METHOD OF MAKING A CONTACT ASSEMBLY

摘要

A contact assembly (90) includes separate conductive members (42, 54) with insulative material (90) molded about body sections (50, 64) to define an integral unit for handling during connector assembly. The method includes stamping the conductive members (656, 658, 660, 662) from a common blank (680) to have beams (610, 612, 614, 616) associated in pairs to define sockets (606, 608), second contact sections (648, 650, 652, 654) at other ends, and body sections (656, 658, 660, 662) joining the respective beams and second contact sections (648, 650, 652, 654). Final separation of the conductive members may occur after molding of the insulative material (670), prior to which the conductive members may be retained on carrier strip facilitating the stamping, plating and molding processes. One contact assembly (604) provides sockets (606, 608) having pairs of beams (610, 612 and 614, 616) with the beams defined on separate conductive members (640, 642, 644, 646) and is inserted into a housing doubling the contact density of the connector without increasing the size of the housing. Using the method, a mating indicator (40) may be made, where two conductive members (42, 60) having body sections (50, 64) physically joined by molded insulative material (90), include second contact sections (46, 68) connectable to a circuit board and that become commoned upon connector mating to indicate mating.