Guide Insulation Plate Structure for Compact High-Voltage PCB Assembly

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing high-voltage devices face challenges in assembly complexity, space utilization, weight, and operational safety, particularly in high-power electronic components, requiring improved structural designs for mechanical durability, electromagnetic compatibility, and heat dissipation.

Innovation Solution

A guide and insulation plate with a plate-like section and embedded insertion aids, featuring thin-walled and thick-walled areas, provides electrical insulation and alignment during assembly, allowing for compact design and efficient space use while maintaining mechanical stability and thermal management.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a guide and insulation plate is integrated between the printed circuit board and mounting bracket, then electrical insulation and alignment are improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveelectrical insulationVSAvoidstructural complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The guide and insulation plate combines multiple functions into a single component: electrical insulation between the printed circuit board and mounting bracket, alignment guidance through embedded insertion aids, and mechanical support. This merging resolves the contradiction by providing reliable electrical insulation while avoiding the complexity of multiple separate components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The guide and insulation plate serves multiple purposes simultaneously: it provides electrical insulation, mechanical alignment through funnel-shaped insertion aids, and structural support. This multi-functionality allows a single component to address multiple requirements, improving reliability without proportionally increasing complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Ease of operation

If insertion aids are embedded in the guide and insulation plate, then assembly ease is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveassembly easeVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The insertion aids are pre-formed as funnel-shaped structures embedded in the guide and insulation plate during manufacturing. This preliminary formation of alignment features simplifies the assembly process, as the insertion aids automatically guide contact pins into their correct positions without requiring additional alignment steps or complex assembly procedures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The funnel-shaped insertion aids utilize geometric parameter changes in the plate thickness and shape to provide alignment guidance. The varying thickness and curved surfaces of the insertion aids create natural guiding paths for the contact pins, transforming the manufacturing process into a simpler operation during assembly.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Weight of moving object

If thin-walled areas are formed in the plate-like section, then weight is reduced, but mechanical strength decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveweightVSAvoidmechanical strength
Core Design Contradiction:
Weight of moving objectVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The guide and insulation plate features non-uniform wall thickness with thin-walled areas in specific locations and thicker-walled areas in other locations. The thin-walled areas reduce overall weight, while the thicker-walled areas provide necessary mechanical strength and structural support. This local variation in quality allows optimization of the weight-strength trade-off.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The guide and insulation plate may utilize composite material structures combining materials with different properties to achieve both low weight and high strength. The plate-like section can incorporate reinforcement elements or layered composite structures that provide mechanical strength where needed while maintaining overall lightweight design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

4Area of stationary object

If the guide and insulation plate is designed for compact arrangement, then space utilization is improved, but heat dissipation capability worsens

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespace utilizationVSAvoidheat dissipation
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The guide and insulation plate utilizes the third dimension (thickness) to provide electrical insulation and structural support, allowing the plate to be positioned close to the printed circuit board without compromising heat dissipation. The vertical dimension enables compact horizontal arrangement while maintaining thermal management capabilities through the plate's thickness and material properties.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentEP4709061A1Guide and insulation plate for a high-voltage electronic device, high-voltage electronic device having a guide and insulation plate, and method for producing a high-voltage electronic device
Publication Date: 2026.03.11 VOLKSWAGEN AG
  • EP4709061A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4709061A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4709061A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a guide and insulating plate (10) for an electronic high-voltage device (12) comprising a printed circuit board, wherein the guide and insulating plate (10) has a plate-like section (14) and a plurality of insertion aids (16) embedded in the plate-like section (14). The object of the invention is to provide a guide and insulating plate for an electronic high-voltage device that enables particularly easy assembly and with which, at the same time, the available installation space can be used particularly efficiently. This object is achieved by the fact that the plate-like section (14) has locally formed thin-walled areas (18) and thick-walled areas (20).