Patent EP0384580A1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0384580A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Surface mount HDI contact
Assignee: Whitaker LLC
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Filing: 1990-01-25
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2010-01-25
Abstract
Abstract An electrical pin header connector (2) comprises an insulating housing (4) having an interface surface (6) and an opposite mating face (8), between which extends a grid array of electrical contact element receiving cavities (10). in each cavity (10) is an electrical contact element (12) having an elongate contact spring (14) with a contact nose (16) projecting from the interface surface (6) for engagement by a respective contact pad (44) of a grid array of contact pads (44) on an interface surface (42) of a mother printed circuit board. Each contact element (12) has a contact pin (26) projecting from the mating face (8) of the housing (4). The contact springs (14) are angled by 45° with respect to X and y axes of the grid array of cavities (10), for maximum contact density. The contact pin (26) of each contact element (12) has been twisted through 45° with respect to the contact spring (14) thereof so that opposed flat contact surfaces (C) of the contact pin (26) are parallel to one axis of the grid array of cavities (10) and are at right angles to the other. This orientation of the contact surfaces (C) enables the pin header connector (2) to be mated with a mating connector having twin contact beam terminals so that each contact surface of each pair of twin beams engages a respective contact surface (C) of a respective contact pin (26).
Inventors
- 👤 Douglas Wade Glover
- 👤 Donald Richard Harner
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 08:41
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01R; H01R12/00; H01R12/70; H01R12/71; H01R12/712; H01R12/714; H01R13/00; H01R13/02; B; B60; B60C; B60C27/00; B60C27/06; B60C27/10; H01R12/72; H01R12/722; H01R12/727
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
210 words
A pin header electrical (2) connector comprising; an insulating housing (4) having a flat interface surface (6) and a mating face (8) opposite thereto, said housing defining a multiplicity of contact element receiving, through cavities (10), each of which opens both into said interface surface (6) and into said mating face (8); and a one-piece electrical contact element (12) retained in each of said cavities (10) and having an elongate contact spring (14) proximate to said interface surface (6), said contact spring (14) having a longitudinal axis extending substantially parallel to that surface (6), a contact nose (16) on said contact spring projecting from said interface surface (6) and a contact pin (26) projecting from said mating face (8), said contact noses (16) being arranged in a gird array having X and Y axes extending normally of each other and intersecting said interface surface (6), the connector being characterized in that said longitudinal axes of said contact springs (14), all extend parallel to each other but are angled with respect to both of said X and Y axes, each contact pin (26) presenting opposed, flat contact surfaces (c) which are parallel to one of said X and Y axes and extend at right angles to the other of those axes.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
210 words
A pin header electrical (2) connector comprising; an insulating housing (4) having a flat interface surface (6) and a mating face (8) opposite thereto, said housing defining a multiplicity of contact element receiving, through cavities (10), each of which opens both into said interface surface (6) and into said mating face (8); and a one-piece electrical contact element (12) retained in each of said cavities (10) and having an elongate contact spring (14) proximate to said interface surface (6), said contact spring (14) having a longitudinal axis extending substantially parallel to that surface (6), a contact nose (16) on said contact spring projecting from said interface surface (6) and a contact pin (26) projecting from said mating face (8), said contact noses (16) being arranged in a gird array having X and Y axes extending normally of each other and intersecting said interface surface (6), the connector being characterized in that said longitudinal axes of said contact springs (14), all extend parallel to each other but are angled with respect to both of said X and Y axes, each contact pin (26) presenting opposed, flat contact surfaces (c) which are parallel to one of said X and Y axes and extend at right angles to the other of those axes.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
103 words
A connector as claimed in Claim 1, characterized in that each contact element (12) in each cavity (10) has a retention part (18) from which said contact pin (26) extends and which has been force fitted into said cavity (10) to retain said contact element (12) therein and being coplanar with said contact spring (14) of the contact element (12), said contact pin (26) thereof having been twisted about its own axis with respect to said retention part (18) and said contact spring (14) to align said flat contact surfaces (c) of said pin (26) with one of said X and Y axes.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
103 words
A connector as claimed in Claim 1, characterized in that said housing (4) defines first and second portions (24,22) of each cavity (10), said first portion (24) containing the contact spring (14) of the respective contact element (12), being proximate to said interface surface (6), and being elongate in a direction parallel thereto and in the direction of said longitudinal axis and said second portion (22) being elongate in a direction at right angles to said interface surface (6) and communicating at one end with said first portion (24), the other end of said second portion (22) opening into said mating face (8).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
89 words
A connector as claimed in Claim 3, characterized in that said contact spring (14) of said contact element (12) is connected to the contact pin (26) thereof by a retention portion (18) of the contact element (12) which has been force fitted into said second portion (22) of the cavity (10), the contact spring (14) and the retention portion (18) being uniplanar and said contact surfaces (c) of the contact pin (26) being angled with respect to the plane of the contact spring (14) and the retention portion (18).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
37 words
A connector as claimed in claim 1,2,3 or 4, characterized in that each contact pin (26) is rectilinear, having a longitudinal axis, said contact nose (16) being bisected by the longitudinal axis of the contact pin (26).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
65 words
