DESC:FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to the installation of an Automotive Electronic Control Unit (ECU) in a vehicle and more particularly, to a bracket assembly with tilting mechanism for mounting the automotive ECUs in the vehicle.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There are a number of prior arts related to ECU mounting bracket. One such ECU mounting bracket is disclosed in CN203739800U that comprises an ECU mounting plate, a first ECU connecting plate and two second ECU connecting plates. Further, ECU can be installed in a cantilever type mode with ECU mounting bracket. Automotive ECU mounting bracket with hinge mechanism is also known in the art. However, the configurations disclosed in prior arts do not provide ease of accessibility, visibility and serviceability.

Accordingly, there exists a need to provide a device to address the above challenges related to visibility, accessibility and serviceability, without much dismantling of vehicle aggregates.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to mount Electronic Control Units (ECUs) to a vehicle in a less space without compromising on visibility, accessibility and serviceability.

Another object of the present invention is to make the ECUs easily accessible and removable in event of any malfunction in the system.

Yet another object of the present invention is to save vehicle downtime and service hours.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention provides a bracket assembly for mounting automotive electronic control units (ECUs) in a vehicle. The ECUs are an engine management system (EMS) ECU, an anti-lock braking System (ABS) ECU, and a common rail controller. The bracket assembly comprises an assembly centre plate and an assembly base plate.

The assembly centre plate is fixed to a front panel/BIW of the vehicle using a Hex screw (42). The assembly centre plate includes a centre plate and a top plate configured thereon. The centre plate includes the EMS ECU mounted on a front surface thereof, and the ABS ECU and the common rail controller mounted on a back surface thereof. The front and back surfaces include mounting provisions in the form of C shaped hollow structures that address the differential planar back plates of the ECUs.

The front surface includes mounting provisions for installing the EMS ECU thereon using the 4 Hex screws and 4 weld nuts M6. The back surface includes mounting provisions for installing the ABS ECU using the 3 nuts and 3 weld screws as well as mounting provisions for installing the common rail controller with an assembly common rail controller mounting bracket thereto using 4 nuts and 4 weld screws. The common rail controller is first mounted to the assembly common rail controller mounting bracket using a screw and a washer and thereafter, the common rail controller along with the assembly common rail controller mounting bracket is mounted on the back surface of the centre plate.

The top plate is fixed, by welding to the centre plate for fixing to the vehicle. The assembly base plate is hinge-fixed to the assembly centre plate from a side thereof for tilting the ECUs and fixed to a floor bolster in a vehicle cockpit from another side thereof using 2 Hex screws. The assembly base plate includes a base plate and a metal bush and a stopper pin fixed on each side of the base plate.

During the on-field servicing of any of the ECU or wiring thereof, a dashboard glove box is removed from IP, thereafter, the screw is removed to delatch the assembly centre plate from the vehicle BIW causing the assembly centre plate along with the ECU to tilt on the two hinge points on the assembly base plate and rest on the stopper pin at 45 degrees angle to avoid resting on the dashboard glove box cutout, the tilting of the assembly centre plate on the hinges brings the wiring and the ECU connectors into an accessible position thereby making the wirings and the pins easily visible and thus facilitating the visibility, accessibility and serviceability of all three ECUs mounted on single bracket assembly without having to remove any major vehicle part.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description read in accordance with the accompanying drawings wherein,

Figure 1 shows an installation view of an Electronic Control Unit (ECU) of an Engine Management System (EMS), an Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) and a Common Rail controller to a bracket assembly, in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 shows an installation view of the EMS ECU to the bracket assembly, in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 3 shows an installation view of the ABS ECU to the bracket assembly, in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 4 shows an installation view of the Common Rail Controller to the bracket assembly, in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 5 shows the ECUs mounted to the bracket assembly within a vehicle cockpit, in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 6 shows views illustrating servicing of the ECU and wiring harness pin visibility for fault finding and air filter serviceability for HVAC system mounted onto the bracket assembly, in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 7 shows an installation view of wiring and parking arrangements for all three ECUs mounted to the bracket assembly, in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 8 shows exploded and assembled front views of the bracket assembly, in accordance with the present invention; and

Figure 9 shows parts of the bracket assembly of figure 8.

