DC-DC Converter and Housing Therefor

Abstract

A housing for a DC/DC power converter includes a cast metal part and a conduit part providing a conduit for a heat carrier medium. The conduit part includes a plastic part and a metal plate.

Claims

1. A housing for a DC/DC power converter, comprising: a cast metal part; and a conduit part providing a conduit for a heat carrier medium, the conduit part comprising a plastic part and a metal plate.

2. The housing of claim 1, wherein the plastic part includes a plurality of channels having branches and/or junctions.

3. The housing of claim 1, wherein the plastic part includes a channel and the metal plate forms a cover with which the channel is covered, the channel forming the conduit.

4. The housing of claim 3, wherein the plastic part includes a reservoir into the channel empties or at which the channel begins.

5. The housing of claim 4, wherein the reservoir is covered by the cover and forms a chamber connected to the conduit.

6. The housing of claim 1, wherein the conduit has an inlet and an outlet via which the conduit is able to be connected to a feed line and a return line, respectively.

7. A DC/DC power converter, comprising: a power semiconductor to convert a direct current; and the housing of claim 1 in which the power semiconductor is arranged, wherein the conduit is arranged to convey a heat carrying medium to conduct away heat arising from the power semiconductor and transferring into the housing during operation of the power semiconductor.

8. A method for producing a DC/DC power converter, the method comprising: producing a plastic part with a channel; producing a metal plate; joining the plastic part and the metal plate to form a conduit part such that the channel is covered by the metal plate; inserting the conduit part into a casting mold as a casting core; casting a cast metal part; and removing the combination of the cast metal part and the conduit part from the mold.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] The disclosed structure will now be described in greater detail making reference to the drawings.

[0017] FIG. 1 is a plastic part with channels provided therein.

[0018] FIG. 2 is a conduit part made of a plastic part and a metal plate.

[0019] FIG. 3 is a housing part comprising the conduit part and the cast metal part.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] The figures of the drawings show only one possible embodiment with an O-shaped cooling circuit. However, the invention makes possible any desired shape of the cooling circuit, provided a plastic part can be closed with a metal cover corresponding to the contour. This enables, for example, I-shaped, L-shaped, U-shaped and also wavelike and zigzag shapes, as well as a plurality of direction changes of the cooling circuit.

[0021] The plastic part 1 has the general shape of a rectangular frame. A plurality of channels 10 are formed into an upper side of this frame, the channels being separated from one another by webs 11 and being connected to one another by branches and junctions. The channels 10 form a channel system which has an inlet reservoir 12 and an outlet reservoir 13. The inlet reservoir 12 and the outlet reservoir 13 are separated from one another by a web 14.

[0022] The webs 11, 14 are somewhat drawn in relative to an inner side wall 15 and an outer side wall 16 of the plastic part, i.e., the webs 11, 14 are set back somewhat relative to the side walls 15, 16. This makes it possible to place a cover 2 on the webs 11, 14 in the region between the ends of the side walls. The cover 2 is a perforated, also frame-shaped metal plate which has been produced by punching from a metal sheet. The cover 2 covers the channels 10, the inlet reservoir 12 and the outlet reservoir 13. As a result, conduits are formed from the channels 10, and from the inlet reservoir, an inlet chamber and from the outlet reservoir an outlet chamber are formed.

[0023] The plastic part 1 has an inlet connecting piece 17 and an outlet connecting piece 18 to which a feed line and a return line can be connected. These connecting pieces 17, 18 are arranged on the underside of the frame. The inlet connecting piece 17 is connected to the inlet chamber and the outlet connecting piece 18 is connected to the outlet chamber.

[0024] The plastic part 1 and the cover 2 together form the conduit part that is arranged as an insert in a casting mold. The casting mold is then filled with liquid aluminum and the cast metal part 3 thereby cast is in a strong combination with the conduit part 1, 2. After removal from the mold and a possible postprocessing, this combination then forms the part of the housing according to the invention shown in FIG. 3.