Wire and circuit board electrical connector

Abstract

Provided a connector for establishing an electrical connection between an electrical conductor and a printed circuit board. The connector includes an insulating element which has a plurality of cavities for accommodating contact elements. The printed circuit board can be inserted in the connector via a slot in a connection face of the insulating element and can be connected to the first contact faces of the contact element provided in the connection face. Opposite the first contact face, the contact elements have a second contact face which is provided for the insulation-piercing contacting of the electrical conductor. The arrangement of the contact elements in the insulating element allows a particularly space-saving design of the connector.

Claims

1. An electrical connector comprising an insulating body and at least one electrical contact element, wherein the insulating body has at least one cavity, which in the insulating body forms a first part formed as an insertion region and a second part formed as a contact region, wherein the contact element comprises an unitary, flat and planar stamped piece having a first contact side and a second contact side both lying in a same plane, wherein the first contact side of the contact element is adapted for contacting a PC board and the second contact side is adapted for contacting an electrical conductor in an insulation-penetrating manner, wherein the contact element is arranged in the cavity of the insulating body such that the first contact side is arranged in the insertion region and the second contact side is arranged in the contact region, wherein the first contact side of the contact element is flat and planar, fork-shaped and forms two contact arms, wherein the contact arms form two opposed contact points, wherein the contact arms of the contact side of the contact element are mirror-symmetrical to each other in both horizontal and vertical planes, and wherein the second contact side of the contact element is flat and planar, and is arranged laterally relative to the symmetry of the first contact side.

2. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second contact side of the contact element is formed as a piercing or insulation-displacement contact.

3. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the contact element has at least one detent, which latches in a detent recess in the insulating body.

4. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the insulating body has at least one cable-receiving channel, wherein the cable-receiving channel crosses the at least one cavity at right angles in the contact region.

5. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 4, wherein the insulating body has a plurality of cavities arranged side by side, and the same number of cable-receiving channels arranged side by side, wherein each of the cable-receiving channels crosses exactly one of the cavities.

6. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 5, wherein the contact regions of the cavities lie in various planes each crossing a cable-receiving channel.

7. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the insulating body has a slot, wherein the slot intersects the insertion regions of the at least one cavity perpendicularly.

8. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 7, wherein the slot is open on three sides.

9. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 7, wherein the second contact side of the contact element is formed as a piercing or insulation-displacement contact, and the contact points of the contact arms protrude at least in regions into the slot.

10. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 7, wherein at least one detent shaping is formed on an inner side of a wall foliating the slot.

11. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 10, wherein the detent shaping is wedge-shaped or dome-like.

12. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 7, wherein the insulating body is formed in two parts, wherein a first part forms a main body, in which the insertion regions of the cavities, the slot and detent recesses are provided, and a second part forms a cable manager, in which the contact regions of the cavities and the cable-receiving channels are arranged, wherein the main body and the cable manager are adapted to be latched to one another by detent arms.

13. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 12, wherein the latching between main body and cable manager is performed in two stages, wherein in a first latching stage the second contact side of a contact element latched in the cavity is located out-side the cable-receiving channel, and in a second latching stage the second contact side intersects the cable-receiving channel.

14. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the insertion region of the cavity has an opening facing away from the connection region, through which opening the contact element can be introduced into the cavity.

15. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 12, wherein the insertion region of the cavity has an opening facing toward the connection region, through which opening the contact element can be introduced into the cavity.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Exemplary embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the drawings and will be explained in greater detail hereinafter. In the drawings:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a connector in a first embodiment in a plan view;

(3) FIG. 2 shows the connector from FIG. 1 in a side view;

(4) FIG. 3 shows the connector from FIG. 1 in a front view;

(5) FIG. 4 shows the connector from FIG. 1 in a three-dimensional sectional illustration A-A;

(6) FIG. 5 shows a second embodiment of a connector in the same view as FIG. 4;

(7) FIG. 6 shows a third embodiment of a connector in sectional side view;

(8) FIG. 7 shows the connector from FIG. 6 in sectional rear view;

(9) FIG. 8 shows a separated contact element of the connector from FIG. 6;

(10) FIG. 9 shows the connector from FIG. 1 prior to assembly;

(11) FIG. 10 shows the connector from FIG. 1 during assembly;

(12) FIG. 11 shows the connector from FIG. 1 after assembly;

(13) FIG. 12 shows the connector from FIG. 5 prior to assembly;

(14) FIG. 13 shows the connector from FIG. 5 during assembly in a first assembly step;

(15) FIG. 14 shows the connector from FIG. 5 during assembly in a second assembly step;

(16) FIG. 15 shows the connector from FIG. 5 during assembly in a third assembly step;

(17) FIG. 16 shows the connector from FIG. 5 after assembly; and

(18) FIG. 17 shows an exemplary application of the connector from FIG. 6.

