The present invention relates to a device that includes an electronics housing a functional housing.
Such devices, comprising an electronics housing for accommodating electronics for a sensor or an actuator and a functional housing separate from the electronics housing in a disassembled state of the device for accommodating the sensor or the actuator, the two housings being designed in such a way that the two housings are connected to each other in an assembled state of the device, are already known from the prior art in numerous embodiment variants.
It is a task of the present invention to provide a device comprising an electronics housing and a functional housing, wherein the transfer to an assembled state of the device and the assembled state of the device are improved.
The device is characterized in that the two housings are designed in such a way that, when the device is transferred to its assembled state, they can be connected to each other in form-locked manner only by means of a linear movement of the two housings relative to each other along an assembly axis, the two housings having mutually corresponding latching means or latch mechanism for this purpose.
In particular, one significant advantage of the inventive device is that the transfer into an assembled state of the device and the assembled state of the device are improved. Due to the design of the inventive device, a transfer of the device into its assembled state is realized in a structurally particularly simple and robust manner. Furthermore, with the invention, high forces can be transmitted between the functional housing on one side and the electronics housing on the other side in the assembled state of the device without impairing the function of the device.
In principle, the device can be selected at will within wide suitable limits in terms of type, functioning, dimensions, material and type.
One advantageous refinement of the inventive device element specifies that the functional housing is designed as a completely closed housing. In this way, the sensor or actuator located inside the functional housing is optimally protected against environmental influences that are detrimental to its functioning.
One alternative advantageous refinement of the inventive device specifies that the two housings are designed in such a way that the sensor or actuator arranged in the functional housing, in the assembled state of the device with an actuating element, engages with the electronics arranged in the electronics housing in such a way that an electrical or electronic signal can be generated in the electronics by means of the actuating element. As a result, sensors and actuators can also be used with the inventive device, in which engagement of an actuating means of the sensor or the actuator with the electronics arranged in an interior of the electronics housing is required.
One further advantageous refinement of the inventive device specifies that the functional housing is of circular-cylindrical design and the electronics housing has a correspondingly designed circular-ring-shaped receiving projection for partially receiving the functional housing in an interior of the electronics housing. In this way, the connection between a circular cylindrical functional housing and the electronics housing is made possible in a particularly advantageous and structurally simple manner.
Another advantageous refinement of the inventive device specifies that, in the assembled state of the device, a circumferential seal is arranged between the functional housing and the electronics housing in such a way that the two housings are tightly connected to each other in the assembled state of the device. This allows a tight connection between the electronics housing and the functional housing of the inventive device to be realized in a particularly simple manner.
One advantageous refinement of the aforementioned embodiment of the inventive device specifies that the seal is arranged in a region of the latching means of the two housings, wherein the seal is arranged between the latching means latched to each other on one side and the free environment on the other side in the assembled state of the device. In this way, the tightness of the device in its assembled state is reliably ensured, irrespective of a mode of operation of the mutually corresponding latching means.
One further advantageous refinement of the inventive device specifies that the mutually corresponding latching means of the two housings are formed as at least one latching lug and as at least one latching receptacle, preferably that the latching lugs are distributed uniformly around a circumference of one of the surfaces of the two housings facing each other in the assembled state of the device on the housing corresponding to the latching lugs and the latching receptacle is arranged circumferentially on the other one of the surfaces facing each other on the housing corresponding to the latching receptacle. This allows the latching means of the electronics housing and the functional housing to be realized in a structurally particularly simple and robust manner. This applies in particular to the preferred embodiment of this refinement.
One advantageous refinement of the aforementioned embodiment of the inventive device specifies that the latching lug features an insertion bevel and an end stop on a side of the latching lug facing the housing featuring the latching receptacle when the device is transferred into its assembled state and/or is formed with an oversize relative to the latching receptacle on a side facing away from the housing having the latching receptacle when the device is transferred into its assembled state. Firstly, in this way, transfer of the device into its assembled state is facilitated by means of the insertion bevel and it is secured in the assembled state by means of the end stop. Secondly, in the assembled state of the device, the electronics housing and the functional housing are properly connected to each other by means of the latching lug, which is oversized in relation to the latching receptacle, even under difficult ambient conditions, for example in the event of vibrations or the like, and thus ensure the functioning of the device.
One further advantageous refinement of the inventive device specifies that at least one centering element, preferably a plurality of centering elements distributed uniformly over the circumference of one of the surfaces of the two housings facing each other in the assembled state of the device, is/are arranged on the electronics housing and/or on the functional housing for centering the two housings relative to each other in the assembled state of the device. This ensures the correct alignment of the two housings of the device in the assembled state of the device transverse to the assembly axis for proper functioning of the device.
Another advantageous refinement of the inventive device specifies that coding means corresponding to each other are arranged on the electronics housing and on the functional housing for transferring the device into its assembled state in the correct position, preferably that the coding means are at the same time designed as anti-rotation means to counter undesired rotation of the two housings relative to each other around the assembly axis in the assembled state of the device. In this way, a correct rotational position of the device relative to the assembly axis in the device's assembled state is ensured in a structurally simple and robust manner for proper operation of the device. This applies in particular to the preferred embodiment of this refinement.
One especially advantageous refinement of the last-mentioned embodiment of the inventive device specifies that the coding means are at least partially designed at the same time as centering means. This increases the functionality of the coding means so that, for example, the number of components required is reduced and/or the design of the electronics housing and/or the functional housing is simplified. Accordingly, the manufacture of the inventive device is also simplified, which leads to a reduction in manufacturing costs.
Reference is now made more particularly to the drawings, which illustrate the best presently known mode of carrying out the invention and wherein similar reference characters indicate the same parts throughout the views.
The device 2 is designed for use in a motor vehicle and comprises an electronics housing 4 for accommodating electronics, which are not shown, for an actuator, which is not shown, and a functional housing 6, which is separate from the electronics housing 4 in a disassembled state of the device 2 shown in
The two housings 4, 6 are designed in such a way that, when the device 2 is transferred into its assembled state, they can be connected to each other in a form-locked manner by means of a linear movement of the two housings 4, 6 relative to one another along an assembly axis 8, the two housings 4, 6 having latching means 10, 12 corresponding to each other for this purpose. The latching means 10, 12 are each formed as an integral part of the corresponding housing 4, 6.
In the present sample embodiment, the two housings 4, 6 are designed in such a way that the actuator arranged in the functional housing 6 is in engagement with the electronics arranged in the electronics housing 4 by means of an actuating element, which is not shown, in the assembled state of the device 2 in such a way that an electrical or electronic signal can be generated in the electronics by means of the actuating element. For this purpose, the functional housing 6 features at least one opening, not shown, for the actuating element in a cover 14 of the functional housing 6. For the purpose of actuating the valve, which is not shown, by means of the actuator, the functional housing 6 also has a further opening, which is not shown, in a bottom opposite the cover 14. In principle, however, it is also conceivable that the functional housing in other embodiments of the inventive device is designed as a completely closed housing.
As can be seen from a synopsis of
In the assembled state of the device 2 shown in
In the present sample embodiment, the latching means 10, 12 of the two housings 4, 6, which are designed to correspond to each other, are designed as a total of three latching lugs 10 and as a latching receptacle 12, the latching lugs 10 being distributed uniformly around a circumference of one of the surfaces 24 of the two housings 4, 6 facing each other in the assembled state of the device 2 on the housing 4 corresponding to the latching lugs 10, and the latching receptacle 12 is arranged circumferentially on the other one of the surfaces 26 facing each other on the housing 6 corresponding to the latching receptacle 12. In this context, see in particular
The latching lugs 10 each feature an insertion bevel 28 and an end stop 30 on a side of the respective latching lug 10 facing the housing 6 featuring the latching receptacle 12 when the device 2 is transferred into its assembled state, and are formed with an oversize relative to the latching receptacle 12 on a side 32 facing away from the housing 6 featuring the latching receptacle 12 when the device 2 is transferred into its assembled state. See in particular
Furthermore, two centering elements 36 are arranged on the electronics housing 4 for centering the two housings 4, 6 with respect to each other in the assembled state of the device 2. In addition, two coding means 38 are arranged on the electronics housing 4. On the one hand, the two coding means 38 also act as centering elements for centering the two housings 4, 6 with respect to each other in the assembled state of the device 2. Accordingly, the electronics housing 4 thus features a total of four centering elements 36, 38 for centering the two housings 4, 6 relative to each other in the assembled state of the device 2, the centering elements 36 and the coding means 38 being arranged on the electronics housing 4 as a pair distributed uniformly over the circumference of the surface 24 of the surfaces facing each other 24, 26 of the two housings 4, 6.
On the other hand, the coding means 38 interact with coding means 40, which are arranged on the functional housing 6 and are designed to correspond to the coding means 38, for transferring the device 2 into its assembled state in the correct position, the coding means 38, 40 being designed at the same time as anti-rotation means 38, 40 to counter undesired rotation of the two housings 4, 6 relative to each other around the assembly axis 8 in the assembled state of the device 2. In this context, see in particular
The centering means 36 and the coding means 38, 40 are each formed as an integral part of the corresponding housing 4, 6.
The functioning of the inventive device according to the present sample embodiment is explained in more detail in the following on the basis of
Initially, the device 2 is in its disassembled state. See
The functional housing 6 is connected to the electronics housing 4 manually, semi-automatically or fully automatically. For this purpose, the functional housing 6 with the seal 20 arranged thereon is first inserted into the receiving projection 16 of the electronics housing 4 along the assembly axis 8, namely from bottom to top in the image plane of
In the process, the latching lugs 10 of the electronics housing 4 engage with the latching receptacle 12 of the functional housing 6. This is facilitated by the insertion bevel 28 formed on each of the latching lugs 10. As soon as each of the latching lugs 10 rests with its end stop 30 against the shoulder 34 formed on the functional housing 6, the functional housing 6 cannot be inserted further into the electronics housing 4. At the same time, the latching lugs 10 jam with the latching receptacle 12 by means of the oversize formed on the side 32 of the latching lugs 10 in each case, so that the latching lugs 10 of the electronics housing 4 engage in the latching receptacle 12 of the functional housing 6 in each case under pretension. In the process, the latching lugs 10 deform elastically due to the oversize.
During the aforementioned transfer of the device 2 into its assembled state, the functional housing 6 is supported on the centering elements 36 and the coding means 38, which are also formed as centering elements, in order to align the functional housing 6 transversely to the assembly axis 8 relative to the electronics housing 4. Furthermore, the coding means 38 of the electronics housing 4 cooperate with the corresponding coding means 40 in such a way that the functional housing 6 can only be inserted into the electronics housing 4 in a rotational position relative to the assembly axis 8. In this context, see in particular
As can be clearly seen from
Thus, in the device 2 according to the present sample embodiment, the transfer of the device 2 into its assembled state and the assembled state of the device 2 are improved. Due to the inventive design of the device 2, a transfer of the device 2 into its assembled state is realized in a structurally particularly simple and robust manner. Furthermore, in the assembled state of the device 2, high forces can be transmitted between the functional housing 6 on one side and the electronics housing 4 on the other side without impairing the functioning of the device 2. The seal 20 arranged between the electronics housing 4 and the functional housing 6 also provides a secure seal of the device 2 against the free environment, so that the interior of the device 2, i.e. the interior 18 of the electronics housing 4, namely the electronics, and the interior of the functional housing 6, namely the actuator, are effectively protected against environmental influences detrimental to the functioning of the device 2.
The invention is not limited to the present sample embodiment. The inventive device can also be advantageously deployed with other application scenario for example. For example, a sensor can be arranged in the functional housing as an alternative or in addition to the actuator. Furthermore, the functional housing can be designed as a completely closed housing. The specific embodiments of the sample embodiment explained above are purely exemplary and not limiting. Accordingly, the inventive device can be used for a wide range of applications, even outside the field of automotive engineering. For example, it is possible that the at least one latching lug is arranged on the functional housing and the at least one latching receptacle is arranged on the electronics housing. The at least one centering element may also be arranged on the functional housing as an alternative to the present sample embodiment. However, an arrangement of a plurality of centering elements on both the electronics housing and the functional housing is also conceivable.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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10 2020 105 685.0 | Mar 2020 | DE | national |
This application claims priority to PCT Application No. PCT/EP2021/054381, filed Feb. 23, 2021, which itself claims priority to German Patent Application No. 10 2020 105685.0, filed Mar. 3, 2020, the entireties of both of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | PCT/EP2021/054381 | Feb 2021 | US |
Child | 17823319 | US |