Abstract:
A modular assembly for mounting electronic control modules is disclosed. The modular assembly comprises a generally planar bracket having a main portion having a first side and a second side opposite of the first side, and at least mounting three feet extending from said main portion. At least four mounting points are located near a perimeter of each of the first and second surfaces. At least one electronic control module is attached to the mounting points on the first surface and at least one electronic control module is attached to the mounting points on the second surface.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to an apparatus for mounting electronic control modules to a vehicle chassis. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Vehicles are commonly equipped with electronic controllers that monitor and control the functions of engines, transmissions, operator stations, hydraulic systems, and the like. The electronic controllers must be mounted in a manner that secures them to the vehicle while also protecting them from undue shock and vibration. Mounting locations are often crowded with other vehicle components, which makes installation and removal of the electronic controllers for service difficult. In addition, the electronic controllers are often connected to thick bundles of wire harnesses that must be carefully routed around other vehicle components, further hampering servicing of the electronic controllers. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In one aspect of the present disclosure, a generally planar bracket for supporting electronic control modules is disclosed. The bracket comprises a main portion having a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface, a first edge, a second edge oriented 90 degrees from the first edge, at least four mounting points located near a perimeter of each of the first and second surfaces, a first mounting foot portion extending from the first edge and oriented 90 degrees from the first surface toward the second surface, second and third mounting foot portions extending from the second edge and oriented 90 degrees from the first surface toward the second surface, the first, second, and third mounting foot portions having slots configured to accept fasteners, and wherein said slots are oriented along different Cartesian axes. 
     In another aspect of the present disclosure, a modular assembly for mounting electronic control modules is disclosed. The method comprises a generally planar bracket having a main portion having a first side and a second side opposite of the first side, at least mounting three feet extending from said main portion, at least four bosses, configured to accept a threaded fastener, located near a perimeter of each of the first and second surfaces, wherein a first electronic control module is threadably attached to said bosses on said first surface and a second electronic control module is threadably attached to said bosses on said second surface. 
     In yet another aspect of the present disclosure, a modular assembly for mounting electronic control modules is disclosed. The modular assembly comprises a generally planar bracket having a main portion having a first side and a second side opposite of the first side, at least mounting three feet extending from said main portion, three bosses, configured to accept a threaded fastener, located near a perimeter of each of the first and second surfaces, wherein at least one electronic control module is threadably attached to said bosses on said first surface and at least one electronic control module is threadably attached to said bosses on said second surface. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a depiction of an exemplary embodiment of a modular assembly for mounting electronic control modules 
         FIG. 2  is another depiction of an exemplary embodiment of a modular assembly for mounting electronic control modules 
         FIG. 3  is another depiction of an exemplary embodiment of a modular assembly for mounting electronic control modules 
         FIG. 4  is a depiction of an exemplary embodiment of a bracket configured for mounting electronic control modules 
         FIG. 5  is another depiction of an exemplary embodiment of a bracket configured for mounting electronic control modules 
         FIG. 6  is another depiction of an exemplary embodiment of a bracket configured for mounting electronic control modules 
         FIG. 7  is yet another depiction of an exemplary embodiment of a bracket configured for mounting electronic control modules 
         FIG. 8  is a depiction of an exemplary embodiment of a modular assembly of electronic control modules 
         FIG. 9  is a depiction of an exemplary embodiment of a modular assembly of electronic control modules with some elements removed for clarity 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3 ,  4 , and  5 , a bracket  10  for mounting electronic control modules to a vehicle chassis  5  is shown. The bracket  10  is generally planar in configuration. The bracket  10  consists of a main portion  20  which may be generally square or rectangular in shape not including corner cuts, gussets, voids, or other features. The main portion  20  has a first surface  30  and a second surface  40  that is opposite of the first surface  30 . The main portion has a first edge  50  and a second edge  60  that is oriented 90 degrees from the first edge  50 . The main portion  20  also as a third edge  62  that is opposite and generally parallel to the first edge  50 , as well as a fourth edge  64  that is opposite and generally parallel to the second edge  60 . 
