Torque and / or angle sensor with programming contacts on an edge of a circuit board, as well as steering device

Abstract

Sensor (7) for a vehicle (1), which is a torque and / or angle sensor, which has a printed circuit board (13) on which at least one programmable component (18) is arranged and on which a programming interface is arranged, wherein at least one programming interface is arranged as a programming contact (17a, 17b, 17c, 17d, 17e, 17f, 17g) on ​​an edge (16) of the printed circuit board (13), wherein at least two separate programming contacts (17a to 17g) are formed as programming interfaces on the edge (16) of the printed circuit board (13), characterized by the fact that a first programming contact (17a to 17g) is formed on a first edge side length (16a, 16b, 16c, 16d, 16e) of the edge (16) and a second programming contact (17a to 17g) is arranged on a second edge side length (16a to 16e) of the edge (16) arranged at an angle to the first edge side length (16a to 16e).

Description

[0001] One aspect of the invention relates to a sensor for a vehicle, which is a torque and / or rotation angle sensor. The sensor comprises a circuit board. At least one programmable electronic component is arranged on this circuit board. Furthermore, at least one programming interface is arranged on the circuit board. Another aspect of the invention relates to a steering device for a vehicle.

[0002] Torque sensors for steering systems in motor vehicles are known from the prior art. For example, a torque sensor device is shown in DE 10 2016 124 429 A1.

[0003] Document DE 10 2014 000 885 A1 discloses an electronic assembly for an electric motor. The assembly comprises a substantially closed housing, a programmable component accommodated in the housing, and a plug connection arranged on the housing for connecting an application connector. In the area of ​​the plug connection, the housing contains at least one housing opening that provides access to the housing interior. The programmable component can be electrically contacted with a contact pin through the housing opening for programming the component.

[0004] The document DE 10 2014 110 643 A1 discloses a sensor device for a motor vehicle, comprising a plug element via which an electrical line is electrically connected to a plug receptacle on the side of a printed circuit board, forming a plug connection, wherein the plug receptacle is provided on the printed circuit board and the plug element is electrically connected directly to the printed circuit board in order to realize a simplified electrical connection.

[0005] Document DE 10 2012 220 032 A1 discloses a contact device comprising a printed circuit board having at least one electrically conductive connection contact on a circuit board edge, at least one electrically conductive connection element, and at least one spring element. The connection element can be pressed laterally against the connection contact for electrically contacting the circuit board with elastic deformation of the spring element. The connection element is designed as a stamped part and has a section forming the spring element.

[0006] Furthermore, a corresponding device is known from US 2005 / 0 247 350 A1. There, the sensor comprises a circuit board. A programmable Hall sensor is mounted on this circuit board. Furthermore, an interface is arranged on this circuit board. The interface is relatively large and located on the underside of the circuit board. The interface can communicate with an external programming unit to program the Hall sensor.

[0007] Such a design is relatively space-intensive. Such positionally specific interfaces, which are also relatively large, require a relatively large amount of installation space. Therefore, they are arranged on a side of the circuit board opposite the Hall sensor to accommodate this space requirement.

[0008] It is an object of the present invention to provide a sensor for a vehicle, which is a torque and / or rotation angle sensor, in which the programming interface of this sensor is designed to be more space-saving.

[0009] This object is achieved by a sensor and a steering device according to the independent claims.

[0010] One aspect of the invention relates to a sensor for a vehicle. The sensor is a torque and / or rotation angle sensor. The sensor has a printed circuit board. At least one programmable electronic component is arranged on the printed circuit board. Furthermore, at least one programming interface is arranged on the printed circuit board. The programmable component can be programmed via the programming interface. The at least one programming interface is designed as a programming contact that is arranged on an edge of the printed circuit board. Such a configuration makes it possible to achieve a very compact design of the printed circuit board with this programming interface. Firstly, the programming interface itself is compact in its dimensions.This mere possibility of designing the programming interface as a flat programming contact not only enables a fundamentally compact design but also greater flexibility and variability in attaching this programming contact to a specific location on the circuit board. In particular, this allows the programming contact to be installed in a very exposed position, namely the edge of the circuit board. This allows an otherwise unused area of ​​the circuit board, namely this narrow edge strip, to be used to attach specific elements, namely the programming contact. Furthermore, this ensures that the larger top and bottom surfaces of the circuit board are not undesirably occupied by such a programming interface.These surfaces of the top or front side and the bottom or back side of the circuit board can thus be used extensively for other components or, if these are not available, a smaller circuit board can be provided compared to the state of the art.

