Motor Cover Connector Mounting for Damage-Free ECU Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing motor designs face productivity issues due to connector damage during assembly with the electronic control unit (ECU) of a vehicle, requiring additional processes to form gaps and reduce productivity.
Innovation Solution
A motor design featuring a connector with a grommet made of rubber, press-fitted into a groove on a cover protrusion, and electrically connected to a circuit board, allowing for movability and secure coupling without damage, using a press-fitting method to prevent connector damage during assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the connector is rigidly fixed to the housing without a cover protrusion, then the assembly process is simpler, but the connector is damaged during coupling with the ECU
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is divided into two separate parts: the main housing and the cover. The cover is detachably coupled to the housing via a snap-fit connection, allowing the connector to be protected during assembly while maintaining overall structural integrity. This segmentation enables the cover to be removed or adjusted independently if needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The cover acts as an intermediary protective element between the connector and the external environment. It provides a cushioning effect during the coupling process with the ECU, preventing direct impact on the connector terminals while still allowing electrical connection to be established.
2Reliability
If an additional gap formation process is added to protect the connector, then connector damage is prevented, but productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The cover is pre-assembled with the connector in a protected state before final housing assembly. The snap-fit design allows the cover to be quickly attached and detached without requiring additional gap formation steps or specialized tools, maintaining productivity while ensuring connector protection during ECU coupling.
Solution Approach 2:
The cover's snap-fit design with protrusions and grooves enables self-aligning and self-securing during assembly. The elastic deformation of the cover body automatically creates the necessary gap space when coupled with the housing, eliminating the need for separate gap formation operations and reducing assembly steps.
3Reliability
If the connector is made movable using a rubber grommet, then coupling with ECU is safer, but the connector positioning precision decreases
Solution Approach 1:
A rubber grommet is used as a flexible protective element that surrounds the connector terminals. The rubber material provides elastic cushioning during coupling with the ECU, absorbing impact forces while maintaining adequate positioning through friction and geometric constraints. This flexible protection allows safe coupling without compromising essential positioning accuracy.
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 motor's connector is securely coupled to the ECU without damage, ensuring movability and preventing assembly-related issues, thereby enhancing productivity and reliability.
Implementation Method 1
the connector is coupled to a groove formed in the cover protrusion using the grommet through a press-fitting method
Implementation Method 2
The grommet may be formed of a rubber material
Data Source
AI summary
An embodiment relates to a motor comprising: a shaft; a rotor coupled to the shaft; a stator disposed outside the rotor; a housing for accommodating the rotor and the stator; a cover arranged above the housing; a circuit board arranged under the cover; and a connector electrically connected to the circuit board, wherein the cover comprises a cover body and a cover protrusion protruding from a lower portion of the cover body in an axial direction, the connector comprises a connector body and a grommet disposed at a side of the connector body, and the connector is fitted into a groove formed in the cover protrusion by using the grommet. Accordingly, the motor can be movably arranged on the cover.