Patent Application
20110117757
The present invention relates to a plug connector system, including a multipoint plug connecting system such as is used for engine control units in motor vehicles.
Plug connectors are used for the electrical connection of electrical components, which are provided as individual modules, the plug connectors being used for the connection of connecting cables. In the case of a multitude of contacts, these are arranged as a strip having one or more rows. Consequently, an electrical connection may be provided using pins which are plugged into a printed-circuit board and are connected to it electrically.
German Patent No. DE 42 44 626 A1 describes a plug connection between two printed-circuit boards which are situated perpendicular to each other. One of the printed-circuit boards includes a contacting device into which the other printed-circuit board is plugged perpendicularly, using guide elements. Thus, an angled plug strip connection is shown.
U.S. Published Application No. 2005/0085103 A1 describes two printed circuit boards that are at an angle to each other perpendicularly, an intermediate element being used as a prismatic wedge, and the two elements being connected to each other mechanically. Inside the prismatic wedge, flexible, bent lines are shown which provide the electrical connection between the two printed circuit boards. The contacting shown is thus based on flexible, bent lines.
German Patent Application No. DE 10 2006 005 045 A1 describes a plug connection device which carries a double-walled component, the double-walled component has a hollow space in which contacts are provided that are able to be reached via bores. The bores are provided for plugging in a plug element that bears a group of pins. The device shown is thus equipped with a single printed circuit board that bears a hollow body in which all the electrical contact elements of the component are provided.
In many fields of application, it is advantageous to be able to use a horizontal connector outlet, by which the costly producing and bending off contact pins may be omitted. In the case of straight pins, for the continuation of the electrical connection in another plane, a flexible connection is required, for instance, a partially flexible “Semi-Flex” printed circuit board. The continuation of the electrical connection in another plane is often determined by the application, and is necessary because of mounting support, other modules or because of lack of space.
Such a flexible intermediate connection is costly, however, and requires complex processing steps which further increase the effort.
An object of the present invention is to provide such a plug connection system that may be produced more cost-effectively and with less effort.
The present invention permits a more cost-effective and simpler electrical connection for plug strip systems. In particular, production is simplified, since all the elements are able to be made of the same basic elements, i.e., printed-circuit boards, the connecting technology being able to be implemented by conventional soldering methods. In addition, the present application enables a simple connection by inserting into slots, for instance, into one or more slots of a main board. The present invention may be provided using cost-effective materials, in particular, the plug connection according to the present invention may be implemented without costly flexible printed-circuit boards or similar conductors. The intermediate circuit board according to the present invention, which replaces the flexible connection, besides the electrical connection, may also provide circuits, for instance, by equipping the intermediate circuit board with electrical components. In contrast to plug systems having flexible connections, which cannot carry any components directly, it thus becomes possible, for example, that electrical components, that form an EMV filter, are situated closer to a plug connector strip. Because of that, one is able to achieve a better filter effect especially in the case of high-frequency signals. Whereas conventionally, the flexible connection elements have only contributed to a deterioration in the electromagnetic compatibility, when using the plug strip connection according to the present invention, it is possible that the intermediate circuit board used there, by contrast to this, has filter properties or filter components which clearly increase the electromagnetic compatibility.
The intermediate circuit board used in the plug strip connection according to the present invention, by contrast to the conventional flexible connecting elements, is able to fulfill an additional function, that is, the carrying of the pins or of individual plug connecting elements which form a plug connector strip. Furthermore, the present invention enables a simple and cost-effective mounting of individual plug connecting elements on the intermediate circuit board, in order to connect the individual plug connecting elements mechanically to one another. The individual plug connections may be mounted on the intermediate circuit board by pressing it in, or may be soldered to it. Because of that, one may use conventional cost-effective connecting mechanisms, in contrast to flexible connectors such as a flexible printed circuit board, in the case of which the individual plug connections are able to be connected only using certain effortful connecting techniques.