[0011] Preferably, the at least one programming contact extends across the entire thickness of the edge. This allows for improved mechanical attachment and, at the same time, reliable and secure electrical contacting of this programming contact.

[0012] Preferably, it is provided that the at least one programming contact extends beyond the peripheral edge to at least one surface of the circuit board adjoining the peripheral edge. The surface directly adjoins the peripheral edge at an angle, in particular 90°. The surface is a different area of ​​the circuit board than the peripheral edge. The surface adjoins This surface can be a front side or a back side of the circuit board. Such a configuration further improves the mechanical fastening of this programming contact to the circuit board. Furthermore, an improved connection to a conductor track which is formed on the surface of the circuit board and is electrically connected to the programming contact is also improved.There is then no longer a need for a direct transition between the edge and the surface of the circuit board, such a connection between the programming contact and the conductor track, but this can be done on a flat surface, namely the surface.

[0013] In particular, the programming contact extends over an area on this surface that is a maximum of twice the area of ​​a partial area of ​​the programming contact formed at the peripheral edge. This ensures that the programming contact occupies only a relatively small area on the surface. It can also be provided that this area, which the corresponding partial area of ​​the programming contact occupies on the surface of the printed circuit board, amounts to a maximum of 150 percent, a maximum of 140 percent, a maximum of 130 percent, a maximum of 120 percent, a maximum of 110 percent, a maximum of 100 percent, or a maximum of 90 percent of the area of ​​the partial area of ​​the programming contact formed at the peripheral edge.

[0014] It can be provided that the programming contact extends both on one surface adjacent to the edge and on the opposite surface, which also adjoins the edge. In particular, the programming contact is thus also formed at least slightly on the top side of the circuit board and the underside of the circuit board. With such a configuration, the programming contact is thus formed as a U-shaped contact in cross-section perpendicular to the plane of the circuit board.

[0015] In particular, the programming contact is designed as an edge metallization contact. This also allows for its individualized manufacturing. This type of edge metallization allows for a very precise application of the metal forming the programming contact to the edge. Furthermore, this type of edge metallization also allows for a very thin programming contact that still retains its full functionality with regard to signal transmission. This also advantageously enables a space-saving design of the programming contact.

[0016] Preferably, the peripheral edge has a peripheral edge portion formed in a plane. The programming contact is formed on this peripheral edge portion. Thus, the programming contact, with its subregion formed on the peripheral edge, is formed in a plane.

[0017] It can also be provided that the peripheral edge has an edge recess. In particular, in this alternative embodiment, the programming contact is formed in the edge recess. In such a configuration, the surface area of ​​the programming contact formed at the edge recess is thus not formed in a single plane.

[0018] The edge recess can be designed as a semicircle. With such a design, the programming contact is offset inward relative to the rest of the edge. It is thus somewhat protected in this respect and is therefore not directly exposed. This can help prevent scratching or other damage to the programming contact.

[0019] Preferably, the programming contact is formed only in such an edge recess, viewed along the edge. It then advantageously does not extend to those further edge portions of the edge that border the edge recess.

[0020] According to the invention, at least two separate programming contacts are provided as programming interfaces. These two separate programming contacts can be formed on the edge of the circuit board. They can, in particular, each advantageously be designed as described in the advantageous embodiments mentioned above.

[0021] It can also be provided that both programming contacts are formed on a peripheral edge side length of the peripheral edge. A peripheral edge side length refers to the section of the peripheral edge that defines a side length of a basic geometry of the circuit board. If the circuit board is polygonal, for example, a peripheral edge side length extends between two consecutive corners of this geometry. The peripheral edge side length can be straight or curved.

[0022] In an embodiment according to the invention, it is provided that a first programming contact is formed on a first edge side length of the edge and a second programming contact is arranged on a second edge side length of the edge arranged at an angle to the first edge side length.

[0023] In an advantageous embodiment, it is provided that the programming contact is electrically connected to a conductor track formed on the circuit board with an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) formed on the circuit board for programming the integrated circuit with the programming contact.

[0024] A further aspect of the invention relates to a steering device for a vehicle. The steering device has a steering column. Furthermore, the steering device has at least one sensor according to the above-mentioned aspect or an advantageous embodiment thereof.

[0025] The sensor is then used to detect a steering angle and / or a steering torque of the steering shaft or the steering column.

[0026] The sensor can be a pure torque sensor. It can then be referred to as a so-called torque-only sensor (TOS), which can only measure torque. However, the sensor can also be a combined torque sensor, a so-called torque angle sensor (TAS) or torque index sensor (TIS), which can be used to determine a torque and a rotation angle of a shaft, or a torque and a reference or index position of a shaft.

