Connection module for an automotive vehicle

The invention provides an electrical connection module for an automotive vehicle. The module includes a printed circuit board, PCB, and a connector for connecting a wire harness to said PCB. An edge of the PCB can be inserted into the connector. The module provides retention mechanism that is integral to the PCB. The retention mechanism is shaped and configured to retain the edge connector, if the PCB is seated therein.

It is known to use several types of electrical connectors, including plug and socket-type devices, to electrically connect an electronic circuit, which is implemented on a printed circuit board, PCB, to a remote device. The remote device may for example be a power supply, which supplies electrical current to the electronic circuit via a harness having at least one wire terminating in the electrical connector. The electrical connector interfaces with the electronic circuit on the PCB.

A specific type of connector known in the art is the “cardedge” connector. The connector features a body for connecting the wires of a wire harness. A pair of opposing jaws extends from the body and is configured to receive a printed circuit board supporting an electronic circuit therebetween. The jaws comprise electrical contacts, which are electrically connected to the wire harness through the connector's body. The arrangement is such that the electrical contacts located on the jaws establish contact with a corresponding electrically conductive area on the PCB that is pinched between the jaws.

However, if the PCB is not properly inserted between the jaws of the cardedge connector, or, if either or both of the PCB and the connector are subject to vibrations or shocks during use, the connector may become disconnected from the PCB. Such an incident may only be attended to by manual intervention. This situation is particularly critical when the cardegdge connector, which has the benefit of having a small footprint, is used in a lighting module for an automotive car. Typically, physical space is a major constraint in such an environment, so that the use of a cardedge-type connector is interesting. However, an automotive vehicle is subject to vibrations or shocks, so that it becomes likely for the connector to disconnect during use. Moreover, the manual intervention required to fix the connection is often work-intensive as well as costly, because many components of the automotive vehicle may have to be removed before the connector and PCB become accessible—if they are accessible at all.

It has been suggested to mount the connector with its rear face abutted against a wall, thereby decreasing the likelihood of disconnection from the PCB to which it is connected. This imposes severe design and placement constraints on the PCB, which has to be located in close proximity to a wall of a device.

It is an objective of the present invention to alleviate at least some of the drawbacks found in the prior art.

In accordance with a first aspect of the invention, an electrical connection module for an automotive vehicle is provided. The module comprises a printed circuit board, PCB, and an edge connector for connecting a wire harness to said PCB, into which edge connector an edge of the PCB is insertable. The PCB comprises retention means, which are formed thereon, and which are adapted to retain said edge connector, if the edge of the PCB is seated therein.

The retention means are advantageously integrally formed on the PCB. As variants, the retention means can be overmolded and/or clipped on the PCB.

The edge of the PCB insertable into the edge connector may preferably form a recessed edge portion.

Preferably, the retention means may comprise at least one arm, preferably a pair of arms, extending from the PCB in the direction of insertion of the edge of the PCB into the edge connector, the arm or each arm comprising a hand configured for grasping a back side of said edge connector.

The arm(s) may preferably be configured as flexible clips.

The retention means may preferably comprise a resilient flexible portion which extends in a direction that is generally perpendicular to the direction of insertion of the edge of the PCB into the edge connector. The resilient flexible portion is preferably integrally formed on the PCB.

The resilient flexible portion may preferably be a rib configured for being bent out of the PCB's plane when inserting the edge of the PCB into the edge connector.

The rib or arms may be formed by cutting out at least one neighbouring region from the PCB.

Preferably, the resilient flexible portion may contact a back side of the edge connector, when the PCB is seated therein.

The retention means may preferably be formed in a reinforced region of the PCB. The reinforced region may locally comprise a board thickness that is larger than the overall board thickness of the PCB.

Preferably, the retention means may be formed so that they are flush with the edge of the PCB.

The edge connector may preferably comprise a main body for connecting a wire harness, and a pair of opposing jaws for receiving the edge of the PCB therebetween.

