Abstract
A mounting arrangement for holding an electronic component includes a housing having a housing base and a housing cover configured to be mounted onto the housing base, a receptacle for accommodating an electronic component, such as a PCB, between the housing base and the mounted housing cover, and at least one component fixation member which is elastically deformable and configured to be located in the receptacle for fixating the electronic component in the receptacle. The mounting arrangement is easy to assemble, inexpensive and capable of securely holding an electronic component.
Claims
1. A mounting arrangement for holding an electronic component, comprising a housing having a housing base and a housing cover configured to be mounted onto the housing base, a receptacle for accommodating the electronic component between the housing base and the mounted housing cover, and a component fixation member which is elastically deformable and configured to be located in the receptacle for fixating the electronic component in the receptacle.
2. A mounting arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the component fixation member is monolithically formed with the housing base.
3. A mounting arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the component fixation member is monolithically formed with the housing cover.
4. A mounting arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the component fixation member is formed as a spring latch protruding towards the receptacle at least partially.
5. A mounting arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the component fixation member comprises a convex section protruding towards the receptacle.
6. A mounting arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the component fixation member is an O-ring.
7. A mounting arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the component fixation member is one of: a spring latch; a spring latch being monolithically formed with the housing base; a spring latch being monolithically formed with the housing cover; a component fixation member comprising a convex section; a component fixation member comprising a convex section, the component fixation member being monolithically formed with the housing base; a component fixation member comprising a convex section, the component fixation member being monolithically formed with the housing cover; an O-ring.
8. A mounting arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the housing base and/or the housing cover comprises at least one engagement protrusion at least partially penetrating the receptacle.
9. A mounting arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the housing base and the housing cover are joined by laser welding in at least one welding section.
10. A mounting arrangement according to claim 9, wherein a welding section is located at an engagement protrusion.
11. A mounting arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the housing base comprises a collar surrounding the receptacle, the mounting arrangement further comprising a sealing element extending around an outer side of the collar, the outer side facing away from the receptacle.
12. A mounting arrangement according to claim 11, wherein the housing cover comprises at least one holder adapted for holding the sealing element in position, and wherein the at least one holder surpasses the collar perpendicular to the pressing direction.
13. A mounting arrangement according to claim 12, wherein a holder is monolithically formed with the housing cover.
14. A mounting arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the housing comprises at least one mounting flange via which the mounting arrangement is connectable to another device.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0049] In the following, the same reference numerals are used for elements that correspond to each other with respect to at least one of structure and function. Shown are:
[0050] FIG. 1 a schematic sectional view of a mounting arrangement according to a possible embodiment, the component fixation member being a spring latch;
[0051] FIG. 2 a schematic sectional view of a mounting arrangement according to another possible embodiment, the component fixation member having convex sections;
[0052] FIG. 3 a schematic sectional view of a mounting arrangement according to a further possible embodiment, one component fixation member being an O-ring;
[0053] FIG. 4 a schematic sectional view of a mounting arrangement according to another possible embodiment, comprising a sealing element and a holder;
[0054] FIG. 5 a schematic sectional view of a mounting arrangement according to yet another possible embodiment, further comprising mounting flanges;
[0055] FIG. 6 a schematic sectional view of a mounting arrangement according to a further possible embodiment, being assembled with a device.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0056] In the following, the structure and functionality of the mounting arrangement according to several embodiments is described with reference to FIG. 1 to FIG. 6.
[0057] As seen in FIG. 1, the mounting arrangement 1 comprises a housing 2, a receptacle 4, and at least one component fixation member 6. The housing 2 comprises a housing base 8 and a housing cover 10. The housing cover 10 is mounted onto the housing base 8, such that they are fixedly attached to each other. The receptacle 4 is located between the housing base 8 and the housing cover 10 and is configured to accommodate an electronic component 12. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the receptacle 4 is substantially cuboid. The electronic component 12, which in this embodiment is a PCB 14, is received in the receptacle 4, such that the PCB 14 is enclosed by the housing base 8 and the housing cover 10.
