Land vehicles – Wheeled – Attachment
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-19
2001-04-10
Swann, J. J. (Department: 3611)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Attachment
C280S727000, C280S735000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06213495
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an airbag control device, and specifically to an airbag control device having a housing and a printed circuit board with electronic components disposed within an interior of the housing.
Electronic control devices providing personal protection in motor vehicles, such as airbags, seat-belt pre-tensioning systems etc., include a printed circuit board with various electronic components. The printed circuit board is enclosed by a housing provided with a cover, such as is described, for example, in German Patent DE 44 06 499 C2. For fastening the housing on the motor vehicle, the cover of the housing has fastening lugs or flanges which also fixes the orientation of the control device with respect to the motor vehicle. This fixed orientation of the control device is compulsory, since the acceleration sensor usually used has a predetermined direction of sensitivity. The printed circuit board is fastened to the housing by screws. To reduce radiation caused by long line routes, a screw is usually provided centrally on the housing as a discharging element.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide an airbag control device that allows simple, low-cost installation of the airbag control device in a motor vehicle, while minimizing vibration problems occurring in the region of the printed circuit board.
With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, an airbag control device, comprising:
a housing having a cover and an interior formed therein;
a printed circuit board including electronic components, the printed circuit board disposed in the interior of the housing; and
a substantially central passage for fastening the airbag control device to a motor vehicle and being closed off from the interior of the housing, the substantially central passage extending through the housing, the cover, and the printed circuit board.
In accordance with an added feature of the invention, a fastening part is provided; the substantially central passage is formed with an asymmetrical shape in at least one region thereof; and the fastening part has a region with a shape complementary to the asymmetrical shape of the substantially central passage for fixing a position of the airbag control device with respect to a position of the fastening part.
In accordance with an additional feature of the invention, a location adjacent the substantially central passage fastening the printed circuit board to the housing is provided.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, at least one further location fastening the printed circuit board to the housing is provided.
In accordance with a further feature of the invention, a screw fastening the printed circuit board to the housing and the cover at a further location is provided.
In accordance with again an added feature of the invention, the printed circuit board includes an acceleration sensor disposed between the substantially central passage and the further location.
In accordance with again an additional feature of the invention, the housing includes a support adjacent the central passage for restraining the printed circuit board.
In accordance with again another feature of the invention, the housing includes a support adjacent the substantially central passage for restraining the printed circuit board; and the cover has a shape that presses the printed circuit board against the support of the housing.
In accordance with again a further feature of the invention, the cover includes an outer supporting boarder; and an inner supporting boarder adjacent the substantially central passage that is lower than the outer supporting boarder.
In accordance with a further added feature of the invention, a mass bond attaches the cover, the housing, and the printed circuit board at the support of the housing.
In accordance with a further additional feature of the invention, the printed circuit board includes an acceleration sensor.
In accordance with yet another feature of the invention, a location adjacent the substantially central passage fastening the printed circuit board to the cover is provided.
In accordance with a concomitant feature of the invention, at least one further location fastening the printed circuit board to the cover is provided.
Using parts that can be produced at a low cost, for instance a diecast housing and a stamped sheet metal cover, the airbag control device according to the invention can be fastened on a vehicle body quickly with few fastening parts. Installation costs are also minimized. This is made possible, according to the invention, by providing only one central fastening location for the complete airbag control device, consequently only one fastening operation is required to attach the airbag control device to a motor vehicle. Prior art airbag control devices required, for example, four screws to attach the airbag control device to a motor vehicle. The invention saves at least two bolts and nuts, and consequently not only material, but also installation time.
By dispensing with previously customary fastening lugs, there is more space available for the control device itself, and the interior volume of the control device can be enlarged. The surface area of the printed circuit board can therefore be enlarged, so that a two-sided board population or a multilayer configuration is not necessary.
In addition, the central fastening location provides a central restraint for the printed circuit board. As a result, vibrations of the printed circuit board, which have disadvantageous effects on the vibration-sensitive electronic acceleration sensor, can be significantly reduced or even avoided. If appropriate, it is possible to dispense with encapsulation of the acceleration sensor, as is described in the above-mentioned German Patent DE 44 06 499 C2.
If a positive connection of the control device and the relevant fastening part with an asymmetrical form is provided, a torsionally secure and positionally exact installation of the control device in the motor vehicle is automatically obtained.
Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims.
Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in an airbag control device, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.
The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.
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Published German Patent Application No. G 72 40 694, dated Apr. 5, 1973, device for storing replacement spark plugs.
Plankl Christian
Riederer Ludwig
Greenberg Laurence A.
Lerner Herbert L.
McClellan James S.
Siemens Atkiengesellschaft
Stemer Werner H.
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