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EP-4163940-B1 - MOUNTING STRUCTURE FOR A CYLINDRICAL CAPACITOR

EP4163940B1EP 4163940 B1EP4163940 B1EP 4163940B1EP-4163940-B1

Inventors

  • CACU, Adrian
  • ZAMFIR, Marius

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20211011

Claims (11)

  1. A mounting structure (3) for a capacitor (4), comprising a first pair (11) and a second pair (12) of holding elements (13), which are integral parts of the mounting structure (3) and arranged such that with a capacitor (4) mounted and electrically connected, the first pair (11) of holding elements (13) is closer to the electrical connection (25) of the capacitor (4) than the second pair (12) of holding elements (13), characterized by a locking element (30) spanning and connecting the second pair (12) of holding elements (13) and being in a form and force fitting contact with the second pair (12) of holding elements (13).
  2. The mounting structure (3) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the locking element (30) has a U-shaped form defined by a base (31) and two brackets (32), and wherein a catch (34) is provided at a free end (33) of each bracket (32).
  3. The mounting structure (3) according to claim 2, wherein each catch (30) has a flat portion (35) and a slanted portion (36).
  4. The mounting structure (3) according to claim 1, wherein a recess (40) is provided in each holding element (13) of the at least one second pair (12) of holding elements (13).
  5. The mounting structure (3) according to claim 4, wherein each recess (40) has a slanted portion (42) and a flat portion (44).
  6. The mounting structure (3) according to claim 3 and claim 5 combined, wherein the slanted portion (36) of the catch (34) of the locking element (30) abuts against the slanted portion (42) of the recess (40) of the holding element (13), and the flat portion (35) of the catch (34) of the locking element (30) abuts against the flat portion (44) of the recess (40) of the holding element (13).
  7. The mounting structure (3) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the locking element (30) has an interference (37) in the middle (M) of the locking element (30), which interference (37) cooperates with a surface (20) of the capacitor (4) in a form and force fitting manner.
  8. The mounting structure (3) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the locking element (30) is an injection-molded and bendable part which has an inherent elasticity.
  9. The mounting structure (3) according to claim 8, wherein the elastic locking element (30) enables that the catches (34) snap into the recesses (40) of the holding elements (13) of the second pair (12) of holding elements (13).
  10. The mounting structure (3) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a housing part (9) and the holding elements (13) of the mounting structure (3) are injection-molded, so that the holding elements (13) are an integral part of the housing part (9).
  11. An electronic control unit (1) for a vehicle (16) incorporating a mounting structure (3) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to a mounting structure for a capacitor. The mounting structure has a first pair and a second pair of holding elements, which are integral parts of the mounting structure. DESCRIPTION OF THE BACKGROUND ART EP 3 240 375 A1 relates to an electronic module for an actuator that can be used in a motor vehicle. The printed circuit board of the electronic module carries at least one cylindrical capacitor and is spaced apart by means of a holding element. The holding element has elastic biased holder cams. The elastic holder cams hold the cylindrical capacitor in a force-fit manner. DE 10 2012 002 525 A1 discloses a housing structure for a capacitor. The housing structure has a housing base that is provided with a fastening bolt for fastening a housing portion in a slot or for inserting a holder or a plate in an elongated recess. A dimension-side complementary web is extended from the housing base by a surface of the fastening bolt to fix the housing portion in a precise position and to secure against rotation. The fastening bolt is provided with a partially circumferential cantilever portion. CN 207818380 U discloses an electrolytic capacitor mount. CN 210575548 U discloses a capacitor installation structure comprising a fixed frame which is an insulator. The fixed frame is fixed on a circuit board. The fixing frame is rectangular, and the shape of the fixing frame is matched with the shape of the capacitor. The capacitor is clamped in the fixed frame. Clamping devices for fixing the capacitor are symmetrically arranged on the inner wall of the fixing frame. The clamping devices are insulators, and each clamping device comprises an elastic component. KR 2009 0108558 A shows a mounting structure with several pairs of holding elements. Close to the location of the electrical contacts of a mounted capacitor, a cover spans the mounting structure. CN 202 513 037 U discloses a mounting structure with holding elements. EP 2 790 477 A1 discloses a fixing device for a capacitor. The capacitor is fixed by a bedstop loop and a retaining loop. CN 110 890 214 A discloses a mounting structure for a capacitor with elastic elements and a cover element. The cover element is close to where the electrical contacts of a mounted capacitor are. CN 208 507 463 U discloses a mounting clip for a capacitor. The clip can receive a capacitor and be fixed to some assembly where the capacitor is required. The clip has two semicircular portions which can be connected by an elastic element. As known, an electrical control unit (ECU) is an embedded electronic device. A typical ECU consists of a printed circuit board (PCB), a housing, a cover and, in some cases, a backup power unit. It must be ensured that the ECU is supplied with power even in cases where the main power unit has a malfunction. For this reason, the backup power unit is provided, which often is a relatively heavy capacitor. In the case of plastic housings, the fixation of the backup power unit is realized via a mounting structure, also called "cradle", with a plastic snap-fit solution. The mounting structure is integrated in the plastic housing. To keep the capacitor in place with prior art devices, the mounting structure (cradle) simply relies on the interference between the holding elements (plastic snaps) and the capacitor, which means that the holding elements will be loaded with an elastic force to provide the necessary retention force. In theory, the prior art concept works sufficiently well. But, in reality, when considering all the tolerances of the diameter of the capacitor, the interference can transform into a gap which may lose capacitor or cause a rattle noise. In case the diameter of the capacitor is too big, the interference may translate in over-stressed holding elements (snaps) which may cause plastic or permanent deformations, creep, fractures etc. of the holding elements. The biggest tolerance that makes the task of keeping the interference within a reasonable interval is the capacitor tolerance. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a mounting structure which can easily and efficiently accommodate even large tolerances of the capacitor diameter and the distance between the holding elements and can hold the capacitor tightly. The above object is achieved by a mounting structure for a capacitor according to the features of claim 1. According to an embodiment, the mounting structure for a capacitor has a first pair and a second pair of holding elements, which are integral parts of the mounting structure. The holding elements are arranged such that with a capacitor mounted and electrically connected, the first pair of holding elements is closer to the electrical connection of the capacitor than the second pair of holding elements. A locking element spans and connects the second pair of holding elements and is in a form and force fitting contact with the second pair of holding element