Connector assembly and system for mounting circuit breaker on circuit board

Abstract

The aim of the invention is to enable a circuit breaker (2) to be electrically connected and fixed to a circuit board (4) in a simple and comfortable manner, for which purpose the invention proposes a connector assembly comprising two angled pin contacts (1 '), the plug region (11) of each pin contact having at least four plug segments (114) facing in the plug direction.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a connector assembly according to the preamble of independent claim 1.

[0002] Furthermore, the present invention also relates to a system comprising the connector assembly according to claim 1 , a circuit board and a circuit breaker.

[0003] Such a connector assembly and system is needed to fix a circuit breaker to a circuit board and to connect it to the circuit of the circuit board in an electrically conductive manner. In this way, it is possible to close the relevant circuit or interrupt the circuit if necessary. Such a circuit can be designed for high current applications, i.e., high currents exceeding 16A ("amperes"), such as at least 24A, such as at least 32A, in particular at least 48A, preferably at least 56A, particularly preferably even more than 64A, such as more than 70A or even more than 76A, such as even more than 82A. Background Art

[0004] Patent document EP3 794 684A1 discloses a circuit board plug-in device for electrically connecting a cable to a circuit board so as to transmit a large current from the cable to the circuit board.

[0005] Patent document WO2012 / 000807A1 shows a bus-compatible connection system for various modules, such as contactors that can be mounted on a circuit board. To this end, the document discloses a holder having a frame or a cover for mounting the contactor, the grid of the cover being larger than the grid of the frame.

[0006] A disadvantage of the prior art is that it is very time-consuming and laborious to mount such a circuit breaker on a circuit board and to connect it electrically to the circuits (especially high-current circuits) on the circuit board.

[0007] The German Patent and Trademark Office searched the following prior art documents for the priority application: DE 198 34 478A1, DE 102020 203 560A1, DE 20 2017 107 133U1, EP 3 794 684A1 and WO2012 / 000807A1. Summary of the invention

[0008] The object of the present invention is to provide a connector assembly which is easy to operate, simple to manufacture and has a high current carrying capacity. The connector assembly can be used to fix a circuit breaker to a circuit board and conductively connect it to the circuit of the circuit board so as to selectively close or interrupt the circuit.

[0009] The solution of the invention for achieving the above-mentioned object is the subject of claim 1.

[0010] A connector assembly is used to mount a circuit breaker to a printed circuit board, and has at least the following features: At least two pin contacts each angled at a connection angle, wherein each pin contact is integrally formed of metal and has at least: A connection area on the connection side, used for conductive connection with the circuit breaker; The plug-in area on the plug-in side is used to insert the contact through-hole of the circuit board, wherein the plug-in area has the following characteristics: Circular cross section; a plugging axis extending along the plugging direction; and At least two grooves intersecting along the plug axis, so that At least four plug-in sections pointing in the plug-in direction are formed in the plug-in area of ​​each pin contact, and each plug-in section has an outer contour in the shape of a circular arc segment; and A connecting portion is used to connect the plug-in area and the connecting area, forming an angle with the connecting angle.

[0011] A system consists of a connector assembly of the above type, a circuit board and a circuit breaker (in particular a circuit breaker in the form of a line protection switch and / or a fault current switch), wherein the circuit board has a circuit. The circuit has at least one conductor track and is conductively connected to at least two contact through-holes of the circuit board. The contact through-holes consist of circular through-holes in the circuit board, the inner side of which is coated with an electrical contact material and which belong to at least one conductor track or are conductively connected to at least one conductor track. The circuit breaker has a mechanical separator / switch, and at least two terminals of the mechanical separator / switch can be selectively electrically separated and electrically connected by the separator / switch. On the connection side, each angled pin contact is conductively connected or at least connectable to each of the two terminals. On the plug-in side, the corresponding pin contact is inserted or can be inserted into the contact through-hole and is then conductively connected or at least connectable to the circuit so as to connect the circuit breaker to the circuit.

[0012] Advantageous embodiments of the invention are described in the dependent claims and in the following text.

[0013] The special advantage of the present invention is that each pin contact can be directly inserted into the corresponding contact through-hole of the circuit board with its plug-in area, so as to establish electrical contact with the contact material of the corresponding conductor track of the circuit board. Through the arc segment-shaped outer contour of the plug-in section, a large-area electrical connection can be achieved between the pin contact and the contact material coated on the inner surface of the circuit board through-hole ("contact through-hole"), and an electrical connection with a special current carrying capacity can be achieved between the pin contact and the circuit board circuit connected thereto.

