U.S. patent number 3,634,819 [Application Number 05/020,681] was granted by the patent office on 1972-01-11 for resilient pin and method of production thereof.
Invention is credited to William Robert Evans.
United States Patent |
3,634,819 |
Evans |
January 11, 1972 |
**Please see images for:
( Certificate of Correction ) ** |
RESILIENT PIN AND METHOD OF PRODUCTION THEREOF
Abstract
A length of bar stock is flattened and reformed to produce a
section having spring characteristics whereby the bar is capable of
resiliently mating with a nonresilient article. Alternatively, a
length of flat stock is stamped or etched to produce resilient
members, the flat stock being rolled or left flat depending on a
particular use.
Inventors: |
Evans; William Robert
(Hummelstown, PA) |
Family
ID: |
21799964 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/020,681 |
Filed: |
March 18, 1970 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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642639 |
May 16, 1967 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
439/825; 439/82;
439/751 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01R
13/04 (20130101); H05K 3/308 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
H01R
13/04 (20060101); H05K 3/30 (20060101); H01r
013/06 () |
Field of
Search: |
;339/252 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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411,383 |
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Jun 1934 |
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GB |
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1,361,891 |
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Apr 1964 |
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FR |
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241,794 |
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Oct 1925 |
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GB |
|
Primary Examiner: McGlynn; Joseph H.
Parent Case Text
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application is a division of my earlier filed copending U.S.
application Ser. No. 642,639, filed May 16, 1967.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A resilient connector pin provided by a pair of spaced aligned
members of uniform solid cross section and a plurality of
transversely spaced resilient walls of arcuate shape integrally
connected with the opposed ends of the solid members, the outer
arcuate surfaces of the resilient walls extending beyond the
peripheries of the solid members.
2. A resilient connector pin according to claim 1 in which the
walls are bowed outwardly from the axis along which the members are
aligned in order to provide the arcuate shape.
3. A resilient connector pin according to claim 2 in which the
resilient walls are of flat material having planar surfaces which
lie parallel to the plane of the arc which they define.
4. A resilient connector pin according to claim 1 in which one pair
of edges of the walls is connected by a web portion, to thereby
provide the connection between the opposed ends of the solid
members with a substantially U-shaped cross section.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
Male contact posts for mechanically or electrically mating with a
female receptacle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Prior Art posts are generally rectangular or circular in cross
section and are solid, nonresilient members. The posts mate with
resilient sockets or eyelets.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention provides a method of producing a pin having resilient
properties. The basic advantage of such a pin is that it can mate
with a stiff socket or eyelet. For example a pin could make
electrical connection with a printed circuit board by simply
drilling a hole in the board and plating the hole. The electrical
contact would be provided by the resilience of the pin so no
special socket or the like is required on the board. Also, the pin
can be produced with no scrap and a natural "lead in" is formed for
ease in mating.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a length of bar stock;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the bar of FIG. 2 subsequent
to a forming operation;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the bar of FIG. 2 after a
subsequent forming operation;
FIG. 3A is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 3A--3A of
FIG. 3;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an alternative method of
production;
FIG. 4A is a cross-sectional view of a pin similar to that shown in
FIG. 4;
FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the pin of FIG. 4 after a
subsequent forming operation;
FIG. 5A is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 5A--5A of
FIG. 5;
FIG. 6 is a view partly in section showing a typical application of
a pin made according to the present invention;
FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing the mating action between
a socket and the pin of the instant invention;
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a length of flat stock used in a
further embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a pin formed from the stock of FIG.
