Electronic device

Abstract

To provide an electronic device that has a resin housing and can be connected to the ground of a moving object.SOLUTION: An electronic device includes a circuit board 30, a plastic housing 40, and a metal member 50. The circuit board 30 includes a printed circuit board 31 having ground wiring 311 and electronic components 32 mounted on the printed circuit board 31. The plastic housing 40 houses the circuit board 30. The metal member 50 is held in the plastic housing. The metal member 50 includes a board connection portion 51 electrically connected to the ground wiring 311 and a ground connection portion 52 electrically connected to a ground member 100 that provides a ground potential in a mobile object.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] TECHNICAL FIELD The disclosure herein relates to electronic devices. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses an electronic control device. The contents of the prior art document are incorporated by reference as explanations of the technical elements in this specification. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-68717 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In Patent Document 1, a control board is inserted into a cylindrical resin case with a bottom into which a metal plate is inserted and fixed. A thermally conductive material is placed between the electronic components of the control board and the metal plate depending on the usage environment.

[0005] For electronic devices mounted on moving objects, a resin housing as exemplified in Patent Document 1 may be used to reduce weight. However, when a resin housing is used, it is not possible to connect to the ground of the moving object via the housing. Further improvements are required for electronic devices in the above-mentioned respects and in other respects not mentioned.

[0006] One disclosed object is to provide an electronic device that has a resin housing and can be connected to the ground of a mobile object. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] One aspect of the disclosure is An electronic device mounted on a moving body, a circuit board (30) having a printed circuit board (31) having a ground wiring (311) and an electronic component (32) mounted on the printed circuit board; a resin housing (40) that houses a circuit board; a metal member (50) held in a resin housing; Equipped with The metal members are a substrate connection portion (51) electrically connected to the ground wiring; and a ground connection portion (52) electrically connected to a ground member (100) that provides a ground potential in the moving body.

[0008] According to the disclosed electronic device, the metal member held in the resin housing has a board connection portion and a ground connection portion. This allows the metal member to function as a ground path that electrically connects the ground wiring of the circuit board to the ground member of the mobile object. Therefore, it is possible to provide an electronic device that has a resin housing and can be connected to the ground of the mobile object.

[0009] The various aspects disclosed in this specification employ different technical means to achieve their respective objectives. The reference numerals in parentheses in the claims are intended to exemplarily indicate the corresponding parts of the embodiments described below, and are not intended to limit the technical scope. The objectives, features, and advantages disclosed in this specification will become more apparent by reference to the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an in-vehicle network including a zone ECU. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an electronic device according to a first embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in FIG. 2. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a ground path and a heat dissipation path. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing an electronic device according to a second embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing an electronic device according to a third embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing an electronic device according to a fourth embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing an electronic device according to a fifth embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] Hereinafter, several embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that in each embodiment, corresponding components are designated by the same reference numerals, and redundant description may be omitted. When only a portion of the configuration is described in each embodiment, the configuration of another embodiment previously described may be applied to the remaining portion of the configuration. Furthermore, in addition to the combinations of configurations explicitly stated in the description of each embodiment, configurations of several embodiments may be partially combined together even if not explicitly stated, provided that there is no particular problem with the combination.

[0012] (First embodiment) The electronic device is mounted on a mobile object. Examples of the mobile object include vehicles such as electric vehicles (BEVs) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), small aircraft such as electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft (eVTOLs) and drones, small ships, construction machinery, and agricultural machinery. The mobile object may be a manned or unmanned mobile object. The electronic device is, for example, an electronic control unit (ECU). ECU is an abbreviation for Electronic Control Unit.

[0013] The electronic device is a zone ECU mounted on a vehicle. First, the zone ECU to which the electronic device is applied and the in-vehicle network including the zone ECU will be described with reference to FIG.

[0014] <Zone ECU, in-vehicle network> As shown in FIG. 1, the in-vehicle network system 10 includes a central ECU 11, multiple zone ECUs 12, other in-vehicle devices 13, and communication lines. The in-vehicle network system 10 is sometimes referred to as a communication system. The in-vehicle network system 10 is a communication network based on a zone architecture. The in-vehicle network system 10 realizes efficient data exchange between the central ECU 11, multiple zone ECUs 12, and numerous in-vehicle devices 13.

[0015] The central ECU 11 is a higher-level ECU than the zone ECUs 12. The central ECU 11 controls the multiple zone ECUs 12 in an integrated manner. The central ECU 11 generates commands (control signals) for controlling the in-vehicle devices 13 and transmits them to the corresponding zone ECUs 12. The central ECU 11 controls the in-vehicle devices 13 via the zone ECUs 12.

