Tip heater cartridge and soldering iron for use therewith

A soldering iron having a handpiece and tip heater cartridge,

• wherein the handpiece has:
• an elongated hollow body with an inner passage that is open at an outer end of the passage and which receives said tip heater cartridge;
• and
• an electrical connector assembly mounted at an inner end of said passage;
• and
• wherein the tip heater cartridge comprises:
• an elongated cartridge body;
• a heater mounted within the cartridge body;
• a soldering tip mounted on a first end of the cartridge body;
• electrical connectors at an opposite, second end of the cartridge body for plug-in connection with he electrical connector assembly of the soldering iron handpiece;
• and
• a mechanical orienting piece and a mechanical supporting piece mounted on the exterior of the cartridge body for rotationally orienting and axially supporting the cartridge relative to the soldering iron handpiece by engagement thereof with inner surface areas of said passage.

A tip heater cartridge for a soldering iron, comprising:

• an elongated cartridge body,
• a heater mounted within the cartridge body;
• a soldering tip mounted on a first end of the cartridge body;
• electrical connectors at an opposite, second end of the cartridge body for plug-in connection with an electrical connector assembly of a soldering iron handpiece in use;
• and
• at least one member mounted on the exterior of the cartridge body for mechanically supporting the cartridge radially and axially relative to the soldering iron handpiece in use at plural locations spaced circumferentially about the cartridge.

A soldering iron having a handpiece and tip heater cartridge,

• wherein the handpiece has:
• an elongated hollow body with an inner passage that is open at an outer end of the passage and which receives said tip heater cartridge;
• and
• an electrical connector assembly mounted at an inner end of said passage;
• and
• wherein the tip heater cartridge comprises:
• an elongated cartridge body;
• a heater mounted within the cartridge body;
• a soldering tip mounted on a first end of the cartridge body;
• electrical connectors at an opposite, second end of the cartridge body for plug-in connection with the electrical connector assembly of the soldering iron handpiece;
• and
• a mechanical supporting piece mounted on the exterior of the cartridge body for axially supporting the cartridge relative to the soldering iron handpiece by abutting engagement thereof with inner surface areas of said passage in a manner preventing transference of axial loads applied to the tip to the electrical connectors and electrical connector assembly.