EP3026761A1 - Direct connection for electrically contacting flexible strip conductor holders in vehicle lights - Google Patents

Abstract

A direct plug-in connection (01) for electrically contacting printed circuit board carriers (02) comprising flex boards (21) in vehicle lamps is described. The direct plug-in connection (01) is characterized by an at least partial wrapping of a two opposite, plane-parallel surfaces (41, 42) and one of its two planar surfaces (41, 42) connecting the feed side (43) having reinforcing element (04) of one of the electrical connections carrying contact region (20) of the flexplate (21), which is divided into an intermediate region (22) and a via a parallel line extending boundary line exclusively with the intermediate region (22) connected tab region (23). The reinforcing element (04) lies with one of its plane-parallel opposite surfaces (41, 42) on the intermediate region (22). The tab region (23) is bent at least around the abutment side (43) at least to the remaining of the two plane-parallel opposite surfaces (41, 42) of the reinforcing element (04). As a result, a stack of at least a portion of the intermediate region (22) of the flexplate (21), the reinforcing element (04) and at least a portion of the tab region (23) of the flexplate (21) is formed on the intermediate region (22). A peripheral contact plug (03) is pushed onto the stack to produce the electrical contact between its contact means (30) and the electrical connections of the contact region (20) of the flexplate (21).

Description

The invention relates to a direct plug-in connection according to the preamble of claim 1 and a vehicle light having such a direct plug-in connection according to the preamble of claim 14.

A vehicle lamp essentially comprises a luminaire interior enclosed by a luminaire housing and a lens, and at least one light source accommodated therein with at least one light source, and optionally associated electronic components for at least one light function of the motor vehicle light. In the luminaire interior, at least one reflector, which is seen from outside the luminaire interior and is seen through one or more light openings closed by the lens, can be accommodated behind at least one light source of the at least one luminous means. The reflector can be formed at least in part by a separate component and / or by at least one part of the luminaire housing itself, for example by means of an at least partially reflective coating.

At least one light source of the illuminant may comprise one or more optical elements, such as at least one lens, at least one channel concentrator, e.g. at least one parabolic trough (CPC) or the like for forming a defined emission characteristic.

The lens is formed by a transparent cover, which protects the interior of the lamp and the components housed by this against the weather.

In the luminaire interior, at least one optical disk can be arranged in the beam path between at least one light source of the luminous means and the light disk, which can have a specific structure and / or masking, for example, with a clear lens, for example a light effect for a viewer, the luminous means and / or its at least one light source to conceal. The luminaire housing or the luminaire interior can be divided into several luminaire chambers, each with its own light sources and / or illuminants, possibly reflectors and / or optical elements and / or optical discs, and optionally be divided into lenses, of which several or all lamp chambers same or each lamp chamber can fulfill a different lighting functions.

In the case of a light function, this is a function of the vehicle light implemented by emitting light of a specific color in a specific brightness and direction to fulfill a task. Each vehicle lamp fulfills one or more tasks or functions depending on the design. To fulfill each task or function, a light function of the vehicle lamp is provided. Light functions are, for example, in a configuration as a headlamp a function illuminating the roadway, or in a design as a signal light especially in motor vehicles, a signal function, such as a Wiederholblinklichtfunktion to the turn signal or a brake light function to indicate a braking activity, or. a limiting light function, such as a taillight function, also referred to as a tail light function, to ensure visibility of the vehicle during the day and / or night, such as in a taillight or daytime running light configuration. Examples of vehicle lights in the automotive sector are the Fahrzeugbug, on the vehicle flanks and / or on the side mirrors and rear mounted repeater lights, exit lights, such as ambient lighting, marker lights, brake lights, fog lights, reversing lights, and typically high set third brake lights, so-called Central, High -Mounted Braking Lights, daytime running lights, headlamps and fog lamps also used as turning or cornering lights, as well as combinations thereof.

A luminous means for at least one light function comprises at least at least one light source, for example at least one incandescent lamp or at least one gas discharge lamp or at least one light-emitting diode and optionally combinations thereof.

For example, inorganic light-emitting diodes or organic light-emitting diodes are increasingly used as light sources of lamps for vehicle lights.

Inorganic light emitting diodes consist of at least one light emitting diode semiconductor chip, short LED chip, and at least one, for example, molded by injection molding, the at least one LED chip in whole or in part enveloping primary optics. Vehicle lights are also known in which pure LED chips are used without molded primary optics.

Through Hole Technology (THT), Surface Mounted Device (SMD) LEDs, and LEDs are known in which the LED chip is bonded directly to the illuminant carrier in COB (Chip On Board) technology.

THT LEDs, THT LEDs for short, are a well-known type of inorganic light-emitting diodes. They are also referred to as leaded light-emitting diodes, as they consist of an at least in a desired emission transparent encapsulation, e.g. in the form of an encapsulation or an encapsulation, which includes a LED chip with a first electrical connection, for example in the form of an anode terminal connecting bonding wire and connected to a second electrical connection, for example in the form of a cathode terminal, LED chip. From the encapsulation protrude only the designated as little legs wires of the first electrical connection and the second electrical connection as the anode and cathode terminals of the THT-LED. The second electrical connection embodied, for example, as a cathode connection can in this case be provided with a cup mentioned above, in which the LED chip is arranged. The bonding wire leads from the example executed as an anode terminal first connection from outside the cup coming to the LED chip.

SMD LEDs, SMD LEDs for short, are another well-known type of inorganic light-emitting diode. SMD LEDs consist of a leadframe with at least one mounting surface for at least one LED chip and electrical connection surfaces. The leadframe is partially encapsulated by a plastic body with at least one recess freeing at least one mounting surface. The electrical connection surfaces of the leadframe are also kept free as the electrical connections of the SMD LED for later surface mounting. The at least one LED chip is arranged and electrically contacted at the bottom of the at least one recess extending to the at least one mounting surface. In this case, the LED chip is arranged on a first portion of the leadframe connected to at least one first electrical connection area. A bonding wire connects the LED chip to a second portion of the leadframe, which in turn is connected to at least one second electrical pad. The reason for their Picking area reaching recess may be configured reflector-like. The walls of the recess form the above-mentioned primary reflector. Here, the walls can be coated reflective.

COB LEDs, COB LEDs for short, consist of an unhoused LED chip and a bonding wire to be arranged directly on a light carrier. The back side of the LED chip forms the first electrical connection of the COB LED. For electrical contacting, the LED chip on its rear side is directly connected to a first conductor track of a luminous means carrier, e.g. electrically connected by soldering or welding. The bonding wire forming the second electrical connection of the COB LED is likewise connected to a second conductor track of the illuminant carrier, e.g. electrically connected by soldering or welding.

For the sake of completeness, it should additionally be mentioned that other contacts, such as the so-called flip-chip structure are possible, in which the contact means of the LED chip are connected directly to a contacted substrate. In these cases, no bonding wire is used.

In the following, therefore, for the sake of simplicity, no distinction is made between inorganic light-emitting diode and LED chip and instead the term LED is used uniformly for both embodiments, unless explicitly stated otherwise. Outstanding properties of LEDs compared to other, conventional light sources of bulbs are a much longer life and a significantly higher light output with the same power consumption. In other words, at the same light intensity, LEDs have lower power consumption compared to other light sources. In this way, when using one or more LEDS as the light source of a light source, for example, in a vehicle lamp, the load of a provided for power supply electrical system of a vehicle can be reduced, along with savings in energy consumption of the vehicle. Furthermore, LEDs have a much longer life than other, for use in a vehicle lamp candidate light sources. Due to the longer service life, among other things, the lower failure rate increases the operational safety and, concomitantly, the quality of the vehicle lamp.

An Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) is a luminous thin-film device made of organic semiconducting light Materials having at least one emitter layer enclosed between electrically conductive, for example metallic layers for anode and cathode. The thickness or, in other words, the thickness of the layers is on the order of about 100 nm. Typically, it is 100 nm to 500 nm, depending on the structure. For protection against water, oxygen and for protection against other environmental influences, such as scratch damage and / or pressure loading OLEDs typically encapsulated with an inorganic material, especially glass. Although there are efforts to replace the glass with plastic, but in particular to meet, for example, the service life requirement of vehicle lights and their light sources with several 1000 hours sufficiently well not crowned by the desired success, because the tightness of the alternative materials for the encapsulation not is sufficiently good enough.

In contrast to inorganic light-emitting diodes, OLEDs do not require monocrystalline materials. Compared to LEDs, OLEDs can therefore be produced using inexpensive thin-film technology. As a result, OLEDs make it possible to produce flat light sources which on the one hand have a very thin appearance and, on the other hand, have a particularly homogeneous appearance when used as a luminous surface visible through the lens of a vehicle lamp.

For operating both LEDs and OLEDs as light sources for a light source, for example a vehicle light, one or more more or less complex electronic control circuits can be provided, which can be arranged, for example, on one or more light source carriers of the light source and accommodated in the light interior.

A simple example of an electronic control circuit relates to the alignment of different brightnesses of individual LEDs or of LED strands within a group of jointly operated LEDs arranged on one or more illuminant carriers. Such an electronic control circuit consists of at least one or more series resistors for adjusting the forward voltage of the LEDs to the electrical system. For example, it is known to sort the LEDs in binning according to forward voltage and intensity. To compensate for differences between multiple LED strings, each consisting of serially connected LEDs of the same forward voltage and intensity, and a homogeneous brightness distribution of the adjacent LED strings of LEDs with different To obtain forward voltage and intensity, at least each LED string is provided with a different series resistor.

In addition, LEDs and OLDEs often require a separate failure detection when used as a light source, especially in vehicle lights. This is due to the low power consumption of LEDs and OLEDs in general. For example, a control unit housed in a vehicle is unable to detect a change in the power consumption from the on-board network that corresponds to the failure of one or fewer LEDs or OLEDs, since a resulting board-voltage change lies below the vehicle-electrical system voltage fluctuations that occur during normal operation of a vehicle. For example, an electronic circuit arrangement for failure detection accommodated in the vehicle lamp detects the failure of one or more light-emitting diodes in the vehicle lamp, e.g. by means of one or more comparators and communicates this to the control unit. This electronic circuit arrangement for failure detection can be realized by an example applied to the illuminant carrier electronic control circuit.

