WO2015004058A1

WO2015004058A1 - Circuit board connector

Info

Publication number: WO2015004058A1
Application number: PCT/EP2014/064445
Authority: WO
Inventors: Markus Ehlerding; Frank Hartmann
Original assignee: Wago Verwaltungsgesellschaft Mbh
Priority date: 2013-07-08
Filing date: 2014-07-07
Publication date: 2015-01-15
Also published as: DE102013107156A1; DE102013107156B4

Abstract

The invention relates to a circuit board connector (1), comprising - at least one pair of electrical contacts (10), which each have a respective connection segment (4) for connecting to a respective associated circuit board (2a, 2b), - at least one electrically conductive connecting element (16), which has plug contact segments (14) for the plug contacting of a respective associated electrical contact (10), which plug contact segments are opposite each other, and - an insulation housing (5), which is designed to accommodate the connecting element (16) and which has a respective contact accommodation chamber (24) at two end segments that are opposite each other, which contact accommodation chamber is designed to accommodate at least one electrical contact (10). The circuit board connector (1) can be moved in a tolerance compensation segment (T) between the contact accommodation chambers (24) lying opposite each other, transversely to the longitudinal extension direction (L) of the circuit board connector (1) defined by the direction from one of the contact accommodation chambers (24) to the opposite contact accommodation chamber (24).

Description

PCB connector

The invention relates to a printed circuit board connector with

at least one pair of electrical contacts, each having a terminal portion for connection to a respectively associated printed circuit board, at least one electrically conductive connecting element having mutually opposite plug contact portions for plug contacting a respective associated electrical contact, and

an insulating housing, which is designed to receive the connecting element and which has on two opposite end portions each having a contact receiving space which is adapted to receive at least one electrical contact.

Such printed circuit board connectors are used to produce a releasable electrically conductive connection between two adjacent printed circuit boards. For this purpose, the electrical contacts are each mounted on the edge region of an associated printed circuit board and then the electrically conductive connecting element inserted into opposing electrical contacts or placed on these electrical contacts.

Such a PCB connector is z. B. from US 7,959,455 B1 known. To connect two printed circuit boards located on opposite edge regions of the circuit board in each carrier located forked SMD contacts are arranged (SMD = Surface Mounted Device or surface mounted components). By means of a connector which receives in a Isolierstoffgehäuse corresponding rigid plate-shaped blade contacts, the circuit boards are electrically connected. The insulating housing is snapped onto the carrier. The blade contacts dip into the fork-shaped SMD contacts. The housing is rigid and can not compensate for tolerances or changes in position.

DE 10 201 1 103 738 A1 discloses a coupling connector for spring terminal connectors, which are applied by means of SMD technology on printed circuit boards and are provided for clamping electrical conductors. The coupling connector uses the nips, which are provided for clamping the electrical conductors and is introduced via the conductor insertion opening. This length compensation in the longitudinal direction of the coupling connector is possible. Incidentally, the position of the coupling connector and thus the circuit boards to each other by the conductor insertion opening.

A comparable embodiment is shown in DE 20 2012 003 539 U1. To connect two circuit boards pin-shaped contacts are soldered on the edge of each circuit board. Vertical pins projecting from the printed circuit board are connected via an insulating connecting element with openings provided corresponding to the pins. The connecting element is thereby attached to the pins. Within the connecting element in each case an electrically conductive contact piece is embedded, each of which connects two opposing pins or pin opening with each other.

Furthermore, it is known for the connection of printed circuit boards, postpone a kind of connector with spring contacts on the edge of a circuit board and there to contact directly with a conductor track. Such embodiments are shown in EP 2 151 019 B1 and DE 10 2009 047 556 A1.

Furthermore, z. B. from DE 20 201 1 1 10 441 IM, EP 2 209 165 and DE 20 201 1 101 663 U1 Aufsetzverbinder known, which are firmly connected after placement on two adjacent circuit boards with these by means of connecting elements. Contact elements of the Aufsetzverbinder each contact a contact surface or trace on the surface of the circuit board.

Based on this, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved circuit board connector, which allows a mobility of the circuit boards relative to each other within a reasonable tolerance without the electrical connection between the circuit boards is impaired, the PCB connector as simple as possible and as fast as possible should be easy to connect to the circuit boards. ~ ~

The object is achieved with the printed circuit board connector having the features of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments are described in the subclaims.

