Wiring devices that supply DC power

Abstract

To provide a wiring accessory which supplies direct current power and is excellent in heat radiation performance.SOLUTION: A wiring accessory 2 for supplying direct current power, which is one example of an embodiment, includes a first substrate 40 on which power conversion components are mounted, a terminal 52, a housing, and heat dissipation members 60. The housing comprises a first housing 10, a second housing 20, and a third housing 30. The heat dissipation members 60 are disposed between an inner surface of at least one of the second housing 20 and the third housing 30 and at least one of the power conversion components and the first substrate 40. The inner surface of the at least one of the second housing 20 and the third housing 30 and the surface of the at least one of the power conversion components and the first substrate 40 face each other in a first assembly direction X, in which the second housing 20 and the third housing 30 are assembled, through the heat dissipation members 60.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a wiring device for supplying direct current power, and particularly to a wiring device for supplying direct current power provided with a USB (Universal Serial Bus) terminal.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a USB hub is widely known as a wiring device for supplying direct current power to electronic devices such as smartphones, tablet terminals, and notebook computers. A wiring device such as a USB hub includes a substrate on which electronic components including a power conversion component for converting alternating current power into direct current power are mounted, a terminal for outputting direct current power, and a housing surrounding the substrate and the terminal. Although the power conversion component generates heat during operation, conventionally, the influence of this heat generation has not been a major problem. However, in recent years, the output of wiring devices has increased and the size has decreased, and the heat generation density defined as the output per unit volume has increased significantly.

[0003] With the increase in the heat generation density of wiring devices for supplying direct current power, an improvement in heat dissipation performance has been strongly demanded. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a heat dissipation structure provided with a heat transfer portion for transferring heat generated from an electronic component mounted on a substrate to a heat dissipation portion. The heat dissipation structure disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes a first heat transfer portion that transfers heat generated from an electronic component to the back side of the substrate, and a second heat transfer portion that extends from the back side to the front side of the substrate and transfers the heat transferred to the back side of the substrate to the heat dissipation portion through the periphery of the substrate.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] Incidentally, in order to improve the heat dissipation performance of wiring devices that supply DC power, it is necessary to reduce the contact thermal resistance of the heat dissipation path. Conventional technologies, including the heat dissipation structure disclosed in Patent Document 1, do not adequately consider the reduction of contact thermal resistance, and there is still much room for improvement. In particular, wiring devices with high heat generation density require the application of a heat dissipation structure with low contact thermal resistance and excellent heat dissipation properties. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A wiring device for supplying DC power, according to one aspect of the present disclosure, comprises a substrate on which electronic components including a power conversion component that converts AC power to DC power are mounted; a terminal for outputting DC power; a first housing located at the power output end of the terminal; a second housing and a third housing surrounding the substrate; a heat dissipation member disposed between at least one inner surface of the second housing and the third housing and at least one of the power conversion component and the substrate, and in contact with the inner surface, characterized in that at least one inner surface of the second housing and the third housing and at least one surface of the power conversion component and the substrate face each other via the heat dissipation member in a first assembly direction in which the second housing and the third housing are assembled.

[0007] Another embodiment of the present disclosure of a wiring device for supplying DC power comprises a substrate on which electronic components including a power conversion component that converts AC power to DC power are mounted, a terminal for outputting DC power, a first housing and a second housing surrounding the substrate, a heat dissipation member disposed between at least one inner surface of the first housing and the second housing and at least one of the power conversion component and the substrate and in contact with the inner surface, wherein at least one inner surface of the first housing and the second housing and at least one surface of the power conversion component and the substrate face each other via the heat dissipation member in a first assembly direction in which the first housing and the second housing are assembled, and the first assembly direction is substantially normal to the surface of the substrate. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] This disclosure provides a wiring device that supplies DC power with excellent heat dissipation properties. The wiring device according to this disclosure has a heat dissipation path with significantly reduced contact thermal resistance. Therefore, even when the heat generation density is high, the heat generated from the power conversion components can be effectively dissipated. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view of an outlet using a wiring device that supplies DC power, which is the first embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view showing the appearance of a wiring device that supplies DC power, which is the first embodiment. [Figure 3] This is an exploded perspective view of a wiring device that supplies DC power, which is the first embodiment. [Figure 4] This is a cross-sectional view in the front-to-back direction of a wiring device that supplies DC power, which is the first embodiment. [Figure 5] This diagram illustrates the heat dissipation path of wiring devices that supply DC power. [Figure 6] This figure shows a modified example of the heat dissipation structure. [Figure 7] This figure shows an example of a heat shielding structure for wiring devices that supply DC power. [Figure 8] This is an exploded perspective view of a wiring device that supplies DC power, which is the second embodiment. [Figure 9] This is an exploded perspective view of a wiring device that supplies DC power, which is a third embodiment. [Figure 10] This is an exploded perspective view of a wiring device that supplies DC power, which is the fourth embodiment. [Figure 11] This is a cross-sectional view in the left-right direction of a wiring device that supplies DC power, which is the fourth embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] Hereinafter, an example of an embodiment of a wiring device for supplying DC power according to this disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the configurations obtained by selectively combining the various embodiments and modified components described below are included within the scope of this disclosure.

[0011] [First Embodiment] Referring to Figures 1 to 7, the wiring device 2 that supplies DC power, which is the first embodiment, will be described in detail. Figure 1 is a perspective view of the outlet 1 using the wiring device 2.

[0012] As shown in Figure 1, the outlet 1 is a wiring device comprising two wiring devices 2 and one power outlet device 3, and is installed in the wall 100 of a building. The outlet 1 has a frame-shaped decorative plate 4 with an opening 4a formed therein, and the front surfaces 2a and 3a of the wiring devices 2 and power outlet device 3 are exposed through the opening 4a of the decorative plate 4. The decorative plate 4 is a rectangular frame-shaped plate when viewed from the front, and covers the installation holes formed in the wall 100, the mounting frames installed around the installation holes, etc., so that they are not visible. The outlet 1 includes, for example, a frame-shaped metal plate that is screwed to the mounting frame. The decorative plate 4 is fixed to the metal plate by, for example, hooking claws formed on its back surface into holes in the metal plate.

[0013] Outlet 1 is installed with the wiring device 2 and power outlet device 3 inserted into a mounting hole formed in the wall 100. On the front of outlet 1, which is positioned along the wall surface, only the front surfaces 2a and 3a of the wiring device 2 and power outlet device 3 are exposed through the opening 4a of the decorative plate 4. As will be described in more detail later, the wiring device 2 includes a power conversion component that converts AC power to DC power and is equipped with a heat dissipation path to dissipate the heat from the power conversion component to the outside of the device. However, since the front surface 2a of the wiring device 2 is a part that the user can touch, the wiring device 2 is configured to reduce the heat transmitted to the front surface 2a.

[0014] In the example shown in FIG. 1, two wiring devices 2 are arranged adjacent to each other, and the outlet 1 is installed on the wall 100 such that the wiring device 2 and the power outlet device 3 are arranged vertically. The two wiring devices 2 are arranged above the power outlet device 3, but in the outlet provided with the wiring device 2, these arrangements are not particularly limited, and the number of wiring devices 2 is also not particularly limited. Further, the outlet provided with the wiring device 2 may be provided with an optical outlet, a LAN outlet, a telephone line outlet, etc. instead of the power outlet device 3, or may be provided with only the wiring device 2.

[0015] In this specification, for the sake of convenience of explanation, terms indicating the front-back, up-down, and left-right directions are used for the outlet 1, the wiring device 2, and each component of the wiring device 2. The front-back direction means the direction in which the connector connected to the wiring device 2 is inserted and removed. The up-down direction is the direction along the vertical direction, and the left-right direction is the direction orthogonal to the up-down direction and the front-back direction. The left and right refer to the left and right when the wiring device 2 is viewed from the front.

