Amp LLC

The Whitaker Corporation

Joseph M Pawlikowski

Michael J McKee

Homer E Henschen

Brian A Wolfe

Joseph Kurtz

David T Shaffer

Ernest L Beinhaur

James M English

William E Zelko

Richard L Schaeffer, Jr

Teresa K Black

William D Miknis

Homer E Henschenp

Alexander M Sharpe

A grid array 10 of terminals 20 secured with a fusible electrically conductive material 34 usable in conjunction with a source of constant amplitude high frequency alternating current of known frequency is formed by the steps of: selecting a plurality of terminals 20 having a thin magnetic layer 30 defined thereon, transforming the terminal into a Curie point heater, each terminal 20 including a first connecting section 24 having a fusible electrically conductive material 34 disposed thereon; releasably holding each of the terminals 20 precisely positioned within an array 22 corresponding to an array 14 of circuit termini 16 of a circuit bearing article 12 such that each of the first connecting sections 24 of the terminals 20 is substantially in physical engagement with a corresponding circuit terminus 16; interposing an electrical conductor 60 connected to the source of alternating current among and adjacent each terminal 20 positioned within the array 22; subjecting each heater body to said constant current of known frequency, the heater body resultingly generating and transferring sufficient thermal energy to melt the fusible material 34 thereby electrically and mechanically interconnecting the terminals 20 to the respective circuit termini 16; and releasing the terminals 20.

Method of making a pin grid array and terminal for use therein

A connector (10) having two rows of signal terminals (20) easily terminated to conductors (106) of discrete wires (14) and including an integral shield ground (40) to ground the shielding braid (16) of the cable (12). A wire-carrying subassembly (130) having the discrete wires secured thereto is moved against the rear (36) of the front housing member (30) to place stripped conductor portions (108) of the wires adjacent the rear terminal sections (28) for termination. The wire-carrying subassembly (130) includes a body member (50) having a wire-receiving region along a forward edge in which ends of the wires will be secured, and a conductive shield ground section (40) having one or two rearward extensions (42) having tabular end portions (44) for termination to the cable braid (16), and one or two ground contact sections (48) extending forwardly to be terminated to a ground terminal of the connector subassembly.

Connector assembly for discrete wires of a shielded cable

The jumper cable assembly 10 in accordance with the invention includes at least a first layer 12 of insulating film, an array of electrical conductors 20, each having first and second connecting portions 22,24 at opposed ends thereof and a fusible electrically conductive material disposed on the connecting portions 22,24. Each conductor 20 is formed from a first conductive layer 26 having high electrical resistance and high magnetic permeability, and a second conductive layer 28 integrally joined thereto, the second layer having low electrical resistance and minimal magnetic permeability. Each of the conductors 20 defines a heater body. Upon disposing the corresponding arrays of the first and second connecting portions 22,24 over corresponding contact pads 54,64 of the first and second electrical articles 50,60 and upon subjecting the heater bodies to the constant current of known frequency, each heater body generates and transfers sufficient thermal energy to the connecting portions to melt the fusible material thereby effecting electrical and mechanical interconnection.

Device for electrically interconnecting contact arrays

A device 10 usable in conjunction with a source of constant amplitude high frequency alternating current of known frequency for providing sufficient thermal energy to melt a fusible electrically conductive material 32 includes an integral member formed from strip 12 of a first metal having a carrier strip section 14 and a plurality of fingers 20 initially integrally coextending therefrom. The carrier strip section 14 further has a thin magnetic layer 18 thereon, transforming the carrier strip into a Curie point heater. The fingers 20 including end portions 22 having layers of solder affixed to opposite sides thereof are adapted to receive bare end portions of conductors 36 inserted into slots 28 thereof. The device 10 and the conductors 36 disposed therein are placed on the board 50 with the respective conductors 36 opposed from respective contact pads 52 and separated by the finger end portions 22. Upon subjecting the heater body 14 to the constant current of known frequency, the heater body 14 generates and transfers sufficient thermal energy to the finger end portions 22 to melt the fusible material 32 disposed therealong thereby electrically and mechanically interconnecting the array of conductors to the contact pads 52. The heater body 14 is then detached from the fingers 20 thereby electrically isolating the interconnections.

Electrical interconnection device

A connector (10) having two rows of signal terminals (20) is easily terminated to conductors (106) of discrete wires (14) by providing rear sections (28) of the terminals extending from the front housing member (30). A wire-carrying subassembly (130) having the discrete wires secured thereto is moved against the rear (36) of the front housing member (30) to place stripped conductor portions (108) adjacent the rear terminal sections (28) to be soldered. The wire-carrying subassembly (130) includes a body member (50) having upper and lower arrays of axial grooves (56) therealong between a front support ledge (60) and a rear support section (62), and upper and lower forward and rearward clamping bars (72,82) securable to the body member () to clamp the wires (14) thereto by clamping insulated end portions (104) forwardly of stripped conductor portions (108) within the grooves (56) and insulated wire portions behind the grooves, with the rear terminal sections (28) receivable into the grooves.

Method of assembling a connector to electrical conductors

A connector (10) having two rows of signal terminals (20) is easily terminated to conductors (106) of discrete wires (14) by providing rear sections (28) of the terminals extending from the front housing member (30). A wire-carrying subassembly (130) having the discrete wires secured thereto is moved against the rear (36) of the front housing member (30) to place stripped conductor portions (108) adjacent the rear terminal sections (28) to be soldered. The wire-carrying subassembly (130) includes a body member (50) having upper and lower arrays of axial grooves (56) therealong between a front support ledge (60) and a rear support section (62), and upper and lower forward and rearward clamping bars (72,82) securable to the body member (50) to clamp the wires (14) thereto by clamping insulated end portions (104) forwardly of stripped conductor portions (108) within the grooves (56) and insulated wire portions behind the grooves, with the rear terminal sections (28 ) receivable into the grooves.

