Busbar sensor arrangement

Abstract

Busbar sensor arrangement comprising - a busbar (1), - a printed circuit board (2) with a sensor which is arranged to detect sensor data related to the busbar, - an overmolding of the busbar, which forms an electrical insulation of the busbar and a fastening means by means of which the circuit board is attached to the busbar sensor arrangement; and Method for manufacturing a busbar sensor arrangement comprising the following steps: - Providing (S1) a busbar (1); - overmolding (S2) the busbar with plastic in order to produce an overmolding of the busbar which has at least one dome; - Providing (S3) a circuit board with a recess; - Placing (S4) the circuit board onto the overmolding in such a way that the dome protrudes through the recess of the circuit board; - Hot-staking the domes to secure the circuit board to the overmold.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to a busbar sensor arrangement and to a method for producing a busbar sensor arrangement.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONAccordingly, the following is provided:a busbar sensor arrangement comprising a busbar, a printed circuit board having a sensor which is configured to acquire sensor data relating to the busbar, an injection molding of the busbar, which injection molding forms an electrical insulation of the busbar and a fastening means by means of which the printed circuit board is fastened to the busbar sensor arrangement; anda method for producing a busbar sensor arrangement, comprising the following steps: providing a busbar; injection molding the busbar with plastic in order to produce an injection molding of the busbar, which comprises at least one dome; providing a printed circuit board having a recess; placing the printed circuit board on the injection molding in such a way that the dome protrudes through the recess of the printed circuit board; hot-caulking the domes in order to fasten the printed circuit board to the injection molding.A sensor, also referred to as a detector, (measurement variable or measurement) sensor or (measurement) sensor, is a technical component that can record specific physical, chemical properties or states, e.g. temperature, humidity, pressure, speed, brightness, acceleration, pH value, ionic strength, electrochemical potential and / or the material nature of its environment qualitatively or quantitatively as a measurement variable. These variables are detected by means of physical or chemical effects and transformed as sensor data into an electrical signal that can be processed further.A busbar is an electrical conductor for transmitting current between an energy source and an energy consumer. Busbars are frequently designed for the transmission of high current or high voltage. Busbars can be designed, for example, as solid metal rails or as pressed strands.Injection molding with plastic is a manufacturing process in which plastic material is melted and injected under pressure into a mold (die) having the desired (negative) shape of the final product. After the plastic has been injected into the mould, it is cooled and solidified, whereupon the finished part is removed from the mould.Overmolding refers to the result of a manufacturing method in which an already existing part-here a busbar-is surrounded with plastic. This is done by injection molding, wherein the plastic is molded around the existing part to create a unitary or composite component. The busbar is placed in an injection mold and then encapsulated with the molten plastic. After cooling, the plastic forms a solid, individual shell or coating around the busbar.An encapsulation, which forms an electrical insulation, surrounds the busbar in a region in which the busbar is to be electrically insulated. The overmolding can be formed over the entire surface, i.e., circumferentially or only partially, if the electrical insulation is less relevant in partial areas. The overmolding can also have recesses, in particular for contacting the busbar.In this patent application, a "dome" refers to a raised, often hemispherical, or dome-shaped formation on a component.A hot-stamped mandrel is often a small, raised, cylindrical or mushroom-shaped mandrel, i.e. a stem with a thickening at the tip, structure on a component. Hot caulking involves heating the material of the mandrel until it becomes plastic or partially melting, and then deforming. After the hot caulking, the bond between the mandrel and the substrate is firm and durable.This invention relates to the attachment of a circuit board to a bus bar. The invention provides improvements in the manufacture of a busbar sensor arrangement in which the printed circuit board is fastened to the busbar by means of an injection molding.A printed circuit board, also called a printed circuit board, board or PCB, is a carrier for electronic components. A printed circuit board serves for the mechanical fastening of the components and their electrical connection.A bus bar sensor assembly includes a bus bar and a circuit board having a sensor.The basic idea of the invention is to injection-mold a busbar of a busbar sensor arrangement with plastic and to provide a fastening means for fastening the printed circuit board on the injection-mold. The fastening means can be produced by injection molding the overmolding if the injection molding tool has a corresponding contour.Thus, the overmolding of the busbar enables electrical insulation in order to reduce or prevent creepage distances.The use of a fastener that is part of the overmolding simplifies the assembly process because no additional fasteners are needed, resulting in a reduction in assembly time and cost.The arrangement may also include further