Printed circuit board adapter for compact and direct electrical contacting of conductors with a printed circuit board

Abstract

The invention relates to a printed circuit board adapter (1) for the compact and direct electrical contacting of conductors (100) partially sheathed with insulation (110) to a printed circuit board, wherein the printed circuit board adapter (1) has a base body (10) with a conductor receptacle (11) extending along a respective longitudinal axis (X) through the base body (10) for each conductor (100), wherein the conductor receptacles (11) are arranged in groups (A, B) and have an insertion opening (12) orthogonal to the respective longitudinal axis (X), through which the respective conductor (100) can be arranged in the respective conductor receptacle (11) running parallel to the respective longitudinal axis (X), and wherein the printed circuit board adapter (1) further comprises a cover element (20) for each group (A, B) of conductor receptacles (11), which can be fixed to the base body (10) and which is designed to open the insertion openings (12) of the respective group (A, B).B) to close and to fix the ladder (100) of the respective group (A, B) in the respective ladder receptacle (11).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a printed circuit board adapter for the compact and direct electrical contacting of conductors partially sheathed with insulation to a printed circuit board. DE102008020969A1 discloses a printed circuit board adapter from the prior art.

[0002] Individual conductors can be contacted by simply placing or inserting them into a circuit board and then soldering them to it.

[0003] If several individual conductors or several conductors of a cable are to be contacted with the circuit board, it is already known in the prior art to overmold them with plastic and thereby fix them in a predetermined arrangement to each other and in a predetermined orientation for mounting on the circuit board.

[0004] Furthermore, there are also connectors for printed circuit boards, which are comparatively complex and expensive, as both plugs and sockets are required, which in turn have to be assembled and involve a large number of parts.

[0005] If a plug connection is not to be used, the conductors must be pre-assembled using an injection molding process, which is complex and expensive and requires special manufacturing machines.

[0006] The invention is therefore based on the objective of overcoming the aforementioned disadvantages and providing a printed circuit board adapter through which conductors to be contacted with a printed circuit board can be easily pre-assembled.

[0007] This problem is solved by the combination of features according to claim 1.

[0008] According to the invention, a printed circuit board adapter is proposed for the compact and direct electrical contacting of conductors, which are partially sheathed with insulation, to a printed circuit board. Direct contacting is understood here to mean that the conductors are to be electrically connected directly to the printed circuit board or to contacts provided on the printed circuit board, for example, by soldering. The conductors can be individual conductors that are bundled by the printed circuit board adapter. Alternatively, at least some of the conductors can be conductors of a multi-core cable or wire, which can be pre-assembled for connection to the printed circuit board using the printed circuit board adapter.According to the invention, the printed circuit board adapter comprises a base body with a conductor receptacle extending along a respective longitudinal axis through the base body for each conductor, these receptacles preferably running parallel. The conductor receptacles are arranged in groups and have an insertion opening perpendicular to the respective longitudinal axis, through which the respective conductor can be positioned in the respective conductor receptacle, running parallel to the respective longitudinal axis. Thus, by means of an insertion movement perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the conductor receptacle, a conductor can be positioned in the conductor receptacle through the respective insertion opening, running parallel to the longitudinal axis.Inserting the conductor along its longitudinal axis into the conductor receptacle is neither necessary nor preferably possible. This can be prevented, for example, by cutting edges designed to cut into the insulation of the respective conductor and prevent movement of the conductor along its longitudinal axis. The printed circuit board adapter proposed according to the invention further comprises a cover element for each group of conductor receptacles, which can be fixed to the base body and is designed to close the insertion openings of the respective group and to fix the conductors of the respective group in the respective conductor receptacle.

[0009] Because the base body and cover elements can be manufactured simply from plastic, for example, and independently of the immediate pre-assembly of the conductors, the actual pre-assembly, i.e., the arrangement of the conductors in the circuit board adapter, can be carried out independently of a complex manufacturing process.

[0010] The ladders simply need to be placed in the ladder recesses of the base body and the insertion openings then closed by the cover elements, which simultaneously fixes the ladders in the ladder recesses.

[0011] An advantageous further development provides that the basic body is in particular cuboid-shaped or has a rectangular base and provides a group of ladder receptacles on each of two opposite longitudinal sides, the insertion openings of which are open towards the respective longitudinal side.

[0012] However, other shapes of the basic body are also possible. For example, it can also be cylindrical or have a square base.

[0013] However, the cuboid shape allows for a space-saving arrangement of the ladder mounts along the long sides, so that the orthogonal broad sides or the depth of the base body can be reduced to a minimum.

