Amp LLC

Kenneth R Parmer

Robert F Cobaugh

William J Stape

James Edward Lynch

David Murray Little

Donald L Forker

Raymond D Boyer

Edward J Lopinski

A programmable tool for mounting a connector to a circuit board, the tool having a guide member with a plurality of apertures therein for receiving the leading ends of terminal members disposed in thhe connector and at least one plate member having first apertures therein aligned with selected ones of those in the guide member and defining selected deeper apertures. The leading end of the tool is positioned over the terminal members and as force is applied the selected deeper apertures allow the ends of corresponding terminal members received therein to extend further back within the tool than those of the other terminal members and hence are not pushed as far, whereby upon removing the tool from the mounted connector, the terminal members are arranged in a staged array.

Programmable tool for providing a staged array of terminal members

A holding device (24) operates to hold a component such as a connector (16) to a printed circuit board (12) through a pair of spring driven projections (30, 40) having barbs (34, 44) engaging interior surfaces (14, 20, 22) of the component and board. Releasible versions (50, 80) facilitate closure by a tool to remove barbs from the components and allow separation of elements.

Component holding device

An improved pin terminal configuration obviates bowing and cracking of associate housings which often occurs with force fit insertion of standard pin terminals. The subject pin terminals are formed in pairs having compatible intermediate mounting portions with profiled enlargements and recesses which allow for corresponding displacement of and reception of housing material flowing as a result of the insertion process. The intermediate mounting portions are so spaced on the respective pin terminals as to lie substantially centrally of the thickness of the associate housing.

Pin terminal mounting system

A cartridge, cartridge holder and connector system are disclosed formed primarily of two components, namely, an electronic component carrying cartridge and an assembly for receiving the cartridge and interconnecting it as an addition to existing equipment. The holder assembly includes a housing of rigid insulative material defining a cartridge receiving cavity and including means for interconnecting the cartridge to a circuit board or the like. The holder also includes a profiled and polarized entry leading to the cassette cartridge cavity. The cartridge is formed by a pair of mating housing members which enclose a circuit board having a plurality of components mounted thereon. An edge portion of the circuit board is accessible from one end of the cartridge so that when the cartridge is inserted into the cavity of the holder there is an electrical interconnection effected.

Cartridge, holder and connector system

An improved electrical connector is disclosed for terminating multi-conductor flat flexible cable. The connector includes a housing which is pre-loaded with a plurality of terminals, each having an insulation displacing portion extending from a mating face, and a cover which is adapted to be held on the housing in a spaced position, in an unterminated condition, and which fully seats against the housing upon termination. The cover further includes both cable stop means and conductor positioning means. The connector further can include a snap-in handle member which makes it easier to remove the assembled connector from an associated header.

Modular connector for flat flexible cable

An improved strain relief device is disclosed incorporated to a cover of a multi-conductor flat flexible cable connector. The connector includes a plurality of insulation piercing contacts which engage in the respective conductors of the cable and latchingly secure the cover to the connector housing. The cover also provides a tortuous path for the cable thereby providing a strain relief function.

Strain relief cover for flat flexible cable connector

An electrical terminal structure is disclosed which is provided with a flow deposited quantity or band of solder adhered to a selected portion of the terminal and limited from spreading over the surface of the terminal by the presence of a solder-nonwettable material adjacent to but not necessarily touching the terminal. A method of mounting the banded electrical terminals in plated apertures provided in a substrate is also disclosed, wherein the solder bands are applied to the terminals according to the above mentioned application technique. A technique of flattening the solder bands, and the resulting terminal structures having flattened solder bands adhered thereto are also disclosed. Flattening of the solder bands facilitates insertion of the banded terminals into the plated apertures by changing the shape of the solder bands and by reducing their structural integrity through the creation of numerous hairline fractures.

Method of selectively applying solder onto conductors

According to one aspect of the disclosure, a planar substrate receives a plurality of conductive posts therein, which posts include an offset medial portion having a laterally projecting notch portion. Certain posts are arranged with their notch portions in coplanar relationship and in latching registration with an interior sidewall portion of a housing received over the posts. Accordingly, the housing provides an insulating receptacle shroud for the posts and is latchingly retained in place without a need for attachment to the substrate. The shroud is also provided with card guides connected thereto by integral hinge portions enabling alignment of, and reducing twisting and warping of, the card guides. The card guides are additionally coupled together with rails further reducing twisting and warping of the guides. The terminals are advantageously mounted in strip form for ease in manufacture and assembly to the substrate. According to another aspect of the disclosure, a plurality of discrete electrically conductive posts are initially connected on selected center spacings to a common carrier strip without interconnecting portions between adjacent posts. A portion of the carrier strip is severed to separate a selected number of posts, which are inserted in a substrate. The carrier strip maintains the posts in alignment and in their desired center spacings. After the posts are secured to the substrate by reflow of a solder band provided on each post, the carrier strip is removed, allowing a connector housing to be slipped over the posts. The posts will interlock with the connector housing and positively anchor it to the substrate. In another embodiment, the connector housing is placed in registration on the substrate and the selected posts are then inserted simultaneously in the connector housing and in the substrate. When the solder bands of the posts are reflowed, the posts thus become secured to the substrate and simultaneously anchor the connector housing in positive location on the substrate. As in all the embodiments, the carrier strip connected to the posts is removed after solder reflowing. The disclosure further relates to a printed circuit board having mounted thereon a plurality of electrically conducting post-type contacts, enclosed by a removable electrically insulating housing latchably secured to a selected contact, and to a multi-layer printed circuit board and a method of fabrication thereof.

Growing community of inventors

Harrisburg, PA, United States of America

Kenneth R Parmer