Circuit board contact

Abstract

Proposed is a circuit board contact (3) for contacting and conductively connecting a circuit board (1) to a pin contact (31), the circuit board contact (3) being distinguished by the fact that it has a soldering surface (21) for establishing a conductive connection to the circuit board (1) and for fixing the circuit board contact (3) to the circuit board (1), and has a tulip contact (22), which is conductively connected to the soldering surface (21) and has two contact limbs for making contact with the pin contact (31), characterized in that the soldering surface (21) forms a base limb of a U-shaped portion which also has two side limbs (23, 24) that are oriented perpendicularly to the soldering surface and each laterally have extension pieces (221, 222) which form the two contact limbs of the tulip contact (22).

Description

[0001] PCB CONTACT

[0002] The invention relates to a printed circuit board contact according to the preamble of claim 1.

[0003] In electrical devices with relatively narrow, essentially disc-shaped housings, it may be necessary to connect a printed circuit board (PCB) to a printed circuit board (PCB) via a PCB contact, on the one hand, and to a contact pin or a contact blade (PLC) via a PCB contact, on the other. For example, there are stackable electrical devices that have a housing with a printed circuit board, which are connected to functional modules that can be attached to the housing. Such functional modules can be, for example, relay sockets, which have a module housing with a relay and connection contacts for electrical connection to the housing.

[0004] The invention aims to provide a printed circuit board contact that is easy to manufacture, easy to assemble and functionally reliable.

[0005] The invention solves this problem by the subject matter of claim 1. Advantageous further developments can be found in the subclaims.

[0006] According to claim 1, a printed circuit board contact for contacting and conductively connecting a printed circuit board is provided with a pin contact. The pin contact has a soldering surface for conductively connecting the printed circuit board and securing the printed circuit board contact to the printed circuit board, and a tulip contact conductively connected to the soldering surface with two contact legs for contacting the pin contact. The soldering surface forms a base leg of a U-shaped section, which further has two side legs oriented perpendicular to the soldering surface, each of which has extension webs on the sides, forming the two contact legs of the tulip contact. This printed circuit board contact is easy to manufacture, easy to assemble, and functionally reliable.

[0007] It is then advantageous if, in a preferred embodiment variant, a bending region having a radius is formed in sections between the base leg and at least one of the two side legs. In this case, it can then optionally be further advantageously provided that the respective bending region is not provided over the entire length of the base leg and the side legs, but that it is interrupted by one or more slots. This is advantageous because the slots ensure very good mobility of the side legs relative to the soldering surface which, in the installed state, is firmly anchored to the circuit board. It is particularly advantageous if the length of the respective bending region is not greater than the length of the one or more slots provided in its region.

[0008] This makes it particularly possible for the constriction of the tulip contact intended for contacting the respective pin contact to be positioned approximately centrally in front of the soldering surface relative to the Y-direction of the soldering surface, or, in a different configuration, to be offset laterally from this center. It can even be positioned approximately in line with the extension of one of the two bending areas. This makes it easy to construct variants of the printed circuit board contact that can accommodate a wide variety of installation situations.

[0009] It is preferred that the printed circuit board contact be manufactured as a stamped / bent part from a flat strip material, preferably made of a highly conductive metal. This enables cost-effective production of the printed circuit board contact.

[0010] The overall advantage is that the circuit board contact is easy to manufacture and can be assembled by hand or, alternatively, usually with an automatic assembly machine.

[0011] The invention then further provides an arrangement according to claim 10 comprising a stackable electrical device with a stackable, essentially disc-shaped housing, a printed circuit board, and a functional module that can be placed on the housing, from which one or more pin contacts protrude, and one or more printed circuit board contacts with the features of claim 1 for conductively connecting the printed circuit board to one of the pin contacts. This arrangement can optionally and advantageously also comprise one or more of the further features of claims 2 to 9.

[0012] The invention is described in more detail below with reference to an exemplary embodiment and the drawing. Within the scope of the invention and the scope of protection, alternatives and equivalents of the illustrated exemplary embodiment can also be realized. They show:

[0013] Fig. 1 to 3 different views of a printed circuit board contact according to the invention; and

[0014] Figs. 4 and 5 are perspective views of arrangements with printed circuit board contacts of the type shown in Figs. 1 to 3. Figs. 4 and 5 each show an arrangement comprising a printed circuit board 1 (shown in sections), a plurality of printed circuit board contacts 2, and a functional module 3. The number of these components is to be understood purely as an example. At least one single printed circuit board 1, one single printed circuit board contact 2, and one single functional module 3 are provided. However, the arrangement can also comprise several of these components.

