CONNECTION STRIP AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE CONNECTION STRIP

Abstract

A connection strip is designed as a printed circuit board connector and has a strip-like connection housing, which is formed in one part or in a plurality of parts. The connection housing has a plurality of outer sides, the first outer side having a mating face side on which there are at least two or more mating face plug-in contacts, which can each be plugged together with a corresponding plug-in contact of a corresponding plug connector. The connection housing is further designed to have printed circuit board plug-in contacts on one, two or three of the other outer sides, which contacts project beyond the respective outer side so that on the one or more outer sides on which the printed circuit board plug-in contacts are provided, a printed circuit board can be soldered. A method for manufacturing the connection strip is also provided.

Claims

1. A connection strip for printed circuit boards, comprising: (a) a connection housing having a plurality of side walls; (b) a first side wall defining a mating side wall including at least two plug-in contacts for connection with corresponding plug-in contacts of a corresponding plug connector; and (c) at least one second side wall including at least one printed circuit board plug-in contact projecting beyond said at least one second side wall for connection with a printed circuit board.

2. The connection strip of claim 1, comprising at least two printed circuit board plug-in contacts projecting beyond at least two sidewalls such that at least two differently oriented printed circuit boards can be arranged on the connection housing.

3. The connection strip of claim 2, wherein said at least two printed circuit board plug-in contacts project beyond at least two parallel aligned opposing side walls such that at least two parallel spaced printed circuit boards can be arranged on said connection housing.

4. The connection strip of claim 2, wherein said at least two printed circuit board plug-in contacts project beyond at least two perpendicularly aligned adjacent side walls such that at least two perpendicularly aligned printed circuit boards can be arranged on the connection housing.

5. The connection strip of claim 1, wherein said connection housing comprises a plurality of individual sub-housings connected to one another, each said sub-housing having a plurality of side walls and at least one connection mechanism for connecting one sub-housing with another, including: (a) a first individual sub-housing having two lugs projecting from respective upper and lower side walls of said plurality of side walls; and (b) at least one additional individual sub-housing having upper and lower side walls containing respective recesses corresponding to and configured to connect with said two lugs.

6. The connection strip of claim 5, wherein said plurality of individual sub-housings have at least one additional connection mechanism.

7. The connection strip of claim 5, wherein said plurality of individual sub-housings each have a generally cuboid configuration having an upper side, a lower side, a mating face side, a back side and at least one connection side.

8. The connection strip of claim 5, wherein each said mating side wall plug-in contact and each said printed circuit board plug-in contact form respective ends of an integral contact pin which is connected with said connection housing.

9. The connection strip of claim 8, wherein said integral contact pin has a generally straight configuration.

10. The connection strip of claim 8, wherein said integral contact pin has a generally L-shaped configuration.

11. An arrangement of a connection strip according to claim 1 and at least two printed circuit boards, wherein at least two printed circuit board plug-in contacts project beyond at least two side walls of said plurality of side walls, said at least two printed circuit boards being connected with said at least two printed circuit board plug-in contacts.

12. The arrangement of claim 11, wherein said at least two printed circuit board plug-in contacts project beyond at least two opposite side walls of said connection housing, said at least two printed circuit boards being connected to respective circuit board plug-in contacts such that said at least two printed circuit boards are aligned in parallel.

13. The arrangement of claim 11, wherein said at least two printed circuit board plug-in contacts project beyond at least two mutually perpendicular side walls of the connection housing, said at least two printed circuit boards being connected to respective circuit board plug-in contacts such that said at least two printed circuit boards are perpendicularly aligned.

14. A method for manufacturing the connection strip of claim 1, comprising the steps of: (a) providing one of a connection housing and plurality of individual sub-housings of the connection strip and at least one of a straight contact pin and an L-shaped contact pin; (b) mounting the at least one straight or L-shaped contact pin into the connection housing or individual connection housings, wherein one end of each pin forms a mating side wall plug-in contact pin and the other end forms a printed circuit board contact pin; (c) if a plurality of individual sub-housings are provided, assembling the plurality of individual sub-housings. (d) mounting at least one printed circuit board to a side of the connection strip having printed circuit board contact pins.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein assembling the plurality of individual sub-housings is completed prior to providing the individual sub-housings.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein assembling the plurality of individual sub-housings is completed prior to mounting the at least one straight or L-shaped contact pin.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0027] Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a study of the following description when viewed in the light of the accompanying drawing, in which:

[0028] FIGS. 1A-1D are, a perspective view of a connection strip, the connection strip during an assembly step, a front view of the connection strip during assembly, a front view of an individual connection housing of the connection strip, and an enlarged front view of a portion of a connection housing, respectively;

[0029] FIGS. 2A-2D are, a rear perspective view of the connection strip from FIG. 1A, a front perspective view of the connection strip arranged on a printed circuit board, a rear perspective view of the arrangement of connection strip and printed circuit board, and a rear perspective view of the printed circuit board and connection strip spaced apart prior to assembly, respectively;

[0030] FIGS. 3A and 3B are a perspective view of a second connection strip and a perspective view of the individual connection housings spaced apart prior to assembly, respectively, wherein one of the connection housings is an exploded view;

[0031] FIGS. 4A and 4B are front and rear perspective views, respectively, of the second connection strip from FIG. 3A arranged on two printed circuit boards aligned in parallel;

[0032] FIG. 4C is a rear perspective view of the connection strip of FIGS. 4A and 4B with the two printed circuit boards and the connection strip spaced apart prior to assembly;

[0033] FIGS. 5A and 5B are perspective views of third and fourth connection strips, respectively;

[0034] FIG. 5C is a perspective view of the third connection strip from FIG. 5A with the individual connection housings spaced apart prior to assembly, wherein one of the connection housings is an exploded view;

[0035] FIGS. 6A and 6B are front and rear perspective views, respectively, of the third connection strip from FIG. 5A arranged on two printed circuit boards that are perpendicularly aligned;

[0036] FIGS. 6C and 6D are rear perspective views of the connection strip and circuit boards of FIGS. 6A and 6B with one circuit board spaced apart from the connection strip prior to assembly and both printed circuit boards spaced apart, respectively;

[0037] FIG. 7A is a rear perspective view of a fourth connection strip;

[0038] FIGS. 7B and 7C are rear and side perspective views, respectively, of the connection strip from 7A during assembly of its contact pins;

[0039] FIG. 8A is a rear perspective view of a fifth connection strip; and

[0040] FIGS. 8B-8D are rear, top and side perspective views, respectively, of the connection strip from 8A during assembly of its contact pins.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0041] FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of a connection strip 1 designed as a printed circuit board connector. FIGS. 2-8 show variants of such connection strips 1, 100 which are designed or can be used as printed circuit board connectors. This means that they can be arranged on one or more printed circuit boards or can be arranged in an assembled state.

[0042] Each of the connection strips 1 has a strip-like connection housing 2. According to a first variant of the invention shown in FIGS. 1A-1E, this connection housing 2 is composed of a plurality of individual connection housings 21, 22, 23, 24, also referred to as sub-housings, which are lined up in a connection direction X.

[0043] The connection strip 1 has individual connection housings 22, 23 of the same type. However, as an alternative, it can also comprise individual connection housings of different types, such as with 21, 22/23, and 24. According to other variations, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the connection strip 100 has a connection housing 200 that is not composed of individual connection housings.

[0044] Connection housings of the same type are designed in the same way. Connection housings of different types differ in at least one technical detail.

[0045] What the connection housings 2, 200 and possibly the individual connection housings 21, 22, 23, 24 have in common is that they have an essentially cuboid shape with six outer sides. Minor deviations from the cuboid shape are possible, as explained below.

