Stamped housings to facilitate assembly and related methods
Connector housings and connector assemblies for mechanically connecting a pin to a housing with or without electrical conductivity. A connector housing can be formed by attaching two housing sections together with one or both housing sections formed at least in part by a stamping process. The connector housing can have an outer contour, such as an outer perimeter, with one or more sides and with a joining section connecting two adjacent sides together. The two or more sides can be used for handling, aligning, and/or assembling of the connector housing to a cavity.
1. A method of manufacturing a connector comprising:
providing a single tubing section having a body with a bore, a first end, a second end, and a first length measured between the first end and the second end;
sizing a generally cylindrical section at the first end, which is opposite the second end, with a first outside diameter;
sizing a section of the body between the first end and the second end with a second outside diameter that is larger than the first outside diameter; and
placing a canted coil spring comprising a plurality of coils in a groove inside the bore, between the first end and the second end.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising placing a pin through the second end and at least partially into the bore.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second end has an outside diameter and an opening for receiving a pin.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second end has an outside diameter that is equal to the first outside diameter.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the canted coil spring is a radial canted coil spring or an axial canted coil spring.
6. The method of claim 2 , wherein the pin comprises a pin groove and wherein the canted coil spring is biased against the pin groove and an interior of the bore.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the tubing section is made from a soft metal material and the generally cylindrical section at the first end is formed by pinching.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the soft metal material is at least one of copper, brass, or alloys thereof.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the tubing section is plated or cladded with a different metallic layer, internally, externally, or both.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the groove has a bottom surface comprising an inside diameter, and wherein the inside diameter is larger than the first outside diameter.
11. A connector formed by the method of claim 1 , said connector comprising:
a single tubing section having a body with a bore, a first end, and a second end, and a first length measured between the first end and the second end;
the first end, which is opposite the second end, has a first outside diameter;
the body between the first end and the second end has a second outside diameter that is larger than the first outside diameter; and
a canted coil spring comprising a plurality of coils located in a groove inside the bore, between the first end and the second end.