Method for manufacturing an electronic arrangement and an electronic circuit arrangement

• US 20070056367A1
• Filed: 05/25/2004
• Published: 03/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Rumpf, Bernd
• Application Number:
  US10/560,763
• Publication Number:
  US 20070056367A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/290.R
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 15/14 Casings, e.g. of special material

Abstract

A method for manufacturing an electronic circuit device in a motor vehicle fuel tank, the method including arranging one or more electronic modules on a substrate, and fixating the substrate with respect to a fuel tank wall. This allows the electronics to be positioned close to the fuel proper, and the method encapsulates the one or more electronic modules against the fuel by a cap that is connected to the substrate so as to form an encapsulated space that is separated from any fuel or vapour outside the encapsulated space. The electronic modules may provide various different functional principles, e.g. fuel level measuring or demand regulated fuel pump control.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing an electronic circuit arrangement in a motor vehicle fuel tank comprising the steps of:

arranging one or more electronic modules on a substrate, and fixating said substrate with respect to a fuel tank wall,

and connecting to said substrate so as to form an encapsulated space that comprises said one or more electronic modules and is separated from any fuel or vapour outside said encapsulated space.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said cap is connected to said substrate by soldering.

3. An electronic circuit arrangement for measuring a fuel level in a motor vehicle fuel tank, comprising one or more electronic modules that are arranged on a substrate, wherein said substrate is suitable for fixating with respect to a fuel tank wall,

and further comprising an encapsulating cap connected to said substrate and forming an encapsulated space that comprises said one or more electronic modules and that is separated from any fuel or vapour outside said encapsulated space.

4. An electronic circuit arrangement as claimed in claim 3, wherein said cap is connected to said substrate by soldering.

5. An electronic circuit arrangement as claimed in claim 3, wherein said substrate is a ceramic substrate.

6. An electronic circuit arrangement as claimed in claim 3, wherein said one or more electronic modules comprise a magnetically driven circuit or an ultrasound driven circuit for effecting said measuring.

7. A motor vehicle fuel tank comprising an electronic circuit arrangement, said electronic circuit arrangement for measuring a fuel level in said motor vehicle fuel tank, said electronic circuit arrangement further comprising one or more electronic modules that are arranged on a substrate, wherein said substrate is suitable for fixating with respect to a fuel tank wall, and further comprising an encapsulating cap connected to said substrate and forming an encapsulating space that contains said one or more electronic modules and that is separated from any fuel or vapour outside said encapsulated space.

8. A motor vehicle fuel tank as claimed in claim 7, wherein said substrate comprises one or more electrical through-connections to an outside of said fuel tank.

10. A motor vehicle fuel tank as claimed in claim 7, wherein said cap is connected to said substrate by soldering.

11. A motor vehicle fuel tank as claimed in claim 7, wherein said substrate is a ceramic substrate.

12. A motor vehicle fuel tank as claimed in claim 7, wherein said one or more electronic modules comprise a magnetically driven circuit or an ultrasound driven circuit for effecting said measuring.

9. A motor vehicle comprising a fuel tank, said fuel tank further comprising an electronic circuit arrangement for measuring a fuel level in said fuel tank, said electronic circuit arrangement further comprising one or more electronic modules that are arranged on a substrate, wherein said substrate is suitable for fixating with respect to a fuel tank wall, and further comprising an encapsulating cap connected to said substrate and forming an encapsulating space that contains said one or more electronic modules and that is separated from any fuel or vapour outside said encapsulated space.

13. A motor vehicle as claimed in claim 9, wherein said cap is connected to said substrate by soldering.

14. A motor vehicle as claimed in claim 9, wherein said substrate is a ceramic substrate.

15. A motor vehicle as claimed in claim 9, wherein said one or more electronic modules comprise a magnetically driven circuit or an ultrasound driven circuit for effecting said measuring.