Hermetically sealed housing

• US 6,586,674 B2
• Filed: 11/09/2001
• Issued: 07/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Harting Automotive GmbH & Co. KG (Harting KGaA)
• Original Assignee: Harting Automotive GmbH & Co. KG (Harting KGaA)
• Inventors: Heimann, Thomas, Krause, Jens
• Primary Examiner(s): Reichard, Dean A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Estrada, Angel R.
• Application Number:
  US10/039,678
• Publication Number:
  US 20020062968A1
• Time in Patent Office: 599 Days
• Field of Search: 174/50, 174/50.5, 174/50.51, 174/50.53, 174/50.54, 174/50.55, 174/52.1, 174/59, 174/17.R, 174/17.CT, 220/3.2, 220/4.01, 220/4.02
• US Class Current: 174/50.5
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/063 sealed by a labyrinth structure provided at the joining parts

Abstract

A hermetically sealed housing for power electronics includes a sheet metal tank, and an aluminum cover. The tank has a surrounding edge which is provided with a plurality of bending lugs, and the edge of the cover has a shoulder at which the bending lug rests, so that the cover is pressed against the edge of the tank and a hermetic sealing is obtained.

Claims

1. A hermetically sealed housing for power electronics, comprising, a tank and a cover formed of different materials, wherein said tank is formed of sheet metal, and said cover is formed of an aluminum material, said tank having a surrounding edge which is provided with a plurality of bending lugs, and said cover having a shoulder, said bending lugs engaging at said shoulder whereby said cover is pressed against said edge of said tank so as to hermetically seal said housing.

2. The housing of claim 1, wherein said tank comprises a deep-drawn sheet metal part.

3. The housing of claim 1, wherein said tank has a bottom which is provided with a cross bead.

4. The housing of claim 1, wherein said tank has four side walls, three of said side walls being provided with at least one bead.

5. The housing of claim 1, wherein said tank has four side walls, one of which side walls is provided with a plurality of recesses for current lead-throughs to said power electronics.

6. The housing of claim 1, wherein an insulating plate is arranged in the interior of said tank on a fourth wall, said power electronics being disposed on said insulating plate.

7. The housing of claim 6, wherein said insulating plate comprises a semi-crystalline plastics material.

8. The housing of claim 6, wherein said insulating plate is provided with a seal extending along an edge of said insulating plate.

9. The housing of claim 8, wherein said seal is an O-ring seal which is received in a groove.

10. The housing of claim 6, wherein said reinforcement plate is riveted to said fourth wall of said tank.

11. The housing of claim 6, wherein said insulating plate, on a side facing said fourth wall of said tank, is provided with a reinforcement plate consisting of metal.

12. The housing of claim 11, wherein said reinforcement plate is provided with a reinforcement bead which lies in a depression formed at said insulating plate.

13. The housing of claim 11, wherein said reinforcement plate is provided with openings which correspond to recesses in a fourth wall of said tank.

14. The housing of claim 11, wherein said reinforcement plate is riveted to said insulating plate.

15. The housing of claim 1, wherein said cover is formed of a cast aluminum alloy.

16. The housing of claim 1, wherein said cover is formed of a wrought aluminum alloy.

17. The housing of claim 1, wherein said cover is provided with a planar edge which lies on said edge of the tank.

18. The housing of claim 17, wherein an adhesive sealing compound is disposed between said edge of said tank and said edge of said cover.

19. The housing of claim 18, wherein said edge of said cover is provided with a depot groove for said adhesive sealing compound.

20. The housing of claim 17, wherein said edge of said cover is provided with a groove in which an O-ring seal is arranged.

21. The housing of claim 1, wherein said cover is provided on an inner side with a plurality of condensation ribs.

22. The housing of claim 1, wherein said cover is provided on an outer side with a cooling channel which extends in a shape of a serpentine.

23. The housing of claim 22, wherein said cover is provided with a covering on said outer side, said covering closing said cooling channel and being provided with two connection ports for cooling conduits.

24. The housing of claim 1, wherein said tank is formed of steel.

25. The housing of claim 23, wherein said tank comprises a deep-drawn sheet metal part.

26. The housing of claim 23, wherein said tank has a bottom which is provided with a cross bead.

27. The housing of claim 23, wherein said cover is formed of cast aluminum alloy.

28. The housing of claim 23, wherein said cover is formed of wrought aluminum alloy.

29. The housing of claim 23, wherein said cover is provided with a planar edge which lies on said edge of the tank.

30. The housing of claim 29, wherein an adhesive sealing compound is disposed between said edge of said tank and said edge of said cover.

31. The housing of claim 30, wherein said edge of said cover is provided with a depot groove for said adhesive sealing compound.

32. The housing of claim 23, wherein said tank has four side walls, three of said side walls being provided with at least one bead.

