Solder mounting of electrical contacts

An electrical device comprising:

• a first component with an insulative housing having an outer surface and including at least one elongated electrically conductive pin contact having a terminal end extending beyond said outer surface;
• a second component adapted to be joined to said first component having at least one hole therein positioned for slidable reception of said pin contact therethrough, a rim being defined at the interface between the hole and said outer surface;
• and
• a hardened bead of solder of predetermined magnitude and defined shape intergrally formed on and adhering to said pin contact so as to completely encircle said pin contact and envelop a predetermined region along the length of said pin contact, said pin contact assuming an initial position extending into the hole with said bead being positioned intermediate said first and said second component and engaged with said rim, said pin contact being movable longitudinally to a first position within the hole when said electrical device is heated to a temperature at which said bead melts, in a reflow operation, and said solder therefrom flows by capillary action into the hole filling all voids therein between said pin contact and said second component thereby mechanically joining said pin contact to the second component and defines a meniscus at each region of interface between said pin contact and said second component, the predetermined magnitude being the precise amount of solder needed to completely fill the hole and form a meniscus at each interface between said pin contact and said second component, said solder bead being located on said pin contact to space said housing away from said second component and so that, upon being heated to fill the hole, said first component is drawn into engagement with said second component.

In a printed circuit board assembly of the type adapted to receive both surface mounted components and pin mounted components and having a plurality of holes therethrough for slidable reception of said pin mounted components, the improvement comprising:

• each of said pin mounted components having an insulative housing with an outer surface and including a plurality of electrically conductive elongated pin contacts having terminal ends extending beyond said outer surface;
• a hardened bead of solder of predetermined magnitude and defined shape intergrally formed on and adhering to each of said pin contacts so as to completely encircle said pin contact and envelop a predetermined region along the length of said pin contact, said bead being initially spaced from said terminal end and positioned intermediate said component and said printed circuit board with said terminal end received in an associated hole in said printed circuit board, a rim being defined at the interface between each of the holes and said outer surface, said pin contact assuming an initial position extending into the hole with said bead engaged with said rim, said pin contact being longitudinally movable to a final position within the hole when said assembly is heated to a temperature at which said bead melts, in a reflow operation, and said solder therefrom flows by capillary action into the associated holes filling all voids therein betweein each said pin contact and said printed circuit board thereby mechanically joining said pin contact to said second component and defines a meniscus at each region of interface between said pin contacts and said printed circuit boards, the predetermined magnitude being the precise amount of solder needed to completely fill the hole and form a meniscus at each interface between said pin contact and the second component, said solder bead being located on said pin contact to space said housing away from said printed circuit board and so that, upon being heated to fill the hole, said housing is drawn into engagement with said printed circuit board.

An electrical device comprising:

• a first component with an insulative housing including at least one electrically conductive first contact member having a terminal end extending outwardly therefrom;
• a second component adapted to be electrically joined to said first component having a hole therein with at least one electrically conductive second contact member thereon;
• and
• a hardened bead of solder of predetermined magnitude and defined shape integrally formed on and adhering to said first contact member so as to completely encircle said first contact member and envelope a predetermined region along the length of said first contact member;
• said first contact member receivable in the hole and engageable with said second contact member proximate to said bead of solder such that when said electrical device is heated to a temperature at which said bead melts, in a reflow operation, said solder therefrom flows by capillary action so as to mechanically join together said first and said second contact members, the predetermined magnitude being the precise amount of solder needed to completely fill the hole and form a meniscus at each interface between said pin contact and said second component, said solder bead being located on said first contact member to space said housing away from said second component and so that upon being heated to fill the hole, said first component is drawn into engagement with said second component.