Printed circuit board assembly with connection arrangement for electrically contactless fastening of a printed circuit board and a support component

Abstract

The present invention relates to a printed circuit board arrangement comprising a printed circuit board, a carrier component and a connection arrangement for electrically contactless fastening of the printed circuit board to the carrier component, comprising a fastening pin and a fastening area, wherein the fastening pin is arranged to be materially bonded to the fastening area by means of a soldered connection.

Description

State of the art

[0001] The present invention relates to a printed circuit board arrangement and a method for connecting a printed circuit board to a support component of the printed circuit board arrangement.

[0002] Almost every electrical product today contains a printed circuit board (PCB). This is usually fixed to a housing to protect it from environmental influences or vibrations, for example. Until now, screws or other fasteners, such as clips or clamps, have typically been used to secure the PCB. These fasteners require additional handling and assembly steps, as well as precise positioning and tight component tolerances. It would be desirable to have a PCB assembly consisting of a PCB and a substrate, where a connection mechanism allows for simple, reliable, and cost-effective attachment of the PCB to the substrate. Disclosure of the invention

[0003] The printed circuit board arrangement according to the invention with the features of claim 1 and the method for connecting a printed circuit board to a carrier component of the printed circuit board arrangement with the features of claim 8 have the advantage that the printed circuit board can be attached to the carrier component simply, reliably and cost-effectively.

[0004] This is achieved according to the invention by the printed circuit board assembly comprising a printed circuit board, a carrier component, and a connection arrangement for electrically contactless attachment of the printed circuit board to the carrier component. The connection arrangement has a mounting pin and a mounting area, wherein the mounting pin is configured to be material-bonded to the mounting area by means of a soldered connection. The connection arrangement consisting of the mounting pin and mounting area enables a simple and cost-effective connection of the printed circuit board to the carrier component, whereby tolerance compensation is possible between the mounting pin and the mounting area, so that reliable attachment of the printed circuit board to the carrier component is possible even with larger tolerances. The carrier component is preferably a housing component, but can also be, for example, another load-bearing component, such as...This could be another circuit board or a cooling element. The connection arrangement enables electrically contactless fastening and thus differs significantly from methods used in the connection technology of electrical components, which primarily serve electrical contacting. The fastening pin can be located on the circuit board or the support component, with the fastening area attached to the other component to allow the circuit board to be fastened to the support component.

[0005] The dependent claims describe preferred embodiments of the invention.

[0006] Preferably, the fastening pin is located on the carrier component and the fastening area on the printed circuit board (PCB). This improves the handling of the PCB and its mounting on the carrier component. Furthermore, arranging the fastening pin on the carrier component is simpler and more cost-effective than on the PCB. For example, the fastening pin can be integrated into the carrier component as an insert during an injection molding process.

[0007] Preferably, the fastening area is designed as a fastening hole, particularly as a through hole. The fastening hole can circumferentially enclose the fastening pin, thus improving the mechanical strength of the connection between the fastening pin and the fastening area. Furthermore, designing the fastening area as a fastening hole can allow for tolerance compensation along the longitudinal axis of the fastening hole.

[0008] A clearance fit between the mounting area and the mounting pin is particularly preferred. This allows for tolerance compensation perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the mounting hole.

[0009] The mounting area is preferably metallized. Metallization can improve the formation of the solder joint between the mounting pin and the mounting area. The metallization is preferably electrically insulated from other electrical components or conductors on the circuit board or the substrate to enable electrically contactless mounting of the circuit board to the substrate.

[0010] The mounting pin is preferably a metal pin. Metal pins are easy and inexpensive to manufacture, possess good mechanical properties, are easily solderable, and, due to their elastic properties, can compensate for tolerances between the circuit board and the supporting component.

[0011] Preferably, the mounting pin is designed to be bonded to the mounting area by means of reflow soldering. Thus, the circuit board assembly, through the indirect application of heat, can ensure reliable mounting of the circuit board to the substrate even where the connection is poorly accessible.

[0012] Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for connecting a printed circuit board (PCB) to a support component of a previously described PCB assembly. In a first step, the mounting pin is positioned at the mounting area. In a subsequent step, the mounting pin is soldered to the mounting area. This enables a simple and cost-effective, reliable, electrically contactless fastening of the PCB to the support component.

[0013] Preferably, the method comprises the further step of applying a solder paste to the fastening pin and / or the fastening area, wherein the fastening pin is soldered to the fastening area by means of convective heat transfer. The application of the solder paste can take place before or after the fastening pin is positioned on the fastening area. This enables the formation of a metallurgical bond in areas that are difficult to access. Brief description of the drawings

[0014] Exemplary embodiments of the invention are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The drawing shows: Fig. 1 a schematic representation of a printed circuit board arrangement according to a first embodiment of the invention in the unconnected state, Fig. 2 a schematic representation of a step in the method for fastening a printed circuit board to a support component of the printed circuit board assembly according to the first embodiment, Fig. 3 a schematic representation of the printed circuit board arrangement according to the first embodiment in the connected state, Fig. 4 a schematic representation of a printed circuit board arrangement according to a second embodiment of the invention in the unconnected state and Fig. 5 a schematic representation of the printed circuit board arrangement according to the second embodiment in the connected state. Embodiments of the invention

[0015] Preferably, all identical components, elements and / or units in all figures are provided with the same reference numerals.

[0016] The following refers to the Fig. 1 to 5 describe in detail a printed circuit board arrangement 1 and a method for fastening a printed circuit board 2 to a support component 3 of the printed circuit board arrangement 1.