• zur Regelung und/oder Steuerung der Helligkeit bzw. Leuchtkraft der LEDs und/oder OLEDs, beispielsweise durch eine pulsweitenmodulierte Taktung der Stromversorgung für einen außerhalb des für das menschliche Auge wahrnehmbaren Bereichs gepulsten Betrieb,
• zur Kompensation oder Vermeidung elektromagnetischer Störungen, beispielsweise aufgebaut aus Kondensatoren und/oder Ferriten,
• zum Schutz der LEDs und/oder OLEDs z.B. vor einer Überspannung des Bordnetzes oder vor fehlerhafter Polung, beispielsweise umfassend eine oder mehrere Zenerdioden,

In addition, both LEDs, as well as OLEDs require further electronic control circuits. Examples are electronic control circuits:

• for controlling and / or controlling the brightness or luminosity of the LEDs and / or OLEDs, for example by a pulse-width-modulated clocking of the power supply for a pulsed operation outside the range perceptible to the human eye,
• for compensation or avoidance of electromagnetic interference, for example composed of capacitors and / or ferrites,
• for the protection of the LEDs and / or OLEDs, for example against an overvoltage of the vehicle electrical system or against incorrect polarity, for example comprising one or more zener diodes,

In summary, for almost all LED and / or OLED applications, a more or less extensive electronic control circuit designed for the special LEDs and / or OLEDs has to be applied, for example, to the at least one illuminant carrier. The electronic control circuit comprises in the simplest case, a resistor and a protective diode, but depending on the application also contain much more electronic components, such as microcontroller or controller, comparators, Transistors, protective diodes, electrical resistors eg as series resistor, capacitors, ferrites, etc.

Thus, a light source having one or more LEDs and / or OLEDs as the light source usually comprises at least one further aforementioned electronic component in addition to one or more LEDs and / or OLEDs that represent electronic components on account of their diode structure. Accordingly, a light source with one or more LEDs and / or OLEDs as light sources can have at least one further electronic component in addition to the at least one LED and / or OLED.

The at least one light source of a luminous means and at least one further electronic component can be arranged on a common illuminant carrier which represents a conductor carrier, or on spatially separated interconnect carriers electrically interconnected, for example, by a cable harness or one or more parts of a cable harness, of which at least one forms the illuminant carrier, be arranged.

The conductor carriers used in conjunction with a light source carrier are conductor carriers, as are also used for the electrical connection of electronic components, for example for the control of other light sources, as LEDs and OLEDs.

Conductor carriers can be made rigid, for example, as so-called printed circuit boards rigid, or as so-called flexible circuit boards, also referred to as printed circuit board flexible films, for example elastically or pliable deformable. In addition, injection molded circuit carriers produced in MID technology (MID technology: Molded Interconnect Device technology) are known, which are produced in the form of a component such as a vehicle lamp with integrated tracks in injection molding and in addition to their function for electrical contacting, for example, electronic components and / or light sources at the same time assume a mechanical function of the vehicle lamp, for example an arrangement of light sources along a predetermined geometry with simultaneous formation of a reflector.

The most widely used conductor carriers are printed circuit boards, referred to as circuit boards, printed circuit boards or PCBs.

A printed circuit board is a carrier for electronic components. It serves for mechanical fastening and electrical connection. Almost every electronic device contains one or more printed circuit boards.

Circuit boards are made of electrically insulating material with adhering thereto, serving as interconnects, electrically conductive connections. The tracks are usually etched from a thin layer of copper. As insulating material fiber reinforced plastic is common. One of the most widely used materials in this area of application is FR-4.

FR-4 or FR4 refers to a class of flame retardant and flame retardant composites consisting of epoxy resin and glass fiber fabric. The abbreviation FR stands for flame retardant and meets the requirement of UL94V-0. FR-4 is available in different variants. To improve the flame retardancy of the composite material with chemical substances such as polybrominated diphenyl ether based on bromine is added, in the halogen-free variant eliminates this addition. The composite FR-4 was specified in 1968, among other composites, by the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) in the characteristics specified in the NEMA LI1 specification.

FR-4, in contrast to similar composites such as FR-2, so-called hard paper, has better creep resistance and lower water absorption. Another advantage of FR-4 is the good adhesion, which ensures the permanent attachment of conductor tracks made of copper on the substrate.

Circuit boards with FR-4 as electrically insulating material are commonly referred to as FR-4 boards.

The electrical contacting and mounting of electronic components on printed circuit boards is carried out by soldering the electronic components in SMD technology on designed as solder pads (pads) games of the tracks or in THT technology trained as Lötaugen games of the tracks. So they are simultaneously mechanically held and electrically connected to these footprints. Larger electronic components can also be attached to the printed circuit board using cable ties, adhesive or screwed connections.

In addition to the FR-4 boards described are adapted to specific applications types of printed circuit boards known. These range from single-sided and two-sided circuit boards for simple multi-layer applications with multiple layers of electrically conductive interconnections separated by insulating material, for example, for complex control circuits that would not be interconnected with one or two interconnect levels, to special techniques such as high power electronics applications where the circuit board not only the assembly and electrical connection, but at the same time also the removal of heat generated at the individual electronic components used.

A special field of application in vehicle lights, at least for the electrical contacting of light sources of illuminants provided for the fulfillment of one or more light functions of a vehicle lamp, is the use of flexplates as a conductor carrier of a corresponding luminous means.

In this case, flex boards are provided in particular for adapting the course of the arrangement of a plurality of electrically interconnected, for example, designed as LEDs light sources of a light source to complex geometries. The geometries that follow the course of the arrangement of a plurality of electrically interconnected light sources of a light source, an adaptation to the installation situation regarding the outer shape of the vehicle lamp owed. Such an outer shape of a vehicle lamp is predetermined for example by the design of a vehicle, such as a motor vehicle, as well as by the intended contour of the vehicle lamp, which is reflected in the so-called Strakverlauf the vehicle lamp.

Flexplates allow by their flexibility in a simple way bridging different Abstrahlwinkelausrichtungen and horizontal and / or vertical level differences of one or more chains, for example, designed as LEDs light sources, without any deviation of the arrangement of a light source from a beam angle and / or a horizontal and / or vertical level of a neighboring light source again need to provide a separately electrically to be contacted own trace carrier.

The electrical contacting of OLEDs is a special field of application, which prefers the use of flexplates. Flexplates allow easy electrical contacting of OLEDs, for example by soldering or by means of anisotropic conductive film (ACF), wherein the flexplate ensures a required flexibility between the electrical connection of an OLED provided on the flexplate, for example to a power supply, and the electrical connection between the flexplate and OLED.

A primary development goal in the manufacture of vehicles and components of vehicles, such as vehicle lights, are low manufacturing costs.

In the field of electronic circuits on conductor carriers, the electrical contacting of the conductor carrier has a decisive influence on the manufacturing costs.

A cost-effective electrical contacting of circuit board carriers designed as printed circuit boards uses a direct plug connection.

A direct plug-in connection differs from an indirect plug-in connection in that only one plug part is required, which contacts printed conductors, for example directly on a printed circuit board. In the case of an indirect plug connection, a counterpart connected to the conductor tracks, for example a printed circuit board, is required, which receives the plug part.

A direct plug connection can be produced, for example, by means of edge contact plugs, also referred to as side board plugs.

An edge contact plug has a housing which partially surrounds one or more contact means.

The individual contact means of Randkontaktsteckern are formed by single or flat cables, for example by soldering or crimping or screw terminals connectable brackets which engage around a circuit board and electrically contact on one or on opposite sides of the circuit board identically executed traces.

A common example of plug-in parts which can be used as side board plugs or edge contact plugs for direct plug-in connections are RAST plug connectors (RAST; grid connection plug-in technology). This is Connectors of the so-called domestic appliance standards RAST 2.5 and RAST 5, wherein the numbers indicate the millimeter distance between adjacent contact centers.

The home appliance specification RAST is under the umbrella of the Zentralverband Elektrotechnik- und Elektronikindustrie e. V. (ZVEI) was established by a working group of manufacturers of large household appliances and connectors with the aim to standardize components, to ensure the conformity of the connectors of different manufacturers and to exclude errors in the production process due to incorrectly plugged connectors and, consequently, the assembly in the To simplify assembly of the terminals and to minimize miswiring. RAST also allows grouping of ports, eliminating the use of individual ports and individual wiring harnesses. In close cooperation between the most important German manufacturers of household appliances and connectors, a standard that has become common until today has emerged.

Today, RAST connectors have long been standard on a variety of sensor, switch, actuator and motor control cables that can be directly or indirectly connected to the PCB and / or components. The advantages of RAST plugs have also been recognized by other industries, so that even outside of home appliances, a steadily growing worldwide distribution can be found, for example in heating technology or the automotive industry.

By DE 10 2010 047 899 A1 is a light source with at least one arranged on a circuit board light source and a releasably connectable to a tab portion of the circuit board, in a pre-assembly and a final assembly position can be brought edge contact plug known. The edge contact plug has contact elements formed by contact elements, to which electrical lines are connected. The printed circuit board has conductor tracks which are connected directly or indirectly via a drive device to electrical connections of the light source. The printed conductors have contact points which contact the contact elements when the edge contact plug is in the final assembly position.

By embracing the edge of a conductor carrier edge contact plugs can not be used in conjunction with cost and application technology very advantageous flexplates, since their foil-thin thickness dimension does not allow by single or flat cables, for example by soldering or crimping or screw terminals connectable brackets formed contact means of edge contact plugs from one edge of a flex board forth on such postpone, without running the risk of damaging the flex board, still allows a flex board between two opposing one side on a connecting side, for example by means of a web preferably resiliently together electrically conductive connected, on the connection side by a predetermined distance sufficient to clamp a printed circuit board, preferably a standard printed circuit board, more preferably a FR-4 board, between the contact wings to clamp spaced contact swing of a executed as a clamp contact means of a edge contact connector and thereby to contact electrically on their tracks.

Therefore, expensive, two-part, indirect plug-in connections with a flexplate-mounted plug or socket part and a cable or plug-in part mounted on the line side must be used for flex boards. Examples of two-part, indirect plug-in connections are standing or lying flexplate-mounted pin troughs with and without snap-in tabs, and cable-mounted female connectors with crimp connection or with insulation displacement connection or with screw terminal connection, to which both ribbon and individual cables can be attached. The contact means of flexplatinenmontierte male or female part are electrically connected to the tracks of the flex board, for example by soldering or crimping.

However, indirect connectors are more expensive by about a factor of twelve compared to edge-type connectors.

Thus, in comparison with an indirect connector required for the electrical contacting of flexplates according to the prior art, FR4 circuit boards can be electrically contacted for about one twelfth of the cost by means of a direct plug-in connection designed by means of edge contact plugs.

In order to meet the cost pressure, for example in the automotive industry, it would be desirable to combine flex boards with edge contact plugs.

Due to the small thickness of flex boards of only a few tenths of a millimeter, however, direct plug connections produced by edge contact plugs are not used in flex boards.

One from a cost point of view, for example, with built in a vehicle lamp strakfolgend, for example, designed as LEDs light sources of bulbs or built in a vehicle lamp, using flexplatinen electrically contacted OLEDs as light sources striving combination of flex board and edge contact plug is therefore not feasible according to the prior art.

• Lösbare Verbindungen zwischen Displays und Leiterplatten oder zwischen zwei Leiterplatten werden häufig mittels flexiblen Leiterbahnträgern (Flexible Printed Circuits) oder Flachbandkabeln (Flexible Flat Cable) und ZIF-Steckern (ZIF: Zero Insertion Force, Nullkraftstecker) verwirklicht.
• An eine Flexplatine können direkt Kabel angelötet werden, sofern auf der Flexplatine entsprechende Lötaugen aufgebracht sind.
• Eine Flexplatine kann mit Crimpkontakten versehen werden. Auf diese Kontakte kann ein Steckergehäuse aufgeschoben werden. Somit entsteht ein vollwertiger Stecker an der Flexplatine.
• Mehrere Flexplatinen können miteinander verlötet werden.
• Flexplatinen und/oder Kabel auf Flexplatinen können mittels elektrisch leitendem Kleber verbunden werden.
• Flexplatinen und/oder Kabel auf Flexplatinen können mittels ACF-Bonding verbunden werden.

