Electronic control enclosure
First Claim
1. An electronic control enclosure comprising:
- a enclosure housing defining an interior chamber, the enclosure housing including a first wall, an opposing second wall, and a third and opposing fourth walls extending between the opposing first and second walls;
a heat sink located at least partly in the interior chamber, the heat sink including a contact arm extending generally parallel to the second wall and a locator protruding from the contact arm;
a spring aligned with and projecting toward the contact arm;
a substrate assembly including a generally planar substrate having opposing first and second surfaces and a recess disposed into the first surface, the substrate assembly further including an electrical component, the electrical component having a heat transfer surface;
wherein when the substrate is inserted into the enclosure housing such that the locator contacts the first surface, the substrate compresses the spring and is spaced apart from the contact arm; and
when the substrate is inserted into the enclosure such that the locator is received in the recess, the spring urges the heat transfer surface against the contact arm.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The electronic control enclosure includes devices and methods for removing heat energy from the electronic components of an electronic control unit. The components are mounted to a substrate and are protectively housed in an interior chamber of an environmentally sealed enclosure housing. Electrical communication is established with the components via a header assembly that includes plug receptacles. To remove heat generated by the components from the enclosure housing, one or more heat sinks are disposed through the enclosure housing such that the heat sinks have an interior surface exposed to the interior chamber and an exterior surface exposed to the exterior of the enclosure housing. In other embodiments, the enclosure housing may be made of a heat conductive material and the heat sink is integral with the enclosure housing. In one aspect, a spring urges the components against the interior surface. In another aspect, the components are mounted to and directly contact the interior surface.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. An electronic control enclosure comprising:
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a enclosure housing defining an interior chamber, the enclosure housing including a first wall, an opposing second wall, and a third and opposing fourth walls extending between the opposing first and second walls; a heat sink located at least partly in the interior chamber, the heat sink including a contact arm extending generally parallel to the second wall and a locator protruding from the contact arm; a spring aligned with and projecting toward the contact arm; a substrate assembly including a generally planar substrate having opposing first and second surfaces and a recess disposed into the first surface, the substrate assembly further including an electrical component, the electrical component having a heat transfer surface; wherein when the substrate is inserted into the enclosure housing such that the locator contacts the first surface, the substrate compresses the spring and is spaced apart from the contact arm; and when the substrate is inserted into the enclosure such that the locator is received in the recess, the spring urges the heat transfer surface against the contact arm. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification