ELECTRICAL ASSEMBLY AND HEADER
20230361496 · 2023-11-09
Inventors
Cpc classification
H01R13/40
ELECTRICITY
H01R43/20
ELECTRICITY
International classification
H01R12/81
ELECTRICITY
H01R43/20
ELECTRICITY
Abstract
An electrical assembly may include a circuit board, a terminal header connected to the circuit board and including a plurality of aperture, and/or a plurality of electrical terminals connected to the terminal header. The plurality of electrical terminals may include a first electrical terminal having a first terminal configuration and/or a second electrical terminal having a second terminal configuration. The plurality of apertures may include a first aperture, a second aperture, and/or a third aperture. The first electrical terminal may include a first terminal first tail disposed at least partially in the first aperture. The second electrical terminal may include a second terminal first tail disposed at least partially in the second aperture. The second electrical terminal may include a second terminal second tail disposed at least partially in the third aperture.
Claims
1. An electrical assembly, comprising: a circuit board; a terminal header connected to the circuit board and including a plurality of apertures; a plurality of electrical terminals connected to the terminal header and including a first electrical terminal having a first terminal configuration and a second electrical terminal having a second terminal configuration; wherein the plurality of apertures includes a first aperture, a second aperture, and a third aperture; the first electrical terminal includes a first terminal first tail disposed at least partially in the first aperture; the second electrical terminal includes a second terminal first tail disposed at least partially in the second aperture; and the second electrical terminal includes a second terminal second tail disposed at least partially in the third aperture.
2. The electrical assembly of claim 1, wherein the first aperture, the second aperture, and the third aperture have a common aperture configuration.
3. The electrical assembly of claim 1, wherein the first terminal first tail, the second terminal first tail, and the second terminal second tail have common widths and thicknesses.
4. The electrical assembly of claim 1, including a third electrical terminal having a third configuration including a third terminal first tail, a third terminal second tail, and a third terminal third tail; wherein the plurality of apertures includes a fourth aperture, a fifth aperture, and a sixth aperture; the third terminal first tail is disposed at least partially in the fourth aperture; the third terminal second tail is disposed at least partially in the fifth aperture; and the third terminal third tail is disposed at least partially in the sixth aperture.
5. The electrical assembly of claim 4, wherein the first aperture, the second aperture, the third aperture, the fourth aperture, the fifth aperture, and the sixth aperture have a common size.
6. The electrical assembly of claim 4, wherein the first terminal first tail, the second terminal first tail, the second terminal second tail, the third terminal first tail, the third terminal second tail, and the third terminal third tail have a common width and thickness.
7. The electrical assembly of claim 4, wherein the terminal header includes a land disposed between the fourth and fifth apertures and an additional land disposed between the fifth and sixth apertures; and the third electrical terminal is disposed on the land and the additional land.
8. The electrical assembly of claim 4, wherein the plurality of apertures are disposed in a plurality of rows; each row of the plurality of rows includes one or more groups of apertures separated by a common distance; each aperture in each group of apertures is configured to receive the first terminal first tail; each adjacent pair of apertures in each group of apertures is configured to receive the second terminal first tail and the second terminal second tail; and each set of three adjacent apertures in each group of apertures is configured to receive the third terminal first tail, the third terminal second tail, and the third terminal third tail.
9. The electrical assembly of claim 4, wherein (i) the second terminal first tail and the second terminal second tail, (ii) the third terminal first tail and the third terminal second tail, and (iii) the third terminal second tail and the third terminal third tail are separated by a common distance.
10. The electrical assembly of claim 1, wherein a distance between the second terminal first tail and the second terminal second tail corresponds to an aperture separation distance between the second aperture and the third aperture.
11. The electrical assembly of claim 1, wherein the plurality of apertures are disposed in a plurality of rows; each row of the plurality of rows includes one or more groups of apertures separated by a common distance; each aperture in each group of apertures is configured to receive the first terminal first tail; and each adjacent pair of apertures in each group of apertures is configured to receive the second terminal first tail and the second terminal second tail.
