Connector-Base Capacitor Layout for Compact Electronic Control Units
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electronic control devices with redundant systems face challenges in miniaturization due to the increased number of connector ports and reduced placement area for connectors, primarily because filter components like smoothing capacitors occupy significant space on the circuit board.
Innovation Solution
Mounting capacitors on the second side surface of a connector base facing a power conversion circuit module, reducing the need for space on the circuit board and optimizing the arrangement of capacitors and bus bars to minimize inductance and heat generation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If filter components such as smoothing capacitors are mounted on the circuit board to constitute a redundant system, then the reliability and power conversion function are improved, but the placement area for connectors decreases and device size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dimensionality change by mounting capacitors on the second side surface of the connector base (which faces the power conversion circuit board) rather than on the circuit board itself. This utilizes the vertical dimension and the back surface of the connector base to place filter components, thereby freeing up connector placement areas on the front surface while maintaining the redundant system configuration.
2Power
If filter components such as smoothing capacitors are mounted on the circuit board, then the power conversion function is improved, but the device size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes the second side surface of the connector base as an additional mounting dimension for capacitors. This allows filter components to be placed in the vertical dimension rather than consuming horizontal board space, thereby reducing the overall device footprint while maintaining adequate power conversion functionality through proper capacitor placement near the power conversion circuit board.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent integrates capacitor mounting within the connector base structure itself, effectively nesting the filter components within the existing connector assembly. This nested arrangement allows capacitors to be housed within or on the connector base without requiring separate dedicated space, thereby reducing overall device volume while maintaining power conversion function.
3Reliability
If the number of connector ports is increased for redundant system, then the reliability is improved, but the placement area for connectors decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves this contradiction by utilizing the second side surface of the connector base as an additional dimension for component placement. This allows the front surface to accommodate multiple connector ports for redundant system configuration while the back surface accommodates capacitors, thereby increasing connector capacity without sacrificing placement area.
Data Source
AI summary
In an electronic control device (E1) according to the present invention, in one aspect thereof, for example, noise filter capacitors (53m) (53s) and smoothing capacitors (54m) (54s) that are capacitors occupying a relatively large mounting area are disposed not on a circuit board (30) but rather on a second side surface (412) of a connector base (41). With this, it is possible to reduce the mounting area of the circuit board (30) by the amount of the noise filter capacitors (53m) (53s) and the smoothing capacitors (54m) (54s), and thereby the size of the electronic control device (E1) can be reduced.