Roof system of a vehicle with a printed circuit board assembly, method for attaching a printed circuit board assembly of the roof system, and use of a plug connection of the roof system for connecting printed circuit boards of the printed circuit board assembly.

Abstract

A vehicle roof system comprises a printed circuit board arrangement (1) configured to provide an ambient light function with respect to a glass cover (200) of a vehicle roof when power is supplied, wherein the printed circuit board arrangement (1) has two printed circuit boards (10, 20), preferably strip-shaped, which can be connected and disconnected at their ends by a connector (50). The connector (50) comprises: at least a first connection part (52) arranged on a first (10) of the printed circuit boards; at least a second connection part (54) associated with the first connection part (52) and arranged on a second (20) of the printed circuit boards;wherein the first connecting part (52) and the second connecting part (54) are each arranged and configured in an area adjacent to the end faces (80, 82) of the respective printed circuit boards (10, 20) facing each other in the connected state, to establish a releasable mechanical connection with each other; wherein a joining direction (Z) in which the connection can be made and released is oriented essentially perpendicular to a plane (XY) in which the two printed circuit boards (10, 20) extend at least in the area adjacent to the end faces (80, 82) facing each other;wherein the connecting parts (52, 54) of the connector (50) are configured to allow, in the connected state, a mutual rotation of the two printed circuit boards (10, 20) about an axis parallel to the joining direction (Z) and / or a mutual rotation of the two printed circuit boards (10, 20) about a lateral direction (Y) parallel to one or both end faces (80, 82) of the printed circuit boards (10, 20) and / or a mutual translational displacement along a longitudinal direction (X) of one or both of the printed circuit boards (10, 20), without the connection being released.

Description

Technical FieldVarious aspects relate to a roof system of a vehicle having a plug connection for connecting two printed circuit boards, which are preferably designed in strip form. In particular, some aspects relate to connectors of flexible LED strips for ambient light lighting in vehicle glass roofs.Background ArtThey are LED strips (narrow. LED stripes) with which a desired indirect illumination and / or various visual effects can be achieved. The LED strips can be a more or less flexible, but in particular rigidly flexible (FR-4 board, e.g. in combination with intermediate polyimide films), carrier material functioning as printed circuit boards, on which arrangements of LEDs are positioned in a wired manner and are operated by driver / control devices likewise provided there. According to a more recent development, such LED strips can also be used to induce mood-enhancing light scenarios in transparent roof elements of vehicles, in particular motor vehicles, etc., which is also referred to as "ambient light", for example in the case of darkness in the vehicle environment. The illumination elements corresponding to the LED strips can be integrated in the roof system, for example, in the edge region of the transparent roof element or glass cover. The light is coupled laterally, for example via prisms, into pane planes of the roof system suitable for this purpose, so that optical structures introduced into the glass pane scatter the light and thus become visible to the vehicle occupants.The LED strips must be inserted in a very narrow installation space, because of the specific application. The height of the installation space perpendicular to the glass surface can be, for example, only 1.9 to 2 mm. A height of the printed circuit board of the LED strip can already be 0.8-1 mm, for example.The flat strips must also follow the curvatures or curves of the installation space in the roof region. The power supply and the control (via a bus, e.g. LIN bus) of the LED strips are effected via a cable harness, the cable harness plug of which is brought into contact with a plug connector (so-called header) in the region of the LED strips. The LED strips regularly extend over the entire length of the glass covers. This length can clearly exceed a length of the LED strips, so that a plurality of modules are often plugged together. Conventionally, a plug-in direction is oriented parallel to the plane of the printed circuit board--wherein due to the flexibility of the LED strip, this is to be understood as a plane which forms a respective end-face region of the LED strip close to the relevant plug-in connection.The modules or LED strips joined together in this way are then mounted in a subsequent step jointly perpendicular to the printed circuit board surface on the prisms and thus on the glass cover (pane). The positioning is effected inter alia by positioning pins which are formed on the glass cover in the region of the prisms and extend perpendicularly to the glass surface and thus also perpendicularly to the printed circuit board plane. During assembly, these positioning pins are inserted into positioning openings provided in the printed circuit boards of the LED strip. The LED strips consequently mounted on the prisms can then no longer be moved on site in the roof system-because of the small installation space height-in a longitudinal direction parallel to the printed circuit board