[0015] Four printed circuit board contacts 2 are arranged on the printed circuit board 1, for example, which conductively contact at least one conductive area (not visible here) of the printed circuit board 1. For this purpose, the printed circuit board contact 2 is soldered to the corresponding conductive area of ​​the printed circuit board 1 in the area of ​​a soldering surface 21 (the line of the reference symbol points to the surface of the corresponding metal area, which is preferably flat on top and bottom, but the actual soldering surface is formed on the opposite underside).

[0016] Each printed circuit board contact 2 further comprises a contact tulip 22, which is conductively connected to the soldering surface 21. The respective contact tulip 22 contacts a corresponding pin contact 31 (which can also be designed as a blade contact with a more rectangular cross-section; a blade is, in this respect, a pin with a rectangular cross-section) that protrudes from a housing (hereinafter referred to as the component housing) 32 of the functional component 3.

[0017] The functional module 3 can, for example, be a relay socket that can be placed on a series-mounted housing 41 of a series-mounted electrical device, for example, on the housing 41 of a terminal block 4, which is shown in sections in Fig. 5. This functional module 3 can, for example, be locked to the housing 41 by means of at least one preferably releasable fastening means 42, such as a latching hook.

[0018] The soldering surface 21 is a surface which, when soldered onto the circuit board 1, is aligned substantially parallel to the circuit board 1 (see Figs. 4 and 5).

[0019] The soldering surface 21 (see now Figs. 1 to 3) forms a base leg of a U-shaped section of the printed circuit board contact 2. This U-shaped section comprises the soldering surface 21 as the base leg and two side legs 23, 24 perpendicular thereto.

[0020] The base leg 21 extends in an X / Z plane with respect to a Cartesian coordinate system X, Y, Z, and the side legs 23, 24 each lie in mutually parallel Z / Y planes. Between the base leg 21 and the two side legs 23, 24, a bending region 231, 241 is formed in sections, each having a radius R1. However, according to a preferred embodiment, the respective bending region 231, 241 is not provided over the entire length of the base leg 21 and the side legs 23, 24 in the Z direction, but can be interrupted by one or more slots 232, 242. These slots 232, 242 ensure, in a simple manner, a surprisingly significantly increased mobility of the side legs 23, 24 relative to the soldering surface 21, which is firmly anchored to the circuit board 2 during installation.This mobility in turn facilitates the contacting of the respective corresponding pin or blade contact 31 of the functional module 3 with the contact tulip 22. In order to achieve this mobility well, it can be provided that the length of the respective bending area 231, 241 (or the two or more bending areas) is not greater than the length of the one or more slots 232, 242 provided in its area. In a simplified variant, it is also conceivable not to provide any slots in the bending area (not shown here).

[0021] The side legs 23, 24 have, on their ends facing away from the bending region 231, 241, a first (longer) edge 233, 243, which can run parallel to the slots 232, 242, and a second (shorter) edge 234, 244 running between the bending regions 231, 241 and the first edge 233, 243.

[0022] Where their third edge 235, 245 (shown in dashed lines) would normally be provided, they each have an extension web 221, 222 at the side instead of such an edge. The tulip contact 22 is formed from these extension webs 221, 222 at their ends.

[0023] For this purpose, the extension webs 221, 222 can initially run essentially parallel to one another in a first section. They can then continue to run towards one another towards their free ends in a second section, which forms the actual contact legs of the tulip contact, and then away from one another again, so that a gap 223 is formed between them, which gap has a constriction 2231. This constriction serves to position the pin or blade contact 31 of the function module 3 to be contacted. In the second section, which forms the actual contact legs of the tulip contact 21, the extension webs 221, 222 can also be longer in the Y direction than in the first section in order to ensure particularly good and secure contacting of the respective contact pins 31.

[0024] In this case, this constriction 2231 can be formed centrally in front of the soldering surface 21 in relation to the extension of the soldering surface 21 in the Y direction. This constriction 223 can, however, also be formed laterally offset from this center. In this case, the extension webs 221, 222 have a different extension. The constriction 23 can then, for example, be aligned with one of the slots (232, 242) and a secure contacting of the pin or blade contact 31 to be contacted can still be ensured. In this case, it has a positive effect that the respective bending area

[0025] 231, 241 is provided and formed, which has the radius and which does not extend over the entire length of the base leg 21 and the side legs 23, 24 in the Z direction, but which is respectively formed by the one or more slots

[0026] 232, 242 is interrupted. As already explained, the slots 232, 242 ensure very good mobility of the side legs 23, 24 relative to the soldering surface 21, which is firmly anchored to the circuit board 2 during installation.