[0016] The in-vehicle devices 13 include a slave ECU 14, actuators 15, and sensors 16. The in-vehicle devices 13 connected to each zone ECU 12 can be changed as appropriate. The slave ECU 14 is a lower-level ECU relative to the zone ECU 12. The slave ECU 14 can include, for example, a body ECU, a powertrain ECU, a chassis ECU, a multimedia ECU, a cockpit ECU, an ADAS ECU, etc. ADAS is an abbreviation for Advanced Driving Assistant System.

[0017] The actuator 15 is controlled by the central ECU 11 via the zone ECU 12. The sensor 16 provides the central ECU 11 with detection information via the zone ECU 12.

[0018] The multiple zone ECUs 12 are arranged in multiple pre-defined zones of the vehicle, such as the front, rear, left, and right sides of the vehicle. The zone ECUs 12 are arranged, for example, in the engine compartment, in the instrument panel, in the trunk, under the seats, under the floor, etc. The zone ECUs 12 have a power distribution function (power supply distribution function) and supply power for operation to each of the on-board devices 13. In addition, the zone ECUs 12 have a gateway function and enable mutual communication by converting and relaying data between networks with different communication methods.

[0019] One zone ECU 12 is connected to the central ECU 11 and the other zone ECUs 12 so as to be able to communicate with each other. The zone ECU 12 performs communication between the central ECU 11 and the other zone ECUs 12 in accordance with, for example, the ETHERNET protocol. ETHERNET is a registered trademark. Each zone ECU 12 is connected to be able to communicate with the in-vehicle devices 13 located in the zone in which it is located.

[0020] The zone ECU 12 communicates with each of the in-vehicle devices 13 in accordance with, for example, the CAN protocol or the LIN protocol. CAN is an abbreviation for Controller Area Network and is a registered trademark. LIN is an abbreviation for Local Interconnect Network. The zone ECU 12 relays communication between the central ECU 11 and the in-vehicle devices 13 using the gateway function described above, and controls each of the in-vehicle devices 13 to be controlled.

[0021] <Electronic equipment> Next, the structure of the electronic device will be described with reference to Figs. 2 to 4. Fig. 2 is a plan view showing the electronic device. Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the electronic device. Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in Fig. 2. For convenience, Fig. 4 omits the resist on the printed circuit board. Also, most of the wiring on the printed circuit board is omitted. Some electronic components are also omitted.

[0022] In the following, the thickness direction of a printed circuit board is referred to as the Z direction. The direction perpendicular to the Z direction is referred to as the X direction, and the direction perpendicular to both the Z direction and the X direction is referred to as the Y direction. Unless otherwise specified, the shape viewed from the Z direction, in other words, the shape along the XY plane defined by the X and Y directions, is referred to as the planar shape. The planar view from the Z direction is sometimes simply referred to as the planar view.

[0023] The illustrated electronic device 20 is the zone ECU 12 as described above. The electronic device 20 is fixed to a ground member 100 of a vehicle, which is a moving body. The ground member 100 is a member that provides a ground potential, which is a reference potential in the vehicle. The ground member 100 is, for example, the body or chassis of the vehicle. The ground potential of the vehicle is sometimes referred to as a vehicle ground, body ground, chassis ground, etc. The electronic device 20 includes a circuit board 30, a resin housing 40, and a metal member 50.

[0024] The circuit board 30 is provided with an arithmetic processing circuit including a processor, RAM, storage, etc., a power supply circuit, etc. RAM is an abbreviation for Random Access Memory. The processor includes, for example, a CPU, etc. CPU is an abbreviation for Central Processing Unit. The processor is coupled to the RAM and executes various processes to realize each function of the zone ECU 12 by accessing the RAM. The storage includes a non-volatile storage medium such as a flash memory. The storage stores a control program executed by the processor.

[0025] The circuit board 30 includes a printed circuit board 31 and electronic components 32. The printed circuit board 31 may also be referred to as a board, a wiring board, a printed wiring board, etc. The printed circuit board 31 has one surface 31a and a back surface 31b. The back surface 31b is the surface opposite to the one surface 31a in the Z direction. The planar shape of the printed circuit board 31 is not particularly limited. The illustrated printed circuit board 31 has a generally rectangular planar shape.

[0026] The printed circuit board 31 has an insulating substrate and wiring. The insulating substrate is made of an electrically insulating material such as resin. The wiring is disposed on the insulating substrate. The wiring includes at least a conductor pattern. The conductor pattern is formed, for example, by patterning a metal foil. The conductor pattern is disposed on one surface 31a and / or the back surface 31b of the printed circuit board 31. The conductor pattern may also be disposed inside the insulating substrate. In other words, the printed circuit board 31 may be a single-sided board, a double-sided board, or a multilayer board including three or more layers of conductor patterns.

[0027] The wiring may include a via conductor. The via conductor is formed by disposing a conductor such as plating in a through hole (via) formed in an insulating layer that constitutes the insulating substrate. The via conductor electrically connects conductive patterns on different layers. The wiring includes a land. The land may include, for example, a surface mounting land disposed on the surface layer of the insulating substrate as part of a conductive pattern. The land may include, for example, a through-hole land disposed on the wall surface of a through-hole that penetrates the insulating substrate.

[0028] The printed circuit board 31 has a ground wiring 311. The ground wiring 311 is a wiring that provides a ground potential in the circuit board 30, a so-called board ground. In FIG. 4, only the through-hole lands, which are the electrical connection portions with the metal member 50, of the ground wiring 311 are shown. The ground wiring 311 also includes a solid ground (not shown). The solid ground is a large-area conductor pattern of the ground wiring 311 that is electrically connected to the through-hole lands.

[0029] The electronic components 32 are mounted on the printed circuit board 31. The electronic components 32 are electrically connected to corresponding lands, for example, by soldering. The electronic components 32 form a circuit together with the wiring of the printed circuit board 31. The circuit board 30 includes a plurality of electronic components 32. The electronic components 32 are arranged on one surface 31a and / or the back surface 31b. In the exemplary electronic device 20, the electronic components 32 are arranged on the one surface 31a.

[0030] The illustrated electronic component 32 includes a microcomputer and a power supply IC. The microcomputer is a semiconductor chip including at least a processor. The microcomputer constitutes part of an arithmetic processing circuit. The power supply IC constitutes part of a power supply circuit. The power supply circuit supplies power for operation to the in-vehicle devices 13 communicatively connected to the zone ECU 12. The power supply circuit generates a constant voltage lower than the supply voltage based on the voltage supplied from a power supply device such as a battery. The electronic component 32 includes a heat-generating component. The heat-generating component is an electronic component that generates more heat than the electronic component 32 excluding the heat-generating component.

[0031] The electronic device 20 may further include an input / output module 33. The input / output module 33 provides at least the input / output function (I / O function) among the functions of the zone ECU 12. The input / output module 33 is a modularized input / output function separated from the circuit board 30. The number of input / output modules 33 included in the zone ECU 12 can be increased or decreased depending on the functions required of the zone ECU 12. For convenience, only one input / output module 33 is shown in FIGS. 2 to 4.

[0032] The input / output module 33 may include at least one of a communication module, a power supply module, an MPU (Micro-Processing Unit) module, a general-purpose IO module, and an AD input module, for example. MPU is an abbreviation for Micro-Processing Unit. The communication module is an input / output module 33 that performs communication processing. The communication module is, for example, an ETHERNET communication module in which a communication circuit for ETHERNET communication is formed. The power supply module is formed with at least a part of a power distribution circuit. The power distribution circuit may distribute the supply power directly to each on-board device 13, or may distribute the supply power to each on-board device 13 in cooperation with the power supply circuit of the circuit board 30.

[0033] The MPU module is equipped with an MPU chip capable of high-speed arithmetic processing. The general-purpose IO module is equipped with a microcontroller with general-purpose I / O (GPIO) functions. GPIO stands for General Purpose Input / Output. The input / output terminals of the general-purpose IO module can be freely selected for input or output using software, etc. The AD input module is an input / output module 33 with an AD conversion function that converts analog signals into digital signals.

[0034] The input / output module 33 has a main body 331, a plurality of board connection terminals 332, and a plurality of external connection terminals 333. The main body 331 is formed by resin-sealing components that constitute the input / output circuit. The components may be electronic components or may be a circuit board including electronic components. The board connection terminals 332 and the external connection terminals 333 are electrically connected to the components that constitute the input / output circuit.

[0035] The board connection terminals 332 and the external connection terminals 333 are formed using a metal material with excellent conductivity, such as copper. The board connection terminals 332 protrude from the main body 331 and extend in a predetermined direction. The board connection terminals 332 are electrically connected to corresponding lands on the circuit board 30. The external connection terminals 333 extend from the main body 331 in the opposite direction to the board connection terminals 332. The external connection terminals 333 are exposed inside the connector housing 46 through openings 45 in the resin casing 40.

[0036] The illustrated board connection terminal 332 protrudes from the surface of the main body 331 facing the circuit board 30 and extends in the Z direction. The board connection terminal 332 extends toward the circuit board 30. The multiple board connection terminals 332 included in one input / output module 33 are aligned in the X and Y directions. The external connection terminal 333 protrudes from the surface of the main body 331 opposite to the surface facing the circuit board 30 and extends in the Z direction. The external connection terminal 333 extends into the connector housing 46. The input / output module 33 as a whole extends in the Z direction, that is, in the thickness direction of the circuit board 30.

[0037] The input / output module 33 may be inserted into the printed circuit board 31 as shown in the example, or may be surface-mounted. In the surface-mounted configuration, the circuit board 30 may include an SMD connector into which the board connection terminal 332 can be inserted and removed.

