Patent Publication Number: US-9419369-B2

Title: Plug-in connector, control apparatus and method for producing a control apparatus

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     The present disclosure relates to a plug-in connector for a control apparatus. It also relates to a control apparatus, in particular for a motor vehicle, comprising a housing with an opening into which the plug-in connector is inserted, wherein the plug-in connector comprises at least one contact pin which passes through a base section of the plug-in connector and is connected electrically and mechanically to a printed circuit board arranged in the interior of the housing. In addition, the present disclosure relates to a method for producing a control apparatus. 
     This patent application claims the priority of the German patent application No. 102012207601.8, the disclosure content of which is herewith incorporated by backreference. 
     As a rule, a seal is inserted between the housing and the plug-in connector. This can be, for example, a seal which is prefabricated from a plastic material. To a certain extent there is a requirement to also seal the region of the plug-in connector through which the contact pins pass. For this purpose, for example in the past a seal has been applied to the inside of the plug-in connector. The application of this further seal is carried out before the assembly of the control apparatus at the manufacturer of the plug-in connector. In contrast, the provision of the seal between the housing and the plug-in connector takes place only when the components are assembled. This results in a complex fabrication sequence involving high costs. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An object of the present invention is to specify a plug-in connector for a control apparatus with which an improved seal can be implemented in a particularly easy way. 
     This object is achieved by means of a plug-in connector and a method having the features of the independent patent claims. Advantageous embodiments and developments of the plug-in connector, of the control apparatus and of the method result from the dependent patent claims. 
     According to one aspect, a control apparatus is specified which is provided, in particular, for use in a motor vehicle. According to a further aspect, a housing for the control apparatus is specified. According to a further aspect, a plug-in connector for the control apparatus is specified. 
     The control apparatus preferably has the housing. The housing has an opening into which the plug-in connector can be inserted. In the finished control apparatus, the plug-in connector is inserted into the opening. 
     The plug-in connector has at least one base section and one contact pin. The base section is, in particular, a part of a support body of the plug-in connector, i.e. the support body has the base section. The contact pin runs through the base section of the plug-in connector. In the finished state of the control apparatus, the contact pin is connected electrically and mechanically to a printed circuit board arranged in the interior of the housing. 
     Expediently, the plug-in connector preferably has a circumferential groove which runs between a side boundary, running around the base section, and the base section of the plug-in connector. The groove is provided, for example, for accommodating a collar of the housing which runs around the opening of the housing. In particular, the groove, like the side boundary, runs around the base section in a plan view along a plug-in direction of the plug-in connector. The base section is preferably completely by the groove in the lateral direction. The groove is preferably completely enclosed in the lateral direction by the side boundary, running around the base section, of the plug-in connector. The side boundary forms, for example, an outer wall of the plug-in connector. 
     In the finished state of the control apparatus, in one embodiment an upper edge of the side boundary is located in an installation position higher than a surface of the base section facing the housing. In other words, an upper edge of the side boundary facing the interior of the housing is offset relative to a surface of the base section, facing the interior of the housing, in the direction of the interior of the housing. 
     In other words, in one embodiment the support body of the plug-in connector has a trough for holding the seal. The trough is formed by the groove, the base section and the side boundary. A surface of the base section, specifically the surface of the base section facing the housing, constitutes, in particular, a part of a base surface of the trough, and the groove can constitute a further part of the base surface of the trough. An opening of the trough lying opposite the base surface is expediently bounded by the upper edge of the side boundary. In one expedient embodiment, the contact pin projects from the base surface of the trough in the direction of the opening and preferably beyond the opening. The trough can be filled with a sealing compound, and in the finished state of the control apparatus is filled with the sealing compound. In this context, in one advantageous embodiment the sealing compound extends, in particular inside the trough, integrally from the groove to the contact pin in such a way that it covers the base section in certain locations or, preferably, completely and in particular encloses the contact pin laterally. In one expedient embodiment, the surface of the base section facing the housing is completely covered by the sealing compound in this way. 
     When the sealing compound is introduced in order to form the seal, the sealing compound therefore cannot run out of the plug-in connector even though it has viscous or fluid properties. Furthermore, this embodiment makes possible a situation in which the sealing mass only has to be applied to a single location of the base section of the plug-in connector. As a result, the manufacture can also be carried out easily and efficiently. 
     In this way, a first sealing interface is formed in the region of the opening between the housing and plug-in connector, in particular between the collar of the housing running around the opening and the side boundary of the plug-in connector running around the base section. A second sealing interface is formed on the base section in the region of the at least one contact pin, specifically, in particular between the base section of the support body and the contact pin. The first and second sealing interfaces are sealed by a seal which is of continuous or integral design and is formed, in particular, by the sealing compound with which the trough is filled. 