[0046] The multi-part or one-part connection housings 2, 200 are also designed so that one or more printed circuit boards LP1, LP2 can be arranged on at least one outer side (FIGS. 2B-2C) or on a plurality of outer sides (FIGS. 4A-4C, 6A-6D) of the housing, as described in more detail below.

[0047] Referring again to FIG. 1, adjacent outer sides of the individual connection housings 21, 22, 23, 24 are preferably aligned perpendicularly or substantially perpendicularly to one another. Each of the connection housings with the additional individual connection housings 21, 22, 23, 24 must be designed on at least one side in such a way that it can be connected with another adjacent individual connection housing.

[0048] This requires a connecting side 2c, 2d that is flat at least in sections and connection mechanisms for connecting to at least one adjacent individual connection housing 21, 22, 23, 24.

[0049] If the connection strip 1 is composed of a plurality of individual connection housings 21, 22, 23 (i.e. two or more individual connection housings), these individual connection housings 2, 21, 22, 23, 24 of same or different design have corresponding or compatible connection mechanisms, in order to line them up next to one another and mechanically connect them firmly to one another. These are also designed the same or compatible in the individual connection housings 21, 22, 23 of different types. These connection devices can be designed in different ways, as described in more detail below.

[0050] As shown in FIGS. 2B-2D, 4A-4C, and 6A-6D, the connection strip 1 is or its connection housings 2 are preferably designed to be placed on a printed circuit board LP at one or more of its contact sides perpendicular or parallel to the connection direction X to be electrically connected thereto in the region of one or more contacts 301 (see FIG. 4).

[0051] Two or more printed circuit boards LP1, LP2 can be arranged on the connection strip 1 when contacts 301 are provided on a plurality of sides of the connection housing 2.

[0052] Referring to FIG. 1B, side walls 2c, 2d, also known as the first and second connecting sides, of the individual connection housings 21, 22, 23, 24 can be connected in the connection direction X.

[0053] The connection housings 2 also each have a mating face side 2a with a first plug-in contact 301—in particular a blade and/or contact pin—which can be connected to a corresponding plug-in contact such as a tulip contact of a corresponding plug connector (not shown). The mating face or connector side is also referred to as the connection side or front side, and the side of the connection housing 2 facing away from the connection side 2a is also referred to as the back side 2b. An intermediate wall can be provided between the connection side 2a and the back side. The arrangement can also be kinematically reversed.

[0054] In this case, the upper side 2o, the back side 2b and the lower side 2u are theoretically available for arranging printed circuit boards LP1, LP2 thereon or for arranging them on printed circuit boards LP1, LP2.

[0055] The corresponding plug connector (not shown) could also be designed for connection to a printed circuit board LP1 or LP2. A board-to-board connection (circuit board to circuit board via the plug-in connection) could be realized in this way.

[0056] In the following, the connection direction is denoted by X. The one direction perpendicular to the connection direction X, which runs from the lower side 2u to the upper side 2o, is denoted by Z and the further direction perpendicular to the connection direction X and to the Z direction, which runs from the connector side 2a to the back side 2b, is denoted as Y. The three directions X, Y, Z define a Cartesian coordinate system.

[0057] On each contact side—here the sides 2u, 2o, 2b—one or more contacts, in particular soldering pin contacts, are formed on the connection housing 2 projecting therefrom (see FIGS. 3 and 5).

[0058] The one or more soldering contacts can, for example and also preferably, be in the form of one or more printed circuit board plug-in contacts 302.

[0059] These circuit board plug-in contacts 302 on the respective contact side 2u project outward from the latter to be inserted into openings in a circuit board LP1, LP2 and soldered in place.

[0060] The contact pins of the connection housing are preferably formed in one part, which makes assembly easier. They are preferably formed from contact pins or contact blades. The terms contact blade and contact pin are also used synonymously in this application. The contact pins preferably have a square cross-section.