A connector as claimed in claim 1,2,3 or 4, characterized in that each contact pin (26) is rectilinear and is of square cross section, two first opposite sides (c) of each contact pin (26) being parallel to one of said X and Y axes and two second opposite sides (c) of said pin (26) being parallel to the other of said X and Y axes.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
39 words
A connector as claimed in any one of the preceding claims characterized in that said longitudinal axes of all of said contact springs (14) are angled by approximately 45° with respect to each of said X and Y axes.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
A connector as claimed in any one of the preceding claims characterized in that said grid array is rectilinear.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
168 words
A one-piece electrical contact element (12) comprising a uniplanar, elongate contact spring (14), retention part (18) coplanar with said contact spring (14) and having means for retaining the contact element (12) in a cavity (10) in an insulating housing (4), and a contact pin (26) of rectangular cross section connected to one end of the retention part (18), the contact pin (26) and the retention part (18) having a common longitudinal axis, the contact spring (14) comprising a spring arm connected to the other end of the retention part (18) by means of a support arm (49) extending at right angles to the contact pin (26), a contact nose (16) on the contact spring (14) projecting away from the contact pin (26) in line with said common longitudinal axis, the contact element characterized in that the contact pin (26) has opposite flat contact surfaces (c) which are angularly displaced from the common plane of the contact spring (14) and the retention part (18), about said common longitudinal axis.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
168 words
A one-piece electrical contact element (12) comprising a uniplanar, elongate contact spring (14), retention part (18) coplanar with said contact spring (14) and having means for retaining the contact element (12) in a cavity (10) in an insulating housing (4), and a contact pin (26) of rectangular cross section connected to one end of the retention part (18), the contact pin (26) and the retention part (18) having a common longitudinal axis, the contact spring (14) comprising a spring arm connected to the other end of the retention part (18) by means of a support arm (49) extending at right angles to the contact pin (26), a contact nose (16) on the contact spring (14) projecting away from the contact pin (26) in line with said common longitudinal axis, the contact element characterized in that the contact pin (26) has opposite flat contact surfaces (c) which are angularly displaced from the common plane of the contact spring (14) and the retention part (18), about said common longitudinal axis.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
27 words
A contact element as claimed in Claim 9, characterized in that said contact surfaces (c) are angularly displaced by approximately 45° with respect to said common plane.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
21 words
A contact element (12) as claimed in claim 9 or 10, characterized in that said pin (26) is of square cross-section.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
28 words
A contact element (12) as claimed in claim 9, 10 or 11, characterized in that said pin was twisted about said common axis relative to said retention portion.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
255 words
A pin header electrical connector (2) for interposition between a surface of a mother circuit board (40) having thereon a multiplicity of contact pads (44) arranged in a grid array, and an electrical receptacle connector (32) for mating with said pin header connector (2) and being provided with twin beam receptacle terminals (54) also arranged in said grid array, said pin header connector (2) characterized by; an insulating housing (4) having a flat interface surface (6) having X and Y axes extending at right angles to each other in the plane thereof, and a mating face (8) opposite to said interface surface (6) and; A multiplicity of parallel contact springs (14) recessed beneath said interface surface (6), and being elongate in a direction parallel thereto, said contact springs (14) being angled with respect to both of said X and Y axes for maximum contact density and having contact noses (16) projecting from said interface surface (6), in said grid array, each for engagement with a respective one of said contact pads (44), a multiplicity of contact pins (26) each electrically connected to a respective one of said contact springs (14), projecting from said mating face (8) in said grid array, each for mating with a respective twin beam receptacle terminal (59) of said receptacle connector (32), each contact pin (26) having a pair of opposed, flat contact surfaces (c) parallel to one of said X and Y axes, each for engagement by a respective beam contact (58) of said respective twin beam receptacle terminal (54).
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
255 words
A pin header electrical connector (2) for interposition between a surface of a mother circuit board (40) having thereon a multiplicity of contact pads (44) arranged in a grid array, and an electrical receptacle connector (32) for mating with said pin header connector (2) and being provided with twin beam receptacle terminals (54) also arranged in said grid array, said pin header connector (2) characterized by; an insulating housing (4) having a flat interface surface (6) having X and Y axes extending at right angles to each other in the plane thereof, and a mating face (8) opposite to said interface surface (6) and; A multiplicity of parallel contact springs (14) recessed beneath said interface surface (6), and being elongate in a direction parallel thereto, said contact springs (14) being angled with respect to both of said X and Y axes for maximum contact density and having contact noses (16) projecting from said interface surface (6), in said grid array, each for engagement with a respective one of said contact pads (44), a multiplicity of contact pins (26) each electrically connected to a respective one of said contact springs (14), projecting from said mating face (8) in said grid array, each for mating with a respective twin beam receptacle terminal (59) of said receptacle connector (32), each contact pin (26) having a pair of opposed, flat contact surfaces (c) parallel to one of said X and Y axes, each for engagement by a respective beam contact (58) of said respective twin beam receptacle terminal (54).
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
47 words
A connector as claimed in Claim 13, in combination with said pin receptacle connector (2), characterized in that each twin beam receptacle terminal (54) has a portion (64) secured in electrically conductive relationship to a printed conductor (68) at an edge of a daughter circuit board (66).
References Cited (Backward Citations)
EP0055042A2
Cited
EP0118346A1
Cited
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