[0014] The circuit board connector has at least two grooves intersecting along its plug axis, so that the elasticity required for plugging can be provided. In particular, during plugging, the plug sections formed thereby can be at least slightly moved toward each other by applying corresponding reaction forces.

[0015] The pin contact can have symmetry at least in its plug-in region, and can be designed to be rotationally symmetrical and / or mirror-symmetrical, in particular axially symmetrical, at least in this region. Preferably, the plug-in axis can also be the pin axis and thus the axis of symmetry of the pin contact or of at least a part of the pin contact (i.e. the plug-in region).

[0016] Advantageously, in the plugged state, the pin contact can pass through the contact through-hole of the circuit board with its plug-side end, thereby establishing an electrically conductive contact with the contact material of the circuit board arranged in the contact through-hole, and then being electrically conductively connected to the circuit for high current transmission. It is particularly advantageous that at least four, in particular identical, plug-in sections of the circuit board connector pointing in the plug-in direction are formed in the plug-in area. By at least slight elastic deformation of the plug-in area, for example by squeezing the plug-in sections together, these plug-in sections can be at least slightly moved toward each other. Due to the at least one groove of the plug-in area and its elasticity, in particular its at least slightly reversibly deformable material, in particular metal, the plug-in area ultimately has the at least slight deformability required for this.

[0017] During plugging, the plug-in sections can move toward each other, and ideally, the outer surfaces of the plug-in sections are aligned parallel to the plug-in direction. When a corresponding outward reaction force is applied, the outer surfaces of the plug-in sections establish conductive contact with the contact material arranged in the contact through-hole of the circuit board along the plug-in direction, and the common contact surface is as large as possible and ideally aligned parallel when viewed along the plug-in direction. Preferably, the contact material belongs to the conductor track of the circuit board, that is, the contact material is at least conductively connected to the corresponding conductor track.

[0018] It is particularly advantageous here that the circuit breaker can be fixed to the circuit board by inserting the plug-in regions of the pin contacts into the contact through-holes of the circuit board.

[0019] In a preferred embodiment, the connection angle is greater than 85° and less than 95°. In particular, the connection angle can ideally be a right angle. This is particularly advantageous because commercially available circuit breakers can be used, which usually have two electrical terminals each, located on opposite sides of the circuit breaker housing. This allows the two terminals to be connected to the circuit board with minimal effort.

[0020] In a preferred embodiment, the groove can end in the plug-in region or at the latest in the connection section, preferably in each case on the plug-in side of the connection corner.

[0021] Furthermore, each pin contact is made of a metal material that is at least slightly reversibly deformable. The pin contact can be at least partially a turned part. The groove can be cut into the plug-in area by sawing or milling.

[0022] The plug-in area can be designed symmetrically. The pin axis can be at least partially the symmetry axis of the plug-in area.

[0023] In a preferred embodiment, in the unplugged state, the diameter of the plugging zone increases at least slightly towards the plugging-side end of the pin contact. This has the advantage that in the plugged state, the outer surfaces of the plugging sections are aligned parallel by applying an outward reaction force due to the deformation, which reaction force can be used as a pressing force and thus as a contact force. In addition to the positive effect of the arc segment-shaped outer contour, there is a further positive effect, namely that the size of the contact surface between the pin contact and the contact through hole in the plugging direction is also optimized, i.e. maximized. In this way, while applying the necessary contact force, the largest possible common contact surface can be obtained between the pin contact and the contact through hole.

[0024] In a further advantageous embodiment, the connection is surrounded by an electrically insulating material at least in the region of the connection corners. This is advantageous on the one hand because it is possible to prevent the contact pin from making contact and a hand-touching / contact with the insulating material is not dangerous. On the other hand, the insulating material can also be formed by a contact carrier which surrounds the respective connection contact in the region of the connection corners of the connection contact.

[0025] Such a contact carrier may also comprise a latching device for additional / improved fastening of the pin contacts to the circuit board. This is particularly advantageous because a particularly large and heavy circuit breaker can be fixed to the circuit board by being held on both sides of the two pin contacts on the circuit board. This makes it possible to manually latch and release the connector assembly from the circuit board in a self-explanatory and direct manner by simple means, with the advantage that the circuit breaker can also be latched to the circuit board and released from the circuit board just as easily. The latching device can be designed, for example, in the form of one or more latching arms, each of which has a latching hook at its end. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] The embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 a shows a pin contact according to the prior art; FIG. 1 b shows a circuit board according to the prior art; FIG. 1 c shows a contact carrier with a latching arm according to the prior art; Figure 1d shows the assembly of the above components; Figure 2a and Figure 2b An angled pin contact is shown without and with a plastic encapsulation; Figure 3a and Figure 3bA circuit breaker is shown with two angled pin contacts to be connected thereto or therewith; Figure 4 A circuit board and a circuit breaker are shown, wherein the circuit breaker is secured to the circuit board by two angled pin contacts, each via an insulator.