In accordance with the present invention, an intermediate circuit board is used for relocating connecting planes, that is, for connecting a plug connecting strip to a main board which preferably runs parallel to the plug connecting strip. For the connection, the intermediate circuit board is positioned at an angle to the main board and at an angle to the plug connecting elements of the plug connecting strip, and is soldered to these, for example, connected via a plug connection, or a combination thereof. The extension direction of the individual plug connecting elements, especially the extension direction of the plug connecting pins, is thus relocated removed from the main board, the relocation being provided by the intermediate circuit board. In order to achieve that the plug connecting elements extend parallel to the main board relocated for this, the intermediate circuit board is placed at an angle both to the plug connecting elements and to the main board preferably at the same angle, such as 90°. The main board is thus relocated to the plug connecting elements extending longitudinally in a direction which lies in a normal plane of the extension direction of the plug connecting elements. The relocation direction is preferably perpendicular to the direction of extension of the plug connecting elements and perpendicular to the direction in which the plug connecting strip extends.
The longitudinal extension direction of the plug connecting strip, the transverse extension of the main board and the transverse extension of the intermediate circuit board are preferably parallel to one another. Thus, in cross section, the plug strip connection preferably forms a stair shape, the plug connecting elements being perpendicular to the intermediate circuit board subsequent to them, and the intermediate circuit board, in turn, is perpendicular to the main board that is subsequent to it. The plug connecting elements have at least sections that extend to a first direction, the main plate extending at least partially from the intermediate circuit board in a second direction, which is perpendicular to the first direction.
In order to provide a connection between the plug connecting elements and the main board, the intermediate circuit board preferably includes at least one and preferably two outer layers, which are provided as conductor layers. The two outer layers may be patterned without difficulty by conventional measures (for instance, photolithography), so that any individual combinations between plug connecting elements and the main board may be provided. The main plate also includes at least one, and preferably two outer layers, which are also provided as a conductor layer, and which implements a contact connection for the intermediate circuit board impinging upon it. The outer layer(s) is/are also able to include solder pads or other contact elements for the completion of electric components, such as filter components, and the like.
The plug connecting elements are preferably individual plug connecting elements and have a lengthwise extended shape. Depending on the application, the plug connecting elements are developed as pins or sockets, and pressed into the intermediate circuit board, partially plugged in, soldered to it, or a combination thereof. For this purpose, the intermediate circuit board preferably includes recesses, such as through-holes into which the individual plug connecting elements are plugged, each plug connecting element preferably having a contact, that is only allocated to this plug connecting element, which is provided on the intermediate circuit board and is connected only to the associated plug connecting element. At the same time, this contact is continued by the intermediate circuit board, and reaches the main board via an additional electrical connection between the main board and the intermediate circuit board. Consequently, the individual plug connections are clearly assigned to a contact or a printed circuit trace or a contact pad of the printed circuit board.
Besides the electrical connection, the plug connecting strip provides a mechanical stabilization or positioning of the plug connecting elements, so that these may be provided in grouped form. The grouping of the individual plug connecting elements preferably corresponds to a row or a plurality of parallel rows that have the same length, the individual plug connecting elements being in a predetermined grid and being preferably at a uniform distance from one another, and being plugged into the intermediate circuit board in one line or in lines that are parallel to one another. The grouping may also take place in several subgroups, for instance, a first subgroup providing a periodic linear arrangement being at a little distance apart and having thin plug connecting elements, and an additional subgroup being provided having thick, or rather, thicker plug connecting elements which are arranged at a greater distance from one another. The thinner plug connecting elements or the corresponding subgroup are/is able to be allocated to a parallel interface for signals, such as controls signals, the thicker connecting elements, having a greater distance or the corresponding subgroup corresponds to a power terminal, for instance, an output stage. The intermediate circuit board may carry different subgroups having the same or different functions.
