CIRCUIT BOARD CONNECTOR EXTENSION

Abstract

A circuit board connector extension (10) comprising a body (16, 18) made of plastic and able to be attached to a circuit board, with first and second groups of contacts (26, 27) which each have one connecting end (32) for contacting conductor tracks on the circuit board and one plug-in end (28) for contacting contacts of a connector piece, the connecting ends (32) of the two groups of contacts (26, 27) being arranged on one and the same side of the body (16, 18), whereas the plug-in ends (28) of the first group being arranged on a side of the body (16, 18) different from that where the plug-in ends (28) of the second group are arranged.

Description

The invention will now be described on the basis of various embodiments which are illustrated in the attached drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is top view of a circuit board connector extension according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a rear view of the circuit board connector extension of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the circuit board connector extension of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a front vie of the circuit board connector extension of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a side view of the circuit board connector extension of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a section through the circuit board connector extension of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 shows on an enlarged scale a detail of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a detail view of the plug-side end of the circuit board connector extension;

FIG. 9 shows, again on an enlarged scale, a detail of the plug-in side of the circuit board connector extension;

FIG. 10 is a bottom view of the plug-in side of the circuit board connector extension, some contacts having been removed;

FIG. 11 shows a cutout of some contacts of the circuit board connector extension, with the body of the connector extension being not illustrated for clarification;

FIG. 12 shows the transition portion of some contacts;

FIG. 13 shows on an enlarged scale a detail of the contacts;

FIG. 14 shows a detail of the body of the circuit board connector extension, the contacts being not illustrated;

FIG. 15 shows on an enlarged scale a cutout of the circuit board connector extension, the contacts being pre-assembled;

FIG. 16 shows in a detail view a top view of the assembled contacts;

FIG. 17 shows in an enlarged detail view the connecting ends of some pre-assembled contacts;

FIG. 18 shows in a perspective view a circuit board provided with a circuit board connector extension according to the invention, the latter in turn being inserted in a board edge connector assembly;

FIG. 19 shows in a side view the assembly unit of FIG. 18;

FIG. 20 shows in a perspective view another assembly unit which consists of several circuit boards with circuit board connector extensions attached thereto and is adapted to be inserted in board edge connector assemblies;

FIG. 21 shows in a perspective view the circuit boards shortly before being joined;

FIG. 22 shows in a schematic side view the circuit boards of the assembly unit of FIG. 20, which are not joined yet;

FIG. 23 shows in a perspective view a locating pin used with the assembly unit of FIG. 21;

FIG. 24 shows in a perspective view a spacer used with the assembly unit of FIG. 21;

FIG. 25 shows in a perspective view a circuit board connector extension according to an alternative design;

FIG. 26 shows top view of a circuit board connector extension according to a further alternative design:

FIG. 27 is a rear view of the circuit board connector extension of FIG. 26;

FIG. 28 is a bottom view of the circuit board connector extension of FIG. 26; and

FIG. 29 is a side view of the circuit board connector extension of FIG. 26.

Claims

1. A circuit board connector extension comprising a body made of plastic and able to be attached to a circuit board, with first and second groups of contacts which each have one connecting end for contacting conductor tracks on the circuit board and one plug-in end for contacting contacts of a connector piece, the connecting ends of the two groups of contacts being arranged on one and the same side of the body, whereas the plug-in ends of the first group being arranged on a side of the body different from that where the plug-in ends of the second group are arranged.

2. The circuit board connector extension according to claim 1, wherein the body has at least one positioning protrusion, preferably a cylindrical pin, which for positioning the connector extension can be inserted in a mount of the circuit board with an interlocking fit.

3. The circuit board connector extension according to claim 1, wherein the body laterally has two contractions serving for locking in place in a connector piece.

4. The circuit board connector extension according to claim 1, wherein between the contacts the body is provided with a group of punched openings which allow the contacts to be blanked.

5. The circuit board connector extension according to claim 1, wherein the contacts of the second group extend through the body.

6. The circuit board connector extension according to claim 1, wherein the plug-in ends of the contacts end at different levels, in particular at four different levels.

7. The circuit board connector extension according to claim 6, wherein the body as seen in the plug-in direction has a chamfer in front of each plug-in end.

8. The circuit board connector extension according to claim 6 wherein incisions are provided in front of those plug-in ends which end at a level which is situated further to the rear as seen in the plug-in direction.

9. The circuit board connector extension according to claim 8, wherein the incisions are provided with oblique pilot chamfers.

10. The circuit board connector extension according to claim 1, wherein air pockets are provided between the contacts and the body.

11. The circuit board connector extension according to claim 10, wherein the contacts are supported by the body in an area of contact with the connector piece.

12. The circuit board connector extension according to claim 11, wherein below the plug-in ends, which as seen in the plug-in direction end at the foremost level, a further air pocket is provided yet in front of the areas of the contact zone which are supported by the connector piece.

13. The circuit board connector extension according to claim 1, wherein the body consists of two sections which overlap each other, and that the contacts are guided from the first section to the second section by a transition portion which is bent approximately at right angles.

14. The circuit board connector extension according to claim 13, wherein the two sections are integrally formed with each other.

15. The circuit board connector extension according to claim 13, wherein the transition portion is guided in a groove.

16. The circuit board connector extension according to claim 15, wherein the groove is provided with a pilot portion.

17. The circuit board connector extension according to claim 16, wherein the pilot portion, as viewed in the direction of inserting the contacts, has a concave shape, in particular in the nature of a semi-circular chute.

18. The circuit board connector extension according to claim 15, wherein the groove has a trapezoidal cross-section as viewed perpendicular to the direction of inserting the contacts.

19. The circuit board connector extension according to claim 15, wherein the groove guides the transition portion.

20. The circuit board connector extension according to claim 15, wherein the transition portion is fixed in the groove by means of at least one latching hook.

21. The circuit board connector extension according to claim 20, wherein the latching hooks of neighboring transition portions are at different levels.

22. The circuit board connector extension according to claim 20 wherein the transition portion is configured so as to have a reduced width and the contact in the region of the latching hook approximately has the remaining width.

23. The circuit board connector extension according to claim 19, wherein for the first group of contacts the angle (β) between the transition portion and the plug-in end is slightly smaller than 90°, so that the plug-in end during pressing the contact into the body is clamped against the latter.

24. The circuit board connector extension according to claim 19, wherein for the second group of contacts the angle (α) between the transition portion and the plug-in end is slightly larger than 90°, so that the plug-in end during pressing the contact into the body is clamped against the latter.

25. The circuit board connector extension according to claim 1, wherein the contacts of the second group are provided at the connecting end with at least one latching hook which can be pressed into the body.

26. The circuit board connector extension according to claim 1, wherein the contacts of the first group have the connecting ends of the ground contacts lying at one level, the connecting ends of the signal contacts as seen as from the plug-in ends are arranged behind this level, the connecting ends of the ground contacts of the contacts of the second group lie behind the connecting ends of the signal contacts, and behind these the connecting ends of the signal contacts of the second group are arranged.

27. An assembly unit comprising two or more connector extensions according to claim 1, wherein spacers are arranged between the connector extensions so as to be provided on the sides thereof, and one locating pin each extending through the spacers and the lateral areas of the connector extensions.

28. The assembly unit according to claim 27, wherein the spacers are integrally formed on the circuit board connector extensions.

29. The circuit board connector extension according to claim 7, wherein incisions are provided in front of those plug-in ends which end at a level which is situated further to the rear as seen in the plug-in direction.

30. The circuit board connector extension according to claim 29, wherein the incisions are provided with oblique pilot chamfers.

31. The circuit board connector extension according to claim 14, wherein the transition portion is guided in a groove.

32. The circuit board connector extension according to claim 31, wherein the groove is provided with a pilot portion.

33. The circuit board connector extension according to claim 32, wherein the pilot portion, as viewed in the direction of inserting the contacts, has a concave shape, in particular in the nature of a semi-circular chute.

34. The circuit board connector extension according to claim 21, wherein the transition portion is configured so as to have a reduced width and the contact in the region of the latching hook approximately has the remaining width.