TPMS Module Housing with Thermal Expansion Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electronic and electrical components in harsh environmental conditions, such as those found in mechanical and vehicle engineering, face challenges with integratability, manufacturability, robustness, reliability, and precision due to factors like moisture, dust, and mechanical stresses, which existing technologies struggle to address effectively.
Innovation Solution
A modular design featuring a first and second partial housing with a circuit board enclosed by an encapsulation mass, where the materials have thermal expansion coefficients differing by no more than 10%, and a sealing structure that engages with a counter-sealing structure to prevent contamination, along with a flexible cable with a curved course to reduce mechanical stress.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a multi-part housing design is used to enclose the circuit board, then the integratability and manufacturability are improved, but the risk of contaminant ingress through sealing joints increases
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is divided into multiple parts (first partial housing, second partial housing, and encapsulation mass) that can be manufactured and assembled separately, improving integratability and manufacturability while maintaining protection against harmful factors
Solution Approach 2:
An encapsulation mass is used to seal the recess and joints, creating a flexible yet effective barrier against moisture and dust ingress, particularly at the interfaces between housing parts
2Reliability
If sealing structures are added to prevent contaminant ingress, then the robustness is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing function is merged into the housing structure itself through integrated sealing structures and counter-sealing structures, and the encapsulation mass serves multiple purposes including sealing and protection, thereby reducing overall device complexity while maintaining robustness
3Ease of manufacture
If materials with different thermal expansion coefficients are used for housing parts, then the manufacturability is improved, but the sealing reliability under temperature variations deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent specifies controlling the thermal expansion coefficient difference between materials to be at most 10% of the largest value, optimizing the parameter to maintain sealing reliability under temperature variations while allowing manufacturability benefits of different materials
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing structures and counter-sealing structures are designed in advance to accommodate thermal expansion differences, providing a buffer that maintains sealing effectiveness across temperature ranges
4Device complexity
If cables are routed in straight lines between components, then the device complexity is reduced, but the mechanical stress on cables increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cable is routed in a curved course instead of a straight line, which reduces mechanical stress and improves cable reliability while the curvature is managed within the housing structure to minimize additional complexity
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
This design enhances the module's integratability, manufacturability, robustness, and reliability by preventing moisture and dust ingress and reducing mechanical stress on components, allowing for easier implementation and operation under various environmental conditions.
Implementation Method 1
an encapsulation mass (filling compound), which closes the recess
Implementation Method 2
a material from which the first partial housing is produced and a material from which the second partial housing is produced have a difference in thermal expansion coefficients that is at most 10% of the largest value of the two thermal expansion coefficients
Implementation Method 3
The partial cable has a curved course in the housing between a first reference point and a second reference point
Data Source
AI summary
A module includes a first partial housing and a second partial housing, wherein the first partial housing and the second partial housing together form a recess, a circuit board disposed in the recess; and an encapsulation mass, which closes the recess. A material from which the first partial housing is manufactured and a material from which the second partial housing is manufactured have a difference in thermal expansion coefficients that is at most 10% of the largest value of the two thermal expansion coefficients, the first partial housing includes a sealing structure and the second partial housing includes a counter-sealing structure, and at least one of the sealing structure and the counter-sealing structure is configured to extend into the other of the sealing structure and the counter-sealing structure.