Cooling array

Abstract

A cooling array for cooling of an electronic component includes the electronic component, a housing which at least partially enclosing the electronic component, a heat sink support connected to the housing in a fluid-tight manner, and a heat sink which is accommodated in the heat sink support. The heat sink is thermally coupled to the electronic component in order to disperse heat generated by the electronic component.

Claims

1. A cooling array for cooling of an electronic component, the cooling array comprising: the electronic component; a housing at least partially enclosing the electronic component; a heat sink support connected to the housing in a fluid-tight manner; and a heat sink accommodated in the heat sink support, wherein: the heat sink is thermally coupled to the electronic component in order to disperse heat generated by the electronic component, the heat sink support is a heat sink support tray, the heat sink support tray comprising a tray base with a heat sink underside of the heat sink resting thereon, the heat sink support tray comprising a tray side wall that at least partially surrounds the tray base, on which a heat sink lateral side of the heat sink rests, the heat sink support tray comprises a plurality of contact flanges extending laterally outward from the tray side wall and connected to the housing in a fluid-tight manner, the housing comprises a plurality of contact ribs that define a housing opening, the tray base is entirely disposed within the housing opening, and the plurality of contact flanges located outside of the housing opening and connected to the plurality of contact ribs of the housing in the fluid-tight manner.

2. The cooling array according to claim 1, wherein the fluid-tight manner between the heat sink support and the housing comprises at least one of a materially-bonded connection, a friction-locking connection, and a form-fitting connection.

3. The cooling array according to claim 2, wherein the materially-bonded connection comprises a welded connection or a glued connection.

4. The cooling array according to claim 2, wherein the friction-locking connection comprises a screw connection or a snap connection.

5. The cooling array according to claim 2, wherein the form-fitting connection comprises a clip connection or a caulked connection.

6. The cooling array according to claim 1, wherein a sealing element is disposed between the heat sink support and the housing, in order to generate a fluid-tight connection between the heat sink support and the housing, wherein the sealing element comprises a labyrinth seal or a two-component seal.

7. The cooling array according to claim 1, wherein the housing and the heat sink support are a single piece.

8. The cooling array according to claim 1, further comprising a thermally conductive intermediate layer disposed between the heat sink and the electronic component in order to improve the thermal coupling between the electronic component and the heat sink, wherein the thermally conductive intermediate layer is directly affixed to the heat sink.

9. The cooling array according to claim 1, further comprising a thermally conductive intermediate layer disposed between the heat sink and the electronic component in order to improve the thermal coupling between the electronic component and the heat sink, wherein the thermally conductive intermediate layer is directly affixed to the tray base.

10. The cooling array according to claim 1, wherein the heat sink is connected to the heat sink support in a materially-bonded manner, in a form-fitting manner or in a friction-locking manner.

11. The cooling array according to claim 10 wherein the materially-bonded manner comprises a welded connection or a glued connection.

12. The cooling array according to claim 1, wherein the heat sink is one of an extruded section and a cast body.

13. The cooling array according to claim 1, wherein the heat sink comprises a plurality of cooling fins disposed on a side of the heat sink facing away from the heat sink support.

14. The cooling array according to claim 1, wherein the housing is a cup housing for accommodating a fluid container.

15. A cooling array for cooling of an electronic component, the cooling array comprising: the electronic component; a housing at least partially enclosing the electronic component; a heat sink support connected to the housing in a fluid-tight manner; and a heat sink accommodated in the heat sink support, wherein: the heat sink is thermally coupled to the electronic component in order to disperse heat generated by the electronic component, the heat sink support is a heat sink support frame, the heat sink support frame having a frame groove into which a lateral tab of the heat sink is inserted, the heat sink support frame is connected to the housing in a fluid-tight manner, the heat sink support frame comprises a contact flange that lies on the housing and is connected to the housing in a fluid-tight manner, the housing comprises a plurality of contact ribs that define a housing opening, the frame groove is entirely disposed within the housing opening, and the contact flange is located outside of the housing opening and is connected to the plurality of contact ribs of the housing in the fluid-tight manner.

