Surface mount carrier for electronic components

Abstract

A surface mount carrier device which permits an electrical component having wire leads to be converted for surface mounting on a printed circuit board is disclosed. The carrier device comprises a body member fabricated from an electrical insulating material which includes a pair of upwardly extending, U-shaped lead supports. The lead supports define a pair of vertically opposed, symmetrical notches wherein the wire leads of the component are attached to the carrier device. In one embodiment the carrier device includes a pair of electrically conductive tabs which are secured within the notches and bent around the end faces of the carrier device and extend to a bottom surface thereof so as to provide an electrical pathway from the component to the printed circuit board whereon it will be fused. The wire leads are soldered to the conductive tabs and cut off at the end faces of the carrier device. In an alternative embodiment the conductive tabs are omitted from the carrier device in lieu of a groove formed along the longitudinal center line of the notches and extending around the end faces of the carrier to a bottom surface thereof. In this arrangement the wire leads are bent at right angles around the end faces of the carrier so as to be disposed within the groove extending to the bottom surface of the carrier to place the leads in contact with the printed circuit board. The carrier devices are provided in a range of sizes to accommodate electrical components of various configurations.