at an approximate 45° angle to the plane of the material from which the pin is formed. These wedges are offset so that when the legs are urged towards one another the apexes of the wedges move to contact the surface of the opposing wedge. Upon such contact, a sliding interface occurs. Exteriorly of the wedge area the pin at each wedge is provided with a broad area of contact at the hole, preferably spaced apart shoulders, (53, 55, 54, 56). These shoulders bear upon the surface of the cylindrical apertures (E) into which the pin (10) is placed. In insertion, the compliant legs, (L1, L2) come in contact with the cylindrical holes. They are urged one towards the other until contact is made. Thereafter, the compliant legs are urged against another and form a sliding interface which interface for the first time functions to deform the pin members out of the place of the material from which they were formed. A pin with adequate electrical connection to a large range of hole diameters with structural rigidity results.
Inventors
- 👤 Charles Norman Elsbree, Jr.
- 👤 Hector Alberto Regner
- 👤 Claude Rodriquez
- 👤 Anthony Ravlich
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 03:23
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01R; H01R12/00; H01R12/50; H01R12/51; H01R12/55; H01R12/58; H01R12/585
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
213 words
A compliant pin for insertion into a conductive aperture extending between the upper and lower surfaces of a backpanel of the type including one or more conductive layers preferably sandwiched between nonconductive layers, said pin comprising: a connector portion for placement through and protrusion from one end of said aperture in said backpanel; a compliant portion adjacent said connector portion, said compliant portion being substantially coextensive with said aperture; a stop portion adjacent said compliant portion, said stop for registry to the surface of said backpanel to limit the penetration of said pin at said compliant portion; said compliant portion having first and second compliant legs separating at a first defined eye adjacent said stop portion and joining together at a second defined eye adjacent said connector portion, said first and second compliant legs each defining a wedge including a longitudinal apex carried on the inside of said legs and disposed towards the center of said pin and a pair of longitudinal shoulders for contact with said aperture carried on the outside of said legs; the wedge apex of said first leg being offset with respect to the wedge apex of said second leg to cause said wedges when urged together by said shoulders to move against one another along a sliding interface.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
213 words
A compliant pin for insertion into a conductive aperture extending between the upper and lower surfaces of a backpanel of the type including one or more conductive layers preferably sandwiched between nonconductive layers, said pin comprising: a connector portion for placement through and protrusion from one end of said aperture in said backpanel; a compliant portion adjacent said connector portion, said compliant portion being substantially coextensive with said aperture; a stop portion adjacent said compliant portion, said stop for registry to the surface of said backpanel to limit the penetration of said pin at said compliant portion; said compliant portion having first and second compliant legs separating at a first defined eye adjacent said stop portion and joining together at a second defined eye adjacent said connector portion, said first and second compliant legs each defining a wedge including a longitudinal apex carried on the inside of said legs and disposed towards the center of said pin and a pair of longitudinal shoulders for contact with said aperture carried on the outside of said legs; the wedge apex of said first leg being offset with respect to the wedge apex of said second leg to cause said wedges when urged together by said shoulders to move against one another along a sliding interface.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
The complaint pin of claim 1 and wherein said wedge surfaces are worked, polished, and confront one another.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
17 words
The invention of claim 1 and wherein said stop portion has protruding therefrom a wire wrap terminal.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
The invention of claim 1 and wherein said wedge portions are inclined in the range of 30° to 60° with respect to the planar surface of said pin.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
The compliant pin of claim 1 and wherein said wedge portions are inclined at an angle of 45° with respect to said pin.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
210 words
A compliant pin and backpanel combination comprising: a circuit board backpanel assembly having at least one conductive aperture therein; a compliant pin in said aperture, said compliant pin including; a connector portion protruding from one end of said aperture in said backpanel; a compliant portion adjacent said connector portion, said compliant portion being substantially coextensive with said aperture; a stop portion adjacent said compliant portion, said stop for registry to the surface of said backpanel to limit the penetration of said pin at said compliant portion; said compliant portion having first and second compliant legs separating at a first defined eye adjacent said stop portion and joining together at a second defined eye adjacent said connector portion, said first and second compliant legs each defining a wedge including a longitudinal apex carried on the inside of said legs and disposed towards the center of said pin and a pair of longitudinal shoulders for contact with said aperture carried on the outside of said legs; said first compliant leg contacting said aperture with each of said pair of longitudinal shoulders; said second compliant leg contacting said aperture with at least one of said pair of longitudinal shoulders; and said wedges are in confronting relationship with each other along opposed planar surfaces.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
210 words
