GB1558618A

GB1558618A - Electronic devices

Info

Publication number: GB1558618A
Application number: GB3713076A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
Current assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
Priority date: 1975-09-09
Filing date: 1976-09-08
Publication date: 1980-01-09
Also published as: DE2540007A1; JPS5233094A

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO ELECTRONIC DEVICES (71) We, ROBERT Botch GUSH, a German Company, of Postfach 50, 7 Stuttgart 1, Federal Republic of Germany, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: The invention relates to an electronic device having a housing in which are accommodated electronic circuits with associated electrical plug connectors which lead out of the housing and are connectible to complementary socket means.

In electronic devices, it is necessary to protect the electronic circuits against moisture and to ensure satisfactory dissipation of the heat produced by power loss.

This applies particularly in the case of hybridized or integrated circuits for rough operation in motor vehicles.

Thus, one aim of the invention is to provide an electronic device having a housing which renders. it possible to pack the electronic circuits in a reliable manner with optimum dissipation of the heat produced by power loss, which permits satisfactory electrical connection with the power supply of a motor vehicle and which is of compact construction corresponding to the small fitting space usually available in such vehicles.

In accordance with the invention, there is provided an electronic device having an hermetically sealed housing for accommodating electronic circuitry, which housing comprises a base plate, a casing and a cover, and also having plug connectors leading out of the housing through a plug strip in which the connectors are hermetically sealed and which is secured to the housing, said strip being provided with sleeves for receiving complementary socket carriers engageable with the plug connectors.

In a development of the invention, the casing is hard-soldered to the base plate.

In order to work economically in the case of mass production, the casing preferably engages behind fixing lugs on the base plate.

Advantageously, in order to guide the plug connectors out of the housing in an hermetically sealed manner, and to be able to use them as connections for the electronic circuits in the interior of the housing and as a connection for external socket means, the plug connectors may be in the form of pins which are held in the plug strip in a gas-tight glass seal.

In a further advantageous development of the invention, the assembly of the housing and plug connectors, which is effected in automated mass-production and in which sufficiently small tolerances are obtained between the plug connectors and the sleeves, is achieved in that the plug strip is in turn welded to the housing and to the sleeves, thus ensuring the mechanical strength of the connection between the plug strip and the housing and between the plug strip and the sleeves. Furthermore, this welded connection between the plug strip and the housing, and between the plug strip and the sleeves, is conveniently sealed in the same work operation by an additional soft-soldering operation. For this purpose, the plug connectors are arranged in the plug strip such that one end of each plug connectors extends into the housing and its other end extends into the associated sleeve.

In order to keep the housing hermetically sealed after the electronic circuits have been accommodated therein, it is advantageously provided with a cover secured to the casing by inductive soldering.

The provision of the plug connectors and their associated sleeves on the electronic device, as described above, enables that device to act as a plug member which can be plugged positively to a complementary socket member presenting the aforementioned socket carriers. The resulting connection is largely protected against moisture in that, advantageously, the sleeves are provided with inwardly directed stop lugs, and each socket carrier received in a co-oPerating sleeve carries a sealing ring whichengages behind the stop lugs of the sleeve when the socket carrier is fully engaged on the plug connector.

For this purpose, each socket carrier has a vent bore and a socket which is curved inwardly intermediate its ends to form a neck for receiving the associated plug connector.

The invention is described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing which is a fragmentary longitudinal section through a plug and socket assembly embodying the invention.

An electronic device is shown in the drawing as being embodied in a plug member of a plug and socket assembly, the plug member having a housing 1 in which electronic circuits are accommodated in a manner not shown in detail. The housing 1 comprises a base plate 2 provided with fixing lugs 3. The housing casing 4, hereinafter designated "casing 4", is mounted on the base plate 2. A rim 5 of the casing 4 engages over the fixing lugs 3 for the purpose of aligning the casing 4 with the base plate 2. Furthermore, the rim 5 is secured to the base plate 2 by hardsoldering. A plug strip 7 is welded to an end of the casing 4 provided with openings 6. The plug strip 7 also has openings 8 though which extend electrical plug connections in the form of pins 9, the plug connections being arranged in a gas-tight glass seal 10 which fills the openings 8.

