Patent GB-1468519-A (GB)
Title: Electrical component assemblies
IPC: H05K3/32
Filed: 1973-09-24
Abstract: 1468519 Component assemblies CANNON ELECTRIC (GREAT BRITAIN) Ltd 19 Sept 1974 [24 Sept 1973]' 44673/73 Heading H1R [Also in Division H2] In a time division multiplex control system for an automotive vehicle a transmitter is enclosed in a case (Fig. 1) bearing a dependent projection 2 with flexible side ears engaging a hole in an instrument panel and perforated ears 3, 4 of its upper surface co-operating with rearwardly extending flexible catch lugs 5, 6 of a circuit connector (Fig. 3) having a locating stud 7 engaging a notch 8 of the ease. The projection 2 is hollow to contain a flexible printed circuit 9 (Fig. 2) whose end portion 10 is rigidly located in case 1, and which has other integral rigid portions 11, 12 supporting components; rigidity being obtained by adding layers of insulant to the appropriate portions of the flexible circuit. The edge 13 of portion 12 cooperates with the connector and spring 14 urges the printed circuit towards aperture 15 for connection to supply and other circuits over a connector (Fig. 4) with ears engaging the aperture and a raised part 22 of a flexible printed circuit emergent from parallel slots and de-insulated to contact flexible circuit 9. The connector has wire leads connected to the instrument panel switches (not shown). In a receiver (Figs. 5, 7) electrical components are mounted on a flexible printed circuit 30 mounted on a carrier, having rigid integral portions 31, 32 retained in the carrier by resilient forks 33 and retaining rods 34, 35, 35a. A spring 36 urges the flexible part of the circuit outwardly. The carrier has a plate 38 socketed for a plug-in control relay and wired to the flexible printed circuit 30 at the end of which a portion 37 is coded to respond to a specific signal as described in Specification 1,467,805, by selectively-punching out portions of the circuits. Circuit 30 is installed in the carrier with connections to the relay contacts and the carrier is placed in the case with contacts aligned with apertures 38a and the spring urged portion of circuit 10 aligned with an aperture 39 engaged by an outer connector (Fig. 6, not shown), snap fitted into the aperture. Thereafter the assembly is sealed and waterproofed; the case (Fig. 5) having ears 40, 41 engaging an aperture of an instrument panel of the vehicle. In a modification (Fig. 8) a transmitter box 50 rests on feet 52 engaging lips 53 of a two part base; the upper part of which has a square aperture receiving parallel tongues upstanding on the lower part (Figs. 10, 11 not shown), overhanging to support a convoluted spring which when the parts are fitted together urges a flexible printed circuit cable upwards to engage tracks of a rigid portion of a printed circuit contained in the box 50; to which connections are made over an edge connector 59 with exterior flexible linked catches 60 engaging ears 51. Its contacts engage bared tracks of a rigid portion 57 of the interior printed circuit (Fig. 9). The assembled transmitter parts are held together by nosepieces 62, 63 of the base engaging the box 50, and the assembly is secured to the vehicle instrument panel by tags 61. A corresponding receiver unit (Figs. 12, 13) has a 2-part base 70 similar to the above containing two rigidized printed circuit portions 71, 72 at right angles with a flexible portion 73 at the end of portion 72 and a short connecting portion therebetween. The base spring urges its flexible connector against the bored tracks of the printed circuit proximately to the left hand side of portion 72, and portions 71, 72 carry electrical components including a relay, to which further connections are made over flexible cable sections with stiffened portions plugged in through holes 75. A further modification of the receiver and transmitter units is described (Figs. 14 to 17, not shown), in which electrical components are mounted on a rigidized portion of the flexible printed circuit.