Method for Producing a Housing Enclosing a Control Unit

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for producing a housing (7) enclosing a control unit (8) by mechanically forming a starting material (1), wherein the control unit (8) is configured to control particularly a vehicle headlight, comprising the following steps: a) providing an essentially strip-shaped, preferably metal starting material (1), wherein the starting material (1) is subdivided into at least three subareas (4, 5, 6) adjacent to one another, which are separated by fold axes (11, 13); b) forming cooling fins (4a) on a first subarea (4); c) forming a housing bottom (5a) on a second subarea (5); d) forming a housing cover (6a) on a third subarea (6); e) carrying out a folding operation, in which the first subarea (4) is folded about the first fold axis (11) onto the second subarea; f) attaching the control unit (8) to the second subarea (4) [sic]; g) carrying out a folding operation, in which the third subarea (6) is folded about the second fold axis (13) onto the second subarea; h) fixing the first subarea (4) to the second subarea (5) and fixing the second subarea (5) to the third subarea (6) with at least one fixing element (16).

Claims

1. A method for producing a housing (7) enclosing a control unit (8) by mechanically forming a starting material (1), the method comprising: a) providing an essentially strip-shaped starting material (1) having an upper side (2) and an underside (3), wherein the starting material (1) is subdivided into at least three subareas (4, 5, 6) adjacent to one another, said subareas being separated by fold axes (11, 13); b) forming cooling fins (4a) on a first subarea (4) of the starting material (1); c) forming a housing bottom (5a) on a second subarea (5) of the starting material (1), which corresponds to a middle area of the starting material (1), wherein the starting material (1) has a first fold axis (11) between the first subarea (4) and the second subarea (5); d) forming a housing cover (6a) on a third subarea (6) of the starting material (1), wherein the starting material (1) has a second fold axis (13) between the second subarea (5) and the third subarea (6); e) carrying out a folding operation, in which the underside (3) of the first subarea (4) of the starting material (1) is folded about the first fold axis (11) onto the underside (3) of the second subarea (5) of the starting material (1) such that, in the folded state, the first subarea (4) and the second subarea (5) are oriented to be essentially congruent over each other, wherein the underside (3) of the first subarea (4) and the underside (3) of the second subarea (5) are in direct contact with each other; f) attaching the control unit (8), which is configured to control a vehicle headlight, to the upper side (2) of the second subarea (5) of the starting material (1); g) carrying out a folding operation in which the upper side (2) of the third subarea (6) of the starting material (1) is folded about the second fold axis (13) onto the upper side (2) of the second subarea (5) of the starting material (1), or a folding operation in which the underside (3) of the third subarea (6) of the starting material (1) is folded about the second fold axis (13) onto the upper side (2) of the second subarea (5) of the starting material (1), such that, in the folded state, the second subarea (5) and the third subarea (6) are oriented substantially congruently over each other, wherein the housing bottom (5a) formed in step c) and the housing cover (6a) formed in step d) are configured such that, in the folded state, a housing chamber enclosing the control unit (8) is formed between the housing bottom (5a) and the housing cover (6a); and h) fixing the first subarea (4) to the second subarea (5) and/or fixing the second subarea (5) to the third subarea (6) with at least one fixing element (16) such that the first subarea (4) with the second subarea (5) and/or the second subarea (5) with the third subarea (6) are connected to one another by the interaction of the at least one fixing element (16).

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first subarea (4) borders the second subarea (5) and the second subarea (5) borders the third subarea (6), the second subarea (5) being located between the first (4) and the third subarea (6), or the second subarea (5) borders the first subarea (4) and the first subarea (4) borders the third subarea (6), the first subarea (4) being located between the second (5) and the third subarea (6).

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one fixing element (16) is realized as folding tab(s), a riveted connection, a welded connection, a catch connection, or a bonded connection.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one fixing element (16) comprises a first (16a) and a second fixing element (16b), wherein the first fixing element (16a) fixes the first subarea (4) to the second subarea (5) and the second fixing element (16b) fixes the second subarea (5) to the third subarea (6).