sensors, such as temperature, voltage and current sensors, to enable sensing of sensor data with respect to the bus bar. The method for manufacturing the busbar sensor arrangement is efficient and cost-effective.Advantageous embodiments and refinements emerge from the further dependent claims and from the description with reference to the figures of the drawing.In one embodiment, the sensor is designed as a temperature sensor, as a voltage sensor and / or as a current intensity sensor.Thus, the sensors can be fixed so as to contact the bus bar and accurately detect conditions.In one embodiment, the fastening means is designed as a, in particular heat-caulked, dome.By using domes as fastening means and passing the domes through a recess in the printed circuit board, a permanent, stable and secure fastening is achieved.The use of heat-caulked domes as fastening means reduces the need for additional connecting elements such as screws or adhesives, which simplifies production and reduces environmental impact due to less material consumption.In one embodiment, the dome is passed through a recess of the printed circuit board.The passage of the domes through a recess of the printed circuit board enables a precise positioning and alignment of the printed circuit board with respect to the overmolding, which improves the assembly accuracy.This configuration facilitates hot caulking because the circuit board can be pre-mounted to the bus bar by the domes, resulting in more efficient manufacturing.The recess in the circuit board can be designed such that it offers additional mechanical locking properties, which further increases the strength of the connection between the circuit board and the injection molding.CONTENT SPECIFICATION OF THE DRAWINGSThe present invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the exemplary embodiments indicated in the schematic figures of the drawings. The following are shown: FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of the invention; FIG. 2 shows a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the invention.The accompanying drawings are intended to provide a further understanding of the embodiments of the invention. They illustrate embodiments and, in conjunction with the description, serve to explain principles and concepts of the invention. Other embodiments and many of the advantages mentioned are evident with reference to the drawings. The elements of the drawings are not necessarily shown to scale with respect to each other.In the figures of the drawings, identical, functionally identical and identically functioning elements, features and components are provided with the same reference numerals, unless stated otherwise.DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTSFIG. 1 shows a schematic block diagram of a method for producing a busbar sensor arrangement having steps S 1 to S 5. In step S 1, a bus bar is provided. In step S 2, the busbar is encapsulated with plastic in order to produce an encapsulation of the busbar, which encapsulation has at least one dome. In step S 3, a printed circuit board having a recess is provided. In step S 4, the printed circuit board is placed on the overmolding in such a way that the dome protrudes through the recess of the printed circuit board. In step S 5, the mandrel is hot-caulked in order to fasten the printed circuit board to the overmolding.FIG. 2 shows a schematic diagram of a busbar sensor arrangement 10. Instead, the overmolding of the busbar forms a circuit board carrier in that the circuit board 2 is fastened to the overmolding by means of fastening means 5, which are designed as domes, of the overmolding.The printed circuit board 2 has bores into which the domes are inserted during assembly. In FIG. 2, the domes have been hot-stamped in order to fasten the printed circuit board 2 irreversibly to the encapsulation. The injection molding thus serves both for the electrical insulation and for the fastening of the printed circuit board on the busbar. An additional component, namely the separate printed circuit board carrier, can thus be saved and the installation space requirement is reduced.Reference numerals denote reference numeralsS1-S5 Method steps 1 Busbar 2 Printed circuit board 3 Injection molding 4 Sensor 5 Fastening means 10 Busbar sensor arrangement

Claims

Busbar sensor arrangement (10) comprising - a busbar (1), - a printed circuit board (2) having a sensor (4) which is configured to capture sensor data relating to the busbar, - an injection moulding (3) of the busbar which forms an electrical insulation of the busbar and a fastening means (5) by means of which the printed circuit board is fastened to the busbar sensor arrangement.Busbar sensor arrangement according to Claim 1, wherein the sensor is designed as a temperature sensor, as a voltage sensor and / or as a current intensity sensor.Busbar sensor arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the fastening means is designed as a, in particular heat-caulked, dome.The busbar sensor arrangement according to claim 3, wherein the dome is passed through a recess of the printed circuit board.Method for producing a busbar sensor arrangement, having the following steps: - providing (S1) a busbar (1); - injection-moulding (S2) the busbar with plastic in order to produce an injection-moulding of the busbar, which has at least one dome; - providing (S3) a printed circuit board having a recess; - placing (S4) the printed circuit board on the injection-moulding in such a way that the dome projects through the recess of the printed circuit board; - hot-caulking (S5) the domes in order to fasten the printed circuit board to the injection-moulding.

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