Housing for electronic device and method for manufacturing the same

Abstract

A housing (1) for an electronic device comprises an outer housing part (20), a supporting element (10), and a spring element (14), wherein the supporting element is accommodated in the outer housing part (20) and is provided for supporting an electronic device (90), and the spring element is arranged between the supporting element (10) and the lower inner surface of the outer housing part (20) and biases the supporting element (10) toward an upper inner surface of the outer housing part (20) opposite to the lower inner surface (23), so as to press the electronic device (90) supported by the supporting element (10) toward the upper inner surface or a heat-conducting contact element (50) arranged between the electronic device (90) and the upper inner surface. The spring element can be pulled in or inserted after the supporting element has been inserted and, in this state, presses the heat-conducting contact element (50), for example, provided with a self-adhesive surface, between the surface and the inner surface of the electronic device (90).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Various aspects and embodiments relate to a housing for an electronic device and in particular also to a housing for an electronic ballast capable of operating a semiconductor light source. Background Art

[0002] It is widely known that electronic devices, in particular electronic ballasts for operating light sources, are arranged to be suitable for use in a housing, which provides a certain protection against contact with body parts or the intrusion of dirt, water and moisture, etc. and also allows mechanical installation in the surroundings of the corresponding light source. In addition to conventional applications in the domestic (residential) area or in offices with a power consumption of, for example, 10 W-100 W, such devices are also used in industrial areas and can have a power consumption of, for example, up to 500 W or more there. For example, the requirements for heat dissipation and fire protection are increased here and the corresponding housing is dimensioned accordingly and constructed with matching materials. For specific applications, for example in larger greenhouses, etc., ballasts with even higher power consumption, for example 600 W or 1200 W, are considered without limiting the generality (principle).

[0003] In particular, in the case of electronic ballasts for operating light sources in greenhouses, as in completely outdoor areas, but generally also in indoor areas, there is the question of the suitability of the electrically operated components for the corresponding environmental conditions. In this case, the housing should be configured to provide protection, in particular, against the ingress of moisture or water. The aim is to protect personnel from danger or the corresponding circuit parts or components operated by them from failures caused, for example, by penetrating water, corrosion or conductive moisture films. Damage caused by mechanical effects (impacts, etc.) must also be taken into account in order to ensure reliable function and safe use of the components.

[0004] In order to make it easier for the user to select the device suitable for the respective application, so-called IP protection types (IP: protection against ingress of water) have been proposed, which are also specified in standards such as DIN EN 60529 or ISO 20653. For example, the protection types IP64, IP65, IP 66, IP67 and IP6 are associated with moisture issues. Here, the first digit "6" indicates the presence of dust-tightness and complete protection against contact. The second digit "4" (i.e. IP64) indicates the protection of the interior against all-round water jets, the digit "5" (i.e. IP65) indicates the protection against water jets from nozzles at any angle, the digit "6" (i.e. IP66) indicates the protection against strong water jets, the digit "7" indicates the protection against temporary immersion in water, and the digit "8" (i.e. IP68) indicates the protection against continuous immersion in water (usually up to 1 m). These protection types IP64 to IP68 thus indicate roughly in degrees the extent to which the requirements of the above-mentioned specific areas of use (greenhouses, planetary wheels, parks or gardening, outdoor areas, industrial applications, but also indoor areas, etc.) are met by the correspondingly configured housing.

[0005] This is usually achieved by a housing with an encapsulation. Here, for example, the housing containing the complete electronic component is substantially completely filled with a potting compound that is solid or also viscous after curing, so that the electronic components are embedded in the potting compound.

[0006] As potting compounds, thermosetting plastics or silicone rubber gels are usually used. Epoxy resins are also conceivable and are also very common. During the potting process, the corresponding electronic components are inserted into a prefabricated housing, the openings of which, except for the filling opening, for example for cable bushings, are sealed in order to prevent the potting compound from escaping before hardening. The potting compound, which is still in liquid form, is then filled into the filling opening.

[0007] When potting a housing having an electronic ballast with electronic components fastened to a printed circuit board (e.g. in the form of an SMD structure), a potting compound with a low glass transition temperature, such as polyurethane or silicone, is preferably used, since the forces generated during the shrinkage process during the cooling or hardening after filling are smaller in this case and can then act on the components.

[0008] Of course, these advantages in potting are countered by reduced durability, increased costs for potting materials, and increased weight. With regard to durability, it should be noted that when components are embedded in potting compounds, recycling of the materials is problematic in terms of their separation from one another after the device has reached the end of its service life. With regard to material expenditure and weight costs, it should be noted that with a suitably adapted housing, the volume occupied by its interior can be reduced, but this means that it is no longer possible to use cheaply available standard components, such as continuous casting profiles, so that higher costs are expected in this regard.

