US5074039A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of manufacturing electrical connectors
Assignee: TE Connectivity Corp
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Filing: 1990-10-26
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Granted: 1991-12-24
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Expires: 2010-10-26
Abstract
Abstract A method for manufacturing electrical connectors (22) which include rows of contact members (78, 90) held in a housing (24) includes feeding contact members in a wire form in parallel (74, 90), trimming such contact members to provide a partial form therefore at a trim station A, insert-molding such contact members to form a housing (62) and provide a carrier to tie such contact members together at a station (B), trimming said contact members to appropriate lengths, forming said contact members at further stations (C, D) into a multiple contact connector with rows of contact members in common planes held by the housing formed by insert-molding. Stamped and formed contact members (78', 90') are also contemplated utilized in an alternative method and both methods contemplate plating of the contact members either prior to molding or thereafter in alternative constructions, facilitated partially by the forming of the contact members into common planes.
Inventors
- 👤 Warren C. Hillbish
- 👤 Emad K. Ibrahim
- 👤 John W. Kaufman
- 👤 Thomas J. Lynch
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 06:23
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01R; H01R43/00; H01R43/16; H01R43/20; H01R43/24; H01R12/00; H01R12/70; H01R12/71; H01R12/712; H01R12/716; H01R12/72; H01R12/73; H01R12/735; H01R12/737; H01R13/00; H01R13/02; H01R13/03; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T29/00; Y10T29/49; Y10T29/49002; Y10T29/49117; Y10T29/49204; Y10T29/49208; Y10T29/4922; Y10T29/49222
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
161 words
In a method of manufacturing electrical connectors of the type having rows of contact members each including resilient spring arms defining contact areas adapted to engage the contact pads of further circuits wherein said contact members are held in a plastic and insulating housing in said rows on given centers the steps comprising: a. feeding a plurality of contact members in a form essentially continuously to a mold station; b. providing a carrier strip at such mold station and molding a housing around said contact members intermediate the ends thereof and integrally molding around said carrier strip define a means of transporting said housing for further processing; c. trimming said contact members after said housing is molded to provide a discontinuous length of contact members of a desired length for each housing; d. forming said trimmed contact members to provide said resilient spring portions; and e. severing said contact members and housings from said carrier strip to individualize said assembly connectors.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
161 words
In a method of manufacturing electrical connectors of the type having rows of contact members each including resilient spring arms defining contact areas adapted to engage the contact pads of further circuits wherein said contact members are held in a plastic and insulating housing in said rows on given centers the steps comprising: a. feeding a plurality of contact members in a form essentially continuously to a mold station; b. providing a carrier strip at such mold station and molding a housing around said contact members intermediate the ends thereof and integrally molding around said carrier strip define a means of transporting said housing for further processing; c. trimming said contact members after said housing is molded to provide a discontinuous length of contact members of a desired length for each housing; d. forming said trimmed contact members to provide said resilient spring portions; and e. severing said contact members and housings from said carrier strip to individualize said assembly connectors.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 1 characterized in that said step of feeding a plurality of contact members comprises feeding a plurality of drawn wires.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 1 characterized in that said step of feeding a plurality of contact members comprises feeding a plurality of contact members stamped and formed from conductive sheet metal stock.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 1 characterized in that said step of feeding contact members includes feeding two rows of contact members in parallel.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 1 characterized in that there is an additional step preceding said step of feeding comprising a step of trimming and forming said contact members prior to molding.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 1 characterized in that there is an added step following said step of forming said contact members including plating said contact members.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
52 words
The method of claim 1 characterized in that there is an additional step following said step of forming said contact members comprising gold plating said contact members at one end thereof and a further step following said forming step of coating said other end of said contact members with a solder material.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
161 words
A method of manufacturing electrical connectors of a type having multiple contact members positioned in parallel rows and including portions adapted to engage further contact paths at each end thereof with at least one of said ends being resilient to provide deflection to define a stable electrical interface including the steps: a. providing an array of contact members extending in essentially a plane on common centers, b. closing a mold on said array of contact members and molding a plastic therearound forming a housing with the ends of said contact members extending freely from said housing, c. simultaneously with said molding of plastic joining said housing material to a carrier strip provided adjacent said housings to transport said housings for further processing, d. severing said contact members to a desired length, e. forming said contact members to provide said resilient ends, and f. severing the said carriers from said housings to particularize said housings and said contact members as connector elements.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
161 words
A method of manufacturing electrical connectors of a type having multiple contact members positioned in parallel rows and including portions adapted to engage further contact paths at each end thereof with at least one of said ends being resilient to provide deflection to define a stable electrical interface including the steps: a. providing an array of contact members extending in essentially a plane on common centers, b. closing a mold on said array of contact members and molding a plastic therearound forming a housing with the ends of said contact members extending freely from said housing, c. simultaneously with said molding of plastic joining said housing material to a carrier strip provided adjacent said housings to transport said housings for further processing, d. severing said contact members to a desired length, e. forming said contact members to provide said resilient ends, and f. severing the said carriers from said housings to particularize said housings and said contact members as connector elements.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 8 wherein there is included an additional step of plating said contact members following the step of forming.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 8 including the additional step of providing a carrier means and molding around said carrier to lock said insert molding housing thereto for transport of the connector for subsequent processing.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 12 including the step of severing said connectors from said carrier means to particularize said connectors.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
136 words
A method of manufacturing electrical connectors of a type having multiple contact members positioned in parallel rows including contact portions adapted to engage further contact paths at the ends thereof including the steps: a. providing a first and second arrays of contact members overlying one another with each array extending in a common plane on common centers, b. closing a mold on said arrays and insert molding simultaneously a housing about both arrays with contact elements extending free of said mold to form a housing carrying said contact members, c. trimming the ends of said contact members to define contact members of a desired length, and d. forming said contact members at each end to define contact elements extending in a common plane adapted to engage further contact paths at each end of the contact members.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
136 words
A method of manufacturing electrical connectors of a type having multiple contact members positioned in parallel rows including contact portions adapted to engage further contact paths at the ends thereof including the steps: a. providing a first and second arrays of contact members overlying one another with each array extending in a common plane on common centers, b. closing a mold on said arrays and insert molding simultaneously a housing about both arrays with contact elements extending free of said mold to form a housing carrying said contact members, c. trimming the ends of said contact members to define contact members of a desired length, and d. forming said contact members at each end to define contact elements extending in a common plane adapted to engage further contact paths at each end of the contact members.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 12 wherein there is included the step of plating said contact members following said step of forming.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 12 wherein said step of forming includes forming one end of the contact members to lie in a plane with the contact members of that end.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 12 wherein said step of forming includes forming both ends of the contact members so that common ends lie essentially in common planes.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 12 wherein said step of forming includes interdigitating one end of the contact members.
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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) | 1994-12-23 | 1995-06-24 | 1995-12-24 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1998-12-23 | 1999-06-24 | 1999-12-24 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2002-12-23 | 2003-06-24 | 2003-12-24 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |