converter

Abstract

A converter comprising a housing having an interior space, a printed circuit board arranged within the interior space, a first electronic component arranged on an upper surface of the printed circuit board, a second electronic component arranged on a lower surface of the printed circuit board, and a heat dissipation space arranged inside the housing, wherein the first electronic component is arranged so as to overlap with the heat dissipation space in a first direction, and the second electronic component is arranged so as to overlap with the heat dissipation space in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This embodiment relates to a converter. Background Technology

[0002] Engine electrical systems (starting, ignition, and charging) and lighting systems are common as motor vehicle electrical systems, but recently, most systems, including chassis electrical systems, have become electrified as vehicles have become more electronically controlled.

[0003] Various electrical components installed in motor vehicles, such as lights, audio systems, heaters, and air conditioners, are designed to receive power from the battery when the car is stopped and from the generator when the car is being driven, with the 14V power system's output used as the normal power supply voltage.

[0004] In recent years, with the development of the information technology industry, vehicles are adopting various new technologies (electric power steering, the Internet, etc.) aimed at enhancing the convenience of motor vehicles, and in the future, it is expected that the development of new technologies that can maximize the use of current motor vehicle systems will continue.

[0005] Hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), whether soft or hard type, are equipped with a DC-DC converter (low-voltage DC-DC converter) to supply the electrical load (12V). Additionally, the DC-DC converter acts as a generator (alternator) in a typical gasoline vehicle, supplying 12V to the electrical load by reducing the high voltage of the main battery (typically a high-voltage battery of 144V or greater).

[0006] A DC-DC converter is an electronic circuit device that converts DC power of a specific voltage into DC power of another voltage, and is used in various fields such as television receivers in motor vehicles and electrical components.

[0007] The converter's exterior can be formed by a housing. One or more electronic components for driving are arranged inside the housing. As an example of an electronic component, there is a printed circuit board on which multiple components are mounted. The components arranged on the printed circuit board generate heat when driven. The generated heat may cause overload of each electronic component, resulting in problems and malfunctions in its intended function. Therefore, a structure or device is needed to dissipate heat from the components inside the converter. Summary of the Invention

[0008] Technical topics

[0009] The present invention has been proposed to improve the above-mentioned problems and provides a converter that can improve heat dissipation efficiency by improving the structure.

[0010] Technical solution

[0011] The converter according to this embodiment includes: a housing including an internal space; a printed circuit board disposed within the internal space; a first electronic component disposed on an upper surface of the printed circuit board; a second electronic component disposed on a lower surface of the printed circuit board; and a heat dissipation space disposed within the housing, wherein the first electronic component is arranged to overlap with the heat dissipation space in a first direction, and wherein the second electronic component is arranged to overlap with the heat dissipation space in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

[0012] The first direction is the vertical direction, and the second direction can be the direction parallel to the printed circuit board.

[0013] The first thermally conductive layer can be placed between the upper surface of the heat dissipation space and the lower surface of the printed circuit board.

[0014] A recess formed that is more recessed than other areas used to accommodate the second electronic component can be arranged on the bottom surface of the interior space.

[0015] The second thermally conductive layer can be disposed between the inner surface of the groove and the outer surface of the second electronic component.

[0016] The second heat-conducting layer may include: a side surface portion disposed between a side surface of the second electronic component and an inner surface of the groove; and a lower surface portion disposed between a lower surface of the second electronic component and a bottom surface of the groove.

[0017] It may include a refrigerant pipe, which is arranged inside a heat dissipation space and in which refrigerant flows.

[0018] The refrigerant pipe may include: a first straight section having a refrigerant inlet component disposed at one end; a second straight section having a refrigerant outlet component disposed at one end and parallel to the first straight section; and a connecting section connecting the first straight section and the second straight section and perpendicular to the first straight section and the second straight section.

[0019] The second electronic components can be configured in multiple ways, with some arranged in a first row parallel to the first straight section, and some of the remaining electronic components arranged in a second row parallel to the second straight section.

[0020] The converter according to another embodiment includes: a printed circuit board; a first electronic component disposed on an upper surface of the printed circuit board; a second electronic component disposed on a lower surface of the printed circuit board; and a refrigerant tube disposed spaced apart from the lower surface of the printed circuit board, wherein the refrigerant tube includes a first straight portion, a second straight portion parallel to the first straight portion, and a connecting portion connecting the first straight portion and the second straight portion, wherein the first electronic component is disposed overlapping the first straight portion, the second straight portion, and the connecting portion in a direction perpendicular to the printed circuit board, and wherein the second electronic component is disposed between the first straight portion and the second straight portion.

