Vehicle device having a specific cable connection between a fan and a housing separate from the fan and including a printed circuit board

Abstract

The present invention relates to a vehicle device (1) comprising a housing (2) in which at least one printed circuit board (7) is arranged, a fan (3) arranged outside the housing (2), and an electric cable (11) laid through a cable opening (13) in the housing (2) and extending outside and inside the housing (2), wherein the cable (11) is connected to an electrical connection portion (9) of the fan (4) and connected to the printed circuit board (7), the cable (11) outside the housing (2) is arranged on a guide element (12) arranged adjacent to the cable opening (13) and is bent and laid toward the cable opening (13) by the guide element (12) of the vehicle device (1), and the cable opening (13) is arranged at a height position in the height direction (y) of the vehicle device (1) that is higher than the lowest point (14) of the guide element (12) with which the cable (11) contacts.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] One aspect of the present invention relates to a vehicle device that includes a housing having at least one printed circuit board disposed therein. [Background technology]

[0002] Vehicle devices of various designs are known, which may have various component constellations to which wired electrical connections should be established. In particular, various aspects arise when the vehicle device also comprises a housing in which an interconnection device or a printed circuit board, respectively, is arranged, and for this purpose a wired connection to an external component of the vehicle device should be realized. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0003] It is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle device in which the electrical connection between the printed circuit board and further components of the vehicle device is technically improved in a wired manner. [Means for solving the problem]

[0004] This object is solved by a vehicle device comprising the features of claim 1.

[0005] One aspect of the present invention relates to a vehicle device including a housing. The vehicle device further includes at least one printed circuit board disposed within the housing. The vehicle device further includes a fan. The fan is disposed outside the housing. The vehicle device further includes at least one electric cable routed through a cable opening in the housing and extending both outside and inside the housing. The cable is connected to an electrical connection of the fan. The cable is also connected to the printed circuit board within the housing. The cable outside the housing is disposed on a cable guide element of the vehicle device. The guide element is disposed adjacent to the cable opening. The cable is bent by the guide element toward the cable opening. The cable opening is disposed at a height position, as viewed in the height direction of the vehicle device, higher than the lowest point of the guide element. At this lowest point of the guide element, the cable contacts the guide element, particularly directly. This means that the point at which the cable opening also contacts the guide element, particularly directly, is considered the lowest point of the guide element.

[0006] Such a vehicle device facilitates the formation of an electrical wired connection between a printed circuit board in the housing and a fan of the vehicle device located outside the housing. Such a constellation requires that the cable opening in the housing be configured to allow the cable to be laid from the inside to the outside of the housing toward the fan, which can result in observed effects. This can be, for example, a correspondingly stable laying of the cable in the area of ​​the cable opening. In particular, this should also facilitate accurately positioned laying of the cable, thereby avoiding undesired movement or tolerance of the cable. Furthermore, the cable should also preferably be arranged as tightly as possible in the corresponding opening to avoid undesired misalignment. In particular, it is also envisioned that the ingress of liquids into the housing, particularly through the cable opening, can be prevented in an improved manner.

[0007] This is met in many ways in the proposed vehicle device. This is because the guide elements arranged adjacent to the cable opening already guide the cable in a highly guided and guided manner to the cable opening. Therefore, the cable can already contact a predetermined position, especially a guide element that is also tightly fixed. Therefore, especially by the guide elements, the cable is also diverted toward the cable opening in a highly targeted and highly defined manner. Furthermore, by guiding the cable by the guide elements outside the cable opening such that the cable is positioned at a lower point than in the area of ​​the cable opening itself, this very clearly established desired height offset can also better prevent media from entering the cable opening via the cable. This is because, in this way, especially with this precise position definition, it is certain that liquids can also flow along the cable to the outside of the housing. However, in that case, due to this height offset, it is not possible for water rising from the lowest point to reach the cable opening again and then reach the interior of the housing via the cable opening. Furthermore, this height offset also very advantageously facilitates a precise and even placement of the cable from this lowest point to the cable opening, and thereby undesirable movement tolerances of the cable can be avoided precisely in this area.

