Electrical connector with stress isolating solder tail

Claim 2

A contact for an electrical connector, the contact comprising: a body; an arm extending in a common plane from and resiliently coupled to said body; a solder tail consisting essentially of a first end extending from said body and a second end terminating in a soldering portion; and a compliant section disposed between said body and said soldering portion, said complaint section adapted to absorb stresses induced in said solder tail.

Claim 3

The contact of claim 1, wherein said arm, said solder tail, and said compliant section are all in said common plane.

Claim 4

The contact of claim 1, wherein said compliant section is a radiused bend.

Claim 5

The contact of claim 1, wherein said compliant section is sinuous-shaped.

Claim 6

The contact of claim 1, wherein the contact is formed by stamping.

Claim 7

The contact of claim 1, further comprising an anchoring leg extending from said body and lying in the common plane.

Claim 8

The contact of claim 6, wherein said anchoring leg is disposed between said solder tail and said arm.

Claim 9

The contact of claim 6, wherein said arm is disposed between said solder tail and said anchoring leg.

Claim 10

In a dual in-line module having a housing with top and bottom slots, an electrical contact for the top slot comprising: an elongated body retained in the housing; a connection arm extending in a common plane from and resiliently coupled to said elongated body, said connection arm having a portion projecting into the top slot; a solder tail consisting essentially of a first end extending from said elongated body and a second end terminating in a solder portion external from the housing; and a compliant section disposed between said elongated body and said solder portion, said complaint section adapted to absorb stresses induced in said solder tail.

Claim 11

In a dual in-line module having a housing with top and bottom slots, an electrical contact for the top slot comprising: an elongated body retained in the housing; a connection arm extending in a common plane from and resiliently coupled to said elongated body, said connection arm having a portion projecting into the top slot; a solder tail consisting essentially of a first end extending from said elongated body and a second end terminating in a solder portion external from the housing; and a compliant section disposed between said elongated body and said solder portion, said complaint section adapted to absorb stresses induced in said solder tail.

Claim 12

The electrical contact of claim 9 wherein said connection arm, said solder tail, and said compliant section are all disposed in said common plane.

Claim 13

The electrical contact of claim 10 further comprising an anchoring leg extending from said elongated body and enveloped by said housing, said anchoring leg being in the common plane.

Claim 14

The electrical contact of claim 11, wherein said anchoring leg extends from a middle portion of said elongated body, said connection arm extends from a top portion of said elongated body, and said solder tail and compliant section extend from a lower portion of said elongated body.

Claim 15

The electrical contact of claim 9, wherein said compliant section is U-shaped.

Claim 16

The electrical contact of claim 13, wherein said U-shaped compliant section is oriented essentially parallel to said anchoring leg.

Claim 17

The electrical contact of claim 11, wherein said anchoring leg extends from a top portion of said elongated body, said connection arm extends from a middle portion of said elongated body, and said solder tail and compliant section extend from a lower portion of said elongated body.

Claim 18

The electrical contact of claim 15, wherein said compliant section is U-shaped.

Claim 19

The electrical contact of claim 16, wherein said U-shaped compliant section is oriented essentially parallel to said anchoring leg.

Claim 20

In a dual in-line module having a housing with top and bottom slots, an electrical contact for the bottom slot comprising: a body retained in the housing; a terminal arm resiliently coupled to and extending in a common plane from said body; a solder tail consisting essentially of a first end extending from said body and a second end terminating in a solder portion external to the housing; and a compliant section disposed between said body and said solder portion, said complaint section adapted to absorb stresses induced in said solder tail.

Claim 21

In a dual in-line module having a housing with top and bottom slots, an electrical contact for the bottom slot comprising: a body retained in the housing; a terminal arm resiliently coupled to and extending in a common plane from said body; a solder tail consisting essentially of a first end extending from said body and a second end terminating in a solder portion external to the housing; and a compliant section disposed between said body and said solder portion, said complaint section adapted to absorb stresses induced in said solder tail.

Claim 22

The electrical contact of claim 18 wherein said connection arm, said solder tail, and said compliant section are all disposed in said common plane.

Claim 23

The electrical contact of claim 19 further comprising an anchoring leg extending from said body and enveloped by said housing, said anchoring leg being in the common plane.

Claim 24

The electrical contact of claim 20, wherein said anchoring leg extends from a middle portion of said body, said terminal arm extends from a top portion of said body, and said solder tail and compliant section extend from a lower portion of said body.

Claim 25

The electrical contact of claim 20, wherein said compliant section is a radiused bend extending towards said anchoring leg.

Claim 26

The electrical contact of claim 20, wherein said anchoring leg extends from a top portion of said body, said resilient arm extends from a middle portion of said body, and said solder tail and compliant section extend from a lower portion of said body.

