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Title:
AN ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE (ECM) AND MOUNTING ARRANGEMENT OF A GUIDE PLATE IN THE ECM
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO/2020/173713
Kind Code:
A1
Abstract:
The various embodiment herein provides a mounting arrangement (110) for the Electronic Control Module (ECM) (100). The ECM (100) comprises the PCB (202) positioned on a connector (104) through at least two attachment elements (102). The guide plate (108) is positioned between the connector (104) and the PCB (202). The mounting arrangement (110) is characterized by, the guide plate (108) positioned on the at least two attachment elements (102) on which the PCB (202) is mounted. The ECM (100) with the mounting arrangement (110) is also disclosed. The present invention simplifies the connection of the connector (104), the guide plate (108) and the PCB (202) in the housing (114) of the ECM (100). The present invention results in improved assembly process of the ECMs (100) with reduction in faulty ECMs (100).

Inventors:
ARTHANARI NANDHA KUMAR (IN)
MADESH RAJENDRAN (IN)
Application Number:
PCT/EP2020/053703
Publication Date:
September 03, 2020
Filing Date:
February 13, 2020
Export Citation:
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Assignee:
BOSCH GMBH ROBERT (DE)
ROBERT BOSCH ENGINEERING AND BUSINESS SOLUTIONS PRIVATE LTD (IN)
International Classes:
H01R12/70; H05K5/00
Foreign References:
US20180370460A12018-12-27
US20040166705A12004-08-26
US20030166348A12003-09-04
JPH10340764A1998-12-22
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
BEE, Joachim (DE)
Download PDF:
Claims:
We claim:

1. A mounting arrangement (110) of a guide plate (108) in an ECM (100), said ECM (100) comprising a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) (202) mounted on a connector (104) through at least two attachment elements (102), and said guide plate (108) located between said connector (104) and said PCB (202) to align plurality of connecting pins (106) from said connector (104) to said PCB (202), characterized in that,

said guide plate (108) positioned on said at least two attachment elements (102) on which said PCB (202) is mounted.

2. The mounting arrangement (110) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least two attachment elements (102) are provided on any one of a housing (114) of said ECM (100) and said connector (104), and a corresponding cavity in another.

3. The mounting arrangement (110) as claimed in claim 2, wherein said at least two attachment elements (102) are integral to any one of said housing (114) and said conenctor (104).

4. The mounting arrangement (110) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said guide plate (108) is positioend on said at least two attachment elements (102) with any one of a friction-lock mechanism and a snap-lock mechanism.

5. The mounting arrangement (110) as claimed in claim 4, wherein each of said at least two attachment elements (102) comprises a profile (304) on a lateral surface to engage with mounting holes (118) of said guide plates (108).

6. An Electronic Control Unit (ECM) (100), said ECM (100) comprises:

a connector (104) comprising plurality of connecting pins (106), and at least two attachment elements (102); a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) (202) comprising plurality of components connected thereto, said PCB (202) mounted on said at least two attachment elements (102) of said connector (104), and

a guide plate (108) positioned between said connector (104) and said PCB (202), said guide plate (108) comprises plurality of holes (116) to guide said plurality of connecting pins (106) to make a connection with said PCB (202), characterized in that

said guide plate (108) positioned on said at least two attachment elements (102) on which said PCB (202) is mounted.

7. The ECM (100) as claimed in claim 6, wherein said at least two attachment elements (102) are integral to any one of a housing (114) and said connector (104). 8. The ECM (100) as claimed in claim 6, wherein said plurality of connecting pins

(106) are bent at an angle to make connection with said PCB (202).

9. The ECM (100) as claimed in claim 6, wherein said plurality of connecting pins (106) are straight and makes a connection with said PCB (202).

10. The ECM (100) as claimed in claim 6, wherein said ECM (100) is adapted to be used in a vehicle comprising a two-wheeler, a three-wheeler, a four-wheeler and multi-wheeler vehicles.

Description:
Title: AN ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE (ECM) AND MOUNTING ARRANGEMENT OF A GUIDE PLATE IN THE ECM

Field of the invention:

[0001] The present invention relates to an Electronic Control Module (ECM) and arrangement of a guide plate in the ECM.

