Removable Protective Cover for Vehicular Control Modules
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vehicular control modules are vulnerable to damage from environmental and impact conditions during various stages of vehicle manufacturing and assembly, and existing protective measures fail to provide adequate protection against extreme exposure while maintaining accessibility to electronic components.
Innovation Solution
A removably secured protective cover with a rigid outer shell and flexible base for vehicular control modules, featuring a fluid-tight seal and adaptable design for different types of control modules, allowing for impact resistance and easy access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a protective cover is permanently encased to protect electronic modules, then protection from extreme exposure conditions is improved, but accessibility to electronic components deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The protective cover is designed with removable attachment mechanisms (clips, latches, or fasteners) that allow it to transition between attached and detached states. This dynamic design enables the cover to provide protection when attached while allowing easy access when removed, resolving the contradiction between permanent protection and component accessibility.
2Ease of operation
If minimal protection (outer cover and sealant) is applied to electronic modules, then ease of operation and accessibility are maintained, but protection from extreme exposure conditions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The protective cover combines a rigid outer shell (made from materials like polypropylene, polycarbonate, or ABS plastic) with a flexible sealing layer (such as rubber or silicone gasket). This composite structure provides robust protection against water, dirt, and impacts while maintaining ease of installation and removal through the flexible sealing mechanism.
3Reliability
If a rigid protective enclosure is used to protect control modules, then protection from impacts and environmental elements is improved, but adaptability to different types of control modules deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The protective cover incorporates adjustable attachment mechanisms and configurable opening positions that can accommodate various control module types (e.g., RCM, EBCM, SRS modules). The cover can be adapted to different module sizes and shapes while maintaining protection and accessibility features, making it a universal solution for multiple electronic control units.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments include a protective cover for a control module mounted to a vehicle surface using attachment mechanisms that extend perpendicularly from the vehicle surface. The protective cover comprises a rigid top portion having a top surface and four sidewalls configured to cover the control module and engage the vehicle surface. The protective cover also comprises a plurality of insets molded into at least two of the sidewalls, each inset configured to receive a respective attachment mechanism. Embodiments also include an apparatus for protecting a control module mounted to a vehicular surface using a plurality of attachment mechanisms. The apparatus comprises a rigid top structure configured to completely cover the control module and a flexible gasket coupled to a bottom edge of the top structure and configured to removably engage the vehicular surface surrounding the control module in a fluid-tight seal.