EP2449636B1 - Connector for flat conductive strips, particularly flexible luminous strips having light-emitting diodes - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a flat conductor ribbon connector, including flexible light ribbons.

Light ribbons comprising light-emitting diodes distributed over their length are already known, for example by US5337225 or US2005180162 . However, in these documents, the ribbon comprises round-section conductor wires embedded in a support made of polymeric material, in which the diodes are also encased.

Typically, the light ribbons covered by the invention differ from the ribbons of the above-mentioned document in that they consist of a flexible printed circuit supporting electroluminescent diodes, usually called LEDs, with high brightness. The ribbon comprises an insulating support of flexible plastic material on which electrically conductive parallel tracks are formed. The tracks are generally coated in the plastic material which ensures their electrical insulation, but they appear locally naked in areas spaced evenly along the ribbon to allow the electrical connection of the LEDs on these tracks, or to allow the electrical connection two ribbons between them. The ribbon may comprise two conductive tracks for single two-way tapes, or several tracks, for example four, for multi-path systems.

Such light ribbons, one side of which may be self-adhesive for ease of application, may be used for markup, accent lighting, decoration, etc. Currently, these ribbons are relatively little used for reasons of complexity installation. A major difficulty comes from the fact that these ribbons are usually connected by welding, which makes their use difficult.

Connectors have already been proposed to allow easier connection of end-to-end conductive ribbons. Such connectors generally use electrical connection strips comprising pointed pins which punch the conductive wires, or V-shaped pins which fit on the electrically conductive wires transversely, the pressure movement which must be exerted on the said bars causing the piercing of the insulation of the conducting wire. These latter systems are known essentially for flexible plies of several wire conductors of round section, as described in FR2257158 , US4027941 , or US4415215 for example. In addition, the implementation of the connector requires that the two conductor elements to be connected are simultaneously present in the connector before making the connection, because said pin bars are simultaneously inserted on the ends of the conductive elements. Thus, it is generally not possible to put the connector on the end of a single ribbon, and only later connect the second ribbon on this connector.

The document DE10065972 describes a device according to the preamble of claim 1.

US7309249 describes a similar system for connecting ribbons with flat conductive tracks. The V-pins of this system fit on the conductive tracks by bending them longitudinally. This system is only suitable if the ribbon is always placed in the same direction in the connector, namely with the non-electrically insulated side of the side of said pins. If the ribbon is placed in an inverted direction, the pin will be in contact with the insulating layer, formed by the insulating polymer support, carrying the conductive track, and the electrical contact will not be made or will be only random.

Another common disadvantage of the systems providing the electrical connection by a pin or jumper V inserted transversely on the electrical conductor, is that the introduction of the ribbons in the connector and the actual electrical connection are separate operations that he must be performed successively. In addition, these connectors are generally not removable, or at least there is a significant risk that the driver remains marked at the point where the V-shaped pin was pressed on the driver.

The present invention aims to solve the problems mentioned above, and aims in particular to allow easy connection of light ribbons, seamless or complex handling. It also aims to provide a reliable electrical connection, allowing the electrical connection regardless of the direction of installation of the ribbon in the connector. It thus aims to allow an easy connection of butt tape in a straight line, or to provide a connection of tapes placed at right angles, or with any angle formed between them, by using an element of intermediate ribbon forming the angle and connected to each of said straight ribbons to connect.

It is also intended to allow the establishment of a connector on one end of a ribbon, and then to connect the second ribbon later. It also aims to allow easy disassembly and reassembly several times without damaging the electrical conductor at the contact.

With these objectives in view, the subject of the invention is a connector according to claim 1.

Thus, as will be better understood later, the connection of the ribbon on the connector is done by inserting the end of the ribbon into the connector, in the longitudinal direction of the ribbon, until the ends of the conductive tracks s' insert electrical connection elements into the slots. In fact, it suffices to push the ribbon into the connector until it comes into abutment, the electrical connection then being automatically achieved by the pinching of the connection elements on the end of the ribbon at the level of the conductive tracks.

According to a preferred arrangement, the electrical connection elements are platelets of conductive metal which extend in a longitudinal plane and perpendicular to said general plane, and which comprise at each end two tabs which define between them said slot. It should be noted that this arrangement makes it possible to ensure the electrical contact whatever the orientation of the ribbon in the connector, despite the presence of the insulating support ribbon, since the ends of the conductive tracks are necessarily in contact with one of the tabs or with the other.