[0058] The component fixation member 6 is elastically deformable and configured to be located in the receptacle 4. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, a component fixation member 6 is exemplary formed as a spring latch 16. The spring latch 16 may be formed monolithically with the housing base 8 and may protrude towards the receptacle 4. In the shown embodiment, the spring latch 16 comprises a base 18 and a free end 20. The base of the spring latch 16 may be monolithically formed with the housing base 8, and the free end 20 of the spring latch 16 contacts the PCB 14. The spring latch 16 is elastically deflectable along a pressing direction 22, which in the shown embodiment extends along the normal direction 24 of the housing base 8, the normal direction 26 of the PCB 14 and the normal direction 28 of the housing cover 10.
[0059] The mounting arrangement 1 shown in FIG. 1 is in a mounted state 30. The PCB 14 is received in the receptacle 4 between the housing base 8 and the housing cover 10 and the spring latch 16 is elastically deflected along a direction of deflection 32. In the shown embodiment, the direction of deflection 32 extends along the pressing direction 22. The elastically deflected spring latch 16 exerts a restO-ring force 34, which acts opposite to the direction of deflection 32. As the spring latch 16, in particular the free end 20 of the spring latch 16, abuts the PCB 14, the restO-ring force 34 of the spring latch 16 is exerted on the PCB 14. As the housing base 8 and the housing cover 10 are fixedly connected to each other, relative movement between the housing base 8 and the housing cover 10 is prevented. In particular, movement is prevented along the pressing direction 22. Thus, the housing cover 10 cannot escape the restO-ring force 34 of the spring latch 16, which is why the PCB 14 is pushed against the housing cover 10. The PCB 14 is clamped between the housing base 8 and the housing cover 10 and the PCB 14 is securely fixated in the receptacle 4 of the mounting arrangement 1.
[0060] According to another embodiment, a component fixation member 6 may comprise a convex section 36. As shown in FIG. 2, the component fixation member 6 may comprise two convex sections 36, which may be monolithically formed with the housing cover 10. Each convex section 36 comprises an apex 38 that faces towards and/or protrudes into the receptacle 4. The convex sections 36, in particular the apexes 38, are in contact with the PCB 14. The mounting arrangement 1 shown in FIG. 2 is in the mounted state 30. The PCB 14 is accommodated in the receptacle 4 between the housing base 8 and the housing cover 10 and the convex sections 36 are elastically deformed along the direction of deflection 32 extending along the pressing direction 22. In analogy to the functionality of the mounting arrangement 1 according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the elastically deformed convex sections 36 exert the restO-ring force 34, which counteracts the direction of deflection 32. As a consequence, the PCB 14 is pressed towards the housing base 8 and thus clamped between the housing cover 10 and the housing base 8, such that the PCB 14 is securely fixated in the receptacle 4.
[0061] As shown in the embodiment of FIG. 3, a component fixation member 6 may be an O-ring 40. The O-ring 40 may be located in the receptacle 4, in particular between the housing cover 10 and the PCB 14, such that the O-ring 40 abuts the housing cover 10 and the PCB 14. In the mounted state 30, the O-ring 40 is elastically deformed or compressed between the housing cover 10 and the PCB 14. The deformation or compression of the O-ring 40 causes the restO-ring force 34 that tends to push the housing cover 10 and the PCB 14 apart, in particular along the pressing direction 22. As the PCB 14 abuts the housing base 8 and the housing cover 10, and because the housing base 8 and the housing cover 10 are fixedly attached to each other, the PCB 14 is pressed against the housing base 8. The PCB 14 is thereby fixated in the receptacle 4, as the PCB 14 is clamped between the housing base 8 and the elastically deflected O-ring 40.
[0062] In another embodiment, the mounting arrangement 1 may comprise more than one component fixation member 6. The component fixation members 6 may each be designed differently. As further shown in FIG. 3, the mounting arrangement 1 may comprise, in addition to the O-ring 40, another component fixation member 6 that may be designed as a spring latch 16. In the shown embodiment, the spring latch 16 protrudes from the housing cover 10 and into the receptacle 4. In particular, the base 18 of the spring latch 16 may be monolithically formed with the housing cover 10 and the free end 20 of the spring latch 16 may abut the PCB 14. The functionality of the spring latch 16 is similar to the functionality of the spring latch 16 described before with reference to FIG. 1. In the mounted state 30, the spring latch 16 pushes the PCB 14 against the housing base 8. Both component fixation members 6 shown in FIG. 3, namely the spring latch 16 and the O-ring 40, thus push the PCB 14 against the housing base 8, whereby the PCB 14 is fixated in the receptacle 4 of the mounting arrangement 1.
