WO2001016643A1

WO2001016643A1 - Connector arrangement

Info

Publication number: WO2001016643A1
Application number: PCT/DE2000/001458
Authority: WO
Inventors: Bruno Seifert
Original assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
Priority date: 1999-08-27
Filing date: 2000-05-10
Publication date: 2001-03-08
Also published as: CN1371485A; EP1206725A1; HUP0202771A2

Abstract

The invention relates to a connector arrangement for connecting a display unit (120) to a printed-circuit board (130), especially in a hand-held electronic apparatus (100). The connector arrangement comprises a bush-like connecting element (131) that is mounted on the printed-circuit board and a flexible line (110) that is fixedly connected to the display unit in a electrical and mechanical manner and on a first end. The second end (110b) thereof is essentially rigidly connected to the display unit in a mechanical manner and is plugged into the connecting element.

Description

description

connector assembly

The invention relates to a connector arrangement for connecting a display unit to a printed circuit board, in particular in a hand-held electronic device.

It can be used in particular in connection with a passive display unit, especially of the liquid crystal (LCD) type, in which a so-called light guide is provided for background lighting.

Hand-held electronic devices with various functions that have an optical display unit - for example cell phones, pocket translators, organizers or handheld PCs - have become an integral part of everyday life and have been used, although they have been manufactured and sold in increasing numbers for years, still a significant market potential. In addition to the constant expansion of its functionality, further miniaturization continues to be a major development trend. The high competitive pressure in this market also requires a permanent effort to reduce costs. One of the purposes of this goal is the development of inexpensive connections between the essential hardware components of such devices, which are provided as prefabricated assemblies.

Today, display units of such devices are largely designed as LCD display units with a control circuit (LCD controller) placed on the glass body or the display glass (also referred to as "LCD panel"). Such an integral display unit must be electrically connected to the circuit board of the electronic device carrying the other electronic components. The connection comprises a large number of individual connections and is therefore also referred to as a “multi-pole” electrical connection. It is known to establish this connection via a flexible line (“flexible line”, also abbreviated as “FPC”), which is soldered to the printed circuit board, glued with conductive adhesive or connected via a connector.

Soldering and gluing are connection types that are complex in terms of production technology, over which the plug-type contact is to be preferred in principle. According to the prior art, such a plug connection is carried out by hand by inserting the flexible line into the connector. This procedure is labor intensive and the connector suitable for manual assembly must be relatively large. In addition, the flexible line for safe manual handling must be relatively long, which increases the material costs. In addition, it has been shown that the dismantling of such plug connections poses difficulties.

In the context of the general development goals mentioned above, compact display units and corresponding connector arrangements with a very low overall height, which enable automated assembly, are to be realized especially for extremely flat mobile telephones in development.

The invention is based on the object of providing such an improved connector arrangement.

This object is achieved by a connector arrangement with the features of claim 1.

The invention includes the essential idea that

To provide the printed circuit board with an attached socket-like connection element, which has a plurality of (internal) first contact surfaces. It also includes the idea of the flexible line, known per se, which is firmly connected at a first end to the display unit — specifically its control unit (electrically) and mechanically — and a plurality of second ones at its second end Has contact surfaces, at this second end mechanically essentially rigidly connected to the display unit as a prefabricated assembly. According to a third essential aspect of the invention, this enables the second end stiffened by the connection to the display unit to be securely inserted into the connection element on the printed circuit board in an automated assembly process.

In an embodiment which is of particular importance in the case of mobile telephones, organizers, pocket translators, etc., the display unit is a passive display unit with backlighting, in particular of the LCD type. Such a display unit has a light guide element for backlighting that is mechanically firmly connected to it (for example by means of light-emitting diodes), and the second end of the flexible line is at least indirectly rigidly connected to this light guide element.

