Control device for a vehicle

{
  "publication_number": "US9476398B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Control device for a vehicle",
  "abstract": "A control device suitable for use in a vehicle includes a circuit board and a spring element. The circuit board includes a circuit element electrically connected thereat. The spring element is engaged with the circuit element and biased or urged towards the circuit element to exert a force at the circuit element in a direction generally parallel to a surface of the circuit board. The circuit element is electrically connected at the circuit board via a solder joint. When a temperature at the solder joint exceeds a threshold temperature, the spring element moves the circuit element along the surface of the circuit board to break the electrical connection at the solder joint.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A control device suitable for use in a vehicle, said control device comprising: a circuit board having a circuit element electrically connected thereat; a spring element engaged with said circuit element and biased to exert a force at said circuit element in a direction generally parallel to a surface of said circuit board; wherein said circuit element is electrically connected at said circuit board via a solder joint; and wherein, when a temperature at said solder joint exceeds a threshold temperature, said spring element moves said circuit element along the surface of said circuit board to break the electrical connection at said solder joint; wherein said spring element is biased during assembly of said control device; and wherein said spring element includes an engaging tab that engages said circuit element and at least one biasing tab that engages a portion of a housing of said control device during assembly of said control device, and wherein, when said at least one biasing tab engages the portion of said housing during assembly of said control device, said spring element flexes so that said engaging tab exerts a force at said circuit element.",
    "2. The control device of claim 1, wherein, when the temperature at said solder joint exceeds a threshold temperature, said spring element moves said circuit element along the surface of said circuit board from a conducting region of said circuit board to a non-conducting region of said circuit board.",
    "3. The control device of claim 1, wherein said spring element comprises a metallic spring element.",
    "4. A control device suitable for use in a vehicle, said control device comprising: a circuit board having a circuit element electrically connected thereat; a storing element engaged with said circuit element and biased to exert a force at said circuit element in a direction generally parallel to a surface of said circuit board; wherein said circuit element is electrically connected at said circuit board via a solder joint; and wherein, when a temperature at said solder joint exceeds a threshold temperature, said storing element moves said circuit element along the surface of said circuit board to break the electrical connection at said solder joint; and wherein said control device comprises a glow plug control device for controlling at least one glow plug of a diesel engine of a vehicle.",
    "5. A control device suitable for use in a vehicle, said control device comprising: a circuit board having a circuit element electrically connected thereat; a storing element engaged with said circuit element and biased to exert a force at said circuit element in a direction generally parallel to a surface of said circuit board; wherein said circuit element is electrically connected at said circuit board via a solder joint; and wherein, when a temperature at said solder joint exceeds a threshold temperature, said spring element moves said circuit element along the surface of said circuit board to break the electrical connection at said solder joint; and wherein said circuit element comprises one of (i) a diode and (ii) a resistor.",
    "6. A control device suitable for use in a vehicle, said control device comprising: a circuit board having a circuit element electrically connected thereat; a spring element engaged with said circuit element and biased to exert a force at said circuit element in a direction generally parallel to a surface of said circuit board; wherein said circuit element is electrically connected at said circuit board via a solder joint; and wherein, when a temperature at said solder joint exceeds a threshold temperature, said spring element moves said circuit element along the surface of said circuit board to break the electrical connection at said solder joint; and wherein a control is electrically connected to at least one of the nodes of said circuit element and wherein said control is operable to generate a signal responsive to breaking of said electrical connection at said solder joint.",
    "7. A control device suitable for use in a vehicle, said control device comprising: a circuit board having a circuit element electrically connected thereat; a spring element engaged with said circuit element and biased to exert a force at said circuit element in a direction generally parallel to a surface of said circuit board; wherein said circuit element is electrically connected at said circuit board via a solder joint; and wherein, when a temperature at said solder joint exceeds a threshold temperature, said spring element moves said circuit element along the surface of said circuit board to break the electrical connection at said solder joint; and wherein said spring element engages said circuit element at a non-electrically conducting portion of said circuit element.",
    "8. The control device of claim 7, wherein said spring element is not electrically connected to circuitry of said control device.",
    "9. The control device of claim 7, wherein said spring element is biased during assembly of said control device.",
    "10. A control device suitable for use in a vehicle, said control device comprising: a circuit board having a circuit element electrically connected thereat; a spring element engaged with said circuit element and biased to exert a force at said circuit element in a direction generally parallel to a surface of said circuit board; wherein said circuit element is electrically connected at said circuit board via a solder joint; and wherein, when a temperature at said solder joint exceeds a threshold temperature, said spring element moves said circuit element along the surface of said circuit board to break the electrical connection at said solder joint; and comprising a retaining element at said circuit element, wherein said retaining element limits movement of said circuit element away from said circuit board and allows movement of said circuit element along the surface of said circuit board.",