[0061] Referring again to FIGS. 1A and 1B, all connection housings 2 or a part of the connection housing 2 have/has a mating face side 2a in the manner of a first plug connection, which is designed for mating with a corresponding mating face of a corresponding connector (not shown).

[0062] For this purpose, the connection housings 2 can each have one or more openings 4, for example on the mating face side, which each delimit a chamber open on one side, in which one or more connection contacts is/are arranged. In a particularly preferred embodiment, these connection contacts are designed as one or more mating face plug-in contacts 301.

[0063] Contact pins 3 used as the contact elements are preferably provided in an L-shape, are a curvilinearly aligned contact pin variant 3a and/or are a straight contact pin variant 3b (see FIG. 8B).

[0064] As shown in FIG. 3B, a first end of the contact pins 3 serves as a mating face plug-in contact 301 for connecting to corresponding mating face contacts, in particular tulip contacts, of a corresponding second connector (not shown here). The other end of the contact pins 3 is preferably used in each case as a printed circuit board plug-in contact 302 for contacting a respective printed circuit board LP1/LP2, as shown in FIGS. 2A and 4C.

[0065] The respective printed circuit board plug-in contact 302 and the corresponding mating face plug-in contact 301 are preferably designed in one part as the two ends of a single contact pin 3.

[0066] Instead of contact pins, blade contacts or tulip contacts (not shown) can also be provided on the connection or connector side 2a. Mixed forms with pin and tulip contacts on the connection side and/or shield contacts (see, for example, FIG. 2B) are also conceivable. The contact elements are nevertheless synonymously referred to as contact pins within the scope of this application and the claims.

[0067] The mating face sides 2a individually form a mating face on the individual connection housings 21, 22, 23, 24 and, in their interaction in the connection strip 1, also form a first overlapping mating face of a first connector, which can be plugged together with a corresponding second connector with a corresponding mating face. The mating faces of the connection housing 2 can be configured to be the same or different, in whole or in part.

[0068] According to preferred variants, the connection housings 2, 200 and possibly their individual connection housings 21, 22, 23, 24 are designed such that either exactly one contact pin 3 of the first variant 3a or the second variant 3b or a plurality of pins 3 of the first 3a and/or the second variant 3b can be inserted into them (see FIGS. 3, 5 and 8).

[0069] As shown in FIG. 5C, to facilitate assembly, it can be provided that the connection housings 2, 200 or, if applicable, their individual connection housings 21, 22, 23, 24, 200 each have a slightly central groove 201 on their back side, which allows the insertion of an L-shaped contact pin when the end that forms the printed circuit board plug-in contact 302 is aligned to the upper side 2o or lower side 2u of the connection housing 2.

[0070] The straight or L-shaped contact pins 3 can have a securing zone 303. This can be in the form of an embossing. In this region, they can be held/locked in a latching and/or clamped manner in the connection housing 2, 200 or, if applicable, in the individual connection housings 21, 22, 23, 24, for example in a mounting hole in an intermediate wall, which they penetrate in the respective connection housing 2, 200 or individual connection housing 21, 22, 23, 24.

[0071] It is also conceivable to manufacture the connection housing 200 as a higher-level housing, for example in one part (see FIG. 7 or 8) or from a lower part and an upper part (not shown here).

[0072] If the connection housings 2 are made in a plurality of parts from individual connection housings 21, 22, 23, 24, in order to connect the individual connection housings 21, 22, 23, 24 to one another in the connection direction X to form a stable and self-supporting connection strip 1, corresponding mechanically acting connection mechanisms, including latching and counter-latching mechanisms, are provided.

[0073] According to the variant of FIG. 1, these connection mechanisms can have two lugs 6o, 6u (see FIGS. 1B-1E and 2A-2D). One projects as an extension of the upper side 2o and the other as an extension of the lower side 2u of the respective individual connection housing 21, 22, 23, 24 opposite the connection direction X (or alternatively in the connection direction X, not shown here) and in the direction of a respectively adjacent connection housing 21, 22, 23, 24.