[0021] Beneficial effects

[0022] In this embodiment, because the first and second electronic components arranged on the two surfaces of the printed circuit board form an optimal heat dissipation structure with the refrigerant pipe, there is an advantage that the heat dissipation efficiency can be enhanced.

[0023] In particular, in the case of the second electronic component, since heat is dissipated not only from the lower surface but also from the side surface, there is an advantage in increasing the heat dissipation area of ​​the electronic component. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Figure 1 This is a perspective view illustrating the appearance of the converter according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] Figure 2 This is a plan view illustrating the lower surface of a converter according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 3 This is a plan view illustrating the upper surface of a converter according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 4 This is an exploded perspective view of the converter according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 5 This is a plan view of the upper surface of the converter without a cover and printed circuit board, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] Figure 6 This is a plan view of the upper surface of the converter without a cover, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] Figure 7 This is a plan view illustrating the lower surface of a printed circuit board according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] Figure 8 This is a cross-sectional view of the heat dissipation structure in the converter according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] Figure 9 It is along Figure 3 A cross-sectional view taken from line A-A'. Detailed Implementation

[0033] In the following, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0034] However, the technical concept of the present invention is not limited to the described embodiments, but can be implemented in various forms, and within the scope of the technical concept of the present invention, one or more of the constituent elements can be selectively combined or replaced among the embodiments.

[0035] Furthermore, unless otherwise explicitly defined and described, the terms (including technical and scientific terms) used in the embodiments of the present invention can be interpreted in a meaning that is generally understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, and common terms such as those defined in dictionaries can be interpreted in light of the meaning in the context of the relevant art.

[0036] Furthermore, the terminology used in this specification is for describing embodiments and is not intended to limit the invention.

[0037] In this specification, the singular form may also include the plural form unless otherwise specified in the phrase, and when described as “at least one (or more than one) of A, B and C”, it may include one or more of all combinations that can be combined with A, B and C.

[0038] Furthermore, when describing components of embodiments of the present invention, terms such as first, second, A, B, (a), and (b) may be used. These terms are intended only to distinguish components from other components, and they do not limit the nature, order, or sequence of the components.

[0039] Furthermore, when a component is described as being “connected,” “coupled,” or “interconnected” to another component, the component may be directly connected, coupled, or interconnected to other components, or may be connected, coupled, or interconnected to another component due to the other components being “connected,” “coupled,” or “interconnected.”

[0040] Furthermore, when described as being formed or arranged "above" or "below" each component, "above" or "below" means not only that the two components are in direct contact, but also that one or more other components are formed or arranged between the two components. Additionally, when expressed as "above" or "below," it can include not only an upward direction but also a downward direction based on a component.

[0041] Figure 1This is a perspective view illustrating the appearance of the converter according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a plan view illustrating the lower surface of the converter according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a plan view illustrating the upper surface of the converter according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is an exploded perspective view of the converter according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a plan view of the upper surface of the converter without a cover and a printed circuit board, according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 6 This is a plan view of the upper surface of the converter without a cover, according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7 This is a plan view illustrating the lower surface of a printed circuit board according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 8 This is a cross-sectional view of the heat dissipation structure in the converter according to an embodiment of the present invention; and Figure 9 It is along Figure 3 A cross-sectional view taken from line A-A'.

[0042] refer to Figures 1 to 9 According to an embodiment of the invention, the converter 10 can be formed from a housing 100. An internal space 101 can be formed inside the housing 100 to accommodate components for driving the converter 10. A cover 190 is coupled to the upper surface of the housing 100 and can cover the upper surface of the internal space 101. Screw holes are formed in the housing 100 and the cover 190 to allow screws to penetrate corresponding areas, and the housing 100 and the cover 190 can be screwed together. A sealing member for sealing the internal space 101 can be arranged between the housing 100 and the cover 190.

[0043] Connector module 200 may be disposed on a side surface of housing 100. Connector module 200 may be disposed on a side surface of housing 100 and may be exposed to the outside. At least a portion of connector module 200 may be disposed inside housing 100 and may be electrically connected to printed circuit board 120, as will be described later.

[0044] Connector module 200 electrically connects converter 10 and battery (not shown), as well as converter 10 and load, and the power supplied from the battery can be converted in converter 10. The converted power can be applied to the load. For example, high-voltage power supplied from the battery can be converted in converter 10, and low-voltage power can be applied to the load. Therefore, it is possible to connect configurations for applying power to converter 10 via connector module 200 or configurations for receiving power from converter 10.

