Card edge connector for a lighting module

Abstract

A lamp assembly for a vehicle comprising a housing, a reflector mounted in the housing, a light source, a printed circuit board or PCB mounted on a heatsink of the lamp assembly and coupled to the light source to control operation of the light source. The PCB has a first connector for coupling to a second connector comprising a body having a plurality of resilient or elastic arms that each have a detent for locking the connector to the component and retain electrical contact with the PCB. The wall of the heatsink defines an aperture for receiving the second connector and provides a locking surface that deflects the arms towards the body while engaging and cooperating with the detents to lock the connector to the PCB. The free end of the arms extend beyond the mounting wall and are actuated to unlock the connector from the PCB.

Claims

1. A connector of a light module of a vehicle, the connector comprising: a body; and at least one arm having a first end integrally formed with the body, the at least one arm having at least one detent that is configured to reversibly-lock the connector to a component of the light module when the body of the connector is mated to a number of connections disposed on a surface of a printed circuit board, the at least one detent being disposed between the first end of the at least one arm and a second end of the at least one arm, the at least one detent configured to engage a wall of the component of the light module, wherein the at least one arm is resilient or elastic such that, during connection of the connector to the mated connections of the printed circuit board, the at least one detent is configured to move towards and away from the body, and when the body of the connector is mated to the number of connections of the printed circuit board, the at least one arm does not extend beyond the surface of the printed circuit board, the surface of the printed circuit board facing an opening of the component of the light module.

2. The connector as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one arm includes a plurality of arms, each one of the plurality of arms having at least one detent that is configured to reversibly-lock the connector to the component of the light module and retain the connector in electrical contact with the number of mated connections of the printed circuit board.

3. The connector as recited in claim 2, wherein each one of the plurality of arms is dimensioned such that they extend beyond a visible surface of the wall of the component of the light module so that they can be accessed and actuated toward the body when it is desired to disconnect the connector from the number of mated connections of the printed circuit board.

4. The connector as recited in claim 2, wherein the component of the light module is at least one of a heat sink, a headlamp bezel, or a headlamp housing.

5. The connector as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one arm is resilient or elastic such that when the connector is connected to the number of mated connections of the printed circuit board, the at least one arm is deflected toward the body, and when the connector becomes connected to the number of mated connections of the printed circuit board, the at least one arm is biased away from the body to a locked position whereupon the at least one detent engages a hidden surface of the wall of the component of the light module to reversibly-lock the connector to the printed circuit board.

6. The connector as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the at least one detent comprises a shoulder or a step integrally formed in the at least one arm and adapted to define the at least one detent that engages a hidden surface of the wall of the component of the light module in order to retain the connector in a locked position relative to the printed circuit board.

7. The connector as recited in claim 1, wherein the second end of the at least one arm is a free end adapted to move towards and away from the body during connection and disconnection of the connector with the number of mated connections of the printed circuit board.

8. The connector as recited in claim 1, wherein the component of the light module is at least one of a heat sink, a headlamp bezel, or a headlamp housing.

9. The connector as recited in claim 1, wherein, when the body of the connector is connected to the mounting connections of the printed circuit board, the body of the connector is at least partially surrounded by the component of the light module.

10. A lamp assembly of a vehicle, the lamp assembly comprising: a housing; a reflector mounted in the housing; at least one light source operatively associated with the reflector; and a printed circuit board mounted on a component of the lamp assembly and coupled to the at least one light source, the printed circuit board controlling an operation of the at least one light source, a surface of the printed circuit board facing an opening of the component of the lamp assembly, wherein the printed circuit board has, disposed on the surface of the printed circuit board, a first connector for coupling to a second connector, the second connector including a body, and a plurality of arms, each of the plurality of arms having a first end integrally formed with the body, each of the plurality of arms having at least one detent for reversibly-locking the second connector to the component of the lamp assembly and retaining the second connector in electrical contact with the first connector of the printed circuit board, the at least one detent of each of the plurality of arms being disposed between the first end of an arm and a second end of the arm and configured to engage a wall of the component of the lamp assembly, wherein each of the plurality of arms is resilient or elastic such that, during connection of the second connector to the first connector of the printed circuit board, the at least one detent of each of the plurality of arms moves toward and away from the body, and when the body of the second connector is in the electrical contact with the first connector of the printed circuit board via mating connections, each of the plurality of arms does not extend beyond the surface of the printed circuit board.