[0008] In one embodiment, the cable, starting from its lowest point where it is placed in contact with the guide element, is laid upwards towards the cable opening. Advantages in this regard have already been mentioned above. In one embodiment, the cable opening is bordered on at least one side by a rising ridge. This rising ridge is therefore also guided from bottom to top. Thus, in one embodiment, the cable comes from the guide element carried by this rising ridge and is guided in a targeted manner to the cable opening. This also achieves a higher positioning of the cable directly at the cable opening or its entrance.

[0009] It is possible to envisage the raised portion as a knob-shaped raised portion. In particular, here, on the outer surface of the housing, this raised portion rises, then reaches a maximum, and then slopes downward again toward the interior of the housing. This creates a knob-like shape. The construction of the raised portion with such a maximum portion constitutes a defined highest positioning point in the cable opening. In an advantageous embodiment, the tip of this knob or the maximum of this knob-shaped raised portion, respectively, is located exactly in the cable opening. Thus, the cable at this peak point can be particularly advantageously guided or laid, respectively, precisely in the area of ​​the cable opening. This achieves a very locally defined support area for the cable at this precise height position in the cable opening. Therefore, the inner width of the cable opening in the height direction can also be minimized, and an apparently gap-like opening can be constructed. This, on the one hand, advantageously facilitates a relatively precise and adaptable passage of the cable through the cable opening, and furthermore supports this higher position of the cable in the cable opening compared to its lowest point on the guide element. In particular, the positioning of the maximum of the hump exactly in the area of ​​the cable opening or at the entrance to the cable opening advantageously supports a tight routing of the cables inside the housing.

[0010] In one embodiment, the raised portion comprises a raised plateau located at a height higher than the lowest point of the guide element and on which the guide element is located in direct contact with the guide element, which may be the maximum portion of the hump-like raised portion.

[0011] In one embodiment, the raised plateau forms a bottleneck for the cable opening in the height direction. To this end, the advantages achievable have already been mentioned above. Again, such a smallest possible internal width of the cable opening, particularly in the height direction, facilitates space-saving concepts. Furthermore, it becomes easier for the cables to pass through the cable opening in a tightly packed manner, thus forming the smallest possible gap between the cables and the cable opening.

[0012] In one embodiment, this bottleneck, seen in the height direction of the vehicle device, is arranged so that it is positioned higher than the lowest point of the guide element with which the cable comes into contact.

[0013] In one embodiment, the protuberance has an outer wall that slopes downwards toward the outside. "Sloping downwards toward the outside" should be understood in particular as meaning that the outer wall, starting from the entrance of the cable opening, slopes downwards toward the guide element. In particular, an obliquely downward slope can be configured here. Thus, by means of such an oriented outer wall, it is very advantageously possible to further guide the cable towards the cable opening, independently of the guide element. Furthermore, such an outer wall that slopes downwards toward the outside also supports the advantage of preventing media from entering the cable opening. In particular, the outer wall that slopes downwards toward the outside, as viewed in height, is arranged to at least partially overlap the guide element. To a certain extent, a complex path between the guide element and the outer wall that slopes downwards toward the outside is therefore formed in front of the cable. This also creates an advantageous laying path for the cable, particularly with regard to the advantages already mentioned above.

[0014] In one embodiment, the outer wall sloping downward toward the outside is at least partially curved, in particular concavely curved. This is a further advantageous embodiment for achieving a reliable routing of the cable coming from the guide element toward the cable opening. Thus, the cable can be guided into the cable opening in a very advantageous manner. In particular, such a concave curvature also improves the avoidance of media, such as dust or liquids, from entering the cable opening.

[0015] In one embodiment, the outer wall is positioned adjacent to the guide element such that a duct for the cable is formed between the lower outside of the guide element and the outer wall, thereby improving cable routing and targeted guidance towards the cable opening.

[0016] In one embodiment, the lower outer geometric design of the guide element is adjusted to the geometric design of the outer wall, and thereby a well-defined, guided and in particular compacted cable routing can be achieved in an improved manner.

[0017] In one embodiment, a downwardly angled bar is formed on the outer rim edge of the outer wall. The outer rim edge is in particular the edge facing outward from the cable opening. The outer rim edge in the height direction is in particular the edge that is the lowest point of the outer wall. The angled bar formed integrally therewith also facilitates in a very advantageous way the prevention of the medium from entering towards the cable opening. Furthermore, the outer wall is stabilized by such an angled bar. In particular, in that case the bar is also a reinforcing bar.

