Surface Mount Electrical Tabs

The invention generally relates to electrical contacts, and more specifically, to surface mount electrical connectors in the form of tabs that can be mounted on the surfaces of printed circuit boards by automated surface component mounting equipment, capable of sequentially picking up the tabs, one at a time, and transferring them from a pick-up station to a mounting station for accurately mounting on a printed circuit board.

Numerous electrical connector designs have been proposed for mounting on printed circuit boards. Many of these are for pins or posts that are formed by stamping flat sheet stock. In many cases, the pins or posts are initially connected to each other by a carrier strip to allow automated mounting on a printed circuit board. The aforementioned pins or posts take on different shapes, including relatively flat shapes as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,073,132. Thin flat posts are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,864,014. Box-type male connectors are illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,375,486. Relatively large cross-section pins are also disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,017,142 and 3,428,934.

In U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,395,087 and 3,663,931, substantially square, solid pins are utilized for the electrical contacts. In the '087 patent, the pins are mounted on a carrier strip while in the '931 patent a unitary pin is shown formed integrally with a socket contact, presumably formed out of stamped material. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,369,572, a substantially solid rectangular pin is shown welded to the carrier strip. However, none of the known designs disclose pin connectors formed from flat sheet stock adapted or suitable for surface mounting on a printed circuit board.

It is also known to provide single loose surface mount pin terminals each packaged in individual plastic pockets P carried by a plastic pocket carrier or tape T, as shown in FIG. 21. However, the aforementioned approach has a number of problems and has not found wide acceptance in the industry. To begin with, the additional plastic pockets or envelopes P have increased the per unit costs of the surface mounted components. Additionally, because the surface mounted pins are contained within a normally oversized pocket or enclosure, the components have at least some degree of freedom of movement therein and this has made it difficult and impractical to precisely align the components at the pick-up stations of the automatic pick-and-place equipment with the vacuum nozzles used for this purpose, notwithstanding the sprocket or pilot holes H intended to accurately align the pins. Such machinery demands very accurate alignment of the parts during pick-up and even small misalignments from the required positions may cause damage to the parts and/or to the nozzles themselves.

In view of the foregoing, although significant advancements have been made in the design and use of pick and place equipment, such machinery has primarily been used to pick and place components that have a sufficiently large surface to provide a suction area for the nozzles. As such, such machinery has primarily been used to pick and place transistors, ICs, capacitors, and numerous other electrical components that provide the requisite surfaces. However, because electrical posts, test points, IDC's and other electrical receptacles have not always exhibited the requisite geometries suitable for pick and place equipment, it has not always been possible to automate the mounting of such components utilizing surface mount technology.

Until now, therefore, surface mount posts were packaged in header form utilizing a plastic body to hold a row of components and placed on the board by a pick-and-place robot. If there was a need for test points, tabs, IDCs or any other type of single terminal, the board and the manufacturing process had to be a combination of surface mount technology and through-hole technology, because those terminals were available for through-hole technology only.

Tabs (quick disconnect contacts) are widely used in electrical packaging. They have several configurations for through hole PCB applications. One of the configurations is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,688,866.

With the increasing popularity of surface mount technology there is a need for a surface mount version of the quick disconnect contact. The ideal surface mount quick disconnect tab must lend itself to being placed on the PCB by a standard surface mount component system. That system always utilizes a vacuum pick-up nozzle. The other requirement for the tab is that it hold a very tight locational tolerance on the board after the solder re-flow. This is to ensure the mating of the connector.

The terminal in accordance with the invention satisfies those requirements and also exhibits some additional benefits. The terminal is stamped in a continuous strip, connected to each other at the base with a connecting tab. It is wound on a reel. The reel goes on a special feeder which separates one single terminal from the strip by shearing out or cutting out the connecting tab, and presents the loose terminal to the vacuum nozzle of the component placement system. The special feeder is described in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 5,449,265 and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/395,822, assigned to the assignee of the subject matter.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide surface mount electrical connectors that do not possess the disadvantages inherent in prior art surface mount connectors.