plane and the plug-in direction. However, this results in not inconsiderable restrictions for the mounting or the replacement of modules: these can namely no longer be joined to the glass cover in the roof system of the vehicle itself, i.e. in situ, with the plug connectors currently available, on account of the small installation space, and can also not be replaced individually if this is necessary after a time of use, for example in the event of a light source failure etc.The coupling of the printed circuit boards lying opposite one another on the end side in the longitudinal direction of the LED strips can be effected via SMT connectors (SMT: Surface Mounted Technology, also SMD: Surface Mounted Devices). On both sides, connection parts of the SMT connectors that can be mechanically coupled to one another are soldered or bonded onto conductor track pads, which are pushed into one another during assembly and latch into one another. An example can be found in the data sheet of the SMT connector Kyocera 70-9159-001-401 / 402-006. This is a KYOCERA AVX series 9159 board-to-board connector system, which is used specifically in the field of solid state lighting (SSL) and enables a pairing of printed circuit boards in one plane (horizontal-horizontal). These SMT connectors allow the gap size to be minimized and the boards to be connected on an impact basis. The plug connector system comprises two connector parts which are pushed linearly into one another. However, these add 1.2 mm to the overall height of the circuit board structure in addition to the circuit board thickness, so that the structure and installation space height are already similarly dimensioned (approximately 2 mm).There is therefore a need for a plug connection which solves the aforementioned problems and in particular enables the modules to be joined together and also released from one another on site in the roof system of a vehicle.The document WO 2022 / 039 416 A1 discloses LED lighting systems for room ceilings in residential or office rooms. The room ceiling is divided in a tile-like manner and LED modules are provided on each division in a grid-like arrangement. At crossing points of this arrangement there are connecting plates (connection boards) which, by means of mutually matching projections and recesses in the printed circuit board substrate, ensure a positive mechanical connection with the printed circuit boards of 4 LED modules in each case, which meet here. Even mutual micromovements of the modules are thereby prevented. The assembly is effected by joining together in a direction perpendicular to the printed circuit board plane, which corresponds to the space ceiling plane. During the assembly, corresponding electrical contacts or connection parts also meet one another due to the mechanical positive fit in order to connect electrical conductor tracks and thus overall the modules to one another.The document WO 2011 / 025 534 A1 discloses a plug connection for two printed circuit boards equipped with LEDs, for example. The plug connection can be joined together by different relative positionings of the printed circuit board with respect to one another in order finally to produce an electrical connection, for which purpose a jumper can be provided which is independent of corresponding housings of the connection parts and which, after the mutual positioning, produces the electrical connection by manual displacement.U.S. Pat. No. 7,448,873 B2 discloses a plug connector arrangement for connecting electrical circuit boards, in particular in computers or printers. The publication DE 20 2013 105 726 U1 discloses a single-pole electrical connector with hermaphroditic contact elements. WO 2023 / 072 332 A1 discloses a connecting element for a printed circuit board unit having at least one first and second printed circuit board.SUMMARY OF VARIOUS ASPECTSAspects of the invention which meet the above need relate to a roof system of a vehicle as set out in the appended claim 1. The roof system comprises a printed circuit board arrangement which is designed to provide an ambient light function with respect to a glass cover of a vehicle roof in the case of a supply with power, wherein the printed circuit board arrangement has two printed circuit boards which are preferably designed in the form of strips and which can be connected to one another at the end side and disconnected from one another again by a plug connection. Such a plug connection comprises at least one first connection part, which is arranged on a first of the printed circuit boards, and at least one second connection part, which is assigned to the first connection part and is arranged on a second of the printed circuit boards. The first connection part and the second connection part are each arranged in a region adjoining end faces of the respective printed circuit boards which face one another in the connected state and are configured to produce a releasable mechanical connection with one another.A joining direction (also referred to below as the "Z direction") in which this connection can be established and released again is oriented substantially perpendicular to a plane ("XY plane") in which the two printed circuit boards extend at least in the region adjoining the end faces facing one another.The connection parts of the plug connection are also configured to allow, in the connected state, a mutual rotation of the two printed circuit boards about an axis parallel to the joining direction and / or a mutual