Electrical circuit arrangement having a terminal on a flexible sheet disposed between a support layer and a counter contact

Abstract

In an electrical circuit with at least one flexible sheet element with electrical conductor tracks, at least one terminal arrangement for connection to a power supply and/or for data transmission, provision is made for the terminal to be formed by a portion of the sheet element with exposed conductor tracks, against which counter-contacts are positioned.

Claims

1. An electrical circuit arrangement, which comprises: at least one flexible sheet element including: a planar support layer; and at least one terminal for power supply and/or data transmission connection directly disposed entirely on the planar support layer, wherein the at least one terminal is formed by exposed stripped conductor tracks of the flexible sheet element against which at least one counter contact is positioned such that the at least one terminal is disposed between the planar support layer and the at least one counter contact, the exposed stripped conductor tracks are completely disposed below the at least one counter contact.

2. The circuit arrangement of claim 1, further comprising: a contact holder, wherein a surface of the contact holder supports the at least one counter contact.

3. The circuit arrangement of claim 1, wherein the planar support layer is a leaf spring.

4. The circuit arrangement of claim 3, wherein the at least one counter contact has a structural shape deflecting the support layer.

5. The circuit arrangement of claim 2, wherein the contact holder has a bulbous structural shape.

6. The circuit arrangement of claim 3, wherein the at least one counter contact is inserted into a contact holder that directly deforms the support layer.

7. The circuit arrangement of claim 2, wherein the support layer is a body of resiliently deformable material.

8. The circuit arrangement of claim 7, wherein the at least one counter contact has a structural shape that deforms the support layer.

9. The circuit arrangement of claim 7, wherein the contact holder has a bulbous structural shape.

10. The circuit arrangement of claim 7, wherein the at least one counter contact is inserted into a contact holder that deforms the support layer.

11. The circuit arrangement of claim 2, wherein a first plane of the at least one sheet element and a second plane of the contact holder are substantially parallel.

12. The circuit arrangement of claim 2, further comprising: a housing enclosing the at least one flexible sheet element, and including an opening for receiving the contact holder.

13. The circuit arrangement of claim 9, wherein the at least one counter contact extends from the contact holder.

14. The circuit arrangement of claim 2, wherein an elongated portion of the at least one counter contact is in direct contact with the at least one terminal.

15. The circuit arrangement of claim 2, wherein the at least one counter contact passes through two opposites surfaces of the contact holder, and are arranged along a surface area of the contact holder.

16. The circuit arrangement of claim 15, wherein portions of the counter contact are lying on a bulbous surface of the contact holder, and the stripped conductor tracks are positioned against the portions.

17. The circuit arrangement of claim 1, wherein the planar support layer is disposed completely below a lower surface of the stripped conductor tracks.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to figures of the accompanying drawings. In the figures, identical structures, elements or parts that appear in more than one figure are generally labeled with a same reference numeral in all the figures in which they appear. Dimensions of components and features shown in the figures are generally chosen for convenience and clarity of presentation and are not necessarily shown to scale. The figures are listed below.

(2) FIG. 1 shows a top view of a flexible sheet element with electrical conductor tracks, in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a component into which the flexible sheet element has been fitted;

(4) FIG. 3 shows an enlarged view of the detail III in FIG. 2;

(5) FIG. 4 shows a further perspective view of the component of FIG. 2 after assembling the electrical circuit arrangement; and

(6) FIG. 5 shows an enlarged side view, drawn to scale, of components for the terminal arrangement for connecting the power supply to the flexible sheet element of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(7) FIG. 1 illustrates a flexible sheet element configured as a foil 1. The foil 1 comprises electrical conductor tracks 2, and has components 3 arranged on it.

(8) The foil 1 is equipped with a terminal 4 representing the power supply to supply the components 3. The terminal 4 shows the contacts associated with the foil 1 for forming a terminal, these contacts are shaped in the form of exposed, i.e. stripped conductor tracks 2. The terminal is formed by the exposed stripped conductor tracks 2.

(9) FIG. 2 shows that in the component shaped as a housing 5 a break-through or cut-out 6 is arranged within a wall 7, this cut-out 6 is located at that portion of foil 1 in which the exposed conductor tracks 2 are arranged. FIG. 3 illustrates the cut-out on an enlarged scale.

(10) FIG. 2 also shows counter-contacts 8 which are arranged in a bulbous contact holder 9. This contact holder 9 is inserted into the break-through 6 as shown in FIG. 4. The counter-contacts 8 are placed onto the stripped conductor tracks 2, and this is how contact is established.

(11) As can be seen in FIG. 5 the counter-contacts 8 pass through the contact holder 9 and are arranged along a surface area of the contact holder 9. The portions 8 of the counter-contacts 8 are lying on the bulbous surface of the contact holder 9, and the stripped conductor tracks 2 are positioned against these portions 8. Positioning is effected by bringing the contact holder 9 to the housing 5, as shown in FIG. 2. Thus the portions 8 of the counter-contacts 8 are brought to the stripped conductor tracks 2, and this, due to the bulbous shape of the contact holder 9, leads to a relative movement between the portions 8 and the stripped conductor tracks 2. Advantageously this causes a certain friction to be applied to the conductor tracks 2, wherein the frictional movement provides a wiping affect whereby oxidations or other particles such as dust can be removed. The stripped conductor tracks 2 are completely disposed below the at least one counter contact 8.

(12) The foil 1 with the stripped conductor tracks 2 is supported by a support layer 10 in the region where the counter-contacts 8 are placed. This support layer 10 comprises a resiliently deformable or elastic material and may be a leaf spring, for example. This material is deflected due to contact with the contact portions 8 of the contact holder 9, and this causes the stripped conductor tracks 2 to be resiliently pressed against the portions 8.

(13) In the description and claims of the present application, each of the verbs comprise, include, contain and have, and variations thereof, are used in an inclusive sense, to specify the presence of the stated item but not to exclude the presence of additional items.

(14) Although the invention is described with reference to one or more preferred embodiments, it should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various modifications are possible. Therefore, the scope of the invention is to be determined by reference to the claims that follow.