Patent Application
20240206098
Various example embodiments generally relate to the field of manufacturing. In particular, some example embodiments relate to manufacturing of a casing and providing an improved casing configured for housing, for example, electronics.
Electronics may be housed in various types of casings. The casings may be configured to protect delicate electronic components from dust, moisture, and impacts. Different devices may require a different degree of protection depending on the needed reliability and harshness of the operating environment. Properties of the casings may be limited in terms of cost, materials, and by their manufacturing process.
This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the detailed description. This summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.
Example embodiments provide an improved process for manufacturing a casing suitable for protection of electronics. The casing may be seamed with injection moulding such that the casing is hermetically sealed. The casing and the moulding material used for injection moulding may comprise a same material, such as an elastomer, which may enhance protective properties of the casing.
According to a first aspect, a method for encapsulation is provided. The method may comprise forming a casing by connecting at least a first casing component and a second casing component, wherein at least one of the first casing component or the second casing component is shaped to provide a sealing groove along a seam between the first casing component and the second casing component; and hermetically sealing the seam by filling the sealing groove by injection moulding. This enables, that a durable and impermeable seal may be provided for an encapsulation casing. The casing may be uniform such that it does not comprise any moving parts. By injection moulding the seam, also elastic materials may be used for manufacturing the casing. Further, a nontoxic material may be used for sealing the seam which improves safety at the manufacturing site as well as decreases environmental impact. The provided manufacturing method is simple yet enables manufacturing of casings with increased protective properties, for example, for encapsulation of electronics.
According to an embodiment, a cross-section of the sealing groove is determined based on dimensions of the casing such that the sealing groove is filled with a sufficient amount of material to melt the first and the second casing component together by the injection moulding. Hence, a required temperature for sealing the seam may be provided with a design of the sealing groove, wherein the injection molded material may not cool down too quickly.
According to an embodiment, in addition or alternatively, a cross-section of the sealing groove is substantially semi-circular. This provides good mould geometry for the injection moulding.
According to an embodiment, in addition or alternatively, the first casing component, the second casing component and the injection moulding comprise a same material. Hence, the injection moulded seam enables that the whole casing may be manufactured from a single material to provide a truly uniform component.
According to an embodiment, in addition or alternatively, at least one of the first or the second casing component comprises a different material than the injection moulding and wherein the materials have good adhesion to each other. Hence, casings manufactured from a plurality of materials may be hermetically sealed using the injection moulded seam. The injection moulded seam is suitable for a variety of casings and, hence, more durable and/or environmentally friendly encapsulation may be provided for products requiring different properties from the casing.
According to an embodiment, in addition or alternatively, at least one of the first casing component or the second casing component comprises an elastomer. Hence, injection moulding the seam enables using elastomers for the casing which enables providing casings with improved resistance for impacts, temperature and chemicals.
According to an embodiment, in addition or alternatively, the method may comprise inserting an electronics assembly inside the casing before the sealing. This enables providing an encapsulated electronics assembly, wherein the injection moulding seamed casing provides improved protection of the electronics assembly.
According to an embodiment, in addition or alternatively, the method may comprise potting the electronics assembly before inserting the electronics assembly inside the casing, and wherein a size of the potted electronics assembly substantially corresponds to the size of the casing. Hence, protection of the electronics may be further increased with the potting matching the casing.
According to an embodiment, in addition or alternatively, the first casing component comprises wiring for the electronics assembly extending outside the casing, and wherein the first casing component and the wiring are made by injection moulding such that the wiring is hermetically sealed to the second casing component. Hence, the second casing component may function as an adapter enabling connecting the electronics assembly to an external device or system while the casing remains hermetically sealed.
According to a second aspect, a casing for encapsulation is provided. The casing may comprise at least a first casing component connected to a second casing component to form the casing, wherein the first casing component and the second casing component are configured to form a sealing groove along a seam between the first casing component and the second casing component, and wherein the first casing component and the second casing component are hermetically sealed from the seam by filling the sealing groove by injection moulding. This enables, that a durable casing with an impermeable seal may be provided for encapsulation. The casing may be uniform such that it does not comprise any moving parts. Further, a nontoxic material may be used for moulding the seam which improves safety at the manufacturing site as well as decreases environmental impact. The casing may have improved protective properties, for example, for encapsulation of electronics.
According to an embodiment, the first casing component may comprise wiring configured to be coupled to an electronics assembly encapsulated by the casing and extending outside the casing, and wherein the wiring is hermetically sealed with the first casing component by injection moulding.
According to an embodiment, in addition or alternatively, the casing may encapsulate an electronics assembly.
According to a third aspect, there is provided a casing component for use in a method according to the first aspect, comprising at least one wall, wherein at least one edge of the at least one wall comprises a groove extending outward from the at least one edge, the groove configured to form a sealing groove for injection moulding when coupled with a groove of another casing component to hermetically seal the casing components together from a seam between the grooves by the injection moulding.
In an embodiment, the at least one wall further comprises at least one inlet for wiring.
According to a fourth aspect, a mould for moulding a casing component according to the third aspect, comprising a plurality of mould parts configured to provide a moulding cavity when attached together for forming the casing component by injection moulding.
Many of the attendant features will be more readily appreciated as they become better understood by reference to the following detailed description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings.
The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the example embodiments and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate example embodiments and together with the description help to explain the example embodiments. In the drawings:
Reference will now be made in detail to example embodiments, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The detailed description provided below in connection with the appended drawings is intended as a description of the present examples and is not intended to represent the only forms in which the present example may be constructed or utilized. The description sets forth the functions of the example and the sequence of operations for constructing and operating the example. However, the same or equivalent functions and sequences may be accomplished by different examples.
An assembly may be encapsulated by closing a casing of the assembly using, for example, screws or other mechanical fastening means, adhesive, ultrasonic welding, or hot plate welding. However, these alternatives are not ideal or suitable in many cases for sufficient protection. For example, screw fastening may not enable the casing to be hermetically sealed. Use of adhesives may be problematic due to environmental and health reasons because of their toxicity. In addition, adhesives or mechanical fastening means may not be reliable, as the screws may loosen or the adhesives embrittle when exposed to extreme temperatures, moisture, chemical fluids, and/or outdoor weathering. Furthermore, ultrasonic welding may not be suitable for all materials, such as elastomers, and heating plates may not be used for hot plate welding with inserts, e.g. items around which the moulding is made, which limits the choice of materials and achievable properties for the casing.
An objective of the disclosure is to provide a casing for encapsulation of electronics assembly and a method for manufacturing said casing. Advantageously, the casing may be manufactured by sealing the casing with injection moulding. This enables, that the casing may be manufactured from elastomers which improves protective properties of the casing. Use of elastomers may improve resistance of the casing for impacts compared to, for example, use of rigid plastics. Further, the elastomers enable use of the casing in a wider temperature range, compared to the rigid plastics which tend to embrittle in sub-zero conditions. In addition, the injection moulded seam provides a highly durable hermetical seal for the casing compared to other methods to close the seam, such as adhesives. Further, chemical resistance of the casing may be improved with the elastomers.
In general, injection moulding refers to a manufacturing process for producing parts by injecting molten material into a mould. Injection moulding may be performed with a host of materials mainly including metals (for which the process is called die-casting), glasses, elastomers, confections, and most commonly thermoplastic and thermosetting polymers. A casing may refer to a portable container for enclosing something, such as electronics or devices.
The disclosed manufacturing process of a casing enables providing an improved protective encapsulation for any component or system. In particular, reliable protection of assemblies comprising electronics may be provided. In an embodiment, the casing may be configured to enclose potted electronics to further improve protection of the electronics.
