阅读说明：本技术 具有灵活电连接器位置的动力机组 (Power unit with flexible electrical connector positions ) 是由 D·J·克伦克 R·D·亚克林 K·D·哈格特 T·A·丹泽尔 T·F·雅默 P·C·隆居 于 2021-03-30 设计创作，主要内容包括：本申请公开了具有灵活电连接器位置的动力机组。该动力机组组件包括围绕纵轴轴向延伸的壳体。该动力机组组件还包括电路板,其具有被壳体覆盖的板主要部分并且具有第一板延伸段,该第一板延伸段远离所述纵轴径向地延伸并延伸到壳体外部且不被壳体覆盖。该动力机组组件还包括被设置在电路板的第一板延伸段上的至少一个逻辑连接器。(The application discloses a power pack with flexible electrical connector positions. The power pack assembly includes a housing extending axially about a longitudinal axis. The power pack assembly also includes a circuit board having a board main portion covered by the housing and having a first board extension extending radially away from the longitudinal axis and extending outside of the housing and not covered by the housing. The power pack assembly also includes at least one logic connector disposed on the first board extension of the circuit board.)

1. A power pack assembly comprising:

a housing extending axially about a longitudinal axis;

a circuit board having a board main portion covered by the housing and having a first board extension extending radially away from the longitudinal axis and extending outside of the housing and not covered by the housing; and

at least one logic connector disposed on a first board extension of the circuit board.

2. The power pack assembly of claim 1, further comprising a heat sink tray operatively coupled to the housing to enclose a board main portion of the circuit board.

3. The power pack assembly of claim 2, wherein the heat sink tray includes a tray main portion and a first tray extension, the tray main portion corresponding to the plate main portion and the first tray extension corresponding to the first plate extension.

4. The power pack assembly of claim 1, wherein the housing has a cylindrical body.

5. The power pack assembly of claim 1, wherein the circuit board further includes a second board extension extending radially away from the longitudinal axis and outside of and not covered by the housing, the second board extension having a power connector disposed thereon.

6. The power pack assembly of claim 5, wherein the first and second plate extensions are positioned circumferentially adjacent to each other.

7. The power pack assembly of claim 5, wherein the first and second plate extensions are circumferentially spaced from one another.

8. The power pack assembly of claim 7, wherein the first and second plate extensions are circumferentially spaced from each other by greater than 90 degrees.

9. An Electric Power Steering (EPS) system comprising:

an EPS housing; and

a power pack assembly, comprising:

a housing having a body extending axially about a longitudinal axis from a plurality of flange portions to an end surface, the housing operatively coupled to the EPS housing by at least one mechanical fastener extending through at least one of the flange portions;

a circuit board having a board main portion, a first board extension, and a second board extension, the board main portion covered by the housing, the first board extension extending radially away from the longitudinal axis and extending outside of and not covered by the housing, and the second board extension extending radially away from the longitudinal axis and extending outside of and not covered by the housing;

at least one logic connector disposed on a first board extension of the circuit board; and

at least one power connector disposed on a second board extension of the circuit board.

10. The EPS system of claim 9, the power pack assembly further comprising a heat sink tray operatively coupled to the housing to enclose a board main portion of the circuit board.

11. The EPS system of claim 10, wherein the heat sink tray comprises a tray main portion, a first tray extension, and a second tray extension, the tray main portion corresponding to the plate main portion, the first tray extension corresponding to the first plate extension, and the second tray extension corresponding to the second plate extension.

12. The EPS system of claim 9, wherein the housing has a cylindrical body.

13. The EPS system of claim 9, wherein the first plate extension and the second plate extension are positioned circumferentially adjacent to each other.

14. The EPS system of claim 9, wherein the first and second plate extensions are circumferentially spaced apart from one another.

15. The EPS system of claim 9, wherein the first plate extension and the second plate extension are circumferentially spaced from each other by greater than 90 degrees.

16. The EPS system of claim 9, wherein the at least one logical connector and the at least one power connector each face the housing.

17. The EPS system of claim 9, wherein the at least one logical connector and the at least one power connector each face the EPS housing.

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to vehicle steering power pack assemblies and, more particularly, to such assemblies having flexible electrical connector locations.