[0027] Programming can be performed, for example, via an external programming unit. For this purpose, the programming unit can be electrically connected to the at least one programming contact using at least one programming pin. Corresponding signals can then be transmitted from the programming unit via the at least one programming contact to the unit to be programmed on the circuit board. For example, registers in EPROMs of this integrated circuit can be written in this context. This can include data for traceability or for setting different operating modes, etc.

[0028] In an advantageous embodiment, the circuit board is horseshoe-shaped. This means that it has a U-shaped configuration. It can be provided with at least two programming contacts, in particular at least three programming contacts, in particular at least four programming contacts, in particular at least five programming contacts, in particular at least six programming contacts, in particular at least seven programming contacts, in particular at least eight programming contacts. The number of programming contacts preferably depends on the integrated circuit to be programmed.

[0029] Further features of the invention emerge from the claims, the figures and the description of the figures. The features and combinations of features mentioned above in the description, as well as the features and combinations of features mentioned below in the description of the figures and / or shown alone in the figures can be used not only in the respective combination specified, but also in other combinations or on their own, without departing from the scope of the invention. Thus, embodiments are to be regarded as encompassed and disclosed by the invention that are not explicitly shown and explained in the figures, but which emerge and can be produced by separate combinations of features from the explained embodiments. Embodiments and combinations of features are also to be regarded as disclosed that therefore do not have all the features of an originally formulated independent claim.

[0030] Embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to schematic drawings. They show: Fig. 1 a schematic representation of a motor vehicle with an embodiment of a steering device according to the invention and an embodiment of a sensor according to the invention; Fig. 2 an exploded view of an embodiment of a sensor according to the invention; and Fig. 3a to 3c show a perspective view of simplified geometries of a printed circuit board with individual designs of programming contacts.

[0031] In the figures, identical or functionally identical elements are provided with the same reference symbols.

[0032] In Fig. Figure 1 shows a side view of a motor vehicle 1. The motor vehicle 1 may be a passenger car. However, it may also be a truck.

[0033] The motor vehicle 1 has a steering device 2. The steering device 2 has a steering column 3. The steering column 3 can be a steering shaft. The steering device 2 also has, for example, a steering wheel 4. The steering wheel 4 is connected to the steering column 3.

[0034] Furthermore, the motor vehicle 1 has a sensor system 5. The sensor system 5 has a cable device 6. Furthermore, the sensor system 5 has at least one sensor 7. The sensor 7 is a torque and / or rotation angle sensor. In an advantageous embodiment, the cable device 6 has an electrical cable 8.

[0035] The cable 8 is formed with a connecting element 9 at one end. This connecting element 9 is connected in particular to the sensor 7.

[0036] In Fig. 2 shows an exploded view of an exemplary embodiment of the sensor 7. The sensor 7 has a housing 10. The housing 10 has a cover 11 and a housing base 12. In addition, the sensor 7 has a printed circuit board 13. In the exemplary embodiment, the printed circuit board 13 is horseshoe-shaped. The printed circuit board 13 has a first surface 14. The first surface 14 here is a top side or a front side. In addition, the printed circuit board has another surface 15. The surface 15 is a bottom side or a back side. These two surfaces 14 and 15 represent the main surfaces of the printed circuit board 13 in terms of area and thus size. In addition, the printed circuit board 13 has a peripheral edge 16. This peripheral edge 16 forms the surface strip represented by the thickness of the printed circuit board 13. In addition, this peripheral edge 16 is essentially the side region that connects the surfaces 14 and 15.In the illustrated embodiment, the peripheral edge 16 has a plurality of peripheral edge side lengths. The peripheral edge side lengths are oriented at an angle to one another by kinks and / or other geometries. By way of example, peripheral edge side lengths 16a, 16b, 16c, 16d, and 16e are shown. As a result, only some of the peripheral edge side lengths of this specific geometry of the peripheral edge 16 are provided with a reference symbol. At least one programming contact 17a is formed on at least one peripheral edge side length. In particular, a plurality of separate programming contacts 17a, 17b, 17c, 17d, 17e, 17f, and 17g can be formed. It can be provided that the at least one programming contact, in particular at least two programming contacts, in particular a plurality of programming contacts 17a to 17g, are formed on the same peripheral edge side length, here the peripheral edge side length 16d.However, it can also be provided that at least one programming contact 17a to 17g of the at least two programming contacts 17a to 17g is formed on a first edge side length 16a to 16e and the second programming contact 17a to 17g is formed on a different further edge side length 16a to 16e of the edge 16.

