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US4469394A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Press-fit electrical terminals

Assignee: FCI Americas Technology LLC
•
Filing: 1983-03-03
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Granted: 1984-09-04
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Expires: 2003-03-03
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Abstract

Abstract Press-fit electrical terminals such as press-fit pins for insertion into plated through holes of circuit boards. Such pins have a generally H-shaped press-fit zone formed by a central web 2 indented with a series of transverse corrugations 4 interconnecting four perpendicularly extending compliant fins 10, 11', 12, 12'. Preferably the terminals are formed by stamping from sheet material with plurality of such pins remaining interconnected to a carrier strip until after mass insertion into plated through holes. Stamping with a pair of corrugated-faced dies into opposed anvil members reduces longitudinal movement of material during swaging and improves dimensional tolerances. The corrugations on the central web reduce flexing of the pin after installation in the plated through hole. Preferably, the terminals include a slug of solder held on at least a portion of each of the opposed faces of the central web.

Inventors

  • 👤 Laurentius M. Verhoeven

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-01 11:02
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01R; H01R12/00; H01R12/50; H01R12/51; H01R12/55; H01R12/58; H01R13/00; H01R13/40; H01R13/405; H01R13/41; H01R4/00; H01R4/10; H01R4/14; H01R43/00; H01R43/16

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim 91 words
An elongate metal press-fit electrical terminal comprising an electrical terminal portion for electrical interconnection to another electrical component and a press-fit portion for engagement within a recess of an element such as a printed circuit board, said press-fit portion being of generally H-shape in cross-section formed by four complaint fins extending generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the terminal and inter-connected by a central web, two opposed faces of said web being indented with a plurality of parallel corrugations, the valleys of said corrugations extending transversely to said longitudinal axis.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 91 words
An elongate metal press-fit electrical terminal comprising an electrical terminal portion for electrical interconnection to another electrical component and a press-fit portion for engagement within a recess of an element such as a printed circuit board, said press-fit portion being of generally H-shape in cross-section formed by four complaint fins extending generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the terminal and inter-connected by a central web, two opposed faces of said web being indented with a plurality of parallel corrugations, the valleys of said corrugations extending transversely to said longitudinal axis.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 26 words
A terminal according to claim 1, wherein a slug of solder is held on at least a portion of each opposed face of said central web.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 27 words
A terminal according to claim 2, wherein each solder slug is held on the terminal by co-operating curled-in portions towards one end of each of the fins.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 35 words
A terminal according to claim 3, wherein the solder slug is pressed into the space between the curled-in portions so that the slug is deformed to fill the space and abut tightly to the corrugations.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 42 words
A terminal according to any one of claims 2 to 4, having a shoulder for co-operation with an applicator tool on the body portion of the terminal remote from the portion of the central web on which the solder slugs are held.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 38 words
A terminal according to claim 2, wherein each fin has a lead-in area, for the terminal for insertion into said recess, at its end adjacent the portion of the central web on which the solder slugs are held.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 15 words
A terminal according to claim 6, wherein the lead-in area merges with the curled-in portion.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 26 words
A terminal according to claim 1, wherein each fin has at one end thereof a lead-in area for the terminal for insertion into a said recess.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 27 words
A terminal according to claim 8, wherein each fin has at its other end a second lead-in area for the terminal for insertion into a said recess.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 21 words
A terminal according to claim 8, wherein the fins extend perpendicularly from the edge of said web, parallel to one another.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 16 words
A terminal according to claim 1, wherein the electrical terminal portion includes a male pin section.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 15 words
A terminal according to claim 11 wherein the male pin section is of square cross-section.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3546368A Cited
US3748634A Cited
US3780433A Cited
US3827004A Cited
US3824554A Cited
US4057315A Cited
FR2365222A1 Cited
GB1591574A Cited
DE2713728A1 Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1987-09-04 1988-03-05 1988-09-04 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1991-09-04 1992-03-05 1992-09-04 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1995-09-04 1996-03-05 1996-09-04 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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