AU620133B2 - Mounting of components - Google Patents

Description

Insert Place and date of algnature.

Signature of dedcanl(s) (no *dtittatios required) N afte Initial all allegations.

u.cmatea at %no J-I ay u 1) Dr.Peter Mielchen KRONE Aktiengesellschaf't 2) Helmfried Schmidt-... Executive ReicheOl t"Dr Mi,e 1c h en P" Scmd- ee DAVIES a COLLISON. MELBOURNE end CANBERRA.

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COMMONWEALTH O F AU ST R AL IA PATENT ACT 1952 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION 6201.3

(ORIGINAL)

FOR OFFICE USE CLASS INT. CLASS Application Number:4 Lodged: Complete Specification Lodged: Accepted: Published: 0S *06* Priority: Related Art-: NAME OF APPLICANT: ADDRESS OF APPLICANT: Soe* 0 *00 so@ Doa KRONE AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT Beeskowdamm 3-11 D-1000 Berlin 37 FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY NEIL GEORGE KERR HANS DIETER BIPPUS NAME(S) OF INVENTOR(S) DAVIES COLLISON, Patent Attorneys 1 Little Collins Street, Melbourne, 3000.

ADDRESS FOR SERVICE: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR THE INVENTION ENTITLED: "MOUNTING OF COMPONENTS" Li including the best method of performing it known ti us V I' -la MOUNTING OF COMPONENTS This invention relates to a method of.

mounting a component, such as an electrical connector, to a supporting structure, such as a printed circuit board, and to a component, such as an electrical connector, specifically adapted for use in a the method.

Electrical components such as electrical connectors are conventionally connected to supporting structures by the use of fasteners such as screws rivets or the like or, particularly in the case of components to be mounted on printed circuit boards, by soldering. For other applications, snap fasteners are employed, particularly in arrangements in which cooperating components of the snap fasteners are carried one by each of the electrical component itself, and the supporting structure. Snap fasteners V ""lr

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i i 0000 p *000 O 0( (i 0 @0 have obvious advantages in terms of ease of manufacture, since the cooperating snap fastener component on at least one of the -component and support structure may be integrally formed therewith. On the other hand, the assembly of components on to supporting structures by this method or, in other cases, the removal of the components where they are-required to be demountable, may be less convenient than is desirable.

The invention generally has for its object to provide4- method of -n I mp d- assembly,,and or disassembly, of a component on a support structure.

The objects of the invention are attained, broadly speaking, by the use of a wedge element in the assembly or demounting of a component onto or from a supporting structure.

In one aspect, the invention provides a method of mounting a component to a supporting structure comprising positioning the component adjacent the supporting structure whereby to align openings of the supporting structure and component one with the other, with a connector element positioned to extend into both openings, and inserting a wedge element into one of the openings to cause cooperating parts of a holding structure, one part on said component and the other part on said connector element, to be brought into coupling engagement, and securing the connector element to the supporting structure. The wedge element may be removable after said securing has been effected. The holding structure may comprise an aperture in the o 0 *0 O. C e0 *0 0 ft *0 I' t f i l- 1 *Ji: i .I 1 S

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17 J1 connector element, engageable over an abutment provided on the component, such as on a side surface of the opening in the component. The securing of the connector element to the supporting structure may be effected by, for example, soldering, such as where the support structure is in the form of a printed circuit board. The connector element may be electrically conductive and may provide an electrical connection with said supporting structure.

The connector element may be formed of material of sufficient resilience to permit at least part of the connector element to be moved away from the part of the holding structure defined on the component, to enable release of said coupling and to permit demounting of the component from the supporting structure. This movement of at least part of the connector element may be effected by insertion of a wedge element into the opening in the component, in a fashion which bears against the connector element and resiliently deforms it to a position where at said release can occurr.

89@O t 8* 89 9 *0e* 0 8 Sod 08*i io 8 Oe a Sea Typically, an electrical component, such as an electrical connector, may be mounted to said support structure, such as a printed circuit board, by use of two or more of the aforementioned connector elements. The component may be provided with two said openings and, during assembly, two connector elements may be positioned a separate one within each of these openings so that outer ends thereof are each biased, by engagement of wedges therewith as above described, in directions outwardly one relative to the other.

4 The invention also provides a method of removing a component from a supporting structure to which the component is attached by means of a connector element secured to or forming part of the supporting structure, the connector element and said component having formed thereon respective cooperating parts of a holding structure, the attachment provided by said holding structure being releasable by releasing movement of the connector element away from the part of the holding structure *formed on said component, the method comprising moving a wedge element between said connector element and one surface of satd component whereby to effect said releasing movement by deformation of the connector element under influence of wedging action of the wedge element.

