ELECTRONIC ASSEMBLY AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING SAME

• US 20160157364A1
• Filed: 02/04/2016
• Published: 06/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TRW Automotive USLLC (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: TRW Automotive USLLC (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Inventors: Blossfeld, Mike, Sanchez, Luis Fermando
• Granted Patent: US 9,756,741 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/00 Structural associations of a plurality of mutually-insulated electrical connecting elements, specially adapted for printed circuits, e.g. printed circuit boards [PCB], flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures, e.g. terminal strips, terminal blocks; Coupling devices specially adapted for printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures; Terminals specially adapted for contact with, or insertion into, printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures printed connections to, or between, printed circuits H05K1/11
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/724 containing contact members forming a right angle
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/41 by frictional grip in grommet, panel or base
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/447 Shutter or cover plate
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/506 assembled by snap action of the parts
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6658 on printed circuit board H01R13/6666 - H01R13/6691 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/26 for vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/16 for manufacturing contact members, e.g. by punching and by bending
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/18 for manufacturing bases or cases for contact members
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/20 for assembling or disassembling contact members with insulating base, case or sleeve
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/205 with a panel or printed circuit board
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/086 Assembled boxes
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/16 structurally associated with support for line-connecting terminals within the box
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/003 having an integrally preformed housing
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0047 having a two-part housing enclosing a PCB
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0052 characterized by joining features of the housing parts
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/006 characterized by features for holding the PCB within the housing
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/03 Covers
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1428 for small modular apparatus with terminal block
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 439/941 Crosstalk suppression
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 : Electrical device making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 : Conductor or circuit manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49204 : Contact or terminal manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49208 : by assembling plural parts
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4922 : with molding of insulation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49222 : forming array of contacts or terminals

Abstract

An electronic assembly comprises a housing, a cover for the housing, a printed circuit board receivable in the housing, and a compliant pin header assembly. The compliant pin header assembly is mountable in the housing by inter-engaging features on the header assembly and the housing. The compliant pin header assembly has compliant pins for engaging corresponding features on the printed circuit board to connect the compliant pin header assembly electrically to the printed circuit board. The cover, when the electronic assembly is assembled, engages the housing and also engages the printed circuit board at a location spaced from an outer periphery of the printed circuit board.

Claims

1. An enclosure for a printed circuit board comprising a housing with at least one projection formed on an interior surface of the housing to engage and support the printed circuit board, said at least one projection having a flat surface for receiving and supporting the printed circuit board, an adjacent angled surface also being formed on an interior surface of the housing to help position the printed circuit board on the flat surface.

2. The enclosure of claim 1, further comprising a cover for clamping the printed circuit board in the housing when said cover is secured to the housing.

3. The enclosure of claim 2, wherein at least one projection is formed on the cover for engaging the printed circuit board and helping to clamp the printed circuit

4. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein the enclosure is adapted for mounting a compliant pin header assembly in the housing, the mounting of the compliant pin header assembly being facilitated by inter-engaging features on the compliant pin header assembly and the housing, the compliant pin header assembly having compliant pins for engaging corresponding features on the printed circuit board to connect the compliant pin header assembly electrically to the printed circuit board, the enclosure further comprising a cover that when assembled engages the housing and the printed circuit board at a location spaced from an outer periphery of the printed circuit board.

5. The enclosure of claim 4, wherein the inter-engaging features on the compliant pin header assembly and the housing snap together.

6. The enclosure of claim 4, wherein the cover is secured to the housing and clamps the printed circuit board in the housing.

7. The enclosure of claim 4, wherein the cover is secured to the housing by at least one fastener, said electronic assembly being free of any fastener attaching the printed circuit board to the cover and free of any fastener attaching the printed circuit board to the housing.

8. The enclosure of claim 4, wherein the housing and the cover are both made of plastic, the cover being secured to the housing by laser welding.

9. The enclosure of claim 4, wherein the enclosure is further adapted for mounting a capacitor and a carrier for the capacitor, the carrier including a tubular portion defining a cylindrical space for receiving the capacitor, the carrier also including at least one spring portion for engaging the capacitor and applying a spring bias to retain the capacitor in the carrier.

10. The enclosure of claim 4, wherein the enclosure is further adapted for mounting a capacitor and a carrier for the capacitor, the carrier being mounted to the housing so as to be located on a side of the printed circuit board opposite the cover.