[0045] However, this is exemplary, and the connector module 200 can be defined as including all configurations arranged on the outer surface of the housing 10 to facilitate electrical and physical connections to external terminals associated with the drive of the converter 10.

[0046] The connector module 200 may include a bracket, pins 210 housed in the bracket, and a bus bar 220 for electrical connection pins 210 and printed circuit board 120.

[0047] The converter 10 may include a refrigerant pipe 300. The refrigerant pipe 300 may be coupled to a housing 100. A heat dissipation space 110 may be formed inside the housing 100 to accommodate the refrigerant pipe 300. At least a portion of the refrigerant pipe 300 may be disposed within the heat dissipation space 110, and another portion may protrude outward from the heat dissipation space 110 to be exposed to the outside. In the lower surface of the housing 100, the area in which the heat dissipation space 110 is disposed may protrude downward more than other areas. Within the space inside the housing 100, the area in which the heat dissipation space 110 is disposed may be separated from other areas. For example, the heat dissipation space 110 inside the housing 100 may have a partition wall shape surrounding the refrigerant pipe 300.

[0048] The refrigerant pipe 300 has a flow path 301 through which refrigerant flows, and a refrigerant inlet component 310 is provided at one end for introducing refrigerant into the flow path 301, and the flow path 301 is arranged at the other end. A refrigerant discharge component 320 is arranged through which the circulated refrigerant is discharged. The refrigerant pipe 300 may be formed into a tube shape made of a metallic material. Heat is exchanged through the refrigerant circulating along the flow path 301, enabling the converter 10 to dissipate heat.

[0049] The refrigerant pipe 300 and the housing 100 can be integrally formed by gravity casting.

[0050] The refrigerant pipe 300 may include: a first straight portion 302 and a second straight portion 306 arranged parallel to each other; and a connecting portion 304 connecting the first straight portion 302 and the second straight portion 306. The connecting portion 304 may be arranged perpendicular to the first straight portion 302 and the second straight portion 306. The connection region between the connecting portion 304 and the first straight portion 302, and the connection region between the connecting portion 304 and the second straight portion 306, may have a curved shape. A refrigerant inlet component 310 may be arranged at one end of the first straight portion 302, and a refrigerant outlet component 320 may be arranged at one end of the second straight portion 306.

[0051] The partition wall of the heat dissipation space 110 is formed to surround the first straight portion 302, the second straight portion 306 and the connecting portion 304 arranged inside the housing 100; and the connection area between the first straight portion 302 and the connecting portion 304 and the connection area between the second straight portion 306 and the connecting portion 304 can be exposed to the space inside the housing 100.

[0052] At least one electronic component for driving the converter 10 may be arranged in the internal space 101. The electronic component may include a printed circuit board 120, a first electronic component 122, and a second electronic component 130.

[0053] The printed circuit board 120 is formed in a plate shape and can be disposed within the internal space 101. The upper surface of the printed circuit board 120 is arranged to face the cover 190, and the lower surface of the printed circuit board 120 can be arranged to face the bottom surface of the internal space 101. Multiple electronic components can be disposed on both surfaces of the printed circuit board 120. A first electronic component 122 is disposed on the upper surface of the printed circuit board 120, and a second electronic component 130 can be disposed on the lower surface of the printed circuit board 120.

[0054] A first electronic component 122 may be disposed on the upper surface of a printed circuit board 120. The first electronic component 122 may include a FET device. Multiple first electronic components 122 may be disposed and mounted on the printed circuit board 120. Multiple first electronic components 122 may be arranged into multiple groups of four. Four first electronic components 122 in a single group may be disposed separately in a corner area. Each group may be spaced apart from each other.

[0055] The first electronic component 122 can be arranged to overlap with the refrigerant pipe 300 in the vertical direction (first direction). The first electronic component 122 can be arranged to overlap with the first straight portion 302 and the second straight portion 306 in the vertical direction. For example, the first electronic component 122 includes six groups, and three groups overlap with the first straight portion 302 in the vertical direction, and the remaining three groups can be arranged to overlap with the second straight portion 306 in the vertical direction.

[0056] The lower surface of the printed circuit board 120 can contact the outer surface of the heat dissipation space 110. A first thermally conductive layer 129 can be disposed between the lower surface of the printed circuit board 120 and the upper surface of the heat dissipation space 110. With the insertion of the first thermally conductive layer 129, the lower surface of the printed circuit board 120 and the upper surface of the heat dissipation space 110 can contact each other. The first thermally conductive layer 129 is formed of a material with excellent thermal conductivity and is capable of transferring the driving heat of the first electronic component 122 to the heat dissipation space 110. The upper surface of the heat dissipation space 110 on which the first thermally conductive layer 129 is disposed can be a flat surface.

