US 12,442,701 B2
Structural locating sensors for a sensor module using a printed circuit board assembly
Jonathan Nobert, Trois-Rivières (CA); and Francis Gagné, Saint-Roch-de-Mékinac (CA)
Assigned to BRP Megatech Industries Inc., Valcourt (CA)
Appl. No. 17/904,840
Filed by BRP Megatech Industries Inc., Valcourt (CA)
PCT Filed Mar. 4, 2020, PCT No. PCT/IB2020/051892
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Aug. 23, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/176251, PCT Pub. Date Sep. 10, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0105697 A1, Apr. 6, 2023
Int. Cl. G01L 3/10 (2006.01); H05K 1/14 (2006.01); H05K 3/36 (2006.01); G01L 5/22 (2006.01)
CPC G01L 3/101 (2013.01) [H05K 3/365 (2013.01); H05K 3/366 (2013.01); G01L 5/221 (2013.01); H05K 1/141 (2013.01); H05K 2201/04 (2013.01); H05K 2201/047 (2013.01); H05K 2201/09063 (2013.01); H05K 2201/09827 (2013.01); H05K 2201/10151 (2013.01); H05K 2201/10295 (2013.01); H05K 2201/10303 (2013.01)] 22 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A sensor assembly for a vehicle, said sensor assembly comprising:
a sensor module having:
a main printed circuit board (PCB);
a plurality of auxiliary printed circuit boards (PCBs) coupled to said main PCB and electrically connected to said main PCB, each of said plurality of auxiliary PCBs having at least one sensor configured to generate a signal, and each of said plurality of auxiliary PCBs coupled to each other in a defined position relative to each other;
a plurality of attachment elements to couple said plurality of auxiliary PCBs to said main PCB to at least partially maintain said defined position of each of said plurality of auxiliary PCBs relative to each other; and
a retainer abutting said auxiliary PCBs,
said retainer including a top member and an outer member,
said top member being configured to be coupled to said plurality of auxiliary PCBs to define said coupling of each of said plurality of auxiliary PCBs to each other,
said outer member, having a cylindrical shape, being configured to be disposed over said top member, said auxiliary PCBs and said main PCB;
a component positioned adjacent said sensor module and moveable relative to said sensor module with said component having an emitter, wherein said signal generated by each of the at least one sensor of each of said plurality of auxiliary PCBs is based on movement of said component and said emitter; and
a controller operatively connected to said at least one sensor of each of said plurality of auxiliary PCBs and configured to determine a magnitude of movement based on said signal from said at least one sensor of each of said plurality of auxiliary PCBs.