Connecting element, assembly connection and circuit board arrangement

Abstract

Embodiments of a connecting element for connecting a first electrical assembly to a second electrical assembly may comprise a rigid, tubular outer housing made of an electrically conductive material and an electrical cable running inside the outer housing along a longitudinal axis of the outer housing. The electrical cable may include at least one inner conductor and a dielectric layer surrounding the at least one inner conductor. At least one segment of the outer housing may be reshaped along the longitudinal axis in such a way as to fix the electrical cable inside the outer housing.

Claims

1. A connecting element for electrically and mechanically connecting a first electrical assembly having a first mating plug-in connector to a second electrical assembly having a second mating plug-in connector, said connecting element, comprising: a rigid, tubular outer housing made of an electrically conductive material, the outer housing having a longitudinal axis which extends in a longitudinal direction, the outer housing having a first end and a second end, the first end and the second end being mutually spaced from one another in the longitudinal direction, the outer housing extending continuously from the first end to the second end in the longitudinal direction; an electrical cable running inside the outer housing along the longitudinal axis, the electrical cable extending continuously between the first end and the second end of the outer housing, the electrical cable having at least one inner conductor and a dielectric jacket surrounding the at least one inner conductor, the dielectric jacket surrounding all of the inner conductor except a first longitudinal portion of the inner conductor and a second longitudinal portion of the inner conductor, the first longitudinal portion of the inner conductor protruding longitudinally out of the dielectric jacket and into the first end of the outer housing, the second longitudinal portion of the inner conductor protruding longitudinally out of the dielectric jacket and into the second end of the outer housing; and wherein at least one longitudinal segment of the outer housing is a segment which has been plastically reshaped in such a way as to fix the electrical cable inside the outer housing with a mechanical holding force on the cable, the holding force being a result of the segment of the outer housing having been plastically reshaped, the at least one longitudinal segment being located longitudinally between the first end and the second end of the outer housing; the first end of the outer housing and the first longitudinal portion of the inner conductor together forming a first plug-in connector which is mechanically and electrically connectable directly to the first mating plug-in connector of the first electrical assembly; the second end of the outer housing and the second longitudinal portion of the inner conductor together forming a second plug-in connector which is mechanically and electrically connectable directly to the second mating plug-in connector of the second electrical assembly.

2. A connecting element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the outer housing has a reshaped segment which extends longitudinally all the way between the first plug-in connector and the second plug-in connector.

3. A connecting element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive material of the outer housing is a non-magnetic material.

4. A connecting element as claimed in claim 3, wherein the non-magnetic material is brass.

5. A connecting element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electrical cable is concentric and consists of only one inner conductor and one dielectric jacket.

6. A connecting element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the segment which has been reshaped has a perimeter which in cross section does not follow a circular path.

7. A connecting element as claimed in claim 6, wherein, in cross section, the segment which has been reshaped comprises at least two angular segments uniformly distributed along the perimeter, each of the segments having a uniform radius.

8. A connecting element as claimed in claim 6, wherein, in cross section, the segment which has been reshaped comprises at least two angular segments uniformly distributed along the perimeter, each of the angular segments having a uniform arc length.

9. A connecting element as claimed in claim 6, wherein, in cross section, the segment which has been reshaped comprises at least two angular segments uniformly distributed along the perimeter, each of the angular segments having a uniform radius and a uniform arc length.

10. A connecting element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the segment which has been reshaped comprises three perimeter segments which are distributed uniformly along a perimeter of a cross section of the outer housing.

