Electronic assembly

Abstract

The invention relates to an electronic assembly comprising: - a main housing (5), - at least one electronic board (6A) housed in the main housing (5), - a cover (7) configured to close the main housing (5), the cover (7) being configured to bear a base of an external connector comprising electrical connection elements to be connected to an interconnector on the electronic board (6A), - a plurality of centering pins (14) configured to center both the electronic board (6A) and the cover (7) with respect to the main housing (5).

Description

[0001] DESCRIPTION

[0002] Title: Electronic Ensemble

[0003] [1] The invention relates in particular to an electronic assembly.

[0004] [2] It is known that electronic systems, for example an on-board charger (OBC) for a motor vehicle configured to convert the alternating current available on the electrical grid into direct current capable of charging the vehicle's battery, involve several electronic components. Among these components may be an external connector (or customer connector) which is generally positioned directly with its interconnector for an electronic board (or PCB) on the main housing of the electronic system. This assembly ensures the electrical connection between the external connector and the electronic board. The corresponding external (or customer) connection components are, in turn, connected to a wiring harness, generally by manual assembly. This allows for a certain degree of flexibility, as it does not require precise positioning of the external connector on the housing.In this conventional configuration, the covers used to close the housing are stamped. Due to the nature of this manufacturing process, it is not possible to attach a connector directly to these covers. Furthermore, the cover is centered directly using dedicated centering pins, which are integrated into the sealing interfaces between the main housing and the cover.

[0005] [3] In some cases, it is necessary to perform a specific customer integration, in which a power distribution unit (PDU), used to distribute electrical current to several components, is directly mounted on the main housing cover of the onboard charger. In this case, all these components need to be aligned to allow for mounting between the external power distribution unit (PDU), the external connector, and the corresponding PCB connection. In this case, the positioning of the external power distribution unit (PDU) relative to the onboard charger cover is achieved directly through the connectors that link them.It is therefore necessary to have very precise relative positioning of the connector of the external power distribution unit (PDU) (base) with the mounting holes of the external power distribution unit (PDU), otherwise there is a risk of non-mountability (i.e., once the external power distribution unit (PDU) is connected, the associated mounting screws will not fit into their housings). [4] The invention aims in particular to address this need.

[0006] [5] The invention thus relates to an electronic assembly comprising:

[0007] - a main unit,

[0008] - at least one electronic circuit board (also called a PCB in English for "Printed Circuit Board") housed in the main casing,

[0009] - a cover configured to close the main housing, the cover being configured to carry a base for an external connector including electrical connection elements to be connected to an interconnector on the electronic board,

[0010] - a plurality of centering pins configured to center both the electronic board and the cover relative to the main housing.

[0011] [6] The present invention proposes, instead of multiplying centering elements, to combine on the same centering pins the centering function of the electronic board and the centering function of the cover relative to the main housing. This makes it possible to reduce the number of links in the ribbing chain during the mounting of the cover onto the main housing, and therefore to reduce the variations in terms of mounting clearances.

[0012] [7] For the purposes of the present invention, a centering pin means a smooth, male guide element configured to achieve a precise fit with the corresponding holes. It is distinct from a screw or threaded element used for tightening.

[0013] [8] Indeed, precise positioning of the connector base relative to the electronic board (or PCB) is required to ensure internal connections (between the connector base and its electrical connection elements, on the one hand, and the interconnector on the electronic board, on the other).

[0014] [9] The interconnector is a separate surface-mounted or through-hole component on the printed circuit board. It has an insulating body and cages or contacts (e.g., leaf springs) configured to receive male pins. It is not simply a metallization or a hole in the printed circuit board.

[0015]

[0010] The invention is particularly advantageous in cases where the external connector (or customer connector) of an external module is not connected to a cable harness that allows for some positioning freedom, but rather the external connector uses a base fixed to the cover, which must itself be fixed to a rigid external counterpart (or customer counterpart) without a cable harness. This need for precision necessitates centering the base of the external module (for example, the PDU module) directly via the top cover to ensure the external module's mountability. This centering is achieved at the expense of the relative position of the base with respect to its interconnector on the electronic board. The invention makes it possible to control this relative defect and contain it within the permissible positioning error of the interconnector (for example, the female elements).

[0016]

[0011] The positioning accuracy enabled by the invention therefore corresponds to the use of this type of rigid mounting, without cable bundles.

[0017]

[0012] Thus, when the cover is lowered onto the main housing, the male elements (connector base and its connection elements) and female elements (interconnector on the electronic board) fit together correctly.

[0018]

[0013] The customer may subsequently screw an external module onto the cover, in particular via screw threads.

[0019]

[0014] In the present invention, the term "interconnector" refers to an electrical connection component, which may, for example, comprise a plastic part carrying electrical contact elements, or alternatively, be formed by electrical contact elements (or "leadframes" in English) directly fixed to an electronic board (without a plastic part).

[0020]

[0015] According to one aspect of the invention, the main casing is made in a foundry.

[0021]

[0016] According to one aspect of the invention, the main housing comprises hollow columns configured to each receive one of the centering pins.

