U.S. patent application number 14/043209 was filed with the patent office on 2014-04-10 for heat dissipation device.
This patent application is currently assigned to TOKAISEIKI CO., LTD.. The applicant listed for this patent is KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA JIDOSHOKKI, TOKAISEIKI CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to Tomokazu IMAI, Hiroyuki KOJIMA, Yoshimitsu MASUI, Toshiyo MUROYA, Tomohide TAKIMOTO, Kazuhiro WAKAI, Yoshiharu YOSHIDA.
Application Number | 20140096938 14/043209 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 50337168 |
Filed Date | 2014-04-10 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140096938 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
KOJIMA; Hiroyuki ; et
al. |
April 10, 2014 |
HEAT DISSIPATION DEVICE
Abstract
The heat dissipation device is provided with a body portion, to
which a heating element is thermally coupled. A coolant passage
through which the coolant, which dissipates heat of the heating
element, flows is provided in the body portion. A passage forming
portion, which forms at least one of an inflow passage and an
outflow passage, is molded integrally with the body portion.
Inventors: |
KOJIMA; Hiroyuki;
(Kariya-shi, JP) ; WAKAI; Kazuhiro; (Iwata-shi,
JP) ; YOSHIDA; Yoshiharu; (Iwata-shi, JP) ;
MUROYA; Toshiyo; (Iwata-shi, JP) ; MASUI;
Yoshimitsu; (Iwata-shi, JP) ; IMAI; Tomokazu;
(Iwata-shi, JP) ; TAKIMOTO; Tomohide; (Iwata-shi,
JP) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
TOKAISEIKI CO., LTD.
KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA JIDOSHOKKI |
Iwata-shi
Kariya-shi |
|
JP
JP |
|
|
Assignee: |
TOKAISEIKI CO., LTD.
Iwata-shi
JP
KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA JIDOSHOKKI
Kariya-shi
JP
|
Family ID: |
50337168 |
Appl. No.: |
14/043209 |
Filed: |
October 1, 2013 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
165/104.19 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F28F 2280/04 20130101;
F28F 1/00 20130101; F28F 2275/143 20130101; H05K 7/20927 20130101;
F28F 3/048 20130101; H01L 2924/0002 20130101; H01L 23/473 20130101;
H01L 2924/0002 20130101; F28F 2220/00 20130101; H01L 2924/00
20130101; F28F 3/12 20130101; F28F 2255/14 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
165/104.19 |
International
Class: |
F28F 1/00 20060101
F28F001/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Oct 4, 2012 |
JP |
2012-222321 |
Claims
1. A heat dissipation device comprising: a body portion thermally
coupled with a heating element, wherein the body portion includes
therein a coolant passage through which coolant, which dissipates
heat of the heating element, flows; an inflow passage, which admits
the coolant into the coolant passage; an outflow passage, which
allows the coolant to flow out of the coolant passage; and a flow
passage forming portion formed integrally with the body portion,
wherein the flow passage forming portion forms at least one of the
inflow passage and the outflow passage.
2. The heat dissipation device according to claim 1, wherein the
body portion includes a case, including a recessed portion, and a
lid member, which is attached to the case in a state in which it
covers the recessed portion to form the coolant passage with the
case, and the heat dissipation device further includes a position
determining pin formed integrally with the case to determine a
position of the lid member with respect to the case.
3. The heat dissipation device according to claim 1, further
comprising a fin molded integrally with the body portion and
arranged inside the coolant passage.
4. The heat dissipation device according to claim 1, wherein the
body portion and the flow passage forming portion are casts.
5. The heat dissipation device according to claim 1, wherein the
body portion and the flow passage forming portion are articles
formed by cutting.
6. The heat dissipation device according to claim 1, the body
portion and the flow passage forming portion are forgings.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The art of the present disclosure relates to a heat
dissipation device with a coolant passage through which coolant,
which dissipates heat of a heating element, flows.
[0002] A heat exchanger disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent
Publication No. 2008-211147 is an example of the heat exchanger,
which cools electronic parts such as a semiconductor device that
generates heat when driven.
[0003] The heat exchanger disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent
Publication No. 2008-211147 has a pair of plates. A recessed
portion is formed in the entire portion of each plate except for
peripheral edge portions thereof. A groove portion with a
semicircular cross section, which communicates the recessed portion
with the edge of each plate, is formed in a part of the peripheral
portion of each of the pair of plates. The pair of plates is
stacked such that the groove portions face each other, and an
inlet-outlet pipe, through which the coolant flows, fits into the
groove portions therebetween. The groove portions and the
inlet-outlet pipe are brazed to each other.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] Reduction of the number of components of the heat exchanger
is desired.
[0005] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a heat
dissipation device that reduces the number of components.