12. The electrical assembly of claim 1, wherein the second electrical terminal is disposed on a portion of a top surface the terminal header disposed between the second aperture and the third aperture.
13. The electrical assembly of claim 1, including: a second terminal header connected to the circuit board and a second plurality of apertures; a second plurality of electrical terminals; wherein the terminal header and the second terminal header have a common header configuration; the plurality of electrical terminals are connected to the terminal header in a first configuration; and the second plurality of electrical terminals are connected to the second terminal header in a second configuration that is different than the first configuration.
14. The electrical assembly of claim 13, wherein the first configuration corresponds to a first electrical connector; and the second configuration corresponds to a second electrical connector.
15. The electrical assembly of claim 14, wherein said first electrical connector and said second electrical connector have housings with a common housing configuration and have different internal configurations.
16. A method of assembling the electrical assembly of claim 1, comprising: connecting the plurality of electrical terminals with the terminal header, including: inserting the first terminal first tail into the first aperture; inserting, from a top side of the terminal header, the second terminal first tail into the second aperture; and inserting, from the top side of the terminal header, the second terminal second tail into the third aperture; and connecting the terminal header to the circuit board such that a bottom side of the terminal header faces the circuit board.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein a portion of the second electrical terminal that connects the second terminal first tail with the second terminal second tail limits an insertion depth of the second terminal first tail and the second terminal second tail.
18. The method of claim 16, including inserting a second plurality of electrical terminals into a second terminal header; and connecting the second terminal header to the circuit board; wherein the terminal header and the second terminal header have a common header configuration.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein the second plurality of electrical terminals include terminals having the first terminal configuration and terminals having the second terminal configuration; the plurality of electrical terminals are connected to the terminal header in a first arrangement; and the second plurality of electrical terminals are connected to the second terminal header in a second arrangement that is different than the first arrangement.
20. The method of claim 18, wherein terminal header and the second terminal header are separate monolithic components.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] While the claims are not limited to a specific illustration, an appreciation of various aspects may be gained through a discussion of various examples. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, and certain features may be exaggerated or hidden to better illustrate and explain an innovative aspect of an example. Further, the exemplary illustrations described herein are not exhaustive or otherwise limiting, and embodiments are not restricted to the precise form and configuration shown in the drawings or disclosed in the following detailed description. Exemplary illustrations are described in detail by referring to the drawings as follows:
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0018] Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the present disclosure, examples of which are described herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawings. While the present disclosure will be described in conjunction with embodiments and/or examples, they do not limit the present disclosure to these embodiments and/or examples. On the contrary, the present disclosure covers alternatives, modifications, and equivalents.
[0019] In embodiments, such as generally illustrated in
[0020] With embodiments, such as generally illustrated in
[0021] In embodiments, such as generally illustrated in
[0022] With embodiments, such as generally illustrated in
[0023] In embodiments, electrical terminals 28 may have a plurality of tails 74-78, such as with the second configuration and/or the third configuration. The tails 74-78 may be separated by a common distance 90 (e.g., the same center-to-center distance). For example, a first tail 74 may be separated from a second tail 76 by the distance 90, and/or a second tail 76 and a third tail 78 may be separate by the distance 90. The distance 90 may correspond to the distance 60 between apertures 52. In some configurations, the distances 60, 90 may be substantially the same (e.g., within manufacturing tolerances). The distance 90 may, for example and without limitation, be 2.54 mm.
[0024] With embodiments, a tail 74-78 may include one or more of a variety of configurations. For example and without limitation, a tail 74-78 may be rectangular and may extend away from the first portion 70. For electrical terminals 28 with a plurality of tails 74-78, the tails 74-78 may be parallel to each other. With the second configuration and/or the third configuration, the tails 74, 76 may be disposed at opposite sides of a centerline 92 of the terminal 28. With the third configuration, the third tail 78 may be disposed between the first tail 74 and the second tail 76, and/or may be aligned with the centerline 92.
[0025] In embodiments, such as generally illustrated in
[0026] In embodiments, such as generally illustrated in
[0027] In some embodiments, a tail 74-78 may include a foot 96 disposed at a distal end of the tail 74-78. A foot 96 may be configured for soldering with the circuit board 24, such as for a surface mount configuration. In other configurations, a foot 96 may extend into and/or through a circuit board 24, such as for a through hole configuration.
