Electronic assembly

Abstract

For an electronic assembly (1) comprising a housing (2) with an interior (3) and an opening (4) connecting the interior (3) to an exterior (11) of the housing (2), further comprising an electrical and / or electronic device (5) arranged in the interior (3) of the housing (2), and a pressure equalization element (6), wherein the pressure equalization element (6) seals the housing (2) in an air-permeable and moisture-proof manner, it is proposed that an intermediate element (30) be arranged in the opening (4), wherein the intermediate element (30) is connected to the housing (2) in an airtight and watertight manner in the opening (4), wherein an opening (31) is formed in the intermediate element (30), and wherein the pressure equalization element (6) seals the opening (31) in the intermediate element (30) in an air-permeable and moisture-proof manner.

Description

State of the art

[0001] The invention relates to an electronic assembly having the features of the preamble of independent claim 1.

[0002] In automotive engineering, electrical and / or electronic devices, such as inverters, are housed in enclosures to protect them from external stresses such as moisture. If the electrical and / or electronic component, such as an inverter, housed in the enclosure is exposed to strong temperature changes, significant pressure changes can occur within the enclosure. Furthermore, differences in altitude can lead to significant pressure changes. In many applications, an opening is therefore provided in the enclosure in which a pressure equalization element is located. This seals off the opening and thus the enclosure, making it permeable to air and impermeable to moisture. The pressure equalization element can thus equalize the pressure in the enclosure relative to the ambient pressure. This helps prevent leaks or damage to components caused by overpressure or underpressure in the enclosure. Disclosure of the invention

[0003] According to the invention, an electronic assembly is proposed. The electronic assembly comprises a housing with an interior space and an opening connecting the interior space to an exterior space of the housing. Furthermore, the electronic assembly comprises an electrical and / or electronic device arranged in the interior space of the housing, and a pressure compensation element, wherein the pressure compensation element closes the housing in an air-permeable and moisture-tight manner. According to the invention, an intermediate element is arranged in the opening, wherein the intermediate element is connected to the housing in the opening in an airtight and watertight manner, wherein an opening is formed in the intermediate element, wherein the pressure compensation element closes the opening in the intermediate element in an air-permeable and moisture-tight manner. Advantages of the invention

[0004] Compared to the prior art, the electrical assembly according to the features of claim 1 has the advantage that corrosion in the area of ​​the aperture in the housing can be prevented. The intermediate part serves as an adapter for the pressure compensation element and can be designed to enable a large-area seal between the housing and the adapter. A large-area seal, for example, prevents water penetration compared to a simple sealing ring and is less susceptible to water penetration. This prevents corrosion in the area of ​​the aperture. The corrosion-prone housing, often made of aluminum, is thus advantageously protected against corrosion. This increases the corrosion resistance of the interface between the housing and the pressure compensation element. The device is more robust and has a longer service life.Because the seal against the corrosion-prone housing is created by the intermediate element 30, simple pressure compensation elements can be used. The intermediate element 30 serves as an adapter, adapting these simple and compact pressure compensation elements to the corrosion protection requirements of the housing.

[0005] Further advantageous embodiments and developments of the inventions are made possible by the features specified in the subclaims.

[0006] According to an advantageous embodiment, a sealing element is arranged between the housing and the intermediate element, wherein the housing is in direct contact with the sealing element at the opening on a housing contact surface, and the intermediate element is in direct contact with the sealing element at an intermediate contact surface. The sealing element advantageously creates a good airtight and watertight seal between the intermediate element and the housing.

[0007] According to an advantageous embodiment, the housing contact surface has a cylindrical housing contact region, and the intermediate contact surface has a cylindrical intermediate contact region, with a cylindrical region of the sealing element extending cylindrically between the cylindrical housing contact region of the housing and the cylindrical intermediate contact region of the intermediate element. This cylindrical seal has a significantly longer sealing length than, for example, simple sealing rings used to seal simple pressure compensation elements. The connection between the housing and the intermediate element is thus advantageously protected against complete corrosion of the seal's underside.Because the sealing element has a large surface area in contact with both the housing and the intermediate part, there is no reservoir between the housing and the sealing element in which liquid can collect and dry out poorly, as is often the case with sealing rings, for example O-rings.

[0008] According to an advantageous embodiment, the housing contact surface has an annular housing contact region, and the intermediate contact surface has an annular intermediate contact region. A collar is formed on the sealing element, extending between the annular housing contact region and the annular intermediate contact region. This further increases the sealing surface between the intermediate element and the housing, and further reduces seal infiltration.

[0009] According to an advantageous embodiment, it is provided that the collar of the sealing element protrudes from the cylinder region of the sealing element.

