Protective enclosure for an electronic device

Abstract

A protective enclosure for an electronic control unit (ECU) to minimize the risk of environmental ingress comprises a base section, a first housing, a second housing, a first seal, a vibration-damping insert, a first electrical connector, a second electrical connector, a third electrical connector, and a connecting piece. The first housing is sealed onto the base section, and the first housing and the base section together form a first chamber for housing the telematics module. The second housing and the base section define a second chamber. The connecting piece joins the base section and the second housing.

Description

INITIATIONElectronic control units (ECUs) used in vehicles are designed for installation in the vehicle cabin, wherein they are only minimally protected against harsh environmental influences such as rain, dirt, vibrations, etc.DESCRIPTIONThere is a need for a protective protective case that is configured to package an electronic control unit (ECU) to minimize or eliminate the risk of intrusion of environmental elements such as water, dirt, vibration, etc., that may occur when an ECU is deployed in a non-automotive vehicle application.An aspect of the disclosure may include a telematics module protection box including a bottom portion, a first housing, a second housing, a first seal, a vibration damping insert, a first electrical connector, a second electrical connector, a third electrical connector, and a connection part. The first housing is sealably seated on the bottom portion with the first seal therebetween, and the first housing and the bottom portion form a first chamber disposed to receive the telematics module and the vibration damping insert. The second housing and the bottom portion form a second chamber. The first housing includes a first end, and the first chamber is adjacent to the second chamber at the first end of the first housing. The first electrical connector, the second electrical connector, and the third electrical connector are disposed in the first end of the first housing, wherein a first end of the first electrical connector, a first end of the second electrical connector, and a first end of the third electrical connector are disposed in the first chamber, and a second end of the first electrical connector, a second end of the second electrical connector, and a second end of the third electrical connector are disposed in the second chamber. The second housing and the bottom portion cooperate to define a first opening, a second opening, and a third opening disposed at a second end of the second housing, the second housing and the bottom portion having a first sealable strain relief portion connected to the first opening, the first opening receiving a stranded cable; the second housing and the bottom portion having a second sealable strain relief portion associated with the second opening, the second opening receiving a first coaxial cable; and the second housing and the bottom portion having a third sealable strain relief portion associated with the third opening, the third opening receiving a second coaxial cable. The connecting part fixes the bottom portion and the second housing.Another aspect of the disclosure may include that the first electrical connector is a multipolar connector.Another aspect of the disclosure may include the second electrical connector being a radio frequency (RF) connector.Another aspect of the disclosure may include that the third electrical connector is a radio frequency (RF) connector.Another aspect of the disclosure may include the first seal being made of a silicone material.Another aspect of the disclosure may include a second seal, wherein the second housing is seated on the bottom portion with the second seal disposed therebetween.Another aspect of the disclosure may include a connector, wherein the connector is attached to the bottom portion and the second housing, and wherein the connector is disposed within the second chamber.Another aspect of the disclosure may include a drain, wherein the drain is disposed on the bottom portion within the second chamber.Another aspect of the disclosure may include the first opening receiving a stranded cable, the second opening receiving a first coaxial cable, and the third opening receiving a second coaxial cable.Another aspect of the disclosure may include a telematics module protection box including a bottom portion, a first housing, a second housing, a first seal, a vibration damping insert, a first electrical connector, and a second electrical connector. The first housing is sealably seated on the bottom portion with the first seal therebetween, and the first housing and the bottom portion form a first chamber disposed to receive the telematics module and the vibration damping insert. The second housing and the bottom portion form a second chamber. The first housing includes a first end, and the first chamber is adjacent to the second chamber at the first end of the first housing. The first electrical connector and the second electrical connector are sealably disposed in the first end of the first housing, a first end of the first electrical connector and a first end of the second electrical connector are disposed in the first chamber, and a second end of the first electrical connector and a second end of the second electrical connector are disposed in the second chamber.Another aspect of the disclosure may include a solid state electronics module protective case including a bottom portion, a first housing, a second housing, a first seal, a vibration damping insert, a first electrical connector, and a second electrical connector, wherein the first housing is sealably seated on the bottom portion with the first seal therebetween, and wherein the first housing and the bottom portion define a first chamber disposed to