The intermediate circuit board is preferably equipped with connecting elements which are provided using a conductor layer or using a plurality of conductor layers. Connecting elements are used, for one thing, for the direct electrical contact to the main board, and for another thing, for the direct electrical contact to the plug connecting elements, as well as for the electrical connection of the plug connecting elements to conductors on the main plate. In addition, the intermediate circuit board may have further connecting elements, such as contact pads, soldering connections and/or electrically connecting plug connections which are preferably provided between the plug connecting strip and the main plate, these connecting elements being provided for the connection of electrical electronic components, which are located on at least one of the surfaces of the intermediate circuit board. Consequently, electrical or electronic components may be mounted on the intermediate circuit board and connected to it, by SMD technique, for instance, by stick through technique or by other techniques, the components preferably being SMD components that are connected to the intermediate circuit board via contact pads. The components may be active or passive components, and the most suitable are filter components, and therefore capacitors or inductors, preferably SMD capacitors occupying little space and having a high relative dielectric constant. Furthermore, the components may be smaller assemblies which provide an electronic filter.
For the mechanical connection of the intermediate circuit board to the main board, these may be soldered together, which represents an electrical connection at the same time. The main board preferably includes slots into which the intermediate circuit board, or one end of the intermediate circuit board, is inserted, whereby a further mechanical stabilization comes about. The ports or the ends of the intermediate circuit board may be designed and may have complementary electric contacts in such a way that an electrical contact also comes about by inserting into the slots. To simplify the assembly and for the stable fastening of the intermediate circuit board to the main board, the intermediate circuit board (or the main board) may be equipped with grid elements for stabilizing the plug connection, that is provided by the slots in the main board and by one end of the intermediate circuit board. The main board may include a slot or several slots, the intermediate circuit board preferably including at one end complementary counterpieces which, in response to inserting using the slots (or rather, inserting into the slots) produce a press fit for the main board. The electrical connecting elements between the intermediate circuit board and the main board are preferably provided on the side of the intermediate circuit board, at an edge, or an end of the intermediate circuit board. Contacts are preferably provided at this end of the intermediate circuit board, so as to provide the electrical connection to the main board.
When the intermediate circuit board carries components, electronic components, for instance, which work as EMV filters, contacts of the plug connecting strip may be connected via these components to printed circuit traces that are located at one edge of the intermediate circuit board, the edge extending from the plug connector strip to the main board. This edge may also extend along the plug connector strip and along the main board, that is, at the contact location between the main board and the intermediate circuit board. At the connecting location between the intermediate circuit board and the main board, pads or printed circuit trace terminals are preferably provided, which are connected to one another via soldering connections. The mounting and the electrical contacting of the intermediate circuit board meeting the main board, and of the main board itself is preferably provided by conventional connecting techniques between “daughter boards” and “mother boards”. Conventional connecting techniques may be used, by which one may connect printed circuit boards to each other, that are at an angle to each other.
The intermediate circuit board may be made of one part or several parts, that is, subdivided into segments, each segment extending between the main board and the plug connector strip, and the segments being separate from one another in the longitudinal direction of the plug connector strip. This permits the reduction of mechanical stresses which, for example, are caused by different thermal coefficients of expansion.
The plug connecting elements, in a grouped manner, preferably form a multipoint plug connector, a female multipoint connector, a male pin connector or a pin header. Depending on the design of the plug connecting elements (male/female), the strip may be designed as a plug multipoint connector, a female multipoint connector or a tab multipoint connector. The plug connecting elements are designed as pegs or pins, and, in the case of female multipoint connectors, they have a section that includes an accommodating element in the form of a socket, to which is adjacent a pin section for mounting in through-holes, such as bores in a printed circuit board. The plug connecting elements may have the shape of wire sections, preferably having a constant cross section, the diameter of the wire being adapted to the purpose, and especially to the current-carrying capacity.
For the purpose of fastening, besides snap-in elements, guide elements or end stops may also be provided, which are situated individually or as a combination on the printed circuit board, on the intermediate circuit board or on both printed-circuit boards, or are mechanically fastened to them.
