CONNECTOR ELEMENT FOR AN ELECTRONIC COMPONENT, ELECTRONIC COMPONENT AND METHOD FOR ASSEMBLING AN ELECTRONIC COMPONENT

Abstract

A connector element for an electronic component includes a connecting region for connecting a circuit board to the connector element and a connector for connecting the connector element to another component. The connector element includes a sealing area intended to be brought in contact with a corresponding mating area of a housing. The sealing area has a narrow groove intended to be filled with a sealing material in a dispensing process. The narrow groove includes a dispensing starting region and the dispensing starting region has a width larger than the width of the narrow groove and a conically shaped side wall, in which the tip of the conus points towards the depth of the narrow groove. An electronic component and a method for assembling the electronic component are also provided.

Claims

1-12. (canceled)

13. A connector element for an electronic component, the connector element comprising: a connecting region for connecting a circuit board to the connector element; a connector for connecting the connector element to another component; a sealing area configured to be brought in contact with a corresponding mating area of a housing, said sealing area including a narrow groove to be filled with a sealing material in a dispensing process, said narrow groove having a depth and a dispensing starting region; and said dispensing starting region having: a larger width than said narrow groove, and a conically shaped side wall defining a conus with a tip pointing towards said depth of said narrow groove.

14. The connector element according to claim 13, wherein said groove extends completely circumferentially around said connector.

15. The connector element according to claim 14, wherein said groove has four sections forming a rectangular shape in top view along a connection direction of said connector.

16. The connector element according to claim 15, wherein one of said four sections includes said dispensing starting region, said rectangular shape has edges, and said dispensing starting region is disposed at a distance from said edges of said rectangular shape.

17. The connector element according to claim 13, wherein said groove has inner and outer sections, said conically shaped side wall is disposed on said inner section of said groove, and said outer section of said groove is evenly formed both in said dispensing starting region and outside of said dispensing starting region.

18. The connector element according to claim 13, wherein said sealing material is an adhesive.

19. The connector element according to claim 13, wherein the connector element is formed of an injection-molded plastic material.

20. An electronic component, comprising: at least one circuit board; a housing disposed around said at least one circuit board; and a connector element according to claim 13.

21. The electronic component according to claim 20, wherein said at least one circuit board protrudes from said connector element over a protruding distance D>5*b, wherein b is a width of said groove.

22. The electronic component according to claim 20, wherein said at least one circuit board protrudes from said connector element over a protruding distance D>10*b, wherein b is a width of said groove.

23. The electronic component according to claim 20, wherein the electronic component is a control unit of a selective catalytic reduction system of a vehicle.

24. A method for assembling an electronic component according to claim 13, the method comprising the following steps: connecting the circuit board to the connecting region of the connector element; dispensing the sealing material in the narrow groove starting in the dispensing starting region; using a needle being substantially parallel to a plane of the circuit board to dispense the sealing material; and placing a housing around the circuit board while causing a mating region of the housing to contact the sealing region.

Description

[0026] Further advantages, advantageous embodiment and developments of the connector elements, the electronic component and the method for assembling the electronic component will become apparent from the exemplary embodiments which are described below in association with the schematic figures.

[0027] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the connector element with a circuit board according to an embodiment of the invention,

[0028] FIG. 2 shows a side view of the connector element according to FIG. 1,

[0029] FIG. 3 shows a second side view of the connector element according to FIG. 1,

[0030] FIG. 4 shows a plan view of the connector element with a circuit board according to FIG. 1 and

[0031] FIG. 5 shows a second perspective view of the connector element according to FIG. 1.

[0032] FIG. 1 shows a connector element 1 which is made of plastic material in a injection molding process. The connector element 1 serves to connect an electronic circuit on the circuit board 3 to another electronic component, which is not shown in the figures, for example to a data cable and to a power supply.

[0033] The connector element 1 has a connector 5 for connecting the connector element 1 to the other component. The circuit board 3 is arranged on a first side 6 of the connector element 1 in a connecting region which is not shown in FIG. 1. The connector 5 is arranged and a second side 8 of the connector element 1 opposite the first side 6.

[0034] FIGS. 2 and 3 show side views of the connector element 1. From these views it can be seen, that the circuit board 3 protrudes from the connector element 1 by the protruding distance D.

[0035] FIGS. 4 and 5 show the connector element 1 from the first side 6. On the first side 6 there is arranged the connecting region 7, where the circuit board 3 is connected to the connector element 1. The connecting region 7 is surrounded by a rim 10 which comprises the groove 9 intended to be filled with a sealing material in a dispensing process. The rim 10 and the groove 9 follow an outline of the connector 5 such that they extend completely circumferentially around the connector 5 in top view on a main extension plane of the rim 10 which is also the connection direction of the connector 5. The groove 9 has four sections 9a, 9b, 9c, 9d forming a rectangular shape in top view along the connection direction, shown in FIG. 4.

[0036] In one region of the rim 10, the groove 9 widens to form the dispensing starting region 11 with a conically shaped side wall. In FIG. 5, the funnel-shaped geometry of the groove 9 in the dispensing starting region 11 can be seen. The dispensing starting region 11 is comprised by one of the four sections and is located at a distance from each of the edges of the groove 9.

[0037] In order to apply the sealing material, a dispensing needle is inserted into the dispensing starting region 11 from above while the circuit board 3 has already been connected to the connector element 1. Either a robotic arm guides the relatively long needle around the circuit board 3 through the groove 9 or the needle is held in place and the connector element 1 is turned by a robotic arm. Due to the funnel-shaped geometry of the groove 9 in the dispensing starting region 11, the needle can be inserted securely and easily into the groove 9.