Housing assembly to enclose and ground an electrical subassembly

• US 8,742,255 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2011
• Issued: 06/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Inventors: Pavlovic, Slobodan, Sharaf, Nadir, Daftuar, Dilip, Menzies, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Estrada, Angel R
• Application Number:
  US13/307,950
• Publication Number:
  US 20130135797A1
• Time in Patent Office: 916 Days
• Field of Search: 174/50, 174/520, 174/53, 174/559, 174/5.R, 174/17.R, 174/480, 174/481, 174/51, 174/560, 174/59, 220 32- 39, 220/4.02, 439/535, 439/536, 439/949, 361/600, 361/601, 361/679.01, 361/724, 361/736, 361/742, 361/752, 361/753, 361/796
• US Class Current: 174/50
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/08 Distribution boxes; Connection or junction boxes
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/209 Heat transfer by conduction from internal heat source to heat radiating structure H05K7/20909 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20927 Liquid coolant without phase change
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 9/005 being nesting containers

Abstract

A housing assembly to enclose an electrical subassembly includes a housing formed from a conductive polymer. The housing has a cavity sized to receive an electronic sub-assembly therein. A conductive boss is insert-molded into the housing in conductive contact with the housing. A conductive bracket is fastened to the boss in conductive connection with the boss and the housing to support and electrically ground the housing.

Claims

1. A housing assembly to enclose and ground an electrical subassembly comprising:

a housing formed from a conductive polymer, the housing having a cavity sized to receive an electronic sub-assembly therein;

a conductive boss insert-molded into the housing in conductive contact with the housing; and

a conductive bracket fastened to the boss in conductive connection with the boss and the housing to support and electrically ground the housing;

wherein the boss comprises at least one extension extending into the conductive polymer of the housing; and

wherein the extension comprises copper wire.

2. The housing assembly of claim 1 wherein the housing has a mounting surface oriented around an opening to the cavity;

and

wherein the boss comprises an array of bosses oriented around the mounting surface.

3. The housing assembly of claim 1 further comprising:

a conductive cover mounted to the housing to enclose the cavity; and

a conductive fastener extending through an aperture in the cover in conductive contact with the boss to fasten the cover to the housing.

4. The housing assembly of claim 3 wherein the conductive bracket is fastened directly to the cover.

5. The housing assembly of claim 3 further comprising an electrical subassembly in electrical connection with the cover to ground the electrical subassembly.

6. The housing assembly of claim 5 wherein the electrical subassembly comprises a vehicle battery charger.

7. The housing assembly of claim 1 wherein the housing is defined as a first housing;

and

wherein the housing assembly further comprises a second housing formed of a conductive polymer, the second housing having a cavity sized to receive the first housing therein, the second housing being in conductive connection with the bracket.

8. The housing assembly of claim 7 wherein the boss is further defined as a first boss;

and

wherein the housing assembly further comprises a second conductive boss insert-molded into the second housing in conductive contact with the second housing.

9. The housing assembly of claim 8 further comprising:

a conductive cover mounted to the first housing to enclose the cavity of the first housing; and

a conductive fastener extending through an aperture in the cover in conductive contact with the first and second bosses to fasten the cover to the first and second housings.

10. The housing assembly of claim 8 further comprising a metallic layer oriented between the first housing and the second housing, the metallic layer being in conductive contact with one of the first and second bosses.

11. The housing assembly of claim 8 wherein the first housing has a first mounting surface oriented around an opening to the cavity of the first housing;

wherein the first boss comprises an array of first bosses oriented around the first mounting surface;

wherein the second housing has a second mounting surface oriented around an opening to the cavity of the second housing; and

wherein the second boss comprises an array of second bosses oriented around the second mounting surface.

12. The housing assembly of claim 11 further comprising:

a conductive cover mounted to the first housing to enclose the cavity of the first housing; and

a plurality of conductive fasteners each extending through an aperture in the cover in conductive contact with the one of the first bosses and one of the second bosses to fasten the cover to the first and second housings.

