US 4,230,385 A · Printed circuit board, electrical connector and method of assembly

Abstract

A solderless electrical connector comprising a printed circuit board and electrical contact terminals mounted therein. A printed circuit board is fabricated to the construction stage wherein conductive circuitry interconnects plated through holes formed therethrough. The exposed circuitry and plated through holes are covered with a conformal coating of insulative material which seals the outer surfaces of the conductive materials from the environment and its effects. The insulative coating obviates the need for solder to protect the conductive materials as well as precludes the use of solder for electrical interconnection therewith. The plated through holes are constructed for press fit insertion of contact terminals in tight frictional engagement therein. The press fit insertion of a contact having an angular edge portion effectively penetrates the insulative coating by deforming it away from that portion of the plated through hole brought to bear against the contact. A mechanical and electrical interconnection is thereby provided between the plated through hole and contact terminal of the press fit assembly while the utilization of solder and the requisite heat thereof is effectively eliminated.

Claims31

Dependent claims

In a printed circuit board of the type comprising an insulative mounting substrate having conductive circuitry formed thereon and plated through holes which are usually coated with solder, constructed therein, which plated through holes are adapted for receiving electrically connecting and rigidly mounting press fit contact terminals in tight frictional engagement therein, said contact terminals having a cross sectional size greater than the inside diameter of said plated through hole, the improvement comprising insulative coating masking the exposed surfaces of the conductive circuitry and plating of said plated through holes in a thin film laminar configuration therein replacing the presence of solder upon said circuirty and within said plated through holes and adapted for penetration in the plated through holes by direct press fit insertion of the contact terminals therein for effecting a tight electrical and rigid mechanical interengagement between the conductive circuitry within the plated through holes and the contact terminal.

A solderless electrical connector comprising:

a sheet of insulative printed circuit board material having a pattern of conductive material formed on at least one surface thereof and holes extending through the insulative material and portions of the pattern of conductive material, said holes being plated through directly upon the insulative printed circuit board with a first layer of conductive material which is in electrical contact with the conductive pattern adjacent said holes and which plated through holes are conventionally coated with solder;
a layer of insulative coating adhered directly to and covering the exposed surfaces of the pattern of conductive material on the surface of the printed circuit board and the exposed surfaces of the conductive material within said plated through holes in place of solder for sealing said conductive material from environmental exposure;
and
a conductive contact having a cross sectional size greater than the inside diameter of the plated through hole and rigidly mounted in said printed circuit board by having an edge portion of the contact directly press fitted through a plated through hole in said printed circuit board with said edge extending through and piercing the insulative coating within the plated through hole and deforming it away from the conductive material thereunder to electrically contact and frictionally engage the conductive material on the walls of said hole.

1 more element

A solderless, press fit electrical connector assembly comprising:

an insulative printed circuit board mounting substrate having press fit contact receiving apertures formed therein;
a pattern of conductive material formed upon at least one surface of said printed circuit board and electrically engaging conductive material extending into and through certain ones of said contact receiving apertures to line the walls thereof and comprise plated through holes therein which plated through holes are conventionally coated with solder;
a layer of insulative coating adhered to the exposed surfaces of the conductive material on the substrate and in said plated through holes in a thin film configuration replacing the presence of solder on the pattern of conductive material and in the plated through holes;
an insulative housing having a plurality of contact receiving sleeves formed therethrough in spaced alignment with said plated through apertures in said insulative printed circuit board mounting substrate, said housing being removable from around contacts received therein when said contacts are rigidly secured in said insulative mounting substrate;
and
conductive contacts received into said sleeves of said insulative housing, said contacts having a press fit shank portion having an edge portion with a cross sectional size greater than the inside diameter of the plated through holes and extending downwardly from said insulative housing directly through said plated through holes in rigid press fit engagement, said edge portion penetrating said insulative coating and deforming it away from the conductive material thereunder to electrically contact and frictionally engage the conductive material on the walls of said holes for rigidly securing said contacts therein.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Printed circuit board, electrical connector and method of assembly

Life of this patent

Printed circuit board, electrical connector and method of assembly

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims31