The invention relates to a method for mounting a circuit support in a housing, wherein the circuit support is inserted into the housing and is subjected to spring force by means of a clamping element.
The invention further relates to a circuit module, a housing and a clamping element.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,258,649 discloses such a method as well as a circuit module, a housing and clamping element. The known housing serves to accommodate a circuit board. To fix the circuit board in the housing, helical tension springs are provided which in the mounted state are disposed with the longitudinal axis parallel to the circuit board. For mounting the circuit board in the housing the circuit board is first inserted into the housing. The spiral tension springs are then loaded and subsequently inserted, in the loaded state, between circuit board and housing. When the helical tension spring is at the specified location, the helical tension spring is unloaded, whereupon the helical tension spring tightens and expands in the transverse direction so that the circuit board is subjected to spring force.
A disadvantage of the known method and known circuit module is that inserting the loaded helical tension springs is a laborious process, said springs having to be held under tension at both ends simultaneously and inserted in the loaded state into the interspace provided for the purpose between housing and circuit board.
Proceeding from this prior art, the object of the invention is therefore to specify an easily implementable method for mounting a circuit support in a housing. A further object of the invention is to create an easily mountable circuit module. A final object of the invention is to provide a suitable housing and a clamping element for implementing the method.
These objects are achieved by a method, a circuit module as well as a housing and a clamping element having the features set forth in the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments and developments are described in claims dependent thereon.
For the method for mounting the circuit module, a clamping element contrived to rotate about a longitudinal axis and having different cross-sectional dimensions is first inserted horizontally between the circuit support and the housing. The clamping element is then clamped in place by swiveling it about the longitudinal axis into an upright position between circuit support and housing.
The circuit module can be mounted in a simple manner, as the clamping element only needs to be held at one end for insertion into the interspace provided for the purpose between housing and circuit support. The clamping element can then be placed in the clamping position by simply rotating it. For this purpose it is likewise only necessary to act on one end of the clamping element.
In a preferred embodiment of the circuit module, the housing of the circuit module is implemented rigidly and the clamping element itself resiliently. The advantage of this embodiment is that the housing can be implemented robustly, so that there is little or no deformation of the housing when external forces are exerted on the housing.
It is also possible to implement the clamping element in a rigid manner and the housing at least in sections in a resilient manner. In this case particularly large spring forces can be applied to hold down the circuit support.
In order to fix the clamping element in its upright position, recesses can be provided in the housing which are complementary to the clamping element in its upright position and by means of which the clamping element is secured in the upright position.
In a further preferred embodiment, the clamping element has an elliptical cross-section, enabling the clamping element to be easily placed in the upright position. In addition, the spring force on the circuit support increases only gradually during rotation, so that any deformation processes can take place slowly.
The clamping element can also exhibit, along the longitudinal axis, a region of reduced cross-section by means of which additional space is freed up for components on the circuit support.
Further features and advantages of the invention will emerge from the following description in which exemplary embodiments are individually explained in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
In
By rotating the clamping piece 3 further in the direction of the arrow 7, the clamping piece 3 is moved to the upright position illustrated in
The circuit module comprising the circuit board 2 and the housing can be mounted in a simple manner. First the circuit board 2 is inserted in the housing 1. Then the clamping piece 3 is slid in between housing 1 and circuit board 2 in the horizontal position illustrated in
To anchor the circuit board 2 in the housing 8 there is provided a clamping piece 11 which is implemented in a rigid manner in the example illustrated in
As shown in
It should be noted that the clamping pieces 3 and 11 can be rotated in the direction of the arrow 7 by tools attached at either end of the clamping pieces 3 and 11. In the case of the clamping piece 3, for example, this can be a tool which engages in the gap 4 in the clamping piece 3.
To support rotation, additional guide elements can be implemented on the housing 1 or 8.
The hereinabove described mounting of the circuit board 2 in the housings 1 and 8 using the clamping pieces 3 and 11 provides a number of advantages. For example, the clamping pieces 3 and 11 can be produced in various lengths by cutting a shape to length. In this respect the clamping pieces 3 and 11 can be flexibly matched to the length of the housing 1. In addition, the circuit board 2 is pressed onto the intended bearing surface of the housing 1 or 8 along its entire length, so that heat is uninterruptedly transferred from the circuit board 2 to the housing 1 or 8 along the entire length of the circuit board 2. A further advantage is provided by the ease of mounting, the circuit board 2 also being easily removable from the housings 1 and 8. This is particularly advantageous if the circuit board 2 has to be repaired.
The circuit modules assembled according to the method described here are particularly suitable for accommodating transmission or engine control units, as the circuit board 2 is retained in the housings 1 and 8 in a vibration-proof manner.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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10 2004 016 168.2 | Apr 2004 | DE | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/EP05/51116 | 3/11/2005 | WO | 10/2/2006 |