DE10212794A1 - Plastic injection molded component, e.g. a vehicle door handle, comprises a pre-finished module which holds electrical components and which is surrounded by a soft plastic mantle - Google Patents

Abstract

A plastic injection molded component (2), containing electrical components, comprises a pre-finished module which is placed in an injection mold and surrounded with plastic. The module holds the electrical components, and is pressure and temperature resistant. The module has a core and a mantle, and sensor element(s). The module has an electronic circuit, with e.g. a flexible conducting plate, which is surrounded by a soft plastic mantle. A mantle surface(s) has an aerial for a transmitting / receiving unit.

Description

The invention relates to an electrical component Plastic injection molded part, in particular in the form of a motor vehicle door handle. The The invention also relates to a method for producing a electrical component containing plastic injection molded part, in particular a motor vehicle door handle.

In motor vehicles, it is known to arrange sensors in door handles in order to Effect door opening. Especially contributes to the so-called "keyless entry" the driver carries a chip card with him, which is by means of an electromagnetic Impulse, which is emitted by the motor vehicle is "woken up". In In such a "woken up" state, the chip card can identify signals deliver that are received by the motor vehicle. It can be one Identification of the chip card can be made as to whether this is authorized Open motor vehicle. If the chip card has the required authorization, so will the door locks of the motor vehicle in an opening standby position brought. The handle has a sensor surface. Approaches the user's hand this, in particular on the inside of the handle, on the sensor surface, opens the door lock. The handle can also have another sensor, include, for example, in the form of a button, the actuation of which Motor vehicle can be locked again.

In the known door handles, the sensor electronics and the antenna having components inserted into cavities in the handle and cast there. It is also known to only cover the components with a decorative panel. This has the disadvantage that moisture in the sensor circuit can penetrate. In addition, the manufacturing process is complex.

The invention is therefore based on the object of the generic type Object or the generic method suitable for large series further education.

