Connectivity in an assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016294080-A1
Application number	US-201514675255-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 31, 2015
Priority date	Mar 31, 2015
Publication date	Oct 6, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A circuit assembly includes one or more electrical conductors. Each of the electrical conductors has a first axial end and a second axial end; the first axial end is disposed opposite the second axial end. The assembly further comprises a non-electrically conductive retainer component operable to: i) retain the electrical conductor and ii) contact a lateral side and/or tip of the electrical conductor onto a conductive pad of a circuit board. The retainer component exerts an appropriate force with respect to the one or more electrical conductors such that, a respective lateral side and/or tip of each of the electrical conductors contact a corresponding electrically conductive pad on the circuit board.

First claim

We claim:

1 . An assembly comprising:
an electrical conductor, the electrical conductor having a first axial end and a second axial end, the first axial end disposed opposite the second axial end; and a non-electrically conductive retainer component operable to retain the electrical conductor and contact a lateral side of the electrical conductor at a location between the first axial end and the second axial end onto a conductive pad of a circuit board.

2 . The assembly as in claim 1 , wherein a tip of the first axial end of the electrical conductor protrudes from the non-electrically conductive retainer component to contact a node of an electrical system external to the circuit board, the electrical conductor configured to electrically coupling the conductive pad of the circuit board to the node of the electrical system.

3 . The assembly as in claim 2 , wherein the lateral side of the electrical conductor is disposed in a vicinity of an axial tip of the electrical conductor at the second axial end.

4 . The assembly as in claim 1 , wherein the non-electrically conductive retainer component includes an opening through which the lateral side of the electrical conductor is exposed and protrudes to contact the conductive pad of the circuit board.

5 . The assembly as in claim 4 , wherein the non-electrically conductive retainer component includes a hollowed volume through which the electrical conductor slidably passes, the hollowed volume including a biasing wedge that forces the lateral side of the electrical conductor to contact the conductive pad of the circuit board.

6 . The assembly as in claim 5 , wherein slidable insertion of the electrical conductor into the hollowed volume causes the biasing wedge to direct the lateral side of the electrical conductor to contact the conductive pad of the circuitry board.

7 . The assembly as in claim 1 , wherein the non-electrically conductive retainer component includes a hinged portion to exert a force on the lateral side of the electrical conductor to contact the conductive pad of the circuit board.

8 . The assembly as in claim 7 further comprising:
a housing, the housing disposed over a portion of the non-electrically conductive retainer component, the housing exerting a pivot force about the hinged portion of the non-electrically conductive retainer component, the pivot force about the hinged portion causing the lateral side of the electrical conductor to contact the conductive pad on the circuit board.

9 . The assembly as in claim 1 , wherein the non-electrically conductive retainer component includes a hinge about which the electrical conductor pivots in the retainer component to contact the lateral side of the electrical conductor to the conductive pad of the circuit board.

10 . The assembly as in claim 1 , wherein the electrical conductor is a coiled spring that compresses along an axial length of the electrical conductor between the first axial end and the second axial end, the lateral side being a surface region of at least one loop of the coiled spring.

11 . The assembly as in claim 10 , wherein respective diameters of loops in the coiled spring vary along an axial length of the coiled spring.

12 . The assembly as in claim 10 , wherein a diameter of the coiled spring at the location of the electrical conductor in contact with the conductive pad is substantially greater than a diameter of the coiled spring at a location of the coiled spring protruding from the non-electrically conductive retainer component.

13 . A method comprising:
receiving an electrical conductor, the electrical conductor having a first axial end and a second axial end, the first axial end disposed opposite the second axial end; and retaining the electrical conductor in a non-electrically conductive retainer component, the non-electrically conductive retainer component operable to contact a lateral side of the electrical conductor at a location between the first axial end and the second axial end onto a conductive pad of a circuit board.

14 . The method as in claim 13 further comprising:
producing the non-electrically conductive retainer component to include an opening through which the lateral side of the electrical conductor is exposed and protrudes to contact the conductive pad of the circuit board.

15 . The method as in claim 14 further comprising:
producing the non-electrically conductive retainer component to include a hollowed volume through which the electrical conductor slidably passes, the hollowed volume including a biasing wedge that forces the lateral side of the electrical conductor to contact the conductive pad of the circuit board.

16 . The method as in claim 15 , wherein slidable insertion of the electrical conductor into the hollowed volume causes the biasing wedge to steer the lateral side of the electrical conductor to contact the conductive pad of the circuitry board.

17 . The method as in claim 13 , wherein the electrical conductor is a coiled spring that compresses along an axial length of the electrical conductor between the first axial end and the second axial end, the lateral side being a surface region of at least one loop of the coiled spring.

18 . The method as in claim 17 , wherein a diameter of the coiled spring at the location of the electrical conductor in contact with the conductive pad is substantially greater than a diameter of the coiled spring at a location of the coiled spring protruding from the non-electrically conductive retainer component.

19 . The method as in claim 13 further comprising:
installing the electrical conductor such that a tip of the first axial end of the electrical conductor protrudes from the non-electrically conductive retainer component to contact a node of an electrical system external to the circuit board, the electrical conductor electrically coupling the conductive pad of the circuit board to the node of the electrical system.

20 . The method as in claim 13 , wherein the non-electrically conductive retainer component includes a hinge about which the electrical conductor pivots in the retainer component to contact the lateral side of the electrical conductor to the conductive pad of the circuit board.

21 . The method as in claim 13 , wherein the non-electrically conductive retainer component includes a hinged portion to exert a force on the lateral side of the electrical conductor to contact the conductive pad on the circuit board.

22 . The method as in claim 21 further comprising:
receiving a housing; and
disposing the housing over a portion of the non-electrically conductive retainer component, the housing exerting a pivot force about the hinged portion of the non-electrically conductive retainer component, the pivot force about the hinged portion causing the lateral side of the electrical conductor to contact the conductive pad on the circuit board.

Assignees

• Sensata Technologies Inc

Inventors

• Petrarca Neil S
• St Pierre Keith

Classifications

• H01R4/48

  utilising a spring, clip, or other resilient member (H01R4/52 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01R43/205

  with a panel or printed circuit board · CPC title

• H01R12/70 Primary

  Coupling devices · CPC title

• H01R12/712 Primary

  co-operating with the surface of the printed circuit or with a coupling device exclusively provided on the surface of the printed circuit (H01R12/72 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01R12/55 Primary

  characterised by the terminals · CPC title