Printed circuit board with perforated structure

Abstract

Printed circuit board, featuring electrical conductors (9..13), wherein the circuit board (1) has at least a partial hole structure (2, 3, 15), and at least a part of the electrical conductors (9..13) run on an end face (15) of the hole structure (2, 3, 15).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a printed circuit board (PCB) and a system comprising a printed circuit board and a holding device for an electrical component to be mounted on the printed circuit board.

[0002] Printed circuit boards are used for the mechanical fastening and electrical connection of electronic components or, if necessary, simply for establishing an electrical connection between electrical terminals.

[0003] The majority of electronic devices, such as control gear for lighting or LED modules, feature a printed circuit board made of single-sided laminated material and with through-hole components (THT). However, components can also be integrated into the circuit board, leadless components (SMDs) can be soldered directly onto the conductor tracks, and the circuit board can be flexible and / or multilayer.

[0004] DE 20 201 8101 423 U1 discloses a printed circuit board provided with a cutout in which a tall inductive component is arranged in order to make the printed circuit board as flat as possible.

[0005] In addition to or as an alternative to the requirement of a low overall height, printed circuit boards are often required to be lightweight and the amount of material to be disposed of or recycled at the end of their life is limited.

[0006] The invention is based on the object of providing devices that mitigate the problems described. In particular, the object is to provide a printed circuit board and a system comprising a printed circuit board with which weight and material can be reduced.

[0007] This object is achieved according to the features of the independent claims. The invention is further developed by the features of the dependent claims.

[0008] According to the present invention, the circuit board at least partially has a hole structure, with at least some of the electrical conductor tracks of the circuit board running along one end face of the hole structure. The hole structure allows for significant material and weight savings, with the part of the circuit board forming the holes containing the conductor tracks and, if applicable, soldering points or pads.

[0009] The surface of the hole structure has regular round and / or square depressions that are so close to each other that only thin partitions lie between them.

[0010] At least some of the holes of the hole structure may be through-holes and / or the circuit board may be a component spread out in the plane, wherein the hole axis runs perpendicular to the two main extension directions of the circuit board.

[0011] The area occupied by the hole structure on one side of the printed circuit board is the sum of the surface area recessed by the holes in the printed circuit board and the total surface area of ​​the part of the circuit board forming the holes (end faces of the hole structure), whereby the surface area recessed by the holes in the printed circuit board can be larger than the total surface area of ​​the part forming the holes.

[0012] Additionally or alternatively, the entire circuit board may have a hole structure, wherein the entirety of the end faces of the hole structure forms the surface of one side of the circuit board.

[0013] The circuit board may not have any components. Alternatively, the circuit board may have at least one electrical component that is electrically connected to at least one of the conductor tracks.

[0014] The at least one electrical component can be arranged above a hole of the hole structure or opposite the hole.

[0015] Additionally or alternatively, at least a part of the at least one electrical component can be arranged within a hole of the hole structure, ie protrude into the hole.

[0016] The holes of the hole structure can be circular or oval. Alternatively or additionally, at least some of the holes or their surface openings have a polygonal shape, in particular a hexagonal shape.

[0017] At least some of the holes of the hole structure may have the same size and / or shape. Additionally, the average diameter of the holes may be larger than the shortest distance between two adjacent holes.

[0018] The printed circuit board may have at least one soldering pad or soldering point in a region arranged between at least three holes of the hole structure.

[0019] An electrical component can be soldered to the circuit board using a soldering pad or soldering point. For soldering, a component's lead wire is passed through the soldering pad, which secures the component at least horizontally (perpendicular to the hole axis of the soldering pad). With SMD components, the component is often secured / positioned with respect to the soldering points by gluing it to the circuit board. Due to the hole structure, the surface area available for gluing on the circuit board can be severely limited.

[0020] According to the present invention, a system comprises a printed circuit board in one of the described embodiments, as well as a holding device detachable from the printed circuit board for at least one electrical component mountable on the printed circuit board.

[0021] The holding device can be configured to position at least one electrical component for soldering into the circuit board when the holding device is detachably connected to the circuit board.