The task is initially and essentially by the in claim 1 specified device or the method specified in claim 2 solved. The subclaims represent advantageous developments of the invention. Individual subclaims also have independent meaning. According to the invention it is provided that the electrical components having, prefabricated, the pressure and Module that withstands thermal loads as an insert in an Injection mold at least partially, but preferably essentially is completely encapsulated with plastic. The manufacture of the invention Plastic injection molded part, which preferably has the shape of a Has motor vehicle handle, but can also have any other shape, takes place first by manufacturing a module. This module contains the electrical components, the antennas, sensors or electrical circuits could be. These electrical components are of the module assigned that the module has stability or resilience, that it can be used as an insert in an injection mold. At the Overmolding the module with the hard plastic, which the Injection molded plastic part, pressures up to 800 bar can occur. At the Injection molding can also reach temperatures up to 300 ° C. In a A special embodiment of the invention provides that the module has a core owns and a coat. The module preferably has one or more Sensor elements. These sensor elements can be proximity sensitive or touch-sensitive. The module preferably has at least one proximity-sensitive sensor that can be assigned to the inside of the handle, for example. By means of this sensor element, the Lock opening actuation. The other sensor element, which is sensitive to touch, must be touched with will. This sensor element can on the Chest side of the handle roughly where the user thumbs on the handle sets, be provided. This sensor element can be a recess in the Be assigned to the surface of the injection molded part. This touch sensitive However, the sensor element can also have another tactile structure, for example an emblem. In a first variant of the invention provided that the module has an electronic circuit that is provided by is surrounded in particular by a soft plastic jacket. This coat is of such a quality that it can be used for injection molding occurring temperatures of the electronic component, that is electronic circuit, keeps away. It forms a thermal insulator. Furthermore the jacket has a stability that occurs during injection molding Printing withstands. The jacket protects the electronic components of the electronic circuit from mechanical destruction when molding. It is sufficient if the module is only in the injection molding mold partly preferably largely from the plastic of the injection molded part is encased. It is even beneficial if a section of the module is out of hand protrudes. This section can then have electrical contact zones, so as to perform the function of a connector. The coat that the surrounding electronic circuit is preferred by a potting compound educated. This potting compound is made at relatively low temperatures, processed, for example, at temperatures that are little above 100 ° C. When shedding The casting compound can even show slight pressure. But these are not nearly as high as those that occur when the module is overmolded Prints. You cannot destroy the electronic switching elements. While the sheath surrounding the electronic circuit is preferably made of Soft plastic, for example consisting of a hot melt, consists of the jacket surrounding plastic, i.e. the handle, made of a hard material. In a preferred embodiment can be the touch-sensitive sensor, which is preferred is arranged on the finger grip, be formed by a button. At this The fingering in the area of the touch surface can be configured Form soft plastic zone. In one variant of the invention, protrude from the module Cable out. These cables can be made in the area of the pivot axis of the handle the plastic part. The electronic circuit surrounding soft plastic sheath preferably encloses the cable leads waterproof. The carrier material that carries the electronic components can be a rigid circuit board. But it is also envisaged that this Carrier material forms a flexible circuit board. This has the advantage that Module can take a curved shape. The flexible circuit board can be used for this can be encased in a bent state or overmolded. The jacket then fixes the circuit board in this bent state. In a The second variant of the invention provides that the core consists of one prefabricated, especially rigid plastic part. This stiff plastic part is provided with at least one conductive surface section. This conductive outer surface section can be galvanized onto the core Metal layer. However, the conductive layer can also be coated. This conductive lateral surface section can Form proximity-sensitive / touch-sensitive sensor surface. Another lateral surface section can Form the screen area. Another lateral surface section can have one Sensor surface for a proximity-sensitive / touch-sensitive sensor surface form. In this variant, it is also advantageous if a section of the module formed by the partially covered molded part from the handle protrudes to form a connector with this outstanding zone. The section of the protruding from the plastic injection molded part Plastic molded part can also be coated with electrically conductive contact surfaces his. These contact surfaces are with the lateral surface sections leitverbunden.

The concept according to the invention is that in the first variant the Electronic components of the sensors and, if necessary, the buttons on a rigid or flexible circuit board are applied and for example by a Soldering process are connected to the conductor tracks of the circuit board. The Sensor areas that are required for the sensor system can be, for example, by copper-clad surfaces of the circuit board and / or by a conductive Material that is applied to the circuit board can be realized. On Ribbon cables can be electrically connected to an outside of the handle form arranged electronics. The electronics can also be inside the handle be arranged. This electronics unit is placed in a mold and covered with a hot melt material. This will make the electronics unit on the one hand, against moisture penetration and mechanical Impairment protected. The module is so stable that it easily fits into one Plastic injection mold can be inserted to with plastic material in to be encapsulated in a conventional manner. Receives this overmolding process the motor vehicle door handle its final shape. It is therefore possible to automate a multitude of operations in a manufacturing process. As a result, large quantities can be produced inexpensively. The invention also includes the variant that the printed circuit board equipped with electronic components is inserted, latched, clipped or glued into a plastic frame, an antenna is inserted into this plastic frame, locked, clipped or glued. This unit, which consists of sensor electronics, buttons and Antenna is then placed in a mold and, as above executed, covered with a soft plastic material. It is also possible to Lock button not to be trained by a button, but by one touch sensitive sensors. Then there are no movable ones on the handle Parts. Also in the design, in which the locking function by a Button is formed, the movable part of the handle can be on a Limit the rubber membrane to cover the button. The invention completely overmolded handle core or module offers compared to the state of Technology, also with a membrane to cover the button is equipped, the advantage that such a door handle designed a large Protection against vandalism and moisture penetration as well as against Offers wear. The sensor surfaces can be manufactured using the MID process become.