[0038] The resin housing 40 is made of a resin material. Examples of the resin material include PBT and PPS. The resin housing 40 is made up of, for example, a plurality of members. The illustrated resin housing 40 is configured to be separable in the Z direction. The resin housing 40 includes a case 41 and a cover 42. The case 41 and the cover 42 are assembled together to form the resin housing 40. The case 41 and the cover 42 can be assembled together by, for example, screw fastening, heat caulking, snap fitting, or the like.

[0039] The resin housing 40 has a main body portion 43 and an extension portion 44. The main body portion 43 provides a storage space 43S. The circuit board 30 is disposed in the storage space 43S. The extension portion 44 is continuous with the main body portion 43 and extends in a predetermined direction. The main body portion 43 is composed of a case 41 and a cover 42. The extension portion 44 is composed of the case 41.

[0040] The outer shell of the illustrated main body 43 is a substantially rectangular parallelepiped. In the case 41, the portion that constitutes the main body 43 is box-shaped with one open side. The case 41 constitutes the top wall and side walls of the main body 43. The cover 42 covers the opening of the case 41. The shape of the cover 42 may be, for example, a substantially flat plate, or a box-like shape with one open side. The illustrated cover 42 is box-shaped with a shallow bottom and one open side. The cover 42 constitutes the bottom wall and side walls of the main body 43. The extension portion 44 is continuous with a portion of the top wall and side wall of the case 41. The illustrated extension portion 44 protrudes upward from the top wall of the case 41. The extension portion 44 extends in the X direction.

[0041] The resin housing 40 has an opening 45 and a connector housing 46. The opening 45 is provided to connect the external connection terminals 333 to an external device. The illustrated opening 45 is provided in the top wall of the case 41. The external connection terminals 333 pass through the opening 45. The number of openings 45 is not particularly limited. For example, multiple openings 45 may be provided according to the number of input / output modules 33. The connector housing 46 is continuous with the periphery of the opening 45 in the top wall of the case 41 and extends in a direction away from the circuit board 30. The connector housing 46 is cylindrical in plan view. A portion of the external connection terminals 333 is disposed within the cylinder of the connector housing 46. The connector housing 46, together with the external connection terminals 333, constitutes a male connector.

[0042] The metal member 50 provides a ground path (earth path) that electrically connects the board ground to the vehicle ground. The metal member 50 is formed using a metal material such as Cu. The metal member 50 is held in the resin housing 40. The metal member 50 may be held in the resin housing 40 as an insert part, or may be held in the resin housing 40 by press-fitting. An insert part is a part that is insert-molded together with the resin housing 40. The illustrated metal member 50 is held in the resin housing 40 as an insert part. At least a portion of the metal member 50 is embedded in the resin housing 40.

[0043] The metal member 50 has a board connection portion 51, a ground connection portion 52, and a coupling portion 53. The board connection portion 51 is electrically connected to the ground wiring 311 of the printed circuit board 31. The ground connection portion 52 is electrically connected to the above-mentioned ground member 100. The coupling portion 53 is a portion of the metal member 50 that connects the board connection portion 51 and the ground connection portion 52, and at least a portion of the coupling portion 53 is disposed in the extension portion 44 of the plastic housing 40.

[0044] The illustrated board connection portion 51 fixes the circuit board 30 to the resin housing 40. The board connection portion 51 is exposed to the accommodation space 43S. The board connection portion 51 is disposed on the one surface 31a. The board connection portion 51 extends from the coupling portion 53 in the Z direction toward the circuit board 30. A protruding tip of the board connection portion 51 contacts the one surface 31a of the printed circuit board 31. The board connection portion 51 has a screw hole 511 that opens at the protruding tip. A screw 60 is inserted from the back surface 31b side through a through-hole land that forms the ground wiring 311 and is screwed into the screw hole 511. The circuit board 30 is fixed to the metal member 50 and ultimately to the resin housing 40 by fastening. The ground wiring 311 is electrically connected to the board connection portion 51 (metal member 50) directly and / or via the screw 60.

[0045] The illustrated ground connection portion 52 fixes the plastic housing 40, and therefore the electronic device 20, to the grounding member 100. The ground connection portion 52 is a metal collar that fastens and fixes the plastic housing 40 to the grounding member 100. The metal collar is cylindrical. Both end faces in the Z direction and the inner peripheral surface of the ground connection portion 52 are exposed to the outside from the surface of the plastic housing 40. The metal member 50 is an insert part that includes the metal collar.

[0046] Most of the illustrated connecting portion 53 is embedded inside the extension portion 44. The connecting portion 53 extends in the X direction. The connecting portion 53 extends along the extension portion 44. One end of the connecting portion 53 is exposed to the accommodation space 43S, and the board connection portion 51 is connected to this exposed end. The other end of the connecting portion 53 is connected to the outer peripheral surface of the ground connection portion 52.

