WO2001054231A1

WO2001054231A1 - Electrical connection piece and electrical connector

Info

Publication number: WO2001054231A1
Application number: PCT/EP2000/013316
Authority: WO
Inventors: Bernd Hoffmann; Norbert Bendicks; Ralf Böbel
Original assignee: Leopold Kostal Gmbh & Co. Kg
Priority date: 2000-01-18
Filing date: 2000-12-21
Publication date: 2001-07-26
Also published as: DE10001956C1; AU2001235383A1

Abstract

An electrical connection piece for connecting two electrical conductors (11, 12) lying one above the other on different levels consists of an electroconductive, elastically resilient contact element (L) which is located between the two conductors (11, 12) and which provides the electrical connection between them. Said contact element lies against both conductors with a prestress, forming an electrical connection. The invention is characterised in that the contact element (L) has a lamellar-type configuration, in that the two contact surfaces that are provided for contacting the two conductors (11, 12), respectively, are offset in relation to a vertical projection to each other and in that the prestress of the contact element (10) that is exerted on the conductors (11, 12) through the contact surfaces is essentially a result of the elastic resilience of the contact element sections which extend between the contact surfaces.

Description

Electrical connector and electrical connector

description

The invention relates to an electrical connecting element for connecting two electrical conductors arranged one above the other in different levels, consisting of an electrically conductive and spring-elastic contact element located between the two conductors and used to create the electrical connection between them, which is under tension on both conductors is in an electrically conductive connection. The invention further relates to an electrical connector with such a connecting member.

Such connectors or connectors are used for solderless contacting of printed circuit boards. These are also referred to as stack plugs, since contact is made with electrical devices located on different levels. Contacting two electrical conductors, each located on a different level, is not made directly by directly contacting the two conductors to each other, but through the use of a contact element which, in order to ensure proper electrical contacting, is under tension while standing against both the conductor of one level and the conductor of the other level. A wire ball, which is held in an insulating body and, in the non-contacting state, projects slightly on both sides over the surface of the insulating body as the contact member. By placing the insulating body with the wire ball on a lower electrical conductor, by placing the upper electrical conductor and then tensioning the two conductors against each other, the wire ball serving as a contact member is compressed so that this is due to the material elasticity of the wire used under tension both on the conductor one level as well as that of the other level. Gold-plated molybdenum wires are used to form cylindrical wire balls in a complex manufacturing process in order to meet the requirements regarding electrical conductivity, sufficient power transmission and sufficient material elasticity. A connector formed by using such a contact member thus consists of three layers, namely the lower electrical conductor, the insulating body with the wire balls used and the upper electrical conductor. The contact areas on the two conductors are circular. By arranging numerous wire balls in the insulating body, it is possible to make contact with numerous electrical conductors.

The wire ball serving as a contact member protrudes on each side of the

Insulator from about 0.2 mm from the surface of the insulator. Since a certain pretension is necessary to bring about an intended electrical contact between a conductor and the wire ball, the requirements placed on the insulating body are high electrical conductors with regard to their morphology in relation to the contact level are not insignificant. Tolerance compensation is only possible to a lesser extent in this prior art.

A disadvantage of this prior art is that when a wire ball is applied to a conductor, there is no defined, but only a random contact surface. In particular, the contact area when contacting one conductor can be different than contacting with the other conductor.

Based on this discussed prior art, the object of the invention is therefore to provide an electrical connecting element with which not only a flatter structure but also a greater tolerance compensation is possible while providing a defined contact area between the contact element and an electrical conductor.

This object is achieved in that the contact member is designed lamella-like, that two contact surfaces serving to contact a different conductor are arranged offset with respect to each other with respect to a perpendicular projection and that the prestressing of the contact element acting on the conductors via the contact surfaces essentially results from the Spring elasticity of the sections extending between the contact surfaces results.

Furthermore, this object is achieved by an electrical connector with such a connecting member, in which there is a two-shell housing, the two shells of which are arranged such that they can be locked together are and in which there is a chamber for receiving a bearing block or the contact members.

