KR20010041021A - Contact strip for connecting two circuit boards and a process for producing the contact strip - Google Patents

Abstract

Contact strips suitable for the electrical and mechanical connection of two mutually perpendicular circuit boards 1 and 2 have a plurality of insulating receptacles in the form of strips 3 and a plurality of individual transition zones 9 extending from the strips 3. It consists of a contact element 8. The two contact zones 10, 10 ′ are adjacent to the transition zone 9 suitable for electrical connection to the first and second circuit boards 1, 2. The strip 3 is an elongated plastic member 4 having a T-shaped cross section with a carrier web 7 and two identical transverse arms 5, 6. The plastic members 4 are arranged as T at an angle dividing the angle between the circuit boards 1 and 2 extending perpendicular to each other.

Description

Contact strip for connecting two circuit boards and a process for producing the contact strip}

Contact strips of this type are known, for example, from DE-OS 14 90 440. Such contact strips consist of elongate plastic elements in which a number of different types of contact elements are arranged. Each contact element is inserted into a transition zone in the plastic block. Each of the contact elements has a first elastic contact zone that protrudes from one longitudinal side of the plastic block and contacts the conductive track of the first circuit board. The second contact zone protrudes from the second longitudinal side of the vertically extending plastic block and connects a hole to the conductive track of the second circuit board arranged perpendicular to the first circuit board. Therefore, the fabrication of various contact elements and plastic blocks as well as contact strip assemblies is complex.

Disclosed from this state of the art, it is an object of the present invention to provide a contact strip suitable for the electrical and mechanical connection of two mutually perpendicular circuit boards, the contact strip being composed of as few different parts as possible and said contact strip Is as versatile as possible.

With regard to contact strips, this object is achieved by a contact strip having the features of the claims.

The present invention relates to a contact strip for electrical and mechanical connection of two mutually perpendicular circuit boards and a method for producing the contact strip.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings,

1 is a perspective view of a contact strip connected to two mutually perpendicular circuit boards,

FIG. 2 is a view of the contact strip of FIG. 1;

3 is a cross-sectional view of the assembly of FIG. 1,

4 is a bottom view of the contact strip of FIG. 2,

5 is a cross-sectional view of the contact strip along line A-A of FIG. 4,

6 is a cross-sectional view of the contact strip along line B-B of FIG. 4,

7 is a view of a contact strip connected to two mutually perpendicular circuit boards according to a second embodiment,

8 is a view of the contact strip shown in FIG. 7,

9 is a cross-sectional view of the assembly shown in FIG. 7,

FIG. 10 is a bottom view of the contact strip shown in FIG. 9,

11 is a cross-sectional view of the contact strip along line C-C of FIG. 10,

12 is a cross-sectional view of the contact strip along line D-D of FIG. 10,

13 is an enlarged perspective view of the two contact strips and a detailed view of the circuit board,

14 is an enlarged perspective view of a contact strip and a detailed view of a circuit board,

15 is an enlarged perspective view of another contact strip and a circuit board,

16 is an enlarged perspective view of another contact strip and another circuit board;

17 is a perspective view of a contact strip according to the invention in a continuous step of the fabrication process.

The contact strips are arranged in a T-shape along the angle dividing the angle between the circuit boards which are perpendicular to each other. The contact elements are arranged in the center transition zone symmetrically at the angle of division in the transverse arm of the T-shaped plastic member of the contact strip. Symmetrical arrangements result in contact strips having a shape that is simple to produce and has high stability. With most of the contact elements all extending side by side in the transition zone at an angle of 45 ° to the circuit board, the contact strip represents the shortest connection between the circuit boards. By freely selecting the position of the bending point between the transition region and the contact region of the contact element, the contact strip can be adopted as the spacing between the rows of contact points on the other circuit board. The arrangement of the odd number of contact elements in the contact strip forms a shape that can be arranged to form a contact strip of a predetermined length after rotation of all second contact strips of about 180 °, and the specification structural dimensions of the contact points on the circuit board are Used without wasting space.

Preferably, the contact strips require minimal space. This is achieved when the strip has a carrier web extending two identical cross arms and has a T-shaped cross section when viewed from the end, so that the transition zone of the contact extends along the cross arm and the carrier web intersects between the circuit boards. The angles are arranged in degrees.

Another advantage is that the contact strips stabilize very high. This is achieved because all the transition zones of the contact elements extend parallel to the cross arms of the T-shaped cross section of the strip. This is also achieved in that the end of the transverse arm and the end of the carrier arm of the T-shaped strip have an inclined support surface for supporting the circuit board.

