AU7395087A

AU7395087A - A contact means

Info

Publication number: AU7395087A
Application number: AU73950/87A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Leif Andersson; Uno Henningsson; Burghardt Vollmer
Original assignee: Televerket
Current assignee: Televerket
Priority date: 1986-04-30
Filing date: 1987-03-26
Publication date: 1987-11-24
Also published as: FI884657A0; SE8602006D0; GB2209890A; WO1987006771A1; GB2209890B; GB8824934D0; FI90602B; FI884657A; SE452929B; CA1282845C; SE8602006L; FI90602C

Description

A CONTACT MEANS

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a contact means preferably being a part in a telephone apparatus for enabling electric contact between two circuit boards arranged under relative angle. The invention is useful also in other similar apparatuses including boards supporting components and/or printed circuits.

TECHNICAL BACKGROUND In connection with utilizing boards arranged under relative angle e.g. due to the outer shape of the apparatus there have so far been problems in obtaining contact in an easy way between circuits, components, etc. on the different boards. The solutions so far suggested are inter alia based on the fact that a wire connection have to be present between the boards.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION TECHNICAL PROBLEM Utilizing such a wire connection complicates the connection from pure technical viewpoint and makes the manufacture of the apparatus more expensive. There is a need for simpler electric coupling between said boards.

THE SOLUTION The object of the present invention is to provide a contact means which will solve i.a. the problems mentioned above. What may be considered characterizing for the new means is that on an electrically insulated support there are arranged contact elements constructed of electrically conducting material and that electrically conducting parts on the boards arranged under relative angle are pressing against the contact elements (or vice versa) for obtaining electric contact between the boards via the contact elements.

In an embodiment the elements consists of a number of parallelly arranged contact means and the parts on the boards are positioned at the outer edge of the board. The contact elements may be made of carbon and/or conducting rubber. The contact elements may consist of a number of parallelly arranged rib-like or finger-like means.

The support may be constructed of elastic material, e.g. rubber. The support may also be resiliently arranged in some other way. Alternatively, the contact elements are resilient per se and consist e.g. of electrically conducting rubber.

The press powers necessary for the contact between the contact elements and the parts may be obtained by building the press power into the apparatus, i.e. by the board (and support, respectively) in question in connection with assembling the apparatus being put under continuous pressure so that the contact press takes place.

ADVANTAGES

By the above-mentioned suggestion there is obtained an effective contact making between the boards without having to resort to extra connections. Very few details can be used in connection with the contact making and the assembly of the apparatus as such is very simple. The space, often relatively confined, in said apparatus, e.g. a telephone apparatus, can thus be utilized optimally, e.g. due to the fact that the circuit boards can be mounted at angels relative to each other

The contact means permits preparing connection of further boards in an easy way, which may come into question if the apparatus is to be provided with additional functions. DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A presently suggested embodiment of a contact means disclosing the characteristics significative of the invention will be described below with reference to the appended drawings in which

Fig. 1 is a plan view of two circuit boards connected in accordance with the invention, and

Fig. 2 is a side view of the same means as Fig. 1.

THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In Fig. 1 there is shown two circuit boards 1 and 2 positioned on a support of rubber and interconnected by a plurality of contacts 4. The circuit boards 1 and 2 are attached to the support 3 by means of screws 5 and nuts 6 as is shown in connection with the circuit board 1. A certain distance is maintained between the support 3 and the circuit board 1 by means of distance sleeves 7. The circuit board and/or the support may be fitted in another way into the apparatus, e.g. the circuit board may be retained by press powers against its outer edges. For obtaining the distance between the support and the board also shoulders may be used, which shoulders can consist of per se a known type.

The contacts 4 consist of an appropriate conducting material. On the edges of the circuit boards 1 and 2 there are terminating contacts or terminating parts 1a, 2a made in a conventional way of electrically conducting material. In accordance with the invention the boards 1 and 2, respectively, is to be pressed against the support by means af a press power F. Alternatively, the support may be pressed against the respective board, the press power in this case being designated F¹ . By having the contacts 4 in the disclosed case mounted on a rubber mat 3 they are individually resiliently flexible.

It is realized that necessary contact pressure can be obtained by other types of fitting means, such as snap-in means and the like.

As appears from Fig. 2 the circuit boards can make a relative angle with no problem. It is also possible to make the contacts 4 of electrically conducting rubber having a certain resilience per se, the support 3 thus being more rigid or quite hard.

In the disclosed case the contact elements 4 consist of a number of parallelly arranged rib-like or finger-like contact means. The respective contact means presents an essentially rectangular cross section. The board 1 abuts the respective contact means at one end of the means and the board 2 abuts the respective contact means at the other end of the means. There is a distance between the boards.

The invention is not limited to the above exemplifying embodiment but can be subjected to modifications within the scope of the appended claims and the inventive idea.

Claims

1. A contact means being a part in preferably a telephone/tele apparatus for enabling electrical contact between two circuit boards (1, 2) arranged under relative angle with

5 electrically conducting circuits (1a, 2a), c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that contact elements (4), made of electrically conducting material, are arranged on an electrically insulated support (3), and in that 10 electrically conducting parts (1a, 2a) on the boards, arranged under relative angle, are pressed against the contact elements for obtaining electric contact between the boards via the contact elements.

2. A means according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d 15 in that the elements consist of a number of parallelly arranged contact elements (4) and that said parts (1a, 2a) on the boards are positioned at the outer edges of the board.

3. A means according to claim 1 or 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the contact elements are made

20 of carbon and/or conducting rubber.

4. A means according to any of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the contact elements consist of a number of parallelly arranged rib-like (finger-like) means.

5. A means according to any of the preceding claims, 25 c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the relative press power

(F, F') between the contact elements (4) and the parts (1a, 2a) is provided by built-in power in the boards (1, 2) and/or the support (3) in connection with assembling the apparatus.

6. A means according to any of the preceding claims,

30 c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the support (3) consist of elastic material and/or is resiliently arranged.