It is another object of the present invention to provide surface mount electrical connectors, including surface mount tabs (quick disconnect contacts) that are simple in construction and economical to manufacture.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a surface mount electrical connector that can readily be used with pick-and-place automated surface mount equipment.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide surface mount electrical connectors that can be efficiently mounted on printed circuit boards while substantially eliminating all waste due to damage to such connectors.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide surface mount electrical connectors of the type mentioned in the previous objects that can be in the forms of mounting posts, test points, IDCs, female receptacles and tabs (quick disconnect contacts).

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide surface mount electrical connectors of the type aforementioned that can be inexpensively produced by using continuous stamping technology and without the need for individual packages or tapes to carry the conductors.

The present invention provides a new family of surface mount terminals that can readily and efficiently be utilized with associated feeders for use with pick-and-place equipment to eliminate the need for the combination surface mount/through-hole technologies.

In accordance with the present invention, a surface mount connector for surface mounting on a generally flat conductor surface of a printed circuit board comprises a base defining a plane and having a generally flat surface suitable for contact with and attachment to an associated flat conductive surface of the printed circuit board. A contact has at least one portion projecting from said base in a direction substantially normal to said plane defined by said base. At least one bent intermediate connecting portion integrally connects said contact to said base, said contact, base and at least one bent intermediate connecting portion all being integrally formed of a generally flat sheet of conductive material. The contact portion of the connector may be in the form of an electrical pin, a test point, an electrical female receptacle, an electrical insulation displacement connector (IDC) or a surface mount tab (quick disconnect contact).

When used with automated pick-and-place machinery, a strip of series connected surface mounted connectors are provided with frangible connecting means between each two adjacent connectors. In this manner, a strip of connectors can be advanced to an automated mounting station and a connector at the downstream end of the strip can be separated from the strip by severing said frangible connecting means between said connector at the downstream end and the adjacent immediately succeeding connector in the strip. Preferably, the series connected surface mounted connectors are helically wound on a spool or bobbin so that the strip can be unwound and advanced to an automated mounting station.

The present invention also contemplates blanks for forming a surface mounted connector and a plurality of series-connected surface mounted connectors in accordance with the present invention, as well as the method of forming such connectors.

This and other objects and features of the present invention will become clear from the following description taken in conjunction with preferred embodiments thereof with reference to accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a surface mounted connector in the nature of a test point or male contact pin in accordance with the present invention, shown in its individual form after being severed from a strip of such connectors and ready to be surface mounted on a printed circuit board;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a blank for a plurality of series-connected surface mounted connectors of the type shown in FIG. 1, showing one connector in solid outline, while downstream and upstream connectors in relation thereto are shown in phantom outline;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a surface mounted connector in accordance with the present invention, also in the form of a contact pin, and schematically illustrating a vacuum pick up nozzle positioned over the connector at the downstream end of the strip for picking up the connector after being severed from the strip;

FIG. 4 is a bottom perspective view of the connector shown in FIG. 3, showing the details of the base construction as well as the manner in which the connectors are joined to each other by means of connecting tabs or carrier strips;

FIG. 5 is similar to FIG. 3, but showing a still further embodiment of a surface mounted connector in accordance with the present invention, in which adjacent connectors in the strip are joined to each other at a portion of the contact pins instead of at the bases;

FIG. 6 is yet a further embodiment of a surface mounted connector in accordance with the present invention, in which adjacent connectors are joined to each other by a double set of carrier strips and illustrating a construction for stabilizing the contact pin;

FIG. 7 is similar to FIGS. 3 and 5, but illustrating a surface mounted connector in accordance with the present invention in the form of an insulation displacement connector (IDC);

FIG. 8 is similar to FIG. 7, but illustrating a female receptacle for surface mounting in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a bottom perspective view of the connector shown in FIG. 8 to illustrate details of the base and the manner in which adjacent connectors are joined to each other;

FIG. 10 is similar to FIG. 3, but showing a variant form of the connector which includes a downwardly extending post;

FIG. 11 is a bottom, perspective view of the connectors shown in FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view showing a surface mounted connector of the type shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 just prior to mounting on a printed circuit board which includes a through opening for the post of the connector;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a rolled strip of connectors of the type illustrated in FIG. 1, illustrating the orientations of the connectors helically wound on a reel and an interleaf or spacer member for separating adjacent layers of the helical winding;

FIG. 14 is an enlarged perspective view of a section of the spacer member used in the rolled strip shown in FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 is a front elevational view of a further embodiment of a surface mounted connector in accordance with the present invention in the nature of a fuse holder;

