FR2468278A1 - METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONNECTING CONDUCTIVE ELEMENTS BETWEEN A MAIN CIRCUIT PANEL AND ADJACENT CIRCUIT PANELS - Google Patents

Abstract

A method and apparatus for interconnecting the conductive elements of a main circuit board and one or more adjacent sub boards. The main panel 10 initially forms an integral part of the secondary panel or panels 10b, 10c from which it is separated only by elongated openings 12 between which zones 14 remain; the panel comprises circuit elements 16 which interconnect electrical components 18 and terminate on one side of said openings through which U-shaped connection elements 20 having a weakened middle part 22 pass and which serve to interconnect ends of these circuit elements; the areas between the openings are removed and the connection elements are bent to give the secondary panels the desired angular position relative to the main panel. Application to electronic instruments or devices such as oscilloscopes, multimeters, etc.

Description

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for connecting

  between them conductive elements and more particularly to a

  method and apparatus for connecting conductive elements between a

  main circuit board and adjacent circuit boards.

  Several systems have already been used to connect together conductive elements of adjacent circuit panels, when these are arranged parallel to each other, or form a certain angle.

  one against another. These linkage systems are particularly

  US Pat. Nos. 2,740,097, 3,184,645, 3,362,005, US Pat.

  Nos. 3 772 776, 4 109 299 and French Patent No. 1 239 226.

  These systems are based on particular concepts of reali-

  connections between conductive elements of

  cooked adjacent, after adding components to these panels,

  that these components were welded in place and tested. This is the

  the usual method, but it requires a lot of time and therefore

  to treat separately the various circuit boards which, after being connected or connected to each other, must be tested

  to ensure that the circuits they carry have been correctly

  interrelated as required by the scheme.

  In the present invention, a relatively large circuit board is used which is divided into a main circuit board and at least one secondary circuit board. Elongated openings separate the main circuit board from the secondary panel

  circuit boards, and the panels have small areas between them.

  elongated vertices for maintaining the panels relative to one another in order to add electrical or electronic components thereto,

  to have electrical connections across these openings

  the ends of the conductive elements of each panel, in order to ensure the connections between these circuit-conducting elements, after which the components and the connections thus merged by fusion are fused, the panels subjected to the necessary tests. the areas between the elongate openings are eliminated, and

  the electrical connections are folded so that the secondary panel or panels

  daries form a certain angle to the main panel.

  An essential object of the present invention is to make a large circuit board a circuit main panel and at least one secondary circuit board, to connect the conductive elements to each other, using connecting elements aligned between they solder by

2468278-

  merging components and connection elements, and finally to

test the panel.

  Another object of the invention is to provide for the application of

  connection elements at the ends of conductive elements of a circuit board which have internal electrical components, to weld the components and the connection elements to the panel, to test it and to divide it into separate panels circuits

  along the connection elements.

  A complementary object of the invention is to provide a circuit

  baked which connects ends of circuit elements through apertures provided for this purpose in the panel, soldering the components and connection elements to said panel, subjecting it to testing, removing areas of the panel, panel between said openings for dividing the panel into separate panels of circuits, interconnected by the connecting elements, and bending the elements

  electrical connection so that the separate panels form a

  angle relative to each other.

  Finally, an object of the invention is to provide a circuit board on which circuit elements are formed which serve to interconnect electrical components, aligned openings made between them.

  in this panel and separated by surface areas,

  of circuit elements disposed on either side of said openings for receiving connecting elements to connect the circuit elements to each other, the zones separating the aligned openings which can be removed to separate the panel into separate panels of circuits, the circuit boards thus separated being able to be arranged so that they form a certain angle with respect to the

  to each other by bending the connecting elements.

  The above-mentioned objects, features and advantages of the invention, as well as others, will become apparent during

  of the following description of a particular embodiment of the invention.

  shown in the attached drawing, in which:

  FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of a traffic sign.

  baked welded in position; FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the panel of Figure 1, showing the separation of the panel into several distinct panels of circuits forming a certain angle between them; FIGURE 3 is a cross-section taken on an enlarged scale taken along the line 3-3 of FIGURE 1, and FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken along arrows 4-4.

of Figure 2.

  In the drawing, we see that a main circuit board im-

  The winning or engraved 10 is made of suitable insulating material and has elongate openings 12 separated by solid areas 14. Thus, the panel is divided into a main panel 10a and lob side panels, loc, and circuit elements 16 in conductive material are deposited or formed on the panel 10, while the ends of some circuit elements 16 surround holes that pass through the panels 10a, 10b, 10c and into which the electrical component conductors 18 are introduced. The circuit board 10 may optionally comprise conductive elements on its two main faces, or alternatively constitute a multi-layer circuit, depending on the case envisaged. The conductive elements connect the electrical components together to form electronic circuits on

  each of the panels 10a, lob, and loc.

