Patent Application
20210288418
The present disclosure relates to a combination circuit board and, more particularly, to a combination circuit board including a retention and interconnection system.
Vehicles have mechanical and electrical components that are the subject of many different types of stresses, such as rough driving surfaces, internal vibrations, and exposure to a broad range of environments. Modern vehicle architecture requires certain components, particularly electrical components, to include multi-piece construction. When a component includes multi-piece construction, interconnection between the pieces can be expensive and subject to the stresses noted above. One such electrical component that requires a multi-piece construction is a combination circuit board located in a column motor power pack that is utilized in power steering systems and, more particularly, electronic power steering systems. Combination circuit boards are generally interconnected via interconnects that are multi-piece plastic injected sub-assemblies. Once constructed, utilizing interconnects is typically a time-consuming process requiring soldering between respective electrical components.
Accordingly, it would be beneficial to develop interconnects utilized for multi-piece electrical components that are cost effective, durable, and easy to incorporate into an electrical component once constructed.
This section provides a general summary of the disclosure and is not to be interpreted as a complete and comprehensive listing of all of the objects, aspects, features and advantages associated with the present disclosure.
According to one aspect of the disclosure, an interconnect assembly includes a main body being formed of flexible material and extending between a first end and a second end, the main body having a thickness defined by a top surface and a bottom surface. The interconnect assembly also includes a first connection port located proximate the first end. The interconnect assembly further includes a second connection port located proximate the second end. The interconnect assembly yet further includes a copper trace having a first contact and a second contact, the first contact disposed on the top surface and located adjacent to the first connection port, and the second contact located on the top surface and adjacent to the second connection port.
According to another aspect of the disclosure, a combination circuit board assembly includes a first circuit board. The combination circuit board assembly also includes a second circuit board electrically connected to the first circuit board with an interconnect assembly. The interconnect assembly includes a main body being formed of flexible material and extending between a first end and a second end. The interconnect assembly also includes a plurality of copper traces disposed on the main body.
These and other advantages and features will become more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings.
The subject matter that is regarded as the invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion of the specification. The foregoing and other features, and advantages of the invention are apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
The description herein is directed to various embodiments of the disclosure. Although one or more of these embodiments may be illustrated and/or discussed in greater detail, relative to other embodiments, the disclosure should not be interpreted, or otherwise used, as limiting the scope of the disclosure. In addition, one skilled in the art will understand that the following description has broad application, and the discussion of any embodiment is meant only to be exemplary of that embodiment, and not intended to intimate that the scope of the disclosure, including the claims, is limited to that embodiment.
As described, a vehicle, such as a car, truck, sport utility vehicle, crossover, mini-van, marine craft, aircraft, all-terrain vehicle, recreational vehicle, or other suitable vehicles, includes one or more steering system schemes, such as steer-by-wire and driver interface steering, for example. These steering system schemes typically include a steering column for translating steering input to an output that interacts with a steering linkage to cause the vehicle wheels (or other elements) to turn the vehicle. Some steering columns are axially adjustable between positions to provide flexibility in the location of the hand wheel and facilitate more comfortable driving positions for various drivers or autonomous driving capability.
Referring now to the Figures, where the invention will be described with reference to specific embodiments, without limiting same, an interconnect assembly 10 is shown. The interconnect assembly 10 is intended for providing an enhanced system for connecting at least two electrical components, such as two or more circuit boards in a combination circuit board, as can be appreciated from the disclosure herein.
With initial reference to
As shown in
At least one copper trace 24 extends from a location proximate the first connection port 20 to a location proximate the second connection port 22 along the top surface 21. In some arrangements, the at least one copper trace 24 is defined by a plurality of copper traces 24. Each copper trace 24 may sit flush with the top surface 21. In use, the first connection port 20 is connected to a first electronic component (e.g., a first circuit board) and the second connection port 22 is connected to a second electronic component (e.g., a second circuit board). During connection to the respective ports 20, 22, the electronic components are disposed in contact with the copper traces 24.
To support the connection between the ports 20, 22 and electronic components, the interconnect assembly 10 further includes a first cover 26 for connection to the first end 16 and a second cover 28 for connection to the second end 18. Each cover 26, 28 includes a base 29 for covering the bottom surface 23 of one of the ends 16, 18 of the main body 12. Depending on the application, the base 29 can shield portions of the main body 12 from additional automotive components or environmental conditions. Each cover 26, 28 further includes a pair of posts 30 for positioning on longitudinal edges 15 of the main body 12. Each cover 26, 28 also includes a sleeve portion 32 that extends from the base 29 and is sized to extend through one of the connection ports 20 or 22. The main body 12 and each cover 26, 28 further include poka-yoke features to ensure that the main body 12 is oriented correctly during installation.
As used herein, a poka-yoke connection means an error proof connection. That is, a connection cannot reasonably be made between the respective connection ports 20, 22, and mating components of the electrical components, without causing damage to one of the connection ports or mating components. The poka-yoke connection is advantageous because it prevents an improper connection from being made during assembly. More specifically, the main body 12 includes a first aperture 34 located proximate the first end 16 and one of the longitudinal edges 15 and a second aperture 36 located proximate the second end 18 and the other of the longitudinal edges 15. Each cover 26, 28 includes a tab 38 that is located on the base 29 for extending through one of the apertures 34, 36. The apertures 34, 36 and tabs 38 may be non-circular shaped to prevent rotation of the tab 38 relative to the aperture 34, 36.
In operation, the interconnect assembly 10 provides a flexible design for adapting to various layouts of first and second electrical components and that is easy to install. The compression that results from tightening the fastener 48 reduces the previous risks of short-circuiting. In addition, the interconnect 10 can be assembled without expensive tooling. This arrangement also facilitates disassembly without destroying components, allowing for factory re-work and servicing in the field. The copper traces 24 can be arranged differently for different applications with less expense when compared to typical other connections because these boards only need changes to the printed artwork versus hard tooling changes. The “trace-to-trace” connections described herein avoid the need for the use of electrical connections that rely on pins or other protruding structures, particularly in the embodiments of flush contacts described herein.
While the invention has been described in detail in connection with only a limited number of embodiments, it should be readily understood that the invention is not limited to such disclosed embodiments. Rather, the invention can be modified to incorporate any number of variations, alterations, substitutions or equivalent arrangements not heretofore described, but which are commensurate with the spirit and scope of the invention. Additionally, while various embodiments of the invention have been described, it is to be understood that aspects of the invention may include only some of the described embodiments. Accordingly, the invention is not to be seen as limited by the foregoing description.
This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/989,355, filed Mar. 13, 2020, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62989355 | Mar 2020 | US |