Background of the invention:

[0002] A patent literature JPH10340764 discloses attaching a structure of connector. This structure having insertion holes into which terminal pins of a connector can be press-fitted, an intermediate plate material made of a material having a coefficient of thermal expansion identical to or equal to that of a printed circuit board is used. This intermediate plate material is interposed between a connector housing and the printed circuit board, and the tip sides of the terminal pins projecting from these insertion holes are soldered/connected to the printed circuit board with the terminal pins which are press-fitted in the insertion holes.

Brief description of the accompanying drawings:

[0003] An embodiment of the disclosure is described with reference to the following accompanying drawings,

[0004] Fig. 1 illustrates a mounting arrangement of a guide plate in the ECM, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0005] Fig. 2 illustrates an arrangement of a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) in the ECM, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0006] Fig. 3 illustrates an enlarged view of the mounting arrangement, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0007] Fig. 4 illustrates an exploded view of the mounting arrangement using friction-lock mechanism, according to an embodiment of the present invention, and [0008] Fig. 5 illustrates the mounting arrangement using snap-lock mechnism, according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed description of the embodiments:

[0009] Fig. 1 illustrates a mounting arrangement of a guide plate in the ECM, according to an embodiment of the present invention. The ECM 100 comprises the PCB 202 (shown in Fig. 2) mounted on a connector 104 through at least two attachment elements 102. The guide plate 108 is located/positioned between the connector 104 and the PCB 202 to align plurality of connecting pins 106 from the connector 104 to the PCB 202, characterized in that, the guide plate 108 positioned on the at least two attachment elements 102 on which the PCB 202 is mounted. In other words, the at least two attachment elements 102 are common for mounting of the PCB 202 and the guide plate 108.

[0010] According to an embodiment of the present invention, an ECM 100 with the mounting arrangement 110 is provided. The ECM 100 comprises the connector 104 having plurality of connecting pins 106, and at least two attachment elements 102. The PCB 202 of the ECM 100 comprises plurality of components connected thereto. The PCB 202 is mounted to the connector 104 via the at least two attachment elements 102. The ECM 100 further comprises the guide plate 108 positioned between the connector 104 and the PCB 202. The guide plate 108 comprises plurality of holes 116 to guide the plurality of connecting pins 106 there-through. The plurality of connecting pins 106 then pass through the respective holes 116 in the PCB 202 to make a connection with the circuits in the PCB 202. The ECM 100 is characterized by, the guide plate 108 positioned on the at least two attachment elements 102 on which the PCB 202 is mounted. Alternatively, the guide plate 108 and the PCB 202 are mounted to the same two attachment elements 102.

[0011] A body/housing 114 of the ECM 100 is shown. The housing 114, together with the connector 104, encloses/covers the PCB 202, with only the plurality of connecting pins 106 exposed within the connector 104 for connection with a wiring harness (not shown). The guide plate 108 is positioned over the at least two attachment elements 102 with the two mounting holes 118 at two ends. At least two posts 112 are provided to provide support for the PCB 202. [0012] Fig. 2 illustrates an arrangement of the Printed Circuit Board (PCB) in the ECM, according to an embodiment of the present invention. With reference to Fig. 1, the Fig. 2 illustrates the PCB 202 mounted over the guide plate 108. The guide plate 108 is below the PCB 202, and hence not visible. The plurality of connecting pins 106, shown protruding out of the PCB 202, are appropriately soldered thereon for making a respective electrical connection. Alternatively, other technique known in art is used to make the connection with the PCB 202.

[0013] Fig. 3 illustrates an enlarged view of the mounting arrangement, according to an embodiment of the present invention. The at least two attachment elements 102 are provided on any one of the housing 114 of the ECM 100 and the connector 104, and a corresponding cavity in another. The at least two attachment elements 102 are inserted into the corresponding cavity for firm mounting. Example: if the at least two attachment element 102 are provided on the connector 104, then the cavities are provided on the housing 114. Alternatively, if the at least two attachment elements 102 are provided on the housing 114, then the cavities are provided on the connector 104. In an embodiment, the at least two attachment elements 102 are integral to any one of the housing 114 and the connector 104, i.e. the attachment elements 102 and the housing 114 or the attach ement elements 102 and the connector 104 are made as a single component. The at least two attachment elements 102 are provided on a flange (not shown) of the connector 104. Alternatively, the at least two attachment elements 102 are provided on arms 302 extending away from the connector 104. The guide plate 108 spreads across a width of any one of the connector 104 and the PCB 202.

