INSTALLATION SPACE-SAVING AND SAFE CONTROL UNIT FOR THE ELECTROHYDRAULIC ACTUATION OF MOTOR VEHICLE ASSEMBLIES

Abstract

The disclosure discloses a control unit for the electrohydraulic actuation of motor vehicle assemblies, having a main housing and at least one valve unit which can be inserted into the main housing. The valve unit has a metal valve housing for receiving an electrically actuable valve, a plug housing which is fastened to the valve housing and is formed from a plastics material, and a connection contact which is received in the plug housing and can be electrically connected to the valve. A clamping contact for electrically connecting the connection contact of the valve unit to an actuating electronics system is connected to the main housing. The plug housing forms a dielectric resistance between the clamping contact and the valve housing. An installation space-saving and safe control unit is rendered possible owing to the fact that the plug housing forms a dielectric resistance between the clamping contact and the valve housing.

Claims

1. A control unit for the electrohydraulic actuation of motor vehicle clutches, comprising: a main housing, and at least one valve unit configured to be inserted into the main housing, the at least one valve unit having: a metal valve housing configured for receiving an electrically actuated valve, a plug housing fastened to the metal valve housing and formed from a plastic material, and a first electrical contact disposed in the plug housing and configured to be electrically connected to the electrically actuated valve, and a clamping electrical contact, configured for electrically connecting the first electrical contact of the at least one valve unit to an actuating electronics system configured for operating the electrically actuated valve, connected to the main housing, and the plug housing forms a dielectric resistance between the clamping contact and the valve housing.

2. The control unit according to claim 1, wherein the dielectric resistance extends at least over an entire projection surface of the clamping electrical contact onto the metal valve housing along a surface normal to an outer side of the metal valve housing.

3. The control unit according to claim 1, wherein the metal valve housing has a cylindrical outer side, and the dielectric resistance extends in a plane tangential to the cylindrical outer side and substantially parallel to the clamping electrical contact.

4. The control unit according to any one of claim 1, wherein the plug housing has a projecting insulating extension guided along an outer side of the metal valve housing, the projecting insulating extension configured for forming the dielectric resistance between the clamping electrical contact and the metal valve housing.

5. The control unit according to claim 4, wherein the projecting insulating extension is formed integrally with the plug housing.

6. The control unit according to claim 4, wherein the projecting insulating extension has a through-opening configured for a passage of the first electrical contact outside of an extension of the metal valve housing in an insertion direction of the valve unit into the main housing and outside of an extension of the metal valve housing perpendicular to the insertion direction.

7. The control unit according to claim 4, wherein the projecting insulating extension arranged between the clamping electrical contact and the metal valve housing is configured to be inserted into the main housing via a movement of the projecting insulating extension relative to the clamping electrical contact in an insertion direction of the valve unit.

8. The control unit according to claim 1, wherein the plug housing is securely engaged to the metal valve housing via plastic deformation of the metal valve housing.

9. The control unit according to claim 1, wherein the clamping electrical contact has a groove open in a U-shape for receiving the first electrical contact, wherein and the groove of the clamping electrical contact open counter to an insertion direction of the valve unit into the main housing and the first electrical contact extends outside of the plug housing substantially perpendicular to the insertion direction.

10. A hydraulic module for hydraulic actuation of a clutch in a drive train of a motor vehicle, the hydraulic module comprising: a hydraulic pressure source for actuating the clutch, an actuating electronics system for processing signals for actuating the clutch, and a control unit according to claim 1 for connecting and/or interrupting a hydraulic force between the hydraulic pressure source and the clutch in response to electrical control signals output by the actuating electronics system.

11. The control unit according to claim 1, wherein the metal valve hosing has a cylindrical outer side, and the dielectric resistance extends in a circumferential direction of the cylindrical outer side and the clamping electrical contact extends substantially tangential to the dielectric resistance.

12. The control unit according to claim 8, wherein the plug housing is securely engaged to the metal valve housing via flanging of a fastening edge of the plug housing.

13. A control unit for electrohydraulic actuation of motor vehicle clutches, comprising: a main housing, and at least one valve unit configured to be inserted into the main housing in a first direction, the at least one valve unit having: a metal valve housing configured for receiving an electrically actuated valve, a plug housing fixed to an end of the metal valve housing and formed from a plastic material, and two first electrical contacts secured to the plug housing and configured to be electrically connected to the electrically actuated valve, and two second electrical contacts secured to the main housing, the two second electrical contacts: configured to receive the two first electrical contacts when the at least one valve unit is inserted into the main housing in the first direction, and electrically connecting the two first electrical contacts of the at least one valve unit to an actuating electronics system configured for operating the electrically actuated valve, and a dielectric resistance fixed to the plug housing and arranged between the metal valve housing and the two second electrical contacts, the dielectric resistance projecting along a longitudinal outer side of the metal valve housing.

