EP3698438B1 - Electric contacting device - Google Patents

Description

The invention is based on a device for making electrical contact with electrical components with a circuit card according to the preamble of independent claim 1.

Contacting devices of this type are required in order to be able to equip circuit cards with electrical components at low cost.

State of the art

In the prior art, methods for the automated soldering of electrical components with circuit cards are known, for example the so-called "SMT" (Surface Mounted Technology) or the so-called THR (Through Hole Reflow).

It is also known to connect heat-sensitive components, for example microprocessors, to a base in an electrically conductive manner only after the soldering process by means of a plug connection, which in turn was previously soldered to the circuit card by such a soldering process.

The connection contacts of less heat-sensitive components are usually connected directly to contacts on a printed circuit board, for example by a soldered connection, in an electrically conductive manner and fixed mechanically. Alternatively, the so-called "press in" technology is also known for connecting to the circuit card, in which components are pressed into a circuit card through contact without soldering in order to connect them mechanically and electrically to the corresponding through contact of the circuit card. For this purpose, the connection contacts generally have an eyelet, in the area of which they are sufficiently deformable for this purpose.

Finally, for example, from the publications DE 92 03 355 U1 and US 8,105,105 B2 Insulation displacement contacts known. The pamphlet EP 2 862 237 B1 describes their use in a circuit card connector.

The pamphlet US 9,742,081 B1 discloses a press-fit board connector. This has a housing with a plug end and an assembly end. The housing has a contact holder with several contact channels for receiving plug contacts.

The pamphlet EP 0 542 164 A2 discloses a two-part electrical coupling connector for use with audio cables and, more particularly, a means by which insulated conductors of the cable are connected to contact elements of the coupling connector. According to the invention, the connector comprises a contact element housing, a central collet and a cup-shaped end section. An arrangement of contact elements is mounted in the contact element housing, each contact element having a rearwardly extending insulation-penetrating slotted plate which enters the respective sheaths when the contact element housing and the collet are joined together under axial pressure as soon as the cup-shaped end section is screwed onto the contact element housing . The conductors of the insulated cable conductors, which were previously laid in wire guide slots in the collet, are touched by the insulation-penetrating slotted plates, whereby the conductors are electrically connected to the contact elements.

The pamphlet US 8,100,699 B1 Figure 3 shows a connector assembly comprising: an electrical connector having a mating end adapted to be connected to a mating plug; and an end of assembly. The electrical connector holds various contacts with pins extending from the mounting end. The connector assembly further includes a connector extension module coupled to the mounting end and including a retainer having channels and extending between a connector end and a board end. The mounting end of the electrical connector is mounted on the plug end, with the board end being mounted on a circuit board.

The disadvantage of this prior art is that automated assembly processes for circuit boards are only worthwhile for large quantities. Individual solutions and small series, on the other hand, are expensive and complex and are currently often implemented by hand with great effort.

Task

The object of the invention is to provide a device which simplifies the assembly of a circuit card in a cost-effective manner, even for small series.

This object is achieved by the features of the independent claims.

Advantageous embodiments of the invention are specified in the respective subclaims.

The device has a contact carrier with a plurality of electrically conductive contact elements held therein or thereon. In order to make contact with an electrical circuit card, the device has an electrical component with several connections.

• zumindest einen aus der Anschlussseite des Kontaktträgers herausragenden, freistehenden Anschlusskontakt zur elektrischen Kontaktierung der Leiterkarte, sowie
• gegenüberliegend einen Klemmbereich, der zumindest zwei Stege besitzt, zwischen denen ein Schlitz zur Aufnahme des jeweiligen elektrischen Anschlusses des elektrischen Bauteils oder der jeweiligen Ader des elektrischen Kabels gebildet ist.

The contact carrier has a contact side and, opposite, a connection side. The contact elements each have the following:

• at least one free-standing connection contact protruding from the connection side of the contact carrier for making electrical contact with the printed circuit board, and
• opposite a clamping area which has at least two webs, between which a slot for receiving the respective electrical connection of the electrical component or the respective wire of the electrical cable is formed.

The electrical component is designed as a separate connection element. This connection element is suitable for holding several wires of an inserted electrical cable as electrical connections for simultaneous insertion into the respective slot of one of the contact elements.

The connection element has a splice element into which the wires of the cable can be inserted together and through which they can be deflected separately in order to be held on the connection element as electrical connections in a suitable position for insertion into the respective contact element at an angle to its slot.