11. The lamp assembly as recited in claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of arms is resilient or elastic such that when the second connector is moved toward the first connector of the printed circuit board via the opening, the plurality of arms are deflected toward the body, and when the second connector is connected to the first connector of the printed circuit board, the plurality of arms are moved to a locked position whereupon the at least one detent engages a hidden surface of the wall of the component of the lamp assembly to reversibly-lock the second connector to the printed circuit board.

12. The lamp assembly as recited in claim 10, wherein each of the at least one detent includes a shoulder or a step integrally formed in the plurality of arms and is adapted to engage a hidden surface of the wall of the component of the lamp assembly in order to retain the second connector in a locked position on the printed circuit board.

13. The lamp assembly as recited in claim 10, wherein the second end of each of the plurality of arms is a free end adapted to move towards and away from the body during connection and disconnection of the second connector with the first connector of the printed circuit board.

14. The lamp assembly as recited in claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of arms is dimensioned such that they extend beyond a visible surface of the wall of the component of the lamp assembly so that they can be accessed and moved toward the body when it is desired to disconnect the second connector from the first connector of the printed circuit board.

15. The lamp assembly as recited in claim 10, wherein the component of the lamp assembly is at least one of a heat sink, a headlamp bezel, or a headlamp housing.

16. The lamp assembly as recited in claim 10, wherein the component of the lamp assembly is a heat sink having the at least one light source and the printed circuit board mounted thereon, the opening of the heat sink defining a mounting wall, the mounting wall providing a contacting surface that deflects the plurality of arms towards the body when the second connector is moved toward the first connector of the printed circuit board, and the hidden surface that engages each of the at least one detent of the plurality of arms to reversibly-lock the second connector to the printed circuit board.

17. The lamp assembly as recited in claim 16, wherein the second end of the plurality of arms is a free end that extends beyond the mounting wall so that the free ends can be actuated to unlock the second connector from the printed circuit board.

18. The lamp assembly as recited in claim 10, wherein the lamp assembly is a headlamp assembly.

19. The lamp assembly as recited in claim 10, wherein, when the second connector is in the electrical contact with the first connector of the printed circuit board via the mounting connections, the second connector is at least partially surrounded by the component of the lamp assembly.

20. The lamp assembly as recited in claim 10, wherein the mating connections include female contacts of the second connector and male contacts of the first connector.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a fragmentary view of a light module assembly mounted on a vehicle, with the light module assembly having a connector in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;

(2) FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a heat sink having a printed circuit board coupled to a connector in accordance with one embodiment of the invention:

(3) FIG. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged view showing the connector electrically connected to a printed circuit board and mounted to a bracket or heat sink which is secured to a support, such as a housing or a bezel in the light module assembly.

(4) FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view showing details of the embodiment shown in FIG. 2.

(5) FIG. 5 is an end view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 4;

(6) FIG. 6 is a plan view, without the heat sink, showing a relationship of the connector and printed circuit board;

(7) FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the connector in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; and

(8) FIGS. 8A-8C are various views showing a connector with at least one or a plurality of resilient arms in accordance with one embodiment of the invention illustrating the connector mounted on the printed circuit board at various stages of mounting and locking of the connector onto the heat sink.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(9) FIG. 1 illustrates a lighting module assembly 10 installed on a vehicle V. The lighting module assembly 10 comprises a housing, a reflector (not shown) mounted in the housing, at least one light source (not shown), a heat sink and a printed circuit board or PCB, described later herein, for controlling operation of the at least one light source. The lighting module assembly 10 has a card edge connector 12 that is mounted to a bracket or heat sink 16. The card edge connector 12 comprises a plurality of wires or conductors 19 (FIG. 2) that are coupled to a power source and other components (not shown) of the vehicle V. It should be appreciated that for ease of illustration the plurality of wires or conductors 19 coupled to the connector 12 are not shown in FIGS. 3-6.

(10) Referring now to FIGS. 2-6, various features of the embodiment will now be described. The bracket or heat sink 16 comprises a plurality of apertures 18 (FIG. 3) that are adapted to receive hardware such as a wire harness clip 20 (FIG. 2) or at least one fastener, such as a screw (not shown), for mounting the bracket onto a support 11 of the lighting module assembly 10.

(11) Note that the bracket or heat sink 16 comprises a connector receiving area or aperture 22 that is defined by a first wall 24, a second wall 26, a third wall 28 and a fourth wall 30. The walls 24-30 cooperate to define the connector receiving area or aperture 22, which provides access to a male connector 31a of a printed circuit board 31 that is received in a female opening or slot 12a (FIGS. 6 and 7) of the card edge connector 12. The female slot or opening 12a (FIG. 7) is adapted and sized to receive and secure the connector 12 to the male connector 31a of the printed circuit board 31.

