Fixing element for connecting printed circuit board and busbar, and power distributor having the same

Abstract

A fixing element may include a pin connecting surface configured to conductively contact a pin of a busbar, and a detent configured to latch with the pin. The detent may be disposed above the pin connecting surface and bent in a first direction perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the fixing element. The fixing element may also include a tab separated from the detent along the longitudinal axis of the fixing element, and a board connecting surface joined to the tab. The board connecting surface may be bent in a second direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the fixing element. The second direction may be opposite to the first direction.

Claims

1. A fixing element comprising: a pin connecting surface configured to conductively contact a pin of a busbar; a detent configured to latch with the pin, wherein the detent is disposed above the pin connecting surface and bent in a first direction perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the fixing element; a tab separated from the detent along the longitudinal axis of the fixing element; and a board connecting surface joined to the tab, wherein the board connecting surface is bent in a second direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the fixing element, and the second direction is opposite to the first direction.

2. The fixing element according to claim 1, wherein the detent is configured to latch with an engagement groove of the pin.

3. The fixing element according to claim 1, wherein the fixing element is made of a conductive material.

4. The fixing element according to claim 1, wherein the pin connecting surface and the board connecting surface are configured to be disposed on a same side of the pin.

5. The fixing element according to claim 1, wherein the fixing element includes a stamped or bent part.

6. The fixing element according to claim 1, wherein the fixing element comprises a plurality of pin connecting surfaces.

7. The fixing element according to claim 6, wherein the fixing element comprises a plurality of board connecting surfaces configured to conductively contact a printed circuit board.

8. The fixing element according to claim 7, wherein the plurality of pin connecting surfaces and the plurality of board connecting surfaces are configured in an alternating pattern along the longitudinal axis of the fixing element.

9. A power distributor comprising: a housing; a busbar fastened to the housing and including: an insert-molding made from a heat-resistant plastic; and a pin disposed on the insert-molding and including an engagement groove on a lateral surface of the pin; a printed circuit board mounted onto the pin, wherein the pin extends through a through hole of the printed circuit board; and a fixing element conductively connecting the printed circuit board to the pin in a form-locked manner.

10. The power distributor according to claim 9, wherein the fixing element includes: a pin connecting surface configured to conductively contact the pin of the busbar; a detent configured to latch with the pin, wherein the detent is disposed above the pin connecting surface and bent in a first direction perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the fixing element; a tab separated from the detent along the longitudinal axis of the fixing element; and a board connecting surface joined to the tab, wherein the board connecting surface is bent in a second direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the fixing element, and the second direction is opposite to the first direction.

11. The power distributor according to claim 10, wherein the board connecting surface is configured to at least partially seat on the printed circuit board.

12. The power distributor according to claim 10, wherein the detent of the fixing element is in a latching engagement with the engagement groove of the pin.

13. The power distributor according to claim 9, wherein the fixing element is made of a conductive material.

14. The power distributor according to claim 9, wherein the fixing element includes a stamped or bent part.

15. The power distributor according to claim 9, wherein the insert-molding of the busbar is configured such that an upper end of the pin is exposed and protrudes upward.

16. The power distributor according to claim 9, wherein the busbar comprises: a heat sink integrated into the insert-molding, wherein the heat sink includes a cooling fin.

17. The power distributor according to claim 10, wherein the board connecting surface is configured to conductively contact the printed circuit board.

18. The power distributor according to claim 10, wherein the pin connecting surface and the board connecting surface are configured to be disposed on a same side of the pin.

19. The power distributor according to claim 10, wherein the fixing element comprises: a plurality of pin connecting surfaces; and a plurality of board connecting surfaces configured to conductively contact the printed circuit board.

20. The power distributor according to claim 19, wherein the plurality of pin connecting surfaces and the plurality of board connecting surfaces are configured in an alternating pattern along the longitudinal axis of the fixing element.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) FIG. 1 shows a portion of a power distributor in a perspective top view;

(2) FIG. 2 shows a portion of the power distributor comprising a fixing element according to the present disclosure in a perspective side view;

(3) FIG. 3 shows the fixing element according to the present disclosure represented on its own in a perspective side view;

(4) FIG. 4 shows a partial section of the power distributor comprising a plurality of pins on a busbar, a printed circuit board mounted thereon, and the fixing element mountable onto the pins;

(5) FIG. 5 shows a side view of a pin and of the fixing element mounted thereon, which can be brought into latching engagement with an engagement groove;

(6) FIG. 6 shows a partial section of a power distributor comprising the plurality of pins on the busbar, the printed circuit board mounted thereon, and the fixing element that is mounted onto the pins and locked thereon; and

(7) FIG. 7 shows a sectional view through a partial section of the power distributor comprising an insert-molded busbar, which comprises a pin and a heat sink, the mounted printed circuit board, and the fixing element for connecting the printed circuit board to the pin in a form-locked manner.