In the subject matter of the connecting element according to the invention, a contact element is used, the two contact surfaces of which, in contrast to the known prior art, are not arranged perpendicularly opposite one another but are offset with respect to one another with respect to this projection. The prestress acting on the contact surfaces of the contact element is essentially provided by the spring elasticity of those sections of the contact element which connect two contact surfaces to one another. Thus, the energy store used to provide the required prestress acting on the contact surfaces of the contact element is essentially in one plane approximately parallel to the planes of the two conductors to be contacted. This configuration makes it possible, depending on the design, for the holding member or members to hold the contact member, which is implemented in the prior art by the layered insulating body, outside the structure consisting of the first level conductor, the contact member and the conductor the second level. The advantages resulting from this arrangement result in the fact that not only the height of such

Link and correspondingly also the height of an electrical connector formed therefrom with such a link can be kept very flat, but also from the fact that essentially the entire height of the link can be used for tolerance compensation. The formation of the contact member in the manner of a lamella, for example in the form of a sheet metal strip, ensures that the contact area between the contact member and a conductor is defined and is constant even with different prestressing. According to an expedient embodiment, it is provided that each contact member has a plurality of contact surfaces with which the contact member bears against the conductor of one level and against the conductor of the other level. In an expedient implementation of such an exemplary embodiment, the contact member is constructed in a wave shape, the outer sides of the apex zones representing the contact surfaces. The energy with which the contact surfaces bear against the respective conductors is stored in the flanks of the contact element connecting the apex zones. Such a contact element is expediently held within a housing in a fixed bearing, while the other end of the contact element is guided in a floating bearing.

A plurality of contact members arranged parallel to one another can be provided for contacting a plurality of conductors arranged parallel to one another in one plane. These can be produced in a simple manner, for example, by a punching process and a subsequent bending process. The fixed bearing can be formed, for example, by a plastic block. The floating bearing can be integrally formed on a housing in which the connecting member is accommodated. In a further embodiment it can also be provided that the individual contact members are held in their plastic bearings in individual plastic blocks, the plastic blocks being connected to one another by film hinges. This ensures that the individual contact members can compensate for different tolerances of the electrical conductors contacted by the contact members.

Further refinements and expedient further developments form part of further dependent claims and the following description of a Embodiment with reference to the accompanying figures. Show it:

Fig. 1: A schematic three-dimensional representation of a connecting member with a plurality of contact members for

Contacting several electrical conductors located on different levels,

2: In a schematic side view, the connector of Figure 1 when contacting a circuit board,

Fig. 3: In a schematic representation, the connector of Figure 1 when contacting two flexible conductors and

Fig. 4: Another embodiment of a connecting element inserted into a housing for the electrical connection of two flexible conductors.

A connecting element 1 for connecting electrical conductors which are arranged one above the other in two different levels consists of a number of contact lamellae L., - L ₆ serving as contact elements. The contact blades L ₁ - L ₆ are constructed identically; the further description of the connecting member 1 relates to the contact lamella L ,; the same applies to the other contact blades L ₂ -L ₆ . The contact lamella L consists of an electrically conductive, resilient material, for example of a piece of sheet metal made of a CuBe alloy. The contact lamella L shows contact beads K ₀ or K _U pointing upwards and downwards _; whose apex zones each represent a contact area K _F. Between two contact beads K ₀ and K _υ there is a straight one Contact lamella section K _A , which runs approximately parallel to the plane of the two electrical conductors to be contacted when the connecting member 1 is not loaded. The contact surfaces resting on the conductors on one level are thus offset from those lying on the conductors on the other level.

The contact lamellae L., - L ₆ are produced as a lead frame, which has been brought into the configuration shown in FIGS. 1-3 in a subsequent work step. In the area of one end of the contact lamellae L., - L ₆ or the original lead frame, a plastic block 2 is molded around the contact lamellae L, - L ₆ as a fixed bearing. For the correct positioning of the individual contact lamellae L, -L ₆ , they are initially connected to one another as a lead frame at one end, as shown in broken lines in FIG. After extrusion coating of the lead frame with the plastic block 2, the part of the original lead frame shown in dashed lines has been removed so that the individual contact blades L ₁ - L _{6 are kept} electrically insulated from one another in the plastic block 2.

