Telematics unit and housing for a motor vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a housing (1) for a telematics unit (1), in particular for emergency calls in motor vehicles. The recess receiving the heat sink (50) of the electronic circuit of the housing is offset in relation to the means for locking the cover of said housing, thus providing a space in which a heat sink large enough to cool the components of the electronic circuit can be installed.

Description

DESCRIPTION TITLE: VEHICLE TELEMATICS CONTROL UNIT AND BOX

[0001] The present invention relates to a housing for a telematics unit for a motor vehicle, as well as to a telematics unit comprising such a housing.

[0002] As is well known, current vehicles are equipped with a telematics unit, often referred to by the acronym "TCU" ("Tele Communication Unit"), which allows, among other things, for the automatic calling of emergency services when the vehicle is in an accident situation.

[0003] Such a situation is detected, for example, by the TCU thanks to signals from sensors (accelerometers, etc.) on board the vehicle.

[0004] Once communication is established by the TCU with a rescue center, a person from that center can attempt to communicate via the TCU with the passengers who are on board the vehicle, in order to assess the severity of the situation and, if necessary, trigger the necessary rescue.

[0005] The presence of TCUs on board vehicles has been mandatory since 2018.

[0006] In addition to their emergency function, these TCUs are increasingly fulfilling other roles, enabling vehicles to communicate with their environment, particularly with a view to the implementation of autonomous vehicles. For example, the term "V2X" environment is often used to describe the ability of vehicles to exchange information with the fixed elements (obstacles, etc.) and moving elements (pedestrians, vehicles, etc.) around them.

[0007] This increase in the functions performed by TCUs is accompanied by increased activity of their communication module - often referred to by the acronym "NAD" ("Network Access Device") - leading to increased heat production.

[0008] To remove this heat, it is necessary to provide a heat exchanger with the outside, generally taking the form of a radiator.

[0009] Such a radiator occupies a considerable volume, which poses a problem for its installation inside the volume of the TCU, given the numerous constraints imposed by the placement of the other components of the TCU, and the external volume of the TCU imposed by the car manufacturer.

[0010] The present invention aims in particular to provide a TCU package that meets these constraints.

[0011] This objective is achieved with a telematics unit housing comprising: a body comprising: - means for fixing said body to the structure of a motor vehicle, located on a first face of said body - called the lower face, - a first housing formed on said lower face, intended to receive at least one battery, - a second housing formed in a second face of said body - called the upper face - intended to receive a heat sink for cooling electronic components, a suitable cover to cover said first housing, in which said body further comprises: - two locking cavities formed on said lower face, located between said first housing and said second housing, - a locking lug, located on an edge of said body adjacent to said first housing, and and in which said cover forms a separate piece from said body and further comprises: - two fingers adapted to fit respectively into the said locking cavities, - an elastic tab designed to snap onto the said locking lug.

[0012] Thanks to these features, the second housing, intended to receive the printed circuit board assembly + heatsink, is located in an area that does not interfere with the locking mechanisms of the cover on the body of the case.

[0013] It can therefore be expected that this second housing will extend over a substantial part of the thickness of the case, allowing in particular the installation of a radiator whose dimensions are sufficient to achieve satisfactory cooling of the NAD.

[0014] Depending on other optional features of the present invention, taken alone or in combination:

[0015] - the housing includes an opening for a battery connector, located between said first housing and one of said locking cavities: this opening allows the battery to be electrically connected to the printed circuit intended to be positioned directly above the second housing;

[0016] - said locking cavities are blind: this prevents water infiltration that could damage the electronic components of the TCU;

[0017] - said body has chamfered parts opposite said locking cavities: these chamfered parts allow automatic release of the cover once the elastic tab has been released from its locking lug by an operator - in this way, damage to the electrical wires connecting the battery to the connector is avoided;

[0018] - said fingers are chamfered: this particular shape of the fingers facilitates their engagement inside their respective locking cavities;

[0019] - said body includes a lip adapted to cooperate with an edge of said cover: the engagement of this lip with the edge of the cover contributes to the sealing of the TCU;

[0020] - said body has an opening on said lower face, intended to allow heat exchange of said radiator with the outside of the case.

[0021] The present invention also relates to a telematics unit comprising a housing according to the above, and a printed circuit board on which are mounted in particular a communication module and a heat sink, said heat sink being placed inside said second housing.

[0022] The present invention also relates to a motor vehicle comprising a telematics unit in accordance with the foregoing.