     This design provides the advantage that the two sealing interfaces can be sealed by means of a common seal which is generated in a processing step, in particular the filling of the trough with the sealing compound. This reduces the complexity of the manufacture of the control apparatus. As a result, said apparatus can be manufactured cost-effectively. 
     The seal is expediently formed in the region of the first and second sealing interfaces from the same material, in particular from the sealing compound. This also reduces the complexity of the manufacture of the control apparatus since it is possible to use just a single material to manufacture the seal. Nevertheless, a two-compound or multi-compound material can also be used. 
     The seal can be, for example, a hardening liquid seal. The liquid seal is, in particular, hardened in the finished state of the control apparatus. The liquid seal preferably has a certain degree of elasticity even in the hardened state. Suitable sealing compounds for manufacturing the hardened liquid seal are known in principle to the person skilled in the art and are therefore not explained in more detail at this point. 
     In one further embodiment, the collar of the housing which runs around the opening is arranged in the groove in the final-mounted, i.e. finished, state in which the plug-in connector is inserted into the opening in the housing. 
     In the final-mounted state, the upper edge of the side boundary of the plug-in connector is expediently spaced apart from the housing, at least in certain sections with the result that, in particular, an air-permeable gap or region is formed between the side boundary and the housing. Air which is displaced when the sealing compound is applied can advantageously escape through the air-permeable gap. This ensures that the sealing compound can be distributed freely in the groove of the plug-in connector into which the collar of the housing is inserted, as a result of which these two housing components are sealed with respect to one another. 
     The printed circuit board is expediently arranged or formed in the housing in such a way that in a mounting position above the opening in the housing an access to the plug-in connector, secured to the housing, is provided for applying the sealing compound onto the base section of the plug-in connector. For example, the base section is not covered by the printed circuit board in certain locations in a plan view of a main face of the printed circuit board. For example, the printed circuit board has a cutout through which the sealing compound can be applied to the base section. As a result, the seal can be manufactured when the plug-in connector and the housing are already mechanically connected to one another. As a result of the fluidity of the sealing compound it is ensured that the first and second sealing interfaces are reliably sealed. The arrangement or embodiment of the printed circuit board is provided in such a way that an access to the plug-in connector above the opening then permits the sealing compound to be applied. 
     In the method according to the invention for manufacturing the control apparatus of the type described above, in a first step a semi-finished product is made available, which semi-finished product comprises the plug-in connector which has been inserted into the opening in the housing. The semi-finished product is oriented in a subsequent step in such a way that the plug-in connector is arranged underneath the housing in the direction of gravity, with the result that the contact pins which are arranged in the plug-in connector, with which contact is to be made by a complementary plug from outside the control apparatus, point downward. Fluid sealing compound is then applied to the base section of the plug-in connector from the interior of the housing and through the opening, with the result that said plug-in connector runs into an intermediate space, formed in the groove between the collar of the housing and the wall of the groove, until finally the level of the base section is reached. In one expedient embodiment of the method, the application of the fluid sealing compound is continued until the sealing compound extends from the groove via the base section to the contact pin, with the result the sealing compound covers the base section in certain locations or completely and encloses the contact pin laterally. 
     An advantage of the method according to the invention is that a common seal can be used to seal the two sealing interfaces, which seal is not implemented until the final mounting of the control apparatus. 
     According to at least one aspect, a control apparatus is specified, in particular for a motor vehicle, which has a housing with an opening into which a plug-in connector is inserted. The plug-in connector has at least one contact pin which passes through a base section of the plug-in connector and is connected electrically and mechanically to a printed circuit board arranged in the interior of the housing. A first sealing interface is formed in the region of the opening between the housing and the plug-in connector, and a second sealing interface is formed on the base section in the region of the at least one contact pin. The first and second sealing interfaces are sealed by a seal which is of continuous or integral design. 
     According to at least one embodiment of this aspect, the plug-in connector has a circumferential groove which runs between a side boundary of the plug-in connector and the base section, wherein the side boundary forms, in particular, an outer wall of the plug-in connector. An upper edge, facing the housing, of the side boundary is offset relative to a surface of the base section facing the housing, in the direction of the housing. 
