Terminal pins mounted in flexible substrates
AssigneeMolex Incorporated
InventorsPaul Christopher Berg, Harry N. Etters, Robert M. Fuerst, Todd A. Hester, Fred Love Krehbiel
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electronic device includes a flat flexible dielectric substrate less than 0.050 inch thick and having a generally round hole of a given diameter. A substantially square or polygonal terminal pin is inserted into the round hole in the substrate. The pin has a given cross-dimension between opposite diametral corners thereof greater than the diameter of the round hole. The difference between the cross-dimension of the pin and the diameter of the round hole is on the order of 7% to 67% of the diameter of the hole.
Claims16
An electronic device, comprising:
- a flat flexible dielectric substrate less than 0.050 inch thick and having a generally round hole of a given diameter;
- a substantially square terminal pin having rounded corners inserted into the round hole in the substrate, the square pin having a given cross-dimension between opposite corners thereof greater than the diameter of the round hole;
- and
- wherein the difference between the cross-dimension of the square pin and the diameter of the round hole is on the order of 7% to 67% of the diameter of the hole
- and wherein an improved electrical and mechanical interface is created between the terminal pin and the flat flexible substrate in the area about said hole such that a deformed peripheral area of the flat flexible substrate applies normal forces to the square pin.
An electronic device, comprising:
- a flat flexible dielectric substrate less than 0.050 inch thick and having a generally round hole of a given diameter;
- a ductile conductive film on the substrate in an area at least about said hole;
- a substantially square terminal pin having rounded corners inserted into the round hole in the substrate, the square pin having a given cross-dimension between opposite corners thereof greater than the diameter of the round hole, and at least the insertion end of the terminal pin being plated with a conductive material;
- and
- wherein the difference between the cross-dimension of the square pin and the diameter of the round hole is on the order of 7% to 67% of the diameter of the hole
- and wherein an improved electrical and mechanical interface is created between the terminal pin and the conductive film in the area about said hole such that a deformed peripheral area of the flat flexible substrate applies normal forces to the square pin.
An electronic device, comprising:
- a flat flexible dielectric substrate less than 0.050 inch thick and having a generally round hole of a given diameter;
- a polygonal terminal pin having rounded corners inserted into the round hole in the substrate, the polygonal pin having a given cross-dimension between substantially opposite corners thereof greater than the diameter of the round hole;
- and
- wherein the difference between the cross-dimension of the polygonal pin and the diameter of the round hole is on the order of 7% to 67% of the diameter of the hole
- and wherein an improved electrical and mechanical interface is created between the terminal pin and the flat flexible substrate in the area about said hole such that a deformed peripheral area of the flat flexible substrate applies normal forces to the pin.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.