Electronic equipment for a vehicle

Abstract

An electronic device for a motor vehicle, includes a first housing portion to receive one or more first electronic components, a second housing portion to receive one or more second electronic components, the second housing assembled with the first housing, and a coolant fluid inlet and a coolant fluid outlet, a coolant channel being provided in the electronic device for the coolant fluid flowing from the inlet to the outlet so as to cool all or part of the first electronic components and/or all or part of the second electronic components, said channel having, over most of the course thereof in the device, in particular over the whole of the course thereof in the device, a section perpendicular to the flow direction of the fluid which is: exclusively provided in the first housing portion or exclusively provided in the second housing portion.

Claims

1. Electronic equipment for a motor vehicle, comprising: a first housing part which can receive one or a plurality of first electronic components; a second housing part which can receive one or a plurality of second electronic components, the second housing part being assembled with the first housing part; and a coolant fluid inlet and a coolant fluid outlet, a coolant channel being provided in the first housing part and in the second housing part for the coolant fluid circulating from the fluid inlet to the outlet, such as to cool some or all of the first electronic components and/or some or all of the second electronic components, wherein in the equipment between the coolant fluid inlet and outlet, a path of the channel includes a section perpendicular to a direction of flow of the fluid along the path, the section is exclusively provided in the first housing part, or exclusively provided in the second housing part, wherein each of the first housing part and the second housing part includes a base wall and lateral walls extending around the base wall, and wherein each lateral wall extends between an end for joining with the base wall and a free end, and the first housing part and the second housing part are assembled via their free end, wherein the first housing part receives cells forming an electrical energy storage unit, and wherein the second housing part receives a static converter.

2. The equipment according to claim 1, in the first housing part the coolant channel being provided only in the lateral wall and in the base wall, and/or in the second housing part the coolant channel being provided only in the lateral wall and in the base wall.

3. The equipment according to claim 1, the coolant fluid inlet and outlet being fitted on the second housing part.

4. The equipment according to claim 3, the second housing part comprising a body on which a plate is added, with the coolant fluid inlet and outlet being fitted on this plate, and this plate defining the portion of the coolant channel which is immediately adjacent to the coolant fluid inlet and the portion of the coolant channel which is immediately adjacent to the coolant fluid outlet.

5. The equipment according to claim 4, with the portion of the coolant channel which is immediately adjacent to the coolant fluid inlet defining a branch connection between two branches for the fluid entering the coolant channel, and/or with the portion of the coolant channel which is immediately adjacent to the coolant fluid outlet defining a convergence between two branches towards the coolant channel outlet.

6. The equipment according to claim 4, with the second housing part comprising another plate added onto the body, this other plate defining a portion of the coolant channel, in particular the portion of the coolant channel through which the coolant fluid passes, into the second housing part, immediately after its course in the first housing part.

7. The equipment according to claim 1, wherein the static converter is a DC/DC converter; and wherein the second housing part includes a system for controlling the electrical energy storage unit.

8. The equipment according to claim 1, with the first housing part and the second housing part forming the housing of the equipment, and encapsulating the first electronic components, and the second electronic components.

Description

(1) The invention will be able to be better understood by reading the following non-limiting example of implementation thereof, and examining the appended drawing in which:

(2) FIG. 1 represents a first part housing part of electronic equipment according to an embodiment of the invention;

(3) FIG. 2 represents a second housing part which is designed to be assembled with the first housing part in FIG. 1;

(4) FIGS. 3 and 4 are two views from above of the second housing part, with the second electronic components having been omitted from these figures;

(5) FIG. 5 is a side view of the second housing part in FIGS. 3 and 4; and

(6) FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIGS. 3 and 4 of the second housing part, in which the second electronic components are represented.

(7) FIG. 1 represents an example of a first housing part of electronic equipment according to the invention. In this case, the electronic equipment has a housing formed by the assembly of the first housing part 1 with a second housing part 2, which will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 to 6. If applicable, a seal can be interposed between the first housing part 1 and the second housing part 2 when these housing parts are assembled to one another.

