Solder coated rivet electrical connector

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022013939-A1
Application number	US-202117243944-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 29, 2021
Priority date	Jul 9, 2020
Publication date	Jan 13, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

An electrical device includes a flat electrical conductor defining an aperture and an electrically conductive rivet with a body having a layer of a solder composition disposed on a first side and a tubular shaft extending from a second side of the body opposite the first side. A free end of the tubular shaft is flared such that the free end has a diameter larger than a diameter of the aperture.

First claim

1 . An electrical device, comprising:
a flat electrical conductor defining an aperture; and an electrically conductive rivet with a body having a layer of a solder composition disposed on a first side and a tubular shaft extending from a second side of the body opposite the first side, wherein a free end of the tubular shaft is flared such that the free end has a diameter larger than a diameter of the aperture.

2 . The electrical device according to claim 1 , wherein the tubular shaft defines a plurality of tubular sections separated by slits extending axially along the tubular shaft.

3 . The electrical device according to claim 2 , wherein the free end of the tubular shaft is flared such that a distance between the free ends of the plurality of tubular sections is increased.

4 . The electrical device according to claim 1 , wherein the body and the tubular shaft are integrally formed from a copper-based alloy and wherein the solder composition is a lead-free solder alloy.

5 . The electrical device according to claim 4 , wherein the lead-free solder alloy contains indium.

6 . The electrical device according to claim 1 , wherein the body defines an annular shape and wherein the first side of the body is substantially parallel to the second side of the body.

7 . The electrical device according to claim 6 , wherein an outer diameter of the body is greater than an outer diameter of the tubular shaft.

8 . The electrical device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a dielectric housing encasing at least the flared free end of the tubular shaft.

9 . A method of forming an electrical device, comprising:
providing a planar sheet of an electrically conductive material having a layer of a solder composition covering a first side; forming a planar body by separating the body from the planar sheet; removing a portion of the layer of the solder composition from a section of the first side of the body; and extruding the section to form a tubular shaft extending from a second side of the body opposite the first side.

10 . The method according to claim 9 , wherein the body has a diameter that is greater than a diameter of the tubular shaft.

11 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein the body defines an annular shape.

12 . The method according to claim 9 , wherein the planar sheet is formed from a copper-based alloy and wherein the solder composition is a lead-free solder alloy.

13 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein the lead-free solder alloy contains indium.

14 . The method according to claim 9 , further comprising:
providing a flat electrical conductor defining an aperture; inserting the tubular shaft into the aperture; and flaring a free end of the tubular shaft such that the free end has a diameter larger than a diameter of the aperture.

15 . The method according to claim 14 , further comprising:
over molding a dielectric housing at least over the free end of the tubular shaft which has been flared, thereby encasing at least the free end of the tubular shaft within the housing.

16 . The method according to claim 9 , further comprising:
forming a plurality of slits in the tubular shaft extending axially along the tubular shaft, thereby dividing the tubular shaft into a plurality of tubular sections.

17 . The method according to claim 16 , further comprising:
providing a flat electrical conductor defining an aperture; inserting the tubular shaft into the aperture; and flaring a free end of the tubular shaft such that a distance between the free ends of the plurality of tubular sections is increased.

Assignees

• Aptiv Tech Ltd

Inventors

• Falk William

Classifications

• H01R4/023 Primary

  between cables or wires and terminals · CPC title

• H01R43/02

  for soldered or welded connections · CPC title

• H05K1/147

  at least one of the printed circuits being bent or folded, e.g. by using a flexible printed circuit (H05K1/148 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H05K3/368

  parallel to each other (H05K3/361 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01R43/205

  with a panel or printed circuit board · CPC title