Electricity: electrical systems and devices – Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical... – For electronic systems and devices
Patent
1992-02-05
1993-10-12
Picard, Leo P.
Electricity: electrical systems and devices
Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical...
For electronic systems and devices
361679, 361744, 361800, 439341, H05K 506
Patent
active
052531430
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention concerns a housing for an electronic circuit, in particular for electronic control circuits for motor vehicle internal combustion engines, with a circuit accommodation area and a connection device for separable electrical connection of information and supply leads.
To enable correct functioning of an electronic circuit, it is often of decisive importance in vehicle engineering to accommodate this within a housing which is sealed against the environment, so as to prevent any moisture and the like from penetrating. The connection area for information and supply leads represents a particularly weak point with regard to tightness of sealing. Moreover, the reliability of function is dependent on the electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) of the electronic circuit, i.e. the housing should create a sufficiently high shielding effect. At the same time, the invention is aimed at providing a simple structure and high service- and diagnosis-friendliness.
From the DE-OS 25 54 747, a housing for an electronic control unit is known, which has panels consisting of an electronic circuit board and a lid. The circuit board and the lid are riveted together. The rivet connections make access to the electronic circuit more difficult.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a housing for an electronic circuit, which avoids the disadvantages of the prior art.
In keeping with these objects and with others which will become apparent hereinafter, one feature of the present invention resides, briefly stated, in a housing for an electronic circuit in which two housing parts are separable from each other, wherein a first housing part has a circuit accommodation and a second housing part accommodates a connection device.
When the housing is designed in accordance with the present invention, it has the advantage that, with a hermetically sealed and safe configuration, it is readily amenable to service and diagnosis. The housing consists of two parts which can be separated from each other and which take on different tasks. The first housing part has a circuit accommodating area, in which the electronic circuit can be arranged. The second housing part serves to provide the electrical connection for information and supply leads entering from the outside. Due to the separable construction of the two housing parts, good accessibility and high amenability to servicing and diagnosis is achieved. Due to the segregation of the electronics from the connecting device for the information and supply leads, there is a high sealing protection, making such a housing suitable even for external mounting on a vehicle. Even if moisture and the like should penetrate, through lead entrances, into the second housing part and to the connection device, the electronic circuit will be protected by virtue of the separate first housing part.
In a preferred arrangement, the two housing parts are connected to each other via a hinge. This provides for high maintenance-friendliness, since hinging open of the two housing parts enables easy access to locations which otherwise would be difficult to reach.
The connection area is separated from the distribution area preferably by a dividing wall in which the contact connections are sealed. The dividing wall thus forms yet another moisture barrier. According to a preferred embodiment example, the connection area can have an outlet with a labyrinth seal which, although it permits ventilation and discharges moisture which may have entered via the cable entries, does not allow any moisture to enter. The separate connection area makes it possible to arrange in a second housing part, namely in the distribution area, such components which do not directly form part of the electronic circuit, but which are also moisture-sensitive, such as relays, fuses, and diagnostic LEDs. An evaluation of the diagnostic LEDs may reveal a fault, without the necessity of opening the circuit location area.
The contact connections of the sealed connection devi
REFERENCES:
patent: 4741032 (1988-04-01), Hampton
patent: 4850014 (1989-07-01), Gillis et al.
patent: 5057971 (1991-10-01), Hautvast et al.
Klinger Herbert
Thomas Gerhard
Wutz Karl
Phillips Michael W.
Picard Leo P.
Robert & Bosch GmbH
Striker Michael J.
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