[0016] An example of the wiring device 2 is a USB outlet device. The USB outlet device is a device capable of connecting a USB connector 102, includes a power conversion component that converts AC power into DC power, and supplies DC power to an electronic device 101 such as a smartphone. In FIG. 1, the USB connector 102 of the cable 103 extending from the electronic device 101 is connected to the wiring device 2. In the present embodiment, the wiring device 2 will be described as being a USB outlet device. Note that the power outlet device 3 is a general outlet device that outputs AC power of 100V or 200V. On the front surface of the outlet 1, the connection ports 2b of the two wiring devices 2 and the connection port 3b of the power outlet device 3 are provided side by side in the up-down direction.

[0017] As used in this specification, "USB" includes various generations of USB (transfer speed specifications) such as USB1.0, USB1.1, USB2.0, USB3.0, USB3.1, USB3.2, USB4, etc. Also, the terminal shape of the USB is not particularly limited and may be any of the A terminal, B terminal, C terminal, mini USB, micro USB, etc. Further, in the example shown in FIG. 1, the socket 1 including the wiring device 2 is installed on the wall 100, but the wiring device 2 may be installed on furniture such as a desk, shelf, counter, bed, etc., or on vehicles such as an automobile, airplane, railway vehicle, etc.

[0018] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the wiring device 2, and FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the wiring device 2.

[0019] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the wiring device 2 includes a first housing 10, a second housing 20, and a third housing 30 as a housing forming the external shape of the device. The wiring device 2 has an external shape that is generally rectangular parallelepiped, and the length in the vertical direction < the length in the left - right direction < the length in the front - rear direction. The first housing 10 is fixed to the second housing 20 and the third housing 30 by a snap - fit structure 70. Thereby, the three housings are integrated, and an internal space 72 (see FIG. 4 described later) for accommodating power conversion components and the like is formed.

[0020] The snap - fit structure 70 is composed of a pair of fixing pieces 12 formed on the first housing 10 and protrusions 25, 35 formed on the outer surfaces 20b, 30b of the second housing 20 and the third housing 30 respectively, which fit into the opening 13 of the fixing piece 12. The second housing 20 and the third housing 30 are assembled in a first assembly direction X along the vertical direction, and the first housing 10 is provided so as to sandwich the front end portions of the second housing 20 and the third housing 30 from both the left and right sides. Also, the second housing 20 and the third housing 30 are fixed to each other at the ends (rear end portions) on the side opposite to the first housing 10 using screws 71.

[0021] The first housing 10 has a connection port 2b, which is an opening into which a USB connector 102 can be inserted, and the surface of the first housing 10 becomes the front surface 2a of the wiring device 2 in the outlet 1. That is, the wiring device 2 is fixed to the mounting frame of the outlet 1 such that the surface of the first housing 10, in which the connection port 2b is formed, is exposed through the opening 4a of the decorative plate 4. The second housing 20 and the third housing 30 are located inside the wall 100 and are not located in a place where the user's hands would touch them under normal use. The outer surfaces 20b and 30b of the second housing 20 and the third housing 30 are exposed to the outside of the device inside the wall 100, and the heat transferred to the second housing 20 and the third housing 30 is released from the outer surfaces 20b and 30b.

[0022] The wiring device 2 comprises a first circuit board 40 on which electronic components, including a power conversion component that converts AC power to DC power, are mounted, and a terminal 52 that outputs DC power. The first circuit board 40 has an insulating circuit board 41 and electronic components, including a power conversion component, arranged on the insulating circuit board 41. The terminal 52 is a USB terminal and is arranged on the insulating circuit board 51 of the second circuit board 50. The first housing 10 encloses the second circuit board 50, and the second housing 20 and the third housing 30 enclose the first circuit board 40. A portion of the first circuit board 40 may extend into the interior of the first housing 10.

[0023] The wiring device 2 further includes a heat dissipation member 60 interposed between at least one inner surface of the second housing 20 and the third housing 30 and at least one of the power conversion component and the insulating substrate 41 constituting the first substrate 40. The heat dissipation member 60 is in contact with at least one inner surface of the second housing 20 and the third housing 30, and is also in contact with at least one surface of the power conversion component and the insulating substrate 41. This forms a heat dissipation path from the power conversion component, which is a heat source, to the second housing 20 or the third housing 30 via the heat dissipation member 60. As the output power and miniaturization of the wiring device 2 increase, the heat density of the device increases significantly, but by providing the heat dissipation member 60, a heat dissipation structure with low contact thermal resistance and excellent heat dissipation can be formed.

[0024] As will be described in more detail later, at least one inner surface of the second housing 20 and the third housing 30, and at least one surface of the power conversion component and the insulating substrate 41, face the first assembly direction X in which the second housing 20 and the third housing 30 are assembled, via the heat dissipation member 60. Furthermore, at least a portion of the inner surface of at least one of the second housing 20 and the third housing 30, where the heat dissipation member 60 makes contact, has protrusions 28, 38 that project toward at least one of the power conversion component and the insulating substrate 41.

[0025] The following will provide a detailed explanation of each component of the wiring device 2, referring to Figures 3 to 5 as appropriate. Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the wiring device 2 in the front-to-back direction.

[0026] [First circuit board] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the first substrate 40 is positioned in the internal space 72 surrounded by the second housing 20 and the third housing 30 such that its substrate surface is perpendicular to the first assembly direction X in which the second housing 20 and the third housing 30 are assembled. In other words, the approximate normal direction of the surface of the insulating substrate 41 is the first assembly direction X (vertical direction), and the first substrate 40 is positioned so that the surface of the insulating substrate 41 is aligned with the left-right and front-back directions. Here, the approximate normal direction means a direction that is substantially recognized as the normal direction, and for example, includes a range that is tilted by about 5° from the normal. As will be described in more detail later, the first substrate 40 is positioned in the internal space 72 sandwiched from both the vertical and horizontal sides by the second housing 20 and the third housing 30, and pressed against the inner surfaces of each housing.

[0027] The first substrate 40 is a printed circuit board containing electronic components arranged on an insulating substrate 41. The first substrate 40 includes a power supply circuit for converting AC power supplied from the grid power supply into DC current and outputting it to terminal 52 of the second substrate 50. The power supply circuit is configured by electrically connecting power conversion components through wiring formed on the surface and inside the insulating substrate 41. The first substrate 40 is provided with terminals for connection to the grid power supply, and at least one of the second housing 20 and the third housing 30 has a cable insertion hole for connection to the grid power supply (neither is shown).

[0028] The first substrate 40 includes semiconductor elements 42, a transformer 43, a common-mode coil 44, an electrolytic capacitor 45, etc., as power conversion components in a broad sense that constitute the power supply circuit. Examples of semiconductor elements 42 include switching elements, diodes, transistors, etc. When the power supply circuit is in operation, some of the power conversion components generate heat, and the amount of heat generated by the semiconductor elements 42 and the transformer 43 is particularly large. For this reason, it is necessary to dissipate the heat generated from the semiconductor elements 42 and the transformer 43 to the outside of the device via the heat dissipation members 60, the second housing 20, and the third housing 30. In this embodiment, the heat dissipation members 60 are arranged on the surfaces of the semiconductor elements 42 and the transformer 43.

[0029] The amount of heat generated by the electronic components during operation is in the order of electrolytic capacitor 45 < common mode coil 44 < semiconductor element 42, transformer 43. The heat density of the wiring device 2, defined as maximum output / volume, may be, for example, 0.40 W / cc or more, or 0.70 W / cc or more. According to the heat dissipation structure of this embodiment, excellent heat dissipation can be achieved even when the heat density of the wiring device 2 is high.

[0030] The electronic components mounted on the first substrate 40 include a first electronic component and a second electronic component with lower heat resistance than the first electronic component. Here, lower heat resistance means, for example, that the upper limit of the operating temperature (performance guarantee temperature), which indicates the temperature range in which the component can operate normally, is low. For example, the operating temperature of the first electronic component is 150°C or lower, and the operating temperature of the second electronic component is 100°C or lower.