16. The cooling array according to claim 15, wherein the frame groove is bounded by a first groove wall that lies on a heat sink underside of the lateral tab of the heat sink, and wherein the frame groove is bounded by a second groove wall that lies on a heat sink topside of the lateral tab of the heat sink.

Description

DRAWINGS

(1) In order that the disclosure may be well understood, there will now be described various forms thereof, given by way of example, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 a schematic depiction of a cooling array according to a first exemplary form of the present disclosure;

(3) FIG. 2 a schematic depiction of a cooling array according to a second exemplary form of the present disclosure;

(4) FIG. 3 a schematic depiction of a cooling array according to a third exemplary form of the present disclosure;

(5) FIG. 4 a schematic depiction of a cooling array according to a fourth exemplary form of the present disclosure; and

(6) FIG. 5 a schematic depiction of a cooling array according to a fifth exemplary form of the present disclosure.

(7) The drawings described herein are for illustration purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any way.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(8) The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure, application, or uses. It should be understood that throughout the drawings, corresponding reference numerals indicate like or corresponding parts and features.

(9) In the following detailed description, reference will be made to the accompanying figures which make up a portion of said description and in which specific variations are shown as an illustration, in which the present disclosure can be presented in detail. It should be understood that other forms can be used and structural or logical changes can be made without deviating from the concept of the present disclosure. The following detailed description therefore should not be understood in a limiting sense. Furthermore, it should be understood that the features of the various exemplary forms and variations described here can be combined with one another, insofar as it is not specifically noted otherwise.

(10) The aspects and variations of the present disclosure are described in reference to the figures, wherein the same reference numerals in general correspond to identical elements. In the following description, numerous specific details are presented for the purposes of explanation, in order to provide an in-depth understanding of one or more aspects of the present disclosure.

(11) In some instances, a plurality of electronic components, such as, for example, power distributors, or rather circuit breakers, generate heat during their operation, which leads to an undesirable warming of the plurality of electronic components. Accordingly, effective cooling of the electronic components is desired.

(12) FIG. 1 shows a perspective depiction of a cooling array according to a first exemplary form.

(13) The cooling array 100 depicted in FIG. 1 is designed for cooling of the electronic components 101 and features the electronic component 101.

(14) The electronic component 101 is disposed in a housing 103 of the cooling array 100, which at least partially surrounds the electronic component 101. In FIG. 1, the housing 103 is only shown sectionally. The housing 103 features a housing opening 105. The housing 103 can be in particular part of a cup housing for accommodating a fluid container, so that a particularly effective fluid-tight enclosure of the electronic component 101 within the housing 103 is provided. In one form, the housing 103 is formed in particular at least partially from a plastic material.

(15) The electronic component 101 is disposed within the housing 103 on a support element 107.

(16) The cooling array 100 furthermore comprises a heat sink support 109 which is connected to the housing 103, wherein the heat sink support 109 is accommodated in particular at least partially within the housing opening 105 of the housing 103.

(17) In one form, the heat sink support 109 is formed in particular at least partially from a plastic material.

(18) According to the teaching of the present disclosure, a fluid-tight connection between the heat sink support 109 and the housing 103 is present in order to inhibit the ingress of fluid to the electronic component 101.

(19) The fluid-tight connection between the heat sink support 109 and the housing 103 comprises at least one of the following connections: a materially-bonded connection, in particular a welded connection and/or a glued connection; a friction-locking connection, in particular a screw connection or a snap connection; and/or a form-fitting connection, in particular a clip connection and/or a caulked connection.

(20) With normal requirements for fluid-tightness, the fluid-tight connection between the heat sink support 109 and the housing 103 can comprise in particular a friction-locking connection, in particular a screw connection or a snap connection, and/or a form-fitting connection, in particular a clip connection and/or a caulked connection.

(21) For particularly strict requirements for fluid-tightness, the fluid-tight connection between the heat sink support 109 and the housing 103 can be in particular a materially-bonded connection, in particular a welded connection and/or a glued connection.

(22) For particularly strict requirements for fluid-tightness, a sealing element—not depicted in FIG. 1—can be disposed in particular between the heat sink support 109 and the housing 103, which comprises in particular a labyrinth seal and/or a two-component seal. In one form, a corresponding sealing element can in particular comprise at least partially silicone.

