US 12,218,444 B2 · Assembly fixture for press-fitting contact pins in a printed circuit board assembly

Abstract

Printed circuit board assemblies (PCBAs) are a fundamental component used in nearly all electronics. PCBAs provide electrical connections and mechanical support to electronic components and are generally made of copper layers laminated onto, though, and/or between one or more non-conductive substrate layers. Press-fit pin connections are often driven through the non-conductive substrate layers to connect power or ground across multiple conductive copper layers within a PCBA and/or connect electronic components on opposing sides of the substrate layer(s). Some new PCBA designs utilize fewer, but larger contact pins (e.g., power pins) in place of a greater number of smaller contact pins. With larger contact pin sizes, press-fit pin connections become more difficult to achieve with repeatable reliability in electrical connection without damaging surrounding features in a PCBA. The press-fitting assembly fixtures, contact pins, and methods described herein are capable of repeatable reliability and avoiding open and short failures.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An assembly fixture for a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) comprising:

a bottom jig including:
a bottom housing with a guide aperture and a guide seat;
a guide pin slip fit with the guide aperture and extending out of one end of the bottom housing with a pin head resting against the guide seat;
a guide plug in the guide aperture sealing an opposing end of the bottom housing;
and
a guide spring oriented between the guide pin and the guide plug, the guide spring to bias the pin head against the guide seat;
and
a top jig including:
a top housing with a pin aperture, the pin aperture sized for a slip fit with a contact pin to-be press fit into the PCBA, the bottom jig to be aligned with the top jig such that the guide pin extends out of the bottom housing, through the PCBA, into the pin aperture of the top housing, and meeting the contact pin, the contact pin to be press-fit into the PCBA with the assembly fixture maintaining axial alignment.

6 more elements

A method of press-fitting pins into a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA), the method comprising:

providing a bottom jig including:
a bottom housing with a guide aperture and a guide seat;
a guide pin slip fit with the guide aperture and extending out of one end of the bottom housing with a pin head resting against the guide seat;
a guide plug in the guide aperture sealing an opposing end of the bottom housing;
and
a guide spring oriented between the guide pin and the guide plug, the guide spring to bias the pin head against the guide seat;
inserting the guide pin through an thru-hole in the PCBA;
loading a top jig with a contact pin, the top jig including:
a top housing with a pin aperture, the pin aperture sized for a slip fit with the contact pin to-be press fit into the PCBA;
axially aligning the top jig to the bottom jig using the guide pin extending out of the bottom housing, through the PCBA, into the pin aperture of the top housing, and meeting the contact pin;
and
press fitting the contact pin into the PCBA by compressing the PCBA between the bottom jig and the top jig.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Assembly fixture for press-fitting contact pins in a printed circuit board assembly

Life of this patent

Assembly fixture for press-fitting contact pins in a printed circuit board assembly

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20