FR2928784A1 - Electric connection device for electric solar panel, has printed circuit board carrying electronic components such as diodes, where board is connected electrically on connection elements that are forcibly connected with conductors - Google Patents

Abstract

The device has a flat case (1) closed by a cover (14) and closing two conductors on which electronic components e.g. diodes (D1- D3), are fixed. The conductors have jumper lugs connecting a conducting element of an electrical apparatus on which the case is placed. An anchoring element is folded at right angle in a manner to be forcibly engaged to cavity formed in the case. A printed circuit board (PL) carries the electronic components, where the board is connected electrically on connection elements that are forcibly connected with conductors.

Description

The present invention relates to an electrical connection device particularly suitable for electric solar panels or other energy producers.

In general, the solar electric panels are composed of 15 cells reacting to the heat of the sun and producing an electric current under its effect.

These cells are held between layers of glass or transparent plastic and are connected by a network of generally tinned tracks which gathers the current of each of them.

These tracks are gathered on one of the edges of the panels and serve to electrically connect the solar panels together or with an external element. The tracks gathered at the edge of the panels usually comprise a positive pole, a negative pole and one or more other tracks which are connected to the tracks of the positive and negative poles by a diode.

These are the tracks that must be connected to one or more cables to power a device or to connect them to the neighboring panel tracks so as to put in series or in parallel the positive and negative poles of several panels and to drain thus the current produced by a row of panels to a power collector thus collected.

Each panel is equipped with a connection box usually bonded to its surface.

The known connection boxes whose bottom is open are usually glued to the surface of the module and the tracks leaving the module pass through the bottom cutout to be connected to a terminal block contained in said housing.

These terminal blocks are used to connect diodes between two terminals whose legs had to be bent and connect the positive and negative polarity cables that come out of the housing. In some known package designs, all internal connections are soldered with all known problems of solder failures, vibration and shock failures, or dry soldering.

In addition, traditional tin solders melt at low temperatures.

In other terminal blocks, the terminals utilize conduction elements made of cuprous alloy for good electrical conduction and other resilient spring steel clamping elements which make them expensive to manufacture and bulky.

In addition, the cable entry into these housings is through traditional glands with threaded ring clamping. It is understood that the assembly of these housings, which forces the cables to pass through the glands to connect them to the housing without any external preparation possible, then to tighten the glands to guarantee the tightness, is long to assemble and leaves the guarantee of tightness dependent on the action of the mounting operator.

It is also understood that the terminals, if they have a socket-shaped connection member, force to bend and cut the tabs of the diodes that must be straddling between two neighboring terminals.

The traditional housings also have congestion problems, especially when they are to be used on double-sided modules, for example where the entire surface of the module is useful for receiving sunshine and where the housing must be as much as possible embedded in the aluminum profile that frames the module.

In this case, the housing must of course be as compact as possible while keeping the possibility of opening the lid to give, in definitive installation situation, access to the diodes that may need to be changed.

In order to solve these problems, the Applicant has proposed an electrical connection device comprising a relatively flat housing closed by a cover and containing conductive tracks on which can be fixed electronic components, these conductive tracks having at least two elements of connection on each of which can come connect the conductive element of an electric cable passing through orifices provided in the housing.

This device comprises at least two rigid conductive tracks made by cutting and folding a strip of electrically conductive material, each of these tracks being made in one and the same piece and having a connecting range -4, a fast connection member d a conductive element of an electrical apparatus on which the housing is placed, an anchoring element constituted by at least a first tongue cut on the lateral edge of the connecting strip and bent at right angles so as to be able to engage by force in a cavity formed in the housing, a force-engaging connection member constituted by a second tongue cut on a side edge of said range and bent at right angles away from the anchor member and a pin connection on which can engage a connecting lug. Once fixed in the housing, the two tracks extend parallel to each other with the two connection elements facing each other so as to be able to engage by force the two conductive lugs coaxial an electronic component such as, for example, a diode. With these provisions, we obtain a connection device of small dimensions, achievable industrially at high production rates and very low costs.

