EP1303891B1 - Subassembly with a plug-in housing connector - Google Patents

Abstract

A subassembly for installing in a housing (2) comprises a supporting plate (4) on which a plug-in connector (5) is mounted as a separate part. Said plug-in connector (5) extends through a connector opening in the housing. A base section (5a) of the plug-in connector (5) is introduced into a receptacle of the supporting plate (13), which allows for the movement play of the plug-in connector (5) in the plane of the supporting plate (4) that is required for installation.

Description

The invention relates to an assembly for installation in a housing, in particular gear or motor housing, a motor vehicle, which comprises a support plate and attached to the support plate, designed as a separate part connector, wherein the connector is provided for, in the installed state by a plug opening to protrude through the housing.

While previously used for engine and transmission control purposes with electronic controls housed in the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle (automobile), there is currently a trend toward integrating the control electronics and associated sensors into the appropriate assembly (i.e., engine or transmission). The advantages of such fully integrated engine or transmission control are increased reliability and lower cost.

To conduct electrical signals from the gearbox or motor housing to the outside, oil-tight connectors are used. In order to ensure the assembly capability and tightness of the connector in a plug opening of the housing, appropriate measures must be taken to compensate for installation tolerances to make the plug flexible. On the other hand, it should be noted that the connector when installed high requirements for vibration resistance and long-term tightness in difficult environmental conditions (vibrations up to about 33g, temperature change in the range of -40 ° to 140 ° C, ATF oil as ambient medium) must meet.

It is already known a gear plug, the contact pins are mounted in the base area to a stamped grid, which is guided in the support plate. By a suitable design of the stamped grid and a tiltable linkage the plug socket on the support body, the plug can be flexibly aligned within a certain tolerance range. The difficulties of this solution consist in the relatively high space requirement (a certain minimum distance can be maintained between the support plate and the Gehäusemuß) and in the risk of the occurrence of material fatigue in the region of the connections between the contact pins and the lead frame.

Another known possibility is to provide a rigid connection between the connector and the support body and to achieve the required tolerance compensation by a thick sealing O-ring, which is pushed onto the connector. This solution is for compensation

not suitable for large tolerances and also does not allow optimum mechanical relief of the connector in the transition region to the support plate.

In the European patent application EP 0 908 974 A2 a transmission plug is described, which is attached via an intermediate element to the support plate. The intermediate element has a slide rail, in which the gear plug is displaceable in a predetermined direction parallel to the support plate. Due to the displaceability of the gear connector but no tolerance compensation is ever possible because the displacement is coaxial with the axis of the plug opening.

In the German utility model DE 298 08 526 U1 an electrical connector is described in which prevents rotation of the plug relative to a housing over a rotation, but a displacement of the same within certain tolerance limits is made possible.

The anti-rotation consists of two in different planes and mutually perpendicular Schlitzkulissen- and Kulis sen-engaging pieces, which require a relatively large overall depth

The invention has for its object to provide an assembly of the type mentioned, which provides a cost-effective flexibilization of the connector with respect to the support plate. In particular, the design provided for this purpose should have a small footprint.

The problem underlying the invention is achieved by the features of claim 1.

By providing a receptacle in the support plate in which a socket portion of the connector is inserted with a side clearance, a fully load-free alignment of the connector is achieved with respect to the plug opening during assembly of the assembly in the housing.

The gap width between an outer periphery of the base portion of the connector and the inner circumference of the receptacle can be sized so that no bending stresses on the connector occur even with large installation tolerances.

As a further measure, a damping ring is preferably provided, which is arranged and pressed on the connector in the installed state between a support surface on the base portion of the connector and the housing.

Through the damping ring, the connector is aligned during installation of the module with the insertion opening and fixed in the installed position.

The assembly according to the invention is characterized in that complementary shaped engagement portions are provided on receiving and plug socket. The engagement portions on the plug base and on the support plate preferably form bearing surfaces for the damping ring. In addition, a rotational securing of the plug connector is realized in the support plate by the engaging portions. Should there be a torsional stress on the connector during installation of the module or in vehicle operation, the anti-rotation device ensures that the forces occurring are already intercepted with a minimum twist of the connector and therefore do not attack the electrical leads (eg flexible circuit board).

In a particularly cost-effective embodiment of the invention, the connector via a mounted on the bottom of the connector socket flexible printed circuit board e contacted lektrisch. The electrical circuit board can be designed as an integral connecting element for distributing electrical signals throughout the transmission or engine.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, an integral portion of the support plate is designed as a housing cover for an electrical control unit, and the flexible circuit board extends to the underside of the support plate to the control unit and electrically contacts the control electronics accommodated in the control unit.