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the second fixing element (16b) is realized as a bonded connection, fixing the housing bottom (5a) to the housing cover (6a) and being configured to seal the housing chamber.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein, after step c) and prior to the attaching of the control unit (8) according to step f), the method further comprises applying a fill material (15) between the control unit (8) and the second subarea (5), wherein the fill material (15) comprises a thermal grease.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the control unit (8) comprises a circuit board (14) with an electronic circuit mounted thereon for actuating the vehicle headlight, wherein the fill material (15) is applied between the circuit board (14) and the second subarea (5).

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein the fill material (15) has a thermal conductivity of greater than 1 W/mK.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the starting material (1) includes a metal strip, the metal having mechanical properties which permit plastic and crack-free folding operations during method steps e) and g).

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the starting material (1) consists of a single metal strip.

11. A control module including a control unit (8), configured to control a vehicle headlight, and a housing (7) enclosing the control unit, wherein the housing (7) is produced by the method of claim 1.

12. A vehicle headlight including a control module according to claim claim 11.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the starting material (1) is metallic.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein the underside (3) of the first subarea (4) and the underside (3) of the second subarea (5) are in full-surface contact in at least sections thereof.

15. The method according to claim 6, wherein the thermal grease is a silicone-containing or silicone-free pasty thermal grease.

Description

[0030] The invention shall be explained in more detail below with reference to a preferred, but non-limiting, exemplary embodiment. In the drawings:

[0031] FIG. 1 shows a side view and a view from above of a starting material, which has a first, second and third subarea;

[0032] FIG. 2 shows a side view and a view from above of the starting material after the first folding operation;

[0033] FIG. 3 shows a side view and a view from above of the starting material according to FIG. 2, having a control unit attached to the second subarea;

[0034] FIG. 4 shows a side view and a view from above of the starting material after the second folding operation;

[0035] FIG. 5 shows a second embodiment of the starting material, which has a first, second and third subarea in an alternative arrangement; and

[0036] FIG. 6 shows a third embodiment of the starting material, which has a first, second and third subarea in another alternative arrangement.

[0037] FIG. 1 shows an essentially strip-shaped, preferably metal starting material 1, which comprises an upper side 2 and an underside 3, wherein the starting material 1 is subdivided into three subareas 4, 5, 6, which in the exemplary embodiment shown are of equal size and adjacent to one another, separated by fold axes. The first subarea 4 borders the second subarea 5 and the second subarea 5 borders the third subarea 6 such that the second subarea 5 is located between the first 4 and the third subarea 6. The starting material 1 is converted by mechanical forming and folding into a housing 7 enclosing a control unit 8. To this end, the starting material 1 is preferably a metal strip, in which the metal has mechanical properties which permit plastic and crack-free forming and folding. In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the starting material 1 consists of a single metal strip. Cooling fins 4a are formed on a first subarea 4 of the starting material 1, wherein the cooling fins 4a are formed by mechanical forming, for example by pressing the first subarea 4 against a corresponding contour. A housing bottom 5a is formed on a second subarea 5 of the starting material 1. The second subarea 5 corresponds to a middle area of the starting material 1, wherein the starting material 1 has a first fold axis 11 between the first subarea 4 and the second subarea 5. A housing cover 6a is formed on a third subarea 6 of the starting material 1, wherein the starting material 1 has a second fold axis 13 between the second subarea 5 and the third subarea 6. The housing bottom 5a and the housing cover 6a are formed by, for example, mechanically pressing the corresponding subareas against corresponding contours.

[0038] FIG. 2 shows the starting material 1 after the first folding operation. The underside 3 of the first subarea 4 of the starting material 1 is folded about the first fold axis 11 onto the underside 3 of the second subarea 5 of the starting material 1. In the folded state, the first subarea 4 and the second subarea 5 are oriented lying essentially congruent over each other, wherein the underside 3 of the first subarea 4 and the underside 3 of the second subarea 5 are in direct contact with each other.

