EP1122823B1 - Crimping contact - Google Patents

Abstract

The crimp contact has at least one conducting track on an insulating bearer layer. The region of the track to be contacted is arranged in a compressed crimping part with two or more opposed sides protruding in a U-shape from a base when not compressed. A deformable pressure part deformed by compressing the crimping part is arranged in the compressed crimping part and contacts the foil conductor to form a gas-tight crimp contact. The crimp contact has at least one conducting track fixed onto an insulating bearer layer (2), whereby the region of the conducting track to be contacted is arranged in a compressed crimping part (7') which has two or more opposed sides (8') protruding in a U-shape from a base (9) when not compressed. The foil conductor (1') is electrically conducting on its surface facing the bearer layer in the region of the conducting track to be contacted. A deformable pressure part (12') deformed by compressing the crimping part is arranged in the compressed crimping part and contacts the foil conductor to form a gas-tight crimp contact.

Description

The invention relates to a crimp contact of a flexible foil conductor with at least a conductor path defined on an insulating support layer, wherein the area to be contacted of the conductor track defined on the film in one crimped compressed part is arranged, which in the unmolded state at least two directly opposite each other, one leg U-shaped having protruding cheeks.

Foil conductor with electrical fixed to an insulating support layer Tracks are known. In particular, such film conductors with several insulated conductors as electrical connection lines between electrical components used. The advantages of these foil conductors are in particular in their low height and their low weight.

Under a crimp contact is in this document in a general way a contact Understood arrangement in which the contact between the to be contacted Parts by pressing or squeezing a deformable Part ("Crimpteiles") is produced.

In a conventional crimp contact built up of a stranded wires electrical conductor is to be contacted electrical conductor in a in the Usually U-shaped sheet metal part inserted and the cheeks of the U-shaped sheet metal part are compressed in the sequence, causing the inserted electrical Head is clamped and also deformed. Built from stranded wires This makes electrical conductors easy, fast and reliable connections getting produced. A common quality feature of such a connection is their gas-tightness, the work done by the deformation work the surfaces of the parts to be joined arises.

Crimp contacts for film conductors are already known, for example from the CH-PS 585 975 or US-PS 5,137,468 which is considered to be the closest prior art. The from CH-PS 585 975 and the US-PS 5,137,468 known crimp contacts of flexible film conductors are in Contrary to the conventional crimp contacts of stranded conductors not very reliable. The crimp contact of CH-PS 585 975, the tips of the crimping pushed through the conductor tracks defined on the film and then bent over, where they are again pushed through the track. The contact surfaces are here essentially only through the penetration points the tips formed by the track. As stated on the slide Trace is very thin (usually in the range between 20 and 50 microns), this leads to an insufficient fixing of the foil conductor in the crimp part and to high contact resistance. In the in the US Pat. No. 5,137,468, the crimped part is intended to be bent in such a way Be sure that the free end of a crimp piece's top is just above the one To strip conductor track lying insulating layer and contacting the conductor should clamp against the bottom of the crimp. The bending process of Therefore Crimpteiles must be extremely accurate with the smallest tolerances which is extremely problematic in practice and therefore not one can lead to reliable crimp contact.

An electrical connector for connecting a foil to a wire conductor further known from DE-OS 1 957 183. The connector has two through one Folding line on separate flank parts. From the one flank part is a tongue punched free and U-shaped bent. In this U-shaped tongue is the wire conductor inserted. Between the tongue and the other edge part of the film conductor inserted and subsequently the connector for making the contact pressed together. The wire conductor and the foil conductor are here in the compressed Condition of the connector not at each other and a gas-tight Contact of the foil conductor can not be formed by such a connector become.

From US-PS 3,715,457 is further a two-piece connector for a ribbon conductor known. The conductors are each relatively loose between two Layers of an insulating material. The connector has a lance-like Part on, from the front end of the ribbon conductor between the upper insulating cover layer and the conductor is inserted, so that this lance-like Part flat on the ladder rests. The cheeks of a U-shaped Crimp are from the back of the ribbon conductor forth through the insulating Layered next to the conductor, so that the conductor and the Ianzenartige Part of the connector as well as the insulating layers between these cheeks to come to rest. As a result, the cheeks are pressed inwards, Puncture the upper insulating layer and pierce the lanceous part be pressed. A gas-tight connection is thereby not achieved.

