JP6375214B2 - Electronic control unit - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a housing structure of an in-vehicle electronic control device such as an engine control unit or an automatic transmission control unit.

  Electronic control devices such as engine control units and automatic transmission control units mounted in vehicles such as vehicle interiors and engine rooms include circuit boards mounted with electronic components, connectors mounted on circuit boards and connected to external connectors, It is comprised by the housing | casing which accommodates a circuit board, the sealing member etc. which ensure the airtightness in a housing | casing. The connector is displaced with respect to the housing due to a torsional force received when it is engaged with or detached from the external connector, vibration transmitted from the external connector, etc., and as a result, excessive stress is applied to the seal member. It will occur and the sealing performance will decrease. As a displacement suppression mechanism of the connector, a concave portion that protrudes outward from the connector housing portion and a convex portion provided on a counterpart side having higher rigidity than the connector, for example, a metal housing side, and the concave portion is formed on the convex portion with a predetermined clearance. By fitting, when the connector is displaced with respect to the housing, excessive displacement is suppressed by contact between the concave portion and the convex portion.

JP 2014-63868 A

  However, the connector displacement suppression mechanism is provided so that a concave portion protrudes outside the connector housing portion, and when the concave portion comes into contact with a convex portion having high rigidity, a large stress is applied to the concave portion, resulting in chipping or cracking. Can happen. In order to reduce the stress of the concave portion, measures such as increasing the thickness of the concave portion to reinforce or enlarging the shape can be considered, but this leads to an increase in connector size, an increase in cost, a decrease in productivity, and the like. . Further, in order to reduce the stress generated in the seal member due to the compression or expansion of the seal member due to the connector displacement, it is necessary to provide a connector displacement suppression mechanism in the vicinity of the application area of the seal member.

  In order to solve the above problems, an electronic control device of the present invention includes a circuit board, a housing for storing the circuit board, and a connector for electrically connecting the circuit board and an external connector. In the electronic control device, the housing includes a convex portion, the connector includes a connector housing portion that fixes a connection terminal, the connector housing portion includes a concave portion that is buried inside the connector housing, and the convex portion. Is characterized by being fitted into the recess.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a connector displacement suppression mechanism without increasing the connector size and cost. Moreover, since the contact with a convex part can be received in the whole connector housing, the stress which generate | occur | produces can be reduced. In addition, since a connector displacement suppression mechanism can be provided in the vicinity of the seal portion, it is possible to reduce stress applied to the seal member.

External view and development view of electronic control device adopting the present invention Connector displacement suppression mechanism diagram of Example 1 Different shape of connector displacement suppression mechanism diagram of embodiment 1 External view and sectional view of connector concave portion and base convex portion in Example 1 The perspective view of the connector recessed part and base convex part in Example 1 Displacement direction view of connector in embodiment 1 Connector displacement suppression mechanism diagram of embodiment 2 Different shape 1 of connector displacement suppression mechanism diagram of embodiment 2 Different shape 2 of connector displacement suppression mechanism diagram of embodiment 2 Connector displacement suppression mechanism diagram of embodiment 3 Connector displacement suppression mechanism diagram of embodiment 4

Embodiments of an electronic control device according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows an example of an electronic control device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
The electronic control device includes a circuit board 4 on which a connector 1 for electrical connection with an electronic component 4a and an external device is mounted, and a metal base 2 and a resin cover 3 that accommodate the circuit board 4 therein. The The metal base 2 is formed of a metal material having excellent heat dissipation such as aluminum or iron. The connector 1 and the resin cover 3 are molded from a plastic material having excellent strength and heat resistance such as PBT and PPS, for example. Four corners of the outer periphery of the circuit board 4 are fixed using the metal base 2 and circuit board fixing screws 6. Of the electronic component 4 a, heat generated from the particularly high heat generating electronic component is efficiently transferred to the metal base 2 through the heat conductive agent 8. As the heat conductive agent 8, for example, a heat radiation adhesive or heat radiation grease is used. A seal member 5 for ensuring the airtightness of the electronic control device fills the space between the metal base 2 and the resin cover 3, the metal base 2 and the connector 1, and the resin cover 3 and the connector 1. The seal member 5 only needs to satisfy the air tightness of the electronic control unit, and may be, for example, a liquid adhesive or O-ring having fluidity before curing. The resin cover 3 is provided with a vent hole 3a, and a breathing filter 7 that ventilates the inside and the outside environment of the electronic control device is heat-welded. The breathing filter 7 has a function of passing only air without passing water or contamination. The metal base 2 and the resin cover 3 are fixed by a heat caulking 3b in which a boss protruding from the four corners of the outer periphery of the resin cover 3 is thermoformed.