[0039] FIG. 3 shows the starting material 1 after method step f). A control unit 8, which is in particular configured to control a vehicle headlight, is fastened to the upper side 2 of the second subarea 5 of the starting material 1. The control unit 8 is fastened to the second subarea 5 using, for example, rivets or adhesive. The control unit 8 comprises a circuit board 14 with an attached electronic circuit (not shown) for actuating the vehicle headlight. A fill material 15 is applied between the circuit board 14 of the control unit 8 and the second subarea 5. The fill material 15 is a thermal grease, in particular a silicone-containing or silicone-free pasty thermal grease.

[0040] FIG. 4 shows the starting material 1 after the second folding operation. The upper side 2 of the third subarea 6 of the starting material 1 is folded about the second fold axis 13 onto the upper side 2 of the second subarea 5 of the starting material 1. In the folded state, the second subarea 5 and the third subarea 6 are oriented essentially congruent over each other. The housing bottom 5a and the housing cover 6a are formed such that, in the folded state, a housing chamber enclosing the control unit 8 is realized between the housing bottom 5a and the housing cover 6a.

[0041] The first subarea 4 is fixed to the second subarea 5 with a first fixing element 16a (shown in FIG. 2). Also, the second subarea 5 is fixed to the third subarea 6 with a second fixing element 16b (shown in FIG. 3) such that the first subarea 4 with the second subarea 5 and the second subarea 5 with the third subarea 6 are firmly connected to one another by the interaction of the first 16a and second 16b fixing elements. The first 16a and second fixing elements 16b may be the same or different in design. In general, the fixing elements 16 may be configured as, for example, at least one folding tab, riveted connection, welded connection, catch connection or bonded connection. As can be seen in FIG. 2 the first fixing element 16a is configured as a riveted connection, wherein eight drilled holes 17 are provided for the rivets. As can be seen in FIG. 3 the second fixing element 16b is realized as a bonded connection, wherein the bonded connection extends as a closed adhesive track 18 along an edge region of the housing bottom 5a. Instead of or in addition to this, the adhesive track 18 may also be applied to the housing cover 6a. A fixing element 16 may also fix the first 4, second 5 and third subareas 6 to one another. For example, at least one drilled hole 17 for a riveted connection may be provided through all subareas 4, 5, 6.

[0042] FIG. 5 shows a second embodiment, in which the cooling fins 4a are arranged between the housing bottom 5a and the housing cover 6a. When the starting material 1 is folded, the underside 3 of the first subarea 4 of the starting material 1 is folded about the first fold axis 11 onto the underside 3 of the second subarea 5 of the starting material 1. In other words, the housing bottom 5a is folded onto the cooling fins 4a. In a second step, the underside 3 of the third subarea 6 of the starting material 1 is folded about the second fold axis 13 onto the upper side 2 of the second subarea 5 of the starting material 1. In other words, the housing cover 6a is folded onto the side of the housing bottom 5a that faces away from the cooling fins 4a.

[0043] FIG. 6 shows a further embodiment, in which the three subareas 4, 5, 6 of the starting material 1 are in an L-shaped arrangement.

REFERENCE SYMBOLS

[0044] 1 starting material [0045] 2 upper side [0046] 3 underside [0047] 4 first subarea [0048] 4a cooling fins [0049] 5 second subarea [0050] 5a housing bottom [0051] 6 third subarea [0052] 6a housing cover [0053] 7 housing [0054] 8 control unit [0055] 11 first fold axis [0056] 13 second fold axis [0057] 14 circuit board [0058] 15 fill material [0059] 16 fixing element [0060] 16a first fixing element [0061] 16b second fixing element [0062] 17 drilled hole [0063] 18 track of adhesive