(23) The cooling array 100 further comprises a heat sink 111, which is accommodated within the heat sink support 109. The heat sink 111 is thermally coupled to the electronic component 101 in order to disperse heat generated by the electronic component 101. The heat sink 111 is formed in particular at least partially from a metal or a metal alloy, in particular aluminum.

(24) In particular, the heat sink 111 is inserted into the heat sink support 109 perpendicularly to the lateral extension of the electronic component 101.

(25) Upon insertion of the heat sink 111, a tolerance compensation can be provided for the heat sink support 109.

(26) In particular, the heat sink 111 is connected in a materially-bonded manner, in particular molded, with the heat sink support 109, or the heat sink 111 is connected to the heat sink support 109 in a form-fitting or friction-locking manner.

(27) The cooling array 100 further comprises a thermally conductive intermediate layer 113 which is disposed between the electronic component 101 and the heat sink 111, in particular between the electronic component 101 and the heat sink support 109. The thermally conductive intermediate layer 113 improves in particular the thermal coupling between the heat sink 111 and the electronic component 101. Additionally the thermally conductive intermediate layer 113 provides a tolerance compensation between the heat sink support 109 and the electronic component 101.

(28) In one form, the thermally conductive intermediate layer 113 is formed in particular from an elastic material.

(29) In summary, it can be noted that the heat generated by the electronic component 101 can be conducted to the heat sink 111 via the in particular thermally conductive intermediate layer 113, via the heat sink support 109, wherein the heat sink 111 disperses or radiates the heat conducted thereto. In particular, the heat sink 111 hereby features a plurality of cooling fins 115, through which the conducted heat can be radiated in a particularly effective manner. The heat sink 111 depicted in FIG. 1 is hereby formed in particular as an extruded section, which provides a cost-effective production of the heat sink 111.

(30) As can be seen from FIG. 1, the heat sink support 109 is formed as a heat sink support tray 117, which features a tray base 117-1, on which a heat sink underside 111-1 of the heat sink 111 rests, and which features a tray side wall 117-2 which at least partially surrounds the tray base 117-1, on which a heat sink lateral side 111-2 of the heat sink 111 rests.

(31) In order to provide the heat transfer through the tray base 117-1 of the heat sink support tray 117, the tray base 117-1 features in particular a reduced thickness in comparison to the tray side wall 117-2.

(32) In order to provide the fluid-tight connection between the heat sink support 109 and the housing 103, the tray side wall 117-2 is connected to the housing 103 in a fluid-tight manner.

(33) In particular, the tray side wall 117-2 hereby features a contact flange 119 which rests on the housing 103, in particular on a contact rib 121 of the housing 103 surrounding the housing opening 105. The contact flange 119 is hereby connected to the housing 103, in particular to the contact rib 121 in a fluid-tight manner.

(34) With the heat sink array 100 depicted in FIG. 1, the advantage is achieved that only one fluid-tight sealing location must be designed between the heat sink support 109 and the housing 103, whereas there does not need to be any fluid-tight seal between the heat sink support 109 and the heat sink 111.

(35) Additionally, no machining of the heat sink 111 is needed in the heat sink array 100 depicted in FIG. 1, but rather an effective installation of the heat sink 111 into the heat sink support 109 can be achieved due to the tolerance compensation.

(36) FIG. 2 shows a perspective depiction of a cooling array according to a second exemplary form.

(37) The cooling array 100 depicted in FIG. 2 according to the second exemplary form corresponds to the cooling array 100 depicted in FIG. 1 according to the first exemplary form, wherein however the housing 103 in FIG. 2 is only depicted schematically, and wherein the electronic component 101 is not depicted in FIG. 2.

(38) Due to the design of the heat sink support 109 as a heat sink support tray 117, the heat sink 111 accommodated in the heat sink support tray 117 can be formed as an economically producible extruded section, whereby the costs can be reduced.

(39) For additional details refer to the discussion regarding FIG. 1.

(40) FIG. 3 shows a perspective depiction of a cooling array according to a third exemplary form.

