Contact adapter, plug connector system and connection assembly

Abstract

The invention relates to a contact adapter (10) for a connector (30) of a printed circuit board (50), comprising a carrier plate (1) and contact means (2) mounted thereon, wherein electrical connections between a card side and a connector side of the contact adapter (10) are formed by the contact means (2).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a contact adapter for a connector of a printed circuit board, a connector system with such a contact adapter, and an associated connection arrangement with a printed circuit board. STATE OF THE ART

[0002] Connection arrangements of connectors on printed circuit boards are known, which are used as interfaces for powering the circuit board and / or for data exchange with the circuit board. If a type of (populated) circuit board is to be connectable with differently configured connectors, cable adapters are typically used in the prior art to mediate between two differently configured connectors. This is because, for reasons of manufacturing efficiency and cost-effectiveness, the configuration of the contact elements on the circuit board side should not be reconfigured each time.

[0003] On the circuit board side, flat contact elements made of stamped grids are typically used. Some contact geometries commonly used in connectors, such as contact pins with a round cross-section, cannot be produced from stamped grids without further forming processes, so cable adapters are used in such cases as well. REVELATION OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The object of the present invention is to propose an alternative approach to the appropriate configurability of the connection arrangement of connectors on printed circuit boards.

[0005] This problem is solved by a contact adapter according to claim 1, a connector system according to claim 7, and a connection arrangement according to claim 9. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are specified in the dependent claims.

[0006] The invention discloses a contact adapter for a connector of a printed circuit board, comprising a carrier plate and contact means mounted thereon, wherein electrical connections between a card side and a connector side of the contact adapter are formed by the contact means.

[0007] The invention is based on the idea of ​​creating a compact component with the contact adapter, which acts as a freely configurable interface between the circuit board and a connector of any design. Preferably, the contact adapter is designed for integration into the respective connector, so that the installation space required by the connection arrangement is not increased.

[0008] In particular, the contact elements on the plug side of the contact adapter are arranged differently than those on the card side, for example, such that the contact elements are arranged in multiple rows on the plug side and in a single row on the card side. Similarly, the contact elements of the contact adapter can accommodate different diameters. The contact elements on the card side are intended for contacting contacts on the printed circuit board, and the contact elements on the plug side are intended for contacting contacts on the connector. The contact elements of the contact adapter can be configured appropriately for the specific application on both the plug and card sides and can, for example, be designed as plugs or sockets.

[0009] For example, the contact elements are designed as metallic stamped and bent parts, particularly made of a copper alloy. The carrier plate is preferably designed as an insulating injection-molded plastic part. During manufacturing, the contact elements can be overmolded with the plastic to form the carrier plate with the contact elements positively interlocked.

[0010] In one embodiment of the contact adapter, the contact elements on the connector side each have an exposed spring section, such that the contact elements can be mechanically preloaded. The preload is generated by the contact adapter's placement on a corresponding connector, whereby the contact elements of the contact adapter are elastically deformed by the contact elements of the connector within the spring section. This is intended to ensure a robust electrical contact between the contact adapter and the connector, even under operational vibrations or thermal expansion. Alternatively, the connector can be equipped with spring-loaded contact elements.

[0011] The invention further relates to a connector system for a printed circuit board, comprising a connector and a contact adapter according to one of the aforementioned embodiments, wherein the contact means on the plug side of the contact adapter are electrically connected to contact means of the connector. In particular, the carrier plate of the contact adapter is mechanically connected to the connector, for example by means of press connections with press-fit pins in press-fit holes. The connector system then represents a robust and easily handled assembly.

[0012] The invention further relates to a connection arrangement comprising a printed circuit board and a connector system according to one of the aforementioned embodiments, wherein the contact means on the card side of the contact adapter are electrically connected to contact means of the printed circuit board, such that electrical connections are formed between the contact means of the connector and the contact means of the printed circuit board. For example, the connector comprises a housing with connecting means for mechanical connection to a housing associated with the printed circuit board, wherein the connection also ensures robust electrical contact between the contact adapter and the printed circuit board. PREFERRED EXAMPLES OF THE INVENTION

[0013] Exemplary embodiments of the invention are illustrated and described in more detail below with reference to the figures. The figures show, in schematic representation: Fig. 1: a spatial view of a contact adapter according to the invention, Fig. 2a, b: partial spatial views of a connector system according to the invention, Fig. 3: a spatial view of the connector system, Fig. 4: a sectional view of a first embodiment of a connection arrangement according to the invention, and Fig. 5: a sectional view of a second embodiment of a connection arrangement according to the invention.