[0031] The first electronic component is one that generates more heat than the second electronic component, and specific examples include the semiconductor element 42 and the transformer 43. Specific examples of the second electronic component include the electrolytic capacitor 45. The common mode coil 44 generates less heat than, for example, the semiconductor element 42 and the transformer 43, but its operating temperature is the same as that of the semiconductor element 42, and is therefore classified as the first electronic component. A heat shield member 80 (see Figure 7, described later) may be provided between the first and second electronic components.

[0032] In this embodiment, the transformer 43, common mode coil 44, and electrolytic capacitor 45 are arranged on the first surface 41a of the insulating substrate 41, and the plurality of semiconductor elements 42 are arranged on the second surface 41b of the insulating substrate 41, but the arrangement of each electronic component is not limited to this. The first substrate 40 may have vias 46 (see Figure 6, described later) that penetrate the substrate in the thickness direction and connect the wiring on the first surface 41a and the wiring on the second surface 41b.

[0033] [Second circuit board] The second substrate 50 is a printed circuit board including terminals 52 arranged on an insulating substrate 51, and is located in the internal space 72 of the first housing 10. The second substrate 50 is electrically connected to the first substrate 40 and includes an output circuit for outputting DC power converted by the power supply circuit of the first substrate 40 from terminals 52. In this embodiment, the second substrate 50 is positioned perpendicular to the first substrate 40. That is, the surface of the insulating substrate 51 is aligned with the direction normal to the surface of the insulating substrate 41 of the first substrate 40. The first substrate 40 and the second substrate 50 may have, for example, protrusions and openings into which the protrusions are inserted, and may be fixed to each other.

[0034] On the second substrate 50, electronic components such as terminals 52 and electrolytic capacitors 53 are arranged on the front surface of the insulating substrate 51, which faces in the opposite direction (forward) to the first substrate 40. In this embodiment, there is one terminal 52, but the number of terminals 52 is not particularly limited and can be two or more. Note that the second substrate 50 does not have electronic components that generate a large amount of heat, such as the power conversion components on the first substrate 40. That is, the amount of heat generated during operation is greater on the first substrate 40 than on the second substrate 50.

[0035] Terminal 52 is located, for example, in the center of the front surface of the insulating substrate 51. Terminal 52 is a USB terminal to which a USB connector 102 can be connected, and is formed in a flat cylindrical shape overall. The type of USB terminal is not particularly limited. Terminal 52 is positioned so that the USB connector 102 can be inserted into and removed via a connection port 2b formed in the first housing 10. In this embodiment, terminal 52 is provided so that the USB connector 102 can be inserted into and removed along the second assembly direction Y (front-to-back direction) in which the first housing 10 is assembled to the second housing 20 and the third housing 30.

[0036] [First enclosure] The first housing 10 is located at the power output end of the terminal 52 and houses the second circuit board 50. As described above, the surface of the first housing 10 on which the connection port 2b is formed becomes the front surface 2a of the wiring device 2 that is exposed on the front of the outlet 1. The connection port 2b is an elongated hole extending in the left-right direction and is formed in the center in the left-right and up-down directions on the surface of the first housing 10 facing the front of the wiring device 2. The first housing 10 has a roughly rectangular shape when viewed from the front, and its length in the left-right direction is longer than its length in the up-down direction. The left and right ends of the first housing 10 are recessed compared to the left-right central portion that becomes the front surface 2a, and projections 11 that fit into the mounting frame of the outlet 1 are formed in these recessed portions.

[0037] The first housing 10 may be made of metal, but is preferably made of resin. Since the front surface 2a of the first housing 10 is a part that the user can touch, it is preferable that the first housing 10 be made of a resin material that does not easily transfer heat from the first substrate 40. The resin that makes up the first housing 10 is not particularly limited, but examples include urea resin, melamine resin, ABS resin, etc.

[0038] The first housing 10 may be composed of two or more members, including a first member 10a that forms the front surface 2a of the wiring device 2, and a second member 10b to which the first member 10a is connected. The second member 10b forms an internal space 72 that accommodates the second substrate 50. The first member 10a is a cover that covers the front surface of the second member 10b. If the second member 10b is a resin member with excellent heat insulation properties, a metal member may be used for the first member 10a. Alternatively, a metal member may be used for the second member 10b and a resin member for the first member 10a.

[0039] The first housing 10 (second member 10b) has fixing pieces 12 that constitute a snap-fit ​​structure 70. The fixing pieces 12 are plate-shaped portions that extend rearward from both the left and right ends of the first housing 10, with one piece formed at each end. The left and right fixing pieces 12 have the same shape and size as each other and are formed to clamp the second housing 20 and the third housing 30 from both sides. The fixing pieces 12 abut against the outer surfaces 20b and 30b of the second housing 20 and the third housing 30, and press against the outer surfaces 20b and 30b from the left and right using the elasticity of the material. Each fixing piece 12 has two openings 13 into which the projections 25 and 35 of the outer surfaces 20b and 30b fit, respectively.

[0040] The second assembly direction Y in which the first housing 10 is assembled to the second housing 20 and the third housing 30 is approximately normal to the first assembly direction X. For example, after the first substrate 40, to which the second substrate 50 is fixed, is housed in the internal space 72 surrounded by the second housing 20 and the third housing 30, the first housing 10 is assembled in the second assembly direction Y by the snap-fit ​​structure 70.

[0041] [Second and third enclosures] The second housing 20 and the third housing 30 are housings that house the first circuit board 40 on which the power conversion components are mounted, and unlike the first housing 10, they are not exposed on the front of the outlet 1. A portion of the first circuit board 40 may be located in the internal space 72 of the first housing 10, but it is preferable that heat-generating semiconductor elements 42, transformers 43, etc., be located only in the internal space 72 of the second housing 20 and the third housing 30. The wiring device 2 has a structure that makes it difficult for heat generated from the power conversion components on the first circuit board 40 to be transferred to the first housing 10, while on the other hand, it is efficiently transferred to the second housing 20 and the third housing 30.

[0042] The second housing 20 and the third housing 30 may be made of resin, but are preferably made of metal. The second housing 20 and the third housing 30 are preferably made of a metal material with high thermal conductivity in order to efficiently dissipate the heat transferred from the heat source to the outside of the device. The metal constituting the second housing 20 and the third housing 30 is not particularly limited, but aluminum or an aluminum alloy is preferred from the viewpoint of thermal conductivity, lightness, and processability. The second housing 20 and the third housing 30 are arranged opposite each other so as to sandwich the first substrate 40 and assembled in the first direction X to form a bottomed rectangular tube shape.

[0043] The second housing 20 includes a main wall 21 positioned substantially parallel to the insulating substrate 41 of the first substrate 40, and side walls 22, 23, 24 provided at the ends of the main wall 21. The main wall 21 has a rectangular shape, and the side walls 22, 23, 24 are formed along three sides of the main wall 21, respectively. The side walls 22, 23, 24 are smaller rectangular walls than the main wall 21, formed, for example, perpendicular to the main wall 21, and are of equal height to each other. The main wall 21 and the side walls 22, 23, 24 form the cylindrical wall of a bottomed rectangular tube formed by assembling the second housing 20 and the third housing 30.

[0044] The third housing 30 has an external shape similar to that of the second housing 20. The third housing 30 includes a main wall 31 positioned substantially parallel to the insulating substrate 41 of the first substrate 40, and side walls 32, 33, 34 provided at the ends of the main wall 31. The main wall 31 is substantially the same size as the main wall 21 of the second housing 20 and is positioned parallel to the main wall 21. The side walls 32, 33, 34 are formed along three sides of the main wall 31, respectively. The side walls 32, 33, 34 are formed, for example, perpendicular to the main wall 31 and are of the same height to one another.