It is proposed that the circuit board connector in a tolerance compensation section between the opposed contact receiving spaces transverse to that defined by the one of the opposite contact receiving spaces to the opposite contact receiving space

Longitudinal direction of the PCB connector is movable.

While generic printed circuit board connector so far only allows tolerance compensation in the longitudinal direction between opposing contacts on the two interconnected circuit boards, it is now proposed that the circuit board connector is designed to be movable transversely to the longitudinal direction. It has been shown that a tolerance compensation in the longitudinal direction is not sufficient. Rather, a much more reliable and thereby very easy-to-use and manufactured circuit board connector can be created that it is particularly designed in a tolerance compensation range between two contact receiving spaces. In this tolerance compensation of the printed circuit board connector by suitable measures, as they are explained below by means of embodiments, movable.

In addition to the inherent transmittance also a rigid insulating housing or a rigid connecting element, the printed circuit board connector is not only the one immanent mobility at the end portions with the connection to the electrical contacts movable, but in the tolerance compensation section between these contacts designed to be movable.

This movable configuration can be such by a suitable embodiment of the Isulierstoffgehäuses that the insulating housing in the tolerance compensation section has cutouts which extend transversely to the longitudinal direction. With the help of these cutouts, it is possible to design the insulating material movable transversely to the longitudinal extent. "

- 4 -

It is conceivable that the opposite end portions of the insulating material housing, which have the respective contact receiving space, are connected to each other via at least one meander-shaped web in the tolerance compensation section. By meandering webs succeeds, the insulating material in the tolerance compensation range, d. H. central area between the end sections of movable design.

It is advantageous if the at least one meandering web extends in at least one section transversely to the direction of elongation and parallel and / or perpendicular to a defined by the terminal portions of the electrical contacts and the opening of the contact receiving space, which is opposite the bottom of the contact receiving space, printed circuit board plane , Such meander-shaped webs, which extend in a direction transverse to the direction of longitudinal extension and parallel to the circuit board plane, allow transversal movement transversely to the longitudinal direction

Longitudinal direction and transverse to the PCB level and / or parallel to the PCB level.

However, it is also conceivable that the insulating housing in the tolerance compensation section of another, flexible material, which is integrally formed with a stiffer material at the opposite end portions, which form the contact receiving space. Thus, the end portions are made rigid with the contact receiving space to be fixedly attached to the associated electrical contact. The transversal mobility of the two end sections of the insulating material housing and the associated electrical contacts to one another within a limited tolerance range is then ensured by the elastic, intermediate tolerance compensation section. Such a plastic insulating material housing with rigid and flexible material can be easily and inexpensively manufactured in the two-component injection molding process.

As an alternative to the flexibility of the insulating housing or in addition thereto, it is advantageous if the at least one connecting element in the tolerance compensation section is formed elastically or plastically movable transversely to the longitudinal direction. As a rule, such connecting elements are used as busbars. Designed bars and can be moved by meandering webs already in the direction of longitudinal extension of the associated insulating housing. An additional transverse mobility is then achieved by suitable measures, such as impressions or constrictions with reduced material thickness of the connecting element. Alternatively or additionally, a plastically movable connection would be permitted within certain limits.

It is advantageous if the connecting element in the tolerance compensation section between the mutually opposite plug contact portions is formed meander-shaped. The meandering regions are advantageously such that they are led down from a parallel to the circuit board plane and outgoing from the male contact portion section transverse to the PCB level and then again transversely to the board level at 180 ° angle led up again with a 180 ° angle down in Direction board level and then passed in a further 180 ° angle upwards and then passed in a further 90 ° angle in a parallel to the circuit board level to the plug contact portion transition section. In this way, such a meandering executed tolerance compensation section has two U-shaped and projecting transversely to the longitudinal direction elastic spring arcs. The meandering shape of the tolerance compensation section may be e.g. be made by bending or punching.

It is particularly advantageous if the insulating housing in each case has a contact housing part which can be plugged onto an electrical contact and a separate connector housing part which carries the electrically conductive connecting elements. The connector housing part is then insertable into a respective opening of the contact housing parts. In this way, the insulating material is formed in several parts. In this embodiment, it is particularly advantageous if the contact housing parts have conductor insertion openings for inserting and contacting an electrical conductor with an associated electrical contact, on which the contact housing part can be placed. Thus, an electrical contact on a printed circuit board with the help of the contact housing part can be contacted via the conductor insertion openings with electrical conductors. If two printed circuit boards arranged side by side "

6 and 6, may then be used for board connection instead of using the conductor insertion openings of the circuit board connectors with the electrically conductive connection elements installed in the connector housing part.

