Molex Corporation

Dominique Bertho

Helen M Dechelette

Eugene J Mysiak

Richard Donnelly

Patrick Kirby

An electrical connector assembly is provided for mounting on a printed circuit board which includes at least a pair of mounting post-receiving holes and at least one solder tail-receiving aperture. The assembly includes a housing having at least a pair of mounting posts for positioning in the holes in the printed circuit board. At least one contact member is mounted on the housing and includes a solder tail for positioning in the aperture in the printed circuit board. The solder tail has a generally straight side and a projecting hook on an opposite side for retaining the connector assembly on the printed circuit board. The width of the solder tail between the straight side and the outermost point of the hook on the opposite side is no greater than the width of the aperture, and the centerline of the solder tail between its sides is offset, in the direction of the hook, relative to the centerline of the aperture when the mounting posts are aligned with the holes in the printed circuit board.

Electrical connector assembly for mounting on a printed circuit board

A high contact force, high elastic response range pin-receiving electrical contact is provided in a pin-receiving contact including a base portion and a pair of spaced apart cantilever beams which extend forwardly from the base to a pin-receiving end. A pair of inwardly directed contact surfaces are defined on each cantilever beam facing the opposed beam for slideably, electrically engaging an inserted pin terminal. In accordance with the invention, a resilient beam support member extends from and interconnects the pin-receiving ends of the cantilevered beams. The resilient beam support member provides a significantly improvement in the elastic response range of the pin-receiving contact by enabling each cantilevered beam to endure a greater outward displacement before a minimum yield in the beam occurs while providing a greater normal force against the pin. In a preferred embodiment, the resilient beam support member is a planar U-shaped spring which extends parallel to and adjacent the cantilevered beams and extends rearwardly from the front pin-receiving end of the contact.

Growing community of inventors

Ballysheedy, Ireland

Dominique Bertho