     The bracket  10  may include a void  170  near the middle of the main portion  20 . The purpose of the void  170  is to reduce the mass of the bracket  10 . Reduction of mass is important for a number of reasons. One reason is reduction of overall vehicle mass. A second reason is for reduction of the mass of the ECM mounting assembly  180 . A reduction of mass results in a reduction of the amplitude of oscillation of the ECM mounting assembly  180  due to shock and vibration. The void  170  may be relatively small, occupying approximately 25% of the surface area of the main portion  20 . The void  170  may be 75% or larger if mass must be reduced further. The size of the void  170  can be chosen to be as large as possible to achieve a target mass savings. The chosen size of the void depends on the bracket material thickness and the overall stiffness that is required. 
     Bracket  10  includes at least three mounting feet extending from the main portion  20 .  FIGS. 3 ,  4 , and  5  show a first mounting foot  100  extending from the first edge  50 , while the second and third mounting feet ( 110 ,  120 ) extend from the second edge. The mounting feet  100 ,  110 , and  120  are shown in  FIG. 3  oriented from away from the first surface  30  toward the second surface  40  at an angle of 90 degrees. In this way, the main portion  20  and mounting feet  100 ,  110 , and  120  can be made from the same piece of material, such as sheet metal. The choice of reference to the first surface  30  and second surface  40  is of course arbitrary and could be reversed. 
     The mounting feet  100 ,  110 , and  120  include slots  130  for accepting fasteners  90 . The slots may be open ended and can be oriented in order to aid mounting of the bracket to the vehicle chassis  5 . For instance,  FIG. 3  shows slots  130  that are oriented along different axes of the Cartesian coordinate system (x, y, z). Note that mounting feet located on the same edge may also have slots  130  oriented in the same direction. 
     The slots  130  are configured to accept an appropriately sized threaded fastener  90 . The slots  130  allow installation of the bracket  10  onto fasteners that have been partially threaded into a mounting surface. For instance, a fastener  90  may be partially threaded into a vehicle frame as a first step. Slot  130  in the third mounting foot  120  can be moved onto the partially-threaded fastener  90 , partially supporting the mass of the ECM mounting assembly  180 . Next the ECM mounting assembly  180  can be rotated into position allowing the remaining fasteners  90  to be located in the slots  130  in the first mounting foot  100  and the second mounting foot  110 . The remaining fasteners  90  can be threaded and torqued. 
     Bracket  10  is designed to mount at least one electronic control module (ECM)  135  on the first surface  30  and at least one ECM  135  on a second surface  40 . The bracket  10  can also mount one ECM  135  on the first surface  30  or one ECM  135  on the second surface  40 . Alternatively, the bracket  10  could mount two ECMs  135  on the first surface  30  and one ECM  135  on the second surface  40  or any combination thereof. Mounting points  70  are provided on the main portion  20  for this purpose. Mounting points  70  are located around the perimeter of the first surface  30  and second surface  40  of main portion  20 . For example, the mounting points  70  may be located near the corners of the main portion  20 . At least three mounting points may be provided on each surface in order to prevent any long unsupported spans, thereby reducing high amplitude oscillations in ECMs  135  that arise from shock or vibration. 
     One method of mounting ECMs  140 ,  150  to bracket  10  is by means of a through-hole designed to accept the shaft of a threaded fastener  90 . Using this mounting method, a threaded fastener  90  would be inserted through a first ECM  140 , then through the bracket  10 , and finally through a second ECM  150 . A hex nut could then be used to retain the second ECM  150 . The bolted joint could be completed by the use of spacers and washers  92  as is known in the art. The joint could also include isolation washers  160  made of a vibration absorbing material to prevent certain frequencies and amplitudes of shock and vibration from reaching the ECMs  140 ,  150 . 
     Another method of mounting ECMs  140 ,  150  to bracket  10  is by means of a boss  80 . The boss  80  is generally cylindrical in shape with a hole in the axial center for accepting a fastener. The hole in the boss  80  may be threaded to accept a fastener  90 . The hole could also be configured to accept a press-fit fastener. The boss is then welded or otherwise attached to the bracket  10  where mounting points  70  are located. Using this mounting method, a threaded fastener  90  would be inserted through a first ECM  140  and then threaded into the boss  80 . The bolted joint could be completed by the use of spacers and washers  92  as is known in the art. The joint could also include isolation washers  160  made of a vibration absorbing material to prevent certain frequencies and amplitudes of shock and vibration from reaching the ECMs  140 ,  150 . 
