Self-aligning mechanical mount and electrical connection system for electronic modules with features for robotic assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11523530-B2
Application number	US-202017128328-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 21, 2020
Priority date	Jan 3, 2020
Publication date	Dec 6, 2022
Grant date	Dec 6, 2022

Abstract

A self-aligning mechanical mount and electrical connection system for an electronic module comprises a mechanical mount assembly configured to be integrated into or attached to a base frame and defining a mount connection position assurance (CPA) feature for self-aligning and securing of the electronic module therein, and an electrical connection assembly configured to be integrated into or attached to the mechanical mount assembly and comprising a modular electrical connector (i) being electrically connected to an electrical backbone wire cable and (ii) defining a connector CPA feature for self-aligning the modular electrical connector with a corresponding electrical connector integrated into or attached to the electronic module when the electronic module is secured in the mechanical mount assembly.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A self-aligning mechanical mount and electrical connection system for an electronic module, the system comprising:
a mechanical mount assembly:
configured to be integrated into or attached to a base frame, and
defining a mount connection position assurance (CPA) feature for self-aligning and securing of the electronic module therein, wherein the electronic module defines a set of one or more robotic installation features that are configured to be interacted with by an end effector of a robotic installer to lower the electronic module into the mechanical mount assembly until it is secured therein by the mount CPA feature; and

an electrical connection assembly:
configured to be integrated into or attached to the mechanical mount assembly, and
comprising a modular electrical connector (i) being electrically connected to an electrical backbone wire cable and (ii) defining a connector CPA feature for self-aligning the modular electrical connector with a corresponding electrical connector integrated into or attached to the electronic module when the electronic module is secured in the mechanical mount assembly.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the base frame is a bottom or floor frame of an electrified vehicle and the electronic module is configured to be vertically installed by lowering the electronic module into the mechanical mount assembly until it is secured therein by the mount CPA feature.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the electrical backbone wire cable comprises at least power wire cables and data wire cables, and wherein the electrical backbone wire cable is a substantially flat wire cable running along the bottom or floor frame of the electrified vehicle.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the system includes a plurality of electrical backbone wire cables, and wherein at least a portion of the plurality of electrical backbone wire cables are directly connected to each other via a bypass system such that power or data circuits unneeded by the electronic module bypass the electronic module.

5. The system of claim 3 , wherein each modular electrical connector is positioned in an upward direction such that the corresponding electrical connector integrated into or attached to the electronic module is vertically installable therewith.

6. The system of claim 2 , wherein the mechanical mount assembly is formed of sheet metal and is integrated into a sheet metal portion of the bottom or floor frame of the electrified vehicle.

7. The system of claim 6 , further comprising a set of heat transfer devices configured to transfer heat energy away from the electronic module.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the set of heat transfer devices are a set of one or more heat transfer pads that transfer heat energy from the electronic module to the sheet metal portion of the bottom or floor frame of the electrified vehicle.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the electronic module is removable or configured to be freed from the mechanical mount assembly using a special physical tool controlled by a human technician or the robotic installer.

10. A method of mechanically mounting and aligning and electrically connecting an electronic module, the method comprising:
providing a mechanical mount assembly:
configured to be integrated into or attached to a base frame, and
defining a mount connection position assurance (CPA) feature for self-aligning and securing of the electronic module therein, wherein the electronic module defines a set of one or more robotic installation features;

interacting, by an end effector of a robotic installer, with the set of one or more robotic installation features and lowering, by the robotic installer, the electronic module into the mechanical mount assembly until it is secured therein by the mount CPA feature; and
providing an electrical connection assembly:
configured to be integrated into or attached to the mechanical mount assembly, and
comprising a modular electrical connector (i) being electrically connected to an electrical backbone wire cable and (ii) defining a connector CPA feature for self-aligning the modular electrical connector with a corresponding electrical connector integrated into or attached to the electronic module when the electronic module is secured in the mechanical mount assembly.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the base frame is a bottom or floor frame of an electrified vehicle, and further comprising vertically installing the electronic module by lowering the electronic module into the mechanical mount assembly until it is secured therein by the mount CPA feature.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the electrical backbone wire cable comprises at least power wire cables and data wire cables, and wherein the electrical backbone wire cable is a substantially flat wire cable running along the bottom or floor frame of the electrified vehicle.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the electrical connection assembly includes a plurality of electrical backbone wire cables, and wherein at least a portion of the plurality of electrical backbone wire cables are directly connected to each other via a bypass system such that power or data circuits unneeded by the electronic module bypass the electronic module.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein each modular electrical connector is positioned in an upward direction such that the corresponding electrical connector integrated into or attached to the electronic module is vertically installable therewith.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the mechanical mount assembly is formed of sheet metal and is integrated into a sheet metal portion of the bottom or floor frame of the electrified vehicle.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising providing a set of heat transfer devices configured to transfer heat energy away from the electronic module, wherein the set of heat transfer devices are a set of one or more heat transfer pads that transfer heat energy from the electronic module to the sheet metal portion of the bottom or floor frame of the electrified vehicle.

17. The method of claim 10 , further comprising using, by a human technician or the robotic installer, a special physical tool to free the electronic module from the mechanical mount assembly such that it can be removed.

18. A self-aligning mechanical mount and electrical connection system for an electronic module, the system comprising:
a mechanical mount assembly means for:
integration into or attachment to a base frame, and
defining a mount connection position assurance (CPA) feature means for self-aligning and securing of the electronic module therein, wherein the electronic module defines a set of one or more robotic installation feature means for interaction with by an end effector means of a robotic installer means to lower the electronic module into the mechanical mount assembly means until it is secured therein by the mount CPA feature means; and

an electrical connection assembly means for:
integration into or attachment to the mechanical mount assembly means, and

comprising a modular electrical connector means for (i) being electrically connected to an electrical backbone wire cable means and (ii) defining a connector CPA feature means for self-aligning the modular electrical connector means with a corresponding electrical connector means integrated into or attached to the electronic module when the electronic module is secured in the mechanical mount assembly means.

19. A self-aligning mechanical mount and electrical connection system for an e

Assignees

• Aptiv Tech Ltd

Inventors

• Peterson David R
• Bilas Jared
• Seifert Kurt P
• Campbell Jeffrey S
• Weber Jr Wesley W
• Schaefer Christian

Classifications

• H05K7/12 Primary

  Resilient or clamping means for holding component to structure · CPC title

• H01R13/73 Primary

  Means for mounting coupling parts to apparatus or structures, e.g. to a wall · CPC title

• B60R16/0239

  Electronic boxes · CPC title

• H05K7/04

  on conductive chassis · CPC title

• H01R12/7082

  Coupling device supported only by cooperation with PCB · CPC title