摘要 |
An electrical contact (10) includes a central retention portion (16) adapted for insertion in a printed circuit board hole (38). The retention portion (16) includes first and second beam members (22, 24) and first and second collar sections (18, 20) which are rolled into a substantially cylindrical shape about an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the beam members. The length of the beam members is at least as great as the thickness of the printed circuit board (40). The unstressed diameter of the substantially cylindrical retention portion is greater than the diameter of the circuit board hole (38). The retention portion (16) is formed with gaps (42, 44) so that it can be compressed for insertion into the hole (38). Since the spacing between the collar sections (18, 20) is at least as great as the thickness of the circuit board (40), the collar sections are on opposite sides of the circuit board outside the hole when the retention portion is inserted in the hole. Accordingly, the collar sections (18, 20) are free to expand so that the beam members (22, 24) engage the interior wall of the hole (38) to provide mechanical and electrical connections thereto without requiring the use of a soldering process.
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