Electricity: conductors and insulators – Boxes and housings – Hermetic sealed envelope type
Reexamination Certificate
1998-08-06
2001-01-30
Cuchlinski, Jr., William A. (Department: 3661)
Electricity: conductors and insulators
Boxes and housings
Hermetic sealed envelope type
C029S743000, C029S840000, C439S067000, C361S749000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06180880
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an electronic control unit with a housing formed of a base plate and a plastic hood as well as at least one contact pin. The invention further pertains to a method of producing such a control unit. Such electronic control units are used chiefly in motor vehicle technology and serve, in particular, for controlling the engine and/or the automatic transmission.
If such an electronic control unit is to be integrated with the associated sensors completely in an automatic transmission, it must be possible for the electronic control unit to be configured in a hermetically tight fashion. The same holds if an engine controller is constructed as an “in-situ electronic system”.
German published, non-prosecuted patent application DE 195 41 925 A1 describes a control unit in which a metal support plate and a substrate supporting conductor tracks are present. Power components are arranged on the support plate in a first region, which is sealed off from a second region. A male connector strip is attached to a metal side of the support plate. Electric contacts are guided through a cutout in the support plate to the conductor tracks of the substrate.
German published, non-prosecuted patent application DE 25 09 507 A1 discloses a housing for integrated circuits which has a base plate and a cover cap. Terminal pins are soldered into the base plate which extend through the base plate and project from the housing.
German published, non-prosecuted patent application DE 43 05 793 A1 describes a power module with semiconductor components arranged on separate support members, arranged one above another, in a housing made from a support plate and a cover hood.
German published, non-prosecuted patent application DE 27 02 173 A1 describes an electronic control unit for transistorized ignition systems, which has a housing made by pressure die-casting and has a plug opening. A seal on a male connector strip is achieved by partially potting the housing with casting resin. The male connector strip must be fastened to a printed circuit board by means of fastening elements. The printed circuit board must, in turn, be screwed on in the housing interior. European patent application EP 0 113 073 A1 discloses an electric switching device for motor vehicles with a moisture-tight housing. The housing part that holds an electric circuit is sealed by a moisture-tight, flexible diaphragm. Plugs are integrated in a moisture-tight fashion in the housing. Connecting parts are provided in the housing interior between the plugs and a printed circuit board. These connecting parts are usually bonding wires.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide an electronic control unit with contact pins and an associated production method which renders the control unit particularly easy to produce.
With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, an electronic control unit, comprising:
a housing having a base plate and a plastic hood, the base plate having an opening formed therein;
at least one contact pin fastened in the plastic hood and extending through the opening in the base plate;
a circuit support with an electronic control circuit, the circuit support being fastened to the base plate on a side thereof facing the plastic hood; and
a conductor track support electrically connecting the contact pin and the circuit support, the conductor track support being fastened to the side of the base plate facing the plastic hood.
With the above and other objects in view there is also provided, in accordance with the invention, a method of producing the electronic control unit, which comprises the following steps:
laminating a conductor track support onto a base plate;
fixing a circuit support onto the conductor track support at least in an edge section thereof with an electrically conducting adhesive;
partially inserting contact pins into a plastic hood;
joining the plastic hood and the base plate such that the contact pins project through openings in the base plate, and an electric connection is produced between the contact pins and the conductor track support.
Due to the fact that an electric connection between a contact pin and the circuit support is made by means of the conductor track support, it is possible to dispense with a complicated connecting method such as, for example, bonding.
In accordance with an added feature of the invention, the conductor track support extends into a contact region between the base plate and the plastic hood. It is very easy to seal the interior surrounded by the plastic hood, since the contact pins need not also be included in the sealed space.
In accordance with an additional feature of the invention, the base plate is a metal or metallized cooling plate. If the base plate is constructed as a cooling plate, the result is a particularly good cooling effect for the electronic control circuit when the circuit support is fastened to the cooling plate by means of a thermally conductive adhesive.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the conductor track support is glued or laminated onto the base plate, and wherein the hood is sealed fluid tight with respect to the conductor track support in a region between the contact pin and the circuit support.
In accordance with a further feature of the invention, a plurality of plastic sockets are disposed in the openings in the base plate, and the plastic hood is fastened to the base plate via a multiplicity of clamping connections formed between a respective contact pin and a respective plastic socket. By plugging the plastic hood, from which the contact pins project, into the base plate, it is possible in one work operation both to make an electric connection between the contact pins and the circuit carrier, and to achieve a mechanical fastening of the plastic hood to the base plate. In addition, the fastening effect can be enhanced by means of adhesive. In this case, the adhesive can simultaneously be a sealing means for sealing the housing interior.
In accordance with again an added feature of the invention, one conductor track of the conductor track support is clamped between a respective plastic socket/contact pin pair.
In accordance with again another feature of the invention, the circuit support is glued onto the base plate in a central section and is glued to the conductor track support by an electrically conducting adhesive in an edge section.
In accordance with again an additional feature of the invention, the contact pin(s) is/are completely injection-molded into the plastic hood at one end thereof.
In accordance with a concomitant feature of the invention, a contact end of the contact pin projects from a side of the base plate facing away from the plastic hood.
Particularly when a sealing means is provided for the housing interior, it is possible without any problem to achieve sealing even of aggressive fluid media such as transmission oil or gasoline.
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 electronic control unit with a contact pin, and a method for producing it, 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.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3585272 (1971-06-01), Solomon
patent: 4352119 (1982-09-01), Bardens et al.
patent: 4751482 (1988-06-01), Fukuta et al.
patent: 4951011 (1990-08-01), Heckaman et al.
patent: 5832598 (1998-11-01), Greenman et al.
patent: 5928002 (2000-07-01), Loibl
patent: 5996222 (19
Gander Helmut
Loibl Josef
Cuchlinski Jr. William A.
Greenberg Laurence A.
Lerner Herbert L.
Mancho Ronnie
Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
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