In this arrangement, the connector element may be apertured and cooperate with an abutment formed on said component, so that the abutment and .aperture form said cooperating parts of said holding structure. The abutment may be formed on a further *surface of the component which is spaced from said one surface. The one surface and further surface may ri, ocomprise surfaces of an opening formed in the said i component. Typically, the connector element is formed of resilient metal.

The invention is further described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: FIGURE 1 comprises a partly sectioned side view of an electrical connector and printed circuit r" board, illustrating a method of connecting these together in accordance with the invention; FIGURE 2 is a partly sectioned end elevation of the connector and printed circuit board of Figure 1; FIGURE 3 is a side view of a wedge element used in practising the methods of this invention; FIGURE 4 is a front elevation of the wedge elment of Figure 3; FIGURE 5 is a cross-section on the line in Figure 4; FIGURE 6 is a cross-section on the line 6-6 t in Figure 4; FIGURE 7 is a front elevation of a connector i element used in the method described with reference to Figure 1; FIGURE 8 is a side elevation of the connector element of Figure 7; o' FIGURE 9 is an end view of a backmount frame o Ga with an electrical connector interconnected thereto, illustrated a method of decoupling these one from the other in accordance with the invention; FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary partly sectioned side view of the coupled together electrical connector and frame shown in Figure FIGURE 11 is a fragmentary perspective view of the connector of Figure 1, showing the manner of insertion of the wedge element of Figure 3 thereinto; FIGURE 12 is a perspective view of an alternative form of wedge element; and FIGURE 13 is a perspective view of an I| alternative form of connector element.

Referring firstly to Figure 1, there is "i, 6 shown an electrical component in the form of an electrical connector 10 of the "LSA plus type".

These connectors are used extensively in telecommunications and like applications where many electrical connections must be made, and permit the making of these connections without the need for removal of insulation from the electrical conductors to be connected, and without requiring the use of solder or manipulation of movable clamping elements.

s In this instance, the connector 10 has a body provided with a number of channel like openings 12 6 e along the length thereof within which there are

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4, received electrically conductive contact elements S 14. Contact elements 14 are of planar configuration S extending transversely across the channels 12 but each having a central opening 16 as shown therein so that each is of generally bifurcated form having two prongs 18 in side by side relationship. To use these connectors, a wire is positioned at the upper open S mouth of a channel 12 with the wire extending parallel to the direction of extend of the channel out of the plane of the paper as viewed in Figure Then, the wire is pressed downwardly into the opening 16 of the connector element 14 in that channel, whereby the prongs 18 cut into the i, insulation and grip the conductor of the wire to make electrical connection thereto. The dimension of the opening 16, in the side to side direction, is made sufficient so that, by this action, the wire is firmly gripped and retained in position when so entered. Usually, this movement of a wire into engagement with a contact element 14 is effected by use of suitable tool.

i 6a The body 20 of connector 10, is of two part configuration, having two sections 22, 24 which are snap fitted together by use of cooperating apertures 26 and dotents 28 formed on the sections 22, 24 *#f

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o 0 7 respectively. The general, form of the connector body is, however, of no importance to the present invention.

The body 20 is provided, at locations towards either end, with respective openings which extend through both sections 22, 24 and upwardly from a base surface 34 of the body. At upper locations thereon, each opening 30 is provided, at a side surface 36 thereof, with an abutment 38.

The surfaces 36 are surfaces of the openings 30 which extend transversely to the lengthwise direction of extent of the body as shown out of the plane of the paper as viewed in Figure 1) these surfaces also comprising "outermost" surfaces of the openings again as viewed in Figure 1.

The abutments 38 are of generally ramp-like form, having a ramped surface 40 which slopes away from surface 36 in the upward direction as viewed in Figure 1, and an end abutment surface 42 defining the upper end of the abutment as viewed in Figure 1, which surface 42 extends normally to surface 36.

The connector 10 is shown resting on a supporting structure in the form of a printed circuit board 44. A demountable interconnection is made between the connector 10 and the printed circuit board 44 by means of two connector elements 46 making use of two wedge elements 48.

The connector elements 46 are of like form, as shown in particularly in Figures 7 and 8. Each is formed from sheet metal having good electrical

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~il 18 i 8 conductivity, such as copper, and comprises a central rectangular portion 50 with two depending legs 52 one to either lateral side thereof. Central portion has a rectangular aperture 54 therein.

