Motor Vehicle Control Device Housing Guide Grooves
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing manufacturing process for ceramic circuit carriers in motor vehicle control devices, which involves sequential wire bonding, results in increased costs and cycle times due to the complexity and investment required for bonding processes.
Innovation Solution
A control device design that uses guide means and receiving means on housing walls to mechanically fix the position of a ceramic circuit carrier, allowing for cost-effective electrical connections via spring contacts, enabling the circuit carrier to be connected to a cable harness or other components with reduced investment and cycle time, and allowing for modular construction with different sizes and thermal requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If wire bonding is used to connect ceramic circuit carriers to punched grids, then reliable electrical connections are achieved, but manufacturing costs and cycle times increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the wire bonding process entirely from the manufacturing sequence by replacing it with direct contact connections. The circuit carrier is designed with contact surfaces that directly engage with contact elements on the housing wall, eliminating the intermediate punched grid and wire bonding step while maintaining electrical connection reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the electrical connection function with the mechanical mounting structure. The contact elements are integrated into the housing wall, and the circuit carrier's contact surfaces directly engage with these elements during the insertion process, combining mechanical fixation and electrical connection into a single operation.
2Reliability
If wire bonding is used to connect ceramic circuit carriers, then electrical connections are established, but investment costs for bonding equipment increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the wire bonding equipment requirement entirely by replacing the bonding process with direct mechanical contact connections. The specialized bonding equipment investment is eliminated in favor of standard injection molding and precision machining capabilities already present in automotive manufacturing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs simple contact elements that can be easily manufactured and replaced if needed, rather than requiring expensive, specialized wire bonding equipment. The contact elements are integrated into the housing as simple features that can be produced through standard manufacturing processes.
3Manufacturing precision
If mechanical stops with small tolerances are used to fix circuit carrier position, then precise electrical connections are achieved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the mechanical stop function with the electrical contact function into a single integrated feature. The contact elements on the housing wall serve both as mechanical positioning stops and as electrical connection points, eliminating the need for separate, complex mechanical stop mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The contact elements perform multiple functions simultaneously: they provide mechanical positioning of the circuit carrier, serve as electrical connection points, and act as spring-loaded contacts for reliable electrical engagement. This multi-functionality reduces overall device complexity while achieving precise positioning.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution reduces the need for wire connections, lowers costs, and enables faster assembly while allowing for modular design flexibility, including different circuit carrier sizes and thermal management, through the use of guide grooves and spring contacts in a plastics housing.
Implementation Method 1
designed as contact springs which bear against associated contact surfaces by means of spring force
Implementation Method 2
The guide means and/or the receiving means form a mechanical stop which is designed in such a manner that the position of the first circuit carrier in the mechanical stop is fixed with a sufficiently small tolerance
Implementation Method 3
the guide means are designed as guide grooves which are each provided in a housing wall in such a manner that a tapered portion arises in the region upstream of the at least one second contact element
Implementation Method 4
ceramic circuit carriers and ceramic substrates in electronic control devices for motor vehicles are currently contact-connected electrically to punched grids by wire connections which are bonded by ultrasound
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a control device (1) for a motor vehicle, comprising a housing (10) and at least one circuit carrier (20), which is arranged in an inner chamber of the housing (10) and comprises at least one first contact element (22) that establishes an electric connection to at least one second contact element (17) of a plug receptacle (50) on at least one housing wall (11), wherein the second contact element (17) is guided through the at least one housing wall (11) and is designed on the inside as a contact spring that rests against an associated first contact element (22) by spring force, and to a related method for mounting a control device for a motor vehicle. According to the invention, the at least one housing wall (11) comprises receiving means (11.1) for a first circuit carrier (20), wherein the first circuit carrier (20) is guided through guide means (13.1) designed in the housing (10), wherein the guide means (13.1) and/or the receiving means (11.1) form a mechanical stop (19) for the first circuit carrier (20) that is designed such that the position of the first circuit carrier (20) is fixed in the mechanical stop (19) with sufficiently small tolerance such that the electric connection between the at least one first contact element (22) of the first circuit carrier (20) and the corresponding second contact element (17) designed as a contact spring is established in the plug receptacle (50).