Abstract:
An electronic assembly includes a housing having an inner compartment that receives an electrical component. The housing includes connector members that secure the electrical component in the inner compartment and provide an electrical connection to the electrical component. The housing includes an opening that corresponds in position to a surface portion of the electrical component. The opening provides access for a repair tool to be inserted though the housing and press on the surface portion of the electrical component for the purpose of removing the electrical component from the connector members. The electronic assembly and repair tool therefore avoid laborious and potentially damaging disassembly methods while providing a simple design that is easily disassembled.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     The application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/524,151, filed on Nov. 21, 2003. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     This invention relates to an electronic assembly and, more particularly, to an electronic assembly and repair tool for easily disassembling an electrical component from the electronic assembly without damaging the electrical component.  
         [0003]     Motorized vehicles typically include a variety of electronically controlled vehicle systems, such as a transmission system. Electronic assemblies used to control or communicate with the vehicle systems usually include an electrical component, for example a circuit board, that is enclosed in a plastic or metal housing. The housing protects the electrical component from becoming damaged during installation, handling, and/or operation of the electrical component.  
         [0004]     Conventionally, the electrical component is press-fit onto electrical connector pins in the housing. The electrical connector pins extend through the housing and into a harness connector on the exterior of the housing. The electrical connector pins provide an electrical connection between the electrical component and harness connector. The harness connector typically receives a vehicle wire harness, which electrically connects the electrical component with other electronic assemblies of the motorized vehicle.  
         [0005]     Disadvantageously, these typical electronic assemblies are not designed for disassembly. There is little or no clearance gap between the electrical component and the housing, making removal of the electrical component from the housing difficult without damaging the electrical component. For example, the housing may be cut with a cutting device or the electrical component pried loose from the electrical connector pins to remove the electrical component from the housing. The housing may be destroyed during such disassembly methods and there is risk of damaging the electrical component. These disassembly methods may also be laborious, time consuming and expensive.  
         [0006]     Accordingly, there is a need for an electronic assembly design that is easy to disassemble. This invention addresses this need and provides enhanced capabilities while avoiding the shortcomings and drawbacks of the prior art.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     An exemplary electronic assembly includes a housing having an inner compartment that receives an electrical component. The housing includes connector members that secure the electrical component in the inner compartment and provide an electrical connection to the electrical component. The housing includes an opening that corresponds in position to a surface portion of the electrical component. The opening provides access for a repair tool to be inserted though the housing to press on the surface portion of the electrical component for the purpose of removing the electrical component from the connector members.  
         [0008]     One example repair tool includes a base portion and an extended portion. The extended portion corresponds in shape to the opening in the housing of the electronic assembly. The base portion includes two opposing cavities that receive the connector members when the repair tool is inserted into the opening to disassemble the electronic assembly.  
         [0009]     Another example electronic assembly includes a housing having a plurality of openings for disassembling the electrical component from the housing. The electrical component includes a plurality of surface portions and each opening corresponds to one of the plurality of surface portions such that electrical surface devices on the electrical component are not damaged during the disassembly. An example corresponding repair tool includes a plurality of extended portions that respectively correspond to the plurality of openings in the housing.  
         [0010]     The electronic assembly and repair tool therefore avoid laborious and potentially damaging disassembly methods while providing a simple design that is easily disassembled. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]     The various features and advantages of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the currently preferred embodiment. The drawings that accompany the detailed description can be briefly described as follows.  
         [0012]      FIG. 1  illustrates a schematic exploded view of an electronic assembly;  
         [0013]      FIG. 2  illustrates a schematic cross-sectional assembled view of the electronic assembly of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0014]      FIG. 3  illustrates one example repair tool for disassembling the electronic assembly of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0015]      FIG. 4  illustrates a magnified view of the repair tool in a repair position;  
         [0016]      FIG. 5  illustrates disassembly of the circuit board from the plurality of connector members;  
         [0017]      FIG. 6  illustrates another example of disassembling the circuit board;  
         [0018]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of another example electronic assembly; and  
         [0019]      FIG. 8  illustrates a perspective view of another example repair tool. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0020]      FIG. 1  illustrates a schematic exploded view of an electronic assembly  10 , for example a transfer case module for controlling operation of a motorized vehicle transmission. The electronic assembly  10  includes a housing  12 , which for example is fabricated from a molded plastic or a metal. The housing  12  includes a connector header  14 . In the example shown, the connector header  14  includes walls  16  that form a female boss  18  for attachment to a corresponding male electrical harness connector (not shown). Although the housing  12  and connector header  14  are shown as one integrated piece, the connector header  14  may also be a separate piece from the housing  12 . This may provide the benefit of forming the connector header  14  out of a plastic and the housing out of a different material, such as metal, to function as an electromagnetic shield.  
