Plastic component with at least one electrical contact element and method for the manufacture thereof

Abstract

A plastic component with at least one electrical contact element has a plastic body and at least one electrical strip conductor, by which the electrical contact element can be electrically connected. Provisions are made for the plastic component to be manufactured by a combined injection molding and metal casting method, in which the plastic body is manufactured by an injection molding method and the at least one electrical strip conductor is manufactured by a metal casting or metal injection molding method one after another. The component formed last is molded onto the component formed first. Further, a method for manufacturing a corresponding plastic component is described.

Claims

1. A plastic component comprising: at least one electrical contact element; a plastic body; and at least one electrical strip conductor, by means of which the electrical contact element can be electrically connected, wherein the plastic component is manufactured according to a combined injection molding and metal casting or metal injection molding method, in which the plastic body is manufactured by injection molding and the least one electrical strip conductor is manufactured by metal casting or metal injection molding the injection molding followed by the metal casting or metal injection molding or the metal casting or metal injection molding followed by the injection molding occur one after another, wherein the plastic body or the at least one electrical strip conductor formed last is molded into the plastic body or the at least one electrical strip conductor formed first, wherein the electrical contact element is a spring bracket contact, which encloses a spring bracket of the plastic body, at which spring bracket a section of the strip conductor is arranged, the spring bracket being formed in one piece with the plastic body, the spring bracket having a freely projecting configuration, the spring bracket being surrounded by a recess passing through the plastic body on all sides except for a side of the plastic body connected to the spring bracket.

2. A plastic component in accordance with claim 1, wherein the plastic body has a channel groove, in which the strip conductor is arranged.

3. A plastic component in accordance with claim 2, wherein the strip conductor is held in the groove with positive-locking at least in some areas.

4. A plastic component in accordance with claim 3, wherein undercuts, with which the strip conductor meshes at least partially, are formed in or at the groove.

5. A plastic component in accordance with claim 1, wherein in an area of a free end, the spring bracket has a projection, which is covered by the strip conductor.

6. A plastic component in accordance with claim 5, wherein the projection has a tip or pin configuration.

7. A plastic component in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least one contact rivet, which is electrically connected to the strip conductor, is integrated in the plastic body.

8. A plastic component in accordance with claim 1, wherein the plastic body has a plate-shaped configuration.

9. A plastic component in accordance with claim 1, wherein the spring bracket comprises a spring bracket outer surface, the plastic body comprising a plastic body outer surface, the spring bracket outer surface extending parallel to the plastic body outer surface.

10. A plastic component comprising: an electrical contact element; a plastic body, the plastic body comprising a through opening; and an electrical strip conductor, by means of which the electrical contact element can be electrically connected, wherein the plastic component is manufactured according to a combined injection molding and metal casting or metal injection molding method, in which the plastic body is manufactured by injection molding and the least one electrical strip conductor is manufactured by metal casting or metal injection molding the injection molding followed by the metal casting or metal injection molding or the metal casting or metal injection molding followed by the injection molding occur one after another, wherein the plastic body or the at least one electrical strip conductor formed last is molded into the plastic body or the at least one electrical strip conductor formed first, wherein the electrical contact element is a spring bracket contact, which encloses a spring bracket of the plastic body, at which spring bracket a section of the strip conductor is arranged, the spring bracket comprising only one side fixed to the plastic body, wherein the spring bracket extends into the through opening, the through opening being located between each part of the spring bracket and the plastic body except for the one side of the spring bracket fixed to the plastic body.

11. A plastic component in accordance with claim 10, wherein the one side of the spring bracket is integrally connected to the plastic body.

12. A plastic component in accordance with claim 11, wherein the spring bracket comprises a spring bracket outer surface, the plastic body comprising a plastic body outer surface, the spring bracket outer surface extending parallel to the plastic body outer surface.

13. A plastic component in accordance with claim 11, wherein each portion of the spring bracket is located at a spaced location from the plastic body except for the one side of the spring bracket.

14. A plastic component comprising: an electrical contact element; a plastic body, the plastic body comprising a through opening; and an electrical strip conductor, by means of which the electrical contact element can be electrically connected, wherein the plastic component is manufactured according to a combined injection molding and metal casting or metal injection molding method, in which the plastic body is manufactured by injection molding and the least one electrical strip conductor is manufactured by metal casting or metal injection molding the injection molding followed by the metal casting or metal injection molding or the metal casting or metal injection molding followed by the injection molding occur one after another, wherein the plastic body or the at least one electrical strip conductor formed last is molded into the plastic body or the at least one electrical strip conductor formed first, wherein the electrical contact element is a spring bracket contact, which encloses a spring bracket of the plastic body, at which spring bracket a section of the strip conductor is arranged, the spring bracket comprising a spring bracket end, wherein only the spring bracket end is in contact with the plastic body, wherein the through opening surrounds each portion of the spring bracket except for the spring bracket end.

15. A plastic component in accordance with claim 14, wherein the spring bracket end is integrally connected to the plastic body.

16. A plastic component in accordance with claim 15, wherein the spring bracket extends parallel to the plastic body, wherein each portion of the spring bracket is located at a spaced location from the plastic body except for the spring bracket end.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) In the drawings:

(2) FIG. 1 is a top view of a plastic body prior to the application of the strip conductor;

(3) FIG. 2 is the plastic body according to FIG. 1 after application of the strip conductor;

(4) FIG. 3 is an enlarged top view of an electrical contact element in the form of a spring bracket;

(5) FIG. 4 is section IV-IV in FIG. 3;

(6) FIG. 5 is section V-V in FIG. 3;

(7) FIG. 6 is an enlarged top view of an electrical contact element in the form of a plug;

(8) FIG. 7 is section VII-VII in FIG. 6;

(9) FIG. 8 is section VIII-VIII in FIG. 6;

(10) FIG. 9 is an enlarged top view of an electrical contact element in the form of a contact bush;

(11) FIG. 10 is section X-X in FIG. 9;

(12) FIG. 11 is a first variant of an undercut;

(13) FIG. 12 is section XII-XII in FIG. 11;

(14) FIG. 13 is a second variant of an undercut;

(15) FIG. 14 is section XIV-XIV in FIG. 13;

(16) FIG. 15 is a third variant of an undercut; and

(17) FIG. 16 is section XVI-XVI in FIG. 15.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(18) Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows a top view of a plate-shaped plastic body 15, which is injection molded from a plastic material in a first method step and is provided in a subsequent step with a strip conductor 17 (see FIG. 2), which is formed by molding on an electrically conductive material, especially a metal alloy, so that a plastic component 10 is formed.

(19) A continuous, channel-like (channel shaped, channel) groove 11, which is defined by ribs 31 and 32 extending parallel, is formed in the plastic body 15. For preparation for forming electrical contact elements, a laterally projecting tongue 22, a plurality of spring brackets 18 having a freely projecting configuration, a sleeve-like carrying part 25 and a plurality of contact bodies 33 are formed on the plastic body. All the elements mentioned are connected to one another by means of the channel-like groove 11.

(20) An electrically conductive material, especially a metal alloy, is cast or injected into the groove in a second method step, so that the groove 11 is filled completely and all the components mentioned are connected to one another, forming the continuous strip conductor 17.

(21) The structural configuration of the individual electrical contact elements will be explained in more detail below.

(22) FIGS. 3 through 5 show an electrical contact element in the form of a spring bracket contact 12. The spring bracket contact 12 has a spring bracket 18, which is formed freely projecting on the plastic body 15 and in one piece with this. The spring bracket 18 has an elongated shape and is connected at its end to the plastic body freely projecting from this connection area, i.e., the spring bracket 18 is surrounded by a recess 34 passing through the plastic body 15 on all other sides.