There are currently the following options for contacting flex boards:

• Releasable connections between displays and printed circuit boards or between two printed circuit boards are often realized by means of flexible printed circuits (flexible circuit cables) or flexible flat cables (ZIF) and zero insertion force (ZIF) plugs.
• Cables can be directly soldered to a flex board if corresponding pads are applied to the flex board.
• A flex board can be provided with crimp contacts. On these contacts a connector housing can be pushed. This creates a full-fledged connector on the flex board.
• Multiple flex boards can be soldered together.
• Flex boards and / or cables on flex boards can be connected by means of electrically conductive adhesive.
• Flex boards and / or cables on flex boards can be connected by means of ACF bonding.

However, all these options have the disadvantage that they require expensive plugs and complex wiring for contacting the flex board. Furthermore, the wiring entails additional expense in production, which in turn causes additional costs.

In addition, at least not all of the possibilities outlined are suitable for use in vehicle applications, since the connectors have, for example, no latching and / or locking, whereby they can be released during operation of a vehicle occurring vibration loads.

An object of the invention is to provide a cost-effective electrical connector for flex boards in vehicle lights.

The object is solved by the features of the independent claim. Further advantageous embodiments are described by the subclaims.

The invention accordingly relates to a direct plug-in connection for the electrical contacting of flexible printed circuit board carriers designed as flexplates in vehicle lamps.

The direct plug-in connection comprises a flexible strip conductor carrier provided with at least one electrically conductive strip or interconnectable conductor track, for example with one or more electronic components. The flexible conductor carrier is embodied as a flexible plate formed by, for example, a flexible film, comprising such or encompassed by a flexible film.

The printed circuit board carrier designed as a flexplate has a contact area.

At least one surface of the flex board in the contact region is provided with the electrical connections of the conductor carrier.

The electrical connections can be formed for example by at least on a surface of the flexplate blank lying formed as contact surfaces games of traces.

The contact region of the flexplate is subdivided into an intermediate region and a tab region connected to the intermediate region via a boundary line running parallel to a straight line.

The tab region of the contact region of the flexplate is characterized in that it is connected to the intermediate region of the flexplate via the boundary line running parallel to a straight line.

The tab area has only a connection to the intermediate area. With a remaining part of the flexplate, the tab region is connected exclusively via the intermediate region adjoining the border region along the borderline.

The intermediate region of the contact region of the flexplate is characterized in that it is connected via the boundary line extending parallel to a straight line to the tab region of the contact region of the flexplate and to the remaining part of the flexplate. Accordingly, the tab region adjoins the intermediate region in an orientation which, viewed from the intermediate region, lies behind the boundary line within the area formed by the flexplate, for example orthogonal to the boundary line. The remaining part of the flexplate joins the intermediate region in one or more remaining arbitrary orientations.

On one side of the intermediate area adjacent to the tab area. The tab area is connected exclusively to the remaining part of the flex board via the intermediate area. Except for the intermediate area, the tab area is not in any contact or connection with the remaining part of the flexplate.

The situation is quite different with the intermediate area. The remaining part of the flexplate is joined to the intermediate region on one or more sides, whereas in addition the tab region adjoins the intermediate region along one side of the borderline.

For example, the remaining part of the flexplate may connect to the intermediate region in a straight and / or angled extension of the tab region.

In addition, the direct plug-in connection comprises a peripheral contact plug with a number of contact means which corresponds to at least a number of required electrical connections of the conductor carrier required, for example, to operate at least one by a or more via formed on the conductor carrier tracks electrically contacted, for example, electrically interconnected electronic components.

The device can be, for example, an electronic circuit which is a part, for example a control device, of a light source of a vehicle lamp comprising one or more light sources. Alternatively or additionally, the device may comprise one or more light sources of a luminous means of a vehicle lamp.

For example, at least one provided to fulfill at least one light function of a vehicle light source as at least one electronic component or in addition to one or more electronic components by means of at least a portion of the tracks of the printed circuit board carrier designed as a flex board electrically contacted, for example, be provided on the conductor carrier. The interconnects of the conductor carrier can thus directly or indirectly via an electronic circuit with electrical connections of the at least one by means of at least a portion of Conductor tracks of the printed circuit board carrier designed as a flex circuit can be electrically connected, for example connected to the light source provided on the conductor carrier.

The at least one light source is preferably at least one LED and / or at least one OLED.

The edge contact plug may include a housing partially surrounding the one or more contact means.

Each of the contact means of the edge contact plug comprises a clamp with two opposing, on one side on a connecting side, for example by means of a web preferably integrally resiliently elastically connected to each other in the sense contact swings that the free ends of the contact wings of a clamp abut each other in an initial state or by a small Distance of, for example, only a few tenths of a millimeter from each other are spaced apart from each other, and can be deflected away from each other while overcoming the spring load. The contact wings are spaced apart at the connection side by a predetermined distance, which is preferably sufficient to insert a printed circuit board, preferably a standard printed circuit board, more preferably a FR-4 board, between the contact wings.

At least in a region at the free ends of the contact wings spaced from the connection side, as described above, a smaller distance prevails, so that a printed circuit board inserted between the contact wings of the one or more clips serving as contact means of the edge contact plug is resiliently clamped at least in the area of their free ends. In this case, an expansion is preferably provided coming from the free ends to facilitate the insertion of a printed circuit board between the contact wings.

At the contact means summarized electrical lines are connected or connectable, for example, to a wiring harness.

The direct plug-in connection is characterized by a reinforcing element at least partially covered or surrounded by the contact area of the flexplate, at least partially on at least three sides of the contact area of the flexplate. Two of the mentioned at least three sides are two plane-parallel opposite surfaces of the reinforcing member, for example, an upper side and a lower side of a plate-like reinforcing member. The third page is a so-called landing page specified below.

To this end, the reinforcing element is at least partially covered or surrounded by the contact area of the flexplate, or in the case of at least partially wrapping on at least three sides, at least partially surrounded by the contact area of the flexplate such that a first side thereof is wholly or partially from the intermediate area of the contact area is covered, and a second whose first side plane-parallel opposite side of the tab portion of the contact area is completely or partially covered.

The distinction between covered or surrounded and wrapped is to be understood to mean that it is conceivable and within the scope of the present invention to provide the reinforcing element with a recess, for example a slot, through which the tab region of the flexplate of one of two plane-parallel opposite surfaces The reinforcing element can be guided without being guided around an outer boundary side of a boundary web of the reinforcing element delimiting the recess, and can be led through to the other of the two plane-parallel opposite surfaces of the reinforcing element.

For the sake of simplicity, no further reference will be made below to this difference, however, these different embodiments may be provided in each of the embodiments described below without explicitly mentioning, but instead the expression uniformly indicating that the reinforcing element is at least 180 ° from the contact area of the flexplate is wrapped around, used on behalf of both embodiments, unless explicitly stated otherwise.

A provided with the electrical terminals of the conductor carrier surface of the flexplate in the contact area is remote from the reinforcing element. The interconnects of the flexplate to be electrically contacted are thus preferably remote from the reinforcing element. As a result, both a reliable electrical contact is guaranteed, as well as the possibility created at corresponding configuration of the electrical connections of the flexplate by means of a edge contact plug to receive a two-sided electrical contact with a particularly high contact reliability.

Furthermore, in this case the electrical connections of the flexplate are at least accessible from at least one side facing away from the reinforcing element in a parallel to the plane-parallel opposite, for example formed by the top and bottom surfaces of the reinforcing element extending plane.

The reinforcing element and the intermediate region cover each other as described at least partially, wherein the reinforcing element abuts with its abutment side along the boundary line. The landing side forms a connection between the plane-parallel opposite surfaces of the reinforcing element.

The tab region is bent at least around the application side at least to the remaining of the two plane-parallel opposite surfaces of the reinforcing element.

Thus, by virtue of the at least two surfaces lying opposite one another at least partially covered by the contact region of the flexplate or surrounded by at least partial wrapping on at least three sides of the flexplate on the intermediate region forming a stack of the intermediate region of the flexplate, the reinforcing element and at least one lot of tab portion formed, which has a total height or thickness and stability, which can be contacted by means of the edge contact plug electrically.

The thickness or height of the stack corresponds in this case with the predetermined distance between the contact rockings such that the stack between the contact wings of the contact means of the edge contact plug formed as brackets to produce an electrical contact between the contact means of the edge contact plug and the electrical connections of the flexplate can be inserted.

For example, the thickness or height of the stack preferably corresponds to the thickness of a printed circuit board which can be inserted between the clamps serving as contact means of the edge contact plug.

The reinforcing element preferably has a plate-like shape with plane-parallel upper and lower sides and circumferential, the top and bottom interconnecting narrow sides. At least one narrow side or a boundary wall delimiting a slot described above for the passage of the tab region from a surface to the plane-parallel opposite surface of the reinforcing element forms the application side with a straight course in a plan view of the reinforcing element.

Such a reinforcing element is arranged such that, in a plan view, its abutting side comes to rest in parallel along the boundary line, for example congruent with the boundary line. In this case, the underside of the reinforcing element and the intermediate area overlap at least partially.

The tab region covers at least the application side and at least part of the upper side of the reinforcing element.

As a result, the reinforcing element is wrapped at least 180 ° from the contact region of the flexplate.

Furthermore, a stack of the intermediate region of the flexplate, the reinforcing element and a portion of the tab region is thereby formed on the intermediate region.

The reinforcing element may be fastened with its underside on the intermediate region, while it is covered by the tab region at least partially on its upper side facing away from the intermediate region and on its side facing the boundary line between the tab region and intermediate region, upper and lower side connecting together.

Alternatively, the tab portion may be attached to the upper side of the reinforcing member, being covered by a remaining part of the tab portion at its abutting side facing the boundary between the tab portion and the intermediate portion, joining the upper and lower sides together, and covered by the intermediate portion at the lower side thereof.

For example, a groove may be provided on the reinforcing element, into which the tab region is inserted, for example, with its distal end facing away from the boundary line, or through which it passes with a section adjoining the distal end.

In the groove, the tab region of the flexplate can be guided and secured against lateral slippage.

The distal end of the tab portion may be fixed in the groove, for example, by gluing and / or clamping, to name but a few conceivable embodiments.

Alternatively or additionally, the flexplate and the reinforcing element may have mutually corresponding holding means, such as one or more on one or more, for example plane-parallel opposite sides of the reinforcing element upstanding projections and / or pins and / or hooks, to name just a few conceivable embodiments, and recesses provided in the contact area of the flexplate, for example holes, by means of which the flexplate is suspended on the reinforcing element, for example at its lug area guided around the application side of the reinforcing element by 180 °, for example, bent around the abutment side of the reinforcing element by 180 ° and again at its intermediate area on the reinforcing element can be hung. For example, suitable pins and holes in the flexplate are arranged as corresponding holding means on the reinforcing element.