The housing and the lid can be made in one piece of molded plastic material, respectively. The conductive tracks, each made in one and the same piece, can be identical and can be engaged by force in the housing by means of an automated tooling. The electronic components can be fixed, without welding and without any mechanical stress that may damage them, on the connection element torques by means of conventional automatic gripping systems.

Advantageously, the quick connection member may be made by folding and bending of two tongues cut on two opposite edges of the connecting range, a first of these tabs having an L shape whose lower flange comes back under the range. link, the other tongue being curved in the manner of a spring so as to engage by one end in a recess made in the first tongue, so as to achieve an elastic clamp in which can engage a driver.

The tabs constituting the aforementioned connection elements may comprise a V-shaped indentation extended by a slit of width slightly smaller than that of the conductive tabs of the electronic component to be fixed thereto.

In addition, the assembly of the cover on the housing must be sealed. For this purpose, the cover may include at its contact with the upper edge of the housing a peripheral groove containing a seal, for example elastomer.

To meet the requirements of the standards in force, this seal must be effective especially during a jet wash housing while allowing a discharge of water may have been accidentally introduced into the housing.

Accordingly, there is preferably provided at a low point of the lid, a flare of the groove extending around the seal and opening outward at a rim of the lid coming against the wall lateral of the case.

Of course, this sealing problem also arises at the cable passages through the housing. Usually, a cable passage with a gland, that is to say a relatively complex and therefore expensive device is used for this purpose.

This problem is solved in a simple, inexpensive and nevertheless effective way, by providing, for the passage of each of the cables, a notch comprising two parallel edges and a curved bottom, this notch being made in the side wall and opening at the from the top edge of the case. This notch is delimited by a surface bearing a groove -6 longitudinal opening into the upper edge of the housing to the right of the seal of the lid when it is assembled on the housing.

In this notch is disposed a cap of resilient material such as elastomer whose edges are forcibly engaged in the groove. This seal comprises a central orifice of lower section than the cable which it constitutes the passage. The upper edge of the seal slightly protrudes outside the notch so as to come wear on the seal when the housing is closed by the cover.

Thanks to these arrangements, thanks to a simple cover easily put in place, a triple cable / operculum-seal / cover / cover / lid seal is obtained with a tightly controlled sealing pressure.

It turns out that in the previously mentioned type of application (electric solar panel), it is desirable to add to this connection device an electronic circuit mounted on a printed circuit board.

The invention therefore proposes a set of arrangements for incorporating into the connection device housing a printed circuit board adapted to connect electrically to the connection elements of the aforesaid tracks, possibly during closure of the cover.

According to the invention, this printed circuit is carried by integral support elements of the lateral sides and / or the bottom of the housing. It comprises at least one connecting member protruding from its face oriented towards said bottom and arranged to engage in one of the connection elements of said tracks when said printed circuit is in position on its elements. support.

Advantageously, said connecting member may consist of a tab, welded to the printed circuit, having a deformation fit into the slot provided on the connection element.

The printed circuit may have a rectangular shape extending between the two lateral sides of the housing, with a rectangular notch provided at the longitudinal slot of the bottom of the housing, in particular to allow access to the quick connection members.

The components of this electronic circuit will preferably be located on the side of the printed circuit facing the cover.

One embodiment of the invention will be described below, by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of a connection device according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a top view of the device shown in Figure 1; Figures 3 and 4 are sections according to A / A and B / B of Figure 2;

Figures 5 and 6 are views respectively in section and in plan view of a track of the device of Figure 1; Figure 7 is a C / C section of Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a top view of the housing of Figure 1; Fig. 9 is a section on D / D of Fig. 8; FIG. 10 is an E / E section of FIG. 8 with a cross-sectional view of the seal through which a cable passes; Figure 11 is a perspective view on a larger scale of the printed circuit board housed in the housing.

In this example, the connection device comprises a housing 1 comprising a bottom 2 having a trapezoidal shape T whose large base is extended by a rectangular portion R and a peripheral wall 3 whose upper edge 4 extends along a path whose shape results from the superposition of the rectangular shape R and a rectangular shape R ', one side of which corresponds to the small base of the trapezoidal shape T of the bottom.

The wall portion extending from each of the two short sides of the rectangular shape R of the bottom 2 comprises a notch E of rectangular shape with a rounded bottom, opening at the upper edge. These two notches E are intended to allow the passage of the ends of two electrical cables C1, C2 provided with DC terminal lugs.

