Method of manufacturing connectors
View Patent ↗A method for manufacturing connectors comprises providing a carrier strip with a plurality of first alignment apertures and a plurality of contacts arranged in a row. The carrier strip is cut to desired lengths to form contact band pieces. The first alignment apertures are engaged with first protrusions on a carrier tape to mount each of the contact band pieces to the carrier tape. The first protrusions have a smaller outer diameter than an inner diameter of the first alignment apertures such that there is slight play there between. Resin is insert molded around the rows of the contacts to form a housing. The contacts are then cut from the carrier strip.
1. A method for manufacturing connectors, comprising:
providing a carrier strip with a plurality of first alignment apertures and a plurality of contacts arranged in a row;
cutting the carrier strip to desired lengths to form contact band pieces;
attaching a cover tape to the contact band pieces to hold the contact band pieces between the cover tape and a non-metallic carrier tape;
providing the carrier tape with second protrusions and guiding the cover tape between first and second protrusions;
engaging the first alignment apertures with the first protrusions on the carrier tape to mount each of the contact band pieces to the carrier tape, the first protrusions having a smaller outer diameter than an inner diameter of the first alignment apertures such that there is play therebetween;
insert molding resin around the rows of the contacts to form a housing; and
cutting the contacts from the carrier strip.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the contact band pieces can move in a longitudinal direction with respect to the carrier tape when engaged with the cover tape due to the first protrusions having the smaller outer diameter than the inner diameter of the first alignment apertures.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising removing the contact band pieces from the carrier tape.
4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising reusing the carrier tape after removing the contact band pieces.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing a plurality of second alignment apertures in the carrier strip and inserting positioning pins of a mold into the second alignment apertures before insert molding the resin.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the second alignment apertures are arranged at a smaller pitch than the first alignment apertures and positioning pins that engage with the second alignment apertures, prior to insert molding the resin.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein two of the carrier tapes are provided parallel to each other at a predetermined distance and the contact band pieces are arranged facing each other.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the contact band pieces facing each other are insert molded into the same housing.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the contact band pieces facing each other are cut from the same carrier strip.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the carrier strip is metallic.