In an embodiment, the first casing component 100 may comprise one or more inlets for wiring. In addition, the first casing component 100 may comprise one or more wires 104. Hence, the first casing component 100 may function as an adapter configured to connect wires to an assembly housed by the casing. The first casing component 100 may be configured for joining parts or devices having different sizes and/or designs and enabling them to be fitted or to work together. The wires may be injection moulded to the first casing component 100, or the wires 104 may be injection moulded with the first casing component 100, in order to hermetically seal them with the first casing component 100. The wires 104 may extend from one side of the first casing component 100 to be coupled to a power supply. The wires 104 may comprise connectors 106 on an opposite side of the first casing component 100 than the power supply side. The connectors 106 may comprise, for example, end of the wires for soldering, flag connectors, terminals, or the like.
In an embodiment, a casing component, such as the first or the second casing component, may comprise at least one wall, wherein at least one edge of the at least one wall comprises a groove extending outward from the at least one edge. The casing component may comprise a plurality of walls and edges of the wall located at an opening of the casing component may be grooved. The groove is configured to form a sealing groove for injection moulding when coupled with a groove of another casing component to hermetically seal the casing components together from a seam between the grooves by the injection moulding. The casing component may be injection moulded using a mould comprising a plurality of mould parts configured to provide one or more moulding cavities when attached together for forming the casing component by the injection moulding. The mould may comprise an injection port in the mould for introducing mouldable plastics material into the cavity.
Position of the seam at the sealing groove may be selected such that the seam is covered when the sealing groove is filled during injection moulding. A material used for sealing the seam with the injection moulding may comprise any material with sufficient adhesion properties with the material (s) of the first and the second casing component. The material used for the injection moulding may comprise an elastomer. In an embodiment, each of the first casing component, the second casing component and the material used for injection moulding may comprise an elastic material, such as an elastomer.
By injection moulding the seam 500, the casing 400 may be hermetically sealed. The seam may be injection moulded from the outside of the casing. In addition, the casing 400 may be made of one uniform material when each of the first casing component 100, the second casing component 200 and the injection moulding filled sealing groove 402 comprises the same material. Advantageously, the material may be an elastomer. Hence, the casing may be hermetically sealed without using, for example, toxic adhesives. Further, the use of flexible elastomers for the casing may increase resistance of the casing towards impacts and provide improved durability in a wide temperature range including extreme sub-zero temperatures, such as at least −40° C.
In an embodiment, an elastomer used for at least one of the first casing component, the second casing component or the injection moulding may comprise TPE (thermoplastic elastomer). Generally, TPEs have high elasticity of rubber and plastic injection moldability and excellent processability. Further, there is no need for vulcanization, and TPE may be able to be recycled for cost reduction. TPE may be moulded with a variety of base materials, wherein the base material and TPE have good adhesion with one other. Examples of base materials may comprise, for example, polyolefins (e.g. PP, PE) and other polymers such as PC, PS ABS, polyamides, polystyrenes, polyacrylates, copolyesters, polyacetals, acrylonitrile styrene acrylate copolymers (ASA), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), polyphenylene oxide (PPO), and blends thereof. Further, TPE may have excellent electrical and mechanical properties and good chemical resistance to chemicals used, for example, at airfields. In addition, TPE may have very good resistance to weathering, resistance to fatigue and to effects of temperature below 135° C., and its insulation may withstand UV-radiation and ozone exposure. Still further, TPE is environmentally friendly, non-toxic, and safe to be used in manufacturing.
At 800, the method may comprise forming the casing by connecting at least a first casing component and a second casing component. The first and the second casing component may be hollow such that they are closed from one end and open from one end. The first and the second casing component may be coupled from their open ends such that casing suitable for encapsulation of electronics assembly is formed. Alternatively, the first casing component may be a solid component, such as a lid for closing the hollow second casing component. At least one of the first casing component or the second casing component may comprise or is configured to form a sealing groove or a cavity which enables sealing the first and the second casing component from a seam between the first and the second casing component with injection moulding. The first and the second casing component may comprise grooves configured to form the sealing groove when combined. Dimension and geometry of the sealing groove or cavity may depend on dimensions and material of the first and the second casing components. The sealing groove or cavity may extend along whole length of the seam such that the casing may be hermetically sealed by filling the sealing groove or cavity with injection moulding.