[0063] According to another embodiment, the housing base 8 and/or the housing cover 10 may comprise at least one engagement protrusion 42. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the housing base 8 is provided with an engagement protrusion 42. The engagement protrusion 42 may protrude perpendicular to a flat portion 44 of the housing base 8 and into the receptacle 4. In particular, the engagement protrusion 42 of the housing base 8 may penetrate a through-hole 46 in the PCB 14, the through-hole 46 being complementary to the engagement protrusion 42 of the housing base 8. When the engagement protrusion 42 of the housing base 8 and the through-hole 46 of the PCB 14 are engaged, relative movement perpendicular to the engagement protrusion 42 between the housing base 8 and the PCB 14 may be prevented.
[0064] As further shown in FIG. 4, in one embodiment, the housing base 8 and the housing cover 10 may comprise welding sections 48, via which the housing base 8 and the housing cover 10 may be connected, e.g. by laser welding. At least one of the welding sections 48 mayaccording to yet another embodimentbe located at the engagement protrusion 42 of the housing base 8 or the housing cover 10. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, two welding sections 48 are located at the engagement protrusion 42 of the housing base 8.
[0065] As best seen in FIGS. 4 and 5, the housing base 8 may further comprise a collar 50 and a sealing element 52. In the shown embodiment, the collar 50 is substantially cylindrical and perpendicularly protrudes from the flat portion 44 of the housing base 8. The collar 50 may surround the receptacle 4 that may be formed between the flat portion 44 of the housing base 8 and the housing cover 10. The sealing element 52 may circumferentially extend around an outer side 54 of the collar 50, the outer side 54 of the collar 50 facing away from the receptacle 4 and the PCB 14 received in the receptacle 4. In FIGS. 4 and 5, the sealing element 52 is provided as a sealing ring 56 concentrically surrounding the collar 50.
[0066] As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the housing cover 10 may further comprise at least one holder 58. In the shown embodiment, the holders 58 perpendicularly protrude from a substantially flat portion 60 of the housing cover 10 and the holders 58 are monolithically formed with the housing cover 10. Each holder 58 may comprise a U-shaped section 62 away from the flat portion 60 of the housing cover 10. When the housing cover 10 is inserted into the collar 50 of the housing base 8, the holders 58 extend along an inner side 64 of the collar 50 and the U-shaped sections 62 surpass the collar 50 perpendicular to the pressing direction 22. In particular, the U-shaped sections 62 of the holders 58 may extend from the inner side 64 of the collar 50 to the outer side 54 of the collar 50. A leg 66 of the U-shaped sections 62 of the holders 58 may be located on the outer side 54 of the collar 50, being positioned next to the sealing element 52. Thereby, the sealing element 52 may be prevented from moving along a longitudinal axis 68 of the collar 50 and/or along the pressing direction 22, such that the sealing element 52 may be securely retained to the housing base 8.
[0067] As best seen in FIGS. 5 and 6, the housing 2 of the mounting arrangement 1 may comprise mounting flanges 70, through which the mounting arrangement 1 may be connected to another device 72. Such a device 72 may, for example, correspond to another housing or housing arrangement. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the mounting flanges 70 each are provided with a through-hole 74 adapted for engaging a complementary projection 76 of the device 72. In another embodiment, at least one through-hole 74 of the mounting flanges 70 may be threaded.
[0068] It is to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. For example, the above-described embodiments (and/or aspects thereof) may be used in combination with each other. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from its scope. Dimensions, types of materials, orientations of the various components, and the number and positions of the various components described herein are intended to define parameters of certain embodiments, and are by no means limiting and are merely exemplary embodiments. Many other embodiments and modifications within the spirit and scope of the claims will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. The scope of the invention should, therefore, be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. In the appended claims, the terms including and in which are used as the plain-English equivalents of the respective terms comprising and wherein. Moreover, in the following claims, the terms first, second, and third, etc. are used merely as labels, and are not intended to impose numerical requirements on their objects. Further, the limitations of the following claims are not written in means-plus-function format and are not intended to be interpreted based on 35 U.S.C. 112 (f), unless and until such claim limitations expressly use the phrase means for followed by a statement of function void of further structure.
