ASSEMBLY WITH A PLUG CONNECTOR INSTALLABLE ORTHOGONALLY TO THE INSTALLATION DIRECTION

Abstract

An assembly (1) has a housing (10), a plug connector (20), and an electronic subassembly (30). The housing (10) has a guide member (11) and the electronic subassembly (30) has a corresponding mating member (31). The guide member (11) and the mating member (31) determine an installation direction (X) along which the electronic subassembly (30) can be moved into the housing (10). The plug connector (20) has a plug connector housing (21) arranged at the housing (10). At least one contact element (22) is arranged at the electronic subassembly (30). The at least one contact element (22) extends orthogonally to the installation direction (X). The plug connector housing (21) and/or the housing (10), for the respective contact element (22) arranged at the electronic subassembly (30), has a recess (12, 23) that is at least open in the installation direction (X). The respective contact element (22) can be moved through the recess when the electronic subassembly (30) is moved along the installation direction (X) into a final position located in the plug connector housing (21).

Claims

1. An assembly comprising a housing, a plug connector, and an electronic subassembly, the housing has a guide member and the electronic subassembly has a corresponding mating member, the guide member and the mating member determine an installation direction along which the electronic subassembly can be moved into the housing, the plug connector further comprising a plug connector housing arranged at the housing and at least one contact element arranged at the electronic subassembly, the at least one contact element arranged on the electronic subassembly extends orthogonally to the installation direction, and the plug connector housing and/or the housing, for a respective contact element arranged at the electronic subassembly, further comprises a recess, which is at least open in the installation direction, through which the respective contact element can be moved when the electronic subassembly is moved along the installation direction into a final position located in the plug connector housing.

2. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the assembly is a fan assembly, the electronic subassembly further comprises, or at least electrically contacts, a stator of an electric motor, and the housing encloses at least the electronic subassembly and/or the electric motor in a cup-shaped manner.

3. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the plug connector further comprises at least two contact elements arranged at the electronic subassembly and wherein a web is formed between the respective recesses for a respective contact element, the web separates the recesses.

4. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the plug connector housing forms a receiving space where the at least one contact element is arranged in its final position and which space is open in a plug-in direction of the plug connector and through the at least one recess, and wherein sections of the receiving space are completely closed in the circumferential direction around the plug-in direction.

5. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the at least one contact element is an angled or straight soldering pin, at least sections of which extend orthogonally to the installation direction.

6. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the electronic subassembly further comprises a circuit board with conductive paths and the at least one contact element is contacted with a conductive path of the circuit board.

7. The assembly according to claim 6, wherein fastening elements for fastening the electronic subassembly to the housing are provided on the circuit board.

8. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the plug connector housing is formed in one piece and at least in sections integral with the housing.

9. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the plug connector further comprises a frame member where the at least one contact element is accommodated and with which the at least one contact element is fastened to the electronic subassembly, the frame member, with the at least one contact element in the final position, rests against the respective recess and/or at least sections thereof extend into said recess.

10. The assembly according to claim 9, wherein the frame member forms at least one projection that extends into a recess when the contact element is in the final position, and the projection and the recess, into which the projection extends, determine an orientation of the electronic subassembly relative to the housing in the circumferential direction around the installation direction.

11. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the guide member and the mating member determine an orientation of the electronic subassembly relative to the housing in the circumferential direction around the installation direction.

12. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the at least one contact element projects from the housing at least in its final position.

Description

DRAWINGS

[0026] Other advantageous embodiments of the disclosure are designated in the dependent claims and/or are described in further detail below along with the description of the preferred embodiment of the disclosure with reference to the figures. In the figures:

[0027] FIGS. 1a-1c are schematic perspective and elevation views of a first variant of an assembly.

[0028] FIGS. 2a-2c are schematic perspective and cross-section views of a second variant of an assembly.

[0029] FIGS. 3a-3b are perspective schematic views of a third variant of an assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] The figures are schematic for illustration. Like reference numbers in the figures indicate like functional and/or structural features.