[0014] If the conductor receptacles are divided into a group on each longitudinal side, they are preferably arranged in a row, so that the printed circuit board adapter provides the conductors or conductor receptacles in two rows.

[0015] To fix the at least one cover element, it is preferably provided that the at least one cover element and the base body have corresponding fastening elements, wherein the at least one cover element can be fixed to the base body in particular by hot riveting or a snap connection.

[0016] For hot riveting, for example, it can be provided that the base body has two ribs or projections per cover element and the cover element has two openings, so that the cover element with the openings can be guided over the projections and these can then be deformed by heat, fixing the cover element to the base body, whereby a form-fit and / or material-fit connection that cannot be removed without damage is created.

[0017] To create a snap-fit ​​connection, the base body and cover element each have interlocking snap elements, through which a form-fit and non-destructively detachable connection between the base body and cover element can be created.

[0018] Preferably, each conductor holder has a fastening section and a preferably immediately following centering section along its longitudinal axis. The fastening section is designed to fix an insulated section of the respective conductor in the base body, while the centering section is designed to align and center an uninsulated section of the respective conductor in a predetermined position. This allows the uninsulated section of the conductor to protrude from the base body to a predetermined length in the predetermined position, forming a free end for contact with the printed circuit board.

[0019] Furthermore, pre-assembly means or elements extending into the conductor receptacle, for example in the form of projections, may be provided in the fastening section, which are designed to detachably hold the insulated section of the respective conductor in the fastening section.

[0020] Preferably, the fastening section can have projections that define the insertion opening, in particular those that determine the width of the insertion opening and form the pre-assembly means. It can be provided that the width of the insertion opening is equal to or smaller than the diameter of the insulated conductor, so that the conductor can be pressed through the insertion opening by elastic deformation of the insulation, but cannot slip out of the conductor receptacle on its own due to this elastic deformation.

[0021] The at least one cover element is preferably provided with fixing elements, specifically ribs or webs, which simultaneously provide strain relief for the conductors on the circuit board adapter and the circuit board. These ribs or webs are designed to extend into the mounting sections of the conductor holders of the associated group of conductor holders and to permanently fix the insulated section of the respective conductor, for example, by pressing or cutting into the insulation. Preferably, several such ribs or webs are provided on each cover element, running parallel and spaced apart along the longitudinal axis.

[0022] According to an advantageous embodiment, the fixing element can be designed as at least one rib spanning all insertion openings of the group, i.e., perpendicular to the longitudinal axis(s). A recess for receiving the at least one rib is provided on the base body, and in particular between the insertion openings of the group, so that the at least one rib can enter the conductor receptacle in the region of the insertion openings and the recess outside the insertion opening.

[0023] In addition to the aforementioned longitudinal sides and the orthogonal broad sides, the printed circuit board adapter can have two opposing sides that determine the basic shape of the base body, one of which is intended as the printed circuit board side for placement or orientation in the direction of the printed circuit board and the other as the conductor side on which the conductors enter the base body or the conductor receptacles.

[0024] Based on this, the printed circuit board (PCB) side can have a contact surface extending orthogonally to the longitudinal axes of the conductor holders for contact with the PCB. At least one plug-in element is provided on the contact surface, and in particular on a section of the contact surface formed by the base body and / or the at least one cover element. This plug-in element is designed to encode the positioning of the PCB adapter on the PCB and / or to detachably hold the PCB adapter on the PCB. The encoding enables fail-safe assembly in the sense of Poka-Yoke, with the plug-in element further serving to hold the PCB adapter on the PCB so that it cannot slip out of its intended position until the conductors are permanently connected to the PCB or its contacts.

[0025] The plug-in body is preferably designed as a cylindrical or frustoconical pin, which has plastically or elastically deformable deformation sections on its outer circumference, which are deformed when inserted into the circuit board and thereby create a firm fit of the adapter on the circuit board.

[0026] Furthermore, the base body can have a separating web between each pair of conductor receptacles of a group, through which a contour of the conductor receptacles of the group running over the webs is meandering in an axial view.

[0027] The conductors preferably have identical diameters or identical cross-sections, although different cross-sections may also be provided, with the respective conductor receptacle being designed accordingly.

[0028] Furthermore, the conductor can be formed from a single wire or a multitude of individual wires, whereby the free end of the conductor, particularly if it consists of a multitude of individual wires, can be tinned or resistance-compressed. Tinning simplifies contacting or electrical connection to the printed circuit board by soldering, and resistance compression simplifies contacting or electrical connection by press-fitting.

