U.S. patent application number 13/348461 was filed with the patent office on 2012-07-12 for base element, base system and method for manufacturing another base system.
Invention is credited to Michael HORTIG, Peter KUNERT.
Application Number | 20120174376 13/348461 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40530623 |
Filed Date | 2012-07-12 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120174376 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
HORTIG; Michael ; et
al. |
July 12, 2012 |
BASE ELEMENT, BASE SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING ANOTHER BASE
SYSTEM
Abstract
A base element having a first and a second surface, the first
surface being designed to receive a module housing and the second
surface being designed to be mounted on a carrier element, and in
addition an angle between 0 and 90 degrees being provided between a
first face normal of the first surface and a second face normal of
the second surface.
Inventors: |
HORTIG; Michael; (Eningen
U.A., DE) ; KUNERT; Peter; (Lichtenstein,
DE) |
Family ID: |
40530623 |
Appl. No.: |
13/348461 |
Filed: |
January 11, 2012 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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12269481 |
Nov 12, 2008 |
8116098 |
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13348461 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
29/428 ;
29/527.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H05K 2201/10151
20130101; Y10T 29/4998 20150115; Y10T 29/49826 20150115; G01C 25/00
20130101; H05K 2201/10484 20130101; Y10T 29/49117 20150115; H05K
2201/10325 20130101; H05K 3/301 20130101; G01P 1/023 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
29/428 ;
29/527.1 |
International
Class: |
B23P 17/04 20060101
B23P017/04 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Nov 12, 2007 |
DE |
10 2007 053 808.3 |
Claims
1-9. (canceled)
10. A method for manufacturing an additional base system having a
base system and a carrier element, the base system including a
module housing, and a base element including a first surface
adapted to receive the module housing, and a second surface adapted
to be mounted on a carrier element, wherein an angle between 0 and
90 degrees is defined between a first face normal of the first
surface and a second face normal of the second surface, wherein the
module housing is at least one of (a) materially, (b) frictionally
and (c) positively fixed mechanically on the first surface, the
method comprising: in a first process step, placing and contacting
the module housing on the base element; and in a second process
step, placing and contacting the base element together with the
module housing on the carrier element.
11. The method according to claim 10, wherein in at least one of
the first and second process steps an electrically conductive
connection and/or a mechanically stable connection is made between
the module housing and the base element and/or between the base
element and the carrier element.
12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the connection is
made by a soldering or bonding process.
13. The method according to claim 11, wherein the connection is
made by a soldering paste screen printing process.
Description
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
[0001] Base elements are generally known. For example, from
European Patent No. EP 0 665 438 a chip carrier mounted on a
circuit board is known on which an acceleration sensor is mounted
in such a way that a measuring axis of the acceleration sensor is
oriented parallel to the circuit board. There is no provision for
mounting the acceleration sensor on the chip carrier at an
application-specific angle other than 90 degrees between the
measuring axis and the circuit board.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The base element according to the present invention, the
base system according to the present invention, and the method
according to the present invention for manufacturing another base
system have the advantage over the related art that a module
housing is mountable or mechanically fixable on a carrier element
at any desired application-specific angle between 0 and 90 degrees
in a comparatively simple manner. In many applications, a defined
orientation of the module housing relative to the carrier element
is crucial to the functionality of the application, as for example
when acceleration sensors and rotational speed sensors are used in
the module housing, which normally have a main sensing direction.
When the module housing is mounted on a carrier element, such as a
carrier plate, for example, according to the related art the
carrier direction is determined by the position of the carrier
element. In contrast, the base element according to the present
invention makes it possible to mount the module housing at any
desired angle relative to the carrier element, so that in
particular the sensing direction may be chosen independently of the
orientation of the carrier element and thus specifically for the
application. Furthermore, mounting the carrier element is greatly
simplified compared to the related art, in particular when the
carrier element is integrated into comparatively compact and/or
specially shaped spaces for installation, such as when using
sensors in a vehicle, for example, since the mounting position of
the carrier element with respect to the desired module housing
position is compensated for by the base element. In particular, the
base element makes it possible especially advantageously to mount a
standard housing on a standard carrier element at any desired angle
between 0 and 90 degrees.
[0003] A preferred refinement provides that the module housing and
the carrier element have a first and a second main extension plane
having a third and a fourth face normal, it being provided that the
third face normal runs essentially parallel to the first face
normal and the fourth face normal runs essentially parallel to the
second face normal. Especially advantageously, an
application-specifically defined angle between the first and second
main extension planes is thus implementable, which lies between 0
and 90 degrees, and the orientation of the first main extension
plane or of the module housing vis-a-vis the second main extension
plane or the carrier element is freely choosable.