FIG. 16 is a top plan view of a pair of fuse holders of the type shown in FIG. 15, illustrating how the connectors are joined to each other in a strip and illustrating holes formed in the bases of the connectors to enhance capillary action during soldering on a printed circuit board;

FIG. 17 is a fragmented view, in perspective, of the surface mount tabs in accordance with the present invention illustrating the manner in which such tabs are fed to a pick-and place machine or surface mount equipment for application of successive tabs to a printed circuit board;

FIG. 18 is an enlarged front elevation view of the tab shown in FIG. 17 and a portion of the feeder, partially in cross-section, taken along line 18-18 in FIG. 17, which advances the tabs to the pick up station of surface mount equipment;

FIG. 19 is a top plan view of the surface mount tabs shown in FIG. 18, illustrating the portion of the feeder which both holds and severs the tabs from the continuous strip;

FIG. 20 is similar to FIG. 18, illustrating that portion of the cycle of the machine in which the punch holds the strip in FIG. 18 severs the connecting strip to allow the downstream tab to be engaged by a vacuum nozzle of the pick-and-place machine; and

FIG. 21 is a perspective view of a spool of surface mounted pins in accordance with the prior art wherein individual pins are contained within pocket carriers serially mounted on a tape helically wound on a reel.

Referring now specifically to the Figures, in which identical or similar parts are designated by the same reference numerals throughout, and first referring to FIG. 1, an electrical connector or contact suitable for mounting on the surface of a printed circuit board (PCB) is generally designated by the reference numeral 10.

The connector 10 includes a base 12 which defines a plane and has a generally flat surface suitable for contact with and attachment to a flat conductive surface of a printed circuit board frequently referred to as a "land" or "pad". An electrical contact pin 14 has at least one portion projecting from the base 12 in a direction substantially normal to the plane defined by the base. At least one bent intermediate connecting portion integrally connects the contact 14 to the base 12. In the construction shown in FIG. 1, two intermediate bent connecting portions 16a and 16b respectively connect the first contact portion 14a to a first base portion 12a and a second contact portion 14b to a second base portion 12b.

The uppermost ends of the first and second contact portions 14a, 14b, which are juxtaposed to each other as indicated, are joined to each other by an integral bent bridging portion 14c. The juxtaposition of the contact portions 14a, 14b as shown creates a narrow gap or space 14d which permits the surface mounted pin design to take advantage of capillary action during solder reflow. At least one of the two thin strips of 14a, 14b are plated and when the base 12 of the pin terminal is exposed to melted solder paste, the capillary attraction makes the liquid solder rise up inside the gap 14d to solder the two halves 14a, 14d together forming a solid pin that can be used either as a contact pin or test point. The designs of other surface mounted connectors in accordance with the invention that promote capillary action and the advantages thereof will be discussed below.

An important feature of the present invention is that the electrical contact, such as the contact pin 14 in FIG. 1, including the base 12 and the intermediate connecting portions 16a, 16b, is formed of a generally flat sheet of conductive material, as will now be discussed in connection with FIG. 2. Such construction allows for the economical manufacture of the surface mount electrical connectors and, equally importantly, it allows the connectors to be produced in elongate strips, as will be discussed hereafter, which facilitates the accurate positioning of the electrical connectors in pick-and-place equipment and to make such connectors viable and practical to use with such equipment.

Referring to FIG. 2, a blank 19 is illustrated from which the connector 10 of FIG. 1 is made. The blank 19 is preferably for a plurality of series connected surface mounted connectors, as shown, which is formed as a stamping from an elongated strip of a flat sheet of electrically conducted material which includes like blank portions successively stamped along the strip as shown. Only the center blank 19a is shown in solid outline, a downstream immediately adjacent blank 19b and an upstream adjacent blank 19c being illustrated in phantom outline. All the blanks are similarly constructed and joined to each other by a frangible connecting tab strip or carrier 18 which connect adjacent blanks to each other. Each blank generally includes a base suitable for attachment to an associated surface of a printed circuit board, a contact and at least one intermediate connecting portion integrally connecting the contact to the base, as aforementioned in connection with FIG. 1. In connection with the specific blank shown in FIG. 2, utilized to produce the contact pin 14 of FIG. 1, the first base portion 12a is shown to include a generally U-shaped member having two parallel segments 12c on opposite sides of the contact portion 14a, and each having inwardly projecting protuberances 12d as shown. The two parallel segments 12c are joined to a transverse segment 12e, which is also joined, at its center, with the contact portion 14a by means of the intermediate connecting portion 16a. The bridging portion 14c is shown as a narrowed or necked down portion between the first and second contact portions 14a, 14b. At the upper or free ends of the contact portions, as viewed in FIG. 2, the second base portion 12b is provided as an outwardly tapered portion provided with opposing or lateral indentations 12f. As is clear from FIG. 1, the dimensions of the second base portion 12b are selected so as to be received within and substantially fill the area between the segments 12c when the base portions 12a, 12b are all moved into a common plane of the base 12.

