CIRCUIT BOARD INTERCONNECTION DEVICE AND CIRCUIT BOARD ASSEMBLY

Abstract

A printed circuit board connecting device (1) for connecting printed circuit boards (3, 5) includes a non-conductive plate (21) having a top side and a bottom side, and a plurality of interface connections (23) which are arranged in the plate (21) so as to be spaced apart from one another. Each interface connection (23) has grouped-together conductors (41) which extend through the plate (21) and which are laterally enclosed by the plate material and the end regions of which protruding on the top side and lower side from the plate (21) can be fixed to interfaces (13) of two printed circuit boards (3, 5) to be connected. Therefore, the conductors (41) form both a mechanical and an electrical connection between the interfaces (13) of the printed circuit boards (3, 5).

Claims

1. A printed circuit board connecting device (1) for connecting printed circuit boards (3, 5), the printed circuit board connecting device (1) comprising: a non-conductive plate (21) having a top side and a bottom side; and a plurality of interface connections (23) which are arranged in the plate (21) so as to be spaced apart from one another, wherein each interface connection (23) has grouped-together conductors (41) which extend through the plate (21) and which are laterally enclosed by the plate material and the end regions of which protruding on the top side and lower side from the plate (21) can be fixed to interfaces (13) of two printed circuit boards (3, 5) to be connected, and therefore the conductors (41) form both a mechanical and an electrical connection between the interfaces (13) of the printed circuit boards (3, 5).

2. The printed circuit board connecting device (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the end regions are configured as plug pins (25) which can be fixed in sockets (15) of the interfaces (13).

3. The printed circuit board connecting device (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the conductors (41) are connected to the plate (21) in a form-fitting and/or materially bonded manner.

4. The printed circuit board connecting device (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the interface connections (23) are each defined by a base (27) that protrudes on the top side and/or an opposite base (27) of the plate (21) that protrudes on the bottom side.

5. The printed circuit board connecting device (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plate (21) is configured as an integral plastics molded part in which the conductors (41) are encapsulated.

6. The printed circuit board connecting device (1) as claimed in claim 1, also comprising a metallic sleeve (29) which extends through the plate (21).

7. The printed circuit board connecting device (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plate (21) has spacers (31, 33) which protrude on the top side and/or on the bottom side.

8. The printed circuit board connecting device (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plate (21) comprises, on the top side and/or lower side, aligning means which are configured to align at least one of the printed circuit boards (3, 5) to be connected in a predefined position.

9. A printed circuit board arrangement (39) comprising two printed circuit boards (3, 5) and a printed circuit board connecting device (1) as claimed in claim 1, which connects a bottom side of the printed circuit board (3) arranged on the top side of the printed circuit board connecting device (1) to a top side of the printed circuit board (5) arranged on the bottom side of the printed circuit board connecting device.

10. The printed circuit board arrangement (39) as claimed in claim 9, wherein at least one of the two printed circuit boards (3, 5) is configured as an IMS printed circuit board.

11. The printed circuit board arrangement (39) as claimed in claim 9, wherein at least one of the two printed circuit boards (3, 5) is configured as an FR4 printed circuit board.

12. The printed circuit board arrangement (39) as claimed in claim 10, wherein at least one of the two printed circuit boards (3, 5) is configured as an FR4 printed circuit board.

13. The printed circuit board arrangement (39) as claimed in claim 9, wherein the printed circuit boards (3, 5) have interfaces (13) which are connected to the interface connections (23), and therefore the conductors (41) form both a mechanical and an electrical connection between the interfaces (13) of the printed circuit boards (3, 5).

14. The printed circuit board arrangement (39) as claimed in claim 9, wherein the printed circuit boards (3, 5) have holes (19) whose position corresponds to the position of the sleeve (29), and the holes (19) and the sleeve (29) are configured such that a connecting means, in particular a screw, can be positioned in the holes (19) and the sleeve (29).

15. The printed circuit board arrangement (39) as claimed in claim 9, wherein at least one of the printed circuit boards (3, 5) has a component (17) which projects in the direction of the printed circuit board connecting device (1) and which extends through a cutout (7) in the printed circuit board connecting device (1).

16. The printed circuit board connecting device (1) as claimed in claim 2, wherein the conductors (41) are connected to the plate (21) in a form-fitting and/or materially bonded manner.

