U.S. patent application number 11/689579 was filed with the patent office on 2007-08-02 for press-fitting head.
Invention is credited to Yuji Ikeda, Kiyomi Maruyama.
Application Number | 20070178721 11/689579 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 33095497 |
Filed Date | 2007-08-02 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070178721 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Ikeda; Yuji ; et
al. |
August 2, 2007 |
Press-Fitting Head
Abstract
An apparatus for positioning and press-fitting press-fit
portions of roughly L-shaped legs of contacts arranged in multiple
rows in a connector into a substrate includes a press-fitting head
and an alignment plate. The press-fitting head is rotatable between
a rest position and a press-fitting position and has vertical
grooves for receiving the contacts in the press-fitting position.
The alignment plate is arranged proximate the press-fitting head
when the press-fitting head is in the press-fitting position and
aligns the press-fit portions of the contacts with press-fitting
apertures in the substrate. The alignment plate is retracted from
the from the press-fitting head when the press-fitting head
press-fits the press-fit portions into the substrate.
Inventors: |
Ikeda; Yuji; (Kanagawa,
JP) ; Maruyama; Kiyomi; (Kanagawa, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BARLEY SNYDER, LLC
1000 WESTLAKES DRIVE, SUITE 275
BERWYN
PA
19312
US
|
Family ID: |
33095497 |
Appl. No.: |
11/689579 |
Filed: |
March 22, 2007 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
10851725 |
May 21, 2004 |
|
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11689579 |
Mar 22, 2007 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
439/74 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y10T 29/49147 20150115;
H05K 3/306 20130101; Y10T 29/53226 20150115; H01R 12/716 20130101;
Y10T 29/49153 20150115; Y10T 29/53174 20150115; H01R 12/724
20130101; Y10T 29/53209 20150115; H01R 12/585 20130101; Y10T
29/53235 20150115; H01R 43/205 20130101; Y10T 29/53183 20150115;
Y10T 29/5193 20150115 |
Class at
Publication: |
439/074 |
International
Class: |
H01R 12/00 20060101
H01R012/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
May 23, 2003 |
JP |
2003-146596 |
Claims
1-12. (canceled)
13. A press-fitting head for positioning and press-fitting
press-fit portions of roughly L-shaped legs of contacts arranged in
multiple rows in a connector into a substrate, comprising: vertical
grooves for receiving the contacts, the vertical grooves having
abutment portions and first and second positioning walls, the
abutment portions extending substantially perpendicular to the
vertical grooves for abutting shoulders of the contacts, and the
first and second positioning walls being formed below the abutment
portions and extending substantially perpendicular thereto for
positioning the shoulders of the contacts in a right-left and
forward-rearward direction.
14. The press-fitting head of claim 13, wherein the press-fitting
head is rotatable between a press-fitting position and a rest
position.
15-20. (canceled)
21. The press-fitting head of claim 14, further comprising a coil
spring that stabilizes the press-fitting head.
22. The press-fitting head of claim 14, further comprising a
control lever for actuating the press-fitting head.
23. The press-fitting head of claim 14, wherein the press-fitting
head is moveable downward from the press-fitting position.
24. The press-fitting head of claim 13, wherein the press-fitting
head is mounted on a support arm.
25. The press-fitting head of claim 13, wherein the vertical
grooves have varying lengths.
26. The press-fitting head of claim 13, wherein the vertical
grooves are arranged at a predetermined pitch.
27. The press-fitting head of claim 26, wherein the vertical
grooves are arranged in a plurality of rows.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The invention relates to an apparatus having a press-fitting
head that positions roughly L-shaped legs of contacts that are
arranged in multiple rows in a connector and press-fits press-fit
portions of the roughly L-shaped legs into a connector substrate.
The invention further relates to a method for press-fitting
utilizing the press-fitting head.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] It is well known to press-fit contacts in a connector with
multiple rows of contacts having roughly L-shaped legs that overlap
in a vertical direction with corresponding contacts in a different
row into a substrate. When press-fitting the contacts of the
connector into the substrate, the contacts arranged in a top row
can be pressed from above, however, the contacts arranged in a
lower row cannot be pressed from above because the contacts
arranged in the top row get in the way.
