ELECTRONICS CARD COMPRISING A PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD AND A PIECE OF EQUIPMENT CARRIED BY THE BOARD

• US 20090181562A1
• Filed: 01/09/2009
• Published: 07/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies Incorporated (Visteon Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: MATHIEU, Herve, GRANDJEAN, Genevieve, BOX, Benoit, BARILLER, Jean-Marie, ARNOULD, Robert, CROY, Jean-Luc
• Granted Patent: US 8,203,845 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/83
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0311 Metallic part with specific elastic properties, e.g. bent piece of metal as electrical contact
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/1031 Surface mounted metallic connector elements
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10386 Clip leads; Terminals gripping the edge of a substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10598 Means for fastening a component, a casing or a heat sink whereby a pressure is exerted on the component towards the PCB
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10969 Metallic case or integral heatsink of component electrically connected to a pad on PCB
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/301 by means of a mounting structure H05K3/325 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/325 by abutting or pinching, i.e. without alloying process; mechanical auxiliary parts therefor adaptations of leads inserted in holes for press-fit connections H05K3/308
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

The invention relates to an electronics card (1) comprising a printed circuit board (2) and a piece of equipment (3) such as a motor or a loudspeaker fastened to said printed circuit board (2). The piece of equipment (3) is fastened to a face (4) of the printed circuit board (2) by snap-fastening in metal clips (6, 7) that project from said face (4), each clip (6, 7) having a first end (8, 9) fastened to said face (4) of the printed circuit board (2) by soldering, and a second end (11, 12) bearing resiliently on a corresponding portion of the piece of equipment (3) for holding it pressed against said face (4) of the printed circuit board (2). The invention applies in particular to electronics cards for motor vehicles.

Claims

1. An electronics card (1) comprising a printed circuit board (2) and a piece of equipment (3) such as a motor or a loudspeaker fastened to said printed circuit board (2), wherein the piece of equipment (3) is fastened to a face (4) of the printed circuit board (2) by snap-fastening in metal clips (6, 7) that project from said face (4), each clip (6, 7) having a first end (8, 9) fastened to said face (4) of the printed circuit board (2) by soldering, and a second end (11, 12) bearing resiliently on a corresponding portion of the piece of equipment (3) for holding it pressed against said face (4) of the printed circuit board (2).

2. An electronics card (1) according to claim 1, wherein at least one clip (6, 7) has its first end (8, 9) soldered to an electrical track of the printed circuit board (2) and its second end (11, 12) bearing against a terminal of the piece of equipment (3) in order to serve also as an electrical contact between the terminal and the track.

3. An electronics card (1) according to claim 1, wherein each clip (6, 7) is fabricated from a piece of sheet metal of generally rectangular outline that is curved to form a clip.

4. An electronics card (1) according to claim 3, wherein each clip (6, 7) is curved to present a section of a shape corresponding to the shape of the letter S or of the letter Z.

5. An electronics card (1) according to claim 1, wherein the piece of equipment (3) is an electric motor having a cylindrical body presenting a generally plane base (13) bearing against a face (4) of the printed circuit board (2) and a circular groove (16) in its cylindrical side surface (14), each second end (11, 12) of a clip (6, 7) being engaged in the circular groove (16) to hold the motor (3) bearing against the face (4) of the printed circuit board (2) that carries it.

6. An electronics card according to claim 1, wherein the piece of equipment (3) has a bearing face (13) provided with at least one positioning tab projecting from said face and designed to engage in a corresponding hole in the printed circuit board (2) to position the piece of equipment (3) on the printed circuit board (2), the clips (6, 7) serving to hold the piece of equipment (3) pressed against a face (4) of the printed circuit board (2).

7. A method of fastening a piece of equipment (3) such as a motor or a loudspeaker to a printed circuit board (2), wherein the piece of equipment (3) is secured to the printed circuit board (2) by being clipped in metal clips (6, 7) previously fastened to the printed circuit board (2) by soldering.