Further advantageous embodiments of the invention are specified in the subclaims.

Fig. 1

eine schematische Schnittdarstellung der erfindungs- gemäßen Baugruppe bestehend aus Tragplatte und daran angebrachtem Steckverbinder sowie weiterer Teile zum Einbau in ein Getriebe;

Fig. 2

eine schematische Schnittdarstellung von Tragplatte und Steckverbinder im eingebauten Zustand;

Fig. 3

eine entlang der Linie I-I aufgeschnittene Schrägan- sicht der in Fig. 2 dargestellten Anordnung;

Fig. 4

eine schematische Schnittdarstellung entlang der Li- nie II-II in Fig. 3; und

Fig. 5

eine schematische Schnittdarstellung entlang der Li- nie III-III in Fig. 3.

The invention will be explained below with reference to an embodiment with reference to the drawing; in this shows:

Fig. 1

a schematic sectional view of the inventive assembly consisting of support plate and attached thereto connector and other parts for installation in a transmission;

Fig. 2

a schematic sectional view of the support plate and connector in the installed state;

Fig. 3

an oblique view of the in Fig. 2 arrangement shown;

Fig. 4

a schematic sectional view taken along the line II-II in Fig. 3 ; and

Fig. 5

a schematic sectional view taken along the line III-III in Fig. 3 ,

Fig. 1 shows an embodiment of an assembly 1 according to the invention for installation in a motor vehicle transmission. A section of the transmission housing 2 with a plug opening 3 is in the upper part of Fig. 1 recognizable. The assembly 1 comprises a plastic support plate 4 and a connector 5. In an integral portion of the plastic support plate 4, a hood-shaped cover 4a is formed for an electronic transmission control unit. The cover 4 a is circulated by a sealing groove 6, which is introduced into the surface of the plastic support plate 4 facing away from the transmission housing 2. In the circumferential sealing groove 6, a molded seal 7 is inserted.

An aluminum plate 8 forms the bottom plate of the gearbox control unit. The aluminum plate 8 serves as a heat sink of an electronic circuit, e.g. is realized on a ceramic substrate 9, which is mounted on the aluminum plate 8.

The electrical contacting of the electronic circuit takes place via a flexible printed circuit board 10. The flexible printed circuit board 10 has a central recess 10a, through which the ceramic substrate 9 protrudes in the assembled state. In the lateral direction, the flexible circuit board 10 extends to sensors and actuators, which are located outside of the gearbox control unit and may optionally be mounted in the plastic support plate 4, see e.g. a temperature sensor designated by reference numeral 12. Furthermore, the flexible printed circuit board 10 extends to the connector 5.

The assembly of the unit consisting of transmission control unit and connector 5 is carried out as follows:

First, the flexible circuit board 10 is oil-tight laminated on the surface of the aluminum plate 8. Thereafter, the ceramic substrate 9 is attached to the electronic circuit on the aluminum plate 8 and by bonding wires or other suitable Contacting elements electrically connected to the flexible printed circuit board 10.

In a further step, the temperature sensor 12 is inserted into the plastic support plate 4 and the connector 5 from below (in the direction of arrow P) inserted into a receiving opening 4b of the plastic support plate 4, so that it is in the in Fig. 1 is shown position. The connector 5 has a longitudinal axis Z which is substantially perpendicular to the support plate plane XY.

In a next step, the aluminum plate 8 is attached with the electronic circuit mounted thereon and the flexible circuit board 10 to the plastic support plate 4. Through the molded gasket 7, a defined by the aluminum plate 8 and the lid 4a interior of the transmission control unit is sealed against the ingress of oil. The flexible printed circuit board 10 is performed between the molded seal 7 and the aluminum plate 8.

The aluminum plate 8 can be continued in the lateral direction by means of an optional flexible carrier element 13, which adjoins the aluminum plate 8 flush. The flex support member 13 serves to support and specify a defined course of the flexible printed circuit board 10 outside of the aluminum plate 8 and secures the connector 5 against falling out in the opposite direction to the arrow P.

Subsequently, the temperature sensor 12 and the connector 5 are electrically connected to the flexible circuit board 10. The Ankontaktierung takes place for example by means of a laser welding process. For this purpose, the flex carrier element 13 at the corresponding points openings 13a, through which the laser radiation can be directed to the underside of the flexible circuit board.

