Controller-enclosure assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10111347-B2
Application number	US-201314649442-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 13, 2013
Priority date	Dec 20, 2012
Publication date	Oct 23, 2018
Grant date	Oct 23, 2018

Abstract

In an aspect, an enclosure member for a circuit board includes first, second, third, fourth and fifth walls that define an interior. The first and second walls face each other. The third and fourth walls face each other. The fifth wall faces an opening. The first and second support members face the second wall. The second support member is spaced longitudinally from the first support member. The first and second walls are spaced apart by a distance that increases towards the opening. Any surfaces in the interior that at least partially face the second wall have a distance from the second wall that does not decrease towards the opening. The interior is free of surfaces that face the fifth wall and are perpendicular to the second wall thereby preventing die lock during molding, while providing the enclosure member with first and second support members that are spaced longitudinally.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An enclosure member for holding a controller including a circuit board with components mounted thereto, comprising:
a plurality of walls including a first wall and a second wall, wherein the first and second walls face each other, third and fourth walls that connect the first and second walls to each other and that face each other, and a fifth wall that faces an opening defined by the first, second, third and fourth walls, wherein the plurality of walls define an interior, wherein a longitudinal axis extends between the fifth wall and the opening; and
at least one first support member and at least one second support member, wherein the first and second support members extend outwardly from the first wall into the interior and face the second wall, wherein the at least one second support member is spaced longitudinally toward the opening from the at least one first support member, wherein the first and second walls are spaced apart by a distance that increases in a direction towards the opening.

2. An enclosure member as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising at least one third support member that faces the first wall, wherein the first and second support members are positioned to support a first face of a circuit board and the at least one third support member is positioned to support a second face of the circuit board.

3. An enclosure member as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the first and second support members define a support plane for the circuit board, wherein at least one of the at least one third support member is offset laterally from said at least one first support member and is spaced from the support plane by not more than the thickness of the circuit board.

4. An enclosure member as claimed in claim 2 , wherein said at least one first support member includes a plurality of first support members and said at least one third support member includes a plurality of third support members and wherein at least one of the first and third support members is positioned laterally between two of the other of the first and third support members.

5. An enclosure member as claimed in claim 4 , wherein at least two of the first support members are positioned laterally between two of the third support members or at least two of the third support members are positioned laterally between two of the first support members.

6. An enclosure member as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising at least one crush member extending from the fifth wall towards the opening and positioned to engage an end of the circuit board facing away from the opening.

7. An enclosure for holding a controller including a circuit board with components mounted thereto, comprising:
a first enclosure member, including:
a plurality of walls including a first wall and a second wall, wherein the first and second walls mutually face each other, third and fourth walls that connect the first and second walls to each other and that mutually face each other, a fifth wall that faces an opening defined by the first, second, third and fourth walls, wherein the plurality of walls define an interior, wherein a longitudinal axis extends between the fifth wall and the opening;
at least one first support member and at least one second support member, wherein the first and second support members extend outwardly from the first wall into the interior and face the second wall, wherein the second support member is spaced longitudinally from the first support member, wherein the first and second walls are spaced apart by a distance that increases towards the opening; and
a second enclosure member that mates with the first enclosure member to cover the opening.

8. An enclosure as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the first enclosure member further comprises at least one third support member that faces the first wall, wherein the first and second support members are positioned to support a first face of a circuit board and the at least one third support member is positioned to support a second face of the circuit board,
and wherein the second enclosure member includes at least one fourth support member that faces the first wall and that is positioned to support the second face of the circuit board.

9. An enclosure as claimed in claim 7 , wherein a crush member is provided on at least one of the fifth wall and a wall of the second enclosure member facing the fifth wall, wherein the crush member is positioned to be compressed by an edge of the circuit board in order for the circuit board to fit between the wall of the second enclosure member and the fifth wall.

10. An enclosure as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the second enclosure member includes a plurality of apertures, with each of the apertures being positioned and sized for the insertion of an associated one of a plurality of terminals from the circuit board therethrough.

11. An enclosure for holding a controller including a circuit board with components mounted thereto, comprising:
a first enclosure member, including a plurality of walls including a first wall and a second wall, wherein the first and second walls mutually face each other, third and fourth walls that connect the first and second walls to each other and that mutually face each other, and a fifth wall that faces an opening defined by the first, second, third and fourth walls, wherein the plurality of walls define an interior, at least one second support member extending outwardly from the first wall, adjacent the opening, into the interior and facing the second wall to support a first face of the circuit board; and
a second enclosure member that mates with the first enclosure member to cover the opening, wherein the second enclosure member includes a plurality of apertures positioned and sized for the insertion of a plurality of terminals from the circuit board therethrough, at least one fourth support member on the second enclosure member configured to face the first wall and to support a second face of the circuit board to inhibit lateral movement of the circuit board between the at least one second support member and the at least one fourth support member.

12. An enclosure as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the first, second, third and fourth walls extend past a wall of the second enclosure member that covers the opening.

13. An enclosure as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the second enclosure member covers the opening with a substantially planar wall.

14. An enclosure as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the second enclosure member connects to the first enclosure member by at least one snap-fit connection.

15. An enclosure as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the second enclosure member connects to the first enclosure member by at least one snap-fit connection.

16. An enclosure as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the second enclosure member includes a second lateral locating feature configured to locate the circuit board laterally relative to the second enclosure member.

17. An enclosure as claimed in claim 11 , further including at least one first support member extending outwardly from the first wall of the first enclosure member into the interior and facing the second wall, wherein the at least one second support member is spaced longitudinally toward the opening from the at least one first support member.

Assignees

• Magna Closures Inc

Inventors

• Jorgensen Gregory A
• Mallon Charles A
• Jorgensen Ian G
• Zeabari John G

Classifications

• H05K5/03

  Covers · CPC title

• H05K5/0217

  Mechanical details of casings (covers, lids, hoods or members for covering apertures H05K5/03) · CPC title

• H05K5/0043 Primary

  comprising a frame housing mating with two lids wherein the PCB is flat mounted on the frame housing · CPC title

• H05K5/0039 Primary

  having a tubular housing wherein the PCB is inserted longitudinally · CPC title

• H05K5/061

  sealed by a gasket held between a removable cover and a body, e.g. O-ring, packing · CPC title