33. A hermetically sealed housing for power electronics, comprising a tank consisting of sheet metal, and a cover consisting of an aluminum material, said tank having a surrounding edge which is provided with a plurality of bending lugs, and said cover having a shoulder, said bending lugs engaging at said shoulder whereby said cover is pressed against said edge of said tank so as to hermetically seal said housing, said tank having four side walls, one of which side walls is provided with a plurality of recesses for current lead-throughs to said power electronics, and wherein an insulating plate is arranged in the interior of said tank on said one side wall, said power electronics being disposed on said insulating plate.

34. The housing of claim 33, wherein said insulating plate comprises a semi-crystalline plastics material.

35. The housing of claim 33, wherein said insulating plate is provided with a seal extending along an edge of said insulating plate.

36. The housing of claim 35, wherein said seal is an O-ring seal which is received in a groove.

37. The housing of claim 33, wherein said insulating plate, on a side facing a fourth wall of said tank, is provided with a reinforcement plate consisting of metal.

38. The housing of claim 37, wherein said reinforcement plate is provided with a reinforcement bead which lies in a depression formed at said insulating plate.

39. The housing of claim 37, wherein said reinforcement plate is provided with openings which correspond to recesses in said fourth wall of said tank.

40. The housing of claim 37, wherein a reinforcement plate is riveted to said insulating plate.

41. The housing of claim 40, wherein an edge of said cover is provided with a groove in which an O-ring seal is arranged.

42. The housing of claim 33, wherein a reinforcement plate riveted to a fourth wall of said tank.

43. The housing of claim 33, wherein said cover is provided on an inner side with a plurality of condensation ribs.

44. The housing of claim 33, wherein said cover is provided on an outer side with a cooling channel which extends in a shape of a serpentine.

45. The housing of claim 33, wherein said cover is provided with a covering on said outer side, said covering closing said cooling channel and being provided with two connection ports for cooling conduits.

46. The housing of claim 33, wherein said tank is formed of steel.

47. A hermetically sealed housing for power electronics, comprising a tank consisting of sheet metal, and a cover consisting of an aluminum material, said tank having a bottom which is provided with a cross bead, said tank further having a surrounding edge which is provided with a plurality of bending lugs, and said cover having a shoulder, said bending lugs engaging at said shoulder whereby said cover is pressed against said edge of said tank so as to hermetically seal said housing.

48. A hermetically sealed housing for power electronics, comprising a tank consisting of sheet metal, and a cover consisting of an aluminum material, said tank having four side walls, three of said side walls being provided with at least one bead, said tank further having a surrounding edge which is provided with a plurality of bending lugs, and said cover having a shoulder, said bending lugs engaging at said shoulder whereby said cover is pressed against said edge of said tank so as to hermetically seal said housing.

49. A hermetically sealed housing for power electronics, comprising a tank consisting of sheet metal, and a cover consisting of an aluminum material, said tank having a surrounding edge which is provided with a plurality of bending lugs, and said cover having a shoulder, said bending lugs engaging at said shoulder whereby said cover is pressed against said edge of said tank so as to hermetically seal said housing, said tank having four side walls, one of which side walls has an insulating plate arranged thereon in the interior of said tank, said power electronics being disposed on said insulating plate, and wherein said insulating plate is provided with a seal extending along an edge of said insulating plate.

50. The housing of claim 49, wherein said seal is an O-ring seal which is received in a groove.

51. The housing of claim 49, wherein said insulating plate, on a side facing a fourth wall of said tank, is provided with a reinforcement plate consisting of metal.

52. The housing of claim 51 wherein reinforcement is with a reinforcement bead which lies in a depression formed at said insulating plate.

53. The housing of claim 51, wherein said reinforcement plate is provided with openings which correspond to recesses in said fourth wall of said tank.

54. The housing of claim 51, wherein said reinforcement plate is riveted to said insulating plate.

55. A hermetically sealed housing for power electronics, comprising a tank consisting of sheet metal, and a cover consisting of an aluminum material, said tank having a surrounding edge which is provided with a plurality of bending lugs, and said cover having a shoulder, said bending lugs engaging at said shoulder whereby said cover is pressed against said edge of said tank so as to hermetically seal said housing, and said cover is provided on an inner side with a plurality of condensation ribs.

56. A hermetically sealed housing for power electronics, comprising a tank consisting of sheet metal, and a cover consisting of an aluminum material, said tank having a surrounding edge which is provided with a plurality of bending lugs, and said cover having a shoulder, said bending lugs engaging at said shoulder whereby said cover is pressed against said edge of said tank so as to hermetically seal said housing, and said cover is provided on an outer side with a cooling channel which extends in a shape of a serpentine.

57. The housing of claim 56, wherein said cover is provided with a covering on said outer side, said covering closing said cooling channel and being provided with two connection ports for cooling conduits.