The invention has the advantage that the contacting of the device with the circuit board can be done automatically in large numbers, e.g. by a so-called "SMT" (Surface Mounted Technology) method and / or in the so-called "Press-In" method. The circuit cards equipped with the device according to the invention can still be used universally. After all, they can be equipped very flexibly with electrical components and connections with little, e.g. manual, effort. In this way, the circuit boards can initially be produced in large numbers and only adapted to the respective task after they have been equipped, i.e. their respective application is therefore extremely flexible.

In a preferred embodiment, the contact elements are arranged in contacting chambers of the contact carrier, the Contacting chambers each have a contacting opening on the contact side of the contact carrier and wherein the clamping areas of the contact elements point in the direction of the respective contacting opening or protrude from it. The respective clamping area of the contact element is thereby advantageously mechanically protected and the electrical connections of the respective component and / or the cores of the corresponding cables are connected to the clamping area in a particularly secure manner.

In this case, the contact carrier can each have a through opening between its connection side and its contacting chambers, in which a section of the connection contact of the contact element forms a positive fit is received and fixed and from which the connection contact protrudes on the connection side for contacting the printed circuit board. This is particularly advantageous because in this way the contact carrier is held stable in the contact chamber and the connection contact can be connected in an electrically conductive manner to electrical contacts on the printed circuit board.

For contacting the wires of the cable, it is particularly advantageous if the webs of the contact elements each have a cutting edge in the direction of the slot in order to cut through an insulation of the wires, if necessary, to electrically connect the wires, which are electrical conductors to contact. In this case, the contact elements are insulation displacement terminals, which are sufficiently known to the person skilled in the art.

The connection contact can be designed as a soldering contact for soldering to contacts on the printed circuit board. This ensures a high degree of mechanical stability and a particularly good conductive electrical connection.

Alternatively, the connection contact can be designed as a so-called "press in" contact. This has the advantage that the corresponding connection technology is less complex.

The contact elements are advantageously made of metal, for example essentially of copper or iron or aluminum or an alloy which has copper or iron or aluminum as an essential component.

1. a. elektrisches Verbinden der Anschlusskontakte der Kontaktelemente des Kontaktträgers mit entsprechenden Anschlüssen der Leiterkarte durch Verlöten oder Einpressen sowie mechanisches Befestigen des Kontaktträgers an der Leiterkarte;
2. b. Einführen der Adern des elektrischen Kabels in ein separates Anschlusselement;
3. c. Trennen und Umlenken der Adern des Kabels durch ein Spleißelement des Anschlusselements;
4. d. gemeinsames Einführen der Adern in den Schlitz des jeweiligen Kontaktelements und dadurch
5. e. elektrisches Kontaktieren der Adern des elektrischen Kabels mit den dafür vorgesehenen Anschlüssen der Leiterkarte durch das Kontaktelement.

A method for connecting a multi-core electrical cable to the printed circuit board has the following steps in particular:

1. a. electrical connection of the connection contacts of the contact elements of the contact carrier with corresponding connections of the circuit card by soldering or pressing in and mechanical fastening of the contact carrier to the circuit card;
2. b. Inserting the cores of the electrical cable into a separate connection element;
3. c. Separating and redirecting the wires of the cable by a splice element of the connection element;
4. d. common introduction of the wires into the slot of the respective contact element and thereby
5. e. electrical contacting of the wires of the electrical cable with the connections provided for this on the printed circuit board through the contact element.

Embodiment

Fig. 1a, b

einen Leiterkartensteckverbinder von außen und in einer geschnittenen Darstellung;

Fig. 1c

ein Oberteil des Leiterkartensteckverbinders mit Steckkontakten in einer geschnittenen Darstellung;

Fig. 1d

ein bestückter Kontaktträger in einer ersten nicht Teil der Erfindung Ausführungsform als Unterteil des Leiterkartensteckverbinders;

Fig. 1e

vier Kontaktelemente in einer ersten nicht Teil der Erfindung Ausführungsform ohne den Kontaktträger;

Fig. 2a, b

ein anderes Oberteil des Steckverbinders mit dem Kontaktträger und einer Leiterkarte im getrennten und im zusammengesetzten Zustand;

Fig. 3a

ein mit Kontaktelementen bestückter Kontaktträger in einer zweiten nicht Teil der Erfindung Ausführung;

Fig. 3b

die Kontaktelemente ohne den Kontaktträger mit eingefügten Steckkontakten in einer zweiten nicht Teil der Erfindung Ausführung;

Fig. 3c

den bestückten Kontaktträger mit dem Steckverbinderoberteil;

Fig. 4a

den nach der Erfindung mit Kontaktelementen bestückten Kontaktträger und ein Kabel mit einem separaten Anschlusselement;

Fig. 4b

den nach der Erfindung Kontaktträger mit in die Kontaktelemente eingeführten Adern.