[0029] The features disclosed above can be combined in any way, provided that this is technically possible and they do not contradict each other.

[0030] Other advantageous embodiments of the invention are characterized in the dependent claims or are described in more detail below together with the description of the preferred embodiment of the invention with reference to the figures. The figures show: Fig. 1 a printed circuit board adapter with conductors fixed in it in a perspective view; Fig. 2 a printed circuit board adapter in an exploded view; Fig. 3 a printed circuit board adapter in a perspective view from below.

[0031] The figures are schematic examples. Identical reference symbols in the figures indicate identical functional and / or structural features, whereby the Figures 1 to 3 preferably show different views of the same printed circuit board adapter 1, so that the features are basically present in all figures and descriptions of the features preferably apply to all figures.

[0032] In Figure 1The printed circuit board adapter 1 with the conductors 100 it contains is shown, wherein the printed circuit board adapter 1 has five conductor receptacles 11, which are divided into two groups A and B. Basically, the printed circuit board adapter 1 consists of a single base body 10 and at least one cover element 20, or in this case, two cover elements 20, wherein the base body 10, or the entire printed circuit board adapter, has a space-saving cuboid shape with long sides 31 and shorter short sides 32 opposite these. A first group A comprises three conductor receptacles 11 arranged in a row on one long side 31 of the base body 10, and a second group B comprises two conductor receptacles 11 on an opposite long side 31 of the base body 10.

[0033] According to the invention, the conductors 100 for compact and direct electrical contact with a printed circuit board are not overmolded with a material or adapter. Instead, the printed circuit board adapter 1 provides conductor receptacles 11 extending along a longitudinal axis X through the base body 10, each of which is opened orthogonally to the longitudinal axis X by an insertion opening 12, so that the conductors 100 can be easily arranged in the conductor receptacles 11 through the insertion openings 12, running parallel to the longitudinal axis X. The insertion openings 12 are closed by the cover element(s) 20, which simultaneously fix the conductors 100 in the conductor receptacles 11.

[0034] The ladder receptacles 11 of the first group A are open to the first longitudinal side 31 and the ladder receptacles 11 of the second group B are open to the opposite longitudinal side 31, on each of which a cover element 20 can be arranged.

[0035] As especially in Figure 2 The ladder receptacles 11 each have two immediately consecutive sections, of which a first section is designed as a fastening section 14 and a second section as a centering section 15.

[0036] In the fastening section 14, a section 114 of the respective conductor 100, sheathed with insulation 110, can be arranged and fixed in the base body 10. For pre-assembly or temporary pre-fixing of the conductor 100, pre-assembly elements 16, designed as projections 16, are provided. These reduce the width of the insertion openings 12 to a dimension equal to or less than the diameter of the section 114 of the conductor 100 sheathed with insulation 110. This allows the conductor 100, or its insulation 110, to be elastically deformed and thus fixed in the conductor receptacle 11 during an insertion movement orthogonal to the longitudinal axis X. Accordingly, this pre-fixing can be released reversibly and non-destructively at any time.

[0037] The centering section 15 is designed to align and center an insulation-free section 115 of the respective conductor 100 in a predetermined position. Accordingly, the conductor 100, with the insulation-free section 115, can protrude from the base body in the predetermined position and to a predetermined length on a circuit board side 33 facing the circuit board during intended use, so that this insulation-free section 115 can be electrically connected to the circuit board or to contacts provided on the circuit board.

[0038] As in the Figures 1 to 3 As shown, the base body 10 and the cover elements 20 each have corresponding fastening elements 13, 23, by which the cover elements 20 can be securely and permanently fixed to the base body 10.

[0039] The fastening elements 13 of the base body 10 are webs 13 which can pass through openings or elongated holes 23 provided as fastening elements 23 on the cover elements 20, as shown in Figure 3 shown, in order to subsequently reshape the cover elements 20 by hot riveting, so that at least a positive-locking connection is created between the cover elements 20 and the base body 10.

[0040] To fix the conductor 100 in the conductor receptacles 11, each of the cover elements 20 provides three fixing means 27 designed as ribs 27 and spanning all insertion openings 12 of the respective group A, B, which apply force to and fix the conductor 100 via the respective insulation 110 in the fastening sections 14.

[0041] On the longitudinal sides 31, corresponding recesses 27 are provided between the insertion openings 12 to the ribs 27, into which these can extend.

[0042] As especially in Figure 3 The base body 10 has a substantially meandering contour 30 on its longitudinal sides 31, formed by the ladder receptacles 11, the webs 19 which extend between or separate two ladder receptacles 11, and the pre-assembly means 16 provided as projections 16.