The pads are kept inserted or overmolded in a housing body and the tabs protrude on each side in an insertion housing adapted to receive the end of the ribbon. Preferably, slides are provided in each housing to guide the ribbon edges when it is inserted into the connector.

To ensure the maintenance of the ribbon in the connector, the latter comprises locking means, provided for pinching and jamming the ribbon, beyond the end zones where the electrical connection is made. According to a preferred arrangement, the locking means comprise baffles transverse to the longitudinal direction, which apply to the ribbon and cause it to undergo a succession of alternating bending deformations capable of blocking it. According to a particular arrangement, the baffles are formed by ribs and grooves formed respectively on the body of the housing and on a connector cover at the ribbon insertion housing.

The cover is preferably hinged to the body by a side hinge, and locking means are provided to lock the cover on the body of the housing.

The lid comprises a complementary rib which presses on the tabs of the plates when the lid is closed, to exert an additional pinching force of the ends of the conductive tracks between said tabs.

The invention also relates to a system of flat light ribbons carrying electroluminescent diodes, composed of a plurality of elements ribbons connected end to end by connectors as defined above. In such a system, the ribbon elements may be connected in alignment with each other, or at any angle, to adapt the arrangement of the ribbon system to the configuration of the medium and the environment where it is desired to place said ribbons.

It may in particular provide specific connecting elements to form these angles, comprising a single ribbon, carrying only the conductive tracks excluding LEDs, folded on itself at any angle, and having at each end a connector according to the invention. Thus, the corner elements can be prepared, and during installation, simply cut the rectilinear elements of light ribbons to the desired length, at the connection pads provided on these ribbons, and insert the ends thus cut into the connectors mounted on the corner elements. To avoid connection errors by inversions of polarities, polarization markings are preferably provided on the housings.

Other features and advantages will become apparent in the description that will be made of a connector according to the invention, as well as the use of such a connector to make a set of several elements of flat ribbon light.

• la figure 1 est une vue d'un ensemble de rubans lumineux assemblés en ligne par des connecteurs conformes à l'invention,
• la figure 2 est une vue d'un ensemble de rubans lumineux assemblés en angle par des connecteurs conformes à l'invention,
• la figure 3 est une vue en plan d'un connecteur connecté sur une extrémité d'un premier élément de ruban et prêt à en recevoir un deuxième,
• la figure 4 est une vue du connecteur, en coupe selon la ligne IV-IV de la figure 3,
• la figure 5 est une vue du détail A de la figure 4, à échelle agrandie,
• la figure 6 montre un ruban prêt à être raccordé sur un connecteur selon l'invention,
• la figure 7 montre le ruban après insertion dans le connecteur,
• la figure 8 illustre une variante de réalisation, pour le raccordement de rubans comportant quatre pistes conductrices.

Reference is made to the accompanying drawings in which:

• the figure 1 is a view of a set of light ribbons assembled in line by connectors according to the invention,
• the figure 2 is a view of a set of light ribbons assembled at an angle by connectors according to the invention,
• the figure 3 is a plan view of a connector connected to one end of a first ribbon member and ready to receive a second one,
• the figure 4 is a view of the connector, in section along the line IV-IV of the figure 3 ,
• the figure 5 is a detail view A of the figure 4 , on an enlarged scale,
• the figure 6 shows a ribbon ready to be connected to a connector according to the invention,
• the figure 7 shows the ribbon after insertion into the connector,
• the figure 8 illustrates an alternative embodiment for connecting ribbons comprising four conductive tracks.

The Figures 1 and 2 represent two elements of light ribbons 1 comprising parallel conductive tracks 10 and carrying LEDs 11 electrically connected to said tracks. The conductive tracks are formed, in a manner known per se, on an insulating flexible polymer support 12 and are also covered with an insulating layer 13. This insulating layer 13 may either be absent locally or may be removed to make the conductive tracks 10 apparent and able to connect the diodes electrically, distributed over the length of the ribbon, or to achieve the electrical connection of the tracks at the ends of the ribbon elements. In this case, the conductive tracks, devoid of electrical insulation on one side but supported on the other by the polymer support 12, constitute electrical connection pads 14, as can be seen in particular figure 6 .