receive the electronics module and the vibration damping insert. The second housing and the bottom portion form a second chamber. The first housing has a first end, and the first chamber is adjacent to the second chamber at the first end of the first housing. The first electrical connector and the second electrical connector are sealably disposed in the first end of the first housing, a first end of the first electrical connector and a first end of the second electrical connector are disposed in the first chamber, and a second end of the first electrical connector and a second end of the second electrical connector are disposed in the second chamber. The summary above is not intended to represent every possible embodiment or aspect of the present disclosure. Rather, the foregoing summary is intended to illustrate some of the novel aspects and features disclosed herein.The above features and advantages, as well as other features and advantages of the present disclosure, will be readily apparent from the following detailed description of representative embodiments and modes for carrying out the present disclosure when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the claims.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSOne or more embodiments will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is an exploded top isometric view of a telematics module protective box in accordance with the disclosure. FIG. 2 is a top isometric view of a bottom portion of a telematics module protective box, in accordance with the disclosure. FIG. 3 is a top isometric view of a telematics module protection box in accordance with the disclosure.The accompanying drawings are not necessarily to scale, presenting a somewhat simplified representation of various preferred features of the present disclosure as disclosed herein, including, for example, certain dimensions, orientations, locations, and shapes. Details associated with such features will be determined in part by the particular intended application and use environment.DETAILED DESCRIPTIONThe components of the embodiments described and illustrated herein may be arranged and configured in a variety of different configurations. Therefore, the following detailed description is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed disclosure, but is merely representative of possible embodiments. Moreover, while numerous specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments disclosed herein, some embodiments may be practiced without some of these details. Moreover, for clarity, detailed description of certain technical details known in the art have been omitted so as not to unnecessarily obscure the disclosure.For convenience and clarity only, directional terms such as top, bottom, left, right, top, above, above, below, below, behind, and front are used in the drawings. These and similar directional terms are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the disclosure. Moreover, the disclosure as illustrated and described herein may be practiced without an element not specifically disclosed herein.The following detailed description is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to limit the application and use. Moreover, there is no intention to be bound by explicit or implicit theories presented herein. In the drawings, corresponding reference numerals indicate like or corresponding parts and features.As used herein, the term "system" may refer to one or a combination of mechanical and electrical actuators, sensors, controllers, application specific integrated circuits (ASIC), combinational logic circuits, software, firmware, and / or other components arranged to provide the described functionality.The use of ordering terms such as first, second and third does not necessarily imply ranking, but can only distinguish between multiple instances of an action or structure.Referring now to the drawings, wherein the illustrations are for illustrative purposes only of certain embodiments and not for limiting the same, FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 schematically illustrate various aspects and elements of a protective box 100 for an electronics module 90 that may be deployed in a vehicle 200, the protective box 100 sealing the electronics module 90 against ingress of dust and moisture and simultaneously enabling coupling to wiring harnesses via connectors for communication and electrical power. The vehicle 200 may include, but is not limited to, a mobile platform in the form of a commercial vehicle, an industrial vehicle, an agricultural vehicle, a passenger vehicle, an aircraft, a watercraft, a train, an off-road vehicle, a passenger transport device, a robot, and the like, to accomplish the purposes of this disclosure.Telematics module 90 is a stand-alone solid-state device that includes a wireless telematics communication system capable of communicating outside the vehicle, including communication with a communication network system having wireless and wired communication capabilities. Telematics module 90 is suitable for off-vehicle communication, which includes vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) ad hoc communication and / or short-range vehicle-to-everything (V2x) communication, which may include communication with an infrastructure monitor, e.g., a traffic camera, and vehicle ad hoc communication. Alternatively or additionally, telematics module 90 has a wireless telematics communication system suitable for short-range wireless communication with a portable device, e.g., a mobile telephone, a satellite telephone, or another telephone. In one embodiment, telematics module 90 performs off-board communication, including communication with an off-board server via a communication network, which may include a satellite and / or other communication mode. Alternatively or additionally, telematics