Connector bridge

A connector bridge for a packaged circuit element for electrical connection to wires of a device, the packaged circuit element having a front and back face and a plurality of sides extending between the faces, the packaged circuit element defining a central axis extending between the faces and having a first plurality of terminals at a first packaged circuit element location and a second plurality of terminals at a second packaged circuit element location, the first and second locations being closer to a side of the packaged circuit element than to the central axis, the first and second pluralities of terminals defining a first wiring orientation, the connector bridge comprising:

• a connector bridge body defining a mounting axis;
• a first plurality of terminal receivers at a first connector bridge body location and a second plurality of terminal receivers at a second connector bridge body location, the first and second pluralities of terminal receivers arranged on the connector bridge body closer to sides of the connector bridge body than to the mounting axis to electrically connect with the first and second pluralities of terminals in the first wiring orientation when the packaged circuit element is received along the mounting axis;
• a wiring connector at a third location on the connector bridge body, the wiring connector extending radially outwards of an outermost perimeter defined by radially outermost sides of the packaged circuit element;
• the first, second and third locations being different locations on the connector bridge body;
• the wiring connector electrically connected with each of the first and the second pluralities of terminal receivers and configured to provide a second wiring orientation;
• wherein the connector bridge body comprises a plurality of conductive metal blades defining electrical connections between each one of the first and second pluralities of terminal receivers and the wiring connector, the conductive metal blades over-molded with an insulating material to form the connector body;
• wherein the connector bridge body comprises a top surface and a bottom surface and wherein the first and second pluralities of terminal receivers are arranged on at least one of the top and bottom surfaces to receive the terminals of the packaged circuit element;
• and
• wherein the connector bridge body defines a central aperture arranged to vent heat produced by the packaged circuit element when mounted thereto, the first and second pluralities of terminal receivers and the wiring connector distributed around the central aperture.

A connector bridge for an infinite switch of an appliance, the infinite switch having a front and back face surrounded by a plurality of sides extending between the faces, the infinite switch defining a central aperture, a plurality of terminals extending in the same direction to define a first wiring orientation and located at a plurality of locations around the central axis, the connector bridge comprising:

• a connector bridge body defining a mounting axis;
• a plurality of terminal receivers distributed around the mounting axis of the connector bridge body arranged on the connector bridge body to electrically connect with the at least first and the second terminals in the first wiring orientation when the infinite switch is received along the mounting axis;
• a wiring connector on the connector bridge body extending radially outwards of an outermost perimeter defined by radially outermost sides of the infinite switch when the connector bridge is mounted to the infinite switch;
• and
• wherein the wiring connector is electrically connected with the plurality of terminal receivers and defines a second wiring orientation.

A connector bridge/packaged circuit element arrangement for an appliance, the connector bridge packaged circuit element arrangement comprising:

• a packaged circuit element having a front and back face, a plurality of sides extending between the front and back face, a central axis extending between the front and back face and a plurality of terminals defining a first wiring orientation;
• a connector bridge including a connector bridge body defining a mounting axis and having a top surface and a bottom surface with a plurality of sides extending between the top surface and back surface;
• a plurality of terminal receivers defined by the connector bridge body, the plurality of terminal receivers arranged to receive the plurality of terminals of the packaged circuit element in the first wiring orientation;
• a wire connector of the connector bridge body configured to electrically connect to the plurality of terminal receivers;
• and
• wherein the bottom surface of the connector bridge body faces the back face of the packaged circuit element and is press fit to the packaged circuit element along the central axis of the packaged circuit element and the mounting axis of the connector bridge to electrically connect the terminals, the plurality of terminal receivers and the wiring connector.