  2 and 3 show a first embodiment of the present invention.

In the present embodiment, the connector recess 1 a forms a groove structure embedded in the connector slope portion provided in the connector 1. The base convex portion 2a provided on the base 2 is structured to fit into the connector concave portion 1a with a predetermined clearance. The material of the base 2 only needs to have a rigidity equal to or higher than that of the connector 1, and may be the same material as the connector 1, for example, a resin material. The connector concave portion 1a and the base convex portion 2a can also play a role of a positioning mechanism when mounting the circuit board 4 on which the electronic component 4a and the connector 1 are mounted on the base 2, but a positioning mechanism is provided separately. It may play a role only as a connector displacement suppression mechanism.
The embodiment of FIG. 3 forms a groove structure in which the connector recess 1a is buried in the connector slope portion, as in the embodiment of FIG. The base convex portion 2a provided on the base 2 is provided on the base slope facing the connector slope, and is structured to be fitted with a predetermined clearance as in FIG.

  4 and 5 show details of the connector displacement suppression mechanism.

  The connector concave width 1b is set to be larger than the base convex width 2b. When the circuit board 4 on which the electronic component 4a and the connector 1 are mounted is mounted on the base 2 and assembled with the circuit board fixing screws 6. In addition, the clearance I9a and the clearance II9b can be secured. The clearance I9a is formed by a concave side surface I1d and a convex side surface I2d facing the concave side surface I1d, and the clearance II9b is formed by a concave side surface II1e and a convex side surface II2e facing the concave side surface II1e. The concave side surface I1d and the concave side surface II1e are provided so as not to protrude inside the connector slope portion, that is, outside the connector slope portion.

FIG. 6 shows the displacement direction when the connector receives a twisting force, vibration, or the like.
The connector 1 causes an upward displacement 11a and a downward displacement 11b due to a twisting force received when the external connector 10 is fitted or detached, vibrations received via the external connector 10, and the like. When the upward displacement 11a is generated in the connector 1, the clearance I9a becomes 0, that is, the concave side surface I1d and the convex side surface I2d facing the concave side surface I1d come into contact with each other. It is suppressed. Similarly, when a downward displacement 11b occurs in the connector 1, the clearance II9b becomes 0, that is, the concave side surface II1e and the convex side surface II2e facing the concave side surface II1e come into contact with each other. The displacement of is suppressed.

  In the case of a recess structure that protrudes to the outside of the connector slope, a large stress is locally applied to the protruding portion. In order to reduce the applied stress, the concave portion is thickened and reinforced, the shape is increased, etc., but this leads to an increase in cost, an increase in size, and a decrease in productivity. When the connector concave portion 1a is provided so as to be buried inside the connector inclined surface portion, the concave side surface I1d is in contact with the convex side surface I2d and receives stress due to the upward displacement 11a received by the connector 1. Since I1d is buried in the sloped surface of the connector, the housing is stressed at a thick portion. Similarly, due to the downward displacement 11b received by the connector 1, the concave side surface II1e contacts the convex side surface II2e and receives stress, but the concave side surface II1e is buried in the connector slope seal portion 1c. The housing is stressed at the thick part. In either case, the applied stress can be reduced.

  A smaller clearance I9a and clearance II9b can further suppress the displacement of the connector 1, but it is necessary to perform an optimum clearance design in consideration of dimensional variation, assembly variation, and connector material to be used.

  7, 8 and 9 show a second embodiment of the present invention.

  In contrast to the embodiment described above, the connector recess 1a is provided in the connector slope seal portion 1c, and the connector displacement suppression mechanism is installed in the immediate vicinity of the seal member 5 applied on the connector slope seal portion 1c. Due to the displacement of the connector 1, the seal member 5 receives a force in the compression direction or the extension direction. By reducing the distance 12 between the seal member and the connector displacement suppression mechanism, that is, by suppressing the displacement of the connector in the immediate vicinity of the seal member 5, the compression amount and the expansion amount of the seal member 5 can be reduced. The applied stress can be reduced. Since the connector recess 1a has a groove structure so as to be buried in the same plane as the connector slope seal portion 1c, a connector displacement suppression mechanism can be provided in the immediate vicinity of the seal member 5, and the seal member-connector displacement The distance 12 between the suppression mechanisms may be zero.

