Electricity: electrical systems and devices – Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical... – For electronic systems and devices
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-14
2001-02-13
Gandhi, Jayprakash N. (Department: 2841)
Electricity: electrical systems and devices
Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical...
For electronic systems and devices
C361S752000, C361S784000, C361S791000, C361S803000, C439S074000, C439S510000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06188583
ABSTRACT:
PRIORITY CLAIM
This application is based on and claims the priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 of German Patent Application 197 56 345.7, filed on Dec. 18, 1997, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to an arrangement for electrically contacting and conductively interconnecting at least two circuit boards arranged in a housing.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Conventionally, plug-in connections are used for electrically interconnecting different circuit boards that are typically arranged within a housing of an electronic assembly or module. Each such conventional plug-in connection is formed by a respective multi-conductor connector plug and a corresponding multi-conductor connector socket that are each respectively arranged on or connected to one of the circuit boards. In cases in which two circuit boards that are to be interconnected are in direct proximity to each other, it is commonplace to arrange the plug directly on one circuit board and the corresponding socket directly on the other circuit board so that no connector cable is needed. However, in situations in which the two circuit boards are located spaced apart from one another, the plug and/or the socket are connected to the associated circuit board by means of an interposed connector cable. The interconnection is completed by plugging the plug into the socket.
The above described approaches for electrically interconnecting circuit boards with each other suffer several disadvantages. First of all, the circuit boards and the overall electronic assembly are made significantly more expensive due to the additional costs of the plug connection and the connector cables wherever applicable. Secondly, such connections are not very reliable, especially because each connection path can involve several independent connections in series, between the first circuit board and the first connector cable, between the first connector cable and the socket, between the socket and the plug, between the plug and a second connector cable, and between the second connector cable and the second circuit board. Whenever the use of a connector cable is to be avoided, i.e. the plug and socket are to be arranged directly on the circuit boards, then the dimensions of the circuit boards must be correspondingly increased to accommodate the dimensions of the plug and the socket, which accordingly entails additional costs and can cause the entire electronic assembly or module to have an increased size. Moreover, the assembly time and assembly costs are increased due to the necessary care and precision with which the plugs must be inserted into the sockets to complete the electrical interconnections.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the above, it is an object of the invention to provide an arrangement for electrically contacting and conductively interconnecting circuit boards in a housing in a simple, low-cost, space saving, and reliable manner. The invention further aims to avoid or overcome the other disadvantages of the prior art, and to achieve additional advantages, as apparent from the present description.
The above objects have been achieved, according to the invention, in a contact bridge arrangement for conductively interconnecting at least two circuit boards that are provided with first electrical contacts and arranged in a housing. Further according to the invention, the contact bridge is arranged in the housing and includes at least one electrically conducting connector having two free ends that are each respectively embodied as second electrical contacts. To complete the electrical interconnection, the circuit boards are arranged relative to each other and relative to the contact bridge so that the second contacts of the conducting connector of the contact bridge respectively conductingly contact and preferably also mechanically engage the first contacts provided on the circuit boards.
Preferably, the first electrical contact of the circuit board is embodied as a contact pad while the second electrical contact of the contact bridge is embodied as a contact pin, or alternatively the first electrical contact of the circuit board is embodied as a contact pin while the second electrical contact of the contact bridge is embodied as a contact pad. The respective contact pins may each be a press-in contact pin that is engaged by a press fit into a mating hole provided in the associated contact pad of the other mating contact. Alternatively, each contact pin may comprise a spring contact that contacts and engages the mating contact pad with a spring engagement force.
According to preferred details of the invention, the contact bridge further includes a support bridge comprising a block of non-conducting material, i.e. electrically insulating material, that is preferably integrally formed with the housing. The conducting connector is preferably integrated into the insulating block, for example by being molded or cast therein. The insulating block may include coplanar support surfaces for respectively supporting two circuit boards that are arranged coplanar next to each other. In such an embodiment, each conducting connector is a substantially U-shaped conductor, of which the legs or shanks forming the contact pins have equal lengths. Alternatively, the insulating block includes two supporting surfaces on different parallel planes for respectively supporting two circuit boards that are not coplanar with one another, but instead are arranged one above another on respective parallel spaced planes. In such an embodiment, the conducting connector is a substantially J-shaped conductor, of which the two shanks or legs forming the contact pins have different lengths. In either embodiment, there may be two or more of the U-shaped or J-shaped conducting connectors arranged respectively nested one within the other to provide a compact arrangement of multiple parallel connections.
The arrangement according to the invention achieves several advantages, and most importantly avoids the need of providing plug and socket connections as well as connector cables for achieving the electrical interconnection of circuit boards within a housing. Moreover, the contacts and particularly the contact pads provided on the circuit boards take up a rather small space, so that the dimensions of the circuit boards and therewith the dimensions of the entire assembly can be reduced, resulting in corresponding cost savings. As a further advantage, the assembly is significantly simplified and made quicker and more reliable by avoiding the need to plug together a plug and a socket. Instead, the circuit board is simply pressed onto its positioning and support studs, whereby the contact pins of the contact bridge simultaneously are pressed and engaged into the contact holes of the contact pads of the circuit boards.
An additional advantage is that the present inventive arrangement requires a reduced or minimized number of individual parts to achieve the electrical interconnection of the circuit boards. This not only simplifies the assembly, but also simplifies the disassembly in the event of reprocessing or recycling the electronic module such as a control device. With the inventive arrangement, it is a simple matter to completely remove or disassemble all components and sort them according to the basic materials thereof, so that these materials can then be reused or recycled as a raw material.
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Baur Richard
Bischoff Michael
Fendt Guenter
Fasse W. F.
Fasse W. G.
Gandhi Jayprakash N.
TEMIC Telefunken microelectronic GmbH
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