[0043] Also in Figure 3The side of the printed circuit board 33 facing the intended use of the printed circuit board is shown, on which two plug-in elements 18, designed as pins, protrude from the base body 10. The printed circuit board adapter 1 can be inserted into designated holes in the printed circuit board using the plug-in elements 18, thereby enabling a Poka-Yoke system and holding the printed circuit board adapter 1 on the printed circuit board and relieving strain until the permanent and secure connection of the conductors 100 to the contacts provided on the printed circuit board firmly fixes the adapter 1 to the printed circuit board.

[0044] The invention is not limited in its implementation to the preferred embodiments specified above. Rather, a number of variants are conceivable which make use of the solution presented even in fundamentally different designs.

Claims

1. A printed circuit board adapter (1) for compact and direct electrical contacting of conductors (100) that are sheathed in sections with insulation (110), with a printed circuit board, wherein the printed circuit board adapter (1) comprises a base body (10) having, for each conductor (100), a conductor receptacle (11) extending through the base body (10) along a respective longitudinal axis (X), wherein the conductor receptacles (11) are arranged in groups (A, B) and, orthogonally to the respective longitudinal axis (X), have an insertion opening (12) through which the respective conductor (100), extending parallel to the respective longitudinal axis (X), can be arranged in the respective conductor receptacle (11), characterized in that the printed circuit board adapter (1) further comprises, for each group (A, B) of conductor receptacles (11), a cover element (20) affixable to the base body (10), the cover element being designed to seal the insertion openings (12) of the respective group (A, B) and to affix the conductors (100) of the respective group (A, B) in the respective conductor receptacle (11).

2. The printed circuit board adapter according to claim 1, wherein the base body (10) is in particular cuboid and provides, on each of two opposite longitudinal sides (31), a respective group (A, B) of conductor receptacles (11) whose insertion openings (12) are open toward the respective longitudinal side.

3. The printed circuit board adapter according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the at least one cover element (20) and the base body (10) have mutually corresponding fastening elements (13, 23), and wherein the at least one cover element (20) is affixable to the base body (10), in particular by heat staking or by a latching connection.

4. The printed circuit board adapter according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein each conductor receptacle (11) has, along the longitudinal axis (X), a fastening section (14) and a centring section (15), wherein the fastening section (14) is designed to affix, in the base body (10), a section (114) of the respective conductor (100) that is sheathed with the insulation (110), wherein the centring section (15) is designed to align and centre, in a predetermined position, a section (115) of the respective conductor (100) that is free of insulation.

5. The printed circuit board adapter according to the preceding claim, wherein pre-assembly means (16) extending into the conductor receptacle (11) are provided in the fastening section (14), the said pre-assembly means being designed to releasably hold, in the fastening section (14), the section (114) of the respective conductor (100) that is sheathed with the insulation (110).

6. The printed circuit board adapter according to the preceding claim, wherein the fastening section (14) has projections (16) which delimit the insertion opening (12), in particular determine the width of the insertion opening (12) and form the pre-assembly means (16).

7. The arrangement according to any one of claims 4 to 6, wherein fixing means (27), instantiated in particular as ribs or webs, are provided on the at least one cover element (20), the said fixing means being designed to extend into the fastening sections (15) of the conductor receptacles (11) of the associated group (A, B) of conductor receptacles (11) and to permanently affix the section (114) of the respective conductor (100) that is sheathed with the insulation (110).

8. The printed circuit board adapter according to the preceding claim, wherein the fixing means (27) are instantiated as at least one rib (27) which spans all insertion openings (12) of the group (A, B), wherein a recess (17) for receiving the at least one rib (27) is provided on the base body (10), and in particular between the insertion openings (12) of the group (A, B), for each rib (27).

9. The printed circuit board adapter according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a printed circuit board side (33) having a contact surface extending orthogonally to the longitudinal axes (X) of the conductor receptacles (11) for the purpose of bearing against the printed circuit board, wherein at least one plug-in body (18) is provided on the contact surface, the plug-in body being designed to encode the positioning of the printed circuit board adapter (1) on the printed circuit board and / or to releasably hold the printed circuit board adapter (1) on the printed circuit board.

10. The printed circuit board adapter according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the base body (10) has, between each two conductor receptacles (11) of a group (A, B), a web (19) which separates the same and as a result of which a contour (30) of the conductor receptacles (11) of the group (A, B) is meander-shaped in an axial view, the said contour extending over the webs.

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