  Some ends of circuit elements 16 terminate in the vicinity of elongate openings 12 on an aligned array of

  other of these openings, and through these, these ends

  turning receiving holes of connecting elements that pass through

  panels 10a, 10b and loc. The ends of electrical connection elements

  In the form of studs or inverted U, they are engaged in respective aligned holes and transversely to the elongate openings 12 to interconnect the circuit elements between the panels 10a, 10b and loc. Thus, the interconnection of elements

  circuits carried by each panel loa, l0b and 10c. The bridges

  by the electrical connection elements 20 are stamped on their

  medium so as to be deformed and to form folding points 22.

  The connection elements are shaped and then introduced into the holes aligned at the ends of the circuit elements, using for this purpose a machine which operates by cutting to the desired length of the tinned copper wire which feeds continuously, the section thus cut being then folded U, the intermediate portion being stamped to form the portion to bend or folding point, after which the U-shaped connecting element is introduced into the corresponding aligned holes. In practice, we equip the panel 10 of electrical components

  which, together with the circuit elements, form

  10a, lob and loc, after which connection elements are introduced into the holes aligned transversely with respect to the elongated openings 12, in order to connect the circuit elements to each other. The conductors of the components and the ends of the connection elements can be introduced into the machine either manually, or by the use of machines controlled by operators, or

  by fully computer controlled machines.

  After the components and connection elements are introduced into the panel 10, the welding is carried out by conventional methods, such as the "fusion" method. Then, the panel is tested using conventional circuit test equipment for this purpose, and as soon as these tests are completed, the zones 14 separating the openings 12 are removed by cutting or any other equivalent operation. The lob and loc panels are then arranged at an angle to the main panel loa by folding the connection elements 22. Thus, these electrical connection elements 20 serve as a hinge and also means to mechanically support the panels

  relative to each other. The panels 10b and loc can be placed

  in any angular position in order to fit a configuration

  any ration. In this way, the complete panel 10, with the panels

  lob and 10c are arranged at right angles to the main panel

  10a, can constitute a complete set of circuits for a

  trument or electronic device, and the whole of the

  in a box or cabinet for electronic equipment which may be that of any electronic instrument or instrument, for example an oscilloscope, a meter, a digital display multimeter, etc. The present invention thus makes it possible to load a single panel with components to be connected together by elements of

  circuit to constitute an electronic circuit and connectivity elements.

  xion that are pressed in the following panel rows aligned to connect the circuit elements. The panel

  is then subjected to a welding operation of the components and elements

  connections, so that the panel is transformed into a panel.

  main board and one or more secondary circuit panels, the connection elements then being folded to arrange the panels

  secondary at a certain angle to the main panel.

  Although the invention has been described and

  more particularly to a preferred embodiment, it is

  obvious to any person skilled in the art that it is possible to bring different

  form and detail in this embodiment without departing from the basic principles of the invention.

Claims (4)

REVENDICATICNS   1 - A circuit board comprising a flat support 10 in   insulating material having circuit conducting elements.   10 to each other and fixed to at least one face of said planar element, aligned openings 12 closed in this flat support 10 and separated by zones 14 so as to divide the support into a part   10a and a secondary part 10b, 10_, and   some of said circuit elements 16 which are   on either side of said openings 12 to be able to receive   see electrical connection elements 20, to connect the circuit elements 18 between those of the main part and those of the secondary part, said zones 14 being removed to allow to place said secondary part 10b, 10c, at an angle relative to at the main part 10a, folding   said electrical connection elements 20.   2 - A circuit board according to claim 1, characterized   characterized in that said openings 12 are of elongate shape.   3 - A method of producing two circuit panels from a circuit board, characterized in that it comprises the following phases:   a) - it charges a circuit board 10 with electrical elements   in order to close connected electronic circuits between   them by circuit elements 16 placed on the circuit board.   cooked 10; b) - electrical connection elements are introduced into aligned ends of circuit elements disposed on opposite sides of spaced apertures 12 formed in said panel.   circuit 10, the connecting elements 20 extending transversely   salty with respect to said openings to make the connections; c) - solder the components and the electrical connection elements to their corresponding circuit elements; d) - the circuit board is subjected to the necessary tests, and e) - the zones 14 situated between said openings are eliminated.   12 to separate the circuit board 10 into two parts. circuit boards 10a, 10b, 10c.   4 - Process according to claim 3, characterized in that it further comprises the phase of folding said elements of electrical connection 20 in order to have a lob circuit panel, 10c, at an angle to the other sign circuit O10a.