Abstract
An arrangement for electrical contacting of a current connector (3) with a circuit arrangement (1) is provided. The current connector (3) includes at least one contact spring wire (5, 6) with an end contact (5a, 6a), which is configured for spring-loading, and the circuit arrangement (1) includes at least one contact point. The end contact (5a, 6a) and the contact point each form a spring pressure contact, and the end contact (5a, 6a) of the contact spring wire (5, 6) is configured as a bracket with an outer contact surface and at least one cutting edge arranged proximate the contact surface, which is engaged with the contact point.
Claims
1. An arrangement for making electrical contact between a current connector (3) and a circuit arrangement (1), the current connector (3) comprising a contact spring wire (5, 6, 15, 25, 35) with a spring-loadable end contact (5a, 6a, 15a, 25a, 35a), the circuit arrangement (1) comprising a contact point (17, 27, 37), wherein the end contact (5a, 6a, 15a, 25a, 35a) of the contact spring wire (5, 6, 15, 25, 35) and the contact point (17, 27, 37) of the circuit arrangement (1) form a spring pressure contact, and wherein the end contact (5a, 6a, 15a, 25a, 35a) of the contact spring wire (5, 6, 15, 25, 35) is configured as a bracket with an outer contact surface and at least one cutting edge (k, b1, b2, c), the at least one cutting edge (k, b1, b2, c) is arranged proximate the outer contact surface, and the at least one cutting edge (k, b1, b2, c) engaged with the contact point (17, 27, 37) of the circuit arrangement (1).
2. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the contact point of the of the circuit arrangement (1) is configured as a contact element (17, 27, 37) electrically conductively connected with the circuit arrangement (1) via an integral bond.
3. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the contact spring wire comprises a wire (5, 35) with a round profile.
4. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the contact spring wire (15, 25) comprises a wire with a square profile (A, B).
5. The arrangement of claim 4, wherein the at least one cutting edge of the square profile (A, B) comprises a plurality of cutting edges (b1, b2, k).
6. The arrangement of claim 5, wherein the plurality of cutting edges (k) are shaped, in a cross-section, as tips (K), and a respective concave surface (a) is formed between each pair of adjacent tips (K).
7. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the contact spring wire (5, 6, 15, 25, 35) is formed with stainless steel.
8. The arrangement of claim 7, wherein the stainless steel wire is sheathed with copper alloy.
9. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the contact spring wire (5, 6, 15, 25, 35) is formed with copper alloy.
10. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the at least one cutting edge comprises two stamped cutting edges (b1, b2) arranged proximate the contact surface (27).
11. The arrangement of claim 10, wherein the stamped cutting edges (b1, b2, c) are crescent shaped.
12. A current connector for establishing an electrical connection between a circuit arrangement (1) and a solenoid valve (2), comprising a housing (4) with two contact spring wires (5, 6), each of the contact spring wires (5, 6) comprising an end contact (5a, 6a) having a bracket shape, wherein a plurality of cutting edges (b1, b2, c) are arranged proximate the end contacts (5a, 6a), and wherein the cutting edges (b1, b2, c) are integrally formed on the contact spring wires (25, 35) by shaping the contact spring wires (25, 35) proximate the end contacts (25a, 35a).
13. The current connector of claim 12, wherein the cutting edges (b1, b2, c) are crescent shaped.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(1) Exemplary embodiments of the invention are represented in the drawing and are described in greater detail in the following, wherein further features and/or advantages can result from the description and/or the drawing. Wherein
(2) FIG. 1 shows an arrangement for the contacting of a solenoid valve with a printed circuit board via a current connector,
(3) FIG. 1a shows the contact between the current connector and the printed circuit board,
(4) FIG. 1b shows a contact spring wire of the current connector,
(5) FIG. 2 shows the assembly of current connector and printed circuit board (first step: contact spring relaxed),
(6) FIG. 3 shows the assembly of current connector and printed circuit board (second step: contact spring tensioned),
(7) FIG. 4 shows a contact spring wire with “cushion profile”,
(8) FIG. 4a shows the contact zone between contact bracket and contact pad,
(9) FIG. 4b shows the cross-section of the “cushion profile”,
(10) FIG. 5 shows a contact spring wire formed from square profile with contact pad,
(11) FIG. 5a shows the cross-section of contact bracket with crimped cutting edges,
(12) FIG. 5b shows the contact bracket with crescent-shaped cutting edges,
(13) FIG. 6 shows a contact spring wire formed from round profile with contact pad,
(14) FIG. 6a shows the cross-section of contact bracket with a tip/cutting edge, and
(15) FIG. 6b shows the contact bracket with crescent-shaped cutting edge.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
(16) Reference will now be made to embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are shown in the drawings. Each embodiment is provided by way of explanation of the invention, and not as a limitation of the invention. For example, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be combined with another embodiment to yield still another embodiment. It is intended that the present invention include these and other modifications and variations to the embodiments described herein.