[0006] To achieve the foregoing object, a heat dissipation device
including a body portion thermally coupled with a heating element,
an inflow passage, an outflow passage, and a flow passage forming
portion formed integrally with the body portion is provided. The
body portion includes therein a coolant passage through which
coolant, which dissipates heat of the heating element, flows. The
inflow passage admits the coolant into the coolant passage. The
outflow passage allows the coolant to flow out of the coolant
passage. The flow passage forming portion forms at least one of the
inflow passage and the outflow passage.
[0007] Other aspects and advantages of the present invention will
become apparent from the following description, taken in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrating by way of
example the principles of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] The invention, together with objects and advantages thereof,
may best be understood by reference to the following description of
the presently preferred embodiments together with the accompanying
drawings in which:
[0009] FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an inverter device
according to an embodiment;
[0010] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a heat
dissipation device according to an embodiment provided in the
inverter device of FIG. 1;
[0011] FIG. 3A is a plan view illustrating the inverter device of
FIG. 1;
[0012] FIG. 3B is a lateral view illustrating the inverter device
of FIG. 1;
[0013] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the inverter
case of FIG. 1;
[0014] FIG. 5A is an enlarged view illustrating a position
determining pin in the heat dissipation device of FIG. 2;
[0015] FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional view taken along line 5B-5B of
FIG. 5A, illustrating the position determining pin; and
[0016] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 6-6 of
FIG. 2, illustrating the inverter case of FIG. 2.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0017] A heat dissipation device provided in an inverter device
according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be
described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6.
[0018] As shown in FIG. 1, an inverter device 10 is configured such
that electronic parts 12 such as a semiconductor device (a
switching element and a diode) as a component of an inverter are
accommodated in an inverter case 11.
[0019] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a case body 13 of the inverter
case 11 is provided with a rectangular bottom plate 14, lateral
walls 15a and 15b, and lateral walls 16a and 16b. The lateral walls
15a and 15b are set up on a pair of shorter sides facing each other
on the bottom plate 14. The lateral walls 16a and 16b are set up on
a pair of longer sides facing each other on the bottom plate 14. A
flange 17 is formed on the distal ends of the lateral walls 15a,
15b, 16a, and 16b. The inverter case 11 is formed by attaching a
top plate 18 to the flange 17. A plurality of threaded portions
17a, into which bolts that are not illustrated are threaded for
fixing the top plate 18 to a case body 13, are formed in the flange
17. A plurality of through-holes 18a, into which the bolts are
inserted, is formed in a peripheral portion of the top plate 18.
Pillar-like support portions 19, which extend vertically from the
bottom plate 14, are formed at a plurality of positions of the
bottom plate 14. A columnar pin 20, which extends vertically from a
distal end surface of each support portion 19, is formed on the
distal end surface of each support portion 19. Each pin 20 is
inserted into a corresponding recessed portion formed in the
internal surface of the top plate 18, which is not illustrated. The
pins 20 are inserted into the corresponding recessed portions of
the top plate 18 so that the position of the top plate 18 is
determined, and the bolts inserted into the through-holes 18a are
threaded into the threaded portions 17a so that the top plate 18 is
fixed to the case body 13.
[0020] As shown in FIG. 2, a heat dissipation device 31 for cooling
the electronic parts 12 accommodated in the inverter case 11 is
formed on the bottom plate 14. In the present embodiment, the heat
dissipation device 31 is formed integrally with the case body 13.
Hereinafter, explanation will be made in detail.
[0021] A case 33, which is U-shaped in the plan view, is set up on
the bottom plate 14. A U-shaped recessed portion 32 is formed in
the inside of the case 33. The case 33 of the heat dissipation
device 31 is formed on a part of the case body 13 (bottom plate
14), and the case body 13 serves as the case 33 of the heat
dissipation device 31.
[0022] The recessed portion 32 is formed such that it extends from
one of the pair of lateral walls 15a and 15b facing each other,
namely the lateral wall 15a to the other one of the pair of lateral
walls 15a and 15b, namely the lateral wall 15b, and turns toward
the lateral wall 15a before reaching the lateral wall 15b. A
plurality of plate fins 34, which extend vertically from the bottom
plate 14, are formed in the recessed portion 32. The fins 34 extend
in a direction in which the lateral walls 15a and 15b face each
other.
[0023] As shown in FIG. 6, the fins 34 are molded integrally with
the case 33 of the heat dissipation device 31.
[0024] As shown in FIG. 2, threaded portions 35, into which bolts
B1 are threaded, are formed at a plurality of positions of a
peripheral portion of the recessed portion 32 in the bottom plate
14. Further, pins 36, which extend vertically from an outer surface
of the bottom plate 14, are formed at two positions of the
peripheral portion of the recessed portion 32 in the bottom plate
14.