(19) The figures contain partially simplified, schematic illustrations. Identical reference signs are used in part for like elements, which however might not be identical. Different views of the same elements could be scaled differently.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(20) FIG. 1 shows the plan view of a connector 1 according to the invention in a plan view. The connector 1 is formed from an insulating body 2 which has a T-shaped basic form. The insulating body 2 forms an insertion side 11 and a contact side 12 of the connector 1.

(21) An electrical conductor 5 is illustrated on the contact side 12 of the connector 1 and is introduced into the insulating body 2 and guided therethrough. Detent means 35, 35, 35 of three contact elements 3, 3, 3 received in the insulating body 2 can be seen centrally between the insertion side 11 and contact side 12 of the connector 1. The detent means 35, 35, 35 engage with recesses in the insulating body 2 and thus ensure a secure fit of the contact elements 3, 3, 3 in the insulating body.

(22) The connector 1 from FIG. 1 is shown in FIG. 2 from a side view. A groove 24, which passes through the entire insertion side 11, can be seen on the insertion side 11 of the connector 1. Detent shapings 26 are provided on the inner sides of the groove 24. The detent shapings 26 serve for the subsequent latching of the connector 1 to a PC board 4 (printed circuit board; PCB for short). It is possible to insert the connector 1 onto a PCB 4 by means of the tapering of the detent shapings 26 in the insertion direction.

(23) Three cable-receiving channels 25, 25, 25 are provided on the contact side 12 of the connector 1. The partially overlapping cable-receiving channels 25, 25, 25 fully penetrate the insulating body 2. An electrical conductor 5 is illustrated here, inserted into the cable-receiving channels 25, 25, 25. The shown electrical conductor 5 is formed as a flat ribbon cable, wherein the three cores 5, 5, 5 are arranged one in each of the cable-receiving channels 25, 25, 25.

(24) The connector 1 from FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 is illustrated in FIG. 3 in a further view, as considered looking at the insertion side 11 from the front. Besides the elements already illustrated and described in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, three cavities 20, 20, 20, which are formed in the insulating body 2 in order to receive the contact elements 3, 3, 3, can be seen. Here, the cavities 20, 20, 20 extend from the insertion side 11 to the contact side 12 of the insulating body 2.

(25) In order to illustrate the mounting of the contact elements 3, 3, 3 in the cavities 20, 20, 20 in the insulating body 2, a three-dimensional sectional illustration A-A of the connector 1 from FIG. 1 is shown in FIG. 4. The section A-A shows the contact element 3 along the cavity 20.

(26) The cavity 20 is formed from an insertion region 21 and a contact region 22. The insertion region 21 is located in the insertion-side region of the insulating body, illustrated here to the left. The contact region 22 of the cavity 20 is arranged in the contact side 12 (illustrated to the right) of the connector 1. The contact region 22 of the cavity 20 is arranged in the lower region in order to contact the lowermost core 5 of the electrical cable 5. The further contact regions 22, 22 of the two further cavities 20, 20 are arranged accordingly in another plane in order to contact the other cores 5, 5.

(27) The contact element 3 consists of a left, first contact side 31 and a right, second contact side 32. The first contact side 31, consisting of two contact arms 33, is formed as a fork-shaped contact means. The first contact side 31 is arranged in the insertion region 21. The two contact arms 33 are received in the insulating body 2 above and below the slot 24. Merely one contact point 34 per contact arm 33 protrudes into the slot 24 such that it contacts an inserted PC board 4.

(28) Two detent means 35 are provided in the middle region of the contact element 3. These engage with an undercut in the cavity 20 of the insulating body, such that the contact element 3 cannot fall out of the insulating body 2.

(29) The second contact side 32 of the contact element 3 is formed as what is known as an insulation-displacement connector. Insulation-displacement contacts penetrate the insulating layer in order to be able to contact electrical cores around the core. This second contact side 32 is received in the contact region 22 of the cavity 20. Here, the insulation-displacement connector contacts the cores 5 of the electrical conductor 5.

