IP Library Granted Patent US 9,692,143
Granted Patent B2
US 9,692,143 · App. 14/367,162 · Granted Jun 27, 2017

Electrical connection device for producing a solder connection and method for the production thereof

View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,692,143
App. No.
14/367,162
Granted
Jun 27, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

This invention relates to an electrical connection device on a plate-type or strip-type material ( 1, 1 ′), which cannot be soldered or is difficult to solder or which is provided with a surface that cannot be soldered or is difficult to solder, having the following characteristics: A self-clinching bolt ( 5 ) is provided with a bolt head ( 7 ) that, relative to the bolt body ( 9 ) beneath, has a tapered cross section such that the bolt head ( 7 ) transitions, by way of a conical or shoulder-like sloping flank ( 11 ), into the bolt body ( 9 ) having an outer circumference ( 9 ′) that has a diameter larger than that of the bolt head ( 7 ). The outer circumference ( 9 ′) of the bolt body ( 9 ) is of smooth design, or is provided with a knurling ( 15 ). In the penetration area of the self-clinching bolt ( 5 ), the plate-type or strip-type material ( 1, 1 ′) is provided with a non-flanged material edge ( 101 ). Within the material edge ( 101 ), the self-clinching bolt ( 5 ) is press-fit with a peripheral area of the bolt body ( 9 ) thereof, thus creating a force fit.

Claims (27)

1. Electrical connection device on a plate-shaped or strip-shaped material which is non-solderable or poorly solderable or is provided with a non-solderable or poorly solderable surface, comprising:

a press-in bolt pressed into the plate-shaped or strip-shaped material,

the press-in bolt having an external circumferential region which is compressed with the plate-shaped or strip-shaped material to form a press fit,

the press-in bolt consisting of an easily solderable material or covered at least in portions with an easily solderable material to form a soldering area,

the press-in bolt comprising a bolt head which has a tapered cross-section by comparison with the bolt body located therebelow, in such a way that the bolt head transitions, via a flank which descends conically or in a shoulder shape, into the bolt body having an outer circumference of a larger diameter than the bolt head,

the outer circumference of the bolt body being provided with a circumferential knurling that produces a non-positive connection between the press-in bolt and the adjacent non-solderable material or poorly solderable material or surface,

the plate-shaped or strip-shaped material or surface provided with a bordered material rim in the region of the penetration by the press-in bolt, the material rim projecting transversely from the plate-shaped or strip-shaped material or surface, the bolt body being structured to make a hole through the nonsolderable or poorly solderable material or surface to cause said material or surface to gain a broken-up circumferential material rim in the region of penetration by the press-in bolt, and

inside the material rim, a circumferential region of the bolt body of the press-in bolt is compressed to form a press fit, the head of the press-in bolt projecting beyond the material rim and being available as a soldering point,

wherein the press-in bolt tapered cross-section is structured to provide high pressing forces in conjunction with a cylindrical internal wall in a recess of a corresponding die to form a circumferential material rim in the plate-shaped or strip-shaped material which is increasingly widened further during a continuing press-in movement of the press-in bolt, and

wherein the conically-shaped or shoulder-shaped flank of the press-in bolt is configured to deform the plate-shaped or strip-shaped material during penetration of the press-in bolt into the plate-shaped or strip-shaped material in the manner of a punch to thereby form said material rim, the deformation of the non-solderable material or poorly solderable material being provided by the press-in bolt itself.

2. Connection device according to claim 1 , wherein the press-in bolt projects beyond the height of the material rim of the plate-shaped or strip-shaped material in the axial direction.

3. Connection device according to claim 1 , wherein the press-in bolt comprises a solderable bolt head or a solderable area on one side, on which the material rim is formed, of the plate-shaped or strip-shaped material, and comprises a base face having a solderable connection area on the other side of the plate-shaped or strip-shaped material.

4. Connection device according to claim 3 , wherein the solderable bolt head projects beyond the plane of the plate-shaped or strip-shaped material, projecting axially beyond the material rim.

5. Connection device according to claim 3 , wherein the underside or base of the press-in bolt is positioned in the same plane as the underside of the plate-shaped or strip-shaped material.

6. Connection device according to claim 3 , wherein the underside or base of the press-in bolt is positioned above or below the plane formed by the underside of the plate-shaped or strip-shaped material.

7. Connection device according to claim 1 , wherein the press-in bolt is formed, at least in sections, conically or slightly conically convergent towards the projecting material rim, in such a way that the press-in bolt transitions from the region having a smaller diameter towards its press fit in a region having a comparatively larger diameter.

8. Connection device according to claim 1 , wherein the knurling formed on the outer circumference of the bolt body of the press-in bolt comprises ribs positioned mutually offset in the circumferential direction.

9. Connection device according to claim 8 , wherein the ribs of the knurling are formed parallel to the axial direction of the press-in bolt or extend in an angular orientation or are formed in a cross-knurling.

10. Connection device according to claim 1 , wherein the press-in bolt is also formed at least slightly conical in the region of the press fit thereof, comprising ribs which are formed at least slightly wedge-shaped and comprising flanks which lead in a wedge shape in a pressing direction and which are formed on the ribs.

11. Connection device according to claim 1 , wherein the bolt body is formed, in the region of the press fit thereof, without knurling, with a restructured surface.

12. Connection device according to claim 1 , wherein the press-in bolt is provided as a whole with a highly electrically conductive surface, being tin-coated or silver-coated.

13. Connection device according to claim 1 , wherein the press-in bolt is selected from the group consisting of brass, copper and bronze.

14. Connection device according to claim 1 , wherein at least one or two circumferential groove-shaped depressions are formed on the outer circumference of the press-in bolt, in the region of the press fit thereof.

15. Connection device according to claim 1 , wherein the material thickness of the plate-shaped or strip-shaped material is greater than or equal to 0.5 mm.

16. Connection device according to claim 1 , wherein the diameter of the bolt body in the region of the press fit thereof is at least 10% greater than the diameter of the bolt head, or the maximum diameter of the bolt body in the region of the press fit thereof is less than 200% greater than the diameter of the bolt head.

17. The connection device of claim 1 wherein the material rim is connected to the plate-shaped or strip-shaped material in a material fit, and forms during a production process by deforming a material portion of the plate-shaped or strip-shaped material, the material rim being thus biased on the outer circumference of the press-in bolt at a fixed bias, bringing about the press fit.

18. The connection device of claim 1 wherein the bordered material rim forms during press fitting to thereby exert a bias against the press-in bolt outer circumference.

Assignments (6)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 17, 2020
From: KATHREIN SE
To: ERICSSON AB
Reel/Frame 053798/0470 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 17, 2020
From: ERICSSON AB
To: TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)
Reel/Frame 053816/0791 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 24, 2019
From: COMMERZBANK AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
To: KATHREIN SE; KATHREIN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY GMBH
Reel/Frame 050817/0146 →
MERGER AND CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Oct 22, 2018
From: KATHREIN-WERKE KG; KATHREIN SE
To: KATHREIN SE
Reel/Frame 047290/0614 →
CONFIRMATION OF GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN U.S. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY Recorded Sep 20, 2018
From: KATHREIN SE (SUCCESSOR BY MERGER TO KATHREIN-WERKE KG)
To: COMMERZBANK AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT, AS SECURITY AGENT
Reel/Frame 047115/0550 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 26, 2014
From: FROHLER, CHRISTIAN; GUNTHER, MARIO
To: KATHREIN-WERKE KG
Reel/Frame 033190/0053 →