← Back to Patent Explorer
US4693528A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Surface mount connector with floating terminals

Assignee: TE Connectivity Corp
•
Filing: 1986-06-06
•
Granted: 1987-09-15
•
Expires: 2006-06-06
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract Surface mount connector has terminals which float axially in passages through housing. Each terminal is spring loaded toward mounting face to provide compliance between solder tails and pads on printed circuit board. Metal clips have legs received in holes through board which anchor connector independently of solder tails.

Inventors

  • 👤 John C. Asick
  • 👤 George H. Douty
  • 👤 James S. Staron

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-29 00:19
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01R; H01R12/00; H01R12/70; H01R12/71; H01R12/712; H01R12/714; H01R12/716; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T29/00; Y10T29/49; Y10T29/49002; Y10T29/49117; Y10T29/49124; Y10T29/49147; Y10T29/49149

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim 137 words
An electrical connector of the type for mounting onto a circuit board for electrical connection with conductive areas thereof comprising a dielectric housing having terminal-receiving passages extending therethrough and including retaining shoulders therein, electrical terminals respectively positioned within the terminal-receiving passages and having contact sections and conductor-engaging sections, and retaining members on the terminals for engagement with the retaining shoulders thereby retaining the terminals in position in the terminal-receiving passages, characterized in that said terminals are axially moveable along said passages between limiting positions defined by engagement of a pair of retaining members with respective retaining shoulders and one of said retaining members springably engages one of the retaining shoulders when the connector is mounted on the circuit board thereby urging and maintaining the conductor-engaging sections in electrical engagement with respective conductive areas on the circuit board.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 137 words
An electrical connector of the type for mounting onto a circuit board for electrical connection with conductive areas thereof comprising a dielectric housing having terminal-receiving passages extending therethrough and including retaining shoulders therein, electrical terminals respectively positioned within the terminal-receiving passages and having contact sections and conductor-engaging sections, and retaining members on the terminals for engagement with the retaining shoulders thereby retaining the terminals in position in the terminal-receiving passages, characterized in that said terminals are axially moveable along said passages between limiting positions defined by engagement of a pair of retaining members with respective retaining shoulders and one of said retaining members springably engages one of the retaining shoulders when the connector is mounted on the circuit board thereby urging and maintaining the conductor-engaging sections in electrical engagement with respective conductive areas on the circuit board.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 55 words
An electrical connector as in claim 1 characterized in that said housing is elongate, having opposed parallel sidewalls along its length, and opposed parallel endwalls across its width, said passages and respective terminals lying in at least one row therein, each said conductor-engaging section being formed to extend toward an adjacent terminal in the row.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 21 words
An electrical connector as in claim 2 characterized in that said one of said retaiing members extends toward an adjacent sidewall.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 21 words
An electrical connector as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said retaining members extend across the axis of said terminals.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 38 words
An electrical connector as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said terminals comprise a web portion with first and second side wall portions extending normally thereof, said retaining member being formed from the first side wall portion.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 21 words
An electrical connector as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said conductor-engaging sections extend across the axis of the terminals,
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 28 words
An electrical connector as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that said conductor-engaging sections are formed from said web portions and extend across the axis of said terminals.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 28 words
An electrical connector as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said retaining members are of reduced thickness relative to the thickness of the remainder of the terminals.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 123 words
An electrical connector for mounting onto a circuit board for electrical connection with conductive areas thereof, comprising: dielectric housing means having terminal-receiving passages extending therethrough and including retaining shoulders therein; electrical terminals respectively positioned within the terminal-receiving passages and having contact sections and conductor-engaging sections; and retaining members on the electrical terminals for engagement with the retaining shoulders, said electrical terminals are axially moveable along the terminal-receiving passages between limiting positions defined by engagement of a pair of retaining members with respective retaining shoulders, one of the retaining members springably engaging one of the retaining shoulders when the connector is mounted on the circuit board thereby urging and maintaining the conductor-engaging sections in electrical engagement with respective conductive areas on the circuit board.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 123 words
An electrical connector for mounting onto a circuit board for electrical connection with conductive areas thereof, comprising: dielectric housing means having terminal-receiving passages extending therethrough and including retaining shoulders therein; electrical terminals respectively positioned within the terminal-receiving passages and having contact sections and conductor-engaging sections; and retaining members on the electrical terminals for engagement with the retaining shoulders, said electrical terminals are axially moveable along the terminal-receiving passages between limiting positions defined by engagement of a pair of retaining members with respective retaining shoulders, one of the retaining members springably engaging one of the retaining shoulders when the connector is mounted on the circuit board thereby urging and maintaining the conductor-engaging sections in electrical engagement with respective conductive areas on the circuit board.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 23 words
An electrical connector as claimed in claim 9, wherein said one of said retaining members extend across the axis of said electrical terminals.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 19 words
An electrical connector as claimed in claim 9, wherein said conductor-engaging sections extend across the axis of the terminals.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 29 words
An electrical connector as claimed in claim 9, wherein said one of said retaining members is of reduced thickness relative to the thickness of the rest of the terminals.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3960423A Cited
US4222622A Cited
US4220383A Cited
US4516188A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1990-09-14 1991-03-16 1991-09-15 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1994-09-14 1995-03-16 1995-09-15 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1998-09-14 1999-03-16 1999-09-15 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag