Press-fit circuit board connector

0001The subject matter herein relates generally to circuit board connectors.

0002Electrical connectors provide communicative interfaces between electrical components where power and/or signals may be transmitted therethrough. For example, the electrical connectors may be used within telecommunication equipment, servers, and data storage or transport devices. Typically, electrical connectors are used in environments, such as in offices or homes, where the connectors are not subjected to constant shock, vibration, and/or extreme temperatures. However, in some applications, such as aerospace or military equipment, the electrical connector must be configured to withstand certain environmental conditions and still effectively transmit power and/or data signals.

0003In some applications, electrical connectors are terminated to circuit boards. The electrical connectors have solder tails that are soldered to the circuit board. Terminating the electrical connectors to the circuit board may be a time consuming and expensive process. For example, the electrical connector must be positioned relative to the circuit board and then the assembly is further processed to solder the solder tails to the circuit board. Furthermore, the circuit board interface may require that the contacts be arranged at a different pattern than the mating interface. For example, the circuit board may require particular spacing between the circuits for routing of the circuits.

0004Accordingly, the problem to be solved is a need for an electrical connector that offers alternative mounting to the circuit board to establish an electrical connection.

0005The solution is provided by a press-fit circuit board connector including a housing having a mating end and a mounting end. The housing has a contact holder including a plurality of contact channels. Contacts are received in corresponding contact channels. Each contact has a mating pin and a mounting pin opposite the mating pin. The mating pin is compliant and configured for compliant mating with a corresponding socket contact of a mating connector. The mounting pin is compliant and configured for press-fit mechanical and electrical connection to a circuit board. The mating pins of the contacts are arranged at the mating end to define a pin mating interface having a first pattern and the mounting pins of the contacts are arranged at the mounting end to define a pin mounting interface having a second pattern different than the first pattern.

0006The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: <ul id="ul0001" list-style="none"><li><figref idref="f0001">Figure 1</figref> is a perspective view of a press-fit circuit board connector formed in accordance with an exemplary embodiment.</li><li><figref idref="f0001">Figure 2</figref> is a top view of the circuit board connector.</li><li><figref idref="f0002">Figure 3</figref> is a rear perspective view of the circuit board connector showing compliant pins configured to be press-fitted to a circuit board.</li><li><figref idref="f0002">Figure 4</figref> is a side view of the circuit board connector poised for mounting to the circuit board.</li><li><figref idref="f0003">Figure 5</figref> is a rear perspective view of a portion of the circuit board connector in accordance with an exemplary embodiment.</li><li><figref idref="f0003">Figure 6</figref> is a front perspective view of a portion of the circuit board connector in accordance with an exemplary embodiment.</li><li><figref idref="f0003">Figure 7</figref> is a side view of the circuit board connector in accordance with an exemplary embodiment.</li><li><figref idref="f0004">Figure 8</figref> is a cross-sectional view of the circuit board connector in accordance with an exemplary embodiment.</li><li><figref idref="f0004">Figure 9</figref> is a cross-sectional view of the circuit board connector in accordance with an exemplary embodiment.</li><li><figref idref="f0004">Figure 10</figref> shows an exemplary pin mating interface of the circuit board connector.</li><li><figref idref="f0004">Figure 11</figref> shows an exemplary pin mounting interface of the circuit board connector.</li><li><figref idref="f0005">Figure 12</figref> is an exploded, rear perspective view of the circuit board connector in accordance with an exemplary embodiment.</li><li><figref idref="f0005">Figure 13</figref> is a rear perspective view of the circuit board connector in accordance with an exemplary embodiment.</li><li><figref idref="f0006">Figure 14</figref> is an exploded, front perspective view of the circuit board connector in accordance with an exemplary embodiment.</li><li><figref idref="f0006">Figure 15</figref> is a perspective view of a contact of the circuit board connector formed in accordance with an exemplary embodiment.</li><li><figref idref="f0006">Figure 16</figref> is a perspective view of a contact of the circuit board connector formed in accordance with an exemplary embodiment.</li><li><figref idref="f0007">Figure 17</figref> is a perspective view of a contact of the circuit board connector formed in accordance with an exemplary embodiment.</li><li><figref idref="f0007">Figure 18</figref> is a side view of the contact shown in <figref idref="f0007">Figure 17</figref> in a pre-formed state.</li></ul>

0007In one embodiment, a press-fit circuit board connector is provided including a housing having a mating end and a mounting end. The housing has a contact holder including a plurality of contact channels. Contacts are received in corresponding contact channels. Each contact has a mating pin and a mounting pin opposite the mating pin. The mating pin is compliant and configured for compliant mating with a corresponding socket contact of a mating connector. The mounting pin is compliant and configured for press-fit mechanical and electrical connection to a circuit board. The mating pins of the contacts are arranged at the mating end to define a pin mating interface having a first pattern and the mounting pins of the contacts are arranged at the mounting end to define a pin mounting interface having a second pattern different than the first pattern.

0008In another embodiment, a press-fit circuit board connector is provided including a housing having a mating end and a mounting end. The housing has a contact holder including a plurality of contact channels. Contacts are received in corresponding contact channels. Each contact has a mating terminal and a mounting terminal discrete from the corresponding mating terminal and mechanically and electrically connected to the corresponding mating terminal. The mating terminal extends between a front and a rear and has a mating pin at the front. The mounting terminal extends between a front and a rear and has a mounting pin at the rear. The front of the mounting terminal is terminated to the rear of the mating terminal. The mating pin is compliant and configured for compliant mating with a corresponding socket contact of a mating connector. The mounting pin is compliant and configured for press-fit mechanical and electrical connection to a circuit board.

0009In a further embodiment, a press-fit circuit board connector is provided including a housing having a mating end and a mounting end. The housing has a contact holder including a plurality of contact channels. Contacts are received in corresponding contact channels. Each contact has a mating pin and a mounting pin opposite the mating pin. The mating pin is stamped and formed into a barrel-shape from a sheet having a first thickness. The barrel-shaped mating pin is compliant and configured for compliant mating with a corresponding socket contact of a mating connector. The mounting pin is stamped and formed into an eye-of-the-needle shape. The mounting pin has a second thickness thicker than the first thickness. The mounting pin is compliant and configured for press-fit mechanical and electrical connection to a circuit board.

0010<figref idref="f0001">Figure 1</figref> is a perspective view of a press-fit circuit board connector 100 formed in accordance with an exemplary embodiment mounted to a circuit board 102. <figref idref="f0001">Figure 2</figref> is a top view of the circuit board connector 100. <figref idref="f0002">Figure 3</figref> is a rear perspective view of the circuit board connector 100 showing compliant pins configured to be press-fit to the circuit board 102. <figref idref="f0002">Figure 4</figref> is a side view of the circuit board connector 100 poised for mounting to the circuit board 102 showing the compliant pins for press-fit mounting the circuit board connector 100 to the circuit board 102.

0011The circuit board connector 100 includes a housing 104 having a mating end 106 and a mounting end 108 opposite the mating end 106. The mating end 106 is configured for mating with a mating connector. The mounting end 108 is configured for mounting to the circuit board 102. In an exemplary embodiment, the circuit board connector 100 defines a vertical board-to-board connector configured to mate with the corresponding mating connector between two circuit boards that are oriented parallel to each other; however other types of connectors may be used in alternative embodiments, such as a right-angle connector. In the illustrated embodiment, the mating end 106 defines a plug configured to be mated with a receptacle connector; however, the mating end 106 may define a receptacle in alternative embodiments.

0012The housing 104 has a contact holder 110 holding a plurality of contacts 112 (<figref idref="f0001">Figure 2</figref>). The contact holder 110 includes a plurality of contact channels 114 receiving corresponding contacts 112. In the illustrated embodiment, at the mating end 106 (<figref idref="f0001">Figure 2</figref>), the contact channels 114 are cylindrical openings with the contacts 112 arranged therein. The contact channels 114 may receive corresponding mating contacts of the mating connector at the mating end 106. The contact channels 114, at the mounting end 108 (<figref idref="f0002">Figure 3</figref>), may be slots or grooves formed in the contact holder 110 that hold the press-fit pin portions of the contacts 112 at the mounting end 108 for press-fit mounting to the circuit board 102.

0013The contacts 112 each have a mating pin 116 (<figref idref="f0001">Figure 2</figref>) and a mounting pin 118 (<figref idref="f0002">Figure 3</figref>) opposite the mating pin 116. Optionally, the contacts 112 may be single piece contacts wherein the mating pin 116 and the mounting pin 118 are stamped and formed from the same sheet of material. Alternatively, the contacts 112 may be multi-piece contacts, such as two piece contacts where the mating pin 116 and the mounting pin 118 are discrete from each other, manufactured from different sheets of material, that are mechanically and electrically connected together within the housing 104. For example, the two pieces may be press-fit together for mechanically and electrically connecting together. In other various embodiments, the two pieces may be soldered, welded or otherwise mechanically and electrically connected. In embodiments having multiple pieces for the pins 116, 118, the mating pin 116 and the mounting pin 118 may be manufactured from different sheets of material having different thicknesses.

0014In an exemplary embodiment, the mounting pins 118 are compliant and configured for press-fit mechanical and electrical connection to the circuit board 102. For example, the mounting pins 118 may be eye-of-the-needle pins. In an exemplary embodiment, the mating pins 116 are compliant and configured for compliant mating with corresponding mating contacts of the mating connector, such as socket contacts of the receptacle connector. In other various embodiments, the mating pins 118 may be configured to receive mating contacts. For example, the mating pins 118 may be female pins having sockets at the mating end to receive other male pins of the mating connector.

0015In an exemplary embodiment, the mating pins 116 are arranged at the mating end 106 to define a pin mating interface 120 having a first pattern and the mounting pins 118 are arranged at the mounting end 108 to define a pin mounting interface 122 having a second pattern different than the first pattern. For example, the mounting pins 118 at the pin mounting interface 122 have a pattern that is more spread out than the mating pins 116 at the pin mating interface 120. For example, the mounting pins 118 may be spread out to fit on the circuit board 102. Space may be needed on the circuit board 102 for plated through holes and/or for routing traces. The pin mating interface 120 may be designed to meet a particular standard, such as MIL-DTL-83513, or other standards, for intermateability, interchangeability and performance of a particular connector series. For example, in an exemplary embodiment, the circuit board connector 100 is a micro-D connector. In the illustrated embodiment, the mating pins 116 at the pin mating interface 120 are arranged in first and second rows, whereas the mounting pins 118 at the pin mounting interface 122 are arranged in more than two rows, such as third, fourth, fifth and sixth rows, allowing the mounting pins 118 to have a larger center line spacing between adjacent mounting pins 118 as compared to the center line spacing of the mating pins 116. Optionally, the mounting pins 118 at the pin mounting interface 122 are arranged in triangular groups with mounting pins 118 in the third and fourth rows forming triangular groups and with mounting pins 118 in the fifth and sixth rows defining triangular groups. In other various embodiments, the pin mating interface 120 may have more than two rows, such as four rows and the pin mounting interface 122 may have more than four rows, such as six rows. In other various embodiments, the mating and mounting interfaces 120, 122 may have the same pattern and/or spacing of pins, such as a 1.27 mm (0.05 inch) triangular grid at both ends.

0016Optionally, the housing 104 and/or the contact holder 110 may be multi-piece structures. For example, the housing 104 may include a front shell 130 and a rear holder 132. The rear holder 132 may form part of the contact holder 110. The front shell 130 holds an insulator 134 forming part of the contact holder 110. Optionally, the front shell 130 may be metal and the insulator 134 may be plastic. Optionally, the rear holder 132 may be plastic or another dielectric material. The rear holder 132 may be metal and may hold an insulator therein, similar to the insulator 134. The front shell 130 may be secured to the rear holder 132 using adhesive, epoxy, mechanical fasteners, or other means. Providing multi-piece structures allows for different types of assembly of the circuit board connector 100, such as the use of multi-piece contacts 112.

0017In an exemplary embodiment, the contacts 112 are multi-piece contacts including a mating terminal 126 at the mating end 106 and a mounting terminal 128 at the mounting end 108. The mating terminal 126 defines the mating pin 116. The mounting terminal 128 defines the mounting pin 118. The mounting terminals 128 are discrete from the mating terminals 126 and are mechanically and electrically connected to the corresponding mating terminals 126 within the housing 104.

0018<figref idref="f0003">Figure 5</figref> is a rear perspective view of a portion of the circuit board connector 100 showing the front shell 130, the insulator 134 and the mating terminals 126. The insulator 134 is received in the front shell 130. The insulator 134 includes the contact channels 114 and holds the mating terminals 126 in corresponding contact channels 114. Each mating terminal 126 includes a barrel-shaped base 140 at a rear 142 of the mating terminal 126. The rear 142 is opposite the mating pin 116 (shown in <figref idref="f0001">Figure 2</figref>). The base 140 is configured to receive a portion of the mounting terminal 128 (shown in <figref idref="f0002">Figure 3</figref>). In an exemplary embodiment, the mating terminals 126 are stamped and formed into the barrel shape. The mating terminals 126 include a seam 144 extending the length of the mating terminals 126 between the rear 142 and the front opposite the rear 142. For example, the mating terminal 126 may be stamped and formed into the barrel shape from a sheet of material having a first thickness. The thickness of the mating terminal 126 may be different than the thickness of the mounting terminal 128.

0019The front shell 130 extends between a front 150 and a rear 152. The front shell 130 includes a flange 154 between the front 150 and the rear 152. The flange 154 may have mounting openings for securing the front shell 130 to the rear holder 132 (shown in <figref idref="f0001">Figure 1</figref>) and/or the circuit board 102 (shown in <figref idref="f0001">Figure 1</figref>). The front shell 130 includes a tongue 156 extending forward of the flange 154. The tongue 156 extends to the front 150 and defines the mating end 106 of the housing 104. The front shell 130 includes a rim 158 extending from the flange 154 to the rear 152. The rim 158 surrounds a cavity 160. The insulator 134 is received in the cavity 160. The rim 158 is configured to be coupled to the rear holder 132 (shown in <figref idref="f0001">Figure 1</figref>). In an exemplary embodiment, the mating terminals 126 may be pre-assembled into the insulator 134 prior to coupling the front shell 130 to the rear holder 132.

0020<figref idref="f0003">Figure 6</figref> is a front perspective view of the rear holder 132 in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. The rear holder 132 extends between a front 170 and a rear 172. The rear holder 132 includes a cavity 174 configured to receive a portion of the front shell 130. For example, the cavity 174 may be sized and shaped to receive the rim 158 (shown in <figref idref="f0003">Figure 5</figref>) of the front shell 130. The rear holder 132 includes portions of the contact channels 114 that hold the mounting terminals 128. The mounting terminals 128 are arranged at the front 170 for mating with the mating terminals 126 (shown in <figref idref="f0003">Figure 5</figref>) when the front shell 130 is coupled to the rear holder 132. The mounting terminals 128 are arranged at the rear 172 for mounting to the circuit board 102 (shown in <figref idref="f0001">Figure 1</figref>).