[0047] In addition to the ground path, the metal member 50 may provide a heat dissipation path for dissipating heat generated by the electronic components 32 to the outside of the electronic device 20. As illustrated, the metal member 50 may further include a heat dissipation portion 54. The heat dissipation portion 54 is exposed to the accommodation space 43S and thermally connected to at least one of the electronic components 32, specifically, a heat-generating component. The heat dissipation portion 54 is connected to the end of the connecting portion 53 that is exposed to the accommodation space 43S. The heat dissipation portion 54 is disposed on the one surface 31a. Like the board connection portion 51, the heat dissipation portion 54 extends from the connecting portion 53 in the Z direction toward the circuit board 30. The heat dissipation portion 54 is thermally connected to the electronic components 32 directly and / or via a thermally conductive material. The illustrated heat dissipation portion 54 is thermally connected to the electronic components 32 (heat-generating components) disposed on the one surface 31a via a thermally conductive material 70. The thermally conductive material 70 is sometimes referred to as a TIM. TIM is an abbreviation for Thermal Interface Material.

[0048] <Connection structure between electronic device and grounding member> Next, the connection structure between an electronic device and a grounding member will be described with reference to Figures 2 to 5. Figure 5 shows the ground path and the heat dissipation path. In Figure 5, the solid arrows indicate the flow of current, i.e., the ground path. The dashed arrows indicate the flow of heat generated by the electronic component, i.e., the heat dissipation path.

[0049] The grounding member 100 has a through hole 101. The through hole 101 is provided to correspond to the hole of the cylindrical ground connection portion 52. A bolt 110 is inserted through the ground connection portion 52 (metal collar) and the through hole 101, and is screwed into a nut 111. The ground connection portion 52 is electrically connected to the grounding member 100 directly and / or via the bolt 110. The electronic device 20 is fastened to the grounding member 100.

[0050] In this manner, when the electronic device 20 is fixed to the grounding member 100, i.e., when the electronic device 20 is electrically and mechanically connected to the grounding member 100, the illustrated metal member 50 functions as a ground path and a heat dissipation path. As described above, power is supplied to the circuit board 30 from a battery. As shown in FIG. 5, current flows to the grounding member 100 via the input / output module 33, the circuit of the circuit board 30, the ground wiring 311, the board connection portion 51, the connecting portion 53, and the ground connection portion 52. As shown in FIG. 5, heat generated by the electronic component 32 (heat-generating component) is transferred to the grounding member 100 via the thermally conductive material 70, the heat dissipation portion 54, the connecting portion 53, and the ground connection portion 52.

[0051] <Summary of the First Embodiment> The electronic device 20 of this embodiment is mounted on a vehicle (mobile object). The electronic device 20 includes a circuit board 30, a plastic housing 40, and a metal member 50. The plastic housing 40 houses the circuit board 30. The metal member 50 is held by the plastic housing 40. The metal member 50 has a board connection portion 51 and a ground connection portion 52. The board connection portion 51 is electrically connected to the ground wiring 311 of the printed circuit board 31. The ground connection portion 52 is electrically connected to a ground member 100 that provides a ground potential in the vehicle.

[0052] In this way, the metal member 50 held in the resin housing 40 has the board connection portion 51 and the ground connection portion 52. This allows the metal member 50 to function as a ground path that electrically connects the ground wiring 311 of the circuit board 30 to the ground member 100 of the vehicle. Therefore, the board ground can be connected to the ground of the vehicle (moving object) while still including the resin housing 40. While ensuring connection with the vehicle ground, the weight can be reduced compared to a configuration that uses a metal housing.

[0053] As illustrated, the board connection portion 51 may fix the circuit board 30 to the plastic housing 40, and the ground connection portion 52 may fix the plastic housing 40 to the grounding member 100. The metal member 50, which functions as a ground path, is used to fix the circuit board 30 to the plastic housing 40, and the plastic housing 40 is fixed to the grounding member 100. There is no need to provide a separate fixing member. For example, the configuration of the electronic device 20 can be simplified.

[0054] As shown in the example, the ground connection portion 52 may be a metal collar for fastening the resin housing 40 to the grounding member 100. By using a metal collar, the fixed portion between the electronic device 20 and the grounding member 100 can be strengthened. For example, cracking and deformation of the resin at the fixed portion can be suppressed. Fixation to the grounding member 100 can be stabilized while employing the resin housing 40. Since the metal member 50 including the metal collar is electrically connected to the ground wiring 311, the fixing structure can be strengthened while suppressing an increase in the number of parts.

[0055] As shown in the example, the metal member 50 may be an insert part into the plastic housing 40. The metal collar described above is an insert collar. The insert part including the metal collar is used as a ground path, which simplifies the configuration. The positional accuracy of the metal member 50, such as the board connection part 51 and the ground connection part 52, relative to the plastic housing 40 can be improved. The holding force of the metal member 50 by the plastic housing 40 can be increased.

