Housing for electronic circuits arranged on printed circuit boards

Abstract

The present invention relates to a housing (1) for an electronic circuit, the housing having a housing bottom (2), a housing top (3), and a printed circuit board (4) arranged in the housing (1) for receiving the electronic circuit. The housing bottom (2) is designed in a basin shape and has at least two support elements (6) for the printed circuit board (4) on at least two opposing inner walls (5). Furthermore, at least one position-fixing molded portion (7) is provided on each of the at least two opposing inner walls (5) for engaging with a corresponding fixing slot (8) in the printed circuit board (4) for position fixing. A first portion (10) of a locking device is provided on each of the at least two opposite outer walls (9) for connection with the housing top (3). The printed circuit board (4) is designed in a rectangular shape and has fixing slots (8) on at least two opposite sides for receiving the position of the housing bottom (2). The molded part is formed, and the printed circuit board (4) has slots (13) at its four corners (15), the slots extending parallel to the inner wall (5) of the bottom of the housing (2), on which support elements (6) are mounted, wherein the length of the slot (13) is greater than the distance between the slot (13) and the adjacent edge (14) of the printed circuit board, so that an elongated, elastic tab (16) is formed at each corner (15) of the printed circuit board (4), wherein the top of the housing (3) is designed to be basin-shaped and has pin-shaped portions (19) extending from the plane of the top edge (18) of the housing at its four corners, the pin-shaped portions being designed to press the tabs (16) formed on the printed circuit board (4) from the plane of the printed circuit board into the bottom of the housing (2) in the assembled state of the housing (1), and has a second part (11) of a locking device on at least two opposite outer walls (9) for connection with the bottom of the housing (2).

Description

[0001] This invention generally relates to the centering and fixing of printed circuit boards within the housing of an electronic control unit.

[0002] Controllers (especially USB cases) are known in the prior art, which are provided with at least one printed circuit board arranged within a housing. The housing has openings that allow external connectors to connect to compatible connectors located on the printed circuit board.

[0003] Here, the printed circuit board must be precisely centered inside the housing so that the connector can be predictably positioned after connection. This is achieved using a centering topology with centering pins that engage in centering holes. Furthermore, the PCB is secured within the housing to prevent clicking or misalignment during use.

[0004] According to existing technology, fixing is achieved using screws or elastic clips. Centering is achieved using centering pins and centering holes. The fixing and centering area occupies a large portion of the printed circuit board area, thus reducing the usable portion for components.

[0005] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a housing for electronic circuits arranged on a printed circuit board, which can be assembled in a simple manner and thereby enables high positional accuracy and stability of the printed circuit board.

[0006] Accordingly, the housing for electronic circuits according to the invention has a housing bottom, a housing top, and a printed circuit board disposed within the housing for receiving the electronic circuit. The housing bottom is designed in a basin shape and has at least two support elements for the printed circuit board on at least two opposing inner walls, and at least one position-fixing molded portion on each of the at least two opposing inner walls for engaging with a corresponding fixing slot in the printed circuit board for position fixing. The housing bottom also has first portions of locking devices on at least two opposite outer walls for connection with the housing top. The printed circuit board is designed in a rectangular shape and has stabilizing slots on at least two opposite sides for receiving the position-fixing molded portions of the housing bottom. The printed circuit board has slots at its four corners, each slot extending parallel to the inner wall of the housing bottom, on which support elements are mounted, wherein the length of the slot is greater than the distance between the slot and the adjacent edge of the printed circuit board, thus forming an elongated, elastic tab at each corner of the printed circuit board. The top of the housing is designed in a basin shape and has pin-shaped portions extending from the plane of the top edge of the housing at its four corners. These pin-shaped portions are designed to press tabs formed on the printed circuit board into the bottom of the housing from the plane of the printed circuit board in the assembled state of the housing. The housing also has a second part of a locking device on at least two opposite outer walls for connection with the bottom of the housing.

[0007] Thus, an assembly concept for the cover and bottom of the housing is described, which does not require any screws or other additional fastening elements for the printed circuit board to be placed therein.

[0008] In a favorable design of the housing, the locking device is formed with a locking lug as the first part and a resilient clamp as the second part, or vice versa.

[0009] This allows for a remarkably simple connection between the bottom and top of the housing.

[0010] In an improved embodiment of the housing according to the invention, at least one position-fixed molding part can be arranged on each inner wall of the bottom of the housing, especially when the bottom of the housing is manufactured together with it.

[0011] Positioning components can be designed as pins or lugs, or advantageously as housing ribs.

[0012] Support elements can also be advantageously designed as housing ribs.