[0074] The corresponding connection mechanisms also have respective recesses 7o, 7u on the upper side 2o and the lower side 2u corresponding to the lugs 6o, 6u, with which the lugs 6a, 6b of the adjacent individual connection housings 2 engage.

[0075] The lugs 6o, 6u and the corresponding recesses 7o, 7u preferably do not extend over the entire length of the individual connection housing 2 in the plug-in direction Y.

[0076] According to a preferred variant shown in FIGS. 1B-1E, the individual connection housings 21, 22, 23, 24 have pegs or pins 10o, 10u projecting in the connection direction X, as an alternative or in addition to the first and second latching mechanisms, which are formed to engage in corresponding receiving holes. Since the pins 10o, 10u are preferably over-sized in relation to the receiving holes, the individual connection housings 21, 22, 23, 24 are seated in a clamped manner by the pins and the pegs. It is also possible for only pins 10o, 10u or their corresponding holes to be formed on the first and last individual connection housings 21, 24 of a connection strip.

[0077] A gradation with the lugs 6o, 6u and the recesses 7o, 7u results in the aligned connection housings 2 being secured in a form-fitting manner in the z direction and in the plug-in direction y.

[0078] In the z-direction the lugs 6o, 6u and the recesses 7o, 7u secure the connection housing 2 of the connection strip 1 arranged between them against relative displacement in the “assembled” connection strip 1. In the plug-in direction Y, the gradation may lead to form-fitting contact in one direction.

[0079] Preferably, the lugs 6o, 6u are also designed as first latching mechanisms and the recesses 7o, 7u as counter-latching mechanisms in order to secure the individual connection housings 21, 23, 23, 24 against being pulled apart in and against the X direction.

[0080] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, to also secure the individual connection housings 2 relative to one another against the plug-in direction Y and in the connection direction X in the region of the lugs or webs 6o, 6u and recesses 7o, 7u there are corresponding tongue and groove connections 8a, 8b that correspond to latching mechanisms and counter-latching mechanisms.

[0081] As can be seen clearly in FIGS. 3A and 3B, this connection secures adjacent individual connection housings very well in the connection direction, because it easily secures them against being pulled apart parallel to the connection direction X.

[0082] In this way, adjacent individual connection housings 21, 22, 23, 24 can also be easily lined up perpendicularly to the connection direction X in the plug-in direction Y when mounting the connection strip 1 by pushing them together so that the tongue and groove connections engage. The positive fit secures adjacent individual connection housings against being pulled apart in or against the connection direction (see FIGS. 2A and 2B or 3A, 3B, 3C).

[0083] It can be provided that only lugs or recesses 6o, 7u or 7o, 7u are provided on the first and last individual connection housings 21, 24 of the connection strip 1, since the last individual connection housing 24 of the connection strip can only be connected in one connection direction to an adjacent Individual connection housing 23.

[0084] Alternatively or in addition, clamping pins 10o, 10u (see FIG. 1B) and clamping holes (not shown or not visible in the views shown) can be formed on the corresponding connecting sides 2c, 2d, which then hold together and secure the individual connection housings 21, 22, 23, 24 alternatively or additionally in the connection direction X.

[0085] It should be particularly emphasized that the contact pin variants 3a, 3b can be used to manufacture connection strips 1 and circuit board connectors of various types.

[0086] This is because with the straight 3b and/or the L-shaped 3a contact pin variants, one or more printed circuit board plug-in contacts 302 can be provided for connection to one or more printed circuit boards LP1, LP2 in the Y, +Z or −Z directions.

[0087] With the connection housings 2, 200 or possibly individual connection housings 21, 22, 23, 24, circuit board connectors of different designs can thus be manufactured in a simple manner, which have one or more connection directions or connection sides for printed circuit boards LP1, LP2. For this purpose, the connection housing 2, 200 or possibly individual connection housings 21, 22, 23, 24 may be equipped with one or both of the contact pin variants 3a, 3b as desired.

