Injection Molded Plastic Housing for Electromagnetic Interference Shielding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing control systems for electric or hybrid vehicles are vulnerable to electromagnetic interference fields, which can disrupt their functionality, and current shielding solutions, such as using ferritic steel or stronger actuators/magnets, are costly and complex, especially in tight installation spaces.
Innovation Solution
A protective housing with an injection molded plastic body that incorporates an interference field protective zone, which can be produced cost-efficiently and shaped to fit the control system, using materials like ferromagnetic, paramagnetic, or diamagnetic materials to shield electromagnetic interference fields, and optionally forming a Faraday cage for electrical interference, while also being connected to a heat sink for thermal management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the housing is made of ferritic steel to shield electromagnetic interference fields, then the shielding effectiveness is improved, but the production cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The housing combines plastic material with ferromagnetic particles to create a composite material that provides electromagnetic shielding while maintaining the manufacturing advantages of plastic injection molding. This resolves the contradiction by achieving ferritic steel-level shielding effectiveness through a composite that can be produced with standard plastic molding processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the material parameters by adding ferromagnetic particles to the plastic matrix, transforming a non-shielding material into an electromagnetically shielding material. This allows the housing to achieve the required shielding effectiveness without switching to complex ferritic steel construction.
2Reliability
If stronger actuators and magnets are used to overcome electromagnetic interference, then the reliability is improved, but the production cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of trying to overcome electromagnetic interference with stronger components, the invention converts the harmful electromagnetic fields into a contained path through the ferromagnetic particles in the housing. The interference fields are redirected around the sensitive components rather than fighting them with stronger actuators, reducing costs while maintaining reliability.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the housing is adapted retroactively to meet changed protection requirements, then the shielding effectiveness is improved, but the adaptation effort increases enormously
Solution Approach 1:
The plastic material with ferromagnetic particles provides a versatile base that can be adjusted for different shielding requirements simply by changing the particle concentration or distribution during injection molding. This allows retroactive adaptation to new protection requirements without major structural changes, significantly reducing adaptation effort compared to ferritic steel housings.
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 shields electromagnetic interference fields, reducing production costs and complexity, maintaining control system functionality while allowing for flexible adaptation to changing protection requirements without significant effort, and can be integrated into existing systems.
Implementation Method 1
the interference field protective zone is arranged around the interior of the protective housing and completely surrounds the interior radially. The at least one actuator and/or the at least one sensor are shielded from the electromagnetic interference fields in this way
Implementation Method 2
The injection molded body is produced from a plastic material, to which a ferromagnetic material has been added
Data Source
AI summary
A control system for a motor vehicle, in particular for an electric or hybrid vehicle, wherein the control system has at least one actuator and at least one sensor. The control system further has a protective housing comprising an interior, wherein the at least one actuator and the at least one sensor are arranged within the interior. The protective housing has an injection molded body constructed of a plastic material and comprising an interference field protective zone configured to at least partially shield electromagnetic interference fields.