Completely mechanical solderless electrical terminal assembly for connecting a wire to a circuit board

Claim 2

A solderless, completely mechanical terminal assembly for connecting a wire to a circuit board having a conductor thereon, comprising: a substantially U-shaped clip of electrically conductive material having an upper leg and a lower leg spaced apart and joined at one end by a connecting section, and the inner surfaces of said legs providing circuit board-engaging portions; wherein the distance between the free ends of the legs is less than the distance between the legs at the joined ends; substantially parallel, upwardly extending sides on said upper leg; wire retaining means lying between said sides in assembly; wherein a thread-engaging means is formed in the lower leg around a hole therein and aligned with a hole in the upper leg; and wherein a threaded screw member extends through the hole in the upper leg and into the hole in the lower leg, the screw member thread engaging the thread-engaging means in the lower leg; the free end of the bottom leg slanting downwardly to provide an entry ramp for the edge of the circuit board; whereby a wire can be connected to the top surface of the upper leg and in engagement with said wire retaining means by screwing said screw member into the thread-engaging means in said lower leg, this same action pulling the legs into firm engagement with the circuit board and providing an effective electrical connection with a conductor on the circuit board.

Claim 3

A solderless, completely mechanical terminal assembly for connecting a wire to a circuit board having a conductor thereon, comprising: a substantially U-shaped clip of electrically conductive material having an upper leg and a lower leg spaced apart and joined at one end by a connecting section, and the inner surfaces of said legs providing circuit board-engaging portions; substantially parallel, upwardly extending sides on said upper leg; wire retaining means lying between said sides in assembly; wherein a thread-engaging means is formed in the lower leg around a hole therein and aligned with a hole in the upper leg; and wherein a threaded screw member extends through the hole in the upper leg and into the hole in the lower leg, the screw member thread engaging the thread-engaging means in the lower leg; whereby a wire can be connected to the top surface of the upper leg and in engagement with said wire retaining means by screwing said screw member into the thread-engaging means in said lower leg, this same action pulling the legs into firm engagement with the circuit board and providing an effective electrical connection with a conductor on the circuit board.

Claim 4

A solderless, completely mechanical terminal assembly for connecting a wire to a circuit board having a conductor thereon, comprising: a substantially U-shaped clip of electrically conductive material having an upper leg and a lower leg spaced apart and joined at one end by a connecting section, and the inner surfaces of said legs providing circuit board-engaging portions; substantially parallel, upwardly extending sides on said upper leg; wire retaining means lying between said sides in assembly; wherein a thread-engaging means is formed in the lower leg around a hole therein and aligned with a hole in the upper leg; and wherein a threaded screw member extends through the hole in the upper leg and into the hole in the lower leg, the screw member thread engaging the thread-engaging means in the lower leg; whereby a wire can be connected to the top surface of the upper leg and in engagement with said wire retaining means by screwing said screw member into the thread-engaging means in said lower leg, this same action pulling the legs into firm engagement with the circuit board and providing an effective electrical connection with a conductor on the circuit board.

Claim 5

A preassembled, solderless, completely mechanical terminal assembly for connecting a wire to a circuit board having a conductor thereon, a slot in the edge thereof open at said edge, and a hole therethrough spaced inwardly from the closed end of said slot, comprising: a substantially U-shaped clip of electrically Conductive material having an upper leg and a lower leg spaced apart and joined at one end by a connecting section, and the inner surfaces of said legs providing circuit board-engaging portions; substantially parallel upwardly extending sides on said upper leg; wherein a thread-engaging means is formed in the lower leg around a hole therein and aligned with a hole in the upper leg; a threaded screw member extending through the hole in the upper leg and into the hole in the lower leg, the screw member threads contacting the thread-engaging means in the lower leg and providing a slot wall engaging portion on the screw member between the clip legs for engaging the wall of the slot in the circuit board; wire retaining means associated with said screw member; and a boss on one of said clip legs extending between the legs; whereby said preassembled terminal assembly can be connected to the circuit board by merely inserting the screw member into the circuit board edge slot with said threaded member slot wall engaging portion contacting the wall of said slot, said boss dropping into the circuit board hole to retain the clip securely in position on the board.

Claim 6

A preassembled, solderless, completely mechanical terminal assembly for connecting a wire to a circuit board having a conductor thereon, a slot in the edge thereof open at said edge, and a hole therethrough spaced inwardly from the closed end of said slot, comprising: a substantially U-shaped clip of electrically Conductive material having an upper leg and a lower leg spaced apart and joined at one end by a connecting section, and the inner surfaces of said legs providing circuit board-engaging portions; substantially parallel upwardly extending sides on said upper leg; wherein a thread-engaging means is formed in the lower leg around a hole therein and aligned with a hole in the upper leg; a threaded screw member extending through the hole in the upper leg and into the hole in the lower leg, the screw member threads contacting the thread-engaging means in the lower leg and providing a slot wall engaging portion on the screw member between the clip legs for engaging the wall of the slot in the circuit board; wire retaining means associated with said screw member; and a boss on one of said clip legs extending between the legs; whereby said preassembled terminal assembly can be connected to the circuit board by merely inserting the screw member into the circuit board edge slot with said threaded member slot wall engaging portion contacting the wall of said slot, said boss dropping into the circuit board hole to retain the clip securely in position on the board.