Electronics Unit Sealing Arrangement for Moisture Protection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electromotor designs face issues with unreliable tightness, moisture penetration, and high complexity due to multiple sealing planes and plug connections, leading to increased costs and risk of damage during handling and transport.

Innovation Solution

A sealed electronics unit with a reduced number of contact transitions and sealing planes, featuring an interface structural group on a printed circuit board that is sealed against the electronics housing, allowing for external preparation and direct plugging of connection plug connectors, and incorporating a connection box with integrated seals and a dismountable cover for enhanced protection.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If multiple sealing planes and plug connections are used to ensure tightness, then the sealing reliability is improved, but the device complexity and manufacturing cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesealing reliabilityVSAvoidnumber of sealing planes and plug connections

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple sealing functions into a single integrated sealing arrangement that seals both the interface area and the plug interface simultaneously. This merging of sealing functions reduces the number of separate sealing planes and plug connections while maintaining comprehensive sealing reliability across all critical interfaces.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The sealing arrangement is designed to perform multiple sealing functions universally - it seals the interface area between the interface structural group and electronics housing, and also seals the plug interface where connection plug connectors are inserted. This multi-functional sealing approach eliminates the need for separate sealing mechanisms for different interfaces.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If multiple sealing planes and plug connections are used to ensure tightness, then the sealing reliability is improved, but the manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesealing reliabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

By merging multiple sealing functions into a single integrated sealing arrangement, the patent reduces the total number of components that need to be manufactured, assembled, and quality-checked. This consolidation directly lowers manufacturing costs while maintaining the same level of sealing reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts the essential sealing function from multiple separate sealing mechanisms and concentrates it into a single sealing arrangement. This extraction eliminates redundant components and simplifies the manufacturing process, reducing costs associated with producing and assembling multiple sealing elements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Ease of operation

If connection plug connectors are prepared externally and directly plugged in, then the assembly process is simplified, but the risk of contact damage during handling increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveassembly processVSAvoidrisk of contact damage

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing arrangement is designed to provide protective cushioning for the contact areas of the interface structural group before the connection plug connectors are inserted. This beforehand protection prevents damage to the contacts during external preparation and handling, while still allowing for simplified external assembly.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

Solution Approach 2:

The interface structural group is pre-configured with the sealing arrangement in place before the connection plug connectors are inserted. This preliminary sealing setup ensures that contacts are protected from the outset during external preparation, reducing the risk of damage while maintaining ease of assembly.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

4Ease of manufacture

If a reduced number of contact transitions is used, then the manufacturing cost is reduced, but the sealing reliability may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing costVSAvoidsealing reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the sealing of multiple interfaces into a single sealing arrangement, effectively compensating for the reduced number of contact transitions. By concentrating sealing functions, the design maintains sealing reliability across all interfaces even with fewer contact transitions, thereby reducing manufacturing cost without compromising reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS10306792B2Electronics unit

Publication Date: 2019.05.28 EBM PAPST MULFINGEN GMBH & CO KG

AI summary

An electronics unit and an electromotor with such an electronics unit is provided with a sealing arrangement which seals an interface structural group mounted on a printed circuit board against an inside of the electronics housing as well as on the front side in the area of the plug interface in such a manner that the inside of the electronics housing is sealed against the entrance of a liquid even in the not-in-use state of a connection box of the electronics unit.