Claim 27

The electrical contact of claim 23, wherein said compliant section is a radiused bend extending towards said terminal arm.

Claim 28

A dual in-line module comprising: a housing having a bottom elongated slot and a top elongated slot, each said slot defining a respective upper elongated surface and a lower elongated surface, said slots being essentially parallel; a plurality of first electrical contacts embedded in said housing, each of said first electrical contacts having a first body, a first terminal arm extending from and resiliently coupled to said first body and having at least a portion thereof protruding from said upper elongated surface of said top elongated slot into said top elongated slot, a first solder tail extending from said first body and terminating in a first soldering section external to said housing, and a first compliant portion disposed between said first body and said first soldering section, said first compliant portion adapted to absorb stresses induced in said first solder tail; a plurality of second electrical contacts embedded in said housing, each of said second electrical contacts having a second body, a second terminal arm extending from and resiliently coupled to said second body and having at least a portion thereof protruding from said lower elongated surface of said top elongated slot into said top elongated slot, a second solder tail extending from said second body and terminating in a second soldering section external to said housing, and a second compliant portion disposed between said second body and said second soldering section, said second complaint portion adapted to absorb stress induced in said second solder tail; a plurality of third electrical contacts embedded in said housing, each of said third electrical contacts having a third body, a third terminal arm extending from and resiliently coupled to said third body and having at least a portion thereof protruding from said upper elongated surface of said bottom elongated slot into said bottom elongated slot, a third solder tail extending from said third body and terminating in a third soldering section external to said housing, and a third compliant portion disposed between said third body and said third soldering section, said third compliant portion adapted to isolate stresses induced in said third solder tail; and a plurality of fourth electrical contacts embedded in said housing, each of said fourth electrical contacts having a fourth body, a fourth resilient terminal arm extending from said fourth body and having at least a portion thereof protruding from said lower elongated surface of said bottom elongated slot into said bottom elongated slot, a fourth solder tail extending from said fourth body and terminating in a fourth soldering section external to said housing, and a fourth compliant portion disposed between said fourth body and said fourth soldering section, said fourth complaint portion adapted to isolate stress induced in said fourth solder tail.

Claim 29

A dual in-line module comprising: a housing having a bottom elongated slot and a top elongated slot, each said slot defining a respective upper elongated surface and a lower elongated surface, said slots being essentially parallel; a plurality of first electrical contacts embedded in said housing, each of said first electrical contacts having a first body, a first terminal arm extending from and resiliently coupled to said first body and having at least a portion thereof protruding from said upper elongated surface of said top elongated slot into said top elongated slot, a first solder tail extending from said first body and terminating in a first soldering section external to said housing, and a first compliant portion disposed between said first body and said first soldering section, said first compliant portion adapted to absorb stresses induced in said first solder tail; a plurality of second electrical contacts embedded in said housing, each of said second electrical contacts having a second body, a second terminal arm extending from and resiliently coupled to said second body and having at least a portion thereof protruding from said lower elongated surface of said top elongated slot into said top elongated slot, a second solder tail extending from said second body and terminating in a second soldering section external to said housing, and a second compliant portion disposed between said second body and said second soldering section, said second complaint portion adapted to absorb stress induced in said second solder tail; a plurality of third electrical contacts embedded in said housing, each of said third electrical contacts having a third body, a third terminal arm extending from and resiliently coupled to said third body and having at least a portion thereof protruding from said upper elongated surface of said bottom elongated slot into said bottom elongated slot, a third solder tail extending from said third body and terminating in a third soldering section external to said housing, and a third compliant portion disposed between said third body and said third soldering section, said third compliant portion adapted to isolate stresses induced in said third solder tail; and a plurality of fourth electrical contacts embedded in said housing, each of said fourth electrical contacts having a fourth body, a fourth resilient terminal arm extending from said fourth body and having at least a portion thereof protruding from said lower elongated surface of said bottom elongated slot into said bottom elongated slot, a fourth solder tail extending from said fourth body and terminating in a fourth soldering section external to said housing, and a fourth compliant portion disposed between said fourth body and said fourth soldering section, said fourth complaint portion adapted to isolate stress induced in said fourth solder tail.

Claim 30

The dual in-line module of claim 25, wherein said first and second terminal arms are alternatingly arranged along the longitudinal length of said top slop; and said third and fourth terminal arms are alternatingly arranged along the longitudinal length of said bottom slot.

Claim 31

The dual in-line module of claim 26, wherein said plurality of first and third terminal arms form axially aligned pairs, and said plurality of second and fourth terminal arms form axially aligned pairs.