Vehicle Control Module PCB Dam and Partition Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
The electrical contacting of actuators in automatic transmissions is prone to short circuits due to swarf in transmission oil, requiring protective walls and recesses in printed circuit boards, which can be inconvenient and lead to loss of mounting area when using the dam-and-fill encapsulation method.
Innovation Solution
A control module with a printed circuit board made of glass fiber reinforced plastic, featuring a dam and partition wall made of the same plastic material, applied using a nozzle, which hardens to create a labyrinth effect and prevent short circuits without requiring additional process steps or mechanical weakening of the board.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If recesses are provided in the PCB for protective barriers, then short circuit protection is improved, but assembly area is reduced and board structure is weakened
Solution Approach 1:
The protective barrier is merged with the PCB surface by applying it as a coating layer directly on the board, eliminating the need for separate recesses. This combines the protection function with the existing board structure, maintaining full assembly area while providing short circuit protection through the barrier material applied over the contact surfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of creating recesses into the PCB to hold protective barriers, the invention inverts the approach by applying protective barriers as surface coatings that protrude slightly above the PCB surface. This eliminates mechanical weakening and preserves the full assembly area while still providing the necessary protection against swarf-induced short circuits.
2Reliability
If dams are placed around electronic components, then protection against potting compound flow is improved, but assembly area is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The dam structure is merged with the protective barrier coating applied to the PCB. The same barrier material that provides short circuit protection also forms the dam around electronic components when applied in a continuous layer. This eliminates the need for separate dam structures, preserving assembly area while providing both protection functions simultaneously.
3Reliability
If protective barriers are attached to the actuator, then short circuit protection is improved, but device complexity is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The protective barrier function is extracted from the actuator and relocated to the PCB side. By applying the barrier coating directly on the PCB contact surfaces, the actuator structure is simplified while the protection function remains intact. This reduces device complexity by eliminating the need for separate protective components on the actuator.
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 provides a compact, easy-to-manufacture, and cost-effective control module with enhanced chip protection, maintaining assembly area and preventing short circuits without the need for cut-outs in the printed circuit board.
Implementation Method 1
a partition and a dam made of the same plastic material, applied using a nozzle, which hardens to create a labyrinth effect
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 2
AI summary
A control module (10) for a vehicle comprises a printed circuit board (12) carrying electronic components (14) for controlling at least one actuator (32); a dam (24) applied to the printed circuit board (12) that surrounds the electronic components (14); a potting compound (26) in which the electronic components (14) are embedded and which is potted within the dam (24); and electrical contact surfaces (28) for the at least one actuator (32). A partition (30) is applied to the printed circuit board (12) between the electrical contact surfaces (28).