Electricity: electrical systems and devices – Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical... – For electronic systems and devices
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-10
2001-11-13
Patel, Tulsidas (Department: 2839)
Electricity: electrical systems and devices
Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical...
For electronic systems and devices
C310S071000, C439S076100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06317332
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an electronic module for an electric motor operated drive unit.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
An electronic module of this type is described, for example, in German Patent Application No. 1 97 46 518. The electronic module has an open electronic housing part, configured as a plug-in module, with a connector and a mounting means for a circuit board. A circuit board inserted in the mounting means is electrically connected to contact elements of the connector and to power leads for connecting to the motor. In fastening the plug-in module on the housing of the drive unit, a section of the circuit board which projects out from the plug-in module is introduced into the housing of the drive unit so that as it is being inserted a Hall sensor arranged on this section comes into the proximity of a ring magnet arranged on the armature shaft of the drive unit motor. At the same time, contact sections of the power leads extending from the module contact correspondingly configured contacts of the geared motor of the drive unit. With a fully inserted module, a sealing ring provided on the electronic housing part is pressed against the housing of the drive unit, forming a housing closed on all sides. A drawback is that the electronic housing part of the module is not delimited from the gear housing and motor housing of the drive unit. Particles or dirt and moisture present in the housing of the drive unit therefore quickly reach the electric and electronic components of the circuit board, making special protective measures necessary such as, for example, costly double-sided lacquering of the circuit board. A further drawback is that when the electronic module is removed, the circuit board and all electrical component are freely accessible and therefore are not protected from damage. In addition, a costly adjustment is necessary to align the circuit board carrying the Hall sensor with respect to the armature shaft of the motor.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The drawbacks present in the related art are avoided by the electronic module according to the present invention Double-sided lacquering of the circuit board is not necessary, since the circuit board is arranged in a separate housing part which can be closed with a cover, so that the sensitive electronic components of the circuit board are situated in the electronic housing part protected from dirt and dampness. The power leads are brought out of the electronic housing part via a second connector piece. When the electronic housing part is fastened to the housing of the drive unit, the second connector piece is introduced through a correspondingly configured opening into the housing of the drive unit so that the contact sections of the power leads projecting from the electronic housing part make contact with motor contacts arranged in the housing of the drive unit. Assembly cost for fastening the electronic module on the housing of the drive unit is advantageously reduced as a result of the separate electronic housing part. Costly adjustment and alignment of the circuit board with respect to the motor armature shaft become unnecessary. The electronic module can advantageously be utilized in various types of electric motor operated drive units.
Electric connection leads of components which are positioned in the vicinity of the armature shaft of the motor and which must be electrically connected to the circuit board, for example, such as parts of an electronic control or regulating system, can be advantageously provided in the second connector piece. It is especially advantageous for the second connector piece to be configured in the shape of a plug and the component, which, for example, can be a Hall IC component, is arranged on the end of the plug-shaped connector piece projecting from the electronic housing part. Upon insertion of the second connector piece into the housing of a drive unit, the Hall IC component is then automatically pushed into the desired end position. The electronic housing part can, for example, be manufactured of plastic in one piece with the first and the second connector pieces in one manufacturing step as an injection molded part.
The second connector piece can, however, also be produced from insulating material as a separate piece and arranged on the electronic housing part after its fabrication. Thus it is possible, for example, to partially embed power leads and connection leads in an insulating material with two end sections facing each other and subsequently to electrically connect a Hall IC component at one end section of the second connector piece to the bare connection surfaces of the connecting leads, for example, via bond wires, and then to cover the Hall IC component with a sealing compound which at the same time insulates and protects it from environmental influences. After this, the separately produced second connector piece can be arranged on the electronic housing part. In so doing, it is advantageous that different techniques or materials can be used for the manufacture of the second connector piece than for the manufacture of the rest of the electronic housing part and that the Hall IC component is completely embedded in insulating material and as a result is protected from harmful environmental influences. For example, the second connector piece can be produced as a stamped-grid part which is extrusion-coated with insulation material or as a 3D-MID component (molded interconnection device).
It is also advantageous for a pressure compensation channel to be provided in the second connector piece. A tightly closed electronic housing part makes a pressure compensation element useful. Since the housings of the drive units already have such a pressure compensation element, the latter can also be advantageously used for the electronic housing via the pressure compensation channel.
In another exemplary embodiment, the Hall sensor element is arranged on the circuit board in the electronic housing. Magnetic flux conductors which measure the variable magnetic field of a magnet rotating on the armature shaft of the motor and conduct it to the Hall sensor element can then be advantageously arranged in the second connector piece.
It is also advantageous to bring the circuit-board-side connection sections of the contact elements of the first connector piece, of the power leads, and of the additional electric connection leads parallel to each other through contact openings of the circuit board. The circuit board can then be plugged into the connection sections by hand during assembly. If the circuit board is arranged in the interior of the housing directly across from the cover, the connection sections can be advantageously soldered to the connection sections with the cover off using the cost-effective dip-soldering process.
It is furthermore particularly advantageous for a relay used for control of the motor of the drive unit to be arranged in the electronic housing so that the relay connections can be passed through contact openings of the circuit board parallel to the other connection sections. As a result of this, the circuit board can be cost-effectively equipped exclusively with SMD components before being mounted in the electronic module. The relay which is to be connected to the circuit board can be pre-assembled in the electronic housing part and is soldered along with the other connection contacts only after insertion of the circuit board into the slot of the electronic module. In this way an additional manufacturing step is saved.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5528093 (1996-06-01), Adam et al.
patent: 5770902 (1998-06-01), Batten et al.
patent: 5777410 (1998-07-01), Asakura et al.
patent: 5984695 (1999-11-01), Riehl et al.
patent: 6107713 (2000-08-01), Hulsmann et al.
patent: 42 25 496 (1994-02-01), None
patent: 197 46 518 (1999-04-01), None
patent: 0 538 495 (1993-04-01), None
Benz Jochen
Hager Martin
Haussecker Walter
Knab Norbert
Riehl Guenther
Kenyon & Kenyon
Patel Tulsidas
Robert & Bosch GmbH
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