[0009] Therefore, it is necessary to save costs and reduce the expenditure during installation. If the entire potting is omitted and other cost-effective features are used to ensure the requirements required by IP67, for example, then the costs will be significantly reduced. Summary of the invention

[0010] Describe in different aspects.

[0011] According to one aspect, a housing for an electronic device is proposed, which comprises an outer housing part. A support element is accommodated in the outer housing part and is configured to support or hold the electronic device. In terms of the broadness of the basic concept, the support or holding or holding may involve the electronic device being fixedly placed on the support element or may also simply involve a simple continuous contact in the assembled state. For this purpose, a spring element is provided, which is arranged between the support element and the lower inner surface of the outer housing part. The support element is biased by the spring element toward the upper inner surface of the outer housing part opposite to the lower inner surface, so as to press the electronic device (e.g., a mounted printed circuit board) supported or held by the support element toward the upper inner surface or a heat-conducting contact element arranged between the electronic device and the upper inner surface.

[0012] Due to the cooperation of the spring element and the supporting element, in this structure, the electronic device (usually having a printed circuit board) is kept in a fixed position between the upper inner surface and the supporting element inside the outer shell part, that is, squeezed together ("sandwiched"). The expressions "lower" and "upper" about the inner surface of the outer shell part as used herein should be understood as purely subjective and should not necessarily be interpreted in a limited manner with respect to the direction of gravity or its opposite direction. In particular, the housing can usually be installed in different orientations at the use position relative to gravity, such as in greenhouses, industrial plants and / or exhibition halls, corridors, large-spaced offices, etc. In the same way, the expression "first inner surface" can also be used instead of "lower inner surface", and the expression "second inner surface" can also be used instead of "upper inner surface" accordingly, without limiting the scope of application. More precisely, this term is only used to distinguish two arbitrary inner surfaces that are opposite to each other. Here, the two inner surfaces do not necessarily need to be flat, but can themselves be structured for different purposes (reinforcement components, mechanical mounting structures).

[0013] The proposed structure enables a stable, reliable and permanent positioning of the electronic device in the interior of the outer housing component. In this case, the spring element can even partially dampen vibrations and compensate for mechanical tolerances. By pressing against the inner surface of the outer housing component with a correspondingly close contact, the heat generated in the electronic device can be effectively dissipated to the outer housing component via the device's own heat-conducting elements and via specially installed heat-conducting contact elements, such as heat-conducting pads.

[0014] However, the particular advantage is that if the stability of the support of the electronic device and sufficient heat dissipation in the housing are ensured, the use and application of the potting compound can be made superfluous by the proposed measures. It is calculated that this can save 20% or more of the manufacturing costs and can significantly reduce the total weight of the device including the housing and the electronic device by more than 30%. It should be taken into account that in addition to the pure material costs, multiple working steps are also omitted during production: A) orienting the outer shell parts on two axes before filling, B) the filling process itself, and C) subsequent hardening of the potting compound. This also leads to time saving during manufacturing. In addition, according to a special embodiment, in the application in the industrial field and in addition, for example, in greenhouses, the following advantages are also produced, that is, in the total weight that usually occurs in the single-digit to double-digit kilogram range, the burden on the bearing capacity of the structure on the rail or support in the ceiling area, for example, can be reduced, and the components are placed on the rail or support. In the specific example of a greenhouse, these structures can also be steel profile frames with defined load limits. By saving material and weight, the scope of application is also expanded at the same time. In addition, reducing the total combustible mass can also be a special advantage.

[0015] Another particularly significant advantage is that after the end of the service life of the relevant electronic device, the outlay for recycling and the extent of no longer usable material and the costs for disposal are significantly reduced. The durability is thus significantly improved. At the same time, for the additional elements, i.e. the spring elements and the support elements, conventional and in this respect unproblematic materials, such as steel and / or plastics, can be used. As a result, electronic components that are provided with harmful substances, such as arsenic, can be very easily identified and handled separately without, for example, silicone being left adhering to them.

[0016] The supporting element can be any element capable of withstanding the clamping force of the spring element and transmitting the clamping force to the electronic device. In the simplest case, the supporting element can be, for example, a pure frame that allows the electronic device to be guided from the lower inner surface toward the upper inner surface in the outer shell component. According to the specific embodiment to be described below, the supporting element can also be a groove-shaped element. Therefore, it is advantageous according to a specific embodiment that the supporting element at least partially contacts the lateral inner surface of the outer shell component in a sliding manner, and the lateral inner surface, for example, connects the upper inner surface and the lower inner surface to each other. For this reason, the supporting element can have a lateral spacer that can slide on the lateral inner surface. The supporting element and the spacer are preferably sized so that in the assembled state, a slight gap can still be left with the lateral inner surface of the outer shell component.

