Single element wire to board connector

1. A single element electrical connector configured for connecting wires to a component, said connector comprising:

a single conductive contact element formed into a cage structure having a wire insert end and a wire contact end along a longitudinal centerline axis of said connector, wherein the wire insert end is opposite the wire contact end;

said cage structure comprising a wall structure at said insert end defining an inlet opening for a wire, said wall structure defining an upper pick-up surface, wherein said wall structure comprises a plurality of walls bent into a box-like structure, wherein a first wall of the plurality of walls comprises a first end at the wire insert end of the cage structure and a second end toward the wire contact end of the cage structure, wherein said first wall comprises a forward portion at the second end, and wherein the forward portion is angled toward said centerline axis to define an upper wire guide;

said cage structure further comprising a pair of contact tines biased towards said centerline axis downstream of said wall structure in an insertion direction of the wire into said connector, said contact tines defining a contact pinch point for an exposed core of the wire, wherein the contact pinch point is positioned downstream of the upper wire guide in the insertion direction of the wire; and

a contact surface defined by a member of said cage structure for electrical mating contact with a respective contact element on the component.

2. The connector as in claim 1 , wherein said connector is formed from a single stamped metal sheet bent into said cage structure.

3. The connector as in claim 2 , wherein said plurality of walls comprises a top wall, bottom wall, and side walls at said insert end, said top wall defining said pick-up surface, and wherein said first wall is said top wall.

4. The connector as in claim 3 , wherein said top wall is a bent-over extension of one of said side walls and extends to the opposite said side wall.

5. The connector as in claim 3 , wherein said bottom wall is generally parallel to said top wall and further comprises a forward portion angled towards said centerline axis to define a lower wire guide.

6. The connector as in claim 3 , wherein said contact tines are forward portions of said side walls angled towards said centerline axis.

7. The connector as in claim 6 , further comprising release tabs extending from a forward-most portion of said contact tines, said release tabs configured for engagement by a tool to separate said contact tines to remove a wire inserted into said connector.

8. The connector as in claim 7 , wherein said release tabs extend generally parallel to said centerline axis.

9. The connector as in claim 7 , wherein at least one of said release tabs extends less than an entire distance across the forward-most portion of a respective contact tine.

10. The connector as in claim 3 , wherein said contact surface is defined by a portion of said bottom wall such that said connector is surface mounted to a component with said centerline axis generally parallel to the component.

11. The connector as in claim 3 , wherein said contact surface is defined by contact feet extending generally transversely from any combination of said walls such that said connector is mounted to a component with said centerline axis generally perpendicular to the component.

12. The connector as in claim 2 , wherein said cage structure further comprises an end wire stop wall defined forward of said contact tines in an insertion direction of a wire into said connector.

13. The connector as in claim 12 , wherein said bottom wall extends below said contact tines, said stop wall defined by a forward portion of said bottom wall that is bent upwards towards said centerline axis.

14. The connector as in claim 13 , wherein the end wire stop wall extends perpendicularly from said bottom wall.

15. The connector as in claim 12 , wherein the end wire stop wall comprises an overhang portion that ends toward the wire insert end of the cage structure.

16. The connector as in claim 1 , wherein said upper pick-up surface has a surface area suitable for placement of a suction nozzle of a vacuum transfer device.