Another advantage is that the contact elements of the contact strips are simply manufactured. This is achieved with all contact elements having the same electrical conductive length.

The contact strip has the advantage that it can be suitably used for circuit boards of various shapes. This is because all the contact regions of the contact elements can be arranged side by side on one longitudinal side of the strip such that they have curved points arranged in the same or alternating manner.

In addition, contact strips have the advantage that they can be sized and structured at design time in that the strips receive an odd number of contact elements and have a length corresponding to a multiple of the spacing between the contact elements.

1 shows two mutually perpendicular circuit boards 1, 2 which are mechanically and electrically connected by a contact strip 3 according to the invention. The contact strip 3 consists of an elongate plastic member 4 having a T-shaped cross section. The plastic member 4 consists of transverse arms 5, 6 which alternate with the carrier web 7. In the present embodiment, five identical contact elements 8 are arranged side by side in the elongated plastic member 4. Each of the contact elements 8 consists of a transition zone 9 arranged on the cross arms 5, 6 and two contact zones 10, 10 ′ which are curved at an angle of 45 °. The contact zones 10, 10 ′ are inserted into the holes 11, 11 ′ in each circuit board 1, 2. The contact is fabricated in a sheet metal state through the holes 11 and 11 '. The contact zones 10, 10 ′ are designed at least in the zones of the holes 11, 11 ′ so that good electrical and mechanical connections are formed between the contact strip 3 and the circuit boards 1, 2. In order to improve the electrical contact properties, the contact regions 10, 10 ′ may be coated with tin or silver alloy. The connection between the contact regions 10, 10 ′ and the circuit boards 1, 2 can be formed by an interference fit or a soldered connection. In addition, contact regions 10, 10 ′ can be soldered directly to solder pads on circuit boards 1, 2.

2 shows another contact strip 3, but circuit boards 1 and 2 are not shown. It can be shown how the contact regions 10, 10 'have additional curvature points for coupling to a particular shape, for example the circuit board 1, 2.

3 is a cross-sectional view of the assembly of FIG. 1. The transverse arms 5, 6 and the carrier web 7 comprise support surfaces 12, 12 ′ which are inclined at their respective ends. The support surfaces 12, 12 'are arranged such that mutually perpendicular circuit boards 1, 2 are supported at each other at various points. This increases the mechanical stability of the assembly. Each circuit board 1, 2 has a support surface 12 in three different zones in the longitudinal direction of the contact strip 3, namely first the contact zone, secondly the individual end positions of the transverse arms 5, 6. Cooperate with the contact strip 3 in the region of, thirdly in the region of the support surface 12 ′ at the end of the carrier web 7.

4 illustrates the contact strip 3 of FIG. 2 observed from the bottom side. It can be seen how the inclined support surfaces 12, 12 ′ are formed in which region of the end of the transverse arms 5, 6 and the end of the carrier web 7. The carrier web 7 does not extend in an elastic manner but extends in a zigzag line in the longitudinal direction of the contact strip 3. Maximum stability through small amounts of material is achieved by a zigzag arrangement and an arrangement of the support surface 12 'at the end of the carrier web 7. The carrier web 7 is provided with a support surface 12 ′ only at the point where a supporting action is required of the circuit board 1. The contact element 8 consists of two separate contact zones 10, 10 ′ and a transition zone 9. The transition zone 9 extends in some zone, for example through the transverse arms 5, 6 formed by plastic injection molding around the contact element 8. After this, the contact elements 8 can be separated from each other by means of a stamping operation.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the contact strip 3 shown along the line A-A of FIG. 4. It can be seen that the contact strip 3 consists of a plastic member 4 having a T-shaped cross section and a plurality of contact elements 8 arranged in a plane.

6 is a cross-sectional view of the contact strip 3 shown along the line B-B in FIG. 4. It can be seen that the contact element 8 consists of a transition zone 9 and two contact zones 10, 10 ′. The contact zones 10, 10 ′ are curved away at an angle of 45 ° from the plane of the transverse arms 5, 6. This causes the contact regions 10, 10 ′ on the mutually opposite longitudinal sides of the contact strip 3 to extend at an angle of 90 ° with respect to each other. The plastic member 4 has a carrier web 7 and contact regions 10, 10 ′ along the angle dividing the angle between the two circuit boards 1, 2 perpendicular to the respective circuit boards 1, 2. Arranged to be oriented.

