Surface mount compatible connector system with solder strip and mounting connector to PCB

An electrical component for mechanical mounting and electrical connection with respect to electrically conductive means of a printed circuit board compatibly with a surface mount process, said component comprising:

• an electrically non-conducting body,
• plural contact means extending from said body for electrical connection with respect to such electrically conductive means,
• a substantially continuous solder strip extending between and at least partly surrounding at least part of a plurality of said contact means, and
• reservoir means for retaining said solder strip in said body.

An electrical component for mechanical mounting and electrical connection with respect to electrically conductive means of a printed circuit board compatibly with a surface mount process, the electrically conductive means including plated through holes of the printed circuit board, said component comprising:

• an electrically non-conducting body,
• plural contact means extending from said body for electrical connection with respect to such electrically conductive means, said contact means comprising plural generally elongate contact means extending from said body for insertion into and locating of first parts thereof coextensively with such plated through holes, and said contact means also having second parts located above said first parts,
• a substantially continuous solder strip extending between and at least partly surrounding at least part of a plurality of said contact means, and
• means for retaining said solder strip generally coextensively with said second parts of said plural contact means for subsequent melting, flow into respective plated through holes, and re-solidifying mechanically to mount and electrically to connect said component to such printed circuit board.

An electrical component for mechanical mounting and electrical connection with respect to electrically conductive means of a printed circuit board compatibly with a surface mount process, said component comprising:

• an electrically non-conducting body,
• plural contact means extending from said body for electrical connection with respect to such electrically conductive means,
• a substantially continuous solder strip extending between and at least partly surrounding at least part of a plurality of said contact means, and
• recess means in a surface of said body proximate locations where respective contact means extend out from said body for receiving and containing at least part of said solder strip in position with respect to said body and contact means.

An electrical component for mechanical mounting and electrical connection with respect to electrically conductive means of a printed circuit board compatibly with a surface mount process, said component comprising:

• an electrically non-conducting body,
• plural contact means extending from said body for electrical connection with respect to such electrically conductive means, and
• a substantially continuous solder strip extending between and at least partly surrounding at least part of a plurality of said contact means, means integral with said component for holding said solder strip with respect to the component for retention thereon during placement with respect to a printed circuit board and during reflowing of the solder of said solder strip, and
• said body including plastic type material molded in place to and about at least part of each of said contact means as an integral structure.

A method for attaching an electrical component to a printed circuit board compatibly with surface mount attaching processes, such printed circuit board having electrically conductive traces and plated through holes, such component having generally linearly extending contacts and a substantially continuous strip of solder type material extending between and at least partly surrounding at least part of a plurality of such contacts, such strip of solder material having reduced cross-sectional dimensions between respective pairs of such contacts, said method comprising:

• inserting linearly extending contacts of such component through respective plated through holes while positioning such strip of solder type material in proximity to such holes,
• applying thermal energy to melt and re-flow such strip of solder type material generally along such contacts into such respective holes as the reduced cross sectional portions of such strip release portions of the solder strip more proximate respective adjacent contacts to prevent bridging connections where there are no contacts,
• providing spacing means to space such strip in spaced apart relation to such printed circuit board during said re-flowing, and
• allowing such solder type material to solidify to form a mechanical and electrical connection of respective contacts in respective plated through holes.

An electrical component for mechanical mounting and electrical connection with respect to electrically conductive means of a printed circuit board, said component comprising:

• an electrically non-conducting body,
• plural contact means extending from a surface of said body for electrical connection with respect to such electrically conductive means,
• stand off protrusion means protruding from said surface of said body defining reservoir means, and
• a solder strip positioned in said reservoir means and surrounding and extending between at least two of said plural contact means.