[0013] In an advantageous design, the support elements are arranged in the bottom of the housing such that the printed circuit board rests on these support elements in a placement area located at the direct extension of the end of the elastic tab.

[0014] Thus, the support elements form the supports for the pin-shaped parts, which press the tabs of the printed circuit board downwards.

[0015] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. In the drawings:

[0016] Figures 1 to 5 A side view of the housing according to the invention is shown.

[0017] Figures 6 to 8 Showing the passage through the shell at different locations, in Figure 4 The cross section shown in the figure,

[0018] Figures 9 to 11 Shown in Figures 6 to 8 The part specified in the text

[0019] Figure 12 Shown in Figure 8 The local A specified in the text,

[0020] Figure 13 Shown in Figure 14 The local E specified in the text,

[0021] Figure 14 Shown in Figure 4 The section DD specified in the document,

[0022] Figure 15 Shown in Figure 2 The section EE specified in the document,

[0023] Figure 16 Shown in Figure 15 The local H specified in the text,

[0024] Figure 17 A perspective view of the bottom of the casing is shown.

[0025] Figure 18 A 3D view of the printed circuit board is shown.

[0026] Figure 19 A perspective view of the bottom of the housing with an inserted, transparently displayed printed circuit board is shown, and

[0027] Figure 20 A perspective view showing the bottom of the housing, the transparently displayed printed circuit board, and the transparently displayed top of the housing.

[0028] Figures 1 to 5 Different views of housing 1 are shown, which has a housing bottom 2 and a housing top 3. For clarity, reference numerals are shown only in some of the figures. Those skilled in the art can readily understand the details based on their knowledge of the workshop drawings.

[0029] The bottom 2 of the housing has a first portion 10 of a locking device, and the top 3 of the housing has a second portion 11 of a locking device. In the example shown here, the first portion 10 of the locking device is designed as a locking lug, while the second portion 11 of the locking device is designed as a resilient clamp that can be clamped by the locking lug 10. It should be understood that these portions are replaceable and can also be implemented by other types of snap-fit ​​connectors or other types of other connectors. Importantly, the housing portions are detachably interconnected.

[0030] exist Figure 3 The first insertion opening 20 in the top of the housing is shown in the side view, and... Figure 5 The side view shows two additional second plug-in openings 21 in the top and bottom of the housing. The first and second plug-in openings 20 and 21 are used to enable the connection of an external plug-in connector (e.g., a plug) to an internal plug-in connector (e.g., a socket) mounted on the printed circuit board 4.

[0031] The positioning and fixing of the printed circuit board (which carries a portion of the plug-in connectors) according to the invention, as shown below, is primarily used to mechanically stabilize these plug-in connectors, without necessarily requiring screws or other costly connectors.

[0032] Figure 6 Showing through Figure 4 The cross-section of line AA is indicated, and the bottom 2 and top 3 of the housing, together with the printed circuit board 4 disposed therein, are shown. The printed circuit board is placed on the support element 6 in the bottom 2 of the housing. The first insertion opening 20 and the second part 11 of the locking device are also visible in this cross-section. In the illustrated embodiment, the second part is designed as a clamp that can be clamped by a locking lug (not visible here). The positioning molding part 7 is also visible, which is designed as a housing rib in the bottom 2 of the housing and, in particular (as shown from...) Figure 14 and Figure 18 As can be seen, it is engaged in the fixed slot 8 of the printed circuit board 4.

[0033] In the illustrated embodiment, the positioning molding portions 7 are implemented as housing ribs in the housing bottom 2. However, these positioning molding portions can also be molded onto the housing bottom 2 as lugs or pins and have only approximately the thickness of the printed circuit board 4. Importantly, they secure the printed circuit board 4, which is placed on the support element 6, in its position.

[0034] exist Figure 7The image shows a cross-section BB of the housing 1 at the location of the locking device, where the first part 10 of the locking device in the form of a locking lug can also be seen. A lateral positioning molding portion 7 can also be seen, which engages with a (not visible) fixing slot 8 in the printed circuit board 4.

[0035] Figure 8 The cross section at the CC position is shown (as shown from...) Figure 4 As can be seen, support elements 6 are visible here, and printed circuit boards 4 are placed on these support elements. Furthermore, the position-fixed molding portion 7 can be seen in the cross-section, as section CC extends close to the wall of the bottom 2 of the housing.

[0036] Similarly, elongated, flexible tabs 16 can be seen, which are components of the printed circuit board 4, and will be described in detail later. The tabs 16 are pressed from the plane of the printed circuit board 4 toward the bottom 2 of the housing by pins 19 molded onto the top 3 of the housing, so as to mechanically secure the printed circuit board 4 in the housing 1.

