GB2251128A

GB2251128A - A P.C.B mounting device

Info

Publication number: GB2251128A
Application number: GB9110428A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Takashi Yamanaka
Original assignee: Tanashin Denki Co Ltd
Current assignee: Tanashin Denki Co Ltd
Priority date: 1990-12-20
Filing date: 1991-05-14
Publication date: 1992-06-24
Anticipated expiration: 2011-05-14
Also published as: GB2251128B; GB9110428D0; HK81894A

Abstract

A device 4 for mounting printed circuit boards 2, 3 relative to a carrier or chassis 1 comprises mounting parts 5 which engage apertures 6 in the carrier or chassis 1, and contacting members 7 of the mounting device which resiliently contact tracks 2b, 3b of boards 2, 3 and contribute to mechanically fixing the printed boards 2, 3 to the carrier or chassis. <IMAGE>

Description

A PRINTED BOARD MOUNTING DEVICE ON A CHASSIS The present invention relates to a device for mounting printed circuit boards to a chassis or carrier to enable two separate tracks one of each boards to be electrically connected further for fixing each board to the carrier or chassis.

In a conventional method of connecting two separate printed circuit boards, each printed board was fixed on the carrier or chassis by screws and soldering was used to interconnect tracks. Such procedures have been very cumbersome and time-consuming, giving rise to problems unwanted in mass-production techniques.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a printed board mounting device that, in one simple operation, provides both electrical connection and fixing of the two separate board to a carrier or chassis.

According to the invention there is provided printed circuit board mounting device for two separate boards relative to a carrier or chassis, the device comprising a body having at least one mounting part, and at least one conductive and resilient contact member resiliently contacting tracks on both the printed circuit boards; and the carrier or chassis having aperturing to be captively engaged by said mounting part.

Ends of two printed boards can be arranged close to each other or contacting so as to be covered by the mounting device when the latter is engaged into the aperturing.

Plural contact members of the mounting device can resiliently contact respective tracks of the two printed boards at same time, thus interconnecting plural said tracks of the two printed boards electrically, all in the course of ends of the two printed boards being fixed to the carrier or chassis.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a exploded perspective view of a printed board mounting device on a chassis or carrier plate; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the mounting device when mounted; Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 111-Ill of Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line IV-IV of Fig. 3.

In the exploded perspective view of Figure 1, a carrier or chassis 1 has printed boards 2 and 3 to be fixed thereto using a mounting device 4 which secures that the printed boards 2 and 3 are electrically interconnected and simultaneously fixed to the carrier or chassis 1.

Both printed boards 2 and 3 can be as well-known in the art, i.e. formed by printing a plurality of tracks 2b and 3b (four in this embodiment) on the upper surface of board substrates 2a and 3a.

The mounting device 4 includes a main body 4a formed of electrically insulating material, typically synthetic plastics and shown of shallow rectangular shape. A pair of mounting parts 5 extend from both short sides of the main body 4a as also shown in Figs. 2 to 4. The mounting parts 5 each have a projecting plate 5a that is conveniently integrally formed on both short sides of the main body 4a and shown extending vertically downwards, and a protrusion shown as a tooth 5b integrally formed on its inner surface at its lower end facing that of the other projecting plate 5a. Both mounting parts 5 engage with corresponding apertures 6 in a predetermined positions of the carrier or chassis 1. The spacing between the projecting plates 5a is slightly greater than widths of ends 2c and 3c of the two printed boards 2 and 3 (see Fig. 4).Mounted on the underside of the main body 4a are a plurality of contact members 7 corresponding in numbers to tracks 2b and 3b of the printed circuit boards 2 or 3. The contact members 7 are shown equidistant and parallel relative to each other, and mounted with contacts 7a projecting outwardly and downwardly long sides of the main body 4a.

Each contact member 7 is shown formed of thin elongate metal plate having both elasticity or resilience and conductivity. Medial portions of the contact members 7 are fixed to the lower surface of the main body 4a, actually in grooves. Both free ends of each contact member 7 extend beyond the main body 4a, and its contacts comprise hemispherical bosses 7a pressformed to protrude downward. On its own the device 2 has its contact members slant downwardly to its free ends as shown in dashed lines in Fig. 3.

Fixing ends 2c and 3c of the two printed boards 2 and 3 on the carrier or chassis 1 and simultaneously interconnecting their tracks 2b and 3b as now described.

As shown in Fig. 1, ends 2c and 3c of two printed boards 2 and 3 are arranged on the chassis 1 between the apertures 6 and close enough to be covered by the main body 4a of the mounting element 4. Thereby, the contacts 7a at both sides of the contacting piece 7 make resiliently loaded contact with upper surfaces of the tracks 2b and 3b of the two printed boards 2 and 3, thus interconnecting same electrically in one-to-one correspondence through respective contact members 7. In reaching this assembled state, contact members 7 spread from their slanted down positions shown dashed in Fig.

3, to become approximately flat. The resilience of each contact member 7 contributes to ends 2c and 3c of the two printed boards 2 and 3 being fixed on the upper surface of the carrier or chassis 1. At the same time the two printed boards 2 and 3 are fixed down into the carrier or chassis 1.

Various modifications, changes, and adaptations are feasible. For example, any portions of the printed boards 2 and 3 other than the ends 2c and 3c thereof can, if desired, be fixed on the upper surface of the carrier or chassis 1 by screws or any other suitable means.

As described, embodiments of the invention provide a printed board mounting device for two separate boards relative to a chassis or carrier, and which tracks of each board substrate are connected each other at ends thereof both electrically and by mechanically fixing to the carrier or chassis, in the mounting device including for corresponding tracks, a conductive and resilient contact member resiliently contacting both tracks between the two separate printed boards, mounting parts to engage in aperturing of the carrier or chassis.

Claims

1. Printed circuit board mounting device for two separate boards relative to a carrier or chassis, the device comprising a body having at least one mounting part, and at least one conductive and resilient contact member resiliently contacting tracks on both the printed circuit boards; and the carrier or chassis having aperturing to be captively engaged by said mounting part.

2. A mounting device according to claim 1, wherein the body part has two said mounting parts depending from its ends.

3. A mounting device according to claim 2, wherein the two mounting parts have tooth formations facing each other.

4. A mounting device according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the body has plural said contact members each for different corresponding pairs of tracks of the two boards.

5. A mounting device according to any preceding claim, wherein the or each said contact member is elongate and extends outwardly and downwardly from the body to contacts for the tracks.

6. Printed circuit board mounting device arranged and adapted to operate substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.