Zierick Manufacturing Corporation

Janos Legrady

Ronald M Fredriks

Raffaele Tarulli

Greg Torigian

Thang Danh Truong

William L Woods

Jon P Martin

Raffaelle Tarulli

Clifton L Lindsey

Richard D Lytle

Hal Wylie

Jim Dicaprio

William S Searles

Rafaelle Tarulli

An surface mount technology ('SMT') crimp terminal for mounting on printed circuit boards is in the form of a seamless circular tube or cylinder. The method of use includes depositing the SMT crimp terminal on a copper pad or land on a printed circuit board ('PCB') coated with solder paste to render the pad or land tacky. The solder is reflowed by application of heat and the crimp terminal is soldered to the PCB. A bare wire to be retained is inserted through one end of the tube and the tube is subjected to sufficiently high stress, intermediate its axial ends, to induce plastic flow on the surface of the material. The force plastically deforms the central region of the tube as well as the bare wire received therein. Any form of mechanical hydraulic press can be used for this purpose and resulting deformation of the crimp terminal and the wire contained therein provides a retention force on the wire which is greater than wire breaking strength.

Surface mount (SMT) crimp terminal and method of securing wire to same

A surface mount insulation terminal is formed of flat deformable conductive member to provide a substantially uniform U-shaped cross-section to form a wire-receiving channel. One or more piercing spikes are formed on a bottom wall of the channel and point to an opposing open side through which a conductor may be introduced. Ribs inside the channel provide an interference fit with a conductor introduced into the channel. A crimping tool lowered into engagement with the terminal after it has been soldered to a PCB increasingly deforms the side walls of the terminal inwardly towards each other and towards the bottom wall to enhance the electrical and mechanical properties of the resulting termination.

Surface mount crimp terminal and method of crimping an insulated conductor therein

There is provided an insulation displacement connector (IDC) assembly having a main body defining at least one wire channel. The main body has at least one substantially flat surface to which a vacuum nozzle can be affixed in order to pickup the IDC assembly. The IDC assembly has at least one contact member with a piercing, cutting or slicing end that is slideably disposed within the main body, and a mounting end that extends from the main body. The mounting end of the contact is attached to a printed circuit board. An insulated conductor, such as wire, cable, and/or ribbon, can be quickly and easily inserted in the channel without being pierced by the piercing end of the contact. When a user pushes down on the IDC, the contact slides into the channel and pierces the insulated conductor.

Insulation displacement connector assembly and system adapted for surface mounting on printed circuit board and method of using same

There is provided electrical contact for circuit boards. Each leg of the pin section has a deformable segment that can expand or contract along the direction of the leg to alleviate stress created by relative movement of printed circuit boards and/or off-board components interconnected thereby. The deformable segments have members that project in opposing directions relative to the direction of the leg, so that the segments are symmetrical. In one embodiment, each leg has a deformable segment having a outwardly curved shape. In another embodiment, each leg has a deformable segment in the shape of a rectangular frame. The deformable segments define at least one opening where the two legs of the pin section are not overlapping, which breaks the capillary flow of solder between the legs. The amount of solder that flows into the electrical contact is selectively controlled by the selected placement of the deformable segments.

Compliant surface mount electrical contacts for circuit boards and method of making and using same

A capillary action enhanced surface mount pin header includes a first flat substrate provided with a predetermined array of plated-through holes having substantially parallel and each having an internal surface defining a first substantially uniform cross section. Pins are provided each of which defines a longitudinal axis and having one end extending through an associated plated-through hole and another end extending to one side of said first substrate. Each pin has an external surface on at least a portion thereof which is received within an associated plated-through hole which defines a second substantially uniform cross section. In the disclosed embodiment, the pins have square or hexagonal cross sections while the plated-through holes have circular cross sections. The first and second cross sections are dissimilar and configured to provide spaced lines of contact and elongate channels substantially parallel to the axes between the internal and external surfaces and adjacent lines of contact, dimensioned to promote capillary action for molten solder at a channel opening on one side of the first substrate to cause the solder to be drawn through the channels towards the opposite side of the first substrate. A second substantially flat substrate is provided for positioning the solder at points substantially aligned with points on the predetermined array and proximate to at least one channel in at least one plated-through hole prior to melting of the solder.

Capillary action enhanced surface mount pin header

One and two piece surface mount pin constructions include excess solder receiving channels. In the one piece construction an elongate channel is provided through a tubular pin which is flared or swaged at the lower end to form a base. In the two piece construction a solid pin is provided at a lower end with a uniform cross section in the form of a regular polygon, such as a square, hexagon or octagon. The resulting edges are press-fit against an internal surface of a sleeve which is also swaged at a lower end to form a base. The spaces between the sleeve and the flat or convex surfaces on the captured end of the pin provide the solder-receiving channels. A bead or shoulder on the pins can provide a stop for a vacuum nozzle. When a flared upper lip is used for this purpose it can also serve as a reservoir or well to receive excess solder beyond the amount that can be received in the channels.

Capillary action promoting surface mount connectors

A surface mounted connector for surface mounting on a generally flat conductive surface of a printed circuit board includes a base which has a generally flat surface suitable for contact with an attachment to a conductive surface of the printed circuit board. An electrical contact, which may be in the form of a pin, post, IDC, test point, or receptacle, has at least one portion projecting from the base in a direction normal to the base. At least one bent intermediate connecting portion integrally connects the contact to the base. The contact, base and the bent intermediate connecting portions are all formed from a generally flat sheet of conductive material. A blank for the surface mounted connector, as well as a rolled strip of connectors is disclosed.