     The invention will be explained below in more detail on the basis of an exemplary embodiment in the drawing, in which: 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
         FIG. 1  shows a partial cross-section through a conventional control apparatus, 
         FIG. 2  shows an enlarged illustration of the connecting region of a housing and of a plug-in connector of the control apparatus which is known from the prior art, and 
         FIG. 3  shows a sectional view of the connecting region of a housing and of a plug-in connector of a control apparatus according to the invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIG. 1  shows a control apparatus  1  which is known from the prior art, for example an engine or transmission control apparatus for a motor vehicle. Combined control apparatuses for an engine and transmission or other open-loop and closed-loop control functions of a motor vehicle are also conceivable. The control apparatus  1  has a housing  10 , of which only a detail of a housing lower part can be seen in  FIG. 1 . The housing  10  has a base-side opening  11  into which a plug-in connector  2  is inserted, said plug-in connector  2  having contact pins  30  on a base section  21 , said contact pins  30  passing through the latter. 
     The connection which is formed between the housing  10  and the plug-in connector  2  is illustrated in enlarged form in  FIG. 2 . A seal  51  is illustrated between the housing  10  and the plug-in connector  2 , in a groove  22  in the plug-in connector. This seal  51  may be a seal which is prefabricated from a plastic material, or may be a hardening liquid seal. The sealing material is introduced into the groove  22  before the process of joining the plug-in connector  2  to the housing  10 . 
     In order to manufacture the mechanical connection, a collar  12  which surrounds the opening  11  is introduced into the groove  22 , with the result that the material of the seal  51  which is not yet hardened is displaced. As a result, the intermediate space running between the collar  12  and the wall  27  of the groove  22 , is filled with the material of the seal  51  and sealed. A shoulder  13  of the lower part of the housing is formed between the collar  12  and the opening  11 . Within the scope of the manufacture, the shoulder  13  constitutes a stop for the plug-in connector  2  which is pressed in the direction of the opening  11  in the housing  10 . The abutment of a base section  21  for the plug-in connector  2  against the shoulder  13  ensures in this known embodiment that the material of the seal  51  which is displaced through the collar  12 , in the groove  22 , cannot pass through the interior of the housing  10 . 
     The region of the opening  11  between the housing  10  and plug-in connector  2  forms a first sealing interface. A second sealing interface is formed in the region of the contact pins  30 , which penetrate the base section  21 , in order to form electrical contact between a printed circuit board  40  arranged in the interior of the housing, and electrical and/or electronic components (not illustrated in  FIG. 1 ). For this purpose, a further seal  52  is applied to the surface of the base section  21  facing the interior of the housing. The further seal  52  is generally applied by the manufacturer of the plug-in connector  2 . This raises the costs of the plug-in connector  2 . 
     The control apparatus  1  according to the invention which is illustrated partially in  FIG. 3 , has, in contrast with the above, the advantage that the first and second sealing interfaces are sealed by a seal which is of continuous or integral design, as a result of which a simplified manufacturing process is obtained. For example sa hardening liquid seal is used as the material for the seal which is characterized by the reference symbol  50 . 
     The sealing of the first and second sealing interfaces by a seal which is of continuous or integral design requires a modified design of the plug-in connector  2  and of the housing  10  in the joint region in order to manufacture the mechanical connection. 
     The plug-in connector  2  has a support body  20  with a base section  21  and a side boundary  23 , between which a groove  22  is formed. The groove  22  is embodied running around the base section  21  in a plug-in direction of the plug-in connector  2  in plan view, with the result that said groove  22  completely encloses the base section  21  of the plug-in connector  2  in the lateral direction. In the plan view, the side boundary  23  runs around the groove  22  in the plug-in direction, with the result that said side boundary  23  completely encloses said groove  22  in the lateral direction. In this way, a wall  27  of the groove is formed by the side face or faces of the side boundary  23  facing the base section  21 . 
       FIG. 3  shows the control apparatus in its installation position or mounting position. An upper edge  24  of the boundary  23  is higher here in the installation position than a surface  25  of the base section  21  facing the housing  10 . In other words, a trough  28  is formed in the support body  20  by means of the side boundary  23 , the groove  22  and the base section  21 , the base surface of which trough  28  is formed by a surface  25  of the base section  21  facing the housing  10 , and by the groove  22 . An opening  29 , lying opposite the base surface, in the trough  28  is bounded by the upper edge  24  of the side boundary. The contact pins  30  project from the base surface  25  of the trough  28  in the direction of the opening  29  and preferably beyond the opening  29 . The trough  28  can be filled with a sealing compound  50 . In the finished state of the control apparatus  1 , the trough  28  is filled with the sealing compound which is hardened for the seal  50 . In this context, the sealing compound  50  extends integrally from the groove  22  as far as the contact pins  30 , in such a way that it completely covers the surface  25  of the base section  21  facing the housing  10 , and encloses the contact pins  30  in the lateral direction. In this context, the sealing compound  50  is preferably arranged completely within the trough  28  and, in particular, does not project beyond the opening  29  in the trough  28 . 
