Patent Description:
The present application relates generally to a sensor assembly that is configured to be mounted on either a wet side or a dry side of a vehicle panel. <CIT> proposes a semiconductor sensor. <CIT> proposes a sensor for detecting a predetermined characteristic of an atmosphere. <CIT> proposes a sensor device with a particular use in a motor vehicle. <CIT> proposes an accident sensor.

In satisfying the aboved need, as well as overcoming the many drawbacks and other limitations of the related art, the present application provides a sensor assembly for combination wet side and dry side mounting. Specifically, the sensor housing may be designed for mounting on either the wet side of the sheet metal or the dry side of the sheet metal. As such, the mounting surface may be on either a first side of the housing assembly where only the pressure port extends through a hole in the sheet metal and the rest of the sensor assembly remains on the dry side of the sheet metal or the mounting surface is on a second side of the housing assembly where the entire housing assembly is mounted on the wet side of the sheet metal.

The mountable sensor assembly includes a sensor circuit and a sensor housing assembly. The sensor housing assembly includes a first mounting surface, a second mounting surface, and a connector. The first mounting surface being on first side of the connector such that mounting the sensor housing using the first mounting surface would comprise a wet side mounting of the mountable sensor assembly and mounting the sensor housing using the second mounting surface would comprise a dry side mounting of the mountable sensor assembly.

Further objects, features and advantages of this application will become readily apparent to persons skilled in the art after a review of the following description, with reference to the drawings and claims that are appended to and form a part of this specification.

In the accompanying drawings the components are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the application. Moreover, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the views.

Currently there are two options for the location to mount a pressure sensor. They can be mounted on the dry side of a vehicle door panel and have a pressure port protruding into the wet side for pressure transmission, or the sensor assembly can be located entirely on the wet side of the door panel. This methodology necessitates two separate designs to accommodate both mounting types. However, the implementations discussed herein improve upon this sub-optimal design by allowing for a single housing to be mounted on either the wet side or the dry side of a door panel. This allows for a more singular design approach and increased volume on that single design. The implementations provided include a "snap fit" configuration for assembly but other methods of assembling the components may be readily used. Various different methods of assembly may include (laser weld, vibration weld, potting, etc.).

One feature of the described implementations is a mounting configuration that allows for pressure sensing regardless of desired mounting location (wet side or dry side). This configuration may involve mounting surfaces extending out to the edge of the package to allow for mating with the vehicle sheet metal on both sides of the housing assembly. The dual wet side and dry side mounting allows for the number of pressure sensor designs to be reduced from two separate wet side and dry side designs to one single design.

Another feature of the described implementations may be the use of countersunk holes to allow for a shorter mounting bolt to be used to attach this sensor assembly to the vehicle (from both sides). The countersunk holes allow for the use of shorter (less expensive) mounting bolts to be used to attach this sensor assembly to the vehicle.

As such, the designs discussed could be sold to all OEMs that use pressure sensors with wet side mounting or dry side mounting configurations.

<FIG> illustrates an exploded view of sensor assembly <NUM>. The sensor assembly <NUM> includes a housing <NUM>, a sensor <NUM>, a gasket <NUM> and a cover <NUM>. The sensor assembly <NUM> may be attached to a sheet metal panel <NUM> of the vehicle. As such, the sensor <NUM> may be an accelerometer, gyroscope, pressure sensor, sound sensor, or other vehicle safety sensor. The housing <NUM> may include a cavity <NUM> to receive the sensor <NUM>. In some implementations, the sensor <NUM> may be attached to a printed circuit board <NUM>. In other implementations, the sensor <NUM>, such as a PCB-less sensor package, may be mounted directly into the housing <NUM>. The housing <NUM> may also include a connector portion <NUM> for connection to a vehicle wire harness assembly. As such, the sensor <NUM> may be electrically connected to pins located within the connector portion <NUM>. The gasket <NUM> may be located between the sensor <NUM> and the cover <NUM>. As the cover is seated on the housing <NUM>, the gasket <NUM> may provide sealing between the cover <NUM> and the housing <NUM> preventing moisture or other elements to travel into the cavity <NUM>. The cover <NUM> and the housing <NUM> may include one or more snap fit features to retain the housing <NUM> within the cover <NUM>.

<FIG> is an assembled perspective view of the sensor assembly <NUM>. The connector portion <NUM> of the housing <NUM> extends through a slot <NUM> in the cover <NUM>. Together the housing <NUM> and the cover <NUM> may form a housing assembly. The cover <NUM> includes a first mounting surface <NUM> and a second mounting surface <NUM>. The first mounting surface <NUM> may be planar and may extend across substantially the entire cover <NUM>. The second mounting surface <NUM> may also be planar and may extend across substantially the entire cover <NUM>. The first mounting surface <NUM> may be on the opposite side of the cover <NUM> from the second mounting surface <NUM> and may face in an opposite direction from the second mounting surface <NUM>. The first mounting surface <NUM> may extend substantially parallel to the second mounting surface <NUM>. The first mounting surface <NUM> is configured for use as a wet side mounting surface. The second mounting surface <NUM> is configured for use as a dry side mounting surface.

A pressure port <NUM> extends from the first mounting surface <NUM> such that when the first mounting surface <NUM> is mounted against a dry side <NUM> of the sheet metal panel <NUM> of the door, the pressure port <NUM> extends through an opening <NUM> in the sheet metal panel <NUM> and allow communication to a wet side <NUM> of the sheet metal panel <NUM>. When the second mounting surface <NUM> is mounted against the wet side <NUM> of the sheet metal panel <NUM>, both the pressure port <NUM> and the connector portion <NUM> may be located on the same side, the wet side <NUM>, of the sheet metal panel <NUM>. For example, both the connector <NUM> and the pressure port <NUM> may be located in the wet area or the external side of the sheet metal.

The cover <NUM> may be provided with two mounting holes <NUM> and <NUM>. In some standards, a mounting hole may be expected to have a certain relative position to a connector <NUM>. To maintain the expected geometric configuration between the mounting hole and the connector <NUM> position, mounting hole <NUM> may be used with one of the two mounting surfaces <NUM>, <NUM> while mounting hole <NUM> may be used with the other of the two mounting surface <NUM>, <NUM>. However, in some implementations, both mounting holes <NUM>, <NUM> may be used if maintaining the standard geometric configuration is not of particular concern.

<FIG> is an perspective view of the cover <NUM>. The cover <NUM> includes an opening <NUM> for receiving the housing <NUM>. Edges of the cover <NUM> around the opening <NUM> may be chamfered to center the housing in the opening <NUM>. The cover may have an inner opening <NUM> that coordinates with the pressure port, providing access to the sensor <NUM> within the housing <NUM>. Further, the connector <NUM> may extend through the slot <NUM> provided in the cover <NUM>. In some implementations, a slot <NUM> may be provided to provide stress relief as the housing <NUM> may be snap fit into the opening <NUM> by locking features <NUM> located around the outer edge of the opening <NUM>. The locking features <NUM> may engage the housing <NUM> and lock the position and orientation of the housing <NUM> relative to the cover <NUM>.

<FIG> is an illustration showing the position of the sensor assembly in dry side mounting scenario, including the position of the sensor assembly <NUM> relative to the sheet metal panel <NUM> in a dry side mounting scenario. The first mounting surface <NUM> engages the dry side <NUM> of the sheet metal panel <NUM>, and may be fastened to the sheet metal panel <NUM> using a fasteners <NUM> which may include screws, bolts or even clip lock mechanisms. The faster <NUM> may engage a nut <NUM> through an opening <NUM> in the sheet metal <NUM>. The pressure port <NUM> extends through an opening <NUM> in the sheet metal panel <NUM>. In addition, a gap <NUM> is provided in-between the dry (inner) side <NUM> of the sheet metal panel <NUM> and the connector <NUM>. The gap <NUM> provides room for attachment of the connector <NUM> to a wire harness assembly.

<FIG> illustrates the position of the sensor assembly <NUM> in a wet side mounting scenario, including the position of the sensor assembly <NUM> relative to the sheet metal panel <NUM> in a wet side mounting scenario. The second mounting surface <NUM> engages the wet (outer) side <NUM> of the sheet metal panel <NUM>. Again, the position of the second mounting surface <NUM> relative to sheet metal panel <NUM> may be locked into place using a fastener <NUM>, thereby locking the position and orientation of the sensor assembly <NUM> relative to the sheet metal panel <NUM>. The faster <NUM> may engage a nut on an opposite end of the mounting hole. The position of the second mounting surface <NUM> provides a gap <NUM> between the wet (outer) side <NUM> of the sheet metal panel <NUM> and the connector surface <NUM>. The gap <NUM> provides room for attachment of the wire harness to the connector <NUM>.