    "11. The control device of claim 10, wherein said retaining element is part of said spring element.",
    "12. A control device suitable for use in a vehicle, said control device comprising: a circuit board having a circuit element electrically connected thereat; a spring element engaged with a non-electrically conducting portion of said circuit element and urged towards said circuit element to exert a force at said circuit element in a direction generally parallel to a surface of said circuit board; wherein said spring element comprises a metallic spring element and wherein said spring element is not electrically connected to circuitry of said control device; wherein said circuit element is electrically connected at an electrically conducting region of said circuit board via a solder joint; and wherein, when a temperature at said solder joint exceeds a threshold temperature, said spring element moves said circuit element along the surface of said circuit board from said electrically conducting region of said circuit board to a non-electrically conducting region of said circuit board to break the electrical connection at said solder joint.",
    "13. The control device of claim 12, wherein said spring element is urged towards said circuit element during assembly of said control device.",
    "14. The control device of claim 13, wherein said spring element includes an engaging tab that engages said circuit element and at least one biasing tab that engages a portion of a housing of said control device during assembly of said control device, and wherein, when said at least one biasing tab engages the portion of said housing during assembly of said control device, said spring element flexes so that said engaging tab exerts a force at said circuit element.",
    "15. The control device of claim 12, wherein said control device comprises a glow plug control device for controlling at least one glow plug of a diesel engine of a vehicle.",
    "16. A control device suitable for use in a vehicle, said control device comprising: a circuit board having a circuit element electrically connected thereat; a spring element engaged with said circuit element and biased towards said circuit element to exert a force at said circuit element in a direction generally parallel to a surface of said circuit board; wherein said circuit element is electrically connected at said circuit board via a solder joint; a retaining element at said circuit element, wherein said retaining element limits movement of said circuit element away from said circuit board and allows movement of said circuit element along the surface of said circuit board; and wherein, when the temperature at said solder joint exceeds a threshold temperature, said spring element moves said circuit element along the surface of said circuit board from a conducting region of said circuit board to a non-conducting region of said circuit board to break the electrical connection at said solder joint.",
    "17. The control device of claim 16, wherein said retaining element is part of said spring element.",
    "18. The control device of claim 16, wherein said control device comprises a glow plug control device for controlling at least one glow plug of a diesel engine of a vehicle.",
    "19. The control device of claim 16, wherein said spring element comprises a metallic spring element, and wherein said spring element engages said circuit element at a non-electrically conducting portion of said circuit element, and wherein said spring element is not electrically connected to circuitry of said control device."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present invention relates to control devices and, more particularly, to controls or control devices for controlling glow plugs for diesel engines.\n\nGlow plugs are known and are used to pre-heat diesel combustion engine cylinders before starting the engine, particularly when the diesel engine is cold. Devices for glow plug control devices are widely known in automotive applications. The controllers typically switch and control the current through glow plugs. The switched/controlled currents are comparably high. In cases where the metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOS-FETs) become defective, there is the hazard that the glow plug current flow may not become turned off, and may continue to heat, which may lead to damage to the glow plug due to overheating or may lead to defects/slewing of power cables or discharged batteries.\n\nTo have a redundant instance to the MOS-FETs, fuses in the line of power are often implemented. Typically, one time fuses use bi-metals or the like and might be known but uncommon for that job. Solutions are known where the main power line becomes broke by one single fuse. Other solutions show power line bundles or one single fuse for each power line, which typically equates to the number of the cylinders of the engine.\n\nThe present invention provides a control device or control with a spring element that functions as a thermal protection device or system for the control device.",
  "cpc": [
    "F02P 19/027",
    "B23K 1/018",
    "F02B 3/06",
    "H01H 2037/762",
    "H01H 2037/763",
    "H01H 37/761",
    "H01H 9/167",
    "H02H 5/047",
    "H05K 13/0486",
    "H05K 2201/10636"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "F02B 3/06",
    "F02P 19/02",
    "H02H 5/04",
    "H01H 37/76"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Magna Electronics Inc"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Ralf Biegert"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2014-05-29",
  "publication_date": "2016-10-25",
  "grant_date": "2016-10-25",
  "priority_date": "2013-06-03",
  "application_number": "US-201414290026-A",
  "family_id": "50943074",
  "cited_by_count": 2,
  "citations": [
    "DE2058357A1",
    "DE7520602U",
    "US6175480B1",
    "DE3930819A1",
    "DE4219554A1",
    "DE4437122A1",
    "US5612662A",
    "DE19639427A1",
    "DE19647035A1",
    "US5896080A",
    "DE10044081A1",
    "EP1334505A1",
    "DE10102235A1",
    "WO2004002202A1",
    "EP1467603A1",
    "EP1560242A1",
    "US20050173394A1",
    "DE102004014660A1",
    "DE102005005549A1",
    "DE102005014601A1",
    "US20110050386A1",
    "DE102006026406A1",
    "DE102007035899A1",
    "DE102008011226A1",
    "DE102008053182A1",
    "DE102008057166A1",
    "WO2010112389A1",
    "DE102009036578B3",
    "EP2485355A1",
    "DE102011118724A1",
    "FR2978324A1",
    "US20130298866A1"
  ]
}