An embodiment of the invention is shown in Figures 4a, 4b and is explained in more detail below. Figures 1a-3c show further exemplary embodiments not part of the invention. Show it:

Fig. 1a, b

a circuit card connector from the outside and in a sectional view;

Figure 1c

an upper part of the circuit card connector with plug contacts in a sectional view;

Fig. 1d

an assembled contact carrier in a first not part of the invention embodiment as a lower part of the circuit card connector;

Fig. 1e

four contact elements in a first not part of the invention embodiment without the contact carrier;

Fig. 2a, b

another upper part of the connector with the contact carrier and a circuit board in the separated and in the assembled state;

Fig. 3a

a contact carrier equipped with contact elements in a second embodiment not part of the invention;

Figure 3b

the contact elements without the contact carrier with inserted plug contacts in a second embodiment not part of the invention;

Figure 3c

the assembled contact carrier with the connector upper part;

Figure 4a

the contact carrier equipped with contact elements according to the invention and a cable with a separate connection element;

Figure 4b

the contact carrier according to the invention with wires inserted into the contact elements.

The figures contain partially simplified, schematic representations. In some cases, identical reference symbols are used for identical, but possibly not identical elements. Different views of the same elements could be scaled differently.

the Figures 1a and 1b show a printed circuit card connector from the outside and in a sectional view. The printed circuit card connector has a connector upper part 1 and a contact carrier 2 with an insulating body 12. The insulating body 12 has a hollow cylindrical section, not designated in any more detail, on the plug-in side. Subsequently, the insulating body 1 is made solid in its course towards the contact carrier 2, but also has through openings in this solid area, in which a plurality of plug contacts 13 are arranged and fastened at least in sections. The plug-in contacts 13 protrude on the plug-in side with their plug-in area 131 into the hollow-cylindrical section of the insulating body 1. With their angled connection areas 134, they protrude into contact chambers 20 of contact carrier 2 and make contact with contact elements 23.

the Figure 1c shows the separate upper part of the circuit card connector 1 with the plug contacts 13 in a sectional view.

the Fig. 1d shows a contact carrier 2 equipped with contact elements 23 in a first embodiment not part of the invention. The contact carrier 2 can be viewed as a lower part of the circuit card connector. Conversely, the upper part of the plug connector 1 of the preceding illustration can be viewed as an electrical component which is to be connected to solder contacts, for example solder contacts of a circuit board 4, via the contact carrier 2. The contact carrier 2 has four contact chambers 20, only three of which can be seen in the sectional view. In each contact chamber 20, the webs 231 of a contact element 23 are arranged and point in the direction of a contact opening of the contact chamber 20, which is not designated for clarity reasons. To do this, they reach through a through opening which is not designated in any more detail.

For example, the contact elements 23 can be encapsulated with the contact carrier 2 made of plastic for this purpose.

the Fig. 1e shows a corresponding arrangement consisting of four contact elements 23 in a first embodiment not part of the invention. On the connection side, their connection area 234 is clearly visible. On the contact side, each of the four contact elements 23 has two webs 231, between which a slot 230 for receiving the connection area 134 of the respective plug contact 13 is formed.

the Figures 2a and 2b show the upper part of the connector 1 with the contact carrier 2 and a circuit card 4 in the separated and assembled state. In the Figure 2b the connection contacts 234 of the contact elements 23 are inserted through unspecified contact openings of the circuit board 4 and soldered thereto. The connection areas 134 of the plug contacts 13 are, as described above, inserted into the contact chambers 20 and into the slots 230 of the contact elements 23 located therein and connected to them in an electrically conductive manner.

the Fig. 3a shows a contact carrier 2 'equipped with contact elements 23' in a second embodiment not part of the invention. In this embodiment, the contact elements 23 'protrude with their webs 231' from the contacting openings of the contact chambers 20 '. In addition to the four contact elements 23 'of the preceding illustration, two further' such contact elements 23 are also provided here, for example for connecting further electrical conductors, cable cores or the like.

In the Figure 3b the contact elements 23 'are shown without the contact carrier 2'. Furthermore, plug contacts 13 'inserted therein are shown in a second embodiment which is not part of the invention and differs from those shown above Plug contacts 13 differ in that their connection area 134 'is flat.

the Figure 3c shows the contact carrier 2 'equipped with contact elements 23' together with the plug connector upper part 1 to be contacted therewith.

the Figure 4a shows the contact carrier 2 ′ equipped with contact elements 23 ′ according to the invention and a cable with a separate connection element 3. The cable 5 is inserted into the connection element 3. Four wires of the cable 5 are deflected in different directions by a splice element (not shown) and are held at the connection-side end of the connection element 3, namely in this example at right angles to the connection direction. When the connection element 3 and the contact element 2 'are brought together, the ends of the wires 54 are each in the position of the corresponding contact elements 23', which in this case can preferably be designed as insulation displacement terminals in order to penetrate the insulation of each wire if necessary. When making contact, the ends of the wires 54 to be contacted run at an angle, namely at right angles in this case, to the slot 230 'of the respective contact elements 23'.

the Figure 4b shows the contact carrier 2 'according to the invention with the wires 54 inserted into the contact elements 23'. The connection element 3 is shown transparently to clarify the contacting.

