EP2710681A1

EP2710681A1 - Apparatus for making electrical contact with a printed circuit board by way of a plug

Info

Publication number: EP2710681A1
Application number: EP12721825.3A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Emilien Massias
Original assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
Current assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
Priority date: 2011-05-20
Filing date: 2012-05-14
Publication date: 2014-03-26
Anticipated expiration: 2032-05-14
Also published as: EP2710681B1; DE102011076176A1; CN103582981B; CN103582981A; WO2012159921A1

Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus and a method for establishing an electrical contact connection between a printed circuit board substrate (30), which has at least one contact area (42, 44), and at least one plug-side contact (64). At least one contact-making element (46, 48) which comprises a deflectable part (56) and a contact arm (80) is arranged in an insertion region (62). The contact point (50) of said at least one contact-making element can engage with the at least one contact area (42, 44).

Description

Description title

DEVICE FOR ELECTRICALLY CONTACTING A CONDUCTOR PLATE WITH A PLUG

PRIOR ART US Pat. No. 5,531,615 discloses a plug-in contact in which an electronic contactor is known

Connecting element is used for edge attachment to electronic devices. The connector includes a pair of housing members adapted to define an elongate slot. This is a pair of oppositely disposed, mutual forces generating spring elements which are arranged such that they receive a plug contact and exert on this a pressing force.

In previously used plug contacts according to the prior art higher insertion forces are required to produce a plug-in contact; furthermore, the

Generation of the plug connection quite laborious. Furthermore, it can be at

Plug contacts to potential damage to each other to be contacted joining partners, which can lead to both damage to the plug contacts as well as damage to the contacts on each to be contacted circuit board.

Presentation of the invention

According to a Steckkontaktierung is proposed in which by a

Plug-in movement of a plug-in element with contacts in electrical connection standing contacting elements are deflected such that they are applied with a contact force on contact surfaces ("Lands"), for example, to upper and

Bottom of the inserted in the axial direction in a plug plug contact. The proposed solution according to the invention makes it possible to design a printed circuit board or a contacting provided thereon in such a way that it has only one

Provides leadership function. The insertion in plug-in direction of a plug contact requires only before reaching the final electrical contact a certain force, however, increases linearly and not gradually. By this force is a potential damage to the contact surfaces ("Lands"), which are located on at least one side of the plug contact and damage to the corresponding

Counter contact on the circuit board excluded.

In an advantageous embodiment of the concept underlying the invention, the contacting elements, each having a contact point, designed as elastic elements, so for example as a spring blades. These on the one hand can cause a deflection of contact elements provided on the contact points and on the other hand compensate for tolerances, since the Kontaktierungsweg, the contacting elements for contacting the at least one contact surface ("Lands") is sized to the plug contact so that match or compensate for manufacturing tolerances can be.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention underlying idea spaced contacts are arranged such that they limit an insertion opening for a plug contact. Opposite, the insertion opening for the plug contact limiting contacts, each having a spring-trained

Contacting element, which is deflected by insertion of the plug contact in such a way that on the resilient contact elements formed contact points on contact surfaces ("Lands"), at least one contact surface, which is located on the plug contact in an axial extension, are employed

Plug-in movement of the plug contact in the spring-trained

Contacting elements that limit the insertion of the plug contact, by the presence or the deflection of the contacting an employment of

Contact points on which in the axial direction at least one side of the plug contact extending contact surfaces guaranteed. On the other hand, the contact surfaces or "lands", which are formed on at least one side of the plug contact, dimensioned in the axial direction such that a sufficiently large area for the contact is given by the contact points of the contacting elements on the plug contact. Advantageously, the plug contact has a rounded trained, for example, made of molding compound deflecting element, which deforms the contacting elements in execution of the insertion process such that elongated by the deflection of, for example, resiliently formed fins in one direction, an adjusting movement of contact points to the in the axial direction formed contact surfaces on at least one side of the plug contact.

As long as the plug contact remains between the contacting elements, it is ensured on account of the deflection of the resiliently configured spring blades that the contact points with a well-defined spring force are set against the contact surfaces extending in the axial direction on at least one side of the plug contact.

In a particularly advantageous manner, a nose-shaped deflecting element is arranged on one of the plug opening facing end side of the printed circuit board, which on its the

Plug opening facing side is rounded. The in the insertion direction, preferably horizontally extending contact surfaces on one or both sides of the printed circuit board end are elongated, so that it is ensured that when generating a contact force on the contact points, which are formed at the ends of resiliently formed contact arms, and the contact surfaces, an electrical connection can be made by maintaining a contact force. As long as formed on the spring-trained contact elements auszulenkende parts through the

Deflection remain deflected spring-formed contact elements, in particular the spring-trained contact arms and the trained thereon

Contact elements with a well-defined contact force to the at least provided on one side of the printed circuit board contact surface.