[0028] With embodiments, such as generally illustrated in
[0029] In embodiments, such as generally illustrated in
[0030] With some embodiments, such as generally illustrated in
[0031] With embodiments, such as generally illustrated in
[0032] Referring again to
[0033] In embodiments, a plurality of electrical terminals 28 may be connected to the terminal header 26 in a first arrangement. A second plurality of electrical terminals 28′ may be connected to the second terminal header 26′ in a second arrangement that may be different than the first arrangement. For example and without limitation, the first arrangement may correspond to a first connector configuration of a first electrical connector 40, and/or the second arrangement may correspond to a second connector configuration of a second electrical connector 40 that may be different than the first connector configuration. An arrangement of electrical terminals 28 may include which electrical terminals 28 of the first configuration, second configuration, and/or third configuration are connected to which apertures 52 of a terminal header 26. A first arrangement may, for example and without limitation, include a row with electrical terminals 28 all having the first configuration (see, e.g., row 54.sub.1 of terminal header 26). A second arrangement may, for example and without limitation, include a row with electrical terminals 28′ having the first configuration and electrical terminals 28′ having the second configuration (see, e.g., see row 54.sub.1′ of the second terminal header 26′). The first arrangement and the second arrangement may not be completely different, in some instances. For example, the first arrangement and the second arrangement may each include a row with electrical terminals 28, 28′ having the first configuration and electrical terminals 28, 28′ having the third configuration (see, e.g., rows 54.sub.2 and 54.sub.2′).
[0034] With embodiments, such as generally illustrated in
[0035] In embodiments, some or each of the apertures 52 in some or each of the groups 58 of apertures 52 may be configured to receive a first terminal first tail 74.sub.1. Some or each of the adjacent pairs of apertures 52 in some or each of the groups 58 of apertures 52 may configured to receive a second terminal first tail 74.sub.2 and a second terminal second tail 76.sub.2. Some or each of the sets of three adjacent apertures 52 in some or each of the groups 58 of apertures 52 may be configured to receive a third terminal first tail 74.sub.3, a third terminal second tail 76.sub.3, and a third terminal third tail 78.sub.3.
[0036] Embodiments of electrical assemblies 20 may include modular configurations. For example, a plurality of electrical terminals 28 having different configurations may be connected in different ways to the same terminal header 26, such as for connection with electrical connectors 40 having different configurations. In some instances, the same terminal header configuration may be compatible with a variety of connectors 40 of a connector family, such as connectors 40 with the same configuration of a housing 42 and different terminal modules 44.
[0037] With embodiments of electrical assemblies 20, for an additional/different connector family, a single new mold may be created for forming a second configuration of a terminal header 26 that may be used with multiple connectors 40 in the additional family, and/or modification of an insertion machine 120, if needed, may only involve a software modification. With other designs, a different terminal header configuration and a corresponding new/different mold may be required for each connector in a family. Additionally or alternatively, with other designs, a terminal insertion machine may need to be physically modified to accommodate each connector and/or each family.
[0038] In embodiments, a method of assembling the electrical assembly 20 may include connecting the plurality of electrical terminals 28 with the terminal header 26 and/or connecting the terminal header 26 to a circuit board 24 such that a bottom side 102 of the terminal header 26 faces the circuit board 24. Connecting the plurality of electrical terminals 28 with the terminal header 26 may include inserting a first terminal first tail 74.sub.1 of a first terminal 28.sub.1 into a first aperture 52.sub.1, inserting, from a top side 100 of the terminal header 26, a second terminal first tail 74.sub.2 of a second terminal 28.sub.2 into the second aperture 52.sub.2, and/or inserting, from the top side 100 of the terminal header 28, a second terminal second tail 76.sub.2 of the second terminal 28.sub.2 into a third aperture 52.sub.3. A portion 94 that may connect the tails 74.sub.2, 76.sub.2 may limit an insertion depth of the second terminal 28.sub.2 and/or tails 74.sub.2, 76.sub.2 into the terminal header 28.