Background

Vehicles often include an Electric Power Steering (EPS) system to assist an operator of the vehicle in steering the vehicle. The EPS system uses sensors to detect the position and torque of the steering column and provides signals to the electric motor to cause the electric motor to provide additional torque to assist the operator in steering the vehicle. The additional torque provided to assist the operator in steering the vehicle may vary based on vehicle characteristics, driving conditions, road conditions, and the like.

The EPS system may utilize a controller to receive signals from the sensors, analyze the signals, and control the electric motor. The controller board is connected to the motor housing via a tray (tray), which may be referred to herein as a connector board. These components together may be referred to as a power pack assembly that provides electrical power for one or more functions associated with the steering system. The power pack assembly typically includes a circuit board or Printed Circuit Board (PCB) having an electrical connector in electrical communication therewith. Typically, the architecture of the PCB and the electrical connector only allows for a single orientation (orientation) and thus location of the connector, and thus does not provide flexibility in the design layout.

Disclosure of Invention

According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a power pack assembly includes a housing extending axially about a longitudinal axis. The power assembly also includes a circuit board having a board main portion covered by the housing and having a first board extension extending radially away from the longitudinal axis and extending outside of the housing and not covered by the housing. The power pack assembly also includes at least one logic connector disposed on the first board extension of the circuit board.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, an Electric Power Steering (EPS) system includes an EPS housing. The EPS system also includes a power pack assembly. The power pack assembly includes a housing having a body extending axially about a longitudinal axis from a plurality of flange portions to an end surface, the housing operatively coupled to the EPS housing by at least one mechanical fastener extending through at least one of the flange portions. The power pack assembly also includes a circuit board having a main board portion covered by the housing, a first board extension extending radially away from the longitudinal axis and extending outside of the housing and not covered by the housing, and a second board extension extending radially away from the longitudinal axis and extending outside of the housing and not covered by the housing. The power pack assembly also includes at least one logic connector disposed on the first board extension of the circuit board. The power unit assembly also includes at least one power connector (power connector) disposed on the second board extension of the circuit board.

These and other advantages and features will become more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Drawings

The subject matter which is regarded as the invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion of the specification. The foregoing and other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 schematically illustrates an Electric Power Steering (EPS) system for a vehicle;

FIG. 2 is a bottom perspective view of the power pack assembly;

FIG. 3 is a top perspective view of the power pack assembly;

FIG. 4 is an end view of the power pack assembly;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the power pack assembly;

FIG. 6 is a partially exploded view of the power pack assembly;

FIG. 7 is another partially exploded view of the power pack assembly;

FIG. 8 is another partially exploded view of the power pack assembly;

9-11 illustrate an example configuration of a power pack assembly having an external connector;

12-14 illustrate another example configuration of a power pack assembly having an external connector;

15-17 illustrate an example configuration of a power pack assembly having an internal connector;

18-20 illustrate another example configuration of a power pack assembly having an internal connector; and

FIG. 21 illustrates a power pack assembly constructed in accordance with yet another example.

Detailed Description

Embodiments of the present disclosure are described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, but are not limited thereto. In particular, a manual power pack assembly for an Electric Power Steering (EPS) system is disclosed herein. Although illustrated and described in connection with a tubular column EPS system, it should be understood that other types of EPS systems (e.g., rack-type EPS systems) may also benefit from embodiments disclosed herein. Further, the steering system shown has a mechanical connection from the steering input to the steering gear, but it should be understood that a steer-by-wire system may also benefit from the disclosed embodiments. Thus, the illustrated embodiments are not limited to a particular application that may be used with a manual power pack assembly.

FIG. 1 is an exemplary embodiment of an electric power steering system (EPS)40 suitable for implementing the disclosed embodiments. The steering mechanism 36 is a rack and pinion type system and includes a rack (not shown) located within the housing 50 and a pinion (also not shown) located below the gear housing 52. As the operator inputs, hereinafter indicated as the steering wheel 26 (e.g., a hand-held steering wheel, etc.) are rotated, the upper steering shaft 29 is rotated, and the lower steering shaft 51 connected to the upper steering shaft 29 through the universal joint 34 rotates the pinion. Rotation of the pinion moves the rack, which moves the connecting rods 38 (only one shown), which in turn moves the steering knuckles 39 (only one shown), which knuckles 39 turn the steerable wheel(s) 44 (only one shown).

