GB2287139A

GB2287139A - Electrical terminal mounting arrangement

Info

Publication number: GB2287139A
Application number: GB9418312A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Tous Jordi Llop
Original assignee: Lear Automotive EEDS Spain SL
Current assignee: Lear Automotive EEDS Spain SL
Priority date: 1994-03-02
Filing date: 1994-09-12
Publication date: 1995-09-06
Anticipated expiration: 2014-09-12
Also published as: SE9500009L; ES1027293Y; DE4425716A1; GB9418312D0; IT235792Y1; ITTO950043V0; ES1027293U; FR2717005B1; SE9500009D0; GB2287139B; FR2717005A1; ITTO950043U1

Description

1 TIMER 2287139 The present invention concerns a timer, as indicated in

its wording, whose new construction, conformation and design features fulfil the aim for which they have been specifically designed, with maximum safety and efficiency.

Within the area of timers, there are those of the type intended for flashing signal systems for automobiles, which basically consist of a relay, a shunt and other electrical components directly incorporated in a printed circuit secured to a dielectric support; the timer is connected to the electrical system of the automobile by means of some strips or male components. For the purposes of this application, when the term "printed circuit" is used, we make reference to a board formed by a substrate of a dielectric type and some tracks of a conductive material over a suitable substrate.

In order to be incorporated in the printed circuit of the timer, the strips mentioned above require previous machining work, which includes drilling and a conformation procedure, both of which follow the stamping of a tape or metallic strip of uniform thickness; thus strips of varying geometric configurations are obtained, which are incorporated in the printed circuit by means of the corresponding lugs and subsequently welded to obtain maximum electrical conductivity.

Customarily, said timers make use of the electrical elements previously cited: in general relays, shunts, strips and other elements arranged on a printed circuit of a noticeably rectangular configuration to which they are connected, subsequently making use of a dielectric support, onto which the strips are assembled by means of the insertion of their free ends in said p--inted circuit board.

The entire unit, except for the flat external section of the strips, remains on the inside of a container element with a noticeably prismatic shape minus one of the bases.

The aim of the present application is to simplify the process of machining and securing the strips to the printed circuit of the timer, which is an extremely long and laborious process due to the different geometrical configurations of the strips which are incorporated onto the printed circuit board. The machinery that is used to insert the strips in the printed circuit makes use of highly complex procedures, as each strip is geometrically different and is joined and inserted at a different point in the printed circuit, and therefore said operation, as mentioned above, is very laborious.

The recommended invention relates to this aspect in that the configuration of the printed circuit board of the timer is modified so that the male strips or terminals which are incorporated onto said board by means of the machinery mentioned, have the same configuration, or different configurations but with identical lugs positioned in a single plane, or in more than one plane but with the lugs positioned in the same manner even if the body of the terminal is different. Thus, the complexity of the operation of inserting the male terminals is due to the different positioning of the lugs between the terminals, and therefore, the feeding of the strips into said machinery is unique and the process of inserting these strips is very quick and simple.

Another advantage achieved through the present improvements is that since the strips are of the same configuration, they can be inserted at different points along the printed circuit. As a result, given the same features of the printed circuit and the presence of the insertion points provided in a specific arrangement, different types of timers can be manufactured for various models of cars without the need to change machines or to change the characteristics and functions of the work corresponding to the machinery for manufacturing the i, [0 timer. The technology utilised for the construction of the printed circuit of reference, which is used in the timer that is an object of the present invention, is described and claimed in Spnish Patent no. 9200325 of the same--- applicant, which claims a manner of allowing f or the printed circuit that is joined to the dielectric part to be folded in an angle, which is achieved by means of the procedures indicated in said patent, and which is incorporated herein by reference.

Other details and features of the current application will become clear during the description which follows, wherein reference is made to the drawings which accompany this specification which provides, in a somewhat schematic manner, the preferred details. These details are given by way of example,

13 referring to a possible embodiment, but this is not limited to the details which are hereinafter set out, and therefore this description should be seen as designed to illustrate and without any kind of limitations.

The various elements numbered in the drawings attached to the current specification are set out below: (10) timer, (11) container, (12) lid, (13) male strips or terminals, (14) tracks, (15) dielectric support, (16) bores, (17) central section of (14), (18) vertical section, (19) horizontal section, (20) lugs, (21) 2S protuberances, (22) stub, (23) ridge.