0021The mounting terminals 128 each extend between a front 180 and a rear 182. The mounting pin 118 is provided at the rear 182 of the mounting terminal 128. In an exemplary embodiment, the mounting terminal 128 includes a connecting pin 184 at the front 180. The connecting pin 184 is compliant and configured for a press-fit mechanical and electrical connection to the mating terminal 126. In the illustrated embodiment, the connecting pin 184 is an eye-of-the-needle pin configured to be plugged into the base 140 (shown in <figref idref="f0003">Figure 5</figref>) at the rear 142 of the mating terminal 126. In an exemplary embodiment, the mounting terminal 128 is stamped and formed to include the eye-of-the-needle shaped connecting pin 184 at the front 180 and the eye-of-the-needle shaped mounting pin 118 at the rear 182. Optionally, the connecting pin 184 may be arranged in the first pattern corresponding to the arrangement of the mating terminals 126, such as along two linear rows, whereas the mounting pins 118 are arranged in the second pattern, such as the triangular groups along multiple rows at the mounting end 108 of the housing 104.

0022Each connecting pin 184, in the illustrated embodiment, includes a compliant portion extending to a tip 186. The compliant portion includes opposing first and second legs 188, 190 surrounding an opening 192. The legs 188, 190 may be compressed inward into the opening 192 when the connecting pin 184 is press-fit into the base 140 of the mating terminal 126. The legs 188, 190 may be spring biased outward against the mating terminal 126 after the legs 188, 190 are deflected.

0023<figref idref="f0003">Figure 7</figref> is a side view of the circuit board connector 100 showing the rear holder 132 poised for coupling to the front shell 130. The front 170 of the rear holder 132 faces the rear 152 of the front shell 130. The rim 158 of the front shell 130 is configured to be received in the rear holder 132. The connecting pins 184 are configured to be mated with corresponding mating terminals 126 (shown in <figref idref="f0003">Figure 5</figref>). The mounting pins 118 extend rearward from the rear 172 of the rear holder 132 and are configured to be press-fitted into the circuit board 102 (shown in <figref idref="f0001">Figure 1</figref>). In an exemplary embodiment, the mounting pins 118 are eye-of-the-needle pins. Each mounting pin 118 includes a compliant portion having first and second opposing legs 194, 196 on opposite sides of an opening 198. The legs 194, 196 are configured to be deflected inward into the opening 198 when press-fitted in plated vias of the circuit board 102.

0024<figref idref="f0004">Figure 8</figref> is a cross-sectional view of the circuit board connector 100 in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. <figref idref="f0004">Figure 9</figref> is a cross-sectional view of the circuit board connector 100 in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. The front shell 130 is shown coupled to the rear holder 132. The contacts 112 are shown received in corresponding contact channels 114. In the illustrated embodiment, the contacts 112 are two-piece contacts having the mating terminal 126 and the mounting terminal 128. In an exemplary embodiment, the rear holder 132 includes a heat reflowable polymer layer 200 received in the cavity 174 near the front 170. The heat reflowable polymer layer 200 is used to secure the contacts 112 in the contact channels 114. The heat reflowable polymer layer 200 may be used to secure the front shell 130 to the rear holder 132. The heat reflowable polymer layer 200 may provide a seal between the front shell 130 and the rear holder 132.

0025The mating terminals 126 are received in the front shell 130 and are configured for mating with socket contacts of the mating connector. The mating pin 116 is provided at a front 146 of the mating terminal 126 and is configured to be mated with the socket contact. In an exemplary embodiment, the mating terminal 126 includes compliant beams 148 at the mating pin 116. The compliant beams 148 are bowed outward for connection to the socket contact when mated with the socket contact. The compliant beams 148 are deflectable and are configured to be spring biased against the socket contact when mated thereto. The compliant beams 148 are stamped and formed with the barrel shaped base 140 as a unitary structure with the base 140.

0026The mating terminal 126 includes the seam 144 extending the length between the front 146 and the rear 142. In an exemplary embodiment, the base 140 is open at the rear 142 to receive the connecting pin 184 of the mounting terminal 128. In an exemplary embodiment, the mating terminal 126 is oriented in the contact channel 114 such that the seam 144 is offset approximately 90° relative to the eye-of-the-needle shaped connecting pin 184. As such, the points where the first and second legs 188, 190 of the connecting pin 184 engage the base 140 are both offset from the seam 144 (e.g., approximately 90°). The compliant portion of the connecting pin 184 is compressed within the base 140 such that the legs 188, 190 press outward against the base 140 to ensure electrical connection between the mounting terminal 128 and the mating terminal 126. Optionally, the connecting pin 184 may press the base 140 outward, such as at the seam 144, such that the barrel shaped base 140 provides an inward biasing force against the connecting pin 184.