From US-A-5 611 709 is a contacting of a flexible foil conductor with a cable by means of insulation displacement technology known. With this insulation displacement technology the electrically insulating outer shell of the cable is cut through and contacted the head of the cable. The insulation displacement contact part has get a thigh, which carries the cutting parts as well as protruding cheeks, which hold the entire cable to the flexible foil conductor. It deals This is not a crimp contact.

The object of the invention is to provide a crimp contact of a flexible foil conductor, which is easy to manufacture and reliable in its manufacture sufficient tolerances and allows the gas-tight. According to the invention succeeds this by a crimp contact with the features of claim 1.

The crimp contact is thus made by placing next to the one or more to be contacted Foil (s) also a deformable pressure part is inserted into the crimping part and then the Crimpteil is pressed. Through the deformation work done on the surfaces of the parts to be joined creates a secure, gas-tight Contact the film, with considerable manufacturing tolerances the positioning of the film in the crimp. Due to the gas tightness of the Crimp contacts get neither liquids nor noxious gases (such as sulfur gases) in the contact, which otherwise leads to corrosion and thus to an impairment of the contact.

At this point, it is still the more senior, not pre-published EP 1 035 616 A1, which also has a crimp contact of a flexible Foil conductor shows. The projecting from a connecting web or leg Cheeks of Crimpteils are here but not directly opposite, but are offset from each other (seen in the longitudinal direction of the film conductor). Thus, no gas-tightness of the crimp contact is achieved.

The mediated by the invention crimp contact electrical contact the film conductor can affect different parts: On the one hand, an electric Contact made between the trace and the deformable pressure part which in this case is a section of an electrical conductor, preferably a stranded wire or waveguide. The crimp part can do this be independent of the parts to be contacted, the itself also electrically can be insulating. Furthermore, the electrical contact between the Conductor and the crimp part be formed. Another alternative is that a contact between two arranged in the crimp, with your tracks against each other directed film conductors is produced. It can too several pairs of foil conductors to be contacted are arranged in the crimp part his. The mentioned contacting options can also be used with each other be combined. For example, the trace of a film conductor with the formed as a free end of a stranded wire deformable pressure member and with a Crimpteil be contacted, which on a pin of a plug part an electrical connector is formed.

Fig. 1

eine perspektivische Darstellung eines ersten Ausführungsbeispiels eines erfindungsgemäßen Crimpkontaktes;

Fig. 2

einen schematischen Querschnitt durch den Kontaktbereich des in Fig. 1 gezeigten Ausführungsbeispiels;

Fig. 3

eine schematische perspektivische Darstellung eines zweiten Ausführungsbeispiels der Erfindung;

Fig. 4

einen schematischen Querschnitt durch den Kontaktbereich eines dritten Ausführungsbeispiels der Erfindung;

Fig. 5

einen schematischen Querschnitt durch den Kontaktbereich eines vierten Ausführungsbeispiels der Erfindung; und

Fig. 6

einen schematischen Querschnitt durch ein weiteres Ausführungsbeispiels eines flexiblen Druckteils.

Further advantages and details of the invention are explained below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In this show:

Fig. 1

a perspective view of a first embodiment of a crimp according to the invention;

Fig. 2

a schematic cross section through the contact region of the embodiment shown in Figure 1;

Fig. 3

a schematic perspective view of a second embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 4

a schematic cross section through the contact region of a third embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 5

a schematic cross section through the contact region of a fourth embodiment of the invention; and

Fig. 6

a schematic cross-section through another embodiment of a flexible printing part.

In the embodiment shown schematically in Figures 1 and 2 a crimp contact according to the invention are two interconnects 3, the on a film conductor 1 (only a part of which is shown in Fig. 1) applied are contacted with electrical conductors in the form of stranded wires 13. The foil conductor 1 has a film or carrier layer 2, on which the conductor tracks 3, for example, printed or applied by electroplating. Such foil conductor are under designations such as FLC (flexible layer circuit) or FPCB (flexible printed circuit board). As a positioning aid and as a strain relief for the Foil conductor 1 is provided with a recess 4, with which the film conductor 1 is inserted via a pin 5 attached to a base plate 6. At the Base plate 6 are further two Crimpteile 7 attached. These include two U-shaped from the base plate 6 upwardly projecting cheeks 8, which by a lying on the base plate 6 legs 9 are connected. To the connection the crimping parts 7 with the base plate 6 are not further on the leg 9 in FIG. 1 arranged visible feet that protrude into the base plate 6 and in this example are injected.

