Disclosure of Invention
Objects and advantages of the invention are described in detail below or may be obvious from the description or learned through practice of the invention.
In accordance with a feature of the present invention, there is provided, inter alia, an electrical connector well suited for connecting together electrical component boards, such as Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs), by a through-board structure. Although it has particular utility in LED board assemblies, it should be noted that the bulkhead connector according to the invention should not be limited to use in the manner of an LED board or LED clip, but may be used in any application where a secure electrical connection between adjacent board components in a bulkhead structure is required.
In accordance with certain features of the present invention, a card edge connector is provided that includes a dielectric body defining a top end and a plug portion extending laterally from the top end. The top end may have an open or closed configuration. The plug portion has an outer perimeter dimension to pass through a correspondingly shaped mounting hole in a first electronic component, which may be, for example, an LED mounting board. An open receptacle is defined at an end of the plug portion opposite the direction of the top end, and further defines a first slot sized to receive the first card edge. The open jack is also provided with a second slot, also sized, for receiving a second card edge having a different size than the first card edge. A resiliently biased connector element is provided within the open socket relative to the first and second slots for making electrical contact with the edge terminals of the card edge inserted into the first or second slot. In this way, the card is electrically engaged to the first electrical component via the through connector and extends laterally from the plane of the first electrical component.
The connector element may make electrical contact with the first electrical component in a variety of ways. For example, the connector element may include a terminal contact extending laterally from the top end of the body for mounting to a connector pad on the first electrical component. This may be achieved by any suitable SMT (surface mount technology) process. In a specific embodiment, the connector may include a non-conductive mounting leg embedded in the dielectric body and extending generally opposite the end contact from the top end. The mounting foot is mounted to a pad on the first electrical component, for example during the same SMT process.
It should be noted that the connector may be configured with any number of end contacts. For example, the connector may be a 2-way, 4-way, or 6-way connector.
The connector has universality and can accommodate clamping edges with different sizes. For example, the first slot may have a greater width than the second slot to accommodate a card edge having a corresponding greater width. The first slot may be disposed between the second slot and the resiliently biased connector element whereby the resiliently biased connector element extends across a thickness (depth) dimension of the first slot sufficiently to contact the edgewise terminal of the card edge inserted into the first or second slot. In this embodiment, a shoulder may be provided in the open socket and define a thickness dimension of the first slot, wherein the card edge inserted into the first slot may slide along the shoulder. In the same embodiment, the second slot may have a different thickness dimension than the first slot, and the second slot has a sidewall and a base defined by a wall of the open socket.
In one embodiment, the second slot has a base defined by a cavity wall of the open socket and an open side opposite the base, wherein a card edge inserted into the second slot extends through the open side and into the first slot for engagement with the resiliently biased connector element.
In another embodiment, the receptacle may include a side wall having a stepped cross-section such that the lip inserted into the first slot is engaged by the side wall and the shoulder of the dielectric body and the lip inserted into the second slot is engaged by the side wall and the base of the receptacle. The stepped cross-section may define the same or different thickness dimensions for the first and second slots.
Drawings
A full and enabling disclosure of the present invention, including the best mode thereof, directed to one of ordinary skill in the art, is set forth more particularly in the specification, which makes reference to the appended figures, in which:
FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an embodiment of a through board connector configured with a first card edge and a board;
FIG. 2 is a schematic view of an embodiment of a through board connector configured with a second card edge and a board;
FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a 6-way through board connector configured with a card edge and board from a different perspective;
FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a 2-way through board connector configured with a card edge and board from a different perspective;
FIG. 5 is a side view of an embodiment of a through board connector configured with a first card edge and a board;
FIG. 6 is a side view of the embodiment of the bulkhead connector of FIG. 5 configured with a second card edge and a board;
FIG. 7 is a top view of one embodiment of a through board connector;
FIG. 8 is an end view of one embodiment of a bulkhead connector;
FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of a bulkhead connector; and
fig. 10 is a top view of an electrical component having through holes and mounting pole pieces.