[0027] The drawings contain partially simplified schematic diagrams. To the extent that the same reference numerals are used for the same elements, they may also be used for different elements. Different views of the same element may be scaled to different proportions. Directional terms such as "left", "right", "upper" and "lower" should be understood with reference to the corresponding drawings and may differ from the objects shown in the drawings. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] FIG. 1a shows a pin contact 1 according to the prior art, which has a plug-in area 11, which is divided into four plug-in sections 114 pointing in the plug-in direction by two grooves 140 intersecting at right angles along a plug-in axis (not shown). For the sake of clarity, the plug-in axis is not shown in this figure, but those skilled in the art can easily understand the plug-in axis based on the symmetry of the plug-in area 11.

[0029] Fig. 1b shows a circuit board 4 having contact through holes 41 and locking grooves 43. The contact through holes 41 are each provided with a conductive inner coating made of a conductive contact material.

[0030] 1 c shows a contact carrier 3 with latching arms 33. The contact carrier 3 accommodates two pin contacts 1 .

[0031] FIG. 1 d shows an assembly known in the prior art consisting of the above-mentioned components, namely, two pin contacts 1 , a circuit board 4 and a contact carrier 3 , wherein the contact carrier 3 is latched into a latching groove 43 of the circuit board 4 via its latching arms 33 .

[0032] Figure 2a The one-piece angled pin contact 1' is shown, which has a connection area 18 and a plug area 11, which are connected to each other via an angled connection 19 of the pin contact 1'. The plug area 11 is divided into four plug sections 114 pointing in the plugging direction by two grooves 140 intersecting at right angles along the plug axis (not shown).

[0033] Figure 2b The angled pin contact 1 ′ is shown with a sheath 3 ′ which surrounds the pin contact 1 ′ in the region of its connection 19 . The sheath 3 ′ is made of plastic or another electrically insulating material.

[0034] Figure 3aThe circuit breaker 2 is shown in a so-called "black box" form, i.e., its working mode is not shown. In this figure, there is an electrical terminal (not shown in detail) on each of the left and right sides (i.e., opposite sides) of the circuit breaker 2. An angled pin contact 1' connected thereto is arranged at each terminal.

[0035] Figure 3b A circuit breaker 2 and two angled pin contacts 1 ′ connected thereto are shown.

[0036] Figure 4 An assembly is shown, which consists, for example, of a circuit board 4 (or a comparable circuit board) known from the prior art and a circuit breaker 2 fixed to the circuit board and electrically conductively connected thereto. For this purpose, the corresponding sheath 3' is supplemented with a latching device designed as a latching arm 33, so that the sheath is a contact carrier 3''. In this way, the two angled pin contacts 1' each have a separate contact carrier 3'', which can be latched to the circuit board 4 with its respective latching arm 33. The two contact carriers 3'' can together fix themselves, the angled pin contacts 1' respectively accommodated, and the circuit breaker 2 to the circuit board 4. A lever arm 34 is formed on each latching arm 33 for release. By pressing the two lever arms 34 together, the two latching arms 33 shown will swing apart and release the latch, so that the circuit breaker 2 can be released from the circuit board 4.

[0037] The angled pin contacts 1' are inserted with their respective insertion areas 11 through contact through-holes 41 of the circuit board 4 and make electrical contact with the contact material of the conductive inner coating of the contact through-holes 41. The contact material belongs to the conductor tracks of the circuit on the circuit board 4, which the circuit breaker 2 selectively interrupts or conductively connects to.