(30) The further contact elements 3, 3 (not visible) have a second contact side 32, which contact sides are located in different planes, corresponding to the cable-receiving channels 25, 25. The contact regions 22 and 22, and also the cable-receiving channels 25 and 25, may expediently be arranged such that they can be used with the same contact element 3. This contact element must be rotated merely through 180 along the cavity 20 so that the second contact side 32 is provided once in the upper region and once in the lower region.

(31) FIG. 5 shows the same view as in FIG. 4, but of a connector 1 in a second embodiment. In this second embodiment of the connector 1 the insulating body 2 is not formed in one part, but instead consists of two parts. The insulating body 2 is formed from a main body 2a and a cable manager 2b.

(32) The main body 2a includes the insertion region 21 of the cavity 20. As in the one-part version, a slot 24 is provided from the insertion side 11, in which a PC board 4 is inserted as shown. The cavity 20 extends via its contact region 22 into the cable manager 2b. The contact element 20 can be introduced into the main body 2a via the separation plane though the two components (2a, 2b) of the insulating body 2. There is no need for any assembly of the contact element 20 via the insertion side 11 of the insulating body 2.

(33) In order to lock the main body 2a to the cable manager 2b, detent arms 27 are provided. The detent arms 27 illustrated here and formed integrally on the cable manager 2b engage with corresponding detent means on the main body 2a. Detent arms 27 on the main body 2a that engage with detent means on the cable manager 2b would also be conceivable.

(34) A third embodiment of the connector 1 is illustrated in FIGS. 6, 7, 8 and 17. FIG. 6 shows the connector 1 in a sectional illustration, similarly to the embodiment from FIG. 5. What is different in this particular embodiment is the orientation of the second contact sides 32, 32 of the contact elements 3.

(35) These are not formed flat in order to contact a line 5 extending parallel to the slot 24. In this embodiment the second contact sides 32, 32 are rotated or angled through 90 to the first contact side 31. The contact regions 22 and the cable-receiving channels 25 are also adapted to the orientation rotated through 90. As a result of this orientation, an electrical conductor 5 can be introduced into the connector 1 perpendicularly from above or below.

(36) The connector 1 from FIG. 6 is illustrated in FIG. 7 in a sectional view from the rear side. As a result of the section along the line cores, which here total 5 in number 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, the contacting of the cores 5, 5, 5, 5, 5 can be illustrated. The second contact sides 32, 32, 32, 32, 32 rotated through 90 of the contact elements 3, 3, 3, 3, 3 each intersect one of the cores 5, 5, 5, 5, 5.

(37) The particular feature of the embodiment shown here is the fact that all contact elements 3, 3, 3, 3, 3 are identical. As a result of the arrangement side by side and the alternating orientation of the contact elements 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, only one type has to be produced, which can be used in order to contact all cores 5, 5, 5, 5, 5.

(38) A contact element 3 of the connector 1 from FIG. 6 is shown in isolation in FIG. 8. The second contact region 32, which is rotated 90 to the first contact region 31, can be seen. Due to an embodiment of the contact element 3 as a stamped and bent part, it is easy in terms of production to rotate the two regions 31, 32 relative to one another.

(39) The illustrated detent means 35 on the contact element 3 are provided in order to latch in a two-part insulating body 2a, 2b. Alternatively, the shown contact element 3 can also be inserted into a one-part insulating body 2. Merely the beveled sides of the detent means 35 must be directed for this purpose in the direction of the second contact side 32 so as to enable an insertion into the insulating body 2. The illustrated orientation of the beveled sides of the detent means 35 is provided from the sectional face between main body 2a and cable manager 2b for simplified insertion of the contact element 3.

(40) An exemplary application of the connector 1 from FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 is illustrated in FIG. 17. Due to the particularly space-saving construction of the connector 1 according to the invention, a plurality of the connectors, here three of the connectors 1, 1, 1 can be arranged very closely one above the other. Three PC boards 4, 4, 4 can thus be connected within a very confined space to a continuous conductor 5, which contacts all connectors 1, 1, 1.

(41) With an illustrated PC board thickness of 1 mm and a height of the connectors 1, 1, 1 of approximately 3.75 mm, an overall height of the three PC boards 4, 4, 4 inclusive of connectors 1, 1, 1 of just 12.25 mm is possible. Here, even a distance between the connectors 1, 1, 1 of in each case 0.5 mm is also taken into consideration.