[0014] Fig. 1 Figure 1 shows a spatial view of a contact adapter 10 according to the invention, comprising the carrier plate 1 and six contact elements 2 mounted thereon, wherein electrical connections between the card side and the connector side of the contact adapter 10 are formed by the contact elements 2. In this illustration, the connector side forms the top and has contact elements 2 that are flush with the surface of the carrier plate 1. On the card side, shown here as the underside, the contact elements 2 project from the carrier plate 1 in a spoon-like shape. The contact adapter 10 mediates between a two-row arrangement of the contact elements 2 on the connector side and a single-row arrangement on the card side. The contact elements 2 are designed as metallic stamped and bent parts and are positively connected to the carrier plate 1, which is designed as an electrically insulating injection-molded plastic part.The carrier plate 1 has the two press-fit holes 11, which are provided for the establishment of a mechanical connection with a corresponding connector.

[0015] Fig. 2a und Fig. 2b show spatial partial views of a connector system according to the invention with a contact adapter 10 according to Fig. 1 , wherein otherwise only the six contact means 3 of the connector system are shown. These are designed as round contact pins, which are arranged on the contact adapter 10 in such a way that electrical connections are established on its plug side with the contact means 2 of the contact adapter 10, so that each pin-like contact means 3 is in electrical contact with one of the spoon-shaped contact means 2 on the card side of the contact adapter.

[0016] Fig. 3 shows a spatial view of the connector system 100 according to Fig. 2a, b , wherein the associated connector 30 comprises a housing 4 which, in the present illustration, conceals the contact adapter arranged behind the contact means 3.

[0017] Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 Figure 1 shows cutaway partial views of a first and a second embodiment of connection arrangements according to the invention, consisting of the circuit board 50 and the connector system 100, respectively. The contact means 2 on the card side of the contact adapter 10 are electrically connected to contact means 5 of the circuit board 50, such that electrical connections are formed between the contact means 3 of the connector 30 and the contact means 5 of the circuit board 50. The circuit board 50 is received in a housing (not shown) and the housing 4 of the connector 30 is mechanically connected to it (also not shown).The integration of the contact adapter 10 according to the invention makes it possible to contact the contact means 5 arranged in a row on the circuit board 50 via the pin-shaped contact means 3 of the connector 30 arranged in two rows of three, so that an individually configured interface for data transfer and / or power supply is formed.

[0018] In Fig. 4 The press-fit pin 31 is visible, which represents a section of the housing 4 of the connector 30 and forms a press connection with a corresponding press-fit hole on the carrier plate 1, so that a mechanical connection is established between the contact adapter 10 and the connector 30.

[0019] In contrast to the first embodiment according to Fig. 4 The second embodiment includes in Fig. 5A contact adapter 10, the contact elements 2 of which each have an exposed spring section 21 on the connector side, such that the contact elements 2 can be mechanically preloaded. The spring section is, for example, arc-shaped and runs freely in a recess of the carrier plate 1. Due to the pressure of the adjacent contact elements 3 of the connector 30, the contact elements 2 are elastically bent in the area of ​​the spring sections 21, thereby creating a preload directed towards the contact elements 3. This makes contact failures more difficult, which can occur during operation, for example, due to vibrations or material expansion or contraction as a result of temperature changes. Reference symbol list

[0020] 100 Connector system 10 Contact adapter 1 Carrier plate 11 Press-fit hole 2 Contact element 21 Spring section 30 Connector 3 Contact element 31 Press-fit pin 4 Housing 50 Circuit board 5 Contact element

Claims

1. Contact adapter (10) for a connector (30) of a printed circuit board (50), comprising a carrier plate (1) and contact means (2) mounted thereon, wherein electrical connections between a side of the board and a connector side of the contact adapter (10) are formed by the contact means (2).

2. Contact adapter (10) according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that The contact means (2) on the plug side of the contact adapter (10) form a different arrangement than on the card side.

3. Contact adapter (10) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by the fact that The contact means (2) on the plug side of the contact adapter (10) form a multi-row arrangement and on the card side a single-row arrangement.

4. Contact adapter (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that the contact means (2) are designed as metallic stamped and bent parts.

5. Contact adapter (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact thatthe carrier plate (1) is designed as an insulating plastic injection molded part.

6. Contact adapter (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that the contact means (2) on the plug side each have an exposed spring section (21) such that the contact means (2) can be mechanically preloaded.

7. Connector system (100) for a printed circuit board (50), comprising a connector (30) and a contact adapter (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the contact means (2) on the plug side of the contact adapter (10) are electrically connected to contact means (3) of the connector (30).

8. Connector system (100) according to claim 7, characterized by the fact that the carrier plate (1) of the contact adapter (10) is mechanically connected to the connector (30), in particular by means of press connections with press-fit pins (31) in press-fit holes (11).

9. Connection arrangement comprising a printed circuit board (50) and a connector system (100) according to one of claims 7 or 8, wherein the contact means (2) on the card side of the contact adapter (10) are electrically connected to contact means (5) of the printed circuit board (50) such that electrical connections are formed between the contact means (3) of the connector (30) and the contact means (5) of the printed circuit board (50).

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