[0038] When the plug-in area 11 of each pin contact 1' is inserted into the contact through-hole 41 of the circuit board 4, the plug-in sections 114 with a tapered outer side at the end will move slightly toward each other, thanks to the sufficiently elastic metal material of the pin contact 1'. Ideally, the outer surface of the plug-in section pointing slightly outward in the unplugged state is parallel to the plug-in axis and is therefore aligned parallel to the plug-in direction. This is achieved by applying a corresponding outward reaction force, through which the outer surface of the plug-in section establishes conductive contact with the contact material arranged in the contact through-hole 41 on the circuit board 4 with the largest possible common contact surface, ideally aligned in parallel. Preferably, the contact material belongs to the conductor track of the circuit of the circuit board 4 and / or is at least conductively connected to the conductor track. In this way, in the working state, extremely large currents can be transmitted between the circuit breaker 2 and the circuit board 4 with only minimal labor and design expenditure. These pin contacts 1' only need to be connected to the circuit breaker 2 (which can also be used in a switchboard or similar device) and inserted together into the contact through-holes 41 of the circuit board 4, and the latching arms 33 of the pin contacts 1' are latched into the latching grooves 43 of the circuit board 4. By squeezing the two lever arms 34 of the two contact carriers 3'' shown together, this latching can be eliminated (as described above), that is, the latching is released, and the circuit breaker 2 can be removed from the circuit board 4.

[0039] Thus, the circuit breaker 2 can be mechanically fixed to the circuit board 4 in a very convenient and low-cost manner and electrically connected and disconnected again. It is particularly important that the outer contour of the plug section 114 is perfectly matched to the shape of the contact through-hole 41, so that this electrically conductive connection has a great current carrying capacity.

[0040] List of Reference Numerals 1-pin contact 1' angled pin contact 11 Plug-in area 114 plug-in section 140 slots 18. Angle connection of the connection area 2 Circuit Breakers 3, 3', 3'' contact carrier, sleeve 33 Lock arm / lever arm 4 Circuit Board 41 contact through hole 43 locking groove α connection angle

Claims

1. A connector assembly for mounting a circuit breaker (2) on a circuit board, wherein: The connector assembly at least comprises: At least two pin contacts (1') each angled at a connection angle (α), wherein each pin contact (1') is integrally formed of metal and has at least: A connection area (18) on the connection side, used for conductive connection to the circuit breaker (2); The plug-in area (11) on the plug-in side is used to be inserted into the contact through hole (41) of the circuit board (4). Wherein, the plug-in area (11) comprises: Circular cross section; a plugging axis extending along the plugging direction; and At least two grooves (140) intersecting along the plug axis, whereby At least four plug-in sections (114) pointing in the plug-in direction are formed in the plug-in area (11) of each pin contact (1'), and each plug-in section (114) has an outer contour in the shape of a circular arc segment; and A connecting portion (19) is used to connect the plug-in area (11) to the connecting area (18) at the connecting angle (α).

2. The connector assembly according to claim 1, wherein: The connection angle (α) is greater than 85° and less than 95°.

3. A connector assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The connection angle (α) is ideally a right angle.

4. A connector assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The groove (140) ends at the plug-in area (11) or at the latest at the connection portion (19).

5. A connector assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: Each pin contact (1') is formed from a material that is at least slightly reversibly deformable.

6. A connector assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The pin contact (1') is at least partially a turned part.

7. A connector assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The groove (140) is introduced into the plug-in region (11) by sawing or milling.

8. A connector assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The plug-in area (11) is designed symmetrically, and the pin axis is at least partially an axis of symmetry of the plug-in area (11).

9. A connector assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: In the unplugged state, the diameter of the plug-in region (11) increases at least slightly towards the plug-in-side end of the pin contact (1).

10. A connector assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The connection (19) is surrounded by an electrically insulating material (3') at least in the region of the connection angle (α).

11. A connector assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The connector assembly is provided with an electrically insulating contact carrier (3") for each pin contact (1'), the contact carrier surrounding the pin contact (1') at least in the region of a connection angle (α) of the respective pin contact (1').

12. The connector assembly according to claim 11, wherein: The contact carrier (3'') comprises a locking device (33) for fixing the pin contact (1') to the circuit board (4).

13. A system, comprising a connector assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, a circuit board (4) and a circuit breaker (2), wherein: The circuit board (4) has a circuit, which includes at least one conductor track and is conductively connected to at least two circular contact through-holes (41), wherein the circuit breaker (2) includes a mechanical separator with at least two terminals, and the at least two terminals can be selectively electrically separated and electrically connected by a switch, wherein one of the angled pin contacts (1') is conductively connected or at least connectable to each of the two terminals on the connection side, and is inserted or at least insertable into the contact through-hole (41) on the plug-in side, thereby being conductively connected or at least connectable to the circuit.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein: The connector assembly can be locked into a locking groove (43) of the circuit board (4).

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