In the second variant of the invention, the electronic components are separated assigned to the handle by the sensor surface. This has the advantage that at Manufacturing defects in which the entire handle has been scrapped so far electronics had to be preserved because they are not an integral part of the handle.

The invention is illustrated below with the aid of a few exemplary embodiments explained.

Show it

Fig. 1 is a highly schematic form a plastic injection-molded part according to the invention in the form of a motor vehicle door handle with an injected module in a sectional view, the module comprising a flexible, equipped with electronics, cast into a soft plastic material board,

View Fig. 2 is an illustration of the embodiment of Fig. 1 in a plan '

Fig. 3, the flexible printed circuit board with components prior to manufacture of the module,

Fig. 4 shows another embodiment of the injection molded plastic part also in the form of a motor vehicle door handle, in which the circuit board is rigid and the locking function is realized by a button.

Fig. 5 is an illustration of a further embodiment in which the touch-sensitive sensor element is located rearwardly behind a recess,

Fig. 6, although the module is formed of a partially metal-coated plastic core a further embodiment of the invention, wherein the injection molded plastic part also in the form of a motor vehicle door handle having,

Fig. 7 shows the embodiment of FIG. 6 in plan view and

Fig. 8 shows the embodiment of FIG. 6 in the bottom view.

In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-3, the module is formed by a flexible printed circuit board 3 embedded in a soft plastic compound 12 . This printed circuit board 3 is shown in plan view in FIG. 3. An electronic circuit 1 , a sensor element 4 and a further electronic circuit 1 'can be seen from this roughly schematic representation of the printed circuit board 3 . These elements lie on one side of a bending line of the flexible printed circuit board 3 , which is shown in broken lines in FIG. 3. A shield 5 is located on the other side of the bending line of the printed circuit board 3 . The electrical circuits 1 , 1 'as well as the sensor element 4 and the shield 5 are connected to a control device (not shown) by means of cables 5 (not shown in FIG. 3).

To manufacture the module, the flexible printed circuit board shown in FIG. 3 is bent around the bending line shown in broken lines, so that the shielding shields the electrical circuits 1 , 1 'and the sensor element 4 . The circuit board 3 is then brought into a bent state and cast with a soft plastic mass, a hot melt. This casting process takes place at almost 100 ° C and at a comparatively low pressure. In the solidified state, this soft plastic sheathing 12 fixes the flexible conductor track 3 , so that this shaped module can be inserted into the cavity of the injection molding machine. Then the module is essentially encapsulated on all sides with a hard plastic. This plastic is able to be painted. The electronic circuit remains unaffected during this painting step.

To overmold the module, the module is inserted into the cavity of the Injection mold inserted. It can there by means of needles, which if necessary also are retractable, are held at a distance from the mold wall. The Needles have sufficient strength to flow into the module to hold the plastic.

The handle shapes shown in the entire exemplary embodiments are arbitrary. The pivot axis of the handle is shown only schematically with reference number 8 and an actuating hook for a lock is shown with reference number 7 .

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the module also consists of a printed circuit board 2 . However, this is different, as in the previously described embodiment, rigid. The circuit board 2 is also equipped with electronic circuits 1 . This circuit board 2 is also equipped with a button 10 . The plunger of the button 10 can be operated by a soft zone 11 of the handle 6 . The button 10 is encapsulated by the potting compound 12 in a watertight manner. As in the exemplary embodiment described above, cables 9 emerge from the casting compound 12 and lead to a control device (not shown).

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the touch-sensitive sensor is not designed as a button, but is realized by a sensor element 4 , which is located in the region of a bottom of a thumb well 15 . The module shown in the embodiment of FIG. 5 extends almost over the entire length of the handle. The module has a metal screen 5 on the side of the handle, which sits on a screen support 13 . At the back of the screen is an electronic circuit 1 , which sits on a rigid or flexible circuit board 3 . A sensor surface 14 , which can consist of metal, extends parallel to the printed circuit board 3 . This sensor surface 14 is assigned to the handle back so that it can detect a hand that is about to grip the handle.

