Control Unit Housing With Integrated Plastic Seal Frame
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing housing designs for control units are not well sealed and require intensive screwing for assembly, which is not reliable and can be time-consuming.
Innovation Solution
A housing design featuring two metal housing parts with all-around flanges that are connected by a plastic frame, forming a sealed cavity without the need for screws, allowing for quick assembly and disassembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If housing sections are screwed together, then assembly is possible, but the process is labor-intensive and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the sealing function and the connecting function into a single integrated seal element that combines a sealing profile with integrated connecting elements. This eliminates the need for separate sealing components and simplifies the assembly process, allowing housing sections to be connected quickly without extensive screwing operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the connecting function from traditional screw connections and integrates it directly into the seal element itself. The connecting elements are built into the seal profile, allowing the seal to simultaneously provide both sealing and mechanical connection functions, thereby reducing assembly complexity and time.
2Reliability
If housing sections are screwed together, then connection is achieved, but sealing reliability is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the sealing profile and connecting elements into a single integrated seal element. This unified structure ensures that sealing and connection are achieved simultaneously through one component, improving sealing reliability while reducing the complexity of multiple separate connection and sealing mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The seal element appears to be constructed as a composite structure combining different material properties - a flexible sealing profile for creating seals with housing sections, and integrated connecting elements for mechanical attachment. This composite design enables both reliable sealing and secure connection through a single component.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If housing is well sealed, then protection is improved, but assembly becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the sealing function and connecting function into a single seal element, eliminating the need for separate sealing components and complex assembly procedures. The integrated design provides effective sealing protection while simplifying the overall housing structure and assembly process.
4Productivity
If assembly is simplified, then productivity increases, but sealing reliability may decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The integrated seal element combines sealing and connection functions in one component, enabling quick assembly through a single operation while maintaining reliable sealing. The unified structure ensures that sealing quality is not compromised by simplification, as the seal profile is specifically designed to work effectively with the integrated connecting elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The seal element appears to utilize material property changes or geometric parameter optimizations to achieve effective sealing through simplified assembly. The sealing profile and connecting elements are designed with specific dimensions and material characteristics that enable reliable sealing even with reduced assembly complexity.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
A housing for a control unit comprises a first metal housing part, which has a circumferentially projecting first flange, and a second metal housing part, which has a circumferential second flange. The first and second flanges are in contact with each other, so that together they define a sealed cavity. A plastic frame is molded around the perimeter of this contact area, enclosing the first and second flanges to connect the housing parts and seal the cavity.