Hotbar device and methods for assembling electrical contacts to ensure co-planarity

A hotbar device for attaching electrical contacts within a plug enclosure, the hotbar device comprising:

• a hotbar element configured to heat a plurality of electrical contacts to at least a temperature sufficient to melt solder, wherein the hotbar element has a flat bottom planar surface configured for contacting a top surface of each of the plurality of electrical contacts, wherein the hotbar device is configured to heat the hotbar element through electrical conductivity to the temperature sufficient to melt solder, and
• means for releasably attaching the plurality of electrical contacts in a desired alignment on the bottom surface of the hotbar element to facilitate positioning of the electrical contacts in the desired alignment within the enclosure during soldering, wherein the means is disposed on or adjacent a center portion of the bottom planar surface so as to releasably couple the plurality of electrical contacts in place on the center portion of the bottom planar surface.

A hotbar device for attaching electrical contacts within a plug enclosure, the hotbar device comprising:

• a hotbar element configured to heat a plurality of electrical contacts to at least a temperature sufficient to melt solder, wherein the hotbar element has a bottom planar surface configured for contacting a top surface of each of the plurality of electrical contacts, and
• means for releasably attaching the plurality of electrical contacts in a desired alignment on the bottom surface of the hotbar element to facilitate positioning of the plurality of electrical contacts in the desired alignment within the enclosure during soldering,
• wherein the bottom surface is a planar surface having a heating portion and a non-heating portion, wherein the heating portion is configured with the means for releasably attaching the plurality of electrical contacts to the bottom surface and the non-heating portion extends on opposite sides of the heating portion and is configured so the non-heating portion contacts a top outer surface of the plug when the plurality of electrical contacts attached to the heating portion are soldered within the plug enclosure.

A hotbar device for attaching electrical contacts within a plug enclosure, the hotbar device comprising:

• a hotbar element configured to heat a plurality of electrical contacts to at least a temperature sufficient to melt solder, wherein the hotbar element has a bottom planar surface configured for contacting a top surface of each of the plurality of electrical contacts, and
• means for releasably attaching the plurality of electrical contacts in a desired alignment on the bottom surface of the hotbar element to facilitate positioning of the plurality of electrical contacts in the desired alignment within the enclosure during soldering,
• wherein the hotbar element includes least two opposing side portions substantially orthogonal to the bottom planar surface, one of the at least two side portions comprising an anode and the other comprising a cathode configured so that current flowing from the anode to the cathode heats the bottom planar surface, each side extending orthogonally a sufficient distance away from the bottom surface to facilitate uniform current flow through the bottom surface.