(42) In FIGS. 9, 10 and 11 and in FIGS. 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16, the assembly of two different embodiments of the connector 1 according to the invention is illustrated. Here, the connector 1 from FIGS. 1 to 4 is shown in FIGS. 9, 10 and 11. The assembly of the connector 1 from FIG. 5 is shown in FIGS. 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16. However, the assembly of the connector 1 from FIG. 5 is also to be applied identically to the connectors from FIGS. 6, 7 and 17.

(43) FIG. 9 shows the insulating body 2 and also three contact elements 3, 3, 3. The contact elements 3, 3, 3 are arranged in front of the cavities 20, 20, 20 of the insulating body 2. The contact element 3 is symmetrical. In other words, the second contact side 32 is arranged centrally relative to the first contact side 31. The second contact side 32 is located on the contact element 3 in the upper region of the first contact side 31. The contact element 3 is identical to the contact element 3, but is rotated through 180, such that the second contact side 32 is arranged in the lower region of the first contact side 31.

(44) In order to assemble the connector 1, the line 5 must firstly be slid into the cable-receiving channels 25 of the insulating body 2. This is illustrated in FIG. 10. Each of the cores 5, 5, 5 of the conductor 5 formed as a flat ribbon cable is introduced into one of the cable-receiving channels 25, 25, 25.

(45) In FIG. 11 the contact between the cores 5, 5, 5 and the contact elements 3, 3, 3 is shown. By inserting the contact elements 3, 3, 3 into the cavities 20, 20, 20 of the insulating body 2, the second contact sides 32, 32, 32 intersect the cable-receiving channels 25, 25, 25 and the cores 5, 5, 5 of the electrical conductor 5 received therein. The second contact sides 32, 32, 32 formed as insulation-displacement connectors penetrate the insulation of the cores 5, 5, 5 and contact this electrically. When the contact elements 3, 3, 3 are fully inserted into the cavities 20, 20, 20, the detent means 35, 35, 35 of the contact elements 3, 3, 3 each latch in an undercut in the cavities 20, 20, 20. The contact elements 3, 3, 3 are thus prevented from falling out of the insulating body 2.

(46) The assembly of a connector 1 having a two-part insulating body 2a, 2b from FIGS. 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16 is illustrated in greater detail in FIGS. 12 to 16.

(47) In FIG. 12 the two-part insulating body, consisting of the main body 2a and the cable manager 2b, is shown. The contact elements 3, 3, 3 are shown therebetween. In this two-part version the contact elements 3, 3, 3 are not introduced into the main body 2a from the insertion side 11, but from the direction of the contact side 12. The cavities 20, 20, 20 are used for this purpose, as is also the case in the one-part version of the insulating body 2. The contact elements 3, 3, 3 are fully introduced into the main body 2a and latch in the main body by means of the detent means 35, 35, 35. As can be seen in FIG. 13, the second contact sides 32, 32, 32 still protrude out of the main body 2a in the direction of the cable manager 2b.

(48) The cable manager 2b is then inserted onto the main body 2a, as illustrated in FIG. 14. Here, the detent arms 27 serve both as a guide and as a latching mechanism. The cable manager 2b is not inserted fully onto the main body 2a. The second contact sides 32, 32, 32 of the contact elements 3, 3, 3 in this first latching stage are not yet located fully in the contact regions 22, 22, 22 of the cavities 20, 20, 20.

(49) In a third step the cores 5, 5, 5 of the electrical conductor 5 are introduced into the cable-receiving channels 25, 25, 25. In FIG. 15 the cores 5, 5, 5 of the conductor 5 are guided fully through the cable-receiving channels 25, 25, 25.

(50) Lastly, as shown in FIG. 16, the cable manager 2b is slid fully onto the main body 2a. The second contact sides 32, 32, 32 thus penetrate the contact regions 22, 22, 22 fully and contact the cores 5, 5, 5 of the conductor 5 in the cable-receiving channels 25, 25, 25. The detent arms 27 are latched in this position of the cable manager 2b relative to the main body 2a in a second latching stage.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

(51) 1 connector 11 insertion side 12 contact side 2 insulating body 2a main body 2b cable manager 20 cavity 21 insertion region 22 contact region 23 detent recess 24 slot 25 cable-receiving channel 26 detent shaping 27 detent arm 28 opening 3 contact element 31 first contact side 32 second contact side 33 contact arms 34 contact points 35 detent means 4 PC board 5 electrical conductor