Method and apparatus for packaging crash sensors

• US 8,966,975 B2
• Filed: 07/27/2009
• Issued: 03/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TRW Automotive USLLC (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: TRW Automotive USLLC (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Inventors: Campbell, Curt Douglas, Parker, Dion, Murray, Neil Gordon Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Macchiarolo, Peter
• Assistant Examiner(s): KERAMET-AMIRCOLA, MOHAMMED E
• Application Number:
  US13/002,696
• Publication Number:
  US 20110107835A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,045 Days
• Field of Search: 73/12, 732/042.6, 361/796
• US Class Current: 73/493
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/14655 connected to or mounted on a carrier, e.g. lead frame
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/1671 with an insert
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/1676 using a soft material and a rigid material, e.g. making articles with a sealing part
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 1/023 for acceleration measuring devices
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0133 Elastomeric or compliant polymer elastomeric conductor H05K2201/0314
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/1316 Moulded encapsulation of mounted components
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/1322 Encapsulation comprising more than one layer
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/284 for encapsulating mounted components H05K1/185 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0034 having an overmolded housing covering the PCB
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0078 specially adapted for acceleration sensors, e.g. crash sensors, airbag sensors

Abstract

A crash sensor assembly including a printed circuit board and a crash sensor mounted on the printed circuit board, At least one connector pin is mounted to the printed circuit board so as to permit external electrical communication with the crash sensor. A first insert molded soft inner layer of material partially covers the printed circuit board and covers the crash sensor, and a second overmolded hard outer layer of material covers the first soft inner layer of material and bonded thereto and rigidly contacts the printed circuit board.

Claims

1. A crash sensor assembly comprising:

a printed circuit board;

a crash sensor mounted on the printed circuit board;

at least one connector pin mounted to the printed circuit board so as to permit external electrical communication with the crash sensor;

a first insert molded soft inner layer of material only partially covering the printed circuit board and covering the crash sensor to protect the crash sensor from moisture exposure; and

a second overmolded hard outer layer of material covering the first soft inner layer of material and bonded thereto and rigidly contacting the printed circuit board so as to permit transmission of a crash impact pulse to the crash sensor on the printed circuit board and to provide a mounting interface.

2. The crash sensor of claim 1 in which the soft inner layer of material is a thermoplastic elastomer.

3. The crash sensor of claim 1 in which the hard outer layer of material is a polybutylene terephthalate.

4. A crash sensor assembly comprising:

a printed circuit board;

a crash sensor mounted on the printed circuit board;

processing circuitry mounted on the printed circuit board and connected to said crash sensor for processing a signal from the crash sensor;

at least one connector mounted to the printed circuit board so as to permit external electrical communication with the processing circuitry;

a first insert molded soft inner layer of material only partially covering the printed circuit board, and covering the crash sensor, and the processing circuitry to protect the crash sensor and processing circuitry from moisture exposure; and

a second overmolded hard layer of material covering the first inner material and bonded thereto and contacting the printed circuit board so as to permit transmission of a crash impact pulse to the crash sensor on the printed circuit board and to provide a mounting interface.

5. A method for assembling a crash sensor comprising the steps of:

mounting a crash sensor to a printed circuit board;

mounting at least one connector to the printed circuit board so as to permit electrical communication with the crash sensor;

insert molding a soft elastomeric inner layer of material to circuit board so as to only partially cover the printed circuit board and cover the crash sensor to protect the crash sensor from moisture exposure; and

overmolding a hard outer layer of material over the first inner layer material and the printed circuit board so as to permit transmission of a crash impact pulse to the crash sensor on the printed circuit board and to provide a mounting interface.

6. A method for assembling a crash sensor comprising the steps of:

mounting a crash sensor to a printed circuit board;

mounting processing circuitry to the printed circuit board and connecting the processing circuitry to said crash sensor for processing a signal from the crash sensor;

mounting at least one connector to the printed circuit board and connecting the at least one connector to the processing circuitry to permit electrical communication with the processing circuitry;

insert molding a soft elastomeric inner layer of material to circuit board so as to only partially cover the printed circuit board, and cover the crash sensor, and the processing circuitry to protect the crash sensor and processing circuitry from moisture exposure; and

overmolding a hard outer layer of material over the first inner layer of material and the printed circuit board so as to permit transmission of a crash impact pulse to the crash sensor on the printed circuit board and to provide a mounting interface.