13. A housing assembly to enclose and ground an electrical subassembly comprising:

a housing formed from a conductive polymer, the housing having a cavity sized to receive an electronic sub-assembly therein, with a mounting surface oriented around an opening to the cavity;

an array of conductive bosses insert-molded into the housing each boss comprising at least one extension extending into the conductive polymer of the housing in conductive contact with the housing;

a conductive cover in contact with the mounting surface to enclose the cavity;

an electrical subassembly in electrical connection with the cover to ground the electrical subassembly;

a plurality of conductive fasteners each extending through an aperture in the cover in conductive contact with one of the bosses to fasten the cover to the housing; and

a conductive bracket fastened directly to the cover to support and electrically ground the housing.

14. The housing assembly of claim 13 wherein the electrical subassembly comprises a vehicle battery charger.

15. A housing assembly to enclose and ground an electrical subassembly comprising:

a first housing formed from a conductive polymer, the first housing having a cavity sized to receive an electronic sub-assembly therein, with a first mounting surface oriented around an opening to the cavity;

an array of conductive first bosses insert-molded into the first housing, the array of first bosses being oriented around the first mounting surface, each first boss comprising at least one extension extending into the conductive polymer of the first housing in conductive contact with the first housing;

a second housing formed of a conductive polymer, the second housing having a cavity sized to receive the first housing therein, with a second mounting surface oriented around an opening to the cavity;

an array of conductive second bosses insert-molded into the second housing, the array of second bosses being oriented around the second mounting surface, each second boss comprising at least one extension extending into the conductive polymer of the second housing in conductive contact with the second housing;

a conductive cover in contact with the first mounting surface to enclose the cavity of the first housing;

an electrical subassembly disposed in the cavity of the first housing, in electrical connection with the cover to ground the electrical subassembly; and

a plurality of conductive fasteners each extending through an aperture in the cover in conductive contact with one of the first bosses and one of the second bosses to fasten the cover to the first housing.

16. The housing assembly of claim 15 wherein the electrical subassembly comprises a vehicle battery charger.

17. The housing assembly of claim 15 further comprising a metallic layer oriented between the first housing and the second housing, the metallic layer being in conductive contact with one of the first and second bosses.

18. The housing assembly of claim 15 further comprising a conductive bracket fastened directly to the cover to support and electrically ground the first housing and second housing.

19. A housing assembly to enclose and ground an electrical subassembly comprising:

a housing formed from a conductive polymer, the housing having a cavity sized to receive an electronic sub-assembly therein;

a conductive boss insert-molded into the housing in conductive contact with the housing;

a conductive bracket fastened to the boss in conductive connection with the boss and the housing to support and electrically ground the housing;

a conductive cover mounted to the housing to enclose the cavity; and

a conductive fastener extending through an aperture in the cover in conductive contact with the boss to fasten the cover to the housing;

wherein the conductive bracket is fastened directly to the cover.

20. A housing assembly to enclose and ground an electrical subassembly comprising:

a housing formed from a conductive polymer, the housing having a cavity sized to receive an electronic sub-assembly therein;

a conductive boss insert-molded into the housing in conductive contact with the housing;

a conductive bracket fastened to the boss in conductive connection with the boss and the housing to support and electrically ground the housing;

a conductive cover mounted to the housing to enclose the cavity;

a conductive fastener extending through an aperture in the cover in conductive contact with the boss to fasten the cover to the housing; and

an electrical subassembly in electrical connection with the cover to ground the electrical subassembly.

21. A housing assembly to enclose and ground an electrical subassembly comprising:

a housing formed from a conductive polymer, the housing having a cavity sized to receive an electronic sub-assembly therein;

a conductive boss insert-molded into the housing in conductive contact with the housing; and

a conductive bracket fastened to the boss in conductive connection with the boss and the housing to support and electrically ground the housing;

wherein the housing is defined as a first housing; and

wherein the housing assembly further comprises a second housing formed of a conductive polymer, the second housing having a cavity sized to receive the first housing therein, the second housing being in conductive connection with the bracket.