Contact having a press-fit portion

1. A contact assembly, comprising:

a housing;

a contact supported by the housing and having:

(a) a press-fit portion adapted for a press-fit into a passageway of a circuit board, and

(b) a deformed portion:

(1) adjacent the press-fit portion in a direction opposite a press-fitting direction, and

(2) having a shape adjacent the press-fit portion larger than:

(i) the passageway into which the press-fit portion is press-fitted, and

(ii) the press-fit portion; and

(3) having such a strength that the deformed portion of each contact plastically deforms in a plane of the contact only when the deformed portion receives a second load greater than a first load required for the press-fit portion to be press-fitted into the passageway of the circuit board, and

a wiring portion fixed to the housing and connected to the contact.

2. The contact assembly of claim 1 , wherein the press-fit portion has a press-fit opening at a central portion thereof.

3. The contact assembly of claim 1 , wherein the deformed portion has a shoulder formed on a slope extending away from the press-fit portion of the contact.

4. The contact assembly of claim 1 , wherein the press-fit portion and the deformed portion are integrally formed.

5. The contact assembly of claim 4 , wherein the press-fit portion and the deformed portion are formed of a single flat plate.

6. The contact assembly of claim 1 , wherein the press-fit portion of the contact, the deformed portion of the contact, and the wiring portion of the contact are integrally formed of a single flat plate.

7. The contact assembly of claim 6 , wherein the wiring portion is surrounded by a resin.

8. The contact assembly of claim 1 , wherein the deformed portion has a stopper surface disposed adjacent the press-fit portion of the contact.

9. The contact assembly of claim 8 , wherein the stopper surface is adapted to abut a surface of the circuit board.

10. The contact assembly of claim 9 , wherein the deformed portion has a deformed opening at a central portion thereof.

11. A contact assembly, comprising:

a housing;

a plurality of contacts supported by the housing with each contact having:

(a) a press-fit portion adapted for a press-fit into a passageway of a circuit board, and

(b) a deformed portion:

(1) adjacent the press-fit portion in a direction opposite a press-fitting direction, and

(2) having a shape adjacent the press-fit portion larger than:

(i) the passageway into which the press-fit portion is press-fitted, and

(ii) the press-fit portion; and

(3) having such a strength that the deformed portion of each contact plastically deforms in a plane of the contact only when the deformed portion receives a second load greater than a first load required for the press-fit portion to be press-fitted into the passageway of the circuit board, and

a wiring portion fixed to the housing and connected to the plurality of contacts.

12. The contact assembly of claim 11 , further comprising an alignment plate movable in a direction relative to the housing between an upper position and a lower position.

13. The contact assembly of claim 12 , wherein, in the upper position of the alignment plate, the press-fit portions of the contacts are exposed.

14. The contact assembly of claim 13 , wherein the alignment plate is movable between the lower position and the upper position by the circuit board when the press-fit portions are press-fitted into the circuit board.

15. A contact assembly, comprising:

a housing; and

a plurality of contacts supported by the housing with each contact having a press-fit portion press-fit into a passageway of a circuit board and a deformed portion adjacent the press-fit portion in a direction opposite a press-fitting direction, the deformed portion of each contact having a shape adjacent the press-fit portion larger than the passageway into which the press-fit portion is press-fitted and having such a strength that the deformed portion plastically deforms in a plane of the contact only when the deformed portion receives a second load greater than a first load required for the press-fit portion to be press-fitted into the passageway of the circuit board.