Thus, the circuit board connector can be used in a very flexible manner on the one hand for clamping electrical conductors and on the other hand for connecting adjacent circuit boards by means of the connector housing part and the plates incorporated therein electrically conductive connecting elements.

The plug contact portions are preferably formed as a contact blade, contact forks, pin connector or spring clip to provide in this way a plug contact.

The invention will be explained in more detail with reference to embodiments with the accompanying drawings. Show it.

Perspective view of a first embodiment of a printed circuit board connector;

Perspective view of the printed circuit board connector of Figure 1 without connector housing part;

Side view of the printed circuit board connector of Figure 2 in two different variants a) and b);

Top view of the circuit board connector of Figure 2;

Rear side view of the printed circuit board connector of Figure 2;

View of a Isolierstoffgehäuses with inserted therein electrically conductive connecting elements from the bottom;

Top view of the insulating material of Figure 6;

Perspective view of the insulating material with inserted therein electrically conductive connecting elements from below; Perspective view of the insulating material of Figures 6 to 8 from above;

Perspective view of a second embodiment of a terplattenverbinders;

Figure 1 1 - top view and side sectional view in section T-T through the printed circuit board connector of Figure 10;

Figure 12 - sectional view of the insulating material of the printed circuit board connector of Figure 10 in Figure 1 in section W-W according to side sectional view.

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a first embodiment of a printed circuit board connector 1. The circuit board connector 1 is provided to electrically connect two circuit boards 2a, 2b arranged adjacent to each other. The printed circuit boards 2a, 2b carry in a conventional manner electrical and / or electronic components 3, which are symbolically sketched. These components 3 are guided via conductor tracks (not shown) to connection sections 4 of electrical contacts (not visible), so that the electrical contact via the at least one connection section 4 is connected to the circuit board 2 a, 2 b and its components 3.

The printed circuit board connector 1 of the illustrated embodiment has an insulating material housing 5 consisting of three separate parts. The insulating housing 5 has two contact housing parts 6a, 6b, which are each mounted on an associated electrical contact of a printed circuit board 2a, 2b. The contact housing parts 6a, 6b have on their upper side, which is opposite to the respective printed circuit board 2a, 2b, respectively slot-shaped openings into which a connector housing part 7 with fingers 8 at its free end dips. The fingers 8 extend in the longitudinal extension direction L. The longitudinal extension direction L is defined by the direction of the first contact housing part 6a to the opposite contact housing part 6b and vice versa. The Isolierstoffgehäuse 5 provides through the two contact housing parts 6a, 6b and the connector housing part 7 on both sides each have a contact receiving space for each of the electrical contacts on the two adjacent printed circuit boards 2a, 2b ready, which at least partially surrounds the electrical contact. The longitudinal direction L thus also defines itself as the direction from the one contact receiving space to the opposite contact receiving space. In the connector housing part 7 unrecognizable electrically conductive connecting elements are mounted, which extend from a finger 8 to each opposite finger 8. In the illustrated embodiment, the PCB connector 1 is designed bipolar. Corresponding single-pole, three-pole, four-pole, five-pole, six-pole or other multi-pole variants are equally conceivable.

It is also clear that the PCB connector 1 in a tolerance compensation range T between the fingers 8 and the contact housing parts 6a, 6b is designed to be movable by cutouts or meandering webs 9.

Not only a movement of the opposing electrical contacts or the associated firmly mounted thereon contact housing parts 6a, 6b and the associated circuit boards 2a, 2b is possible. Rather, the cutouts and webs 9 are designed so that the PCB connector 1 in the tolerance compensation section T is transversely to the longitudinal direction L movable. Thus, not only a movement of the circuit boards 2a, 2b relative to each other in the X direction, d. H. in the longitudinal direction L allows, but also in the transverse direction thereto, d. H. in the Y direction and in the Z direction and in all directions in the plane spanned in the Y and Z directions.

