Electronic module having a prestressed flat plug connection and method for mounting such an electronic module

• US 7,922,510 B2
• Filed: 08/25/2009
• Issued: 04/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Knorr-Bremse Systeme Fur Nutzfahrzeuge GMBH (Estate of Heinz Hermann Thiele)
• Original Assignee: Knorr-Bremse Systeme Fur Nutzfahrzeuge GMBH (Estate of Heinz Hermann Thiele)
• Inventors: Deeg, Markus, Puth, Thomas, Petrzik, Martin, Kralicek, Marko, Eichner, Markus, Klinger, Herbert, Behrendt, Norbert
• Primary Examiner(s): Prasad; Chandrika
• Application Number:
  US12/547,263
• Publication Number:
  US 20100055967A1
• Time in Patent Office: 595 Days
• Field of Search: 439246-248, 439/252
• US Class Current: 439/247
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/716 Coupling device provided on the PCB
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6315 allowing relative movement between coupling parts, e.g. floating connection for coupling devices specially adapted for printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures, H01R12/91 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/26 for vehicles

Abstract

A module, particularly an electronic module of a commercial vehicle, includes at least one plug connection, having a plug element and a mating plug element, by which an electrical connection can be established when plugged together. At least one of the plug elements is mounted floatingly or movably within a clearance. A method for assembling the module plugs together the plug elements, at least one of the plug elements moving within a clearance relative to the mounting thereof.

Claims

1. An electronic module of a commercial vehicle, comprising:

at least one plug connection comprising a plug element and a mating plug element, by which an electrical connection is made in a plugged-together state of the plug element and the mating plug element; and

wherein at least one of the plug element and mating plug element comprises a floating or moving mount of said at least one of the plug element and the mating plug element within a clearance; and

wherein the plug connection is a flat plug connection;

wherein spring elements are arranged at two farthest end sections of the mounted flat plug connection in a plane perpendicular to a plugging direction; and

wherein the spring elements prestress the plug element in the plugging direction against the mating plug element.

2. The electronic module according to claim 1, wherein said floating or moving mount floats or moves within the clearance in the plugging direction of the plug element and the mating plug element.

3. The electronic module according to claim 1, wherein the other plug element is non-movably mounted.

4. The electronic module according to claim 2, wherein the other plug element is non-movably mounted.

5. The electronic module according to claim 1, wherein each of the plug element and the mating plug element comprise one or more guide devices by which the plug element and the mating plug element are guidable against one another in order to establish the electrical connection.

6. The electronic module according to claim 5, wherein said one or more guide devices each comprise a slide face surface cooperating with one another such that the plug element and the mating plug element slide against one another in order to establish the electrical connection.

7. The electronic module according to claim 1, further comprising:

a line carrier on which is mounted one of the plug element and the mating plug element; and

a housing part in which the line carrier is secured.

8. The electronic module according to claim 1, further comprising:

a printed circuit board on which one of the plug element and the mating plug element is mounted; and

a housing part in which the printed circuit board is secured.

9. The electronic module according to claim 7, further comprising:

a printed circuit board on which the other plug element is mounted; and

a second housing part to which the printed circuit board is secured.

10. The electronic module according to claim 9, wherein the housing part is a bottom housing part and the second housing part is a top housing part.

11. A method for mounting an electronic module of a commercial vehicle, the module having at least one flat plug connection including a plug element and a mating plug element, the method comprising the acts of:

arranging spring elements at the two farthest end sections of the plug element in a plane perpendicular to a plugging direction, wherein the spring elements prestress the plug element in the plugging direction against the mating plug element;

plugging together the plug element and the mating plug element to establish an electrical connection; and

wherein at least one of the plug element and the mating plug element moves within a clearance with respect to its mount during the plugging together of the plug element and the mating plug element to establish the electrical connection.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein during the act of plugging together the plug element and the mating plug element, said at least one of the plug elements moves in a plugging direction within the clearance with respect to its mount.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the other of the plug elements does not move with respect to its mount during the plugging together to establish the electrical connection.

14. The method according to claim 11, further comprising the act of guiding the plug element and the mating plug element against one another via a guide device during the plugging together, said guide device being configured as respective slide face surfaces.

15. The method according to claim 11, further comprising the acts of:

mounting one of the plug element and the mating plug element on a line carrier secured to a first housing lower part before plugging together to form the electrical connection; and

mounting the other of the plug elements on a printed circuit board secured to a second housing part before the plugging together to form the electrical connection.