Maxtor Corporation

David B Knighton

Harold J Beecroft

Kenneth H Fernalld

A PCMCIA electrical connector for assembly to a printed circuit board is disclosed which includes a C-shaped connector with a strain relief for the contact tails to prevent stress fracturing of soldered connections. The connector is circumjacent the front edge and the side edges of the printed circuit board and snap engages the side edges of the board for precise alignment of the contact tails for soldering to a corresponding conductive pad on a surface of the board. The connector has opposed channel shaped legs which receive the side edges of the circuit board therebetween. The strain relief may include a flex beam formed on one side wall of the channel shaped leg which has a locating pin engaging a corresponding hole in the edge portion of the circuit board. Alternatively, each channel shaped leg may have a notch in the base of the channel adapted to receive an outwardly projecting tab on each side edge of the printed circuit board. When the electrical connector is utilized in a PCMCIA device having a cover and a base plate, the connector of either embodiment may be further strain relieved by being captured between the cover and the base plate by interlocking tabs on the cover and base plate engaging corresponding recesses in the connector housing. The connector, cover, and base plate are then fastened together to make an integral unit which is entirely strain isolated from the printed circuit board.

PCMCIA strain relieved electrical connector assembly

A PCMCIA electrical connector for assembly to a printed circuit board is disclosed which includes a C-shaped connector with strain relief for the contact tails to prevent stress fracturing of soldered connections. The connector is circumjacent the front edge and the side edges of the printed circuit board and snap engages the side edges of the board for precise alignment of the contact tails for soldering to a corresponding conductive pad on a surface of the board. The connector has opposed channel shaped legs which receive the side edges of the circuit board therebetween. The strain relief may include a flex beam formed on one side wall of the channel shaped leg which has a locating pin engaging a corresponding hole in the edge portion of the circuit board. Alternatively, each channel shaped leg may have a notch in the base of the channel adapted to receive an outwardly projecting tab on each side edge of the printed circuit board. When the electrical connector is utilized in a PCMCIA device having a cover and a base plate, the connector of either embodiment may be further strain relieved by being captured between the cover and the base plate by interlocking tabs on the cover and base plate engaging corresponding recesses in the connector housing. The connector, cover, and base plate are then fastened together to make an integral unit which is entirely strain isolated from the printed circuit board.

Electrical connector assembly with strain relief between electrical

An electrical connector which can be mounted to a printed circuit board with automated equipment. The connector has a pair of locating pins that extend from a pair of locating tabs at the ends of the connector housing. The connector also has a plurality of solder tails that can be soldered to corresponding surface pads of the printed circuit board. To assemble the connector to a printed circuit board, the locating pins are pressed into corresponding locating holes of the board. The locating pins and holes align the solder tails with the surface pads of the board. The locating pins are located at a position offset from the center of gravity of the connector. The offset locating pins place the center of gravity of the connector closer to the edge of the circuit board so that the weight of the connector does not pull the solder tails away from the surface pads before the solder tails are soldered to the board.

Side mount strain relief for PCMCIA connector

A hard disk drive which contains a connector that is mounted to a printed circuit board and attached to a disk drive housing that complies with the PCMCIA specifications. The base plate and cover of the disk drive each have a pair of pins that are pressed into corresponding apertures in the connector housing to attach the connector to the hard disk drive. The cover and base plate also have studs that are pressed into corresponding slots in the connector housing to further mount the connector to the disk drive. The connector housing further has a pair of recessed surfaces that receive corresponding raised surfaces in the plates to insure that the cover and base plate are flush with the top surface of the connector.

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Longmont, CO, United States of America

David B Knighton