(17) FIG. 1 shows an arrangement for establishing an electrical connection between a circuit arrangement 1 designed as a printed circuit board 1, which is also referred to as a circuit carrier 1, and a solenoid valve 2 via a current connector 3. This arrangement corresponds, in principle, to the arrangement of the type represented in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 of the application mentioned above and described on pages 11 through 13. Reference is made to this disclosure for further details and relationships. Thus, DE 10 2018 203 970.4 is incorporated be reference in its entirety for all purposes.
(18) In FIG. 1a, the portion of the current connector 3 connected to the printed circuit board 1 is represented, wherein one housing half 4a of a housing 4 (not completely represented) and two contact spring wires 5, 6 are apparent.
(19) In FIG. 1b, the complete contact spring wire 5, which is manufactured from a round wire having a diameter of preferably one millimeter (1 mm), is represented as a single part. The contact spring wire 5 includes an end contact 5a designed in the shape of a bracket, an integrated spring element 5b designed as a bending spring, and a further contact 5c, which establishes an electrical connection to the solenoid valve 2. The contact spring wire 5 preferably is constructed of or with a stainless steel, has good elastic properties due to a relatively high modulus of elasticity, and can be sheathed with a copper alloy in a particularly preferred way, in order to achieve a good electrical conductivity. Alternatively, the contact spring wire can also be designed as a profiled wire, in particular with a square profile.
(20) FIG. 2 shows, in a sectioning, the circuit carrier 1 or the printed circuit board 1, the housing 4 with one housing half, as well as the two contact spring wires 5, 6, which are arranged symmetrically with respect to one another and are arranged and fixed in the housing 4 of the current connector 3. Between the top edge of the housing 4 and the printed circuit board 1 there is a distance or gap s of approximately two millimeters (2 mm), wherein the two bracket-shaped end contacts 5a, 6a, which are also referred to simply as brackets or contact brackets 5a, 6a, extend beyond the top edge of the housing 4 and touch the printed circuit board 1. The spring elements 5b, 6b of the two contact spring wires 5, 6 are still relaxed in this arrangement, i.e., no pressure acts upon the printed circuit board 1 yet. The current connector 3 is not yet connected to the printed circuit board 1.
(21) FIG. 3 shows the current connector 3 in a position, in which it is connected to the printed circuit board 1, whereby it is apparent that the gap s according to FIG. 2 has closed in FIG. 3, i.e., s=0. Due to the compression by the spring travel s, the two spring elements 5b, 6b are tensioned and each exert a spring force F, represented by two arrows F, onto the printed circuit board 1 via the contact brackets 5a, 6a, respectively. The reaction force acting upon the printed circuit board 1 is indicated by an arrow with the designation 2F. This reaction force is absorbed via fixing elements (not represented here), for example, snap-in elements at the housing 4 of the current connector 3 on the one hand and at the printed circuit board 1 on the other hand. In this context, reference is made once again to the aforementioned application, from which these types of connecting elements arise (pages 12, 13, FIGS. 2, 4). The two contact brackets 5a, 6a are pressed with a defined spring force of preferably eight newtons (8 N) to twelve newtons (12 N) at contact points (not represented here), in particular contact pads on the printed circuit board 1.
