Two piece surface mount header assembly having a contact alignment member

1. A header assembly comprising:

an insulative contact housing comprising a plurality of walls defining an interior cavity;

a plurality of contacts within said cavity and extending through one of said walls to an exterior of said contact housing for surface mounting to a circuit board at board engagement areas of said contacts; and

an insulative alignment housing comprising at least one alignment rib extending on an exterior surface thereof, said alignment housing separately provided from and independently mounted to said contact housing, said alignment rib abutting said contacts proximate said board engagement areas, said alignment rib forcing said contacts toward the circuit board and holding the contacts in a coplanar orientation for surface mounting to the circuit board.

2. A header assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein said contact housing comprises longitudinal side walls and lateral side walls defining the interior cavity, one of said side walls extending along an exterior surface of the circuit board.

3. A header assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein said alignment housing comprises a plurality of walls defining an alignment cavity, said contact housing comprises longitudinal side walls, lateral side walls, and a contact interface, said contacts extending through said contact interface in a plurality of rows into said alignment cavity.

4. A header assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein said contact housing further comprises a contact interface and a plug interface for mating with a plug assembly, said plug interface extending substantially parallel to and spaced apart from said contact interface, and said plug interface extending substantially perpendicular to an exterior surface of the circuit board.

5. A header assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein said alignment housing is releasably mounted to said wall through which said plurality of contacts extend.

6. A header assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein said contacts are flexed by said alignment rib to load said contacts against said alignment rib.

7. A header assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein said alignment rib is positioned a substantially uniform distance from an engagement surface of a circuit board such that a gap is defined between the alignment rib and the engagement surface, said contacts abutting the alignment rib and substantially filling the gap.

8. A header assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein said alignment rib engages said contacts as said alignment housing is mounted to said contact housing, thereby preloading said contacts against said alignment rib.

9. A header assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein said alignment housing further comprises a board mount feature attached to the exterior surface thereof, said board mount feature comprising a circuit board engagement surface coplanar with said contacts when said contacts are abutted against said alignment rib.

10. A header assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein said alignment housing further comprises a positioning member comprising a plurality of slots, each of said plurality of contacts engaging a corresponding one of said plurality of slots.

11. A header assembly for engaging an engagement surface of a circuit board comprising:

an insulative contact housing comprising a plurality of walls defining an interior contact cavity and a contact interface;

an insulative alignment housing fitted over a portion of said contact housing, said alignment housing comprising a plurality of walls defining an interior alignment cavity extending proximate said contact interface, and at least one alignment rib extending proximate said alignment cavity, said alignment rib having a planar alignment edge; and

a plurality of contacts having contact sections and solder tail sections, said contact sections located within said interior contact cavity, said solder tail sections received within said alignment cavity and a portion of said solder tail sections extending exterior to said alignment cavity, wherein said solder tail sections each have a mounting portion configured to mount to the circuit board, said solder tail sections abutting said alignment edge at said mounting portion and preloaded against said alignment edge as said alignment housing is coupled to said contact housing, thereby ensuring coplanarity of said solder tail sections for surface mounting to the circuit board.

12. A header assembly in accordance with claim 11 wherein said contact housing comprises longitudinal side walls and lateral side walls defining the interior contact cavity, one of said side walls extending along an exterior surface of the circuit board.

13. A header assembly in accordance with claim 11 wherein said contact housing further comprises a plug interface for mating with a plug assembly, said plug interface extending substantially parallel to and spaced apart from said contact interface, and said plug interface extending substantially perpendicular to an exterior surface of the circuit board.

14. A header assembly in accordance with claim 11 wherein said solder tail sections are flexed about said alignment rib.

15. A header assembly in accordance with claim 11 wherein said alignment rib engages said contacts as said alignment housing is mounted to said contact housing, thereby preloading said contacts against said alignment rib.

16. A header assembly in accordance with claim 11 wherein said alignment edge is positioned a substantially uniform distance from the engagement surface of the circuit board such that a gap is defined between the alignment edge and the engagement surface, said contacts abutting the alignment edge and substantially filling the gap.

17. A header assembly in accordance with claim 11 wherein said alignment edge comprises a crowned surface, said solder tail sections abutting said crowned surface.

18. A method of assembling a surface mount header assembly, the assembly including an insulative contact housing including a plurality of walls defining an interior surface, an exterior surface and a plurality of contact apertures extending therebetween, and an insulative alignment housing including a plurality of walls defining an interior surface, an exterior surface and an alignment rib extending on the exterior surface, the assembly further including a plurality of electrical contacts having mounting portions configured to surface mount to a circuit board, the method comprising:

inserting the contacts through the contact apertures;

coupling the alignment housing to the contact housing such that the alignment rib engages the mounting portions of the contacts; and

flexing a portion of the contacts against the alignment rib as the alignment housing is coupled to the contact housing, thereby preloading the contacts against the alignment rib in a coplanar relationship with one another.

19. A method in accordance with claim 16 further comprising bending the contacts relative to the exterior surface of the contact housing prior to coupling the alignment housing to the contact housing such that an end of each contacts is angled relative to the exterior surface, the angle of the bent contacts substantially equal among the contacts, such that the ends of the contacts are oriented to contact the alignment housing.

20. A method in accordance with claim 18 wherein said coupling the alignment housing to the contact housing comprises installing a mounting portion of the alignment housing to the exterior surface of the contact housing proximate the contact apertures such that the alignment rib engages each contact when the alignment housing is installed.