[0045] The bottomed rectangular tubular body, consisting of a second housing 20 and a third housing 30, is a bottomed rectangular tubular case for housing a first substrate 40. The main walls 21 and 31 are arranged parallel to each other, and the side walls of each housing are butted together to form the cylindrical wall. The main walls 21 and 31 each individually form the cylindrical wall of the case, while the side walls 23 and 33, and the side walls 24 and 34, are butted together to form the cylindrical wall. In addition, the side walls 22 and 32 are butted together to form the bottom of the case. Since there are no side walls at the front ends of the main walls 21 and 31 on the first housing 10 side, an opening is formed at the front end of the case. The side walls of each housing may have a fitting structure such as interlocking protrusions and grooves that engage with each other.

[0046] The side wall 22 of the second housing 20 has a through hole 27 through which a screw 71 passes. Furthermore, the inner surface of the side wall 32 of the third housing 30 has a rib 37 that extends into the interior of the second housing 20. The rib 37 has a screw hole through which the screw 71 is fastened. The front ends of the second housing 20 and the third housing 30 are fixed together by a snap-fit ​​structure 70, but the rear ends may separate if the snap-fit ​​structure 70 alone is insufficient. Therefore, in this embodiment, the rear ends of the second housing 20 and the third housing 30 are fixed together using a screw 71 that is inserted into the through hole 27 in the side wall 22 and fastened into the screw hole in the rib 37.

[0047] The side walls 23 and 24 of the second housing 20 are positioned at both the left and right ends of the main wall 21, respectively, and have projections 25 that constitute a snap-fit ​​structure 70. One projection 25 is formed on the outer surface 20b of the front end of each side wall 23 and 24. The projections 25 have a flattened rectangular prism shape, but their shape is not particularly limited, as long as they can hook onto the edge of the opening 13 of the fixing piece 12 and maintain the connected state of the housing. In addition, recesses 26 are formed on the outer surface 20b of the side walls 23 and 24 so as to surround the projections 25.

[0048] The side walls 33 and 34 of the third housing 30, like the side walls 23 and 24 of the second housing 20, have projections 35 that are positioned at both the left and right ends of the main wall 31 and constitute a snap-fit ​​structure 70. One projection 35 is formed on the outer surface 30b of the front end of each side wall 33 and 34. In addition, recesses 36 are formed on the outer surface 30b of the side walls 33 and 34 so as to surround the projections 35. The fixing piece 12 of the first housing 10 fits into the recesses 26 and 36 of the second housing 20 and the third housing 30, and the projections 25 and 35 fit into the openings 13 of the fixing piece 12, thereby maintaining a stable connection state of the three housings.

[0049] As described above, the heat dissipation member 60 is in contact with the inner surfaces 20a and 30a of the second housing 20 and the third housing 30. On the inner surfaces 20a and 30a, at least a portion of the area in contact with the heat dissipation member 60 is formed, with protrusions 28 and 38 projecting toward at least one direction of the power conversion component and the insulating substrate 41 that constitute the first substrate 40. The protrusions 28 and 38 ensure, for example, a more reliable contact state with the heat dissipation member 60 and effectively compress the heat dissipation member 60 to reduce the contact thermal resistance of the heat dissipation path. The protrusions may be formed on only one of the inner surfaces of the second housing 20 and the third housing 30, but in this embodiment they are formed on both inner surfaces.

[0050] The protrusion 28 of the second housing 20 is formed on the inner surface 20a of the main wall 21. The protrusion 28 is a portion of the inner surface 20a of the main wall 21 that protrudes, making the height of the inner surface 20a higher than the surrounding area, and protrudes toward the third housing 30 and the first substrate 40. The inner surface 20a of the main wall 21 is flat except for the portion where the protrusion 28 is formed. In the portion where the protrusion 28 is formed, the distance between the inner surfaces of the second housing 20 and the third housing 30 facing each other with the first substrate 40 in between is smaller than the distance in other portions. In this embodiment, the protrusion 28 is formed only on the inner surface 20a of the main wall 21.

[0051] The height direction (projection direction) of the protrusion 28 is the first assembly direction X in which the second housing 20 and the third housing 30 are assembled. That is, the protrusion 28 and the first substrate 40 are facing each other in the first assembly direction X via the heat dissipation member 60. In this case, the effect of reducing the contact thermal resistance of the heat dissipation path becomes more pronounced. Also, the surface of the protrusion 28 is substantially parallel to the surface of the insulating substrate 41.

[0052] The height of the protrusion 28 (length in the direction normal to the inner surface 20a of the main wall 21) is not particularly limited and may be about the same as the thickness of the heat dissipation member 60. The height of the protrusion 28 is, for example, 20% to 200% of the thickness of the heat dissipation member 60, and as an example, 0.3 mm to 3 mm. If the protrusion 28 is too low, the effect of the protrusion 28 decreases, while if the protrusion 28 is too high, the internal space 72 becomes small, so it is preferable to form the protrusion 28 within an appropriate height range. When multiple protrusions 28 are formed, the heights of each protrusion 28 may be the same or different. The height of the protrusion 38 is determined in the same way as the protrusion 28 and may be the same as the height of the protrusion 28.

[0053] In this embodiment, two protrusions 28a and 28b are formed on the inner surface 20a of the main wall 21. Protrusion 28a is formed on the rear left side of the main wall 21, and protrusion 28b is formed on the front right side of the main wall 21. Both protrusions 28a and 28b face the semiconductor element 42, which is a power conversion component of the first substrate 40, via the heat dissipation member 60. That is, the protrusions 28a and 28b overlap with the heat dissipation member 60 and the semiconductor element 42 in the first assembly direction X, and are in thermal contact with the semiconductor element 42 via the heat dissipation member 60. As a result, a low-resistance heat dissipation path is formed from the semiconductor element 42 to the outer surface 20b of the second housing 20 via the heat dissipation member 60 and the protrusions 28.

[0054] The protrusions 28a and 28b have a rectangular shape in plan view, but their plan view shape is not particularly limited. Preferably, the protrusions 28a and 28b are formed in an area that overlaps with the entire heat dissipation member 60 in the first assembly direction X. For this reason, the protrusions 28 have a larger area than the heat dissipation member 60 that they contact, and the heat dissipation member 60 is positioned so that it does not protrude from the protrusions 28. For example, the size and position of the protrusions 28 are determined in accordance with the layout of the heat source on the first substrate 40. The surface of the protrusion 28a facing the direction of the first substrate 40 is flat over its entire surface. On the other hand, a recess 29 is formed on the surface of the protrusion 28b.

[0055] The recess 29 is a recessed portion compared to the surrounding area and functions as a retaining portion for holding the heat dissipation member 60. The surface inside the recess 29 is flat but lower than the surrounding surface. However, it is preferable that the height of the surface of the recess 29 is higher than the height of the inner surface 20a around the convex portion 28. The depth of the recess 29 is, for example, 20% to 80% or 30% to 70% of the height of the convex portion 28. The heat dissipation member 60 is housed inside the recess 29. In this case, for example, the positioning of the heat dissipation member 60 is easy, and displacement of the heat dissipation member 60 can be effectively suppressed.

[0056] The retaining portion formed on the protrusion 28 only needs to have a structure capable of holding the heat dissipation member 60, and may be, for example, a wall that holds only the four corners of the heat dissipation member 60. In this embodiment, the recess 29 is formed only on the protrusion 28b, but retaining portions may be formed on all protrusions. Also, although the second housing 20 is made entirely of metal, only the portion on which the protrusion 28 is formed may be made of metal (the same applies to the third housing 30).

[0057] The protrusion 38 of the third housing 30 is formed on the inner surface 30a of the main wall 31. Similar to the protrusion 28 of the second housing 20, the protrusion 38 is a portion of the inner surface 30a of the main wall 31 that protrudes, making the height of the inner surface 30a higher than the surrounding area, and protrudes toward the second housing 20 and the first substrate 40. The inner surface 30a of the main wall 31 is flat except for the portion where the protrusion 28 is formed. The height direction of the protrusion 38 is the first assembly direction X, and it faces the first substrate 40 in the first assembly direction X via the heat dissipation member 60.