The connector elements 46 are positioned one in each one of the openings 30, with the central portion 50 adjacent the surface 36 of that opening and with the legs 52 depending downwardly from the respective opening 30. This positioning is effected prior to positioning of the connector 10 on the printed circuit board 44, by upward movement of the elements 46 into the openings 30, from the base of the connector 10. Then, the connector 10 is positioned on the printed circuit board 44 so that the legs 52 depend downwardly from the body of the .connector 10 and extend into respective openings 58 in the circuit board 44. As will be noted from Figure 7, the inner side surfaces of the legs 52 have stepped configurations so that free outer ends thereof are of less cross-sectional dimension than inner portions 62 thereof, adjacent central portion 50. The openings 58 are made of dimensions sufficient to permit the free outer ends 60 to pass therethrough, but not sufficient to permit the inner portions 62 to so pass. Thus, the elements 46, which are otherwise free to move downwardly within the openings 30, reach rest positions as shown particularly in Figure 2 where the inner portions 62 of the legs 56 rest upon the upper surface of thei printed circuit board 44, with the free outer ends projecting therethrough.

When so positioned, the elements 46 are

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i 9 disposed with the central apertures 54 thereof aligned with and adjacent to the abutments 38, when viewed end-wise of the connector 10 as in Figure 2.

Furthermore, the openings 58 in the circuit board 44 are of slightly greater diameter than the maximum cross-section dimension of the free outer ends 60 of POO, the legs 52 so that the elements 46 may pivot in the openings. 1hus, the upper ends of the elements 46 are capable of limit3d movement in the lengthwise o direction of the connector 10 in the right to left or left to right direction as viewed in Figure This pivoting movement is sufficient to enable the elements 46 to be brought to the positions shown in Figure 1 where they lean somewhat outwardly relative to true vertical positions, when viewed sidewardly of the connector 10, and to locations at which the upper ends of the central portions 50 of the elements 46 are brought close the the surfaces 36 of openings 30. At the same time, the positioning of the apertures 54 is then such that the abutments 38 may be freely accommodated within the respective we o apertures 54. Upper surfaces 64 of the central portions 50, defining the apertures 54 then rest neatly on or adjacent to the end abutment surfaces 42 of the abutments 38. i SThe wedge elements 48 are used to engage the elements 46 from above for the purpose of pushing the upper ends of these towards surfaces 36 in order to effect the aforementioned tilting of the elements 46, to bring them to the positions just described.

One element 48 is shown in more detail in Figures 3 to 6 as being of generally U-shaped form, having a central somewhat planar portion 66 with two 1 1 t More particularly, the legs 68, at the locations where these join the portion 66, and the portion 66 itself where it joins the legs 68, are of cranked configuration. Thus, the portion 66 is somewhat displaced relative to the legs when the element is viewed side on. Each leg 68 also has a curved surface 70 which, at the tip end of the associated leg joins an opposite generally planar surface 72 of the leg. From the tip end, the surface 70 thence extends away from the surface 72 so that, in o. cross-section, the legs 68 are of somewhat o, wedge-shaped form.

o oo "As best shown in Figure 11, an element 48 is positionable in an opening 30 by passing the legs 68 thereof into two upper apertures 74 formed in the body 20 above the respective opening 30. Thus, the free ends of the legs pass between the respective element 46, in the opening 30, and a surface 76 of the opening 30, which surface 76 is opposite the aforementioned surface 36 of the opening. The curved surfaces 70 of legs 68 thus strike the element 46 at the upper end thereof, and the element 46 is moved to rotate it away from the surfaces 76 to bring the upper end of the element 46 to the location adjacent the surface 36, to enter the abutment 38 into the aperture 54 as previously described. This wedging action may be continued to the point where one surface 78 of the central portion 66 of the element 48 engages the respective surface 76, at which point the effective cross-sectional dimension of the structure being releasab.le by releasing movement of the connector element away from the part of the 6.8./2 1 sracs70ad 2sipy bt i 2 element 48, as viewed in Figure 1, is greatly increased as compared to the cross-sectional dimension presented between the surface 70 and 72.