FIG. 2 shows the printed circuit board connector 1 from FIG. 1 in the perspective view without the connector housing part 7 and without the second contact housing part 6b. In this representation, the electrical contacts 10 can be seen, which are executed in surface mounting technology (SMD) and are soldered via their connection sections 4 with the associated circuit board 2a, 2b. The electrical contacts 10 have a conductor insertion tunnel 11, which is formed by a sheet metal section bent over on both sides by a contact base 12. From this conductor insertion tunnel 1 1 protrude in Leitereinsteckrichtung L opposing spring arms 13, which have at their free end in each case from the contact base 12 pioneering inclined material tabs 15. These material lugs 15 form guides to receive plug contact portions 14 at the free ends of the electrically conductive connecting elements 16. In this way, the electrically conductive Connecting elements 16 on both sides to make a plug contact to the associated electrical contacts 10.

Such an electrical contact 10 is known, for example, from DE 10 2010 014 144 A1. An electrical conductor is inserted through the annular curved, at least almost closed executed conductor insertion tunnel 1 1. In this case, the stripped end of an electrical conductor (not shown) between the spring arms 13 (leaf springs) formed side walls of the kanalformigen contact frame is added. The spring arms 13, which may also be referred to as spring tongues, are bent out of a flat metal part, wherein the free ends of the spring arms 13 form a clamping edge to form a clamping point for the electrical conductor with two opposite clamping edges of the opposing spring arms 13.

On the front side and on the back side, a connection region 4 in the form of a soldering foot is arranged on the contact base 12, which is soldered to the associated printed circuit board 2a, 2b.

Thus protrudes from the front side of the conductor insertion tunnel 1 1, a first connection section 4 and in Leiterereinsteckrichtung at the opposite end of the contact bottom 12 behind the free ends of the spring arms 13, a further connection section 4.

It is clear that the two parallel electrically conductive connecting elements 16 are respectively meandered in the mean tolerance compensation section T between the mutually opposite plug contact portions 14 meandering. For this purpose, U-shaped, for example, by punching or bending made, sections 17 are provided which extend in the inserted state as shown perpendicular to the plane defined by the circuit boards 2a, 2b level. Starting from the plug-in contact sections 14, the electrically conductive connecting elements 16 thus initially extend at a 90 ° angle downwards in the direction of the printed circuit board plane, in order then to form a U-shaped first section 17 over a 180 ° angle. This is followed by another 180 ° bend _Λ _

- 10 - with another, extending again in the direction of the circuit board level section, which extends over a further 180 ° curvature away from the circuit board level away. This is followed, after a 90 ° bend, by the section which merges into the opposite plug contact section 14 and extends parallel to the printed circuit board plane.

Thus, two U-shaped curved resilient portions are formed, which does not allow a mobility of the connecting elements 16 in the longitudinal direction L, i. in the X direction, but also allow a mobility across it.

Furthermore, it can be seen from FIG. 2 that the contact housing parts 6a, 6b on the front side, which is adjacent to the opposite printed circuit board 2b and adjoins the conductor insertion tunnel 11 in the plugged-in state on an electrical contact 10, has a conductor insertion opening 18 for insertion of an electrical conductor.

FIG. 3 shows a side view of the printed circuit board connector from FIG. 2.

The illustration in FIG. 3 a) shows that the electrically conductive connecting element 16 has a reduced thickness in the region of the 90 ° or 180 ° bends. This has the advantage that the mechanical resistance is reduced and the meandering curved portion 17 is more resilient than compared to a sketched in Figure 3 b) variant. In this variant, the electrically conductive connecting element 16 in the region of the meandering curved portions 17 has a constant material thickness.

Furthermore, it can be seen that the plug contact portions 14 of the electrically conductive connecting elements 16 are designed knife-like and contact under spring force of the opposing spring arms 13 with the associated electrical contact 10 electrically conductive. In this case, a plug contact is formed, in which the spring arms 13 exert a sufficient contact pressure on the knife-like plug contact portions 14. _{Λ Λ}

- 1 1 -

Alternatively, other spring contacts and embodiments of the electrical contacts 10 are conceivable, for example, the plug contact portions 14 forming contact forks, which come into male contact in a blade contact of the electrical contact 10, or pin connector, spring clip or other plug contacts.

FIG. 4 shows a top view of the first embodiment of the printed circuit board connector.