A compliant pin and backpanel combination comprising: a circuit board backpanel assembly having at least one conductive aperture therein; a compliant pin in said aperture, said compliant pin including; a connector portion protruding from one end of said aperture in said backpanel; a compliant portion adjacent said connector portion, said compliant portion being substantially coextensive with said aperture; a stop portion adjacent said compliant portion, said stop for registry to the surface of said backpanel to limit the penetration of said pin at said compliant portion; said compliant portion having first and second compliant legs separating at a first defined eye adjacent said stop portion and joining together at a second defined eye adjacent said connector portion, said first and second compliant legs each defining a wedge including a longitudinal apex carried on the inside of said legs and disposed towards the center of said pin and a pair of longitudinal shoulders for contact with said aperture carried on the outside of said legs; said first compliant leg contacting said aperture with each of said pair of longitudinal shoulders; said second compliant leg contacting said aperture with at least one of said pair of longitudinal shoulders; and said wedges are in confronting relationship with each other along opposed planar surfaces.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
The compliant pin and backpanel combination of claim 6 and wherein said wedges are in contact with each other at said opposed planar surfaces.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
The compliant pin and backpanel of claim 6 and wherein said wedges are not in contact with each other along said opposed planar surfaces.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
18 words
The compliant pin and backpanel combination of claim 8 and wherein said stop supports a post protruding therefrom.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
143 words
A compliant conductive pin for insertion into a conductive aperture having a pair of legs separated from one another to compliantly yield and tightly engage the peripheral surface of a plated cylindrical aperture into which said pin is inserted, said legs being joined at one end to a stop and at the opposite end to a post to define therebetween a compliant section, the improvement in said compliant section comprising: a pair of offset and confronting wedges, each wedge having the apexes of said wedge overlying a worked surface of the opposing wedge; each of said wedges including paired longitudinal shoulders on each of said first end legs for contacting the peripheral surfaces of said apertures; said legs being compliantly biasable to move in confronting relation along said offset wedges to and towards each other to come into retaining contact with said aperture.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
143 words
A compliant conductive pin for insertion into a conductive aperture having a pair of legs separated from one another to compliantly yield and tightly engage the peripheral surface of a plated cylindrical aperture into which said pin is inserted, said legs being joined at one end to a stop and at the opposite end to a post to define therebetween a compliant section, the improvement in said compliant section comprising: a pair of offset and confronting wedges, each wedge having the apexes of said wedge overlying a worked surface of the opposing wedge; each of said wedges including paired longitudinal shoulders on each of said first end legs for contacting the peripheral surfaces of said apertures; said legs being compliantly biasable to move in confronting relation along said offset wedges to and towards each other to come into retaining contact with said aperture.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
30 words
The invention of claim 10 and wherein said wedges are offset with respect to the plane of material from which they are formed in the range of 30° to 60°.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
21 words
The invention of claim 11 and wherein said wedges are biasable into contact one with another upon insertion into said hole.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
21 words
The invention of claim 10 and wherein the overall profile of said compliant shape is streamlined for fitting into said aperture.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
119 words
A process of forming a compliant pin comprising a combination forming a key-shaped aperture in a planar sheet of material, said aperture having a first rounded end, a second rounded end and substantially linear borders extending therebetween; forming along said substantially linear apertures first and second opposing and offset wedges, each of said offset wedges having a polished and worked surface confronting a similar work surface on the other of said wedges; forming the outline of compliant legs by separating at said outline the material of said strip while maintaining the material from said wedges in a coplanar disposition; and shaping the shoulders of said compliant wedges for conforming contact to a cylindrical aperture to form a compliant pin.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
119 words
A process of forming a compliant pin comprising a combination forming a key-shaped aperture in a planar sheet of material, said aperture having a first rounded end, a second rounded end and substantially linear borders extending therebetween; forming along said substantially linear apertures first and second opposing and offset wedges, each of said offset wedges having a polished and worked surface confronting a similar work surface on the other of said wedges; forming the outline of compliant legs by separating at said outline the material of said strip while maintaining the material from said wedges in a coplanar disposition; and shaping the shoulders of said compliant wedges for conforming contact to a cylindrical aperture to form a compliant pin.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
44 words
The process of claim 14 and including the step of windowing adjacent said respective wedges the sheet from which said compliant aperture is formed; and moving said compliant wedges to and towards one another to establish an overlapped dimension of apexes of said wedges.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
30 words
The process of claim 14 and including the step of shaping the angle of said wedges to produce variant compliant movement of said respective legs to and towards each other.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
34 words
The process of claim 14 and including the step of forming said wedges at a steep angle in the range approaching 60° for providing relatively easy movement of said compliant sections one towards another.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
29 words
The process of claim 17 and including the step of shaping said wedges at a steep angle to provide relatively rigid movement said legs to and towards each other.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
28 words
The process of claim 14 and wherein said wedges comprise a relatively short distance of the aperture to provide relatively easy movement of said legs one towards another.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
30 words
The process of claim 14 and wherein said wedges comprise a relatively long distance of the said aperture to promote relatively rigid movement of said compliant legs one towards another.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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