Patent Application
20160370813
The present disclosure relates to a thermostat assembly and a method of manufacturing the thermostat assembly.
This section provides background information related to the present disclosure and is not necessarily prior art.
Thermostats for controlling operation of vehicle systems are routinely exposed to a variety of harsh operating conditions. For example, typical thermostat assemblies can be exposed to extreme hot and cold temperatures, moisture, chemicals, vibration and mechanical shock, for example. Traditional plug-style thermostat assemblies can be difficult to seal and are prone to failure. The present disclosure provides a thermostat assembly that has improved durability of functionality.
This section provides a general summary of the disclosure, and is not a comprehensive disclosure of its full scope or all of its features.
In one form, the present disclosure provides a thermostat assembly that may include a thermostat, first and second wires, and first and second housings. The first wire may be electrically connected to the thermostat at a first connection interface. The second wire may be electrically connected to the thermostat at a second connection interface. The first housing may encapsulate the thermostat and the first and second connection interfaces to form a moisture barrier around the thermostat and the first and second connection interfaces. The second housing may encapsulate the first housing, the thermostat, and the first and second connection interfaces.
In some configurations, the thermostat assembly may include a thermostat cap covering an end of the thermostat.
In some configurations, the thermostat cap is encapsulated in the first housing.
In some configurations, the first and second connection interfaces are coated with a bonding agent.
In some configurations, an exterior surface of the first housing is at least partially coated with the bonding agent.
In some configurations, the first and second wires extend from the thermostat in opposite directions and extend outward from the second housing in opposite directions.
In some configurations, the first and second housings encapsulate insulated portions of the first and second wires.
In some configurations, a slot is formed in an exterior of the second housing.
In some configurations, a barb extends into the slot.
In some configurations, the second housing includes a plurality of apertures extending therethrough in a direction perpendicular to longitudinal axes of the first and second wires.
In some configurations, the first and second housings are formed from thermoplastic rubber.
In some configurations, the first housing includes a plurality of apertures extending at least partially therethrough. The plurality of apertures may be filled by the second housing.
In another form, the present disclosure provides a method of manufacturing a thermostat assembly. The method may include connecting a first wire for electrical communication with a thermostat at a first electrical connection interface; connecting a second wire for electrical communication with the thermostat at a second electrical connection interface; encapsulating the thermostat and the first and second electrical connection interfaces in a first molding; and encapsulating the thermostat, the first and second electrical connection interfaces, and the first molding in a second molding.
In some configurations, the method includes mounting a thermostat cap onto the thermostat before encapsulating the thermostat in the first molding.
In some configurations, the method includes applying a bonding agent to the first and second electrical connection interfaces before encapsulating the first and second electrical connection interfaces in the first molding.
In some configurations, the method includes applying the bonding agent to the first molding before encapsulating the first molding in the second molding.
In some configurations, the step of encapsulating the thermostat and the first and second electrical connection interfaces in the first molding includes overmolding the thermostat and the first and second electrical connection interfaces.
In some configurations, the step of encapsulating the first molding in the second molding includes overmolding the first molding after the first molding has solidified.
In some configurations, a plurality of apertures are formed in the first molding during a molding process forming the first molding. The plurality of apertures are filled by the second molding when the second molding is molded over the first molding.
Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. The description and specific examples in this summary are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.
The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only of selected embodiments and not all possible implementations, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.
Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.
Example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Example embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough, and will fully convey the scope to those who are skilled in the art. Numerous specific details are set forth such as examples of specific components, devices, and methods, to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that specific details need not be employed, that example embodiments may be embodied in many different forms and that neither should be construed to limit the scope of the disclosure. In some example embodiments, well-known processes, well-known device structures, and well-known technologies are not described in detail.
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular example embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” may be intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “including,” and “having,” are inclusive and therefore specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. The method steps, processes, and operations described herein are not to be construed as necessarily requiring their performance in the particular order discussed or illustrated, unless specifically identified as an order of performance. It is also to be understood that additional or alternative steps may be employed.
When an element or layer is referred to as being “on,” “engaged to,” “connected to,” or “coupled to” another element or layer, it may be directly on, engaged, connected or coupled to the other element or layer, or intervening elements or layers may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly on,” “directly engaged to,” “directly connected to,” or “directly coupled to” another element or layer, there may be no intervening elements or layers present. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in a like fashion (e.g., “between” versus “directly between,” “adjacent” versus “directly adjacent,” etc.). As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.