[0018] In one embodiment, the bar is configured as a drip edge for liquids heading towards the cable opening and / or as a splash protection element for liquids. This also means that the bar allows liquids that may drip, for example from the cable, such as condensate, to be drained downwards via the bar, where they can drip off and prevent in an improved way this liquid from reaching the cable opening. The bar can also create a protective shield when water splashing from the outside would splash back onto the vehicle device in the area of ​​the guide element, so that splashing water cannot reach the cable opening via the outer wall as mentioned above in this respect.

[0019] In one embodiment, the guide element comprises a cylinder segment onto which the cable is bent and laid directly. The guide element in its design as a cylinder segment can be configured, for example, as a semi-cylindrical cylinder segment. A contour without corners can thus be created, onto which the cable comes into direct contact and is guided with a corresponding bend. This facilitates a very continuous change of direction of the cable without undesired bending. Such a configuration also allows the cable to be diverted in a targeted manner toward the cable opening.

[0020] In one embodiment, the guide element comprises a guide wall extending from the cylinder segment in each case, so that the cylinder segment, viewed in the axial direction, abuts the guide wall. In particular, the guide wall and the cylinder segment positioned therebetween form a guide element in the form of a cable drum. Thus, on the one hand, the cable abuts the outer wall of the cylinder segment. On the other hand, the guide wall formed on the end face also prevents the cable from slipping on the cylinder segment.

[0021] In the radial direction of the cylinder segments, these guide walls are formed so as to project beyond the cylinder segments.

[0022] In one embodiment, the fan housing of the fan is arranged on the outer surface of the housing of the vehicle device on which the printed circuit board is arranged. In this regard, the fan housing can be arranged directly on the housing on the outer surface. The fan housing can, for example, be screwed together with the housing. A plug-in or snap-in connection is also possible. It is also possible for the fan housing to be formed integrally with the housing on which the printed circuit board is arranged. In such an embodiment, the printed circuit board is also separated from the fan wheel of the fan by a housing wall that is particularly separate in this respect.

[0023] In one embodiment, the fan housing also preferably comprises a cable opening through which a cable can also be guided into the interior of the fan housing where it can be connected to an electrical connection.

[0024] In one embodiment, the guide element comprises at least one anti-loss element, which serves in particular to hold the cable on the guide element. In particular, the anti-loss element forms an anti-loss pin, which can preferably be arranged on the inner surface of the guide wall facing the other opposite guide wall. This anti-loss pin therefore extends from the inner surface of the guide wall towards the other guide wall, in particular with one end protruding. In particular, this prevents the cable from slipping out of the guide element in the radial direction.

[0025] In the following, embodiments of the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0026] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective cross-sectional view of one embodiment of a vehicle device according to the present invention, with the vehicle device partially shown; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the sub-portion of FIG. 1 as seen obliquely from below. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0027] In the drawings, identical and functionally identical elements are marked with the same reference numbers.

[0028] 1 shows a vehicle device 1. The vehicle device 1 may also be called a vehicle equipment or a vehicle unit. The vehicle device 1 is installed in a vehicle, such as an automobile. Therefore, the vehicle device 1 is intended for use in a vehicle, particularly an automobile.

[0029] The vehicle device 1 comprises a housing 2. In one embodiment, the housing 2 is a circumferentially closed, in particular a completely closed, housing. The housing 2 may be made of metal. Furthermore, the vehicle device 1 comprises a fan 3. The fan 3 comprises a fan housing 4. At least one fan wheel 5 is arranged in the fan housing 4, which is mounted so as to be rotatable about an axis A. In this embodiment, the fan housing 4 is arranged outside the housing 2. The fan housing 4 may be separate from the housing 2.

[0030] The fan housing 4 can be connected to the housing 2, for example, by a screw connection and / or a plug-in connection and / or by a snap-in connection. It may also be possible for the housing 2 and the fan housing 4 to be formed integrally. In such a common housing, a first chamber is formed in which the fan wheel 5 is arranged. Further components are arranged in a second chamber that is distinct from the first chamber.

