Electronic circuit configured for indicator case

• US 5,099,396 A
• Filed: 01/09/1990
• Issued: 03/24/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: VDO Adolf Schindling AG (Vodafone Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: VDO Adolf Schindling AG (Vodafone Group PLC)
• Inventors: Langner, Frank, Barz, Herbert
• Primary Examiner(s): Picard, Leo P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sparks, Donald A.
• Application Number:
  US07/463,158
• Time in Patent Office: 805 Days
• Field of Search: 174/35 GC, 174/35 R, 174/35 MS, 174/250, 174/253, 174/255, 174/259, 174/261, 174/262, 174/51, 361/392, 361/393, 361/394, 361/395, 361/397, 361/399, 361/400, 361/406, 361/412, 361/419, 361/413, 361/424, 361/415, 361/386, 361/387, 361/388, 361/389, 361/390, 439/544, 439/545, 439/547, 439/548, 439/549, 439/552-557, 439/565-567, 439/572, 439/574-575
• US Class Current: 361/818
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/60 Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0239 Electronic boxes
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 7/00 Indicating measured values
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/721 cooperating directly with the edge of the rigid printed circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0306 Inorganic insulating substrates, e.g. ceramic, glass
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/141 One or more single auxiliary printed circuits mounted on a main printed circuit, e.g. modules, adapters H05K1/142 and H05K1/147 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/181 associated with surface mounted components
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10371 Shields or metal cases
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10386 Clip leads; Terminals gripping the edge of a substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/1572 Processing both sides of a PCB by the same process; Providing a similar arrangement of components on both sides; Making interlayer connections from two sides
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/3447 Lead-in-hole components H05K3/3415 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/368 parallel to each other H05K3/361 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 174/34 PCB in box or housing

Abstract

A electronic circuit for an automobile, in particular in an instrument cluster, is disclosed. The electronic circuit comprises a computer having at least one microprocessor and application-specific integrated circuits and it is arranged in a shielding housing for suppression of electromagnetic interference. For improved removal of heat and high-frequency decoupling, surface areas of the external shielding are electrically and mechanically closely coupled to corresponding surface areas on the conducting path and, in addition, the incoming and outgoing lines which are subject to interference are protected by suitable filters.

Claims

1. In an electronic circuit in a motor vehicle suitable for an instrument cluster comprising various indicating instruments, indicating fields, and lights arranged in a common housing and covered by a common transparent pane, the electronic circuit being formed in a structure comprising:

at least one ceramic substrate, said circuit including component parts disposed on the substrate and outside a central portion of the substrate;

a printed circuit board spaced-apart from said substrate and being adapted for electrical connection with an instrument cluster;

a shielding housing mounted on said printed circuit board and enclosing said component parts; and

wherein

said shielding housing has an outer surface with a recessed central portion;

a central portion of a surface of said ceramic substrate is free of component parts of the circuit, and contacts by areal contact with a substantially congruent surface of said recessed portion of the outer surface of said shielding housing for cooling said ceramic substrate and said circuit.

2. A circuit structure according to claim 1, wherein

said areal contact takes place by an interposition of an adhesive, said adhesive being disposed at an interface between said substrate surface part and the surface of said recessed portion of the housing.

3. A circuit structure according to claim 2, wherein

said adhesive being electrically conductive.

4. A circuit structure according to claim 3, wherein

said adhesive being thermally conductive.

5. A circuit structure according to claim 2, wherein

said adhesive being therally conductive.

6. A circuit structure according to claim 1, further comprising

feed through connectors disposed on said ceramic substrate,

said circuit component parts being integrated circuits;

and

wherein a connecting of ground to the integrated circuits takes place via said feed-through connectors.

