Interlock Connector Housing Layout for Compact PCB Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing interlock connection devices in motor vehicles require increased surface area on printed circuit boards due to the need for sufficient distances between high-voltage and interlock circuits, complicating the routing and increasing the size of the assembly.
Innovation Solution
A device with a plug assembly and a structural element that mechanically reinforces the circuit carrier, allowing the interlock connection to be established through a contact element, which can be integrated or overmolded, thereby separating the interlock connection from the circuit carrier and reducing the required distances for air gaps and creepage paths.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the interlock connection is established on the printed circuit board, then the electrical safety is ensured, but the required surface area increases due to air gap and creepage path distances
Solution Approach 1:
The device separates the interlock connection establishment into two independent parts: a plug assembly with interlock contacts and a structural element with contact elements. This segmentation allows the interlock connection to be made without routing on the printed circuit board, thereby reducing the required surface area while maintaining electrical safety through proper spacing in the three-dimensional arrangement.
Solution Approach 2:
The solution transitions from a two-dimensional printed circuit board routing to a three-dimensional spatial arrangement using a structural element that extends vertically from the circuit board. The contact elements are positioned at a distance from high-voltage circuit areas, utilizing the third dimension (height/depth) to achieve required creepage and clearance distances without increasing the PCB footprint.
2Reliability
If sufficient distances for air gaps and creepage paths are maintained between high-voltage and interlock circuits, then electrical safety is ensured, but the routing becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The routing complexity is eliminated by segmenting the interlock connection from the printed circuit board routing. The plug assembly and structural element provide a dedicated, simplified path for interlock signals that does not require complex PCB trace routing, while still maintaining the required electrical distances through the physical structure of the assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The structural element acts as an intermediary component that facilitates the interlock connection without requiring direct routing on the printed circuit board. It provides a physical medium for conducting interlock signals while maintaining the necessary electrical clearance and creepage distances from high-voltage circuits, thereby simplifying the overall routing architecture.
3Volume of stationary object
If the interlock connection is integrated into the circuit carrier, then the assembly is compact, but uniform plug assemblies cannot be used across different products
Solution Approach 1:
The plug assembly is segmented into a standardized, self-contained unit with integrated interlock contacts that can be universally applied across different products. The structural element serves as an adapter that connects the standardized plug assembly to product-specific circuit carriers, enabling both compact integration and product adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The plug assembly is designed as a universal component that can be used across different refrigerant drive products. The structural element provides the necessary adaptation to different product configurations, allowing the same plug assembly to be deployed in various applications while maintaining compact integration through its modular design.
Data Source
AI summary
A device for establishing an interlock connection contains a plug assembly and a circuit carrier. The plug assembly has two plug terminals with in each case at least one associated interlock contact. A structural element for mechanical reinforcement of the circuit carrier is arranged on the circuit carrier. The structural element is a pot-shaped housing part, and the structural element has a contact element for electrically contacting the interlock contacts.