[0022]

[0017] According to one aspect of the invention, the lid is made in a foundry, or alternatively, by molding a plastic material.

[0023]

[0018] This allows the lid to have specific shapes for precise centering.

[0024]

[0019] According to one aspect of the invention, the cover includes hollow columns configured to each receive one of the centering pins.

[0025]

[0020] According to one aspect of the invention, the centering pin passes through a hole in the electronic board.

[0026]

[0021] According to one aspect of the invention, each electronic card includes a fitted hole and an oblong hole respectively to receive two centering pins.

[0027]

[0022] The fitted hole and the oblong hole together allow isostatic positioning of the electronic board on the main housing.

[0028]

[0023] According to one aspect of the invention, the centering pin is in the form of a needle, which is notably press-fitted into respective hollow columns. The pins could be produced by another manufacturing process (for example, being machined directly from a solid block).

[0024] According to one aspect of the invention, the connector base is fixed to the cover, notably by screws.

[0029]

[0025] Thus, the connector base is positioned precisely relative to the cover, without significant tolerance dispersion.

[0030]

[0026] According to one aspect of the invention, the main housing and the cover belong to an on-board charger.

[0031]

[0027] According to one aspect of the invention, the connector base belongs to an external module, for example a power distribution unit (or "Power Distribution Unit" in English for PDU).

[0032]

[0028] According to one aspect of the invention, the electronic assembly includes said external module, which is in particular fixed to the cover.

[0033]

[0029] The invention also relates to a method for assembling an electronic assembly as described above, comprising the following steps:

[0034] - Place the cover on the main housing, the male elements (including the connector base and its connection elements) and the female elements (including the interconnector on the electronic board) fitting together, then screw the external module onto the cover.

[0035]

[0030] Other features, details and advantages of the invention will become clearer upon reading the following description on the one hand, and several illustrative and non-limiting examples of embodiments given with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings on the other hand, in which:

[0036]

[0031] [Fig. 1] Figure 1 schematically represents, in perspective, an electronic assembly according to an example of an embodiment of the invention;

[0037]

[0032] [Fig. 2] Figure 2 is a view of the electronic assembly of Figure 1, without the external module;

[0038]

[0033] [Fig. 3] Figure 3 is a view of the on-board charger, without the cover, of the electronic assembly of Figure 1;

[0039]

[0034] [Fig. 4] Figure 4 shows a cross-sectional view of the on-board charger of the electronic assembly of Figure 1;

[0040]

[0035] [Fig. 5] Figure 5 is another cross-sectional view of the on-board charger of the electronic assembly of Figure 1;

[0041]

[0036] [Fig. 6] Figure 6 shows a detailed view of the on-board charger of the electronic assembly of Figure 1.

[0037] The features, variants, and different embodiments of the invention can be combined in various ways, provided they are not incompatible or mutually exclusive. In particular, variants of the invention may be conceived comprising only a selection of features, described hereafter in isolation from the other described features, if this selection of features is sufficient to confer a technical advantage and / or to differentiate the invention from the prior art.

[0042]

[0038] Figure 1 shows an electronic assembly 1 comprising an on-board charger 2 and an external module 3 which is here a power distribution unit (or "Power Distribution Unit" in English for PDU).

[0043]

[0039] The on-board charger 2 is configured to convert the alternating current available on the electrical network into direct current capable of charging the vehicle's battery.

[0044]

[0040] The external module 3 comprises, in a manner known per se, a housing 3A and a cover 3B.

[0045]

[0041] The on-board charger 2 comprises a main housing 5, which is here a cast part, and a plurality of electronic boards 6A, 6B (also called PCBs in English for "Printed Circuit Board") housed in the main housing 5.

[0046]

[0042] The on-board charger 2 further includes a cover 7, which is here a cast part, configured to close the main housing 5.

[0047]

[0043] The cover 7, generally in the form of a plate with reinforcing ribs 8 on its inner face, is configured to carry, on its outer face 9, a base 10 of an external connector 20 of the external module 3, comprising electrical connection elements 11 to be connected to an interconnector 15 on the electronic board 6A, as illustrated in Figure 5. The external module 3 is guided and fixed onto the cover 7. This external module 3 includes a counter-connector 80 which connects to the base 10.

[0048]

[0044] The electrical connection elements 11 are, for example, copper pins.

[0049]

[0045] The on-board charger 2 includes a plurality of centering pins 14 configured to center both the electronic boards 6A, 6B and the cover 7 relative to the main housing 5.

[0050]

[0046] The present invention proposes, instead of multiplying centering elements, to combine on the same centering pins 14 (which are necessary centering elements because the electronic board interfaces with other boards or connectors, themselves positioned on the casting), the centering function of electronic boards 6A, 6B and the centering function of the cover 7 with respect to the main housing 5. This makes it possible to reduce the number of links in the chain of dimensions when mounting the cover 7 on the main housing 5, and therefore to reduce the dispersions in terms of mounting clearances.

[0051]

[0047] The centering pins 14 are configured to allow precise positioning of the connector base 10 relative to the electronic board 6A to ensure internal connections, between the connector base 10 and its electrical connection elements 11, on the one hand, and the interconnector 15 on the electronic board 6A, on the other hand.