[0058] The protrusion 38 faces the transformer 43 of the first substrate 40 via the heat dissipation member 60. The protrusion 38 overlaps with the heat dissipation member 60 and the transformer 43 in the first assembly direction X and is in thermal contact with the transformer 43 via the heat dissipation member 60. This forms a low-resistance heat dissipation path from the transformer 43 to the outer surface 3b of the third housing 30 via the heat dissipation member 60 and the protrusion 38. The protrusion 38 has a larger area than the heat dissipation member 60 it contacts, and the heat dissipation member 60 is positioned so that it does not protrude from the protrusion 38.

[0059] The protrusion 38 is formed larger than the protrusions 28a and 28b of the second housing 20 in front of the inner surface 30a of the main wall 31. The heat dissipation member 60 in contact with the transformer 43 is larger than the heat dissipation member 60 in contact with the semiconductor element 42, so the protrusion 38 is also formed larger to match the heat dissipation member 60. In addition, the protrusion 38 overlaps with the protrusion 28b in the first assembly direction X, and together with the protrusion 28b, sandwiches the first substrate 40 from both sides in the first assembly direction X. In this embodiment, there is one protrusion 38, but two or more may be formed. In addition, the surface of the protrusion 38 facing the direction of the first substrate 40 is flat over its entire surface, but a retaining portion for the heat dissipation member 60, such as a recess 29, may be formed on the protrusion 38.

[0060] In the portion where the protrusion 38 is formed, the distance between the inner surfaces of the second housing 20 and the third housing 30, which face each other across the first substrate 40, is smaller than the distance in other portions. In this embodiment, since the protrusion 38 overlaps with the protrusion 28b in the first assembly direction X (vertical direction), the vertical length of the internal space 72 becomes particularly small in the portion where the protrusion 38 is formed, and the heat dissipation member 60 is strongly compressed. Also, the surface of the protrusion 38 is substantially parallel to the surface of the insulating substrate 41, similar to the protrusion 28.

[0061] [Heat dissipation component] As described above, the heat dissipation member 60 is interposed between the inner surfaces 20a and 30a of the second housing 20 and the third housing 30 and at least one of the power conversion component and the insulating substrate 41 that constitute the first substrate 40. In this embodiment, multiple heat dissipation members 60 are provided, and each heat dissipation member 60 is in contact with the inner surface 20a of the second housing 20 or the inner surface 30a of the third housing 30, and is also in contact with the surface of the semiconductor element 42 or the transformer 43. The heat dissipation member 60 constitutes a part of the heat dissipation path and effectively reduces the contact thermal resistance of the heat dissipation path.

[0062] The heat dissipation member 60 is preferably positioned in a compressed state in the first assembly direction X. In this case, the effect of reducing contact thermal resistance becomes more pronounced. The degree of compression (compression ratio) of the heat dissipation member 60 is not particularly limited, but is preferably 10% or more, more preferably 20% or more, and especially preferably 30% or more. The compression ratio is calculated by the formula [(thickness in uncompressed state - thickness in compressed state) × 100 / thickness in uncompressed state]. The upper limit of the compression ratio is, for example, 90%. The heat dissipation member 60 is positioned in a compressed state by the protrusion 28 of the second housing 20 or the protrusion 38 of the third housing 30.

[0063] The heat dissipation member 60 is preferably an elastic body that has a higher thermal conductivity than general resins and is compressible. An example of a suitable heat dissipation member 60 is a sheet composed of a flexible resin and a thermally conductive filler dispersed in the resin. The thickness of the heat dissipation member 60 is, for example, 0.3 mm to 2 mm. The size of the heat dissipation member 60 can be appropriately changed according to the size of the heat source, etc. The heat dissipation member 60 may be adhesive and may be attached to the inner surface of the housing, the surface of the power conversion component, etc. In this case, the placement of the heat dissipation member 60 becomes easier. Alternatively, the heat dissipation member 60 may be attached to the inner surface of the housing, the surface of the power conversion component, etc. using an adhesive, adhesive tape, etc.

[0064] The resin constituting the heat dissipation member 60 can be any material that is elastically deformable and flexible, such as silicone resin, acrylic resin, urethane resin, or epoxy resin. The thermally conductive filler dispersed in the resin is preferably an insulating filler with high thermal conductivity, such as aluminum oxide, aluminum nitride, or boron nitride. Conventional known materials can be used for the heat dissipation member 60.

[0065] In this embodiment, the inner surfaces 20a, 30a of the second housing 20 and the third housing 30 and the surface of the power conversion component face each other in the first assembly direction X via the heat dissipation members 60, and each heat dissipation member 60 is in close contact with the inner surface 20a or inner surface 30b and the surface of the power conversion component. The heat dissipation members 60 are pressed in the first assembly direction X when the housings are assembled. As a result, the heat dissipation members 60 are compressed and come into close contact with the housings and the power conversion component, forming a low-resistance heat dissipation path. Furthermore, since the heat source is located on the surface of the insulating substrate 41, the contact thermal resistance of the heat dissipation path can be more effectively reduced by arranging the first substrate 40 so that the normal direction of the insulating substrate 41 coincides with the first assembly direction X. In addition, the function of the protrusions 28, 38 further enhances the effect of reducing contact thermal resistance.

[0066] Figure 5 is a diagram illustrating the heat dissipation path of this embodiment, showing the semiconductor element 42 of the first substrate 40 as a heat source. Figure 5(a) shows the heat dissipation path of this embodiment. Note that the heat dissipation member 60 shown in Figure 5(a) has the same thickness as the heat dissipation member 60 shown in Figure 5(b) in an uncompressed state, and the heat dissipation member 60 shown in Figure 5(c) is thinner than the other heat dissipation members 60.

[0067] As shown in Figure 5(a), the heat dissipation member 60 is in contact with the surface of the semiconductor element 42 and also in contact with the surface of the protrusion 28 of the second housing 20. Furthermore, the heat dissipation member 60 is compressed by the protrusion 28 and is positioned sandwiched between the protrusion 28 and the semiconductor element 42 from both sides in the first assembly direction X. In this case, the thermally conductive fillers are in strong contact with each other, forming a good heat conduction path within the heat dissipation member 60. Furthermore, due to the restoring force that causes the compressed heat dissipation member 60 to return to its original shape, the heat dissipation member 60 adheres tightly to the protrusion 28 and the semiconductor element 42. As a result, a low-resistance heat dissipation path is formed from the semiconductor element 42 through the heat dissipation member 60 and the protrusion 28 to the outer surface 20b of the second housing 20.

[0068] In the example shown in Figure 5(c), the heat dissipation member 60 is not in contact with the inner surface 20a of the second housing 20, and an air layer S exists between the heat dissipation member 60 and the second housing 20. The presence of a large air layer S significantly reduces heat dissipation. For this reason, it is preferable to bring the heat dissipation member 60 into contact with the inner surface 20a of the second housing 20 and the surface of the semiconductor element 42 so that a large air layer S is not formed.

[0069] The example shown in Figure 5(b) is similar to this embodiment in that the heat dissipation member 60 is in contact with both the second housing 20 and the semiconductor element 42, and is positioned sandwiched between the second housing 20 and the semiconductor element 42 from both sides in the first assembly direction X. On the other hand, the example shown in Figure 5(b) differs from this embodiment in that there is no protrusion 28 on the inner surface 20a of the second housing 20, and the heat dissipation member 60 is not compressed or is compressed to a small degree. In this case, compared to the heat dissipation path shown in Figure 5(a), the contact thermal resistance increases and the heat dissipation performance decreases.