In the example shown figure 1 , the ribbon elements 1 are arranged in line and connected by a single flat ribbon 15, without LEDs, connected to the ends ribbon elements 1 by connectors 2 according to the invention.

Similarly, in the example shown figure 2 , the ribbon elements 1 are arranged at right angles and connected by a single flat ribbon 15 ', without LEDs, folded back on itself at the desired angle, here at 90 °. We can also fold the ribbon 15 'at any other angle, according to the wishes of the user.

Connector 2 will now be described in more detail.

As we see in particular figure 3 , this connector consists of a double housing 20 having a body 21 extending in a general plane P1 which corresponds to the plane of the light ribbons to be connected, that is to say according to the plane of the sheet of the figure 3 , and in the longitudinal direction XX of said ribbons. The housing comprises two covers 22, 23 one beside the other, pivotally articulated on the body by lateral hinges 29 extending along a hinge line L oriented in the longitudinal direction XX, the two lids being symmetrical with respect to a median plane P2 perpendicular to said longitudinal direction XX. The covers 22, 23 are clipped in the closed position on the body by engagement of a cutout 24 of the cover on a lug 25 of the body. The covers 22, 23 close housing 26 made in each part of the body and intended to receive the ends of the ribbons to be connected, the housing width corresponding to that of the ribbons. In each housing, slides 27 are formed on the side walls of the housing 26 to guide the end of the ribbon during its insertion into the connector, as will be seen later.

Electrical connection pads 3, made of conductive metal, are held in the connector, for example by inserting a central foot in a groove provided for this purpose in a wall 28 for separating two housings 21. The plates 3 comprise on each side, protruding in the housings 21, tabs 31 forming between them slots 32 extending in the plane P1 and whose width, between the tabs 31, corresponds substantially to the thickness at ribbon, at the electrical connection pads 14. The width of the slot 32 is preferably slightly smaller than said thickness of the ribbon, so that the tabs 31 exert a clamping force on the electrical connection pads 14 when the end of the ribbon is inserted into the housing 21 of the connector as far as the stop at the bottom of the slots 32. A complementary pinching force is generated during the closing of the covers 22, 23, by pressing the tabs 31 on the side said lid, by a boss 40 formed on the inner face of the lid.

In the case of connectors adapted for ribbons comprising two conductive tracks, it is possible to use double plates for each track, the tabs 31 of the two plates 3 corresponding to the same track engaging on the same electrical connection area 14, as can be seen in FIG. see it well figure 7 .

In the case of connectors adapted for ribbons comprising four conductive tracks, as represented figure 8 each wafer 3 corresponds to a track 10 'of the ribbon. Similarly, one can also adapt the connectors for ribbons with a number of tracks other than two or four.

To maintain the ends of the ribbons in the connector, the latter comprises baffles formed in the housing 21, so as to deform the tight ribbon in said baffles, as can be seen well figure 5 when the covers 22, 23 are closed and locked. These baffles may in particular comprise ribs 41 made on the inner face of the lids 22, 23, and corresponding grooves 42 formed in the bottom wall of the connector body 21.

Putting a connector on the end of a ribbon element 1 is illustrated Figures 6 and 7 . The cover 22 of the connector being open, the end 19 of the ribbon, having the non-insulated connection pads, is inserted into the housing 26 of the body 21 of the connector, in the longitudinal direction XX, the lateral edges of the ribbon being guided under them. slides 27. The insertion is continued until the areas of the polymeric support 12 carrying the pads 14 are engaged between the tabs 31 of the plates 3. The cover 22 is then folded by pivoting along the hinge line L. The boss 40 presses the tab 31 to tighten the tabs on the pads 14, and the ribs 41 press the tape by deforming it, blocking it in the grooves 42 of the connector body. Finally, the cover is locked on the body by engagement of the cutout 24 with the pin 25. The remaining free connector portion can be used thereafter to connect in the same way another ribbon element.

