Rearview mirror assembly with biased electrical connection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10096922-B2
Application number	US-201715804111-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 6, 2017
Priority date	Nov 7, 2016
Publication date	Oct 9, 2018
Grant date	Oct 9, 2018

Abstract

A rearview mirror assembly is provided herein and includes a printed circuit board (PCB) and an electrical connector electrically coupled to the PCB. The assembly also includes at least one biasing member that is electrically conductive and positioned between and in contact with the PCB and the electrical connector. The at least one biasing member is configured to compress or expand in response to displacement of the electrical connector. Compression or expansion of the at least one biasing member serves to maintain an electrical connection between the PCB and the electrical connector.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A rearview mirror assembly comprising:
a printed circuit board (PCB);
an electrical connector electrically coupled to the PCB; and
at least one biasing member that is electrically conductive and positioned between and in contact with the PCB and the electrical connector, wherein the at least one biasing member is configured to compress or expand in response to displacement of the electrical connector, and wherein compression or expansion of the at least one biasing member serves to maintain an electrical connection between the PCB and the electrical connector.

2. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the at least one biasing member comprises one of a leaf spring, a coil spring, and a spring-loaded pin.

3. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the at least one biasing member is coupled to the electrical connector and is configured to exert a biasing force against an electrical contact of the PCB.

4. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the at least one biasing member is coupled to the PCB and is configured to exert a biasing force against the electrical connector.

5. The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a guide member coupled to the PCB and configured to receive the electrical connector.

6. The assembly of claim 5 , wherein the electrical connector and the guide member are in positional alignment such that the electrical connector is blindly mated to the guide member during assembly.

7. The assembly of claim 5 , wherein the electrical connector is frictionally engaged to the guide member.

8. A rearview mirror assembly comprising:
a housing;
a printed circuit board (PCB) disposed inside the housing;
a guide member coupled to the PCB;
an electrical cable provided inside the housing and having a plurality of electrical wires terminally connected to an electrical connector received in the guiding member and electrically coupled to the PCB;
a plurality of biasing members, each of which is positioned between and in contact with the PCB and the electrical connector for electrically coupling a corresponding one of the plurality of electrical wires to the PCB, wherein the plurality of biasing members are configured to compress or expand in response to displacement of the electrical connector in relation to the guide member, and wherein compression or expansion of the plurality of biasing members serves to maintain an electrical connection between the PCB and the electrical connector.

9. The assembly of claim 8 , wherein each of the biasing members comprises one of a leaf spring, a coil spring, and a spring-loaded pin.

10. The assembly of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of biasing members are coupled to the electrical connector and are each configured to exert a biasing force against a corresponding electrical contact of the PCB.

11. The assembly of claim 8 , wherein the electrical connector comprises a block housing having a plurality of terminal blocks, each of which is configured to electrically couple a biasing member with the corresponding one of the electrical wires and each having one or more insulation-displacement contacts for securing the corresponding one of the electrical wires.

12. The assembly of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of biasing members are coupled to the PCB and are each configured to exert a biasing force against the electrical connector.

13. The assembly of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of biasing members are soldered to the PCB and are each coupled to a stand configured to partially surround each of the plurality of biasing members.

14. The assembly of claim 13 , wherein the stand is part of the guide member.

15. A rearview mirror assembly comprising:
a housing;
an electrical cable fed through the housing and having a plurality of electrical wires terminally connected to an electrical connector secured to a rear interior surface of the housing;
a printed circuit board (PCB) disposed inside the housing to face the rear interior surface and having a guide member coupled thereto and configured to receive the electrical connector therein; and
a plurality of biasing members, each of which is configured to electrically couple a corresponding one of the plurality of electrical wires to the PCB;
wherein the PCB is assembled to the housing via a self-aligning feature in which the electrical connector is blindly mated to the guide member;
wherein when the electrical connector is mated to the guide member, each of the plurality of biasing members is positioned between and in contact with the PCB and the electrical connector;
wherein the plurality of biasing members are configured to compress or expand in response to displacement of the electrical connector in relation to the guide member; and
wherein compression or expansion of the plurality of biasing members serves to maintain an electrical connection between the PCB and the electrical connector.

16. The assembly of claim 15 , wherein each of the biasing members comprises one of a leaf spring, a coil spring, and a spring-loaded pin.

17. The assembly of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of biasing members are coupled to the electrical connector and are each configured to exert a biasing force against a corresponding electrical contact of the PCB.

18. The assembly of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of biasing members are coupled to the PCB and are each configured to exert a biasing force against the electrical connector.

19. The assembly of claim 15 , wherein the electrical connector comprises a block housing having a plurality of terminal blocks, each of which is configured to electrically couple a biasing member with the corresponding one of the electrical wires.

20. The assembly of claim 19 , wherein each of the plurality of terminal blocks comprises one or more insulation-displacement contacts for securing the corresponding one of the electrical wires.

Assignees

• Gentex Corp

Inventors

• Levesque Andrew J

Classifications

• H01R43/26

  for engaging or disengaging the two parts of a coupling device (structural association with two-part coupling device H01R13/629) · CPC title

• H01R12/716

  Coupling device provided on the PCB · CPC title

• H01R4/242

  the contact members being plates having a single slot · CPC title

• H01R2201/26

  for vehicles · CPC title

• H01R12/714

  with contacts abutting directly the printed circuit; Button contacts therefore provided on the printed circuit · CPC title