[0017] According to a particular aspect of the invention, the outer housing part of the housing can include a hollow tubular profile with two mutually opposite tube openings and the aforementioned opposite inner surfaces. As a result, during assembly of the housing or the entire electronic device, the spring element can be inserted slidably through one of the two tube openings on the lower inner surface into its defined spatial position "below" the support element or pulled out of the corresponding opposite tube opening in a simple manner.

[0018] According to an embodiment of this aspect, the support element can have a lower side facing the lower inner surface. Spacers can be arranged at least on the lower side at predetermined positions. When assembling the housing, in a state where the spring element has not yet been inserted, these spacers contact the lower inner surface of the outer housing part, so that during assembly, the support element can be inserted slidably into the tube profile via a smaller contact surface, but not only the spring element can be inserted slidably, but also the spring element can be inserted under it in a guided manner, because the spacers provide free space here due to the raised position of the support element.

[0019] According to one embodiment, the outer shell part comprises, in addition to the hollow tube profile, two mutually opposite end plates which can be attached to the two tube openings at the end side. Thus, the assembly can be realized very simply and standard components which can be simply cut and obtained very cheaply on the market can be used.

[0020] This applies in particular when, according to a special embodiment, extruded or continuously cast profiles, in particular made of aluminum, are used for the hollow tubular profile. Optionally, the hollow tubular profile can also have a substantially rectangular cross section, into which the support element and the spring element can be inserted along its longitudinal axis. The outside of the tubular profile can have structures (grooves, etc.) for better cooling.

[0021] Furthermore, the outer shell part may have one or more flanges for fastening to an external structure (wall of a building, frame of a greenhouse, etc.). According to a special design, a retaining element extending in the longitudinal direction may also be provided on the outside of the tubular profile, which retaining element is inserted or mounted on a retaining element having a complementary cross-sectional profile, for example a T-shaped retaining element, on the frame or on the wall.

[0022] Furthermore, at least one of the end plates (and possibly both end plates) can optionally have an additionally sealed cable bushing for an electrical cable of the electronic device. Due to the preferably absent encapsulation by means of a potting compound, higher requirements can be placed on the tightness of the outer housing part, so that a stronger seal can be implemented compared to the prior art. With such a design with moisture protection, preferably more demanding protection types IP67 or even IP68 can be achieved. However, protection types IP65 and IP66 are also preferred.

[0023] According to a further embodiment, the support element has a flat trough-like structure with side walls, wherein, as mentioned, the side walls can also have spacers which, in the installed state, are arranged to contact the corresponding lateral inner surface of the tubular profile. By means of the trough-like structure, the electronic device can be accommodated mechanically safely and stably and the degree of guidance in the direction of the spring force can be improved.

[0024] Embodiments of different aspects relate to a spring element. The spring element may, for example, include a number of spring clips, which extend toward the lower inner surface of the outer housing part when the spring element is inserted or pulled in. The spring clips contact the lower inner surface and apply the pressure distributed on the lower side of the support element to the support element toward the upper inner surface. The uniform and distributed pressure application further improves the reliable guidance of the support element and the electronic device arranged thereon.

[0025] The embodiment of this aspect proposes that the spring element comprises a metal plate, which is preferably made of steel or other metals that are flexible in terms of product life, and the metal plate abuts on the lower side of the supporting element and cuts out a certain number of spring clips from the metal plate. This shows a particularly simple shape for the spring element. The spring clip can be bent from the plane of the metal plate toward one side of the metal plate, respectively, wherein, in the inserted state of the spring element, the one side can face the lower inner surface of the outer shell part. In turn, this spring element can be adapted, that is, the metal plate contacts the inner surface below, and the spring clip is bent in the direction of the lower side of the supporting element and the clamping force is transmitted to the supporting element by the contact point accordingly. According to the embodiment, the spring clip can also be bent away from the metal plate in two directions, for example, in an alternating mode.

[0026] Furthermore, according to a refinement of this embodiment, the spring clip can be cut out of the metal sheet in such a way that the spring clip has free ends, wherein the spring clips extend substantially parallel to one another and the free ends each point in the same direction, wherein the direction is parallel to the longitudinal axis L of the housing, which extends through the two tube openings. The free ends can form a contact point with the lower inner surface of the outer housing part or the underside of the support element.