  FIG. 8 shows a connector displacement suppression mechanism immediately below the connector slope seal portion 1c to which the seal member 5 is applied. That is, the connector displacement suppression mechanism forms a part of the seal area. It has become. Since the groove shape is buried in the connector inclined surface seal portion 1c and does not protrude outward from the inclined surface, the connector displacement suppressing mechanism can be provided on the seal portion application area. However, when the seal member 5 is applied on the connector displacement suppression mechanism, the seal member 5 may enter the clearances I9a and II9b and other clearance portions. There is a need to. FIG. 9 shows a shape in which two connector displacement suppression mechanisms are provided on both sides of the seal member 5 on the connector slope seal portion 1c. In particular, when the twisting force received by the connector 1 and the vibration from the external connector are large, by providing a plurality of connector displacement suppression mechanisms, stress is distributed and distributed at a plurality of locations, leading to a reduction in stress received by the connector.

  FIG. 10 shows a third embodiment of the present invention.

  In contrast to the above embodiment, the connector recess 1a is not completely buried in the connector slope seal portion 1c. Although not shown on the concave side surface I1d and the drawing, at least the base convex portion 2a contacts, the concave side surface II1e only needs to be buried inside the connector slope seal portion 1c. The connector recess 1a does not need to be completely buried in the connector seal portion 1c, and a connector recess wall 13 that does not contribute to displacement suppression may be provided when the connector recess 1a is formed.

  FIG. 11 shows a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

  In contrast to the above-described embodiment, the connector recess 1a is provided in the intersection area between the connector slope seal portion 1c and the connector lower surface seal portion 1f. The connector recess 1a may be formed so as to be buried inside the connector housing. As shown in FIG. 11, the connector recess 1a may be provided not only on the connector inclined surface seal portion 1c but also on the connector lower surface seal portion 1f. good. When the displacement of the connector 1 is large, by extending the connector concave portion 1a provided in the connector lower seal portion 1f in the length direction of the connector seal portion 1f, the base convex portion 2a fitted therein is also extended. The stress applied when the concave portion 1a and the base convex portion 2a come into contact with each other can be reduced.

  As described above, the present invention has been described in a specific form. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and includes various modifications and changes without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, the concave portion and the convex portion of the deformation suppressing mechanism are not limited to the above embodiment, and various shapes can be adopted.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Connector 1a Connector recessed part 1b Connector recessed part lateral width 1c Connector slope seal part 1d Recessed part side surface I
1e Concave side II
2 Base 2a Base convex part 2b Base convex part lateral width 2d Convex part side surface I
2e Convex side II
3 Resin cover 3a Vent 3b Heat caulking 4 Circuit board 4a Electronic component 5 Seal member 6 Circuit board fixing screw 7 Respiratory filter 8 Thermal conductive agent 9a Clearance I
9b Clearance II
10 External connector 11a Upward displacement 11b Downward displacement 12 Distance between seal member and connector displacement suppression mechanism 13 Connector recess wall

Claims (4)

A circuit board;
A housing for storing the circuit board;
In a vehicle-mounted electronic control device comprising a connector for electrically connecting the circuit board and an external connector,
The housing has a cover portion disposed on the upper surface side and a base portion disposed on the lower surface side,
The base portion includes a convex portion protruding toward the cover portion,
The connector includes a connector housing portion for fixing a connection terminal,
The connector housing portion has an upper surface, a lower surface, and a side surface portion disposed between the upper surface and the lower surface and provided in a direction different from the attaching / detaching direction of the external connector,
The side portion is configured such that an outer diameter increases from the upper surface toward the lower surface,
The connector housing portion includes a recess that is recessed to the inside of the connector housing portion ,
The electronic control device, wherein the convex portion is fitted in the concave portion. The electronic control device according to claim 1, wherein the recess is disposed in the vicinity of a seal member applied to a slope seal portion of the connector housing portion . The electronic control device according to claim 1, wherein the concave portion is provided closer to the electronic component on the circuit board than a seal member applied to the slope seal portion of the connector housing portion . The electronic control device according to claim 1, wherein the concave portion is disposed on an application area of a seal member applied to an inclined seal portion of the connector housing portion .