Apparatus and method for incorporating surface mount components into connectors

A connector having circuit protection comprising:

• a body providing a first opening that receives a mating connector;
• a plurality of leads extending along an internal wall of a second opening, each lead having a contact portion that communicates electrically with the mating connector and a terminal portion that makes an electrical connection with a conductive portion of a mount, the leads being continuous from the contact portion to the terminal portion, the second opening provided by the body so that a circuit protection device carried by a printed circuit board communicates electrically with the leads when the printed circuit board is inserted into the second opening;
• a conductive clip extending from at least one of the plurality of leads between the contact portion and the terminal portion, wherein the clip receives an end of the printed circuit board;
• and
• a conductive trace on the printed circuit board, wherein the conductive trace electrically communicates with the circuit protection device and the conductive clip.

A method of making a connector having circuit protection comprising the steps of:

• providing a first opening for receiving a mating connector in a body;
• placing a plurality of leads along an internal wall of a second opening provided by the body, each of the plurality of leads having a contact portion that communicates electrically with the mating connector, a terminal portion that makes an electrical connection with a conductive portion of a mount and a conductive clip placed along a continuous length of the leads from the contact portion to the terminal portion extending from the lead and aligned along the internal wall so that a printed circuit board can be received by the leads;
• preparing the printed circuit board having a circuit protection device and a plurality of conductive traces that electrically communicate with the circuit protection device;
• and
• inserting the printed circuit board into the plurality of clips so that the plurality of conductive traces electrically communicate with the clips.

A connector having circuit protection comprising:

• a body providing a first opening that receives a mating connector;
• a plurality of leads extending along an internal wall of a second opening, each lead having a contact portion that communicates electrically with the mating connector and a terminal portion that makes an electrical connection with a conductive portion of a mount, the leads being continuous from the contact portion to the terminal portion, the second opening provided by the body so that a circuit protection device carried by a printed circuit board communicates electrically with the leads when the printed circuit board is inserted into the second opening;
• a plurality of conductive clips extending from the plurality of leads between the respective contact portions and terminal portions, wherein the clips receive an end of the printed circuit board;
• and
• a conductive trace on the printed circuit board, wherein the conductive trace electrically communicates with the circuit protection device and at least one of the conductive clips.