[0027] According to a special embodiment, two or more metal plates are each equipped with a spring clip. When the spacers are arranged in at least two rows on the underside of the support element and the at least two rows extend parallel to each other and parallel to the longitudinal axis L of the housing, the metal plate can be dimensioned so that the metal plate can be inserted between the rows of spacers. Here, the metal plate then exerts pressure upwards so that the electronic device is pressed against the upper inner surface and is thereby fixed. The spacers of the support element no longer need to contact the lower inner surface in the assembled state, because the spring elements push the support element away from the lower inner surface in this state.

[0028] In this and other embodiments, further advantages become particularly evident if a heat-conducting contact element is provided and has an adhesive or self-adhesive surface for positioning on a component of a printed circuit board. The heat-conducting contact element is preferably a heat-conducting pad, which is provided with a self-adhesive surface at least on one side, preferably on both sides. In addition, the heat-conducting pad is fixed to the upper inner surface of the outer shell component and to the at least partially flat and heat-conducting element of the electronic device, and then by inserting a support element with an electronic device arranged thereon in a first step laterally and then lifting the support element by pressing the electronic device in a second step, it is avoided that the heat-conducting pad or a similar adhesive layer also used for fixing adheres to the upper inner surface in an incompletely inserted state. Therefore, the assembly process has been achieved or at least further improved or simplified by this solution.

[0029] The inner surface (e.g. the metal surface of the continuous casting profile) can be connected directly or indirectly to the heat-conducting elements of the electronic device via heat-conducting pads, pastes or adhesives or via additional metal elements, in particular plates and / or screws, in order to dissipate heat. In this case, heat is transferred from the interior (which is generated in the electronic components on the printed circuit board) to the heat-conducting pads and / or heat-conducting paste (thermal grease) to the outer housing part.

[0030] As already mentioned above, one aspect of the invention provides that the interior formed by the outer housing part has no potting compound, in particular silicone, epoxy resin or tar, filled into the interior.

[0031] Another aspect proposes that the housing also includes an electronic device. The combination of the housing and the electronic device thus jointly forms an electronic device, wherein the electronic device includes a printed circuit board on which electronic components are arranged. The electronic device can preferably be an electronic ballast for a semiconductor light source. In addition, in such a device, a power consumption of 500 watts or more is advantageous and therefore preferred. Clear advantages can also be seen when the power consumption is lower.

[0032] According to an improved embodiment, a through-channel open to the outside is formed in one of the end plates at the end of the outer housing part. A valve for pressure equalization and a possible solution for removing air humidity from the interior of the assembly is arranged in the through-channel, which valve is permeable in both directions for air, but only in one direction to the outside for moisture.

[0033] The valve fulfills two functions: On the one hand, the valve acts via the membrane to reduce the overpressure in the interior (that is, to equalize the pressure with the surroundings) when the electronic component heats up during operation, and on the other hand, acts via the same or an additional membrane to prevent moisture from accumulating inside the electronic component due to the negative pressure that is generated when the electronic component cools inside. Otherwise, moisture accumulating in the interior of the outer housing part could lead to functional and safety losses of the printed circuit board and the installed electronic components under certain circumstances.

[0034] Advantageous methods corresponding to the described embodiments can be gathered from the appended parallel method claims.

[0035] Further advantages, features and details of the various aspects emerge from the claims, the following description of preferred embodiments and with reference to the drawings. Identical reference symbols in the figures denote identical features and functions. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0036] The accompanying drawings show:

[0037] Figure 1 A support element of a proposed housing according to an embodiment is shown in a perspective view;

[0038] Figure 2 A partial perspective view showing the placement of an electronic device Figure 1 a process in a first inner housing component;

[0039] Figure 3 Shown in stereoscopic view Figure 2 The state after placement in and the installation direction for the tube profile.

[0040] Figure 4 Shown in stereoscopic view Figure 3 The installation status in.

[0041] Figure 5 Shown in stereoscopic view relative to Figure 4 A cross section in the longitudinal direction of the tube profile may show the contact between the underside of the support element and the inner side of the tube profile.

[0042] Figure 6 The installation of the spring element is shown in a perspective view.

[0043] Figure 7 View showing the installed end plate.

[0044] Figure 8 Show Figure 7 The installed end plate in.

[0045] Fig. 9 A perspective view shows a detail of the installed assembly including the spring element and the pressure compensation valve during operation.

[0046] Fig.10 and Fig. 9 The same diagram shows a cross section of a cable bushing. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0047] Preferred embodiments of the present invention.