[0056] As illustrated, the plastic housing 40 may have a main body 43 that provides the housing space 43S, and an extension 44 that is connected to the main body 43 and extends toward the grounding member 100. The metal member 50 is a portion that connects the ground connection portion 52 and the board connection portion 51, and may have a connecting portion 53, at least a portion of which is located in the extension 44. The plastic extension 44 can be reinforced by the metal connecting portion 53. This allows the electronic device 20 to be stably fixed to the grounding member 100.

[0057] As illustrated, the board connection portion 51 may be exposed to the accommodation space 43S. The ground connection portion 52 may be exposed to the outside from the extension portion 44. This makes it easy to electrically connect the metal member 50 to the ground wiring 311. It also makes it easy to electrically connect the metal member 50 to the ground member 100.

[0058] As illustrated, the metal member 50 may have a heat dissipation portion 54 exposed to the accommodation space 43S and thermally connected to at least one of the electronic components 32. Because the metal member 50 functions as a heat dissipation path, heat generated by the electronic components 32 can be efficiently dissipated to the outside of the electronic device 20, for example, to the ground member 100, via the metal member 50. Because the metal member 50 serves as both a ground path and a heat dissipation path, an increase in the number of components can be suppressed, and the configuration can be simplified.

[0059] As illustrated, the metal member 50 may include external connection terminals 333 electrically connected to the printed circuit board 31, and the plastic housing 40 may have openings 45 for connecting the external connection terminals 333 to an external device. As described above, the metal member 50 is an insert component for the plastic housing 40. Therefore, the positional accuracy of the board connection portion 51 of the metal member 50 relative to the plastic housing 40 is high. The circuit board 30 is positioned and fixed to the board connection portion 51 with high positional accuracy, and the positional accuracy of the circuit board 30 relative to the plastic housing 40 is high. Therefore, the positional accuracy of the external connection terminals 333 relative to the openings 45 is also high. In other words, the positional accuracy of the external connection terminals 333 relative to the connector housing 46 is high. Therefore, for example, the connectivity with external devices can be improved.

[0060] As illustrated, the electronic device 20 may be a zone ECU 12 mounted on a vehicle, which is a moving body. For example, the zone ECU 12 may include the input / output module 33 as described above. This is suitable for the zone ECU 12 because it can improve the positional accuracy of the external connection terminal 333 relative to the opening 45 and the connector housing 46.

[0061] (Second embodiment) This embodiment is a modification of the previous embodiment, and the description of the previous embodiment can be used. In the previous embodiment, the metal member is provided with a heat dissipation portion. Alternatively, the metal member may not have a heat dissipation portion.

[0062] Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing an electronic device according to this embodiment, which corresponds to Fig. 4. Fig. 6 shows a connection structure between an electronic device and a ground member.

[0063] 6, the metal member 50 has a substrate connection portion 51, a ground connection portion 52, and a coupling portion 53. The metal member 50 does not have a heat dissipation portion 54. The other configurations are the same as those described in the preceding embodiment.

[0064] <Summary of the second embodiment> As shown in the example, the metal member 50 may not have the heat dissipation portion 54. The metal member 50 only needs to have at least the board connection portion 51 and the ground connection portion 52. This allows the metal member 50 to function as a ground path that electrically connects the ground wiring 311 of the circuit board 30 to the ground member 100 of the vehicle. Therefore, the board ground can be connected to the ground of the moving body while still providing the resin housing 40.

[0065] (Third embodiment) This embodiment is a modification based on the previous embodiment, and the description of the previous embodiment can be used. In the previous embodiment, the heat dissipation unit is thermally connected to electronic components arranged on one side of the printed circuit board. Alternatively, or in addition, the heat dissipation unit may be thermally connected to electronic components arranged on the back side.

[0066] Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing an electronic device according to this embodiment, which corresponds to Fig. 4. Fig. 7 shows a connection structure between an electronic device and a ground member.

[0067] 7, the printed circuit board 31 has a heat conductive portion 312. The heat conductive portion 312 is provided from one surface 31a to the back surface 31b of the printed circuit board 31. The heat conductive portion 312 penetrates the printed circuit board 31 in the Z direction. An example of the heat conductive portion 312 is a thermal via. Instead of the thermal via, a Cu inlay or the like may be used.

[0068] At least one of the electronic components 32 is disposed on the rear surface 31b. The heat dissipation portion 54 is disposed at a position overlapping the heat conduction portion 312 in a plan view. The heat dissipation portion 54 is thermally connected to the heat conduction portion 312 directly and / or via a thermally conductive material. The illustrated heat dissipation portion 54 contacts the heat conduction material 70 and is thermally connected to the heat conduction portion 312 via the heat conduction material 70. The electronic component (heat-generating component) disposed on the rear surface 31b is thermally connected to the heat dissipation portion 54 via the heat conduction portion 312 and the heat conduction material 70. The other configurations are similar to those described in the preceding embodiment.

