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US 6,881,077 B2Granted
Automotive control module housing
AssigneeSiemens VDO Automotive Corporation
InventorMichael Throum
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An automotive control module includes a plastic housing with a snap-fit metal cover. A printed circuit board is positioned within a cavity formed in the housing, and is attached to the housing with a plurality of fasteners. Resilient tabs are formed on side walls of the housing and grip a cover plate surface to define a snap-fit attachment. Once the cover is attached to the plastic housing, the printed circuit board is enclosed within the cavity between the cover and the housing. The cover includes a plurality of heat transfer fins and/or stamped indentations that form surfaces that are positioned in close proximity to the printed circuit board. The cover utilizes these fins and surfaces to form a heat sink for cooling electronics mounted to the printed circuit board.
Claims13
An automotive electronic control module assembly comprising:
- a housing defining an inner cavity;
- a printed circuit board positioned within said cavity and mounted to said housing;
- a cover plate positioned over said cavity to enclose said printed circuit board within said housing;
- a plurality of resilient members formed on said housing;
- and
- a retaining surface formed on said cover wherein said resilient members engage said retaining surface to securely attach said cover plate to said housing
- wherein said cover plate is positioned in an overlapping non-contact relationship with said printed circuit board and is spaced apart from said printed circuit board by a gap to form a heat sink wherein said housing includes a first pair of opposing outer side walls, a second pair of opposing outer side walls extending between both of said first pair of opposing outer side walls to define said cavity, and a pair of opposing inner side walls parallel to and spaced apart from said first pair of opposing outer side walls wherein said inner side walls engage at least a portion of said retaining surface.
4 more elements
An automotive electronic control module assembly comprising:
- a plastic housing including a bottom portion, a first pair of opposing outer side walls extending upwardly from said bottom portion, a second pair of opposing outer side walls extending between both of said first pair of opposing outer side walls and cooperating with said bottom portion to define a cavity, and a pair of opposing inner side walls positioned within said cavity in an orientation parallel to and spaced apart from said first pair of opposing outer side walls;
- a printed circuit board positioned within said cavity between said inner side walls;
- a cover comprised of aluminum and positioned over said cavity to enclose said printed circuit board within said housing, said cover having a body portion and including at least one heat transfer member that is positioned closer to said printed circuit board than said body portion to form a heat sink to facilitate heat transfer from said printed circuit board to said cover,
- a plurality of resilient members formed on said housing;
- and
- a retaining surface formed on said cover wherein said resilient members engage said retaining surface to securely attach said cover to said housing.
3 more elements
An automotive electronic control module assembly comprising:
- a plastic housing including a bottom portion, a first pair of opposing outer side walls extending upwardly from said bottom portion, a second pair of opposing outer side walls extending between both of said first pair of opposing outer side walls and cooperating with said bottom portion to define a cavity, and a pair of opposing inner side walls portion within said cavity in an orientation parallel to and spaced apart from said first opposing outer side walls;
- a printed circuit board positioned within said cavity between said inner side walls;
- a cover positioned over said cavity to enclose said printed circuit board within said housing, said cover having a body portion and including at least one heat transfer member that is positioned closer to said printed circuit board than said body portion to form a heat sink to facilitate hear transfer from said printed circuit board to said cover wherein said cover is comprised of a plate having an upper surface and a lower surface and wherein said hear transfer member comprises an indentation defining an indentation bottom surface that is non-coplanar with said upper and lower surfaces or said plate and wherein said heat transfer member further includes a plurality of longitudinally extending fins laterally spaced apart from each other and extending outwardly from said upper surface of said plate;
- a plurality of resilient members formed on said housing;
- and
- a retaining surface formed on said cover wherein said resilient members engage said retaining surface to securely attach said cover to said housing.
3 more elements
A method for assembling an automotive electronic control module comprising the steps of:
- a) mounting a printed circuit board within a cavity formed within a plastic housing;
- and
- b) enclosing the printed circuit board within the cavity by snapping a cover plate into gripping engagement with the housing to form a secure snap-fit attachment between the housing and the cover plate
- wherein step (b) further includes forming the cover plate from aluminum to include a body portion with at least one indentation, and positioning the indentation closer to the printed circuit board than the body portion to form a heat sink that facilitates heat transfer from the printed circuit board to the cover plate
- forming the housing with a bottom portion, a first pair of opposing outer side walls extending upwardly from the bottom portion, a second pair of opposing outer side walls extending between both of the first pair of opposing outer side walls and cooperating with the bottom portion to define the cavity, and a pair of opposing inner side wails positioned within the cavity in an orientation parallel to and spaced apart from the first pair of opposing outer side walls;
- forming resilient tab members on the each of the first pair of opposing outer side walls;
- moving the tab members away from an initial position in response to a snap-in insertion force exerted against the cover plate;
- abutting a bottom surface of the cover plate against a top edge surface of each of the inner side walls;
- and
- returning the tab members to the initial position to grip an upper surface of the cover plate;
- and unsnapping the cover plate from the housing when necessary to perform service operations.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.