OVERLAY SUBSTRATE FOR SECURING ELECTRONIC DEVICES IN A VEHICLE

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for securing electronic devices in a vehicle. A ventilation duct (10) is provided beneath the instrument panel for conveying air in the vehicle. The ventilation duct (10) includes an outer surface. An overlay substrate (12, 14) is laid upon and secured against the outer surface or acts as the wall of the duct, and is adapted for carrying electronic devices (16) thereon. This design improves packaging efficiency within the vehicle. This invention can also be applied to other automotive applications such as on door panels, instrument panels and package trays.

Description: OVERLAY SUBSTRATE FOR SECURING ELECTRONIC DEVICES IN A VEHICLE The present invention relates to an apparatus for securing electronic devices in a vehicle and, more particularly, to a substrate adapted to be laid upon a ventilation duct or other plastic support structure such as a door panel, instrument panel or package tray to carry electronic devices. Typically, electronic devices stored beneath a vehicle instrument panel are mounted on a thin substrate (circuit card) enclosed within a metal box or housing having bundles of wires (wiring harness) running into and out of the metal box. The metal box must be mounted to a support structure beneath the instrument panel and supported in an appropriate position, preferably behind the centre stack bezel of the instrument panel for providing electronic support to the vehicle temperature control and sound systems, as well as other electronic instrument panel components, such as the anti-lock brake module, EEC engine control module, air bag. module, etc. This assembly can consume a substantial amount of space beneath the instrument panel. The bulky metal box with bundles of wires extending therefrom will have substantial space requirements, and will adversely affect packaging design efficiency in the vehicle. Furthermore, the metal box adds to manufacturing costs and vehicle weight. It is desirable to provide an apparatus for storing such electronic devices beneath the instrument panel assembly in a manner in which packaging efficiency is improved and manufacturing costs and weight are reduced. The present invention overcomes the above-referenced shortcomings of prior art assemblies by providing an overlay substrate adapted for supporting electronic devices thereon, and further adapted to be overlaid upon and attached to a ventilation duct or other plastic support structure. The substrate may be bent either before or after application of electronic devices thereto, and is laid against the outer surface of the duct in a manner to improve packaging efficiency beneath the vehicle instrument panel. More specifically, the present invention provides an apparatus for securing electronic devices in a vehicle, comprising a ventilation duct for conveying air in the vehicle. The ventilation duct includes an outer surface. An overlay substrate is laid upon and secured against the outer surface. The overlay substrate is bendable for matching the contour of the outer surface, and is adapted for carrying electronic devices thereon. In a preferred embodiment, the duct includes an aperture formed therein, and the substrate includes a metal heat sink device secured thereto for co-operation with the aperture for dissipating heat from the electronic devices into the duct. The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a partially cut-away exploded perspective view of a ventilation duct having a plurality of overlay substrates secured thereon in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 shows a partially cut-away perspective view of an overlay substrate secured by an attachment tab to a ventilation duct in accordance with the present invention, as shown m Figure 1; Figure 3 shows a partially cut-away, perspective exploded view of surface circuitry secured to an overlay substrate and including press-fit pins extending through the overlay substrate for electrical communication with wires positioned on the substrate and the ventilation duct; and Figure 4 shows a partially cut-away, exploded vertical cross-sectional view of an overlay substrate secured to a ventilation duct, and including a metal heat sink m - accordance with the present invention. Figure 1 shows a partially cut-away exploded perspective view of a ventilation duct 10 supporting overlay substrates 12,14. The overlay substrates 12,14 include electronic devices 16 secured thereon. This design is more cost effective and manufacturing efficient than the prior art method of storing electronic devices within a metal box secured beneath the instrument panel assembly. It is also more efficient than securing the electronic devices directly to the duct. This invention decouples the manufacturing, material, and component cost from the main duct or instrument panel structure to the overlay substrate. The overlay substrate contains the majority of the electronic features and value added assembly cost. This feature is important because of process fallout and scrap cost issues which could arise if the electronics were intimately bonded to the mam duct. By physically decoupling the electronics from the mam duct and onto an overlay substrate which is easier to handle, assemble and service, the scrap and fallout issues are transferred to the substrate. The overlay substrate 12,14 can then be physically attached to the duct 10 in such a manner as to be easily removed but to take advantage of the base duct or mechanical support, electrical interconnection and thermal management. The ventilation duct 10 further includes a register 18 at a distal end thereof for communication with the vehicle passenger compartment. The overlay substrate 12, 14 may be constructed of various desired materials in order to control material properties such as CTE (coefficient of thermal expansion) , HDT {heat deflection temperature) and other properties, while reducing costs. By controlling the substrate properties, the reliability of the assembly can be improved. In addition, more traditional circuit board materials such as FR-4 (Fire Retardant-4 — epoxy plastic thermoset) can be used as the substrate material. The forming of the substrate materials to match the contour of the duct 10-can be accomplished by mechanical bending or by thermal forming. If traditional circuit board materials are used, they can be rigid or bendable. For example, thin FR-4 can be bent and fastened to the base duct work. The thin FR-4, while planar, can be populated with electronic devices and strategically bent during or prior to attachment on the duct work or other structure. Other substrate materials which are thermoformable, such as TPO (thermoplastic polyolefin blends) can be populated when planar and then formed to the duct work or structure. Other desirable materials to be used could be ABS, polypropylene, polystyrene, PPO (polyphenylene oxide), nylon 6, nylon 6.6, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) , and sometimes fillers, such as glass fibre, talc, or glass spheres can be used. The circuitry layout will