8;
FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 12--12 of
FIG. 9;
FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a length of flat stock used in
another embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a pin formed from the stock of
FIG. 11;
FIG. 13 is a perspective view partly broken away showing details of
the pin of FIG. 12;
FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 16--16 of
FIG. 12;
FIG. 15 is an exploded perspective view showing a further form of
pin being produced from flat stock;
FIG. 16 is a plan view of an etched circuit embodying the present
invention; and
FIG. 17 is an exploded perspective view showing the present
invention applied to an integrated circuit module.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The attainments of the present invention will become apparent to
those skilled in the art upon a reading of the following detailed
description when taken in conjunction with the drawings in which
there are shown and described illustrative embodiments of the
invention; it is to be understood, however, that these embodiments
are not intended to be exhaustive nor limiting of the invention but
are given for purpose of illustration in order that others skilled
in the art may fully understand the invention and the principles
thereof and the manner of applying it in practical use so that they
may modify it in various forms, each as may be best suited to the
conditions of a particular use.
A pin according to the present invention is produced from a length
of bar stock such as shown in FIG. 1 and indicated at 10. The bar
may be of rectangular, circular or other cross-sectional
configuration. For ease of illustration a bar of circular cross
section has been shown, such bar being of generally uniform
cross-sectional area throughout the major portion of its
length.
The pin 10 is normally formed of a metallic material which is
electrically conductive and of any suitable length and
cross-sectional area. The first step in the production of the pin
is to substantially flatten a section of the pin as indicated at
12. The flattened section 12 may then be formed into a generally
U-shaped section as shown in FIGS. 3 and 3A whereby a section 14 is
produced which is capable of resilient flexing action. The
periphery of section 14 is greater than that of the remainder of
pin 10 and therefore the pin can mate with an eyelet or socket just
slightly larger than the nonresilient portion of the pin.
An alternative method of producing the pin is shown in FIG. 4
wherein the flattened portion 12 is provided with a blanked out
slot 16. The pin shown in FIG. 4 may then be formed by turning the
strips 18 and 20 at substantially right angles to the plane of the
flattened portion 12 into a position as shown in FIGS. 5 and 5A.
The strips 18 and 20 may be given a generally arcuate configuration
during the forming operation. The spring section 22 thus produced
in the pin has considerably more resiliency than the section 14
formed in the pin of FIG. 3 since the strips 18 and 20 are
substantially free for resilient movement toward and away from each
other. The forming operations performed on the pin may be
accomplished by conventional forming tools and may be accomplished
in either the hot or cold material state.
FIG. 4A illustrates a pin in its final form which is quite similar
to the pin of FIG. 4. The flattened section 12' is not flattened to
the extent of section 12 (FIG. 4) leaving strips 18' and 20'
capable of flexing motion through the slot 16'. The degree to which
the section 12' is flattened depends on the amount of resiliency
required and on the desired external dimension of the section since
an extremely flattened section would have low resiliency and a
large external dimension and vice versa. The section can, of
course, be adjusted to size by manipulating the strips 18' and
20'.
The pins of the present invention have general utility in
mechanical and electrical applications. One application of the pins
is shown in FIG. 6 wherein the pin 30 is mounted in a housing
member 32 and cooperates with an aperture 34 formed in a printed
circuit board or the like 36. The aperture 34 is plated at 38 with
an electrically conductive material, which plating extends as shown
at 38' to additional circuitry on the printed circuit board. The
actual mating action can be seen in FIG. 7 wherein a pair of pins
30a and 30b are shown in relation to a pair of sockets 38a and 38b.
Pin 30a is just entering socket 38a while pin 30b is seated within
the socket 36b and the resilient section of the pin has been
compressed by the socket. The resilient pin section will maintain
the pin in position and will also provide for an excellent
electrical connection between the pin and socket.
The various pins described above and shown in FIGS. 3, 4, and 5
illustrate the present invention as applied to round wire or bar
stock. However the present invention is not limited to stock having
a circular cross section but rather the principle of a resilient
pin, that is a pin having a spring section, may be applied to flat
stock as well as round. The following description teaches various
methods of producing a resilient pin from flat stock.
