FR2497412A1 - Connector and mfr. for PCB in different planes - has insulating strip with opposing flat surfaces in different planes, traversed by linear array of connector pins - Google Patents

Abstract

The connector is used to connect two non-parallel printed circuit boards (4,5), e.g. two orthogonal PCB's. The connector comprises one electrically insulating strip (1) having two plane faces (18,19) and a series of pins (2,3) coming through the plane faces (18,19). The parts (3) of the pins inside the strip (1) are rectilinear and parallel. At least one of the plane faces (18,19) is inclined in relation to the parts (3) of the pins inside the strip (1). In mfr., a series of wires is positioned in a rectilinear parallel fashion. A strip or a series of strips is then moulded using an electrically insulating material. Each pin is then bent such that it is approx. perpendicular to the face through which it comes.

Description

"CONNECTIONS GAME AND ITS MANUFACTURING METHOD
The present invention relates to a set of connections consisting of an electrically insulating bar, comprising at least two planar faces, and of a plurality of pins, the two plane faces of the bar being crossed by these pins, and the parts of the pins contained. in the bar being substantially rectilinear and parallel to each other.

 The invention also relates to a method of manufacturing such sets of connections, in which there is first of all a ply of wires which are substantially straight and parallel to each other, which constitute the pins, and then are molded with an electrically insulating material at least one strip. containing part of each wire.

 The connection sets, also called synecdocally: connection bars, which are the object of the present invention, are particularly intended to connect electrically and mechanically two plates which are not parallel to each other and which carry electrical or electronic circuits.

 A common example of this type of use is the connection, in an electronic sub-assembly, of two printed circuits perpendicular to each other.

 In the prior art, two models of bars were used for this purpose. The first model has pins bent at right angles to the outside of the body of the bar and provides an assembly that lacks rigidity. The second model of strip has pins folded into the body of the strip and requires for its manufacture the mounting of the pins one by one, which is very expensive.

These drawbacks are clearly highlighted below, with reference to the appended figures.
Although the contact sets and applications described in the document are different from those of the
Applicant, a manufacturing process applicable to harrettes of the first tuype is known from French patent No. 2,379. 898. But, as has been said above, the assemblies made with this type of bar are not rigid enough. moreover the process is not applicable to the second type of bars
The object of the invention is to be able to apply a rapid and inexpensive process to the manufacture of bars capable of providing assemblies of good rigidity.

 The basic idea of the invention consists in replacing the single fold made in the prior art, by two folds, for example a 45 fold, carried out flush with the flat faces of the bar.

 Thus connection sets according to the invention are particularly remarkable in that at least one of the faces traversed by the pins is inclined relative to the parts of the pins contained in the bar. This provision.

allows, after folding the pins flush with the flat faces, to rigidly apply a printed circuit on each of these faces and thus achieve the best possible satisfactory assembly of two non-parallel circuits.

 In a particular embodiment, the connection set according to the invention is also remarkable in that the two flat faces traversed by the pins are inclined substantially at 45 relative to the parts of the pins contained in the bar, and are substantially perpendicular between them.

 This allows symmetrical assembly of two perpendicular circuits between them.

 Advantageously, the bar according to the invention carries bosses to maintain a spacing between a circuit connected to the pins and the corresponding face of the bar. This offers the advantage of leaving a slight space for bending the pins flush with the faces, without this being able to hinder assembly.

 In a particular embodiment, the bar according to the invention is remarkable in that the perimeter of the section obtained by cutting it by a plane which is perpendicular to it and which contains a pin, meets the parts contained in the bar at angles all less than or equal to a right angle.

 This has the advantage that it is possible to constitute the mold for manufacturing the bar in two parts only.

 A manufacturing method according to the invention is particularly remarkable in that each pin is folded, after molding, to make it substantially perpendicular to the face it crosses. This operation, made possible by the arrangement of the elements of the bar, makes it possible to obtain, at low cost, pins perpendicular to each other and also to the faces of the bar they pass through.

 Advantageously, in a method according to the invention, the ply of wires is formed by simultaneously extracting the wires from a plurality of reserves of great length of wire, the number of these reserves being equal to the number of pins of a bar. This allows continuous manufacturing, therefore at very low cost. The cutting of the wires and their bending can be delayed until the moment of use, which then makes it possible to deliver the strips in rolls, and thus to facilitate their supply on the assembly station.

 It will also be advantageous to mold several bars at the same time. This allows to further increase the production rate.

 The description which follows with reference to the accompanying drawings describing nonlimiting examples will make it clear how the invention can be implemented.

 FIGS. 1A and 1B represent the two types of bars of the prior art, seen at the end.

 FIG. 2 represents a bar according to the invention, seen at the end.

 FIG. 3 represents a perspective view of a bar according to the invention.

 FIG. 4 represents a pe-cspective view cut from a mold for manufacturing bars according to the invention.

 FIG. 5 represents a lenient comprising two bars according to the invention, as they come out of the molding, seen in plan and at the end.

 FIG. 6 represents a variant of a bar according to the invention, seen in perspective.

 FIG. 7 also shows, in perspective, a mold for manufacturing the bar of FIG. 6.

 Figure â represents a section of the bar of Figure 6.

 In FIG. 1A is shown a bar of the first type of the prior art. The left part of 3a pin 2, in the drawing, is folded at 900 which allows circuits 5 and 4 to be assembled at 900, but as shown in dotted lines, pin 2 can bend with the circuit 5, unless screws are added between the circuit 5 and the body 1 of the bar, this mistletoe considerably increases the cost of the device.

 FIG. 1B shows a bar of the second type of the prior art. The circuits 5 and 4 are applied flat on the body 1 and therefore the desired rigidity is obtained. But it is difficult to automatically place the bent pins 2 inside and, therefore, this kind of bar is very expensive.

