Header connector snap lock
AssigneeGeneral Motors Corporation
InventorsRandy Lynn Fink, Michael Patrick Cummings
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A header connector snap lock apparatus for securing a header connector to a printed circuit board through insertion of semicircular header connector pegs into corresponding circular printed circuit board openings allowing for circuit board thermal expansion, for example during a wave solder process, and dispersing peg strain concentration through insertion force deflection of the peg and the beam along at least three deflection planes through use of a channeled, slotted cantilever beam extending out from the header connector and from which the peg extends.
Claims15
A header connector snap lock apparatus for securing a header connector to a printed circuit board having a plurality of spaced openings, the apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of spaced cantilever beams attached to the header connector and extending outward from the header connector, each of the plurality of spaced cantilever beams having a peg with a semi-circular cross-section defining a semi-circular outer peg surface, each peg projecting in a downward direction from its corresponding cantilever beam and terminating in a tapered head;
- wherein each peg is positioned to be received in a corresponding one of the plurality of spaced printed circuit board openings when the header connector is secured to the printed circuit board, wherein a deflection force acts between the outer peg surface and an outer surface of the corresponding printed circuit board opening to deflect the peg in an inward direction when received into the opening, the deflection resisted by a peg force retaining the outer peg surface against the outer surface of the corresponding opening to secure the header connector to the printed circuit board, and wherein a spacing between an inner surface of each peg opposing the outer surface of the peg and an inner surface of the corresponding printed circuit board opening opposing the outer surface thereof is present when the peg is received into the corresponding one of the printed circuit board openings, which spacing is reduced by an increase in the spacing between the printed circuit board openings.
A header connector snap lock apparatus for securing a header connector to a printed circuit board including two spaced holes, the apparatus comprising:
- first and second spaced cantilever beams extending out from a first side of the header connector;
- each cantilever beam being grooved along a longitudinal beam axis on an underside of the beam, forming opposing inside and outside beam walls joined by a beam top;
- each cantilever beam having a peg with a cross-section extending in a downward direction therefrom;
- and
- each peg cross-section having a tapered circumference including an arc length of outer peg circumference forming an outer peg face and a remaining tapered peg cross-section,
- wherein the spacing between the cantilever beams is substantially matched with the spacing between the printed circuit board holes,
- and wherein each peg is positioned to be received in a corresponding printed circuit board hole for securing the header connector to the printed circuit board, wherein the peg is deflected in an inward direction when received into the corresponding printed circuit board hole, the deflection opposed by an outward peg force urging the outer peg face against a corresponding outer surface of the corresponding printed circuit board hole, and wherein a gap is present between the tapered peg cross-section and an inner surface of the printed circuit board hole opposing the outer surface thereof when the peg is received into the corresponding circuit board hole.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.