Self-Tapping Electrical Component for PCB Mounting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for attaching electrical components to printed circuit boards, such as soldering and screw connections, face challenges like mechanical stress, assembly errors, and high contact resistance, especially when dealing with non-solderable boards or requiring pre-punching, which can lead to deformation and increased costs.
Innovation Solution
An electrical component with a self-tapping engagement means that penetrates the circuit board for secure attachment, combined with a head region for electrically conductive attachment of wires or stranded conductors, allowing for flexible and cost-effective assembly without pre-punching the board.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If pre-cutting or pre-punching is performed on the PCB to enable component attachment, then component mounting is enabled, but mechanical stress causes deformations and increases the risk of PCB damage
Solution Approach 1:
The component's engagement element performs the punching action itself during attachment, eliminating the need for separate pre-punching operations. The component serves its own mounting preparation function by cutting its own insertion path through the PCB material.
Solution Approach 2:
The engagement element is pre-formed with a geometry designed to cut through PCB material during insertion. The cutting action is built into the attachment process itself, preparing the insertion path beforehand as the component is pressed onto the board.
2Strength
If screw connections are used to attach components to the circuit board, then secure mechanical attachment is achieved, but assembly errors and high contact resistance increase reliability risks
Solution Approach 1:
The engagement element automatically creates its own threaded or gripping structure during insertion, eliminating the need for separate screw threads to be pre-formed in the PCB. The component performs both the cutting and threading functions in a single self-contained operation.
3Reliability
If soldering is used to attach electrical components to the PCB, then electrical connection is achieved, but mechanical and thermal stresses during transport and handling compromise connection reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the thermal soldering process with a mechanical engagement system. The self-cutting engagement element creates a purely mechanical connection that avoids thermal cycling and solder joint vulnerabilities while maintaining electrical conductivity through the engagement structure itself.
4Strength
If fasteners such as rivets or clips are used to attach components, then mechanical attachment is achieved, but good electrical contact cannot always be guaranteed
Solution Approach 1:
The engagement element combines mechanical fastening and electrical contact functions into a single integrated structure. The same element that mechanically secures the component to the PCB also provides the electrical connection path, eliminating the need for separate contact elements.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
The invention relates to an electrical component (1) for electrical attachment to a printed circuit board (2), wherein the electrical component (1) has at least one self-tapping engagement element (3) and the engagement element (3) penetrates the printed circuit board (2) when the electrical component (1) is pressed against the printed circuit board (2) in order to secure the electrical component (1) to the printed circuit board (2). An electrical contact area (4) can be arranged spaced apart from the engagement element (3) to establish electrical contact between the electrical component (1) and the printed circuit board (2). The engagement element (3) is preferably fixed to the underside (5) of the electrical component (1). The electrical component (1) can also have a head area (6) to which an electrical conductor can be attached.