Detailed description of the invention

The foregoing objects of the invention are accomplished and the problems and shortcomings associated with the prior art techniques and approaches are overcome by the present invention as described below in the preferred embodiment.

The present invention provides a bracket assembly for mounting automotive Electronic Control Units (ECUs). The bracket assembly is a tiltable and hinged mechanism for the installation of the three ECUs on single bracket without compromising on visibility, accessibility and serviceability.

The present invention is illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings, throughout which reference numbers indicate corresponding parts in the various figures. These reference numbers are shown in bracket in the following description.

Referring to figures 1 to 9, a bracket assembly (100) for mounting automotive electronic control units (110, 130, and 150) (herein after ‘the (ECUs) (110, 130, and 150)’) in a vehicle (not shown) is described in accordance with the present invention. Specifically, the bracket assembly (100) is a tiltable and hinged mechanism for the installation of three ECUs (110, 130, and 150) thereon. More specifically, the three ECUs (110, 130, and 150) are ECUs of an engine management system (herein after ‘the EMS’) (not shown), an anti-lock braking System (herein after ‘the ABS’) (not shown) and a common rail controller, respectively. The bracket assembly (100) is mounted to vehicle BIW panels (not shown). The bracket assembly (100) comprises an assembly centre plate (30) and an assembly base plate (90).

The assembly centre plate (30) is fixed to a front panel (not shown) of the vehicle for example by using a Hex screw (42) as shown in figure 1. The assembly centre plate (30) includes a centre plate (40) and a top plate (60) configured thereon. The centre plate (40) includes a front surface (not numbered) and a back surface (not numbered). The front surface and back surface of the centre plate (40) include mounting provisions / mounting planes (not numbered) defined thereon for installation of the ECUs (110, 130, and 150) together. In an embodiment, the mounting planes on the front and back surfaces are C shaped hollow structures that address the differential planar back plates of the ECUs (110, 130, and 150). Figure 7 shows an installation view of the wiring (95) and parking arrangements for all three ECUs (110, 130, and 150) clamped securely to bracket studs (not shown).

The front surface of the center plate (40) includes the EMS ECU (110) mounted thereon. In an embodiment, the EMS ECU (110) is mounted on the mounting provisions on the front surface of the center plate (40) using the 4 Hex screws (12) and 4 weld nuts M6 (14) as shown in figure 2. The 4 hex screws (12) are tightened using the 4 weld nuts M6 (14) on the back surface of the center plate (40).

The back surface of the center plate (40) includes the ABS ECU (130) and the common rail controller (150) mounted thereon. In an embodiment, the ABS ECU (130) is mounted on the mounting provisions on the back surface of the center plate (40) using the 3 nuts (16) and 3 weld screws as shown in figure 3. The 3 nuts (16) are tightened using the 3 weld screws on the front surface of the center plate (40).

In an embodiment, the common rail controller (150) is mounted on the mounting provisions on the back surface of the center plate (40) along with an assembly common rail controller mounting bracket (140) using 4 nuts (16) and 4 weld screws (Screw hex M6) (15). The 4 nuts (16) are tightened using 4 weld screws on the front surface of the center plate (40). Specifically, the common rail controller (150) is first mounted on the assembly common rail controller mounting bracket (140) using a screw (18) and a spring washer (20) which are tightened using a nut hex weld M5 (22) as shown in figure 4 and figure 8, thereafter the assembly the common rail controller (150) and the assembly common rail controller mounting bracket (140) is mounted on the back surface of the centre plate (40) using the 4 nuts (16) and the 4 weld screws (Screw hex M6) (15). The assembly common rail controller mounting bracket (140) includes a bracket bottom common rail controller (120) and a bracket base common rail controller (160) configured thereon as shown in figure 9.

The top plate (60) is fixed on a top surface of the centre plate (40) for fixing to the vehicle. In an embodiment, the top plate (60) is welded to the center plate (40). The purpose of the top plate (60) is to mount ECUs (110, 130 and 150) on the vehicle BIW.

