Electrical connectors – Preformed panel circuit arrangement – e.g. – pcb – icm – dip,... – With provision to conduct electricity from panel circuit to...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-23
2001-05-08
Bradley, Paula (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
Preformed panel circuit arrangement, e.g., pcb, icm, dip,...
With provision to conduct electricity from panel circuit to...
C439S065000, C439S076100, C439S493000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06227871
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a device for contact-connecting a circuit board of an electronic control device of an actuator, in particular of a throttle valve of an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle, the control device and the actuator forming a structural unit with contacts arranged on a first structural part and with contacts which are connected to a second structural part and are conductively connected to the contacts of the first structural part.
In the case of throttle valves used to regulate the power of the internal combustion engine of motor vehicles, usually one or a plurality of circuit boards of the electronic control device are arranged in a pot-shaped housing. The housing is produced in one piece with a throttle valve connector bearing the throttle valve and is closed off by a cover. The throttle valve connector has a flange for direct screwing to the internal combustion engine. Terminal contacts for the on-board electrical system and for signal lines are arranged in the cover. This results in a very compact construction for the throttle valve connector with all the structural parts required for regulating the power, such as the circuit boards and the cover with the terminal contacts.
At their contacts, the circuit boards and the terminal contacts of the cover are electrically contact-connected to one another and to a servomotor for the throttle valve. Since the contact connection has to withstand high temperatures and vibrations, particularly in the case of the circuit boards which are fixed in the throttle valve connector, the contacts are usually connected to one another by laser welding. However, laser welding is very costly and leads to very cost-intensive assembly of the throttle valve connector.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention is based on the problem of configuring a device of the type mentioned in the introduction in such a way that the electrical connection of the contacts becomes as cost-effective as possible and that the connection subsequently withstands high temperatures and vibrations in a particularly reliable manner.
This problem is solved according to the invention by virtue of the fact that the contacts of the second structural part are arranged on a holding part, that the holding part is prestressed toward the first structural part, and that the second structural part is connected to the holding part via elastic connecting lines.
By virtue of this configuration, the circuit board is contact-connected in a region in which no mechanical loads act on the connection point. Therefore, vibrations do not lead to friction between the contacts and thus do not lead to the destruction of said contacts. Tolerances between the structural parts and movements of the structural parts relative to one another are compensated for by the connecting lines. As a result, the contact-making device according to the invention has particularly high reliability. Since no soldering points are necessary for the contact-making device according to the invention, said device is particularly suitable for use in internal combustion engines of motor vehicles.
The prestressing of the holding part could be effected for example by a clamp arranged on the first structural part. However, fastening the clamp on the holding part necessitates an additional work operation when the structural parts are joined together. In accordance with an advantageous development of the invention, the prestressing of the holding part is effected without any additional outlay on assembly when the structural parts are joined together, if a spring element for prestressing the holding part toward the first structural part is arranged between the second structural part and the holding part.
The device according to the invention becomes particularly cost-effective if the elastic connecting lines are formed by conductor tracks printed onto a sheet.
The production of the holding part as a separate structural part leads only to an insignificant increase in the production costs of the device according to the invention if the holding part and the second structural part are produced from the same plastic and are connected to one another via a web which is thin in relation to their material thicknesses. In this case, the web may optionally serve as a desired breaking point between the second structural part and the holding part or be configured in an elastic fashion enabling the structural parts to move relative to one another.
In accordance with another advantageous development of the invention, a movement of the holding part relative to the first structural part can be avoided in a simple manner if the holding part has guide pins and the first structural part has holes corresponding to the guide pins.
In accordance with another advantageous development of the invention, the holding part is reliably prestressed toward the first structural part if the second structural part has a guide element for the spring element.
The device according to the invention becomes particularly simple in structural terms if the spring element is a helical spring and the guide element is a sleeve.
By way of example, the contacts could be configured as contact laminae in each case. For the purpose of contact connection, mutually opposite contact laminae could be perpendicularly prestressed toward one another. However, in order to avoid friction between the contacts, this configuration requires very high prestressing forces and particularly accurate guidance of the holding part relative to the first structural part. Friction between the contacts would lead to the electrically conductive connection being destroyed. However, in accordance with another advantageous development of the invention, friction between the contacts can be avoided in a simple manner if the contacts of the second structural part are in pin form and the contacts of the first structural part are prestressed laterally toward the contacts of the second structural part. The lateral prestressing can be effected in a very simple manner by virtue of appropriate shaping of the contacts of the first structural part.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4161346 (1979-07-01), Cherian et al.
patent: 4812803 (1989-03-01), Hochholzer
patent: 5271269 (1993-12-01), Rilling et al.
patent: 5395253 (1995-03-01), Crumly
patent: 5505626 (1996-04-01), Grabbe et al.
patent: 5865650 (1999-02-01), Marian, Jr. et al.
patent: 259707 (1988-08-01), None
patent: 3818553 (1988-12-01), None
patent: 4108735 (1992-09-01), None
patent: 4241020 (1994-06-01), None
patent: 19713838 (1998-10-01), None
patent: 19719942 (1998-12-01), None
patent: 0573690 (1993-12-01), None
patent: 2315925 (1998-02-01), None
Bradley Paula
Farber Martin A.
Mannesmann VDO AG
Ta Tho D.
LandOfFree
Device for contact-connecting a circuit board does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Device for contact-connecting a circuit board, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Device for contact-connecting a circuit board will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2517668