In an embodiment, the first and the second casing component may be fixedly coupled from at least one side shared by the open ends. For example, the first and the second casing component may be injection moulded as one piece, wherein the piece comprises two components connected from at least one side such that the piece may be filled with something, such as electronics, and then sealed from the remaining open sides.
At 802, the method may comprise hermetically sealing the seam between the first casing component and the second casing component by injection moulding. This may result in a seamless combination of the first and the second casing component providing a single hermetically sealed casing. The injection moulding may be performed from outside of the casing. A material used for the injection moulding may be selected based on its bonding strength properties to the substrate, i.e. the casing, to ensure good adhesion. Two materials having good adhesion may be firmly attached together such that the bond is not easily breakable. Moulding parameters, such as temperature, pressure and injection speed, and a machine used for the injection moulding may depend on the used material and parameters of the casing such as its size and material. The sealing groove or cavity may extend along whole length of the seam such that the casing may be hermetically sealed by filling the sealing groove or cavity with injection moulding.
The casing may be used for encapsulation of electronics in order to provide enhanced protection for the electronics. The electronics may be wireless, or the first casing component may comprise one or more inlets and/or wires for connecting the electronics to external devices. In an embodiment, the wires may be hermetically sealed with the first casing component. In an embodiment, the casing and the moulded seam may be manufactured from one or more elastomers. This enables, that the casing may provide better shielding for impacts and a variety of temperatures compared to, for example, a casing manufactured from rigid plastic. In particular, the casing is suitable for use in extreme environments, such as at airports having varying weather conditions with temperatures between −40-+80° ° C., and requirements for high durability and reliability. The casing and the method for manufacturing said casing provides a simple yet a robust, a secure and a cost-effective alternative for encapsulation.
Further features of the method (s) directly result for example from functionalities of the casings, casing components, and devices described throughout the specification and in the appended claims and are therefore not repeated here. Different variations of the method (s) may be also applied, as described in connection with the various example embodiments. It is obvious to a person skilled in the art that with the advancement of technology, the basic idea of the disclosure may be implemented in various ways. The disclosure and the embodiments are thus not limited to the examples described above, instead they may vary within the scope of the claims.
An apparatus may be configured to perform or cause performance of any aspect of the method (s) described herein. Further, an apparatus may comprise means for performing any aspect of the method (s) described herein.
Any range or device value given herein may be extended or altered without losing the effect sought. Also, any embodiment may be combined with another embodiment unless explicitly disallowed.
Although the subject matter has been described in language specific to structural features and/or acts, it is to be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts described above. Rather, the specific features and acts described above are disclosed as examples of implementing the claims and other equivalent features and acts are intended to be within the scope of the claims.
It will be understood that the benefits and advantages described above may relate to one embodiment or may relate to several embodiments. The embodiments are not limited to those that solve any or all of the stated problems or those that have any or all of the stated benefits and advantages. It will further be understood that reference to ‘an’ item may refer to one or more of those items.
The operations of the methods described herein may be carried out in any suitable order, or simultaneously where appropriate. Additionally, individual blocks may be deleted from any of the methods without departing from the scope of the subject matter described herein. Aspects of any of the embodiments described above may be combined with aspects of any of the other embodiments described to form further embodiments without losing the effect sought.
The term ‘comprising’ is used herein to mean including the method, blocks, or elements identified, but that such blocks or elements do not comprise an exclusive list and a method or apparatus may contain additional blocks or elements.
Although subjects may be referred to as ‘first’ or ‘second’ subjects, this does not necessarily indicate any order or importance of the subjects. Instead, such attributes may be used solely for the purpose of making a difference between subjects.
It will be understood that the above description is given by way of example only and that various modifications may be made by those skilled in the art. The above specification, examples and data provide a complete description of the structure and use of exemplary embodiments. Although various embodiments have been described above with a certain degree of particularity, or with reference to one or more individual embodiments, those skilled in the art could make numerous alterations to the disclosed embodiments without departing from scope of this specification.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20215308 | Mar 2021 | FI | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/FI2022/050178 | 3/18/2022 | WO |
