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US4824398A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Solderable standoff boardlock

Assignee: TE Connectivity Corp
•
Filing: 1987-08-21
•
Granted: 1989-04-25
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Expires: 2007-08-21
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Abstract

Abstract An electrical connector assembly (10) including a boardlock (14) for mounting in an aperture (70) in a printed circuit board (68). The boardlock (14) has mounting leg means (52) extending from body (44) to free ends(58) that are effective springs, extending to above the upper surface (72) of the printed circuit board (68) on which the boardlock (14) is mounted. The leg means (52) have a shoulder (56) and a tapered section (60, 84) intermediate body (44) and free ends (58). The shoulder (56, 82) cooperates with the tapered section (60, 84) to engage the upper and lower surfaces (72, 76) of the printed circuit board (68), thereby securing the boardlock (14) or connector assembly (10) to printed circuit board (68). Boardlock (14) may have tapered lead-in surfaces (64) adjacent free ends (58) to facilitate insertion of boardlock (14) into aperture (70).

Inventors

  • 👤 Robert L. Taylor

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-02 09:57
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01R; H01R13/00; H01R13/648; H01R13/658; H01R13/6591; H01R13/6594; H01R13/6595; H01R12/00; H01R12/70; H01R12/71; H01R12/712; H01R12/716

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 30
Claim 1
Independent Claim 203 words
A connector assembly for mounting to a printed circuit board, comprising: a dielectric housing defining a mating face and a mounting face, said housing having a plurality of terminal receiving passages extending between the mating and mounting faces, said terminal receiving passages having terminals secured therein; means surrounding said housing for shielding said housing, said shielding means having flange means extending beyond the housing, said flange means having an aperture therein; a standoff boardlock having a body having an axis, first and second ends, said boardlock secured at said first end to said aperture; and a pair of spring means extending from the second end of the body to respective free ends, each of said spring means having a shoulder extending outward from the axis and a cooperative tapered section, said shoulder and said tapered section located intermediate the second end of the body and the free end thereof, said spring means adapted to be inserted into and seated in an aperture in the printed circuit board with a first surface of the printed circuit board received against said shoulder and a second surface of the printed circuit board engaging said tapered section, whereby the boardlock is secured to the printed circuit board.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 203 words
A connector assembly for mounting to a printed circuit board, comprising: a dielectric housing defining a mating face and a mounting face, said housing having a plurality of terminal receiving passages extending between the mating and mounting faces, said terminal receiving passages having terminals secured therein; means surrounding said housing for shielding said housing, said shielding means having flange means extending beyond the housing, said flange means having an aperture therein; a standoff boardlock having a body having an axis, first and second ends, said boardlock secured at said first end to said aperture; and a pair of spring means extending from the second end of the body to respective free ends, each of said spring means having a shoulder extending outward from the axis and a cooperative tapered section, said shoulder and said tapered section located intermediate the second end of the body and the free end thereof, said spring means adapted to be inserted into and seated in an aperture in the printed circuit board with a first surface of the printed circuit board received against said shoulder and a second surface of the printed circuit board engaging said tapered section, whereby the boardlock is secured to the printed circuit board.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 45 words
A connector assembly for mounting to a printed circuit board as recited in claim 1 wherein the mounting face of the dielectric housing is adapted to be mounted a predetermined distance from the circuit board on which the connector assembly is adapted to be mounted.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 41 words
A connector assembly for mounting to a printed circuit board as recited in claim 1 further comprising a converging section adjacent said free ends, whereby the converging section provides the boardlock with a tapered lead-in to facilitate insertion into an aperture.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 29 words
A connector assembly for mounting to a printed circuit board as recited in claim 1 wherein said shoulder extends transversely of said axis less distance than the body periphery.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 50 words
A connector assembly for mounting to a printed circuit board as recited in claim 1 wherein the length of the tapered section along the axis of the boardlock is at least as great as the thickness of the printed circuit board on which the boardlock is adapted to be mounted.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 149 words
A standoff boardlock for securing a connector assembly having a connector housing to a printed circuit board, comprising: a body having first and second ends; means at the first end of the body for securing the standoff to a connector housing; a pair of spring means extending from the second end of the body to respective free ends, each of said spring means having a shoulder extending outward from the axis and a cooperative tapered section, said shoulder and said tapered section located intermediate the second end of the body and the free end thereof, said spring means adapted to be inserted into and seated in an aperture in the printed circuit board with a first surface of the printed circuit board received against said shoulder and a second surface of the printed circuit board engaging said tapered section, whereby the boardlock is secured to the printed circuit board.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 149 words