Although the terms first, second, third, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections, these elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms may be only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer or section from another region, layer or section. Terms such as “first,” “second,” and other numerical terms when used herein do not imply a sequence or order unless clearly indicated by the context. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer or section discussed below could be termed a second element, component, region, layer or section without departing from the teachings of the example embodiments.
Spatially relative terms, such as “inner,” “outer,” “beneath,” “below,” “lower,” “above,” “upper,” and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element or feature's relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. Spatially relative terms may be intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is turned over, elements described as “below” or “beneath” other elements or features would then be oriented “above” the other elements or features. Thus, the example term “below” can encompass both an orientation of above and below. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly.
With reference to
Referring now to
As shown in
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As shown in
The inner and outer moldings 40, 42 can accommodate “Y” and “W” wiring configurations for either series or parallel circuitry. The TPR material used to form the inner and outer moldings 40, 42 as well as the shapes of the inner and outer moldings 40, 42 shown in the figures can assist with thermal regulation of the thermostat 12. Furthermore, the TPR material is very durable and withstands the temperature extremes, moisture, contamination, vibration and road shock that are often encountered in a vehicle under-hood environment. The TPR material is resistant to combustion or flame propagation.
In the configuration shown in
The assembly 10 can accommodate a variety of under-hood installation methods including attachment to vehicle surfaces via one or more clips, zip ties, clamps, etc. Additional or alternative mounting features can be incorporated into the outer molding 42.
Referring now to
At step 130, the cap 14 may be attached to the thermostat 12 such that the temperature-sensing end portion 28 is received within the cap 14, as shown in
After steps 110, 120 and 130, the thermostat 12, connection interfaces 26 and portions of the insulated portions 44 of the wires 16, 18, 20, 22 can be encapsulated by the inner molding 40 at step 140. Step 140 may include holding the thermostat 12, connection interfaces 26 and portions of the insulated portions 44 of the wires 16, 18, 20, 22 within a first die while melted or liquefied TPR (or other material) is introduced into the first die and is allowed to solidify therein to form the inner molding 40. For example, the inner molding 40 may be overmolded in an injection molding process, a blow molding process or any other suitable molding process. The thermostat 12, connection interfaces 26 and wires 16, 18, 20, 22 may be held in place within the first die by a plurality of locating pins. The inner molding 40 may be formed while the locating pins are holding the thermostat 12, connection interfaces 26 and wires 16, 18, 20, 22. Thereafter, the locating pins can be removed. Removing the locating pins may form apertures 50 (
Next, at step 150, some or all of the inner molding 40 can be coated with the bonding agent to provide yet another moisture and contaminant barrier around the thermostat 12 and the connection interfaces 26. Then, at step 160, the outer molding 42 may be overmolded around the inner molding 40 in a second die in an injection molding process, a blow molding process or any other suitable molding process. The inner molding 40 may be held in place within the second die by a plurality of locating pins. The outer molding 42 may be formed while the locating pins are holding the inner molding 40. Thereafter, the locating pins can be removed. Removing the locating pins may form apertures 52 (
It will be appreciated that the wires 16, 18, 20, 22 could be any suitable type of wires or cables, such as flat-jacketed cables with parallel inner conductors (e.g., HPN cable family and CPE jacket material) or round-jacketed cables with grouped inner conductors (e.g., SJ cable family and EPDM jacket material), for example. The housing 24 and method of manufacturing described above thoroughly seals and protects the thermostat 12 and connection interfaces 26 regardless of the shapes, materials and configurations of the wires 16, 18, 20, 22 and connectors or terminals 27, 29. Furthermore, the power cord assembly 8 described herein has been approved for use (with an approved mating engine heater) by the Canadian Standards Association to both Canadian and United States standards. Furthermore, the power cord assembly 8 has undergone testing and demonstrated achieving performance objectives in excess of the prior art.
The foregoing description of the embodiments has been provided for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure. Individual elements or features of a particular embodiment are generally not limited to that particular embodiment, but, where applicable, are interchangeable and can be used in a selected embodiment, even if not specifically shown or described. The same may also be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the disclosure, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the disclosure.
