Method for manufacturing a connector strip assembly, connector strip assembly and control unit with a connector strip assembly

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a connector assembly (10) for a control unit (100), wherein the connector assembly (10) serves to form at least one connection for an external line (51) used for optical signal or data transmission by means of a connector (52) connected to the line (51), wherein the connector assembly (10) has a connector (19, 24; 24b) for the connector (52), wherein the connector (24; 24b) has a connector collar (35b) for positively connecting the connector (52) to the connector (24; 24b) or at least a connector body (43) arranged within the cross-section of the connector collar (35) for positively connecting to the connector (52), wherein the connector (19, 24;24b) is connected to a connecting element (28, 29) serving for signal or data transmission, which is designed to contact a circuit carrier (25) in the area of ​​through-holes (32) of the circuit carrier (25), and wherein the connecting element (28, 29) is positioned on the side facing the circuit carrier (25) to the through-holes (32) or an auxiliary element having a hole pattern of the through-holes (32).

Description

Technical area

[0001] The invention relates to a method for producing a connector strip assembly for a control unit, which particularly advantageously enables tolerance compensation between connector plugs arranged in a connector strip base body, in particular those used for data transmission or the transmission of optical signals, and connecting elements connected to the connector plugs for contacting a circuit carrier or a printed circuit board. Furthermore, the invention relates to a connector strip assembly for a control unit produced according to a method according to the invention, as well as to a control unit with a connector strip assembly according to the invention. State of the art

[0002] Today, control units for automotive applications not only serve to control or regulate the internal combustion or electric motors that power the vehicle, but also perform additional tasks, which, for example, with a view to autonomous driving, may include the processing of signals from environment detection systems or the general transmission of large amounts of data. For the latter two applications in particular, vehicle-mounted data cables or optical fiber cables with connectors are used. These are fed into the interior of the control unit, particularly in the area of ​​a circuit board, via connectors adapted to the respective connector in the area of ​​the connector strip assembly.Therefore, in addition to the classic connectors with metal connector pins with a rectangular cross-section for signal or voltage transmission, such a control unit today has connectors whose design is fundamentally different from the conventional connectors with connector pins.

[0003] Furthermore, it is desirable or necessary to arrange the various connection plugs in the area of ​​the plug strip assembly on a single side or in a common, sealable area. This is achieved in a manner known per se using a so-called plug strip base body, which is made in particular from plastic and manufactured using an injection molding process. When the various types of connection plugs or their connecting elements leading into the interior of the control unit are contacted with the area of ​​the circuit carrier or printed circuit board, this is usually done either via soldered connections or via press-fit connections. In both cases, it is necessary in practice to align a large number of connecting elements connected to different connection plugs to form a hole pattern in the area of ​​the circuit carrier or printed circuit board.This is made particularly difficult by the fact that, in a sealed control unit, the ingress of moisture or water via the connector strip base body is undesirable. Given the tolerances that occur during the production of connector strip base bodies, it is therefore advantageous to enable tolerance compensation between the various connectors and their connecting elements to a specified hole pattern or a specified connection diagram of the connecting elements to the circuit board (printed circuit board).

[0004] DE 25 28 270 C3 discloses a method for manufacturing a coupling for optical fibers. The known coupling comprises a continuous guide for an optical fiber in a solidified base body, wherein the base body is divided into two sub-bodies, which, when assembled, allow the guide axis for the optical fibers to be maintained. Furthermore, the known coupling comprises a sleeve body that elastically mounts the sub-bodies via O-rings.

[0005] DE 20 2010 003 651 U1 discloses a connector with a permanently floating connector head for axial compensation of plug-in axis tolerances.

[0006] DE 10 2005 043 033 B3 discloses a press-fit system for aligning connector pins to a printed circuit board in a control unit by pre-centering a bonded positioning element, which is fixed in its aligned position by subsequent curing of an adhesive.

[0007] Most recently, DE 689 16 051 T2 discloses connecting two cables each carrying an optical fiber using a coupling element. Within the coupling element, a floating sleeve is provided, which is glued when the optical fibers are aligned. Disclosure of the invention

[0008] The method according to the invention for producing a connector strip assembly for a control unit with the features of claim 1 has the advantage that it enables economical production or production of components of the connector strip assembly with sufficiently large tolerances, so that during the production of the connector strip assembly, tolerance compensation between the individual connection plugs, in particular the connection plugs which serve to transmit large amounts of data or optical signals, to a circuit carrier or a printed circuit board is possible.

[0009] The basic idea of ​​the invention is to provide an initially elastic intermediate element between a plug strip base body and a connector plug during the manufacture of the plug strip assembly. This intermediate element serves to compensate for tolerances and hardens after the connector plug(s) are installed. This has the particular advantage that, when connecting the wiring harness-side connectors to the control unit, forces acting on the connector plugs and thus also on the connecting elements to the circuit board or printed circuit board are absorbed by the hardened material of the intermediate element and the plug strip base body. This prevents them from acting on the connecting elements in the direction of the contacts to the circuit board or printed circuit board, thereby preventing unwanted mechanical stresses there.

[0010] Against the background of the above explanations, it is therefore provided in a method according to the invention for producing a plug strip assembly for a control unit that the plug strip assembly serves to form at least one connection for an external line serving for optical signal or data transmission by means of a plug connected to the line. The plug strip assembly has a connection plug for the plug, wherein the connection plug has a plug collar for the positive connection of the plug to the connection plug or at least one connection plug body arranged within the cross-section of the plug collar for the positive connection to the plug. Furthermore, the connection plug is connected to a connection element serving for signal or data transmission, which is designed to contact a circuit carrier in the region of through-openings of the circuit carrier.The connecting element is positioned on the side facing the circuit carrier to the through-openings or an auxiliary element having a hole pattern of the through-openings.

[0011] The method according to the invention comprises at least the following steps: First, a plug strip base body manufactured from plastic by injection molding is provided, with at least one monolithically formed plug collar. Subsequently, an initially elastic intermediate element, which hardens rigidly in the final state, is metered or arranged in the region of the plug strip base body between a receiving opening for the connector plug body and the connector plug body arranged with play in the receiving opening, or between the plug strip base body and an inner component of the connector plug arranged with play in the cross-section of the plug collar.Next, at least one connecting element is positioned relative to a through-hole in the circuit carrier or the auxiliary element, and the connector body or the internal component is positioned on the side facing the connector relative to a joining adapter aligned with the connector collar. The intermediate element is then cured to form a rigid intermediate element. Finally, the joining adapter is removed.

[0012] Advantageous further developments of the method according to the invention for producing a plug strip assembly for a control unit are listed in the subclaims.

[0013] It is preferred to use a viscous, UV-curable material for the intermediate element. Examples of suitable materials include beam-crosslinked thermoplastics, UV-curable materials, or similar. The use of a UV-curable intermediate element has the advantage that curing can occur at a defined time or period and is particularly well controlled. However, this requires that the material be accessible to the corresponding light source.

[0014] In a preferred development of the latter method, the intermediate element is produced during the manufacture of the connector strip base body by a casting process and is connected to the connector strip base body. In particular, the so-called two-component injection molding process or the vacuum casting process are suitable for this purpose.

[0015] Alternatively, however, it can also be provided that an elastic, prefabricated semi-finished product is used for the intermediate element, which is bonded to the plug strip base body after the production of the plug strip base body. In this case, too, the material should preferably be UV-curable. Whether using a viscous intermediate element or a prefabricated semi-finished product as the intermediate element, it can also be provided that several connectors for several cables are produced virtually simultaneously.

[0016] Particularly when using a prefabricated semi-finished product as an intermediate element, it is advantageous if the connecting plugs are manufactured using a one-piece intermediate element.