(8) In the example described, this equipment forms part of the electrical circuit which makes it possible to supply electrically the electric propulsion motor of a hybrid or electric vehicle. In the example described, the equipment contains the following functional blocks: electrical energy storage unit, DC/DC converter, and system for control of the electrical energy storage unit (also known as the BMS). As will be seen in FIG. 2, in the example considered, the equipment comprises an electrical connector 3 comprising contacts permitting connection to an electrical network of a first voltage level, and other contacts permitting connection to an electrical network of a second voltage level.

(9) In the example considered, the first voltage level is for example 12 V, and the network having this voltage level can comprise an electrical energy storage unit at this voltage, and form the conventional on-board network of the vehicle. Again in the example considered, the second voltage level is 48 V, and the network having this voltage level permits the electrical supply to the electric propulsion motor of the vehicle. Other voltage values are however possible for the first voltage level and/or the second voltage level. The second voltage level can for example as a variant have a value higher than 300 V.

(10) In the example considered, the first housing part 1 receive cells forming the electrical energy storage unit. Fourteen cells are for example connected in series such as to supply a nominal voltage of 48 V. The cells, corresponding to first electronic components placed in the first housing part 1 are not represented in FIG. 1.

(11) FIG. 1 shows that the first housing part 1 comprises a base wall 6 with a substantially rectangular form, and a lateral wall 7. In the example considered, the base wall 6 is created by casting under pressure, whereas the lateral wall 7 is created by extrusion. In a variant, these walls 6 and 7 can be created in a single piece.

(12) In the example considered, the lateral wall 7 extends all around the base wall 6, between an end for joining with the base wall 6 and a free end 10. FIG. 1 shows that the free end 10 can belong to the same plane in its entirety, and in this case this plane is substantially parallel to the base wall 6.

(13) As will be seen hereinafter, a coolant channel is provided in the first housing part 1, in this first housing part 1 being in the form of two branches placed side-by-side. In this case, each branch comprises a portion 13 provided in a face 14 of the lateral wall 7, between a respective orifice 12 provided in this free end 10 and the base wall 6. Each portion 13 is extended by a portion 15 provided in the base wall 6, each portion 15 being able to project, or not project, towards the interior of the equipment, relative to the remainder of this base wall 6. In the example considered, the two portions 15 each have an undulating form in the base wall 6, between the face 14 of the lateral wall 7 and another face 16 of this lateral wall, opposite the face 14. Each portion 15 of a branch is extended in the face 16 of the lateral wall 7 by a portion 18 provided within this face 16, and each portion 18 extends in a substantially straight manner between the base wall 6 and a respective orifice 19 provided in the free end 10.

(14) With reference to FIGS. 2 to 6, a description will now be provided of a second housing part 2 according to the embodiment considered.

(15) As can be seen in the figures, similarly to the first housing part 1, the second housing part 2 comprises a base wall 20 and a lateral wall 21 extending all around the base wall 20. The base wall 20 also has a substantially rectangular form.

(16) The lateral wall 21 extends between an end for joining with the base wall 20 and a free end 22. In this case, this free end 22 extends entirely on one plane, and, in the example considered, this plan is parallel to the plane on which the free end 10 of the first housing part 1 extends.

(17) In this case, the second housing part 2 is formed by a body which in the example considered defines the base wall 20 and a part of the lateral wall 21. In this case, this body is created by casting of aluminium under pressure. The electrical connector 3 previously mentioned is added onto this body. In this case, this electrical connector 3 is fitted on the base wall 20, on the exterior thereof.

(18) FIGS. 3 and 4 also show that two plates 26 and 27 are added onto the body, respectively on two faces 28 and 29 of the lateral wall 21. The plate 26 is for example created by casting of aluminium under pressure, whereas the plate 27 is created by stamping of aluminium. FIGS. 2 to 4 also show that a coolant fluid inlet 30, as well as a coolant fluid outlet 31, are secured on the plate 26. This inlet 30 and this outlet 31 are in this case formed by straight joining pieces which are placed side-by-side. As a variant, the joining pieces used could be curved.