Each pin 9 is concentrically surrounded by a sleeve 11 and a plurality of sleeves 11 are welded adjacent to one another to the end of the plug strip 7 remote from the housing 1. Following the welding operation, the housing 1 and the sleeves 11 are softsoldered in the same working operation in order to obtain a sealed connection between the parts 1, 7, 11. One end 12 of each pin 9 extends into the interior of the housing where the ends 12 form connections for the electronic circuits (not illustrated). The other end 13 of each pin 9 extends into the associated sleeve 11. The sleeves 11 are provided with stop lugs 14.

A body member 16 of socket carrier 15 forming a part of a socket member of the plug and socket assembly is received in each sleeve 11. Sockets 17 for receiving the pins 9 are arranged in the body member 16. The sockets 17 are curved inwardly at 18 intermediate their ends to form a neck in order- to ensure a satisfactory electrical connection irrespective of differences in tolerance. Furthermore, an end 19 of an electrical supply lead 20 is secured to the socket 17.

The outer surface of the body member 16 is provided with an annular recess 21 into which a sealing ring 22 is fitted. When the body member 16 of the socket carrier 15 is inserted into the plug member sleeve 11, the socket 17 is slipped on to the end 13 of the pin 9 and the sealing ring 22 is engaged behind the stop lugs 14. Thus, the socket carrier 15 is reliably held in the sleeve 11 and the interior 23 of the sleeve 1-1 is protected against moisture. A vent bore 24 is formed in the body member 16.

The bore extends from the end face of the body member 16 parallel to the longi- tudinal axis of the latter and opens by means of a transverse bore portion 25 at the surface of the body member 16 outside the sealed interior space 23. The vent bore 24, 25 enables socket carrier 15 to be inserted in an easy manner.

After the electronic circuit (not illustrated) has been mounted in the housing 1 and has been connected to the ends 12 of the pins 9, the housing 1 is closed by means of a cover 26 which is inductively soldered into the housing 1, so that the housing 1 of the electronic device is hermetically sealed.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:- 1. An electronic device having an hermetically sealed housing for accommodating - electronic circuitry, which housing comprises a base plate, a casing and a cover, and also having plug connectors leading out of the housing through a plug strip in which the connectors are hermetically sealed and which is secured to the housing, said strip being provided with sleeves for receiving - complementary socket carriers engageable with the plug connectors.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, in which the casing is hard-soldered to the base plate.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which the casing engages behind fixing lugs on the base plate.

4. A device as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, in which the plug connectors are in the form of pins and arel held in the plug strip in a gas-tight glass seal.

5. A device as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the casing and the sleeves are welded to the plug strip.

6. A device as claimed in claim 5, in which the connection between the plug striD and the casing and between the plug strip and the sleeves is sealed by additional soft-soldering.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **.

that device to act as a plug member which can be plugged positively to a complementary socket member presenting the aforementioned socket carriers. The resulting connection is largely protected against moisture in that, advantageously, the sleeves are provided with inwardly directed stop lugs, and each socket carrier received in a co-oPerating sleeve carries a sealing ring whichengages behind the stop lugs of the sleeve when the socket carrier is fully engaged on the plug connector.

For this purpose, each socket carrier has a vent bore and a socket which is curved inwardly intermediate its ends to form a neck for receiving the associated plug connector.

The invention is described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing which is a fragmentary longitudinal section through a plug and socket assembly embodying the invention.

An electronic device is shown in the drawing as being embodied in a plug member of a plug and socket assembly, the plug member having a housing 1 in which electronic circuits are accommodated in a manner not shown in detail. The housing 1 comprises a base plate 2 provided with fixing lugs 3. The housing casing 4, hereinafter designated "casing 4", is mounted on the base plate 2. A rim 5 of the casing 4 engages over the fixing lugs 3 for the purpose of aligning the casing 4 with the base plate 2. Furthermore, the rim 5 is secured to the base plate 2 by hardsoldering. A plug strip 7 is welded to an end of the casing 4 provided with openings 6. The plug strip 7 also has openings 8 though which extend electrical plug connections in the form of pins 9, the plug connections being arranged in a gas-tight glass seal 10 which fills the openings 8.