[0031] FIGS. 1a to 1c show various views of a first variant of an assembly according to the disclosure. FIGS. 1a and 1b show a disassembled or exploded view of the assembly 1, where the electronic subassembly 30, with the four fastened contact elements 22, has not yet been moved along the guide member 11 into the housing 10. To this end, the electronic subassembly 30 has a tube-shaped mating member 31. Thus, it can be arranged around the peg- or cylinder-shaped guide member 11 and moved along the guide member 11 in the installation direction X into the housing 10.

[0032] The plug connector 20 includes a plug connector housing 21, integrally formed with the housing 10, a frame member 24, and the four contact elements 22. The contact elements are received in the frame member 24 and fastened to the electronic subassembly 30 using the frame member 24. In addition to a stator of an electric motor, the electronic subassembly 30 includes a circuit board, where the frame member 24 is fastened, with conductive paths where the contact elements 22 are contacted.

[0033] As is particularly well visible in FIG. 1b, the contact elements 22 project in the plug-in direction Y or orthogonally to the installation direction X from the housing 10.

[0034] To install the multi-part plug connector 20 when installing or moving the electronic subassembly 30 in(to) the housing 10 without having to introduce additional installation steps to do so, it is envisaged in the variant shown that, for each contact element 22, both a recess 12 is provided in the housing 10 and a recess 23 is provided in the plug connector housing 21, or a recess with a first section 12 and a second section 23 is provided. Accordingly, when the electronic subassembly 30 is moved, the contact elements 22 can be moved along the installation direction X through the recesses 12, 23 into the receiving space formed by the plug connector housing 21 where they are completely accommodated in the final position as shown in FIG. 1c.

[0035] It is therefore possible to produce the housing 10 integrally and in one piece with the plug connector housing 21, for example, in an injection molding process. Also, it can be joined in a single installation movement or by a single installation step with the electronic subassembly 30, while at the same time installing the plug connector 20.

[0036] The FIGS. 2a to 2c illustrate an alternative embodiment, where FIGS. 2b and 2c each show a cross section through the assembly 1, which particularly runs through the plug connector 20 or its plug connector housing 21. The major difference compared to the variant from FIGS. 1a to 1c is that the plug connector 20 is formed closer to the guide member 11 in the radial direction relative to the peg- or cylinder-shaped guide member 11. Thus, the contact elements 22 do not project beyond the housing 10 in the plug-in direction Y. Therefore, a recess formed in the plug connector housing 21 is provided for a respective contact element 22, which recess extends completely within the housing 10.

[0037] In the sectional view shown in FIG. 2c, the contact elements 22 are shown in their final position. The electronic subassembly 30 is also in its final or installation position. In addition, the receiving space 25 of the plug connector 20 where the contact elements 22 extend can be seen in the sectional view.

[0038] In the variant shown in FIGS. 2a to 2c, the frame member 24 further forms a projection 26 for each contact element 22. The projection extends along the respective contact element 22 through the respective recess 23 and gives additional support to the respective contact element 22 in the installation direction X. Thus, each contact element 22 is stabilized and supported along the installation direction X by the plug connector housing 21 to one side and by the respective projection 26 to the opposite side.

[0039] FIGS. 3a and 3b show another embodiment according to the disclosure where housing 10 is configured as an outer ring and as an inner cup integrally connected by webs. The electronic subassembly 30 includes a circuit board with conductive paths formed thereon. The circuit board extends along one of the webs from the inner cup to the outer ring. In this manner, it electrically contacts the plug connector 20 arranged at the outer ring with the inner cup or another electrical subassembly arranged at the inner cup.

[0040] The plug connector housing 21 is formed integrally with the housing 10, and not only do the contact elements 22 extend beyond the housing 10 but the entire plug connector 20 is arranged outside the housing 10. Instead, a section of the electronic subassembly 30 projects from the housing 10 into the plug connector 20.

[0041] The foregoing description of the embodiments has been provided for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure. Individual elements or features of a particular embodiment are generally not limited to that particular embodiment, but, where applicable, are interchangeable and can be used in a selected embodiment, even if not specifically shown or described. The same may also be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the disclosure, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the disclosure.