17. The printed circuit board connecting device (1) as claimed in claim 2, wherein the interface connections (23) are each defined by a base (27) that protrudes on the top side and/or an opposite base (27) of the plate (21) that protrudes on the bottom side.

18. The printed circuit board connecting device (1) as claimed in claim 3, wherein the interface connections (23) are each defined by a base (27) that protrudes on the top side and/or an opposite base (27) of the plate (21) that protrudes on the bottom side.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0024] Exemplary embodiments will be explained in more detail below with reference to the drawing, in which:

[0025] FIG. 1 shows a three-dimensional view of exemplary embodiments of a printed circuit board connecting device and two printed circuit boards;

[0026] FIG. 2 shows a three-dimensional view of an exemplary embodiment of a printed circuit board arrangement;

[0027] FIG. 3 shows a sectional view through a region of the printed circuit board arrangement; and

[0028] FIG. 4 shows a three-dimensional view of a detail of the printed circuit board arrangement.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] In the figures, components that are identical or have the same effect are provided with the same reference designations.

[0030] FIG. 1 shows a three-dimensional view of exemplary embodiments of a printed circuit board connecting device 1 and two printed circuit boards 3, 5 (“PCBs” for short), which can be connected to form a printed circuit board arrangement.

[0031] The plate-like printed circuit board connecting device 1 is configured to connect a first printed circuit board 3 and a second printed circuit board 5 to one another, such that the printed circuit board connecting device 1 and the printed circuit boards 3, 5 extend in a substantially parallel manner and the connecting device 1 is arranged between the first and the second printed circuit board 3, 5. FIG. 1 illustrates the second printed circuit board 5 and the printed circuit board connecting device 1 with a view to their top sides. The first printed circuit board 3 is illustrated with a view to its bottom side. After mounting, in the subsequent printed circuit board arrangement which is illustrated in FIG. 2, the printed circuit board connecting device 1 is positioned between the bottom side of the first printed circuit board 3 and the top side of the second printed circuit board 5, with the result that the top side of the connecting device 1 faces the first printed circuit board 3 and the bottom side of the connecting device 1 faces the second printed circuit board 3.

[0032] The first and second printed circuit boards 3, 5 shown in FIG. 1 each have a substrate on which conductor tracks (not illustrated in FIG. 1 for the sake of clarity) extend. In this exemplary embodiment, the second printed circuit board 5 is an IMS printed circuit board, “IMS” standing for “insulated metal substrate” and being a metal core printed circuit board. Such an IMS printed circuit board is well suited for heat dissipation. The first printed circuit board 3 is configured as an FR4 printed circuit board, the substrate of which is formed from a composite material of FR4 class that is hardly inflammable and flame-retardant.

[0033] The first printed circuit board 3 has a rectangular base area with at least one edge-side cutout 7 for subsequent installation in a housing and an edge-side cutout 9 for projecting regions of the printed circuit board connecting device 1, the projecting regions being configured as connectors 11. The first printed circuit board 3 also has, on its bottom side, a plurality of interfaces 13 which are configured as female multipoint connectors. In various embodiments, the female multipoint connectors are provided with a different number of sockets 15. The sockets 15 are configured to fix plug pins 25 and to form a conductive connection with them. There are various exemplary embodiments of female multipoint connectors: one has for example 2×2 sockets which are arranged in a matrix form; another one has for example 2×3 sockets which are arranged in a matrix form; and yet another one has for example 2×7 sockets which are arranged in a matrix form. Although there are no further components 17 provided on the first printed circuit board 3, there are alternative exemplary embodiments having further components, for example chips, on the first printed circuit board 3.

[0034] The second printed circuit board 5 has a rectangular base area with edge-side cutouts 7 for subsequent installation in the housing. A plurality of electrical components 17, in particular chips, are fastened to a top side of the second printed circuit board 5 and connected in an electrically conducting manner via conductor tracks (not illustrated in FIG. 1 for the sake of clarity). The components 17 may be fixed for example by solder connections and be connected in an electrically conducting manner to the conductor tracks. As an alternative or in addition, connector bases, in which the components 17 are plugged and force-fittingly fixed, may be provided on the second printed circuit board 5. Interfaces 13 configured as female multipoint connectors are also provided on the top side of the second printed circuit board 5. The female multipoint connectors each have a plurality of grouped-together sockets 15, which are configured to fix plug pins 25 and to form a conductive connection with them. There are various exemplary embodiments of female multipoint connectors having a different number and arrangement of sockets 15.