The electric power steering assist is provided by a control device generally indicated by reference numeral 24 and includes a controller 16 and an electric machine 19, the electric machine 19 may be a permanent magnet synchronous motor, a permanent magnet direct current motor, a switched reluctance motor or any other type of motor, the electric machine 19 being referred to hereinafter as motor 19. The controller 16 is powered by the vehicle power supply 10 via line 12. The controller 16 receives information from sensors regarding various operating conditions and/or inputs of the EPS system 40, examples of which are shown and described below.

As the steering wheel 26 is turned, the torque sensor 28 senses the torque applied to the steering wheel 26 by the vehicle operator. The torque sensor 28 may include a torsion bar (not shown) and a variable resistance type sensor (also not shown) that outputs a variable torque signal 18 to the controller 16 related to the amount of torsion on the torsion bar. Although this is one type of torque sensor, any other suitable torque sensing device used with known signal processing techniques is sufficient. In response to various inputs, the controller sends a command 22 to the electric motor 19, and the electric motor 19 provides torque assistance to the steering system through the worm 47 and worm gear 48, thereby providing torque assistance for vehicle steering. A feedback signal 21 is returned from the electric motor 19 to the controller 16.

It should be noted that although the disclosed embodiments are described with reference to motor control for electric power steering applications, it should be understood that these references are merely illustrative and that the disclosed embodiments may be applied to any motor control application that employs an electric motor, such as steering, valve control, and the like. Further, references and descriptions herein may be applicable to many forms of parameter sensors, including but not limited to torque, position, speed, and the like. It should also be noted that references herein to an electric machine include, but are not limited to, a motor, and in the following, for the sake of brevity and simplicity, reference will be made, without limitation, to a motor only.

In the control system 24 as shown, the controller 16 utilizes torque, position, and speed, among other things, to calculate command(s) for delivering the desired output power. The controller 16 is provided in communication with various systems and sensors of the motor control system. The controller 16 receives signals from each of the system sensors, quantifies the received information, and provides output command signal(s) in response thereto, in which case, for example, the output command signal(s) are provided to the motor 19. The controller 16 is configured to generate the required voltage(s) from an inverter (not shown), which may optionally be combined with the controller 16 and referred to herein as the controller 16, such that when a voltage is applied to the motor 19, a desired torque or position is generated. Because these voltages are related to the position and speed of the motor 19 and the desired torque, the position and/or speed of the rotor and the torque applied by the operator are determined. A position encoder is connected to the steering shaft 51 to detect the angular position. The encoder may sense the rotational position based on optical detection, magnetic field changes, or other methods. Typical position sensors include potentiometers, resolvers, synchronizers, encoders, and the like, as well as combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing. The position encoder outputs a position signal 20, which position signal 20 is indicative of the angular position of the steering shaft 51, and thus of the motor 19.

As shown in fig. 2-8, the power pack assembly is shown and is generally referred to by the numeral 60. As noted above, the power pack assembly 60 is an assembly that provides power to one or more systems of the vehicle steering system. Although primarily depicted and described as being used to power the EPS system 40, it should be understood that the power pack assembly 60 may be used to power other electrical systems.

The power pack assembly includes a housing 62 that mounts to a heat sink tray 64 to enclose a portion of a controller circuit board 68 and a motor shaft 70 that drives the EPS system 40. The controller circuit board 68 has a main portion 72 (fig. 5 and 6) covered by the housing 62. As shown, the housing 62 has a main body portion 74, an end surface 76, and a plurality of flange portions 78, the flange portions 78 being located on opposite ends of the main body portion 74 relative to the end surface 76. The body portion 74 includes at least one generally cylindrical portion, but may include one or more steps, as shown in the illustrated embodiment.

Each flange portion 78 includes one or more apertures (apertures) to receive mechanical fasteners and/or to receive position pins or the like for coupling the housing 62 to the heat sink tray 64. When the housing 62 is coupled to the heat sink tray 64, the perimeter (perimeter) of the body portion 74 and the flange portion 78 covers the main portion 72 of the controller circuit board 68. However, the heat sink tray 64 and the controller circuit board 68 each include generally corresponding segments that extend radially outward to a location outside of the housing 62. In other words, the heat sink tray 64 includes one or more tray extensions 80 and the controller circuit board 68 includes one or more board extensions 82, each extending sufficiently so as not to be covered by the housing 62. Thus, these extensions 80, 82 (fig. 5) are external to the housing 62.