[0003] A solution to this problem is proposed in Japanese Patent
Laid-Open No. 2003-68419. This reference teaches a press-fitting
jig with a comb-shaped portion having vertical and horizontal
grooves. The vertical grooves have a pitch the same as an
arrangement pitch of the contacts. A pair consisting of an upper
and a lower contact enters each of the vertical grooves so that
each pair of upper and lower contacts is fit into each vertical
groove in the press-fitting jig. The press-fitting jig or the
connector is then moved slightly relative to the arrangement
direction of the contacts so that the horizontal grooves receive
the upper and lower contacts. As a result, walls of the
press-fitting jig are positioned adjacent to both the upper and
lower contacts, which allows the press-fitting jig to press
downward on all of the contacts in the connector when press-fitting
the contacts into a substrate.
[0004] Another solution to the problem is proposed in Japanese
Patent Laid-Open No. 8-69828. This reference teaches pressing a
somewhat wide shoulder section formed on each of the contacts.
Although the upper and lower contacts overlap on the whole, the
shoulder sections of the contacts are formed in such a way that the
shoulder sections do not overlap. For example, the shoulder
sections of the lower contacts could be formed to stick out from
the shoulder sections of the upper contacts when viewed from above.
It is therefore possible to press down the shoulder sections of all
the contacts at the same time to press-fit all the contacts of the
connector into a substrate.
[0005] The technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No.
2003-68419 press-fits the contacts into the substrate when the
contacts are engaged with the vertical and horizontal grooves of
the press-fitting jig. Since the vertical and horizontal grooves
are connected to each other, if one of the lower contacts
disengages from one of the horizontal grooves due to, for example,
misalignment or bending, the corresponding upper contact can not be
pressed, which may result in an improper press-fit. Additionally,
since the portion pressed and the portion actually fitted are
fairly distant from each other, especially in the case of the upper
contacts, if any of the upper contacts are bent even slightly, the
contact may buckle in the middle when pressed. Further, although
not disclosed, a terminal alignment plate is used to position the
contacts with press-fitting apertures in the substrate. The
terminal alignment plate is attached to a bottom of the connector
and is press-fit into the substrate. The terminal alignment plate
remains fitted in the substrate together with the press-fitted
connector, although it is no longer necessary, increasing the cost
of the assembly.
[0006] On the other hand, the technique disclosed in Japanese
Patent Laid-Open No. 8-69828 has the advantage of being able to
install the shoulder sections in such a way as to be visible from
above, and the contacts are press-fit simply by moving the
press-fitting jig vertically. Additionally, the shoulder sections
prevent buckling because the shoulder sections are installed at a
position close to the portion actually press-fitted. However, a
slight displacement or bend of the contact will cause the shoulder
section of the contact to deviate from the position where it should
be pressed, which makes it difficult for the press-fitting jig to
properly press the contact. Also, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No.
8-69828 is silent as to the positioning between the contacts and
the press-fitting apertures in the substrate. It is therefore
assumed that it is necessary to use a terminal alignment plate, as
previously described, that remains in the substrate each time a
connector is press-fitted.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] It is therefore an object of the present invention to
provide a press-fitting head that can reliably press-fit a
connector holding multiple rows of contacts into a substrate, an
apparatus equipped with the press-fitting head, and a method for
press-fitting that can press-fit the connector reliably into the
substrate and reduce manufacturing costs.
[0008] This and other objects are achieved by an apparatus for
positioning and press-fitting press-fit portions of roughly
L-shaped legs of contacts arranged in multiple rows in a connector
into a substrate comprising a press-fitting head and an alignment
plate. The press-fitting head rotates between a rest position and a
press-fitting position, and has vertical grooves for receiving the
contacts in the press-fitting position. The alignment plate is
arranged proximate the press-fitting head at a positioning site
when the press-fitting head is in the press-fitting position. The
alignment plate is retractable from the positioning site when the
press-fitting head is in the press-fitting position.