[0037] Figure 9 Show Figure 6 Detailed view D shows the support element 6, on which the printed circuit board 4 is placed. Additionally, the positioning and molding part 7 can be seen in the background.

[0038] exist Figure 10 It shows Figure 7 Detailed view C. Here, on one hand, the positioning molding portion 7 can be seen, which engages with the (invisible) fixing slot 8 of the printed circuit board 4. Furthermore, it can be seen how the first part 10 of the locking device (designed as a locking lug) in the illustrated embodiment is molded onto the outer wall 9 of the bottom of the housing 2. Also, it can be seen that the second part 11 of the locking device (designed as a clamp) is molded onto the top of the housing 3.

[0039] The fixed-position molding part 7 is designed as a shell rib in the shell bottom 2 and is molded onto the shell inner wall 5. All these molded components, including the shell bottom 2 and the shell top 3, can be manufactured by injection molding.

[0040] Figure 11 Show Figure 8 Detailed view B shows, in particular, the fixing slot 8, into which the positioning molding part 7 engages to fix the printed circuit board 4 in its position.

[0041] exist Figure 12 It shows Figure 8Detail view A, while Figure 13 It shows Figure 14 Detailed view E and shows Figure 12 The diagram is a top view. A slot 13 can be seen in the printed circuit board 4, extending parallel to the edge 14 of the printed circuit board and longer than the distance between the slot 13 and the edge 14. Thus, an elongated, flexible tab 16 is formed on the printed circuit board 4, which is pressed into the bottom of the housing 2 by a pin-shaped portion 19 molded onto the top of the housing 3 and protruding from the plane of the top edge 18 of the housing, wherein the support element 6 serves as a support for the pin-shaped portion 19.

[0042] Such tabs 16 generated by slots 13 are formed at each corner 15 of the printed circuit board, wherein the support element 6 is preferably rib-shaped and molded in the bottom 2 of the housing adjacent to the end of the elongated, elastic tab 15.

[0043] Figure 14 As shown in Figure 4 The section DD, which is indicated and passes through the top 3 of the housing, is shown in the top view of the printed circuit board 4. Here, in addition to the already combined... Figure 13 The long, flexible tab 16 described in detail (which is generated by the slot 13 in the printed circuit board 4 and pressed into the bottom of the housing by the pin 19 in the top 3 of the housing) can also be seen, as well as the position fixing molded parts 7, which engage in the fixing slots 8 of the printed circuit board 4 for its mechanical fixation.

[0044] Figure 15 In particular, it is shown how the pin-shaped portion 19, which is molded onto the top 3 of the housing and extends from the plane of the top edge 18 of the housing, presses the elongated, elastic tab 16 from the plane of the printed circuit board 4 into the bottom 2 of the housing, and here the printed circuit board 4 is secured by the support element 6 (which serves as a support for the pin-shaped portion 19).

[0045] Here, in Figure 16 It shows Figure 15 The detailed view H in the text provides a clearer view of the content described above.

[0046] exist Figures 17 to 20 The three-dimensional view of the shell 1 or the bottom 2 of the shell is shown transparently in the three-dimensional view.

[0047] A support element 6 and a position-fixing molded part 7, both molded onto the inner wall 5 of the housing bottom 2, are shown, both designed as housing ribs. In addition, a locking lug, molded onto the outer wall 9 of the housing bottom 2, is shown as the first part 10 of the locking device.

[0048] exist Figure 18 A perspective view of the printed circuit board 4 is shown, in particular the fixing slots 8 and 13, which have tabs 6 formed therefrom at the corners 15 of the printed circuit board 4. It can also be seen that the slot 13 extends parallel to the adjacent edge 14 of the printed circuit board and is significantly longer than the distance between it and the edge 14. A placement area 17 for the printed circuit board 4 is also indicated, which is formed adjacent to the end of the tab 13 and is used for placement on the support element 6 in the bottom 2 of the housing. Figure 19 The printed circuit board 4 is transparently displayed in the middle, so the components of the bottom 2 of the housing (as already targeted) are also visible. Figure 17 As described, it can be seen and demonstrated in its interaction with the elements of the printed circuit board 4 according to the invention.

[0049] Finally, Figure 20 The top of the housing 3 is also shown in a transparent diagram. This top is placed on the bottom of the housing 2 and locked thereto by means of locking devices 10 and 11, such that the pin 19, molded onto the top of the housing 3, rests on an elongated, flexible tab 16 and presses the tab (supported by the placement of the printed circuit board 4 onto the support element 6) into the bottom of the housing 2. Figure 20 (This is not explicitly shown in the document), thereby fixing the printed circuit board 4 in the housing 1 and also fixing it by the fixed molding part 7 in the position of the fixed slot 8 of the bottom of the housing 2, which is positioned in the fixed slot of the printed circuit board 4.