The assembly base plate (90) is fixed to the assembly centre plate (30) from a side thereof (not numbered) and fixed to a floor bolster (not shown) in a vehicle cockpit (not shown) from another side (not numbered) thereof. The assembly base plate (90) includes a base plate (50), a metal bush (80) and a stopper pin (70) configured thereon as shown in figure 9. The metal bush (80) and the stopper pin (70) are fixed for example by welding on both sides of the base plate (50). The stopper pin (70) restricts tilting angle to 45 degrees to avoid direct resting on dashboard. In an embodiment, the assembly base plate (90) is hinged to the assembly centre plate (30) for tilting the ECUs (110, 130, and 150). Specifically, two Hex screws (82) are inserted in the metal bush (80) of the base plate (50) for establishing hinged connection between the assembly base plate (90) and the assembly centre plate (30). The assembly base plate (90) is fixed to the floor bolster in the vehicle cockpit using 2 Hex screws (84).

Thus, the bracket assembly (100) includes three mountings; two on BIW bolster using the assembly base plate (90) and another on BIW front panel using the top plate (60). Further, the bracket assembly (100) includes two plastic bushes (86), one sandwiched between the assembly center plate (30) and the assembly base plate (90) while the other sandwiched between the assembly center plate (30) and the nut (88) fixed thereto.

In order to do on-field servicing of any of the ECU (110/130/150) or wiring (95) thereof, first, a dashboard glove box (not shown) is removed from IP. Thereafter, the screw (42) is removed to cause delatching of the assembly centre plate (30) from the vehicle BIW and thereafter tilting of the assembly centre plate (30) along with the ECU (110/130/150) on the two hinge points on the assembly base plate (90) such that the assembly centre plate (30) along with ECU (110/130/150) rests on the stopper pin (70) at 45 degrees angle to avoid resting on the dashboard glove box cutout. The tilting of the bracket assembly (100) on the hinges brings the wiring and the ECU connectors into an accessible position thereby making the wirings (95) and the pins easily visible. This greatly facilitates the visibility, accessibility and serviceability of all three ECUs (110, 130, and 150) without having to remove any major vehicle part like the instrument panel.

After completion of the fault analysis, the wiring (95) for the ECU (110/130/150) is routed and parked on the assembly centre plate (30) using a stud clip (not shown) and an ø7 tree clip (not shown). This ensures that the ECU wiring (95) moves with the ECU (110/130/150) when tilted without putting any stress on the wirings (95). The assembly centre plate (30) along with the ECU (110/130/150) is fitted back on the BIW by fixing back the screw (42). Thereafter, the glove box is fixed back on IP.

Below given table shows the list of reference numerals and description thereof.

New reference numerals Description of reference numerals
100 Bracket Assembly
30 Assembly centre plate
12 Screw Hex M6
40 Centre plate
60 Top plate
14 Weld nut M6
15 Screw hex M6
90 Assembly base plate
80 Metal bush
70 Stopper pin
110 EMS ECU
130 ABS ECU
16 Nut Hex M6
18 Screw cross recess Hex M5
20 Spring Washer M5
22 Nut Hex Weld M5
42 Screw cross Hex M6
82 Bolt Hex M6
84 Screw Hex M8
86 Plastic Bush
88 Nut Hex M6
95 IP wiring Harness
140 Assembly common rail controller mounting bracket
150 Common rail controller
120 Bracket bottom common rail controller
160 Bracket base Common Rail Controller

Advantages of the invention

1. The bracket assembly (100) addresses the issues of visibility, accessibility and serviceability, without much dismantling of vehicle aggregates.
2. In event of any malfunction in the bracket assembly (100), the ECUs (110, 130, and 150) are easily accessible and removable.
3. The wirings (95) and the pins are easily visible.
4. The ECU sticker is easily readable.
5. In the current situation where the cabin space is limited, the EMS ECU (110), the ABS ECU (130) and the common rail controller(150) are installed back to back on one bracket assembly (100), thus greatly saving precious installation space inside the cockpit/ cabin instrument panel, and still giving enhanced accessibility. Also, single bracket assembly (100) holding three ECUs (110, 130, and 150) saves the cost and provides stable support and convenient installation.
6. The bracket assembly (100) saves vehicle downtime and service hours due to ease of accessibility compared to conventional cockpit mounting ECUs.