As can be seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, the bottom 2 comprises, in a region adjacent to the small base, a longitudinal slot 6 intended to allow the passage of connectors 7 of an electrical circuit carried by a plate 8 of a device by For example, a photovoltaic module on which the housing 1 is fixed in a sealed manner.

Furthermore, the bottom 2 of the housing 1 comprises a step 9 serving to support conductive tracks P1 to P4 which extend transversely inside the housing 1, as well as transverse partitions CL ensuring electrical insulation between the conductive tracks P1 to P4.

The housing 1 is closed by a curved lid 14 whose contour is similar to that of the housing 1 and which comprises a peripheral flange 15 provided with a longitudinal groove 16 disposed opposite the upper edge 4 of the peripheral wall of the housing 1. This groove 16 contains a seal 17 of resilient material such as elastomer.

The fixing of the cover 14 on the housing 1 is ensured:

on the one hand, by means of a separable hinge constituted by a series of orifices 18 formed in an extension 19 of the transverse wall of the housing 1 at its large base, and tenons integral with the large base of the housing 1 which engage in said holes 18 so as to form the hinge, and secondly, resilient hooks 21 which extend from the edge of the cover 14 opposite the hinge, perpendicularly to the general plane of said lid 14 of in order to be able to snap into corresponding orifices 22 provided in the housing 1.

The position of the orifices 18, tenons 20, hooks 21 and orifices 22 is provided so that in the closed and locked position of the cover 14 on the housing 1 (obtained at the end of the tilting stroke of the cover 14 on the casing 1) the sealing pressure exerted on the seal 17 by the flange 4 of the casing 1 is homogeneous over its entire length.

Moreover, the cover 14 comprises, at its two small opposite sides, two right-angle extensions 23 intended to provide protection for the joints fitted to the passages of the cables CI, C2 which enter the housing 1.

In addition, the cover 14 is attached to the housing 1 by a link which ensures its capabilit. As previously mentioned, the cover 14 is provided with a vent 25 for eliminating moisture condensation that might occur inside the housing 1.

This vent 25 is made by means of a widening 26 of the groove 16 which surrounds the seal 17 and which thus performs a baffled course. The outlet orifice of this path is further protected on the outside by a screen 27 constituted by a protuberance of the cover 14. Thus, this vent 25 meets the requirements for washing with the jet under pressure: The washing liquid does not can not be introduced inside the case 1.

In this example, the housing 1 encloses an electrical circuit comprising four conductive tracks P 1 to P 4, namely: two end tracks P 1, P 4 and two central tracks P2, P 3.

As illustrated in FIGS. 5 to 7, the end tracks P1, P4 each comprise an elongate rectangular connecting area 28 which extends transversely inside the housing 1 from the large base to the small base. This connecting range (or trace) 28 is extended laterally by: • A first lateral range, of rectangular shape, with sloped angles which constitutes a connection pin 29 on which can engage a terminal 25 equipping a conventional electric cable C ,, C2. A second lateral zone folded at right angles to the bottom of the housing 1. This range 30 which has a hooking profile is intended to force fit into a cavity provided in the bottom of the housing 1 so as to ensure fixing the lug P1, P4 on said bottom. • A third side beach 31 which extends from the edge of the track opposite to the second leg. This range is bent at a right angle to the cover 14 and is intended to ensure a solderless attachment of a conductive tab of an electronic component or a strip soldered on a printed circuit board. For this purpose, it comprises a V-shaped notch 32 extended by a slot 33 provided with two successive flares. • Fourth and fifth side pads 34, 35 similar to the second and third pads 30, 31. • Sixth and seventh pads 36, 37 which respectively extend from the two side edges of the strip 28, at the slot 7 of the housing 1. These two areas 36, 37 are shaped so as to constitute a quick connection member pinch. For this purpose, the range 36 has a central notch 38 and is bent at right angles around two successive fold lines 39, 40 so as to have a section 41 perpendicular to the connection area 28 and a section 42 which extends in parallel, in return under the connecting zone 28. The notch 38 splits the section 42 in two and extends over a portion of the section 41 beyond the fold line 40.