[0069] <Summary of the third embodiment> As illustrated, the printed circuit board 31 may have a heat conductive portion 312. The heat dissipation portion 54 may be thermally connected to the electronic components 32 arranged on the rear surface 31b of the printed circuit board 31 via the heat conductive portion 312. This allows the heat of the electronic components 32 arranged on the rear surface 31b to be efficiently dissipated to the outside of the electronic device 20, for example, to the ground member 100, via the metal member 50.

[0070] The metal member 50 may have a plurality of heat dissipation portions 54, including a heat dissipation portion 54 (first heat dissipation portion) thermally connected to the electronic component 32 arranged on the one surface 31a and a heat dissipation portion 54 (second heat dissipation portion) thermally connected to the electronic component 32 arranged on the back surface 31b. One heat dissipation portion 54 may be configured to be thermally connected to both the electronic component 32 arranged on the one surface 31a and the electronic component 32 arranged on the back surface 31b.

[0071] (Fourth embodiment) This embodiment is a modification based on the previous embodiment, and the description of the previous embodiment can be used. In the previous embodiment, the electronic device includes one metal member, and there is one fixed point between the electronic device and the ground member. Alternatively, the electronic device may include multiple metal members, and there may be multiple fixed points between the electronic device and the ground member. In the previous embodiment, an example was shown in which one board connection portion and one ground connection portion were provided. Alternatively, multiple board connection portions and multiple ground connection portions may be provided.

[0072] Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing an electronic device according to this embodiment, which corresponds to Fig. 4. Fig. 8 shows a connection structure between an electronic device and a ground member.

[0073] 8, the electronic device 20 includes two metal members 50. One of the metal members 50, like the metal member 50 shown in the first embodiment, has a board connection portion 51, a ground connection portion 52, a coupling portion 53, and a heat dissipation portion 54. The other metal member 50, like the metal member 50 shown in the second embodiment, has a board connection portion 51, a ground connection portion 52, and a coupling portion 53.

[0074] The board connection portions 51 of the two metal members 50 are arranged to sandwich the input / output module 33 in the X direction. The connecting portions 53 of the two metal members 50 extend in opposite directions from the accommodation space 43S. The ground connection portions 52 are both connected to the ground member 100. The other configurations are the same as those described in the preceding embodiment.

[0075] <Summary of the Fourth Embodiment> As illustrated, one electronic device 20 may include multiple metal members 50. The electronic device 20 may have multiple fixing points between the electronic device 20 and the grounding member 100. For example, the fixing structure of the electronic device 20 to the grounding member 100 can be stabilized.

[0076] Note that one metal member 50 may have multiple board connection portions 51 and multiple ground connection portions 52. One metal member 50 may have multiple board connection portions 51 and multiple ground connection portions 52.

[0077] (Fifth embodiment) This embodiment is a modification based on the preceding embodiment, and the description of the preceding embodiment can be used. In the preceding embodiment, the external connection terminal of the input / output module is configured to be connectable to an external device through an opening in the plastic housing. Alternatively, or in addition, an external connection terminal separate from the input / output module may be configured to be connectable to an external device through the opening.

[0078] Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view showing an electronic device according to this embodiment, which corresponds to Fig. 4. Fig. 9 shows a connection structure between an electronic device and a ground member.

[0079] As shown in FIG. 9 , the electronic device 20 includes an external connection terminal 34. The external connection terminal 34 is formed using a metal material with good conductivity, such as Cu. The external connection terminal 34 is sometimes referred to as a lead. The external connection terminal 34 extends in the Z direction. One end of the external connection terminal 34 is mounted on the printed circuit board 31. The other end is disposed in a connector housing 46 through an opening 45. The external connection terminal 34, together with the connector housing 46, constitutes a male connector. The other configuration is the same as that described in the preceding embodiment.

[0080] <Summary of the Fifth Embodiment> As illustrated, the circuit board 31 may include external connection terminals 34 electrically connected thereto, and the plastic housing 40 may have openings 45 for connecting the external connection terminals 34 to an external device. As described above, the metal member 50, which is an insert part, has high positional accuracy relative to the plastic housing 40. The circuit board 30 is positioned and fixed to the board connection portion 51, which has high positional accuracy, and the positional accuracy of the circuit board 30 relative to the plastic housing 40 is also high. Therefore, the positional accuracy of the external connection terminals 34 relative to the openings 45 and the connector housing 46 is also high. This can improve connectivity with external devices, for example.

[0081] The electronic device 20 may include an input / output module 33 and an external connection terminal 34. The resin housing 40 may have a plurality of openings 45 and a plurality of connector housings 46.