[0017] The method according to the invention allows either the connector strip assembly to be connected to the circuit carrier during assembly, or the connector strip assembly to be manufactured as a prefabricated assembly with the circuit carrier prior to assembly. The latter allows for particularly simple storage or stockpiling of connector strip assemblies.

[0018] Furthermore, the invention also encompasses a connector strip assembly and a control unit manufactured according to a method according to the invention described so far. The connector strip assembly is characterized in that the connector plug is designed to form a shielded high-speed data line or to forward signals in an optical fiber line.

[0019] Furthermore, in addition to the at least one connector plug, a plurality of connection pins serving as signal or power supply are provided on the connector strip base body. These connection pins are typically designed as metallic pins with a rectangular cross-section and are overmolded or surrounded by the material of the connector strip base body.

[0020] The binding plug strip assembly also makes it possible for several connection plugs to be arranged side by side and / or one above the other on the plug strip base body at the same time.

[0021] Finally, the invention also comprises a control device with a plug strip assembly manufactured according to a method according to the invention as described so far, as well as a circuit carrier connected to the plug strip assembly via press-fit or soldered connections.

[0022] Further advantages, features and details of the invention will become apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments of the invention and from the drawings. Short description of the drawings Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a connector strip assembly for a control unit, Fig. 2 a top view of the connector strip assembly according to the Fig. 1 together with a circuit board, Fig. 3 a front view of a portion of a connector strip assembly with two rows of connectors used for data transmission, Fig. 4 a perspective sectional view through the connector strip assembly according to the Fig. 3, Fig. 5 a sectional view in the area of ​​a connector plug of the connector strip assembly according to Fig. 3 and Fig. 4, Fig. 6 a schematic representation to illustrate the use of a joining adapter in the manufacture of a connector strip assembly, Fig. 7 is a perspective view of another modified connector strip assembly having connectors for signal transmission via optical cables, Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a connector plug of the connector strip assembly according to Fig. 7, Fig. 9 a perspective view of a connector plug of the connector strip assembly according to the Fig. 7 with mounted circuit board and Fig. 10 a schematic representation to illustrate the use of a Fig. 6 modified joining adapter for use with the connector strip assembly according to Fig. 7 to 9. Embodiments of the invention

[0023] Identical elements or elements with the same function are provided with the same reference numbers in the figures.

[0024] In the Fig. 1 and Fig. Figure 2 shows a connector strip assembly 10 for a control unit 100, wherein the control unit 100 is preferably, but not restrictively, used for automotive applications. In particular, the control unit 100 can also be used to enable semi-autonomous or fully autonomous operation of a vehicle.

[0025] The control unit 100 comprises a housing (not shown in the figures), for example, made of sheet metal or similar, and accommodates the connector strip assembly 10 on one end face. For this purpose, the connector strip assembly 10 is equipped with a circumferential sealing surface 12, which, in a manner known per se, enables a media-tight arrangement of the connector strip assembly 10 on or in the housing of the control unit 100.

[0026] The connector strip assembly 10 comprises a connector strip base body 15, which is also made of plastic in a manner known per se and is manufactured by injection molding. The connector strip assembly 10 has three areas 16 to 18 arranged side by side, which are used for contacting the Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 connectors on the vehicle's wiring harness (not shown).

[0027] The first area 16, which in the drawing of the Fig. 1 is arranged on the left, is designed to receive or contact a so-called high-speed connector on the wiring harness side, which is used for data transmission, and for this purpose has a connection plug 19. The central region 17 has a circumferential connector collar 20, which serves to contact a mating connector on the wiring harness side. Within the connector collar 20, several rows of several pins 22 each are arranged in a manner known per se. The pins 22, which serve for signal transmission or the power supply of components, are designed as stamped and bent parts, as is known per se from the prior art, and typically have a rectangular cross-section.

[0028] The third area 18 has three connecting plugs 24 arranged next to one another, which are designed to be connected to the optical fiber lines or their plugs on the cable harness side which are used for data transmission.