Figure no. 1 is a section of the view in plan of a timer (10) in accordance with the state of the art, in which some terminals (13) such as those conventionally used for said timers are also shown in perspective.

Figure no. 2 is a frontal axonometric view of a timer manufactured in accordance with the current state of the art.

Figure no. 3 is a cross section of the axonometric of a timer (10) manufactured in accordance with the improvements described.

_ Figure no. 4, is a view in plan of the recommended timer.

Figure no. 5, is a f rontal axonometric view of a strip (13) of the type used in the recommended timer (10).

In one of the preferred embodiments of what is the object of this application and as can be seen in figures no. 3 and 4, a timer (10) is formed by a container (11) with a noticeably prismatic configuration, but without an upper base, into which the electrical elements of the timer (10), such as a relay, a shunt, and 10- some electrical components, to be exact, are introduced and inserted onto a printed circuit board.

The printed circuit onto which the electrical elements are inserted, as mentioned, is folded in its center section (17) in the area of the tracks (14), so that all of the electrical components are in the lower part of (10), while in the upper part of said printed circuit the -corresponding terminals (13) are inserted and welded in the configuration shown in figure no. 5.

Because the strips (13) are completely identical, i.e., of a noticeably rectangular configuration when viewed in plan, in that a regular isosceles trapezoidal prolongation extends out from its upper base, while its lower base contains some projections or lugs (20), the insertion of said terminals (13) in the lid (12) of (10) is possible by means of the necessary machinery in said lid (12), which is provided in a predetermined position and equipped with bores (16).

The fact that said terminals (13), as mentioned, are completely identical allows for them to be inserted and welded in the corresponding bores (16), so that one single timer can make use of a totally different distribution of strips in its upper part (17) or lid. In this manner, with identical timers the connecting elements or male terminals (13) in a different arrangement are used, which facilitates the assembly of the timers onto larger units, such as service boxes and the like. This, in addition to simplifying the labor of inserting said strips, makes it possible to optimize the manufacture of timers, as with the same timer it is possible to change the arrangement of strips and thereby accomodate different models or types of cars.

As shown in figure ro. 3, the electrical unit of the timer (10) is on the inside of the container (11), in the central section (17) supported against some ridges (23), which appear on the inner surface of one of the lateral bases of (10), while at the other end, the printed circuit rests on another protuberance and is joined to the opposing lateral base. In this manner, when the lid (12) is put in place and joined by means of the protuberances (21) which resemble downward facing claws, the entire unit is completely closed and sealed, and unable to move around the interior of (10), avoiding in this manner the possibility that, due to the vibration of the automobile, the electrical parts of (10) are subjected to undesirable effects which will interfere with their integrity and operation.

To the same end, and in order that there be no movement of the sections at the end of the printed circuit with respect to the central section (17), attached to the dielectric support (15), there is a separator stub (22), which assures that a constant distance is maintained between the two areas of the printed circuit and prevents them from making contact as a consequence of the vibrations mentioned earlier, which could result in a short in the printed circuit mentioned above.

After observing the drawings and following the explanation we have given about them, it will be seen that the invention provides a simple and effective construction which may be put into practice with great ease.

It is stated f or whichever purposes may be deemed necessary, that all those variations and modifications in detail which circumstances and practice might bring about, may be introduced by a person skilled in the art.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1 A timer including a plurality of terminals which are incorporated onto a printed circuit formed by a dielectric support and one or more tracks, the circuit board being secured to the inside of a container by means of a lid wherein the terminals are substantially identical and are inserted through bores arranged in a specific configuration on the lid, and incorporated in the upper part of the printed circuit, which is distributed between two portions of the track area.

2. A timer according to claim 1 wherein the printed circuit and its dielectric support are of an angular configuration which conforms to a central folding section.

3. A timer according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the central section of the printed circuit is supported against a protuberance which appear on one of the lateral bases of the container, while the lower part of the opposing end of the printed circuit is supported against another ridge which appears in a lateral base opposite the base mentioned above.

4. A timer according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the distance between the inner surfaces of the folded printed circuit remains constant as a result of a separator stub, which is connected at the ends of the dielectric support and the tracks

5. A timer according to any one of the preceding claims wherein all of the terminals, although their vertical and horizontal sections have different configurations, have the same arrangement of their lugs.

6. A timer according to any preceding claims wherein the bores are arranged in a rectangular configuration.

7. A timer substantially as any one herein described with reference to figures 3-5 of the accompanying drawings.

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