(41) In the cooling array 100 depicted in FIG. 3, the housing 103 and the electronic component 101 are not depicted.

(42) The cooling array 100 depicted in FIG. 3 comprises a heat sink support 109, which is formed as a heat sink support frame 123 which features a frame groove 125 into which the heat sink 111, in particular a lateral tab 111-3 of the heat sink 111, is inserted, wherein the heat sink support frame 109 is connected to the housing 103 in a fluid-tight manner.

(43) The frame groove 125 is bounded by a first groove wall 127-1 and by a second groove wall 127-2 of the heat sink support frame 123. The first groove wall 127-1 rests on a heat sink underside 111-1 of the lateral tab 111-3 of the heat sink 111. The second groove wall 127-2 rests on a heat sink topside 111-4 of the lateral tab 111-3 of the heat sink 111.

(44) The heat sink 111 depicted in FIG. 3 is manufactured from a cast component.

(45) As can be seen in FIG. 3, the thermally conductive intermediate layer 113 is affixed directly to the heat sink 111 and thus makes possible a particularly advantageous thermal conductivity between the electronic component 101 and the heat sink 111, so that a high degree of cooling performance can be provided by the cooling array 100.

(46) As can be seen in FIG. 3, the heat sink support 109 designed as a heat sink support frame 123 features a contact flange 119 which lies on the housing 103—not depicted in FIG. 3—and thus is connected in a fluid-tight manner, in particular lying on a contact rib 121 of the housing 103 which at least partially surrounds the housing opening 105, and is thus connected in a fluid-tight manner.

(47) For additional details refer to the comprehensive variations in FIGS. 1 and 2.

(48) FIG. 4 shows a perspective depiction of a cooling array according to a fourth exemplary form.

(49) The cooling array depicted in FIG. 4 according to the fourth exemplary form corresponds to the cooling array 100 depicted in FIG. 1 according to the first exemplary form, wherein however the housing 103 in FIG. 4 is only depicted schematically, and wherein the electronic component 101 is not depicted in FIG. 4.

(50) The cooling array 100 depicted in FIG. 4 differs from the cooling array 100 depicted in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 in that the heat sink support 109 which is designed as a heat sink support tray 117 is designed as being a single piece with the housing 103. Thus, the heat sink support 109 and the housing 103 are designed to be integral.

(51) For additional variations refer to the comprehensive variations in FIGS. 1 and 2.

(52) FIG. 5 shows a perspective depiction of a cooling array according to a fifth exemplary variation.

(53) The cooling array depicted in FIG. 5 according to the fifth exemplary variation corresponds to the cooling array 100 depicted in FIG. 3 according to the third exemplary variation, wherein however the housing 103 in FIG. 5 is only depicted schematically, and wherein the electronic component 101 is not depicted in FIG. 5.

(54) The cooling array 100 depicted in FIG. 5 differs from the cooling array 100 depicted in FIG. 3 in that the heat sink support 109 which is designed as a heat sink support frame 123 is designed as being a single piece with the housing 103.

(55) For additional forms refer to the comprehensive forms in FIG. 3 and/or FIGS. 1 and 2, respectively.

(56) Unless otherwise expressly indicated herein, all numerical values indicating mechanical/thermal properties, compositional percentages, dimensions and/or tolerances, or other characteristics are to be understood as modified by the word “about” or “approximately” in describing the scope of the present disclosure. This modification is desired for various reasons including industrial practice, material, manufacturing, and assembly tolerances, and testing capability.

(57) As used herein, the phrase at least one of A, B, and C should be construed to mean a logical (A OR B OR C), using a non-exclusive logical OR, and should not be construed to mean “at least one of A, at least one of B, and at least one of C.”

(58) The apparatuses and methods described in this application may be partially or fully implemented by a special purpose computer created by configuring a general-purpose computer to execute one or more particular functions embodied in computer programs. The functional blocks, flowchart components, and other elements described above serve as software specifications, which can be translated into the computer programs by the routine work of a skilled technician or programmer.

(59) The description of the disclosure is merely exemplary in nature and, thus, variations that do not depart from the substance of the disclosure are intended to be within the scope of the disclosure. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the disclosure.