[0025] A plate lid member 37, which covers the recessed portion 32,
is attached to the bottom plate 14. A coolant passage 38, through
which coolant flows, is formed by the case 33 and the lid member
37. A body portion 39 of the heat dissipation device 31 in the
present embodiment is provided with the case 33 and the lid member
37.
[0026] Through-holes 40, into which the bolts B1 for fixing the lid
member 37 to the bottom plate 14 are inserted, are formed at a
plurality of positions of a peripheral portion of the lid member
37. Further, through-holes 41, into which the pins 36 are inserted,
are formed at two positions of the peripheral portion of the lid
member 37. The lid member 37 is attached to the bottom plate 14 by
inserting the pins 36 into the through-holes 41 formed in the lid
member 37 and threading the bolts B1 into the threaded portions 35.
Accordingly, the pins 36 serve as position determining pins for
determining the position of the lid member 37 for the bottom plate
14, namely the case 33.
[0027] As shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, the pins 36, which determine
the position of the lid member 37 when the lid member 37 is
attached to the case 33 of the heat dissipation device 31, are
molded integrally with the case 33 of the heat dissipation device
31. Similarly, the position determining pins 20, which determine
the position of the top plate 18 when the top plate 18 is attached
to the case body 13, are molded integrally with the case body
13.
[0028] As shown in FIG. 2, a cylindrical inflow passage forming
portion 42 as a flow passage forming portion is molded integrally
with the lateral wall 15a. An inflow passage 51 is formed in the
inflow passage forming portion 42. The inflow passage 51 is in
communication with an inlet of the coolant passage 38. Similarly,
an outflow passage forming portion 43 as a flow passage forming
portion is molded integrally with the lateral wall 15a. An outflow
passage 52 is formed in the outflow passage forming portion 43. The
outflow passage 52 is in communication with an outlet of the
coolant passage 38.
[0029] As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, a coolant supply source is
connected through a tubular member 44 such as a hose to the inflow
passage forming portion 42 and the outflow passage forming portion
43. The coolant supplied from the coolant supply source flows
through the inflow passage 51 to the coolant passage 38, and
discharged through the outflow passage 52 from the coolant passage
38.
[0030] As shown in FIG. 4, the inflow passage forming portion 42 is
molded integrally with the case 33 of the heat dissipation device
31. Similarly, the outflow passage forming portion 43 is molded
integrally with the case 33 (case body 13) of the heat dissipation
device 31.
[0031] As described above, the case 33 of the heat dissipation
device 31, the inflow passage forming portion 42, the outflow
passage forming portion 43, the pins 20 and 36, and the fins 34 are
integrally molded in the case body 13.
[0032] The case body 13 is an integrally molded cast. That is, the
case body 13 is manufactured by flowing melted metal materials
(such as aluminum) into a mold formed in accordance with the shape
of the case body 13, and solidifying the metal materials. The case
body 13, in which the case 33, the inflow passage forming portion
42, the outflow passage forming portion 43, the pins 20 and 36, and
the fins 34 of the heat dissipation device 31 are integrally
formed, is obtained by drawing out the case body 13 from the mold.
The phrase "integrally molded" refers to a fact that the body
portion 39, the inflow passage forming portion 42, and the outflow
passage forming portion 43 of the heat dissipation device 31 are
the same member. The phrase does not include a plurality of members
integrally joined by a brazing material, for example.
[0033] As shown in FIG. 3A, the top of the coolant passage 38
corresponds to a mounting region for the electronic parts 12 as
heat generators in the case 33. The electronic parts 12 are mounted
on the region. Each electronic part 12 is signally connected to a
control board 45 accommodated in the case body 13. The electronic
parts 12 are controlled by the control board 45, in which a control
device is formed, which is not illustrated.
[0034] Next, an operation of the heat dissipation device 31
according to the present embodiment will be described.
[0035] When the electronic parts 12 generate heat and the coolant
flows from the inflow passage 51 to the coolant passage 38, the
electronic parts 12 transfer heat to the coolant via the body
portion 39. The electronic parts 12 are cooled by the coolant. The
coolant that has passed through the coolant passage 38 is
discharged from the coolant passage 38 through the outflow passage
52.
[0036] The above described embodiment has the following
advantages.
[0037] (1) The case 33 of the heat dissipation device 31 is molded
integrally with the inflow passage forming portion 42 and the
outflow passage forming portion 43. Accordingly, since the inflow
passage forming portion 42 and the outflow passage forming portion
43 are formed simultaneously with the body portion 39 (case 33), it
is not necessary to separately prepare a member for forming the
inflow passage 51 and the outflow passage 52. Therefore, the number
of components of the heat dissipation device 31 is reduced.
[0038] (2) The pins 36, which determine the position of the lid
member 37 attached to the case 33 of the heat dissipation device
31, are molded integrally with the case 33 of the heat dissipation
device 31. Accordingly, it is not necessary to prepare the position
determining pins 36 separately from the case 33. Therefore, the
number of components of the heat dissipation device 31 is
reduced.