[0035] The interfaces 13, which are configured as female multipoint connectors, of the first and second printed circuit boards 3, 5 are arranged such that the interfaces are situated opposite each other when the printed circuit boards 3, 5 are connected to one another. The corresponding, that is to say oppositely arranged interfaces 13 to be connected may advantageously but not necessarily be configured in the same way, that is to say with the same number and arrangement of sockets.

[0036] Both the first and the second printed circuit board 3, 5 have holes 19 in the corner regions, through which, in the subsequent printed circuit board arrangement, connecting means, for example screws, additionally fix the printed circuit boards 3, 5 which are then connected to one another.

[0037] The printed circuit board connecting device 1 has a plate 21 made of a non-conductive, insulating material and having a top side and a bottom side. A plurality of interface connections 23 are arranged in the plate 21 so as to be spaced apart from one another. Each interface connection 23 is configured to connect two corresponding interfaces 13 to one another. In this exemplary embodiment, the interface connection 23 is configured as a pin header which is integrated in the plate 21 and the plug pins 25 of which extend on opposite sides so that they project upwardly and downwardly. The number of plug pins 25 and their arrangement advantageously corresponds to the sockets 15 of the corresponding interfaces 13 on the first and second printed circuit boards 3, 5, which are intended to be connected. As an alternative, it is also possible for plug pins 25 to be provided only for some of the sockets 15 of the corresponding interfaces 13. The plug pins 25 of an interface connection 23 are end regions, which protrude beyond the top side and bottom side of the plate 21, of grouped-together conductors 41 which extend through the plate 21. The conductors 41 are consequently configured as pin contacts. The plug pins 25 can be fixed in the sockets 15, with the result that the conductors 41 form both a mechanical and an electrical connection between the printed circuit boards 3, 5. The interface connections 23 are each defined by an upwardly and downwardly projecting base 27 in the plate 21, the conductors 41 being grouped together in the base. The base 27 is a thickened portion of the plate 21 on the top side and bottom side and has a rectangular contour. The base 27 forms a stop for the interface 13.

[0038] The printed circuit board connecting device 1 has, in two corner regions, metallic sleeves 29 which extend through the plate 21 and which are laterally surrounded by the plate material. These sleeves 29 form, in the subsequent printed circuit board arrangement 39, an electrically conductive connection between the printed circuit boards 3, 5 which serves to ground the subsequent printed circuit board arrangement 39 so that it can be installed in an electromagnetically compatible manner. Each metallic sleeve 29 is positioned in such a way that when the printed circuit boards 3, 5 are connected, holes 19 in the printed circuit boards 3, 5 are arranged above and below the sleeve 29, such that a connecting means, for example a screw, can extend through the holes 19 and the sleeve 29 and thus form a part of the grounding arrangement, which can be connected to the housing.

[0039] Spacers 31, 33 on the plate 21, which project on the top side and/or on the bottom side, are an integral part of the plate 21. They define the distance between the printed circuit board connecting device 1 and the printed circuit boards 3, 5. In the corner regions, the spacers 31 are configured as hollow cylinders, and therefore connecting means can extend through the hollow cylinders. Further spacers 31, which are in the form of hollow cylinders in order to provide the printed circuit boards 3, 5 with a larger support region, do not necessarily have to have a continuous cutout between the upwardly and downwardly projecting regions of the hollow-cylindrical spacer 31. They may also project only in one direction, either downward or upward. As an alternative, the spacers may also be configured as pin-like spacers 33. The pin-like spacers 33 have a tapered head region which can engage in a corresponding cutout 35 or coding of the printed circuit board 3, 5, with the result that the spacers 33 additionally serve as aligning means in order to align and hold the printed circuit boards 3, 5 to be connected in a predefined position during mounting.

[0040] Dome-like regions at the edge of the printed circuit board connecting device 1 which have a continuous cutout are connectors 11 for cables, which are guided through the printed circuit board connecting device 1 to the second printed circuit board 5 and connected thereto in order to supply power to the subsequent printed circuit board arrangements 39. The position of these dome-like regions corresponds to the cutout 9 in the first printed circuit board 3. The connectors 11 are also an exemplary embodiment of an aligning means since they predefine the position of the first printed circuit board 3 and the printed circuit board connecting device 1.