0027In an exemplary embodiment, the mounting terminals 128 transition between the connecting pin 184 and the mounting pin 118. Such transition spaces the mounting pins 118 apart from each other for mounting to the circuit board 102 (shown in <figref idref="f0001">Figure 1</figref>). Optionally, different types of mounting terminals 128 may be provided. For example, interior mounting terminals 128 may have the mounting pins 118 approximately aligned with the connecting pins 184, whereas exterior mounting terminals 128 may have the mounting pins 118 shifted outward and offset with respect to the connecting pins 184. The transition of the mounting terminals 128 between the connecting pin 184 and the mounting pin 118 spaces the contacts 112 out at the pin mounting interface 122, as compared to the pin mating interface 120.

0028<figref idref="f0004">Figure 10</figref> shows an exemplary pin mating interface 120 and <figref idref="f0004">Figure 11</figref> shows an exemplary pin mounting interface 122. The pin mating interface 120 has the contacts 112 arranged in a first pattern and the pin mounting interface 122 has the contacts 112 arranged in a second pattern different than the first pattern. The first pattern arranges the mating pins 116 of the contacts 112 in two rows and the second pattern arranged the mounting pins 118 in more than two rows. For example, the circuit board connector 100 may include upper contacts (<figref idref="f0004">Figure 8</figref>) and lower contacts (<figref idref="f0004">Figure 9</figref>). The upper contacts are arranged towards an upper side of the circuit board connector 100 whereas the lower contacts are arranged toward a lower side of the circuit board connector 100.

0029In the illustrated embodiment, the upper contacts are arranged linearly in a first row 202 at the pin mating interface 120 and the lower contacts are arranged linearly in a second row 204 at the pin mating interface 120. The upper and lower contacts are arranged in triangular groups 210 at the pin mounting interface 122. The upper contacts are arranged in the triangular groups 210 along third and fourth rows 212, 214 at the pin mounting interface 122 and the lower contacts are arranged in the triangular groups 210 along fifth and sixth rows 216, 218 at the pin mounting interface 122.

0030In the illustrated embodiment, the mating pins 116 at the pin mating interface 120 have a first center line spacing 220 between adjacent mating pins 116 within the same row 202 or 204. The mounting pins 118 have a second center line spacing 222 between adjacent mounting pins 118 within the same rows 212, 214, 216 or 218 and may have the same centerline spacing between each of the mounting pins 118 within the triangular group. The second center line spacing 222 is greater than the first center line spacing 220, which may provide additional spacing for routing conductors within the circuit board 102 (shown in <figref idref="f0001">Figure 1</figref>).

0031<figref idref="f0005">Figure 12</figref> is an exploded, rear perspective view of the circuit board connector 100 in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. <figref idref="f0005">Figure 12</figref> shows the heat reflowable polymer layer 200 positioned between the rear holder 132 and the insulator 134 in the front shell 130. The contact channels 114 are also shown in <figref idref="f0005">Figure 12</figref>. In an exemplary embodiment, the heat reflowable polymer layer 200 includes openings configured to be aligned with the contact channels 114 to receive the contacts 112 (shown in <figref idref="f0005">Figure 13</figref>).

0032<figref idref="f0005">Figure 13</figref> is a rear perspective view of the circuit board connector 100 in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. <figref idref="f0005">Figure 13</figref> illustrates one of the mounting terminals 128 of the contacts 112 poised for loading into the corresponding contact channel 114 at the rear 172 of the rear holder 132. In an exemplary embodiment, the mounting terminals 128 of the contacts 112 may be loaded into the housing 104 after the front shell 130 is coupled to the rear holder 132. For example, the mounting terminals 128 may be stitched into the contact channels 114. As the mounting terminals 128 are loaded into the rear holder 132, the mounting terminals 128 are mechanically and electrically connected to the mating terminals 126 (shown in <figref idref="f0001">Figure 2</figref>).

