BOARD-EDGE PLUG CONNECTOR

Abstract

A board-edge plug connector establishes an electrical connection between at least one electrical conductor and at least one printed circuit board. The board-edge plug connector has a housing which accommodates at least one contact element and has at least one cavity which receives both the conductor and also the printed circuit board at least partially in the housing. The contact element both encloses and makes contact with the printed circuit board in a spring-elastic manner and also clamps the conductor against the housing and makes contact with it in a spring-elastic manner.

Claims

1: A board-edge plug connector for establishing an electrical connection between at least one electrical conductor and at least one printed circuit board the board-edge plug connector comprising: a housing which receives at least one contact element and has at least one cavity which receives both the conductor and the printed circuit board at least partially into the housing, wherein the contact element both encloses and contacts the printed circuit board in a spring-elastic manner and clamps the conductor against the housing and contacts it in a spring-elastic manner.

2: The board-edge plug connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the contact element is molded in one piece.

3: The board-edge plug connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the contact element encloses and contacts the printed circuit board both from a top and from a bottom in a spring-elastic clamping manner.

4: The board-edge plug connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein that the contact element has the form of a lower case Greek letter “epsilon” (ε) and wherein two spring-elastic contact areas enclose and contact a contact surface of the printed circuit board.

5: The board-edge plug connector as claimed claim 1, wherein a projection is molded on the contact element, wherein the projection secures the position of the contact element in the housing by positive or non-positive locking.

6: The board-edge plug connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the contact element is molded, wherein both the printed circuit board and the conductor can be connected to the contact element without tools.

7: The board-edge plug connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing is molded, wherein the contacting of the printed circuit board and the conductor takes place substantially inside the housing.

8: The board-edge plug connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one cavity for receiving the printed circuit board is molded as a groove-like opening.

9: The board-edge plug connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one cavity for receiving the conductor is molded as an essentially cylindrical recess.

10: A sensor for detecting a physical feature with a sensor housing and at least one printed circuit board which is arranged in the sensor housing, the sensor comprising: a board-edge plug connector as claimed in claim 1 that is used inside the sensor housing and establishes the connection from the printed circuit board to a conductor leading out of the sensor housing.

11: A board-edge plug connector for establishing an electrical connection between at least one electrical conductor and at least one printed circuit board the board-edge plug connector comprising: a housing which receives at least one contact element and has at least one cavity which receives both the conductor and the printed circuit board at least partially into the housing, wherein the contact element both encloses and contacts the printed circuit board in a spring-elastic manner and displaces and contacts an insulating layer of the conductor.

12: The board-edge plug connector as claimed in claim 11, wherein at least one contact area is substantially designed as an insulation displacement connector.

13: The board-edge plug connector as claimed in claim 11, wherein for assembly purposes, the conductor is firstly received by the housing before the contact element is inserted into the housing.

14: The board-edge plug connector as claimed in claim 11, wherein the housing has at least one cover which forces the conductor into the contact area at least during assembly.

15: The board-edge plug connector as claimed in claim 11, wherein the cover of the housing is molded on the housing in a materially bonded manner and is swiveled at least for assembly purposes.

16: The board-edge plug connector as claimed in claim 14, wherein the cover of the housing is provided with at least one latching element which is brought into connection with at least one corresponding latching element of the housing after assembly.

17: The board-edge plug connector as claimed in claim 11, wherein the contact element is molded in one piece.

18: The board-edge plug connector as claimed in claim 11, wherein the contact element encloses and contacts the printed circuit board both from a top and from a bottom in a spring-elastic clamping manner.

19: The board-edge plug connector as claimed in claim 11, wherein that contact element has the form of a lower case Greek letter “epsilon” (ε) and wherein two spring-elastic contact areas enclose and contact a contact surface of the printed circuit board.

20: The board-edge plug connector as claimed claim 11, wherein a projection is molded on the contact element, wherein the projection secures the position of the contact element in the housing by positive or non-positive locking.

Description

EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT

[0027] One exemplary embodiment of the invention is represented in the drawings and is explained in greater detail hereinafter. In the drawings:

[0028] FIG. 1 shows a board-edge plug connector according to the invention in a sectional representation;

[0029] FIG. 2 shows a perspective representation of a board-edge plug connector according to the invention;

[0030] FIG. 3 shows a sensor housing with an inserted board-edge plug connector according to the invention;

[0031] FIG. 4 shows an alternative embodiment of a contact element of the board-edge plug connector;

[0032] FIG. 5 shows an alternative embodiment of a board-edge plug connector in an exploded view.

[0033] The figures include partially simplified, schematic representations. In part, identical reference numbers are used for the same but possibly not identical elements. Different views of the same elements could be scaled differently. Directional information such as “left”, “right”, “above” and “below” are intended to be understood with reference to the respective figure and may vary in the individual representations compared to the object represented.