[0048] In the following description of preferred embodiments, it should be considered that the disclosure of various aspects is not limited to the details of the structure and arrangement of the components shown in the following description and drawings. The embodiments can be practiced or implemented in various ways. It should also be considered that the words and terms used herein are only for the purpose of specific description and these should not be understood as limiting by those skilled in the art. In addition, in the following description, the same reference numerals in different embodiments or drawings represent the same or similar features or objects, so that repeated detailed descriptions will be omitted in some cases to maintain the compactness and clarity of the diagram.

[0049] Figure 8-Figure 10 A preferred embodiment of the housing 1 is shown in various perspective views and cross-sections, but for the sake of clarity, Figure 1-Figure 7 The individual parts and steps of assembling a housing 1 are shown, starting with providing a support element 10 for an electronic device, such as an EVG. In order to facilitate the understanding of the individual components, the following begins with a description of the assembly.

[0050] Figure 1The first support element 10 provided is shown in a perspective view, wherein the support element 10 has a flat trough-like or cuboid structure with a rectangular base 132 and four side walls 133, 134 that stand perpendicularly or parallel to one another. The side wall 133 extends parallel to the longitudinal axis L and the end side wall 134 extends substantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis L. The side walls 133, 134 have substantially the same height and form an edge on the side facing away from the base 132, by which the cuboid opening 131 is formed. The opening also remains open in the final assembled state.

[0051] The inner space 12 is formed by a bottom 132 and four side walls 133, 134. Figure 1 For example, a reinforcement structure may be arranged at the transition between the walls (not indicated by reference numerals), or a fine supporting structure may be arranged distributed on the surface of the bottom 132 to support the printed circuit board 95 to be introduced later.

[0052] Furthermore, projections serving as spacers 15 are arranged at regular intervals on the outer surface of the side wall 133 and on at least one end side wall 134. Furthermore, flat triangular spacers 11 also extend downward from the bottom 132 on the outside, that is, from the underside of the support element. Figure 1 The support element 10 shown in FIG. 1 can be produced in one piece from plastic or resin, for example by injection molding.

[0053] Figure 2 The electronic device 90 is shown inserted from above. Figure 1 At least one step in the interior space 12 of the support element 10 shown in FIG. The electronic device 90 can be an electronic ballast (EVG) for operating a lighting element, for example, with a semiconductor light source (LED). Such EVGs are widely known in the technical field, so that reference can be made to the relevant literature regarding these components. In the example, the EVG is designed for a power of, for example, 600 W or 1200 W. The electronic device 90 includes a printed circuit board 95, on which electronic components (for example capacitors, resistors, integrated circuits with transistors, etc.) are arranged and interconnected in a known manner.

[0054] Figure 2Two electrical cables 91 are shown purely by way of example, which form correspondingly extending wiring harnesses for supplying current to luminous means, usually LEDs (not shown), as well as control and regulating elements. The cables 91 extend along the longitudinal axis L in this embodiment and have a height above the base 132 in the installed state, so that the cables extend over the side faces 134 of the end faces. The electronic device 90 is also connected to the opposite end face of the support element 10 via the electrical cables 92, which are used here, for example, for supplying power with the mains voltage. Some electronic components that together form the circuit structure of the electronic device are indicated purely by way of example by reference numeral 93.

[0055] As also Figure 2 It can be seen that some electronic components 93 of the electronic device 90 are provided with heat-conducting metal surfaces 96 above the interior space 12 of the support element 10 (in the inserted state). These metal surfaces 96 simultaneously form contact surfaces with heat-conducting thermal pads 50, which are attached to the metal surfaces 96 by means of thermally conductive paste. In this way, heat can be dissipated from the electronic device 90 during operation.

[0056] Figure 3 The process of inserting the support element 10 assembled with the electronic device 90 into the tubular profile 21 of the outer housing part 20 according to this embodiment is shown. The tubular profile 21 is designed, for example, as an extruded continuous cast profile made of aluminum, which is cut to a suitable length to accommodate the inner housing part 10. This cutting significantly reduces the production costs, as in the case of continuous materials sold by the meter. As in Figure 3 , the support element 10 is inserted into one of the two tube openings 22 of the tube profile 21 along its longitudinal axis L or transverse axis and then completely inserted into the tube profile 21. The position of the support element 10 in the tube profile 21 is determined by the lateral spacers 15. In the upright state shown, the support element 10 rests on the lower inner surface 23 of the tube profile 21 with its lower spacer 11 due to its weight. In other words, the height of the spacer 11 or the total height of the structure consisting of the support element 10, the electronic device 90 and the thermal pad 50 is not sufficient to form contact with the upper inner surface of the tube profile 21. Therefore, the thermal pad 50 does not (yet) contact the opposite upper inner surface 30 when inserted. Since the upper surface of the heat conducting pad 50 is usually also self-adhesive, the spacing between the heat conducting pad 50 and the upper inner surface 30 thus supports the smooth and resistance-free insertion of the structure consisting of the support element 10, the electronic device 90 and the heat conducting pad 50 (only via the wall contact of the spacer 11 and, if necessary, via the spacer 15). In this embodiment, the cables 92 and 91 are mounted on the electronic device 90 before insertion. However, if necessary, the cables can also be connected to the electronic device 90 afterwards. In addition, the introduction can also be carried out through the opposite pipe opening 22.

