Printed circuit board mount for batteries and the like

Claim 1

A low-cost assembly for mounting a battery, fuse, or other terminal-bearing electrical device on a printed board supporting an electrically conductive pattern, comprising: a one-piece molded receptacle sized and internally configured to receive one or more of such electrical devices, said receptacle having side walls and opposed end walls, said receptacle having in a side wall a pair of slots, one adjacent each of said end walls; a pair of generally Z-shaped, resilient, electrically conductive, multi-function sheet material members for simultaneously providing total mechanical retention of said receptacle on the printed circuit board and for making electrical interconnection between an electrical device loaded in the receptacle and the printed circuit board conductive pattern, each member having a folded first portion configured to pass fold-first through one of said receptacle slots against the restorative forces in the fold and to snap into secure embracing engagement with the end wall adjacent the penetrated slot and with a free leg within the receptacle positioned and configured to resiliently engage a terminal of an electrical device loaded in the receptacle, a distal end of said free leg engaging the slot-containing wall of said receptacle to prevent inadvertent escape of said member therefrom, said member having integral with said first portion an outside leg which is external to said receptacle when said member is snapped into said receptacle, said outside leg having an edge tab adapted to be mechanically secured to said printed circuit board and soldered to said conductive pattern, said assembly thereby providing for total mechanical and electrical coupling between a terminal-bearing electrical device loaded into the receptacle and the printed circuit board.