[0023] Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description, with reference to the attached figures, which illustrate:

[0024] [Fig. 1]: a telematic unit of the earlier technique, seen from below, with its cover;

[0025] [Fig. 2]: the telematic unit of figure 1, seen from below, without its cover;

[0026] [Fig.3]: the telematic unit of figure 1, seen in cross-section locally in the YZ plane along the line lll-lll of figure 1;

[0027] [Fig. 4]: the telematic unit of figure 1 seen in perspective from below, with its cover;

[0028] [Fig. 5]: a cover of a housing of a telematics unit according to the invention, seen in perspective from below;

[0029] [Fig. 6]: the cover of figure 5, seen in perspective from above, and the corresponding part of the housing of the telematics unit according to the invention, seen in perspective from below;

[0030] [Fig.7]: the housing of the telematics unit according to the invention, seen in perspective from below in the cooperation zone of its cover with the body of the housing;

[0031] [Fig. 8]: the case in figure 7, seen from below without its lid;

[0032] [Fig. 9]: the telematic unit according to the invention, seen in cross-section locally in the YZ plane along the IX-IX line of figure 8;

[0033] [Fig. 10]: the housing according to the invention, seen from above;

[0034] [Fig. 11]: the telematic unit according to the invention, seen in perspective from below in the area where the battery is located, without its cover;

[0035] [Fig. 12]: the telematics unit according to the invention, seen in cross-section along the XZ plane of figure 11, when it is equipped with its protective cover;

[0036] [Fig. 13]: the telematics unit according to the invention, seen in cross-section in the YZ plane along line XIII-XIII of figure 12, with its cover in place;

[0037] [Fig. 14]: The telematics unit according to the invention, seen in cross-section in the YZ plane along line XIII-XIII of figure 12, with its cover being opened.

[0038] For clarity, identical or similar elements are identified by identical or similar reference symbols across all figures.

[0039] Furthermore, to facilitate understanding of the correspondence between the different figures, we have placed on each of them an XYZ reference frame in which the Z arrow is intended to be oriented substantially parallel to the vertical when the telematics unit is installed on board the vehicle, the top of this vertical being indicated by the direction of this arrow.

[0040] Arrows X and Y, which form a right-handed trihedron with arrow Z, are located in a plane intended to be oriented substantially parallel to the horizontal when the telematics unit is installed on board the vehicle, arrow X being typically parallel to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and arrow Y being typically parallel to the transverse direction of the vehicle.

[0041] In what follows, the terms "above" and "below" will be understood in relation to the orientation of the Z arrow: the top is located at the tip of this arrow, and the bottom is located at the tail of this arrow.

[0042] We now refer to Figure 1, on which a telematic unit 1 - or TCU - of the prior art has been represented.

[0043] As can be seen in this figure, this TCU 1 comprises a housing having a body 11 in the general form of a flattened parallelepiped, having on its lower face 3 a groove-type fixing device 5, allowing the TCU 1 to be fixed to the structure of a motor vehicle, for example under the dashboard of the latter.

[0044] On the lower face 3 of the TCU 1 housing there is also a cover 7, hinged mounted on one 9 of the two short sides of the TCU 1, and locked with the body 11 of the TCU 1 housing at an end 13 opposite its hinge.

[0045] The body 11 of the TCU 1 housing and the cover 7 are typically made in one piece, by injecting polypropylene into a mold.

[0046] As can be seen in Figure 2, where cover 7 has been opened, this cover 7 protects a battery 15 (for example, an 18650 cell) connected by wires 17 to a connector 19, which is itself plugged into a socket passing through an opening 21 formed in the body 11 of the TCU 1 and fixed to a printed circuit board (PCB) 23 of the TCU 1, visible in Figure 3, which brings together a plurality of electronic components. Generally speaking, the TCU 1 consists of the casing (formed by the body 11 and cover 7) and the printed circuit board 23, mounted inside the casing.

[0047] Figure 3 also shows that the end of the cover 7, which enables the locking of the cover, is shaped to constitute a clipping member 27 capable of locking the cover 7 by cooperation with the body 11 of the TCU 1 housing.

[0048] As indicated in the preamble to this description, the question arises of whether to install a cooling radiator for some of the electronic components installed on the printed circuit board 23, and in particular for those which constitute the means of communication with the outside (“NAD”).

[0049] In a TCU 1 of the prior art such as that shown in figures 1 to 3, various constraints exist which make it impossible to install such a radiator.

