Patent Application
20150364878
Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to electrical systems configured to connect a printed circuit board to a bus bar.
Orthogonal or right angle connectors have been used to connect printed circuit boards to other components, such as bus bars. A typical right angle connector may include a plurality of receiving terminals oriented at a right angle to a number of a plurality of pins or tails that are received and retained within reciprocal features of a printed circuit board.
In some electrical systems, power may be delivered to a printed circuit board through a busbar, for example. A busbar typically includes a planar strip of conductive material, such as copper, having opposite sides that are engaged by a busbar connector. Known busbar connectors include a housing that holds two opposed mating contacts. When a busbar is inserted between the opposed mating contacts, each of the mating contacts electrically engages a corresponding side of the busbar.
A typical busbar connector includes two electrical contacts that are oriented in a side-by-side manner. For example, one electrical contact, which may be a power contact, is positioned to one side of the housing, while the other electrical contact, which may be a ground contact, is positioned on an opposite side of the housing.
However, in various applications, such a side-by-side arrangement may not efficiently and easily fit within a confined space of a component. In short, known busbar connectors and busbars may not fit within a chassis of a particular component.
There is a need for an electrical system having a reconfigured busbar connection.
Certain embodiments of the present disclosure provide an electrical system that may include a busbar assembly and a connector assembly. The busbar assembly may include first and second busbars. A first contact tab extends from the first busbar, and a second contact tab extends from the second busbar. The first and second contact tabs include first and second interface ends, respectively, within a common plane. The connector assembly may include a housing that retains first and second electrical contacts. The first electrical contact includes a first contact terminal and the second electrical contact includes a second contact terminal. The first contact terminal defines a first interfacing space and the second contact terminal defines a second interfacing space. The first and second interfacing spaces are aligned with one another. The first and second interface ends are configured to mate with the first and second contact terminals within the first and second interfacing spaces, respectively.
In at least one embodiment, the first and second interface ends are stacked with respect to the common plane. The first and second contact terminals may also be stacked with respect to the common plane.
The first and second interface ends may be vertically stacked. Similarly, the first and second contact terminals may be vertically stacked.
The first and second contact tabs may include first and second parallel linear extensions, respectively, connected to first and second inward bends, respectively, that position the first and second interface ends within the common plane.
In at least one embodiment, one of the first and second electrical contacts is taller than the other of the first and second electrical contacts.
The first electrical contact may include a first intermediate body. The first contact terminal extends from the first intermediate body. Similarly, the second electrical contact may include a second intermediate body, such that the second contact terminal extends from the second intermediate body. The first and second intermediate bodies may be on opposite sides of a central longitudinal plane within the housing. The first and second interfacing spaces may be aligned in the central longitudinal plane.
The electrical system may also include a printed circuit board electrically connected to the first and second electrical contacts.
In at least one embodiment, the first busbar is configured to operate at a first polarity, and the second busbar is configured to operate at a second polarity that differs from the first polarity.
Certain embodiments of the present disclosure provide a busbar assembly configured for use in an electrical system. The busbar assembly may include a first busbar including a first contact tab having a first interface end configured to mate with a first electrical contact, and a second busbar including a second contact tab having a second interface end configured to mate with a second electrical contact. The first and second interface ends are within a common plane, such as a plane that is parallel with a longitudinal central plane of the assembly.
Certain embodiments of the present disclosure provide a connector assembly for use in an electrical system. The connector assembly may include a housing that retains first and second electrical contacts. The first electrical contact includes a first contact terminal and the second electrical contact includes a second contact terminal. The first contact terminal defines a first interfacing space and the second contact terminal defines a second interfacing space. The first and second interfacing spaces have at least portions that are aligned with one another in a common plane.
The connector assembly 12 may include a housing 16, which may be formed of plastic, having lateral walls 18 connected to a base 20 and a top wall 22. A circuit board connection notch 24 may be formed through a portion of the base 20. Portions of electrical contacts 32 and 34 may extend out of the circuit board connection notch 24 in order to mate with reciprocal features of a printed circuit board. The housing 16 also includes opposite ends 26 and 28, respectively. The end 28 may be a busbar interface end that includes an interface channel 30 that extends from the base 20 to the top wall 22. The interface channel 30 is configured to receive and retain contact tabs 48 and 50 of the busbar assembly 14. The end 26 may be open (as shown) or closed.
