Michael R Whitney

US Patent:

59349166, Aug 10, 1999

Filed:

Feb 24, 1998

Appl. No.:

9/028719

Inventors:

James F. Latal - Palatine IL
Dorothy E. Kruglick - Arlington Heights IL
Michael G. Whitney - Henderson NV
Richard C. Francke - Bartlett Lakes Estates IL

Assignee:

Illinois Tool Works Inc. - Glenview IL

International Classification:

H01R 466

US Classification:

439 95

Abstract:

A rail member and ground clip assembly useable for mechanically and electrically coupling printed circuit boards to a chassis. The assembly has a stud protruding into an electrical contact opening in the rail member, a first end portion of the resilient electrical contact is disposed on a fastener boss proximate the electrical contact opening, a bifurcated curved portion of the resilient electrical contact protrudes at least partially through the electrical contact opening beyond a bottom side of the rail member, and the stud is disposed through an opening in the resilient electrical contact to engagably couple the resilient electrical contact to the rail member. The resilient electrical contact also includes a compression wave portion between the first end portion and the curved portion to bias the curved portion into engagement with the chassis. A non-threaded rivet fastens the rail member to the printed circuit board.