     It should be noted that the mounting bracket  10  as described above lends itself to a number of ECM mounting options. For instance, the bracket  10  could be installed with one ECM on either of the first surface  30  or the second surface  40 . Referring to  FIG. 1 , the same bracket  10  could be installed with a first ECM  140  on the first surface  30  and a second ECM  150  on the second surface  40 . 
     Additionally, the bracket  10  could be configured to be installed with one ECM on either the first surface  30  or the second surface  40 , and two ECMs on the opposite surface. Referring to  FIG. 2 , the bracket  10  could also be configured to be installed with two ECMs on the first surface  30  and two ECMs on the second surface  40 . 
     The bracket  10  and ECMs  140 ,  150  are assembled together to form an ECM mounting assembly  180  shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . This assembly simplifies and eases mounting of the ECMs  140 ,  150  into the available space on the vehicle chassis  5 . For instance, the chassis may have various wire harness bundles, conduits, pumps, motors, or other components mounted in the same area that is required to mount the ECMs  140 ,  150 . As seen in  FIG. 6 , there may not be enough room on the chassis for mounting two separate conventional ECM assemblies. The back-to-back mounting of ECMs  140 ,  150  requires less mounting area on the vehicle chassis  5  than is required of two separate conventional assemblies. 
     Further, there may not be enough room to access the fasteners  90  for the mounting bracket  10  in order to install or remove a conventional ECM mounting assembly.  FIG. 7  shows the installed positions of fasteners  90 . Note that the ECMs  140 ,  150  are not shown in the interest of clarity. 
     Additionally, ECMs  140 ,  150  are typically connected to a bulky wire harness  190 . The wire harness  190  is electrically connected and mechanically attached to ECMs  140 ,  150  by a wire harness connector  200 . The wire harness connector  200  is typically affixed to ECMs  140 ,  150  via at least one fastener or clip. Access to the fastener or clip is typically difficult given the proximity of the other vehicle components that are present in the same space. 
     INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY 
     Vehicles of all types are commonly equipped with electronic control modules that control various vehicle components and systems. As vehicle features and capabilities expand, more components and systems are added to the vehicle. As such, mounting space on a vehicle is increasingly at a premium. 
     The proposed ECM mounting assembly  180  is intended to be mounted on a vehicle chassis  5  along at least two planes aligned along different Cartesian axes. This mounting method avoids a single-plane cantilever mount which can lead to excess amplitude from shock and vibration. 
     However, the two plane mounting method creates challenges when trying to support the ECM mounting assembly  180  while inserting threaded fasteners  90 . 
     The proposed ECM mounting assembly  180  is intended to ease installation and removal of ECMs  140 ,  150  as well as allow installation of ECMs  140 ,  150  into a space that is too small to accommodate two separate conventional ECM assemblies. The slots  130  located in mounting feet  100 ,  110 ,  120  can be inserted over a partially inserted fastener  90  in order to hold the mass of the ECM mounting assembly  180  while the other fasteners  90  are inserted. For example, the slot  130  on mounting foot  120  is configured to allow the slot  130  to be inserted over a fastener  90  that is partially threaded into a vehicle chassis  5  thereby at least partially supporting the mass of the ECM mounting assembly  180 . The fastener  90  will also help support the ECM mounting assembly  180  against the tension of the attached wire harness  190 . The ECM mounting assembly  180  is then rotated such that the slot  130  in mounting foot  110  is inserted over another partially threaded fastener  90 . Another fastener  90  can then be inserted through the slot  130  in the remaining mounting foot  100  and all the fasteners  90  can be properly torqued. It should be noted that the fasteners  90  can be installed in any order that is convenient. It should also be noted that the directions of the slots can be varied in the design of bracket  10  as needed in order to clear various vehicle components for installation or removal. 
     The ECM mounting assembly  180  in the present disclosure also allows the wire harness connectors  200  to be attached to the ECMs  140 ,  150  before the ECM mounting assembly  180  is mounted to the vehicle chassis  5 . This greatly simplifies attachment of the wire harness connectors  200 .