[0057] Figure 4The state achieved after insertion is shown.

[0058] Figure 5 A section through the assembled housing 1 is shown along the longitudinal axis L. It can be seen that the spacer 11 of the support element 10 contacts the lower inner surface 23 of the tube profile 21. There is no contact or free space between the heat conducting pad 50 and the upper inner surface 30 of the tube profile 21.

[0059] Figure 6 It is shown how an assembly consisting of two identically shaped spring element parts 14a, 14b is placed in front of a pipe opening 22 for insertion into a pipe profile 21 or an outer housing part 20. The two spring element parts 14a, 14b together form a spring element 14. These spring element parts are each supported by a metal sheet (e.g. steel) 141, from which a pattern of spring clips 142 arranged in a matrix is ​​processed, for example by stamping and bending, in order to ensure the spring pressure required later and the pressure required on the supporting element. The spring clips 142 are then bent from the plane of the metal sheet toward the bottom, wherein the free ends are bent back in a rounded manner in order to establish a sliding contact.

[0060] It is not easy to see in the drawing that the spacers 11 are arranged in three parallel rows along the longitudinal axis L on the underside of the support element 10. As a result, two spring element parts can each be inserted into the free space between two rows of spacers and between the underside of the support element 10 and the lower inner surface 23 of the tubular profile or outer housing part. The three parallel rows shown along the longitudinal axis L are to be regarded only as examples. The existing arrangement of 5×6 spring elements can also be designed, for example, as 4×3 spring elements.

[0061] Figure 7 The outer side of the first end plate 24 is shown, which is used to close the Figure 6 , or one of the two tube openings shown in FIG. 2 . Accordingly, two circular cable bushings 26 are shown in suitable positions in the first end plate 24 . In addition, a housing 27 is provided for an NFC (Near Field Communication) antenna or other wireless contact possibilities of the electronic device 90 . There are means for sealing the cable bushings 26 . The hole 161 for the pressure equalization and humidity valve is located in the center of the first end plate 24 . In addition, in Figure 6 25 , a fastening means 251 (eg a screw) is shown, with which the first end plate 24 can be fastened to the tube profile. In addition, a surrounding sealing ring 28 can be seen, which is responsible for the tightness between the corresponding end plate 24 , 25 and the associated tube opening 21 .

[0062] Figure 8 The fully installed housing including the attached end plates 24 , 25 is shown.

[0063] Fig. 9and Fig.10 The effect of the inserted spring element 14 is shown in two different cross sections along the longitudinal axis L through the assembled housing. Fig. 9 The cross section in is realized here precisely by a row of spacers 11 (and more precisely, occasionally also by the pressure equalization and humidity valve 16). Fig. 9 As can be seen in the figure and indicated by the arrows, the support element 10 is lifted by the spring element 14, so that the spacer 11 no longer contacts the lower inner surface 23. A metal plate 141 (or two metal plates) of the spring element 14 rests on the underside of the support element 10. The clamping force of the spring clamp 142 presses the metal plate 141 and thus the support element 10 from the lower inner surface 23 toward the opposite upper inner surface 30. As a result, the heat-conducting contact element or heat-conducting pad 50 is pressed toward the upper inner surface 30, so that a close contact is produced. In this case, the heat-conducting paste applied to the heat-conducting pad 50 leads to reliable adhesion and effective heat transfer to the upper inner surface 30.

[0064] Fig.10 The cross section shown in FIG. 1 extends along a row of spring clips 142, which are all parallel to one another and are oriented with their free ends in the direction of the tube opening 22, into which the spring element 14 is inserted, so that the spring clips 142 can be elastically retracted in the region of the tube opening 22 when they strike the front edge of the lower inner surface 23, and the support element 10 is lifted from the bottom. The well-distributed matrix-shaped arrangement of the spring clips 142 on the metal plate 141 ensures that the support element 10 is continuously lifted from the front to the back and is evenly pressed onto the placed printed circuit board 95, thereby avoiding undesired tilting.