(23) A section of the channel-like groove 11, which section extends over the connection area of the spring bracket 18, is formed on the top side of the spring bracket 18. The groove 11 is filled with an electrically conductive material, so that the strip conductor 17 is formed. A perforation 19, which expands in its cross section on the side facing away from the strip conductor 17, is formed in the area of the front end of the spring bracket 18 facing away from the connection area, so that the strip conductor 17 is held in a positive-locking manner.

(24) A tip- or pin-like projection, which is covered by the strip conductor 17, is formed at the front free end of the spring bracket 18 facing away from the area, so that a contact point 24 projecting from the surface of the strip conductor 17 is formed.

(25) Based on its geometry, the spring bracket 18 is elastically deformable at right angles to the plane of the plate of the plastic body 15, so that an adjustable switching element is formed, the deformation and resetting properties being determined by the geometry of the spring bracket 18 and the material thereof, while the strip conductor 17 is only used for the electrical connection and is thus only subject to low mechanical stresses.

(26) FIGS. 6 through 8 show an embodiment of an electrical contact element in the form of a plug 13. The plug 13 has an inherently stable tongue 22, which projects from the body 15 and has a section of the channel-like groove 11 on its top side. The groove 11 has a broadened cross section in the area projecting from the plastic body 15, so that the electrically conductive material introduced into the groove 11 forms a contact plate 23 with enlarged dimensions in this area, as a result of which the reliability of the electrical contact is increased. Further, a tip-like projection 35, which forms a defined contact point, is formed on the surface of the strip conductor 17 in the area of the contact plate 23.

(27) For example, a counterplug of a cable harness can be inserted onto the plug shown in FIGS. 6 through 8 in order to establish an electrical contact. The tip-like projection 35 may also be used as a locking element to secure the plug-type connection.

(28) FIGS. 9 and 10 show an electrical contact element in the form of a contact bush 14, into which a plug, for example, a jack plug, can be inserted. The contact bush 14 has a sleeve-like carrying part 25, which is made integrally with the plastic body and is made in one piece with this and projects upward, freely projecting from the plastic body 15. The groove 11, which is connected to the interior space 27 of the sleeve-like carrying part 25 via a perforation 30 provided in the plastic body 15, is formed on the side of the plastic body facing away from the sleeve-like carrying part 25. The strip conductor 17 extends in the groove 11 of the plastic body 15, passes through same at the perforation 30 and is provided as a coating 26 on the inner wall of the sleeve-like carrying part 25. A plug, which is inserted into the interior space 27 of the carrying part 25, is in connection in this manner with the strip conductor 17 located in the groove 11 through the perforation 30.

(29) To guarantee secure holding of the strip conductor 17 in the groove, these two elements should mesh in a positive-locking manner. Possible embodiments of the cross-sectional geometries for achieving a corresponding positive-locking connection are shown in the following figures.

(30) According to FIG. 11, the channel-like groove 11 has a local cross-sectional expansion 36, so that an undercut 28 is formed, which brings about securing in the longitudinal direction of the groove 11. In addition to this, provisions may be made according to FIG. 12 for the groove 11 to have a cross section changing in its width over the height at least in the area of the cross-sectional expansion 36, a hyperboloid-like cross section, which forms an undercut 20 on both the top side and the underside, being provided in the exemplary embodiment being shown.

(31) Another possibility of a positive-locking connection is shown in FIGS. 13 and 14. The channel-like groove 11 has here a cross-sectional expansion 29 in a locally defined area in the area of the middle section of its height, so that the strip conductor 17 has laterally projecting projections, which mesh with the surrounding plastic body 15.

(32) A similar positive-locking action is achieved with the embodiment according to FIGS. 15 and 16, wherein the channel-like groove has an I-shaped cross section, which is completely filled by conductive material of the strip conductor 17. The strip conductor is reliably secured in this way against being detached and lifting off from the groove 11.

(33) While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the principles of the invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.