(8) The figures are only schematic representations and are provided only to explain embodiments of the present disclosure. Like elements are uniformly denoted by like reference numerals.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(9) FIG. 1 shows a perspective top view onto a portion of a power distributor 1 of a vehicle (not shown here), which serves as a kind of node of an electrical onboard power system of the vehicle equipped therewith.

(10) The power distributor comprises a housing 2, of which only a lower portion is illustrated. The housing 2 may be produced from plastic material, which may have a comparatively low melting point but is, for example, suitable for being disposed in the vicinity of an engine compartment of the vehicle. The housing 2 can be closed by way of an upper part (not shown here) or cover.

(11) A first busbar 3 and a second busbar 4 may be accommodated and securely fastened in the lower part of the housing 2. The first and the second busbars 3 and 4 may be produced from a copper alloy, such as electrolytic-tough-pitch copper (Cu-ETP). The first busbar 3 and the second busbar 4 each may have an angled design and are insert injection-molded into the housing 2.

(12) Each of the busbars 3 and 4 may have a plurality of pins 5 and 6 at a first end, which are disposed in a stationary manner in the housing 2 as a result of the secure fastening of the busbars 3 and 4. Each of the plurality of pins 5 and 6 can be designed in one piece with the respective busbar 3 and 4. A second end 7, 8 of each of the busbars 3 and 4, which is opposite the first end, can be coupled to at least one electrical terminal piece 9, 10, by way of which an electrical connection of the power distributor 1 to consumers or a wiring harness of the vehicle can be established. In FIG. 1 each of the electrical terminal pieces 9 and 10 has a pin-shaped design.

(13) In FIG. 1 beneath the respective pins 5 and 6, each of the busbars 3 and 4 comprises an insert-molding 11, 12, which can be made of a comparatively heat resistant plastic material. The respective insert-moldings 11 and 12 can be disposed such that the upper ends of the pins 5 and 6 in FIG. 1 in each case protrude upward in FIG. 1 beyond the insert-moldings 11 and 12, i.e., the upper ends of the pins 5 and 6 are exposed. Each of the insert-moldings 11 and 12 may include an integrated heat sink having cooling fins preferably formed thereon to dissipate heat from the first busbar 3 and the second busbar 4. In FIG. 1, the integrated heat sink 13 of the insert-molding 11 is shown. The integrated heat sink of the insert-molding 12 is blocked and cannot be seen in FIG. 1.

(14) In FIG. 1, the power distributor 1 furthermore may include a printed circuit board 15, which is mounted onto the respective plurality of pins 5 and 6 of the first busbar 3 and of the second busbar 4, wherein the pins each extend through correspondingly disposed through-holes of the printed circuit board 15. The printed circuit board 15 may be substantially seated on the insert-moldings 11 and 12. Furthermore, the printed circuit board 15 can be populated with a plurality of electrical and/or electronic components that can be configured as needed.

(15) In FIG. 2, which shows a portion of the power distributor 1 in a perspective side view, the second busbar 4 is hidden for better illustration.

(16) The printed circuit board 15 is electrically conductively and/or thermally conductively connected to the plurality of pins 5 by way of a fixing element 16. The fixing element 16, which may be designed to be separate for this purpose, for the conductive connection of the printed circuit board 15 to the pins 5 is mounted onto the pins 5 from above in FIG. 2. The printed circuit board 15 can also be electrically conductively and/or thermally conductively connected to the plurality of pins 6 of the second busbar 4 (hidden here) by way of the fixing element 16 or a further such fixing element in the same or similar manner. In this way, the pins 5 or 6, the printed circuit board 15 mounted thereon, and the fixing element 16 mounted onto the pins 5 or 6 can form a printed circuit board connecting structure for the power distributor 1.

(17) FIG. 3 shows the individually represented fixing element 16 in a perspective side view. The fixing element 16 may be designed as a stamped/bent part made of a suitable material, such as a metallic material, for example as copper, steel, aluminum, an alloy or the like. Along the longitudinal axis 17, the fixing element 16 may comprise a plurality of pin connecting surfaces 18, which are in conductive contact with a respective correspondingly designed pin contact surface 19 of the pins 5 (see FIG. 4) when the fixing element 16 is installed or mounted.

(18) Moreover, the fixing element 16 can comprise a plurality of detent elements 20 along the longitudinal axis 17, which in FIG. 3 are each disposed above the respective pin connecting surface 18. In this embodiment, the respective detent element 20 can be designed as a kind of tongue or detent tongue, which is bent in a direction that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 17 and extends toward the respective pin 5 when the fixing element 16 is installed.

(19) The fixing element 16 furthermore can comprise a plurality of tabs 21 along the longitudinal axis 17, which are each separated from a respective detent element 20 by a land 22. Each tab 21 of the fixing element 16 may join a printed circuit board connecting surface 23, which is bent in a direction that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 17 and opposite the bending direction of the respective detent element 20. This means that the respective detent element 20 and the pin connecting surface 18 disposed in vicinity thereto may be each located on a side of the fixing element 16 that is opposite the respective printed circuit board connecting surface 23. The detent elements 20 or the pin connecting surfaces 18 and the printed circuit board connecting surfaces 23 can be disposed in an alternating manner along the longitudinal axis 17 of the fixing element 16. In this way, the fixing element 16 may have a substantially meander-shaped design.

