THERMAL COUPLING ELEMENT

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a thermal coupling element, a method of manufacturing the coupling element, and a switchable arrangement for heat dissipation from electrical or electronic components of a motor vehicle.

Claims

1. A thermal coupling element, comprising: an upper metal sheet and a lower metal sheet between which compression springs are arranged, at least one shape memory wire which forms a temperature-dependent adjusting mechanism together with the compression springs, a compressible heat conducting medium, which fills the space between the upper metal sheet and the lower metal sheet, an adhesive layer arranged on the upper side of the upper metal sheet, and a layer of an elastic heat conducting medium arranged on the lower side of the lower metal sheet.

2. The thermal coupling element according to claim 1, comprising a layer of a heat conducting medium arranged between the upper metal sheet and the adhesive layer.

3. The thermal coupling element according to claim 1, wherein the upper metal sheet comprises a recess through which the at least one shape memory wire is guided, wherein the largest length portion of the at least one shape memory wire is located within the recess.

4. The thermal coupling element according to claim 1, wherein the compressible heat conducting medium comprises an elastomer having high heat transfer properties.

5. The thermal coupling element according to claim 4, wherein the compressible heat conducting medium comprises a closed-cell silicone foam.

6. The thermal coupling element according to claim 1, wherein the upper metal sheet, the lower metal sheet and the compression springs are formed by a single metal sheet.

7. The thermal coupling element according to claim 1, wherein the material of the upper metal sheet and the lower metal sheet is different from the material of the compression springs.

8. The thermal coupling element comprising a plurality of coupling elements arranged side by side according to claim 1.

9. A method of manufacturing a thermal coupling element including an upper metal sheet and a lower metal sheet between which compression springs are arranged, at least one shape memory wire which forms a temperature-dependent adjusting mechanism together with the compression springs, a compressible heat conducting medium, which fills the space between the upper metal sheet and the lower metal sheet, an adhesive layer arranged on the upper side of the upper metal sheet, and a layer of an elastic heat conducting medium arranged on the lower side of the lower metal sheet, the method comprising: manufacturing an outer shell of the thermal coupling element with incorporated compression springs from a single sheet by a stamping and bending process, thereinafter, inserting at least one bent shape memory wire into the outer shell, and fixing extremities of the at least one bent shape memory wire to the bottom of the outer shell, then filling up the outer shell with a compressible heat conducting medium, and finally, applying an adhesive layer to the top side of the outer shell and a layer of an elastic, thermally conductive material to the bottom side of the outer shell.

10. An arrangement for switchable thermal coupling of an outer surface of a vehicle to at least one electrical or electronic component in an interior of the vehicle, comprising: an outer surface of the vehicle, at least one thermal coupling element according to claim 1 attached to the inner side of the outer surface of the vehicle, and at least one electrical or electronic component in the interior of the vehicle, wherein the at least one electrical or electronic component is arranged such, that the lower side of the at least one thermal coupling element contacts an outer surface of the at least one electrical or electronic component and forms a heat conducting connection between the outer surface of the vehicle and the at least one electrical or electronic component when the temperature of the outer surface of the vehicle is less than the transition temperature from the martensitic to the austenitic phase of the at least one shape memory wire of the thermal coupling element.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] Embodiments are shown in the drawings, and are further described with reference to the drawings.

[0032] FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of an embodiment of a coupling element.

[0033] FIG. 2 shows a schematic representation of a further embodiment of a coupling element.

[0034] FIG. 3 shows a schematic representation of an embodiment of an arrangement and functioning of a coupling element.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the thermal coupling element 10. The illustrated coupling element 10 comprises an upper metal sheet 11 and a lower metal sheet 12, between which there is a layer 13 of an elastic heat conducting medium. Compression springs 14 are arranged between the metal sheets 11, 12 to keep the metal sheets 11, 12 at a distance. On the upper side of the upper metal sheet 11 there is a second layer 15 of a heat conducting medium with a recess 16, in which recess a shape memory wire 17 is arranged, which forms an arc with its base on the lower metal sheet 12. There is an adhesive layer 18 on the second layer 15 of the heat conducting medium with the recess 16 which adhesive layer also has a recess 16. By means of the adhesive layer 18, the coupling element 10 can be attached to an inner surface of an outer surface of the vehicle 20, thereby applying additional tension to the shape memory wire 17. A layer 19 of an elastic, heat conducting medium is on the lower side of the lower metal sheet 12. A heat conducting connection to an electrical or electronic component 30 in the interior of the vehicle can be made by means of the layer 19 of the heat conducting medium to dissipate heat from the component 30. In the illustrated embodiment, the upper metal sheet 11, the lower metal sheet 12, and the compression springs 14 were formed from a single metal sheet by forming and stamping.

[0036] FIG. 2 shows another embodiment of the coupling element 10. In the illustrated embodiment, the compression springs 14 arranged between the metal sheets 11, 12 have a different construction. Instead of compression springs extending over the entire width of the coupling element 10, here several individual springs are installed.

[0037] FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of the arrangement described herein and illustrates the functioning of the coupling element described herein. A coupling element 10 is shown, which is fastened to the inside of an outer surface of the vehicle 20 and can form a heat conducting connection to an electrical or electronic component 30 in the interior of the vehicle.

[0038] The left-hand figure shows the arrangement when the outer surface of the vehicle 20 is cold. The shape memory wire 17 of the coupling element 10 is in the martensitic state. The force of the compression springs 14 is greater than the tensile force exerted by the shape memory wire 17 on the lower metal sheet 12 of the coupling element 10. The coupling element 10 forms a thermal bridge between the surface of the electrical or electronic component 30 and the outer surface of the vehicle 20, through which heat can be dissipated from electrical or electronic components 30.

[0039] The right-hand figure shows the arrangement when the outer surface of the vehicle 20 is hot. The shape memory wire 17 of the coupling element 10 is in the austenitic state. The shape memory wire 17 has contracted and is exerting a tensile force on the lower metal sheet 12 of the coupling element 10 that is greater than the force of the compression springs 14. The thickness of the coupling element 10 is reduced and it no longer contacts the surface of the electrical or electronic component 30. The resulting air gap between the outer surface of the vehicle 20 and the electrical or electronic component 30 has an insulating effect such that heat cannot transfer from the outer surface of the vehicle 20 to the electrical or electronic component 30.

[0040] German patent application no. 10 2022 100684.0, filed Jan. 13, 2022, to which this application claims priority, is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0041] Aspects of the various embodiments described above can be combined to provide further embodiments. In general, in the following claims, the terms used should not be construed to limit the claims to the specific embodiments disclosed in the specification and the claims, but should be construed to include all possible embodiments along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.