Figure 4 a) shows the representation of the printed circuit board connector 1, in which only a contact housing part 6a is placed on the left side. It becomes clear that two electrically conductive connecting elements 16 extend parallel to one another. It can be seen that the connecting elements 16 in each case with their plug contact portions 14 in an opening 19 of the contact housing part 6a dive, wherein the opening 19 is on the top, the printed circuit board 2a, 2b opposite.

It can be seen further that the conductor insertion openings 18 of the contact housing parts 6a, 6b are concealed in the inserted state of the electrically conductive connecting elements 16. The electrical contacts 10 can be used together with the contact housing part 6a, 6b, on the one hand, for clamping electrical conductors and, on the other hand, in connection with the electrically conductive connecting elements 16 and an optionally enclosing insulating housing for contacting two opposing printed circuit boards 2a, 2b.

Furthermore, it can be seen from FIG. 4 a) that the electrical contacts 10 each have two mutually opposite spring arms 13 facing each other and which form a plug contact with an associated plug contact section 14.

Figure 4 b) shows the embodiment of the printed circuit board connector 1 in the complete assembled state without connector housing part 7, in which on both sides in each case a contact housing part 6a, 6b is placed on the associated electrical contacts of the two circuit boards 2a, 2b. _{Λ n}

- 12 -

FIG. 5 shows a rear view of the printed circuit board connector 1 from FIGS. 1 to 4. It is clear that the plug contact portions 14 are inserted in the form of blade contacts between the opposite spring arms 13 of the associated electrical contact 10. In this case, opposite to the insertion direction S in the Z direction, material tabs 15 protrude upward, which are bent away from the plug contact section 14 to the outside. In this way, an insertion funnel for a plug contact portion 14 is provided.

FIG. 6 shows a plan view of a connector housing part 7 of the three-part insulating housing 5 from the underside. It is clear that the two parallel electrically conductive connecting elements 16 are inserted from below into the connector housing part 7.

It can be seen that the connector housing part 7 at the free ends in each case the associated plug contact portions 14 enclosing fingers 8 has. In the illustrated two-pole variant, two fingers 8 are provided parallel to each other at both ends. These go into the tolerance compensation section T in a common area, wherein in the tolerance compensation section T, a connection of the opposite halves via webs 9 is provided. These webs 9 are provided by recesses in the connector housing part 7, which extend transversely to the longitudinal direction L. These webs 9 are meander-shaped by a U-shaped loop. One of the U-shaped loops is formed on an outer side and the other in the middle region.

As is clearly recognizable from the perspective illustrations, eg, FIG. 1 and FIG. 9, the tolerance compensation section T can be formed so to speak "over corner", ie it extends over two housing sides of the connector housing part 7 arranged at an angle to one another, so that both in a view of FIG can be seen above (top view) and in lateral view webs 9. In this embodiment, the meander-shaped configuration of the electrically conductive connecting elements 16 described above is additionally provided. _{Λ n}

- 13 -

In this way, a mobility of the printed circuit board connector 1 is achieved transversely to the longitudinal direction L. The longitudinal extension direction L is defined here by the direction between the opposite fingers 8 of the connector housing part 7.

FIG. 7 shows a top view of the connector housing part 7 from FIG. It is clear here that the connector housing part 7 transverse to the longitudinal direction 1 1 extending cutouts 20 for forming meandering webs 9 in the central region between the opposing fingers 8 has. In this way, the two halves of the connector housing part 7 are connected via the webs 9 elastically and transversely to the longitudinal direction L movable with each other.

Figure 8 shows a perspective view of the connector housing part 7 from below. It is clear that the electrically conductive connecting elements 16 are firmly installed in the connector housing part 7, in particular, the plug contact portions 14 are positively and non-positively received in the fingers 8. The meandering sections 17 are covered by the meandering webs 9 and by the remaining Isolierstoffwände 21. In this way, the electrically conductive connecting elements 16 are accommodated in the connector housing part 7 in a touch-proof manner despite the cutouts 20 (slots).

FIG. 9 shows a perspective view of the connector housing part 7 in plan view. In this case, it is clear that the opposing fingers 8 extend from a plane spanned by the upper side of the central balancing section T in a curved section downwards. Visible are also arranged at the ends of the fingers 8 locking means which are formed for Verras- processing with the contact housing parts 6a, 6b.