(22) FIGS. 4, 4a, and 4b show a contact spring wire 15 formed from a square profile with a spring element 15b and a contact bracket 15a, which is in contact with a contact pad 17, wherein the contact bracket 15a, with the contact pad 17, forms a contact zone, which is delimited by the surface of the contact pad 17. As is apparent, in particular, from FIGS. 4a and 4b, the square profile is designed as a cushion profile with a cross-section A, wherein the cross-section A is delimited by four equally long, concavely designed surfaces or lateral lines a. The concavely designed lateral lines a (FIG. 4b) form four tips K, which form continuous cutting edges k (FIG. 4a). The inwardly curved lateral lines a between adjacent tips K are comparable to a hollow grinding between the edges (blades) of an ice skate. This type of profile is manufacturable as wire. FIG. 4a shows how two tips K and cutting edges k contact the contact pad 17, which is conductively connected to the printed circuit board (not represented here), wherein, due to the spring force of the contact bracket 15a, the cutting edges k dig into the contact surface of the contact pad 17 and anchor there. In FIG. 4a, it is apparent that the contact pad 17 is wider than the cross-section A of the contact bracket 15a. This has the advantage that transverse tolerances (perpendicular to the contact pressure) can be compensated for during assembly. According to one further advantage, if vibrations occur, relative movements between the contact bracket 15a and the contact pad 17 are avoided and the contacts are therefore conserved.
(23) FIGS. 5, 5a, and 5b show, as a further exemplary embodiment of the invention, a contact spring wire 25 with a contact bracket 25a and a spring element 25b, bent in a U-shape, formed from a square profile, i.e., a profile with a square cross-section. The contact bracket 25a is in spring pressure contact with the contact pad 27, which is part of a printed circuit board (not represented here). FIG. 5a shows the design of the contact bracket 25a, i.e., the cross-section B of the contact bracket 25a in the contact area with the contact pad 27. The cross-section B has two tips B1, B2, which are manufactured via crimpings at the square cross-section in the contact area. In FIG. 5b, the contact bracket 25a is represented without the contact pad 27 and includes, in an apex area of the contact bracket 25a, i.e., the contact zone, two cutting edges b1, b2 designed in the shape of a crescent, which are apparently locally limited to the direct contact area with the contact pad. As mentioned above, the starting product is a wire with a square profile, which, after the bending of the contact bracket 25a, is plastically deformed in the apex area, for example, with a tool, which is active at both sides of the square profile and shapes the material of the wire in such a way that the two cutting edges b1, b2 (corresponding to the tips B1, B2 in FIG. 5a) are formed. As described in the preceding exemplary embodiment, the latter have the effect that the two cutting edges b1, b2 dig into the contact surface of the contact pad 27 and, therefore, prevent a relative movement when vibrations occur.
(24) FIGS. 6, 6a, 6b show one further embodiment of the invention with a contact spring wire 35 formed from a round profile. The contact spring wire 35 includes a contact bracket 35a bent in a U-shape and a spring element 35b, which generates the necessary contact pressure with respect to the contact pad 37. FIG. 6a shows the cross-section C of the contact bracket 35a in engagement with the contact pad 37. The cross-section C has a tip as part of a cutting edge c, which digs into the contact pad 37 and forms an anchoring. The cutting edge c is manufacturable by crimping lateral profiles into the round cross-section of the contact spring wire 35. FIG. 6b shows the contact bracket 35a with the cutting edge c, which is produced via partial shaping of the round cross-section and is designed in the shape of a crescent.
(25) Modifications and variations can be made to the embodiments illustrated or described herein without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. In the claims, reference characters corresponding to elements recited in the detailed description and the drawings may be recited. Such reference characters are enclosed within parentheses and are provided as an aid for reference to example embodiments described in the detailed description and the drawings. Such reference characters are provided for convenience only and have no effect on the scope of the claims. In particular, such reference characters are not intended to limit the claims to the particular example embodiments described in the detailed description and the drawings.
REFERENCE CHARACTERS
(26) 1 circuit carrier/printed circuit board 2 solenoid valve 3 current connector 4 housing 4a housing half 5 contact spring wire 5a end contact/contact bracket 5b spring element 5c further contact 6 contact spring wire 6a end contact 6b spring element 15 contact spring wire 15a end contact 15b spring element 17 contact pad 28 contact spring wire 25a end contact 25b spring element 27 contact pad 35 contact spring wire 35a contact bracket 35b spring element 37 contact pad A wire cross-section (“cushion profile”) a lateral line B wire cross-section (square) B1 tip B2 tip b1 cutting edge b2 cutting edge C wire cross-section (round) c cutting edge F spring force 2F reaction force K tip k cutting edge s gap