FIG. 2 shows the connecting member 1 for contacting electrical conductors, which are arranged parallel to one another on a printed circuit board 3 in the region of the desired contacting, with a flexible conductor 4. The electrical conductor contacted by way of example in this figure by the contact lamella L is identified by reference number 5. Parallel to this electrical conductor 5, further electrical conductors 5 are arranged, which are contacted in a corresponding manner by the further contact lamellae L ₂ - L ₆ . The

Printed circuit board 3 serves as an abutment for a force applied to the flexible conductor 4, with which the flexible conductor 4 is pressed towards the printed circuit board 3 in accordance with the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. This force can be achieved, for example, by means of a fastening plate which is screwed to the circuit board 3 on the upper side. to be provided. Under the influence of this force, the contact lamellae L - L _{6 of} the connecting member 1 deform, so that the contact surfaces K _F bear against the respective conductors of the printed circuit board 3 or the fiex conductor 4 under a certain pretension. This pretension is stored in the contact blades, in particular in the contact blade sections K _A. The formation of a plurality of contact beads K ₀ or K, _j each resting on a conductor increases the functional reliability of the electrical connection, so that there is always a perfect electrical contact between the electrical conductors 4, 5 even if vibrations occur.

From this figure it is clear that the plastic block 2 as a holding member of the slats L, - L ₆ is outside the actual contacting zone, so that the possible structure of the connection is kept flat and with respect to tolerance compensation not by the bearing, which is blocked by the plastic 2 is formed, is impaired.

With the connecting element according to the invention, illustrated with the aid of the connecting element 1, two flexible conductors 6, 7 with a plurality of electrical conductors arranged parallel to one another can also be connected to one another. This is shown schematically in FIG. 3, the flexible conductor 7 being led away from the connecting part 1 to form a U-shaped bend 8. Such a design is expedient if the introduced and the outgoing flex conductors 6 and 7 are to be arranged in the same orientation with the same side facing upward. The necessary external force to provide the required pretension is provided, for example, by a housing, not shown in this figure, which encloses the connection point shown in FIG. 3. Such a housing 9 with a further connecting part 10 is shown in FIG. 4 in a longitudinal section for the electrical connection of two further flexible conductors 11, 12. The connecting member 10 is constructed similarly to the connecting member 1, the cross-section of the individual contact lamellae being regularly undulating. In this embodiment, three contact surfaces are provided for contacting a conductor 11 and 12, respectively. With a plastic block 13 held in the housing 9 and serving as a bearing block, the contact lamellae L are each held in one chamber of the shells of the housing 9. The two housing shells of the housing 9 are designated in FIG. 4 by the reference numerals 14, 15. Both housing shells 14, 15 are connected to one another by a film hinge 16, so that the two housing shells 14, 15 can be pivoted against one another in order to be able to use both the flexible conductors 11, 12 - stripped on one side beforehand at the corresponding points - and the connecting member 10 , On the outside, the two housing shells 14, 15 carry latching means, not shown, by which the housing shells 14, 15 are held in the closed position shown in FIG.

The free ends of the contact lamellae L opposite the plastic block 13 each have an individual plastic block 17, which are each connected to one another by a film hinge. In this way, the individual, parallel lamellae L can independently of one another accommodate different tolerances of the electrical conductors contacted. The plastic blocks 17 are used, in particular, to prevent tilting of the contact lamellae L and mutual contacting in the region of the free ends. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the housing 9 is inserted into a surrounding housing 18 to seal it, seals 19, 20 on the input and output sides sealing the flexible conductors 11 and 12 against the ingress of moisture.

In order to relieve the strain on the flexible conductors 11, 12 inserted into the housing 9, they are placed on the strain relief spigot in a known manner.