The PCB may preferably comprise an electronic circuit having at least one light source, and the edge connector may be used to connect said PCT to a power supply through a wire harness.

Preferably, the light source is a light emitting diode, LED, or a Laser diode.

In accordance with a further aspect of the invention a lighting module for an automotive vehicle is provided. The lighting module comprises a PCB that supports an electronic circuit having at least one light source. The module further comprises a wire harness connecting said electronic circuit to an electric current source by means of an edge connector. The PCB and the edge connector are part of an electrical connection module according to the invention.

The invention allows securing a cardedge-type connector to a printed circuit board, PCB, while significantly reducing the risk of disconnection, even if the assembly is subject to vibrations and/or shocks after the connection has been established. By using specific holding features or retention means directly embedded in the PCB itself, there is no need to use a third part to secure the connection. This feature reduces the overall footprint of the connection module, and reduces production costs. Obviously, the maintenance time is reduced as the risk of disconnection is lowered. The disconnection-proof connection module further alleviates the constraints for mounting a PCB-cardedge module. Specifically, the module does not have to be mounted in proximity of a wall of the containing device as in prior art solutions. The above advantages render the connection module according to the invention particularly appealing for the automotive lighting industry, where connected modules are subject to vibrations, where physical space is a scarce resource, and where maintenance interventions are difficult to achieve.

This section describes the invention in further detail based on preferred embodiments and on the figures. It should be noted that features described for a specific embodiment described herein may be combined with the features of other embodiments unless the contrary is explicitly mentioned. Similar features are referenced with similar numbers across multiple embodiments, wherein the reference numbers are, unless otherwise stated, incremented by one hundred when moving to the next embodiment. For example, reference numbers100and200both describe an electrical connection module in accordance with the invention, in two separate embodiments thereof.

It should be understood that the detailed description of specific preferred embodiments is given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the scope of the invention will be apparent to the person skilled in the art. The scope of protection is defined by the following set of claims.

It is known to produce printed circuit boards, PCB, from a synthetic resin and to print or deposit electrically conductive traces thereon, which interconnect surface mounted devices or components of the electronic circuit to provide a specific function. Processes for producing a PCB or for creating such conductive traces thereon will not be described in the context of the present invention.

FIG. 1show an electrical connection module100in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention. The module100comprises a PCB110and an edge connector120. The connector120is used for connecting a wire harness, which is not shown, to the PCB. An edge112of the PCB is insertable into the connector120, which possesses a pair of jaws for receiving the PCB therebetween. As shown onFIG. 1, the connector comprises a main body that may be perceived by the series of round openings therein, in which conducting wires of a wire harness may be received and fixed. The pair of opposing jaws extends from the main body in the direction of the PCB110. The connector comprises electrical connections which allow establishing an electrical contact between the wire-receiving part and the PCB-contacting part thereof. The PCB comprises retention means130, integrally formed thereon, which are adapted to retain the edge connector, when the PCB is seated therein. InFIG. 1, the arms132,134of the retention means130are visible as the PCB is not seated in the connector. The arms132,134are preferably produced by cutting out part of the PCB's rigid and generally rectangular support plate. By doing so, the production of the arms does not require any additional tools or parts, and the ends of the arms are generally flush with the PCB's edge contour. Alternatively, the arms may protrude from the generally rectangular contour of the PCB. In the illustrated example, the ends of the arms132,134are equipped with hands133,134respectively, extending inwards towards each other. The distance between the arms is such that the breadth of an edge connector can be accommodated therebetween, wherein the depth of the bay-like cut-out or recess of the PCB is such that the depth of an edge connector can be lodged therein. The arms are thin enough to be slightly flexible yet resilient, so that when a connector120is pushed towards the PCB, the hands133,135contact the sides of the connector, which thereby laterally pushes both arms132,134outwards and away from each other, in a direction perpendicular to the direction of insertion. Once the connector is seated properly, the arms snap back into their original position and the hands133,135contact a backside122of the edge connector120, as illustrated inFIG. 2, thereby retaining it and keeping it from moving away from the PCB110. The hands and arms effectively implement a clipping mechanism. Other shapes of arms and/or hands than those shown may be implemented by the skilled person without leaving the scope of the present invention, for as long as they mechanically lock the connector120in place, once it is seated in said cut-out recess of the PCB.

