Patent Publication Number: US-9419396-B2

Title: Female fuse terminal and printed circuit board assembly therefor

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional Application No. 61/657,127 filed Jun. 8, 2012, the disclosure of which is incorporated in its entirety by reference herein. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     Various embodiments relate to female fuse terminals, and printed circuit board assemblies for female fuse terminals. 
     BACKGROUND 
     There is a constant desire to minimize the overall size of electronics to improve compactness of electronics. In the automotive industry, reductions in size result in an increase in aerodynamic efficiency and a reduction in weight, which both consequently, increase fuel efficiency. Such advances include the development of smaller fuses, such as micro fuses. 
     There are some limits to compactness, however. A minimum distance for a terminal from an edge of a printed circuit board (PCB) is often observed to maintain a desired structural integrity of the PCB and the terminal. 
     SUMMARY 
     According to at least one embodiment, a female fuse terminal is provided with a longitudinally extending blade portion sized to be received within a socket. An intermediate portion extends from the blade portion and extends at an acute angle from a longitudinal direction of the blade portion. A female portion is sized to receive a fuse blade, and extends from the intermediate portion such that the female portion is offset parallel to the blade portion. 
     According to a further embodiment, a printed circuit board assembly is provided with a PCB having a socket sized to receive a terminal. A female fuse terminal is provided with a longitudinally extending blade portion received within the socket. An intermediate portion extends from the blade portion and extends at an acute angle from a longitudinal direction of the blade portion. A female portion is sized to receive a fuse blade, and extends from the intermediate portion such that the female portion is offset parallel to the blade portion. 
     According to at least one embodiment, a printed circuit board assembly is provided with a PCB having a first socket sized to receive a connector assembly, and a second socket sized to receive a terminal. The second socket is spaced apart from the first socket at least a predetermined distance for a terminal socket to a connector socket. A terminal has a male portion received within the second socket, and a female portion sized to receive a blade, extending from the male portion such that the female portion is spaced apart from the first socket a distance that is less than the predetermined distance for the terminal socket to the connector socket. 
     According to at least another embodiment, a printed circuit board assembly is provided with a PCB having a first socket sized to receive a connector assembly, and a second socket sized to receive a terminal. The second socket is spaced apart from the first socket at least a predetermined distance for a terminal socket to a connector socket. A terminal has a male portion received within the second socket, an intermediate portion extending from the blade portion and angled from the blade portion, and a female portion sized to receive a fuse blade, extending from the intermediate portion such that the female portion is spaced apart from the first socket a distance that is less than the predetermined distance for the terminal socket to the connector socket. A connector assembly is received within the second socket. A fuse has a first blade received within the connector assembly and a second blade received within the female portion of the female fuse terminal. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a side elevation view of an unclaimed printed circuit board (PCB) assembly illustrated with a first fuse; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the PCB assembly of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a side elevation view of the PCB assembly of  FIG. 1  illustrated with a second fuse; 
         FIG. 4  is a side elevation view of another unclaimed PCB assembly illustrated with the second fuse; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the PCB assembly of  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a PCB assembly according to an embodiment; 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the PCB assembly of  FIG. 6  illustrated with a connector assembly and the second fuse, according to another embodiment; 
         FIG. 8  is a side elevation view of a PCB assembly according to yet another embodiment, illustrated with the second fuse; and 
         FIG. 9  is a side elevation view of a female fuse terminal of the PCB assembly of  FIG. 6 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale; some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a printed circuit board assembly  10  is illustrated having a printed circuit board (PCB)  12 . The printed circuit board assembly  10  may be employed in a junction box, for example; and may be employed in an automotive junction box. The PCB  12  has a connector socket  14  formed through a thickness of the PCB for receipt of a connector assembly  16 . A terminal socket  18  is also formed through the PCB  12 . The connector socket  14  forms an edge  20  in the PCB  12 . The terminal socket  18  is spaced a dimension X from the edge  20  of the connector socket  14 . The dimension X may be a design requirement for the PCB  12 , wherein the terminal socket  18  is spaced apart at least X to maintain a structural integrity of the PCB  12  and that of the terminal socket  18  for the particular design. 
     A female fuse terminal  22  is provided with a flat body including a male blade portion  24  received within the terminal socket  18  for electrical communication with the PCB  12 . The female terminal  22  includes a projection  26  which prevents over-insertion of the male blade portion  24  into the PCB  12  and which may be utilized for locating the female terminal  22 . The female terminal  22  includes a female portion  28  with a slot  30  that is sized to receive a blade  32  of a fuse  34 . Another blade  36  of the fuse  34  is received within a female terminal  38  in the connector assembly  16 . 