(12) As best illustrated in FIG. 3, the first wall 24 comprises a first wall edge or surface 24a and the second wall 26 comprises the second wall edge or surface 26a as shown. The connector 12 comprises at least one or a plurality of resilient arms or wings 34 and 36 (FIG. 4). The first arm or wing 34 comprises a first end 34a integrally formed in the connector 12 of the connector 12, a detent end 34b and a joining portion 34c which joins the first end 34a to the detent end 34b. Likewise, the second arm or wing 36 comprises a first end 36a, a detent end 36b and a joining portion 36c for joining the first end 36a to the detent end 34b.

(13) In the illustration being described, the detent ends 34b and 36b of the first resilient arm 34 and second resilient arm 36, respectively, each comprise a shoulder, step or detent 34d and 36d, respectively that is integrally or monolithically formed in the first resilient arm 34 and second wing or arm 36, respectively. As best illustrated in FIGS. 8A-8C, note that when the connector 12 is inserted in the direction of arrow A into in the aperture 22 of the heat sink 16 and toward the printed circuit board 31, the first and second arms or wings 34 and 36 are deflected or cammed inward as best shown in FIG. 8B. As the connector 12 is gradually inserted into the aperture 22 of the heat sink 16, the angled surface 34a1 (FIGS. 8A-8C) of the first end 34a engages a first wall edge or surface 24a of wall 24. Likewise, the surface 36c1 of the portion 36c engages the first wall edge or surface 26a of the wall 26, as best illustrated in FIGS. 8A-8C.

(14) As the connector 12 is inserted into the aperture 22, the male connector 31a (FIG. 6) of the printed circuit board 31 is received in the female opening or slot 12a of connector body 12b. The arms 34 and 36 are elastic and resilient and deflect inwardly toward the connector 12. After the shoulder, step or detents 34a and 36d clear the walls or surfaces 24a and 26a, the arms 34 and 36 return to move away from the connector 12 and the shoulders, steps or detents 34d and 36d become opposed to the walls or surface 24a and 26a, respectively, as illustrated in FIG. 6, thereby locking the connector 12 to the heat sink 16 and the printed circuit board 31.

(15) As shown in FIG. 8C, a portion 34e and 36e of the ends 34a and 36a, respectively, of the first and second resilient arms or wings 34 and 36 extend beyond the surfaces 24b and 26b (FIG. 4) in order to enable these arms or wings 34 and 36 to be moved inwardly toward the connector 12 when it is desired to unlock and remove the connector 12 from the printed circuit board 31, for example, if either the connector 12 or the printed circuit board 31 needs servicing.

(16) The connection between the connector 12 and the male connector 31a provides or defines a primary lock. Advantageously, the embodiment being described provides a secondary lock for connecting the connector 12 to the printed circuit board 31 and for maintaining a locked connection between the connector 12 and the printed circuit board 31. The embodiment also provides convenient means for disconnecting the connector 12 from the printed circuit board 31 for serviceability.

(17) The first resilient wing or arm 34 and second resilient wing or arm 36 are situated at opposing ends or sides 12b and 12c of the connector 12, and it should be appreciated that fewer arms or wings 34, 36 may be used. For example, a single arm or wing 34 or 36 may be used, or alternatively, a plurality of resilient arms or wings, such as the first and second arms or wings 34 and 36 may be used. For example, additional arms or wings 34, 36 may be placed on the edges 12d and 12e (FIG. 5) if desired or the first and second resilient arms or wings 34 and 36 may be associated with or integrally or monolithically formed with those surfaces, rather than or in addition to the arms or wings 34, 36 associated with the sides 12b and 12c.

(18) Advantageously, the embodiment described herein provides a built in secondary lock that connects directly to the printed circuit board 31 and facilitates or ensures maintaining a good connection between the conductors of the connector 12 and the conductors 31b (FIG. 6) of the printed circuit board 31, for example during vibration. Note that the features of the embodiment being described could also be used in an embodiment wherein the connector 12 is a male connector (not shown) that is received in a female slot (not shown) on the printed circuit board 31.

(19) This invention, including all embodiments shown and described herein, could be used alone or together and/or in combination with one or more of the features covered by one or more of the claims set forth herein, including but not limited to one or more of the features or steps mentioned in the Summary of the Invention and the claims.

(20) While the system, apparatus and method herein described constitute preferred embodiments of this invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to this precise system, apparatus and method, and that changes may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention which is defined in the appended claims.