Thus, during an initial inward movement of the legs 68, where surfaces 70 and 72 simply abut, respectively, the upper end of the respective element 46 and surface 76, it is possible to readily manipulate the legs 68 to properly position them between the surfaces 76 and the element 46, thence to press the element 46 more or less exactly to the required location as sufficient inward movement of the wedge element 48 occurs to bring the surface 78 eron the wedge element into engagement with the surface the 76 of the opening 30. th t The effect of insertion of the wedge elements 48 is to press the outer ends 46 of each of Sthe elements 46 away from each other so that, for the left hand element 46 as viewed in Figure 1, the upper end thereof is pushed to the left hand side of a vertical alignment relative to the circuit board 44, whilst the right hand element 46, as viewed in Figure i, has its upper end displaced to the right hand side of vertical, relative to circuit board 44. At the same time, the connector elements 46 are pressed downwardly under frictional engagement with the wedge elements 48 to press the upper edge 54a of each ti 1 aperture 54 into engagement with a respective dt abutment surface 42.

With the connector elements 46 in the i§ positions shown in Figure 1, assembly of the itj connector 10 onto the printed circuit board 44 is completed by soldering the legs 52 to the underside j- L -A 12 of the printed circuit board, where these project through the holes 58. Then, the wedge elements 48 may be removed from the openings 30, and apertures 74, by upward lifting therefrom.

On removal of the wedge elements 48, the connector 10 remains firmly secured to the printed circuit board 44 by virtue of latching of the connector to the printed circuit board occurring by cooperation of the abutments 38 on the connector, with the apertures 54 of the connector elements 46, particularly the engagement of aperture edges 54a with abutment surfaces 42. Thus the abutments 38 and 7 b cooperating apertures 54 define respective cooperating parts of, holding structures, generally designated by reference numerals/which hold the connector 10 to the circuit board 44.

In Figure 9, the connector 10 is shown coupled to a metal channel-like backmount frame t Frame 80 has a central web portion 82 with opposed upstanding side flanges 84, these having, spaced along the length of the frame 80 and at the free edges of the flanges, upstanding projections 86.

These projections 86 have rectangular apertures 88.

The projections 86 are capable of cooperating with C q the abutments 38 in the same fashion as the connector elements 46 previously described. Thus, the connector 10 may be positioned so as to extend transversely across the frame 80 by moving the connector so that two opposed projections 86, one on each side flange 84 pass upwardly through the respective openings 30 at each end of the connector.

The spacing of the side flanges 84 and projections 86 Nt O concop0myb oiinds st xed! -1- 13 is made to be such that as the projections so enter the openings 30 the upper ends thereof engage the ramp surfaces 40 and inwardly deflect the projections, against natural resilience thereof, until a point is reached at which the upper edge surface 90 of each aperture 88 passes over the end abutment surface 42 of the respective abutment 38, whereupon the upper ends of the projections 86 spring outwardly under resilient blase thereof, so that the abutments 38 are captured within the apertures 88.

As this point is reached, the base surface 34 of the connector 10 is brought into engagement with free edge surfaces 92 of the flanges 84, these edge surfaces being located between respective adjacent pairs of projections 86. Then, upward movement of the connector 10 is limited by engagement between the surface 42 on each abutment 38 with the adjacent upper edge surface 90 of the cooperating aperture 88, whilst downward movement is prevented by engagement t~y the surfaces 92 on the frame 80 and the base surface 34 of the connector 10. As shown in Figure 10, a plurality of conaectors 10 may be mounted side by side on the frame 80, in spaced positions along the length thereof.

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It is possible to use the wedge element 48 to remove a connector 10 from the frame 80. Thus, in this case, a wedge element 48 may be moved downwardly so that the legs 68 pass through the apertures 74 at one end of the connector 10, in-this instance however with the curved surfaces 70 arranged to face "inwardly, the surfaces 72 sliding along the surface 36 of opening 30 so that, as downward movement continues, the surfaces 70 engage the upper end of h*.s 14 the projection 86 and move this inwardly as shown at the right hand side of Figure 9, so clearing the abutment 38 from the apertures 88. This disengagement is preferably effected first at one end of the connector 10 so as to release the projection 86 from the abutment 38 at that end. Then, by upward tilting of the connector 10 at the released end, the i upper end of the adjacent abutment 38 is lifted to engage a portion of the outer surface of the adjacent projection 86, which surface portion is above the aperture 88, and inwardly deflects that projection.

Then, the wedge element 48 may be removed and applied :to release the interconnection between the aperture S"r* 88 and the abutment 38 at the other end of the connector. On such release, the latter end may likewise be moved upwardly so that the upper end of the abutment 38 at that end engages the outer surface of the adjacent projection 86 at a location above the aperture 88, and inwardly deflects that projection.

Then, with the wedge element removed from that end, the connector may be cleared from the frame 80 by osimple upward movement thereof, the projections 86 returning to their initial positions by natural resilience.

