The Whitaker Corporation

Edward W Beiles

Richard Walter Speer

An electrical connector (2) comprises an insulating housing (4) supporting a row of electrical terminals (6). Each terminal (6) has a mating portion (18) and solder tail (20). The solder tail (20) constructed as a spring leg consists of a first portion (22) for engaging against an internal wall of a hole (H) in a circuit board (PCB) and a second portion (24) for engaging against the bottom edge of the hole (H). The first and second portions (22, 24) of each solder tail (20) are obtusely angled with respect to each other and are connected by a bight (23). The solder tail (20) can be inserted through the hole (H) and the housing (4) rotated on the board PCB so that the solder tail is elastically deformed about the bight (23) and is thereby stressed between the internal wall of the hole (H) and the bottom corner of the hole (H). The connector (2) is thereby firmly secured to the circuit board (PCB) so that the second portion (24) of the solder tail (20) can be wave soldered to a contact pad (CP) on the bottom of the board (PCB). By virtue of the spring leg construction of the solder tail (20) the hole (H) need not be tightly toleranced.

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Kernersville, NC, United States of America

Edward W Beiles