[0004] Another preferred refinement provides that the carrier
element includes a circuit board, a board, a conductor path and/or
a plurality of conductor paths, so that especially advantageously
the module housing is integratable into an electrical circuit of a
board through the base element in a conventional manner.
[0005] Another preferred refinement provides that the module
housing includes an electrical, electronic and/or microelectronic
component, preferably a micromechanical sensor and especially
preferably a micromechanical rotational speed sensor and/or
acceleration sensor. Especially advantageously, it is thus possible
in particular to set the main sensing direction of sensors
independently of the orientation of the carrier element, such as a
board, for example. Furthermore, this makes possible a
comparatively constructionally compact and simple or economical
realization of sensors and/or sensor circuits in spaces for
installation that are of any shape and comparatively small, which
are found in particular in the automotive industry.
[0006] Another preferred refinement provides that the base element
has a spring element designed in such a way that a spring motion of
the first surface parallel to the first face normal and/or second
face normal is made possible, and/or that the base element has a
pre-fixing edge. Especially advantageously, before the final
mechanical fixing of a module housing on the first surface,
"sliding off" of the module housing from the first surface, which
represents in particular an inclined plane, is prevented by the
pre-fixing edge. This is especially advantageous in particular when
a soldering paste is used for mechanical or electrical contacting
of the module housing, since that does not make a mechanically
stable contact until it has hardened. Furthermore, the spring
motion makes it possible to use a screen printing process to apply
the soldering paste to the first surface, since the pre-fixing edge
is swiveled in the direction of the second surface by the spring
motion during the printing of the soldering paste and thus does not
influence the screen printing process negatively.
[0007] Another preferred refinement provides that the base element
has a third surface with a fifth face normal, the fifth face normal
running essentially parallel to the second face normal. Especially
advantageously, this makes it possible to place components on the
carrier element automatically, since the base element is grippable
or fixable on the third surface for an automatic printed board
assembly. In particular, the third surface forms a suction surface
for a vacuum-based gripping arm of an automatic printed board
assembly.
[0008] Another preferred refinement provides that the first surface
has a first electrical connection surface for the module housing
and/or the second surface has a second electrical connection
surface for the carrier element, where preferably the first and/or
the second connection surface includes a standardized connection
surface, and especially preferably the first connection surface is
not identical to the second connection surface. Especially
advantageously, the contacting surfaces include "footprints" of the
standard bases or standard connectors, so that the standard module
housing is placeable on the base element and/or the base element is
placeable on standard connection surfaces of the carrier element.
Thus, for example, the base element can be integrated in a simple
manner between a module housing that is plugged onto a circuit
board and the circuit board, in order to set the module housing at
a desired angle relative to the circuit board. Especially
advantageously, the first and second connection surfaces have
different "footprints," so that the base element also functions as
an adapter between the first contact surface and the second contact
surface.
[0009] Another preferred refinement provides that the base element
has at least one electrically conductive connection between the
module housing and the carrier element, and preferably between the
first and the second connection surfaces. Advantageously, it is
thus possible to make electrical contact with the module housing or
the components of the module housing through the base element.
Especially advantageously, the module housing or the components of
the module housing are thus integrated into a circuit of the
carrier element in a conventional manner.
[0010] Another subject matter of the present invention is a base
system having a base element and a module housing, the module
housing being materially, frictionally and/or positively fixed
mechanically on the first surface. Especially advantageously, the
application-specifically required orientation of the module housing
relative to the second surface is thus determined, so that the base
element together with the module housing is mountable in a
conventional manner on a carrier element, and at the same time the
required application-specific angle between the module housing and
the carrier element is implemented.
[0011] Another subject matter of the present invention is a method
for manufacturing another base system having a base system and a
carrier element, where in a first process step the module housing
is placed on the base element and contacted, and in a second
process step the base element together with the module housing is
placed and contacted on the carrier element. The placement of the
module housing on the base element or of the base element on the
carrier element is performable in an advantageous manner using
standard processes, and thus is comparatively inexpensive. Also
especially advantageously, the use of standard module housings and
standard boards is possible, in particular with standard connection
surfaces ("foot-prints").
[0012] A preferred refinement provides that in the first and/or in
the second process step an electrically conductive and/or a
mechanically stable connection is made between the module housing
and the base element and/or between the base element and the
carrier element, preferably by a soldering or bonding process, and
especially preferably by a soldering paste screen printing process.
Especially advantageously, comparatively inexpensive and/or
mechanical placement of components is implementable using standard
processes.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] FIG. 1 shows a schematic depiction of misorientations in the
related art.
[0014] FIG. 2 shows a schematic side view of a base element
according to a first specific embodiment of the present
invention.
