Shielded housing for holding electronic components, particularly electronic air bag control devices

• US 6,439,927 B1
• Filed: 03/12/2001
• Issued: 08/27/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: TRW Automotive USLLC (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: TRW Automotive Electronics & Components GmbH & Co. KG
• Inventors: John, Harry, Peter, Cornelius
• Primary Examiner(s): Abrams, Neil
• Assistant Examiner(s): DUVERNE, JEAN F
• Application Number:
  US09/743,150
• Time in Patent Office: 533 Days
• Field of Search: 439/76.1, 439/607-610, 174/35.R, 174/35.MS, 361/424, 361/395
• US Class Current: 439/607.58
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0239 Electronic boxes
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/062 sealed by a material injected between a non-removable cover and a body, e.g. hardening in situ
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/065 sealed by encapsulation, e.g. waterproof resin forming an integral casing, injection moulding
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 9/0049 being metallic containers

Abstract

The invention relates to a housing for an electronics unit, especially for an airbag control device, whereby at least the metal walls of the housing are provided with a moisture repellent coating. The inventive housing is made of bent and interconnecting sheet metal elements which are extrusion-coated with plastic on at least one side.

Claims

1. A water-tight electronic component housing for use with an airbag control device, the housing comprising:

a pair of bent and interconnected sheet metal elements comprising a housing upper plate and a bottom plate, said upper plate and bottom plate each including a plurality of recesses adapted to receive a moisture repellant covering of a plastic material across a surface of each plate, said plastic material being extrusion-coated on at least one side of said upper plate and said bottom plate to form a water-tight seal.

2. The housing according to claim 1, wherein the pair of sheet metal elements are extrusion-coated with said plastic material on both sides.

3. The housing according to claim 2, wherein the sheet metal elements are shaped from a single plate bar.

4. The housing according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of recesses are arranged in a substantially continuous pattern in at least one of the housing upper part and the bottom plate.

5. The housing according to claim 3 wherein at least one of the sheet metal elements includes a plastic-free retention area on a one of an inside surface and an outside surface.

6. The housing according to claim 1 further including:

at least one dome area provided on at least one sheet metal element.

7. The housing according to claim 6, wherein:

said dome area is formed in the bottom plate for insertion of an associated grounding screw in the housing.

8. The housing according to claim 6 further including a side wall provided with a sleeve adapted to fasten with said associated grounding screw.

9. The housing according to claim 1 wherein the bottom plate further includes at least one attachment opening.

10. The housing according to claim 9, further including at least one crease formed around the attachment opening.

11. The housing according to claim 10 further including a printed circuit board disposed within said housing, at least one electrically conductive connection of the printed circuit board being electrically connected with the housing.

12. The housing according to claim 11, wherein the electrically conductive connection includes at least one of a retention rail, a spring contact, and a screw connection.

13. The housing according to claim 11, further including a plug connected with the printed circuit board, the plug being at least partially arranged in housing.

14. An electronic component housing for use with an airbag control device, comprising:

a housing upper plate and a housing lower plate each comprising a plurality of recesses extending across said upper and lower plates;

a moisture-repellant material extrusion-coated onto at least one side of said upper and lower plates, said moisture-repellant material being received within said recesses; and

, a ventilation membrane arranged in the housing interior disposed between said upper plate and said lower plate.

15. The housing according to claim 14 further including:

at least one dome area provided on at least one sheet metal element.

16. The housing according to claim 15, wherein:

said dome area is formed in the bottom plate for insertion of an associated grounding screw in the housing.

17. The housing according to claim 15 further including a side wall provided with a sleeve adapted to fasten with said associated grounding screw.

18. The housing according to claim 14 wherein the bottom plate further includes at least one attachment opening.

19. The housing according to claim 18, further including at least one crease formed around the attachment opening.

20. The housing according to claim 19 further including a printed circuit board disposed within said housing, at least one electrically conductive connection of the printed circuit board being electrically connected with the housing.