Cooking Hob PCB Connector Layout for Robotic Top-Down Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing household appliance production facilities require manual assembly steps for establishing electrical connections, particularly with plug contacts of wiring harnesses, limiting the level of automation.
Innovation Solution
A household appliance design that allows for automated electrical connections by configuring circuit boards with electrical connectors that can be equipped with connection lines after installation, using equipment robots for orthogonal assembly movements, and employing connection means like push-on contacts and contact bars for efficient interconnection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If manual assembly steps are used for establishing electrical connections with plug contacts of wiring harnesses, then flexibility and adaptability are maintained, but the level of automation in production facilities is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The electrical connector is pre-integrated onto the circuit board during manufacturing, so that the board arrives at the assembly line ready for automated connection. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for manual wiring harness assembly and enables direct automated electrical connections using robots equipped with connection lines.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical assembly operations with automated robotic systems. Robots equipped with connection lines automatically establish electrical connections by moving orthogonally to the circuit board from above, substituting human operators and enabling full automation of the electrical connection process.
2Extent of automation
If electrical connectors are pre-equipped on circuit boards before installation, then automated assembly from above is enabled, but the connector must be accessible from the top direction
Solution Approach 1:
The electrical connector is positioned on the circuit board such that connection access is provided from the vertical dimension (from above), rather than from the sides or bottom. This dimensional arrangement allows automated equipment to approach and make connections in a top-down movement, enabling automation while maintaining connector functionality.
Data Source
AI summary
A household appliance (10), particularly a cooking appliance, more particularly a cooking hob, even more particularly an induction cooking hob, comprises a first circuit board (22) and a second circuit board (22) or a first circuit board (22) and a mains connection unit (36), particularly a mains terminal block or a power supply box. These pairs of units (22, 36) are electrically connectable by a connection means comprising at least one connection line (40, 60). The first circuit board (22) comprises a first electrical connector (52, 62) for an electrical connection for power and/or information transmission. The first electrical connector (52, 62) of the first circuit board (22) is equippable with the connection line (40, 60) after arrangement of the first circuit board (22) in a housing (12) of the household appliance (10), preferably after arrangement of the first and second circuit boards (22) or of the first circuit board (22) and the mains connection unit (36) in the housing (12). At least the first circuit board (22) is arrangeable or arranged in the housing (12) of the household appliance (10) at a predefined position in a way that also the first electrical connector (52, 62) is arranged at a predefined position and the first electrical connector (52, 62), which is arranged at said predefined position, is accessible for the equipment with the connection line (40, 60) from above, preferably for an automated equipment in a top down movement, particularly by an equipment robot.