11. An assembly connection for connecting a first electrical assembly and a second electrical assembly, said assembly connection, comprising: a connecting element having a rigid, tubular outer housing made of an electrically conductive material, the outer housing having a longitudinal axis which extends in a longitudinal direction, the outer housing having a first end and a second end, the first end and the second end being mutually spaced from one another in the longitudinal direction, the outer housing extending continuously from the first end to the second end in the longitudinal direction, the connecting element also having an electrical cable running inside the outer housing along the longitudinal axis, the electrical cable extending continuously between the first end and the second end of the outer housing, the electrical cable having at least one inner conductor and a dielectric jacket surrounding the at least one inner conductor, the dielectric jacket surrounding all of the inner conductor except a first longitudinal portion of the inner conductor and a second longitudinal portion of the inner conductor, the first longitudinal portion of the inner conductor protruding longitudinally out of the dielectric jacket and into the first end of the outer housing, the second longitudinal portion of the inner conductor protruding longitudinally out of the dielectric jacket and into the second end of the outer housing; and wherein at least one longitudinal segment of the outer housing is a segment which has been plastically reshaped in such a way as to fix the electrical cable inside the outer housing by a mechanical holding force on the cable, the holding force being a result of the segment of the outer housing having been plastically reshaped, the at least one longitudinal segment being located longitudinally between the first end and the second end of the outer housing; the first end of the outer housing and the first longitudinal portion of the inner conductor together forming a first plug-in connector which is mechanically and electrically connectable directly to the first mating plug-in connector of the first electrical assembly; the second end of the outer housing and the second longitudinal portion of the inner conductor together forming a second plug-in connector which is mechanically and electrically connectable directly to the second mating plug-in connector of the second electrical assembly.

12. A circuit board arrangement, comprising: a first circuit board and a second circuit board, the first circuit board being located in a first plane, the second circuit board located in a second plane, the first plane and the second plane being parallel to one another; a connecting element electrically connecting the first circuit board and the second circuit board to one another, wherein the connecting element includes a rigid, tubular outer housing made of an electrically conductive material, the outer housing having a longitudinal axis which extends in a longitudinal direction, the outer housing having a first end and a second end, the first end and the second end being mutually spaced from one another in the longitudinal direction, the outer housing extending continuously from the first end to the second end in the longitudinal direction, and wherein the connecting element also includes an electrical cable running inside the outer housing along the longitudinal axis, the electrical cable extending continuously between the first end and the second end of the outer housing, the electrical cable having at least one inner conductor and a dielectric jacket surrounding the at least one inner conductor, the dielectric jacket surrounding all of the inner conductor except a first longitudinal portion of the inner conductor and a second longitudinal portion of the inner conductor, the first longitudinal portion of the inner conductor protruding longitudinally out of the dielectric jacket and into the first end of the outer housing, the second longitudinal portion of the inner conductor protruding longitudinally out of the dielectric jacket and into the second end of the outer housing; and wherein at least one segment of the outer housing is a segment which has been plastically reshaped in such a way as to fix the electrical cable inside the outer housing by a mechanical holding force on the cable, the holding force being a result of the segment of the outer housing having been plastically reshaped, the at least one longitudinal segment being located longitudinally between the first end and the second end of the outer housing; the first end of the outer housing and the first longitudinal portion of the inner conductor together forming a first plug-in connector which is mechanically and electrically connectable directly to the first mating plug-in connector of the first circuit board; the second end of the outer housing and the second longitudinal portion of the inner conductor together forming a second plug-in connector which is mechanically and electrically connectable directly to the second mating plug-in connector of the second circuit board.

13. A connecting element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the segment which has been reshaped comprises three perimeter segments which are arranged a distance from one another on a perimeter of a cross section of the outer housing.

14. A connecting element as claimed in claim 13, wherein the three perimeter segments have a uniform radius.

15. A connecting element as claimed in claim 14, wherein the three perimeter segments have a uniform arc length.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) In the drawings:

(2) FIG. 1 is a sectional view illustrating an embodiment of of a circuit board arrangement having a first circuit board and a second circuit board as well as a connecting element arranged between the circuit boards;

(3) FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the outer housing of the connecting element of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 3 is cross sectional view of the connecting element of the embodiment of FIG. 1 taken along the plane III of FIG. 1 prior to the reshaping by the stamping jaws; and

(5) FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of the connecting element of the embodiment of FIG. 1 taken along the plane III of FIG. 1 after reshaping by the stamping jaws.

DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(6) A cross sectional view of a circuit board arrangement 1 is shown in FIG. 1. The circuit board arrangement 1 comprises a first circuit board 2 and a second circuit board 3 which are arranged running parallel to one another in different planes. In principle, however, further circuit boards can also be provided within the scope of the invention.

(7) A connecting element 4 is arranged between the circuit boards 2, 3, in order to connect the circuit boards 2, 3 together electrically. For reasons of clarity, a state of the connecting element 4 which is not yet plugged together with the circuit boards 2, 3 is shown in FIG. 1.

(8) In principle, an arbitrary number of connecting elements 4 can be provided for the electrical and mechanical connection of the circuit boards 2, 3. The connecting element can, in particular, connect an electrical circuit 2.1 of the first circuit board 2 to an electrical circuit 3.1 of the second circuit board 3.2, in particular for the transmission of high-bit-rate signals between the electrical circuits 2.1, 3.1.

(9) In principle, the connecting element 4 and the assembly connection according to the invention are suitable for the mechanical and electrical connection between arbitrary electrical assemblies, in particular a first electrical assembly and a second electrical assembly. For the purposes of illustration however, only the application of the connecting element 4 in relation to the connection of two circuit boards 2, 3 is described in the exemplary embodiment; i.e. a concrete variant embodiment in which the first electrical assembly is formed as the first circuit board 3 and the second electrical assembly is formed as the second circuit board 4. This is not, however, to be understood as restrictive for the invention.

(10) The connecting element 4 comprises a rigid, tubular outer housing 5 made of an electrically conductive material and an electrical cable 6 running inside the outer housing 5 along a longitudinal axis L of the outer housing 5 or of the connecting element 4. The electrically conductive material of the outer housing 5 can, preferably, be non-magnetic, in particular consisting of a non-magnetic material. Brass is preferably used.

(11) The electrical cable 6 comprises at least one inner conductor 7, in the exemplary embodiment precisely one inner conductor 7, and a dielectric 8 surrounding the inner conductor 7. The electrical cable 6 illustrated in the exemplary embodiments is a concentrically configured electrical cable 6 consisting of precisely one inner conductor 7 and of a dielectric 8 forming a cable jacket. It can, however, also in principle be provided that the electrical cable 6 comprises a plurality of inner conductors 7, for example at least one inner conductor pair, which is preferably provided for differential signal transmission.

(12) The outer housing 5 of the connecting element 4 which serves as the outer conductor of the connecting element 4 has a plug-in connector 9 at each of its ends for connecting to a respective mating plug-in connector 10 of the respective circuit board 2, 3. The inner conductor 7 is thereby also connected to the mating plug-in connector 10. The plug-in connectors 9 of the connecting element 4 are, as illustrated in the exemplary embodiment, preferably round in design.

(13) It is provided in the exemplary embodiment that the plug-in connectors 9 are formed in that the outer housing 5 is widened or has an enlarged diameter at its ends.

(14) The plug-in connectors 9 can, however, also be omitted. The connecting element 4 can then potentially also be inserted directly into the circuit board 2, 3, or connected to the circuit boards 2, 3 by using any desired, suitable connecting technology such as soldering or crimping.

(15) It is provided that at least one segment A, in the exemplary embodiment precisely one segment A, of the outer housing 5 is reshaped along the longitudinal axis L in such a way that the electrical cable 6 is fixed inside the outer housing 5. The segment A can here extend along at least fifty percent (50%) of the total length of the outer housing 5, preferably however along seventy five percent (75%) of the total length of the outer housing 5, particularly preferably at least along ninety percent (90%) of the total length of the outer housing 5, and most particularly preferably all the way between the plug-in connectors 9 of the outer housing 5, as is provided in the exemplary embodiment. If, in particular, the plug-in connectors 9 are omitted, the segment A can also extend all the way along the total length of the connecting element 4.