The reinforcing element may be rounded at the transitions between its two plane-parallel opposing surfaces and the abutting side connecting them.

The radius of such a rounding preferably corresponds to at least one measure in which the flexplate is not bent.

Alternatively or additionally, the flexplate may be connected in a planar manner to the reinforcing element on its rear side facing away from the strip conductors, for example by gluing.

In principle, an attachment of the reinforcing element can be provided both on its upper side and on its underside with the contact region of the flexplate.

Alternatively or additionally, an attachment of the reinforcing element may be provided on its abutment side with the contact region of the flexplate.

The reinforcing element can be wrapped completely, that is to say also on the narrow side opposite the application side, by the contact region of the flexplate.

The reinforcing element can be wrapped by more than 360 ° from the contact area of the flexplate, for example several times.

In this case, one of the landing side opposite narrow side of the reinforcing element preferably extends parallel to the landing page.

As a result of the reinforcing element which is surrounded twice over the flexplate when it is wrapped by more than 360 ° on four sides and at least on one side, a stack is formed on the intermediate region from the intermediate region of the flexplate, the reinforcing element and at least two parts of the tab region, as in each case Case intermediate region of the contact region of the flexplate and underside of the reinforcing element at least partially overlap each other. The further wrapping takes place through the tab area.

If the edge contact plug is attached from one edge, preferably from an edge running parallel to the feed side of the reinforcing element and the borderline between tab region and intermediate region of the contact region of the flexplate, then the stack formed from the reinforcing element, the intermediate region and at least one portion of the tab region of the flexplate , clamped the free end of at least one contact rocker of each of the contact means of the edge contact plug designed as brackets which form the top and bottom of the stack forming flex board on each of its electrical connections.

As a reinforcing element, for example, a FR4 board is suitable.

The electrical connections of the flexplate are preferably encompassed by contact surfaces accessible at least from one surface of the flexplate Tracks of the flex board formed. The contact means of the edge contact plug contact the contact surfaces of the flexplate in a final assembly position of the edge contact plug. In the final assembly position, the edge contact plug engages from an edge of the stack formed on the intermediate region of the flexplate by the reinforcing element, the intermediate region and at least a portion of the tab region, each with a contact rocker of its contact means designed as clamps, the stack of a first formed by the flexplate Surface ago, and with one contact rocker of its executed as clamps contact means the stack of one of the first surface opposite and connected via the edge to the first surface second surface ago, so that the stack from both sides coming from the edge at its two opposite and surfaces bordered by the rim are engaged by the two contact wings of the at least one contact means formed as a clip, and each contact surface forming an electrical contact therebetween and a contact means is clamped between the contact wings of the executed as brackets contact means of the edge contact plug.

In the tab region, the flexplate can have a number of electrical contact surfaces corresponding, for example, to the number of electrical connections of the conductor carrier, which can be formed, for example, by sections of conductor tracks that are bare at least on one surface of the flexplate.

The contact surfaces provided in the tab region in this case form at least partially the electrical connections of the flexplate.

The tab region is characterized in that it is electrically connected via the boundary line extending parallel to a straight line to an intermediate region of the flexplate, both mechanically and via the conductor tracks which are electrically connected to the contact surfaces.

In the intermediate region directly or indirectly adjoining the tab region via the border line running parallel to the straight line, the flexplate can alternatively or additionally include, for example, the number of electrical connections of the conductor carrier and / or the number of contact surfaces of the tab region and / or the number of electrical contacts provided Connections of the conductor carrier have corresponding number of contact points, which For example, can be formed by at least on a surface of the flexplate exposed areas of traces.

If both the tab area contact surfaces and the intermediate area have contact points, then the contact areas of the tab area and the contact areas of the intermediate area are located on the same, common surface of the flexplate.

In this case, each contact surface of the tab region is assigned a contact point of the intermediate region. Each contact surface forms a contact pair with its associated contact point. The contact surface and the contact point of each contact pair face each other orthogonally to the boundary line, so that they can be gripped in the intermediate area stack of the two opposite contact wings trained as a clamp contact means of the edge contact plug from two opposite sides of the stack ago and thereby electrically contacted , The contact surfaces and contact points assigned to a contact pair are directly electrically connected to one another.

The number of contact pairs corresponds to at least a number of, for example, the operation of at least one electrical connections of the conductor carrier required by one or more tracks formed on the conductor carrier electrically contacted, for example, electrically interconnected electronic components.

The contact surfaces of the tab region and / or the contact points of the intermediate region form the electrical connections necessary for the operation of at least one electrically contacted, for example electrically interconnected electronic components formed by one or more via via on the interconnect carrier, or they are electrically conductive at least with these connected.

Thus, the number of contact means of the edge contact plug preferably corresponds to the number of contact surfaces of the flexplate.

The reinforcing element can be a device for holding a flexplate or a device comprising a flexplate, for example a luminous means with one or more light sources a plurality of light sources, provided in a vehicle lamp support element, which predetermines, for example, a course or geometry, wholly or partially include and / or be completely or partially encompassed by such a support element and / or form such a support element and / or be formed by such a support element ,

It can be seen that the invention can be realized by a direct plug-in connection 01, which is characterized by an at least partial wrapping of a two opposing, plane-parallel surfaces and a reinforcing element having its two planar surfaces opposite planar surfaces of a contact area carrying the electrical connections of the flexplate, which contact region is divided into an intermediate region and a tab region connected exclusively via a border line running parallel to a straight line and connected exclusively to the intermediate region. The reinforcing element lies on the intermediate area. The tab region is bent at least around the application side at least to the remaining of the two plane-parallel opposite surfaces of the reinforcing element. As a result, a stack of the intermediate region of the flexplate, the reinforcing element and at least a portion of the tab region of the flexplate is formed on the intermediate region. An edge contact plug is pushed onto the stack to make the electrical contact between its contact means and the electrical connections of the contact area of the flex board.

It is important to emphasize that the invention can also be realized by a direct plug-in connection, which comprises a 180 ° bent flexplate about an abutment side forming end portion of a support member serving as a reinforcing element, and at least from the end region on the stack thus formed from the flexplate on three sides at least partially surrounded reinforcing element pushed edge contact plug.

By means of a previously described direct plug-in connection electrically contacted flexplates can be used, for example, for OLED contacting, to which they can be mechanically and electrically connected, for example by means of ACF bonding.

The Direktsteckverbindung may alternatively or additionally, single or a combination of several in connection with the prior art and / or in one or more of the documents mentioned in the prior art and / or in the Having described the following description of the embodiments illustrated in the drawings.

Application examples of the invention can be found, for example, in the electrical contacting of OLEDs of a cable set for internal Leuchtenkontaktierung, when contacting arranged on Flexfolien LEDs, when contacting arranged on Flexfolien control circuits and the like.

Additional, over the solution of the task and / or on the above mentioned to the individual features mentioned advantages over the prior art are listed below.

Advantages over the prior art are the creation of a way to contact Felxplatinen cost by means of edge contact plugs electrically.

Additional advantages result from the fact that neither a flat connection between the flexplate and reinforcing element is necessary, nor that an electrical connection between the flexplate and the reinforcing element has to be produced in order to produce a high level of contact reliability.

Further advantages result from resource savings. The otherwise necessary cabling concepts are massively simplified, so that resources such as time and costs can be saved in production and assembly.

• eine kompakte Bauform der Direktsteckverbindung.
• die Möglichkeit, ein Komplettmodul für die Integration von OLEDs in Fahrzeugleuchten, insbesondere Heckleuchten bereitszustellen, das in Blenden eingeclipst und/oder eingeschraubt werden kann.
• bei einer beidseitigen Kontaktierung die Vermeidung eines signifikanten Verlustwiderstands, da alle elektrischen Anschlüsse auf der Flexplatine angebracht sind und keine Übergangswiderstände zu anderen Platinen oder ähnlichem anfallen.
• die separate Herstellbarkeit des als Trägerelement einsetzbaren Verstärkungselements. Dadurch lässt sich das Verstärkungselement einfach fertigen
• auch mit Entformungsschrägen, wie im Kunststoffbau üblich.
• dass keine komplizierte FR4-Starr-Flexplatine zur Kontaktierung nötig ist, wodurch sich der starre Teil einsparen lässt, da beispielsweise bei einer Verwendung von Flexplatinen zur OLED-Kontaktierung ein OLED-Trägerelement sowieso vorhanden ist, das gleichzeitig als Verstärkungselement verwendet werden kann.
• ein einfacher Montageprozess von OLEDs in Leuchten. Bei der Fertigung der OLEDs ist aktuell ein Problem, dass der starre Teil einer Starrflexplatine zusätzliches Gewicht an die Flexplatine bringt. Dies führt zur Gefahr eines Hängenbleibens mit diesem Teil im Fertigungs- und Testprozess. Durch die zusätzlichen mechanischen Belastungen aufgrund des Platinengewichts auf die ACF-Bonding-Verbindung zwischen Flexplatine und OLED wird dieser Nachteil noch weiter verstärkt. Die erfindungsgemäße Direktsteckverbindung sorgt hierbei dafür, dass von den OLEDs keine langen Flexplatinen zur Kontaktierung vorzusehen sind. Die Kontaktierung erfolgt -wie beschrieben- mit einem normalen Kabelsatz (Verbindung Flexplatine zur Steuerplatine/Treiberplatine). Durch die kürzeren Flexplatinen ist die Produktion der OLEDs und die hierfür nötigen Prozesse einfacher, kostengünstiger und sicherer und führt zu weniger Ausschuss und einer Minimierung der kostenintensiven Flexplatinen.
• dass Biegeradien von Flexplatinen eingehalten werden - ein Knicken der Flexplatinen wird vermieden. Auch scharfen Kanten, die zur Beschädigung der Flexplatine führen könnten, ist durch einen entsprechenden Radius am beispielsweise durch ein Trägerelement gebildeten Verstärkungselement entgegengewirkt.
• dass eine Anpassung der Dicke des Stapels an die Weite der Kontaktmittel des Randkontaktsteckers möglich ist. Dies ist vorteilhaft, da die Flexplatinen nicht eine Standarddicke aufweisen, sondern abhängig vom Stromfluss, etc. in Ihren Einzelschichtdicken ausgelegt werden. Das Verstärkungselement kann dies mit seiner Dicke, die individuell ausgelegt werden kann -in Grenzen- ausgleichen.
• die Ermöglichung einer Anpassung der auftretenden Materialpaarungen, beispielsweise um zur Korrosionsvermeidung Materialgleichheit am Kontakt zwischen den elektrischen Anschlüssen der Flexplatine und den Kontaktmitteln des Randkontaktsteckers herzustellen. Geeignete Materialpaarungen sind beispielsweise Zinn-Zinn oder Gold-Gold.