 FIG. 2 represents a connection according to the invention with assembled printed circuits. It comprises, seen at the end, an electrically insulating bar 1, comprising two flat faces 18,19 on which the printed circuits 4 and 5 rest, and a plurality of pins 2,3.

 The parts 3 of the pins contained in the bar I are substantially rectilinear and parallel to each other, and the faces 18, 19 crossed by the pins 2,3 are inclined relative to the parts 3 of the pins contained in the bar 1.

 It would suffice that only one of the planar faces be inclined, if for example we wanted to assemble two circuits at 450.

We could also in this example not shown, choose any angles between the faces and part 3, provided that their sum is 1350 + 900.

 In the example of FIG. 2, the two flat faces 18, 19 traversed by the pins are inclined substantially at 450 relative to the parts 3 of the pins contained in the bar, and are substantially perpendicular to each other.

 The section of the bar 1 is here triangular, but it can also be square, as indicated by the dotted line 20, or take any shape, provided that two planar faces are kept (18,19).

 FIG. 3 represents a perspective view of the same bar, before the assembly of the printed circuits.

 FIG. 4 represents part of a mold for manufacturing bars according to the invention. I1 has a vacuum 31 corresponding to the body of the bar, and tubes 21 for enclosing the pins. Part 9 can for example be fixed, while part 7 is lifted for demolding. Part 8 is a drawer which retracts in direction 10. We can then slide the molded part in direction 11.

 For the manufacture of a bar, we will therefore first have in the tubes 21 a sheet of wires that are substantially rectilinear and parallel to each other and which constitute the pins, then mold in a vacuum 31, with an electrically insulating material at least one strip containing part of each wire.

 After demolding, each il or pin 2,3 is folded to make it substantially perpendicular to the face 18,19 which it crosses, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

 With the mold shown in FIG. 4, it is advantageous to constitute the sheet of wires by simultaneously extracting the wires from a plurality of reserves of great length of wire, the number of these reserves being equal to the number of pins of a bar.

 These reserves are for example coils. from which wires are brought to pass through the tubes 21 of the mold. We then make @@ molding, then @@@@ mit avan @@@ the wires of an appropriate length, we make a new molding and so on. A movement of the parts 7 and 8 e as explained above, permes @@ 'advance of the son in the direction ll after molding, which son enrénnenet with them the bar which has just been molded.

The bars thus exit by forming a continuous strip and will be separated later by cutting the wires between each bar.

 Figures 5R and SE show part of such a continuous strip from the mold of Figure 4. The son 2 which constitute the pins are rectilinear and not yet cut Two bars 1 are shown. The bars can thus be delivered in a strip, the user himself cutting the wires followed by their folding to obtain sets of connections. You can also automatically cut the wires, bar by bar, to deliver them finished, after having made the folding described above with reference to Figures 2 and 3.

 FIG. 5 also represents bosses 6, located on the bar between each wire or pin, and the sheet of which is to maintain a spacing between a circuit connected to the pins, and the corresponding face of the bar.

 You can either mold each bar in turn, or provide a mold like the one in Figure 4, but with two voids 31 and several movable drawers, and mold two bars together, then advance the wires to a corresponding length with two bars Similarly, 3, 4 ... n bars can be molded at the same time between each periodic advance of the wires.

 FIG. 6 represents a particular embodiment intended to avoid the use of the mobile drawer 8 of FIG. 4.

To this end, a recess 12 is provided under the pins.

This recess is produced by the elements 13 of the mold of FIG. 7. This mold consists of only two parts 9 and 7. The elements 13 come into the housings 14 leaving the place of the wires or pins. The use of such elements 13 makes it possible to place the opening plane of the mold at the bottom of the bar for easy demolding.

 Of course, the mold must be closed at its end by a wall, along the hatched plane 15, wall not shown for better clarity of the figure.

 FIG. 8 illustrates the fact that, in this variant, the perimeter of section 18 obtained by cutting the bar by a plane which is perpendicular to it and which contains a pin, meets the part 3 of pin contained in the bar at angles 16 , 17 all less than or equal to a right angle.

Claims (7)

- CLAIMS  1.- Set of connections made up of an electrically insulating bar (1), comprising at least two planar faces (18,19), and a plurality of pins (2,3), the ex plane faces of the bar being traversed by these pins, and the parts (3) of the pins contained in the bar being substantially rectilinear and parallel to each other, characterized in that in the studs one of the flat faces traversed by the pins is inclined relative to the parts of the pins contained 4 in the bar.  2. - set of connections according to claim l, charac terized in that the two flat faces 18, 19) traversed by the pins (2, 3) are inclined substantially at 45 relative to the parts (3) of the pins contained in the bar and are substantially perpendicular to each other.  3.- set of connections according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the bar carries bosses (6) to maintain a spacing between a cirouit connected to the pins, and the corresponding face of the bar.  4.- set of connections according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the perimeter of the section f18) obtained by cutting the bar by a plane which is perpendicular to it and which contains the pin, meets the part (3) of the spindle contained in the bar at angles (16,17) all less than or equal to a right angle.  5. A method of manufacturing connection sets according to any one of the preceding claims, in which there is first of all a ply of wires which are substantially rectilinear and parallel to each other and which constitute the pins, then they are molded with an electrically material. insulator, at least one bar containing a part of each wire, process characterized in that each pin (2,3) is then folded to make it substantially perpendicular to the face (18,19) or crosses it.  6.- Method according to claim 5, characterized in that the web of son is formed by simultaneously extracting the son of a plurality of reserves of great length of wire, the number of these reserves being equal to the number of pins a bar.  7.- Method according to claim 6, characterized in that several bars are molded at the same time.