Electronic Unit Housing With Ribbed Connector Clearance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electronic units face issues with increased part count, size, and assembly complexity due to wire harnesses, require strict dimensional tolerance, and are prone to damage from vibration and heat due to direct connector mounting within the housing.
Innovation Solution
An electronic unit design featuring a housing with an outer rib and inner rib around the connector, creating a clearance between the housing and connector to prevent foreign objects from entering and absorb component tolerance, while maintaining the connector non-contact with the housing to mitigate vibration and heat transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a wire harness is used to connect the circuit board with the connector, then electrical connection is achieved, but the number of parts increases and the size of the electronic unit increases
Solution Approach 1:
The connector is integrated directly onto the circuit board, merging two previously separate components (connector and circuit board) into a single unit. This eliminates the need for a wire harness and reduces the overall number of parts while maintaining electrical connection functionality.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the connector is directly mounted into the housing by bolts, then the connector is securely fixed, but the number of parts increases and extra bolt tightening operation is needed
Solution Approach 1:
The connector is integrated onto the circuit board as a single unit, eliminating the need for separate mounting hardware such as bolts and washers. The circuit board itself serves as the mounting structure, reducing part count and simplifying assembly operations.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the connector is disposed in a rectangular opening with a small space, then foreign objects are protected from entering the housing, but strict dimensional tolerance needs to be set for parts
Solution Approach 1:
A seal member is introduced as an intermediary component between the housing opening and the connector. This seal member fills the gap and provides foreign object protection while accommodating dimensional variations, thereby relaxing the strict tolerance requirements that would otherwise be necessary.
4Stability of the object's composition
If the housing restricts the assembling direction, then the housing structure is maintained, but restrictions on designing the electronic unit are imposed
Solution Approach 1:
The connector and circuit board are designed as an integrated unit that can be assembled from multiple directions. The connector protrudes from the circuit board in a direction opposite to the opening, allowing flexible assembly approaches that are not constrained by the housing structure, thereby increasing design freedom.
5Stability of the object's composition
If the connector is directly mounted to the housing, then the connection is secure, but vibration transmitted to the housing is transmitted to the connector and may cause damage
Solution Approach 1:
The circuit board serves as an intermediary between the housing and the connector. By mounting the connector to the circuit board rather than directly to the housing, the transmission path for vibration is interrupted, reducing the impact of housing vibrations on the connector and improving its reliability.
6Ease of manufacture
If the connector is directly mounted to the housing, then the mounting is simplified, but the connector may be damaged by heat transmitted to the housing because the housing and connector have different coefficients of thermal expansion
Solution Approach 1:
The circuit board acts as a thermal buffer between the housing and the connector. Due to the different coefficients of thermal expansion, the circuit board absorbs and distributes thermal stress, preventing direct heat transmission from the housing to the connector and reducing the risk of thermal damage.
Data Source
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AI summary
An electronic unit includes a circuit board, a connector and a housing. The connector is electrically connected to the circuit board through a lead wire. The housing accommodates therein the circuit board having an opening through which a part of the connector is exposed outside the housing, and a clearance is formed between an edge portion of the opening of the housing and the connector. The electronic unit further includes an outer rib, an inner rib and a projection. The inner rib is formed on the inner side of the housing than the outer rib. The projection is inserted between the outer rib and the inner rib.