Abstract:
The invention relates to a printed circuit board plug-type connector ( 1 ), comprising a housing, in which contact elements ( 6 ) are arranged, wherein the contact elements ( 6 ) have a first contact part at one end and a second contact part at the opposite end, wherein the first contact part is in the form of a fork contact ( 7, 8 ), wherein the second contact part is in the form of a contact which makes contact with the printed circuit board, and an associated connection module ( 30 ) with a printed circuit board plug-type connector ( 1 ).

Description:
[0001]    This application is a Continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 12/524,204, filed 23 Jul. 2009, which is a National Stage Application of PCT/EP2007/010930, filed 13 Dec. 2007, which claims benefit of Ser. No. 10 2007 003 250.3, filed 23 Jan. 2007 in Germany and which applications are incorporated herein by reference. To the extent appropriate, a claim of priority is made to each of the above disclosed applications. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    The invention relates to a plug-in connector for printed circuit boards with a connection module with plug-in connector for printed circuit boards. 
         [0003]    Such a plug-in connector of the generic type is known, for example, from DE 102 57 308 B3. The plug-in connector for printed circuit boards comprises a number of contact elements, the contact elements each having two connection sides, one connection side being in the form of an insulation displacement contact for connecting wires, and the other connection side being in the form of a fork contact for making contact with connection pads on a printed circuit board, and a plastic housing, into which the insulation displacement contacts of the contact elements can be plugged, the insulation displacement contact and the fork contact being arranged such that they are turned towards one another, and at least one lower edge of the insulation displacement contact being supported on the plastic housing so that the contact elements are held in the plastic housing such that they cannot become detached in the case of connection forces occurring on the insulation displacement contacts, the plastic housing comprising at least one region in the form of a chamber, and the fork contacts being completely accommodated in the longitudinal direction by the plastic housing, ribs being arranged in the region in the form of a chamber on the inner sides, which ribs define guides for the fork contacts, the contact regions of the fork contacts protruding beyond the ribs, and the ribs being beveled in the front region. The packing density is in this case largely determined by the modular spacing between the fork contacts, which is in the region of a few millimeters. 
         [0004]    One preferred application area of such plug-in connectors for printed circuit boards is the use in connection modules. Such a connection module comprises a housing, in which at least one printed circuit board is arranged, the plug-in connector for printed circuit boards then being pushed onto one end side of the printed circuit board. The printed circuit boards of such a connection module generally represent high-quality technology, with the result that it is endeavored to change as little as possible of this technology. On the other hand, there are also requirements when the cables to be connected are not in the form of twisted pairs but have plug-in connectors or connection contacts of various types such as, for example, RJ45 plugs or coaxial plugs. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    The object is therefore based on the technical problem of providing a plug-in connector for printed circuit boards and a connection module, by means of which flexibly various cable connections are possible. 
         [0006]    In this regard, the plug-in connector for printed circuit boards comprises a housing, in which contact elements are arranged, the contact elements having a first contact part at one end and a second contact part at the opposite end, the first contact part being in the form of a fork contact, and the second contact part being in the form of a contact which makes contact with printed circuit boards. As a result, the printed circuit board including its interface can remain unchanged, a universal interface being created by the contact which makes contact with printed circuit boards. A printed circuit board with desirable connection contacts such as, for example, RJ45, Lemo, coaxial or wire-wrap contacts can be connected via the contact which makes contact with printed circuit boards in order to connect cables or wires. Likewise, a printed circuit board for a system test, for example, can be connected. 
         [0007]    In this case, the contact which makes contact with printed circuit boards is preferably also in the form of a fork contact. 
         [0008]    In a further preferred embodiment, the contact element is designed to be symmetrical, which in particular facilitates manipulation and fitting. The contact element can in this case be designed to be mirror-symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal axis of the contact element or else centrosymmetrical with respect to the center of gravity. 
         [0009]    In a further preferred embodiment, the housing of the plug-in connector for printed circuit boards is designed to have two parts. 
         [0010]    The plug-in connector for printed circuit boards is preferably in the form of a separate, independent component. However, it is also possible to integrate the plug-in connector for printed circuit boards together with an adapter printed circuit board and the associated connection contacts in a housing as a compact component. 