module 90 directly performs the out-of-vehicle communication by communicating with the on-board server. In one embodiment, telematics module 90 includes a mobile phone and a global positioning system (GPS) receiver. It may be connected to an AM / FM / XM radio, a microphone, a control panel, a GPS / mobile telephone antenna and a data transmission device. The main tasks of telematics module 90, in one embodiment, include voice and data communication over the cellular telephone network, receiving data signals from the GPS to determine vehicle location, communicating bus messages to activate vehicle devices such as hazard lights and audible horns, receiving bus messages to automatically request assistance, playing telephone calls over the speakers of the audio system, shutting down an audio system during a telephone call, and communicating diagnostic information of the vehicle received over the communication bus.The protective case 100 for the module 90 includes a bottom portion 10, a first housing 30, a second housing 60, a first packing 71, a second packing 72, a vibration damping insert 34, a first electrical connector 44, a second electrical connector 47, a third electrical connector 50, and a connection part 20.The bottom portion 10, the first housing 30, and the second housing 60 are rigid structures made of acrylic or other cured polymeric material having structural features to provide structural rigidity.The bottom portion 10 is a rigid structure having a substantially planar shape and made of acrylic or other cured polymeric material with structural features to provide rigidity. The bottom portion 10 includes a first surface 11, a second surface 12, a plurality of mounting protrusions 14, a plurality of first housing mounting protrusions 16, and a second housing mounting protrusion 18.The first surface 11 is configured to receive a side of the telematics module 90 and a portion of the vibration damping insert 34. The first surface 11 is enclosed by a first seal recess 13 which receives the first seal 71. The plurality of first housing fixing protrusions 16 are disposed on the bottom portion 10 outside the first seal recess 13 and the first surface 11.The second surface 12 includes a second attachment protrusion 18, a connector bracket 21, a drain 22, and a second seal recess 23 that receives a second seal 72. The second attachment protrusion 18, the connector bracket 21, and the drain 22 are enclosed by the second surface 12. The second surface 12 also includes a first strain relief tab 24, a second strain relief tab 25, and in one embodiment a third strain relief tab 26, all of which project orthogonally from a surface of the bottom portion 10 within the second surface 12. Alternatively, the bottom portion 10 includes the first strain relief tab 24 and the second strain relief tab 25.The first housing 30 has a prismatic or modified prismatic shape opened at the bottom and forming a first recessed space 31.The first recessed space 31 of the first housing 30 and the first surface 11 of the bottom portion 10 define a first chamber 32 that is arranged to receive, physically secure, and seal the telematics module 90 with the vibration damping insert 34 therein. The first housing fixing protrusions 16 are connected to first fixing members 39 and mounting protrusions 38 to individually fix the first housing 30 on the bottom portion 10 with the first packing 71 interposed therebetween. In one embodiment, the first fasteners 39 are threaded screws disposed in the mounting protrusions 38, and the first housing mounting protrusions 16 include threaded apertures that mate with the first fasteners 39 to apply a compressive force to the first seal 71 and the first housing 30.The first seal 71 is made of silicone or other flexible sealing material. The first seal 71 may be formed by an extrusion or molding process and may have a round, oval, d-shaped, p-shaped, e-shaped, or other cross-section.When assembled, the first chamber 32 is capable of resisting dust and moisture ingress and withstanding high pressure and high temperature washes as determined by a performance standard such as ISO20653 (road vehicles). For example, the first chamber 32 is configured to achieve a protection mode of IP69K.The second housing 60 has a prismatic or modified prismatic shape opened at the bottom and forming a second recessed space 61. The second housing 60 includes a fixing protrusion 68 and a connecting part fixing protrusion 67. the connecting part fixing protrusion 67 is disposed inside the second recessed space 61, i.e., inside a second chamber 62.The second recessed space 61 of the second housing 60 and the second surface 12 of the floor portion 10 define the second chamber 62 that is arranged to receive, physically secure, and seal the first, second, and third electrical connectors 44, 47, 50 along with the associated first, second, and third vehicle connectors 201, 202, 203, respectively.A second fastener 73 passes through the attachment protrusion 68 of the second housing 60 and is coupled to the attachment protrusion 18 of the second housing to secure the second housing 60 to the floor portion 10 with the second seal 72 interposed therebetween. In one embodiment, the second fastener 73 is a threaded screw, and the second housing mounting protrusion 18 includes a threaded opening that mates with the second fastener 73 to apply a compressive force to the second housing 30 and the second seal 72.The second seal 72 is made of silicone or other flexible sealing material. The second seal 72 may be manufactured in an extrusion or injection molding process and may have a round, oval, d-shaped, p-shaped, e-shaped, or other cross-sectional shape.The connection part fixing protrusion 67 is disposed inside the second recessed space 61. One end of the connection part 20 is fixed to the connection part holder 21 of the