[0034] FIG. 1 shows a longitudinal section of a board-edge plug connector 1 according to the invention. In this case, a wire end ferrule is used as an example for a conductor 2. Moreover, a section of a printed circuit board 3 is shown with an associated contact surface 3.1. The housing 4 is essentially rectangular and in the embodiment represented has rounded corners/edges. The contact element 5 according to the invention is designed with three extensions 5.1, 5.2 and 5.3 which are designed to be spring elastic. The contact element 5 has a projection 5.4 for this purpose. The projection 5.4 is brought into positive engagement with a cutout in the housing 4. Moreover, FIG. 1 shows a cavity 6 which has an opening 6′ which makes it possible to receive a printed circuit board 3. The essentially cylindrical recess 6″ for receiving a conductor 2 also becomes clear. In this case, the extensions 5.1 and 5.2 establish an electrically conductive connection with the printed circuit board 3 by said extensions 5.1 and 5.2 of the contact element 5 applying to each side of the contact surface 3.1 respectively a force which is directed toward the printed circuit board 3. The third extension 5.3 of the contact element 5 is arranged above the extensions 5.1 and 5.2 which form a clamp. The form therefore resembles a variation of the lower case Greek letter “epsilon” (c). The clamping use of the extension 5.3 of the contact element 5 also becomes clear. The extension 5.3 contacts the conductor 2, designed as a wire end ferrule and acts on it with a force which acts against the conductor. The effective direction of the force causes the conductor 2 to be pressed to the interior wall of the cylindrical recess 6″ of the housing 4 and thus to be held securely in position. At the same time, the electrically conductive connection between the represented conductor 2 and the contact element 5 or the extension 5.3 is guaranteed.

[0035] FIG. 2 shows a board-edge plug connector 1 according to the invention in a perspective view. For this purpose, four chamfered cylindrical recesses 6″ are represented which are designed to receive at least for the most part the wire end ferrules shown by way of example as conductors 2. The contact elements 5 used can be identified in this view merely by the projections 5.4 protruding out of the housing 4. A groove-like opening 6′ can be identified on the side of the housing 4 opposite the cylindrical recesses 6″. This opening 6′ makes it possible to receive printed circuit boards 3 even if the width of the printed circuit boards 3 exceeds the width of the housing 4.

[0036] FIG. 3 shows a preferred use of the board-edge plug connector 1 according to the invention. In this case, it is the sensor housing 10 of a sensor 11. In particular, the possible use of a board-edge plug connector 1 according to the invention becomes clear. The board-edge plug connector 1 is located at an end of the sensor housing 11 which is provided as a cable outlet 11.2. In this case, the board-edge plug connector 1 is oriented in such a way that the cylindrical recesses 6″ are directed toward the cable outlet 11.2. Correspondingly vice versa, the opening 6′ with a printed circuit board 3 located therein is aligned in the direction of the sensor end 11.2.

[0037] FIG. 4 represents an alternative embodiment of a contact element 5′ which can be used in a board-edge plug connector 1′ according to the invention. In this case, the contact element 5′ with its contact areas 5.1 and 5.2 is comparable to the contact areas shown previously. However, the contact area 5.3′ differs significantly from the contact area 5.3. This is due to the fact that the contact area 5.3′ is substantially designed as an insulation displacement connector in FIGS. 4 and 5. This insulation displacement connector cuts through an insulating sheath of an electrical conductor 2′ and in this way establishes contact.

[0038] FIG. 5 shows an exploded representation of an alternative embodiment of the board-edge plug connector 1′. It is possible to also identify a useful assembly sequence in this FIG. 5. For this purpose, the conductors 2′ are inserted into the housing 4′. As soon as these conductors 2′ reach a stop (not shown) located in the housing 4′, the alternative contact elements 5′ are slid into the housing 4′. During the slide-in process, the insulation of the conductors 2′ is cut and displaced. Lastly, a printed circuit board 3 with contact surfaces 3.1 located thereon is plugged into the housing 4′, whereby the contact elements 5′ establish the electrical connection between the conductors 2′ and the printed circuit board 3.

[0039] It is clear to the person skilled in the art—unless otherwise specified—that the combinations represented and discussed are not the only possible combinations, even if different aspects or features of the invention are in each case shown in combination in the figures. In particular, mutually corresponding units or feature complexes from different exemplary embodiments can be exchanged with one another.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

[0040] 1 board-edge plug connector [0041] 2 electrical conductor [0042] 3 printed circuit board [0043] 3.1 contact surface [0044] 4 housing [0045] 5 contact element [0046] 5.1, 5.2, 5.3 contact areas [0047] 5.4 projection [0048] 6 cavity [0049] 6′ groove-like opening [0050] 6″ cylindrical recess [0051] 10 sensor [0052] 11 sensor housing [0053] 11.1 cable outlet [0054] 11.2 sensor end