Each pin 9 is concentrically surrounded by a sleeve 11 and a plurality of sleeves 11 are welded adjacent to one another to the end of the plug strip 7 remote from the housing 1. Following the welding operation, the housing 1 and the sleeves 11 are softsoldered in the same working operation in order to obtain a sealed connection between the parts 1, 7, 11. One end 12 of each pin 9 extends into the interior of the housing where the ends 12 form connections for the electronic circuits (not illustrated). The other end 13 of each pin 9 extends into the associated sleeve 11. The sleeves 11 are provided with stop lugs 14.

A body member 16 of socket carrier 15 forming a part of a socket member of the plug and socket assembly is received in each sleeve 11. Sockets 17 for receiving the pins 9 are arranged in the body member 16. The sockets 17 are curved inwardly at 18 intermediate their ends to form a neck in order- to ensure a satisfactory electrical connection irrespective of differences in tolerance. Furthermore, an end 19 of an electrical supply lead 20 is secured to the socket 17.

The outer surface of the body member

16 is provided with an annular recess 21 into which a sealing ring 22 is fitted. When the body member 16 of the socket carrier

15 is inserted into the plug member sleeve 11, the socket 17 is slipped on to the end

13 of the pin 9 and the sealing ring 22 is engaged behind the stop lugs 14. Thus, the socket carrier 15 is reliably held in the sleeve 11 and the interior 23 of the sleeve 1-1 is protected against moisture. A vent bore 24 is formed in the body member 16.

The bore extends from the end face of the body member 16 parallel to the longi- tudinal axis of the latter and opens by means of a transverse bore portion 25 at the surface of the body member 16 outside the sealed interior space 23. The vent bore 24, 25 enables socket carrier 15 to be inserted in an easy manner.

After the electronic circuit (not illustrated) has been mounted in the housing 1 and has been connected to the ends 12 of the pins 9, the housing 1 is closed by means of a cover 26 which is inductively soldered into the housing 1, so that the housing 1 of the electronic device is hermetically sealed.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:- 1. An electronic device having an hermetically sealed housing for accommodating - electronic circuitry, which housing comprises a base plate, a casing and a cover, and also having plug connectors leading out of the housing through a plug strip in which the connectors are hermetically sealed and which is secured to the housing, said strip being provided with sleeves for receiving - complementary socket carriers engageable with the plug connectors.
2. A device as claimed in claim 1, in which the casing is hard-soldered to the base plate.
3. A device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which the casing engages behind fixing lugs on the base plate.
4. A device as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, in which the plug connectors are in the form of pins and arel held in the plug strip in a gas-tight glass seal.
5. A device as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the casing and the sleeves are welded to the plug strip.
6. A device as claimed in claim 5, in which the connection between the plug striD and the casing and between the plug strip and the sleeves is sealed by additional soft-soldering.
7. A device as claimed in any preceding

claim, in which an end of each of the plug connectors extends into the housing and another end extends into the associated sleeve.
8. A device as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the cover of the hermetically sealed housing is secured to the casing by inductive soldering.
9. A device as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the sleeves are provided with inwardly directed stop lugs.
10. A plug and socket assembly including a plug member and a socket member, said plug member comprising an electronic device as claimed in claim 9, and said socket member presenting said socket carriers with each socket carrier being received in an associated sleeve and carrying a sealing ring which engages behind the stop lugs of the sleeve when said carrier is fully engaged on the plug connector.
11. A plug and socket assembly as claimed in claim 10, in which each socket carrier has a vent bore.
12. A plug and socket assembly as claimed in claim 10 or 11, in which each socket carrier includes a socket having a neck for receiving the associated plug connector.
13. An electronic device constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
14. A plug and socket assembly constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.