[0065] Various modifications of the above embodiment are possible. For example, the tube profile 21 shown can be placed upside down and the support element 10 can be introduced vertically as described. Then, the upper inner surface 30 shown in the figure becomes the new lower inner surface and the lower inner surface 23 in the figure becomes the new upper inner surface. Similar to Figure 1-Figure 10 Embodiment of the present invention The spring element 14 can now be inserted or pulled under the support element 10 in order to press the electronic device 90 against the new upper inner surface with the thermally conductive pad 50 provided with a self-adhesive surface located between the electronic device and the new upper inner surface.

[0066] also, Figure 1-Figure 10 It may be suggested (but this is not shown) that both the support element and the spring element can be used slidably. However, in the present embodiment, one element or the other element or both elements can also be pulled into the considered tube opening from the opposite tube opening by a mechanism not shown.

[0067] As mentioned at the beginning, the spring element itself can also be modified, for example, so that the spring clip is bent out of the plane of the metal plate on both sides in an alternating pattern, or the spring element 14 is simply only inverted during insertion, so that the free end of the bent spring clip is pressed against the bottom side of the support element 10 and the metal plate rests on the lower inner surface.

[0068] It is also assumed above that the support element 10 with the electronic device 90 rests on the lower inner surface itself before the spring elements 14 are inserted (or is held suspended above it by lateral intermediate surfaces not shown). If the tube profile is oriented appropriately, the corresponding force can be the force of gravity. However, it is also possible to push the support element away from the upper inner surface in this state in order to avoid the forces of contact between the thermally conductive pad and the upper inner surface caused by the clamping forces of the further spring elements when the support element is inserted or pulled in. The clamping forces of the spring elements 14 used thus clearly exceed the clamping forces of these further spring elements.

[0069] Furthermore, if a self-adhesive adhesive surface of the heat conducting mat 50 does not have to be taken into account, the carrier element 10 can also be inserted together with the spring element 14. In this case, the two parts can also be formed integrally with each other.

[0070] Reference Numbers List

[0071] 1 Shell

[0072] 10Supporting element for electronic device

[0073] 11 Spacer (support element)

[0074] 12Inner space (supporting elements)

[0075] 131 Opening (edge) of supporting element

[0076] 132 Bottom of the supporting element

[0077] 133 Lateral outer surface of the supporting element

[0078] 134 End side outer surface of the support element

[0079] 135 Lateral inner surface (shell part)

[0080] 14 Spring element

[0081] 141 Metal Plate

[0082] 142 Spring Clip

[0083] 15 Lateral spacers (support elements)

[0084] 16 Channels for valves

[0085] 161 Channel for cable conduit

[0086] 20 Outer shell parts

[0087] 21 Tube Profiles

[0088] 22 End openings in tube profiles

[0089] 23Lower inner surface

[0090] 24 First end plate

[0091] 25 Second end plate

[0092] 251 Fastening device for end plate (screw)

[0093] 26 Cable bushing in end plate

[0094] 27 Accommodation portion for NFC circuit

[0095] 28 Sealing ring (for end plate fastening)

[0096] 29 Fastening flange

[0097] 30 Upper inner surface

[0098] 40 Internal space (housing parts)

[0099] 50 thermally conductive contact elements (thermal pads)

[0100] 90 Electronic Devices

[0101] 91 electric cable (towards the light source)

[0102] 92 Electric cable (power supply)

[0103] 93Electronic components

[0104] 95 Printed Circuit Board

[0105] L Longitudinal axis (outer housing component).

Claims

1. A housing (1) for an electronic device, the housing comprising: The outer casing part (20), a supporting element (10), which is accommodated in the outer housing part (20) and is provided for supporting the electronic device (90), A spring element (14) is arranged between the support element (10) and a lower inner surface of the outer shell component (20), and the spring element biases the support element (10) toward an upper inner surface of the outer shell component (20) opposite to the lower inner surface (23), so as to press the electronic device (90) supported by the support element (10) toward the upper inner surface or a heat-conducting contact element (50) arranged between the electronic device (90) and the upper inner surface.

2. The housing (1) according to claim 1, wherein: The outer housing part (20) comprises a hollow tube profile (21) having two tube openings (22) lying opposite one another. The spring element (14) is slidably inserted or pulled into a predetermined spatial position of the spring element through one of the two tube openings (22) at the lower inner surface (23).

3. The housing (1) according to claim 2, wherein: The hollow tubular profile (21) is an extruded profile or a continuously cast profile, in particular made of aluminum.

4. The housing (1) according to claim 2 or 3, wherein: The hollow tubular profile (21) has a substantially rectangular cross section and preferably has an integrally formed flange for fastening to an object.