[0017] Fig. Figure 1 shows the printed circuit board assembly 1 in an unconnected state. The printed circuit board assembly 1 comprises the printed circuit board 2 with a mounting area 5, wherein the mounting area 5 is configured as a through-hole. The inner surface of the mounting area 5 has a metallization 5. The printed circuit board 2 is arranged parallel to the support component 3.

[0018] The mounting area 5 can be arranged cost-effectively on the circuit board 2 like a via, whereby the mounting area 5 is not electrically connected to the conductor track of the circuit board 2 in comparison to a via.

[0019] Furthermore, the printed circuit board assembly 1 comprises the carrier component 3, on which a fastening pin 4 is arranged. The carrier component 3 is a planar element, with the fastening pin 4 arranged perpendicular to the surface of the carrier component 3. The fastening pin 4 is preferably a metal pin, which, for example, was connected to the carrier component 3 as an insert in an injection molding process, wherein the carrier component 3 is a plastic component. The fastening pin 4 has an elongated shape that extends linearly along a longitudinal axis XX. The cross-section of the fastening pin 4 perpendicular to the longitudinal axis XX is preferably constant.

[0020] Fig. Figure 2 shows a further step in the process for attaching the circuit board 2 to the support component 3, after the fastening pin 4 has been positioned at the fastening area 5.

[0021] A clearance fit is formed between the fastening area 5 and the fastening pin 4, so that the connection arrangement consisting of fastening pin 4 and fastening area 5 can allow for tolerance compensation perpendicular to the longitudinal axis XX of the fastening pin 4. Furthermore, tolerance compensation can be achieved along the longitudinal axis XX of the fastening pin 4.

[0022] Fig. Figure 3 shows the printed circuit board assembly 1 after the mounting pin 4 has been soldered to the mounting area 5. For this purpose, solder was heated and introduced into the gap between the mounting pin 4 and the through-hole of the mounting area 5. Subsequent cooling and hardening of the solder creates a metallurgical bond between the mounting pin 4 and the mounting area 5, so that the printed circuit board 2 is attached to the support component 3 without electrical contact. This enables the production of a robust and cost-effective printed circuit board assembly 1.

[0023] Fig. Figure 4 shows a second embodiment of the printed circuit board arrangement 1 in the unconnected state. In this second embodiment, the mounting area 5 is formed as a surface on the printed circuit board 2. The surface of the mounting area 5 has a metallization 7.

[0024] In the second embodiment, the fastening pin 4 is integrally formed with the support component 3 and has a shorter length and a greater width than the fastening pin 4 in the first embodiment. The end face of the fastening pin 4 at a distal end 8 has a metallization 7.

[0025] The flat design of the mounting area 5 allows for generous tolerance compensation perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the mounting pin between the circuit board 2 and the support component 3. The mounting area 5 preferably has a larger surface area than the mounting pin at its distal end 8.

[0026] Fig. Figure 5 shows the circuit board arrangement 1 according to the second embodiment of the invention in the connected state. The circuit board 2 with the mounting area 5 was arranged on the support component 3 with the mounting pin 4, with solder 6 being placed between the metallization 7 of the mounting area 5 and the metallization 7 of the mounting pin 4.

[0027] The solder 6 was preferably applied as solder paste to the mounting area 5 of the printed circuit board 2 using solder paste printing. This preferably occurred in the same step as the application of solder paste for electrical components to the printed circuit board 2. The solder paste was preferably melted using a reflow soldering process via convective heat transfer and subsequently cooled to bond the printed circuit board 2 to the substrate 3.

[0028] Preferably, a printed circuit board arrangement 1 comprises several connection arrangements consisting of the fastening pin 4 and the fastening area 5, wherein the connections are arranged in the Fig. The embodiments shown in 1 to 5 can also be combined, so that connection arrangements according to the first embodiment and connection arrangements according to the second embodiment are arranged on the circuit board arrangement.

[0029] Thus, by means of the circuit board arrangement 1 according to the invention, the circuit board 2 can be attached to the support component 3 simply and cost-effectively without electrical contact, wherein the connection arrangement consisting of fastening pin 4 and fastening area 5 can enable a generous tolerance compensation between circuit board 2 and support component 3.

Claims

[1] Printed circuit board arrangement comprising - a printed circuit board (2), - a support component (3) and - a connection arrangement for electrically contactless fastening of the printed circuit board (2) to the support component (3), comprising a fastening pin (4) and a fastening area (5), - wherein the fastening pin (4) is arranged to be attached to the fastening area (5) by means of a soldered connection in a material-locking manner. [2] Printed circuit board arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the fastening pin (4) is arranged on the support component (3) and wherein the fastening area (5) is arranged on the printed circuit board (2). [3] Printed circuit board arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the mounting area (5) is designed as a mounting hole, in particular as a through hole. [4] Printed circuit board arrangement according to claim 3, wherein a clearance fit is formed between the fastening area (5) and the fastening pin (4). [5] Printed circuit board arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the mounting area (5) is metallized. [6] Printed circuit board arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the fastening pin (4) is a metal pin. [7] Printed circuit board arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the fastening pin (4) is arranged to be bonded to the fastening area (5) by means of reflow soldering. [8] Method for fastening a printed circuit board (2) to a support component (3) of a printed circuit board arrangement (1) according to one of the preceding claims, comprising the steps: - Positioning the fastening pin (4) on the fastening area (5) and - Soldering the fastening pin (4) to the fastening area (5). [9] Method according to claim 8, comprising the step: applying a solder paste to the fastening pin (4) and / or the fastening area (5), wherein the fastening pin (4) is soldered to the fastening area (5) by means of convective heat transfer.

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