[0009] This and other objects are further achieved by a
press-fitting head for positioning and press-fitting press-fit
portions of roughly L-shaped legs of contacts arranged in multiple
rows in a connector into a substrate comprising vertical grooves
for receiving the contacts. The vertical grooves have abutment
portions and first and second positioning walls. The abutment
portions extend substantially perpendicular to the vertical grooves
for abutting shoulders of the contacts. The first and second
positioning walls are formed below the abutment portions and extend
substantially perpendicular thereto for positioning the shoulders
of the contacts in a right-left and forward-rearward direction.
[0010] This and other objects are still further achieved by a
method for positioning and press-fitting press-fit portions of
roughly L-shaped legs of contacts arranged in multiple rows in a
connector into a substrate. The method includes mounting a
substrate on a substrate mounting section, inserting the roughly
L-shaped legs of the contacts into apertures in an alignment plate,
mounting the connector on a connector mounting section, placing a
press-fitting head over the legs of the contacts, retracting the
alignment plate from the positioning site, and press-fitting the
legs into press-fit apertures in the substrate by moving the
press-fitting head toward the substrate.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a press-fitting head
and a connector press-fitted into a substrate by the press-fitting
head according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein
FIG. 1(a) is a front view and FIG. 1(b) is a side view;
[0012] FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged schematic diagram of the
press-fitting head and connector shown in FIG. 1 showing the
connector press-fitted into press-fitting apertures in the
substrate, wherein FIG. 2(a) is a front view and FIG. 2(b) is a
side view;
[0013] FIG. 3 is a side view of a press-fitting apparatus showing a
step of the pressing operation;
[0014] FIG. 4 is a side view of the press-fitting apparatus showing
a step of the pressing operation;
[0015] FIG. 5 is a side view of the press-fitting apparatus showing
a step of the pressing operation;
[0016] FIG. 6 is a side view of the press-fitting apparatus showing
a step of the pressing operation;
[0017] FIG. 7 is a side view of the press-fitting apparatus showing
a step of the pressing operation;
[0018] FIG. 8 is a side view of the press-fitting apparatus showing
a step of the pressing operation;
[0019] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the press-fitting apparatus
of FIG. 4;
[0020] FIG. 10 is a partial sectional perspective view of the
press-fitting apparatus of FIG. 5;
[0021] FIG. 11 is a partial sectional perspective view of the
press-fitting apparatus of FIG. 7; and
[0022] FIG. 12 is a flowchart of a press-fitting method according
to the embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0023] FIGS. 1(a)-(b) and 2(a)-(b) show a press-fitting head 10 and
a connector 20 having contacts 21, 22 press-fitted into a substrate
30 by the press-fitting head 10 according to an embodiment of the
present invention. As shown in FIG. 1(b), the connector 20 has
upper and lower rows of roughly L-shaped contacts 21, 22. The
contacts 21, 22 overlap vertically, and a large number of contacts
are arranged with a predetermined pitch in a direction
perpendicular to the paper in FIG. 1(b). At a bottom of the
contacts 21, 22 are press-fit portions 21a, 22a that are
press-fitted into press-fitting apertures 31 of the substrate 30,
as shown in FIGS. 2(a)-(b). Slightly above the press-fit portions
21a, 22a are shoulders 21b, 22b that extend outward in a direction
of width of the contacts 21, 22.
[0024] As shown in FIG. 2(a), the press-fitting head 10 has
vertical grooves 12 formed with the same pitch as the predetermined
pitch of the contacts 21, 22. The vertical grooves 12 have abutment
portions 13 substantially perpendicular to the vertical grooves
formed facing the shoulders 21b, 22b of the contacts 21, 22. Just
below the abutment portions 13 are first positioning walls 14 and
second positioning walls 15 extending substantially perpendicular
to the abutment portions. The first positioning walls 14 position
the shoulders 21b, 22b in a right-and-left direction of the
contacts 21, 22, as shown in FIG. 2(a). The second positioning
walls 15 position the shoulders 21b, 22b in a forward-and-backward
direction, as shown in FIG. 2(b).