7 to 12 illustrate a second embodiment of the contact strip 3. The same reference numerals refer to the same element of the assembly. The difference between the contact strip 3 shown in FIGS. 1 to 6 and the contact strip 3 shown in FIGS. 7 to 12 is that the contact zones 10, 10 ′ are separated from the plane of the transverse arms 5, 6. Bent in different ways. However, the plastic member 4 is the same in both embodiments. By bending the contact elements 8 in different ways, the same contact elements 8 can be used suitably for different shapes of the circuit boards 1 and 2 while still maintaining the same wire length. 7 and 9 show how the holes 11 and 11 'in the circuit boards 1 and 2 are arranged in two mutually spaced apart rows. It can also be seen that the spacing of the rows of holes 11, 11 ′ is smaller in the first circuit board 1 than in the second circuit board 2. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 7 to 12 the contact strip 3 is made using the same materials and tools as in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 6. The process steps during manufacture are substantially the same. Only the tools required to bend the contact zones 10, 10 ′ have to be changed. By selecting the position of the bending point between the transition zone 9 and the contact zones 10, 10 ′, the contact strip 3 can be adopted in the individual shape of the circuit boards 1, 2.

13 to 16 show how the contact strip 3 can be suitably used for the unusual shape of the circuit boards 1, 2. FIG. 13 shows two contact strips 3, 3 ′ each having five contact elements 8 arranged directly side by side. The holes 11, 11 ′ are shown in two rows on the circuit board 2, each consisting of five holes 11, 11 ′. This indicates that the contact strips 3, 3 ′ can form contacts with as dense arrangement of holes 11, 11 ′ in the circuit boards 1, 2.

FIG. 14 shows a contact strip 3 with five contact elements 8 previously oriented relative to another circuit board with five holes 11, 11 ′. The figure of FIG. 14 can be deduced from the figure shown in FIG. 13 by omitting the second contact strip 3 ′ and the five associated holes 11, 11 ′.

FIG. 15 shows how the second contact strip 3 ′ of FIG. 13 can be used for the same circuit board 2 ′ of FIG. 14. The contact strip 3 'shown in FIG. 15 is the same as the contact strip 3' shown in FIG. 13 but rotated by 180 °. After a rotation of about 180 °, the shape of the plastic member 4 of the second contact strip 3 and the arrangement of the contact elements 8 are exactly the same as the shape of the first contact strip 3.

Figure 16 illustrates a second contact strip 3 'previously oriented with respect to another circuit board 2 ". In Figures 13-16 the contact strips 3, 3' have a large number without wasting space. An example that can be suitably used for other circuit boards 2, 2 ', and 2 "of FIG.

Each of the contact strips 3, 3 ′ consists of an odd number, for example five contact elements 8. Each of the contact elements 8 bends differently in the first contact zone 10 and the second contact zone 10 ′. Due to the different positions of the bending points in the first and second contact zones 10, 10 ′ of each contact element 8 and the alternating arrangement of adjacent contact elements 8, the first and second contact zones 10, 10. ') Forms two rows on each longitudinal side of the contact strips 3, 3'. The first contact zone 10 of three of the five contact elements 8 on the first longitudinal side of the contact strip 3 is located in a first row, for example in an internal row state. In this embodiment, the bending point continues to be positioned internally towards the centerline of the plastic member 4 of the contact strip 3. On the second opposing longitudinal side of the contact strip 3, the opposing curvature points of these three contact elements 8 are located outward from the centerline of the plastic member 4.

Two further contact elements 8 are alternately arranged between the three first contact elements 8. The second contact zone 10 ′ of these two contact elements 8 is arranged in a second outer row state on the first longitudinal side of the contact strip 3. Opposite curvature points of these two contact elements 8 continue to be positioned inward toward the plastic member 4 on the opposing second longitudinal side of the contact strip 3. The spacing between the rows is chosen to be the same on the two longitudinal sides of the contact strip 3, and the other contact strip 3 with the five contact elements 8 is rotated 180 ° and then placed at the contact point of the circuit board. One contact strip 3 can then be connected directly. The upper contact strip having a predetermined length suitable for the connection of the circuit board can be manufactured in such a way as to have a single shape of the contact strip 3 without using space in the standard structural dimension of the contact point.

A process for manufacturing a contact strip for connecting two mutually perpendicular circuit boards will now be described with reference to FIG. First, a metal grid 31 having a plurality of contact elements 8 positioned across the carrier rail 32 and the strip direction is punched out of the metal strip 30. The carrier rail 32 extends in the longitudinal direction of the metal strip 30 and is arranged equidistant from the center of the strip 30.