bottom portion 10, and the other end of the connection part 20 is fixed to the connection part fixing protrusion 67 of the second housing 60. Thus, the connecting part is located in the second chamber 62 when the second housing 60 is mounted and fixed on the bottom portion 10.The first housing 30 includes a first end 40 that abuts the second recessed space 61 of the second housing 60 such that the first recessed space 31 abuts the second recessed space 61 with the first end 40 of the first housing 30 therebetween.The first end 40 of the first housing 30, in one embodiment, includes a first opening 41, a second opening 42, and a third opening 43 that are arranged to sealably receive a first electrical connector 44, a second electrical connector 47, and a third electrical connector 50, respectively.A first end 45 of the first electrical connector 44, a first end 48 of the second electrical connector 47, and a first end 51 of the third electrical connector 50 are disposed in the first chamber 32.A second end 46 of the first electrical connector 44, a second end 49 of the second electrical connector 47, and a second end 52 of the third electrical connector 50 are disposed in the second chamber 62.The first electrical connector 44 is a multipolar connector including wire cables for electric power transmission and wire cables for communication including, for example, a communication bus. The first end 45 of the first electrical connector 44 is connected via a first patch cable 53 to a first input 91 of the module 90 to transmit electrical power thereto and communicate therewith, e.g., via a communication bus. The second end 46 of the first electrical connector 44 protrudes into the second chamber 62 and is arranged to be connectable to the first connector 201 of the vehicle 200.The second electrical connector 47 is an RF connector for communication with a first RF antenna (not shown). The first end 48 of the second electrical connector 47 is communicatively coupled to a first RF connector 92 of the module 90 via a coaxial cable 54. The second end 49 of the second electrical connector 47 protrudes into the second chamber 62 and is arranged to be connectable to the second connector 202 of the vehicle 200.The third electrical connector 50 is an RF connector for communication with a second RF antenna (not shown). The first end 51 of the third electrical connector 50 is connected to a second RF connector 93 of the module 90 for communication via a coaxial cable 55. The second end 52 of the third electrical connector 50 protrudes into the second chamber 62 and is arranged to be connectable to the third connector 203 of the vehicle 200.The second housing 60 includes a first end 69 that is proximal to the first end 40 of the first housing 30 and a second end 70 that is distal to the first end 40 of the first housing 30.The second end 70 of the second housing 60 includes a first strain relief aperture 64, a second strain relief aperture 65, and a third strain relief aperture 66.The first strain relief aperture 64 of the second housing 60 and the first strain relief tab 24 of the floor portion 10 cooperate to define a first strain relief aperture 74 that can be used to receive a cable connected to the first connector 201 of the vehicle 200. In one embodiment, the cable connected to the first connector 202 of the vehicle 200 is a multi-core cable connected to a controller of the vehicle 200 and including a communication bus as well as DC cable and ground.The second strain relief aperture 65 of the second housing 60 and the second strain relief tab 25 of the floor portion 10 cooperate to define a second strain relief aperture 75 that can be used to receive a cable connected to the second connector 202 of the vehicle 200. In one embodiment, the cable connected to the second connector 202 of the vehicle 200 is a coaxial cable connected to a first RF antenna.The third strain relief aperture 66 of the second housing 60 and the third strain relief tab 26 of the floor portion 10 cooperate to define a third strain relief aperture 76 that can be used to receive a cable connected to the third connector 203 of vehicle 200. In one embodiment, the cable connected to the third connector 203 of the vehicle 200 is a coaxial cable connected to a second RF antenna.The first, second and third strain relief apertures 74, 75, 76 may also include a deformable seal that resiliently deforms about the respective cable when the second housing 60 is compressed on the bottom portion 10 and thus serves to clamp the respective cable to relieve it and also to seal the respective cable to minimize or prevent ingress of dust and water. In this way, the second chamber 62, formed by the floor portion 10 and the second housing 60, protects the harness connections for the first, second, and third electrical connectors 44, 47, 50 from water and dust ingress and also protects the first, second, and third mating connectors 201, 202, 203 of the vehicle 200 from water and dust ingress. Moreover, the cooperation of the first, second, and third strain relief apertures 74, 75, 76 serves to isolate the respective cables from mechanical loads that may be applied to one or more of the cables.For brevity, techniques of signal processing, data fusion, signaling, control, and other functional aspects of the systems (and the individual operating components of the systems) will not be described in detail herein. Moreover, the connection lines depicted in the various figures are intended to represent example functional relationships and / or physical couplings between the various elements. Alternative or additional functional relationships or physical connections may be present in an embodiment of the present disclosure.The term "module" and related terms such as "controller", "microcontroller", "controller", "controller", "processor", etc., refer to one or various