LANYARD SUPPORT PIN USED AS ELECTRICAL INTERCONNECTION

Publishing Venue

Motorola

Related People

Abstract

Small electronic communication devices require that a connection be made through the main housing or exterior casing to interior metallic contacts on the main printed circuit board. Through this connection the device may he programmed to exhibit certain characteristics via a personal computer. These points of connection, in this case three, have traditionally required holes to be placed in the housing, thus increasing the device's susceptibility to dust intrusion, water damage and static discharge. An alternate approach to this method allows a lanyard support pin, a cosmetic item, to also be used as the programming contact, thereby eliminating the need for any openings in the housing.

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MO7VROLA INC. Technical Developments volume 12 April 1991

LANYARD SUPPORT PIN USED +S ELECTRICAL INTERCONNECTIqN

by Dan Troutman, Herve Cantave and Gus Suhez

  Small electronic communication devices require that a connection be made through the main housing or exterior casing to interior metallic contacts on the main printed circuit board. Through this connection the device may he programmed to exhibit certain characteristics via a personal computer. These points of connection, in this case three, have traditionally required holes to be placed in the housing, thus increasing the device's susceptibility to dust intrusion, water damage and static discharge. An alternate approach to this method allows a lanyard support pin, a cosmetic item, to also be used as the programming contact, thereby eliminating the need for any openings in the housing.

  Figure A below depicts the fabrication of the lanyard pin. In this case there are three conductive and two dielectric parts! that when assembled create three programming contact points. This completed pin can then be mounted ,by a press fit into the housing (Figure B), which will either contain conductive tracings or flexible wires that connect to the main internal circuit board. This configuration eliminates the need for three holes in the housing (Figure C), providing a better seal for dust, water and static discharge.

&-FIGURE El

of Housing a

Final Pin Assembly

FIGURE A

Dielectric Corner

Ho,espoo (y

FIGURE C

98 0 MOtorOl...