Control Module Housing Vibration Damping Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Control module housings face challenges in securing electronics within vehicles, particularly in preventing damage from environmental factors like heat, moisture, and vibration, especially when mounted to moving parts, which can lead to malfunction of vehicle components.
Innovation Solution
A housing design featuring connection members with protrusions and snap features that engage with an adaptor member to secure the housing to the vehicle, minimizing vibration and water ingress, and incorporating internal features to support and align electronics on a printed circuit board.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the housing is mounted to moving parts of a vehicle, then the housing can be securely attached to vehicle components, but vibration and dynamic stress factors may damage control electronics contained therein
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies beforehand cushioning by incorporating vibration damping elements and compliant mounting features into the housing structure before the electronics are subjected to vibration and dynamic stress. These features absorb and dissipate vibrational energy, protecting the electronics from damage while maintaining secure attachment to moving vehicle parts.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by providing different structural characteristics at different locations within the housing. Specifically, the housing includes rigid portions for secure attachment to vehicle components and compliant or damped portions that isolate the electronics from vibration and dynamic stress, allowing each region to perform its specific function optimally.
2Reliability
If the housing is designed to prevent water entry, then electronics are protected from moisture damage, but the housing structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies flexible shells and thin films by incorporating seals, gaskets, or coated surfaces into the housing structure. These flexible elements create water-tight barriers while maintaining a relatively simple housing geometry, protecting electronics from moisture without requiring complex multi-layer constructions.
3Stability of the object's composition
If connection members are designed to minimize transverse movement, then housing stability is improved, but the connection structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the connection structure into multiple discrete connection members, each with specific protrusion features. These segmented connection points work together to constrain transverse movement through geometric interlocking, achieving housing stability without requiring a monolithic complex connection structure.
Data Source
AI summary
A housing unit for securing electronics of a control module to a vehicle may include a housing and at least two connection members. The connection members connected to the housing may be adapted to engage an adaptor member (e.g., bracket) configured to be secured to a vehicle. The connection members may include at least one connection member configured to hook into the adaptor member and at least one connection member configured to snap into the adaptor member. Protrusion(s) may be included on the connection member(s) and be configured to contact the adaptor member to substantially eliminate transverse movement of the housing. The protrusion(s) may be crush-rib(s). The housing may include features to position, support, and minimize vibration of the electronics, where the electronics maybe disposed on a printed circuit board (PCB).