rotation of the two printed circuit boards about an axis parallel to one or both end sides of the printed circuit boards and / or a mutual translatory displacement along a longitudinal axis X of one of the two or both printed circuit boards without the connection being released as a result.The proposed plug connection consequently opens up the possibility, on the one hand, of providing the joining direction parallel to an assembly direction if, for example, the printed circuit boards are those of modules of an LED strip which are attached to a glass cover of a vehicle roof. In this case, even if the LED modules are mounted and, as described at the beginning, these can no longer be moved in the longitudinal direction ("X direction"), because they are more or less fixed in this direction by positioning holes which cooperate with associated positioning pins on the glass cover when aligning the LEDs with opposite light coupling prisms, a single module can be detached from the module connected up until then, for example, in order to replace it.This can be done on site in the limited space of the roof system, i.e. the glass cover or other components do not need to be removed from the roof for this purpose, for example.On the other hand, the special plug-in connection permits certain tolerances as to how the end faces lying opposite one another in the case of the connection are oriented with respect to one another. This offers a particular advantage because the installation space for the LED strips is not only particularly limited, but can also sometimes be formed non-linearly with some curvature in a three-dimensional orientation, since the installation space must follow the shape of the gas cover or of the glass cover edge. According to embodiments, the tolerance can be limited because exceeding a certain angle during the rotation about one of the mentioned axes can still release the connection at the end. This critical angle depends on the condition of the plug connection. It can be, for example, 10°, 15°, 20°, 25° or 30°, and the invention is not restricted in its generality to specific limit angles.The tolerance provided according to the invention in combination with the joining direction perpendicular to the printed circuit board plane may also be due to the special application situation under certain circumstances: the preferably strip-like printed circuit boards may be mounted and fixed on the glass cover in the vehicle roof at the positions defined by the positioning pins and prisms in the case of ambient light illumination. Therefore, a mutual mechanical connection is only important for ensuring a secure electrical connection, while the mutual spatial positioning is already rough. This allows tolerances and lower mechanical stress requirements that would occur if the strips were laid freely and unfastened. The mechanical loads are also absorbed here by the attachment to the glass cover and in the installation space. For example, by fixing the printed circuit boards in the longitudinal direction (X direction) on the glass cover, unintentional loosening of the connection in this direction is more so impossible, which is why it has been found that mechanical structures on the plug connection that prevent this movement in the X direction can be dispensed with.One reason for the required tolerances (in rotation and translation) is that the position of the prisms can deviate slightly by the accuracy of the manufacturing process. The prisms are bonded, for example, strip by strip on the pane. The assembly accuracy must then be compensated between the individual strips. On the other hand, the strips should be universally usable. This means that the angle between the two end faces can differ from LED strip pair to LED strip pair. According to the invention, these differences are intended to be absorbed by the proposed connection in the Z-joining direction. A curved curve is approximated by the straight line segments of the LED strips.Overall, these aspects consequently allow an increase in flexibility in the assembly, positioning and connection of the printed circuit boards, in particular in the roof system of a vehicle.It should be noted that, regardless of whether the aspects relate to a use case in a vehicle roof or elsewhere, the first and / or second printed circuit board can have a substrate which is produced from an FR-4 composite material, in particular from a glass fibre fabric or corresponding mats impregnated with epoxy resin. However, other insulating but also non-insulating materials, for example metals, plastics or ceramic, are in principle likewise conceivable. According to exemplary embodiments, this can also be a rigid flexible material, in particular a combination of FR-4 composite material layers and polyimide films.According to an embodiment, the connection parts of the plug connection are configured to allow a mutual rotation of the two printed circuit boards about at least one of the axes by an angle of 1° or more, preferably 2° or more, more preferably 5° or more, more preferably 10° or more, in the connected state, without the connection being released by the rotation. Such twistings are made possible in particular when the plug connection has elastic elements at least, which are suitable for fixing a holding force. The indicated angles allow optimum spatial positioning of the connected printed circuit boards, for example in the roof system of a vehicle.A further embodiment provides that the first connection part