Once the blanks have been formed, as shown in FIG. 2, the surface mounted connector 10 is formed by deforming the blank so as to impart an approximately 90.degree. bend in the first intermediate connecting portion 16a, thereby moving the first base portion 12 into a plane substantially normal to the first contact portion 14a. The second contact portion 14b is then bent 180.degree. in relation to the first contact portion 14a about the bridging portion 14c so as to bring the contact portions 14a and 14b into juxtaposed position as shown in FIG. 1. Finally, the second base portion 12b is moved into the plane of the first base portion 12a by imparting a bend of 90.degree. to the second intermediate connecting portion 16b, and positioning the protuberances 12d into the indentations of 12f as shown in FIG. 1. Other surface mounted connectors can be formed by the steps of forming a blank as described or by slightly modified steps as will be from the description that follows to those skilled in the art to apply the present invention to numerous other surface mounted connector designs.

It will be appreciated that the combination of protuberances 12d and indentations 12f provide a locking mechanism which prevents the first and second base portions 12a, 12b and first and second contact portion 14a, 14b from separating, particularly prior to assembly or mounting on a printed circuit board. The design maintains the integrity of the contact pin or test point in its desired configuration during processing in the pick and place equipment, including severing a connector from the strip, gripping the connector at the pick up point, and placing the connector on a land on the printed circuit board to which it is to be soldered. Therefore, even though the connector is stamped from flexible sheet material, which exhibits some resiliency or "memory," the connector enjoys the advantages of a solid pin. Of course, after the connector 10 has been soldered to a printed circuit board, the contact portions 14a, 14b effectively become a solid pin by virtue of the capillary action of the solder which flows into and fills the gap or space 14d.

The flat base 12 of the embodiments of FIGS. 1 and 2 is preferably square in configuration, to conform to lands or pads on printed circuit boards which frequently are also square. However, this is not a critical feature of the present invention and it should be clear that the area defined by the flat base 12 can be any desired or selected area by selecting by appropriate dimensions for the various base portions which have been described. Also, with the base configuration shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, it will be appreciated that with exception of the central area, the flat base 12 presents a substantially solid surface for providing significant contact and adhesion to a land or pad on the printed circuit board. However, there are provided at least some open regions S in the center of the base. As suggested above, the solder will, by capillary action, rise into the open spaces "S" and into the pin 14 and, therefore, also provide adhesion to the printed circuit board in that central region. Preferably, in all the designs utilizing the present invention, the bases of the connectors exhibit substantial solid metal surfaces provided with openings or apertures S that are relatively small to take full advantage or benefit from capillary action, so that the connectors can be drawn to and attached to the printed circuit board when the solder reflows into the spaces S. This generally occurs with minimum float or lateral shifting because the rising of the reflowing solder draws the base towards the surface of the PCB with an effect not unlike a suction-cup effect. This is important because the pick-and-place equipment provides the greatest precision in the surface mounting process and the undesired shifting of components during reflow of the solder may misalign a component after accurately placed by the machine. The flow of solder into spaces S of the bases or into the space or gap 14d of the contact pin 14 (FIG. 1), which effectively "absorb excess solder, to draw the bases to the PCB surfaces, has the additional advantage of rendering tolerances of the base and PCB land or pad dimensions less critical.