Detailed Description
Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Various embodiments are presented herein to illustrate various aspects of the invention, but are not to be construed as limiting the invention. For instance, features illustrated or described with respect to one embodiment can be used with another embodiment to yield a still further embodiment. These and other modifications and variations are intended to be within the scope and spirit of the present invention.
Referring to fig. 1-4, an embodiment of a through board connector 10 is shown. As previously mentioned, although the connector 10 has particular utility, such as for connecting components together in an LED lighting assembly or LED lamp, the connector 10 is not limited to such utility and may be used in any application where a secure electrical connection between adjacent panel components is desired in a through-panel configuration. The connector 10 includes a dielectric body 12 which may be of various shapes and sizes. The body 12 is generally constructed of any suitable insulating material, such as nylon-46. Other insulating materials are known to those skilled in the art and may be used for the components of the connector 10 of the present invention.
The insulator body 12 defines a top end 14 and a plug portion 16 extending generally transversely from the plane of the top end 14, as shown in particular in fig. 1-4. The tip 14 may have an open configuration or a closed configuration (as shown in the figures). Plug portion 16 has an outer circumferential dimension to slide through a correspondingly shaped mounting hole 55 (fig. 10) in first electronic component 52 engaged with connector 10. In the embodiment shown in the figures, plug portion 16 has a generally polygonal perimeter shape, such as a square or rectangular shape. It should be noted that the shape may be varied within the scope and spirit of the present invention to engage any correspondingly shaped mounting hole 55 in the electrical component 52.
In the various embodiments shown in the figures, the electrical component 52 that engages the connector 10 is a board 54, such as a Printed Circuit Board (PCB), that includes contact pads 56 for mounting with the end contacts 38 of the connector 10, as will be described in greater detail below. It should be noted, however, that the present invention should not be limited to any particular type or configuration of electrical component 52 engaged to connector 10, and the illustration of board 54 is for exemplary purposes only.
Still referring to fig. 1-4, the insulator body 12 includes an open socket 18 disposed at an end of the plug portion 16 opposite the top end 14. In other words, the open socket extends longitudinally into the plug portion 16 and is covered or closed by the top end 14 of the body 12. As will be described in greater detail below with respect to fig. 8, the open jack 18 includes a first slot 20 sized to receive a first card edge 60 (fig. 1) and a second slot 26 sized to receive a second card edge 70 (fig. 2). The second beads 70 have different dimensions than the first beads 60.
Referring to fig. 1 and 2, card 62 (fig. 1) and card 72 (fig. 2) include respective end contacts 64, 74 on edge portions 60, 70. The through-board connector 10 of the present invention is configured to electrically engage these end contacts 64, 74 to the connector pads 56 on the surface of the first electrical component 52 (i.e., the circuit board 54) such that the cards 62, 72 fit within the perimeter or peripheral dimension of the circuit board 54 in a generally lateral direction. In other words, the cards 62, 72 need not be mounted to the edge of the circuit board 54, but may pass through the circuit board 54 to connect to any structure or line of connector pads 56 anywhere within the boundaries of the circuit board 54.
Referring specifically to fig. 9, the dielectric body 12 has disposed therein a spring biased connector member 36 having an end with a contact 38 defined thereon that is connected to a connector pad 56 on a circuit board 54. The connector element 36 is provided with a resiliently biased ram 40 which is disposed within the recess 35 in the body 12. The ram 40 may be defined as a generally U-shaped strap portion of the connector element 36, the other leg of which defines the end contact 38, as shown particularly in fig. 9. To securely hold the connector element 36 in place, the connector element 36 may be press fit into the recess 35 and engaged by any suitable structure in the insulative body. Additionally, the connector element 36 may be molded into the body 12 or may be held in place by any suitable mechanical mechanism.
In the embodiment shown in fig. 1 and 2, the connector 10 is configured with two connector elements 36, while in the embodiment of fig. 3, six connector elements 36 are configured within the connector 10. It will be readily appreciated therefrom that any number of connector elements 36 (i.e., 2-way, 3-way, 4-way contacts, etc.) may be configured within the body 12 as desired for the contact routing. Each connector element 36 may be configured to be spaced along the open socket 18 and the top end 14 of the body 12 in the manner shown in fig. 9.