FIG. 10 shows a perspective view of a second embodiment of a printed circuit board connector 1. In this case, reference may be made essentially to the comments on the first exemplary embodiment. The PCB connector 1 _Λ "

This differs in the design of the electrically conductive connecting elements 16 and the insulating housing 5.

The electrical contacts (not visible) on the circuit boards 2a, 2b are surrounded by an open-topped housing frame 22a, 22b of an insulating material. In this housing frame 22a, 22b, the insulating material 5 of the printed circuit board connector 1 is inserted with the incorporated therein electrically conductive connecting elements. The insulating housing 5 is in this case made in one piece, since the housing frame 22 a, 22 b of the electrical contacts contribute nothing essential to the PCB connector 1. However, they serve, if necessary, the mechanical fixation of the insulating housing 5 to the respective printed circuit boards 2a, 2b at a predetermined insertion position or at least by latching with the associated contact frame 22a, 22b for locking the insulating housing 5 on the associated circuit board 2a, 2b and the electrical applied thereto Contact, wherein the insulating housing 5 can then be held in the longitudinal direction L movable.

FIG. 11 shows in plan b) a top view and in view a) a side sectional view in section T-T according to the top view.

It is clear that the plug contact portions 14 of the electrically conductive connecting elements 16 are configured in this embodiment as fork contacts. These fork contacts 14 engage blade contacts 23 of the electrical contacts 10 which have blade grooves which are located opposite one another in opposite side grooves. By positioning the fork contacts 14 at a suitable position on a groove of the associated blade contact 23, the electrically conductive connecting element is fixed in the longitudinal direction L at a defined position. Due to the meander-shaped sections 9 in the tolerance compensation section T, the connecting elements 16 are movable in the longitudinal extension direction L.

In addition, a mobility of the printed circuit board connector 1 transversely to the longitudinal direction L, ie in the Y and Z directions by suitable design of the insulating housing 5 and optionally the connecting elements 16th _Λ

- 15 - allows. For this purpose, the connecting elements 16 to form an elastically movable tolerance compensation section T at least one impression or constriction with reduced material thickness of the connecting element transverse to the longitudinal direction L have.

From the top view according to FIG. 11 b) it is clear that the insulating housing 5 in the tolerance compensation section between the opposing contacts 10 has suitable cutouts 20 which extend not only in the longitudinal direction L but also transversely thereto. As a result, the insulating housing 5 is designed to be movable transversely to the longitudinal extension direction L in the tolerance compensation section T. With a movement of the printed circuit boards 2a, 2b, in particular in the Y direction, the insulating material housing 5 can thus compensate for such a change in position. A mobility in the Z direction can be achieved or improved in an advantageous embodiment by slots in the side walls of the insulating housing 5. These slots may e.g. as the cutouts 20 shown in Figure 12a may be formed.

It can be seen from Figure 1 1 a) further that the insulating housing 5 at the opposite end portions each have a contact receiving space 24 for receiving an associated electrical contact 10 and a contact arrangement consisting of a plurality of electrical contacts.

This contact receiving space 24 may enter into a fixed connection, for example, by low-tolerance latching with the electrical contacts 10 or the contact frame 22. By such a fixed connection relative movements between the insulating material 5 and the contacts 10 and between the plug contact portions 14 and contacts 10 are largely avoided. In contrast, the deformation required to compensate for positional tolerances between the printed circuit boards 2a, 2b is concentrated in the central region of the printed circuit board connector 1. In conjunction with the rigid connection between the electrical contacts located on the printed circuit boards 2a, 2b and the optionally associated contact housing parts 6a, 6b or contact frames 22a, 22b and the printed circuit board connector 1, a constant position of the two electrical contacts 10 can be realized at the contact point ^ become. Thus, the influence of the forces inevitably occurring from the deformation to compensate for positional tolerances is minimized to the contact point itself.

By virtue of the possibility of longitudinal expansion through the meander-shaped section 9, the electrically conductive connecting elements 16 inherently have a high moment of resistance against a transverse displacement transversely to the longitudinal extension direction L. Therefore, the insulating housing 5 is in the middle region, i. in the tolerance compensation section T, designed such that it has a low resistance moment in this plane. It can be seen from FIG. 11 b) that the end sections with the contact receiving spaces 24 are not affected by this weakened design since they are intended to form a robust and low-tolerance connection with the electrical contacts 10 mounted on the printed circuit board 2a, 2b. It can also be seen from FIG. 11 b) that the electrically conductive connecting elements 16 in the tolerance compensation range T have a reduced width compared to the plug contact portions 14. By this reduction in width, the moment of resistance in the transverse direction to the longitudinal direction L of the connecting elements 16 itself is reduced.

