Printed circuit board having a light source

• US 6,502,968 B1
• Filed: 12/20/1999
• Issued: 01/07/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mannesmann VDO AG (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Mannesmann VDO AG (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Simon, Ernst-Ulrich
• Primary Examiner(s): Sember, Thomas M.
• Application Number:
  US09/468,285
• Time in Patent Office: 1,114 Days
• Field of Search: 362/84, 362/488, 362/489, 362/543, 362/544, 362/545, 362/800
• US Class Current: 362/489
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/001 the light sources being semiconductors devices, e.g. LEDs
• 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 1/147 at least one of the printed circuits being bent or folded, e.g. by using a flexible printed circuit H05K1/148 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10106 Light emitting diode [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10128 Display
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10303 Pin-in-hole mounted pins
• 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 3/305 Affixing by adhesive
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/3447 Lead-in-hole components H05K3/3415 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/361 Assembling flexible printed circuits with other printed circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/368 parallel to each other H05K3/361 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

In a printed circuit board (1) for a display instrument, a support (3) is used for holding a light source (5). For this, the support (3) is fitted onto the printed circuit board (1), which has a conductor track (2), using a fixing means (7). This allows the light source (5) to be individually matched to different applications, and gives it a small physical height at the same time. In this arrangement, there is no need for the use of optical fibers, and this allows the reading accuracy of the instrument to be improved, particularly as a result of a uniform, high illumination level.

Claims

1. A display instrument, for a motor vehicle, comprising

a first electronic printed circuit board having conductor tracks, and

a support, wherein a light source is arranged on the support, said support being formed as a second printed circuit board with conductor tracks connected to the light source,

said support being mounted as a bridge to the first electronic printed circuit board by a fixing element, and

electrical contacts connecting the conductor tracks of the second printed circuit board to the conductor tracks of the first printed circuit board for applying the light source with electric power,

wherein a configuration and an orientation of the second printed circuit board are independent of the first printed circuit board by the bridge mounting and the fixing element to position the light source at a desired location relative to the first printed circuit board.

2. The display instrument as claimed in claim 1, wherein said fixing element (7, 16) has a clip connection (6, 17).

3. The display instrument as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fixing element (7, 9, 14, 16, 24) is integrally connected to a housing of the display instrument.

4. The display instrument as claimed in claim 1, wherein said fixing element (24) is a hinge.

5. The display instrument as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fixing element (9, 14, 24) has an electrical contact arrangement (10, 25).

6. The display instrument as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support (23) is bonded to the first printed circuit board (20).

7. The display instrument as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support (11) is in electrical contact with the first printed circuit board (1) by a plug connection (12) as said electrical contacts.

8. The display instrument as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support (3, 13, 15, 23) is a ceramic substrate.

9. The display instrument as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support (8, 11) is a foil.

10. The display instrument as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support (8, 11) is elastically deformable.

11. The display instrument as claimed in claim 10, wherein the support (8, 11) is rollable.

12. The display instrument as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support (15) has a reflector (19) for the light source (5).

13. The display instrument as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support (23) comprises a section (26) of, but separated from, the first printed circuit board (20).

14. The display instrument as claimed in claim 1, wherein the light source (5) is a light-emitting diode (LED).

15. The display instrument as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support is an electroluminescent foil.

16. The display instrument as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support (3, 8, 11, 13, 15, 23) is at a distance from the first printed circuit board (1, 20).

17. The display instrument as claimed in claim 16, wherein a heat-dissipating element is arranged between the first printed circuit board (1, 20) and said support (3, 8, 11, 13, 15, 23).

18. The display instrument as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support (3, 8, 11, 13, 15, 23) is arranged at an acute angle to the first printed circuit board (1, 20).

19. The display instrument as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second printed circuit board is rigid.

20. The display instrument as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second printed circuit board is flexible.

21. The display instrument as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electrical contacts also hold the support on the first printed circuit board.

22. The display instrument as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fixing element for the support is a flexible printed circuit foil connected to the conductor tracks on said support and said first printed circuit board.

23. The display instrument as claimed in claim 22, wherein said fixing element has an electrical contact arrangement (25) for connection to structural elements at a back of said first printed circuit board.