Electronic control unit

{
  "publication_number": "US10064297B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Electronic control unit",
  "abstract": "An electronic control unit includes a substrate, a first cover, and a second cover. An electronic component is mounted on the substrate. The first cover is disposed to be opposed to one surface of the substrate and includes a first sidewall part extending in a direction perpendicular to the substrate, and claw part(s) projecting laterally from the first sidewall part. The second cover is disposed to be opposed to the other surface of the substrate and includes a second sidewall part, and groove part(s). The second sidewall part faces the first sidewall part. The groove part(s) is formed at the second sidewall part such that a shape of each of the groove part(s) when viewed from the direction perpendicular to the substrate is a recessed shape in conformity with a projecting shape of a corresponding claw part. Each groove part is fitted to a corresponding claw part.",
  "claims": [
    "1. An electronic control unit comprising: a substrate on which an electronic component is mounted; a first cover that is disposed to be opposed to a first surface of the substrate, the first cover including: a first sidewall part extending in a direction perpendicular to the substrate; and at least one claw part projecting laterally from the first sidewall part; and a second cover that is disposed to be opposed to a second surface of the substrate that is opposite to the first surface, the second cover including: a second sidewall part facing the first sidewall part; at least one groove part that is formed at the second sidewall part such that a shape of each of the at least one groove part when viewed from the direction perpendicular to the substrate is a recessed shape in conformity with a projecting shape of a corresponding one of the at least one claw part, wherein each of the at least one groove part is fitted to a corresponding one of the at least one claw part; at least one convex part projecting from a bottom part of an outer edge portion of the second cover in a direction perpendicular to the first and second surfaces of the substrate, the second sidewall part disposed on the at least one convex part such that the second sidewall part faces the first sidewall part; and each of the at least one groove part is formed at and recessed within each of the at least one convex part.",
    "2. The electronic control unit according to claim 1, wherein: one of the first cover and the second cover is a resilient body; and the other one of the first cover and the second cover is a non-resilient body.",
    "3. The electronic control unit according to claim 1, wherein when viewed from the direction perpendicular to the substrate, an end surface of each of the at least one claw part has a circular arc shape.",
    "4. The electronic control unit according to claim 1, wherein the second sidewall part includes: a first wall surface on which the at least one groove part is formed; a second wall surface that is located on an opposite side of the second sidewall part from the first wall surface; and a swelling part that is located on the second wall surface and has a projecting shape corresponding to the recessed shape of each of the at least one groove part.",
    "5. The electronic control unit according to claim 1, wherein: the at least one convex part each of which projects toward the substrate has a curved shape.",
    "6. The electronic control unit according to claim 1, the second sidewall part comprising: a plurality of convex parts projecting from the outer edge portion of the second cover in intervals such that the second sidewall part of each convex part is separated and discontinuous from the second sidewall part of another convex part.",
    "7. The electronic control unit according to claim 1, the second cover comprising a radiating part configured to thermally engage the electronic component and radiate heat generated from the electronic component.",
    "8. The electronic control unit according to claim 7, wherein: the second cover is formed from a metal material.",
    "9. The electronic control unit according to claim 7, wherein: the electronic component is mounted on the first surface of the substrate.",
    "10. The electronic control unit according to claim 1, wherein: the first sidewall part applies a force against the second sidewall part.",
    "11. The electronic control unit according to claim 1, wherein: the at least one groove part is recessed within each of the at least one convex part in a direction that is perpendicular to a direction in which the at least one convex part projects from a bottom part of an outer edge portion of the second cover.",
    "12. An electronic control unit comprising: a substrate on which an electronic component is mounted; a first cover that is disposed to be opposed to a first surface of the substrate, the first cover including: a first sidewall part extending in a direction perpendicular to the substrate; and at least one claw part projecting laterally from the first sidewall part; and a second cover that is disposed to be opposed to a second surface of the substrate that is opposite to the first surface, the second cover including: a second sidewall part facing the first sidewall part; at least one groove part that is formed at the second sidewall part such that a shape of each of the at least one groove part when viewed from the direction perpendicular to the substrate is a recessed shape in conformity with a projecting shape of a corresponding one of the at least one claw part, wherein each of the at least one groove part is fitted to a corresponding one of the at least one claw part; at least one convex part projecting from an outer edge portion of the second cover in a direction perpendicular to the first and second surfaces of the substrate, the second sidewall part disposed on the at least one convex part such that the second sidewall part faces the first sidewall part, each of the at least one groove part is formed at a corresponding one of the at least one convex part; and the second sidewall part is perpendicular to the first and second surfaces of the substrate and includes an inner wall surface that surrounds an opening of the at least one groove part.",
    "13. An electronic control unit comprising: a substrate on which an electronic component is mounted; a first cover that is disposed to be opposed to a first surface of the substrate, the first cover including: a first sidewall part extending in a direction perpendicular to the substrate; and at least one claw part projecting laterally from the first sidewall part, the at least one claw part comprising an end surface that has an arcuate profile as viewed from the direction perpendicular to the substrate and a planar profile as viewed from the direction parallel to the substrate; and a second cover that is disposed to be opposed to a second surface of the substrate that is opposite to the first surface, the second cover including: a second sidewall part facing the first sidewall part; and at least one groove part that is formed at the second sidewall part such that a shape of each of the at least one groove part when viewed from the direction perpendicular to the substrate is a recessed shape in conformity with a projecting shape of a corresponding one of the at least one claw part, wherein each of the at least one groove part is fitted to a corresponding one of the at least one claw part."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present disclosure relates to an electronic control unit having a cover disposed on either side of a substrate.\n\nThere has been known an electronic control unit having covers that are disposed on the two respective sides of a substrate so as to configure a casing accommodating the substrate in order to protect the substrate from dust, water, and the like. For example, JP2013-165107A discloses an electronic control unit, in which covers are disposed on the two sides of a substrate and fixed to each other by snap fitting.\n\nIn the electronic control unit of JP2013-165107A, a first cover is disposed on one side of the substrate and has claw parts on its sidewall, and a second cover is disposed on the other side of the substrate and has through-holes on its sidewall. Each claw part of the first cover is fitted in each through-hole of the second cover, thereby the two covers are fixed to each other.\n\nHowever, casting of the cover having the through-holes as disclosed in JP2013-165107A requires a movable mold that moves in a direction perpendicular to a mold opening direction in addition to a movable mold that moves in the mold opening direction, leading to a complicated structure of the overall mold. Although drilling may be performed after casting without forming the through-holes during the casting, this inevitably requires a step of removing burrs that occur during the drilling, leading to an increased number of steps.\n\nThe present disclosure addresses at least one of the above issues.",
  "cpc": [
    "H05K 5/0052",
    "H05K 5/0047",
    "H05K 5/0217",
    "H05K 5/03"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "H05K 5/03",
    "H05K 5/00"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Denso Corp"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Tomoki Hanada",
    "Ryo NISHIMOTO",
    "Hiroyuki IBARAKI"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2016-04-04",
  "publication_date": "2018-08-28",
  "grant_date": "2018-08-28",
  "priority_date": "2015-04-06",
  "application_number": "US-201615090194-A",
  "family_id": "57016993",
  "cited_by_count": 2,
  "citations": [
    "JPH0621663A",
    "JPH0631179A",
    "US6166918A",
    "US6111760A",
    "US6548972B2",
    "US20030206392A1",
    "US8665603B2",
    "US7643310B2",
    "US20100254093A1",
    "US20130148317A1",
    "JP2013165107A",
    "JP2014086603A",
    "US9686877B2",
    "US20160295745A1"
  ]
}