Electricity: electrical systems and devices – Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical... – For electronic systems and devices
Reexamination Certificate
1998-08-28
2001-06-19
Picard, Leo P. (Department: 2835)
Electricity: electrical systems and devices
Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical...
For electronic systems and devices
C361S707000, C361S715000, C361S730000, C439S748000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06249438
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an electrical device, in particular to a switching and controlling device for motor vehicles.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
A conventional electrical device is described in German Patent Application No. 33 10 477. To conductively connect components and electrical circuits on the printed circuit board arranged inside the device to electrical devices outside the device, a plug-and-socket connector penetrating the front housing wall is arranged on the front side of the housing. The plug-and-socket connector has a first plug part (i.e., male connector), whose flat connector tabs are conductively connected to the printed circuit board. A second part of the plug-and-socket connector has individual sockets, which fit with the flat connector tabs. To connect the device in an electrically conductive manner to other devices, the second part of the plug-and-socket connector is brought from in front toward the front housing wall and is fitted together with the plug body. The plug-and-socket connector, including plug part and socket part, is arranged in its entirety on the front side of the housing. As a result of this, in assembling the electrical device, in addition to the housing dimensions, the dimensions of the plug-and-socket connector, which projects out at the front side of the housing wall, must be taken into account. Since the plug-and-socket connector is arranged on the front side of the printed circuit board, the space requirements in the longitudinal direction of the printed-circuit-board surface are great.
An object of the present invention is to refine an electrical device of the type described above such that plug-and-socket connectors are arranged on the electrical device in a space-saving manner.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention, by arranging the complete plug-and-socket connector above a printed-circuit-board surface, the air space saved above the printed circuit board, for example, through the use of a SMD (i.e., a surface mounted device) technology can be used for the arrangement of the plug-and-socket connector. However, since the plug-and-socket connector at the same time penetrates the housing wall for the external connection of the electrical device, it follows that an area of the housing wall is arranged between one part of the plug-and-socket connector and the surface of the printed circuit board. In connection with the use of the SMD components, the plug-and-socket connector can be arranged either above a printed-circuit-board surface fitted with these components or above a printed-circuit-board surface furnished exclusively with printed circuit traces.
One of the advantages of the present invention is that the plug-and-socket connector, which ends up being relatively large in its dimensions, does not project over the printed circuit board on the front side and thus, in the context of predetermined printed circuit board dimensions, does not unnecessarily increase the space requirements of the electrical device in the direction of the printed-circuit-board surface. In its place, the otherwise unused space above the printed circuit board is used for arranging cables and plug-and-socket connectors.
In a further advantageous embodiment of the present invention, the first part of the plug-and-socket connector, connected to the printed circuit board, is arranged in the area of a front side of the printed circuit board, and the second part, above the printed-circuit-board surface, can be fitted together with the first part of the plug-and-socket connector from the side opposite the front side. In contrast to the conventional electrical devices, the first part of the plug-and-socket connector is soldered above the printed-circuit-board surface such that the plug direction is reversed. In this context, the second part, which has mostly sockets, is not plugged into the first part of the plug-and-socket connector from the front, with reference to the front side of the printed circuit board, but from the rear side. The front side of the printed circuit board, according to the present invention, is situated on the side from which the printed circuit board can be inserted into the housing. In this context, the plug-and-socket connector, which generally is made up of a plug and socket unit, does not project out over the front side of the printed circuit board. As a result of the reversed arrangement of the plug-and-socket connector, the plug-and-socket connector being thus fittable together in the reverse direction, on the one hand, the air space above the printed-circuit-board surface can be used to advantage and, on the other hand, in inserting the printed circuit board into the housing from the front side, the first part of the plug-and-socket connector can be passed through a housing wall and fitted together with the second part. In addition, soldering contacts of the first part of the plug-and-socket connector, for example those of a multipoint connector, are arranged advantageously at the front side of the housing and thus are easily accessible.
In another advantageous embodiment of the present invention, two separate printed circuit boards, or one of twice the size, having, in each case, at least one plug-and-socket connector, with their front sides arranged in relation to each other such that in each case the first parts of the plug-and-socket connector are facing away from each other. It is preferable that, in each case, the two first parts of the plug-and-socket connector, opposite each other, are attached to each other at their rear sides. In this way, a rigid bond is achieved between the plug-and-socket connectors. The plug-and-socket connectors are connected, in an electrically conductive manner, to the separate, or twice as large, printed circuit boards by soldering, so that as a result the printed circuit boards are also attached to each other. It is preferable that the unit made up of the two separate printed circuit boards, or the twice-as-large printed circuit board, having, in each case, plug-and-socket connectors exiting in two directions, can be inserted into two housing parts. Both housing parts, in this context, accommodate one plug-and-socket connector each and are joined to each other.
A housing or a housing part preferably has an area accommodating the printed circuit board and an area for accommodating the plug-and-socket connector, projecting laterally in the direction of the printed-circuit-board surface. The projecting area of the housing has at least one opening permitting the plug-and-socket connector to pass through the housing wall. The first part of the plug-and-socket connector passes through this opening. In addition, the first part of the plug-and-socket connector can have a seal, which can be pressed against the inner side of the housing wall around the opening, to seal off the housing against environmental influences. By clamping the plug between two housing halves, identically designed, or a housing having a cover, one additional plug mounting can be spared.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the opening in, the housing wall is arranged at a rear wall of the projecting area of the housing, situated opposite the front side of the printed circuit board. In connection with a first part of the plug-and-socket connector, arranged close to the front side of a printed circuit board, the printed circuit board can then be inserted from the front side into the housing, and the first part of the plug-and-socket connector, in this context, passes through the opening in the housing wall, disposed on the rear side near the front side.
On the outer side of the housing, opposite the opening in the projecting area, a cable mounting is preferable arranged. In this way, both parts of the plug-and-socket connector can be clamped between the cable mounting and housing, so that a supplemental plug mounting can be dispensed with.
Outside the housing, above the second part of the plug-and-socket connector, on the rear side of the laterally projecting area, a cover can be
Fabry Ehrenfried
Thomas Gerhard
Wutz Karl
Duong Hung Van
Kenyon & Kenyon
Picard Leo P.
Robert & Bosch GmbH
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