FIGS. 3 and 4provide bird's eye views from the PCB shown inFIGS. 1 and 2respectively. The retention means130, including arms132,134and associated hands133,135can be clearly seen, while the arrow A indicates the direction from which an edge connector is approached when a connection to the PCB is attempted. InFIG. 4, the PCB110is seated between the jaws of the edge connector120, the back side122of which is held by the hands133,135. In this setting, the connector120may not freely move in the direction opposite to direction A, thereby achieving the effect of the invention.

A second embodiment of the electrical connection module200in accordance with the invention is shown inFIGS. 5 to 9.FIG. 5illustrates a bird's eye view of a PCB210having a recessed edge portion212along one of its edges. The edge portion may be inserted between the jaws of an edge connector device. In the shown example, the recess is provided by a cut-out of the PCB's main plate. The breadth of the recess is such that the breadth of an edge connector can be accommodated therebetween, wherein the depth of the recess such that the depth of an edge connector can be lodged therein. The dimensions of the recess preferably substantially match the dimensions of the edge connector. The cut-out region234is further shaped to provide a rib232, which extends in a direction that is perpendicular to the direction of insertion of the PCB210into the edge connector. The direction of insertion is indicated by the arrow A. The rib232is thin enough to be flexible yet resilient. Specifically, the rib232is capable of slightly pivoting in the direction that is perpendicular to the plane of illustration. The rib232, pivot point233and cut-out234provide the retention means230of the claimed device.

InFIG. 6, the PCB210is seated between the jaws of the edge connector220, the back side222of which is contacted by the rib232. In this setting, the connector220may not freely move in the direction opposite to direction A, thereby achieving the effect of the invention. The length of the rib232is long enough to enclose at least part of the back side222between itself and the edge region212of the PCB that establishes the electrical contact with the connector220.

FIGS. 7 to 9provide insight on how the flexible rib232and the connector220interact when the PCB210is being seated in the connector220. The view inFIG. 7shows a lateral view towards the recessed edge of the210. The recessed edge itself is hidden by the back side222of the connector220. The connector is being approached towards the PCB in the direction entering the image plane. The retention means230comprising rib232and pivot233are located within the main plane of the PCB210.

InFIG. 8, the rib232is pivoted downwards out of the main plane of the PCB210. This allows the connector220to enter the recessed portion of the PCB, previously shown inFIG. 5. The dimensions of the rib232are chosen so that the rib does not break or detach from pivot233when it is bent to accommodate the connector220. It should be noted that the rib's dimensions solely depend on the shape of the cut-out that is performed on the initially generally rectangular PCB. The skilled person may therefore readily adapt the dimensions of the rib232to any specific constraint arising in a particular application. The PCB's thickness is typically of the order of 2-3 mm.

InFIG. 9, the connector is finally lodged in the recess of the PCB. The recessed edge of the PCB210is seated between the opposing jaws of the edge connector220. The rib233resiliently snaps back into its original position by rotating upwards around the pivot233. The rib thereby aligns with the plane of the PCB210and contact at least a portion of the back side222of the connector220. Thereby, the connector automatically locked and may not freely disconnect from the PCB.

The electrical connection modules100,200that have been described, as well as other equivalent embodiments of the invention, are particularly useful, but not restricted, to be used in a lighting module for an automotive vehicle. In such a lighting module, a PCB110,210having the described retention means130,230may comprise one or more light sources, for example light emitting diodes, LED. The driver of theses LEDs, which provides electrical current to the LEDs, is typically remotely located on a separate PCB. The driver connects to the LED's PCB110,210using an edge connector220,320as previously described.