Power Module Housing Sealing Ribs for Corrosion Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Circuit arrangements with power modules and printed circuit boards are prone to failure under extreme climatic conditions due to corrosion of module plate elements, pressure contact elements, and the printed circuit board, leading to unreliable operation and short service life.
Innovation Solution
The base area of the housing features opening sealing ribs around the openings for pressure contact elements, which directly contact the printed circuit board, and a sealing surface element with recesses for pressure contact elements, enhancing moisture prevention and corrosion resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the housing base area has openings for pressure contact elements, then electrical connection between power module and printed circuit board is enabled, but moisture can penetrate through these openings causing corrosion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by adding sealing ribs specifically at the openings of the shafts where pressure contact elements pass through. These sealing ribs are localized features on the housing base area that create sealing lips around the openings. This allows the housing to remain open for electrical connection while locally adding sealing functionality at critical moisture entry points, thus preventing corrosion without compromising electrical connectivity.
2Reliability
If sealing measures are added to prevent moisture ingress, then corrosion resistance improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the sealing function with the existing housing structure by integrating sealing ribs directly into the housing base area. Instead of adding separate sealing components or assemblies, the sealing ribs are formed as part of the housing itself, combining the structural and sealing functions into a single integrated component. This reduces device complexity while achieving effective moisture protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the housing base area by adding sealing ribs that create sealing lips around the shaft openings. This modifies the surface topology of the housing to include protruding sealing features, which change the physical configuration from a simple flat base area to one with integrated sealing structures, achieving corrosion protection without significant complexity increase.
Data Source
Figure 1~3
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Figure 6~7
AI summary
The arrangement has a power module and a printed circuit board (14) provided between a cooling unit and a pressing device, where the power module and the circuit board are in pressure contact with one another by a pressure contacting unit (28). The power module includes a module plate unit and a can shaped housing (24) that is provided with shafts (26) for the pressure contacting unit. A base area (30) of the housing is designed around orifice openings (40) of the shafts, where opening sealing fins (42) are provided at the orifice openings of the base area.