Even if various aspects or features of the invention are each shown in combination in the figures, it is clear to the person skilled in the art - unless stated otherwise - that the combinations shown and discussed are not the only possible ones. In particular, corresponding units or feature complexes from different exemplary embodiments can be exchanged with one another.

List of reference symbols

1

Upper part of the connector

12th

Insulating body

13, 13 '

Plug contacts

131, 131 '

Mating area of the plug contacts

134, 134 '

Connection area of the plug contacts

2, 2 '

Contact carrier

20, 20 '

Contact chamber

23, 23 '

Contact elements

230, 230 '

slot

231, 231 '

Bridges

234

Connection contact of the contact element

3

Connection element

4th

Circuit board

5

cable

54

Wires of the cable

Claims (7)

1. Device, having a contact carrier (2) with a plurality of electrically conductive contact elements (23, 23') held therein or thereon and having an electrical component (1, 3) with a plurality of connections (134, 134'), wherein the device is suitable for electrically contacting a printed circuit board (4) with the electrical connections (134, 134') of the electrical component (1, 3), wherein the contact carrier (2, 2') has a contact side and oppositely a connection side, and wherein the contact elements (23, 23') each have the following:

   - at least one free-standing connecting contact (234) for electrically contacting the printed circuit board (4), which connecting contact protrudes out of the connection side of the contact carrier (2), and

   - oppositely, a clamping region which possesses at least two bars (231), between which a slot (230) is formed for receiving the respective electrical connection (134, 134') of the electrical component (1) and/or the respective conductor (54) of the electrical cable (5), characterized in that

   the electrical component is designed as a separate connecting element (3), which is suitable for holding a plurality of conductors (54) of an inserted electrical cable (5) as electrical connections for simultaneously introducing into the respective slot (230) of one of the contact elements (23, 23'), and
   in that the connecting element (3) possesses a splice element into which the conductors (54) of the cable (5) can be inserted together and through which they can be deflected separately, in order to be held on the connecting element (3) as electrical connections in a suitable position for being inserted into the respective contact element (23, 23'), at an angle to the slot (230) thereof.
2. Device according to Claim 1, wherein the contact elements (23, 23') are arranged in contacting chambers (20, 20') of the contact carrier (2, 2'), wherein the contacting chambers (20, 20') each have a contact opening at the contact side of the contact carrier (2, 2'), and wherein the clamping regions of the contact elements (23, 23') point in the direction of the respective contact opening or protrude out of it.
3. Device according to Claim 2, wherein the contact carrier (2, 2') has a respective through-opening as a connection between its connection side and its contacting chambers (20, 20'), in which through-opening a section of the connecting contact (234) of the contact element (23, 23') is received and attached in a form-fitting manner, and out of which through-opening the connecting contact protrudes on the connection side for contacting the printed circuit board (4).
4. Device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the bars (231) of the contact elements (23) each possess a cutting edge in the direction of the slot (230), so that the contact elements (23, 23') are insulation displacement terminals.
5. Device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the connecting contact is designed as a "press-in" contact to be pressed into the printed circuit board or as a solder contact to be soldered to contacts of the printed circuit board.
6. Device according to one of Claims 1 to 5, wherein the contact elements (23, 23') are made of metal.
7. Method for connecting a multi-conductor electrical cable (5) to the printed circuit board (4) by means of the device according to one of the preceding claims, having the following steps:

   a. electrically connecting the connecting contacts (234) of the contact elements (23, 23') of the contact carrier (2) with corresponding connections of the printed circuit board (4) by soldering or press fitting, as well as mechanically attaching the contact carrier (2) to the printed circuit board (4);

   b. inserting the conductors (54) of the electrical cable (5) into a separate connecting element (3);

   c. separating and deflecting the conductors (54) of the cable (5) by way of a splice element of the connecting element (3);

   d. inserting the conductors (54) together into the slot (230) of the respective contact element (23, 23') and thereby

   e. electrically contacting the conductors (54) of the electrical cable (5) with the connections of the printed circuit board (4), which are provided for this purpose, by way of the contact elements (23, 23').

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