[0031] The housing 2 has a component arrangement 6 arranged therein. In particular, at least one printed circuit board 7 is also arranged in the housing 2. The printed circuit board 7 is therefore separated from the fan 3. In particular, the printed circuit board 7 is separated from the fan wheel 5 by a wall 8. The wall 8 may be a housing wall of the housing 2. The wall 8 may also be a housing wall of the fan housing 4. In a different embodiment in which the housing 2 and the fan housing 4 are configured to be integrally formed, the wall 8 may be an internal partition wall.

[0032] The fan 4 includes an electrical connection 9. This electrical connection 9 is particularly arranged inside the fan housing 4. The fan housing 4 includes a cable opening 10. Through this cable opening 10, a cable 11 of the vehicle device 1 is guided. Thus, the cable 11 is laid both inside and outside the fan housing 4. The cable 11 establishes a wired connection between the fan 3 and the printed circuit board 7. Thus, the cable 11 is also guided inside the housing 2. In this embodiment, the vehicle device 1 includes a guide element 12. The guide element 12 may be referred to as a cable guide element. The guide element 12 is a component of the housing 2. The guide element 12 may be formed integrally with the housing 2. The guide element 12 is arranged adjacent to a cable opening 13 in the housing 2. The cable opening 13 represents a passage through which the cable 11 is guided or laid, respectively, from the outside of the housing 2 to the inside of the housing 2. In the height direction (y-direction) of the vehicle device 1, this cable opening 13 is configured to be positioned higher than the lowest point 14 of the guide element 12, with which the cable 11 also comes into contact. In this embodiment, the cable 11 is arranged in direct contact at this lowest point 14. The cable 11 is therefore also partly positioned lower than it would be in the cable opening 13 and arranged outside the housing 2. Such a height offset between the lowest point 14 and the cable opening 13 corresponds in one embodiment to at least the thickness d of the cable.

[0033] As can be seen, the cable 11 is laid from this lowest point 14 upwards towards the cable opening 13. In particular, the cable 11 is laid with an S-shaped cross section in this respect, which means that the S-shape is predetermined by the contours of the guide element 12 and the additional components.

[0034] The cable opening 13 is bordered by at least one ridge 15, which rises on at least one side towards the cable opening 13. In particular, this ridge 15 is configured to be hump-shaped. This means that the ridge 15 comprises an outer wall 16, which starts from the cable opening 13 and slopes downwards towards the outside. The outer wall 16 therein is an outer wall that starts from the cable opening 13 and is guided outward and downwards. In particular, this outer wall 16, which slopes downwards towards the outside, is at least partially concavely curved. In this embodiment, the hump-shaped shape of the ridge 15 also forms an inner wall 17. The inner wall 17, which starts from a raised plateau 18 that represents the maximum part of the ridge in the height direction, slopes downwards. In particular, the wall 15 and the wall 17 at least partially represent the housing walls of the housing 2.

[0035] As can be seen, the raised portion 15, and in particular the raised plateau 18, is formed at the entrance 19 of the cable opening 13. The cable opening 18 is thereby formed at its entrance 19 with a corresponding bottleneck.

[0036] As can be further seen, the outer wall 16 is arranged at a distance from the guide element 12. In particular, the outer wall 16 is arranged at a distance from the contact surface 20 of the semi-cylindrical cylinder segment 21 of the guide element 12. This adjacent arrangement between the cylinder segment 21 and the outer wall 16 also forms a specially shaped guide duct 22 for the cable 11. Thus, in particular, this S-shaped region of the cable 11 can be formed, and the cable 11 can be laid in a defined manner from the guide element 12 upwards towards the cable opening 13.

[0037] Furthermore, as can be seen in FIG. 1 , the outer wall 16 has an outer rim edge 23, which faces outward from the cable opening 13. In this embodiment, the outer rim edge 23, viewed in the height direction, also represents the lowest point of the outer wall 16. An angled bar 24, in particular formed by bending, is integrally formed on the outer rim edge 23. The angled bar 24 projects downwards in a protruding manner. In particular, the bar 24 is a drip edge and / or a splash protection element for liquids. This prevents, for example, splashing water from reaching the cable opening 13 from outside the housing 2. Furthermore, liquid flowing downwards, for example through the cable 11, can drip down through the bar 24 and thus not reach the cable opening 13 through the outer wall 16.