         [0011]    In the case in which the plug-in connector for printed circuit boards is in the form of a separate component, the adapter printed circuit board with the connection contacts is preferably likewise arranged in a separate housing. 
         [0012]    In order to connect the housing with the adapter printed circuit board, said housing preferably has a cylindrical cavity on each side, with the result that the housing can be connected to the housing of the connection module by means of a screw. 
         [0013]    In the case of the design of the plug-in connector for printed circuit boards, the adapter printed circuit board and the associated contacts as a common, compact component, the connection to the housing of the connection module can take place by means of a long screw, which is guided through the cylindrical cavity. In the case of a separate design, on the other hand, at first the plug-in connector for printed circuit boards is connected by a first screw, this screw having an internal thread on the side facing the adapter printed circuit board, into which internal thread a second screw, which is guided through the cylindrical cavity, is then screwed. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0014]    The invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to a preferred exemplary embodiment. In the figures: 
           [0015]      FIG. 1  shows a perspective illustration of a plug-in connector for printed circuit boards in the assembled state, 
           [0016]      FIG. 2  shows a perspective, exploded illustration of the plug-in connector for printed circuit boards as shown in  FIG. 1 , 
           [0017]      FIG. 3  shows a perspective illustration of two 17-pole plug-in connectors for printed circuit boards with a printed circuit board of a connection module (prior art), 
           [0018]      FIG. 4  shows a perspective illustration of two 17-pole plug-in connectors for printed circuit boards with adapter printed circuit boards, 
           [0019]      FIG. 5  shows a perspective illustration of a plug-in connector for printed circuit boards with a front frame panel (prior art), 
           [0020]      FIG. 6  shows a perspective illustration of a housing with an adapter printed circuit and a coaxial plug-in connector, 
           [0021]      FIG. 7  shows a perspective illustration of a connection module, and 
           [0022]      FIG. 8  shows a schematic, perspective illustration of a screw with an internal thread. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0023]      FIG. 1  shows the plug-in connector  1  for printed circuit boards in a perspective view and in the assembled state, and  FIG. 2  shows it in an exploded illustration. The plug-in connector  1  for printed circuit boards comprises a first housing part  2  and a second housing part  3 , which are latched to one another. For this purpose, the first housing part  2  has three latching tabs  4  on the upper side which latch into corresponding latching openings  5  in the second housing part. Correspondingly, three latching tabs  4  are also arranged on the lower side of the first housing part  2 , and three further latching openings  5  are provided on the lower side of the second housing part  3 . Contact elements  6 , which are in the form of a twin-fork contact, are arranged in the housing of the plug-in connector  1  for printed circuit boards. The first fork contact  7  is in this case used for making contact with a printed circuit board  10  (see  FIG. 3  or  4 ) of a connection module, while the second fork contact  8  is used for making contact with an adapter printed circuit board  11  or a measurement printed circuit board (see  FIG. 4 ). Ribs  9 , which in each case guide the fork contact  7 ,  8 , are arranged both in the first and in the second housing part  2 ,  3 . The contact regions  12  of the fork contacts  7 ,  8  in this case protrude beyond the ribs  9 , the ribs  9  being beveled in the front region in order to make it easier for the printed circuit board  10 ,  11  to be pushed on. At the rear sides  13 , the housing parts  2 ,  3  have entry slots  14 , through which the fork contacts  7 ,  8  are plugged. In this case, the stop edges  15 ,  16  or  17 ,  18  are used for plugging the fork contacts  7 ,  8  in in a defined manner and rest on the housing parts  2 ,  3  in front of the entry slots  14 . In this case, the contact element  6  is designed to be symmetrical with respect to the central longitudinal axis L. Finally, the first housing part is formed in each case on the upper and lower side with two latching hooks  19 . 