The screen 5 , the screen support 13 , the printed circuit board 12 which carries the electrical circuit 1 , and the sensor surface 14 are an integral part of a module which is produced by encapsulating the aforementioned elements with a casting compound 12 . This robust module was placed in an injection mold and then overmoulded with a hard plastic.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 6-8, the module overmolded with hard plastic consists of a prefabricated molded plastic part 17 made of essentially hard material. In some areas, electrically conductive sections 4 , 14 are applied to the surface of this molded part 17 . These electrically conductive sections 4 , 14 form sensor surfaces, which are shown much thicker in the drawings for better visibility than they actually are. The electrically conductive section 4 , which is arranged in the region of the chest of the handle at the thumb level, thus forms a touch-sensitive sensor. The sensor surface 14 is located on the back of the handle and is elongated. Optionally, the molded plastic part 17 can additionally have a screen (not shown in FIGS . 6-8), which is preferably located on the side of the molded plastic part 17 facing the finger grip. This screen can also be applied galvanically or varnished. Copper is used as the preferred material for the sensor surfaces 4 , 14 and for the screen.

FIG. 6 shows that an end section 16 of the plastic molded part 17 protrudes from the plastic handle 6 . The two sides of the projecting section 16 pointing away from one another are provided with contact zones 18 ′, 18 . These also consist of galvanically applied copper. As can be seen from FIGS. 7 and 8, these contact zones 18 are connected by means of lines 19 or to the metallized zones 4 and 14 . The section 16 thus forms a connector on which a mating connector part can be plugged. Also in FIGS. 6-8 the technical conditions are only roughly schematically shown.

In an embodiment not shown, the core 17 extends outwards, as already shown in FIG. 6, in order to form a connector by means of contact zones 18 , 18 '. The outwardly projecting section 16 can be covered by a housing in this embodiment, not shown. This housing can form a hood that extends over the section 16 . A cavity formed by this hood then serves to insert a mating connector part. In this exemplary embodiment, the hood is formed by the plastic part 6 of the extrusion coating.

To avoid the use of electronic components during the encapsulation are destroyed, is in a further embodiment, not shown provided that the core was used multiple times, i.e. in different layers, is overmolded with plastic, as it were, onion skin. The plastic layer sprayed directly around the core Embodiment a low melting temperature. The outside Plastic layers can have a higher melting temperature.

In all of the exemplary embodiments described above, the touch-sensitive sensor elements 4 have the property that touching the handle is necessary to trigger a sensor signal. Simply moving one hand past the corresponding grip zone is not sufficient to trigger the sensor. In contrast, the proximity-sensitive sensor 14, which is arranged in particular on the back of the handle, has the property of emitting a sensor signal by the hand of a user even when it is only approaching, that is to say at a distance.

All of the features disclosed are (in themselves) essential to the invention. In the The disclosure content of the application is hereby also disclosed associated / attached priority documents (copy of the pre-registration) fully included, also for the purpose of describing the characteristics of these documents To include claims of the present application.

Claims (18)