FIG. 12 shows a sectional view of the second embodiment of the printed circuit board connector with a marking of the section W-W and, in FIG. 12a), the section through the insulating material housing 5 in section W-W. It is clear here that the insulating housing 5 in the tolerance compensation range T is weakened by the U-shaped cutouts 20 extending on both sides in the longitudinal direction with a free space in the middle region and being movable transversely to the longitudinal extension direction L. For each connecting element 16 extending on both sides of an underlying connecting element 16 each have two parallel recesses 20 in the longitudinal direction L, which merge in the central region in a common opening. The two parallel cutouts 20 are separated from each other by a tongue 25 made of insulating material, said tongue 25 being located above the underlying connecting element 16.

It can also be seen from the sectional view WW that the end sections with the contact receiving spaces 24 are made very stiff and in any case not transversely to the _Λ

- 17 -

Longitudinal direction L and not in the longitudinal direction L itself are movable.

It is also clear that the insulating material housing 5 in the second embodiment of the printed circuit board connector 1 is not movable in the longitudinal extension direction L and is thus accommodated in the longitudinal direction L in the contact frame 22a, 22b.

Claims

claims:

1 . PCB connector (1) with:

at least one pair of electrical contacts (10) each having a connection section (4) for connection to a respective associated circuit board (2a, 2b),

at least one electrically conductive connecting element (16), the mutually opposite plug contact portions (14) for plug-in contact of a respective associated electrical contact (10), and an insulating housing (5), which is designed to receive the connecting element (16) and on two opposite end portions each having a contact receiving space (24) adapted to receive at least one electrical contact (10), characterized in that the printed circuit board connector (1) in a tolerance compensating portion (T) between the opposing contact receiving spaces (24) transversely to which is formed by the one of the contact receiving spaces (24) to the opposite contact receiving space (24) defined longitudinal extension direction (L) of the printed circuit board connector (1) movable.

Second printed circuit board connector (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the insulating housing (5) in the tolerance compensation section (T) has cutouts (20) which extend transversely to the longitudinal direction (L).

Third printed circuit board connector (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the mutually opposite end portions of the insulating housing (5) having the respective contact receiving space (24) via at least one meandering web (9) in the tolerance compensation section (T) connected to each other are.

4. printed circuit board connector (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that the at least one meandering web (9) in at least a portion transverse to the longitudinal direction (L) and parallel to a by the arrival End portions (4) of the electrical contacts (10) and through the bottom of the contact receiving space (24) opposite opening of the contact receiving space (24) defined printed circuit board plane extends.

Printed circuit board connector (1) according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the at least one meandering web (9) in at least a portion transverse to the longitudinal direction (L) and perpendicular to a through the connecting portions (4) of the electrical contacts (10) and by the printed circuit board plane defined by the opening of the contact receiving space (24) opposite the bottom of the contact receiving space (24).

Printed circuit board connector (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one connecting element (16) in the tolerance compensating section (T) is formed elastically or plastically movable transversely to the longitudinal direction (L).

Printed circuit board connector (1) according to claim 6, characterized in that at least one connecting element (16) for forming an elastically movable tolerance compensation section (T) has at least one impression or constriction with reduced material thickness of the connecting element (16).

Printed circuit board connector (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the connecting element (16) in the tolerance compensation section (T) between the mutually opposite plug contact portions (14) is meander-shaped.

Printed circuit board connector (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the insulating material housing (5) has a contact housing part (6a, 6b) which can be plugged onto an electrical contact (10) and a connector housing part which carries the same (6) and which carries separate electrically conductive connecting elements (16). 7), wherein the connector housing part (7) is insertable into a respective opening of the contact housing parts (6a, 6b).

10. printed circuit board connector (1) according to claim 9, characterized in that the contact housing parts (6a, 6b) conductor insertion openings (18) for inserting and contacting an electrical conductor with an associated electrical contact (10) on which the contact housing part (6a, 6b) can be placed has.

1 1. Printed circuit board connector (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the plug contact portions (14) are designed as contact blades, contact forks, pin connectors or spring clips.