In one preferred specific embodiment, the individual plug connections which, as a group, form the plug-and-socket connector, connected to one another via a plug or socket element, which connects the plug connecting elements mechanically to one another, but insulates them from one another electrically. The plug element (or the socket element) preferably includes extruded insulating material that surrounds the individual plug connecting elements or into which the plug connecting elements are sunk. The plug connecting elements may equally be sunk into or pressed into the intermediate circuit board. As a further example, the plug element (or the socket element) may be plugged onto the plug-and-socket connector, and thus onto the plug connecting elements. The plug element (or the socket element) may be collar-shaped and/or be provided by a plastic housing that is mechanically connected to the plug-and-socket connector. The plug strip connection may further include a plastic housing which forms a plug collar or a plug element, the plug collar or the plug element including insulating material which mechanically connects the plug connecting elements of the plug-and-socket connector to one another. The mechanical connection is preferably provided in that a prefabricated insulating material, which forms a plug collar and/or a plug element, is developed in one part with a plastic housing, and this is pushed onto the plug connecting elements of the plug-and-socket connector.
The individual plug connecting elements of the plug-and-socket connector are preferably pressed into the intermediate circuit board, which includes appropriate recesses, the plug connecting elements being able to be soldered either onto or into the intermediate circuit board or individually pressed into the intermediate circuit board, preferably using a single-pin insertion method.
In accordance with the present invention, a method may be provided which includes positioning the individual plug connecting elements as a plug-and-socket connector, for example, via a tool that is removable again or by introducing them into a plug element. The method also includes fastening of the plug-and-socket connector to the intermediate circuit board, the individual plug connecting elements, which form the plug-and-socket connector are mounted on, or introduced in the intermediate circuit board at an angle or preferably perpendicularly. By introducing the plug connecting elements, a pressure fit is preferably brought about with the intermediate circuit board. Furthermore, the method includes setting up an electrical contact between the intermediate circuit board and the plug-and-socket connector, this including: The introduction of the plug connecting elements into the intermediate circuit board, soldering of the plug connecting elements to contacts of the intermediate circuit board (pads, for example) or a combination of these. The present invention also provides fastening the intermediate circuit board to the main board, preferably by plugging it in, by soldering an edge or an end of the intermediate circuit board to appropriate contacts or contact fields of the main board, or perhaps by plugging the intermediate circuit board into a plug element that is connected to the main board. By fastening the intermediate circuit board to the main board, an electrical contact is preferably produced, the electrical contact being also able to be provided by soldering connections between the main board and the intermediate circuit board.
The setting up of electrical contacts, especially between the main board and the intermediate circuit board, is provided by plugging in or soldering contact surfaces which are provided on the intermediate circuit board and the main board. The contact surfaces are preferably formed by conductor layers of the main board or the intermediate circuit board. For this purpose, the intermediate circuit board and/or the main board include at least one conductor layer which is patterned so as to develop printed circuit traces and contact surfaces. These are preferably electrically connected to one another by soldering. The fastening of the intermediate circuit board to the main board may be provided by plugging the printed circuit board into a slot in the main board. By doing this, a mechanical, electrical or electromechanical connection comes about between the intermediate circuit board and the main board.
Furthermore, the method preferably provides mechanically connecting to one another individual plug connecting elements of the plug-and-socket connector by extruding using an insulating material, or providing the mechanical connection in that the plug connecting elements are sunk into an element, preferably made of an insulating material, or by plugging or pushing insulating material onto the plug-and-socket connector. The insulating material may form a prefabricated element which preferably forms a plug collar and/or a plug body, for instance, a tub plug connector. The insulation material may be formed as one part or a plurality of parts.
The main board, the intermediate circuit board or both printed circuit boards are preferably stiff printed circuit boards, such as epoxy printed circuit boards or synthetic-resin-bonded paper sheet printed circuit boards. The printed circuit boards are preferably planar, and may be developed on one side or on both sides to be copper-coated.
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention are shown in the figures and explained in greater detail below.
In
The dimensions of the plug strip connection shown are not to scale, in particular, the individual thicknesses of main boards 120 are able to be in a different ratio to the longitudinal and lateral dimensions of the other components of the plug strip connection from that shown.
By contrast to
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 102008001557.1 | May 2008 | DE | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP09/53913 | 4/2/2009 | WO | 00 | 2/3/2011 |