After the contacting step, the entire assembly is used in the transmission as part of the gearbox assembly. Due to the structure of the assembly according to the invention explained in more detail below installation tolerances can be compensated by a displacement of the connector 5 in the receiving opening 4b of the plastic support plate. In the assembled state, the plastic support plate 4 and the wall 2 of the gear housing in the region of the plug opening 3 extend parallel to one another and the plug connector 5 projects through the plug opening 3. The seal between the connector 5 and the plug opening 3 is achieved by two seated on the plug body sealing rings 14a, 14b.

Further, a damping ring 18 is mounted on the connector 5 in the area above the support plate 4, which clamps the connector 5 after assembly in the transmission relative to the transmission housing. The damping ring 18 causes a fixation and position damping of the connector 5 in the installed state.

Fig. 2 shows a sectional view of the connector 5 in the installed position. The plastic connector 5 comprises a plug socket 5a and a connector socket 5b attached to the plug head. In the illustrated embodiment, the plug head 5b has a neck section 5.1 with a 90 ° bend as well as an adjoining plug section 5.2. The plug-in section 5.2 is formed from a cylindrical plug housing 5.3, in the center of which a plug housing 5.3 hinausstehender central mandrel 5.4 is arranged, see also Fig. 3 , The central mandrel 5.4 is provided with a tapered centering 5.5, which cooperates with a correspondingly arranged pin of a socket (not shown). Another possibility is that the connector 5 uniaxial, ie executed without a 90 ° bend in the neck portion 5.1.

Of course, in an alternative manner, the male plug portion 5.2 may be designed as a female socket, which cooperates with an external male male part, not shown.

Plug socket 5a and plug head 5b are traversed by electrical conductors 15. The electrical conductors are formed in the region of the plug housing 5.3 as protruding pins 15.1. With their other ends 15.2, the electrical conductors 15 are exposed at the bottom of the plug socket 5a and are contacted there by printed conductors of the flexible printed circuit board 10.

The following is based on the FIGS. 2 and 3 the attachment of the plug socket 5a to the plastic support plate 4 explained in more detail.

When installed, the entire assembly is composed of flex carrier plate 13, flexible circuit board 10 and the assembly according to the invention (plastic support plate 4 with connector 5) on a hydraulic circuit board 16 of the transmission. The hydraulic circuit board 16 extends parallel and at a small distance to the wall 2 of the transmission housing.

The plug base 5a is provided with a part-circular ring base 5.6, which is provided with radial webs 5.6 '(see also Fig. 5 ), supported on the hydraulic circuit board 16. The remaining area of the plug base bottom is withdrawn relative to the ring base 5.6, so that in this area a gap between the hydraulic circuit board 16 and the bottom of the plug socket 5a is present. It is noted that the flexible printed circuit board 10 at least in the vicinity of the contact points to the conductor ends 15.2 is not fixed to the flex carrier element 13, but with respect to this free is mobile. A mechanical fixation of the flexible printed circuit board 10 takes place on the one hand at the bottom of the plug socket 5a as a result of Ankontaktierung to the conductor ends 15.2 (being provided for strain relief of the contact points on the plug bottom pins 17 which protrude through holes in the flexible circuit board 10) and on the other hand in one place, which is far enough away from the connector 5 to ensure a free displaceability of the flexible printed circuit board 10 in the connector area. In addition, for the purpose of strain relief circuit board material can be kept in the form of a circuit board shaft 10.1.

The receiving opening 4b of the support plate 4 is dimensioned so that between the edge 4.1 of the opening and an outer periphery of the plug socket 5a (in Fig. 2 is a lower portion 5.9 and an overlying section 5.7 of this outer circumference visible) a circumferentially continuous gap is present. The gap width can be approximately between 0.5 mm and 2 mm, whereby a movement path of 1 mm to 4 mm in all directions of the XY plane is realized.

As in Fig. 3 recognizable, the outer circumference of the plug socket 5a in the upper portion at height of the portion 5.7 further circumferential recesses 5.8.

Fig. 4 shows a section through the plug base 5a and the plastic support plate 4 at the height of the peripheral portions 5.7 and the circumferential recesses 5.8 along the line II-II in Fig. 3 , Distributed over the circumference four circumferential recesses 5.8 are provided. The remaining between the circumferential grooves 5.8 circumferential segments are bounded by the peripheral sections 5.7. In the circumferential recesses 5.8 project complementarily formed projections 4.2 of the plastic support plate 4, which are realized at corresponding sections on the edge of the receiving opening 4b, see also Fig. 3 ,

From the FIGS. 2 and 3 in conjunction with the Fig. 4 It is clear that the damping ring 18 partially rests on the surfaces of the peripheral portions 5.7 and the surfaces of the projections 4.2 of the plastic support plate 4. Due to the pressure applied by the damping ring 18 on both parts (plug socket 5a and plastic support plate 4) contact pressure high mechanical positional stability of the connector 5 is achieved in the installed state.