In FIG. 8 there is shown a strip of flat stock 40 from which a
resilient pin is to be produced. The stock 40 has a central slot 42
and a pair of edge slots 44 formed therein, the edge slots 44 being
approximately one-half of the central slot 42. The slots may be
formed in the stock by a stamping operation, by chemical etching or
by other convenient methods. The forward portion of the stock is
chamfered at 46 to provide lead-in for the pin as will be apparent
as this description proceeds. The remaining portion of stock 40 is
not shown in FIG. 8 but would be connected, in practice, to
electrically conductive means according to the particular
application made of the resilient pin. In FIG. 9 a pin 50 is shown
which has been formed by the flat stock 40 after having been rolled
into a cylindrical configuration. The pin is rolled about an axis
generally parallel to the major extent of the slots 42 and 44
thereby producing the pair of resilient members 52 on opposite
sides of the slot. Preferably the members 52 are bowed outwardly to
present a diameter larger than that of the main portion of the pin.
The bowing operation may be performed simultaneously with the
rolling operation or may be a separate step achieved by a mandrel
or the like. The chamfered edge 46 of the pin can thus be seen to
provide appropriate lead-in for the pins entry into a mating
receptacle.
In FIG. 11 there is shown a blank of flat stock 54 which is similar
to the stock 40 shown in FIG. 8. Stock 54 has formed therein two
central slots 56 and 58 and two edge slots 60. By providing two
central slots the contact will produce three spring members 62
rather than two as formed in the pin of FIG. 9. In FIG. 12 a pin 64
is shown which represents the formed-up configuration of the flat
stock 54. The pin 64 differs from the pin 50 previously described
by the provision of the three spring members 62. The three spring
members permit a greater force to be exerted in a radially outward
direction than could be exerted by the two spring members and thus
yields a pin which is capable of improved mechanical retention in a
socket and improved electrical mating characteristics. The three
spring members 62 are disposed at approximately 120.degree. from
each other as best shown in FIGS. 13 and 14 and provide equal
distribution of forces between the pin and its mating
receptacle.
In FIG. 15 there is shown a pin 66 which has been blanked or
stamped from a piece of flat stock 68. The pin is formed by
stamping a generally oval piece 70 from the center of the stock and
also stamping a pair of edge portions 72 which surround the oval
portion 70 but are slightly spaced therefrom in order to produce
the pair of resilient members 74. The pin 66 needs no subsequent
forming operation since the curved spring members 74 will function
in their flat condition. This version of the pin, in most
instances, will exert lower radial forces as compared to the pins
of FIGS. 9 and 12. Pin 66 is primarily useful for mechanical
retention and may be soldered or otherwise connected to a mating
receptacle in order to complete an electrical connection.
FIG. 16 shows a typical etched circuit for use in an integrated
circuit or flat pack such as 76 shown in FIG. 17. The circuitry of
FIG. 16 is shown as including the teachings of the present
invention in that the outer ends of each circuitry strip is
provided with a resilient pin as indicated at 78. The circuitry of
FIG. 18 is secured to an integrated circuit in a manner well known
in the art and the pin portions 78 are bent at 90.degree. as seen
in FIG. 19 to enable the flat pack to be plugged into appropriate
sockets 80 disposed in a printed circuit board or the like 82. The
sockets 80 for receiving the pins 78 may be circular as shown in
the figure or may be of rectangular configuration. These sockets in
their simplest form may merely be plated through holes consisting
of a metallic liner 84 which connects with external circuitry on
the board 82. The pins 78 will be received in the socket and will
be pressed inwardly to cause a firm mechanical union between the
pin and socket. If desired, the pin may then be soldered to the
socket.
Changes in construction will occur to those skilled in the art and
various apparently different modifications and embodiments may be
made without departing from the scope of the invention. The matter
set forth in the foregoing description and accompanying drawings is
offered by way of illustration only. The actual scope of the
invention is intended to be defined in the following claims when
viewed in their proper perspective against the prior art.
* * * * *