[0022] In particular, the holding device can be configured to position the at least one electrical component within and / or above a hole of the hole structure.

[0023] The holding device can have at least one elastic locking element by means of which the holding device is supported on the circuit board in a vertical direction (perpendicular to the surface of the circuit board) when the holding device is detachably connected to the circuit board.

[0024] The elastic locking element can be a locking lug which is elastic at least in the horizontal direction (parallel to the surface / main extension direction of the circuit board) and engages behind the top or bottom side of the circuit board when the holding device is detachably connected to the circuit board.

[0025] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. They show: Fig. 1 a printed circuit board according to a first embodiment of the present invention in a view from above, Fig. 2 a printed circuit board according to a second embodiment according to the present invention in a view from above Fig. 3 shows a section of the hole structure of the printed circuit board with a holding device for components according to a first embodiment of the present invention in a view from above, Fig. 4 which in Fig. 3 shown holding device in a side view, Fig. 5 a section of the hole structure of the printed circuit board with a holding device for components according to a second embodiment of the present invention in a view from above, and. Fig. 6 which in Fig. 5 shown holding device in a side view.

[0026] Components with the same functions are marked with the same reference numerals in the figures.

[0027] Fig. Figure 1 shows a top view of a printed circuit board 1 with a hole structure according to the present invention. The hole structure extends over the entire area between the straight side edges of the printed circuit board 1 and is formed by a plurality of hexagonal cutouts 2 and a plurality of trapezoidal cutouts 3 in the printed circuit board 1. The cutouts 2, 3 are holes passing through the printed circuit board 1 and can be created before or after the production of conductor tracks. The cut-out carrier material (substrate) reduces the weight of the printed circuit board 1.

[0028] On the circuit board 1, a resistor 4, two coils 5, 6 and two capacitors 7, 8 are soldered to form a bandpass circuit, wherein the components 4..8 are electrically connected to one another via conductor tracks 9..13 formed in the circuit board 1 and the connecting wires of the components 4..8 are soldered into solder pads 14 contacting the conductor tracks 9..13. The conductor tracks 9..13 run between the cutouts 2, 3 on the end faces or webs 15 of the hole structure and the soldering pads 14 for the components 4..8 are located at the intersection points of three webs 15. The input connection of the circuit is formed by two unsoldered soldering pads 16, 17, which are each connected to one of the conductor tracks 9 and 13, and the output connection is formed by two unsoldered soldering pads 18, 19, which are each connected to one of the conductor tracks 12 and 13.

[0029] Fig. Figure 2 shows a top view of a printed circuit board 1 with a honeycomb structure according to the present invention. The honeycomb structure is formed exclusively by hexagonal cutouts 2 and extends across the entire printed circuit board 1, so that the printed circuit board 1 no longer has straight side edges. This enables a homogeneous strength / elasticity of the structure and greater elasticity when the printed circuit board 1 is bent or twisted, which can be particularly advantageous for LED modules.

[0030] As in Fig. 1 and Fig. As shown in Figure 2, the components 4..8 and some of the connecting wires leading from them are each arranged in an area of ​​a hexagonal cutout 2. This enables good cooling (air circulation) and a flat design of the circuit board 1 populated with components 4..8. Alternatively, at least one component 4..8 can be arranged at least partially on a web 15. In particular, at least some of the windings of a coil 5, 6 can be wound around a web 15.

[0031] The width of the conductor tracks 9..13 only occupies a portion of the width of a web 15. Alternatively, at least one of the conductor tracks 9..13 can extend across the entire web width.

[0032] As described above, to solder a component 4..8, its connecting wires are inserted into the respective solder pads, thereby securing the component 4..8 at least horizontally (perpendicular to the hole axis of the solder pad). A holding device can be used to secure components, such as SMD components, that do not have connecting wires and are to be arranged in or above a cutout 2, 3.

[0033] Fig. 3 shows a view from above of a section of the hole or honeycomb structure, in particular a cell / honeycomb 20 of the structure with a holding device 21 inserted into the honeycomb 20. The holding device 21 is inserted into the cutout 2 from above, ie from the soldering side, until projections 22, 23 located laterally on the holding device 21 come to rest on the webs 15 or are supported on the webs 15.