[0025] A method of press-fitting the contacts 21, 22 of the
connector 20 with the press-fitting head 10 will now be described
in greater detail.
[0026] As shown in FIG. 3, the substrate 30 is mounted on a board
support 131 of a substrate mounting section 130. An alignment plate
140 is positioned proximate a connector mounting section 120 at
what is referred to herein as a positioning site before the
connector 20 is mounted on the connector mounting section 120. The
alignment plate 140 is fastened to a tip of a link 141. The link
141 is rotatably supported by a rotating shaft 142 on a sliding
board 170, which slides in the right-and-left direction in FIG. 3
with respect to a base 160. A cam groove 161 is cut in a member
fastened to the base 160 and receives a cam pin 145 on the link 141
to form a cam mechanism. The cam mechanism is operated by a link
control lever 143 and a link coil spring 144 both attached to the
link 141. The link control lever 143 is manually operated by an
operator who thereby performs part of the operation of the link
141.
[0027] As shown in FIG. 1(a), the press-fitting head 10 is secured
to a support arm 110 by a bolt 11. As shown in FIG. 3, the support
arm 110 is rotatably supported around a rotating shaft 111 by a
support arm holder 150. The support arm 110 rotates between a rest
position where the press-fitting head 10 is located as shown in
FIG. 3 and a press-fitting position where the press-fitting head 10
is located as shown in FIG. 5. A coil spring 112 stabilizes the
press-fitting head 10 at both the rest position and the
press-fitting position. According to this embodiment, the
press-fitting head 10 is rotated between the rest position and the
press-fitting position by a manually operated control lever 113
that is attached to the support arm 110. The support arm 110 and
support arm holder 150 are covered and supported by an upper base
151.
[0028] When the press-fitting head 10 is in the rest position, the
connector 20 is mounted on the connector mounting section 120, as
shown in FIGS. 4 and 9. As best shown in FIG. 9, the contacts 21,
22 of the connector 20 are positioned by the alignment plate 140 at
locations corresponding to the press-fitting apertures 31 of the
substrate 30 into which the press-fit portions 21a, 22a of the
contacts 21, 22 are to be press-fitted.
[0029] FIGS. 5 and 10 show the press-fitting head 10 after the
press-fitting head 10 has been rotated from the rest position to
the press-fitting position by the control lever 113. As the
press-fitting head 10 is rotated from the rest position to the
press-fitting position, the contacts 21, 22 of the connector 20
enter the vertical grooves 12 of the press-fitting head 10 so that
the contacts 21, 22 are held in position.
[0030] When the press-fitting head 10 is in the press-fitting
position, the link control lever 143 of the link 141 is operated to
cause the cam pin 145 of the link 141 to move along the cam groove
161, as shown in FIG. 6. During transition from the state shown in
FIG. 5 to the state shown in FIG. 6, the sliding board 170 slides
to the right in FIG. 6 with respect to the base 160. The link 141
slides together with the sliding board 170 to move the cam pin 145
from the position shown in FIG. 5 to the position shown in FIG. 6.
As the cam pin 145 of the link 141 moves along the cam groove 161,
the alignment plate 140 retracts from the positioning site where it
positions the contacts 21, 22 of the connector 20. Because the
contacts 21, 22 of the connector 20 have already been positioned in
the vertical grooves 12 of the press-fitting head 10, the contacts
21, 22 remain positioned when the alignment plate 140 retracts from
the contacts 21, 22. The alignment plate 140 moves downward into
abutment with a bottom surface of the connector mounting section
120.
