EP2345107B1 - Circuit board clamp - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a circuit board clamp for connecting a conductor, said clamp comprising a housing (1) with a housing base section (2) for placement onto a circuit board (3) and a housing cover section (4), wherein a metal clamping cage (7) is disposed in the housing (1), said cage having a cage base section (8) and a cage cover section (9), wherein the cage base section (8) is disposed in the housing base section (2) and the cage cover section (9) is disposed on the housing cover section (4), wherein the housing cover section (4) together with the cage cover section (9) can be moved from the housing base section (2) and cage base section (8) to an open position in which a conductor can be placed into the cage base section (8) from the side – preferably from the top side away from the circuit board.

Description

The invention relates to a printed circuit board terminal according to the preamble of claim 1.

PCB terminals for connecting conductors with different diameters are known per se from the prior art in various embodiments.

document DE-A-3911108 discloses a clamp according to the preamble of claim 1.

When connecting conductors with a relatively large diameter, the problem arises that the often stiffer due to their relatively large diameter conductor difficult to insert into the PCB terminals.

The invention has the object to solve this problem with simple structural means.

The invention provides for solving this problem, the PCB terminal of claim 1.

Advantageous embodiments can be found in the dependent claims.

The invention considerably simplifies insertion of the conductors, since it is possible to insert the conductors laterally-preferably from the upper, initially open side-into the initially opened housing, then to close it and screw it tightly to the connection, which is preferably designed as a screw connection "to make a good conductive contact. A "bending" of the conductors or conductor ends for threading the same into the connection point is thus no longer required in an advantageous manner.

Fig. 1a

einen Schnitt durch eine Leiterplatte mit einer in Frontansicht dargestellten Leiterplattenklemme;

Fig. 1b

einen Schnittansicht der Leiterplattenklemme aus Fig. la (Schnitt durch die Ebene senkrecht zur Blattebene längs der Linie A-A);

Fig. 2-4

drei beim Anschluss eines Leiters zeitlich aufeinander folgende Zustände der Leiterplattenklemme aus Fig. 1.

The invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to the drawing with reference to exemplary embodiments, whereby further advantages of the invention will become apparent. It shows:

Fig. 1a

a section through a printed circuit board with a printed circuit board clamp shown in front view;

Fig. 1b

a sectional view of the PCB terminal of Fig. La (section through the plane perpendicular to the plane of the sheet along the line AA);

Fig. 2-4

three when connecting a conductor temporally successive states of the PCB terminal Fig. 1 ,

In the Fig. 1 illustrated printed circuit board terminal for connection of a conductor has a housing 1, which in turn has a housing base portion 2 for placement on a printed circuit board 3 and a housing cover portion 4.

The housing base portion 2 surrounds a receiving space 5 for receiving a conductor (the latter not shown here). The receiving space 5 is designed here in a preferred embodiment, once up to the housing cover section 4 open and once to a front side 6 of the housing 1 out. A conductor end to be inserted is designed essentially parallel to the printed circuit board plane after connection.

In the housing 1, a metallic clamping cage 7 is arranged, which has a here in turn preferred embodiment U-shaped cage base portion 8 and a cage cover portion 9, wherein the cage base portion 8 is arranged in the housing base portion 2 and the cage lid portion 9 on the housing cover portion 4th

The housing cover portion 4 is movable with the cage lid portion 9 from the housing base portion 2 with the cage base portion 8 in an open position, so that a parallel or substantially parallel to the circuit board 3 aligned conductor end laterally - here from the upper side - in the cage base section can be inserted ( Fig. 2 ). It is therefore not necessary to thread the end of the conductor axially in a nip.

According to a particularly preferred variant, this is realized in that the housing cover portion 4 is pivotally connected to the housing base portion 2. The pivotability can be achieved by a hinge assembly, which is, for example, a small axis, preferably made of metal, which passes through the articulated to be connected Tile (for example, in slots and / or holes). It is also conceivable to realize the pivoting by a film hinge.

This variant makes it possible to design the housing in one piece as a plastic injection-molded part. But it is also conceivable to realize a multi-piece plastic housing.

It is advantageous, but not mandatory, that the housing base section 2 and the housing cover section 4 are pivotally connected to each other. It is also conceivable to design them relative to each other purely displaceable (not shown here).

Particularly preferred is a pivotable and limited sliding movement between the housing base portion and the housing cover portion 2, 4 allowed over a sufficiently long dimensioned film hinge. This preferred embodiment is - as seen below - of particular advantage.

So are after Fig. 1 and 2 the cage base section 8 and the cage cover section 9 with corresponding, engageable and disengageable positive locking means 10, 11, which are each formed here as two in the side walls of the cage base section 8 grooves 11 and corresponding lateral webs 10 on the cage cover section 9, wherein one of the Grooves 11 parallel to the circuit board level is open and one of the grooves 11 is L-shaped.

After inserting a conductor in the position with open or pivoted here in the open position housing cover portion 4 ( Fig. 2 In which the cage cover section 9 arranged on the housing cover section 4 is completely detached here from the cage base section 8, the housing cover section 4 with the cage cover section 9 is folded down into a position parallel to the printed circuit board 3 Fig. 3 ). In this position, the one interlocking means 10, 11 are aligned with each other and the webs 10 engage in the rear grooves 11 in the base legs of these L-shaped grooves 11 a.