         [0021]     The connector header  14  includes a plurality of connector members  20 , for example known electrical press-fit pins. The plurality of connector members  20  extend from the female boss  18 , through the housing  12 , and into an inner compartment  22  of the housing  12 . In one example, the plurality of connector members  20  are insert-molded into the connector header  14 . In another example, the plurality of connector members  20  are removably press-fit into molded-in holes in the connector header  14 .  
         [0022]     The connector header  14  of the housing  12  also includes an opening  24 , such as an elongated slot. In one example, the opening  24  is located between two connector members  26 ,  28  of the plurality of connector members  20 . The opening  24  provides access to the inner compartment  22  for disassembly of the electronic assembly  10 , which will be described in more detail below.  
         [0023]     An electrical component, such as a circuit board  30  or other electrical component, is received in the inner compartment  22  during an assembly process. The circuit board  30  includes outer peripheral edges  32 . A clearance gap  34  of less than 5 millimeters, and preferably about 0.5 millimeters, remains between the outer peripheral edges  32  and walls  36  of the housing  12  when the circuit board  30  is secured in the inner compartment  22 . This relatively small clearance gap  34  generally makes it difficult to disassemble the circuit board  30  from the housing  12  using a tool, such as a screwdriver or even a finger, because the tool does not easily fit into the clearance gap  34  to pry the circuit board  30  from the housing  12 .  
         [0024]     The plurality of connector members  20  are received into corresponding attachment openings  38  on the circuit board  30  and form a frictional-fit between the plurality of connector members  20  and the corresponding attachment openings  38 , such as metal-plated-through-holes. The terminology “frictional-fit” as used herein refers broadly to an interference connection wherein the interference between connecting portions secures the portions together.  
         [0025]     The frictional-fit secures the circuit board  30  in the inner compartment  22  of the housing  12 . In one example, the plurality of connector members  20  are electrically conductive and provide an electrical connection between the circuit board  30  and the corresponding male electrical harness connector. The circuit board  30  is further secured in the inner compartment  22  with fasteners  40  that extend through the circuit board  30  and into corresponding fastener bosses  42  in the inner compartment  22 .  
         [0026]     The circuit board  30  also includes a surface portion  44  that corresponds in position to the opening  24 . In one example, the circuit board  30  includes a plurality of electrical circuit devices  46 , such as capacitors, resistors, and/or other devices, but the surface portion  44  of the circuit board  30  does not include electrical circuit devices  46  (sometimes referred to as a keep-out zone). This may provide the benefit of disassembling the circuit board  30  from the housing  12  without damaging the electrical circuit devices  46 , as will be explained in more detail below. Although only one surface portion  44  is shown in this example, the circuit board  30  may include additional surface portions  44  in other examples having more than one opening  24 .  
         [0027]     A cover  48  is received onto the housing  12  to enclose the circuit board  30  in the inner compartment  22 . The cover  48  includes snap-fit portions  50  that secure the cover  48  to corresponding housing snap-fit portions  52  of the housing  12  to form the assembled electronic assembly  10 , as illustrated in  FIG. 2 . Alternatively, the cover  48  may be secured to the housing  12  using a fastener or other method of attachment.  
         [0028]     One example method of disassembling the assembled electronic assembly  10  utilizes a repair tool  62 , as illustrated in the schematic cross-sectional view of  FIG. 3 . The repair tool  62  includes a base portion  64  and an extended portion  66  connected to the base portion  64 . In one example, a cross-section of the extended portion  66  corresponds to a cross-section of the opening  24  such that the extended portion  66  fits through the opening  24  and is able to contact the surface portion  44  of the circuit board  30 .  
         [0029]     The base portion  64  of the repair tool  62  also includes two opposing cavities  68 ,  70 . The two opposing cavities  68 ,  70  extend into the base portion  64  and receive the plurality of connector members  20  when the repair tool  62  is inserted into the opening  24  to disassemble the electronic assembly  10 . In the example shown, the opposing cavities  68 ,  70  are generally rectangular-shaped, however, circular or other shapes may also be utilized.  
         [0030]      FIG. 4  illustrates a magnified view of the repair tool  62  in a repair position, after the cover  48  and fasteners  40  are removed from the housing  12 . The extended portion  66  is at least partially received into the opening  24 , which is generally aligned with the surface portion  44  of the circuit board  30 . The extended portion  66  contacts the surface portion  44  of the circuit board  30 .  