[0027] Preferably, during the production of the printed circuit board contact 3, a metal strip is first cut to length from strip material, in particular from a copper sheet strip, and prepared. The functional areas described above are punched out of this flat strip, and the strip is then bent to form the finished printed circuit board contact 3.

[0028] It is worth emphasizing that this printed circuit board contact 3 is inexpensive to manufacture and easy to handle. It can be used to easily establish a conductive connection between the two busbars 1, 2.

[0029] List of reference symbols

[0030] Circuit board 1

[0031] PCB contact 2

[0032] Soldering surface 21

[0033] Contact tulip 22

[0034] Extension bars 221 , 222

[0035] Gap 223

[0036] Bottleneck 2231

[0037] Side legs 23, 24

[0038] Bending area 231 , 241

[0039] Slots 232, 242 first edge 233, 243 second edge 234, 244.

[0040] Function module 3

[0041] Pin contact 31

[0042] Module housing 32

[0043] Terminal block 4

[0044] Housing 41

[0045] Fasteners 42

Claims

Patent claims 1 . Printed circuit board contact (3) for contacting and conductively connecting a printed circuit board (1) with a pin contact (31), characterized in that the printed circuit board contact (3) has a soldering surface (21) for conductively connecting to the printed circuit board (1) and fixing the printed circuit board contact (3) to the printed circuit board (1) and a tulip contact (22) which is conductively connected to the soldering surface (21) and has two contact legs for contacting the pin contact (31), characterized in that the soldering surface (21) forms a base leg of a U-shaped section which further has two side legs (23, 24) aligned perpendicular to the soldering surface, which side legs each have extension webs (221, 222) on the sides which form the two contact legs of the tulip contact (22).

2. Printed circuit board contact according to claim 1, characterized in that between the base leg (21) and at least one of the two side legs (23, 24) a bending region (231, 241) is formed in sections, which has a radius (R), wherein the respective bending region (231, 241) is not provided over the entire length of the base leg (21) and the side legs (23, 24), but is interrupted by one or more slots (232, 242).

3. Printed circuit board contact according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the length of the respective bending region (231, 241) is not greater than the length of the one or more slots (232, 242) provided in its region.

4. Printed circuit board contact according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the base leg (21) extends in a Y / Z plane and that side legs (23, 24) each lie in mutually parallel X / Z planes perpendicular to the plane of the base leg (219), and that the side legs (23, 24) have a first (longer) edge (233, 243) on their ends facing away from the respective bending region (231, 241) and a second edge (234, 244) running between the bending regions (231, 241) and the first edge (233, 243), and that the side legs each have an extension web (221, 222) on a further side, the tulip contact being formed from these extension webs (221, 222) towards their free ends.

5. Printed circuit board contact according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the extension webs (221, 222) initially run essentially parallel to one another in a first section, and then in a second section, in which they form the two contact legs of the tulip contact (22), they run towards one another towards their free ends and then away from one another again, so that a gap (223) is formed between them, which gap has a constriction (2231) which serves to counter the pin or blade contact (31) to be contacted.

6. Printed circuit board contact according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the constriction (2231) is formed centrally in front of the soldering surface (21) with respect to the extension of the soldering surface (21) in the Y direction or that it is formed laterally offset from this center.

7. Printed circuit board contact according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the constriction (2231) lies approximately in the extension of one of the two bending regions (231, 241).

8. Printed circuit board contact according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the extension webs (221, 222) in the second section, which forms the actual contact legs of the tulip contact 21, are longer in the Y direction than in the first section.

9. Printed circuit board contact according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is manufactured as a stamped / bent part from a flat strip material, preferably consisting of a highly conductive metal, in a stamping / bending process.

10. Arrangement comprising a series-connected electrical device (4) with a series-connected, substantially disc-shaped housing (41), with a printed circuit board (1) and with a functional module (3) which can be placed on the housing (41) and from which one or more pin contacts (31) protrude, wherein one or more printed circuit board contacts (2) according to one or more of the preceding claims are provided for the conductive connection of the printed circuit board (1) to one of the pin contacts (31) in each case.

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