combinations of application specific integrated circuits (ASIC), field programmable gate arrays (FPGA), electronic circuits, central processing units, e.g., microprocessors and associated nonvolatile memory components in the form of memory and storage devices (read-only, programmable read-only, random access, hard disk drives, etc.). Communication may be via a direct wired point-to-point connection, a networked communication bus connection, a wireless connection, or another communication connection. The communication includes the exchange of data signals, e.g., electrical signals over a conductive medium, electromagnetic signals over air, optical signals over optical fibers, etc. The data signals may include discrete, analog, and / or digitized analog signals representing inputs from sensors, actuator commands, and communication between controllers.The concepts described herein prove a protective box for an electronic device, such as a telematics module, that is capable of providing resistance to dust and moisture ingress and vibration damping while providing simple installation capabilities. The protective case includes a covered structure over the first and second housings that resists ingress of pressurized water, salt mist, heat dissipation, and vibration validation.The detailed description and the drawings or figures are supportive and descriptive of the present teachings, but the scope of the present teachings is defined solely by the claims. While some of the best modes and other embodiments for carrying out the present teachings have been described in detail, there are various alternative designs and embodiments for carrying out the present teachings that are defined in the claims.

Claims

A protective case for a telematics module, the protective case comprising: a bottom portion, a first housing, a second housing, a first seal, a vibration damping insert, a first electrical connector, a second electrical connector, and a third electrical connector; wherein the first housing is sealably seated on the bottom portion with the first seal disposed therebetween, and wherein the first housing and the bottom portion define a first chamber disposed to receive the telematics module and the vibration damping insert; wherein the second housing and the bottom portion define a second chamber, wherein the first housing has a first end; wherein the first chamber abuts the second chamber at the first end of the first housing; wherein the first electrical connector, the second electrical connector, and the third electrical connector are disposed in the first end of the first housing; wherein a first end of the first electrical connector, a first end of the second electrical connector, and a first end of the third electrical connector are disposed in the first chamber; wherein a second end of the first electrical connector, a second end of the second electrical connector, and a second end of the third electrical connector are disposed in the second chamber; wherein the second housing and the bottom portion cooperate to define a first opening, a second opening, and a third opening disposed at a second end of the second housing; wherein the second housing and the bottom portion form a first sealable strain relief portion connected to the first opening; wherein the second housing and the bottom portion form a second sealable strain relief portion connected to the second opening; and wherein the second housing and the bottom portion form a third sealable strain relief portion connected to the third opening.The protective case of claim 1, wherein the first electrical connector comprises a multipolar connector.The protective case of claim 1, wherein the second electrical connector comprises a radio frequency (RF) connector.The protective case of claim 1, wherein the third electrical connector comprises a radio frequency (RF) connector.The protective case of claim 1, wherein the first seal is made of a silicone material.The protective case of claim 1, further comprising a second seal, wherein the second housing is seated on the bottom portion with the second seal therebetween.The protective case according to claim 1, further comprising a connection part, wherein the connection part is attached to the bottom portion and the second housing, and wherein the connection part is disposed inside the second chamber.The protective case of claim 1, further comprising a drain, wherein the drain is disposed at the bottom portion within the second chamber.The protective case of claim 1, wherein the first opening receives a stranded cable, wherein the second opening receives a first coaxial cable, and wherein the third opening receives a second coaxial cable.A protective case for a solid state electronics module, the protective case comprising: a bottom portion, a first housing, a second housing, a first seal, a vibration damping insert, a first electrical connector, and a second electrical connector; wherein the first housing is sealably seated on the bottom portion with the first seal disposed therebetween, and wherein the first housing and the bottom portion define a first chamber disposed to receive the electronics module and the vibration damping insert; wherein the second housing and the bottom portion define a second chamber, wherein the first housing has a first end; wherein the first chamber is adjacent the second chamber at the first end of the first housing; and wherein the first electrical connector and the second electrical connector are sealably disposed in the first end of the first housing, including a first end of the first electrical connector and a first end of the second electrical connector disposed in the first chamber, and a second end of the first electrical connector and a second end of the second electrical connector disposed in the second chamber.

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