A standoff boardlock for securing a connector assembly having a connector housing to a printed circuit board, comprising: a body having first and second ends; means at the first end of the body for securing the standoff to a connector housing; a pair of spring means extending from the second end of the body to respective free ends, each of said spring means having a shoulder extending outward from the axis and a cooperative tapered section, said shoulder and said tapered section located intermediate the second end of the body and the free end thereof, said spring means adapted to be inserted into and seated in an aperture in the printed circuit board with a first surface of the printed circuit board received against said shoulder and a second surface of the printed circuit board engaging said tapered section, whereby the boardlock is secured to the printed circuit board.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 34 words
A standoff boardlock as recited in claim 6 wherein the means for securing the standoff to a connector housing comprises a knurled extension adapted to be received in an aperture in the connector housing.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 43 words
A standoff boardlock as recited in claim 6 wherein the length of the tapered section along the axis of the boardlock is at least as great as the thickness of the printed circuit board on which the boardlock is adapted to be mounted.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 17 words
A standoff boardlock as recited in claim 6 wherein the spring means have a cylindrical outer profile.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 13 words
A standoff boardlock as recited in claim 9 wherein the shoulder is arcuate.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 286 words
A connector assembly for mounting to a printed circuit board, comprising: a dielectric housing defining a mating face and a mounting face, said housing having a plurality of terminal receiving passages extending between the mating and mounting faces, said terminal receiving passages having terminals secured therein; means surrounding said housing for shielding said housing, said shielding means having flange means extending beyond the housing, said flange means having an aperture therein; a standoff boardlock having a body having an axis, first and second ends, said boardlock secured at said first end to said aperture; and a pair of spring means extending from the second end of the body to respective free ends, each of said spring means having a shoulder located intermediate the second end of the body and the free end thereof, said shoulder directed toward said free end, said spring means having a diverging section intermediate said shoulder and said free end, and a converging section intermediate said diverging section and said free end, said diverging section extending transverse to and diverging from a longitudinal axis of said boardlock in the direction from said shoulder toward said free end, said converging section extending transverse to and converging toward the longitudinal axis of said boardlock in the direction from said shoulder toward said free end, whereby when the boardlock is mounted to the printed circuit board by passing the free ends of the spring means into an aperture therein, the shoulder engages a first side of the printed circuit board and the second side of the printed circuit board engages the diverging section of the boardlock thereby securing the boardlock to the printed circuit board thereby securing the connector assembly to the printed circuit board.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 286 words
A connector assembly for mounting to a printed circuit board, comprising: a dielectric housing defining a mating face and a mounting face, said housing having a plurality of terminal receiving passages extending between the mating and mounting faces, said terminal receiving passages having terminals secured therein; means surrounding said housing for shielding said housing, said shielding means having flange means extending beyond the housing, said flange means having an aperture therein; a standoff boardlock having a body having an axis, first and second ends, said boardlock secured at said first end to said aperture; and a pair of spring means extending from the second end of the body to respective free ends, each of said spring means having a shoulder located intermediate the second end of the body and the free end thereof, said shoulder directed toward said free end, said spring means having a diverging section intermediate said shoulder and said free end, and a converging section intermediate said diverging section and said free end, said diverging section extending transverse to and diverging from a longitudinal axis of said boardlock in the direction from said shoulder toward said free end, said converging section extending transverse to and converging toward the longitudinal axis of said boardlock in the direction from said shoulder toward said free end, whereby when the boardlock is mounted to the printed circuit board by passing the free ends of the spring means into an aperture therein, the shoulder engages a first side of the printed circuit board and the second side of the printed circuit board engages the diverging section of the boardlock thereby securing the boardlock to the printed circuit board thereby securing the connector assembly to the printed circuit board.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 45 words
A connector assembly for mounting to a printed circuit board as recited in claim 11 wherein the mounting face of the dielectric housing is adapted to be mounted a predetermined distance from the circuit board on which the connector assembly is adapted to be mounted.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 24 words