[0037] A programming contact 17a to 17g represents a programming interface of the sensor 7. Through these programming contacts 17a to 17g, for example, an application-specific integrated circuit 18, which is Fig. 2 symbolically designated on the circuit board 13. For this purpose, a programming device external to the sensor 7 or a programming unit with programming pins can be contacted with at least one or more programming contacts 17a to 17g, and programming signals can then be transmitted via these programming interfaces to the integrated circuit or the integrated circuit 18.

[0038] In particular, these programming contacts 17a to 17g are edge metallization contacts. They are thus applied to this peripheral edge 16 by an edge metallization process. The programming contacts 17a to 17g are arranged in a row and spaced apart, thus forming a contactless contact with each other at the peripheral edge 16.

[0039] It is intended that the programming contacts 17a to 17g extend uninterrupted over the entire height or thickness d of the edge 16.

[0040] In an advantageous embodiment, the sensor 7 has a holder 19. The holder 19 has a receptacle 20. The circuit board 13 can be accommodated in the receptacle 20 in the assembled state.

[0041] Furthermore, the sensor 7 has an internal connector 21. This internal connector 21 connects the circuit board 13 to a ribbon cable 22 of the sensor 7. An external connector 23 is also shown. The external connector 23 can be electrically connected to the sensor 7, in particular to the ribbon cable 22. The external connector 23 can be part of the cable device 6. It can be part of the connecting element 9.

[0042] In Fig. 3a to 3c show simplified representations of the geometry of a printed circuit board 13. The Fig. The rectangular shape of the printed circuit board 13 shown in Figures 3a to 3c may be provided, but is advantageously only a symbolic geometry. In particular, the printed circuit board 13, as already Fig. 2, more complex in shape, particularly horseshoe-shaped.

[0043] As in Fig. 3a and as can be seen, for example, in the design in Fig. 2, four separate programming contacts 17a to 17d are provided here by way of example. In the exemplary embodiment, these are formed on the edge side length 16a. In this design, the edge side length 16a is completely rectilinear and thus formed in a plane. In this exemplary embodiment, the edge side length 16a represents an edge section 161a. In this example, the edge side length 16a is completely formed by the edge section 161a. The same applies correspondingly to the other edge side lengths 16b, 16c, and 16d.

[0044] As can be seen here, a programming contact, for example the programming contact 17a, extends uninterruptedly over the entire thickness d of the peripheral edge 16. In addition, the programming contact 17a also extends to the surface 14. In particular, an uninterrupted transition from the peripheral edge 16 to the surface 14 is formed.

[0045] The area of ​​a partial region 171a of the programming contact 17a formed on the surface 14 is at most twice as large as the area of ​​the partial region 172a of the programming contact 17a formed on the peripheral edge portion 161a. In addition to or instead of this, the programming contact 17a may have a further partial region 173a formed on the opposite surface 15 of the circuit board 13. In particular, the area of ​​this further partial region 173a corresponds to the size of the area of ​​the partial region 171a. In particular, in such a configuration, a programming contact 17a is U-shaped in a cross-section perpendicular to the plane of the circuit board 13. It thus encompasses the peripheral edge 16 and, in an advantageous embodiment, extends with correspondingly dimensioned small areas onto the surface 14 and / or onto the surface 15.

[0046] A conductor track 24 ends at a programming contact 17a. As can be seen, the conductor track 24 has a width d1, which can be between 0.2 mm and 0.4 mm, in particular 0.3 mm. This width d1 is measured in a plane parallel to the plane of the surface 14 and perpendicular to the length direction of the conductor track 24. Such a conductor track 24 is therefore relatively thin. As can be seen, it is narrower or thinner than a corresponding extension d2 ( Fig. 3) of the programming contact 17a in the direction of the edge portion 161a.

[0047] In an advantageous embodiment, the exemplary additional programming contacts 17b, 17c, and 17d are also provided. They lead to an already mentioned integrated circuit 18 via further exemplary conductor tracks 25 and 26. In addition to or instead of this, however, other components arranged on the circuit board 13 can also be electrically connected to these programming contacts 17a to 17b via conductor tracks. This also allows for appropriate programming of additional components.