and the second connection part are each formed from an electrically conductive material, preferably a metal, in order to produce an electrical connection between a first conductor track formed on the first printed circuit board and a conductor track formed on the second printed circuit board. This produces a particular advantage in that the elements producing the mechanical and the electrical connection can be substantially identical. This saves costs during the design or production of the printed circuit boards by synergy, and also, however, in particular, a height of construction of the printed circuit board in the narrow installation space. Furthermore, metals provide the desired resilient material properties.In the aspects, exemplary embodiments, refinements and embodiments described here, it is possible in particular for two or three or four first and second connection parts respectively assigned to one another to be configured accordingly. In the case of the electrical connection, electrical connections produced thereby can serve, for example, for forming bus lines (e.g. LIN, CAN, etc.) for control and for supplying power to LEDs or other electronic components such as controllers, etc.According to an exemplary embodiment developing aspects above, in the plug connection, the at least one first connection part is formed from a spring sheet and the at least one second connection part is formed from a pin. This form of a plug connection represents a particularly simple and space-saving variant and therefore also very advantageous for the intended field of application. In particular, the height of the printed circuit board with plug connection is very small, which is very advantageous in view of the small installation space in the case of the LED strips in a roof system of a vehicle. The pin can be, for example, a protruding section which is connected to a conductor track. The spring sheet is configured to receive at least a portion of the pin and maintain the connection by its spring force.In a development, the spring plate can be U-shaped in cross section, wherein the U-shape is open in the joining direction Z in order to insert the pin into the U-shape during joining or to place the spring plate on the pin. In the assembled state, an axis of the pin and an axis of the pin receptacle are parallel to each other in the U-shape.Alternatively, both the first connection part and the second connection part can each be designed as spring plates. The corresponding second spring plate of the second connection part can also be formed in the shape of a U or O.In this plug connection, an opening of the U-shape can be narrowed by a spring prestress of legs of the spring plate directed against one another. As a result, a holding spring force is exerted on the pin.Furthermore, at least one leg of the spring plate, preferably both, can be shaped in such a way that, when the pin is inserted in the joining direction Z, it first moves slidingly away from the opposite leg on its surface and then moves slidingly on this surface under its own spring tension back towards the opposite leg without sudden snapping in taking place. This results in the advantage that the receptacle of the pin is reversible and thus the connection can also be released in a non-destructive manner. In addition, the plug connection constructed in this way permits the above-described tolerances for rotating the two printed circuit boards relative to one another.A further advantage can be achieved in that, according to embodiments of the plug connection with spring plate and pin, the at least one pin extends beyond its end face in the longitudinal direction of the second printed circuit board. As a result, the spring plate attached to the first printed circuit board can engage on this pin or can accommodate the relevant section therein.An embodiment based thereon provides that both the at least one pin and the at least one spring plate are fastened on a main surface of the respective corresponding printed circuit board and are preferably electrically connected to conductor tracks or corresponding pads. When the main surfaces are aligned in the same direction (for example in the direction of a glass cover), the protruding pin or pins of the second printed circuit board thereby automatically slide into the U-shaped openings of the spring plates when the first printed circuit board is brought in the joining direction Z perpendicular to the printed circuit board plane XY into the connection position in which the two end faces are opposite one another.Aspects of the roof system according to the present invention also provide a printed circuit board arrangement which has two printed circuit boards which can be connected and disconnected from one another again by a plug connection according to one of the above-mentioned exemplary embodiments. The same advantages as described above are obtained.In such a printed circuit board arrangement, at least one of the two printed circuit boards, preferably both, can have a number of light sources, preferably LEDs, which are formed on the same main surface as the first and second connection parts. This is an optimum positioning in the described application for ambient light lighting in the roof system of a vehicle.According to specific exemplary embodiments, the printed circuit board arrangement can furthermore comprise at least one mounting and / or positioning opening which is formed through at least one of the printed circuit boards and is