According to a further preferred embodiment, this rigid connection is established via a special carrier element which is firmly connected on the one hand to the light guide element and on the other hand to the second end of the flexible line. At least one of these fixed connections is designed as an adhesive connection in a cost-effective and technologically simple manner. As an alternative or in addition, the connection between the carrier element and the light guide element is a positive connection, for example of the tongue and groove type.

The carrier element is preferably essentially plate-shaped. In this embodiment, perpendicular to the plate level, it has a bending elasticity that can be adjusted by the choice of material and dimensions, which helps to compensate for minor manufacturing tolerances in the components to be connected to one another or also a play in the handling device for assembly. In a mechanically additionally stabilized embodiment, the flexible line is additionally mechanically connected to the glass body (LCD panel) of an LCD display device at or near its second end, again in particular by gluing.

The flexible line is expediently guided essentially S-shaped between its first end, which is mechanically and electrically connected to the display device, and its second end, which is inserted in the connecting element on the printed circuit board. As a result, the electrical connections are largely mechanically relieved, and this course also helps to compensate for tolerances of the components or a play of the handling device.

Advantageously, precise lateral guidance during the assembly process is ensured in that the light guide element has a position and at least the lateral dimensions corresponding to the connecting element of the recess (socket strip). If the support element is positioned with the second end of the flexible line in this recess, the recess of the light guide element assumes the function of a guide for the second end of the flexible line towards the connection element and in the assembled state. In the vertical direction, the light guide element expediently has a slight play compared to the connection element to compensate for the tolerances mentioned, the implementation of the first and / or second contact surfaces (preferably the first contact surfaces on the connection element) as spring elements being reliable under all practical circumstances electrical connection between the circuit board and the second end of the flexible line is ensured.

Advantages and expediency of the invention result from the subclaims and the following description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the figures. Of these show:

FIGS. 1 a and 1 b connector arrangements according to a first embodiment of the invention in the unassembled or in the assembled state, in schematic cross-sectional representations,

FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional representation to explain a second embodiment of the invention (in the assembled state) and FIGS. 3a and 3b show schematic representations to explain a third embodiment in two greatly simplified cross-sectional representations.

Figures la and lb show in a highly simplified

Cross-sectional view of a portion of a mobile phone 100, namely a connector 110 for connecting an LCD display unit 120 to a circuit board 130.

The LCD display unit 120 comprises, in addition to the actual display element (LCD panel) 121, which essentially consists of two glass plates provided on the inside with conductor track coatings and a liquid crystal layer between them, a LCD control unit 122 and a so-called light guide 123, which together with LEDs is used for backlighting.

On the circuit board 130, an approximately U-shaped socket strip 131 is placed as a connection element, which has a plurality of serially arranged contact springs 131a in a plastic body 131b. The connections between the contact springs 131a and conductor tracks on or in the printed circuit board (PCB = Printed Circuit Board) 130 are not shown.

The connector 110 is designed as a flexible line or with a first end 110a on the LCP panel 121 mechanically attached and electrically connected to the LCD control unit 122. A second end 110b is glued flat to a carrier plate 111, which in turn is glued to the latter in a recess area 123a of the light guide 123. The support plate 111 is much thinner than the light guide 123, and its plate plane extends parallel to that of the light guide 123 and the LCD panel 121.

Between the first and the second end 110a, 110b of the flexible line (the connector) 110, as can be clearly seen from the figure, this has an essentially S-shaped course. The second end 110b is stiffened by the support plate 111 and is aligned by this to a course parallel to the light guide 123 and the LCD panel 122.

The thickness of the carrier plate 111 and the flexible line 110 together is less than the height of an interior 131c of the socket strip 131 which is U-shaped in cross section, but slightly larger than the free height up to the lower surface of the contact springs 131a. The position of the “plug” formed from the carrier plate 111 and the second end 110b of the flexible line 110 in the vertical and lateral directions corresponds to the height of the interior 131c of the socket strip 131 above the surface of the printed circuit board 130 and to its lateral arrangement thereon.