[0014] Each of the at least two attachment elements 102 is a projection for insertion into corresponding cavity. The guide plate 108 is positioend on the at least two attachment elements 102 with any one of a friction-lock mechanism and a snap- lock mechanism. Further, each of the at least two attachment elements 102 comprises a profile 304 on the lateral surface to engage with mounting holes 118 of the guide plates 108. The mounting holes 118 and the profile 304 from the lateral surface of the at least two attachment elements 102 are shown.

[0015] Fig. 4 illustrates an exploded view of the mounting arrangement using friction lock mechanism, according to an embodiment of the present invention. The plurality of connecting pins 106 are bent at an angle to make connection with the PCB 202. For example, the plurality of connecting pins 106 are bent at right angle. The bent portion of the plurality of connecting pins 106 is passed through the plurality of holes 116 of the guide plate 108. The ends of the plurality of connecting pins 106 are then electically connected to the PCB 202. The guide plate 108 aligns the plurality of connecting pins 106 for connecting at the appropriate place on the PCB 202.

[0016] In another embodiment, the plurality of connecting pins 106 are straight (not bent) and directly makes a connection with the PCB 202, without any bends.

[0017] Each of the at least two attachment elements 102 comprises a projection for insertion into corresponding cavity. In one embodiment, guide plate 108 are mounted to the at least two attachment elements 102 through friction-lock mechanism or interference-fit mechanism. The at least two attachment elements 102 further comprises profile 304 from the lateral surface. The profile 304 on the lateral surface enables a tight fit with the mounting holes 118 and provide secured connection.

[0018] Fig. 5 illustrates the mounting arrangement using snap-lock mechnism, according to an embodiment of the present invention. The guide plate 108 is positioned on the at least two attachment elements 102 with snap-lock mechnism. To enable the snap-lock mechainsm, the mounting holes 118 of the guide plate 108 are provided with a feature comprising lock member 502. The lock member 502 are flexible and latches on a recess 504 of the profile 304, when pressed. Only one side of the mounting arrangement 110 is shown for simplicity in understanding. [0019] The ECM 100, in an non limiting manner, is adapted to be used in a vehicle comprising a two-wheeler, a three-wheeler, a four-wheeler and other multi-wheeler vehicles. The ECM 100 is also adapted to other applications such as home applainces, machines and the like.

[0020] A method for assembling the ECM 100 is provided. The method comprises a step for inserting the plurality of connecting pins 106 through the plurality of holes 116 of the guide plate 108. A next step comprises, positioning the guide plate 108 on the at least two attachment elements 102. Once positioned, a next step comprises, mounting the PCB 202 on the same at least two attachment elements 102 over the guide plate 108. The plurality of connecting pins 106 which protrudes through the guide plate 108, now passes through the corresponding plurality of vias provided in the PCB 202. On the opposite side of the PCB 202, the plurality of connecting pins 106 are soldered to make electrical connection.

[0021] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a simple mounting arrangement 110 for guide plate 108 and PCB 202 using the attachment elements 102 is provided. The present invention eliminates the need for two different sets of attachment elements 102, one for the mounting of the PCB 202 and the other for the mounting of the guide plate 108, whether in the form of latches or projections. Further, the resulting complex process and designing is eliminated. The at least two attachment elements 102 enables centering/aligning and as well as prevention of tolerances mismatch for welding the plurality of connecting pins 106 on to the PCB 202 at the required location. The cost is reduced and the production of ECMs 100 is increased due to reduction in faulty production. Apart from being common to the guide plate 108 and the PCB 202, the at least two attachment elements 102 are integrally formed on the connector 104 and hence provides advancement over the existing mounting arrangement 110. Ease of assembling and faster manufacturing of the ECMs 100 is achieved. The ECM 100 is also referred to as Electronic Control Unit (ECU) or a controller. Similarly, the guide plate 108 is also referred to as grid plate.

[0022] It should be understood that embodiments explained in the description above are only illustrative and do not limit the scope of this invention. Many such embodiments and other modifications and changes in the embodiment explained in the description are envisaged. The scope of the invention is only limited by the scope of the claims.