[0015] FIGS. 3a and 3b show schematic side views of a base element
according to a second specific embodiment of the present
invention.
[0016] FIG. 4 shows a schematic side view of a base element
according to a third specific embodiment of the present
invention.
[0017] FIG. 5 shows a perspective schematic side view of a base
element according to a fourth specific embodiment of the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0018] FIG. 1 shows a schematic depiction of misorientations 30' in
the related art, where a first direction 31 and a second direction
32 enclose an angle 30. First direction 31 depicts a desired
sensing direction of a sensor in a module housing 3, while second
direction 32 depicts the installed position of a carrier element 2.
According to the related art, carrier element 2 shows module
housing 3 in such a way that second direction 32 runs parallel to
the sensing direction of the sensor. Angle 30 therefore depicts the
misorientation 30' between the sensing device and the desired
sensing direction. This misorientation 30' is preferably
compensated for in the subsequent figures by base element 1
according to the present invention, in such a way that the sensing
device conforms to the desired sensing direction, independently of
the installed position of carrier element 2.
[0019] FIG. 2 shows a schematic side view of a base element
according to an exemplary first specific embodiment of the present
invention, where base element 1 has a first and a second surface 4,
5, a module housing 3 being mounted on first surface 4 and second
surface 5 being mounted on a carrier element 2, and an angle 10
between 0 and 90 degrees being provided between a first face normal
4' of first surface 4 and a second face normal 5' of second surface
5. In particular, angle 10 corresponds to misorientation 30'
depicted in FIG. 1. Module housing 3 and carrier element 2 have a
first and a second main extension plane 6, 7 with third and fourth
face normals 6', 7', third face normal 6' running essentially
parallel to first face normal 4' and fourth face normal 7' running
essentially parallel to second face normal 5'. Carrier element 2
preferably includes a circuit board, and module housing 3 includes
a motion sensor. First surface 4 includes a first electrical
connection surface for module housing 3 and second surface 5
includes a second electrical connection surface for carrier element
2, the first and second connection surfaces preferably including a
standardized connection surface, i.e., a standardized "footprint"
of standard bases or standard chip carriers or standard plug
connections, and especially preferably the first connection surface
being different from the second connection surface. Furthermore,
the base element has a plurality of electrically conductive
connections 11 between module housing 3 and carrier element 2 or
between the first and the second connection surfaces, so that
module housing 3 or the sensor of module housing 3 makes electrical
contact with carrier element 2 or with the circuit board.
[0020] FIGS. 3a and 3b each depict a schematic side view of a base
element according to a second specific embodiment of the present
invention, the second specific embodiment being essentially the
same as the first specific embodiment depicted in FIG. 2, base
element 1 having a spring element 20 designed in such a way that a
spring motion of first surface 4 essentially parallel to first face
normal 4' is made possible, and in addition base element 1 having a
pre-fixing edge 40. Pre-fixing edge 40 prevents module housing 3
from sliding off of first surface 4 (in the direction of second
surface 5) while module housing 3 is being mounted. In particular,
in a mounting process using soldering paste the module housing is
prevented from sliding off before the soldering paste hardens.
Spring element 20 enables first surface 4 and hence pre-fixing edge
40 to pivot in the direction of second surface 5, so that first
surface 4'' is not broken through by pre-fixed edge 40 and it
becomes possible to place components on first surface 4 using a
screen printing process. In FIG. 3a a module housing 3 is placed on
first surface 4 and spring element 20 is depicted in the
equilibrium position, whereas in FIG. 3b no components have been
placed on first surface 4 and spring element 20 is shown in a
deflection position in the direction of second surface 5.
[0021] FIG. 4 shows a schematic side view of a base element
according to a third specific embodiment of the present invention,
the third specific embodiment being essentially identical to the
first specific embodiment depicted in FIG. 2, base element 1 having
a third surface 12 having a fifth face normal 12', and fifth face
normal 12' running essentially parallel to second face normal 5'.
Third surface 12 serves in particular as a suction surface for a
vacuum gripper of an automatic printed board assembly for
mechanically positioning base element 1 or the base system on a
carrier element 2.
[0022] FIG. 5 shows a schematic side view of a base element
according to a fourth specific embodiment of the present invention,
the fourth specific embodiment being essentially identical to the
first specific embodiment depicted in FIG. 2, first surface 4
having a first electrical connection surface for module housing 3
and second surface 5 having a second electrical connection surface
for carrier element 2, preferably the first and second connection
surfaces each including a standardized connection surface
("footprint") and furthermore the first connection surface being
different from the second connection surface. Thus base element 1
also functions as an adapter between a first and a second
connection surface.
* * * * *