Fig. 10 illustrates one embodiment of an electrical component 52 having a 2-way contact pad configuration in which two connector pads 56 are spaced along the edge of a via 55. The connector structure 10 of fig. 1, 2 and 4 is suitable for use in this type of component wiring structure.
It will be appreciated that the end contacts 38 of each connector element 36 may be electrically connected with the connector pads 56 of the electronic component 52 by any suitable means. The connector 10 is particularly suitable for SMT (surface mount technology) processes, wherein the connection is achieved by any means of known SMT processes.
It should be appreciated that the connector elements 36 described herein are not limited to any particular material of construction. In one preferred embodiment, the various connector elements 36 may be, for example, copper alloys plated with tin and optionally nickel and gold on the contact leads. The surface mount bracket may be, for example, a tin-plated copper alloy.
In general with respect to the figures, the dielectric body 12 may also include non-conductive mounting feet 42 embedded in the dielectric body 12 so as to extend generally transversely from the top end 14 of the connector 10 opposite the terminal contacts 38. As can be seen in particular in fig. 9, these mounting feet 42 are embedded in the insulating body material and do not make contact with the end contacts 64, 74 of the clamping edges 60, 70. These mounting feet 42 are bent over the top end 14 of the insulative body and extend generally outwardly from the body as are the end contacts 38, and these mounting feet 42 serve as robust SMT pick and place tools for mounting pads 58 also disposed on the circuit board 54, as particularly shown in fig. 1 and 2. Thus, the connector element 10 may be secured and mounted relative to the circuit board 52 in the same SMT process with the end contacts 38 electrically engaged to the connector pads 56 of the circuit board 54.
With particular reference to fig. 7 and 8, this embodiment illustrates the dimensional characteristics of the first and second slots 20, 26 in the open socket 18 of the body 12. As shown in fig. 8, the first socket 20 is positioned adjacent the resiliently biased ram 40 of the connector element 36. The second slots 26 are adjacent the first slots 20 and share a common open side that extends between shoulders 32 provided in the body 12. In this particular embodiment, the first slot 20 has a greater width 22 than the width 28 of the second slot 26. Thus, the first slot 20 may receive a card edge 60 (fig. 1) having a greater width 66 than a second card edge 70 (fig. 2) having a width 76. When the card edge 60 is inserted into the first slot 20, the card edge can slide along the shoulder 32 and the sidewall 44 of the dielectric body 12, wherein the dielectric body 12 further defines the dimensions of the first slot 20. Referring to fig. 8, the resiliently biased ram 40 of the connector member 36 extends into the first slot 20 and thereby engages the end contact 64 on the card edge 60.
Referring to fig. 2 and 8, the second slot 26 has a reduced width 28 as compared to the first slot 20 and is defined between the side wall 48 and the base 34. The lip 70 has a reduced width 76 that slides along the base 34 between the side walls 48 into the slot 26. The bead 70 has a thickness 78 that is greater than the height of the sidewall 48. Thus, a portion of the card edge 70 actually extends into the first slot 20 through the open side of the slot, so that the end contacts 74 are engaged by the spring-biased contact heads 40.
Fig. 5 is a side view of one embodiment of a bulkhead connector 10 according to the present invention, wherein first card edge 60 has a thickness 68 for insertion into an open receptacle end of body 12. Similarly, fig. 6 is a side view of the same connector 10 with a different card edge 70 having a greater thickness 78 inserted into the open socket end of body 12.
With particular reference to fig. 8, it will be appreciated that the height or thickness 30 of the second slot 26 varies with the desired thickness 78 (fig. 6) of the card edge 70, and thus, the thickness 30 may be equal to, less than, or greater than the thickness 24 of the first slot 20. In the embodiment shown in fig. 8, the thickness 30 is less than the thickness 24 of the first slot 20, but because the side walls 44, 48 have a stepped cross-section, the card edge 70 has a greater overall thickness 78 that can be inserted into the receptacle 18, so that the card edge 70 can slide along the base 34 and also extend through the open side of the second slot 26 and into the first slot 20 to be engaged by the spring-biased contacts 40.
It will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art that various modifications and changes may be made thereto without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as set forth in the claims and their equivalents.