ELECTRICAL CONNECTION SYSTEM FOR CONNECTING A PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD TO A PLUG CONNECTOR BY WAY OF AN ELECTICAL CONNECTION DEVICE

Abstract

An electrical connection device for connecting a plug, preferably a HV pin header, to a printed circuit board in a motor vehicle, having the following: at least one first electrical connection-device for contacting at least one assigned plug-connector contact; at least one second electrical connection-device contact for contacting at least one assigned printed-circuit-board contact wherein at least one first connection-device contact at least one second connection-device contact are connected to one another, wherein the electrical connection device is configured in such a manner that at least one printed-circuit-board contact is able to be selectively connected to assigned plug-connector contacts which differ in terms of the relative disposal thereof in relation to the printed-circuit-board contact and/or differ from one another in that said plug-connector contacts are a component part of plug connectors which differ from one another in terms of the configuration of the respective plug-connector contacts thereof.

Claims

1. Electrical connection device for connecting a plug connector to a printed circuit board in a motor vehicle, having the following: a first number of at least one first electrical connection-device contact for contacting at least one assigned plug-connector contact; a second number of at least one second electrical connection-device contact for contacting at least one assigned printed-circuit-board contact; wherein the at least one first connection-device contact and the at least one second connection-device contact are connected to one another, wherein the electrical connection device is configured in such a manner that at least one printed-circuit-board contact is able to be selectively connected to assigned plug-connector contacts which differ in terms of the relative disposal thereof in relation to the printed-circuit-board contact and/or differ in that said plug-connector contacts are a component part of plug connectors which differ from one another in terms of the configuration of the respective plug-connector contacts thereof.

2. Electrical connection device according to claim 1, wherein the second number comprises at least two second connection-device contacts which are configured in such a manner that the same printed-circuit-board contact is able to be selectively connected to the at least two second connection-device contacts in a first alignment and in at least one further alignment, at least substantially orthogonal to the first alignment, of the connection device in relation to the printed circuit board; and/or the first number comprises at least two first connection-device contacts which are configured in such a manner that the same plug-connector contact is able to be selectively connected to the at least two first connection-device contacts in a first alignment and in at least one further alignment, at least substantially orthogonal to the first alignment, of the connection device in relation to the plug connector.

3. Electrical connection device according to claim 1, wherein the first number comprises at least two first connection-device contacts which are disposed at different locations of the connection device and are connected, or able to be connected, to the same second connection-device contact; and/or the second number comprises at least two second connection-device contacts which are disposed at different locations of the connection device and are connected, or able to be connected, to the same first connection-device contact.

4. Electrical connection device according to claim 1, wherein the first number comprises at least two dissimilar contact types which differ in particular in terms of the voltage ranges thereof, in particular a first contact type for a high voltage and a second contact type for a low voltage, and/or in terms of the geometry thereof, and/or the second number comprises at least two dissimilar contact types which differ in terms of the voltage ranges thereof, in particular a first contact type for a high voltage and a second contact type for a low voltage, and/or or in terms of the geometry thereof.

5. Electrical connection device according to claim 1, wherein the connection device (12) has at least one insulation body (23) wherein the respective connection-device contacts are preferably attached to the insulation body and/or are embedded in the insulation body.

6. System, in particular an assembly, comprising an electrical connection device according to claim 1, as well as at least one printed circuit board, and/or at least one plug connector, which are/is able to be connected, or is connected, to the connection device, wherein the at least one printed circuit board and the at least one plug connector are in particular able to be connected, or are connected, to one another by way of the connection device.

7. System according to claim 6, wherein at least one plug connector is able to be connected to the connection device at two different locations and/or in at least two different relative alignments in relation to the printed circuit board.

8. System according to claim 6, wherein at least two plug connectors which differ from one another in terms of a disposal and/or a moulding and/or a number of the respective plug connectors thereof are provided.

9. System according to claim 6, wherein the connection device (12) is able to be connected to the connection device in two different relative alignments in relation to the printed circuit board.

10. System according to claim 6, wherein a housing in which the printed circuit board and/or the connection installation are/is preferably able to be at least partially, in particular completely, received, and/or into which at least one plug-connector contact is able to be introduced is provided.