[0031] A top surface of the support arm 110 is then pressed
downward by a known press-fit machine (not shown), which presses
the top surface of the support arm 110 downward to press-fit the
contacts 21, 22. FIGS. 7 and 11 show the support arm 110 after the
support arm 110 has been pressed downward by the press-fit machine
(not shown) and the upper base 151 has been locked into position.
As shown in FIGS. 7 and 11, when the control lever 113 is pressed
down, the support arm 110, support arm holder 150 which holds the
support arm 110, press-fitting head 10 secured to the support arm
110, and the upper base 151 are pressed downward as a single unit.
As the press-fitting head 10 moves downward, the abutment portions
13 of the press-fitting head 10 come into contact with the
shoulders 21b, 22b of the contacts 21, 22 from above to press the
contacts 21, 22 downward and, thereby, press-fit the press-fit
portions 21a, 22a of the contacts 21, 22 into the press-fitting
apertures 31 in the substrate 30. As the contacts 21, 22 are
positioned with respect to the press-fitting apertures 31 in the
substrate 30 by the first and second positioning walls 14, 15, the
shoulders 21b, 22b of the contacts 21, 22 are prevented from
slipping out from the abutment portions 13 of the press-fitting
head 10 so that it is possible to reliably press-fit the press-fit
portions 21a, 22a of the contacts 21, 22 into the press-fitting
apertures 31 in the substrate 30.
[0032] After the press-fit machine (not shown) rises, the
press-fitting head 10 is rotated to the rest position by the
support arm 110, as shown in FIG. 8. The upper base 151 is unlocked
and the support arm holder 150, the support arm 110 held by the
support arm holder 150, the press-fitting head 10 secured to the
support arm 110, and the upper base 151 move upward as a unit to
the position shown in FIG. 3 by the coil spring 152 shown in FIG.
9. The link coil spring 144 and the operation of the link control
lever 143 by the operator then return the link 141 to the position
shown in FIG. 3, and the alignment plate 140 fastened to the tip of
the link 141 returns to the positioning site. Alternatively, motor
power or the like may be used instead of manual power to rotate the
support arm 110 and move the link 141.
[0033] FIG. 12 is a flowchart of the press-fitting method according
to the embodiment of the present invention.
[0034] At step (a), a substrate 30 is mounted on the substrate
mounting section 130, as shown in FIG. 3. At step (b), the
connector 20 is mounted on the connector mounting section 120 after
the L-shaped legs of the contacts 21, 22 of the connector 20 are
aligned by being inserted into apertures in the alignment plate
140. At step (c), the press-fitting head 10 is positioned above the
L-shaped legs of the contacts 21, 22 of the connector 20, as shown
in FIG. 5. At step (d), the alignment plate 140 retracts from the
positioning site. At step (e), the press-fitting head 10 is pressed
downward such that the contacts 21, 22 of the connector 20 are
press-fitted into the press-fitting apertures 31 in the substrate
30. The assembled substrate 30 and connector 20 are then removed,
and the initial state shown in FIG. 3 is restored. Through
repetition of this cycle, substrates with a connector press-fitted
are completed one by one.
[0035] The apparatus according to the present invention is equipped
with the alignment plate 140, which positions the lower end of the
legs, allowing the contacts 21, 22 to be positioned relative to the
press-fitting apertures 31 in the substrate 30. Since the alignment
plate 140 is retractable from the positioning site, the alignment
plate 140 can be retracted prior to actual press-fitting of the
contacts 21, 22 into the substrate 30, which eliminates the need
for a conventional terminal alignment plate. Additionally, the
contacts 21, 22 are positioned by the alignment plate 140 before
press-fitting and are held securely by the press-fitting head 10 so
that the shoulders 21b, 22b of the contacts 21, 22 are prevented
from slipping from the first and second positioning walls 14, 15.
Consequently, the contacts 21, 22 are press-fitted into the
substrate 30 more reliably. Thus, the press-fitting method
according to the present invention enables reliable press-fitting,
allows the alignment plate 140 to be reused repeatedly, eliminates
the need for a conventional terminal alignment plate, and reduces
costs.
* * * * *