Due to the correspondence between the carrier plate connector unit 111/110 on the one hand and the socket strip 131 on the other hand and thanks to the rigidity of the carrier plate / connector unit 111/110, the LCD display unit 120 can be moved together with the one attached to it by moving it laterally Connector 110 (m Fig. La to the right) the carrier plate-Verbmder-Emheit 111/110 m the interior 131a of the female connector 131 are inserted, whereby the Verbmder- arrangement is assembled. The assembled state is shown in FIG. 1b. Due to the above-mentioned geometric relationships between the support plate 111, connector 110 and interior 131a of the socket strip 131 or its free height up to the contact springs 131a, the latter elastically print on corresponding contact surfaces 110c at the second end 110b of the connector 110. This ensures both a secure contact between the contact surfaces 131a, 110c as well as a non-positive connection between the socket strip 131 and the carrier plate connector 111/110.

The S-shaped course of the connector 110 offers the space required for pushing the connector strip 131 under the LCD panel 120 and ensures that the electrical contacts at both ends 110a, 110b of the connector 110 are mechanically relieved and slight manufacturing tolerances of the components are compensated for ,

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment slightly modified compared to FIGS. 1 a and 1 b, which results from the modified design of an LCD display unit 120. In adaptation to a modified LCD panel 121, a connector 110 ^λ with a different shape is also provided, while the other components are unchanged and are therefore designated with the same reference numbers as m FIGS. 1 a and 1 b.

The LCD panel 121 ^λ here has a projecting (not specifically designated) lower glass plate, the LCD drive unit 122 being attached to the surface (instead of the lower glass plate as in FIGS. 1 a and 1 b). Accordingly, the upper leg of the S-shaped course of the flexible line 110 is expanded in such a way that it encompasses the lower plate of the LCD panel 121 ^x . Since, moreover, the design and function of the connector arrangement coincide with that according to FIGS. 1 a and 1 b, the corresponding description is not repeated here. FIGS. 3a and 3b show an arrangement, modified again compared to FIG. 2, of a printed circuit board 130 and an LCD display unit 120 "for a mobile phone 100" modified with regard to the design of a light guide 123 "and a carrier plate 111". A modified socket strip 131 "is also provided here.

In this arrangement, the flexible line has a slightly different course on the LCD display unit 120 ″ and, as will be described in more detail below, is also attached to it in a different way than in the first and second embodiment described above.

The other components are unchanged from FIG. 2 and are therefore designated with the same reference numbers as there and are not explained again here. 3a shows - like the figures explained above - a cross-sectional view along a vertical plane of the arrangement, while FIG. 3b is a sketch-like sectional view along the horizontal sectional plane A-A in FIG. 3a.

In the embodiment shown here, as can best be seen in FIG. 3b, the light guide 123 "has a central recess area 123a" between two lateral flanks 123b ". The flanks 123b" each have a groove in the surface facing the lockout area 123a " 123c "for receiving the carrier plate 111". As can also be seen best in FIG. 3b, this has the shape of a "T" in plan view and is inserted into the grooves 123c "of the light guide 123" such that the vertical Section of the "T" lies in the notch 123a "and the lateral guide in the grooves 123c" together with the shape of the carrier offers a certain bending elasticity. The flexible line 110 "is here (with the same fastening as in FIG. 2 and similar S-shaped shape) under the support plate 111 "and glued to it from below. The socket strip 131 "is distinguished here by the fact that — with the same basic shape as in FIGS. 1 a, 1 b and 2 - contact springs 131 a" are attached to the surface of the interior 131 c ”adjacent to the printed circuit board 131 and protrude upwards from this surface. If the arrangement of the LCD display unit 120 "and the connector 110", which is shown in FIGS. 3a and 3b in the unassembled state, is pushed onto the printed circuit board 130 m in the direction of the socket strip 131 ", the carrier plate connector unit comes 111 "/ 110" at the free end in engagement with the socket strip 131 "in such a way that an electrical connection under certain contact pressure is established between the contact surfaces 110c" of the connector 110 "and the contact surfaces for 131a" of the socket strip 131 " From here, the configurations explained above ensure the spring force of the contact springs 131a "for a frictional connection between the carrier plate / connector unit 111" / 110 "with the socket strip 131 "with for mechanically stable connection of the circuit board 130 and the LCD display unit 120".