The spaces S (or gap 14d) should have dimensions that will provide capillary action, as aforementioned. Such dimensions will depend on numerous factors, including the nature of the solder paste, how clean and large the board and/or the contact surface area is, how level the board is, etc. Numerous technical papers have been written about the properties of solder that deal with the related topics of surface tension, wetting angles and capillary action. See, for example, "University Physics," Sears and Zemansky, 2nd Edition, Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, Inc., 1957, pages 231-235; "Testing SMDs for Solderability," B. M. Allen, "Surface Mount Technology" October 1988, pps 17-18; "The Assessment of the Solderability of Surface Mounted Devices Using the Wetting Balance", Yoshida et al, International Tin Research Institute Report. Those skilled in the art can, knowing all the relevant factors, determine what those dimensions should be. The number of spaces S, their dimensions, and/or their arrangement is not critical as long as they provide the desired capillary action.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, another embodiment in accordance with the invention is shown in the form of a contact pin 20. The contact pin 20 includes an upper contact member 20a which is advantageously provided with a beveled upper or free end 20b to facilitate insertion into a female contact receptacle. The base 22, as with the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, is generally U-shaped and includes parallel spaced portions 22a, 22b, transverse portion 22c and solder absorbing space S as shown. The upper contact member 20a, in the region of the base 22, flares out or widens to the width of the base 22 as shown and defines a plurality of depending portions which are substantially co-planer with the central contact member 20a. In FIGS. 3 and 4, the enlarged shoulder 20c includes first and second side depending portions 20d, 20e and a center depending portion 20f. A separate bent intermediate connecting portion connects each of the depending portions with an associated base portion. Thus, the first side depending portion 20d is connected to the base portion 22a by connecting portion 24a, which includes first and second bent portions 24c, 24d. Similarly, connecting portion 24b connects the side depending portion 20e to the base portion 22b. In order to maximize the area or contact surface of the base with the printed circuit board and provide a solder-receiving space S, the center base portion 22d, which is an extension of the center depending portion 20f, joined at the bent portion 24e. Bent portions 24c and 24e are bent 90.degree., while bent portions 24d are bent 180.degree. as shown. As with the contact pin 14, the bases are joined to each other by means of connecting or carrier tabs 18 which are selectively severed when the connector at the downstream end of the strip is about to be picked up by the mounting equipment, as suggested by the vacuum pick up nozzle N in FIG. 3.

In FIG. 5, a pin generally similar to that shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 is illustrated, except that only two base portions are provided. Thus, the enlarged shoulder portion 20c is configured as shown in order to provide a first depending portion 20g and second depending portion 20h. While the connecting portions 24a are both arranged on the same side of the contact pin 20 in FIG. 3, the connecting portions 24a are arranged on opposite sides of the contact pin 20a in FIG. 5. Thus, only two base portions 22e and 22f are provided, each respectively joined to one of the two depending portions and joined thereto by means of bent portions 24d and 24e which are respectively bent 180.degree. and 90.degree. as with the connecting portions in FIG. 3.

With the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the total width of the two depending portions 20g and 20h are less than the width of the enlarged shoulder portion 20c to provide lateral connecting tabs or carrier strips 18', so that adjacent connectors are severed by severing them at the shoulder portions instead of at the bases as is the case with the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1-4. It should be clear, therefore, that the specific locations of the connecting tabs or carrier strips is not critical for purposes of the present invention, and the specific locations of the carrier strips or connecting tabs will least to some extent be a function of the pick and place equipment and, in particular, the design of the feeder used to feed the connectors to the pick and place equipment.

In FIG. 6, a still further contact pin design is illustrated which is similar in certain respects to the pins shown in FIGS. 3-5. However, in FIG. 6, the base 26 is formed of a solid portion of the strip and defines a pair of opposing sides (at the bent portions 28a, 28b). The contact pin 20 is positioned generally centrally of the rectangular area defined by the base 26. One bent intermediate connecting portion 26a extends from one side of the base 26, as shown, to the contact pin 20 and another intermediate connecting portion 26b extends from the other side of the base to a point proximate to the contact pin 20. A tab or collar 30 is provided which is crimped about the contact pin 20 as shown. In this manner, the intermediate connecting portions 26a, 26b stabilize the position of the contact pin 20. Also in FIG. 6, the bases 26 are shown to include a pair of spaced connecting tabs or carrier strips 18a, 18b, although, clearly, one or more such carrier strips can be provided depending on the equipment to be used and the manner in which the tabs are to be fed to the pick and place equipment. Shown in fanthom are optional holes S in the base 26 to absorb solder during reflow, for reasons discussed above.