[0082] (Other embodiments) The disclosure in this specification and drawings, etc. is not limited to the exemplified embodiments. The disclosure encompasses the exemplified embodiments and modifications thereto by those skilled in the art. For example, the disclosure is not limited to the combinations of parts and / or elements shown in the embodiments. The disclosure can be implemented in various combinations. The disclosure can have additional parts that can be added to the embodiments. The disclosure encompasses the omission of parts and / or elements from the embodiments. The disclosure encompasses the substitution or combination of parts and / or elements between one embodiment and another embodiment. The disclosed technical scope is not limited to the description of the embodiments. Some disclosed technical scopes are defined by the claims, and should be interpreted as including all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the claims.

[0083] The disclosure in the specification, drawings, etc. is not limited by the claims. The disclosure in the specification, drawings, etc. encompasses the technical ideas described in the claims, and extends to more diverse and broader technical ideas than the technical ideas described in the claims. Therefore, various technical ideas can be extracted from the disclosure in the specification, drawings, etc. without being bound by the claims.

[0084] When an element or layer is referred to as being "on," "coupled," "connected," or "bonded," it may be directly coupled, connected, or bonded to another element or layer, and intervening elements or layers may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being "directly on," "directly coupled," "directly connected," or "directly bonded" to another element or layer, no intervening elements or layers are present. Other terms used to describe relationships between elements should be construed in a similar manner (e.g., "between" vs. "directly between," "adjacent" vs. "directly adjacent," etc.). As used in this specification, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of the associated listed item or items. That is, reference to A and / or B means at least one of A and B, and can include A only, B only, or both A and B.

[0085] Spatially relative terms such as "inside," "outside," "back," "below," "low," "top," "top," and the like are used herein to facilitate the description of one element or feature's relationship to other elements or features, as illustrated. Spatially relative terms may be intended to encompass different orientations of the device during use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures were turned over, elements described as "below" or "directly below" other elements or features would then be oriented "above" the other elements or features. Thus, the term "bottom" can encompass both an orientation of top and bottom. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations), and the spatially relative descriptors used in this specification would be interpreted accordingly. [Explanation of symbols]

[0086] 10...In-vehicle network system, 11...Central ECU, 12...Zone ECU, 13...In-vehicle equipment, 14...Slave ECU, 15...Actuator, 16...Sensor, 20...Electronic device, 30...Circuit board, 31...Printed circuit board, 31a...One side, 31b...Back side, 311...Ground wiring, 312...Heat conduction section, 32...Electronic component, 33...Input / output module, 331...Main body, 332...Board connection terminal, 333...External external connection terminal, 34...external connection terminal, 40...resin housing, 41...case, 42...cover, 43...main body, 43S...accommodation space, 44...extension portion, 45...opening, 46...connector housing, 50...metal member, 51...board connection portion, 511...screw hole, 52...ground connection portion, 53...coupling portion, 54...heat dissipation portion, 60...screw, 70...thermal conductive material, 100...ground member, 101...through hole, 110...bolt, 111...nut

Claims

1. An electronic device mounted on a moving body, a circuit board (30) having a printed circuit board (31) having a ground wiring (311) and an electronic component (32) mounted on the printed circuit board; a resin housing (40) that houses the circuit board; a metal member (50) held in the resin housing; Equipped with The metal member is a substrate connection portion (51) electrically connected to the ground wiring; and a ground connection portion (52) electrically connected to a ground member (100) that provides a ground potential in the mobile object.

2. the board connection portion fixes the circuit board to the resin housing, The electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the ground connection portion fixes the resin housing to the ground member.

3. The electronic device according to claim 2 , wherein the ground connection portion is a metal collar for fastening the resin housing to the ground member.

4. The electronic device according to claim 3 , wherein the metal member is an insert part for the resin housing.

5. The resin housing has a main body portion (43) that provides a housing space for housing the circuit board, and an extension portion (44) that is connected to the main body portion and extends toward the ground member, The electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the metal member is a part that connects the ground connection portion and the substrate connection portion, and has a connecting portion (53) at least a part of which is arranged in the extension portion.

6. the board connection portion is exposed to the accommodation space, The electronic device according to claim 5 , wherein the ground connection portion is exposed to the outside from the extension portion.

7. 6. The electronic device according to claim 5, wherein the metal member has a heat dissipation portion exposed to the housing space and thermally connected to at least one of the electronic components.

8. The printed circuit board has a thermally conductive portion (312), 8. The electronic device according to claim 7, wherein the heat dissipation portion is thermally connected via the thermal conduction portion to the electronic component disposed on a surface of the printed circuit board opposite to a surface facing the heat dissipation portion.

9. external connection terminals (332, 34) electrically connected to the printed circuit board; The electronic device according to claim 4, wherein the resin housing has an opening (45) for connecting the external connection terminal to an external device.

10. The electronic device according to claim 9, wherein the electronic device is a zone ECU (12) mounted on a vehicle that is the moving body.

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