3b that the T-shaped socket strip 131 "and the light guide 132" are aligned with one another before assembly in such a way that the upstanding section of the "T" of the socket strip 131 "with the extensions the side walls of the recess area

123a "of the light guide 123" is aligned. In the assembled state, this section lies between the flanks 123b "of the light guide, so that there is a precise lateral guidance of the socket strip relative to the light guide and thus also the contacts 110c" of the connector 110 "and 131a" of the socket strip 131 ".

The embodiment of the invention is not limited to the examples described above, but is also possible in a large number of modifications which are within the scope of professional action. Thus, the application of the invention is not limited to the contacting of LCD display units, but can also be used analogously, namely using a light guide for background lighting arranged behind the actual display element, also with other passive display units which are good for all ambient light conditions recognizable display need a backlight. However, the design is also not tied to the presence of a light guide element, but the flexible line can also be held in a comparable manner on the component body of a display unit without a light guide element. Also with regard to the specific shape of the connector as well as the socket strip on the printed circuit board, various modifications to the S or U shape described above are possible.

Claims

claims

1. A connector arrangement for connecting a display unit (120; 120; 120 ") to a printed circuit board (130), in particular in a hand-held electronic device (100; 100 ^λ ; 100"), comprising:

- A socket-like connection element (131; 131 ") placed on the printed circuit board with a plurality of first contact surfaces (131a; 131a") and - A flexible line (110; 110 ^λ ) which is connected to a first end (110a; 110a ^λ ) is electrically and mechanically connected to the display unit and has a plurality of second contact surfaces (110c; 110c ^x ) at a second end (110b; 110b ^λ ), the second end being mechanical with the display unit (120; 120; 120 ") is essentially rigidly connected and can be inserted into the connection element in such a way that there is electrical contact between the first and the second contact surfaces.

2. Connector arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that with the passive display unit, in particular of the LCD type, formed display unit, a light guide element (123; 123 ") for backlighting is mechanically fixed and that the second end (110b; 110b ^λ ) of flexible line (110; 110 ^λ ) is at least indirectly rigidly connected to the light guide element.

3. Connector arrangement according to claim 2, characterized in that the second end (110b; 110b ^λ ) of the flexible line (110; 110 ^λ ) via a carrier element (111; 111 ") with the light guide element (123; 123") is fixedly connected, the support element being glued in particular to the second end of the flexible line.

4. Connector arrangement according to claim 3, so that the support element (111; 111 ") is plate-shaped and has a bending elasticity perpendicular to the plate plane.

5. Connector assembly according to claim 3 and 4, so that the plate-shaped support element (111; 111 ") is glued to the light guide element (123; 123") and / or is finally connected.

6. Connector arrangement according to one of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that the flexible line (110; 110 ^λ ) is additionally, msbesonder- by gluing, mechanically connected to a glass body of the passive display unit.

7. Connector arrangement according to one of claims 3 to 6, characterized in that the light guide element (123; 123 ") has a m their position and at least the lateral dimensions with the connecting element (131; 131") corresponding recess (123a; 123a ") and the support element (111; 111 ") with the second end (110b; 110b) of the flexible line (110; 110 ^λ ) is positioned in the recess such that the light guide element effects a lateral guidance of the second end of the flexible line in the connection element.

8. Connector arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the flexible line (110; 110 ^λ ) has a substantially S-shaped profile in cross section between its first and second ends.

9. Connector arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first and / or second contact surfaces (131a, 110c; 131a ", 110c ^λ ) are designed in a spring-like manner to compensate for manufacturing tolerances of parts of the connector arrangement.