     In this context, the composite (semi-finished product), composed of the housing  10  and the plug-in connector  2  is oriented in such a way that the plug-in connector  2  is arranged in the underneath the housing  10  direction of gravity. This means that the contact pins  30  which are arranged in the plug-in connector  2  and with which contact is to be made by a complementary plug (not illustrated) from outside the control apparatus point downward in the direction of gravity (and in the plane of the drawing. 
     As in the conventional control apparatus  1 , the collar  12 , which runs around the opening  11  in the housing  10 , dips into the groove  22 . In this context, an intermediate space  26  is formed between the collar  12  and the wall  27 . Likewise, a distance from the base section  21  or the wall  27  of the groove  22  is provided in the region of the shoulder  13  of the opening  11 , with the result that the intermediate space  26  is “connected” to the housing opening and therefore to the interior of the housing. Likewise, the upper edge  24  of the side boundary  23  does not abut against the housing  10 , at least to a certain extent. Instead, the side boundary  23  is produced and arranged in such a way that at least one air-permeable gap or region is provided between the outer surroundings and intermediate space  26  in the interior of the groove  22 . 
     In order to manufacture the seal  50 , a mechanical connection is firstly formed between the plug-in connector  2  and the housing  10 . For this purpose, the plug-in connector  2  is inserted into the opening  11  and secured mechanically to the housing  10 , for example by means of latching projections or other securing means. 
     The mechanical connection of the plug-in connector  2  and housing  10  is preferably not formed until a printed circuit board (not illustrated in  FIG. 3 ) with electrical and/or electronic components located thereon has been attached in the housing. At the same time as the manufacture of the mechanical connection of the plug-in connector  2  and housing  10 , a contact pin  30  can be pressed into corresponding recesses in the printed circuit board in order to form an electrical connection with conductor tracks or electrical components formed on the printed circuit board. This is referred to as a press fit connection. In other embodiments, the electrical connection can be formed in other ways, for example by soldering. 
     The printed circuit board is arranged or formed in the housing  10  here in such a way that in the position shown in  FIG. 3  above the opening  11  an access to the plug-in connector  2  which is secured to the housing  10  is provided for applying the sealing compound  50  onto the base section  21  of the support body  20  of the plug-in connector  2 . This access may be, for example, an opening in the printed circuit board through which an application tool can be fed in order to apply the sealing compound  50  to the base section  21  of the plug-in connector  20 , preferably in a central fashion. 
     Owing to the fluidity of the sealing compound  50  the latter firstly runs on the surface  25  of the base section  21  before finally flowing along the shoulder  13  into the intermediate space  26 . In the process, the sealing material firstly flows downward in the intermediate space  26  on the inside of the wall  27  in the groove  22 , in order that the intermediate space  26  is then forced upward again along the outer wall owing to the pressure conditions. When a static state is reached, an equal level of the sealing material with respect to the upper edge  24  of the side boundary  23  is established in the intermediate space  26  and on the base section  21 . Since the position of the upper edge  24  of the boundary  23  is dimensioned in such a way that the latter is above an upper edge  53  of the seal  50  in the region of the base section  21 , the sealing compound  50  cannot flow out over the edge  23  of the plug-in connector  20 . In other words, the surface  25 , facing the housing, of the base section, an exposed surface  53 , facing away from the base section  21 , of the seal  50 , and the upper edge  24  of the side boundary  23  of the support body  20  follow one another in this sequence, in particular in a direction of the main extent of the contact pins  30 , which is preferably at the plug-in direction. The seal  50  is arranged here completely inside the trough  28  and does not project through the opening  29  in the trough  28  into the interior of the housing. 
     As a result, a simultaneous seal of the first interface is brought about in the region of the opening between the housing  10  and the plug-in connector  20  as well as in the region of the second interface in the region of the contact pins  30  which pass through the base section  21 . 
     In the control apparatus according to the invention, a seal can be formed between the housing and plug-in connector as well as in the region of the contact pins which pass through the plug-in connector, by means of a common seal which is of continuous and/or integral design. As a result, the control apparatus can be manufactured with less expenditure and therefore lower costs. 
     The invention is not restricted to the exemplary embodiments by virtue of the description thereof. Instead, the invention comprises any new features as well as any combination of features, which includes, in particular, any combination of features in the exemplary embodiments and patent claims.