7. In an electronic circuit in a motor vehicle suitable for an instrument cluster comprising various indicating instruments, indicating fields, and lights arranged in a common housing and covered by a common transparent pane, a circuit structure enclosing the electronic circuit, the circuit structure comprising:

at least one ceramic substrate, said circuit including component parts disposed on the substrate;

a shielding housing enclosing said component parts; and

wherein

said shielding housing has an outer surface with a recessed portion;

a part of a surface of said ceramic substrate is free of component parts for contacting by areal contact with a substantially congruent surface of said recessed portion of the outer surface of said shielding housing;

the circuit structure further comprises

a printed circuit board spaced-apart from said substrate and being adapted for electrical connection with an instrument cluster; and

contact springs for holding said substrate in a predetermined position relative to said board and for providing electrical connection with said component parts on said substrate;

an end region of each of said contact springs surrounding an edge contact of said substrate in U-shape or omega-shape and wherein

the springs are curved over their free length in the shape of an S, alternate ones of the springs being shaped differently so that ends of the springs on the printed-circuit board side in each case form two rows which are arranged in parallel to each other.

8. A circuit structure according to claim 7, wherein said shielding housing comprises

a frame made of an insulating material, said springs being mounted in said frame.

9. In an electronic circuit in a motor vehicle suitable for an instrument cluster comprising various indicating instruments, indicating fields, and lights arranged in a common housing and covered by a common transparent pane, a circuit structure enclosing the electronic circuit, the circuit structure comprising:

at least one ceramic substrate, said circuit including component parts disposed on the substrate;

a shielding housing enclosing said component parts; and

wherein

said shielding housing has an outer surface with a recessed portion;

a part of a surface of said ceramic substrate is free of component parts for contacting by areal contact with a substantially congruent surface of said recessed portion of the outer surface of said shielding housing;

the circuit structure further comprises

a printed circuit board spaced-apart from said substrate and being adapted for electrical connection with an instrument cluster; and

wherein said shielding housing comprises

a shielding can with a cover, said housing shielding against high frequency electromagnetic radiation; and

wherein

said shielding can includes projections extending from the sidewalls of the can at a plurality of locations along its circumference, said projections extending through the cover and the printed-circuit board, the free ends of the projections being connected with good electrical conduction on the side of the printed-circuit board facing away from said housing to a ground connection or a ground surface of said circuit.

10. In an electronic circuit in a motor vehicle suitable for an instrument cluster comprising various indicating instruments, indicating fields, and lights arranged in a common housing and covered by a common transparent pane, a circuit structure enclosing the electronic circuit, the circuit structure comprising:

at least one ceramic substrate, said circuit including component parts disposed on the substrate;

a shielding housing enclosing said component parts; and

wherein

said shielding housing has an outer surface with a recessed portion;

a part of a surface of said ceramic substrate is free of component parts for contacting by areal contact with a substantially congruent surface of said recessed portion of the outer surface of said shielding housing;

the circuit structure further comprises

a printed circuit board spaced-apart from said substrate and being adapted for electrical connection with an instrument cluster; and

wherein said shielding housing comprises

a shielding can with a cover, said housing shielding against high frequency electromagnetic radiation; and

wherein

the cover has at least three outward-facing bosses in order to establish a distance of a surface of the cover from the printed circuit board.

11. In an electronic circuit in a motor vehicle suitable for an instrument cluster comprising various indicating instruments, indicating fields, and lights arranged in a common housing and covered by a common transparent pane, a circuit structure enclosing the electronic circuit, the circuit structure comprising:

at least one ceramic substrate, said circuit including component parts disposed on the substrate;

a shielding housing enclosing said component parts; and

wherein

said shielding housing has an outer surface with a recessed portion;

a part of a surface of said ceramic substrate is free of component parts for contacting by areal contact with a substantially congruent surface of said recessed portion of the outer surface of said shielding housing;

the circuit structure further comprises

a printed circuit board spaced-apart from said substrate and being adapted for electrical connection with an instrument cluster; and

wherein

said recessed portion of the housing outer surface is arranged on the side of the shielding housing facing the printed-circuit board.