The beach 37 has a curved portion 43 acting as a spring and a straight portion 44 parallel to the bonding area 28 which engages in the notch 42 of the portion 41. The portion 44 is itself extended by two fins oblique guide 45, 46.

Thanks to these arrangements, by removing the portion 42 of the portion 44 can be engaged in the gap thus created a connector 7 of the electronic circuit of the plate 8. The relaxation of the portion 44 then causes the pinch of this connector 7.

As previously mentioned, the electrical cables C 1, C2, the lugs CC of which are fixed on the connection pins 29, pass through notches E. The leaktightness at the passage of these notches E is obtained by means of the provisions following:

The notch E is bounded by a surface (edge) bearing a longitudinal groove G opening into the upper edge of the housing 1, to the right of the seal 17 in the assembled position of the cover 14 on the housing 1.

In this notch E is disposed a cover O made of resilient material such as elastomer whose edges are forcibly engaged in the groove G (the thickness of the operculum O being slightly greater than the width of the groove G). .

This cover O comprises a central orifice OC through which the cable C1, C2 passes, the diameter of the orifice O being slightly smaller than that of the cable C1, C2.

As previously mentioned, the upper edge of the cap O protrudes slightly outside the notch so as to exert pressure on the seal 17 when the casing 1 is closed by the cover 14.

In this example, the two central tracks P2, P3 have a structure 20 similar to that of the end tracks, with the difference that they do not include a connection pin 29 and that, consequently, the connection area 28 it is shortened accordingly.

Thanks to the arrangement of the tracks P1 to P4 on the bottom of the housing 1, there are 25 pairs of side plates 31, 35 opposite, on which it is possible to seamlessly connect the electronic components according to a pre-established assembly scheme.

In the space between the lateral sides L1, L2 of the housing 1 is arranged a printed circuit board PL resting on one side on the transverse partitions CL separating the tracks P1 to P3 and on cradles B serving to receive the ends of the cables C1 and C2.

This printed circuit board PL has a rectangular shape optionally having a rectangular notch ER adjacent to the lateral side L1 so as to allow access to the quick connection members carried by the tracks P1 to P4 and to the longitudinal slot 6 provided in the bottom of the case 1.

On its face on the side of the cover 14, the printed circuit board PL carries a number of diodes D1 to D3 related to the number of tracks installed in the housing. This plate PL carries electrical tracks PI distributed on both sides and having surfaces as large as possible so as to dissipate the heat released by the diodes D 1 to D 3: the printed circuit serves not only to ensure the electrical connections between components , but also to cool the diodes D1 to D3 in the manner of a radiator (Figure 11).

The face of the plate PL facing the bottom of the housing 1 carries a number of connection pins BR1 to BR4 equal to the number of installed tracks P1 to P4 each consisting of a tongue welded to the tracks of the plate PL and insertable into force in the slots 33 extending the notches in V, 32 tracks of the housing.

Each of these pins BR1 to BR4 is arranged to engage (at the localized deformation) in the V-notch of the weldless force fixing range of a corresponding track P1 to P4. This commitment is obtained when the plate PL is disposed in the housing 1 by exerting on its outer surface a force sufficient to bring it into abutment on the transverse walls CL and the cradles B, against the resisting force exerted by the fixing area 31, 35 on the pins BR1 to BR4. 2928784 - 14 -

This result can possibly be obtained by closing the cover, thanks to appropriate support elements provided on the cover and / or on the wafer.

According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the conductive tracks Pi to P4 may be made of hardened brass or bronze or another conductive elastic metal cut and folded without having to use two different materials: one for the conduction, the other for elasticity.

