LATCHING SYSTEM FOR ESTABLISHING A LATCHING CONNECTION BETWEEN A PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD AND AN EDGE-CONTACT PLUG, PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD, EDGE-CONTACT PLUG AND ADD-ON PART

Abstract

The present invention relates to a latching system, including a printed circuit board and an edge-contact plug, for establishing a latching connection between the printed circuit board and the edge-contact plug, including two retaining arms, each having a latch, the edge-contact plug including two mating latches for establishing the latching connection with the latch. The mating latches being formed on two different outer sides of the edge-contact plug as a set-back portion on the outer sides in each case, and the latches being able to engage with the set-back portions on the outer sides to establish the latching connection.

Claims

1. A latching system to establish a latching connection between a printed circuit board and an edge-contact plug, the latching system comprising: two retaining arms, each having a latch; and two mating latches being formed on the edge contact plug to establish the latching connection with each latch of the two retaining arms, the two mating latches each being formed on two different outer sides of the edge-contact plug as a set-back portion on the two different outer sides, wherein the latches are adapted to engage with the set-back portions on the outer sides to establish the latching connection.

2. The latching system according to claim 1, wherein each latch of the two retaining arms have a wedge-shaped latching tab.

3. The latching system according to claim 1, wherein the set-back portions are each provided with a notch-shaped design.

4. The latching system according to claim 1, wherein the set-back portions are each provided with a stepped design.

5. The latching system according to claim 1, wherein the edge-contact plug has an upper side, a lower side, a contact side, a back side, and the two outer sides, and wherein the set-back portions each extend up to the upper side and/or to the lower side.

6. The latching system according to claim 5, wherein the set-back portions also extend continuously over the entire height of the edge-contact plug from the upper side to the lower side.

7. The latching system according to claim 1, wherein the retaining arms extend beyond an edge contour of the printed circuit board in the manner of a projection.

8. The latching system according to claim 1, wherein the retaining arms are designed as a one-piece and/or monolithic component of the printed circuit board.

9. The latching system according to claim 1, wherein the mating latch is designed as a one-piece and/or monolithic component of the edge-contact plug.

10. The latching system according to claim 1, further comprising an add-on part, including a fastener for fastening the add-on part to the printed circuit board, and wherein the add-on part includes the two retaining arms for establishing the latching connection with the edge-contact plug.

11. The latching system according to claim 1, wherein the edge-contact plug has an upper side, a lower side, a contact side, a back side, and the two outer sides, wherein a width of the edge-contact plug between the two outer sides being consistently smaller in a region between the set-back portion and the back side than in a region between the set-back portion and the contact side.

12. An edge-contact plug for the latching system according to claim 1 to establish a latching connection with the printed circuit board, the edge-contact plug comprising two mating latches to establish the latching connection with the latches, the mating latches being formed on two different outer sides of the edge-contact plug as a set-back portion of the outer sides in each case.

13. A printed circuit board for the latching system according to claim 1 for establishing a latching connection with the edge-contact plug, comprising two retaining arms, each having a latch that is adapted to engage with one of the set-back portions on the outer sides of the edge-contact plug to establish the latching connection.

14. An add-on part for the latching system according to claim 1, comprising a fastener for fastening the add-on part to a printed circuit board and two retaining arms, each having a latch to establish a latching connection in set-back portions on outer sides the edge-contact plug.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus, are not limitive of the present invention, and wherein:

[0023] FIG. 1 schematically shows a latching system according to an example of the present invention in a first latched state;

[0024] FIG. 2 schematically shows the latching system in a second latching state;

[0025] FIG. 3 schematically shows a latching system according to an example of the present invention in a first latching state;

[0026] FIG. 4 schematically shows the latching system according to the above example in a second latching state;

[0027] FIG. 5 schematically shows a side view of an edge-contact plug according an example of the present invention;

[0028] FIG. 6 schematically shows a top view of the edge-contact plug according to the example of the present invention;