[0038] As can be seen in FIG. 1, the guide element 12, in particular the cylinder segment 21, is formed in a semi-cylindrical shape.

[0039] Furthermore, in one embodiment, the guide element 12 comprises two guide walls 25 and 26, which are formed opposite each other on the cylinder segment 21, in particular the semi-cylindrical cylinder segment 21. They extend radially outward of the cylinder segment 21, in particular the contact surface 20. The guide element 12 is therefore configured in the form of a cable drum.

[0040] In one embodiment, it can be envisaged that the guide element 12 comprises an anti-loss element 27, which can be an anti-loss pin, as shown in Figure 1. In this embodiment, this anti-loss element 27 starts from the guide wall 25 and extends towards the other guide wall 26, thereby preventing the cable 11 from sliding radially out of the cylinder segment 21.

[0041] In FIG. 2 a representation of a subsection of FIG. 1 is shown, in which the bar 24 can also be seen in a view from below of the cable 11 on the guide element 12 .

Claims

1. a fan (3) disposed outside the housing (2); and an electric cable (11) laid through a cable opening (13) in the housing (2) and extending outside and inside the housing (2), wherein the cable (11) is connected to an electrical connection portion (9) of the fan (4) and to the printed circuit board (7), the cable (11) outside the housing (2) is arranged on a guide element (12) disposed adjacent to the cable opening (13) and is bent toward the cable opening (13) by the guide element (12) of the vehicle device (1), and the cable opening (13) is arranged at a height position, as viewed in the height direction (y) of the vehicle device (1), that is higher than a lowest point (14) of the guide element (12) with which the cable (11) contacts.

2. 2. The vehicle device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the cable (11) starting from the lowest point (14) of the guide element (12) is laid upwards to the cable opening (13).

3. 3. Vehicle device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the cable opening (13) is bounded by a protuberance (15) rising outwards at least from the cable opening (13), in particular a hump-like protuberance (15).

4. 4. The vehicle device (1) according to claim 3, wherein the raised portion (15) comprises a raised plateau (18), and at least the raised plateau (18) is arranged at a height position higher than the lowest point (14) of the guide element (12).

5. 5. The vehicle device (1) according to claim 4, wherein the raised plateau (18) forms a bottleneck of the cable opening (13) in the height direction (y), particularly at the entrance of the cable opening (13).

6. 6. A vehicle device (1) according to claim 5, arranged so that the bottleneck, as viewed in the height direction (y), is positioned higher than the lowest point (14) of the guide element (12).

7. 7. A vehicle device (1) according to any one of claims 3 to 6, wherein the raised portion (15) comprises an outer wall (16) that slopes downwards towards the outside.

8. 8. The vehicle device (1) according to claim 7, wherein the at least partially downwardly sloping outer wall (16) is concavely curved.

9. 9. A vehicle device (1) as claimed in claim 7 or 8, wherein the outer wall (16) is arranged adjacent to the guide element (12) so that a duct (22) for the cable (11) is formed between the bottom of the contact surface (20) of the guide element (12) and the outer wall (16).

10. 10. The vehicle device (1) according to claim 9, wherein the geometric design of the contact surface (20) is adjusted to the geometric design of the outer wall (16).

11. 11. A vehicle device (1) according to any one of claims 3 to 10, wherein the outer rim edge (23) of the outer wall (16) is formed with a downwardly angled bar (24).

12. 12. Vehicle device (1) according to claim 11, wherein the bar (24) is configured as a drip edge for liquids heading towards the cable opening (13) and / or as a splash protection element for liquids.

13. The vehicle device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the guide element (12) comprises a cylinder segment (21), in particular a semi-cylindrical cylinder segment (21), arranged so that the cable (11) is laid in a bent state.

14. 14. The vehicle device (1) according to claim 13, wherein the guide element (12) extending from the cylinder segment (21) comprises in each case guide walls (25, 26), the cylinder segment (21) abutting on both sides in its axial direction with the guide walls (25, 26), in particular the guide element (12) comprising the cylinder segment (21) and the guide walls (25, 26) is configured in the form of a cable drum.

15. 15. The vehicle device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the fan housing (4) of the fan (3) is arranged outside the housing (2).

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