Junction block with integral printed circuit board and electrical connector for same

An electrical junction block comprising:

• a housing having first and second housing segments;
• a substantially planar, multi-layer busbar retained within the housing adjacent the first housing segment;
• and
• a printed circuit board retained within the housing adjacent the second housing segment and substantially parallel with the busbar, the printed circuit board and the busbar being electrically insulated from one another and having electrical terminals extending outside the housing;
• wherein the printed circuit board has at least one circuit trace disposed on a face thereof oriented toward the first housing segment and the busbar has a hole passing therethrough, and the junction block further comprises at least one printed circuit board connection terminal passing through the hole in the busbar and having a first end electrically connected with the circuit trace and a second end adjacent an aperture in the first housing segment and adapted for making electrical connection with a component external to the housing.

An electrical junction block comprising:

• a housing having first and second housing segments;
• a busbar retained within the housing adjacent the first housing segment and having a hole passing therethrough;
• a printed circuit board retained within the housing adjacent the second housing segment and having a first face oriented toward the first housing segment, the first face having circuit traces formed thereon;
• and
• at least one printed circuit board connection terminal passing through the hole in the busbar and having a first end in electrical connection with at least one of the circuit traces, and a second end adjacent an aperture in the first housing segment and adapted for making electrical connection with a component external to the housing.

For use in an electrical junction block containing a printed circuit board and a busbar in spaced relationship with one another, an electrical terminal comprising:

• substantially rigid spacer means disposable between and in contact with a face of the printed circuit board oriented toward the busbar and a face of the busbar oriented toward the printed circuit board to maintain a desired separation distance therebetween;
• spring means urgeable to a deflected condition when the printed circuit board and the busbar are at the desired separation distance, the spring means when in the deflected condition being in physical and electrical contact with electrically conductive means on the face of the printed circuit board;
• and
• an external connection end electrically connected with the spring means and insertable through a hole in the busbar for making electrical contact with a component located adjacent an opposite second face of the busbar.

An electrical junction block comprising:

• a housing having first and second housing segments;
• a busbar contained within the housing adjacent the first housing segment and having a hole passing therethrough;
• a printed circuit board contained within the housing adjacent the second housing segment in substantially parallel spaced relationship to the busbar, the printed circuit board having circuit traces formed on opposite first and second faces thereof;
• at least one first printed circuit board connection terminal having an external connection end disposed adjacent an aperture in the first housing segment, a pair of spacer plates disposed between and in contact with adjacent faces of the busbar and the printed circuit board, and a spring element in electrical connection with at least one of the circuit traces on the first face of the printed circuit board, the printed circuit board connection terminal passing through the hole in the busbar;
• and
• at least one second printed circuit board connection terminal having an external connection end disposed adjacent an aperture in the second housing segment and a spring element in electrical connection with at least one of the circuit traces on the second face of the printed circuit board.