Device for the contact and attachment of an electric component in a motor vehicle

• US 8,791,611 B2
• Filed: 04/02/2008
• Issued: 07/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLP (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Arnould, Robert, Marchand, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, John K
• Application Number:
  US12/594,324
• Publication Number:
  US 20100277018A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,309 Days
• Field of Search: 310/71, 439/332, 439/345, 439/404, 439/426, 439/858, 439/537
• US Class Current: 310/71
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/62 Means for facilitating engagement or disengagement of coupling parts or for holding them in engagement
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/625 Casing or ring with bayonet engagement
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/26 for vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/26 Connections in which at least one of the connecting parts has projections which bite into or engage the other connecting part in order to improve the contact H01R4/188, H01R4/203, H01R4/5075 take precedence; using shape memory materials H01R4/01
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/28 Clamped connections, spring connections made by means of terminals specially adapted for contact with, or insertion into, printed circuits H01R12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 5/22 Auxiliary parts of casings not covered by groups H02K5/06-H02K5/20, e.g. shaped to form connection boxes or terminal boxes

Abstract

A device is provided for contact and attachment of an electrical component, such as in a motor vehicle. The contact and attachment are in a substantially flat region of a support element. The device comprises a plurality of clips. One side of the clips being configured to be at least partially inserted into at least one recess in the support element.

Claims

1. A device for the contact and attachment of an electric component of a motor vehicle to a substantially flat region of a support element, the device comprising a plurality of clips arranged in a substantially circular pattern, wherein one side of each of the plurality of clips is configured to be at least partially inserted into at least one recess in the support element, each of the plurality of clips extends from the electric component, each of the plurality of clips is configured to establish contact between the electric component and the support element through a first relative movement in a direction substantially perpendicular to the substantially flat region of the support element, and a second relative movement in a direction substantially parallel to the substantially flat region of the support element, the second relative movement comprises a rotary movement, each of the plurality of clips comprises a corresponding recess through which a respective contact tongue of the support element is configured to be inserted to establish a mechanical connection with each respective contact tongue, each of the plurality of clips comprises limbs positioned on opposing sides of the corresponding recess through which the respective contact tongue of the support element is configured to be inserted, the limbs of each of the plurality of clips are configured to be positioned on opposing sides of the at least one recess in the support element and to contact opposing sides of the respective contact tongue, and at least one limb of at least one clip is configured to establish electrical contact with a conductive contact area on at least one side of the respective contact tongue.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1, comprising at least one latching element effective after the first and the second relative movement between the electric component and the support element have taken place.

3. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of clips comprises a shoulder extending between the limbs.

4. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the limbs are provided in corrugated form.

5. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second relative movement corresponds to at least partial disposition of the limbs of each of the plurality of clips about each respective contact tongue.

6. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the limbs of at least one of the plurality of clips contact the respective contact tongue substantially along an axis perpendicular to a direction of extent of the limbs, starting from a shoulder of the at least one clip.

7. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electrical component comprises an electric motor.

8. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of clips comprises at least three clips.