     The fuse  34  depicted in  FIGS. 1 and 2  is a mini fuse. The spacing of the blades  32 ,  36  is adequate to traverse the spacing, dimension X, of the edge  20  of the connector socket  14  and the terminal socket  18 . In  FIG. 3 , the PCB assembly  10  is illustrated with the mini fuse  34  removed and replaced with a micro fuse  40 . The micro fuse  40  is smaller and more compact than the mini fuse  34 ; however, the micro fuse  40  includes male blades  42 ,  44  with a smaller spacing. With one blade  42  within the female terminal  38  of the connector assembly  16 , the other blade  44  is not centered in the slot  30  of the female fuse terminal  22 . This arrangement results in a poor electrical connection between the blade  44  and the female fuse terminal  22  at a minimum spacing, dimension X, of the edge  20  of the connector socket  14  and the terminal socket  18 . 
       FIGS. 4 and 5  depict a printed circuit board assembly  46  with a PCB  48  similar to the prior examples. The PCB  48  has a connector socket  50  formed through a thickness of the PCB for receipt of the connector assembly  16 . A terminal socket  52  is also formed through the PCB  48 . The connector socket  50  forms an edge  54  in the PCB  48 . The terminal socket  52  is spaced a dimension &lt;X from the edge  54  of the connector socket  50 . The dimension &lt;X is less than the dimension X that is recommended as a design requirement for the PCB  48 . Therefore, the PCB  48  is not designed to maintain a structural integrity of the PCB  48  and that of the terminal socket  52  for the particular design. The female terminal  22  is received within the terminal socket  52 . The design of the PCB  48  risks damage of the connection between the PCB  48  and the female terminal  22 . 
     With reference to  FIGS. 6 and 7 , a printed circuit board assembly  56  is illustrated according to an embodiment, utilizing the PCB  12 . The printed circuit board assembly  56  may be employed in a junction box, for example; and may be employed in an automotive junction box. As stated before, the PCB  12  has the connector socket  14  formed through a thickness of the PCB for receipt of the connector assembly  16  as illustrated in  FIG. 7 . The terminal socket  18  is also formed through the PCB  12 . The connector socket  14  forms the edge  20  in the PCB  12 . The terminal socket  18  is spaced the dimension X from the edge  20  of the connector socket  14 , as previously illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 6, 7 and 9 , a female fuse terminal  58  is provided with a flat body including a longitudinally extending male blade portion  60  received within the terminal socket  18  for electrical communication with the PCB  12 . Although one female fuse terminal  58  and one terminal socket  18  are illustrated and described, any number is contemplated within the spirit and scope. The female terminal  58  includes a pair of projections  62  which may be utilized for insertion and pressing of the female terminal  58  into the PCB  12  during manufacturing. The blade portion  60  may be soldered to the PCB  12  to secure the female terminal  58  and to maintain the electrical connection therebetween. 
     An intermediate portion  64  extends from the blade portion  60  at a first bend  66  and extends at an angle relative to the longitudinal direction. In the depicted embodiment, the intermediate portion  64  forms an obtuse angle Θ relative to the male blade portion  60  to utilize less material as would be required if oriented perpendicular to the male blade portion  60 . 
     The female terminal  58  includes a female portion  68  extending from the intermediate portion  64  at a second bend  70  and extends an obtuse angle Φ to orient the female portion  68  offset parallel to the blade portion  60 . The offset of the female portion  68  from the blade portion  60  orients the female portion at a distance &lt;X relative to the edge  20 , which is less than dimension X. Angles Θ, Φ may be generally equivalent so that the female portion  68  is parallel with the blade portion  60 . 
     A slot  72  is formed in the female portion  68  of the female fuse terminal  58 , which is sized to receive the blade  44  of the micro fuse  40 . The slot  72  may extend into the intermediate portion  64  to provide clearance for the blade  44 . The slot  72  may have a reduced width in the female portion  68  for maintaining an electrical within this region. 
     The female terminal  58  permits use of a micro fuse  40  within the structural design constraints of the PCB  12  without a reduction in quality of an electrical connection. Additionally, the female terminal  58  provides modularity wherein one PCB  12  may be utilized in various PCB assemblies  12 ,  56  that have varying fuse  34 ,  40  requirements. Moreover, the female terminal  58  permits an upgrade in fuse compactness from the PCB assembly  10  to the PCB assembly  56  without requiring a redesign of the PCB  12 . The female terminal  58  may be embodied in various shapes within the spirit and scope of the invention. 
       FIG. 8 , illustrates a PCB assembly  74  with a PCB  76  with a connector socket  78  that receives a connector assembly  80 . The depicted connector assembly  80  includes a female terminal  82  and a wire  84  connected to the female terminal  82 . The connector assembly  80  may be provided as depicted with the female terminal  82  secured directly in the connector socket  78 , or may be provided as a subassembly installed into the connector assembly  16  of prior embodiments. A terminal socket  86  is spaced a dimension X from an edge  88  in the connector socket  78 . The female fuse terminal  58  of the prior embodiment is installed into the terminal socket  86 . The micro fuse  40  is installed into the female terminals  82 ,  58  via the blades  42 ,  44  respectively. 
     While various embodiments are described above, it is not intended that these embodiments describe all possible forms of the invention. Rather, the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Additionally, the features of various implementing embodiments may be combined to form further embodiments of the invention.