control unit

Abstract

The invention relates to a control device (10) comprising a housing (12) having a lower housing part (14) and an upper housing part (26) which form an interior space (24) for receiving a printed circuit board (22), wherein the lower housing part (14) and the upper housing part (26) are arranged overlapping one another in the region of side walls (18, 30), with fastening domes (20) monolithically formed on the lower housing part (14) for fastening the printed circuit board (22), with supports (44) formed on the fastening domes (20) for at least indirectly supporting the printed circuit board (22) in the direction of the lower housing part (14), with at least one heat-generating component (50) arranged on the printed circuit board (22) and thermally coupled to the upper housing part (26) by means of a heat-conducting medium (54).

Description

Technical field

[0001] The invention relates to a control device which is characterized by an advantageous dissipation of heat to the environment in a housing which is structurally relatively simple and advantageous in terms of manufacturing technology. State of the art

[0002] From DE 83 29 830 U1, it is known to construct a fluorescent lamp with a multi-part housing made of sheet metal. The housing comprises, in particular, two housing halves arranged so as to overlap one another. The two housing halves are connected to one another by means of a fastening element that penetrates openings arranged in alignment with one another on the housing halves.

[0003] DE 10 2010 061 967 A1 of the applicant discloses a laser spark plug for an internal combustion engine with a housing, the two housing halves of which can be pushed into one another and are connected to one another by laser welding in an overlapping area.

[0004] Finally, it is known from EP 4 114 153 A1 to connect a gateway housing by means of a bolt in the area between a cover and a housing part. Disclosure of the invention

[0005] The control unit according to the invention with the features of claim 1 has the advantage that heat-generating components arranged on a circuit carrier (printed circuit board) can be cooled particularly easily and effectively via a thermal coupling to a metal housing cover. Furthermore, the housing of the control unit is structurally particularly simple and advantageous, such that during assembly of the housing parts, the thermal coupling between the heat-generating components and the housing cover is simultaneously ensured in a particularly simple manner.

[0006] Against the background of the above explanations, a control device according to the invention with the features of claim 1 therefore has a housing that comprises a lower housing part and an upper housing part. The housing forms an interior space for accommodating a printed circuit board, wherein the lower housing part and the upper housing part are arranged overlapping one another in the region of side walls. Monolithically formed fastening domes for fastening the printed circuit board are provided on the lower housing part, wherein supports formed on the fastening domes serve to at least indirectly support the printed circuit board in the direction of the lower housing part. Furthermore, at least one heat-generating component is provided which is arranged on the printed circuit board and is thermally coupled to the upper housing part by means of a heat-conducting element. The lower housing part is designed as an injection-molded part made of plastic, and the upper housing part is designed from metal.Furthermore, through-openings arranged in alignment with one another are provided on the side walls of the housing, through which fastening elements for fixing the upper part of the housing to the lower part of the housing pass.

[0007] Advantageous further developments of the control device according to the invention are listed in subclaims.

[0008] In a preferred design of the housing, the through-openings run perpendicular to the side walls, with the fastening elements being designed as fastening pins. Such fastening pins are preferably arranged in the through-openings by means of a press fit. This enables particularly simple assembly, possibly without the need for complex aids or tools.

[0009] Furthermore, it is advantageous if the mounting pins do not protrude beyond the side walls, at least on the outside of the housing. This allows for a protected arrangement of the mounting pins in the through-holes. Furthermore, the mounting pins are preferably made of plastic. Due to the greater softness of plastic compared to metal, this allows for larger tolerances regarding the design and arrangement of the through-holes on the housing components.

[0010] A particularly simple and secure attachment of the circuit board to the housing base is achieved by the mounting domes penetrating through holes in the circuit board and being hot-stamped against the top surface of the circuit board. This eliminates the need for additional or separate fastening elements to precisely fix the circuit board in the control unit housing.

[0011] Although there are different options regarding the structural design of the housing, it is preferably provided that the lower housing part and the upper housing part are each trough-shaped.

[0012] A thermally conductive adhesive or similar medium or element is used as a thermal conductor.

[0013] Finally, it is preferred if the control unit is designed as a gateway control unit in a vehicle.

[0014] Further advantages, features and details of the invention will become apparent from the description of preferred embodiments of the invention and from the drawings. Short description of the drawing The Fig. 1 shows a simplified partial longitudinal section of a control unit in a motor vehicle. Embodiments of the invention

[0015] In the Fig. 1 shows a control unit 10 in a simplified longitudinal section, which is designed as a gateway control unit 100 and is used in a motor vehicle.

[0016] The control unit 10 has a housing 12 formed in at least two parts. The housing 12 comprises a trough-shaped housing base 14 made of plastic by injection molding, with a housing base 16 and side walls 18 projecting vertically from the housing base 16, of which in the illustration of the Fig. 1 only one side wall 18 is visible. Several, in particular four, fastening domes 20, which are formed monolithically with the housing bottom part 14, protrude from the housing bottom 16 of the housing bottom part 14 and, as explained in more detail below, serve to position or fix a circuit carrier in the form of a printed circuit board 22 in an interior space 24 of the housing 12. In the illustration of Fig. 1 only a fastening dome 20 is visible.