configured to cooperate with a mounting and / or positioning pin which is formed in the vicinity of a light coupling prism on a glass cover of a vehicle roof, wherein the mounting and / or positioning opening and the mounting and / or positioning pin, with respect to the printed circuit board arrangement, fix mounting on the glass cover in the joining direction Z.Aspects of the invention also provide a method of attaching a circuit board assembly as described above to a vehicle lid. As well as the use of the plug connection of the roof system for connecting circuit boards of the circuit board arrangement. The method may comprise the following steps:providing the printed circuit board arrangement;mounting the second printed circuit board in the joining direction Z perpendicular to the printed circuit board plane (and preferably also perpendicular to the glass cover plane) on the glass cover, with the cooperation of the mounting and / or positioning opening and the mounting and / or positioning pin;subsequently connecting the first circuit board to the mounted second circuit board using the plug connector by joining in the joining direction Z.This yields the same advantages as described above.Further advantages, features and details of the various aspects can be gathered from the claims, the following description of preferred embodiments and on the basis of the drawings. In the figures, like reference numerals designate like features and functions.Brief Description of the DrawingsThe following are shown: FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration in plan view of a comparative example with a printed circuit board arrangement which is to be joined together in the longitudinal or X direction by means of a known plug connection and comprises two printed circuit boards which form modules of an LED strip; FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1, but in the now assembled state; FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of a perspective view of the edge of a glass cover with a printed circuit board arrangement fastened thereon; FIG. 4 shows a schematic illustration in plan view (along the joining direction Z proposed according to the invention) of an exemplary embodiment with a printed circuit board arrangement which is to be joined together in the longitudinal or X direction by means of a known plug connection and comprises two printed circuit boards which form modules of an LED strip; FIG. 5 : as in FIG. 4, but in a side view along the width direction Y; FIG. 6 : as in FIG. 4, but in a cross-sectional view along the longitudinal direction X.Preferred Embodiment(s) of the InventionIn the following description of a preferred embodiment, it should be taken into account that the present disclosure of the various aspects is not limited to the details of the structure and arrangement of the components as are illustrated in the following description and in the figures. All embodiments, including those not shown in the figures, may be put into practice or carried out in various ways. It is further to be understood that the terminology and terminology used herein is used for the purpose of specific description only and should not be interpreted as such by those skilled in the art in a limiting sense. Further, in the following description, like reference numerals designate like or similar features or items throughout the figures, so that in some cases, a detailed description thereof will be omitted to preserve the compactness and clarity of the illustration.In FIGS. 1 and 2, however, a comparative example of a printed circuit board arrangement with a plug connection is initially specified. While the details of the printed circuit board arrangement shown do not necessarily have to be generally known at the time of this application, at least the joining direction is configured here in a conventional manner, namely in the longitudinal or X direction (see arrows indicating the joining direction).In this comparative example, the circuit board assembly includes a first circuit board 110 and a second circuit board 120. They are strip-shaped and their end faces are oriented opposite each other before being joined together. For optimum centering during the assembly in the X direction, indentations 55, 76 are provided in each of the opposite end faces of the printed circuit boards 110, 120, with which matching protruding and rounded noses 53, 74 are assigned.An electrical connection is achieved by three plug connectors 30, each comprising a first connection part 32 and a second connection part 34. The second connection part 34 has a tab 36 which can be inserted into the first connection part 32 in the X direction when being joined together. Two of the first terminal parts 32 are disposed on the first circuit board 110 and one on the second circuit board 120. Accordingly, in the respective counterpart, two of the second connection parts 34 are arranged on the second printed circuit board 120 and one on the first printed circuit board 110. The three plug connectors are designed as electrical SMT connectors. In the comparative and exemplary embodiments illustrated here, the electrical SMT connectors 30 are in particular those of the Kyocera AVX 70-9159 series, which is mentioned at the beginning.On the same main surfaces of the printed circuit boards 110, 120, on which the connection parts 32, 34 are also provided, LEDs 90 are also arranged, among other things. Purely by way of example, these can be arrangements of three