[0010] According to an advantageous embodiment, the sealing element is made of an elastomer. This enables an advantageously tight seal between the intermediate element and the housing.

[0011] According to an advantageous embodiment, locking elements, in particular locking hooks, are formed on the intermediate element, and the intermediate element is inserted into the opening from the outer region of the housing and latched into the opening. The locking elements hold the intermediate element in the opening. At the same time, the locking elements can easily press the intermediate element against the housing, for example, with slight elastic deformation of the sealing element, in particular the collar of the sealing element. Thus, the tightness between the housing and the intermediate element can be further increased.

[0012] According to an advantageous embodiment, the intermediate element is made of a corrosion-resistant material, in particular a plastic, or is coated with a corrosion-resistant material. This prevents corrosion at the opening of the intermediate element where the pressure compensation element is located, and where, for example, only a simple sealing ring provides the seal between the pressure compensation element and the intermediate element. The corrosion problem is shifted to the seal between the intermediate part and the housing.

[0013] According to an advantageous embodiment, it is provided that the intermediate element protrudes into the opening.

[0014] According to an advantageous embodiment, the housing is made of aluminum. Short description of the drawings

[0015] An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawing and will be explained in more detail in the following description. It shows Fig. 1 a cross-section through an embodiment of the electronic assembly according to the invention. Embodiments of the invention

[0016] Fig. 1 shows a schematic cross-section of an exemplary embodiment of the electronic assembly 1 according to the invention. The electronic assembly 1 comprises a housing 2 and at least one electrical and / or electronic device 5 arranged in the housing 2. The electrical device 5 can, for example, be designed as an inverter or form part of an inverter. Furthermore, the electronic assembly 1 comprises an intermediate element 30 and a pressure compensation element 6.

[0017] The housing 2 has an interior space 3. An opening 4 is formed in the housing 2, connecting the interior space 3 of the housing to an exterior space 11 of the housing 2. The electrical device 5 is arranged in the interior space 3 of the housing 2. The electrical device 5 is protected by the housing 2, for example, from external influences, such as moisture surrounding the housing 2. In this exemplary embodiment, the housing 2 is made of aluminum.

[0018] A sealing element 40 is arranged between the housing 2 and the intermediate element 30. The sealing element 40 seals the housing 2 against the intermediate element 30 in an airtight and watertight manner. The intermediate element 30 projects from the outer region 11 of the housing 2 into the opening. A particularly cylindrical part of the intermediate element 30 is arranged in the opening 4. The housing 2 is in direct contact with the sealing element 40 at a housing contact surface 22. The intermediate element 30 is in direct contact with the sealing element 40 at an intermediate contact surface 32. The housing contact surface 2 exclusively refers to the surface of the housing 2 at which the housing 2 is in direct contact with the sealing element 40. The intermediate contact surface 32 exclusively refers to the surface of the intermediate element 30 at which the intermediate element 30 is in direct contact with the sealing element 40.In the embodiment illustrated in the figure, the housing contact surface 22 has a cylindrical housing contact region 23 and an annular housing contact region 24. The intermediate contact surface 32 has a cylindrical intermediate contact region 33 and an annular intermediate contact region 34.

[0019] As shown in the figure, the sealing element 40 has a cylindrical region 43 and a collar 44. The sealing element 40 is cylindrical in shape at the cylindrical region. The intermediate element 30 has a cylindrical outer contour. At the cylindrical outer contour, the intermediate element 30 is in direct contact with the cylindrical region 43 of the sealing element. The opening 4 of the housing 2 has a cylindrical inner contour. At the cylindrical inner contour, the housing 2 is in direct contact with the cylindrical region 43 of the sealing element 40. The cylindrical region 43 of the sealing element 40 is arranged between the cylindrical intermediate contact region 33 and the cylindrical housing contact region 23 of the housing 2. The cylindrical region 43 of the sealing element 40 completely fills the space between the cylindrical intermediate contact region 33 and the cylindrical housing contact region 23 of the housing 2.The collar 44 of the sealing element 40 protrudes radially outward from the cylindrical region 43 of the sealing element 40. The sealing element 40 is formed in one piece. The sealing element 40 is made entirely of the same material. The sealing element 40 is formed, for example, from an elastomer. The collar 44 is arranged on an outer side of the housing 2. From the collar 44, the cylindrical region 43 protrudes into the opening 4 toward the interior 3 of the housing 2. The collar is annular. The collar 44 is arranged between the annular housing contact region 24 and the annular intermediate contact region 34.

[0020] The intermediate element 30 is made of a corrosion-resistant material. The intermediate element 30 is made of a plastic, for example. However, the intermediate element 30 can also be coated with a corrosion-resistant material.