5. The housing (1) according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein: The support element (10) has a lower side facing the lower inner surface (23), A spacer (11) is provided at least on the lower side at a predetermined position, wherein the spacer contacts the lower inner surface (23) of the outer shell part (20) during assembly of the shell (1) when the spring element (14) has not yet been inserted, so as to allow the support element (10) to be inserted or pulled into the tubular profile (21) in a sliding manner during assembly.

6. The housing (1) according to any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein: The spring element (14) comprises a plurality of spring clips, each of which extends toward the lower inner surface (23) of the outer shell component (20), contacts the lower inner surface and jointly applies a pressure distributed on the support element (10) to the support element (10) toward the upper inner surface.

7. The housing (1) according to claim 6, wherein: The spring element (14) comprises a metal plate, preferably made of steel, which bears against the underside of the support element (10) and from which the plurality of spring clips are cut. wherein the spring clips are bent from the plane of the metal plate towards one side of the metal plate, wherein the one side faces the lower inner surface (23) of the outer housing part (20) or the lower side of the support element (10) when the spring element (14) is inserted or pulled in. Or wherein the spring clips can be selectively bent from the plane of the metal plate toward both sides of the metal plate, in particular arranged in an alternating pattern in the metal plate, so that the spring clips face the lower inner surface (23) of the outer shell part (20) and the lower side of the support element (10) when the spring element (14) is inserted.

8. The housing (1) according to claim 7, wherein: The spring clips are cut out of the metal sheet in such a way that they have free ends, wherein the spring clips extend essentially parallel to one another and the free ends each point in the same direction, wherein the directions point parallel to a longitudinal axis (L) of the housing, which extends through the two tube openings.

9. The housing (1) according to claim 6 or 7 and claim 5, wherein: Two or more of the metal plates are respectively provided with the spring clips, The spacers (11) are arranged on the underside of the support element (10) in at least two rows, the rows extending parallel to a longitudinal axis or the longitudinal axis (L) of the housing, and The metal plate is dimensioned such that it can be inserted between the rows of spacers (11).

10. The housing (1) according to any one of claims 2 to 9, wherein: The support element (10) has a flat, trough-like structure with side walls, wherein the side walls also have spacers which, in the installed state, face the corresponding lateral inner surfaces of the tubular profile (21).

11. The housing (1) according to any one of claims 2 to 10, wherein: In the assembled state, the spacer (11) no longer contacts the lower inner surface (23) because the spring element (14) pushes the support element away from the lower inner surface (23).

12. The housing (1) according to any one of claims 2 to 11, further comprising Two end plates (24, 25) lying opposite one another and attached at the end sides to the two tube openings (22), the end plates closing the interior (12) of the outer shell part (20), wherein preferably at least one of the end plates (24, 25) has a sealed cable bushing (26) for an electrical cable (91, 92).

13. The housing (1) according to any one of claims 2 to 12, wherein: The thermally conductive contact element is a thermally conductive pad, wherein the thermally conductive pad is self-adhesive at least on one side, preferably on both sides, in order to be fixed to the upper inner surface of the outer housing part (20) and to an at least partially flat and thermally conductive element of the electronic device (90).

14. The housing (1) according to any one of claims 2 to 12, wherein: The interior space (12) formed by the outer housing part has no potting compound, in particular silicone, epoxy resin or tar, filled into the interior space (12), and / or The housing (1) further comprises the electronic device (90), so that the housing (1) and the electronic device (90) together constitute an electronic device, wherein the electronic device (90) comprises a printed circuit board with electronic components, the electronic components being attached to the printed circuit board, wherein: The electronic device (90) is preferably an electronic ballast for a semiconductor light source and further preferably has a power consumption of 500 watts or more.

15. A method for manufacturing a housing (1) according to any one of claims 2 to 14, the method comprising: Providing an outer housing part (20) which is designed as a hollow tube profile (21) having two tube openings (22) located opposite each other; Preferably, a support element (10) is slidably inserted or pulled into the hollow tubular profile (21) through one of two tube openings (22) on the lower inner surface of the outer shell part (20), wherein the support element (10) supports an electronic device (90) arranged on the upper side of the support element so that the electronic device (90) is opposite to the upper inner surface of the outer shell part (20); A spring element (14) is slidably inserted or pulled in through one of the two tube openings (22) on the lower inner surface (23) and below the lower side of the support element (10) opposite to the upper side, so that the spring element (14) biases the support element (10) toward the upper inner surface of the outer shell component (20) to press the electronic device (90) supported by the support element (10) toward the upper inner surface or a heat-conducting contact element (50) arranged between the electronic device (90) and the upper inner surface.

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