The connectors carry on their cover and on the body, in the housing 26, polarization markings + and - to facilitate connections avoiding polarity errors. As we see in particular figure 2 due to the fact that the simple interconnecting flat ribbon 15 'folds into itself to form a flat angle, a polarity inversion of the conductive tracks 10 located inwardly of the angle occurs. The connector system according to the invention makes it possible to simply manage these inversions because the ends of the ribbons can be placed in the connectors without worrying about the orientation of the ribbon: the figure 2 shows that on one side of the corner, connected on the ribbon 1, the insulating layer 13 of the single ribbon 15 'is located on the top, and on the other side it is the support 12 of the ribbon 15' which is apparent, the conductive tracks being then on this side , below the support 12. The connection of the connector remains possible, because the electrical contact between the pads 14 and the pads 3 will then be via the tab 31 of the pads located towards the body of the housing 20 instead of being via the tab located towards the lid, as previously described. The connector 2a is then connected to the ribbon 15 'in the opposite direction of the connector 2. The said + and - marks make it possible to ensure, in relation to the corresponding tracks of the ribbon, that the polarities are well respected when the connector 2 is connected. both on the ribbon side of the single flat ribbon 15 'and on the ribbon side 1'. Similarly, for four-track ribbons and connectors, the tracks and their positions in the connectors may be identified by RGB-like markers - for example, as illustrated figure 8 , or equivalent locations.

The invention is not limited to the embodiment of the connector described above solely by way of example. In particular, the pivoting cover could be replaced by any other cover system snap on the body and to ensure the locking tape by baffle systems or equivalent locking systems.

Claims (9)

1. Connector for flat and flexible luminous conductive strips (1, 1'; 15, 15') comprising a plurality of parallel conductive tracks (10) and bearing light emitting diodes, to connect one end (19) of such a strip to another strip or to another electrical element, the connector comprising a flat package extending along a general plane (P1) and adapted to accommodate and hold the end of said strip in said plane, and a plurality of electrical connecting elements each arranged to ensure an electrical connection with a conductive track of the strip, the electrical connecting elements comprising at each end two lugs (31) determining between them a slot (32) extending in said plane (P1), characterised in that the slot is adapted to inserted therein by pinching an end (14) of a conductive track (10) along a longitudinal direction (XX) parallel to said plane and corresponding to the longitudinal direction of the strip, to automatically ensure, by pinching when the end of the strip is inserted, an electrical contact between one or the other lug of the connecting element and said track, and the connector (2) comprises locking means (41, 42) to pinch and jam the strip, beyond the end zones (19) of the strip where the electrical connection is made, arranged to be activated after insertion of the ends of the strip tracks in said slots (32), the locking means comprising for this purpose ribs (41) and grooves (42) transversal to the longitudinal direction, made respectively on the body (21) of the package and on a cover (22, 23) of the connector, at an insertion housing (26) adapted to accommodate the end (19) of the strip, the ribs and grooves forming baffles which are applied to the strip and subject it to a series of alternated bending deformations causing it to be blocked.
2. Connector according to claim 1, characterised in that the electrical connecting elements are plates (3) made of a conductive metal which extend in a longitudinal plane and perpendicular to said general plane (P1) and which comprise at each end said lugs (31) which determine between them said slot (32).
3. Connector according to claim 2, characterised in that the plates (3) are held in a body (21) of the package (20) and the lugs (31) extend on each side into an insertion housing (26) adapted to accommodate the end (19) of the strip.
4. Connector according to claim 3, characterised in that slides (27) are provided in each housing (26) to guide the edges of the strip.
5. Connector according to claim 1, characterised in that the cover (22, 23) is hinged on the body (21) by a lateral hinge (29) and locking means (24, 25) are provided to lock the cover (22, 23) onto the body (21) of the package.
6. Connector according to claim 1, characterised in that the cover (22, 23) comprises an additional rib (40) which bears on the lugs (32) of the plates when the cover is closed.
7. Connector according to any one of the claims 1 to 5, characterised in that it comprises polarity markings (+, -) on the body (20) and/or the covers (22, 23).
8. Flat luminous strip system bearing light emitting diodes (11), consisting of a plurality of strip elements (1, 1') connected end to end by connectors according to any of the previous claims.
9. Flat luminous strip system according to claim 8, characterised in that it comprises specific connecting elements to form angles, comprising a simple strip (15') including only conductive tracks, folded over onto itself according to any angle and comprising, at each end, a connector according to any of the previous claims.

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