The gap <NUM> and gap <NUM> may be a function of the standoff between the connector <NUM> and the first mounting surface <NUM> and the standoff between connector <NUM> and the second mounting surface <NUM>. In addition, the first mounting surface <NUM> being parallel to the second mounting surface <NUM> may provide the minimum clearance when mounting on either surface. In addition, the connector <NUM> being locked into the opening of the housing in an orientation parallel with both the first mounting surface <NUM> and the second mounting surface <NUM> provides a symmetric geometry that may lend itself to both dry side mounting and wet side mounting scenarios. In some implementations, gap <NUM> (e.g. standoff) may be equal to the gap <NUM>. In some implementations, the gap <NUM> and the gap <NUM> may be greater than <NUM>.

Certain mounting standards in the industry can specify the position of the connector <NUM> relative to the mounting holes <NUM>, <NUM>. As such, the cover <NUM> may be provided with two mounting holes <NUM>, <NUM>, one on each side of the cover <NUM>. Accordingly, in the dry side mounting scenario, one of the two holes <NUM>, <NUM> may be used in a wet side mounting scenario, and the other of the two holes <NUM>, <NUM> may be used in a dry side mounting scenario, according to the standard. As such, the location and orientation of the first mounting hole <NUM> may correspond to a location and orientation defined in a standard relative to a position of the connector <NUM> with the first mounting surface <NUM> against the dry side <NUM> of sheet metal panel <NUM> (e.g. the dry side mounting scenario). Also, the location and orientation of the second mounting hole <NUM> may correspond to a location and orientation defined in a standard relative to a position of the connector <NUM> with the second mounting surface <NUM> against the wet side <NUM> of sheet metal panel <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates one implementation where the first mounting hole <NUM> and the second mounting hole <NUM> are countersunk, allowing for the bolt head to be recessed into the cover <NUM> and a shorter bolt to be used for fastening the assembly to the sheet metal. Further, the bolt head may be flush to the mounting surface <NUM> of the cover <NUM> after installation. Both the first and second mounting holes <NUM> and <NUM> may be countersunk on one or both of the first mounting surface <NUM> and/or the second mounting surface <NUM>. For example, the first mounting hole <NUM> may be countersunk on one or both of the first mounting surface <NUM> and the second mounting surface <NUM>. As such, a shoulder <NUM> of the counter bore may be engaged by the fastener <NUM>. Similarly, the second mounting hole <NUM> may be countersunk on one or both of the first mounting surface <NUM> and the second mounting surface <NUM>. As such, a shoulder <NUM> may be engaged by the faster <NUM>.

Claim 1:
A mountable sensor assembly (<NUM>) for mounting on a sheet metal panel (<NUM>) of a vehicle assembly, the sheet metal panel having a wet side (<NUM>) and a dry side (<NUM>), the mountable sensor assembly comprising:
a sensor circuit (<NUM>); and
a sensor housing assembly housing the sensor circuit and comprising a first mounting surface (<NUM>), a second mounting surface (<NUM>), and a connector (<NUM>), such that mounting the first mounting surface of the sensor housing assembly to a dry side of the sheet metal panel comprises a dry side mounting configuration of the mountable sensor assembly, and mounting the second surface of the sensor housing assembly to a wet side of the sheet metal panel comprises a wet side mounting configuration of the mountable sensor assembly,
wherein a pressure port (<NUM>) is on the first mounting surface and configured to extend through an opening in the sheet metal panel when the mountable sensor assembly is in the dry side mounting configuration,
and wherein the first mounting surface is offset from the connector to provide a first standoff (<NUM>), the first standoff (<NUM>) providing a gap between the dry inner side (<NUM>) of the sheet metal panel (<NUM>) and the connector (<NUM>) in the dry side mounting configuration and the second mounting surface is offset from the connector to provide a second standoff (<NUM>), the second standoff (<NUM>) providing a gap between the wet outer side (<NUM>) of the sheet metal panel (<NUM>) and the connector (<NUM>) in the wet side mounting configuration.