[0021] An opening 31 is formed in the intermediate element 30, through which the interior 3 of the housing 2 is connected to the exterior 11 of the housing 2. The opening 31 is arranged centrally, for example. The opening 31 tapers conically, for example, from the exterior 11 to the interior 3 of the housing 2. The opening 3 is closed, in particular from the exterior 11 of the housing 2, by a pressure compensation element 6.

[0022] Locking elements 35 are formed on the intermediate element 30. The locking elements 35 are arranged at the end of the intermediate element 30 facing away from the pressure compensation element 6. The locking elements 35 protrude into the interior 3 of the housing. The locking elements 35 hold the intermediate element 30 in the opening 4. The locking elements 35 engage, in particular by means of locking lugs, the inner wall of the housing 2 surrounding the opening 4. The intermediate element 30 is inserted into the opening 4 from the outer region 11 of the housing 2 and is locked into the opening 4.

[0023] For example, temperature fluctuations can cause the pressure in the housing 2 to change significantly. For pressure equalization, the electronic assembly 1 includes the pressure equalization element 6. The pressure equalization element 6 seals the opening 31 in the intermediate element 30 in a way that is permeable to air and impermeable to moisture. The pressure equalization element 6 seals the housing 2 in a way that is permeable to air and impermeable to moisture. Thus, pressure changes in the housing 2 can be advantageously compensated by the pressure equalization element 6, and the electrical and / or electronic device 5 can simultaneously be protected from moisture, for example, by the moisture-impermeable pressure equalization element 6. The pressure equalization element 6 can, for example, comprise one or more microporous membranes, such as a Gore-Tex® membrane.The pressure compensation element 6 can, for example, be pressed into the opening 31 of the intermediate element 30 or clipped in, for example, by means of locking hooks. However, the pressure compensation element 6 can also be glued to the intermediate element 30. As in the exemplary embodiment shown in the figure, a sealing ring can also be arranged between the pressure compensation element 6 and the intermediate element 30, which seals the pressure compensation element 6 from the intermediate element 30.

[0024] Of course, further embodiments and mixed forms of the embodiments shown are possible.

Claims

[1] Electronic assembly (1) comprising a housing (2) with an interior (3) and an opening (4) connecting the interior (3) to an exterior (11) of the housing (2), further comprising at least one electrical and / or electronic device (5) arranged in the interior (3) of the housing (2), and a pressure compensation element (6), wherein the pressure compensation element (6) seals the housing (2) in an air-permeable and moisture-impermeable manner, characterized by that an intermediate element (30) is arranged in the opening (4), wherein the intermediate element (30) is connected to the housing (2) in the opening (4) in an airtight and watertight manner, wherein an opening (31) is formed in the intermediate element (30), wherein the pressure compensation element (6) closes the opening (31) in the intermediate element (30) in an air-permeable and moisture-impermeable manner. [2] Electronic assembly according to claim 1, characterized bythat a sealing element (40) is arranged between the housing (2) and the intermediate element (30), wherein the housing (2) is in direct contact with the sealing element (40) at the opening (4) on a housing contact surface (22), wherein the intermediate element (30) is in direct contact with the sealing element (40) at an intermediate contact surface (32). [3] Electronic assembly according to claim 2, characterized by in that the housing contact surface (22) has a cylindrical housing contact region (23) and the intermediate contact surface (32) has a cylindrical intermediate contact region (33), wherein a cylindrical region (43) of the sealing element (40) extends cylindrically between the cylindrical housing contact region (23) of the housing (2) and the cylindrical intermediate contact region (33) of the intermediate element (30). [4] Electronic assembly according to one of claims 2 or 3, characterized byin that the housing contact surface (22) has an annular housing contact region (24) and the intermediate contact surface (32) has an annular intermediate contact region (34), wherein a collar (44) is formed on the sealing element (40) which extends between the annular housing contact region (24) and the annular intermediate contact region (34). [5] Electronic assembly according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the collar (44) of the sealing element (40) protrudes from the cylinder region (43) of the sealing element (40). [6] Electronic assembly according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the sealing element (40) is made of an elastomer. [7] Electronic assembly according to one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat locking elements (35), in particular locking hooks, are formed on the intermediate element (30) and the intermediate element (30) is inserted into the opening (4) from the outer region (11) of the housing (2) and is latched into the opening (4). [8] Electronic assembly according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the intermediate element (30) is made of a corrosion-resistant material, in particular of a plastic, or is coated with a corrosion-resistant material. [9] Electronic assembly according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the intermediate element (30) projects into the opening (4). [10] Electronic assembly according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the housing (2) is made of aluminum.

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