The extensions 80, 82 provide additional connection points that may be oriented based on the specifications of the overall system. Thus, the entire power pack assembly 60 is adjustable to accommodate various orientations that benefit the system. This is in contrast to a power pack assembly that covers all of the connection points within the housing. In the illustrated embodiment, the first connection point is generally indicated by the numeral 90 and is partially covered by a first connector shield (shroud) 92. The first connection point 90 is a logic connector forming a logic plug (header). The second connection point 94 is a power connection and is partially covered with a second connector shroud 96. The second connection point 94 is a power connector that functions as a power plug.

Fig. 9-11 illustrate the power pack assembly 60 coupled to the EPS system housing 100 according to a first orientation using an external Main Switchboard (MSB) 99. In the illustrated embodiment, the connection points 90, 94 are directed toward the housing 62. Arrow 98 represents the rotational capability of the power pack assembly 60. In other words, the angular position of the power pack assembly 60 may be varied to suit the most desired system orientation required for the overall system.

Fig. 12-14 illustrate the power pack assembly 60 coupled to the EPS system housing 100 according to another orientation using the outer MSB 99. In the illustrated embodiment, the connection points 90, 94 are directed away from the housing 62. This represents what may be referred to as a "mirror" orientation relative to the embodiment shown in fig. 9-11. Arrow 98 represents the rotational capability of the power pack assembly 60. In other words, the angular position of the power pack assembly 60 may be varied to suit the most desired system orientation required for the overall system.

Fig. 15-18 illustrate the power pack assembly 60 coupled to the EPS system housing 100 according to a first orientation using the internal MSB. In the illustrated embodiment, the connection points 90, 94 are directed toward the housing 62. Arrow 98 represents the rotational capability of the power pack assembly 60. In other words, the angular position of the power pack assembly 60 may be varied to suit the desired optimal system orientation for the overall system.

18-20 illustrate the power pack assembly 60 coupled to the EPS system housing 100 according to another orientation using the internal MSB. In the illustrated embodiment, the connection points 90, 94 are directed away from the housing 62. This indicates what may be referred to as a "mirror" orientation relative to the embodiments shown in fig. 15-18. Arrow 98 represents the rotational capability of the power pack assembly 60. In other words, the angular position of the power pack assembly 60 may be varied to suit the most desired system orientation required for the overall system.

Referring now to FIG. 21, the power pack assembly 60 is shown having first and second connection points 90, 94, the first and second connection points 90, 94 being separated by circumferentially spacing the connection points 90, 94 on the extension. The degree of separation of the first and second connection points 90, 94 is customizable. In the illustrated embodiment, the connection points (i.e., plugs) 90, 94 are separated by approximately 180 degrees, but it should be understood that this is merely one example of the degree of separation that may be provided by these extensions 80, 82 of the controller circuit board 68. For example, in an example embodiment, the connection points 90, 94 may be separated by more than 45 degrees or more than 90 degrees.

The power pack assembly also includes a power inductor (power inductor) as disclosed herein for connection to a power source (e.g., a battery) while also facilitating a compliant connection with the circuit board. Additionally, one or more electrical connectors are provided for electrical connection to various other components.

Embodiments disclosed herein maintain a common circuit board layout within the motor housing diameter. By doing so, the common motor connection points on the extension plate portion can be reconfigured to accept different customer requirements for the vehicle harness interface. Furthermore, the battery power connection is separated from the logic circuit or communication circuit, thereby allowing for increased possibilities for variation.

The disclosed embodiments provide design flexibility to provide different connector access locations based on vehicle overall placement (vehicle packing) and customer preferences. The ability to maintain a common power pack layout while providing connector locations is an improvement over previous power pack designs. The use of a printed circuit board with an adjustable board configuration allows for low cost interconnection with the controller.

By placing the primary component structure within the generally circular diameter of the motor housing 62, the ability to fill and remove the (populated) circuit without affecting the main motor interface is achieved while still having the flexibility to provide different connection locations and without affecting the primary structure of the controller and power pack.

While the invention has been described in detail in connection with only a limited number of embodiments, it should be readily understood that the invention is not limited to such disclosed embodiments. Rather, the invention can be modified to incorporate any number of variations, alterations, substitutions or equivalent arrangements not heretofore described, but which are commensurate with the spirit and scope of the invention. Additionally, while various embodiments of the invention have been described, it is to be understood that aspects of the invention may include only some of the described embodiments. Accordingly, the invention is not to be seen as limited by the foregoing description.