[0034] Fig. Figure 4 shows the holding device 21 in a side view. The holding device 21 has a hexagonal plate 24 to which the projections 22, 23 and an adhesive (pad) 25 for securing a component to be soldered are attached. The component is secured to the plate 24 by means of the adhesive (pad) 25 before or after insertion of the holding device 21, such that the component's terminals (pins) rest on corresponding soldering points (not shown) arranged on at least one of the webs 15.

[0035] The holding device 21 can remain permanently attached to the circuit board 1 after soldering to support the component, or it can be removed from the circuit board 1 to save material and weight. For this purpose, the adhesive bond can be detachable, for example, by means of heat, and the projections 22, 23 can be designed to be elastic or with a predetermined breaking point so that the plate 24 can be pushed downward out of the cutout 2 after or upon release of the adhesive bond.

[0036] Fig. Figure 5 shows a top view of the honeycomb 20 with a holding device 26 attached from below, which has locking lugs 27, 28 instead of the projections 22, 23. The locking lugs 27, 28 are elastic at least in the horizontal direction and, when inserted, engage behind the top side of the circuit board 1 at the webs 15. To remove the holding device 26 after soldering, the locking lugs 27, 28 can be bent outward, in the direction away from the soldered component.

[0037] The Fig. 4 and Fig. The holding devices 21 and 26 shown in Figure 6 serve to fix at least one component in one of the honeycombs 20, so that several holding devices 21, 26 may be necessary for several honeycombs 20. However, it is also possible to design the holding devices 21, 26 such that they have a plurality of plates 24 that are connected to one another and each have projections 22, 23 or locking lugs 27, 28. 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 20 201 8101 423 U1

[0004]

Claims

[1] Printed circuit board, comprising electrical conductor tracks (9..13), where the printed circuit board (1) at least partially has a hole structure (2, 3, 15), and at least some of the electrical conductor tracks (9..13) run on an end face (15) of the hole structure (2, 3, 15). [2] Printed circuit board according to claim 1, wherein the entire printed circuit board (1) has a hole structure (2, 3, 15) and the totality of the end faces of the hole structure (2, 3, 15) forms the surface of one side of the printed circuit board (1). [3] Printed circuit board according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the printed circuit board (1) has at least one electrical component (4..8) which is electrically connected to at least one of the electrical conductor tracks (9..13). [4] Printed circuit board according to claim 3, wherein the at least one electrical component (4..8) is arranged above a hole (2, 3) of the hole structure (2, 3, 15). [5] Printed circuit board according to claim 3 or 4, wherein at least a part of the at least one electrical component (4..8) is arranged within a hole of the hole structure (2, 3, 15). [6] Printed circuit board according to one of the preceding claims, wherein at least some of the holes (2, 3) of the hole structure (2, 3) have a polygonal shape, in particular a hexagonal shape. [7] Printed circuit board according to one of the preceding claims, wherein at least some of the holes (2, 3) of the hole structure (2, 3, 15) have the same size and / or the same shape. [8] Printed circuit board according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the printed circuit board (1) has at least one soldering pad (14) or one soldering point in a region arranged between at least three holes (2, 3) of the hole structure (2, 3, 15). [9] System, comprising a printed circuit board (1) according to one of the preceding claims and a holding device (21, 26) detachable from the circuit board (1) for at least one electrical component (4..8) mountable on the circuit board (1). [10] System according to claim 9, wherein the holding device (21, 26) is adapted to position the at least one electrical component (4..8) for soldering into the circuit board (1) when the holding device (21, 26) is detachably connected to the circuit board (1). [11] System according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the holding device (21, 26) is adapted to position the at least one electrical component (4..8) within and / or above a hole (2, 3) of the hole structure (2, 3, 15). [12] System according to one of claims 9 to 11, wherein the holding device (21, 26) has at least one elastic locking element (22, 23; 27, 28) by means of which the holding device (21, 26) is supported on the circuit board (1) in the vertical direction when the holding device (21, 26) is detachably connected to the circuit board (1).

Images