The present invention is not limited to generally elongate contact pins, posts or test points of the type described in FIGS. 1-6. FIG. 7 illustrates an embodiment of the invention in which the contact is in the form of an insulation displacement connector (IDC) 32 connected to the solid base 26 by means of intermediate bent connecting portion 32a. The construction of the IDC portion 32 is well known to those skilled in the art. Similarly, in FIG. 8, another type of surface mounted connector is illustrated in the form of a female tab receptacle 36 which includes first and second resilient prongs 36a, 36b spaced from each other as shown to provide a flat tab receiving space 36c. The prongs 36a and 36b are joined to the base 34, as best shown in FIG. 9. The base 34 is I-shaped and includes transverse base portions 34a, 34b and a center base portion 34c. Each of the prongs 36a, 36b are joined to the center base portion 34c, each of the transverse base portions 34a, 34b carrying two connecting tabs or carrier strips 18a, 18b, as shown.

Referring to FIGS. 10-12, a variant of the surface mounted connector in the form of a contact pin is illustrated which is similar in construction to the pin connector shown in FIG. 3. However, instead of the center depending portion 20f being bent as shown in FIG. 3 to provide a center base portion 22d, the center dependent portion 20f extends straight downwardly co-extensively with the contact pin 20 to form a downwardly extending post 20f' which can be received within a through opening 38 formed in a conductive land or pad of a printed circuit board 42, as shown in FIG. 12. The post or anchor pin protrudes downwardly from the flat mounting base. The solder pads 40 of the PCB must have a hole in the center 38 as shown. When the terminal or connector is placed on the side of the paste covered solder pad the anchor post 20f' enters into the hole or opening 38 and limits the terminal from floating while the solder is reflowed. In most cases, undesired floating is almost totally eliminated as a result of the absorption of solder into spaces S by capillary action as described above.

In FIG. 13, a rolled strip of series-connected surface mounted connectors for automated mounting on a surface of a printed circuit board is illustrated and generally designated by the reference numeral 44. The spool or reel 44 includes a rotatable support member 45 which has an axis of rotation 46. As shown, the surface mounted connectors 48 are oriented so that the directions of the contacts 49 are substantially parallel to the axis of rotation 46 while the bases of the individual connectors are substantially arranged in a common or in parallel planes. The frangible connecting means in the form of connecting tabs or carrier strips are sufficiently flexible without breaking to allow the connectors 48 to be arranged along circular arcs when helically wound about the support member 45.

Since the radial dimensions of the elongate contact pins (when wound on the spool or reel 44) are generally less than those of the bases of such connectors, it is preferred that a suitable spacer element be provided which is interleafed with the continuous helically wound strip of connectors for maintaining the electrical contacts in the desired parallel orientations as shown. Referring to FIG. 14, there is shown one form of spacer that can be used for maintaining the contacts 49 in adjacent layers spaced from each other at a distance to define a spiral connector-receiving space which has a radial dimension substantially equal to the radial dimension of the bases of the connectors. A suitably dimensioned spiral connector receiving space minimizes contact interference between the bases in adjacent layers. The illustrated spacer includes a continuous flat strip of flexible material 50a, and an undulating wave-like or corrugated strip of material 50b which is attached to the flat strip of material 50a as shown. The wave-like strip of material 50b has a peak-to-peak distance 50c along the length of the flat strip 50a which substantially corresponds to the distance between successive contacts 48 on the strip, and a peak-to-peak height 50d along a radial direction normal to the longitudinal direction of the flat strip which is subtantially equal to the difference between the radial dimension of the bases and the dimension of the contacts 49 in the radial direction when helically wound on the rotatable support member 45. The spacer 50 normally secures the contacts on the reel. By unwinding the spacer during use, a section of the continuous strip can be unwound and fed to a pick and place machine. A spool or reel of the type shown in FIG. 13 can be mounted on a feeder of the type shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,449,265 U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 08/395,822 and assigned to the assignee of the present application. The specific construction of the spacer 50 is not critical and, in theory, the continuous strip of surface mounted connectors can be helically wound without the use of a spacer or simply separated by a continuous strip of flat sheet material. However, the use of the spacer maintains the desired orientations of the connectors 48 and prevents the connecting tabs or carrier strips from becoming damaged or severed.