In a further development, not shown in the figures, it is provided that when the two housing shells are brought together, a relative movement of the two housing shells to one another is carried out in order to achieve the resulting frictional movement between the contact surfaces of the connecting element (s) on the surface of the conductor in one and / or bring about a self-cleaning of the contact points on the other level. The one or more connecting links can be held in a housing shell, for example, when the connector is used for repair purposes, the new conductor is already integrated in this housing shell. The further housing shell has guide slots arranged obliquely or partially parallel to the plane of the conductor, into which guide pins of the other housing shell engage. When this connector is used for repair purposes, the older flexible conductor is arranged in this housing shell, the electrical conductors of which are cleaned (again) when the housing shells are closed in order to produce the desired electrical contact.

From the description of the invention it is clear that the use of the claimed connecting link is also particularly suitable for connecting two flexible conductors to one another in the event of repairs, since the connecting link also provides robust handling in a repair shop Holds up. Such repair cases are necessary, for example, if the electrical units contacted by such a flexible conductor, for example in a motor vehicle, have to be failed and replaced. It is also advantageous that such connecting points can be provided in an extremely flat construction by using the connecting member, so that they can also be used in confined spaces.

Compilation of the reference symbols

1 connecting link

2 plastic block

3 circuit board

4 flexible conductors

5 electrical conductors

6 flexible conductors

7 flexible conductors

8 bend

9 housing

10 connecting link

11 flexible conductors

12 flexible conductors

13 plastic block

14 housing shell

15 housing shell

16 film hinge

17 plastic block

18 housing

19 seal

20 seal

L contact lamella i - Lβ contact lamella

K ₀ contact bead, top

Ku contact bead, bottom κ _F contact area κ _A contact lamella section

Claims

claims

1. Electrical connecting element for connecting two electrical conductors (4, 5; 6, 7; 11, 12) arranged one above the other in different levels, consisting of one between the two

Conductors (4, 5; 6, 7; 1 1, 12) located and used to create the electrical connection between these serving, electrically conductive and spring-elastic contact member (L; L, -L ₆ ), which is under tension on both conductors ( 4, 5; 6, 7; 1 1, 12) in electrically conductive connection, characterized in that the

Contact member (L; L, -L ₆ ) is designed lamella-like that two contact surfaces (K _F ), each for contacting a different conductor (4, 5; 6, 7; 11, 12), are staggered with respect to each other with respect to a perpendicular projection and that through the contact surfaces (K _F ) acting on the conductors (4, 5; 6, 7; 1 1, 12)

Biasing of the contact member (1, 10) essentially results from the spring elasticity of the contact member sections (K _A ) extending between the contact surfaces (K _F ).

2. Connecting element according to claim 1, characterized in that the contact element (L; L1-L6) each has a plurality of contact surfaces (KF) assigned to each conductor.

3. Connecting link according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the contact member (L) is wave-shaped and the

Vertex areas that are contact surfaces.

4. Link according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the contact member (L1 -L6) as contact surfaces (KF) alternately to the Has conductors (4, 5; 6, 7) facing contact beads (KO, KU) which are separated from one another by contact member sections (KA) which run essentially parallel to the conductors to be contacted.

5. Connecting member according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the contact member (L) is held in a housing (9) with one end in a fixed bearing (13) and with its other end in a floating bearing and that the closed Connection housing (9) is used to apply the required bias acting on the contact surfaces.

6. Connecting element according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that a plurality of contact elements (L; L1- L6) are arranged in parallel to one another for contacting electrical conductors running parallel to one another in the two planes.

7. Electrical connector with a connecting member according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized by a double-shell housing (9), the two shells (14, 15) are arranged lockable with each other and in each of which there is a chamber for receiving one or the contact members (L) bearing bracket (2, 13) is located.

8. Connector according to claim 7, characterized in that the two shells (14, 15) of the housing (9) are arranged pivotably to one another and are connected to one another by a film hinge (16).

9. Connector according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the two shells (14, 15) carry latching means for locking them together.

10. Connector according to one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that the or the conductors to be contacted (11) of one plane are led away from the housing (9), forming a U-shaped bend.

11. Connector according to claim 7, characterized in that the

Locking the two shells to one another results in a relative movement of the two shells to one another in the plane of the conductor, which movement results in a relative movement between the connecting element and at least one electrical conductor contacted with it.