[0050] Therefore, the geometry of the control unit is described, which generally consists of three parts: a housing bottom, a printed circuit board, and a housing top. These parts provide protection and also provide an assembly method suitable for mass production. Here, the invention can be applied to any type of plug-in connector used in the control unit.

[0051] In summary, the bottom of the shell has the following topological features:

[0052] - Four support areas on which the printed circuit board is placed during assembly.

[0053] - At least two, preferably four, positions are used to fix the molded parts, thereby securing the printed circuit board in place when it is assembled into the bottom of the housing.

[0054] - Two locking lugs or locking protrusions are arranged on the outside of the housing for connection with the top of the housing having corresponding mating parts.

[0055] Printed circuit boards have the following design options:

[0056] - At least two, preferably four, fixing slots, which work in conjunction with the position-fixing molded part at the bottom of the housing.

[0057] - Four elongated, flexible tabs at the corners of the printed circuit board. These tabs on the printed circuit board can be manufactured using conventional manufacturing methods, such as by sawing out slots. Each tab has an area that bends out of the plane of the printed circuit board during further assembly of the housing due to a pin-shaped portion extending from the top of the housing.

[0058] The printed circuit board, for example, has dimensions that allow for a total area of ​​9800 mm². The area that cannot be used for components (because it is used for centering and fixing the printed circuit board in the bottom of the housing) occupies approximately 180 to 200 mm². Therefore, this results in an area percentage of approximately 2%.

[0059] The top of the casing has the following characteristics:

[0060] - Four pin-shaped portions extending from the plane of the top edge of the housing, these pin-shaped portions rest on the printed circuit board tabs and bend the tabs in the assembled state.

[0061] - At least two, preferably four, fixed molding parts are provided, which are aligned with and cooperate with the centering protrusion on the bottom of the housing and the centering recess on the printed circuit board in the assembled state.

[0062] - There are also two snap hooks, which work together with the locking lugs on the bottom of the housing to keep the top and bottom of the housing together.

Claims

1. A housing (1) for an electronic circuit, the housing having a housing bottom (2), a housing top (3) and a printed circuit board (4) disposed in the housing (1) for receiving the electronic circuit. The bottom (2) of the housing is designed in a basin shape, and at least two support elements (6) for the printed circuit board (4) are respectively provided on at least two opposing inner walls (5). In addition, at least one position fixing molded part (7) is provided on at least two opposing inner walls (5) for engaging with a corresponding fixing slot (8) in the printed circuit board (4) for position fixing. The first part (10) of the locking device is provided on at least two opposite outer walls (9) for connecting with the top (3) of the housing. The printed circuit board (4) is designed to be rectangular and has fixing slots (8) on at least two opposite sides for receiving the housing bottom (2) and fixing the molded part. Furthermore, the printed circuit board (4) has slots (13) at its four corners (15), which extend parallel to the inner wall (5) of the bottom (2) of the housing, on which support elements (6) are mounted. The length of the slot (13) is greater than the distance between the slot (13) and the adjacent edge (14) of the printed circuit board. Therefore, an elongated, elastic tab (16) is formed at each corner (15) of the printed circuit board (4). The top (3) of the housing is designed in a basin shape and has pin-shaped portions (19) extending from the plane of the top edge (18) of the housing at its four corners. These pin-shaped portions are designed to press the tabs (16) formed on the printed circuit board (4) from the plane of the printed circuit board into the bottom (2) of the housing when the housing (1) is in the assembled state. The second part (11) of the locking device is provided on at least two opposite outer walls (9) for connection with the bottom (2) of the housing.

2. The housing (1) according to claim 1, wherein the locking device is formed with a locking lug as a first part (10) and an elastic clamp as a second part (11), or the locking device is formed with a locking lug as a second part (11) and an elastic clamp as a first part (10).

3. The housing (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein at least one position-fixed molding part (7) is arranged on each inner wall (5) of the bottom (2) of the housing.

4. The housing (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the at least one position-fixed molding part (7) is designed as a housing rib.

5. The housing (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the support elements (6) are designed as housing ribs.

6. The housing (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the support elements (6) are arranged in the bottom (2) of the housing such that the printed circuit board (4) is placed on the support elements in a placement area (17) located at the direct extension of the end of the elastic tab (16).

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