# US 2018/0180017 A1 · Method of manufacturing a control device for a vehicle > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0180017 A1 - Document ID: US20180180017A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/890,389 - Filed: 2018-02-07 - Published: 2018-06-28 - Earliest claimed: 2014-07-29 - Assignees: Magna Electronics Inc. - Applicants: Magna Electronics Inc. - Inventors: Michael Vogelbacher - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180180017A1 ## CPC - F02P 19/027: {Safety devices, e.g. for diagnosing the glow plugs or the related circuits} - H01H 37/761: {with a fusible element forming part of the switched circuit (H01H37/767 takes precedence)} - H01H 85/36: Means for applying mechanical tension to fusible member - F02P 19/023: {Individual control of the glow plugs} - H01H 2085/0275: {Structural association with a printed circuit board} - F02P: IGNITION, OTHER THAN COMPRESSION IGNITION, FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES; TESTING OF IGNITION TIMING IN COMPRESSION-IGNITION ENGINES ({anti-pollution means for internal-combustion engines F02B17/00}; specially adapted for rotary-piston or oscillating-piston engines F02B53/12; {ignition of gas turbine plants F02C7/26; ignition of jet propulsion plants F02K9/95; starting of combustion engines F02N9/00}; ignition of combustion apparatus in general, glowing plugs F23Q; measuring of physical variables in general G01; controlling in general G05; data processing in general G06; electrical components in general see Section H; {ignition coils H01F38/12}; sparking plugs H01T13/00) - H01H: ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES (contact cables H01B7/10; electrolytic self-interrupters H01G9/18; emergency protective circuit arrangements H02H; switching by electronic means without contact-making H03K17/00) ## Abstract A method of manufacturing a control device suitable for use in a vehicle includes providing a housing, a circuit board, and thermal fuse. A first contact of the fuse is soldered at the circuit board at a first solder joint and a second contact is soldered at the circuit board at a second solder joint. During assembly of the circuit board at the housing, an engaging tab of the thermal fuse engages the housing whereby 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. When the control device is assembled and in use, and when a temperature exceeds a threshold temperature so that the first solder joint at the first contact sufficiently melts, the first contact moves away from the circuit board to break the electrical connection at the first solder joint. ## Claims ### Claim 1 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; 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. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, 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. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the engaging tab is at an end of the thermal fuse that is closer to the first contact than the second contact. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first contact is between the engaging tab and the second contact. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, 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. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein, responsive to sufficient melting of the first solder joint at the first contact, the thermal fuse moves the first contact away from the circuit board while the thermal fuse remains attached at the circuit board via the second solder joint at the second contact. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein assembling the housing at the circuit board comprises moving the housing in a direction along the circuit board and engaging the engaging tab at an end of the thermal fuse. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein, after the housing engages the engaging tab of the thermal fuse while assembling the housing at the circuit board, and as the housing is moved further along the circuit board, the housing urges the end of the thermal fuse in the direction away from the circuit board. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the control device comprises a glow plug control device for controlling at least one glow plug of a diesel engine of a vehicle. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the thermal fuse comprises a metallic thermal fuse. ### Claim 11 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. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, 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. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the engaging tab comprises a curved end 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. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein, responsive to sufficient melting of the first solder joint at the first contact, the thermal fuse moves the first contact away from the circuit board while the thermal fuse remains attached at the circuit board via the second solder joint at the second contact. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the control device comprises a glow plug control device for controlling at least one glow plug of a diesel engine of a vehicle. ### Claim 16 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. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the engaging tab is at an end of the thermal fuse that is closer to the first contact than the second contact. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein assembling the housing at the circuit board comprises moving the housing in a direction along the circuit board and engaging the engaging tab at an end of the thermal fuse. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein, after the housing engages the engaging tab of the thermal fuse while assembling the housing at the circuit board, and as the housing is moved further along the circuit board, the housing urges the end of the thermal fuse in the direction away from the circuit board. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the control device comprises a glow plug control device for controlling at least one glow plug of a diesel engine of a vehicle.