[0052]

[0048] The invention is particularly advantageous in the case where the external connector 20 (or customer connector) of an external module 3 is not connected to a cable harness which allows some freedom of positioning, but the external connector 20 uses the base 10 fixed on the cover 7 and which must itself be fixed to a rigid external counterpart (or customer counterpart), without a cable harness.

[0053]

[0049] When the cover 7 is lowered onto the main housing 5, the male connection elements, namely the connection elements 11 of the base 10 and the female connection elements 17 of the interconnector 15 on the electronic board 6A, fit correctly.

[0054]

[0050] The female connection elements 17 of the interconnector 15 are here formed by pairs of spring blades 18 which each clamp a male connection element 11.

[0055]

[0051] The external module 3 is configured to be screwed via threaded holes 19 onto raised areas on the cover 7.

[0056]

[0052] The main housing 5 is made from a single piece of casting, which includes hollow columns 21, configured to receive each one of the centering pins 14, as can be seen in Figure 4.

[0057]

[0053] The cover 7 is made in one piece of casting, which includes hollow columns 22 configured to receive each one of the centering pins 14.

[0058]

[0054] In the example described, the centering pin 14 passes through a hole 23 in the electronic board 6A, as can be seen in Figure 6.

[0059]

[0055] Each electronic card 6A, 6B includes a fitted hole 24 (visible in figure 3) and an oblong hole 23 (visible in figure 6) respectively to receive two centering pins 14.

[0060]

[0056] The fitted hole 24 is configured to lock, without play, the centering pin 14 inserted into it. For example, the diameter of the fitted hole 24 is equal to the diameter of the centering pin 14 inserted into it.

[0057] The oblong hole 23 is configured to allow the centering pin 14 to be inserted with some play. Thus, the centering pin 14 can be moved within the oblong hole 23 according to this predetermined play, in particular at least along the elongation direction of this oblong hole 23.

[0061]

[0058] The fitted hole 24 and the oblong hole 23 for each electronic card 6A, 6B are arranged at a distance from each other, in particular at two opposite ends of the electronic card, for example at two opposite corners along the diagonal of the electronic card, when the electronic card is substantially rectangular in circumference.

[0062]

[0059] The fitted hole 24 and the oblong hole 23 together allow isostatic positioning of the electronic board 6A, 6B on the main housing 5.

[0063]

[0060] Each centering pin 14 is in the form of a needle, which is in particular pressed into the respective hollow columns 21, 22.

[0064]

[0061] The hollow columns 21, 22 respectively of the main housing 5 and of the cover 7 are placed on either side of each electronic card 6A, 6B, with or without support on the electronic card 6A, 6B.

[0065]

[0062] The hollow columns 21, 22 respectively of the main housing 5 and of the cover 7 are oriented perpendicular to the electronic boards 6A, 6B.

[0066]

[0063] The connector base 10 is fixed to the cover 7 by screws.

[0067]

[0064] Thus, the connector base 10 is positioned precisely relative to the cover 7, without any tolerance dispersion.

[0068]

[0065] The method for assembling the electronic assembly 1, comprising the following steps:

[0069] - place cover 7 on main housing 5, the male elements (connector base 10 and its connection elements 11) and female elements of interconnector 15 on electronic board 6A plugging into each other, then screw the external module 3 onto cover 7.

Claims

DEMANDS

1. Electronic assembly (1) comprising: - a main housing (5), - at least one electronic board (6A; 6B) housed in the main casing (5), - a cover (7) configured to close the main housing (5), the cover (7) being configured to carry a base (10) of an external connector comprising electrical connection elements (11) to be connected to an interconnector (15) on the electronic board (6A; 6B), - a plurality of centering pins (14) configured to center both the electronic board (6A; 6B) and the cover (7) relative to the main housing (5).

2. Assembly according to the preceding claim, wherein the main casing (5) is made in casting.

3. Assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the main housing (5) comprises hollow columns (21) configured to each receive one of the centering pins (14).

4. Assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cover (7) is made by casting, or by molding of a plastic material.

5. Assembly according to the preceding claim, wherein the cover (7) comprises hollow columns (22) configured to each receive one of the centering pins (14).

6. Assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the centering pin (14) passes through a hole in the electronic board (6A; 6B).

7. Assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein each electronic card (6A; 6B) includes a fitted hole (24) and an oblong hole (23) respectively for receiving two centering pins (14).

8. Assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the centering pin (14) is in the form of a needle, which is in particular press-fitted into respective hollow columns.

9. Assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the connector base (10) is fixed to the cover (7), in particular by screws.

10. Assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the main housing (5) and the cover (7) belong to an on-board charger (2), and the connector base (10) belongs to an external module (3), for example a power distribution unit.

11. Assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the electronic assembly (1) comprises said external module (3), which is in particular fixed to the cover (7).

12. A method for assembling an electronic assembly (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising the following steps: - place the cover (7) on the main housing (5), the male elements, including the connector base (10) and its connection elements (11), and the female elements, including the interconnector (15) on the electronic board (6A; 6B), fitting together, then screw the external module onto the cover (7).

Images