# US 10,483,828 B2 · Electric motor having SMD components and associated connection component > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,483,828 B2 - Document ID: US10483828B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/506,008 - Filed: 2015-09-03 - Published: 2017-09-21 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2014-09-08 - Assignees: Continental Automotive GmbH - Applicants: Continental Automotive GmbH - Inventors: Werner Wallrafen; Daniel Muresan - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10483828B2 ## CPC - H02K 11/0094: {Structural association with other electrical or electronic devices} - H02K 5/14: Means for supporting or protecting brushes or brush holders - H02K 5/225: {Terminal boxes or connection arrangements (specially adapted for submersible motors H02K5/132)} - H02K 11/40: Structural association with grounding devices - H05K 1/0215: {Grounding of printed circuits by connection to external grounding means} - H05K 1/0313: {Organic insulating material} - H05K 1/183: associated with components mounted in and supported by recessed areas of the PCBs - H05K 1/0284: {Details of three-dimensional rigid printed circuit boards (H05K1/119 takes precedence; shaping of the substrate H05K3/0014)} - H05K 1/181: associated with surface mounted components - H05K 2201/0311: Metallic part with specific elastic properties, e.g. bent piece of metal as electrical contact - H02K: DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES (dynamo-electric relays H01H53/00; conversion of DC or AC input power into surge output power {H03K3/53}) - H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS ## Abstract An electric motor includes a plurality of SMD components arranged on a carrier of the motor, and a connection part for the SMD components together with an electrically conductive housing part of the motor. A contact spring electrically connects a plurality of SMD components to the housing part. The contact spring has a main section, a spring-type connection section that extends outwards from one side of the main section, and at least one spring-type contact section that extends outwards from the other side of the main section. The spring-type connection section of the contact spring includes a plurality of contact fingers for the SMD components. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An electric motor comprising: a support (6) having recesses or chambers; a plurality of SMD components (5) arranged in the recesses or chambers of the support (6); an electrically conductive housing part; a connection part connecting the SMD components (5) to the electrically conductive housing part, the connection part being configured as a contact spring (10) clamped on the support (6), and the connection part electrically connecting the plurality of SMD components (5) to the electrically conductive housing part, the contact spring (10) having: a main section (1), a resilient connection section, which extends from a first side of the main section (1), for contacting the SMD components (5), and at least one resilient contact section (3), which extends from a second side of the main section (1), for electrical connection to the electrically conductive housing part, wherein the resilient connection section of the contact spring (10) comprises a plurality of contact fingers (2) for contacting respective ones of the SMD components (5), which contact fingers (2) engage into the individual recesses or chambers of the support (6) and come into contact with the SMD components (5) arranged in the recesses or chambers, wherein the at least one resilient contact section (3) comprises two legs extending on the second side of the main section (1), the two legs each having a fixing clamp (7), each of which, when the contact spring (10) is located on the support (6), digs into the support (6) to affix the contact spring (10) to the support (6), and wherein each leg of the at least one resilient contact section (3) has divided first and second finger-shaped sections (4), each first finger-shaped portion being contoured so as to contact the electrically conductive housing part, and each second finger-shaped portion being contoured to contact the support (6). ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The electric motor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive housing part is a housing outer wall (8) of the electric motor. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The electric motor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support (6) is a brush holder of the electric motor. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The electric motor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support (6) consists of an insulating plastic. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The electric motor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the SMD components (5) are electrically conductively fixed on the contact fingers (2) by clamping and/or soldering or conductive adhesion. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The electric motor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the main section (1) of the contact spring (10) comprises at least one fixing clamp (7) on the side of the contact finger (2) for the SMD components (5) and/or on the side of the at least one contact section (3) for the electrically conductive housing part. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The electric motor as claimed in claim 1, wherein an insulating protective wall for avoiding short circuits is arranged between adjacent SMD components (5). ### Claim 8 A contact spring (10) for connecting a plurality of SMD components (5) arranged on a support (6) of an electric motor to an electrically conductive housing part of the electric motor, the contact spring (10) comprising: a main section (1); a resilient connection section extending from a first side of the main section (1); and at least one resilient contact section (3) extending from a second side of the main section (1), wherein the resilient connection section of the contact spring (10) comprises a plurality of contact fingers (2) for contacting respective ones of the SMD components (5), wherein the at least one resilient contact section (3) comprises two legs extending on the second side of the main section (1), the two legs each having a fixing clamp (7), each of which is configured to, when the contact spring (10) is located on the support (6), dig into the support (6) to affix the contact spring (10) to the support (6), and wherein each leg of the at least one resilient contact section (3) has divided first and second finger-shaped sections (4), each first finger-shaped portion being contoured so as to contact the electrically conductive housing part, and each second finger-shaped portion being contoured to contact the support (6). ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The contact spring (10) as claimed in claim 8, wherein the main section (1) is U-shaped, the U-shaped main section having a first leg, from which the contact fingers (2) extend. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The contact spring (10) as claimed in claim 8, wherein the contact spring (10) is clampable on the support (6) of the electric motor.