[0050] Firstly, as previously stated, the clip element 27 which allows the cover 7 to be locked onto the body 11 of the TCU 1 housing extends over such a thickness of the TCU 1 that it is not possible to install a radiator in front of this element: this area where such an installation is not possible is symbolized by the rectangle 29 in figures 1 and 3.

[0051] Furthermore, the presence of a Wi-Fi antenna in the area delimited by rectangle 33 in Figure 2 also prevents the installation of a radiator in this area.

[0052] It was also observed that in this TCU 1 of the prior art, the relatively rigid wires 17 connecting the battery 15 to the connector 19 frequently had the effect of hindering the closing of the cover 7, thus leading to its deformation and consequently to a non-watertight closure, as can be seen in figure 4.

[0053] For all these reasons, it was necessary to consider a completely new design for the TCU 1, making it possible to make the installation of a heat sink on the printed circuit board 23 mounted on the body 11 of the TCU 1 housing compatible with the constraints described above, while allowing a perfectly sealed closure of the cover 7.

[0054] To achieve this, the TCU 1 housing was modified, in particular to make the cover 7 an independent part of the body 11 of said housing.

[0055] As can be seen in Figures 5 and 6, this cover 7 is essentially a rectangular plate comprising two fingers 35a, 35b and an elastic tab 39 arranged around its periphery. It should be noted that, following other examples, it is also possible to consider more than two fingers (2) and / or more than one elastic tab (1). In this non-limiting example, the cover 7 also includes two tabs 37a, 37b. It should be noted that, following other examples, it is also possible to consider a number of tabs other than two, for example, more than two (2).

[0056] These various components are designed to cooperate with complementary shaped elements formed on the body 11 of the TCU 1, namely, respectively, two locking cavities 41a, 41b (in the case where the cover 7 has the two fingers 35a, 35b), two notches 43a, 43b (in the case where the cover 7 has the two tabs 37a, 37b), and a lug 45 (in the case where the cover 7 has a spring tab 39) located on the edge of the housing (see Figures 8 and 11). In preferred embodiments, the two locking cavities 41a, 41b are blind and / or the two notches 43a, 43b are blind.

[0057] The locking of the cover 7 on the body 11 of the housing of the TCU 1, allowing to arrive at the situation visible in figure 7, is obtained by engaging the fingers 35a, 35b in the locking cavities 41a, 41b and the tabs 37a, 37b in the notches 43a, 43b, and by clipping the elastic tab 39 onto the lug 45.

[0058] As indicated by the corresponding rectangles 47i on the two views of figure 6, the geometry of the parts of the cover 7 and the body 11 of the TCU I housing which must face each other when the cover 7 is closed, is studied so as to achieve a series of point contacts (and not of the plane-to-plane type) between these parts, allowing to obtain a firm locking in the three directions X, Y, Z.

[0059] For example, the cover 7 and the body 11 of the TCU 1 enclosure can be made of plastics with good fire resistance (class "V0"), such as polycarbonate with added ABS. The absence of a hinge between these two parts eliminates the need for materials such as polypropylene, which is more flexible and therefore more suitable for making a hinge, but has lower fire resistance.

[0060] As can be seen in particular in Figures 6, 8, 9 and 11, the locking cavities 41a, 41b, receiving the fingers 35a, 35b of the cover 7, are located, in the transverse direction Y, between the housing 49 of the battery and the housing 53 of the radiator 50. In this non-limiting example, the locking cavities 41a, 41b are further located, in the transverse direction Y, between the housing 49 of the battery and the fixing device 5.

[0061] In other words, compared to the clipping area of ​​cover 7 on body II of TCU 1 of the prior art, these locking cavities 41a, 41b are closer to connector 19 and housing 49 of battery 15 - these cavities 41a, 41b, this connector 19 and this housing 49 are therefore all on the same side with respect to housing 53 of heat sink 50 (and, in this example, with respect to the fixing device 5).

[0062] Thanks to this particular configuration, the radiator 50 can be installed in the area indicated by the rectangle 51 visible in Figure 8, where the clipping means 27 of the cover 7 on the body 11 of the housing of the TCU 1 of the prior art were located.

[0063] As can indeed be seen in Figure 9, the offset of the locking means of the cover 7 on the body 11 of the housing of the TCU 1 towards the housing 49 of the stack 15, makes it possible to free up space to house the heatsink 50 in the housing 53 formed in the thickness of the body 11 of the housing of the TCU 1. This space occupied by the heatsink 50 is offset in the Y direction with respect to the locking cavities 41a, 41b, as indicated by the offset distance d shown in Figure 9.

