Electrical connector having terminals which cooperate with the edge of a circuit board

Claim 3

A method as recited in claim 1 comprising the further step of: deforming the sides of the opening as the pin is inserted through the edge of the substrate to provide a means to retain the pin in the opening.

Claim 4

A method as recited in claim 1 comprising the further step of: soldering the pin in the opening after the pin has been inserted through the edge of the substrate.

Claim 5

A method as recited in claim 1 comprising the further step of: pre-drilling the edge of the substrate to provide an aperture therein; and inserting the pin through the aperture of the edge of the substrate.

Claim 6

The method as recited in claim 1 comprising the further step of: placing a retention means in the opening, the retention means cooperates with the pin when the pin is inserted into the opening to provide the retention required to hold the pin in the opening.

Claim 7

The method as recited in claim 5 wherein the opening has plated side walls which are in electrical engagement with the retention means and the retention means has conductive properties to insure that the retention means is provided in electrical engagement with the pins.

Claim 8

An electrical connector having a housing with a first surface and a second surface, terminals are provided in the housing and extend from proximate the first surface toward the second surface, mating legs of the terminals extend from the second surface and are provided outside of the housing, the electrical connector comprising: a housing containing first and second terminals therein; first ones of the terminals having first mating legs extending from the second housing surface in at least one row and configured to be resilient; and second ones of the terminals having second mating legs extending from the second housing surface in a row offset from each said at least one row of said first mating legs and configured to be rigid whereby the connector is adapted to be mounted to a substrate along an edge thereof with the first terminals adapted to be biased against conductive pads on at least one major surface of the circuit-bearing substrate upon connector mounting, and the second terminals are adapted to extend through an edge surface of the substrate and through dielectric material thereof to extend into transverse openings of the substrate spaced from the edge surface thereof to provide electrical connection between conductive material within the openings and the second terminals.

Claim 9

An electrical connector having a housing with a first surface and a second surface, terminals are provided in the housing and extend from proximate the first surface toward the second surface, mating legs of the terminals extend from the second surface and are provided outside of the housing, the electrical connector comprising: a housing containing first and second terminals therein; first ones of the terminals having first mating legs extending from the second housing surface in at least one row and configured to be resilient; and second ones of the terminals having second mating legs extending from the second housing surface in a row offset from each said at least one row of said first mating legs and configured to be rigid whereby the connector is adapted to be mounted to a substrate along an edge thereof with the first terminals adapted to be biased against conductive pads on at least one major surface of the circuit-bearing substrate upon connector mounting, and the second terminals are adapted to extend through an edge surface of the substrate and through dielectric material thereof to extend into transverse openings of the substrate spaced from the edge surface thereof to provide electrical connection between conductive material within the openings and the second terminals.

Claim 10

An electrical connector as recited in claim 7 wherein the first mating legs and the second mating legs extend from a mounting surface of the housing in a direction which is essentially perpendicular to the mounting surface.

Claim 11

An electrical connector as recited in claim 8 wherein the second mating legs have lead-in surfaces provided at free ends thereof, the lead-in surfaces cooperate with the edge surface of the substrate to allow the second mating legs to be inserted through the edge surface into the openings of the substrate.

Claim 12

A connector assembly having a housing with first terminals extending therefrom, the first terminals have circuit board mating portions which cooperate with a printed circuit board provided proximate the housing, the printed circuit board having conductive areas provided therein, the connector assembly characterized in that: the first terminals are secured in the housing, the circuit board mating portions extend through an edge surface of the printed circuit board and through dielectric material thereof to reach and electrically engage the conductive areas of the printed circuit board spaced from the edge surface thereof, and second terminals are secured in the housing, mounted portions are provided on the second terminals and extend outside of the housing, the mounting portions cooperate with conductive pads provided on the printed circuit board for surface mounting thereto.

Claim 13

A connector assembly having a housing with first terminals extending therefrom, the first terminals have circuit board mating portions which cooperate with a printed circuit board provided proximate the housing, the printed circuit board having conductive areas provided therein, the connector assembly characterized in that: the first terminals are secured in the housing, the circuit board mating portions extend through an edge surface of the printed circuit board and through dielectric material thereof to reach and electrically engage the conductive areas of the printed circuit board spaced from the edge surface thereof, and second terminals are secured in the housing, mounted portions are provided on the second terminals and extend outside of the housing, the mounting portions cooperate with conductive pads provided on the printed circuit board for surface mounting thereto.

Claim 14

An assembly of an electrical connector and a circuit-bearing substrate, comprising: a circuit-bearing substrate having opposed major surfaces extending from an edge, said circuit-bearing substrate including circuits extending from an array of respective conductive circuit terminal disposed proximate said edge and spaced a selected distance inwardly from said edge, said conductive circuit termini being disposed in through holes extending between said opposed major surfaces, and an electrical connector including a dielectric housing having a mounting face and further including at least an array of first terminals having contact posts extending from said mounting face, said contact posts extending into said edge of said circuit-bearing substrate and through dielectric material thereof with ends thereof in conductive engagement with respective said conductive circuit termini, the contact posts being out of electrical connection with said termini until they reach the through holes.

Claim 15

An assembly of an electrical connector and a circuit-bearing substrate, comprising: a circuit-bearing substrate having opposed major surfaces extending from an edge, said circuit-bearing substrate including circuits extending from an array of respective conductive circuit terminal disposed proximate said edge and spaced a selected distance inwardly from said edge, said conductive circuit termini being disposed in through holes extending between said opposed major surfaces, and an electrical connector including a dielectric housing having a mounting face and further including at least an array of first terminals having contact posts extending from said mounting face, said contact posts extending into said edge of said circuit-bearing substrate and through dielectric material thereof with ends thereof in conductive engagement with respective said conductive circuit termini, the contact posts being out of electrical connection with said termini until they reach the through holes.

Claim 16

The assembly of claim 11 wherein said conductive circuit termini are electrically connected to at least one conductive circuit embedded within dielectric material of said circuit-bearing substrate and isolated from at least one circuit defined on one of said opposed major surfaces thereof.

Claim 17

The assembly of claim 11 wherein said circuit-bearing substrate includes apertures extending from said conductive circuit termini to said edge, said apertures being free of conductive material on surfaces defining said apertures thereby electrically isolating said conductive circuit termini from said edge, and said contact posts extend along said apertures.

Claim 18

The assembly of claim 11 wherein said conductive circuit termini include conductive members secured within apertures extending through said circuit-bearing substrate, and said contact posts extend through openings in said conductive members.

Claim 19

The assembly of claim 11 wherein said conductive circuit termini include plating material plated on wall surfaces of openings extending through said circuit-bearing substrate.

Claim 20

The assembly as set forth in claim 15 wherein said contact posts include pockets formed along side surfaces thereof incrementally spaced from said ends thereof, enabling receipt thereinto of solder beneath deflected portions of said plating material upon rupturing of said plating material by said contact posts during penetration therethrough during assembly of said connector to said circuit-bearing substrate, assisting in retention of said contact posts within said openings upon soldering thereof to said plating material and retention of said connector to said circuit-bearing substrate.