LEDs 90 each reflecting the colors red, green and blue in order to couple a broad spectrum of color tones including white into the glass cover in a known manner. Furthermore, the printed circuit boards 110, 120 have mounting and / or positioning openings 29 which can cooperate mechanically with corresponding mounting and / or positioning pins 150 which are provided on a glass cover 200 of a roof system of a vehicle, in particular of a motor vehicle, in order to bring the LEDs 90 provided on the printed circuit boards 110, 120 into an optimum position with respect to light coupling prisms 220 provided on the glass cover 200, as can be seen in the perspective view of FIG. 3. Therein, one of the circuit boards 110, 120 is shown in a cut-out state. It should be noted that FIG. 3 is compatible not only with FIGS. 1 and 2 of the comparative example but also with the following FIGS. 4-6, although the reference number for the printed circuit boards is indicated only corresponding to FIGS. 1 and 2. Namely, FIG. 3 shows no details for the construction of a plug connection.As can easily be seen from FIG. 3, a replacement of individual printed circuit boards 110, 120 will present difficulties in view of the alignment carried out with reference to the mounting and / or positioning openings 29 and the corresponding mounting and / or positioning pins 150, since the detachment of such a printed circuit board contains a detachment of the plug connection 30 in the X direction, which requires a corresponding displacement of the relevant printed circuit board 110 or 120, which then collides with the pins 150 in the openings 29.FIGS. 4-6 show different views or perspectives of a printed circuit board arrangement 1 of a roof system according to an exemplary embodiment. Similarly to the comparative example, the circuit board arrangement 1 comprises a first circuit board 10 and a second circuit board 20. Both circuit boards 10, 20 have arrangements of LEDs 90 on one of their main surfaces as well as mounting and / or positioning openings 29 which can cooperate mechanically with corresponding mounting and / or positioning pins 150 provided on a glass cover 200 of a roof system according to the invention of a vehicle, in particular of a motor vehicle. As described, the embodiment is compatible with the state shown in FIG. 3, so the description given above need not be repeated.In the exemplary embodiment, the second printed circuit board 20 has three second connection parts 54, which are designed as pins. These may be electrically conductive metal pins. They may be bonded or otherwise attached to electrical pads (not shown) that are connected to conductive traces 62 that provide electrical power to the LEDs or bus lines that pass control or sensor signals to, among other things, controllers or drivers, etc. provided on or connected to circuit boards (not shown). The conductor tracks are drawn in purely symbolic form in FIGS. 4-6, and the precise wiring on the printed circuit boards 10, 20 can be set up in a known manner by the relevant person skilled in the art in accordance with the tasks.The pins of the second terminal parts 54 extend in the X direction and the longitudinal direction of the second circuit board 20, respectively, and are formed on the same main surface as the LEDs 90. The pins protrude beyond an end face 82 of the second printed circuit board 20. In the exemplary embodiment, they have the same length and the same round cross section. This restriction does not apply in similarly mounted exemplary embodiments.The first printed circuit board 10 has, on the same main surface on which arrangements of LEDs are also formed there, three first connection parts 52, which are designed as spring plates and are assigned to the three pins for cooperation. The spring plates have a U-shaped profile, as can be seen in FIG. 6. An opening of the U-shaped profile faces away from the main surface of the circuit board 10 in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the first circuit board 10 defined by the longitudinal direction (X) and a width direction (Y). The pins of the second connection parts 54 slide into the openings of the U-profiles of the first connection parts 52 during the joining. As a result, a joining direction in that direction perpendicular to the printed circuit board surface, also referred to below as the Z direction, is defined.The spring plates of the first connecting parts 52 have legs 58, the mutual distance of which is smaller than the diameter or the cross section of the pins, above all in the region of the opening. This distance increases inwardly so that the pins can be held by the spring plates. To insert the pins, the legs 58 are spread against the spring pressure and the pins slide into the interior of the U-shape, after which the spring pressure is relieved in a sliding manner again. Since no snapping-in or irreversible latching takes place, the connection can also be released again if, in addition to the frictional force, the spring force for spreading the legs 58 is also overcome.The first and second connection parts 52, 54 together form a plug connection 50, in particular an electrical plug connection. The adjacent printed circuit boards 10, 20 are thus electrically connected, so that both data signals and electrical power can be transmitted (voltage or power supply).In FIG. 6, the joining in the joining direction Z is best seen. During the joining, the protruding pins are accommodated in the spring plates in the joining