# US 9,520,659 B2 · Connector device for a printed circuit board of a control device for a vehicle transmission, control system for a vehicle transmission and method for assembling a control system for a vehicle transmission > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,520,659 B2 - Document ID: US9520659B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/384,236 - Filed: 2013-02-01 - Published: 2015-03-19 - Granted: 2016-12-13 - Earliest claimed: 2012-03-14 - Assignees: ZF Friedrichshafen AG - Applicants: Zf Friedrichshafen AG - Inventors: Josef Loibl; Herbert Wallner; Roland Friedl - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9520659B2 ## CPC - H01R 12/58: terminals for insertion into holes - H01R 12/75: connecting to cables except for flat or ribbon cables - H01R 13/5219: {Sealing means between coupling parts, e.g. interfacial seal} - H01R 24/28: Coupling parts carrying pins, blades or analogous contacts and secured only to wire or cable - H05K 5/0069: {having connector relating features for connecting the connector pins with the PCB or for mounting the connector body with the housing} - H05K 7/10: Plug-in assemblages of components {, e.g. IC sockets} - H01R 2201/26: for vehicles - H01R: ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS - H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS ## Abstract A proposal is made for a plug device for a circuit board of a control unit for a vehicle transmission. The circuit board has at least one contact hole. The plug device has a housing, at least one contact device arranged in the housing for a cable of a peripheral module fed into the housing and at least one contact plug that is electrically connected with the contact device and that protrudes at least partially from the housing for producing an electrical and mechanical connection with the contact hole of the circuit board. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A plug device for a circuit board of a control unit for a vehicle transmission, wherein the circuit board comprises at least one contact hole, the plug device comprising: a housing; at least one contact device arranged in the housing for a cable of a peripheral module fed into the housing; at least one contact plug which is electrically connected to the at least one contact device and protrudes at least partially from the housing, the at least one contact plug configured to provide a detachable electrical and mechanical connection to the at least one contact hole of the circuit board; and a sealing component, wherein the sealing component forms a seal about the at least one contact plug between a circuit board engaging surface of the housing of the plug device and a main surface of the circuit board. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The plug device according to claim 1, further comprising a chip protection element wherein the chip protection element is attached on at least one of the circuit board and the housing of the plug device, the chip protection element configured to cover an end portion of the at least one contact plug that is at least partially protruding from the housing. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The plug device according to claim 2, further comprising an insulating agent, wherein the insulating agent is arranged in the chip protection element, the insulating agent configured to provide electric insulation of the end portion of the at least one contact plug that is at least partially protruding from the housing. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The plug device according claim 2, further comprising a chip protection sealing component, wherein the chip protection sealing component forms a seal between the chip protection element and a main surface of the circuit board about the end portion of the at least one contact plug that is at least partially protruding from the housing. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The plug device according claim 1, wherein the sealing component comprises at least one through-hole configured to receive the at least one contact plug. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The plug device according to claim 1, wherein the plug device has a plurality of contact plugs which are arranged at least in one row protruding from a circuit board engaging surface of the housing of the plug device, and a plurality of contact devices, wherein at least one cable of at least one peripheral module; and inserting the at least one contact plug of the plug device in the at least one contact hole of the circuit board. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A control system for a vehicle transmission, the control system comprising: a control unit comprising a circuit board with at least one contact hole; at least one peripheral module with at least one cable; and at least one plug device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the at least one peripheral module is connected via the at least one cable to the at least one contact device of the plug device, wherein the at least one contact plug of the plug device is connected to the at least one contact hole of the circuit board of the control unit. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A method for assembling a control system of a vehicle transmission, the method comprising the following steps: providing a control unit with a circuit board that has at least one contact hole; providing the plug device in accordance with claim 1, the plug device connected to at least one cable of at least one peripheral module; and inserting the at least one contact plug of the plug device in the at least one contact hole of the circuit board to detachably connect the at least one contact plug to the at least one contact hole. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method according to claim 8, further comprising a step of aligning the plug device in relation to the circuit board by using an alignment device. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method according to claim 8, further comprising a step of sealing a circuit board engaging surface of the housing of the plug device and a main surface of the circuit board about the at least one contact plug. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method according to claim 10, wherein the method comprises a step of covering an end portion of the contact plug protruding at least partially from the housing. ### Claim 12 (depends on 6) The plug device according to claim 6, wherein the plug device comprises a mounting device formed on a narrow side of the housing which is perpendicular to the circuit board engaging surface of the housing. ### Claim 13 (depends on 6) The plug device according to claim 6, wherein the circuit board engaging surface of the housing adjoins an insertion surface of the housing on which the cable of the peripheral module is received. ### Claim 14 A control system for a vehicle transmission, comprising: a circuit board with a plurality of contact holes; at least one peripheral module with a plurality of cables; and at least one plug device comprising: a housing; a plurality of contact devices arranged in the housing for the plurality of cables fed into the housing; a plurality of contact plugs electrically connected to the contact devices, the contact plugs extending from the housing in a different direction than a feeding direction of the plurality of cables fed into the housing; and a sealing component, wherein the sealing component forms a seal about at least one of the contact plugs between a circuit board engaging surface of the housing of the plug device and a main surface of the circuit board, wherein the at least one peripheral module is connected via the plurality of cables to the plurality of contact devices of the plug device, and the plurality of contact plugs are connected by static friction to the plurality of contact holes of the circuit board. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The control system according to claim 14, wherein the plurality of contact holes are arranged at least partially along a length of respective lateral edges of the circuit board. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The control system according to claim 14, wherein the plurality of contact holes are metalized through-holes. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The control system according to claim 14, wherein the plurality of contact plugs are inserted in the plurality of contact holes of the circuit board such that the plurality of contact plugs is configured to provide an electrical and mechanical connection between the plug device and the circuit board. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The control system according to claim 14, wherein the plurality of cables are fed in at least two rows into the plug device. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The control system according to claim 18, wherein the at least two rows are parallel to one another, and a line of at least one of the two rows is a straight line. ### Claim 20 A control system for a vehicle transmission, comprising: a circuit board with a plurality of contact holes; at least one peripheral module with a plurality of cables; and at least one plug device comprising: a housing; a plurality of contact devices arranged in the housing for the plurality of cables fed into the housing; a plurality of contact plugs electrically connected to the contact devices, the contact plugs extending from the housing; a chip protection element attached to the circuit board; and a sealing component, wherein the sealing component forms a seal about at least one of the contact plugs between a circuit board engaging surface of the housing of the plug device and a main surface of the circuit board, wherein the at least one peripheral module is connected via the cables to the contact devices of the plug device, and the plurality of contact plugs are detachably connected to the plurality of contact holes of the circuit board, and wherein the circuit board is sealed toward the chip protection element and the plug device by at least one of a molded seal, watertight adhesion and casting compound.