Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
  • H01R12/00—Structural associations of a plurality of mutually-insulated electrical connecting elements, specially adapted for printed circuits, e.g. printed circuit boards [PCB], flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures, e.g. terminal strips, terminal blocks; Coupling devices specially adapted for printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures; Terminals specially adapted for contact with, or insertion into, printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures
  • H01R12/70—Coupling devices
  • H01R12/7005—Guiding, mounting, polarizing or locking means; Extractors
  • H01R12/7011—Locking or fixing a connector to a PCB
  • H01R12/7047—Locking or fixing a connector to a PCB with a fastener through a screw hole in the coupling device

Definitions

• the present patent application is related to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/595,312 filed June 22, 2005 entitled “Combined Circuit Board Tie- Wrap Bracket,” priority from which is hereby claimed.
• FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to fasteners and mounting hardware for circuit boards. More specifically, it relates to a combined right angle mounting bracket and tie-wrap connector for a circuit board which can be surface mounted. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND PRIOR ART
• the device in this patent includes a rectangular base which provides clinch-type attachment of the bracket to a metal sheet.
• This device is not suitable for circuit board applications.
• One requirement for a circuit board bracket is its ability to provide a vertical attachment face which is flush with or extends beyond the edge of the circuit board, however this desired mounting position poses several problems.
• the mounting bracket is often required to be transported to the circuit board by automated pick- and-place equipment. Such equipment requires a centered, flat top surface so that the device can be handled by the vacuum placement arm.
• the mounting bracket needs to have a planar attachment face to establish an orientation plane perpendicular to the surface of the circuit board.
• the circuit board bottom surface of the bracket cannot be co-extensive with the attachment face because when flush edge mounting is required, or a mounting arrangement in which the attachment face is required to extend beyond the edge of the circuit board, there is not a circuit board perimeter along the front edge of the bracket to permit the proper inspection of the surface mount solder joint.
• Cable tie attachment brackets for mounting on panels has been provided for sheet metal panels in the form of rectangular clinch-type cable tie mounts such as the Ty-D® self-clinching cable tie mount sold by Penn Engineering & Manufacturing Corp.
• these mounts have no provision for fastening systems other than cable ties and are provided only for clinch attachment to metal panels. They are not usable in circuit boards. While the individual needs in the art described above have been addressed, there has not yet been an adequate solution provided by a single mounting bracket device which meets the circuit board mounting needs of both screw attachment and cable tie attachment in a single device for economy of manufacture and versatility of application.
• the present device provides a combined circuit board mounting bracket which can be surface mounted and which includes means for independently receiving both a threaded fastener and a cable tie either individually or together.
• the present device further includes a pick-and-place adapted configuration for automated assembly. It also includes an offset of the edge of the mounting pad to allow the face of the bracket to be sub-flush, flush, or extend beyond the edge of the circuit board.
• a provision for an aperture in the bracket to receive the cable tie is provided in an extension of the mounting base which provides the additional benefit of raising the height of the threaded fastener mounting point while keeping the mass of the part to a minimum.
• a taller bracket allows a greater range of freedom for tools which operate on the fastening screws.
• a bracket for a circuit board comprising a rectangular rigid base including a bottom edge and a planar front surface.
• a head extending upwardly from the base includes a threaded bore along a lateral axis.
• an intermediate region of the bracket between the head and the base includes a substantially rectangular aperture extending laterally through the intermediate region from a front surface to a rear surface thereof.
• a top of the head of the bracket includes a planar surface adapted for pick-and-place transportation of the bracket.
• the base further includes a planar bottom surface adapted for surface mounting to a circuit board by soldering.
• the bottom surface further includes downwardly extending pins which are received in corresponding holes in the circuit board.
• Thread characteristic indicia are located on the opposing side surfaces of the head preferably in the form of lateral grooves on one or both sides when they may also be used as snap connector attachment points.