[0070] In the manufacturing process of the wiring device 2, for example, after attaching the heat dissipation member 60 to the surface of the power conversion component, the first substrate 40 is placed inside the second housing 20, and the third housing 30 is assembled to the second housing 20. Alternatively, the first substrate 40 may be placed inside the third housing 30 before assembling the second housing 20, or the heat dissipation member 60 may be placed on the inner surfaces 20a, 30a (surfaces of the protrusions 28, 38) of the second housing 20 and the third housing 30. In either case, when assembling the second housing 20 and the third housing 30, the heat dissipation member 60 is sandwiched between the protrusions 28, 38 of each housing and the power conversion component and compressed in the first assembly direction X, forming a low-resistance heat dissipation path. After assembling the second housing 20 and the third housing 30, the wiring device 2 is obtained by assembling the first housing 10 using the snap-fit ​​structure 70.

[0071] Figure 6 shows a modified example of the heat dissipation path. As shown in Figure 6, the heat dissipation member 60 may be placed directly on the surface of the insulating substrate 41. The first substrate 40 has vias 46 that penetrate the insulating substrate 41 in the thickness direction and are connected to power conversion components such as semiconductor elements 42. The heat dissipation member 60 is placed on the first surface 41a of the insulating substrate 41 opposite to the second surface 41b on which the semiconductor elements 42 are placed, in contact with the vias 46. In this case, heat from the semiconductor elements 42 is transferred to the heat dissipation member 60 via the vias 46, thus forming a good heat dissipation path.

[0072] In the example shown in Figure 6, the semiconductor element 42 and the heat dissipation member 60 are arranged so as to overlap in the thickness direction of the insulating substrate 41. In this case, heat from the semiconductor element 42 is easily transferred to the heat dissipation member 60. The via 46 is a conductive path that electrically connects the wiring formed on the first surface 41a of the insulating substrate 41 to the wiring connected to the second surface 41b, but in the embodiment illustrated in Figure 6, it also functions as a heat dissipation path. In addition to providing a heat dissipation member 60 that contacts the via 46, an additional heat dissipation member 60 may be provided on the surface of the semiconductor element 42.

[0073] Figure 7 shows an example of a heat shielding structure for the wiring device 2. As shown in Figure 7, a heat shielding member 80 may be provided between the transformer 43 and the electrolytic capacitor 45. As described above, the first substrate 40 is mounted with first electronic components that generate a large amount of heat, such as the semiconductor element 42, the transformer 43, and the common mode coil 44, and second electronic components that have a lower operating temperature compared to the first electronic components. The transformer 43 is classified as a first electronic component, and the electrolytic capacitor 45 is classified as a second electronic component. By providing the heat shielding member 80, it is possible to suppress the effect of heat radiated from the first electronic components on the second electronic components. The heat shielding member 80 has a first partition wall 81 that is positioned to block the space between the transformer 43 and the electrolytic capacitor 45.

[0074] The heat-shielding member 80 is preferably made of a material with low thermal conductivity. A suitable example of the heat-shielding member 80 is a resin sheet or plate-shaped member that may contain a large number of air bubbles. The heat-shielding member 80 may be made of foamed material such as polystyrene foam, urethane foam, or phenolic foam, or fibrous material such as cellulose fiber.

[0075] The heat shielding member 80 may have, in addition to the first partition wall 81, a second partition wall 82 positioned between the common mode coil 44 and the electrolytic capacitor 45, and a third partition wall 83 positioned between the two electrolytic capacitors 45. The electrolytic capacitor 45 is classified as a second electronic component and does not reach high temperatures like the semiconductor element 42, but it does generate heat during operation, so it is preferable to provide the third partition wall 83 to suppress the thermal influence between them. The first partition wall 81, the second partition wall 82, and the third partition wall 83 may be separate components, but the heat shielding member 80 has a base portion 84 that integrates these partition walls.

[0076] The heat shielding member 80 has a base portion 84, which is, for example, a sheet-like or plate-like portion with a rectangular shape in plan view, to which the first partition wall 81, the second partition wall 82, and the third partition wall 83 are formed substantially perpendicularly. The base portion 84 may be positioned along the inner surface 30a of the main wall 31 of the third housing 30 and joined to the inner surface 30a of the main wall 31. The base portion 84 may further have portions that extend parallel to the second partition wall 82 and the third partition wall 83 and that contact or join to the side wall 24 of the second housing 20 and the side wall 34 of the third housing 30.

[0077] The first partition wall 81 is positioned to divide the internal space 72 of the housing into front and rear sections of the device. The first partition wall 81 is positioned along the left-right and up-down directions to separate the transformer 43 from the two electrolytic capacitors 45 and the common-mode coil 44. The second partition wall 82 and the third partition wall 83 are formed substantially perpendicular to the first partition wall 81 and the base 84. The three partition walls have a vertical length, for example, from the inner surface 30a of the main wall 31 to the vicinity of the surface of the insulating substrate 41.

[0078] As described above, the wiring device 2 having the above configuration is equipped with a heat dissipation path that significantly reduces contact thermal resistance. Therefore, even when the heat density of the device is high, the heat generated from power conversion components such as semiconductor elements 42 and transformers 43 can be effectively dissipated. In addition, by providing the heat shielding member 80, the thermal impact on electronic components with low operating temperatures, such as electrolytic capacitors 45, can be effectively suppressed.

[0079] [Second Embodiment] The second embodiment, wiring device 2A, will be described with reference to Figure 8. Figure 8 is an exploded perspective view of wiring device 2A. In the following, components common to the first embodiment will be referred to with the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations will be omitted. The differences from the first embodiment will be described primarily.

[0080] As shown in Figure 8, the wiring device 2A differs from the wiring device 2 of the first embodiment in that it comprises a second housing 20A and a third housing 30A that are divided in the left-right direction. The first assembly direction X in which the second housing 20A and the third housing 30A are assembled is the left-right direction, which is substantially parallel to the surface of the insulating substrate 41 that constitutes the first substrate 40. In this case, the pressing force during the assembly of the housing acts in a direction substantially parallel to the surface of the insulating substrate 41 and does not act in the normal direction.

[0081] In the wiring device 2A, the inner surface 20a of the second housing 20A and the surface of the transformer 43, which is placed on the first surface 41a of the insulating substrate 41, face each other in the first assembly direction X (left-right direction) via the heat dissipation member 60. Similarly, the inner surface 30a of the third housing 30A also faces the surface of the transformer 43 in the first assembly direction X via the heat dissipation member 60. In this case, when assembling the second housing 20A and the third housing 30A, the heat dissipation member 60 is strongly pressed against the inner surfaces 20a, 30a of the housings and the surface of the transformer 43, forming a low-resistance heat dissipation path. The inner surfaces 20a, 30a of the second housing 20A and the third housing 30A are formed with protrusions 28, 38 that project toward the transformer 43 and compress the heat dissipation member 60, respectively.

[0082] In the wiring device 2A, the surface of the transformer 43 in contact with the heat dissipation member 60 is a surface perpendicular to the insulating substrate 41 (a surface along the normal direction of the insulating substrate 41). The normal direction of the insulating substrate 41 is perpendicular to the first assembly direction X, and even if the heat dissipation member 60 is placed parallel to the surface of the insulating substrate 41, the pressing force during housing assembly will not act on the heat dissipation member 60. Therefore, no heat dissipation member 60 is provided that is placed parallel to the surface of the insulating substrate 41. In the wiring device 2A, no heat dissipation member 60 is provided for semiconductor elements 42 that have a short length along the normal direction of the insulating substrate 41, but a heat dissipation member 60 that contacts the surface of the semiconductor elements 42 may be provided.