[0039] (3) The fins 34, which protrude in the inside of the coolant
passage 38, are molded integrally with the case 33 of the heat
dissipation device 31. Accordingly, it is not necessary to prepare
the fins 34 separately from the case 33. Therefore, the number of
components of the heat dissipation device 31 is reduced.
[0040] (4) The case body 13 is manufactured by casting. Since the
casting is a method in which the melted metal materials are flowed
into the mold, it excels in mass production of the case body
13.
[0041] (5) The pins 20, which determine the position of the top
plate 18 attached to the case body 13, are molded integrally with
the case body 13. Accordingly, it is not necessary to prepare the
pins 20 separately from the case body 13 so that the number of
components is reduced.
[0042] (6) For example, as in the heat exchanger disclosed in
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2008-211147, when the
heat dissipation device is configured by brazing the inlet-outlet
pipe on between the pair of plates, a sealing member is intervened
at an interface between the inlet-outlet pipe and the pair of
plates to ensure the sealing property between the inlet-outlet pipe
and the pair of plates. In the heat dissipation device 31 of the
present embodiment, since the case 33 of the heat dissipation
device 31 is molded integrally with the inflow passage forming
portion 42 and the outflow passage forming portion 43, the
interface between the case 33, and the inflow passage forming
portion 42 and the outflow passage forming portion 43 is absent.
Accordingly, it is not necessary to provide a sealing member.
Therefore, it is not necessary to provide a sealing member between
the case 33 of the heat dissipation device 31, and the inflow
passage forming portion 42 and the outflow passage forming portion
43 to ensure the sealing property therebetween so that the number
of components is reduced.
[0043] (7) As in the heat exchanger disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open
Patent Publication No. 2008-211147, when the inlet-outlet pipe is
brazed to the pair of plates, positional shifting of the
inlet-outlet pipe may be caused in the steps of arranging the
inlet-outlet pipe on the recessed portion of the pair of plates,
and melting the brazing material after the inlet-outlet pipe is
arranged on the recessed portion of the pair of plates. When the
brazing is performed in the state where the positional shifting of
the inlet-outlet pipe is caused, inferior joint is likely to be
caused so that the joint reliability of the heat exchanger is
reduced. In the heat dissipation device 31 of the present
embodiment, because the inflow passage forming portion 42 and the
outflow passage forming portion 43 are molded integrally with the
case 33, the positional shifting of the inflow passage forming
portion 42 and the outflow passage forming portion 43 is not
caused.
[0044] (8) Since it is not necessary to braze the inlet-outlet pipe
to the plates unlike the heat exchanger disclosed in Japanese
Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2008-211147, the step of brazing
the inflow passage forming portion 42 and the outflow passage
forming portion 43 is omitted.
[0045] (9) When the pins 20 are not integrally molded, the pins are
press fit into the holes formed in the support portions 19 to be
provided in the case body 13. In the heat dissipation device 31 of
the present embodiment, since the pins 20 are molded integrally
with the case body 13, the step of press fitting the pins becomes
unnecessary.
[0046] The embodiment may be modified as follows.
[0047] In the embodiment, the heat dissipation device 31 molded
integrally with the case body 13 of the inverter case 11 is used as
the heat dissipation device 31. The heat dissipation device 31 is
not limited to this. The body portion 39 of the heat dissipation
device 31, the inflow passage forming portion 42, and the outflow
passage forming portion 43 may be integrally molded. It is not
necessary to mold these elements integrally with other members such
as the case body 13.
[0048] The case body 13 (the case 33 of the heat dissipation device
31, the inflow passage forming portion 42, and the outflow passage
forming portion 43) may be articles manufactured by cutting. In
this case, unlike the case of casting, it is not necessary to draw
out the case body 13 from the mold. Accordingly, the case body 13
is manufactured even if the case body 13 includes a complicated
shape. For example, the inflow passage forming portion 42 and the
outflow passage forming portion 43 may be of a flexed shape.
[0049] The case body 13 (the case 33 of the heat dissipation device
31, the inflow passage forming portion 42, and the outflow passage
forming portion 43) may be a forging manufactured by forging.
[0050] Only one of the inflow passage forming portion 42 and the
outflow passage forming portion 43 may be molded integrally with
the case 33 of the heat dissipation device 31.
[0051] It is not necessary to mold the position determining pins 36
integrally with the case body 13.
[0052] It is not necessary to mold the fins 34 integrally with the
case body 13.
[0053] The fins 34 may be molded integrally with the lid member
37.
[0054] Therefore, the present examples and embodiments are to be
considered as illustrative and not restrictive and the invention is
not to be limited to the details given herein, but may be modified
within the scope and equivalence of the appended claims.
* * * * *