[0029] As can be seen in particular from the Fig. 2, a circuit carrier 25, in particular a printed circuit board 26, is arranged within an interior of the control unit 100. The three areas 16 to 18 or their connectors 19, 24 as well as the pins 22 are electrically contacted or connected to the printed circuit board 26.

[0030] For this purpose, the connector plugs 19, 24 have connecting elements 28, 29, particularly in the form of wire sections, on the side facing the circuit board 26. In contrast, the pins 22 in the exemplary embodiment are bent at right angles to the circuit board 26, with the bent sections acting as connecting elements 30.

[0031] For contacting the connecting elements 28 to 30 with the printed circuit board 26, the latter has, as is known from the prior art, only in the Fig. 4 recognizable through-openings 32 which form a hole pattern. The through-openings 32 are designed either to form press-in connections with the connecting elements 28 to 30, or soldered connections. In the case of press-in connections, the cross-section of the through-openings 32 is, at least in some areas, slightly smaller than the cross-section of the connecting elements 28 to 30. In contrast, in the case of soldered connections, the cross-section of the through-openings 32 is (slightly) larger than the cross-section of the connecting elements 28 to 30. Especially with press-in connections, the precise centering of the connecting elements 28 to 30 to the through-openings 32 is essential. The greater the number of connecting elements 28 to 30, the more critical this assembly step is, since the individual tolerances of the joining partners involved add up.

[0032] In order to simplify the positioning of the pins 22 or their connecting elements 30 to the through-openings 32, the plug strip base body 15 has a joining plate 33 arranged parallel to the plane of the printed circuit board 26 and at a relatively short distance above the printed circuit board 26, with through-openings through which the connecting elements 30 pass ( Fig. 2).

[0033] With regard to the positioning of the connector plugs 19, 24 or their connecting elements 28, 29 to the through openings 32, additional measures are provided, which are explained in more detail below:

[0034] Regarding the connector plug 19, please refer to the Fig. 3 to 5, which are one of the Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 shows a modified connector strip base body 15a. The first region 16a has a circumferential connector collar 35, within whose cross-section two rows 37, 38, each with six adjacently arranged connector plugs 19, are arranged. These connector plugs are used for high-speed data transmission. The connector plugs 19 can be jointly contacted via a mating connector (not shown) known per se from the prior art. The mating connector has a number of connectors corresponding to the number of connector plugs 24, wherein the mating connector interacts positively with the connector collar 35.

[0035] The connector strip base body 15a has a receiving opening 42 for each connector 19, designed as a through-opening through which the connector 19 passes. The connectors 19 are prefabricated as separate, known components from the connector strip base body 15a and are preferably designed as inserts in an injection mold for manufacturing the connector strip base body 15a. They have metallic shielding measures and openings 44 (not shown) arranged within a connector body 43 made of plastic, as well as pin-shaped wire contacts 45 connected to the connecting elements 28 for receiving and contacting the cable harness-side connectors. It is essential that the connector bodies 43 of the connectors 19 are arranged in the receiving openings 42 with circumferential play.Furthermore, intermediate elements 50 are arranged in the respective intermediate space between the receiving opening 42 and the connector body 43, ie the connector bodies 43 are not arranged in direct contact with the (base) material of the connector strip base body 15a in the region of the receiving openings 42.

[0036] In a first embodiment, the intermediate elements 50 are formed as UV-curable intermediate elements 50, for example, by a UV-curable adhesive or a beam-crosslinked thermoplastic. Preferably, the intermediate elements 50 are already manufactured with the connector strip base body 15a during the manufacture of the connector strip base body 15a, preferably by a 2K injection molding process. Fig. 4 and Fig. In the embodiment shown in Figure 5, the intermediate elements 50 are each sleeve-shaped.