(19) As can be seen in FIG. 5, the coolant fluid inlet 30 opens into the plate 26 via an orifice 32, and, for the fluid penetrating via this orifice 32, the plate 26 defines a branch connection by means of which the coolant channel is separated into two branches. Each of these branches is then defined by a portion 35 extending in the plate 26 of the branch connection as far as a respective orifice 34 provided in the free end 22 of the lateral wall 21 of the second housing part 2.

(20) FIG. 5 also shows that the plate 26 additionally defines a convergence for the two branches of the coolant channel. Each branch comprises an end portion 37 in the plate 26, and this end portion 37 extends into the plate 26 as far as the convergence. The plate 26 also comprises an orifice 38 which is connected to the coolant fluid outlet 31, thus allowing the coolant fluid to leave the plate 26 towards the outlet 31.

(21) FIGS. 3 and 4 show that, for each branch of the coolant channel, the plate 27 defines a portion 39, with each portion 39 extending between a respective orifice 40 by means of which the coolant fluid reaches the second housing part 2 from the first housing part 1, and the base wall 20. It is found in this case that, from one branch to the other, the portions 39 have the same straight form, but diverge relative to one another.

(22) Each portion 39 is extended by a portion 41 which is provided in the base wall 20, and is straight. In this case, the two portions 41 are parallel. Each portion 41 extends as far as the plate 26, where it is extended by an end portion 37. In the example considered, each portion 41 projects towards the interior of the equipment relative to the remainder of the base wall 20.

(23) The course of the coolant fluid, which is for example glycolated water, in the equipment, will be described with reference to FIGS. 1, 3 and 5, in which arrows are represented.

(24) The coolant fluid which reaches the equipment via the coolant fluid inlet 30 goes into the plate 26 via the orifice 32. The coolant fluid is then distributed between two branches via the portions 35, and leaves the second housing part via a respective orifice 34 provided in the free end 22 of the peripheral wall 21 of this second housing part 2. This coolant fluid then reaches the first housing part via a respective orifice 12 provided in the free end 10 of the peripheral wall 7, and then circulates in succession in the portions 13, 15 and 18 previously described as far as a respective orifice 19 provided in the free end 10 of the lateral wall 7 of the first housing part 1. The coolant fluid leaves this first housing part 1 via this orifice 19, and then returns into the second housing part 2 via an orifice 40 into the plate 27, then goes in succession into the portions 39, 41 and 37 described above. The two branches join in the plate 26 at the convergence, then the coolant fluid leaves the second housing part 2 via the orifice 38 by means of which it reaches the coolant fluid outlet 31.

(25) In the example considered, at all points of the coolant channel, its section perpendicular to the direction of the flow is exclusively provided in the first housing part 1 or exclusively provided in the second housing part 2. Depending on whether the free end 11 of the lateral wall 7 of the first housing part 1 and the free end 22 of the lateral wall 21 of the second housing part 2 do or do not belong respectively to planes which are parallel to one another and are perpendicular to their respective lateral wall, sections of the coolant channel which are perpendicular to the direction of flow, which would be provided both in the first housing part 1 and in the second housing part 2, can exist at the interface between these two housing parts.

(26) In FIGS. 2 to 5, the second electronic components which are received in the second housing part 2, and which, in the example described, make it possible to ensure the functions of a DC/DC converter and control of the cells of the electrical energy storage unit, are not represented.

(27) These components are shown in FIG. 6. It is thus found that, in this case, the following are placed on the base wall 21 of the second housing part 2: power modules 50, capacitors 51, and inductors 52 forming the DC/DC converter; units 53 forming the system for control of the cells of the electrical energy storage unit of the first housing part 1; controllable electronic switches 54, for example MOS transistors, provided in the event of faults (for safety); an electromagnetic interference filter 55 for the 12 V voltage level.

(28) The invention is not limited to the example which has just been described.

(29) In particular, although the invention has been described with first and second electronic components which are placed in the interior of each housing part 1, 2, such that these components are encapsulated by the housing formed by the assembly of the housing parts 1 and 2, the invention can be different. Some or all of the first electronic components, and/or some or all of the second electronic components can for example be supported by a base wall of the corresponding housing part, whilst being placed on the exterior of this base wall.