Taillight fixture for motor vehicles with printed circuit boards with connectors and LED's

• US 5,975,715 A
• Filed: 08/08/1997
• Issued: 11/02/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Reitter & Schefenacker GmbH & Co. KG
• Original Assignee: Reitter & Schefenacker GmbH & Co. KG
• Inventors: Bauder, Rudolf
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Shea, Sandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): HONEYMAN, MARSHALL S
• Application Number:
  US08/907,693
• Time in Patent Office: 816 Days
• Field of Search: 439/834, 439/36, 439/44, 439/842, 439/844, 439/845, 439/856, 439/858, 362/226, 362/800, 362/473, 362/498, 362/499
• US Class Current: 362/549
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/14 Light emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/06 the elements being coupling devices , e.g. connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/141 One or more single auxiliary printed circuits mounted on a main printed circuit, e.g. modules, adapters H05K1/142 and H05K1/147 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/202 using self-supporting metal foil pattern
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/4092 Integral conductive tabs, i.e. conductive parts partly detached from the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

A motor vehicle taillight fixture has a first printed board having at least one electric connector for contacting an electric supply line. The first printed board has at least one plug-in contact. A second printed board has at least one plug-in connector for receiving the at least one plug-in connector. LEDs are connected to the second printed board.

Claims

1. A motor vehicle taillight fixture comprising:

a first printed board having at least one electric connector for contacting an electric supply line;

said first printed board having at least one plug-in contact;

a second printed board having at least one plug-in connector for receiving said at least one plug-in contact;

LEDs connected to said second printed board;

wherein said plug-in connector comprises at least two springy tongues;

wherein said plug-in connector has a U-shape and has two legs connected by a transverse bar.

2. A taillight fixture according to claim 1, wherein said plug-in connector comprises pins extending through an opening of said second printed board and wherein said pins are fastened to said opening by soldering.

3. A taillight fixture according to claim 1, wherein said tongues are bent to a semi-circular shape.

4. A taillight fixture according to claim 1, wherein said tongues are positioned between said two legs.

5. A taillight fixture according to claim 4, wherein said tongues extend upwardly from said transverse bar.

6. A taillight fixture according to claim 1, wherein said legs have a free end and wherein to each one of said free ends at least one of said pins is connected.

7. A taillight fixture according to claim 6, wherein free ends of said tongues and said free ends of said legs are positioned substantially at a same level.

8. A taillight fixture according to claim 1, wherein said tongues have an identical length.

9. A motor vehicle taillight fixture comprising:

a first printed board having at least one electric connector for contacting an electric supply line;

said first printed board having at least one plug-in contact;

a second printed board having at least one plug-in connector for receiving said at least one plug-in contact;

LEDs connected to said second printed board;

wherein said plug-in connector comprises at least two springy tongues;

wherein said tongues are positioned opposite one another.

10. A taillight fixture according to claim 9, wherein said plug-in connector has a U-shape and has two legs connected by a transverse bar.

11. A taillight fixture according to claim 9, comprising three of said tongues, wherein a centrally arranged one of said tongues is positioned opposed to the other two of said tongues and wherein said centrally arranged tongue is curved oppositely to said other two tongues.

12. A taillight fixture according to claim 11, wherein said centrally arranged tongue has a greater width than said other two tongues.

13. A taillight fixture according to claim 11, wherein said other two tongues are congruently arranged when viewing said plug-in connector in an end view onto said U-shape.

14. A taillight fixture according to claim 11, wherein said plug-in connector is stamped as a rectangular sheet metal piece and folded into said U-shape.

15. A taillight fixture according to claim 14, wherein said plug-in connector is symmetrical relative to a longitudinal center plane of said rectangular sheet metal piece.

16. A taillight fixture according to claim 15, wherein said tongues, when viewing said plug-in connector in a top view, abut a transverse center plane positioned perpendicularly to said longitudinal center plane.

17. A taillight fixture according to claim 16, wherein said tongues viewed in said top view define a tapering insertion opening in an insertion direction of said at least one plug-in contact.

18. A taillight fixture according to claim 15, wherein a longitudinal center plane of said centrally arranged tongue coincides with said longitudinal center plane of said rectangular sheet metal piece.