be provided so as to position devices preferably away from bend areas allowing only circuit traces to be formed in such areas. The stress and physical curvature of the formed substrate bend areas precludes the positioning of electronic components m these areas. Only highly ductile copper traces are to be used, as they can be drawn and bent to conform with the underlying surfaces. The interconnection of the overlay substrate 12,14 with the ventilation duct 10 is achieved by mechanical fasteners. The fastening can be accomplished by snap-fit features which would be moulded into the substrate 12,14 and duct 10, as shown in Figure 2. Figure 2 shows an attachment tab 20 which extends from the ventilation duct 10 for receipt in an attachment aperture 22 formed m the overlay substrate 12 for attaching the substrate 12 to the duct 10. Alternatively, more traditional fasteners such as screws could be used. Referring to Figure 3, electrical interconnections between the overlay substrates 12,14 and the duct 10 can be achieved through press-fit pms 24,26 mounted m the duct. The press-fit pins 24,26 include compressible eyelets 28,30, respectively, which are compressible within duct apertures 32. The mechanical force provided by the eyelets 28,30 not only provides sturdy electrical connections between the wires 34,36 and the surface circuitry 38,40, respectively, but also supplies mechanical force to assist m securing the substrate 12 to the duct 10. Other electrical interconnects, such as wire bonding, flex circuits, edge connectors and soldering could also be used. The separate substrates 12,14 also increase manufacturing and assembly flexibility. The overlay substrates 12,14 can be processed and populated in parallel with the instrument panel build. The substrates can be treated as modules which then plug into the main duct 10. The size and shape of each overlay substrate can be designed to provide the most efficient method of packaging the electronics . As shown m Figure 4, the overlay substrate 14 may also take advantage of the underlying duct 10 for heat sinking. As shown in Figure 4, the substrate 14 includes electronic devices 16 mounted on a first surface 42, and a metal heat sink 46 mounted on a second surface 44 of the overlay substrate 14. The metal heat sink 46 is provided in thermal communication with the electronic devices 16. A corresponding aperture 48 is formed through the duct 10 for co-operation with the metal heat sink 46. Thermal adhesive 50 is provided between the substrate 14 and duct 10 for securing the substrate 14 to the duct 10. The adhesive ensures intimate thermal contact between the substrate and the metal heat sink and also seals any duct openings. As air travels through the duct 10, it carries heat away from the metal heat sink 46, thus convectively cooling the electronic devices 16. Thermal management can also be accomplished through forming the overlay substrate over a metal plate which can be moulded in the duct or bonded to the base duct. This overlay substrate can either be secured on the duct outer surface, or it may cover a similarly sized hole formed in the duct. If the substrate were to be placed over a hole formed in the duct, it would preferably be a FR-4 (thermoset) material, or a metal plate with FR-4 bonded to The substrate 12, 14 could comprise thicknesses varying from approximately 0.002 inches to approximately 0.200 inches, depending upon the structural integrity required for the specific application. The duct could be designed of low cost materials, such as polyethylene, rather than ABS or SMA, and the duct could be formed by blow moulding rather than injection moulding. In addition, the duct can be formed with varying degrees of rigidity, i.e. different areas of increased or decreased polymer thickness, in order to provide areas to support the mechanical interlocking features and electrical interconnects.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. An apparatus for securing electronic devices in a vehicle, the vehicle including a plastic support structure (10) therein, the apparatus comprising: an overlay substrate (12,14) adapted for supporting electronic devices (16) thereon, and further adapted to be overlaid upon and attached to the plastic support structure (10) . 2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said plastic support structure comprises a ventilation duct. 3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support structure comprises a contoured surface and said substrate is bendable to facilitate matching the contour of the duct. 4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support structure comprises a contoured surface and said substrate comprises a rigid material. 5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support structure comprises a contoured surface and said substrate comprises a formable thermoplastic material. 6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the substrate comprises first and second sides, the first side adapted for receiving electronic devices, and the second side. comprising a metal heat sink device secured thereto for dissipating heat from the electronic devices into the duct. 7. An apparatus for securing electronic devices in a vehicle, comprising: a ventilation duct for conveying air in the vehicle and having an outer surface; and an overlay substrate laid upon and secured against said outer surface, and adapted for carrying electronic devices thereon. 8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein said duct comprises an aperture formed therein and said substrate comprises a metal heat sink device secured thereto for cooperation with said aperture for dissipating heat from the electronic devices into the duct. 9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein said substrate comprises a plurality of attachment holes formed therein, and said duct comprises a plurality of attachment tabs extending therefrom for cooperation with said attachment holes to secure the substrate to the duct. 10. An apparatus for securing electronic devices in a vehicle, comprising: a ventilation duct for conveying air in the vehicle and having an outer surface, said duct further comprising an aperture formed therein, and having a plurality of attachment tabs extending therefrom; a bendable overlay substrate laid upon and secured against said outer surface, and adapted for carrying electronic devices thereon, said substrate further comprising a plurality of attachment holes formed therethrough for co-operation with said attachment tabs, and having a metal heat sink device secured thereto for co-operation with said aperture for dissipating heat from the electronic devices into the duct.

Inventors: GLOVATSKY ANDREW ZACHARY, LEMACHA MYRON, SINKUNAS PETER JOSEPH, TODD MICHAEL GEORGE, GLOVATSKY, ANDREW, ZACHARY, LEMACHA, MYRON, SINKUNAS, PETER, JOSEPH, TODD, MICHAEL, GEORGE
Applicants: FORD FRANCE, FORD MOTOR CANADA, FORD MOTOR CO, FORD WERKE AG, FORD FRANCE S.A., FORD MOTOR COMPANY, FORD MOTOR COMPANY LIMITED, FORD MOTOR COMPANY OF CANADA LIMITED
Application year: 1997
Main classification: B60R16
IPC codes: B60R16, H05K1, H05K3