11. System according to claim 6, wherein the plug connector for connecting at least one external electrical line has at least one external plug-connector contact.

12. Electrical connection method for connecting a plug connector, in particular a pin header, preferably a HV pin header, to a printed circuit board, preferably while using a system according to claim 8, in particular in a motor vehicle, wherein the plug connector and the printed circuit board are electrically connected to one another by means of a connection device according to claim 1.

13. Electrical connection method according to claim 12, wherein there are two possible relative disposals for the plug connector in relation to the printed circuit board and one of the two possible relative disposals is selected, and/or wherein there are two plug connectors which are able to be connected to the connection device and which are configured so as to be dissimilar in terms of the respective plug-connector contacts thereof, and one of said plug connectors is selected and connected to the connection device.

14. Electrical connection device of claim 1, wherein the a plug connector is a pin header.

Description

[0055] The disclosure will be described hereunder by means of an exemplary embodiment which will be explained in more detail by means of the images in which:

[0056] FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of a system according to the disclosure in a lateral view;

[0057] FIG. 2 shows the system according to FIG. 1 in an oblique view;

[0058] FIG. 3 shows a connection device according to the disclosure having a printed circuit board in a schematic oblique illustration and with the partial illustration of lines running in the interior;

[0059] FIG. 4 shows a connection device according to the disclosure in an oblique view;

[0060] FIG. 5 shows the system according to FIGS. 1 and 2 in a deviating configuration; and

[0061] FIG. 6 shows the configuration according to FIG. 5 in a lateral view.

[0062] The same reference signs are used for identical and functionally equivalent parts in the description hereunder.

[0063] FIG. 1 shows an electrical system comprising a printed circuit board 10, a plug connector (for example a HV pin header) 11, and connection device 12 for connecting the printed circuit board 10 and the plug connector 11. An oblique view of the same system (or of the same assembly, respectively) is shown in FIG. 2. An oblique view having a partially visible profile of internal lines of the connection device 12 as well as of the printed circuit board 10 is illustrated in FIG. 3. An oblique view of the connection device 12 is illustrated in FIG. 4. It can also be seen therein that the connection device 12 comprises an insulation body 23 and (for example two) conducting bodies 24.

[0064] As can be seen in FIG. 3, the connection device 12 comprises first (electrical) connection-device contacts 13a, 13b, and 13c (see also FIGS. 1, 2, and 4). The first connection-device contacts 13a, 13b, and 13c are preferably configured as contact receptacles (couplings).

[0065] The first connection-device contacts 13a are preferably configured as LV contacts so that corresponding plug connector LV contacts of a specific plug connector are able to be connected. The first connection-device contacts 13b are preferably likewise LV contacts which are connected, or able to be connected, respectively, to corresponding plug connector (LV) contacts.

[0066] The first connection-device contacts 13c are preferably HV contacts which are connected, or able to be connected, respectively, to corresponding plug connector (HV) contacts.

[0067] The connection-device contacts 13a and 13b preferably differ in that different plug connectors (which preferably differ from one another in terms of the corresponding LV contacts thereof) can be (electrically) connected to the connection device, or to the corresponding connection-device contacts, respectively.

[0068] Specifically, the first connection-device contacts 13a and the first connection-device contacts 13b preferably differ from one another in that the connecting line among the connection-device contacts 13a and the connecting line among the connection-device contacts 13b (in terms of the respective geometric centres of said contacts) are mutually (at least substantially) perpendicular (in general terms form an angle of ≥30°).

[0069] The plug connector 11 (see FIGS. 1 and 2) correspondingly has plug-connector contacts 14a, 14b, wherein the plug-connector contacts 14a, 14b according to the embodiment are configured as protrusions (pins). The plug-connector contacts 14a are preferably configured for contacting the first connection-device contacts 13a. The plug-connector contacts 14b are preferably configured for connecting (contacting) the connection-device contacts 13c and are correspondingly configured.

