Sensor Unit for a Vehicle, and Method for Producing a Sensor Unit for a Vehicle

• US 20170176486A1
• Filed: 12/04/2014
• Published: 06/22/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Hegazi, Anwar, Lutz, Bernd, Steinbrink, Ronald, Ortmann, Stefan, Fink, Andreas, Scheer, Mirko, Haeussermann, Conrad
• Granted Patent: US 10,330,695 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 11/245 Housings for sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 1/02 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 1/026 for speed measuring devices, e.g. pulse generator
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/50 for integrated circuit devices, e.g. power bus, number of leadsH01L23/482 - H01L23/498 take precedence

Abstract

A sensor unit for a vehicle includes a sensor circuit, a main part that supports the sensor circuit with at least one sensor contact, a connection cable, and a pot-shaped sleeve. The main part includes a sensor contact, a cable contact, and common contact support. The sensor contact is positioned on a first end of the contact support, and the cable contact is positioned on a second end of the contact support. The sensor contact is electrically connected to the at least one sensor contact via at least one sensor counter contact, and the cable contact is electrically connected to the connection cable via at least one cable contact. The sensor circuit is arranged on an end region of the contact support such that the sensor circuit is oriented in a predetermined detection direction. The detection direction is based on a bending angle of the end region relative to a longitudinal axis of the main part. The pot-shaped sleeve is fixed to the main part, and surrounds the sensor contact and the sensor circuit. The shape of the sleeve is adapted to the detection direction of the sensor circuit.

Claims

1. A sensor unit for a vehicle, comprising:

a connection cable;

a sensor circuit that includes at least one sensor contact;

a base body that supports the sensor circuit and that includes;

a common contact carrier;

at a first end a sensor-contacting arrangement that is disposed on the common contact carrier at a first end of the base body, and that has at least one sensor mating contact connected in an electrical manner to the at least one sensor contact; and

a cable-contacting arrangement that is disposed on the common contact carrier at a second end of the base body, and that includes at least one cable contact connected in an electrical manner to the connection cable;

wherein the sensor circuit is arranged at an end region of the common contact carrier such that the sensor circuit is oriented in a desired sensing direction; and

wherein the sensing direction is predetermined via a bend angle of the end region of the common contact carrier with respect to a longitudinal axis of the base body; and

a pot-shaped sheath that is fixed to the base body and that encases the sensor contacting arrangement and the sensor circuit, the shape of said pot-shaped sheath configured based on the sensing direction of the sensor circuit.

2. The sensor unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the sensing direction extends in an axial manner with respect to the longitudinal axis of the base body so that the bend angle of the end region of the common contact carrier has a value in the range between 80° and

90°

with respect to the longitudinal axis of the base body;

the pot-shaped sheath is embodied as a pot cylinder; and

a reading area of the sensor circuit abuts against an end face of the pot-shaped sheath.

3. The sensor unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the sensing direction of the sensor circuit extends in a perpendicular manner with respect to the longitudinal axis of the base body so that the bend angle of the end region of the common contact carrier has a value in the range of 0°

to 30°

with respect to the longitudinal axis of the base body;

the pot-shaped sheath is embodied as a pot cylinder having an end face, a first inclined surface and a flattened area; and

a reading area of sensor circuit abuts against said flattened area.

4. The sensor unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the sensing direction of a third the sensor circuit extends at a predetermined angle in an inclined manner with respect to the longitudinal axis of the base body so that the bend angle of the end region of the common contact carrier has a value in the range of 40°

to 60°

with respect to the longitudinal axis of the base body;

the pot-shaped sheath is embodied as a pot cylinder having a first inclined surface, a second inclined surface and an inclined surface; and

the sensor circuit abuts against said inclined surface.

5. The sensor unit as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a seal that seals the sheath with respect to the base body.

6. The sensor unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the base body and the common contact carrier form a contact-making module; and

the base body is embodied as a synthetic material injection-molded part that encases the contact carrier at least in part.

7. The sensor unit as claimed in claim 6, wherein the base body that is formed as a synthetic material injection-molded part does not encase the contact carrier at least one of (i) at least at the cable-contacting arrangement and (ii) at least at the sensor-contacting arrangement.

8. The sensor unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cable-contacting arrangement between the connection cable and the at least one cable contact includes a mechanical connection.

9. The sensor unit as claimed in claim 8, wherein an end region of the base body with the cable-contacting arrangement, and an end region of the connection cable are injection molded in a fluid-tight manner and form a cable module.

10. The sensor unit as claimed in claim 9, wherein the cable module guides the connection cable in an axial manner or at a predetermined angle with respect to the base body.

11. The sensor unit as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

an attachment module that includes a second base body, wherein the second base body is embodied as a synthetic material injection-molded part that is injection molded or pushed on at the cable-side end of the base body.

12. The sensor unit as claimed in claim 11, wherein the attachment module further includes:

an attachment bracket that is integral with the second base body and defines an attachment eyelet.

13. The sensor unit as claimed in claim 11, wherein:

an end region of the base body with the cable-contacting arrangement, and an end region of the connection cable are injection molded in a fluid-tight manner and form a cable module; and

the cable module is integrated into the attachment module.

14. A method for producing a sensor unit for a vehicle, said sensor unit having a base body with a common contact carrier, the method comprising:

arranging a sensor-contacting arrangement on the common contact carrier at a first end of the base body;

arranging a cable-contacting arrangement on the common contact carrier at a second end of the base body;

arranging a sensor circuit that includes at least one sensor contact at an end region of the common contact carrier;

bending the end region of the common contact carrier about a bend angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the base body to orient the sensor circuit in a sensing direction;

connecting the sensor-contacting arrangement to the at least one sensor contact in an electrical manner via at least one sensor mating contact;

connecting the cable-contacting arrangement to a connection cable in an electrical manner via at least one cable contact;

providing a sheath having a shape adapted for the sensing direction of the sensor circuit; and

fixing the sheath to the base body so as to encase the sensor-contacting arrangement and the sensor circuit.

15. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein:

the bend angle for the end region of the contact carrier is based on the sensing direction of the sensor circuit; and

the shape of the sheath is selected based on the sensing direction of the sensor circuit.

16. The method as claimed in claim 14, further comprising:

forming the base body by injection molding a synthetic material around the contact carrier, the forming including defining a recess in the base body at least one of at least at the cable-contacting arrangement and at least at the sensor-contacting arrangement.

17. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the base body having the sensor circuit and the sheath form a pre-assembled sensor module, the method further comprising connecting the pre-assembled sensor module to at least one of a cable module and an attachment module.

18. The method as claimed in claim 14, further comprising:

forming a mechanical connection using the cable-contacting arrangement between the connection cable and the at least one cable-contacting arrangement.

19. The method as claimed in claim 18, further comprising:

injection molding an end region of the base body, which comprises the cable-contacting arrangement, and an end region of the connection cable in a fluid-tight manner so as to form a cable module.

20. The method as claimed in claim 14, further comprising:

forming an attachment module that includes a second base body and an attachment bracket integral with the second base body, and that defines an attachment eyelet via injection molding with a synthetic material; and

attaching the attachment module to a cable-side end of the base body via either injection molding the attachment module onto the base body, or via pushing the attachment module onto the base body.