The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 01, 1988
Filed:
Jul. 17, 1986
George Wozniczka, Chicago, IL (US);
Zenith Electronics Corporation, Glenview, IL (US);
Abstract
A generally rectangular, flat, conductive metal sheet is formed and provided with a predetermined array of apertures and slots by stamping. The sheet is generally comprised of first and second lateral sections and upper and lower center sections which are each coupled to a respective lateral section by a thin jumper, or bridge, element or elements. Each section further includes a mounting/terminal pin extending from a respective lower edge thereof. The sheet is then bent such as by automatic handling apparatus along three spaced axes located between or extending through the various sections and along and parallel to the length of the sheet from top to bottom so as to form a generally 'E'-shaped structure when viewed from above. Four axial lead diodes are then inserted within respective pairs of facing slots within the lateral and center sections and are soldered in place. The thin jumper elements are then broken away, forming a diode bridge which may then be coupled in circuit and mounted upon a printed circuit (PC) board by inserting and soldering each of the mounting/terminal pins in a respective aperture in the PC board. The four metal sections provide support for the four diodes and electrical coupling of the diodes to each other as well as the PC board-mounted circuitry and serve as a built-in heat sink integral with the bridge circuit. The flat, conductive metal sheet may be provided with various numbers of sections and slot arrangement to form a variety of circuits comprised of axial lead components.