It is also possible to remove a connector 10 i from interconnection with a printed circuit board 44 by applying wedge elements 48 in the last described relatively reversed orientation, to engage the upper ends of the connector elements 46 to release i i interconnection between the abutments 38 and the apertures 54 of the elements 46, whereby removal is effected in the same fashion as described in relation to Figure 9.

1 i The described constructions have been advanced merely by way of explanation and many modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention which includes every novel feature and combination of novel features herein disclosed.

For instance, with reference to the wedge element 48, an alternative.construction is shown in Figure 12. In this alternative wedge element 48a, each leg 68a is provided with a shoulder 101 which seats on the upper edge of'a respective connector .o element 46 during assembly of a connector 10 onto a printed circuit board 44,.this preventing insertion of the wedge element 48 too far. The wedge element pool 48 is also provided with'an aperture 102 which can be used for instance in removing a wedge element 48 from its inserted position.

S: Further, referring to Figure 13, an o alternative form of connector element 46a is provided only with the outer.ends 60 of the legs 52a, and not with the inner portions 62. Instead, the legs 52a meet the4 manbo of the element 46a at a simple right angle. This construction can be more robust in use than the element 46 shown in Figure 7, and potentially simpler to manufacture.

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Claims (7)

1. A method of mounting a component to a supporting structure comprising positioning the component adjacent the supporting structure whereby to align openings of the supporting structure and component one with the other with a connector element positioned to extend into both openings, and inserting a wedge element into one of the openings to cause cooperating parts of a holding structure, one part on said component and the other part on said connector element, to be brought into coupling engagement, and securing the connector element to the supporting structure.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said holding structure comprises an aperture in the connector element, engageable over an abutment provided on the component. 06 6r 6 6 Iu

3. A method as claimed in claim 2 wherein the connector element is electrically conductive and securing of the connector element to the supporting structure is effected by soldering.

4. A method as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3 01 wherein the connector element is formed of/ he material of sufficient resilience to permit at least part of the connector element to be moved away from the part of the holding structure defined on the 7iA L ,-J 17 component, to enable release of said coupling and to permit demounting of the component from the supporting structure. A method as claimed in claim 2, claim 3 or claim 4 wherein the component is secured to the supporting structure by use of two said connector elements, the two connector elements being positioned a separate one within each of respective said S: openings in said component so that outer ends thereof are each biased, by engagement of wedge elements then positioned within the openings, in directions outwardly one relative to the other.

6. A method of removing a component from a supporting structure to which the component is 00° attached by means of a connector element secured to or forming part of the supporting structure, the connector element and said component having formed thereon respective cooperating .parts of a holding structure, the attachment provided by said holding structure being releasable by releasing movement of a' the connector element away from the part of the holding structure formed on the said component, the method comprising moving a wedge element between said i connector element and one surface of said component I whereby to effect said releasing movement by deformation of the connector element under influence of wedging action of the wedge element.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6 wherein the t i r i

18- connector element has an aperture and cooperates with an abutment formed ion the said component, so that the abutment and aperture form said cooperating parts of said holding structure. 8. A method as claimed in claim 7 wherein the abutment is formed on a further surface of the component which is spaced from said one surface. 10 9. A method as claimed in claim 8 wherein the one surface and further surface comprises surfaces of an opening formed in the said component. o o 10. A method as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the connector element is formed of resilient metal. 0 o. 11. A method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein said abutment is 00 on a side surface of the opening in the component. S 12. A method as claimed in any preceding claim wherein said wedge element comprises a central portion with two spaced generally parallel legs extending therefrom, the legs being of tapered form, viewed from the side and each having a respective surface which is curved when the legs are viewed side on. 13. A method as claimed in claim 12 wherein said wedge element is of cranked form when viewed side on. 911028,Wxidat.9,40260,18 LI I r i I rum~. 19 14. A method of mounting a component to a supporting structure substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any one of Figures 1 to 8, 10, 11 of the accompanying drawings. 15. A method of removing a component from a supporting structure substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any one of Figures 1 to of the accompanying drawings. *40t 0 Ott. 01 0 0919 *4 S S 0O 5991 0 *4~j9 .44* 16. A wedge-eement-substantia ly asereinbeetr-e -escribd Witl2 -rerne to -anVy--One~f-.F4gures4--to-6,-9,10,-11-or-42--of4e accoempanyinA- ir-g- 0 *400*4 0 0~9* SO *0 9 0004 0 *500 I 4 0 I I 4. 4. I 4. 4. 4.' (t c 4. Dated this 28th day of October, 1991 KRONE AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT By its Patent Attorneys DAVIES COLLISON 911028,kxldat.049,40260,19