(20) FIG. 4, which shows a partial section of the power distributor 1 having a printed circuit board 15 mounted onto the pins 5 in a perspective side view, illustrates a mounting direction R of the fixing element 16 (which is not mounted here). This mounting direction R may be substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 17 of the fixing element 16. The plurality of pins 5 of the first busbar 3 may have a substantially cuboid design and each may have a first engagement groove 24 and a second engagement groove 25 disposed opposite the same. In this embodiment, due to the alternating arrangement of the detent elements 20, only one of the two engagement grooves 24 and 25 per pin 5 may be brought into latching engagement with the respective detent element 20.

(21) FIG. 5 shows a side view of one of the plurality of pins 5 and of the fixing element 16 mounted thereon. The respective detent element 20 of the fixing element 16 can be brought or is brought into latching engagement with the respective engagement groove 24 or 25 of the plurality of pins 5. An electrically conductive and/or thermally conductive contact having a comparatively large surface area may be present between the respective pin connecting surface 18 of the fixing element 16 and the respective pin contact surface 19 of the pins 5. The respective printed circuit board connecting surface 23 of the fixing element 16 may be at least partially seated on an upper face of the printed circuit board 15 when the fixing element 16 is installed. For an electrically conductive and/or thermally conductive connection, the printed circuit board 15 can have a correspondingly designed, conductive contact area (not shown here) at least in the region of the respective printed circuit board connecting surface 23 of the fixing element 16.

(22) In FIG. 6, which shows a partial section of a power distributor 1 in a top view, the fixing element 16 is illustrated in the mounted installation state. The detent elements 20 or the pin connecting surfaces 18 and the printed circuit board connecting surfaces 23 may be alternately disposed along the longitudinal axis 17 of the fixing element 16, whereby the fixing element 16 may have a substantially meander-shaped design.

(23) Based on FIG. 7, which shows a section through a partial section of the power distributor 1 comprising the first busbar 3, one of the plurality of pins 5 and the insert-molding 11 thereof with the heat sink 13, the printed circuit board 15 mounted thereon, and the mounted fixing element 16, the principle of electrical conduction and thermal conduction shall now be described.

(24) As shown in FIG. 7 and described above, the respective pin connecting surface 18 of the fixing element 16 and the respective pin contact surface 19 of the pins 5 or 6 may be in conductive contact with each other when installed, i.e., when mounted and engaged.

(25) The conduction of electrical current between the printed circuit board 15 or a surface thereof and the respective busbar 3 or 4 may take place via the respective printed circuit board connecting surface 23 of the fixing element 16 seated on the printed circuit board 15, the pin connecting surface 18 of the fixing element 16, and the respective pin contact surface 19 of the pins 5 or 6 in contact therewith. With respect to the heat conduction, heat convection may develop when the printed circuit board 15 is heated in relation to the respective heat sink, such as the heat sink 13. This heat convection may lead from the printed circuit board 15 via the respective printed circuit board connecting surface 23 of the fixing element 16 seated thereon, the pin connecting surface 18 of the fixing element 16, and the respective pin contact surface 19 of the pins 5 or 6 in contact therewith, via the respective insert-molding 11 or 12, to the respective heat sink, such as the heat sink 13, designed integrally therewith. The heat can be dissipated across a large surface area via the heat sinks, such as the heat sink 13, whereby heat can be dissipated from the power distributor 1.

(26) The assembly of the power distributor 1 can take place as described hereafter based on FIG. 4, which shows a partial section of the power distributor 1 having a printed circuit board 15 mounted onto the pins 5 in a perspective side view.

(27) Initially, the housing 2 including the insert injection-molded respective busbar 3 or 4 may be provided as a preform. The printed circuit board 15 may be mounted onto the respective plurality of pins 5 and 6 in such a way that the printed circuit board 15 is seated on the respective insert-molding 11 or 12. The stationary pins 5 or 6 may extend through the printed circuit board 15. The fixing element 16 designed separately from the pins 5 and 6 and from the printed circuit board 15 may be mounted from above in the mounting direction R onto the pins 5 or 6 protruding over the printed circuit board 15. The respective detent element 20 of the fixing element 16 may be brought into latching engagement with the respective engagement groove 24 or 25 of the pins 5 or 6.

(28) The fixing element 16 according to embodiments of the present disclosure and the power distributor 1 embodiments of the present disclosure can be modified in a variety of ways.

(29) For example, only a single, lateral engagement groove 24 or 25 may be provided for the plurality of pins 5 or 6. The pins 5 or 6 may have a single peripheral engagement groove. Moreover, the printed circuit board connecting surfaces 23 of the fixing element 16 and the pin connecting surfaces 18 of the fixing element 16 do not have to be disposed in an alternating manner, and can also be disposed in a differently distributed manner.