Vehicle sensor
View Patent ↗A vehicle sensor assembly includes a housing assembly and a printed circuit board having a plurality of electronic components provided thereon, mounted in the housing assembly. A connector interface is integrally formed with the housing assembly by a polymer overmold. The connector interface includes a shroud member. The shroud member is made of a polymer harder than the polymer overmold.
1. A sensor assembly for a vehicle sensor, comprising:
a housing assembly;
a printed circuit board having a plurality of electronic components provided thereon, mounted in the housing assembly; and
a connector interface integrally formed with the housing assembly by a polymer overmold,
wherein the connector interface includes a shroud member, and
wherein the shroud member is made of a polymer harder than the polymer overmold.
2. The sensor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the polymer overmold is a low-pressure, low temperature polyamide.
3. The sensor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the polymer overmold protects the electronic components from thermal stress.
4. The sensor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the polymer overmold seals the electronic components from an ambient environment.
5. The sensor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the shroud member is made of a hard injection molded polymer.
6. The sensor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the shroud member includes a connector locking feature.
7. The sensor assembly of claim 6 , wherein the connecting locking feature protrudes through an outside portion of the shroud member.
8. The sensor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the shroud member is a thin-walled polybutylene terephthalate polymer shroud.
9. The sensor assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a mounting assembly configured to be fastened to a vehicle body.
10. A crash sensor assembly, comprising:
a housing assembly;
a printed circuit board having a plurality of electronic components provided thereon, mounted in the housing assembly; and
a shroud member formed on the housing assembly,
wherein the shroud member is made of a polymer harder than a polymer overmold of the housing assembly.
11. The crash sensor assembly of claim 10 , wherein the polymer overmold is a low-pressure, low temperature polyamide.
12. The crash sensor assembly of claim 10 , wherein the polymer overmold protects the electronic components from thermal stress.
13. The crash sensor assembly of claim 10 , wherein the polymer overmold seals the electronic components from an ambient environment.
14. The crash sensor assembly of claim 10 , wherein the shroud member is made of a hard injection molded polymer.
15. The crash sensor assembly of claim 10 , wherein the shroud member includes a connector locking feature.
16. The crash sensor assembly of claim 15 , wherein the connecting locking feature protrudes through an outside portion of the shroud member.
17. The crash sensor assembly of claim 10 , wherein the shroud member is a thin-walled polybutylene terephthalate polymer shroud.
18. The crash sensor assembly of claim 10 , further comprising a mounting assembly configured to be fastened to the vehicle.
19. The crash sensor assembly of claim 10 , wherein the polymer overmold is only molded around a closed end portion of the shroud member.
20. A method for overmolding a crash assembly, comprising:
mounting a printed circuit board having a plurality of electronic components provided thereon, in a housing assembly;
forming a connector interface with the housing assembly by a polymer overmold; and
providing a shroud member in the connector interface made of a polymer harder than the polymer overmold.