[0041] The plate 21 of the printed circuit board connecting device 1 may have, for example edge-side, cutouts 37, in which components 17 on at least one of the printed circuit boards 3, 5 can extend through the printed circuit board connecting device 1. In this exemplary embodiment, the plate 21 has a comb-like contour, with cutouts 37 extending to a pronounced extent into the plate 21 and finger-like plate regions. Components 17 on the second printed circuit board 5 which project between the finger-like plate regions extend beyond the plate 21.

[0042] The plate 21 of the printed circuit board connecting device 1 is manufactured integrally from an insulating, non-conductive material, for example plastic. The printed circuit board connecting device 1 is configured as a plastics molded part, which has been manufactured as an injection-molded part, in which the conductors 41 of the interface connections 23 are encapsulated by the non-conductive plate material, with the result that a materially bonded connection between the conductors 41, which are configured as pin contacts, and the plate 21 is produced.

[0043] FIG. 2 shows a three-dimensional view of the printed circuit board arrangement 39 after successful mounting of the components 1, 3, 5 shown in FIG. 1. In the printed circuit board arrangement 39, the printed circuit board connecting device 1 is positioned between the bottom side of the first printed circuit board 3 and the top side of the second printed circuit board 5 and connects the first and the second printed circuit board 3, 5. Here, in contrast to FIG. 1, the view in FIG. 2 shows the first printed circuit board 3 with a view from above. The interface connections 23 of the printed circuit board connecting device 1 connect the corresponding interfaces 13 of the first and second printed circuit boards 3, 5, with the result that the conductors 41 both form a conductive connection and are fixed to the interfaces 13 of the printed circuit boards 3, 5 in a mechanical manner. This connection which is both electrical and mechanical is effected by way of the plug pins 25 and the sockets 15 in which the plug pins 25 are force-fittingly fixed. An additional fixing of the printed circuit boards 3, 5 in terms of their position is effected by way of four connecting means (not illustrated in FIG. 2), for example screws, in the corner regions, wherein the connecting means extend through the holes 19 of the printed circuit boards 3, 5 and the hollow spacers 31 or the metallic sleeves 29.

[0044] FIG. 3 shows a section through a region of the printed circuit board arrangement 39, one of the interface connections 23 connecting the interfaces 13 of the printed circuit boards 3, 5 in the region. The interface connection 23 is arranged in one of the finger-like plate regions which extends in front of a component 17 projecting from the second printed circuit board 5. The interfaces 13 of the first and second printed circuit boards 3, 5 have sockets 15, into which the plug pins 25 of the interface connection 23 are introduced so that an electrically conductive connection to the sockets 15 is formed, which also fixes the plug pins 25.

[0045] The conductors 41, which are configured as pin contacts and the end regions of which protruding from the plate 21 form the plug pins 25, are configured in the form of bars and have pointed ends which make the introduction into the sockets 15 easier. The conductors 41 are widened in the middle region of the conductors 41, which is encapsulated by the plate material. In this exemplary embodiment, they have a flag-like widened portion 43. The widened portion, assisted by the projecting base 27 around the conductors 41, by means of which the plate 21 has a greater thickness in the region of the conductors 41, has the effect that a form-fitting connection of the conductor 41 to the plate 21 is produced during encapsulation.

[0046] FIG. 4 shows a three-dimensional view of a region of the printed circuit board arrangement 39 in an enlarged illustration.

[0047] In this exemplary embodiment, the contacting of the interface 13 on the second printed circuit board 5 is illustrated. The interface 13 configured as a female multipoint connector has solder contacts 45 which are connected to the second printed circuit board 5 by solder connections. The lower plug pins 25 of the interface connection 23 engage in the sockets 15 of the interface 13. The upper plug pins 25 are connected to sockets 15 of the first printed circuit board 3 (not illustrated in FIG. 4).

[0048] The features specified above and in the claims and shown in the figures can be advantageously implemented both individually and in various combinations. The invention is not restricted to the exemplary embodiments described, but may be modified in various ways within the scope of the abilities of a person skilled in the art.