As long as the deflection element is inserted between the parts to be deflected of the at least one contact element, as long as counteracting the deflection movement of the resilient contact elements in the region of the parts to be deflected, the resiliently formed contact arms with contact points formed thereon

Contact surfaces on at least one side of the PCB end hired.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS With reference to the drawing, the invention will be described in more detail below. It shows:

1 and 2 plug housing and plug contacts according to an embodiment of the prior art,

Figure 3 shows a first embodiment of the invention proposed

Device for producing an electrical contact,

FIG. 4 shows an insertion phase of the printed circuit board end,

FIG. 5 shows the contact time at which the rounded deflecting element contacts the resiliently formed, electrical contact elements;

FIG. 6 shows the further insertion process of the printed circuit board end and of it

accommodated deflection means between the resiliently formed

Contact elements, the deflection movement of the same and the

Adjusting movement of the contact arms with contact points,

FIG. 7 shows the electrical contact finally produced,

8 shows an inserted printed circuit board and

Figure 9 shows a further embodiment of the invention proposed

Device for producing an electrical contact.

The illustrations according to Figures 1 and 2 are embodiments of

Plug housings and contacts according to the prior art can be seen.

FIG. 1 shows a plug 10, which has a plug housing 12, which are received in a series of contact clips 14. The contact clip 14 are embodied on a contact carrier 16, which is enclosed by the plug housing 12. Figure 2 shows the in the

Plug housing according to Figure 1 insertable plug-in elements 18, which have a contact cheek 20, wherein the plug-in elements 18 via a crimp connection 22 with a cable are connected. On the opposite side of the contact cheek 20 are the

Plug elements 18 provided with latching hooks 24.

variants

The illustration according to FIG. 3 shows a first embodiment of the device proposed according to the invention for producing an electrical contact in more detail. The illustration according to FIG. 3 shows that at one end of a

Printed circuit board substrate 30 a nose-shaped deflecting element, for example, designed as molded from molding compound nose is arranged. The printed circuit board substrate 30 has a first side 32 and a second side 34 lying opposite to it, which extend parallel to one another in a substantially horizontal direction. On the first side 32 of the printed circuit board substrate 30 is a first contact surface 42 ("land"), while on the second side 34 of the printed circuit board substrate 30, a second

Contact surface 44 ("land") is also located, and both contact surfaces 42, 44 also extend substantially in a horizontal direction parallel to each other and extend inwardly

Essentially in parallel to a plug-in direction, see position 66 in FIG. 3.

From the illustration according to FIG. 3, it is also apparent that a first contact element 46 and a second contact element 48 lying opposite are arranged on plug-side contacts 64 which define an insertion region 62. The two opposing contact elements 46 and 48 are formed substantially resilient and are made of metallic material. In the embodiment variant of the spring-formed contact elements 46 and 48 shown in FIG. 3, these comprise a contacted part 54. The contacted part 54 extends - likewise with resilient properties - from the opposing ones

On the branch 52, the contacted part 54 of the contact elements 46, 48 is in a marked by reference numeral 80 resilient contact on, at the end of a thickened trained as material accumulation trained

Contact point 50 is located. From the branch 52 in the opposite direction to the spring-trained

Extending contact arm 80 extending on the first contact element 46 and the second contact element 48 each auszulenkende parts 56 of the contact elements 46, 48, each terminating in an open end 58.

As can be seen from the illustration according to FIG. 3, the parts 56 to be deflected of the first contact element 46 and of the second contact element 48 at the open end 48 extend convergent to each other, ie. the open ends 58 converge towards each other. In the position (not contacted) of the printed circuit substrate 30 with the first contact element 46 and the second contact element 48 shown in FIG. 3, the two contact points 50 shown undeflected define at the ends of the resilient ones

Contact arms 80 an opening distance 60. This opening distance 60 is greater than the thickness of the printed circuit substrate 30, based on the plan sides of the two horizontally extending, oppositely disposed contact surfaces 42, 44. At an end face 36 of the printed circuit board substrate 30, the deflection element 38 is in nose shape , preferably made of a molding compound and provided with a rounding 40, which is already introduced to a part in the insertion direction 66 (also referred to as axial feed) in the insertion region 62.

The illustration according to Figure 4 it can be seen that in this position of the

Printed circuit board substrate 30 of this, with respect to the insertion portion 62, partially inserted into this, without the provided with the rounding 40 deflecting element 38 abutting each other deflectable parts 56 of both the first contact element 46, and the second contact element 44 opposite thereto. The

Representation according to FIG. 4 corresponds essentially to a reduced scale of the representation according to FIG. 3, as described above.

