Control apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9688228-B2
Application number	US-201514807240-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 23, 2015
Priority date	Jul 29, 2014
Publication date	Jun 27, 2017
Grant date	Jun 27, 2017

Abstract

To prevent a crack from being transferred to the side surface of a housing by concentrating stress in a notch when an impact is applied to a control apparatus so that the crack develops in the coupling position of the first bracket. This protects the housing and protects the circuit board from a fire hazard, thereby ensuring the control of an air bag during a collision and the reading of an air bag operation record after a collision.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A control apparatus that controls an air bag of a vehicle, the control apparatus comprising:
a case that defines a three-dimensional space and incorporates a circuit board;
a first bracket that has one end coupled to a lower edge of a side surface of the case and another end configured to be fixed to the vehicle by a fastening member;
a flange that extends along the lower edge of the side surface, the flange having one end coupled to the first bracket, and
an impact reduction mechanism that protects the circuit board when the control apparatus is under an impact, the impact reduction mechanism including a notch,
wherein the notch is provided in a position at which the first bracket is coupled to the flange, the notch is formed in a portion of the flange, the flange extends horizontally and from the side surface and has an outer edge at a distance from the side surface and a width between the side surface and the outer edge, and the width is smaller at the notch than at remaining portions of the flange, and
the notch breaks under the impact due to the smaller width of the flange at the notch to reduce effect of the impact on the circuit board.

2. The control apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the side surface has an inclined surface inclined inward with respect to a main surface of the side surface, the inclined surface located in a position at which the first bracket is coupled to the side surface.

3. The control apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein a thickness of the side surface adjacent to a position at which the first bracket is coupled to the side surface is larger than a thickness of the first bracket.

4. The control apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a reinforcing section having a thickness increasing gradually from the first bracket to the side surface, the reinforcing section being disposed in a position at which the first bracket is coupled to the side surface.

5. The control apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the case has an inclined section that connects portions of the case having different thicknesses to each other in an inclined manner.

6. The control apparatus according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a reinforcing section having a thickness increasing gradually from the first bracket to the side surface, the reinforcing section being disposed in a position at which the first bracket is couple to the side surface.

7. The control apparatus according to claim 2 ,
wherein the case has an inclined section that connects portions of the case having different thickness to each other in an inclined manner.

8. The control apparatus according to claim 4 ,
wherein the case has an inclined section that connects portions of the case having different thicknesses to each other in an inclined manner.

9. The control apparatus according to claim 6 ,
wherein the case has an inclined section that connects portions of the case having different thicknesses to each other in an inclined manner.

10. The control apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a second bracket that has one end coupled linearly to the lower edge of the side surface of the case and another end configured to be fixed to the vehicle by a fastening member; and
a groove formed along a border between the second bracket and the side surface,
wherein a round shape is formed in a part of the groove adjacent to the side surface.

11. The control apparatus according to claim 10 ,
wherein a thickness of the side surface adjacent to a position of the groove is larger than a thickness of the groove.

12. A control apparatus that controls an air bag of a vehicle, the control apparatus comprising:
a case that defines a three-dimensional space and incorporates a circuit board;
a bracket that has one end coupled linearly to a lower edge of a side surface of the case and another end configured to be fixed to the vehicle; and
an impact reduction mechanism that protects the circuit board when the control apparatus is under an impact, the impact reduction mechanism including a groove,
wherein the groove is formed along a border between the bracket and the side surface,
a round shape is formed in a part of the groove adjacent to the side surface, the groove is formed in a portion of the bracket, and a thickness of the bracket is smaller at the groove than at remaining portions of the bracket, and
the groove breaks under the impact due to the smaller thickness of the bracket to reduce effect of the impact on the circuit board.

13. The control apparatus according to claim 12 ,
wherein a thickness of the side surface adjacent to a position of the groove is larger than a thickness of the groove.

14. The control apparatus according to claim 1 , the impact reduction mechanism further including a groove,
wherein the groove is formed along a border between the bracket and the side surface,
a round shape is formed in a part of the groove adjacent to the side surface, the groove is formed in a portion of the bracket, and a thickness of the bracket is smaller at the groove than at remaining portions of the bracket, and
the groove breaks under the impact due to the smaller thickness of the bracket to reduce effect of the impact on the circuit board.

15. The control apparatus according to claim 12 , the impact reduction mechanism further including a notch,
wherein the notch is provided in a position at which the first bracket is coupled to the flange, the notch is formed in a portion of the flange, the flange extends horizontally and from the side surface and has an outer edge at a distance from the side surface and a width between the side surface and the outer edge, and the width is smaller at the notch than at remaining portions of the flange, and
the notch breaks under the impact due to the smaller width of the flange at the notch to reduce effect of the impact on the circuit board.

Assignees

• Fujitsu Ten Ltd

Inventors

• Azuma Tomoyo
• Wakabayashi Hiroyuki
• Takenaka Teruo
• Enomoto Hitoshi

Classifications

• B60R21/01 Primary

  Electrical circuits for triggering {passive} safety arrangements, {e.g. airbags, safety belt tighteners,} in case of vehicle accidents or impending vehicle accidents {(electrical circuits for transmission of signals between steering wheel and the vehicle itself B60R16/027; for electrically actuating belt retractor locking means B60R22/343)} · CPC title

• H05K5/0073 Primary

  having specific features for mounting the housing on an external structure · CPC title

• H05K5/0204

  Mounting supporting structures on the outside of casings · CPC title

• H05K5/0017

  with operator interface units · CPC title

• H05K5/0078

  specially adapted for acceleration sensors, e.g. crash sensors, airbag sensors · CPC title