[0088] The connection housings 2, 200 or possibly individual connection housings 21, 22, 23, 24 are preferably made of a non-conductive plastic. The contact pins 3 are preferably made of a highly electrically conductive metal material.

[0089] Steps for a preferred manufacturing process of the above described embodiments includes the following steps described below (which preferably follow one another).

[0090] First, the connection housing 2, 200 or the individual connection housings 21, 22, 23, 24 of the connection strip 2, 200 are manufactured in advance. These are then provided for further assembly. Manufacturing can be done, for example, by a plastic injection molding step. In addition, the conductive contact pins 3 are manufactured.

[0091] Second, the L-shaped and/or straight contact pins 3 are then mounted in the provided insulating connection housings 2, 200 or individual connection housings 21, 22, 23, 24 with an installation tool, in particular by an insertion process, so that one end forms a mating face plug-in contact 301 and the other end forms a printed circuit board contact pin 302.

[0092] Third, if a plurality of individual connection housings 21, 22, 23, 24 are provided with a circuit board connector 1, the plurality of connection housings are assembled to form the higher-level connection housing 2 prior to or after one of the above-described steps.

[0093] Lastly, the one or more printed circuit boards LP1, LP2 are mounted, in particular soldered on the one or possibly the several outer sides that have the above circuit board contact pins 310 on the connection housing 2, 200.

[0094] Depending on requirements at the installation site, the same or different variants of circuit board connectors 1 can be formed in which all circuit board plug-in contacts 301 point in the same direction, such as towards the back side (Y-direction) or up or down (+Z-direction or −Z-direction), as shown in FIGS. 1A-1E and FIGS. 2A-2D.

[0095] However, variants of circuit board connectors 1 can also be formed in which a first part of the printed circuit board plug-in contacts 302 points in a first direction, towards the back side, upwards or downwards, and a second part of the printed circuit board contact pins points in at least one other direction, such as toward the back side or toward the upper or lower sides.

[0096] For example, a part of the contact pins can project straight back from the back side and a second part of the contact pins can be oriented downwards (see FIG. 5A, FIGS. 8A-8D) or upwards (see FIG. 5B, FIG. 6D). However, a first part of the contact pins can also be directed upwards and a second part of the contact pins downwards (see FIGS. 3A-3B, 4A-4C and 7A-7C).

[0097] According to the number of housing sides on which printed circuit board plug-in contacts 302 are provided, many printed circuit boards LP1, LP2 can then be provided on the connection housing, namely one, two or more printed circuit boards.

[0098] Exemplary and advantageous variants include but are not limited to those detailed below, as previously described above.

[0099] In FIG. 2b all printed circuit board plug-in contacts 301 are directed towards the lower side 2u, and correspondingly a lower printed circuit board LP1 is provided on the lower side of the printed circuit board connector 2, 200.

[0100] In FIGS. 4A-4C a first part of the printed circuit board plug-in contacts 301 is directed towards the lower side 2u, a second part of the printed circuit board plug-in contacts 301 is directed towards the upper side 2o, a lower circuit board LP1 is provided on the lower side of the printed circuit board connector and an upper parallel circuit board LP2 is provided on the upper side of the printed circuit board connector 2, 200.

[0101] In FIGS. 6A-6C a first part of the printed circuit board plug-in contacts 301 is directed towards the upper side 2o, a second part of the printed circuit board plug-in contacts 301 is directed towards the back side 2b, an upper circuit board LP1 is provided on the upper side of the printed circuit board connector and a second back board LP2 at right angles thereto is provided at the back side 2b of the printed circuit board connector 2, 200.

[0102] These are some particularly preferred variants; other variants, which are not shown, can also be implemented if the contact pins 3 are installed appropriately.