To the conductor tracks 3 in their area to be contacted in the crimping parts. 7 to be able to insert recesses 10, 11 are provided in the film conductor between in each case the carrier layer 2 with the conductor track arranged thereon 3 runs like a ridge. The film conductor 1 can with the recesses 10, 11 on the Cheeks 8 of the crimping parts 7 are slipped so that the web-like areas of the Foil conductor 1 extend over the base plates 6 of the crimping parts 7.

As a result, the stripped free ends of the stranded wires 13 in the Crimping parts 7 inserted. These stripped free ends of the conductor tracks 3 to be contacted stranded wires 13 form in this embodiment, the Pressure parts 12 of the crimp contact. For positioning and strain relief of the stranded wires 13, a bracket 14 is provided, arranged on the locking lugs 15 are, which can be latched in recesses 16 in the base plate 6. In the area below the bracket 14 are on the surface of the base plate 6 transverse to the Litz wires 13 extending, rib-like elevations 17 provided against which latched the outer insulation of the stranded wires 13 in the base plate 6 Condition of the bracket 14 are pressed.

To complete the crimp contacts the cheeks 8 of the crimping parts 7 against the pressure parts 12 and the underlying sections to be contacted the printed conductors 3 pressed, whereby a gas-tight contact can be produced. In Fig. 2 is a schematic cross-section through one of the contact points. Due to the deformation of the pressure part 12 and the pressure transfer to the surface the conductor 3, it comes to a very low-impedance contact, opposite an exact positioning of the film conductor 1 in the crimping part 7 very insensitive is. Even if the film conductor 1 is displaced laterally and partially in the region adjacent to the cheeks 8 area, it comes to a reliable contact. By the directly opposite U-shaped protruding cheeks lies in squeezing and rolling the two Cheeks inside the center of power in the middle of both cheeks. The strands of the conductor are thereby deformed and gas-tight pressed against each other, and It also comes to a gas-tight system between the strands and the foil conductor.

The electrical conductor tracks 3 have at least in the area in which they are in the crimp part 7, on their side facing away from the carrier layer 2 surface no electrical insulation. In other areas of the film conductor 1 are the interconnects 3 preferably with an insulating not shown in Fig. 1 Cover layer covered. A common thickness for the carrier layer is, for example 75 microns and the track can, for example, 35 microns be thick and made of copper, being in the area where the trace on its surface is not covered by an insulating cover layer, the Surface of the conductor is provided with a conductive oxidation protection.

The contact area can after crimping by dipping, encapsulating or other methods are sealed. The base plate 6 and the bracket 14 are used for pre-positioning of the parts of the crimp contact (conductor 3 of the film conductor, Crimp part 7, pressure part 12). Although this makes a simple, serial production a crimp contact according to the invention is possible, an inventive Crimp contact basically without these parts 6, 14 or under Use of other pre-positioning measures.

Instead of the base plate 6 could also be a closed, surrounding the crimp contact Be provided housing, which above the crimping 7 openings for performing a crimping tool.

In the embodiment of an inventive according to FIG Crimp contact the crimp part 7 'is integrally formed with a pin 18. Using several such pins 18 with molded crimping parts 7 ', which are arranged in a common housing, a multiple plug be provided a connector. The fragmentary in Fig. 3 illustrated foil conductor 1 'has one or more interconnects third on, which in turn are arranged on an insulating carrier layer 2. In the area the free ends of the tracks 3 to be contacted is this carrier layer 2 recessed between the individual interconnects 3. The free ends the conductor tracks 3 can thereby be inserted into the crimp parts 7 '(only one is shown in Fig. 3), which in turn are U-shaped, with Side cheeks 8 'and a side cheeks 8' connecting legs 9. In the Followed are pressure parts 12 'in the crimping parts 7' on the section arranged therein the conductor 3 inserted and the cheeks 8 'of the respective crimping part 7' against the pressure member 12 'so deformed that a frictional connection between the in the crimp arranged portion of the film conductor 1 ', the pressure member 12' and the Crimp part 7 'is formed. Due to the deformation of the pressure member 12 'also arises a material connection between the pressure part 12 'and Crimpteil 7'. The printing part 12 'is here to mediate the electrical contact between the conductor 3 and the crimp part 7 'is electrically conductive. To the deformation of the pressure part 12 ', this is in the embodiment shown in Fig. 3 hollow, wherein it has a central channel-shaped cavity 19. A deformability of the pressure member 12 'could also be achieved in another way become. For example, a printing part 12 "could be used, as in FIG Fig. 6 shown schematically in cross-section, which on its surface a Has a variety of elevations and depressions. Various other cross-sectional shapes, which give the printing part sufficient deformability, are conceivable and possible. Also, the deformability of the printing part could not about its cross-sectional shape, but about its material can be achieved which could be elastic.