0033<figref idref="f0006">Figure 14</figref> is an exploded, front perspective view of the circuit board connector 100 in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. <figref idref="f0006">Figure 14</figref> shows the contacts 112 pre-loaded into the rear holder 132 and the front shell 130 and insulator 134 configured to be loaded over the contacts 112. For example, the mounting terminals 128 are arranged in the rear holder 132 and the mating terminals 126 extend from the mounting terminals 128 forward of the rear holder 132. Optionally, the mating terminals 126 may be discrete from the mounting terminals 128 and coupled thereto. Alternatively, the mating terminals 126 may be integral with the mounting terminals 128 as a single piece contact body. For example, both the mating pin 116 and the mounting pin 118 may be stamped and formed from the same sheet of material.

0034<figref idref="f0006">Figure 15</figref> is a perspective view of a contact 112 formed in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. The contact 112 shown in <figref idref="f0006">Figure 15</figref> is a single piece contact having the mating pin 116 and the mounting pin 118 stamped and formed from the same sheet of material. In an exemplary embodiment, the body of the contact 112 at the mating pin 116 has a first thickness 230 and the mounting pin 118 has a second thickness 232 greater than the first thickness 230. For example, the body of the contact 112 at the mounting pin 118 is folded over to double the thickness at the mounting pin 118. In an exemplary embodiment, the sheet of material from which the contact 112 is stamped is 0.1 mm (0.004 inch), making the material easy to work with and form the barrel shape and pin structure at the mating pin 116, while the mounting pin 118 is 0.2 mm (0.008 inch), making the mounting pin 118 more robust and strong enough for press-fit mounting to the circuit board 102 (shown in <figref idref="f0001">Figure 1</figref>). By doubling the thickness of the mounting pin 118, the mounting pin 118 is less susceptible to buckling during press-fit mounting to the circuit board 102.

0035In alternative embodiments, other processes may be used to provide different thicknesses for the pins 116, 118. For example, the body of the contact 112 at the mating pin 116 may be skived or milled to reduce the first thickness, leaving the mounting pin 118 at the stock thickness. For example, the sheet of material used to form the contact 112 may have a thickness of 0.15 mm (0.006 inch) and material is removed from the mating pin 116 to provide a first thickness of 0.1 mm (0.004 inch).

0036<figref idref="f0006">Figure 16</figref> is a perspective view of a contact 112 formed in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. The contact 112 shown in <figref idref="f0006">Figure 16</figref> is a single piece contact having the mating pin 116 and the mounting pin 118 stamped and formed from the same sheet of material. The ends of the body are arranged back-to-back at the mounting pin 118 to provide a double thickness mounting pin 118.

0037<figref idref="f0007">Figure 17</figref> is a perspective view of a contact 112 formed in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. <figref idref="f0007">Figure 18</figref> is a side view of the contact 112 in a pre-formed state. The contact 112 shown in <figref idref="f0007">Figure 17</figref> is a single piece contact having the mating pin 116 and the mounting pin 118 stamped and formed from the same sheet of material. In an exemplary embodiment, the body of the contact 112 at the mating pin 116 has a first thickness 240 and the mounting pin 118 has a second thickness 242 greater than the first thickness 240. For example, the body of the contact 112 at the mating pin 116 is skived to reduce the thickness at the mating pin 116. In an exemplary embodiment, the sheet of material from which the contact 112 is stamped is 0.2 mm (0.008 inch) and the contact 112 in the mating pin 116 area is skived to 0.1 mm (0.004 inch), making the material easy to work with and form the barrel shape and pin structure at the mating pin 116. The mounting pin 118 is thicker making the mounting pin 118 more robust and strong enough for press-fit mounting to the circuit board 102 (shown in <figref idref="f0001">Figure 1</figref>). The material may have other thicknesses in alternative embodiments.