Method of manufacturing a control device for a vehicle

A method of manufacturing a control device suitable for use in a vehicle, said method comprising:

• providing a housing;
• providing a circuit board having a circuit element disposed thereat;
• providing a thermal fuse having a first contact and a second contact, wherein the thermal fuse has an engaging tab at an end thereof, and wherein the first contact is between the engaging tab and the second contact;
• wherein the thermal fuse comprises a metallic thermal fuse;
• soldering the first contact at the circuit board at a first solder joint;
• soldering the second contact at the circuit board at a second solder joint;
• wherein the circuit element is disposed at the circuit board in closer proximity to the first solder joint than to the second solder joint;
• wherein, after soldering the first and second contacts at the circuit board, the thermal fuse is held in a flexed state via the first and second solder joints, and wherein the thermal fuse is biased towards an unflexed state;
• assembling the circuit board at the housing;
• during assembly of the circuit board at the housing, engaging the engaging tab of the thermal fuse with a portion of the housing whereby the portion of the housing urges the engaging tab and the first contact of the thermal fuse in a direction away from a surface of the circuit board;
• and
• wherein, when the control device is assembled and in use, and when a temperature at the circuit element exceeds a threshold temperature so that the first solder joint at the first contact sufficiently melts, the biasing of the thermal fuse towards the unflexed state urges and moves the first contact away from the circuit board to break the electrical connection at the first solder joint and between circuitry electrically connected to the first contact and circuitry electrically connected to the second contact.

A method of manufacturing a control device suitable for use in a vehicle, said method comprising:

• providing a housing;
• providing a circuit board having a circuit element disposed thereat;
• providing a thermal fuse having a first contact and a second contact;
• soldering the first contact at the circuit board at a first solder joint;
• soldering the second contact at the circuit board at a second solder joint;
• wherein the circuit element is disposed at the circuit board in closer proximity to the first solder joint than to the second solder joint;
• wherein, after soldering the first and second contacts at the circuit board, the thermal fuse is held in a flexed state via the first and second solder joints, and wherein the thermal fuse is biased towards an unflexed state;
• assembling the circuit board at the housing;
• during assembly of the circuit board at the housing, engaging an engaging tab of the thermal fuse with a portion of the housing whereby the portion of the housing urges the engaging tab and the first contact of the thermal fuse in a direction away from a surface of the circuit board;
• wherein, when the engaging tab engages the portion of the housing during assembly of the circuit board at the housing, the thermal fuse flexes so that the engaging tab exerts a force at the circuit element;
• wherein the engaging tab comprises a curved portion of the thermal fuse, and wherein the portion of the housing comprises a curved surface that engages the engaging tab to urge flexing of the engaging tab during assembly of circuit board at the housing;
• and
• wherein, when the control device is assembled and in use, and when a temperature at the circuit element exceeds a threshold temperature so that the first solder joint at the first contact sufficiently melts, the biasing of the thermal fuse towards the unflexed state urges and moves the first contact away from the circuit board to break the electrical connection at the first solder joint and between circuitry electrically connected to the first contact and circuitry electrically connected to the second contact.