Advantages over the prior art are also:

• a compact design of the direct plug connection.
• the possibility of providing a complete module for the integration of OLEDs in vehicle lights, in particular rear lights, which can be clipped and / or screwed into panels.
• Avoiding a significant loss of resistance in a two-sided contacting, since all electrical connections are mounted on the flex board and no contact resistance to other boards or the like arise.
• the separate manufacturability of usable as a support element reinforcing element. This makes it easy to manufacture the reinforcing element
• also with draft angles, as usual in plastic construction.
• that no complicated FR4 rigid flexplate is required for contacting, which saves on the rigid part, for example when using Flex boards for OLED contacting an OLED support element is present anyway, which can be used simultaneously as a reinforcing element.
• a simple assembly process of OLEDs in luminaires. At present, a problem with the production of the OLEDs is that the rigid part of a rigid flexplate adds additional weight to the flexplate. This leads to the risk of getting stuck with this part in the manufacturing and testing process. The additional mechanical stress due to the board weight on the ACF bonding connection between flex board and OLED further strengthens this disadvantage. The direct plug-in connection according to the invention ensures that no long flexplates for contacting are to be provided by the OLEDs. The contacting takes place - as described - with a normal cable set (connection Flexplatine to the control board / driver board). The shorter flex boards make OLED production and processes easier, cheaper, and safer, reducing waste and minimizing costly flex boards.
• bending radii of flex boards are complied with - bending of the flex boards is avoided. Even sharp edges, which could lead to damage of the flexplate, is counteracted by a corresponding radius on the reinforcing element formed, for example, by a carrier element.
• that an adaptation of the thickness of the stack to the width of the contact means of the edge contact plug is possible. This is advantageous because the flex boards do not have a standard thickness, but are designed depending on the current flow, etc. in their individual layer thicknesses. The reinforcing element can compensate for this with its thickness, which can be designed individually - within limits.
• making it possible to adapt the material pairings that occur, for example to produce material equality at the contact between the electrical connections of the flexplate and the contact means of the edge contact plug in order to prevent corrosion. Suitable material pairings are, for example, tin-tin or gold-gold.

Randkontaktstecker for standard circuit boards are much cheaper than the example for electrical contacting of flex boards hitherto required indirect connectors from a line side mounted female or male part and an example in SMD technology conductor track carrier side mounted, the line side mounted female or male part receiving board-mounted plug or female connector. In addition, the secure locking of an indirect connector in the assembly is a common source of error The direct plug-in connections used in vehicle lights by means of edge contact plugs, however, can be easily secured constructively against incomplete plugging.

This eliminates the problem of producing and controlling a secure locking or locking indirect connectors in the assembly.

In summary, by using a reinforcing member in the form of, for example, a standard printed circuit board, such as an FR-4 board, which is at least partially wrapped by a flex board, a circuit board carrier other than a standard circuit board, such as a flex board, can be used by standard connectors , such as direct connectors are contacted cost-effectively. As a result, for example, also other, very thin conductor carrier can also contact by direct plug connector.

Fig. 1

ein erstes Ausführungsbeispiel einer Direktsteckverbindung einer zur Kontaktierung einer auf einem als Trägerelement dienenden Verstärkungselement angeordneten OLED verwendeten Flexplatine in einer Seitenansicht.

Fig. 2

ein zweites Ausführungsbeispiel einer Direktsteckverbindung einer zur Kontaktierung einer auf einem als Trägerelement dienenden Verstärkungselement angeordneten OLED verwendeten Flexplatine in einer Draufsicht.

Fig. 3

die Direktsteckverbindung aus Fig. 2 in einer perspektivischen Ansicht mit Blick auf deren Oberseite.

Fig. 4

die Direktsteckverbindung aus Fig. 2 in einer perspektivischen Ansicht mit Blick auf deren Unterseite.

Fig. 5

die Direktsteckverbindung aus Fig. 2 in einer Seitenansicht.

Fig. 6

ein drittes Ausführungsbeispiel einer Direktsteckverbindung einer zur Kontaktierung einer auf einem als Trägerelement dienenden Verstärkungselement angeordneten OLED verwendeten Flexplatine in einer Draufsicht.

Fig. 7

die Direktsteckverbindung aus Fig. 6 in einer Seitenansicht.

Fig. 8

ein Ausführungsbeispiel einer Direktsteckverbindung einer auf einem Verstärkungselement angeordneten Flexplatine in Fig. 8a) in unmontiertem Zustand in einer Draufsicht und in Fig. 8c) in einer Endmontagestellung in einer Draufsicht, deren in Fig. 8b) in einer Seitenansicht dargestellter Randkontaktstecker gegen seitliches Verrutschen gesichert ist.

Fig. 9

ein mit Haltemitteln zur Befestigung einer mit korrespondierenden Haltemitteln ausgestatteten Flexplatine versehenes Verstärkungselement in einer Draufsicht.

Fig. 10

das Verstärkungselement aus Fig. 9 in einem Längsschnitt entlang der Linie A-A in Fig. 9 gesehen.

Fig. 11

eine mit einer Codierung gegen verdrehtes Aufstecken versehene Direktsteckverbindung in einer Ansicht ihres Randkontaktsteckers von dessen der Anlegeseite zugewandter Seite her in Fig. 11a) und in unmontiertem Zustand in einer Draufsicht in Fig. 11 b).

Fig. 12

einen Randkontaktstecker in perspektivischer Ansicht.

The invention will be explained in more detail with reference to embodiments shown in the drawings. The proportions of the individual elements to one another in the figures do not always correspond to the actual size ratios, since some shapes are simplified and other shapes are shown enlarged in relation to other elements for better illustration. For identical or equivalent elements of the invention, identical reference numerals are used. Furthermore, for the sake of clarity, only reference symbols are shown in the individual figures, which are required for the description of the respective figure. The illustrated embodiments are only examples of how the connector according to the invention can be configured and do not represent a final limitation. It shows in a schematic representation:

Fig. 1

a first embodiment of a direct plug connection of a used for contacting a serving as a carrier element reinforcing element OLED flexplate used in a side view.

Fig. 2

A second embodiment of a direct plug connection of a for contacting a arranged on a support element serving as a reinforcing element OLED flexplate used in a plan view.

Fig. 3

the direct plug connection Fig. 2 in a perspective view overlooking its top.

Fig. 4

the direct plug connection Fig. 2 in a perspective view overlooking its underside.

Fig. 5

the direct plug connection Fig. 2 in a side view.

Fig. 6

A third exemplary embodiment of a direct plug connection of a flexplate used for contacting an OLED arranged on a reinforcing element serving as a carrier element in a plan view.

Fig. 7

the direct plug connection Fig. 6 in a side view.

Fig. 8

an embodiment of a direct connector of a reinforcing element arranged on a flexplate in Fig. 8a ) in unmounted state in a plan view and in Fig. 8c ) in a final assembly position in a plan view, whose in Fig. 8b ) is shown secured in a side view edge contact plug against lateral slipping.

Fig. 9

a reinforcing element provided with holding means for fastening a flexplate equipped with corresponding holding means, in a plan view.

Fig. 10

the reinforcing element Fig. 9 in a longitudinal section along the line AA in Fig. 9 seen.

Fig. 11

a provided with a coding against twisted plugging direct connector in a view of their edge contact plug from its side facing the landing page ago Fig. 11a ) and in an unassembled state in a plan view Fig. 11b) ,

Fig. 12

a Randkontaktstecker in perspective view.

• eine mit mindestens einem elektrischen Anschluss und mit einer oder mehreren, mit dem mindestens einen elektrischen Anschluss verbundenen Leiterbahnen versehene Flexplatine 21 als Leiterbahnträger 02, und
• einen Randkontaktstecker 03 mit einer mit der Zahl von elektrischen Anschlüssen der Flexplatine 21 korrespondierenden Anzahl von Kontaktmitteln 30 (Fig. 12),

wobei:

• die Flexplatine 21 mindestens einen Kontaktbereich 20 aufweist,
• wenigstens eine Oberfläche der Flexplatine 21 in dem Kontaktbereich 20 mit den elektrischen Anschlüssen versehen ist,
• sich der Kontaktbereich 20 in einen Zwischenbereich 22 und einen via einer in einer Draufsicht auf eine plan ausgebreitete Flexplatine 21 parallel einer Geraden verlaufenden Grenzlinie ausschließlich mit dem Zwischenbereich 22 verbundenen Laschenbereich 23 gliedert,
• ein vom Kontaktbereich 20 der Flexplatine 21 zumindest an zwei planparallel gegenüberliegenden Oberflächen 41, 42 wenigstens teilweise bedecktes oder umgebenes, beispielsweise wenigstens teilweise von zumindest drei Seiten her vom Kontaktbereich 20 der Flexplatine 21 umwickeltes Verstärkungselement 04 vorgesehen ist,
• der Zwischenbereich 22 eine der zwei planparallel gegenüberliegenden Oberflächen 41 des Verstärkungselements 04 und der Laschenbereich 23 zumindest die verbleibende der zwei planparallel gegenüberliegenden Oberflächen 42 des Verstärkungselements 04 wenigstens teilweise bedeckt,
• die elektrischen Anschlüsse der Flexplatine 21 zumindest von wenigstens einer dem Verstärkungselement 04 abgewandten Oberfläche des Kontaktbereichs 20 der Flexplatine 21 her zugänglich in wenigstens einer parallel zu den planparallel gegenüberliegenden, beispielsweise durch dessen Ober- und Unterseite gebildeten Oberflächen 41, 42 des Verstärkungselements verlaufenden Ebene gelegen sind,
• das Verstärkungselement 04 in zumindest teilweiser Überdeckung einer seiner zwei planparallel gegenüberliegenden Oberflächen 41, 42 mit dem Zwischenbereich 22 mit einer seine zwei planparallel gegenüberliegenden Oberflächen 41, 42 verbindenden Anlegeseite 43 entlang der Grenzlinie anliegt, und
• der Laschenbereich 23 mindestens um die Anlegeseite 43 herum wenigstens zur verbleibenden der zwei planparallel gegenüberliegenden Oberflächen 42, 41 des Verstärkungselements 04 gebogen ist, so dass auf dem Zwischenbereich 22 aufbauend ein Stapel aus dem Zwischenbereich 22 der Flexplatine oder wenigstens einer Partie des Zwischenbereichs 22, sollte dieser das Verstärkungselement 04 überragen, dem Verstärkungselement 04 und wenigstens einer Partie des Laschenbereichs 23 gebildet ist, sowie
• jedes der Kontaktmittel 30 des Randkontaktsteckers 03 eine Klammer 31 mit zwei an einer Verbindungsseite um einen vorgegebenen Abstand einander gegenüberliegend angeordneten, federelastisch und elektrisch leitfähig miteinander verbundenen Kontaktschwingen 32 umfasst (Fig. 12),
• die freien Enden 34 der Kontaktschwingen 32 einer jeden Klammer 31 in einem Ausgangszustand um einen geringen als den vorgegebenen Abstand einander gegenüberliegend voneinander beabstandet sind, und unter Überwindung einer durch die Federelastizität bedingten Federbelastung voneinander weg ausgelenkt werden können (Fig. 12), und
• der Stapel unter Überwindung der Federbelastung zwischen die Kontaktschwingen 32 der als Klammern 31 ausgebildeten Kontaktmittel 30 des Randkontaktsteckers 03 eingeschoben oder einschiebbar ist beziehungsweise eingeschoben werden kann, und unter Herstellung eines elektrischen Kontakts zwischen den Kontaktmitteln 30 des Randkontaktsteckers 03 und den elektrischen Anschlüssen der Flexplatine 21 federelastisch eingeklemmt ist oder wird.