direction perpendicular to the printed circuit board plane XY, which spring plates are formed in a region on the main surfaces adjoining the respective end faces 80, 82 in a coordinated position and at a suitable distance from one another. As a result of the joining in the Z direction, the end faces 80, 82 of the first and second printed circuit boards 10, 20 are not moved frontally toward one another but are moved laterally toward one another. If the pins are received in the spring plates, the end faces 80, 82 are directly opposite one another.A gap is also possible between the end faces 80, 82, because the plug connection 50 formed by the first and second connections 52, 54 is not restricted in the longitudinal direction X, at least in the present exemplary embodiment, apart from by significant friction. However, this is done by fixing the openings 29 on the positioning pins 150 on the glass cover 200 in the X direction shown in FIG. 3, with which the LEDs 90 are positioned on the prism 220. This is also shown schematically in FIG. 5.However, a particular advantage arises in that the spring plates of the first connections 52 are also flexible up to a limit with respect to a rotation of the pins of the second connections in the U-shaped receptacle. Thus, for example, the pins (together with the second printed circuit board 20) can be rotated in the plane of the drawing shown in FIG. 5 in the receptacle of the spring plates. As a result, the two printed circuit boards 10, 20 can be rotated relative to one another about an axis perpendicular to the plane of the drawing of FIG. 5 (XZ plane). The axis is approximately parallel to the end faces. During such a rotation, the legs 58 of the spring plates are slightly expanded. A limit angle is given by the pins bending the legs open to such an extent that they slide out of the receptacle.Alternatively, the pins can also be slightly rotated with respect to the spring plates in the plane of the drawing shown in FIG. 4, i.e. the XY plane. The axis for the rotation is an axis in the Z direction running approximately between the end faces. Due to the unequal load on the legs 58, however, the critical angle is lower in this case.Due to the corresponding rotation tolerances, more freedom of design arises when attaching the LED strips or the printed circuit boards 10, 20 to the glass cover 200. Furthermore, as described, each individual circuit board 10, 20 can be individually exchanged on site on the glass cover in the roof system, so that overall costs and effort are saved.It should be noted that the proposed plug connection is not limited to the above-described specific application in the roof system of motor vehicles, but can also be used in particular in other cases of vehicles where little installation space is available, including in aircraft or ships, or also in buildings or technical devices which are immobile per se, etc.LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS:1 Circuit board arrangement 10 first circuit board 20 second circuit board 29 mounting and / or positioning opening 30 electrical connector (e.g. SMT) 32 first connection part 34 second connection part 36 tab of the connection part or electrical connector 50 plug connection, electrical plug connection 52 first connection part, spring plate 54 second connection part, pin 53 projection, tab 55 indentation 58 leg 60 conductor tracks 62 conductor tracks 74 projection, tab 76 indentation 80 end face, end face 82 end face, end face 90 LEDs 110 first circuit board (comparative example) 120 second circuit board (comparative example) 150 mounting and / or positioning pin 200 glass cover 220 prism, Light coupling prism X Longitudinal direction of the printed circuit boards (joining direction in the exemplary embodiment) Y Width direction of the printed circuit boards Z Perpendicular to the printed circuit board plane (joining direction in the exemplary embodiment)

Claims

Roof system of a vehicle, comprising a printed circuit board arrangement (1) which is designed to provide an ambient light function with respect to a glass cover (200) of a vehicle roof in the case of a supply with power, wherein the printed circuit board arrangement (1) has two printed circuit boards (10, 20) which are preferably designed in the form of strips and which can be connected and disconnected from one another at the end by a plug connection (50), wherein the plug connection (50) comprises: at least one first connection part (52) which is arranged on a first (10) of the printed circuit boards; at least one second connection part (54) which is assigned to the first connection part (52) and is arranged on a second (20) of the printed circuit boards; wherein the first connection part (52) and the second connection part (54) are each arranged in a region adjoining end faces (80, 82) of the respective printed circuit boards (10, 20) which face one another in the connected state and are configured to produce a releasable mechanical connection with one another; wherein a joining direction (Z) in which the connection can be established and released again is oriented substantially perpendicular to a plane (XY) in which the two printed circuit boards (10, 20) extend at least in the region adjoining the mutually facing end faces (80, 82); wherein the connection parts (52, 54) of the plug connection (50) are configured to allow, in the connected state, a mutual rotation of the two printed circuit boards (10, 20) about an axis parallel to the joining direction (Z) and / or a mutual rotation of the two printed circuit boards (10, 20) about a width direction (Y) parallel to one or both end faces (80, 82) of the printed circuit boards (10, 20) and / or a mutual translational displacement along a longitudinal direction (X) of one of the two or both printed circuit boards (10, 20) without the connection being released.Roof system according to claim 1, wherein the connection parts (52, 54) of the plug connection (50) are configured to allow a mutual rotation of the two printed circuit boards (10, 20) about at least one of the directions (Y, Z) by an angle of 1° or more, preferably 2° or more, more preferably 5° or more, more preferably 10° or more, in the connected state, without the connection being released.Roof system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first connection part (52) and the second connection part (54) are each formed from an electrically conductive material, preferably a metal, in order to establish an electrical connection between a first conductor track (60) formed on the first printed circuit board (10) and a second conductor track (62) formed on the second printed circuit board (20).Roof system according to one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein two or three first and second connection parts (52, 54) which are respectively associated with one another are configured.Roof system according to one of Claims 1 to 4, wherein the at least one first connection part (52) is formed from a spring sheet and the at least one second connection part (54) is formed from a pin or a further spring sheet.Roof system according to Claim 5, wherein the spring sheet is of U-shaped configuration in cross section, wherein the U-shape is open in the joining direction (Z) in order to insert the pin into the U-shape during joining, and / or, in the case of the second connection part (54) being configured as a further spring sheet, the latter has a U-shape or an O-shape in cross section.Roof system according to Claim 6, wherein an opening of the U-shape is narrowed by a spring prestress of limbs (58) of the spring sheet which is directed towards one another.Roof system according to claim 7, wherein at least one leg (58) of the spring plate, preferably both, is or are shaped such that, when the pin is inserted in the joining direction (Z), it first moves slidingly away from the opposite leg (58) on its surface and then moves slidingly on this surface back towards the opposite leg (58) under its own spring tension without sudden snapping in taking place.Roof system according to one of Claims 5 to 8, wherein the at least one pin extends beyond the end face (82) thereof in the longitudinal direction (X) of the second printed circuit board (20).Roof system according to one of claims 5 to 9, wherein both the at least one pin and the at least one spring plate are fastened on a main surface of the respective corresponding printed circuit board (10, 20) and are preferably electrically connected to conductor tracks (60, 62) or corresponding pads.Roof system according to one of claims 1 to 10, wherein at least one of the two printed circuit boards (10, 20), preferably both, has a number of light sources (90), preferably LEDs, which are formed on the same main surface as the first and second connection parts (52, 54).The roof system according to any one of claims 1 to 11, further comprising: at least one mounting and / or positioning hole (29) formed through at least one of the circuit boards (10, 20) and configured to cooperate with a mounting and / or positioning pin (150) formed in a vicinity of a light coupling prism (220) on the glass lid (200) of the vehicle roof, wherein the mounting and / or positioning hole (29) and the mounting and / or positioning pin (150) fix a mounting on the glass lid in the joining direction (Z) with respect to the circuit board assembly (1).Method for fastening a printed circuit board arrangement (1) of the roof system according to one of Claims 1 to 12 to a vehicle cover, comprising: - providing the printed circuit board arrangement (1); - mounting the first printed circuit board (10) or the second printed circuit board (20) on the glass cover (200) in the joining direction (Z) by interaction of the mounting and / or positioning opening (29) and the mounting and / or positioning pin (150); - subsequently connecting the other of the two printed circuit boards (20, 10) to the mounted first or second printed circuit board (10, 20) using the plug connection (50) in the joining direction (Z).Method according to claim 13, wherein the first printed circuit board (10) and the second printed circuit board (20), after the step of mounting on the glass cover (200) in the mounted state, have a tolerance with respect to an angle which is mutually enclosed by their longitudinal axes and / or a mutual translatory distance in the longitudinal direction of the printed circuit boards (10, 20), and the plug connection (50), after connection, compensates for this tolerance and establishes an electrical connection.Use of the plug connection (50) of the roof system according to one of claims 1 to 10 for connecting two printed circuit boards (10, 20) of strip-shaped design for compensating a tolerance with respect to a mutual angle of their longitudinal axes and / or a mutual translatory distance in the longitudinal direction (X) of the printed circuit boards (10, 20), with which these are mounted on the glass cover (200) in the roof system of the vehicle.

Images