Surface mount electrical tabs

A surface mounted contact for surface mounting on a generally flat conductive surface of a printed circuit board includes a base which has a generally flat surface suitable for contact with an attachment to a conductive surface of the printed circuit board. An electrical contact, which may be in the form of a pin, post, IDC, test point, receptacle, or jumper has at least one portion projecting from the base in a direction normal to the base. At least one bent intermediate connecting portion integrally connects the contact to the base. The contact, base and the bent intermediate connecting portions are all formed from a generally flat sheet of conductive material. A blank for the surface mounted connector, as well as a rolled strip of connectors is disclosed.

Surface mount electrical contacts

Mount electrical connectors

A feeder and method are disclosed for individually dispensing surface-mount contacts in a strip of tab-connected contacts on a pick-and-place machine having a pick-up member and pick-up station actuator for actuating the feeder when the pick-and-place machine is ready for pick-up surface-mount contact oriented along a predetermined direction at the pick-up station. The strip of contacts are fed from a roll or spool and the end received within a guide, with the strip being advanced to position the end contact or connector to be mounted suspended beyond the guide. When the component is ready to be mounted, it is sheared or severed at a connecting tab from the strip to free it. The component is temporarily held in place while the freed component is moved towards the vacuum pick-up nozzle of the pick-and-place machine, and released at such time that the pick-up member of vacuum nozzle has sufficiently engaged the contact to enable it to pick up the contact and remove it from the pick-up station. A control circuit, using a PLC, obtains signals from a series of sensors to regulate the cycle of advancing and sensing the strip of contacts with a series of actuators in the form of solenoids, which cycle is commenced when a pick-up nozzle of a surface mounting machine is sensed at the pick-up station. The tension of the strip is regulated by the control circuit, and a collection system is provided to remove cut off fragments of connecting tabs or carrier strips from the pick-up station.

Feeder and method of supplying a continuous strip of surface mount

A box contact is disclosed which is coated on the interior surface thereof proximate to the lower open end as well as on the upper ends of the mounting legs with a solder-resistant tape to prevent solder from wicking into and blocking the lower open end of the contact portion. The method of producing such anti-wicking box contacts is also described.

Method of making box contacts

A feeder and method are disclosed for individually dispensing surface-mount contacts in a strip of tab-connected contacts on a pick-and-place machine having a pick-up member and pick-up station actuator for actuating the feeder when the pick-and-place machine is ready for pick-up surface-mount contact oriented along a predetermined direction at the pick-up station. The strip of contacts are fed from a roll or spool and the end received within a guide, with the strip being advanced to position the end contact or connector to be mounted suspended beyond the guide. When the component is ready to be mounted, it is sheared or severed at a connecting tab from the strip to free it. The component is temporarily held in place while the freed component is moved towards the vacuum pick-up nozzle of the pick-and-place machine, and released at such time that the pick-up member of vacuum nozzle has sufficiently engaged the contact to enable it to pick up the contact and remove it from the pick-up station.

An apparatus is described for individually inserting successive components of a series of components having mounting legs by movement of the components along an insertion direction to introduce the mounting legs into holes in a substrate at an insertion station. The apparatus includes a guide for guiding a strip of components along a feedpath generally normal to the insertion direction with the mounting legs oriented in the direction of the substrate surface. The strip is advanced stepwise after each insertion operation to position the next successive components of the strip at the insertion station. The carrier web between a components to be inserted and the next successive upstream component is centered relative to a web shearing line, a first cutting element at the insertion station being arranged for abutment against a carrier edge or line proximate to the mounting legs for preventing movement of that portion of the carrier web upstream of the shearing line in the insertion direction. The strip is moved relative to the cutting element to permit the strip to advance the next successive component to be inserted to the insertion station without being blocked by the first cutting element. A plunger is provided which moves along the insertion direction to shear the carrier web when the plunger is driven into engagement with that portion of the carrier web downstream of the shearing line and move it below the carrier edge or line. An insertion spoon carries the component towards and inserts it through the substrate.

Method of individually inserting terminals connected in a strip and

A printed circuit contact system for use in high speed digital applications includes a generally tapered slotted socket made of beryllium copper or other conductive spring material. The socket has a wave-like configuration which forms a series of outer contact portions which alternate with increasingly smaller inner contact portions. Insertion of an appropriately dimensioned pin through the socket causes engagement of the pin with at least one of the inner contact portions to radially expand the socket and force adjoining outer contact portions to abut against a sleeve lining a hole in a printed circuit board into which the socket is inserted. Expansion of the socket provides at least one portion thereof which is always under optimum load, assuring proper retention and physical and electrical contact over extended periods.

Printed circuit board contact system

A solid single leg terminal includes an electrical conductor end portion at one end and an opposing substantially solid mounting end portion for mounting through a whole other printed circuit board. The mounting end portion forms an elongate mounting leg of substantially uniform cross-section and defines a longitudinal axis. The mounting leg is dimensioned to be substantially fully receivable within the whole from one side of the printed circuit board through to the other side of the printed circuit board. At least one elongate indentation is provided in the mounting end portion substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis to facilitate splitting of the mounting leg along the indentation into two half leg portions and splaying same into abutment against the other side of the printed circuit board to secure the position of the terminal on the printed circuit board. A method of forming the terminals is also described.

Growing community of inventors

Putnam Valley, NY, United States of America

Janos Legrady