14. The control unit according to claim 13, wherein the dielectric resistance is formed integrally with the plug housing.

15. The control unit according to claim 13, wherein the metal valve housing is cylindrical and the dielectric resistance extends so as to completely cover the two second electrical contacts when viewed in a radial direction of the metal valve housing.

16. The control unit according to claim 13, wherein each of the two second electrical contacts are formed with a groove having an open end configured to receive a corresponding one of the two first electrical contacts when the at least one valve unit is inserted into the main housing in the first direction.

17. The control unit according to claim 13, wherein the dielectric resistance includes two through-openings and each one of the first electrical contacts extends through a corresponding one of the two through-openings.

18. The control unit according to claim 13, wherein the plug housing is fixed to the end of the metal valve housing via plastically deformed tabs of the metal valve housing.

19. The control unit according to claim 18, wherein the plastically deformed tabs are configured to securely engage a fastening edge of the plug housing.

20. The control unit according to claim 13, wherein the plug housing is configured to project over the longitudinal outer side of the metal valve housing.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] In the following, the disclosure is explained by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings using exemplary embodiments, wherein the features presented below can present an aspect of the disclosure both individually and in combination. In the drawings:

[0023] FIG. 1: shows a schematic perspective view of a valve unit;

[0024] FIG. 2: shows a schematic perspective sectional view of a control unit with the valve unit from FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] The valve unit 10 shown in FIG. 1 can be used in an electrohydraulic control unit 12 for actuating motor vehicle assemblies, in particular a clutch in the drive train of a motor vehicle. The valve unit 10 has a metal valve housing 14 in which a solenoid valve can be received in a protected manner. This valve can be actuated electrically via connection contacts 16 (also referred to as first electrical contacts), for example to electromagnetically displace a valve slide so that a hydraulic connection between a hydraulic pressure source and a hydraulic consumer can be opened and/or closed. The connection contacts 16 are fixedly inserted in a plug housing 18 made of a non-conductive plastics material and are electrically connected to associated electrical connections of the valve. The connection contacts 16 are received in the plug housing 16 in a protected and electrically insulated manner, wherein the connection contact 16 is led out to the outside via a through-opening 19 in the plug housing 18. The plug housing 18 can be detachably or non-detachably fastened to the valve housing 14. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the valve housing 14 has plastically bent-over tabs 20, with the aid of which a projecting fastening edge 22 of the plug housing 18 is fastened to the valve housing 14 in a captive manner, in particular by flanging.

[0026] The valve housing 14 has a substantially circular-cylindrical shape and can be inserted in an insertion direction 24, which corresponds to the axial direction of the valve housing 14, together with the plug housing 18 into a corresponding receiving pocket of a main housing 26 of the control unit 10, as indicated in FIG. 2. On an underside of the main housing 26 facing the valve housing 14, clamping electrical contacts 28 (also referred to as second electrical contacts) are provided, each having a groove open in a U-shape counter to the insertion direction 24, into which the associated connection contact 16 can be automatically threaded and clamped when the valve unit 10 is assembled with the main housing 26.

[0027] The plug housing 18 has an integrally formed insulating extension 30 projecting in the insertion direction 24, which is arranged between the metal valve housing 14 and the metal clamping contacts 28 when the valve unit 10 is installed in order to form a dielectric resistance between the valve housing 14 and the clamping contacts 28. The insulating extension 30, as viewed in the radial direction of the valve housing 14, completely covers the clamping contacts 28 and projects laterally beyond the clamping contacts 28 so that the material of the plug housing 18 in the region of the projecting insulating extension 30 provides a high dielectric resistance to a voltage breakdown and/or a short circuit between the clamping contacts 28 and the valve housing 14.

LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

[0028] 10 Valve unit [0029] 12 Control unit [0030] 14 Valve housing [0031] 16 Connection contact [0032] 18 Plug housing [0033] 19 Through-opening [0034] 20 Tab [0035] 22 Fastening edge [0036] 24 Insertion direction [0037] 26 Main housing [0038] 28 Clamping contact [0039] 30 Insulating extension