[0017] The housing 12 further comprises a trough-shaped upper housing part 26, which is made of metal, in particular aluminum. In particular, the upper housing part 26 is designed as a cast part or as a deep-drawn part. The upper housing part 26 comprises a housing cover 28, from which side walls 30 project perpendicularly in the direction of the lower housing part 14. Analogous to the housing base 16, Fig. 1 also only one side wall 30 is visible.

[0018] It is essential that the side walls 18 of the lower housing part 14 and the side walls 30 of the upper housing part 26 overlap each other in a section 32. This is achieved by arranging the side walls 30 of the upper housing part 26 parallel to the outer side of the side walls 18 of the lower housing part 14.

[0019] Through-openings 34, 36 are formed, for example by punching or drilling, in both the side walls 18 of the lower housing part 14 and the side walls 30 of the upper housing part 26. The through-openings 34, 36 each extend perpendicular to the side walls 18, 30 and have at least approximately the same diameter. The through-openings 34, 36, which are arranged in alignment or coaxially with one another, serve to accommodate fastening elements in the form of fastening pins 38, which are made, in particular, of plastic. The diameter of the fastening elements is adapted to the diameter of the through-openings 34, 36 in such a way that press fits are formed between the fastening pins 38 and the through-openings 34, 36.

[0020] For the aforementioned fixing or positioning of the printed circuit board 22 in the interior space 24 of the housing 12, the printed circuit board 22 has through-holes 40 through which sections 42 of the fastening domes 20 extend. In the transition area to the sections 42, the fastening domes 20 each form a support 44 as a height stop for the printed circuit board 22 in the direction of the housing base 14.

[0021] The sections 46 of the fastening domes 22 projecting beyond the top side of the printed circuit board 22 in the direction of the upper housing part 26 are hemispherically deformed by hot caulking against the top side of the printed circuit board 22 in order to fix the printed circuit board 22 to the housing domes 20.

[0022] At least one heat-generating component 50, for example an IC 52, is arranged on the upper side of the circuit board 22 facing the upper housing part 26 in the region of the housing cover 28. In order to dissipate the heat generated in the component 50 to the environment, the upper side of the component 50 is thermally connected to the upper housing part 26 in the region of the housing cover 28 via a thermally conductive medium 54 in the form of a thermally conductive adhesive 56.

[0023] To assemble the control unit 10, the printed circuit board 25 is first connected to the housing base 14 via the mounting domes 20. The thermally conductive material 54 is then applied, preferably to the top side of the component 50, and the housing top 26 is then connected to the housing base 24 such that the through-openings 34, 36 are aligned with one another. Finally, the mounting pins 38 are pressed into the through-openings 34, 36 to close the housing 12.

[0024] The control unit 10 or the housing 12 described so far can be modified in many different ways without deviating from the inventive concept. QUOTES CONTAINED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents submitted by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the convenience of the reader. This list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] DE 83 29 830 U1

[0002] DE 10 2010 061 967 A1

[0003] EP 4 114 153 A1

[0004]

Claims

[1] Control device (10), with a housing (12) having a lower housing part (14) and a upper housing part (26) which form an interior space (24) for receiving a printed circuit board (22), wherein the lower housing part (14) and the upper housing part (26) are arranged overlapping one another in the region of side walls (18, 30), with fastening domes (20) monolithically formed on the lower housing part (14) for fastening the printed circuit board (22), with supports (44) formed on the fastening domes (20) for at least indirectly supporting the printed circuit board (22) in the direction of the lower housing part (14), with at least one heat-generating component (50) arranged on the printed circuit board (22) which is thermally coupled to the upper housing part (26) by means of a heat-conducting means (54), wherein the lower housing part (14) is designed as an injection-molded part made of plastic, wherein the The upper housing part (26) is made of metal, and the side walls (18,30) are formed with through-openings (34, 36) arranged in alignment with one another, which are penetrated by fastening elements (38) for fixing the upper housing part (26) to the lower housing part (14). [2] Control device according to claim 1, characterized by that the through openings (34, 36) are arranged perpendicular to the side walls (18, 30), and that the fastening elements (38) are designed as fastening pins. [3] Control device according to claim 2, characterized by that the fastening pins are fixed in the through openings (34, 36) by means of a press fit. [4] Control device according to claim 2 or 3, characterized by that the fastening pins do not project beyond the side walls (18, 30), at least on the outside of the housing. [5] Control device according to one of claims 2 to 4, characterized by that the fixing pins are made of plastic. [6] Control device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized bythat the fastening domes (20) penetrate through holes (40) on the circuit board (22) and are deformed by hot-staking with a section (46) against an upper side of the circuit board (22). [7] Control device according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized by that the lower housing part (14) and the upper housing part (26) are trough-shaped. [8] Control device according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized by that the heat-conducting agent (54) is a heat-conducting adhesive (56) or similar element. [9] Control device according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized by that the control unit (10) is designed as a gateway control unit (100) in a vehicle.

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