A connector assembly for mounting to a printed circuit board as recited in claim 11 wherein said converging section is adjacent said free end.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 29 words
A connector assembly for mounting to a printed circuit board as recited in claim 11 wherein said shoulder extends transversely of said axis less distance than the body periphery.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 50 words
A connector assembly for mounting to a printed circuit board as recited in claim 11 wherein the length of the diverging section along the axis of the boardlock is at least as great as the thickness of the printed circuit board on which the boardlock is adapted to be mounted.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 28 words
A connector assembly for mounting to a printed circuit board as recited in claim 11 wherein said diverging section and said converging section are contiguous, defining an apex.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 30 words
A connector assembly for mounting to a printed circuit board as recited in claim 11 wherein the apex is closer o the axis of the boardlock than the body periphery.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 24 words
A connector assembly for mounting to a printed circuit board as recited in claim 11 wherein the spring means have a cylindrical outer profile.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 20 words
A connector assembly for mounting to a printed circuit board as recited in claim 8 wherein the shoulder is arcuate.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 223 words
A standoff boardlock for securing a connector assembly having a connector housing to a printed circuit board, comprising: a body having first and second ends; means at the first end of the body for securing the standoff to a connector housing; a pair of spring means extending from the second end of the central body to respective free ends, each of said spring means having a shoulder located intermediate the second end of the body and the free end thereof, said shoulder directed toward said free end, said spring means having a diverging section intermediate said shoulder and said free end, and a converging section intermediate said diverging section and said free end, said diverging section extending transverse to and diverging from a longitudinal axis of said boardlock in the direction from said shoulder toward said free end, said converging section extending transverse to and converging toward the longitudinal axis of said boardlock in the direction from said shoulder toward said free end, whereby when the boardlock is mounted to the printed circuit board by passing the free ends of the spring means into an aperture therein, the shoulder engages a first side of the printed circuit board and the second side of the printed circuit board engages the diverging section of the boardlock thereby securing the boardlock to the printed circuit board.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 223 words
A standoff boardlock for securing a connector assembly having a connector housing to a printed circuit board, comprising: a body having first and second ends; means at the first end of the body for securing the standoff to a connector housing; a pair of spring means extending from the second end of the central body to respective free ends, each of said spring means having a shoulder located intermediate the second end of the body and the free end thereof, said shoulder directed toward said free end, said spring means having a diverging section intermediate said shoulder and said free end, and a converging section intermediate said diverging section and said free end, said diverging section extending transverse to and diverging from a longitudinal axis of said boardlock in the direction from said shoulder toward said free end, said converging section extending transverse to and converging toward the longitudinal axis of said boardlock in the direction from said shoulder toward said free end, whereby when the boardlock is mounted to the printed circuit board by passing the free ends of the spring means into an aperture therein, the shoulder engages a first side of the printed circuit board and the second side of the printed circuit board engages the diverging section of the boardlock thereby securing the boardlock to the printed circuit board.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 34 words
A standoff boardlock as recited in claim 20 wherein the means for securing the standoff to a connector housing comprises a knurled extension adapted to be received in an aperture in the connector housing.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim 34 words
A standoff boardlock as recited in claim 20 wherein a common point between the diverging and converging sections defines an apex that is closer to the axis of the boardlock than the body periphery.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim 22 words
A standoff boardlock as recited in claim 20 wherein the shoulder extends transversely of said axis less distance than the body periphery.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim 43 words
A standoff boardlock as recited in claim 20 wherein the length of the diverging section along the axis of the boardlock is at least as great as the thickness of the printed circuit board on which the boardlock is adapted to be mounted.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim 17 words
A standoff boardlock as recited in claim 20 wherein the spring means have a cylindrical outer profile.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim 13 words
A standoff boardlock as recited in claim 25, wherein the shoulder is arcuate.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US2441907A Cited
US3217584A Cited
US4435031A Cited
US4585295A Cited
US4518209A Cited
US4659156A Cited
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1992-04-24 1992-10-24 1993-04-25 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1996-04-24 1996-10-24 1997-04-25 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2000-04-24 2000-10-24 2001-04-25 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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