Then, the housing cover section 4 is displaced with the cage cover section 9 parallel to the printed circuit board plane, wherein the interlocking means 10, 11 engage with each other in such a way that the clamping cage is closed ( Fig. 4 ). Then it is only necessary for the realization of the clamping conductor connection a rotatable preferably the cage lid section 9 passing through clamping screw 12, the end preferably in the interior of the clamping cage on a resiliently designed to the cage cover portion 9 crosses or this relatively movable fixed clamp 13 acts attract and screw the end of the conductor tightly in the clamping cage 7. The clamping bracket 13 can optionally be designed as a pull or pressure bracket. He can also take over the function of a wire protection.

At least one of the walls of the clamping cage 7 is designed so well conductive that it acts as a current-conducting element. Preferably, the base plate 14 of the clamping cage 7 lying toward the printed circuit board 3 is preferably used for this purpose, which is covered with a conductive metal sheet, which in turn is connected to the printed circuit board 3 in a soldering manner, preferably directly or via connecting pins 15, and fixed thereto.

Optionally, a latching closure (latching edge 16) can be realized between the form-fitting means 10, 11 in order to ensure that the clamping cage 7 remains securely closed even in rougher applications.

It is also conceivable that the housing base section 2 and the housing cover section 4 on form-locking means 17, 18 and / or locking means after insertion of the conductor and the achievement of the "clamping state" ( Fig. 4 ) meshingly locking each other to block the relative displaceability between these elements.

According to a further advantageous variant of the housing cover portion 4 is locked in the open state and the housing base portion 2, so that a defined open position is given.

With regard to the various optional latching functions described above, it should be noted that preferably each detectable and / or audible snaps are formed between the latchable components, so that the user knows for sure that after locking the conductor, the conductors can be clamped with the screw 12 ,

The erfinderungemäße screw is suitable for its simple, inexpensive construction excellent for connecting even relatively inflexible conductor with - depending on the design - even larger diameter.

reference numeral

casing

1

Housing base section

2

circuit board

3

Cover section

4

accommodation space

5

front

6

clamping cage

7

Cage base portion

8th

Cage cover section

9

Fit means

10, 11

clamping screw

12

clamp

13

base wall

14

connector pins

15

catch edge

16

Fit means

17, 18

Claims (12)

1. A printed-circuit-board terminal for connecting a conductor, which terminal has a housing (1) which has a housing base section (2) for placing on a printed circuit board (3) and a housing cover section (4), with a metal clamping cage (7) being arranged in the housing (1), which cage has a cage base section (8) and a cage cover section (9), the cage base section (8) being arranged in the housing base section (2) and the cage cover section (9) on the housing cover section (4), characterised in that the housing cover section (4) with the cage cover section (9) is movable from the housing base section (2) with the cage base section (8) into an opened position in which a conductor can be placed from the side - preferably from the upper side remote from the printed circuit board - into the cage base section (8).
2. A printed-circuit-board terminal according to Claim 1, characterised in that the cage cover section (9) is penetrated by a clamping screw (12), the end of which in the interior of the clamping cage (7) preferably acts on a terminal clamp (13) which is formed as a strain-relief clamp or pressure clamp.
3. A printed-circuit-board terminal according to Claim 1 or 2, characterised in that at least one of the walls of the clamping cage (7) is designed to be so readily conductive that it acts as a current-conducting element.
4. A printed-circuit-board terminal according to Claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the current-conducting element of the clamping cage (7) is the base wall (14) of the clamping cage which lies towards the printed circuit board, and which can be fixed by soldering to the printed circuit board (3) directly or via connecting pins (15).
5. A printed-circuit-board terminal according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the housing cover section (4) is connected movably to the housing base section (2).
6. A printed-circuit-board terminal according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the housing cover section (4) is connected to the housing base section (2) pivotably and in limitedly relatively displaceable manner.
7. A printed-circuit-board terminal according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the cage base section (8) and the cage cover section (9) are provided with corresponding form-locking means (10, 11) which can be disengaged, which in the opened position do not cooperate in form-locking manner and which in the closed position of the clamping cage engage in one another in form-locking manner.
8. A printed-circuit-board terminal according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the housing cover section (4) with the cage cover section (9) is pivotable into a position parallel to the printed circuit board (3), whereupon the housing cover section (4) with the cage cover section (9) is displaceable parallel to the plane of the printed circuit board, the form-locking means (10, 11) engaging in one another such that the clamping cage is closed.
9. A printed-circuit-board terminal according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that preferably a latching closure is also produced between the form-locking means (10, 11).
10. A printed-circuit-board terminal according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the housing base section (2) and the housing cover section (4) additionally engage in one another in the closed state at form-locking means (17, 18) and/or at latch means.
11. A printed-circuit-board terminal according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the housing cover section (4) in the open state can be latched to the housing base section (2).
12. A printed-circuit-board terminal according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that tactile and/or audible latching mechanism are formed between the latchable structural elements of the above claims.

Images