An in Fig. 1 . Fig. 2 . Fig. 3 . Fig. 4 . Fig. 5 . Fig. 6 . Fig. 7 shown fully or in parts directly plug-in connection 01 for electrical contacting of flexible circuit boards used as a flexible conductor carrier 02 in vehicle lights, for example, for electrical contacting of OLEDs and / or LEDs Flexplates 21 comprises:

• a with at least one electrical connection and with one or more, connected to the at least one electrical connection traces printed circuit board 21 as conductor carrier 02, and
• a peripheral contact plug 03 with a number corresponding to the number of electrical connections of the flex circuit 21 number of contact means 30 (FIG. Fig. 12 )

in which:

• the flexplate 21 has at least one contact region 20,
• at least one surface of the flexplate 21 is provided in the contact region 20 with the electrical connections,
• the contact region 20 is subdivided into an intermediate region 22 and a tab region 23 which is connected in a plan view to a plane-spread flexplate 21 and extends parallel to a straight line exclusively with the intermediate region 22,
• a reinforcing element 04, which is at least partially covered or surrounded by the contact region 20 of the flexplate 21, is at least partially covered or surrounded by the contact region 20 of the flexplate 21, at least partially on at least three sides.
• the intermediate region 22 at least partially covers one of the two surfaces 41 of the reinforcing element 04 lying parallel to the plane and the tab region 23 at least partially covers the remaining of the two plane-parallel opposing surfaces 42 of the reinforcing element 04,
• the electrical connections of the flexplate 21 are at least accessible from at least one surface of the contact region 20 of the flexplate 21 facing away from the reinforcing element 04 in at least one plane parallel to the plane-parallel opposite plane, for example formed by its top and bottom surfaces 41, 42 of the reinforcing element .
• the reinforcing element 04 rests in at least partial overlapping of one of its two plane-parallel opposing surfaces 41, 42 with the intermediate region 22 with its abutting side 43 connecting its two plane-parallel surfaces 41, 42 along the boundary line, and
• the tab region 23 is bent at least around the application side 43 at least to the remaining of the two plane-parallel opposing surfaces 42, 41 of the reinforcement element 04, so that on the intermediate region 22 constructing a stack of the intermediate region 22 of the flexplate or at least a portion of the intermediate region 22, this should extend beyond the reinforcing element 04, the reinforcing element 04 and at least a portion of the tab portion 23 is formed, and
• each of the contact means 30 of the edge contact plug 03 comprises a clamp 31 with two contact wings 32 connected to one another at a connection side by a predetermined distance, resiliently and electrically conductively connected to each other ( Fig. 12 )
• the free ends 34 of the contact wings 32 of each bracket 31 are spaced apart in an initial state by a distance smaller than the predetermined distance, and can be deflected away from each other by overcoming a spring load caused by the spring elasticity ( Fig. 12 ), and
• the stack, overcoming the spring load between the contact legs 32 of the trained as brackets 31 contact means 30 of the edge contact plug 03 is inserted or inserted or can be inserted, and to make an electrical contact between the contact means 30 of the edge contact plug 03 and the electrical connections of the flexplate 21 resiliently is or becomes trapped.

The at least one conductor track of the flexplate 21 may, for example, be electrically conductively connected or connectable to one or more electronic components. The flexplate 21 is formed, comprises, or is comprised of a flex foil, for example.

The tab region 23 of the contact region 20 of the flexplate 21 is characterized in that it is connected to the intermediate region 22 of the flexplate 21 via the boundary line running parallel to a straight line.

The tab region 23 has exclusively a connection with the intermediate region 22. With a remaining part of the flexplate 21, the tab region 23 is connected exclusively via the intermediate region 22 adjoining the tab region 23 along the borderline.

The intermediate region 22 of the contact region 20 of the flexplate 21 is characterized in that it is connected to the tab region 23 of the contact region 20 of the flexplate 21 and to any remaining part of the flexplate 21 via the boundary line running parallel to a straight line. The tab area 23 accordingly follows in an orientation to the intermediate region 22, which, seen from the intermediate region 22, lies within the area formed by the flexplate 21 behind the boundary line, for example orthogonal to the boundary line. The optionally remaining part of the flexplate 21 adjoins the intermediate region 22 in one or more remaining arbitrary orientations.

On one side of the intermediate region 22 thus adjoins the tab region 23. The tab region 23 is connected exclusively via the intermediate region 22 with an optionally remaining part of the flexplate 21. Apart from the intermediate region 22, the tab region 23 is not in any contact or connection with a remaining part of the flexplate 21.

The intermediate region 22 is followed by the optionally remaining part of the flexplate 21 on one or more sides, whereas the tab region 23 additionally adjoins the intermediate region 22 on one side along the boundary line.

The edge contact plug 03 is provided with a number of contact means 30, which at least a number of electrically connected, for example, electrically interconnected by one or more via on the formed as a flex circuit board 21 conductor tracks 02 conductors formed, for example, electrically interconnected electronic components formed device required electrical connections the flex board 21 corresponds.

The device can be, for example, an electronic circuit which is a part, for example a control device, of a light source of a vehicle lamp comprising one or more light sources. Alternatively or additionally, the device may comprise one or more light sources of a luminous means of a vehicle lamp.

For example, at least one light source provided to fulfill at least one light function of a vehicle light can be electrically contacted, for example on the flexplate 21, as at least one electronic component or in addition to one or more electronic components by means of at least a portion of the interconnects of the interconnect carrier 02 configured as a flexplate 21. The interconnects of the flexplate 21 can thus directly or indirectly via an electronic circuit with electrical connections of the at least one by means of at least a portion of the Conductor tracks of the printed circuit board carrier 02 embodied as a flexplate 21 are electrically connected, for example, to be connected to the light source provided on the flexplate 21.

The at least one light source is preferably at least one LED and / or at least one OLED 06.

The edge contact plug 03 may have a housing 05 which partially surrounds the one or more contact means 30 ( Fig. 12 ).

At the contact means 30 can be connected or connectable, for example, to a cable harness combined electrical lines.

Each of the contact means 30 of an example in Fig. 12 shown edge contact plug 03 comprises a clamp 31 with two opposite, one-sided to a in Fig. 12 rear connecting side, for example by means of a web preferably integrally resiliently connected to each other in the sense of contact swings 32 that the free ends 34 of the contact arms 32 of a clip 31 in an initial state abut each other or spaced by a smaller distance than on the connecting side opposite each other, and can be deflected away from each other by overcoming the spring load. The contact wings 32 are spaced apart on the connecting side by a predetermined distance, which is preferably sufficient to insert a printed circuit board, preferably a standard printed circuit board, more preferably a FR-4 board, between the contact wings 32. At least in a region at the free ends 34 of the contact wings 32 which are at a distance from the connection side, as previously described, a smaller distance prevails, so that the stack 31 inserted between the contact wings 32 of the one or more contact elements 30 of the edge contact plug 03 is at least in the region whose free ends 34 is clamped resiliently. In this case, a widening is preferably provided coming from the free ends 34, in order to facilitate the insertion of the stack between the contact wings 32.

The edge contact plug 03 can as in Fig. 12 exemplified be provided with locking means 36, which may serve, in the deferred state to enter a stack a detachable or non-releasable latching connection to prevent inadvertent release of the direct plug connection 01.

Overall, the stack has a height or thickness and stability that can be electrically contacted by means of the edge contact plug 03.

The thickness or height of the stack corresponds to the predetermined distance between the contact wings 32.

The double thickness of the flexplate by only a few tenths of a millimeter greater thickness of the stack of flexplate 21 and reinforcing element 04 also fits in this case between the contact wings 32 of the contact means 30 of the edge contact plug 03. This makes it possible standard edge contact plugs, as the above described RAST connector to use.

Is the edge contact plug 03 from one edge, preferably from a parallel to the Anlegeseite 43 of the reinforcing element 04 and the boundary line between the tab portion 23 and intermediate portion 22 of the contact portion 20 of the flexplate 21 extending edge forth on the from the reinforcing member 04, the intermediate region 22 and at least at least one contact rocker 32 clamped each of the contact means 30 of the edge contact plug 03 designed as brackets 31 in the region of its free end 34, the flexplate 21 forming the top and bottom of the stack at one of their electrical connections.

The reinforcing element 04 is at least partially covered or surrounded at least partially by the contact region 20 of the flexplate 21, or at least partially surrounded by the contact region 20 of the flexplate 21 in at least partial wrapping on at least three sides, that a first surface 41, 42 whose plane-parallel opposite surfaces 41, 42 from the intermediate portion 22 of the contact portion 20 is completely or partially covered, and at least a second surface 42, 41 whose plane-parallel opposite surfaces 41, 42 from the tab portion 23 of the contact portion 20 is completely or partially covered.

The distinction between covered or surrounded and wrapped is to be understood as being conceivable and within the scope of the present invention Invention is the reinforcing element 04 with a recess, for example, as in Fig. 6 and Fig. 7 to provide a slot 40 through which the tab portion 23 of the flexplate 21 from one of two plane-parallel surfaces 41, 42 of the reinforcing element 04 without being guided around an outer boundary side of the recess limiting boundary web 44 of the reinforcing member 04 to the other the two plane-parallel opposite surfaces 41, 42 of the reinforcing element 04 can be guided.

The electrical connections can be formed for example by at least on a surface of the flexplate 21 blank lying, formed as contact surfaces and / or contact points games of conductors.

The interconnects of the flexplate 21 that are to be contacted electrically are preferably the same as the electrical connections facing away from the reinforcing element 04. This ensures both a reliable electrical contact, as well as created the possibility, with a corresponding configuration of the electrical connections of the flexplate 21 by means of a peripheral contact plug 03 to receive a two-sided electrical contact with a particularly high contact reliability.

The reinforcing element 04 is preferably as in FIG Fig. 1 to Fig. 7 represented by a support member 45, on which a by means of the flexplate 21, for example, by soldering, wire bonding or contacted by conductive adhesive OLED 06 is arranged.

The reinforcing element 04 can therefore comprise, in whole or in part, a device for holding a flexplate 21 or a device comprising a flexplate 21, for example a luminous means with one or more light sources, a carrier element 45 provided in a vehicle luminaire which predetermines a course or a geometry, for example. or be completely or partially encompassed by such a carrier element 45 and / or form such a carrier element 45 and / or be formed by such a carrier element 45.