The housing 16 retains first and second electrical contacts 32 and 34 therein, such as ground and power contacts. The electrical contacts 32 and 34 each include pins, tails, or the like 36 that are configured to be received and retained by reciprocal features, such as vias, through-holes, or the like, formed through a printed circuit board, for example.
The housing 16 may be formed of a dielectric material, for example, while the electrical contacts 32 and 34 may be formed of conductive metal. The connector assembly 12 is configured to electrically connect the busbar assembly 14 to a printed circuit board, for example.
The busbar assembly 14 includes a main body 40 that may include a first planar busbar 42 and a second planar busbar 44 separated by an insulating layer 46. Each busbar 42 and 44 may be formed of a conductive material, such as copper, brass, aluminum, or the like. Each busbar 42 and 44 may be a flat or hollow strip, panel, tube, rod, or the like. The busbar assembly 14 may be laminated to secure the busbars 42 and 44 and insulating layer 46 together. For example, the insulating layer 46 may include adhesive on either side that securely adheres to the busbars 42 and 44, and the entire busbar assembly 14 may be laminated together.
The busbar 42 includes an outwardly extending contact tab 48, while the busbar 44 includes an outwardly extending contact tab 50. The contact tabs 48 and 50 are configured to be inserted into the interface channel 30 of the connector assembly 12 to make electrical contact with contact terminals of the electrical contacts 34 and 32, respectively.
The busbar 42 may be configured to operate at a first polarity, while the busbar 44 may be configured to operate at a second polarity that differs from the first polarity. For example, the busbar 42 may be a 0V busbar configured to be a ground busbar, while the busbar 44 may be a 48V busbar configured to convey power, for example, or vice versa. As such, the electrical contact 34 that connects to the busbar 42 may be a ground contact, while the electrical contact 32 that connects to the busbar 44 may be a power contact.
The contact tabs 48 and 50 of the busbar assembly 14 mate with contact terminals of the electrical contacts 34 and 32, respectively, within the interface channel 30 of the connector assembly 12 in a stacked, vertical relationship. For example, the contact tab 48 includes an interface end 54 that is aligned over an interface end 56 of the contact tab 50 in a plane that is parallel to the X-Z plane (shown in
Similar to the electrical contact 32, the electrical contact 34 includes a planar intermediate body 74 that connects the tails 36 to a contact terminal 75 having opposed contacting members 76 and 78. The intermediate body 74 may extend to a height that may be greater than that of the intermediate body 60. For example, the intermediate body 74 may be double the height of the intermediate body 60. However, the intermediate body 74 may extend to a height that is less than double that of the intermediate body 60. The intermediate body 74 is sized and shaped to position the contact terminal 75 over the contact terminal 61. As shown, the contacting member 78 may be a single beam 80 that extends outwardly from and generally in line with the plane of the intermediate body 74. The contacting member 76 may include parallel beams 82 vertically separated from one another. The beams 82 may be offset with respect to the plane of the intermediate body 74 by canted, bent, curved, or the like extensions 84 that position the parallel beams out of the plane of the intermediate body 74. Alternatively, the contacting member 78 may include two vertically separated beams, while the contacting member 76 is a single beam. Also, alternatively, each of the contacting members 76 and 78 may be a single beam, or two vertically separated beams. For example, the contacting members 76 and 78 may each be single beams that are horizontally aligned with one another.
As shown, the intermediate bodies 60 and 74 may generally be positioned and oriented as parallel plates separated from one another with respect to the Y axis. That is, portions of the intermediate bodies 60 and 74 may be oriented in a side-by-side fashion. However, the intermediate body 74 positions the contact terminal 75 above the contact terminal 61. The canted extensions 84 may cant the contacting members 76 directly over the contacting member 62 with respect to the X-Z plane, while the canted extensions 69 may cant the contacting member 64 directly below the contacting member 78 with respect to the X-Z plane. Accordingly, the contact terminals 61 and 75 of the electrical contacts 32 and 34, respectively, are configured to compressively contact the interface ends 56 and 54 of the contact tabs 50 and 48, respectively, in a vertical plane that is parallel with the X-Z plane.