         [0031]     As the extended portion  66  is received into the opening  24 , the two opposing cavities  68 ,  70  at least partially receive the plurality of connector members  20 . This may provide the advantage of maintaining an elongated shape of the plurality of connector members  20  by avoiding stressful contact between the plurality of connector members  20  and the base portion  64 , which could deform, bend, or loosen the plurality of connector members  20 . Alternatively, a similar benefit may be gained without the two opposing cavities  68 ,  70  if the extended portion  66  is made long enough to contact the circuit board  30  without the base portion  64  contacting the plurality of connector members  20 .  
         [0032]     Once the extended portion  66  contacts the surface portion  44 , a removal force is applied to the repair tool  62 . Since the surface portion  44  does not include electrical circuit devices  46 , the electrical circuit devices  46  on the circuit board  30  are not subjected to the potentially damaging removal force. This feature may provide the benefit of preventing damage to the electrical circuit devices  46  during disassembly of the circuit board  30 .  
         [0033]     The removal force is generally applied in a direction opposite a direction that the circuit board was received onto the plurality of connector members  20  to overcome the frictional-fit between the plurality of connector members  20  and the circuit board  30 . Generally, the removal force moves the circuit board  30  relative to the plurality of connector members  20 . The removal force may be applied manually, such as by an operator, or automatically using a known automated machine. When the removal force overcomes the frictional-fit, the circuit board  30  detaches from the plurality of connector members  20  and slides out of the housing  12 , as illustrated in  FIG. 5 .  
         [0034]     Utilizing the repair tool  62  in the above disassembly method may provide the benefit of avoiding having to pry the circuit board  30  from the housing  12  or having to cut the housing  12  to free the circuit board  30  from the plurality of connector members  20 . The electronic assembly  10  and repair tool  62  therefore provide a simple design that is easily disassembled.  
         [0035]     In one example, arranging the opening  24  between at least two connector members  26 ,  28  of the plurality of connector members  20  may also provide the benefit of limiting stress on the plurality of connector members  20  during the time when the circuit board  30  is pushed off of the connector members  20  using the repair tool  62  (reducing a risk of damaging the connector members  20 ). That is, stress on the plurality of connector members  20  may be more evenly distributed among the plurality of connector members  20  rather than generally concentrated on only one or a few connector members  20 .  
         [0036]      FIG. 6  is another example of disassembling the circuit board  30  using the repair tool  62 . In this example, the repair tool  62  includes a second member  72  with pronged portions  74 ,  76  that exert a removal force on the connector members  26 ,  28 . The connector members  26 ,  28  are removably press-fit into the connector header  14  and move relative to the circuit board  30  and housing  12 . The connector members  26 ,  28  move into the two opposing cavities  68 ,  70 . The pronged portions  74 ,  76  push the connector members  26 ,  28  through the attachment openings  38  in the circuit board  30  to overcome the frictional-fit between the circuit board  30  and the connector members  26 ,  28 . The circuit board is then able to slide out of the housing  12 , as illustrated in  FIG. 5 .  
         [0037]     Generally, the repair tool  62  is static and the second member  72  moves to exert the removal force, which results in the connector members  26 ,  28  moving relative to the circuit board  30 . However, in other examples, the both the repair tool  62  and second member  72  move to respectively exert the removal force on the circuit board  30  and the connector members  26 ,  28  and the circuit board  30  and the connector members  26 ,  28  move relative to each other.  
         [0038]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of another example electronic assembly  10  configuration. The electronic assembly  10  includes a housing  12  having a connector header  14 . The connector header  14  includes walls  16  that form a plurality of female bosses  18 . Each of the plurality of female bosses  18  includes a plurality of connector members  20  that are arranged in rows  80 . Each of the plurality of female bosses  18  also includes an opening  24   a ,  24   b ,  24   c  for disassembling an electrical component from the inner compartment  22  of the housing  12 .  
         [0039]      FIG. 8  illustrates a perspective view of another example repair tool  62 . The repair tool  62  corresponds to the electronic assembly  10  of  FIG. 6  and includes a plurality of extended portions  66   a ,  66   b ,  66   c  that correspond respectively to the openings  24   a ,  24   b ,  24   c  in the plurality of female bosses  18  of the electronic assembly  10  of  FIG. 6 . Two of the extended portions  66   b ,  66   c  each include opposing cavities  68 ,  70  and the extended portion  66   a  includes a single cavity  82 . The opposing cavities  68 ,  70  and single cavity  82  receive the plurality of connector members  20  adjacent to the respective corresponding openings  24   a ,  24   b ,  24   c  during a disassembly process that is similar to that shown in  FIG. 4 .  
         [0040]     Although a preferred embodiment of this invention has been disclosed, a worker of ordinary skill in this art would recognize that certain modifications would come within the scope of this invention. For that reason, the following claims should be studied to determine the true scope and content of this invention.