[0048] In Fig. 3b is a corresponding symbolic representation of the printed circuit board 13, in particular with regard to a symbolic rectangular design, in contrast to Fig. 3a shows the arrangement of six programming contacts 17a to 17f. In contrast to Fig. 3a, the programming contacts 17e and 17f are formed on a peripheral edge section 161c. In the example shown here, the peripheral edge side length 16c is completely formed by the peripheral edge section 161c. In the embodiments in Fig. 3a and Fig. 3b, the partial area 172a and, correspondingly, the partial areas of the further programming contacts 17b, 17c, 17d, 17e, and 17f formed at the peripheral edges 16 are planar. They protrude slightly, particularly by the thickness of the metallization, beyond the peripheral edge 16.

[0049] In Fig. 3c shows a programming contact 17a in a further embodiment. In this embodiment, the peripheral edge 16 has a first peripheral edge portion 161a and second peripheral edge portions 162a on a peripheral edge side length 16a. The second peripheral edge portions 162a are thus not in a plane with the first peripheral edge portions 161a. In particular, the second peripheral edge portions 162a are formed by edge recesses 27. The number of edge recesses 27, here in Fig. 3c, four by way of example, is not to be understood as exhaustive. In particular, the number of edge recesses 27 is preferably dependent on the number of programming contacts. The programming contacts 17a, 17b, 17c and 17d, as shown in number by way of example in Fig. 3c, are formed in such an edge recess 27. In the exemplary embodiment, such an edge recess 27 is a semicircle. This semicircle is open to the side (viewed in the plane of the circuit board 13). In particular, partial regions 172a (explicitly drawn for the programming contact 17a), which are formed only on the peripheral edge 16, are formed only in this edge recess 27. They are therefore formed only on the second peripheral edge section 162a. In particular, they are not formed on the first peripheral edge sections 161a, which run rectilinearly and extend in one plane.

[0050] In particular, a programming contact 17a to 17d is thus formed countersunk to the first edge portion 161a. Also in the embodiment in Fig. 3c, different programming contacts can also be formed on other edge side lengths 16b and / or 16c and / or 16d.

[0051] It should be noted again that the geometry of the circuit board in Fig. 3a to 3c are to be understood merely as symbolic and exemplary. Fig. The explanations given in Figures 3a to 3c regarding the shape, position and arrangement of the programming contacts 17a to 17f are particularly important when designing the shape of the printed circuit board 13 in Fig. 2 possible.

Claims

[1] Sensor (7) for a vehicle (1), which is a torque and / or angle sensor, which has a printed circuit board (13) on which at least one programmable component (18) is arranged and on which a programming interface is arranged, wherein the at least one programming interface is arranged as a programming contact (17a, 17b, 17c, 17d, 17e, 17f, 17g) on ​​an edge (16) of the printed circuit board (13), wherein at least two separate programming contacts (17a to 17g) are formed as programming interfaces on the edge (16) of the printed circuit board (13), characterized by , that a first programming contact (17a to 17g) is formed on a first edge side length (16a, 16b, 16c, 16d, 16e) of the edge (16) and a second programming contact (17a to 17g) is arranged on a second edge side length (16a to 16e) of the edge (16) arranged at an angle to the first edge side length (16a to 16e). [2] Sensor (7) according to claim 1, characterized by that the programming contact (17a to 17g) extends over the entire thickness (d) of the edge (16). [3] Sensor (7) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by that the programming contact (17a to 17g) extends beyond the edge (16) to at least one surface (14, 15) of the printed circuit board (13) adjoining the edge (16). [4] Sensor (7) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the programming contact (17a to 17g) is designed as an edge metallization contact. [5] Sensor (7) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the edge (16) has an edge portion (161a) formed in a plane, wherein the programming contact (17a to 17g) is formed on this edge portion (161a). [6] Sensor (7) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the peripheral edge (16) has an edge recess (27), wherein the programming contact (17a to 17g) is formed in the edge recess (27). [7] Sensor (7) according to claim 6, characterized by that the edge recess (27) is formed as a semicircle. [8] Sensor (7) according to claim 1, characterized by that the at least two programming contacts (17a to 17g) are each formed on an edge side length (16a, 16b, 16c, 16d, 16e) of the edge (16). [9] Sensor (7) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat the programming contact (17a to 17g) is electrically connected to a conductor track (24, 25, 26) formed on the circuit board (13) and to an application-specific integrated circuit (18) formed on the circuit board (13) for programming the integrated circuit (18) via the programming contact (17a to 17g). [10] Steering device (2) for a vehicle (1) with a steering column (3) and a sensor (7) according to one of the preceding claims, which surrounds the steering column (3) at least in regions and which detects a torque and / or a rotation angle of the steering column (3).

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