Similarly, the contact terminals 61 and 75 (shown in
As shown, distal ends 101 of the contacting members 62, 64, 76, and 78 may be outturned. The outturned distal ends 101 of the contacting members 62, 64, 76, and 78 allow the interface ends 54 and 56 of the contacts tabs 48 and 50, respectively, to be smoothly guided between the contacting members 62, 64, 76, and 78. Alternatively, the distal ends 101 may not be outturned.
As also shown, the opposed contacting members 62, 64 and 76, 78 converge toward one another proximate to the distal ends 101 before turning outward. The inward converging of the contacting members 62, 64 and 76, 78 provides increased compressive engagement with the interface ends 54 and 56 of the contact tabs 48 and 50. Alternatively, the contacting members may not inwardly converge, but instead may be parallel with the central longitudinal plane 92.
As the contact tabs 50 and 48 mate with the electrical contacts 32 and 34, respectively, the contacting members 62 and 64 deflect outwardly over the outer surfaces of the contact tab 50, while the contacting members 76 and 78 deflect outwardly over the outer surfaces of the contact tab 48, thereby providing a compressive, sandwiching electrical connection. As shown, the contact terminals of the electrical contacts 32 and 34 are vertically stacked or otherwise oriented to provide interfacing spaces 100 that are aligned with the longitudinal plane 92, which is parallel with the X-Z plane. The electrical contacts 32 and 34 mate with the vertically stacked or otherwise oriented contacts tabs 50 and 48, respectively, of the busbar assembly 14.
Referring to
The busbar assembly 102 may include a busbar 110 that operates at a first polarity and a busbar 112 that operates at a second polarity that differs from the first polarity. Similarly, the busbar assembly 104 may include a busbar 114 that operates at the first polarity and a busbar 116 that operates at the second polarity. As shown, the busbar assemblies 102 and 104 may be inverted with respect to one another. Similarly, the connector assemblies 106 and 108 may be flipped with respect to one another and configured to connect to a respective printed circuit board (not shown in
The orientation of the contact tabs of the busbar assemblies ensures that the contact tabs mate with the reciprocal contact terminals of the electrical contacts, thereby ensuring proper contact polarity. Accordingly, a single type of connector assembly, a single type of busbar assembly, and a single type of printed circuit board may be used to provide multiple connector assemblies of the same design, multiple busbar assemblies of the same design, and multiple printed circuit boards of the same design that may be used to form an electrical system of varying sizes, shapes, orientations, and the like.
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide electrical systems that include connector assemblies that electrically connect printed circuit boards to busbar assemblies in a vertically stacked fashion. The electrical contacts of the connector assemblies include contact terminals that are aligned with respect to a vertical plane, for example, and mate with contact tabs of busbar assemblies in a stacked, vertical configuration, as opposed to mating in a side-by-side fashion.
While various spatial terms, such as upper, bottom, lower, mid, lateral, horizontal, vertical, and the like may be used to describe embodiments of the present disclosure, it is understood that such terms are merely used with respect to the orientations shown in the drawings. The orientations may be inverted, rotated, or otherwise changed, such that an upper portion is a lower portion, and vice versa, horizontal becomes vertical, and the like.
It is to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. For example, the above-described embodiments (and/or aspects thereof) may be used in combination with each other. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the disclosure without departing from its scope. Dimensions, types of materials, orientations of the various components, and the number and positions of the various components described herein are intended to define parameters of certain embodiments, and are by no means limiting and are merely exemplary embodiments. Many other embodiments and modifications within the spirit and scope of the claims will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. The scope of the disclosure should, therefore, be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. In the appended claims, the terms “including” and “in which” are used as the plain-English equivalents of the respective terms “comprising” and “wherein.” Moreover, in the following claims, the terms “first,” “second,” and “third,” etc. are used merely as labels, and are not intended to impose numerical requirements on their objects. Further, the limitations of the following claims are not written in means—plus-function format and are not intended to be interpreted based on 35 U.S.C. §112(f), unless and until such claim limitations expressly use the phrase “means for” followed by a statement of function void of further structure.