(16) In principle, however, a reshaping of one or a plurality of segments of the outer housing 5 can also be provided in the form of notches in order to fix the electrical cable 6 inside the outer housing. In the light of the electrical properties that are then impaired, this is not, however, preferred.

(17) For the sake of further clarification, FIG. 2 shows an isometric illustration of the outer housing 5 of the connecting element 4 with a graphical emphasis of the cross section Q of the reshaped segment A of the outer housing 5. The cross section Q resulting after the reshaping is further illustrated in FIG. 4.

(18) Fundamentally, a tubular outer housing 5 is provided made of a round, metal blank, wherein the outer housing 5 is preferably deep drawn, extruded or turned from the metal blank. Preferably the at least one segment (A) of the outer housing 5 is then reshaped in such a way that the cross section (Q) of the outer housing 5 in the reshaped segment A is no longer round, or the perimeter no longer follows a circular path (cf. FIG. 2 and FIG. 4). Preferably, the at least one segment of the outer housing 5 is reshaped in such a way that the cross section (Q) of the outer housing 5 follows a constant-width curve in the reshaped segment A, being a Reuleaux triangle in the exemplary embodiment.

(19) From the point of view of an advantageous manufacturing method of the connecting element 4, it is provided that the electrical cable 6 that comprises the at least one inner conductor 7 and the dielectric 8, is inserted along the longitudinal axis L inside the outer housing 5, preferably with adequate pressing clearance, after which the at least one segment A of the outer housing 5 is reshaped along the longitudinal axis L in such a way that the electrical cable 6 is fixed inside the outer housing 5.

(20) The reshaping of the segment (A) of the outer housing 5 can here take place through, for example, stamping and/or rolling (axial or radial). The reshaping preferably takes place through stamping. For the sake of further clarification, FIG. 3 shows the cross section (Q) of the connecting element 4 before the stamping process and FIG. 3 shows the cross section (Q) of the connecting element 4 after the stamping process.

(21) As can be seen from FIG. 3, the outer diameter of the electrical cable 6 is designed to be smaller than the inner diameter of the outer housing 5 for the sake of easy insertion into the outer housing 5. A clearance between the outer housing 5 and the electrical cable 6 is accordingly present.

(22) Two or more stamping jaws 11 can be provided for fixing the electrical cable 6 by means of an advantageous stamping procedure. Three stamping jaws 11 are preferably provided, as illustrated in the exemplary embodiment, in particular in order to reshape the segment (A) in such a way that the cross section (Q) follows a constant-width curve, for example a Reuleaux triangle, after the reshaping.

(23) The stamping surfaces 12 of the stamping jaws 11 can here correspond in the cross section in a central region B.sub.M (cf. FIG. 4) to the curve of the cross section (Q) of the outer housing 5 after the stamping. The outer regions B.sub.A (cf. FIG. 4) around the central region B.sub.M can each be set back to accept material of the outer housing 5 displaced by the stamping.

(24) As can be seen in particular from FIG. 4, it is provided in the exemplary embodiment that the outer housing 5 is pressed, stamped or rolled radially at three perimeter segments distributed uniformly along the perimeter in such a way that the three perimeter segments, which are arranged at a distance to one another, are formed with a uniform and constant radius and with uniform arc lengths. These are the perimeter segments of the outer housing 5 that formed by the central region B.sub.M. A compensation segment is located between each two of these perimeter segments, and accepts material displaced from the pressed, stamped or rolled perimeter segments. The compensation segments are located inside the angular segments of the outer region B.sub.A, and are each formed by two adjacent outer regions B.sub.A of two stamping jaws 11 that are adjacent to one another

(25) While the invention has been described with reference to various preferred embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art in view of the present disclosure that various changes may be made and equivalents substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, modifications may be made to adapt to a particular situation or application of the invention without departing from the scope of the invention. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiments disclosed. Rather, the invention includes all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims, either literally or under the Doctrine of Equivalents.