Connecting support for connecting electric functional elements

• US 8,125,111 B2
• Filed: 10/02/2007
• Issued: 02/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Bohn, Roland, Huesges, Mario, Lauk, Detlef
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Dang D
• Application Number:
  US12/376,306
• Publication Number:
  US 20100194223A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,610 Days
• Field of Search: 310/71, 439/217, 439/221, 439/516
• US Class Current: 310/71
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0215 Protecting, fastening and routing means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 11/33 Drive circuits, e.g. power electronics H02K11/38 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 5/148 Slidably supported brushes
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 5/225 Terminal boxes or connection arrangements specially adapted for submersible motors H02K5/132

Abstract

The invention relates to a connecting support (20) for connecting electric functional elements (46) in an auxiliary drive (2) of a vehicle. The connecting support (20) comprises at least one electrically conductive metal strip (28) for establishing an electric contact. The connecting support (20) is designed in one piece or has an upper part (22) and a lower (24) part. Both parts are detachably connected with each other. The electrically conductive metal strip (28) can be housed in a receptacle (26) of the upper and lower parts (22, 24). The connecting support (20) substantially encompasses the metal strip (28).

Claims

1. A connecting support (20) for connecting electrical functional elements (46) in an auxiliary drive (2) of a vehicle, wherein the connecting support (20) has at least two electrically conductive metal strips (28) for making electrical contacts, wherein the metal strips (28) are adequately separated from one another such that there is no mutual electrical contact, the electrically conductive metal strips (28) having a majority length extending along a first direction, characterized in that the connecting support (20) has an upper part (22) and a lower part (24) which are detachably connected to one another and cooperate when connected to surround at least the majority length of the electrically conductive metal strips (28) so that each of the electrically conductive metal strips (28) runs between both the upper part (22) and the lower part (24) along the majority length and is held in a receptacle (26) in at least one of the upper and lower parts (22, 24), wherein the upper part (22) and/or the lower part (24) of the connecting support (20) in this case have/has two or more receptacles (26) in order to hold the two or more metal strips (28), and wherein the metal strips (28) have different widths, corresponding to respective current loads, and the receptacles (26) are matched to the different widths.

2. The connecting support as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the upper part (22) and the lower part (24) of the connecting support (20) can be clipped, latched or screwed to one another, and/or are connected to one another via at least one hinge.

3. The connecting support as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that each of the two or more receptacles (26) is in the form of a depression or is formed by projections, and wherein each receptacle (26) is configured to receive the corresponding metal strip (28) horizontally or vertically therein.

4. The connecting support as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the connecting support (20) has, at least one end, a plug housing (36) with a plug (38) or has a control contact pick-up (32) with a contact spring (34) which are respectively firm or detachably connected to the connecting support (20) and to the at least two metal strips (28).

5. The connecting support as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the connecting support (20) is configured to be attached to the auxiliary drive (2), transmission housing (40) and/or transmission housing cover, by means of screwing, adhesive bonding, welding and/or clipping.

6. The connecting support as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the upper (22) and lower parts (24) of the connecting support (20) are composed essentially of an electrically non-conductive material.

7. An electric-motor auxiliary drive for use in vehicles, the auxiliary drive having a connecting support (20) for connecting electrical functional elements (46) in the auxiliary drive (2), wherein the connecting support (20) has at least one electrically conductive metal strip (28) for making an electrical contact, the electrically conductive metal strip (28) having a majority length extending along a first direction, and the connecting support (20) having an upper part (22) and a lower part (24) which are detachably connected to one another and cooperate when connected to surround at least the majority length of the electrically conductive metal strip (28) so that the electrically conductive metal strip (28) runs between both the upper part (22) and the lower part (24) along the majority length and is held in a receptacle (26) in at least one of the upper and lower parts (22, 24), wherein the auxiliary drive (2) is a windshield wiper drive, a window winder drive, a sliding-roof drive, a seat adjustment drive or an air-conditioning or fan drive.

8. The electric-motor auxiliary drive as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that the upper part (22) and the lower part (24) of the connecting support (20) can be clipped, latched or screwed to one another, and/or are connected to one another via at least one hinge.

9. The electric-motor auxiliary drive as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that the connecting support (20) has two or more metal strips (28), wherein the metal strips (28) are adequately separated from one another such that there is no mutual electrical contact, wherein the upper part (22) and/or the lower part (24) of the connecting support (20) in this case have/has two or more receptacles (26) in order to hold two or more metal strips (28).

10. The electric-motor auxiliary drive as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that the metal strips (28) have different widths, corresponding to respective current loads, wherein the receptacles (26) are matched to the different widths.

11. The electric-motor auxiliary drive as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that the receptacle (26) is in the form of a depression or is formed by projections, and wherein the receptacle (26) is configured to receive the metal strip (28) horizontally or vertically therein.

12. The electric-motor auxiliary drive as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that the connecting support (20) has, at least one end, a plug housing (36) with a plug (38) or has a control contact pick-up (32) with a contact spring (34) which are respectively firm or detachably connected to the connecting support (20) and to the metal strip (28).

13. The electric-motor auxiliary drive as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that the connecting support (20) is configured to be attached to the auxiliary drive (2), transmission housing (40) and/or transmission housing cover, by means of screwing, adhesive bonding, welding and/or clipping.

14. The electric-motor auxiliary drive as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that the upper (22) and lower parts (24) of the connecting support (20) are composed essentially of an electrically non-conductive material.

15. An electric-motor auxiliary drive (2) for use in vehicles, the auxiliary drive having a plug housing (36) with a plug (38), a control contact pick-up (32) with a contact spring (34), and a connecting support (20) for electrically connecting the plug (38) and the contact spring (34), wherein the connecting support (20) has at least one continuous electrically conductive metal strip (28) extending from the plug (38) to the contact spring (34), the metal strip (28) being embedded within an integral piece of electrically non-conductive material along a majority length between the plug (38) and the contact spring (34).

16. The electric-motor auxiliary drive (2) of claim 15, wherein the plug (38) is electrically coupled with a brush holder (46).

17. The electric-motor auxiliary drive (2) of claim 16, wherein the control contact pick-up (32) is positioned on a transmission housing (40) of the electric-motor auxiliary drive (2).

18. The electric-motor auxiliary drive (2) of claim 15, wherein the integral piece of electrically non-conductive material is a plastic extrusion coating.