A schematic cross section of a third embodiment of an inventive Crimp contact is shown in Fig. 4. Here are in Crimpteil 7 "to contacting portions of two film conductors 1, wherein the two Foil conductor 1 with their carrier layers 2 abut each other. In this case, need both Crimpteil 7 "and pressure member 12" be electrically conductive, to an electrical contact between the two interconnects 3 of the film conductor 1 or additionally with the crimp part 7 "and / or the pressure part 12" too to reach.

The crimp part can have different geometries, being in each Case against the printing part and the section in the film conductor, which are inserted in the crimp are, is verpressible. In Fig. 5 is a schematic cross section of a fourth Embodiment of the invention shown. In a cylinder jacket Crimp part 7 '' 'are the deformable pressure member 12' '' and the pressed-to-be-contacted. Again, there are different ways of contacting the Conductor 3 of the film conductor 1 given and also several to be contacted Foil conductors can be inserted into the crimp part 7 '' '. The deformable pressure part 12 '' 'may in turn have different geometries and from different Be made of materials.

Key to the REFERENCE NUMBERS

1, 1 '

foil conductor

2

backing

3

conductor path

4

recess

5

spigot

6

baseplate

7, 7 ', 7 ", 7 '' '

crimping

8, 8 '

cheek

9, 9 '

leg

10

recess

11

recess

12, 12 ', 12 ", 12 '' ', 12 ""

pressure part

13

litz

14

hanger

15

locking lug

16

recess

17

rib-like elevation

18

pin

19

cavity

Claims (11)

1. A crimping contact of a flexible film conductor (1, 1') comprising at least one strip conductor (3) fixed to an insulating substrate (2), wherein the contact region of the strip conductor fixed to the film is arranged in a compressed crimping part (7, 7', 7", 7''') which, in the unpressed state, has at least two directly opposing side walls (8, 8') projecting from an arm (9) in a U-shaped manner, characterised in that the film conductor (1, 1') is electrically conductive on its surface remote from the substrate (2) in the contact region of the strip conductor (3) and in that a deformable, electrically conductive pressure part (12, 12', 12", 12''', 12""), which is deformed during compression of the crimping part, is also arranged in the compressed crimping part (7, 7', 7", 7''') and rests against the film conductor, the crimping contact being formed so as to be gas-tight.
2. A crimping contact according to claim 1, characterised in that the pressure part (12, 12', 12", 12''', 12"") and the strip conductor (3) fixed to the film conductor (1, 1') are parts to be contacted by means of the crimping contact, wherein the pressure part (12, 12', 12", 12''', 12"") is part of an electrical line.
3. A crimping contact according to claim 2, characterised in that the electrical line is a stranded wire (13) or waveguide.
4. A crimping contact according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that two strip conductors, arranged in the compressed crimping part (7, 7', 7", 7''') and fixed to respective film conductors (1, 1'), are parts to be contacted by means of the crimping contact.
5. A crimping contact according to claim 4, characterised in that a plurality of pairs of film conductors (1, 1') to be contacted are arranged in the crimping part (7, 7', 7", 7"'), wherein the electrically contactable sides rest against one another in pairs.
6. A crimping contact according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the crimping part (7, 7', 7", 7''') and the strip conductor (3) fixed to the film conductor (1, 1') are parts to be contacted by means of the crimping contact.
7. A crimping contact according to any one of claims 2 to 5, characterised in that the crimping part (7, 7', 7", 7''') is a separate component from the parts to be contacted.
8. A crimping contact according to any one of claims 4 to 6, characterised in that the deformable pressure part (12, 12', 12", 12''', 12"") is a separate component from the parts to be contacted.
9. A crimping contact according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterised in that the crimping part (7, 7', 7", 7''') is fixed in a base plate (6), wherein a device, preferably in the form of a pin (5) arranged on the base plate and an opening (4) in the film conductor, is provided for prepositioning the film conductor (1, 1').
10. A crimping contact according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterised in that the crimping part (7, 7', 7", 7''') is rigidly connected to a plug pin (18) or a socket of a plug part or a socket part of a plug-and-socket connection.
11. A crimping contact according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterised in that the film conductor (1) is arranged directly on the arm (9, 9') connecting the two deformable side walls (8) of the U-shaped crimping part (7, 7', 7"), and the pressure part (12, 12', 12", 12''') is arranged directly on the contact region of the film conductor (1).

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