[0037] Alternatively, it can be done according to the representation of the Fig. 3, it can also be provided that a common intermediate element 50a is used for each row 37, 38 of connector plug bodies 43, or a single intermediate element 50a (not shown) is used for both rows 37, 38. For this purpose, the intermediate element 50a can be designed in the form of a semi-finished product made of a suitable plastic or a suitable material, wherein the intermediate element 50a is connected to the connector strip base body 15a after the production of the connector strip base body 15a, in particular by means of an adhesive. In this case, subsequent assembly of the connector plugs 19 into the already manufactured connector strip base body 15a can also be provided.

[0038] During the assembly of the connector plugs 19 or the positioning of the connecting elements 28 to the through-holes 32 in the printed circuit board 26, it is essential that the connector plug bodies 43 of the connector plugs 19 are positioned in a position due to the (initially) elastic properties of the not yet cured intermediate elements 50, 50a, which allow a simple and precise joining of the connecting elements 28 to the through-holes 32 in the printed circuit board 26. For this purpose, the assembly process of a single connector plug body 43 of a connector plug 19 on a connector strip base body 15 according to the Fig. 6, a joining adapter 110 is provided, which is shown only schematically. The joining adapter 110 can be made, in particular, of plastic and receives the individual connecting plug(s) 19 via a respective recess 113 in an extension 112 in order to position the connecting plug(s) 19 within the plug collar 35. As a result, the connecting plug(s) 19 are in an aligned, defined position relative to the plug collar 35. At the same time, the intermediate element 50, 50a can be deformed with low forces when joining the connecting elements 28 to the through-openings 32 in order to enable tolerance compensation between the connecting plugs 19, the through-openings 42 in the plug strip base body 15, and the connecting elements 28. As soon as the connecting elements 28 are joined to the circuit board 26, the intermediate elements 50, 50a are cured or solidified in order to fix them to the plug strip base body 15.

[0039] In addition, it is mentioned that it is also possible to manufacture the plug strip assembly 10 as a prefabricated assembly according to the above explanations without the (final) printed circuit board 26, but instead to use an auxiliary element (not shown) with a hole pattern of the through-openings 32 of a printed circuit board 26, so that the plug strip assembly 10 is only subsequently connected to the printed circuit board 26.

[0040] In the Fig. 7 to 10, the connector strip base body 15b serves, among other things, to form two adjacently arranged connection plugs 24b. The connection plugs 24b each have connector collars 35b formed monolithically with the connector strip base body 15b. The two connection plugs 24b serve to contact the Fig. 9 with connectors 52, which contain or have optical fibers for data transmission. It is necessary that within the inner cross section of the two connector plugs 24b, as can be seen in particular from the Fig. 8, an inner component 55 is arranged with, for example, two holes 56 and with or without optical lenses for guiding the optical fibers of the connector 52 in the direction of the printed circuit board 26. Within the cross section of the connector collar 35b, the inner component 55 is arranged with lateral play. For example, between the inner component 55 and the Fig. 8 On the lower side of the inner cross-section of the connector plug 24b, an (initially) elastically designed intermediate element 50b is arranged. Here, too, the intermediate element 50b preferably consists of a UV-curable material or a radiation-crosslinked thermoplastic. For positioning the inner component 55 during the joining process of the connector strip base body 15b with the printed circuit board 26, Fig. 10 opposite the Fig. 6, a modified joining adapter 115 is used. The joining adapter 115 has, in particular, two cylindrical extensions 116, 117, which interact with the holes 56 in the inner component 55 to position the inner component 55 or align it with the connector plug 24b.

