ENHANCED ELECTRONIC ASSEMBLY

• US 20100332074A1
• Filed: 06/26/2009
• Published: 12/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Veoneer US Safety Systems LLC
• Original Assignee: Autoliv ASP Incorporated (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Kida, Jeffrey T., Bogdan, Stephen, Brisighella, Dario G. JR., Leach, William M., Rakes, Richard JR.
• Granted Patent: US 8,234,034 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/33
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/06 Hermetically-sealed casings specially adapted for small components H05K5/0095

Abstract

Remote sensor units for a vehicle are described. A remote sensor unit may comprise an electronic assembly. The electronic assembly may comprise an electronic component. The electronic assembly may comprise one or more signal terminals coupled to the electronic component. The electronic assembly may comprise a protective enclosure arranged to encapsulate the electronic component. The protective enclosure is arranged to isolate the electronic component from thermal energy, pressure or residual material stress associated with one or more satellite housings. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Claims

1. An electronic assembly, comprising:

an electronic component comprising an electronic sensor arranged to monitor conditions for a vehicle;

one or more signal terminals coupled to the electronic sensor; and

a protective enclosure arranged to encapsulate at least the electronic component, the protective enclosure to isolate the electronic component from thermal energy, pressure or residual material stress associated with one or more satellite housings.

2. The electronic assembly of claim 1, the electronic component comprising a substrate having the electronic sensor mounted on one or both sides of the substrate.

3. The electronic assembly of claim 1, the electronic component comprising a double-sided substrate having a first electrical connector disposed on a first side of the substrate and a second electrical connector disposed on a second side of the substrate, the first and second electrical connectors connected to respective first and second signal terminals.

4. The electronic assembly of claim 1, the electronic sensor comprising an integrated circuit, and the electronic component comprising a printed circuit board having the integrated circuit mounted on one side of the printed circuit board.

5. The electronic assembly of claim 1, the electronic sensor comprising an accelerometer, a decelerometer, an impact sensor, pressure sensor, a wheel speed sensor, a brake pressure sensor, a seat occupancy sensor, a crush zone sensor, a temperature sensor or a gyroscope.

6. The electronic assembly of claim 1, the protective enclosure comprising a single portion formed into a single hermetically sealed structure.

7. The electronic assembly of claim 1, the protective enclosure comprising multiple portions arranged for assembly into a single hermetically sealed structure.

8. The electronic assembly of claim 1, the protective enclosure comprising a lid portion and a base portion, the lid portion to house the electronic sensor and a portion of the signal terminals, the base portion having one or more apertures corresponding to the one or more signal terminals to receive the signal terminals and mate with the lid portion to form a hermetically sealed structure.

9. The electronic assembly of claim 1, the protective enclosure comprising a metal, a metallic alloy, a ceramic or a synthetic polymer.

10. The electronic assembly of claim 1, the protective enclosure arranged to isolate the electronic component from thermal energy, pressure or residual material stress associated with a material or manufacturing technique used to form one or more satellite housings.

11. The electronic assembly of claim 1, the protective enclosure arranged to encapsulate the electronic component including the electronic sensor and a portion of the signal terminals.

12. The electronic assembly of claim 1, the protective enclosure arranged to encapsulate the electronic component including the electronic sensor and the signal terminals.

13. The electronic assembly of claim 1, the electronic sensor arranged to monitor conditions for a vehicle and output data signals to a vehicle monitoring system.

14. A remote sensor unit, comprising:

an electronic assembly comprising;

an electronic component comprising an electronic sensor arranged to monitor conditions for a vehicle;

one or more signal terminals coupled to the electronic sensor; and

a protective enclosure arranged to encapsulate the electronic component including at least the electronic sensor, the protective enclosure to isolate the electronic component from thermal energy, pressure or residual material stress associated with one or more satellite housings; and

a satellite housing arranged to encapsulate the protective enclosure of the electronic assembly.

15. The remote sensor unit of claim 14, the satellite housing comprising an overmold created using an overmold material comprising a thermoplastic or thermosetting plastic.

16. The remote sensor unit of claim 14, the satellite housing formed as a vehicle part.

17. The remote sensor unit of claim 14, the satellite housing formed in a shape of a standard fastener.

18. The remote sensor unit of claim 14, the satellite housing comprising a standard fastener having an aperture aligned with an axis for the signal terminals for automatically orienting the signal terminals for electrical interconnection with a communications medium for the vehicle monitoring system.

19. A vehicle monitoring system, comprising:

a remote sensor unit, comprising;

an electronic assembly comprising;

an electronic component comprising an electronic sensor arranged to monitor conditions for a vehicle and output data signals;

one or more signal terminals coupled to the electronic sensor; and

a protective enclosure arranged to encapsulate the electronic component including at least the electronic sensor, the protective enclosure to isolate the electronic component from thermal energy, pressure or residual material stress associated with one or more satellite housings;

a satellite housing arranged to encapsulate the protective enclosure of the electronic assembly; and

a controller connected to the signal terminals, the controller operative to receive data from the electronic sensor and use the data to determine whether to activate a system for a vehicle.

20. The vehicle monitoring system of claim 19, the system comprising a vehicle safety system, a vehicle performance system, a vehicle control system or a vehicle testing system.

21. An apparatus, comprising:

an electronic component;

one or more signal terminals coupled to the electronic component; and

a protective enclosure arranged to encapsulate at least the electronic component, the protective enclosure to isolate the electronic component from thermal energy, pressure or residual material stress associated with one or more satellite housings.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, the electronic component comprising an electronic sensor arranged to monitor conditions for a vehicle and output data signals.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, the protective enclosure comprising one or more portions arranged into a single hermetically sealed structure.

24. The apparatus of claim 21, the protective enclosure comprising a lid portion and a base portion, the lid portion to house the electronic component and a portion of the signal terminals, the base portion having one or more apertures corresponding to the one or more signal terminals to receive the signal terminals and mate with the lid portion to form a hermetically sealed structure.

25. The apparatus of claim 21, the protective enclosure comprising a metal, a metallic alloy, a ceramic or a synthetic polymer.