Single element wire to board connector

Abstract

A single element electrical connector includes a single conductive contact element formed into a cage structure having a wire insert end and a wire contact end along a longitudinal centerline axis of the connector. The cage structure defines an upper pick-up surface having a surface area suitable for placement of a suction nozzle of a vacuum transfer device, as well as a pair of contact tines biased towards the centerline axis to define a contact pinch point for an exposed core of a wire inserted into the connector. A contact surface is defined by a member of the cage structure for electrical mating contact with a respective contact element on a component on which the connector is mounted.

1 . A single element electrical connector comprising:
 a single conductive contact element comprising a contact surface and a cage-like structure, wherein the cage-like structure comprises:   an insert end comprising an inlet opening;   a contact end; and   two or more contact tines biased towards a centerline axis of the cage-like structure downstream of the wire insert end in an insertion direction into the cage-like structure, wherein the two or more contact tines define a contact pinch point, wherein at least one of the two or more contact tines comprises a first release tab and a second release tab configured to enable selective separation of the two or more contact tines, wherein the first and second release tabs extend from a forward-most portion of the at least one of the two or more contact tines, and wherein the first release tab is spaced apart from the second release tab on the at least one of the two or more contact tines such that a gap is formed between the first release tab and the second release tab.   
     
     
         2 . The single element electrical connector of  claim 1 , wherein the single conductive contact element connector consists of a single piece of electrically-conductive material. 
     
     
         3 . The single element electrical connector of  claim 2 , wherein the cage-like structure comprises a plurality of walls bent into a box-like structure having atop wall, a bottom wall, and side walls at the insert end. 
     
     
         4 . The single element electrical connector of  claim 3 , wherein the top wall comprises a bent-over extension of one of the side walls and extends to the opposite side wall. 
     
     
         5 . The single element electrical connector of  claim 3 , wherein the top wall is generally parallel to the bottom wall and further comprises a first forward portion angled towards the centerline axis to define an upper wire guide. 
     
     
         6 . The single element electrical connector of  claim 5 , wherein the bottom wall further comprises a second forward portion angled towards the centerline axis to define a lower wire guide, and wherein the upper wire guide and the lower wire guide are separate from the two or more contact tines. 
     
     
         7 . The single element electrical connector of  claim 3 , wherein the two or more contact tines are forward portions of the side walls. 
     
     
         8 . The single element electrical connector of  claim 7 , wherein the first and second release tabs comprise extensions from a main body portion of the at least one of the two or more contact tines. 
     
     
         9 . The single element electrical connector of  claim 8 , wherein the first and second release tabs extend generally parallel to the centerline axis. 
     
     
         10 . The single element electrical connector of  claim 2 , wherein the cage-like structure further comprises a wire stop wall defined forward of the two or more contact tines in the insertion direction. 
     
     
         11 . The single element electrical connector of  claim 10 , wherein the bottom wall extends below the two or more contact tines, and wherein the wire stop wall comprises a forward portion of the bottom wall that is bent upwards toward the centerline axis. 
     
     
         12 . The single element electrical connector of  claim 3 , wherein the contact surface comprises a portion of the bottom wall such that, upon mounting of the single element electrical connector to a component, the centerline axis is generally parallel to the component. 
     
     
         13 . The single element electrical connector of  claim 3 , wherein the contact surface comprises contact feet extending generally transversely from the top wall, the bottom wall, and the side walls such that, upon mounting of the single element electrical connector to a component; the centerline axis is generally perpendicular to the component. 
     
     
         14 . The single element electrical connector of  claim 1 , wherein the single element electrical connector does not include an insulator. 
     
     
         15 . The single element electrical connector of  claim 1 , wherein the cage-like structure comprises the contact surface. 
     
     
         16 . The single element electrical connector of  claim 1 , wherein the single conductive contact element comprises a raised portion between the contact surface and the cage-like structure such that, upon mounting of the single conductive contact element to a mounting surface, the cage-like surface is positioned at a greater distance from the mounting surface than the contact surface is positioned from the mounting surface; and wherein the two or more contact tines extend from a base of the cage structure adjacent the raised portion in a direction away from the contact surface. 
     
     
         17 . An electrical device comprising:
 a single conductive contact element comprising a contact surface and a cage-like structure, wherein the cage-like structure comprises:   an insert end comprising an inlet opening;   a contact end; and   two or more contact tines biased towards a centerline axis of the cage-like structure downstream of the wire insert end in an insertion direction into the cage-like structure, wherein the two or more contact tines define a contact pinch point, and wherein at least one of the two or more contact tines comprises a first release tab and a second release tab configured to enable selective separation of the two or more contact tines, wherein the first and second release tabs extend from a forward-most portion of the two or more contact tines, and wherein the first release tab is spaced apart from the second release tab on the at least one of the two or more contact tines such that a gap is formed between the first release tab and the second release tab; and   a printed circuit board comprising a contact pad, wherein the contact pad is electrically connected to the contact surface.   
     
     
         18 . The electrical device of  claim 17 , wherein the printed circuit board comprises an opening that corresponds to the inlet opening of the cage-like structure such that the centerline axis of the cage-like structure runs through the opening of the printed circuit board, and wherein the two or more contact tines extend through the opening in the printed circuit board. 
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . The electrical device of  claim 17 , further comprising a wire extending through the opening in the printed circuit board and through the inlet opening of the cage-like structure, wherein the wire is electrically connected to the single conductive contact element via the two or more contact tines. 
     
     
         21 . The single element electrical connect of  claim 1 , wherein the first release tab is located on a first side of the at least one of the two or more contact tines, wherein the second release tab is located on a second side of the at least one of the two or more contact tines, and wherein the first side is opposite the second side.