Figure 5 shows the time at which the preferably nose-shaped

Deflection element 38 facing each other auszulenkenden parts 56 of the first and second contact element 46 and 48 just touched. As can be seen from a combination of FIGS. 4 and 5, the printed circuit board substrate 30 is inserted in the insertion direction 66 (axial feed) into the insertion region 62 delimited by the contact points 50 located opposite one another. FIG. 3 shows that the distance 60 between the inner sides of the opposing contact points 50 is the thickness of the Printed circuit board substrate 30 in the region of the first contact surface 42 and the second

Contact surface 44 exceeds, so that insertion of the printed circuit board end 30 between the two contact elements 46, 48 with play, whereby advantageously

Manufacturing tolerances can be compensated and a simpler

Mounting option is given.

In FIG. 5, which shows the contact time point 70 between the deflection element 38 and the parts 56 to be deflected, the contact points 50 are located at the ends of the contact arms 80 in a position offset from the contact surfaces 42, 44 ("Lands").

FIG. 6 shows that upon further insertion of the end over an edge of the printed circuit board substrate 30 between the contact elements 46, 48, their parts 56 to be deflected are deflected by the deflection element 38, causing a deflection movement 72 of the open ends 58. From the illustration according to FIG. 6 it can be seen that the parts 56 to be deflected are of the first contact element 46 and of the second one

Contact element 48 are spread outwards. With this deflection movement 42 of the parts 56 to be deflected, an adjustment movement of the contact points 50 identified by reference number 74 simultaneously accompanies the contact surfaces 42, 44. Due to the design of the inventively proposed device for making an electrical contact is simultaneously with the deflection movement 72 of the open ends 78 of the resilient contact elements 46, 48 a pitching movement in

Anstellrichtung 74 of the contact arms 80 with the contact points 50 arranged thereon. Due to the fact that the deflection element 38, for example

nose-shaped and made of molding material, between the auszulenkenden parts 56 of the resilient contact elements 46, 48 is permanently employed, the contact points 50 are simultaneously in the opposite direction to the deflection 72, i. in

Anstellrichtung 74 to the contact surfaces 42, 44 employed.

FIG. 7 shows that, as long as the deflection element 38 is between the

be deflected parts 56 of the resilient contact elements 46, 48 is inserted, they are spread apart, so that taking advantage of the spring action of the contact arms 80, the contact points 50 with a contact force 78 on both sides of the opposite, substantially parallel and in the horizontal direction

extending contact surfaces 42, 44 are employed. This means that as long as the printed circuit board substrate 30 with its deflecting element 38 between the deflected Parts 46 is immersed, at the same time the contact force 78 of the contact points 50 at the ends of the resilient contact arms 80 are made with the contact force 78 to the contact surfaces 42, 44. To make an electrical contact and to secure it, forces in the height between 2 N and 3 N are required, based on each

Contact point. If you include multiple contact points, this force can become relatively high. However, components such as circuit board or control units are fixed in the final state by means of locking elements, so that the contact force is not affected by the electrical

Contacting must be taken alone, but is applied via locking elements, so that the electrical contact does not solve by itself, for example, occurring during operation vibrations.

As can be seen from the figure sequence of FIGS. 4, 5, 6, 7, the electrical contacting is produced by the insertion of the deflection element 38, which is nose-shaped, for example, with a curve 40. The two substantially opposing contact elements 46, 48 are preferably made of a highly conductive material or a good electrical conductivity properties having alloy. Due to the distance between the two opposing contact points 50 in the non-contacted state, compare distance 60 as shown in Figure 3, on the one hand easy mounting is possible and on the other hand ensures a balance of tolerances.

The representation according to the figure sequence 4, 5, 6 and 7 can also be seen that only shortly before reaching the end position, i. after passing through the Einführweges 66, a force is needed, namely, when the auszulenkenden parts 56 of the contact elements 46, 48 are forced apart, which is done by the rounding 40 having deflection means 38. By inventively proposed solution force-free insertion is achieved until shortly before the end position of the connector. Only then is one

Kraftbeaufschlagung necessary. Since the contact force 74, with which the contact points 50 at the ends of the resiliently formed contact arms 80 to the contact surfaces 42, 44 generated at the end of the insertion movement of the PCB end 30 in the insertion region 62, the contact surfaces 42, 44 and only towards the end of the insertion movement 66 acted upon by the contact force 74, thereby advantageously damaging the

Contact surfaces 42, 44 and the circuit board 30 can be avoided. The solution proposed by the invention merely requires a guide of the printed circuit board end or of the printed circuit board edge 30 on which the deflection element 38 is arranged; it is no longer necessary to open. Only shortly before reaching the end position of the circuit board edge or the PCB end 30 between the each other

opposite contact elements 46, 44, the contact force 74 is generated. Figure 8 shows an inserted circuit board with rounded to the side surface of the

In contrast to the illustration according to FIG. 7, in the illustration according to FIG. 8 the deflecting elements 57 are shortened, so that in their final position, i. after the complete impressions, are no longer placed against the insertion direction, but are employed exactly in the transverse direction to the deflection element 38. As a result, force components which act counter to the insertion direction of the printed circuit board substrate 30 are excluded, the resulting force is directed perpendicular to the deflection element 38. The illustration according to FIG. 9 is a further embodiment variant of the device proposed according to the invention for producing an electrical contact

remove.