[0083] The second housing 20A shares with the wiring device 2 the fact that its outer surface 20b has projections 25 and recesses 26 that constitute the snap-fit ​​structure 70A. The outer surface 30b of the third housing 30A also has projections and recesses that constitute the snap-fit ​​structure 70A. On the other hand, the second housing 20A has two projections 25 arranged vertically, and each projection 25 fits into two openings 13 formed in one fixing piece 12 of the first housing 10 (the same applies to the third housing 30B). In this embodiment, there may be one opening 13 and one projection 25 in the left and right fixing pieces 12.

[0084] The protrusion 28 of the second housing 20A is formed in a position that overlaps with the fitting portion of the snap-fit ​​structure 70A in the thickness direction of the second housing 20A. The fitting portion of the snap-fit ​​structure 70A is composed of a fixing piece 12 of the first housing 10 and a projection 25 of the second housing 20A, and for example, the protrusion 28 is formed in a position that overlaps with the fixing piece 12 in the first assembly direction X. In this case, the pressing force from the fixing piece 12 acts on the protrusion 28, and the effect of the protrusion 28 becomes more pronounced. Similarly for the third housing 30, the protrusion 38 is formed in a position that overlaps with the fitting portion of the snap-fit ​​structure 70A in the thickness direction of the third housing 30.

[0085] [Third Embodiment] Referring to Figure 9, the third embodiment, wiring device 2B, will be described in detail. Figure 9 is an exploded perspective view of wiring device 2B.

[0086] As shown in Figure 9, the wiring device 2B differs from the wiring devices 2 and 2A of the first and second embodiments in that it comprises only two housings: a first housing 110 and a second housing 120. The first housing 110 includes a portion for housing the second circuit board 50 and a portion for housing the first circuit board 40 together with the second housing 120. The first housing 110 has a structure in which the first housing 10 of the first embodiment and the second housing 20 (or third housing 30) are integrated. The second housing 120 is preferably made of metal.

[0087] The first housing 110 has a connection port 2b and includes a portion that forms the front surface 2a of the outlet 1, so it may be made of resin. On the other hand, the first housing 110 includes a portion that houses the first substrate 40 and functions as a heat dissipation member, so it may be made of metal, or only the portion that functions as a heat dissipation member may be made of metal. In this embodiment, the first housing 110 includes a first member 110a that forms the front surface 2a of the outlet 1 and a second member 110b to which the first member 110a is connected, the first member 110a is made of resin, and the second member 110b is made of metal.

[0088] Wiring device 2B is similar to wiring device 2 in that the inner surface 120a of the second housing 120 and the semiconductor element 42 face each other in the first assembly direction X (vertical direction) in which the first housing 110 and the second housing 120 are assembled, via the heat dissipation member 60. That is, the first assembly direction X is approximately normal to the surface of the insulating substrate 41. Also, the inner surface 110a of the first housing 110 and the transformer 43 face each other in the first assembly direction X via the heat dissipation member 60. The first housing 110 and the second housing 120 are assembled so as to press the insulating substrate 41 from both sides in the thickness direction via the heat dissipation member 60.

[0089] The first housing 110 has a main wall 111 positioned substantially parallel to the insulating substrate 41, and side walls 112 and 113 erected at both the left and right ends of the main wall 111, respectively. A protrusion 114 for compressing the heat dissipation member 60 is formed on the inner surface 110a of the main wall 111. The protrusion 114 is positioned opposite the transformer 43, and its surface is substantially parallel to the surface of the insulating substrate 41. The second housing 120 has a main wall 121 positioned substantially parallel to the insulating substrate 41, and side walls 122 and 123 erected at both the left and right ends of the main wall 121, respectively. Preferably, a protrusion (not shown) for compressing the heat dissipation member 60 is also formed on the inner surface 120a of the main wall 121 at a position opposite the semiconductor element 42.

[0090] The first housing 110 and the second housing 120 are fixed to each other by a snap-fit ​​structure 70B. The snap-fit ​​structure 70B, as in the first and second embodiments, consists of a fixing piece 115 formed on the first housing 110 and a projection 124 formed on the second housing 120 that fits into the opening 116 of the fixing piece 115. Each fixing piece 115 has one opening 116 and extends from the side walls 112, 113 of the first housing 110 at four locations on the front and rear left and right sides, along the outer surface 120b of the second housing 120. The projections 124 are formed at four locations on the outer surface 120b of the side walls 122, 123, on the front and rear left and right sides.

[0091] [Fourth Embodiment] The fourth embodiment, wiring device 2C, will be described in detail with reference to Figures 10 and 11. Figure 10 is an exploded perspective view of wiring device 2C, and Figure 11 is a left-right cross-sectional view of wiring device 2C.

[0092] As shown in Figure 10, the wiring device 2C is similar to the wiring device 2B of the third embodiment in that it comprises only two housings: a first housing 150 and a second housing 160. The first housing 150 includes a portion for housing the second circuit board 50 and a portion for housing the first circuit board 40 together with the second housing 160. The first housing 150 includes a first member 150a that forms the front surface 2a of the outlet 1 and a second member 150b to which the first member 150a is connected, with the first member 150a being made of a resin material and the second member 150b being made of a metal material. The second housing 160 is entirely made of a metal material.

[0093] The first housing 150 has a main wall 151 positioned substantially parallel to the insulating substrate 41, and a side wall 152 erected at the left end of the main wall 151. Note that no side walls are formed at the rear and right ends of the main wall 151. The second housing 160 has a main wall 161 positioned substantially parallel to the insulating substrate 41, and side walls 162 and 163 erected at the rear and right ends of the main wall 161, respectively. Note that no side wall is formed at the left end of the main wall 161. As shown in Figure 11, in the wiring device 2C, the side wall 152 of the first housing 150 is connected to the main wall 161 of the second housing 160, and the side walls 162 and 163 of the second housing 160 are connected to the main wall 151 of the first housing 150, forming a rectangular tubular case that houses the first substrate 40.

[0094] The first housing 150 and the second housing 160 are configured to include a first assembly direction X and a second assembly direction Y perpendicular to the first assembly direction X, as described above. The first housing 150 and the second housing 160 can be assembled in either the first assembly direction X or the second assembly direction Y, for example. They can also be assembled in the direction of arrow α shown in Figure 11, in which case the pressing force during assembly of the housing acts in both the first assembly direction X and the second assembly direction Y.

[0095] The wiring device 2C includes a heat dissipation member 60a arranged along the surface of the insulating substrate 41 and overlapping the semiconductor element 42 and the transformer 43 in the vertical direction, and a heat dissipation member 60b arranged along the direction normal to the surface of the insulating substrate 41 and overlapping the transformer 43 in the horizontal direction. The heat dissipation member 60a is compressed in the first assembly direction X and adheres closely to the inner surface 160a of the main wall 161 of the second housing 160 and the surface of the semiconductor element 42, and also adheres closely to the inner surface 151a of the main wall 151 of the first housing 150 and the surface of the transformer 43. Protrusions 155 and 165 are formed on the inner surfaces 151a and 160a of the main walls 151 and 161, respectively, to increase the compressibility of the heat dissipation member 60a.

[0096] In the wiring device 2C, the pressing force during assembly of the housing also acts in the second assembly direction Y, so the heat dissipation member 60b is compressed in the second assembly direction Y and comes into close contact with the inner surface 160a of the side wall 163 of the second housing 160 and the surface of the transformer 43. Alternatively, the heat dissipation member may be placed between the side wall 152 of the first housing 150 and the transformer 43, or a protrusion may be provided on the inner surface 160a of the side wall 163 to compress the heat dissipation member 60b. The first housing 150 and the second housing 160 may be fixed to each other using screws, and the fixing structure should be such that the pressing force during assembly of the housing acts in both the first assembly direction X and the second assembly direction Y.

[0097] Furthermore, each of the above embodiments may be modified as appropriate without impairing the purpose of this disclosure. For example, the housing of the fourth embodiment may consist of three housings, similar to the first and second embodiments. Specifically, the portion of the first housing 150 that houses the second circuit board 50 and the portion that houses the first circuit board 40 together with the second housing 160 may be made up of separate housings. As described above, the wiring device of this disclosure may be in a form in which various components of the multiple embodiments and modifications are selectively combined.