In FIG. 15 and 16 a further embodiment is illustrated which incorporates the invention and is in the form of a fuse holder 60. The fuse holder 60 has a base 62 similar to the base shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. Spring clips 60a, 60b extend normally from the base and integrally joined thereto at bent portions 64a, 64b as shown. As with the other surface connectors, the bases are preferably provided with apertures or opening S for receiving solder by capillary action. Some solder will also enter the spaces S' in the regions of the bent portions 64a, 64b.

Referring to FIG. 17, a strip of surface mount tabs (quick disconnect contacts) are generally designated by the reference numeral 100. The continuous tab strip 100 of surface mount tabs is shown guided through a feeder 102 which includes a platform 104 which supports the continuous strip, and includes a guide ledge 106 which maintains the tab strip 100 in the desired feeding position of the strip. In the downstream region of the feeder 102 there is provided a retainer/shear punch 108 proximate to the vacuum pick-up nozzle N as shown. Feed fingers 110, 112 engage selected surfaces or edges of the individual tabs as the tab strip 100 advances towards the retainer/shear punch 108 to advance and prevent rearward movements of the strip so that only forward, intermittent movements are permitted. As is more fully described in co pending U.S. Pat. No. 5,449,265 U.S. patent application Nos. 08/395,822, the retainer/shear punch 108 is actuated by a punch pin 118 which is movable within a slot 120 by a shear arm 114 pivotally mounted on a pivot pin 116. The specifice operation of the feeder is more fully described in the aforementioned copending Patent Applications.

Referring to FIGS. 18 and 19 details of the surface mount tabs 100a are illustrated, in the environment of the feeder 102 on which the strip may be prepared for use by a pick and place machine. Each tab 100a includes a base 100b defining a plane and having a generally flat surface suitable for contact with and attachment to an associated flat conductive surface, land or pad on a printed circuit board (PCB). The contact is in a form of a tab (quick disconnect contact) which has at least one flat blade portion 100d projecting from the base 100b in a direction substantially normal to the plane defined by the base as shown. At least one bent intermediate connecting portion connects the flat blade portion 100d to the base 100b. The contact, base and the intermediate connecting portion are all formed from a generally flat sheet of conductive material.

As best shown in FIG. 19, the base 100b of the surface mount tab is formed of three individual base portions, two base portions 100b" of which are spaced from each other and positioned on one planar side of the flat blade portion 100d, and a base portion 100b' which is situated on the other planar side of the flat blade portion 100d, the spacing between the base portions 100b' being substantially equal to the width of the base portion 100b". Adjacent tabs 100a are connected at their base portions 100b' by means of a connecting strip 100c.

As best shown in FIG. 18, the flat blade portion 100d forms a free upper edge 100e remote from the base 100b and is preferably chamfered as shown to facilitate insertion of a flat blade portion into the appropriate mating contact.

An important feature of the invention is the provision, at the free upper edge 100e, of a pair of spaced slots 100f, 100g which are substantially normal to the base 100b to form. a generally central pick-up-post 100h. The pick-up-post 100h is dimentioned to be received within a vacuum nozzle N of surface mounting equipment.

While not critical, the width of the slots 100f, 100g is preferably equal to the width of the pick-up-post 100h. In order to provide maximum suction pick-up force the pick-up-post 100h is preferably made relatively small and, as shown, preferably substantially less than the width of the flat blade portion 100d. Preferably, the ratio of the width of the pick-up-post 100h to the width of the flat blade portion 100d is no greater than 0.35. However, greater ratios may be used to practice the invention, although with less effectiveness. The reason for this is that for a flat blade portion 100d of a given thickness, the wider the pick-up-post 100h the larger the diameter that the pick-up nozzle N must be. Such increases in the diameter of the pick-up nozzle produces increasingly greater spaces on each side of the pick-up-post 100h, thereby effectively increasing air intake and reducing the forces generated by the vacuum. Ideally, therefore, the thickness of the flat blade portion 100d is substantially equal to the width of the pick-up-post 100h to provide a pick-up-post of generally rectangular cross-section. Such configuration most optimally fills a cylindrical lumen L within the pick-up nozzle N. Thus, with the vacuum pick-up nozzle N in FIG. 18 having a central lumen L having a substantially uniform circular cross section of diameter D and a tubular wall having a pre-determined wall thickness t, the spaced slots 100f, 100g preferably have widths substantially corresponding to the predetermined wall thickness t and the width of the pick-up post 100h preferably has a dimension substantially corresponding to the diameter D of the lumen L.

