Solderless electrical connector assembly

Claim 1

A solderless connector assembly for a multiple plug device having contact pins and a printed circuit board particularly useful in microelectronic connector assemblies comprising: an insulating housing having a plurality of contact pins mounted therein, said contact pins being arranged in at least one parallel row; connection posts on each of said contact pins having connection ends adapted to be, by movement in an inserting direction, inserted into printed circuit board holes and projecting freely from said housing; a base portion on each of said contact pins extending perpendicularly to said connection posts; an insertion tool adapted to engage said contact pins for inserting said contact pins into a printed circuit board and capable of being removed from engagement with said contact pins after completion of said insertion process; said insertion tool comprising a base area having parallel pockets consisting of inserting slots on one side thereof adapted to enable said contact pins to be introduced into said parallel pockets by movement of said insertion tool in said inserting direction, and a plurality of guide ducts included in one of the sides of each of said parallel pockets opposite said one side, said guide ducts being accessible from said inserting slots and being shaped to receive therein contact pins located within each of said inserting slots upon movement of said insertion tool laterally of said inserting direction; said guide ducts being configured to receive therein respective ones of said connection posts of said contact pins during an insertion process and to include portions arranged to be placed in abutment with said base portions of said contact pins in order to apply against said base portions a force inserting said connection ends into said printed circuit board holes when said insertion tool is moved in said inserting direction of said pins, said tool being adapted to be disengaged from said contact pins by lateral movement thereof in a direction opposite to the lateral direction of movement when receiving said contact pins in said guide ducts to bring said contact pins out of said guide ducts and back into said inserting slots.