         [0024]      FIG. 3  illustrates the situation in which two 17-pole plug-in connectors  20  for printed circuit boards in accordance with DE 102 57 308 B2 have been plugged onto a printed circuit board  10  of a connection module  30 , in supplementary fashion to this  FIG. 5  showing a front frame panel  21 , onto which the plug-in connector  20  for printed circuit boards is latched, the front frame panel  21  and therefore also the plug-in connector  20  for printed circuit boards being screwed to a housing  31  of a connection module  30  by means of two screws  22 . If, for example, the plug-in connector  20  for printed circuit boards with insulation displacement contacts is now intended to be replaced by another connection technique, the plug-in connector  20  is withdrawn from the printed circuit board  10  and replaced by a plug-in connector  1  for printed circuit boards, the fork contacts  7  having the same modular spacing as the fork contacts of the plug-in connector  20 . 
         [0025]      FIG. 4  illustrates the plug-in connector  1  for printed circuit boards according to the invention, whose fork contacts  7  have been fitted onto the printed circuit board  10  of a connection module  30  and whose fork contacts  8  have been fitted onto an adapter printed circuit board  11 . Then, desired plug-in connectors or connection contacts are arranged on the adapter printed circuit board  11  and are then guided via conductor tracks to contact pads, which then make contact with the fork contacts  8 .  FIG. 6  illustrates this for coaxial plug-in connectors  23 , the adapter printed circuit board  11  with the coaxial plug-in connectors  23  being arranged in a separate housing  24 . Cylindrical cavities  25  are provided laterally on the housing  24 . 
         [0026]    A preferred connection to the connection module  30  now takes place by virtue of the fact that, at first, the plug-in connector  1  for printed circuit boards with the front frame panel  21  is screwed to the housing  31  of the connection module  30  by means of a screw  26  (see  FIG. 8 ). The screw  26  has, for this purpose, a first thread  27 , which is matched to the housing of the connection module. Furthermore, the screw  26  has, on the opposite side, an elongate head  28 , which is formed with an internal thread  29 . The head  28  is in this case matched to the cylindrical cavity  25 . Then, the adapter printed circuit board  11  is plugged onto the fork contacts  8 , the head  28  dipping into the cylindrical cavity. Then, a screw can be plugged into the cylindrical cavity  25  in front of the front side of the housing  24 , the thread of said screw being matched to the internal thread  29 . As a result, the housing  24  can then be connected indirectly to the housing of the connection module  30 . 
         [0027]    Finally,  FIG. 7  illustrates a fully equipped connection module  30 , which has a housing  31  and a rear side  32  with active technology. In this case, various interfaces are provided on the rear side  32  for signals and supply voltages. In the uppermost row, there is a plug-in connector  20  for printed circuit boards which is formed with insulation displacement contacts. Beneath this, a further plug-in connector  33  for printed circuit boards with wire-wrap contacts  34  is arranged, whose design is not the subject matter of this invention. Beneath this, two housings  24  with adapter printed circuit boards  11  of a coaxial plug-in connector  23  are arranged (see  FIG. 6 ). Correspondingly, beneath this embodiments for RJ45 sockets  35  and Lemo plug-in connectors  36  are shown, in the two latter variants the housing having a stepped design, i.e. being higher at the front than at the back. 
       LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS 
       [0000]    
       
           1  Plug-in connector for printed circuit boards 
           2  First housing part 
           3  Second housing part 
           4  Latching tabs 
           5  Latching openings 
           6  Contact elements 
           7  First fork contact 
           8  Second fork contact 
           9  Rib 
           10  Printed circuit board 
           11  Adapter printed circuit board 
           12  Contact regions 
           13  Rear sides 
           14  Entry slots 
           15  Stop edge 
           16  Stop edge 
           17  Stop edge 
           18  Stop edge 
           19  Latching hooks 
           20  Plug-in connector for printed circuit boards 
           21  Front frame panel 
           22  Screws 
           23  Coaxial plug-in connector 
           24  Separate housing 
           25  Cylindrical cavity 
           26  Screw 
           27  Thread 
           28  Head 
           29  Internal thread 
           30  Connection module 
           31  Housing 
           32  Rear side 
           33  Plug-in connector for printed circuit boards 
           34  Wire-wrap contacts 
           35  RJ45 socket 
           36  Lemo plug-in connector 
           37  L Central longitudinal axis