In the next step of the process, the metal grid 31 may be plated electrolytically in the contact zones 10, 10 ′. Electroplating is led to the deposition of one or more layers of metal, for example composed of tin, silver or gold. After the plating process, the metal grid 31 is injection molded of non-conductive plastic material on both sides of the strip 30 in the transition zone 9 between the carrier rails 32. The carrier rail 32 may be used to partially hide the injection molding tool during the injection molding process. The long strip 33 is made by plastic injection molding and has two transverse arms 5, 6 for receiving the transition zone 9 of the contact element 8 and for the transverse arms 5, 6 in the form of a T. It has a substantially T-shaped cross section constituting the carrier web 7 extending vertically.

The plastic material in the carrier rail 32 and in some areas is removed from the strip 33 at other stages of the process. As a result, the individually electrically isolated contact elements 8 are formed from the metal grid 32, and the gaps 34 are on the longitudinal side of the strip 33 suitable for the curvature of all the second contact elements 8. Is formed.

After this, the contact zones 10, 10 ′ are curved at an angle of 45 ° from the plane of the transverse arms 5, 6 of the T-shaped strip 33. The contact regions 10, 10 ′ of each individual contact element 8 form perpendicular to each other such that the contact regions 10, 10 ′ are oriented perpendicular to the circuit board. In the bending mechanism, the position of the bending point between the transition zone 9 and the contact zones 10, 10 'can be selected differently depending on the shape of the individual circuit board.

The T-shaped strip 33 is separated into individual contact strip portions 35, 35 ', 35 "in the longitudinal direction as the last step of the process. The contact strip portions 35, 35', 35" are formed of an odd number of contact elements ( 8) and has a length that is a multiple of the spacing between the elements 8.

Contact strips are used to connect the so-called "daughter board" to the so-called "mother board" in electrical and mechanical connection of two mutually perpendicular circuit boards, for example in electrical or electronic devices.

Claims (9)

An insulating receiving member in the form of an elongated strip 3 is provided; A transition region 9 extending in the strip 3 and a first contact region 10 suitable for electrical connection to the first circuit board and a second contact region 10 suitable for electrical connection to the second circuit board. And a first and second contact zone 10 'protruding from the strip 3 in the direction of a separate circuit board. 2 Contact strips suitable for electrical connection of mutually perpendicular circuit boards, The insulating receiving member has a carrier web 7 and two transverse arms 5, 6 such that the transition zone 9 extends along the transverse arms 5, 6 and the carrier web 7 is the A contact strip arranged at an angle dividing an angle between circuit boards. The method of claim 1, The transverse arm (5, 6) and the carrier web (7) are characterized in that they have inclined ends to form support surfaces (12, 12 ') corresponding to the circuit boards. The method according to claim 1 or 2, The transverse arm (5, 6) and the carrier web (7) are characterized in that they define a T-shaped cross section. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, And wherein said contact strip comprises a plurality of contacts. The method of claim 4, wherein And the transverse arms alternating along the length of the contact strip comprise support surfaces corresponding to the alternating surfaces of the printed circuit board. The method of claim 4, wherein Contact strip, characterized in that the strip (3) has a length corresponding to a multiple of the spacing between the contact elements (8). In the method for manufacturing a contact strip for connecting two mutually perpendicular circuit boards, Multiple contact elements 8 positioned across the strip direction such that the carrier rail 32 and adjacent contact elements 8 remain connected to each other as a grid by two carrier rails 32. Forming a metal grid 31 having: Molding a plastic material around the metal grid 31 and between the carrier rail 32 in such a way that an elongated strip 33 having a substantially T-shaped cross section and two longitudinal sides is formed; Electrically separated individual contact elements 8 are formed from the metal grid 31 and the plastic on the longitudinal side of the strip 33 suitable for each second contact element 8 in an alternating manner of gaps. Removing the carrier rail 32 and the plastic material from the strip 33 in a predetermined region in such a way as to be formed in the material; The contact regions 10, 10 ′ of the contact elements are angled at an angle of 45 ° from the plane of the T-shaped strip 33 on the longitudinal side such that each individual contact element 8 is substantially perpendicular to each other. Curved step, The T-shaped strip 33 in such a way that the individual contact strip portions 35, 35 ′, 35 ″ with odd number of contact elements 8 are formed to have a length corresponding to a multiple of the spacing between the contact elements 8. Separating in the longitudinal direction. The method of claim 7, wherein The metal grid (31) is electrolytically plated in the contact zone (10, 10 ') after punching. The method according to claim 7 or 8, The contact element (8) is characterized in that it bends away so that the position of the point of curvature can be freely chosen between the transition zone (9) and the contact zone (10, 10 ').