Figure 9 shows that in this embodiment of the present invention

proposed solution, analogous to the embodiment of Figure 3, the circuit board 30 at one, preferably two sides 32, 34 each having a substantially horizontally extending contact surface 42 and 44 respectively. The two each other

opposite, substantially planar and extending parallel to each other contact surfaces 42, 44 have a length which extends in the insertion direction 66. At the circuit board edge or the printed circuit board end 30, the nose-shaped deflection element 38 is arranged, which has the rounding 40.

Also in the further embodiment variant of the device proposed according to the invention for producing an electrical contact, shown in FIG. 9, are located within the insertion region 62 between two opposing ones

plug-side contacts 64 each resiliently formed contact elements 46 and 48 respectively. The contact elements 46 and 48 each comprise mutually facing auszulenkende parts 56. These extend, starting from the open end 58, in the direction of a joint 82. At the hinge points 82, each via a joint carrier 84 with the facing plug-side contacts 64th are electrically connected, go the parts to be deflected 46, by the rounding 40 having

Bending element 38 are contacted in the contact arms 80, at the end of which the facing each other contact points 50 are. By reference numeral 60, the distance is indicated, in which the facing inner sides of the contact points 50 at the ends of the contact arms 80 are opposite to each other.

As soon as a progressive insertion movement 66 (axial feed) of the

PCB edge or the printed circuit board end 30, the deflecting element 38, which is preferably nose-shaped, the open ends 58 of the facing each other

to be deflected parts 56 touched, there is a simultaneous pivoting movement in

Direction of rotation 86 of the contact points 50 receiving contact arms 80 to the

Contact surfaces 42, 44. Analogous to the first embodiment shown in Figure 3 of the invention proposed device for producing an electrical

Contacting, goes with the deflection of the parts to be deflected 56 of the contact elements 46 and 48 whose rotation 86 around the hinge points 82 and simultaneously with the deflection of the auszulenkenden parts 56, the contact points 50 of the resilient contact arms 80 towards the end of the insertion movement 66 of the circuit board edge or of the printed circuit board end 30 in the insertion region 42 to the contact surfaces 42, 44 employed, whereby can be achieved already mentioned above, in connection with the first embodiment already described advantageous effects.

Claims

claims

1 . Device for producing an electrical contact between a

Printed circuit board substrate (30), which has at least one contact surface (42, 44) with at least one plug-side contact (64), characterized in that in an insertion region (62) at least one contacting element (46, 48) is arranged, which is a deflectable part (46). 56) and a contacting arm (80).

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that on a front side (36) of the printed circuit board substrate (30) has a rounding (40) exhibiting deflection element (38) is formed.

3. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one contacting element (46, 48) has a deflectable part (56) whose open end (58) opposite the deflection element (38).

4. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that on the at least one contacting element (46, 48), a contact arm (80) to form a contact point (50) is formed.

5. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the contact arm (80) about a hinge (82) which is arranged on the plug-side contact (64), in the adjustment direction (74) is pivotable.

6. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the contact arm (80) extends on the at least one contact element (46, 48) from a branch (52), on which the contacted part (54) and the deflectable part (56) converge.

7. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that on the contact arm (80) a contacting point (50) is executed, which limits an insertion region (62) with an opposite contacting point (50).

8. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that on the printed circuit board substrate (30) - in the insertion direction (66) seen - at least one contact surface (42, 44) is formed.

Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the contact arm (80) via the joint (82, 84) with the plug-side contact (64) is electrically connected, or via a contacted part (54) starting from the branch (52). is electrically connected to the frontal contact (64).

A method for producing an electrical contact with a device according to one of claims 1 to 9, comprising the following method steps: a) introducing a deflection device (38) provided on a printed circuit board (30) into an insertion region (62), b) deflecting contact elements (46 , 48) upon movement of the printed circuit board (30) in

Insertion direction (66) and c) simultaneously with method step b) by setting contact arms (80) against at least one contact surface (42, 44) of the printed circuit board (30), d) maintaining a contact force (78) against the at least one contact surface (42, 44) by maintaining the deflection movement (72) of the at least one

Contact element (46, 48) with inserted circuit board (30).