Steering Sensor Protective Cover Prevents PCB Damage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Steering sensor assemblies in vehicles face damage to conducting paths on the printed circuit board due to contact with the steering column or magnet, leading to reduced service life and increased costs from gold coating for protection.
Innovation Solution
An absolute steering sensor assembly with a protective cover placed between the magnet and printed circuit board, made of plastic, which prevents abrasion and contact, improving service life while reducing costs and noise, and allowing for a compact design with flexible locking snaps for attachment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the printed circuit board is coated with hard gold to prevent damage from contact, then the reliability of the conducting paths is improved, but the manufacturing cost and labor intensity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a protective cover as an intermediary component between the magnet and the printed circuit board. This cover prevents direct contact and potential damage to the conducting paths, thereby maintaining reliability without requiring expensive hard gold coating. The protective cover acts as a mediator that absorbs the mechanical interaction while protecting the sensitive electronic components.
2Volume of moving object
If the magnet is placed in close proximity to the hall sensor for compact design, then the volume of the sensor assembly is reduced, but the risk of damage to the printed circuit board from contact increases
Solution Approach 1:
The protective cover serves as a mediator that enables close placement of the magnet to the hall sensor for compact design while simultaneously preventing direct contact between the magnet and the printed circuit board. This intermediary component allows the system to achieve both compactness and reliability by decoupling the spatial proximity requirement from the mechanical contact risk.
3Ease of manufacture
If the protective cover is made of plastic to reduce cost and noise, then the manufacturing cost is reduced and noise is lowered, but the structural strength may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a plastic protective cover that is inexpensive to manufacture and serves its protective function effectively. While plastic may have lower structural strength compared to metal, it is sufficient for the intended application of preventing contact between the magnet and printed circuit board. The cover is designed as a simple, cost-effective solution that fulfills its protective role without requiring high-strength materials.
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 protective cover effectively prevents damage to the printed circuit board, enhancing the service life of the steering sensor assembly, reducing noise, and eliminating the need for additional fastening elements, resulting in a cost-effective and durable solution.
Implementation Method 1
a hall sensor being attached to a printed circuit board and a magnet being rotatably mounted such that the magnet is rotated upon a rotation of a steering column. The hall sensor detects a rotation of the magnet and can therefrom deduce an angular position of a steering wheel
Data Source
AI summary
An absolute steering sensor assembly (10) is provided, comprising a printed circuit board (18), at least one hall sensor (20, 22) being attached to the printed circuit board (18), at least one magnet (34, 36) being rotatably mounted such that the magnet (34, 36) is rotated upon a rotation of a steering column (26), the at least one magnet (34, 36) being placed in proximity of the at least one hall sensor (20, 22) such that the hall sensor (20, 22) can detect the magnetic field emitted by the magnet (34,36), and a protective cover (38, 40) being attached to the printed circuit board (18) such that the protective cover (38, 40) is placed between the magnet (34, 36) and the printed circuit board (18).