EP0237728A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Tool and method for assembling a printed circuit card
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1987-01-23
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2007-01-23
Abstract
Abstract This invention provides a tool and method for positioning connector springs (6) in a housing (7) and then holding them firmly in place while a tail or arm (63) that extends from each connector spring is soldered to a tab or pad (51) on the edge of a printed circuit card (5). The tool has a plurality of rubber protrusions (81), one for each connector spring in the assembly. These rubber protrusions are wedge shaped and they fit into the contacts (66, 67) on the connector springs to hold the connector springs firmly in an aligned position. Utilizing the method of the present invention the connector springs (6) are first loosely positioned in the holes in the housing assembly. The tool with the wedge shaped protrusions (81) is used to push the connector springs into their final position and to hold them in position during the soldering operation.
Inventors
- 👤 Joseph Lawrence De Marco
- 👤 Charles Howard Enkling
- 👤 James Warren Zimmer
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 07:37
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01R; H01R43/00; H01R43/20; H01R43/205
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
169 words
A tool for assembling a printed circuit card (5) having a plurality of connector springs (6), and a housing (7) adapted to hold said connector springs, each of said connector springs having an arm (63) that is adapted to be soldered to a tab (51) on the edge of said printed circuit card (5), and two contacts (66, 67) that form a slot for insertion of a male connector, characterized in that the tool comprises a base plate (8) having a plurality of retaining means (82) positioned to coincide with the location of said connector springs (6) in said housing (7), and a plurality of wedge shaped protrusions (81), one attached to said base plate (8) at each of said retaining means (82), arranged such that said protrusions (81) can fit into said slots formed by said connector spring contacts (66, 67) and hold said connector springs (6) firmly in said housing (7) without abrading said contacts (66, 67) while said arm (63) is soldered to said tab (51).
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
169 words
A tool for assembling a printed circuit card (5) having a plurality of connector springs (6), and a housing (7) adapted to hold said connector springs, each of said connector springs having an arm (63) that is adapted to be soldered to a tab (51) on the edge of said printed circuit card (5), and two contacts (66, 67) that form a slot for insertion of a male connector, characterized in that the tool comprises a base plate (8) having a plurality of retaining means (82) positioned to coincide with the location of said connector springs (6) in said housing (7), and a plurality of wedge shaped protrusions (81), one attached to said base plate (8) at each of said retaining means (82), arranged such that said protrusions (81) can fit into said slots formed by said connector spring contacts (66, 67) and hold said connector springs (6) firmly in said housing (7) without abrading said contacts (66, 67) while said arm (63) is soldered to said tab (51).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
A tool as in claim 1, where said connector springs (6) and said housing have interactive positioning means (61, 62; 71, 72) for holding said connector springs firmly in said housing.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
18 words
A tool as in claim 1, where said retaining means comprise holes (82) in said base plate (8).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
A tool as in claim 1, where said wedge shaped protrusions (81) are molded from fluoro-silicone rubber.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
161 words
Use of a tool as claimed in claim 1 in a method for assembling a printed circuit card having a plurality of connector springs (6), and a housing (7) adapted to hold said connector springs, each of said connector springs (6) having an arm (63) that is adapted to be soldered to a tab (51) on the edge of said printed circuit card (5), and two contacts (66, 67) that form a slot for insertion of a male connector, characterized in that it comprises the steps of inserting said connector springs (6) into holes in said housing (7) where said springs are held in an aligned position by interactive latching means (61, 62; 71, 72) of said springs (6) and of said housing holes, and using said tool to hold said connector springs (6) firmly in said holes by pressing the protusions (81) of said tool against said contacts (66, 67) while said arms (63) are soldered to said tabs (51).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
140 words
A tool for aligning and holding a plurality of electrical connectors (6) firmly in holes in a housing (7), each of said connectors having two contact surfaces (66, 67) adapted to receive a male connector, said tool being characterized in that it comprises a base plate (8) with hour-glass shaped holes (82) therein, the position of said holes coinciding with the position of the holes in said housing, and a fluoro-silicon rubber mold having a plurality of wedge shaped protrusion (81), one for each of said electrical connectors (6), said rubber mold extending (81A) into the holes (82) in said base plate (8), whereby said mold is held firmly to said base plate, arranged such that said tool can align and firmly hold said connectors (6) in said holes without abrading the contact surfaces (66, 67) on said connectors (6).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
140 words
A tool for aligning and holding a plurality of electrical connectors (6) firmly in holes in a housing (7), each of said connectors having two contact surfaces (66, 67) adapted to receive a male connector, said tool being characterized in that it comprises a base plate (8) with hour-glass shaped holes (82) therein, the position of said holes coinciding with the position of the holes in said housing, and a fluoro-silicon rubber mold having a plurality of wedge shaped protrusion (81), one for each of said electrical connectors (6), said rubber mold extending (81A) into the holes (82) in said base plate (8), whereby said mold is held firmly to said base plate, arranged such that said tool can align and firmly hold said connectors (6) in said holes without abrading the contact surfaces (66, 67) on said connectors (6).
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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