Claims (13)

claims 1. An electrical connection device, in particular for an electric solar panel, this device comprising a relatively flat housing (1) 5 closed by a cover (14) and enclosing at least two conductive tracks (P1, P4) on which components can be fixed. these conductive tracks each comprising: a connection area (28) formed by a rigid strip of electrically conductive material, a fast connection member (36, 37) of a conducting element of an electrical apparatus on which is placed the housing (1), an anchoring element (34) consisting of at least a first tab cut in the connection area (28) and folded at right angles so as to be force-fitted into a cavity formed in the housing (1), a force-engaging connecting member (31, 35) consisting of a second tongue cut on a side edge of said beach (28) and bent at right angles to the opposite side of the anchoring element (34), and a connecting pin (29) on which can engage a lug 20 equipping an electric cable (C1, C2) passing through an orifice (E) provided in the housing (1), characterized in that it comprises a printed circuit board (PL) carrying electronic components (D1 to D3), this plate (PL) comprising connecting means (BR1 to BR4) able to connect electrically on the 25 force-engaging connection elements of said tracks (P1, P4). 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the aforesaid printed circuit (PL) is carried by integral support elements of the lateral sides and / or the bottom of the housing (1). 30 2928784 - 16 - 3. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the connecting means (BR 'to BR4) of the printed circuit board (PL) comprise at least one connection member projecting from the face of the wafer (PL). ) oriented towards said bottom, this connecting member being arranged to engage in one of the force-engaging connection elements (31, 35) of said tracks (P1 to P4) when said printed circuit (PL) is in position on its support elements. 4. Device according to claim 3, characterized in that said connecting member consists of a tab, welded to the printed circuit (PL), having a deformation fit into a slot (33) provided on one of the elements force engaging connection (31, 35). 5. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the printed circuit (PL) has a rectangular shape extending between the two lateral sides of the housing, with a notch (ER) allowing access to the connecting members fast (36, 37). 6. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the components (DI to D3) of the electronic circuit are located on the side of the printed circuit (PL) facing the cover (14). 7. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the printed circuit board (PL) carries conductive tracks (PI) distributed on both sides, these tracks (PI) being designed to dissipate the calories released by said electronic components.-17- 8. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises at least one additional conductive track (P2, P3) similar to the aforesaid tracks (PI, P4) but without connecting pins (29). 9. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the aforesaid fast connection member is made by folding and bending of two tongues (36, 37) cut on two opposite edges of the connecting strip (28), a first of these tabs (36) having an L shape whose lower flange comes back under the connecting range (28), the other tongue (37) being curved in the manner of a spring so as to come engage at one end in a recess made in the first tongue (36), so as to achieve an elastic clamp in which can engage a driver. 10. Device according to claim 4, characterized in that the tabs constituting the aforesaid connecting elements (31, 35) comprise a V-shaped notch (32) extended by a slot (33) slightly smaller in width than that of the tongue constituting the aforesaid connection member. 11. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cover (14) comprises at its contact with the upper edge (4) of the housing (1) a peripheral groove (16) containing a seal (17) for example elastomer, and in that the fixing of the cover (14) on the housing (1) is ensured: on the one hand, by means of a separable hinge constituted by a series of orifices (18) formed in an extension (19) of the transverse wall of the housing (1) at its large base, and tenons (20) integral with the large base of the housing (1) which engage in said holes (18) of to form the hinge, and on the other hand, elastic hooks (21) which extend from the edge of the cover (14) opposite the hinge, perpendicular to the general plane of said cover (14) so to be able to snap into corresponding holes (22) provided in the housing (1). 12. Device according to claim 11, characterized in that it comprises a vent (25) formed by a widening of the groove (16) extending around the seal (17) and opening outward at a level of flange (27) of the cover (14) coming back against the side wall (3) of the housing (1). 13. Device according to one of claims 11 and 12, characterized in that it comprises, for the passage of each of the aforesaid cables (C1, C2), a notch (E) comprising two parallel edges and a curved bottom, this notch (E) being formed in the side wall (3) of the housing (1) and opening at the upper edge (4) of the housing (1), in that this notch (E) is delimited by a surface carrying a longitudinal groove (G) opening in the upper edge (4) of the housing (1) to the right of the seal (17) of the cover (14) when the latter is assembled on the housing (1), in that, in this notch (E), is disposed a seal (0) of resilient material such as elastomer whose edges are forcibly engaged in the groove (G), in that this seal (0) comprises a central orifice ( OC) of lower section than that of the cable (C1, C2) of which it constitutes the passage, and in that the upper edge of the cap (0) protrudes slightly beyond the notch (E) so as to bear on the seal (17) when the housing (1) is closed by the cover (14).