[0039] In embodiments, connecting the plurality of electrical terminals 28 with the terminal header 26 may include inserting, from a top side 100 of the terminal header 26, a third terminal first tail 74.sub.3 of a third terminal 28.sub.3 into a fourth aperture 52.sub.4, inserting, from a top side 100 of the terminal header 26, a third terminal second tail 76.sub.3 of the third terminal 28.sub.3 into the fifth aperture 52.sub.5, and/or inserting, from the top side 100 of the terminal header 28, a third terminal third tail 78.sub.3 of the third terminal 28.sub.3 into a third aperture 52.sub.3.
[0040] With embodiments, the method may include inserting a second plurality of electrical terminals 28′ into a second terminal header 26′, and/or connecting the second terminal header 26′ to the circuit board 24. The terminal header 26 and the second terminal header 26′ may have a common header configuration (e.g., may be substantially the same) and/or may be separate unitary/monolithic components. Connecting a terminal header 26 to a circuit board 24 may include electrically connecting a plurality of electrical terminals 28 with the circuit board 24 and/or inserting one or more portions of the terminal header 26 into the circuit board 24.
[0041] Any dimensions shown in the drawings, such as in
[0042] Various examples/embodiments are described herein for various apparatuses, systems, and/or methods. Numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the overall structure, function, manufacture, and use of the examples/embodiments as described in the specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings. It will be understood by those skilled in the art, however, that the examples/embodiments may be practiced without such specific details. In other instances, well-known operations, components, and elements have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the examples/embodiments described in the specification. Those of ordinary skill in the art will understand that the examples/embodiments described and illustrated herein are non-limiting examples, and thus it can be appreciated that the specific structural and functional details disclosed herein may be representative and do not necessarily limit the scope of the embodiments.
[0043] Reference throughout the specification to “examples, “in examples,” “with examples,” “various embodiments,” “with embodiments,” “in embodiments,” or “an embodiment,” or the like, means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the example/embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. Thus, appearances of the phrases “examples, “in examples,” “with examples,” “in various embodiments,” “with embodiments,” “in embodiments,” or “an embodiment,” or the like, in places throughout the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more examples/embodiments. Thus, the particular features, structures, or characteristics illustrated or described in connection with one embodiment/example may be combined, in whole or in part, with the features, structures, functions, and/or characteristics of one or more other embodiments/examples without limitation given that such combination is not illogical or non-functional. Moreover, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the present disclosure without departing from the scope thereof.
[0044] It should be understood that references to a single element are not necessarily so limited and may include one or more of such element. Any directional references (e.g., plus, minus, upper, lower, upward, downward, left, right, leftward, rightward, top, bottom, above, below, vertical, horizontal, clockwise, and counterclockwise) are only used for identification purposes to aid the reader’s understanding of the present disclosure, and do not create limitations, particularly as to the position, orientation, or use of examples/embodiments.
[0045] Joinder references (e.g., attached, coupled, connected, and the like) are to be construed broadly and may include intermediate members between a connection of elements, relative movement between elements, direct connections, indirect connections, fixed connections, movable connections, operative connections, indirect contact, and/or direct contact. As such, joinder references do not necessarily imply that two elements are directly connected/coupled and in fixed relation to each other. Connections of electrical components, if any, may include mechanical connections, electrical connections, wired connections, and/or wireless connections, among others. Uses of “e.g.” and “such as” in the specification are to be construed broadly and are used to provide non-limiting examples of embodiments of the disclosure, and the disclosure is not limited to such examples. Uses of “and” and “or” are to be construed broadly (e.g., to be treated as “and/or”). For example and without limitation, uses of “and” do not necessarily require all elements or features listed, and uses of “or” are inclusive unless such a construction would be illogical.
[0046] While processes, systems, and methods may be described herein in connection with one or more steps in a particular sequence, it should be understood that such methods may be practiced with the steps in a different order, with certain steps performed simultaneously, with additional steps, and/or with certain described steps omitted.
[0047] All matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not limiting. Changes in detail or structure may be made without departing from the present disclosure.