[0041] The connector strip assembly 10 or the connector strip base body 15, 15a, 15b described so far can be modified in many different ways without deviating from the inventive concept. QUOTES CONTAINED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents submitted by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the convenience of the reader. This list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] DE 25 28 270 C3

[0004] DE 20 2010 003 651 U1

[0005] DE 10 2005 043 033 B3

[0006] DE 689 16 051 T2

[0007]

Claims

[1] Method for producing a plug strip assembly (10) for a control device (100), wherein the plug strip assembly (10) serves to form at least one connection for an external line (51) serving for optical signal or data transmission by means of a plug (52) connected to the line (51), wherein the plug strip assembly (10) has a connection plug (19, 24; 24b) for the plug (52), wherein the connection plug (24; 24b) has a plug collar (35b) for the positive connection of the plug (52) to the connection plug (24; 24b) or at least one connection plug body (43) arranged within the cross section of the plug collar (35) for the positive connection to the plug (52), wherein the connection plug (19, 24;24b) is connected to a connecting element (28, 29) serving for signal or data transmission, which is designed to contact a circuit carrier (25) in the region of through-openings (32) of the circuit carrier (25), wherein the connecting element (28, 29) is positioned on the side facing the circuit carrier (25) towards the through-openings (32) or an auxiliary element having a hole pattern of the through-openings (32), and wherein the method comprises at least the following steps:; - Providing a plug strip base body (15; 15a; 15b) made of plastic by injection molding with at least one monolithically molded plug collar (35; 35b) - Dosing or arranging an initially elastic intermediate element (50; 50a; 50b) which hardens rigidly in the final state in the area of ​​the plug strip base body (15) between a receiving opening (42) for the connecting plug body (43) and the connecting plug body (43) arranged with play in the receiving opening (42) or between the plug strip base body (15b) and an inner component (55) of the connecting plug (24; 24b) arranged with play in the cross section of the plug collar (35b) - Positioning at least one connecting element (28, 29) to a through-opening (32) in the circuit carrier (25) or the auxiliary element and positioning the connector body (43) or the inner component (55) on the side facing the connector (52) to a joining adapter (110; 115) aligned with the connector collar (35; 35b) - hardening the intermediate element (50; 50; 50b) to a rigid intermediate element (50; 50a; 50b) - Removing the joining adapter (110; 115) [2] Method according to claim 1, characterized by that a viscous, UV-curable material or a radiation-crosslinked thermoplastic is used for the intermediate element (50; 50a; 50b). [3] Method according to claim 2, characterized by that the intermediate element (50; 50a; 50b) is produced with the plug strip base body (15; 15a; 15b) by a casting process during the manufacture of the plug strip base body (15; 15a; 15b) and is connected to the plug strip base body (15; 15a; 15b). [4] Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by that an elastic, prefabricated semi-finished product is used for the intermediate element (50; 50a; 50b), which is connected to the plug strip base body (15; 15a; 15b) by a material connection after the plug strip base body (15; 15a; 15b) has been manufactured. [5] Method according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized bythat several connection plugs (19, 24; 24b) are produced simultaneously with the plug strip base body (15a; 15b). [6] Method according to claim 5, characterized by that the connecting plugs (19) are connected to the plug strip base body (15a) by means of a one-piece intermediate element (50a). [7] Method according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized by that the intermediate elements (50; 50a; 50b) are cured during or after the assembly of the plug strip assembly (10) with the circuit carrier (25). [8] Method according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized by that the intermediate elements (50; 50a; 50b) are cured before assembly with the circuit carrier (25). [9] Plug connector assembly (10) for a control device (100), manufactured according to a method according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized bythat the connecting plug (19; 24; 24b) is designed to form a shielded high-speed data line or a forwarding of signals of an optical fiber line. [10] Connector strip assembly according to claim 9, characterized by that in addition to the at least one connection plug (19; 24; 24b), a plurality of pins (22) serving for signal or voltage supply are provided on the plug strip base body (15; 15a; 15b). [11] Plug connector assembly according to claim 9 or 10, characterized by that several connecting plugs (19; 24; 24b) arranged next to and / or one above the other are provided on the plug strip base body (15; 15a; 15b). [12] Control device (100) with a plug strip assembly (10) manufactured according to one of claims 1 to 8 and a circuit carrier (25) connected to the plug strip assembly (10) via press-fit or soldered connections.

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