[0029] FIG. 7 schematically shows a side view of an edge-contact plug according to an example of the present invention;

[0030] FIG. 8 schematically shows a top view of the edge-contact plug according to the above example of the present invention;

[0031] FIG. 9 schematically shows a side view of an edge-contact plug according to an example of the present invention; and

[0032] FIG. 10 schematically shows a top view of the edge-contact plug according to the above example of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] FIG. 1 shows a latching system 10, including a printed circuit board 11 and an edge-contact plug 12, for establishing a latching connection between printed circuit board 11 and edge-contact plug 12. Latching system 10 illustrated in FIG. 1 is shown in a first latching state, in which edge-contact plug 12 is not yet connected to terminal 28 of printed circuit board 11. Printed circuit board 11 includes two spring-elastic retaining arms 13, 14, each having a latch 15, 16. Edge-contact plug 12 includes two mating latches 17, 18 for establishing the latching connection with latch 15, 16. Mating latches 17, 18 are each formed on two different outer sides 19, 20 of edge-contact plug 12 in the form of a set-back portion on the two outer sides 19, 20. Latches 15, 16 are able to engage with the set-back portions on outer sides 19, 20 for establishing the latching connection.

[0034] As illustrated in FIG. 1, latches 15, 16 each have a wedge-shaped latching tab 21, 22. The set-back portions are each provided with a stepped design. More specifically, each set-back portion has a step, in which the incline is formed by an oblique plane. Retaining arms 13, 14 extend over an edge contour 23 of printed circuit board 11 in the manner of a projection. Retaining arms 13, 14 are further designed as a monolithic component of printed circuit board 11 or as a monolithic component of the printed circuit board. Mating latch 17 is also designed as a monolithic component of edge-contact plug 12. The material of retaining arms 13, 14 differs from the material of edge-contact plug 12.

[0035] The latching system is illustrated in FIG. 2 in a second latching state, in which edge-contact plug 12 is connected to terminal 28, and latches 15, 16 is subsequently in latching connection with mating latches 17, 18.

[0036] FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 show a latching system 10. According to this example, an add-on part 30 is fastened to printed circuit board 11. More specifically, add-on part 30 is connected to printed circuit board 11 in a materially bonded manner. Add-on part 30 includes retaining arms 13, 14 for establishing the desired latching connection.

[0037] An edge-contact plug 12 is illustrated in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 in a side view and in a top view. As illustrated in FIG. 5, edge-contact plug 12 has an upper side 24, a lower side 25, a contact side 26, a back side 27, and the two outer sides 19, 20, the set-back portions each extending up to upper side 24, as shown in FIG. 6. The width of edge-contact plug 12 between the two outer sides 19, 20 is consistently smaller in a region between the set-back portion and back side 27 than in a region between the set-back portion and contact side 26, the two outer sides 19, 20 running in parallel to each other from the set-back portion to back side 27.

[0038] An edge-contact plug 12 is illustrated in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 in a side view and in a top view. As illustrated in FIG. 7, edge-contact plug 12 has an upper side 24, a lower side 25, a contact side 26, a back side 27, and the two outer sides 19, 20, the set-back portions each extending continuously over the entire height of edge-contact plug 12 from upper side 24 to lower side 25, as shown in FIG. 8.

[0039] An edge-contact plug 12 is illustrated in FIG. 9 and FIG. 10 in a side view and in a top view. As illustrated in FIG. 9, edge-contact plug 12 has an upper side 24, a lower side 25, a contact side 26, a back side 27, and the two outer sides 19, 20, the set-back portions each extending continuously over the entire height of edge-contact plug 12 from upper side 24 to lower side 25, as shown in FIG. 10, and each being provided with a notch-shaped design. The width of edge-contact plug 12 between the two outer sides 19, 20 in a region between the set-back portion and back side 27 correspondingly changes up to back side 27 after the set-back portion. More specifically, the width in the direction of back side 27 is initially smaller and subsequently larger.

[0040] The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are to be included within the scope of the following claims.