The circumferential recesses 5.8 of the plug socket 5a form with the projections 4.2 of the support plate 4 also a rotation lock. In order not to interfere with the free movement of the connector 5 in the receiving opening 4b of the support plate 4 within the tolerance dimension during assembly, the gap is set with substantially constant gap width over the entire circumferential course between the sections 4.2 and 5.8 or 4.1 and 5.7 and in particular also in the area of transitions between the sections mentioned above.

In the area below the circumferential recesses 5.8 and the circumferential sections 5.7, the outer circumference 5.9 of the plug socket 5a is circular. This lower, annular region of the plug socket 5a engages under the projections 4.2 of the support plate 4 and secures the plug connector 5 from falling out in the direction of the arrow P.

Fig. 5 shows a section through the assembly according to the invention at the level of the flexible printed circuit board 10 along the line III-III in Fig. 3 , From the plastic support plate 4, the opening edge 4.1 can be seen in the region of the plug socket 5a, the section through the part-circular ring base 5.6 and by radial webs 5.6 'runs. The two outer radial webs 5.6 'are formed only in the form of short stub. Through the lateral opening of the part-circular Ringfußes 5.6, the Flexträgerelement 13 extends under the plug socket 5a. As already described, the flex carrier element 13 is in the region of the conductor ends 15.2 with a recess Provided 13 a, through which the underside of the flexible circuit board 10 can be seen. The contact points between the conductor ends 15.2 of the connector 5 and printed conductors (not shown) of the flexible printed circuit board 10 are identified by the reference numeral 19. They can be manufactured, for example, by a laser welding step. Furthermore, the protruding through openings in the flexible circuit board 10 pins 17 can be seen.

Reference to the embodiment described above, it is clear that the invention before and during installation of the assembly 1 allows an all-round movement of the connector 5 in the XY plane defined by the support plate 4. In this case, the lowest installation depths of about 1 cm between the surface of the hydraulic circuit board 16 and the inside of the housing 2 can be realized, and there are still no bending stresses in the coupling between the plastic support plate 4 and the connector 5 when installing the module.

Claims (8)

1. Subassembly for installing in a housing, which subassembly comprises a supporting plate (4) and a plug-in connector (5) designed as a separate part and mounted on the supporting plate (4), the plug-in connector (5) protruding through a connector opening (3) in the housing (2) in the installed state, a longitudinal axis Z of the plug-in connector (5), running parallel to the axis of the connector opening (3) in the housing, being oriented substantially perpendicularly in relation to a plane XY of the supporting plate, and a base section (5a) of the plug-in connector (5) being inserted in a receptacle (4b) of the supporting plate (4) which allows movement play of the plug-in connector (5) in the XY plane, characterized in that provided on the receptacle (4b) and on the connector section (5a) of the plug-in connector (5) are engagement sections (5.8, 4.2) of a complementary form, distributed over the circumference.
2. Subassembly according to Claim 1, characterized in that, in the mid-centered state between an inner circumference (4.1; 4.2) of the receptacle (4b) and an outer circumference (5.7, 5.8; 5.9) of the base section (5a), there extends a gap of substantially constant gap width.
3. Subassembly according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the gap width is between 0.5 and 2.0 mm.
4. Subassembly according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by a damping ring (18), which is arranged on the plug-in connector (5) in the installed state between a resting surface on the base section (5a) of the plug-in connector (5) and the housing (2).
5. Subassembly according to Claim 4, characterized in that surfaces of the engagement sections (5.8, 4.2) of a complementary form facing the connector opening (3) form resting surfaces for the damping ring (18).
6. Subassembly according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the plug-in connector (5) is electrically contacted by means of a flexible printed circuit board (10) mounted on the bottom of the base section (5a).
7. Subassembly according to Claim 6, characterized

   - in that an integral section of the supporting plate (4) forms a housing cover (4a) for an electrical control device and

   - in that the flexible printed circuit board (10) extends on the underside of the supporting plate (4) to the control device and electrically contacts the latter.
8. Subassembly according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the housing (2) is a transmission or engine housing of a motor vehicle.

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