• FIG. 1 is a top right front isometric view of the circuit board fastener mount.
• Figure 2 is a bottom left front isometric view thereof.
• Figure 3 is a partial side sectional view thereof.
• Figure 4 is a partial front sectional view thereof.
• Figure 5 is a bottom plan view thereof.
• the present invention includes a base 11, an intermediate portion 12 that includes a strap securement aperture, and a head 13.
• the top of the head includes a flat horizontal planar surface 5 adapted for pick- and-place automated transportation of the part to the circuit board site.
• the head further includes a lateral threaded bore 1 for receiving a threaded fastener such as a screw, however the bore need not be threaded and it may be adapted to receive any type of cooperating element.
• the sides of the head include laterally extending grooves 6 which may serve several purposes including an indication of the thread type by the presence or absence of the grooves.
• the grooves may also provide a snap connection attachment point to another component to releasably attach it to the head of the fastener.
• the intermediate region of the fastener between the head and the base includes a rectangular aperture 7 which extends from a planar front surface 15 of the bracket through the entire width of the bracket to provide a through passage for a cable tie.
• the base may further include inspection cutaways 3 which facilitate edge mounting of the bracket on the circuit board so that the front surface of the bracket may be located flush with the edge of the circuit board while providing an exposed surface area on the board along the edge to accommodate solder j oint inspection. Referring now to Figure 2, greater detail of the bottom of the fastener bracket is depicted.
• the base includes a planar bottom surface 2 and one or more pins 4 extending downwardly therefrom. Inspection cutaway 3 extends along the front edge of the base. Cable tie aperture 7, threaded bore 1, and indicia groove 6 are also shown. Referring now to Figures 3, 4, and 5, greater detail of the relationship between the top surface 5, threaded through-bore 1, rectangular through-bore 7, cutaways 3, bottom surface 2, and locating pins 4 are depicted.
• the bracket is surface mounted to a circuit board by way of the usual automated surface mount process using a pick-and-place type transportation mechanism which operates on the planar top surface of the bracket. Upon placement, holes in the circuit board receive the pins which extend downwardly from the base of the bracket.
• the pins function to both properly locate the bracket on the board and also to provide additional strength to the solder joint. Cutaways on the front and rear bottom edges of the bracket permit visual inspection of the solder joint if the bracket is mounted flush with the edge of the circuit board.
• the bracket may now be used to affix any type of device or chassis mounting arrangement by application of a corresponding threaded fastener to the threaded bore.
• the rectangular aperture which extends through the bracket may be utilized to receive a cable for various purposes such as securing circuit board wiring.
• the presence or absence of grooves on either side of the head which may be added to the part may be employed to indicate the quality of the thread such as metric versus standard thread profile.
• the through-bore need not be threaded and may be used to receive a pivot pin or to receive a cable.
• the through-bore need not be cylindrical but may also be irregularly shaped to receive a like- configured pin for torque resistance.
• the base includes two pins, any number of pins or a bracket without pins may be used.
• Other useful modifications to the invention are limited only by the imagination.
• the present invention should be limited only by the following claims and their legal equivalents.

Landscapes

• Multi-Conductor Connections (AREA)
• Coupling Device And Connection With Printed Circuit (AREA)
• Mounting Of Printed Circuit Boards And The Like (AREA)
• Connection Of Plates (AREA)

Priority Applications (5)

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=37566201

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (9)

Families Citing this family (3)

Citations (1)

Family Cites Families (10)

• 2006
  • 2006-06-05 US US11/422,115 patent/US20060289710A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2006-06-07 WO PCT/US2006/022077 patent/WO2007001769A2/en active Application Filing
  • 2006-06-07 BR BRPI0612243-4A patent/BRPI0612243A2/pt not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2006-06-07 EP EP06772404A patent/EP1893059A2/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 2006-06-07 MX MX2007015932A patent/MX2007015932A/es not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2006-06-07 JP JP2008518202A patent/JP2008544190A/ja active Pending
  • 2006-06-07 CA CA002610958A patent/CA2610958A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2006-06-07 CN CNA2006800300601A patent/CN101309620A/zh active Pending
  • 2006-06-16 TW TW095121513A patent/TW200735749A/zh unknown

Patent Citations (1)

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