1. Electrical components ( 1 , 2 , 4 , 14 ) containing plastic injection molded part ( 2 ), in particular in the form of a motor vehicle handle ( 6 ), characterized in that a prefabricated which has the electrical components ( 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 14 ) , The module that withstands pressure and temperature loads occurring during the encapsulation is at least partially encapsulated with plastic ( 6 ) as an insert in an injection mold. 2. A method for producing a an electrical component (1, 2, 3, 4, 14)-containing plastic injection-molded part, in particular a motor vehicle door handle (6), characterized in that the electrical components (1, 2, 3, 4, 14) exhibiting module is prefabricated, which withstands the pressure and temperature loads occurring during the encapsulation with plastic, characterized in that the module is inserted into an injection mold and then at least partially encapsulated with plastic. 3. Plastic injection molded part in particular according to claim 1 or method for producing a plastic injection molded part according to claim 2, characterized in that the module has at least one core ( 2 , 3 ) and at least one jacket ( 12 ). 4. Plastic injection molding or method for its production according to one or more of the preceding claims or in particular according thereto, characterized in that the module has one or more sensor elements ( 4 , 14 ). 5. Plastic injection molding or method for its production according to one or more of the preceding claims or in particular according thereto, characterized in that a sensor element ( 14 ) is proximity sensitive / touch sensitive and another sensor element ( 4 , 10 ) is touch sensitive / proximity sensitive. 6. Plastic injection molding or method for its production according to one or more of the preceding claims or in particular according thereto, characterized in that the touch-sensitive sensor element ( 4 ) is assigned to a recess or another tactile structure of the surface of the injection molding ( 6 ). 7. Plastic injection molding or method for its production according to one or more of the preceding claims or in particular according thereto, characterized in that the module has an electronic circuit ( 1 , 1 ') which is surrounded by at least one sheath ( 12 ), in particular made of soft plastic , 8. Plastic injection molding or method for its production according to one or more of the preceding claims or in particular according thereto, characterized in that the sheath ( 12 ) formed in particular by a casting compound is applied to the core at temperatures and pressures which are considerably lower than that Temperatures and pressures that occur when the module is encapsulated. 9. Plastic injection molded part or method for its production according to one or more of the preceding claims or in particular according thereto, characterized in that the jacket ( 12 ) is a soft plastic, in particular a hot melt, and the plastic receiving the module of the plastic injection molded part is a hard plastic. 10. Plastic injection molded part or method for its production according to one or more of the preceding claims or in particular according thereto, characterized by protruding from the module, in particular from the jacket plastic injection molded part or method for its production according to one or more of the preceding claims or in particular according to, water-tightly enclosed cable leads 9 ), which are overmolded by the injection molding compound ( 6 ). 11. Plastic injection molding or method for its production according to one or more of the preceding claims or in particular according thereto, characterized in that the circuit ( 1 ) has a flexible printed circuit board ( 2 , 3 ), for example. 12. Plastic injection molding or method for its production according to one or more of the preceding claims or in particular according thereto, characterized in that the flexible printed circuit board ( 3 ) is held in a bent state by means of the jacket ( 12 ). 13. Plastic injection molded part or method for its production according to one or more of the preceding claims or in particular according thereto, characterized in that a section of the jacket protrudes from the plastic injection molded part ( 6 ) and performs the function of a plug connector ( 16 ) with contact zones ( 18 , 18 ' ). 14. Injection molded plastic part or method for its production according to one or more of the preceding claims or in particular according thereto, characterized in that the core is a molded part ( 17 ) which is prefabricated in particular from a rigid plastic and which has at least one electrically conductive outer surface section ( 4 , 14 ). is provided. 15. Plastic injection molding or method for its production according to one or more of the preceding claims or in particular according thereto, characterized in that the at least one lateral surface section ( 4 , 14 ) is galvanized onto the core ( 17 ). 16. Plastic injection molding or method for its production according to one or more of the preceding claims or in particular according thereto, characterized in that the at least one lateral surface section ( 4 , 14 ) is coated onto the core with an electrically conductive lacquer. 17. Plastic injection molding or method for its production according to one or more of the preceding claims or in particular according thereto, characterized in that the at least one lateral surface section ( 4 , 14 ) forms an antenna for a transmitter / receiver device arranged remote from the plastic injection molding ( 6 ). 18. Plastic injection molding or method for its production according to one of the several of the preceding claims or in particular according thereto, characterized in that the at least one lateral surface section ( 4 , 14 ) with a conductive connection ( 19 , 29 ) which is likewise galvanized or coated onto the core , is conductively connected to the contact zones ( 18 , 18 ') of the connector section ( 16 ).