[0098] Furthermore, if the heat dissipation material can be compressed during the assembly of the enclosure, and a heat dissipation path with low contact thermal resistance can be formed, it is not necessary to provide a protrusion on the inner surface of the enclosure to compress the heat dissipation material.

[0099] (Composition 1) A circuit board equipped with electronic components including a power conversion component that converts AC power to DC power, The terminal that outputs the DC power, A first housing surrounding the aforementioned terminals, A second housing and a third housing surrounding the aforementioned circuit board, A heat dissipation member is disposed between the inner surface of at least one of the second housing and the third housing and at least one of the power conversion component and the substrate, and is in contact with the inner surface. Equipped with, A wiring device for supplying DC power, wherein the inner surface of at least one of the second housing and the third housing and the surface of at least one of the power conversion component and the substrate face each other via the heat dissipation member in a first assembly direction in which the second housing and the third housing are assembled. (Configuration 2) The wiring device for supplying DC power according to configuration 1, wherein the first assembly direction is approximately normal to or approximately parallel to the surface of the substrate. (Composition 3) A circuit board equipped with electronic components including a power conversion component that converts AC power to DC power, The terminal that outputs the DC power, A first housing and a second housing surrounding the aforementioned circuit board, A heat dissipation member is disposed between the inner surface of at least one of the first housing and the second housing and at least one of the power conversion component and the substrate, and is in contact with the inner surface. Equipped with, At least one inner surface of the first housing and the second housing, and at least one surface of the power conversion component and the substrate, are facing each other via the heat dissipation member in the first assembly direction in which the first housing and the second housing are assembled. The first assembly direction is approximately the direction normal to the surface of the substrate, and the wiring device supplies DC power. (Composition 4) The first housing and the second housing are configured to include the first assembly direction and the second assembly direction perpendicular to the first assembly direction. A wiring device for supplying DC power according to configuration 3, wherein at least one inner surface of the first housing and the second housing, and at least one surface of the power conversion component and the substrate, face the first assembly direction and the second assembly direction via the heat dissipation member. (Composition 5) The heat dissipation member is arranged in a compressed state in the first assembly direction, and the wiring device supplies DC power according to any one of configurations 1 to 4. (Composition 6) The wiring device for supplying DC power according to any one of configurations 1 to 5, wherein the heat dissipation member is a sheet composed of a flexible resin and a thermally conductive filler dispersed in the resin. (Composition 7) A wiring device for supplying DC power according to configuration 1 or 2, wherein the second housing and the third housing are made of metal. (Composition 8) The aforementioned electronic component includes a first electronic component and a second electronic component having lower heat resistance than the first electronic component. A wiring device for supplying DC power according to any one of configurations 1 to 7, wherein a heat shield is provided between the first electronic component and the second electronic component. [Explanation of symbols]

[0100] 1 Outlet, 2,2A,2B,2C Wiring device for supplying DC power (wiring device), 2a,3a Front, 2b,3b Connection port, 3 Power outlet device, 4 Decorative plate, 4a Opening, 10,110,150 First housing, 10a,110a,150a First component, 10b,110b,150b Second component, 11 Protrusion, 12,115 Fixing piece, 13,116 Opening, 20,20A,120,160 Second housing, 20a,30a,111a,120a,151a,160a Inner surface, 20b,30b,120b Outer surface, 21,31,111,121,151,161 Main wall, 22, 23, 24, 32, 33, 34, 112, 113, 122, 123, 152, 162, 163 Side wall, 25, 35, 124 Protrusion, 26, 29, 36 Recess, 27 Through hole, 28, 38, 114, 155, 165 Protrusion, 30, 30A Third housing, 37 Rib, 40 First substrate, 41, 51 Insulating substrate, 41a First surface, 41b Second surface, 42 Semiconductor element, 43 Transformer, 44 Common mode coil, 45, 53 Electrolytic capacitor, 50 Second substrate, 52 Terminal, 60, 60a, 60b Heat dissipation member, 70, 70A, 70B Snap-fit ​​structure, 71 Screw, 72 Internal space, 80 Heat shielding member, 81 First bulkhead, 82 Second bulkhead, 83 Third bulkhead, 84 Base, 100 Wall, 101 Electronic equipment, 102 USB connector, 103 Cable

Claims

1. A circuit board equipped with electronic components including a power conversion component that converts AC power to DC power, The terminal that outputs the DC power, A first housing located at the power output end of the aforementioned terminal, A second housing and a third housing surrounding the aforementioned circuit board, On the inner surface of at least one of the second housing and the third housing, a heat dissipation member is provided that contacts a protrusion projecting toward at least one of the power conversion component and the substrate, and is elastically deformable. Equipped with, A wiring device for supplying DC power, wherein, in a first assembly direction in which the second housing and the third housing are assembled, at least one inner surface of the second housing and the third housing and at least one surface of the power conversion component and the substrate face each other via the heat dissipation member, and the heat dissipation member is compressed in the first assembly direction by being sandwiched between the protrusion and at least one surface of the power conversion component and the substrate, thereby forming a heat dissipation path with reduced contact thermal resistance.

2. The wiring device for supplying DC power according to claim 1, wherein the first assembly direction is substantially normal to or substantially parallel to the surface of the substrate.

3. The first assembly direction is a direction substantially parallel to the surface of the substrate, The wiring device for supplying DC power according to claim 1, wherein the heat dissipation member is compressed by the protrusions facing each other in a direction substantially parallel to the surface of the substrate and the surface of the power conversion component.

4. A circuit board equipped with electronic components including a power conversion component that converts AC power to DC power, The terminal that outputs the DC power, A first housing and a second housing surrounding the aforementioned circuit board, On the inner surface of at least one of the first housing and the second housing, a heat dissipation member is provided that contacts a protrusion projecting toward at least one of the power conversion component and the substrate, and is elastically deformable. Equipped with, In the first assembly direction in which the first housing and the second housing are assembled, at least one inner surface of the inner surfaces of the first housing and the second housing and at least one surface of the power conversion component and the substrate face each other via the heat dissipation member, and the heat dissipation member is compressed in the first assembly direction by being sandwiched between the protrusion and at least one surface of the power conversion component and the substrate, thereby forming a heat dissipation path with reduced contact thermal resistance. The first assembly direction is approximately the direction normal to the surface of the substrate, and the wiring device supplies DC power.

5. Further comprising a second heat dissipation member which is disposed between the inner surface of at least one of the first housing and the second housing and the power conversion component and is elastically deformable, The first housing has a first main wall arranged parallel to the substrate and a first side wall erected at the left end of the first main wall. The second housing has a second main wall arranged parallel to the substrate, and second side walls erected at the rear end and right end of the second main wall, respectively. The first side wall of the first housing is connected to the second main wall of the second housing, and the second side wall of the second housing is connected to the first main wall of the first housing, forming a cylindrical case. The first housing and the second housing include the first assembly direction which is substantially normal to the surface of the substrate, and the second assembly direction which is perpendicular to the first assembly direction. In the second assembly direction, at least one of the inner surfaces of the first side wall of the first housing and the second side wall of the second housing and the surface of the power conversion component face each other via the second heat dissipation member, and is compressed in the second assembly direction by being sandwiched between at least one of the inner surfaces of the first side wall and the second side wall and the surface of the power conversion component, as described in claim 4.

6. The wiring device for supplying DC power according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the heat dissipation member is a sheet composed of a flexible resin and a thermally conductive filler dispersed in the resin.

7. The wiring device for supplying DC power according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the second housing and the third housing are made of metal.

8. The aforementioned electronic component includes a first electronic component and a second electronic component having lower heat resistance than the first electronic component. A wiring device for supplying DC power according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a heat shield is provided between the first electronic component and the second electronic component.

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