The contacts between the anode and cathode of the OLED 06 and the electrical connections of the flexplate 21 and / or with the interconnects of the flexplate 21 electrically connected to the electrical connections of the flexplate 21 can by Soldering, for example, be produced in SMD technology or in THT technology or by means of conductive adhesive.

A conductive adhesive is an electrically conductive adhesive.

Conductive adhesives consist of the adhesives and inorganic, electrically conductive fillers. Their share is about 30%. Because of the metallic fillers used, the joints are also thermally well conductive. Well-suited fillers include silver, gold, palladium, nickel and platinum.

Its own class of conductive adhesives form so-called anisotropic conductive adhesives. Spherical conductive particles are used as filling material. The total volume is only 5% formed by the conductive material. As a result, a locally limited electrical connection is achieved. When applied as a thin film, the electrical connection is made only vertically between the bonded surfaces, but not horizontally, because the balls do not touch each other. This allows the large-scale application of the adhesive without adjustment. A disadvantage is the limitation of the operating temperature to about 80 ° Celsius and a principle-related implied short circuit probability.

Although a compound with a conductive adhesive is less conductive than a solder joint, but is elastic and thus mechanically stronger. A high elasticity, for example, achieve silicone adhesive.

A remaining part of the flexplate 21 may adjoin the intermediate region 22 in a straight and / or angled extension of the tab region 23.

Preferably, the reinforcing element 04 has a plate-like shape with plane-parallel upper and lower sides and circumferential, the top and bottom interconnecting narrow sides. At least one narrow side or a boundary wall defining a slot 40 for the passage of the tab region 23 from a surface to the plane-parallel opposite surface of the reinforcing element 04 forms the abutment side 43 with a straight course in a plan view of the reinforcing element 04.

Such a reinforcing element 04 is arranged such that in a plan view its application side 43 parallel along the boundary line, for example coincident with the boundary line, comes to rest. In this case, the upper or lower side of the reinforcing element 04 and the intermediate region 22 at least partially overlap.

The tab region 23 covers at least the application side 43 and at least part of the lower or upper side of the reinforcing element 04.

If a narrow side forms the application side 43, the reinforcing element 04 can also be wrapped by more than 270 ° from the contact region 20 of the flexplate 21.

Independently of the formation of a narrow side or a delimiting wall as an abutment side 43, a stack of the intermediate region 22 of the flexplate 21, the reinforcing element 04 and at least one section of the tab region 22 is thereby formed on the intermediate region 22.

The reinforcing element is preferably rounded off at the transitions between its two plane-parallel facing surfaces 41, 42 and the abutting side 43 connecting them.

The radius of such a rounding preferably corresponds to at least one measure in which the flexplate 21 is not bent.

The flexplate 21 and the reinforcing element 04 may have holding means 46, 24 corresponding to each other, such as one or more projections and / or hooks and / or hooks on one or more sides of the reinforcing element 04, for example, to provide only a few conceivable embodiments call, and provided in the contact region 20 of the flexplate 21 recesses, such as holes, by means of which the contact portion 20 of the flexplate 21, for example, with the guided around, for example, 180 ° around the application side 43 of the reinforcing member 04 around strap portion 23 mounted on the reinforcing member 04 to the Anlegeseite 43 of the reinforcing element 04 around 180 ° bent and, for example, with the intermediate region 22 in turn can be hung on the reinforcing element 04. For example, as corresponding holding means 46, 24 arranged on the reinforcing element 04 pins 47 and / or hooks 49, as in Fig. 9 and Fig. 10 shown in detail, and holes 25 in the Flex board 21, for example, partly designed as slots, through which the pins 47 and / or hook 49 can be passed.

It should also be mentioned that the tool technical design for the production of in Fig. 9 and Fig. 10 illustrated reinforcing element 04 can be designed so that no slider or the like is needed in the tool for the hook 49, whereby no additional costs.

The flexplate 21 may be connected on its rear side facing away from the strip conductors at least in sections flatly with the reinforcing element 04, for example by gluing.

In principle, an attachment of the reinforcing element 04 may be provided both on its upper side and on its lower side with the contact region 20 of the flexplate 21.

Alternatively or additionally, an attachment of the reinforcing element 04 may be provided on its application side 43 to the contact region 20 of the flexplate 21.

The reinforcing element 04 can be fastened, for example, with its upper or lower side on the intermediate region 22, while it faces from the tab region 23 at least partially on its lower or upper side facing away from the intermediate region 22 and on its upper side facing the boundary line between the tab region 23 and intermediate region 22 - And underside interconnecting Anlegeseite 43 is covered.

Alternatively or additionally, the tab portion 23 may be attached to the lower or upper side of the reinforcing element 04, wherein it from a remaining part of the tab portion 23 at its the front line between the tab portion 23 and intermediate portion 22 facing, top and bottom interconnecting Anlegeseite 43, and is covered by the intermediate region 22 at its top or bottom.

A groove may be provided on the reinforcing element 04, into which the tab region 23 is inserted, for example, with its distal end facing away from the boundary line.

The distal end of the tab portion 23 may be fixed in such a groove, for example, by gluing and / or clamping, to name but a few conceivable embodiments.

Alternatively or additionally, a groove 48 may be provided on the reinforcing element 04, the groove bottom of which forms the abutment side 43.

In such a groove 48, the tab portion 23 of the flexplate 21 can be guided and secured against lateral slippage.

A portion of the tab portion 23 located between the distal end and the borderline may be defined in the groove 48, for example, by gluing and / or clamping, to name but a few conceivable embodiments.

The groove 48 may be bounded on both sides by a respective projection 481 to the side, as in Fig. 2 . Fig. 3 . Fig. 4 . Fig. 5 represented and in Fig. 8 once again clarified.

The edge contact plug 03 can be secured against lateral slippage along the application side 43 by the lateral edges of the groove 48 forming projections 481. Fig. 8a ) shows here the direct plug connection 01 in unassembled state. On the one side by projections 481 delimited groove 48, the groove base forms the Anlegeseite 43, around which the flexplate 21 is guided by 180 ° around, provided reinforcing element 04, the in Fig. 8b ) simplified in side view shown edge contact plug 03 pushed in the direction of arrow ( Fig. 8a ). As shown in the final assembly position of the direct connector 01 Fig. 8c ) shown by the crossed-out, pointing to the right and left arrows in the drawing, the edge contact plug is secured in the final assembly position by the projections 481 against lateral slipping. Fig. 8a) and Fig. 8c ) each show a view of the intermediate region 22 of the flexplate 21st

An alternative or additional assurance of the edge contact plug 03 against lateral slippage, which fuse at the same time still protects against unintentional reverse polarity by twisted pushing the edge contact plug 03 in the production of the direct plug connection 01 is in Fig. 11 shown. The edge contact plug 03 is in this case provided with an asymmetrically arranged rib 35 which protrudes between its contact means 30. On the reinforcing element 04 is a correct Arrangement of the edge contact plug 03 with the rib 35 corresponding recess 431 provided in the landing page 43. The bent around 180 ° to the Anlegeseite 43 flexplate 21 is provided with a cutout 26, through which at 180 ° around the Anlegeseite 43 bent flexplate 21 and in the correct orientation of the edge contact plug 03 during sliding the rib 35 on the edge contact plug 03 into the recess 431 on the reinforcing element 04.

The mutually corresponding elements rib 35 and notch 431 in conjunction with the cutout 26 also prevent lateral slipping of the edge contact plug 03 produced direct plug connection 01, so that other measures, such as the groove 48 described above, can be dispensed with.

Furthermore, the embodiment with by means of a rib 35 coded edge contact plug 03 also has the advantage that a wrong plugging or swapping of plugs during assembly, for example, a vehicle lamp can not be done and thus a Poka Yoke principle is realized.

It is important to emphasize that the elements rib 35 and notch 431 can also be reversed, so that a rib protrudes on the reinforcing element 04 and a receptacle corresponding to such a rib is provided on the edge contact plug 03. This has the additional advantage that such a rib can at the same time form a retaining means 46 acting between reinforcing element 04 and flexplate 21, the cutout 26 also forming a corresponding holding means 24 of the flexplate 21 in this case.

The reinforcing element 04 can be wrapped completely by the contact region 20 of the flexplate 21, ie also on a narrow side opposite the application side 43.

The reinforcing element 04 can be wrapped by more than 360 ° from the contact region 20 of the flexplate 21, for example several times.

Here, one of the Anlegeseite 43 opposite narrow side of the reinforcing element 04 preferably runs parallel to the landing page.

By in a wrapping by more than 360 ° on four sides and at least on one side doubly surrounded by the flexplate 21 reinforcing element 04 is on the intermediate region 22 building a stack of at least one lot of Intermediate portion 22 of the flexplate 21, the reinforcing element 04 and at least two parts of the tab portion 23 formed as in any case intermediate region 22 of the contact region 20 of the flexplate 21 and the top or bottom of the reinforcing element 04 at least partially overlap. The further wrapping takes place through the tab region 23.

In the tab region 23, the flexplate 21 can have a number of electrical contact surfaces corresponding, for example, to the number of electrical connections of the conductor carrier 02, which can be formed, for example, by sections of interconnects that are bare at least on one surface of the flexplate 21. The contact surfaces provided in the tab region 23 in this case at least partially form the electrical connections of the flexplate 21.

Alternatively, the flexplate 21 in the via extending parallel to the line boundary line directly or indirectly to the tab portion 23 adjacent intermediate region 22, for example, the number of electrical connections of the conductor carrier 02 corresponding number of contact points, which, for example, by at least one surface of the flexplate 21st blank areas of printed circuit traces can be formed.

• ist jeder Kontaktfläche des Laschenbereichs 23 eine Kontaktstelle des Zwischenbereichs 22 zugeordnet,
• bildet jede Kontaktfläche mit der ihr zugeordneten Kontaktstelle ein Kontaktpaar,
• bilden die Kontaktpaare zumindest zum Teil die elektrischen Anschlüsse der Flexplatine 21,
• liegen die Kontaktfläche und die Kontaktstelle jeden Kontaktpaars einander orthogonal zur Grenzlinie gesehen gegenüber, so dass sie im auf dem Zwischenbereich 22 aufbauenden Stapel von den beiden gegenüberliegenden Kontaktschwingen 32 eines als Klammer 31 ausgebildeten Kontaktmittels 30 des Randkontaktsteckers 03 von zwei gegenüberliegenden Seiten des Stapels her gegriffen und dadurch elektrisch kontaktiert werden, und
• sind die zu einem Kontaktpaar einander zugeordneten Kontaktflächen und Kontaktstellen unmittelbar elektrisch miteinander verbunden.

An increase in the contact reliability can be obtained by the flexplate 21 having contact surfaces in the tab region 23 and contact points in the intermediate region 22 which are located on the same, common surface of the flexplate 21. Here:

• each contact surface of the tab region 23 is assigned a contact point of the intermediate region 22,
• Each contact surface forms a contact pair with the contact point assigned to it.
• the contact pairs form at least in part the electrical connections of the flexplate 21,
• lie the contact surface and the contact point of each pair of contacts each other orthogonal to the boundary line, so that they gripped in the build-up on the intermediate portion 22 stack of the two opposite contact wings 32 formed as a bracket 31 contact means 30 of the edge contact plug 03 from two opposite sides of the stack forth and thereby be contacted electrically, and
• the contact surfaces and contact points assigned to a contact pair are directly electrically connected to one another.