By bending the base portions 100b' to one side of the flat blade portion 100d and the base portion 100b" to the other side, it will be clear that such base portions stabilize the flat blade portion, as more fully described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,688,866, assigned to the assignee of the present invention.

In FIG. 18, that portion of the cycle is shown in which the actuating or shear arm 114 maintains the punch pin 118 at the upper end of the slot 120. Such position of the shear arm 114 may be provided by a suitable biasing spring, as is more fully discussed in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 395,822. During this part of the cycle, the connecting tab or strip 100c is received within a suitable slot at the base of the shearing punch 108a. Normally the shearing punch 108a provides a force on the connecting tab or strip 100c to secure the continuous strip of connectors until the pick-and-place machine is about to pick up the downstream or end tab 100a. At such time, an appropriate force is applied to the shear arm 114 to cause the punch pin 118 to travel to the lower end of the slot 120, as is shown in FIG. 20. The downward travel of the pin 118 urges the shearing punch 108 to travel downwardly, at which time the shearing post 108a shears the connecting tab or strip 100c at edges 100c40 , 100c" (FIG. 19). The resulting severed tab 100c is released through opening 124 in the platform 104 which releases the tab within a channel or passageway 122 which is connected to a source of vacuum that draws the severed connecting tab 100c, as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 20, to a suitable collecting container (not shown). The connecting strip 100c having been severed, the downstream tab 100a is now free to be picked up by the nozzle N, which receives the pick-up-post 100h within the lumen L. As the tab 100a is lifted, it is guided along the guide 108b which fits between the spaced base portions 100b'.

As indicated, one of the important features of the terminal is the provision of the pick-up-post 100h at the center of the terminal 100a. The size of the pick-up-post is smaller than the inside diameter of the vacuum nozzle and the clearance around the post is somewhat bigger than the outside diameter of the vacuum pick-up nozzle of the surface mount component placement system. This post makes it possible to pick up the terminal from the feeder with a standard vacuum pick-up nozzle. Also, by standardizing the dimensions of pick up posts, a single vacuum pick-up nozzle can be used to pick up a wide assortment of contact sizes and shapes.

The central location of the pick-up post 100h on the surface mount tab 100a helps to centralize the part in the pick-up nozzle N. Mechanical or optical component centering systems which form part of most standard component placement machines, can be used for this purpose.

The vacuum nozzle N will, after it picks up the terminal 100a as shown in FIG. 20, will place the tab in the precise location on a solder paste covered PCB pad (not shown). Once the solder paste reflows, the surface mount components have a tendency to float on the top of the melted solder. This makes precise locational tolerance after reflow impossible. Another feature of the surface mount tab is that it exhibits capillary action. In the fellow oven when the solder paste turns into liquid solder, the capillary of the terminal sucks up part of the liquid solder and, at the same time, pulls down the terminal into the solder so that the terminal makes direct contact with the solder pad. If the size of the solder pad and the thickness of the solder paste are chosen correctly, the terminal which exhibits capillary action will not float on the melted solder and the terminal's after-reflow location is exactly the same as the terminal's location before the solder paste reflow. The capillary action is provided by the two shear lines between the three mounting base portions 100b', 100b".

An additional benefit of the capillary action is increased solder joint integrity. Since part of the melted solder is sucked up in capillary, the remaining solder between the terminal and the PCB solder pad is much thinner than the solder thickness on a conventional solder joint. Since the solder alloy has very low yields strength a larger amount of solder can withstand less normal forces. A thin layer of solder is more like a thin layer of adhesive and the bonding has resemblance to an adhesive joint. Testing shows that the terminal which exhibits capillary action can withstand much larger normal forces than identical terminals without capillary action. This is very important because there is no other mechanical means to fasten the terminal to the PCB board. In the case of a 1/4" tab the mating forces can be as high as 18 pounds and, in addition, there could be substantial bending moments on the terminal.

Although the present invention has fully been described in connection with the preferred embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be noted that various changes and modifications are apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications are to be understood as included within the scope of the present invention as defined in the claims that follow.