The foregoing objects of the invention are accomplished and the problems and shortcomings associated with prior art techniques and approaches are overcome by the present invention described in the present embodiment. Detailed descriptions of the preferred embodiment are provided herein; however, it is to be understood that the present invention may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but rather as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed system, structure, or matter. The embodiments of the invention as described above and the methods disclosed herein will suggest further modification and alterations to those skilled in the art. Such further modifications and alterations may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. ,CLAIMS:WE CLAIM:

1. A bracket assembly (100) for mounting automotive electronic control units
(ECUs) in a vehicle, the ECUs being an engine management system (EMS) ECU (110), an anti-lock braking System (ABS) ECU (130), and a common rail controller (150), the bracket assembly (100) comprising:
• an assembly centre plate (30) fixed to a front panel/BIW of the vehicle using a Hex screw (42), the assembly centre plate (30).having a centre plate (40) and a top plate (90) configured thereon, the centre plate (40) having the EMS ECU (110) mounted on a front surface thereof, and the ABS ECU (130) and the common rail controller (150) mounted on a back surface thereof, wherein the common rail controller (150) is mounted on an assembly common rail controller mounting bracket (140) and thereafter the common rail controller (150) and the assembly common rail controller mounting bracket (140) is mounted on the back surface of the centre plate (40); and
• an assembly base plate (90) fixed to the assembly centre plate (30) from a side thereof for tilting the ECUs (110, 130, and 150) and fixed to a floor bolster in a vehicle cockpit from another side thereof, the assembly base plate (90) having a base plate (50) configured thereon, the base plate (50) having a metal bush (80) and a stopper pin (70) fixed on each side thereof,

wherein, during the on-field servicing of any of the ECU (110, 130, and 150) or wiring (95) thereof, a dashboard glove box is removed from IP, thereafter, the screw (42) is removed to delatch the assembly centre plate (30) from the vehicle BIW causing the assembly centre plate (30) along with the ECU (110/130/150) to tilt on the two hinge points on the assembly base plate (90) and rest on the stopper pin (70) at 45 degrees angle to avoid resting on the dashboard glove box cutout, the tilting of the assembly centre plate (30) on the hinges brings the wiring (95) and the ECU connectors into an accessible position thereby making the wirings (95) and the pins easily visible and thus facilitating the visibility, accessibility and serviceability of all three ECUs (110, 130, and 150) mounted on single bracket assembly (100) without having to remove any major vehicle part.

2. The bracket assembly (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the top plate (60) is welded on the centre plate (40) for fixing to the vehicle.

3. The bracket assembly (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the front surface includes mounting provisions for installing the EMS ECU (110) thereto using the 4 Hex screws (12) and 4 weld nuts M6 (14).

4. The bracket assembly (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the back surface includes mounting provisions for installing the ABS ECU (130) using the 3 nuts (16) and 3 weld screws as well as mounting provisions for installing the common rail controller (150) with the assembly common rail controller mounting bracket (140) thereto using 4 nuts (16) and 4 weld screws.

5. The bracket assembly (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the common rail controller (150) is mounted to the assembly common rail controller mounting bracket (140) using a screw (18) and a washer (20).

6. The bracket assembly (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the front and back surfaces include mounting provisions in the form of C shaped hollow structures that address the differential planar back plates of the ECUs (110, 130, and 150).

7. The bracket assembly (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the assembly base plate (90) is hinged to the assembly centre plate (30).

8. The bracket assembly (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the assembly base plate (90) is fixed to the floor bolster in the vehicle cockpit using 2 Hex screws (84).

Dated this 29th day of July 2017

Priya Pandey
(Agent for Applicant)
IN/PA-2018