The number of contact pairs corresponds to at least a number of, for example, the operation of at least one electrical connections of the conductor carrier 02 electrically contacted by means of one or more via conductors formed on the conductor carrier 02, for example electrically interconnected electronic components.

In summary, contact surfaces of the tab region 23 and / or contact points of the intermediate region 22 can form the electrical connections necessary for the operation of at least one device electrically connected to one or more via printed conductors 02 formed on the conductor carrier 02, or they are at least with them electrically connected.

It is important to emphasize that in the case of the direct plug connection 01, an OLED 06 can be connected to an adhesive layer on a carrier element 45 serving as a reinforcing element 04. The OLED 06, in turn, can be contacted electrically and mechanically, for example, by means of ACF bonding with a flexplate 21. The flexplate 21 is guided around the carrier element 45. Here, sharp edges are avoided for example by rounding at the transitions between the plane-parallel opposite surfaces 41, 42 and the Anlegeseite 43 of the reinforcing element 04 and a minimum bending radius of the flexplate 21 does not fall below. As a result, the flexplate 21 can not be kinked. It is guided according to its bending radius and the predetermined distance between the contact wings 32 of the edge contact plug 03 at the connecting side to the Anlegeseite 43 of the reinforcing element 04 around. As already mentioned, the carrier element 45 is provided with a corresponding radius.

By means of a joining process such. B. hot caulking, riveting the flexplate 21 can be fixed to the support member 45. This can be done by means of a pin 47. The flex foil 21 can also z. B. by gluing on the support member 45 are attached. It is also possible to clip in a kind of locking hook pin here, which connects the parts together and is pushed from one side to the other side and locked. A clip solution is also conceivable.

Another option is in Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 In this case, the pin 47, which is formed on the carrier element 45 serving as the reinforcing element 04, is provided with a head as a hook or hook. The flex foil 21 has a corresponding recess and is suspended here. If necessary, it can be easily tightened. On the other side of the carrier element 45 and the headed pin 47, a further pin is formed, which leads the flexplate 21. This can also be used for strain relief of the flex board 21 and OLED contacting use. The flex board 21 has z. B. a slot so that it fits the pin 47 and can be threaded. In addition, this hole shape is also suitable as tolerance compensation. Now connected to the flexplate 21 OLED 06 is fixed to the support member 45 and the flexplate 21 has a secure fit, without additional components and fixation measures.

To secure the edge contact plug 03 against slipping or Freirütteln in the vehicle this can be secured by a housing part 07 or the like, which is applied during assembly of a vehicle lamp, to the rear.

An aperture 08 can ensure that a viewer of the vehicle light can not see the contacting in a rear part of the vehicle light facing away from him.

This results in an OLED module 09 on which the OLED 06 is applied with its electronic contact. This can be inserted through the aperture 08 therethrough. The OLED module 09 can, as in Fig. 2 and Fig. 6 represented by latching hooks 10 on the support member 45 may be connected to the aperture 08. Alternatively or additionally, the support element 45 may also be connected differently to the panel 08, for example by means of screw connections, adhesions, hot calking, a screwed-on extruded part which presses / braces the elements together, to name only a few conceivable embodiments. Combinations of the above versions are possible.

Subsequently, the OLED module 09 can be connected to the edge contact plug 03.

It can be seen that the invention can be realized by a direct plug-in connection 01, which is at least partially wrapped around a two opposite, plane-parallel surfaces 41, 42 and one of its two plane-parallel an opposing surfaces 41, 42 connecting piercing side 43 having reinforcing element 04 from a the electrical connections of the flexplate 21 supporting contact area 20 is characterized, which contact portion 20 is divided into an intermediate region 22 and via a parallel line extending boundary line exclusively with the intermediate region 22 connected tab region 23 , The reinforcing element 04 covers the intermediate region 22 completely or partially. The tab region 23 is bent at least around the application side 43 at least to the remaining of the two plane-parallel opposing surfaces 41, 42 of the reinforcement element 04. As a result, a stack of the intermediate region 22 of the flexplate 21, the reinforcing element 04 and at least a portion of the tab region 23 of the flexplate 21 is formed on the intermediate region 22. A peripheral contact plug 03 is pushed onto the stack to produce the electrical contact between its contact means 30 and the electrical connections of the contact region 20 of the flexplate 21.

It is also important to emphasize that the term used in the present description edge contact plug 03 is representative of any suitable for the production of a direct connector 01 connector.

The direct plug-in connection 01 may alternatively or additionally be single or a combination of a plurality of features mentioned in the prior art and / or in one or more of the prior art documents and / or in the foregoing description of the embodiments illustrated in the drawings exhibit.

The invention is not limited by the description with reference to the embodiments. Rather, the invention encompasses any novel feature as well as any combination of features, including in particular any combination of features in the claims, even if that feature or combination itself is not explicitly stated in the claims or embodiments.

The invention is particularly industrially applicable in the field of manufacturing vehicle lights, in particular motor vehicle lights.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

01

Direct connector

02

Conductor carrier

03

Edge plug

04

reinforcing element

05

casing

06

OLED

07

housing part

08

cover

09

OLED module

10

latch hook

20

contact area

21

Flex board

22

intermediate area

23

tab region

24

holding means

25

hole

26

neckline

30

contact means

31

clip

32

Contact rocker

34

free end

35

rib

36

latching means

40

slot

41

surface

42

surface

43

landing page

44

limiting web

45

support element

46

holding means

47

Pin code

48

groove

49

hook

431

incision

481

head Start

Claims (15)

Direct plug-in connection (01) for the electrical contacting of flexible conductor carriers (02) in vehicle lamps comprising: - A with at least one electrical connection and with one or more, provided with the at least one electrical connection interconnects flexplate (21) as a conductor carrier (02), and a peripheral contact plug (03) having a number of contact means (30) corresponding to the number of electrical connections of the flexplate (21), in which: the flexplate (21) has at least one contact region (20), at least one surface of the flexplate (21) in the contact region (20) is provided with the electrical connections, the contact region (20) is subdivided into an intermediate region (22) and a tab region (23) which is connected via a border line running parallel to a straight line exclusively with the intermediate region (22), a reinforcing element (04) which is at least partially covered by the contact area (20) of the flexplate (21) is provided at least on two surfaces (41, 42) which lie opposite one another in plan, - The electrical connections of at least one of the reinforcing element (04) facing away from the surface of the contact region (20) of the flexplate (21) forth accessible in at least one parallel to the plane-parallel opposite surfaces (41, 42) of the reinforcing element (04) extending plane are located . - The reinforcing element (04) in at least partial coverage of one of its two plane-parallel surfaces (41, 42) with the intermediate region (22) with its two plane-parallel surfaces (41, 42) connecting the abutting side (43) along the boundary line, and - The tab portion (23) at least around the application side (43) around at least the remaining of the two plane-parallel opposite surfaces (41, 42) of the reinforcing element (04) is bent, so that on the intermediate region (22) building a stack of at least one lot the intermediate region (22), the reinforcing element (04) and at least a portion of the tab region (23) is formed, and - Each of the contact means (30) comprises a clamp (31) with two arranged by a predetermined distance opposite each other, resiliently and electrically conductive interconnected contact wings (32), - The free ends (34) of the contact wings (32) of a clip (31) are spaced in an initial state by a small than the predetermined distance from each other opposite each other, and can be deflected by overcoming a spring load away from each other, and - The stack is inserted overcoming the spring load between the contact wings (32) and resiliently clamped to produce an electrical contact between the contact means (30) of the edge contact plug and the electrical connections of the flexplate (21). A direct plug connection according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing element (04) is a carrier element (45) on which an OLED (06) contacted by means of the flexplate (21) is arranged. A direct plug connection according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a remaining part of the flexplate (21) adjoins the intermediate region (22) in a straight and / or angled extension of the tab region (23). Direct plug connection according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the reinforcing element (04) has a plate-like shape with plane-parallel upper and lower sides and circumferential, the top and bottom interconnecting narrow sides, wherein at least one narrow side or one for carrying out the tab portion (23 ) delimiting limiting wall bounding slit (40) from a surface (41, 42) to the plane-parallel opposite surface (42, 41) of the reinforcement element (04) forms the application side (43) with a straight course in a plan view of the reinforcement element (04). Direct plug connection according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the reinforcing element (04) at the transitions between its two plane-parallel opposite surfaces (41, 42) and the connecting this Anlegeseite (43) is rounded. Direct plug connection according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the flexplate (21) and the reinforcing element (04) have mutually corresponding holding means (24, 46) by means of which the contact region (20) is hung on the reinforcing element (04) in order to fix the feed side (43). is bent around by 180 °, and in turn hooked on the reinforcing element (04). Direct plug connection according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the flexplate (21) on its side facing away from the conductor tracks, the rear side is connected at least partially flat with the reinforcing element (04). Direct plug connection according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a groove is provided on the reinforcing element (04), into which the tab region is inserted. A direct plug connection according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the flexplate (21) in the tab region (23) comprises a number of electrical contact surfaces which at least partially form the electrical connections of the flexplate (21). A direct plug connection according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the flexplate (21) in the intermediate region (22) has a number of contact points which at least partially form the electrical connections of the flexplate (21). Direct plug connection according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a groove (48) on the reinforcing element (04) may be provided, whose groove bottom forms the abutment side (43), wherein the groove (48) on both sides by a respective projection (481) is limited, so that the Tab portion (23) of the flexplate (21) in the groove (48) out and secured against lateral slippage. A direct plug connection according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the edge contact plug (03) is provided with an asymmetrically arranged rib 35 projecting between its contact means (30) and at the reinforcing element (04) an incision (431) corresponding to the rib (35) the feed side (43) is provided, and the flexplate (21) is provided with a cutout (26) through which the rib (35) of the edge contact plug (21) is bent around the feed side (43) by 180 °. 03) into the recess (431) on the reinforcing element (04) moves into it. A direct plug-in connector according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the flexplate (21) has contact surfaces in the tab region (23) and contact pads in the intermediate region (22) located on the same common surface of the flexplate (21), wherein: - Each contact surface of the tab region (23) is associated with a contact point of the intermediate region (22), each contact surface forms a contact pair with its associated contact point, the contact pairs form at least in part the electrical connections of the flexplate (21), - The contact surface and the contact point of each pair of contacts are mutually orthogonal to the boundary line opposite, so that they in the intermediate region (22) constituting stack of the two opposite contact wings (32) formed as a clip (31) contact means (30) of the edge contact plug ( 03) are gripped from two opposite sides of the stack and thereby electrically contacted, and - Which are connected to a contact pair mutually associated contact surfaces and contact points directly electrically. Vehicle lamp with a direct plug connection (01) according to one of the preceding claims. A vehicle lamp according to claim 14, wherein the vehicle lamp is designed as a tail lamp.

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