Apparatus for providing an electronic unit with clips for attachment to a panel
View Patent ↗An electronics unit including a plurality of electronics positioned therein that generate electromagnetic interference (EMI) and/or thermal energy. The electronics unit may include a housing defining a plurality of openings positioned on a first side thereof, and a plurality of clips attached to the housing. A corresponding clip of the plurality of clips is positioned in a corresponding opening of the plurality of opening for attachment to a vehicle. The plurality of clips enables thermal energy to be transmitted from the plurality of electronics to a first portion of the vehicle, and mitigates the EMI, when the electronics unit is attached to the vehicle.
1 . An electronics unit comprising:
a plurality of electronics positioned therein that generate electromagnetic interference (EMI);
a housing defining a plurality of openings positioned on a first side thereof; and
a plurality of clips being attached to the housing, wherein a corresponding clip of the plurality of clips is positioned in a corresponding opening of the plurality of openings for attachment to a vehicle, wherein each clip includes a base, a support extending outwardly from the base, and a first projection and a second projection both extending from a distal end of the support toward the base at an angle of 45 degrees or less relative to the support when the clip is fully seated into an opening of a panel, and
wherein outer ends of the first projection and the second projection are configured to compress inward toward the support upon insertion into the panel and retract or spring back in response to being fully received into the panel, thereby retaining the plurality of clips and the housing fixed to the panel, and
wherein the plurality of clips (i) enables thermal energy to be transmitted from the plurality of electronics to a first portion of the vehicle, and (ii) mitigates the EMI, when the electronics unit is attached to the vehicle.
2 . The electronics unit of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of clips are clinched to the housing to fix the plurality of clips to the housing.
3 . The electronics unit of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of clips reduce EMI generated by the plurality of electronics by providing robust electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) between the electronics-based module and the panel.
4 . The electronics unit of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of clips enable thermal energy to be transmitted from the electronics to a first portion of the vehicle by providing thermal contact between the electronics module and the panel.
5 . The electronics unit of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of clips may be separated from the panel to perform repairs to the electronics unit by exerting a pulling force.
6 . The electronics unit of claim 5 , wherein the pulling force required to separate the clips from the panel is between 30 and 50 newtons.
7 . An apparatus comprising:
an electronics unit including a plurality of electronics positioned therein that generate thermal energy, the electronics unit further including:
a housing defining a plurality of openings positioned on a first side thereof; and
a plurality of clips being attached to the housing, wherein a corresponding clip of the plurality of clips is positioned in a corresponding opening of the plurality of openings for attachment to a vehicle, wherein each clip includes a base, a support extending outwardly from the base, and a first projection and a second projection both extending from a distal end of the support toward the base at an angle of 45 degrees or less relative to the support when the clip is fully seated into an opening of a panel, and
wherein outer ends of the first projection and the second projection are configured to compress inward toward the support upon insertion into the panel and retract or spring back in response to being fully received into the panel, thereby retaining the plurality of clips and the housing fixed to the panel,
wherein the plurality of clips enables thermal energy to be transmitted from the electronics to a first portion of the vehicle.
8 . The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of clips, when attached to the first portion of the vehicle, reduce electromagnetic interference generated by the plurality of electronics.
9 . The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein each clip includes at least three projections that protrude from the corresponding opening and wherein the first projection and the second projection extend in opposite directions from the support.
10 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first projection as positioned on the support is offset from the second projection as positioned on the support.
11 . The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of clips each has a width of about 7.5 mm to about 11.5 mm and a thickness of about 0.1 mm to about 0.4 mm.
12 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of clips reduce electromagnetic interference generated by the plurality of electronics by providing robust electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) between the electronics-based module and the panel.
13 . The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of clips enable thermal energy to be transmitted from the electronics to a first portion of the vehicle by providing thermal contact between the electronics module and the panel.
14 . An apparatus comprising:
an electronics unit including a plurality of electronics positioned therein that generate electromagnetic interference (EMI), the electronics unit further including:
a housing defining a plurality of openings positioned on a first side thereof; and
a plurality of clips being attached to the housing, wherein a corresponding clip of the plurality of clips is positioned in a corresponding opening of the plurality of openings for attachment to a vehicle, wherein each clip includes a base, a support extending outwardly from the base, and a first projection and a second projection both extending from a distal end of the support toward the base at an angle of 45 degrees or less relative to the support when the clip is fully seated into an opening of a panel, and
wherein outer ends of the first projection and the second projection are configured to compress inward toward the support upon insertion into the panel and retract or spring back in response to being fully received into the panel, thereby retaining the plurality of clips and the housing fixed to the panel,
wherein the plurality of clips mitigates the EMI, when the electronics unit is attached to the vehicle.
15 . The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of electronics generate thermal energy, and wherein the plurality of clips enables the thermal energy to be transmitted from the electronics to a first portion of the vehicle.
16 . The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein each clip includes at least three projections that protrude from the corresponding opening and wherein the first projection and the second projection extend in opposite directions from the support.
17 . The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the first projection as positioned on the support is offset from the second projection as positioned on the support.
18 . The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of clips each has a width of about 7.5 mm to about 11.5 mm and a thickness of about 0.1 mm to about 0.4 mm.
19 . The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of clips reduce EMI generated by the plurality of electronics by providing robust electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) between the electronics-based module and the panel.
20 . The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of clips enable thermal energy to be transmitted from the electronics to a first portion of the vehicle by providing thermal contact between the electronics module and the panel.