PCB Circuit Breaker Spacing Bracket for Terminal Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing circuit breaker mounting solutions on printed circuit boards (PCBs) often require complex PCB designs to ensure minimum terminal spacing, leading to increased production complexity, cost, and structural weakening.
Innovation Solution
A spacing bracket with a floor and terminal receiving openings, aligned with circuit board holes and circuit breaker terminals, clamped by screws to maintain terminal spacing and electrical contact, using snap-fit tabs, rivets, or a biased hinge for secure attachment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If circuit breaker terminals are positioned close together to simplify mounting, then device complexity is reduced, but terminal spacing requirements are violated creating safety hazards
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a spacing bracket as an intermediary component between the circuit board and circuit breaker. This bracket includes a floor with terminal receiving openings that are separated by a barrier, physically enforcing the minimum spacing between terminals of different polarity while simplifying the overall mounting structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent moves the spacing enforcement from the two-dimensional circuit board plane to a three-dimensional structure by introducing a spacing bracket with vertical height. The floor of the bracket creates a physical barrier that maintains terminal spacing in the vertical dimension, allowing closer terminal positioning on the board itself.
2Reliability
If complex PCB structures are used to ensure terminal spacing, then terminal spacing requirements are met, but production complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the spacing enforcement function from the PCB itself and places it in a separate spacing bracket component. This allows the PCB to maintain its simple, standard design while the spacing requirements are handled by the removable bracket, significantly simplifying PCB manufacturing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides the mounting system into separate functional components: the circuit board, the spacing bracket, and the circuit breaker. The spacing bracket is a standalone component that can be manufactured independently using simple processes, avoiding the need for complex PCB modifications.
3Ease of operation
If large openings are created in PCB substrates to accommodate terminals, then terminal access is improved, but structural strength of the PCB is weakened
Solution Approach 1:
The spacing bracket acts as an intermediary that provides terminal access without requiring large openings in the PCB. The bracket's floor with terminal receiving openings allows terminals to be accessed and connected while the PCB substrate itself remains intact and structurally sound.
4Ease of manufacture
If minimal modifications are made to traditional PCB designs, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but achieving terminal spacing requirements becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The spacing bracket serves as a mediator that enables terminal spacing compliance without requiring modifications to the traditional PCB design. The bracket is positioned between the PCB and circuit breaker, enforcing spacing requirements through its physical structure while leaving the PCB design unchanged.
Data Source
AI summary
An assembly includes a circuit board having at least two conductor traces formed thereon, each of the conductor traces having at least one hole associated therewith, a circuit breaker having at least two conductive terminals, each of the conductive terminals having a screw-receiving threaded opening, the threaded openings being aligned with the holes formed in the circuit board, and a spacing bracket comprising a floor positioned between the circuit board and the circuit breaker when the circuit breaker is attached to the circuit board, the floor having at least two terminal receiving openings passing therethrough, the openings separated from one another by a barrier and being aligned with the threaded openings of the circuit breaker and the holes of the circuit board. The spacing bracket further includes an affixation member that affixes the spacing bracket to at least one of the printed circuit board and the circuit breaker.