US 5,632,649 AGranted

Hold-down device for a board mount connector

AssigneeThe Whitaker Corporation

InventorTodd M. Spangler

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Abstract

An improved hold-down system for securing an electrical connector assembly (1) to a circuit board (31) includes an insulative housing (5) having a plurality of cavities (11) adapted to receive a corresponding plurality of electrical contacts (10). The insulative housing (5) has at least one cavity (26) adapted to receive an improved hold-down device (15). The hold-down device (15) comprises a unitary planar construction, having a uniform thickness, and includes an upper portion (52) having two outwardly projecting stops (56) that are adapted to resiliently engage an internal portion of cavity (26). Two legs (54) extend downwardly from upper portion (52) in spaced-apart relation. Each leg (54) has at least one outwardly projecting barb (72) sized so as to engage a corresponding side wall (33) of an aperture (30) in circuit board (31). A retention wing (70) is positioned on an outer edge (76) of each leg (54). Each retention wing (70) includes an upwardly and outwardly projecting beam that is sized so as to (i) resiliently flex inwardly during insertion of hold-down device (15) into the cavity (26), and (ii) resiliently flex outwardly once stops (56) have resiliently engaged cavity (26) so as to fasten hold-down device (15) to insulative housing (5).

Claims15

Dependent claims

A hold-down device adapted to secure an electrical connector assembly to a circuit board, wherein said electrical connector assembly comprises an insulative housing having at least one cavity adapted to receive a respective said hold-down device and having a constriction along said cavity, said hold-down device comprising:

a first portion comprising a pair of stops projecting from opposed side edges thereof and adapted to abut opposed first transverse surfaces of said constriction upon full insertion of said hold-down device into said receiving cavity;
a second portion including a pair of deflectable beams extending from opposed side edges thereof laterally outwardly and toward associated ones of said stops to free ends spaced from said stops a distance corresponding dimensionally to said constriction, each being sized so as to (i) resiliently flex inwardly during insertion of said hold-down device into said receiving cavity and (ii) resiliently flex outwardly upon passing associated second transverse surfaces of said constriction spaced a selected distance from said first transverse surfaces thereof, all so as to trap said constriction between said stops and ends of said beams and thereby fasten said hold-down device to said insulative housing;
and
a board-retention section extending from one of said first and second portions upon full insertion of said hold-down device into said receiving cavity and beyond a board-proximate face thereof, and being adapted to become mechanically engaged with a circuit board to secure said connector assembly thereto.

1 more element

A hold-down system of an electrical connector assembly to a circuit board, comprising:

a hold-down device including a board-retention section and an insulative connector housing including at least one cavity adapted to receive said hold-down device therewithin such that said board-retention section extends from a board-proximate face thereof and having a constriction along said cavity;
said hold-down device having a first portion comprising a pair of stops projecting from opposed side edges thereof and adapted to abut opposed first transverse surfaces of said constriction upon full insertion of said hold-down device into said receiving cavity;
a second portion including a pair of deflectable beams extending from opposed side edges thereof laterally outwardly and toward associated ones of said stops to free ends spaced from said stops a distance corresponding dimensionally to said constriction, each being sized so as to (i) resiliently flex inwardly during insertion of said hold-down device into said receiving cavity and (ii) resiliently flex outwardly upon passing associated second transverse surfaces of said constriction spaced a selected distance from said first transverse surfaces thereof, all so as to trap said constriction between said stops and ends of said beams and thereby fasten said hold-down device to said insulative housing;
and
said board-retention section extending from one of said first and second portions upon full insertion of said hold-down device into said receiving cavity and beyond a board-proximate face thereof.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.