Laser Welded PCB Housing Assembly with Meltable Side Walls
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for securing a printed circuit board (PCB) within an enclosure, such as in automotive electronic modules, face challenges in ensuring reliable and consistent attachment, particularly when using plastic components that require laser welding, which may not adequately address dimensional tolerances and component stability.
Innovation Solution
A housing assembly with a meltable material portion that uses laser welding to secure both the cover and the printed circuit board in place, where the housing body's side walls and support ribs are designed to melt and flow around the PCB, providing a secure clamp with minimal interference to components, and the cover's flange and gussets assist in maintaining the PCB's position.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If laser welding is used to secure the cover and PCB in place, then the attachment reliability is improved, but the complexity of the manufacturing process increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the attachment of the cover and the PCB into a single laser welding operation. The laser welder simultaneously welds the cover to the housing body and melts material to secure the PCB, eliminating the need for separate attachment processes and reducing overall manufacturing complexity while maintaining high reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The laser welding process is designed to perform multiple functions: it secures the cover to the housing body, attaches the PCB to the housing body, and provides sealing. This multi-functional approach improves attachment reliability while avoiding the need for multiple specialized processes
2Stability of the object's composition
If melted material is used to hold the PCB in place, then the stability of the PCB is improved, but the risk of interfering with components on the PCB increases
Solution Approach 1:
The laser welding process applies heat and melted material locally only to specific areas where attachment is needed, such as the edges and corners of the PCB, rather than covering the entire board. This localized approach ensures stable attachment while avoiding interference with electronic components mounted on the PCB
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses partial melting of the housing body material only in the regions necessary for PCB support and attachment. The melted material is applied in controlled amounts to provide sufficient holding force without excessive material that could contact and damage PCB components
3Manufacturing precision
If the second surface is spaced from the first surface by a distance at least as great as the PCB thickness, then the PCB fitting is improved, but the housing body volume increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes the vertical dimension (spacing between first and second surfaces) to achieve precise PCB fitting. By controlling the distance between these surfaces to match the PCB thickness, the design achieves accurate positioning and secure attachment without requiring additional horizontal space, thus maintaining compact housing volume
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively secures the PCB and cover to the housing body, addressing dimensional tolerances and ensuring stability with minimal contact to components, while allowing for controlled melting to optimize the attachment process and enhance the assembly's reliability.
Implementation Method 1
At least the portion of the housing body is formed of a material that is meltable by a laser welder. The printed circuit board is at least partially held in place by melted material from said portion.
Implementation Method 2
The housing body has a portion defining a second surface receiving the cover... The printed circuit board is at least partially held in place by melted material from said portion
Data Source
AI summary
An assembly (10) comprises a housing (11) and a printed circuit board (14) received in the housing. The housing includes a housing body (12) and a cover (16). The housing body (12) has a first surface (26) supporting the printed circuit board (14) and also has a portion defining a second surface (22) receiving the cover (16). At least the portion of the housing body is formed of a material that is meltable by a laser welder. The second surface (22) is spaced from the first surface (26) by a distance that is at least as great as a thickness of the printed circuit board (14). The printed circuit board (14) is at least partially held in place by melted material from said portion.