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:
Jan. 11, 2000
Filed:
Jul. 02, 1998
Gwen L Michaux, DuBois, PA (US);
David C Horchler, Millersburg, PA (US);
Berg Technology, Inc., Reno, NV (US);
Abstract
A connector having a set of terminals (10) that are preferably coplanar and are used to connect electrical components, such as surface mount components, with a printed circuit board (PCB). The connector uses an insulative wafer (50) to achieve and to maintain the coplanarity of the terminals (10). Initially, the terminals (10) are overbent so that as the wafer (50) is being placed in the connector housing (5), the terminals (10) contact the wafer (50) on a slope (55) of the wafer (50). In other words, as the wafer (50) is being mated with the connector housing (5), the wafer (50) pushes against the terminals (10) to establish coplanarity. Thus, the wafer (50) works in conjunction with the terminals (10) in the connector housing (5) to establish coplanarity. Therefore, the connector supports the terminals (10) for positioning while ensuring that the terminals (10) are coplanar.