[0070] The connection device 11 furthermore has second connection-device contacts 15a, 15b, 15c, and 15d. All of the second connection-device contacts 15a to 15d are preferably configured as protrusions (pins). Specifically, at least four, optionally at least six, second connection-device contacts 15c and/or at least four or at least six second connection-device contacts 15b can be provided, for example. Furthermore, at least two connection-device contacts 15a and/or at least two connection-device contacts 15b can be provided.

[0071] In functional terms, the connection-device contacts 15a, 15b are mutually redundant because said connection-device contacts 15a, 15b enable in each case corresponding printed-circuit-board contacts to be contacted. Either the connection-device contacts 15a or the connection-device contacts 15b thus possibly remain unutilized in a corresponding (completed) assembly (these in FIG. 2 being the connection-device contacts 15b).

[0072] Accordingly, the second connection-device contacts 15c, 15d are redundant in functional terms. In other words, either the connection-device contacts 15c or the connection-device contacts 15d (in the completed assembly) remain unutilized (these in FIG. 2 being the connection-device contacts 15d).

[0073] The connection-device contacts 15a, 15b, are preferably LV contacts.

[0074] The connection-device contacts 15c, 15d are preferably HV contacts.

[0075] As can be seen from FIGS. 1 and 2, a connecting direction (contacting direction) assigned to the connection-device contacts 15a deviates from a corresponding connecting direction (contacting direction) of the connection-device contacts 15b by 90°. Accordingly, a connecting direction of the connection-device contacts 15c differs from a connecting direction (contacting direction) of the connection-device contacts 15b by 90°.

[0076] It is enabled on account thereof that the connection device 12 is disposed so as to be rotated by 90° in relation to the printed circuit board 10, as can be seen in FIG. 5.

[0077] The printed circuit board has corresponding printed-circuit-board contacts 16a, 16b (preferably configured as receptacles or couplings, respectively). The printed-circuit-board contacts 16a are preferably LV contacts. The printed-circuit-board contacts 16b are preferably HV contacts.

[0078] The printed-circuit-board contacts 16a are preferably connected (either) to the connection-device contacts 15a or to the connection-device contacts 15b. The printed-circuit-board contacts 16b are preferably connected either to the connection-device contacts 15c or to the connection-device contacts 15d.

[0079] Furthermore to be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2 is a housing 17 in which the printed circuit board 10 and the connection device 12 are received. The plug connector 11 can be partially introduced through a corresponding first opening 18 so that a connection to the connection device 12 and thus to the printed circuit board 10 can be enabled. An alternative embodiment of the housing 17 comprises a second opening 19 instead of the first opening 18, a plug connector (in particular that shown in FIGS. 1 and 2) being able to be likewise introduced through said second opening 19, as is illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6. On account thereof, an introduction direction, or contacting direction, respectively, for the plug connector 11 that deviates by 90° can be enabled in a simple manner (while the disposal of the printed circuit board 10 in relation to the housing 17 remains the same). The plug connector 11 can be fastened or fixed, respectively, to the housing 17 by way of fastening installations 20 (preferably configured as cutouts, for example as threads).

[0080] Overall, the contacts to be connected are connected by way of lines 21 which run within the connection device and which correspondingly diverge or converge at branches 22 so as to be able to selectively utilize the functionally associated contacts (for example the connection-device contacts 15a or 15b in FIG. 3) in order for the electrical connection to be established.

[0081] The plug connector 11 can have at least one external plug-connector contact 25 (configured as a contact receptacle, for example) by way of which at least one (external, not illustrated in the figures) line (for example a cable) can be connectable.

[0082] At this point it should be noted that all the parts described above, viewed independently or in any combination, in particular the details illustrated in the drawings, are claimed as independent refinements of the i disclosure. Modifications thereof are possible.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0083] 10 Printed circuit board [0084] 11 Plug connector [0085] 12 Connection device [0086] 13a-13c First connection-device contacts [0087] 14a, 14b Plug-connector contacts [0088] 15a-15d Second connection-device contacts [0089] 16a, 16b Printed-circuit-board contacts [0090] 17 Housing [0091] 18 Opening [0092] 19 Opening [0093] 20 Fastening installation [0094] 21 Line [0095] 22 Branch [0096] 23 Insulation body [0097] 24 Conducting body [0098] 25 External plug-connector contact