Connector housing assembly for discrete wires

An electrical connector adapted to protect its signal circuits against power surges for at least ESD protection, having a conductive shell (60) with a transverse flange (64) on which are mounted components such as diodes (100) having first electrodes soldered thereto for grounding. A plurality of discrete straps (114) extend from second electrodes of the diodes to respective the contacts (20) and define circuits electrically connecting the contacts to the diodes. The dielectric housing (30) includes slots (46) along side surfaces within which the straps are retained, and a lateral housing flange (42) has recesses (54) within which the diodes are disposed. The method of fabricating the connector includes providing on at least a portion of each strap (114) a thin second layer (152) of magnetic material which in conjunction with the nonmagnetic copper layer (150) defines a self-regulating temperature heater when subjected to RF current, to reflow solder to join to and electrically connect the diodes (100) and contacts (20).

Electrical connector containing components and method of making same

Soldering of surface mount connector terminals to contact pads on a circuit board is facilitated by configuring the terminals and their solder tails as spaced integrally-formed projections of a selectively actuable heater. Thermal energy developed in the heater is conducted along the projections to the solder tails to melt fusible conductive material (e.g., solder, at the connection sites). After cooling, the projections are severed from the heater. The terminals, which are formed at the distal ends of the projections, are typically supplied partially inserted in respective terminal-receiving passages of the connector housing. After the soldering operation, the terminals are fully inserted into the passages. The heater is preferably a self-regulating heater in the form of a copper substrate having a skin layer of magnetically permeable, high resistance material. An alternating current of constant amplitude and high frequency is passed through the heater and concentrated in the skin layer at temperatures below the Curie temperature of the skin layer material. At higher temperatures the current is distributed through the lower resistance substrate to limit further heating. During the time interval required for the surface layer to reach its Curie temperature, the resistive power dissipation creates thermal energy that is conducted to the solder tails.

Surface mount technology breakaway self regulating temperature heater

A connector (10) having one or more arrays of elongate cantilever beam arms (22) of contacts (20) can have contact sections (26) on free ends (24) thereof soldered to respective traces (94) of a circuit element (90), by securing a lead frame (50) to free ends (24) which includes a corresponding plurality of fingers (56) extending from a carrier strip (52). On the finger ends (58) are affixed preforms (80,82) of solder; on the carrier strip (52) is defined a thin magnetic layer, transforming the brass carrier strip into a Curie point heater. When the carrier strip is subjected to RF current, it generates thermal energy which melts the solder preforms to join the fingers first to the contact sections (26) of the connector contacts (20), and in a remote location later subjected to RF current to reflow solder preform (82) to join contact sections (26) to traces (94).

Method of assembling a connector to a circuit element and soldering lead

A self-regulating heater includes an electrically-conductive substrate (11), having a magnetic surface layer (13) of one skin depth, folded 180 degrees to define two heater sections joined by a fold section. The magnetic material has a considerably higher resistance than the substrate material. The surface of the two sections clad with the surface layer are in closely spaced parallel relation and connected in series by the fold section (23) such that a constant amplitude alternating energizing current flows in opposite directions through the two sections at any instant of time to thereby establish an electric field between the two heaters. The field concentrates current flow at the two facing surfaces. Depth of the current is determined by the skin effect phenomenon and increases significantly at temperatures above the Curie temperature of the magnetic material.

Generating electromagnetic fields in a self regulating temperature

Spaced contact pads (23,43,83,84) on a printed circuit board (19,45,85) are soldered to respective spaced contacts (21,41,51,81,82) in a cable (230,50) or connector assembly (40,80) by means of respective spaced connecting members (15,48,57,70,92,94,96,98,100,102,104,106) interposed between contacts to be soldered. The connecting members are typically electrically and thermally conductive finger-like projections formed as part of a heater body (10,60,55,47,91) and are readily severably from the heater body after soldering to thereby remain part of the final solder connection. A presecribed amount of fusible material (e.g., solder) is pre-deposited on the connecting members and/or contacts and is melted when the heater is actuated. The heater body may be a self-regulating heater in the form of a copper substrate (11,61,65) having a thin surface layer (13, 63,67) of magnetically permeable, high resistance alloy. An alternating current of constant amplitude and high frequency is passed through the heater body and is concentrated in the surface layer at temperatures below the surface layer Curie temperature. At higher temperatures the current is distributed through the lower resistance substrate to limit further heating. During the time interval required for the surface layer to reach its Curie temperature, the resistive power dissipation creates sufficient thermal energy to melt the pre-deposited solder. The connecting members are positioned and configured as necessary to reach their respective connection sites.

Self regulating temperature heater with thermally conductive extensions

Simultaneous solder connections of multiple electrical terminals to respective electrical leads is achieved by conducting thermal energy from an actuable heater body (10,40,50,60,70) to the multiple connection sites via the terminals (20,21,45) themselves, the terminals being formed integrally with the heater body. The terminals are scored, perforated, etc., to facilitate severence from the heater body after soldering. The preferred heater body takes the form of a copper substrate (17,27,41,51,61) having a skin depth surface layer (19,29,43,53,63,65) of magnetically-permeable, high resistance alloy. Alternating current of constant amplitude and high frequency is passed through the heater body and concentrated in the surface layer at temperatures below the Curie temperature of the alloy. For higher temperatures the current is distributed through the lower resistance substrate to limit further heating. During the time interval required for the surface layer to reach its Curie temperature, the resistive power dissipation creates sufficient thermal energy to melt solder that is pre-deposited on the terminals and/or leads.

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Lancaster, PA, United States of America

Joseph M Pawlikowski