Electronic Control Unit Mounting in Engine Compartment
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Solution Overview
Problem
The compactness of modern motor vehicle engine compartments poses a challenge in finding suitable space for electronic control units while ensuring proper operation and protection from factors like ventilation, shocks, and vibrations.
Innovation Solution
An assembly that houses the electronic control unit in a free space between the windshield sub-window sheet, front pillar lining sheet, and shock absorber cup, utilizing a support element with an inclined support plate and multiple legs for fixation, ensuring accessibility and protection, along with electrical power supply elements for efficient installation and operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the engine compartment is made compact to improve vehicle design, then the available space for installing electronic control units is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes the vertical dimension by positioning the electronic control unit in the space between the windshield sub-window sheet and the shock absorber cup, effectively using previously unused vertical space within the compact engine compartment layout
2Volume of moving object
If the electronic control unit is installed in a compact space, then space is optimized, but access for maintenance and installation becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The support structure is divided into multiple legs (first leg, second leg, third leg) that can be independently accessed and removed, allowing maintenance personnel to access the electronic control unit by removing specific legs without disassembling the entire engine compartment structure
3Ease of repair
If the electronic control unit is positioned to be accessible from the front, then maintenance ease is improved, but the support structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The support element with multiple legs serves dual functions: it provides structural support for the electronic control unit while simultaneously enabling front accessibility for maintenance. The same structural components achieve both support and maintenance access requirements
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to an assembly for an automotive vehicle (10) engine compartment (12) comprising an electronic control unit (19), a windscreen lower frame (14) comprising a windscreen lower frame sheet that is inclined from front to back with respect to a plane that is parallel to longitudinal and transverse directions, a front end of the windscreen lower frame sheet corresponding to an upper end of said windscreen lower frame sheet, an A-pillar inner panel (15) and a shock-absorber cup (17), the windscreen lower frame sheet (14), the shock-absorber cup (17) and the A-pillar inner panel sheet (15) together defining a free space (18) in which the electronic control unit (19) is housed.