[0064] The cooling fins 55 of this radiator 50 then open onto an opening 57 formed on the lower face of the TCU body, as can be seen in figure 8.

[0065] As can be seen in the non-limiting example illustrated by Figure 10, a plate 59, preferably metallic, can be screwed onto the body 11 of the TCU 1 housing, in order to protect and hold in place the printed circuit 23 and its various components (heatsink 50, NAD, electronic components...).

[0066] As can be seen in the non-limiting example illustrated by Figures 11 and 12, the body 11 of the TCU 1 housing may have at its periphery a peripheral lip 61 adapted to cooperate with the edge of the cover 7 so as to prevent the penetration of water falling on the top of the TCU 1.

[0067] In the non-limiting example illustrated by Figure 12, the upper face 4 of the body 11 of the TCU 1 housing is intended to be covered by a cover 63, itself cooperating with the body 11 of the TCU 1 housing so as to prevent water penetration into the TCU 1.

[0068] Figure 13 shows in particular how the fingers 35a, 35b of the cover 7 of the TCU 1 housing can cooperate with the locking cavities 41a, 41b formed in the body 11 of the TCU 1.

[0069] As can be seen in the non-limiting example illustrated by Figure 13, these fingers 35a, 35b can be chamfered, so as to facilitate their penetration into the locking cavities 41a, 41b, and to allow a frank contact with them.

[0070] The body 11 of the TCU 1 housing may also, in particular embodiments, have chamfered portions 65a, 65b at the exit of each locking cavity 41a, 41b, so as to facilitate the release of the cover 7 when it is opened, as indicated by the arrows F in Figure 14, for example, by the action of a screwdriver used by an operator to unclip the elastic tab 39 from the cover of the lug 45 located on the side of the body 11 of the TCU 1 housing. This prevents any risk of damage to the electrical wires 17 connecting the battery 15 to the connector 19. The chamfered portions 65a, 65b are arranged on the ends of an internal peripheral wall that doubles the peripheral lip 61 to improve the sealing of the TCU 1. In this example, the lug 45 is mounted on this internal peripheral wall.

[0071] As will be understood from the above, the new arrangement of the locking means of the cover 7 on the body 11 of the TCU 1 housing, makes it possible to free up space to house the radiator 50 mounted on the printed circuit board 23 in the thickness of the body 11 of the TCU 1 housing.

[0072] Furthermore, the design of a cover 7 independent of the body 11 of the TCU 1 housing allows the use of plastics with better fire resistance characteristics.

[0073] Naturally, the invention described above is by way of example. It is understood that a person skilled in the art is capable of carrying out different embodiments of the invention without departing from its scope.

Claims

DEMANDS 1. Housing for telematics unit (1) comprising: - a body (11) comprising: - means (5) for fixing said body (11) to the structure of a motor vehicle, located on a first face of said body - said lower face (3), - a first housing (49) formed on said lower face, intended to receive at least one battery (15), - a second housing (53) formed in a second face of said body (11) - called upper face (4) - intended to receive a cooling radiator (50) for electronic components, - a cover (7) adapted to cover said first housing (49), in which said body (11) further comprises: - two locking cavities (41a, 41b) formed on said lower face, located between said first housing (49) and said second housing (53), - a locking lug (45), located on an edge (9) of said body (11) adjacent to said first housing (49), and in which said cover (7) forms a separate piece from said body (11) and further comprises: - two fingers (35a, 35b) adapted to fit respectively into said locking cavities (41a, 41b), - an elastic tab (39) adapted to snap onto said locking lug (45).

2. Housing according to claim 1, comprising an opening for a battery connector (19), disposed between said first housing (49) and one of said locking cavities (41a, 41b).

3. Housing according to any one of claims 1 or 2, wherein said locking cavities (41a, 41b) are blind.

4. Housing according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said body (11) has chamfered parts (65a, 65b) opposite said locking cavities (41a, 41b).

5. Housing according to any one of the preceding claims, in which said fingers (35a, 35b) are chamfered.

6. Housing according to any one of the preceding claims, in which said body (11) has a lip (61) adapted to cooperate with an edge of said cover (7).

7. Housing according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said body (11) has an opening (57) on said lower face, intended to allow heat exchange of said radiator (50) with the outside of the housing (1).

8. Telematics unit (1) comprising a housing conforming to any one of the preceding claims, and a printed circuit board (23) on which are mounted a communication module and a heat sink (50), said heat sink being placed inside said second housing (53).

9. Motor vehicle comprising a telematics unit (1) according to claim 8.

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