[0057] The second electronic component 130 can be disposed on the lower surface of the printed circuit board 120. The second electronic component 130 may include an inductor for obtaining inductance. Multiple second electronic components 130 may be disposed and mounted on the lower surface of the printed circuit board 120. Three of the second electronic components 130 form a row, and six of them may be disposed within the internal space 101. The six second electronic components 130 may include: a first row formed by second-first electronic component 131, second-second electronic component 132, and second-third electronic component 133; and a second row formed by second-fourth electronic component 134, second-fifth electronic component 135, and second-sixth electronic component 136. Each of the second electronic components 130 may be arranged spaced apart from each other.

[0058] A recess 102 to which the second electronic component 130 is coupled can be formed on the bottom surface of the internal space 101. The recess 102 is formed to correspond to the cross-sectional shape of the second electronic component 130, and a portion of the bottom surface of the internal space 101 can be recessed further downward than other areas. A portion of the second electronic component 130 can be accommodated inside the recess 102, and another portion can protrude outward from the recess 102. The upper region of the second electronic component 130 protruding outside the recess 102 can be coupled to the printed circuit board 120. In the lower surface of the housing 100, a protrusion 107 that protrudes further downward than other areas can be arranged in the region corresponding to the region forming the recess 102. The protrusion 107 can be arranged to overlap with the region of the heat dissipation space 110 that protrudes horizontally into the lower surface of the housing 100.

[0059] The second electronic component 130 may include a core and a coil disposed inside the core. The core is disposed in a recess 102, and the coil is exposed above the core for electrical connection to a printed circuit board 120.

[0060] At least a portion of the second electronic component 130 is arranged to overlap with the refrigerant pipe 300 in a horizontal direction. The horizontal direction (second direction) can be understood as a direction perpendicular to the vertical direction and parallel to the printed circuit board 120. The second-first electronic component 131, the second-second electronic component 132, and the second-third electronic component 133 can be arranged to overlap with the first straight portion 302 in a horizontal direction. The second-fourth electronic component 134, the second-fifth electronic component 135, and the second-sixth electronic component 136 can be arranged to overlap with the second straight portion 306 in a horizontal direction. Therefore, the driving heat of the second electronic component 130 can be easily transferred to the refrigerant pipe 300.

[0061] Simultaneously, the second heating layer 150 can be disposed between the inner surface of the recess 102 and the outer surface of the second electronic component 130. The second heat conduction layer 150 may include a side surface portion 152 disposed between the side surface of the second electronic component 130 and the inner surface of the recess 102, and a lower surface portion 154 disposed between the lower surface of the second electronic component 130 and the bottom surface of the recess 102. The cross-section of the second heat conduction layer 150 may have letters passing through the side surface portion 152 and the lower surface portion 154. The second thermally conductive layer 150 is formed of a material with excellent thermal conductivity and is capable of transferring the driving heat of the second electronic component 130 to the refrigerant pipe 300 and the heat dissipation space 110. The second thermally conductive layer 150 may have a pad shape.

[0062] Based on the above structure, since the first and second electronic components arranged on both sides of the printed circuit board form an optimal heat dissipation structure with the refrigerant pipe, there is an advantage that can enhance heat dissipation efficiency.

[0063] In particular, in the case of the second electronic component, since heat is dissipated not only from the lower surface but also from the side surface, there is an advantage in increasing the heat dissipation area of ​​the electronic component.

[0064] In the above description, all components constituting embodiments of the invention are described as being combined or manipulated into one; however, the invention is not necessarily limited to these embodiments. In other words, within the scope of the invention, all components may be selectively operated in combination with one or more components. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or "having" above, unless otherwise specified, mean that the corresponding component may be inherent and should therefore be interpreted as not excluding other components but rather further including them. Unless otherwise defined, all terms, including technical and scientific terms, have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. Commonly used terms, such as those defined in dictionaries, should be interpreted as consistent with the context of the relevant art and should not be interpreted in an ideal or overly formal sense unless explicitly defined in this invention.

[0065] The above description is merely an illustration of the technical concept of the present invention, and those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains can make various modifications and variations without departing from the essential characteristics of the invention. Therefore, the embodiments disclosed in this invention are intended not to limit the technical concept of the invention, but rather to describe the invention, and the scope of the technical concept of the invention is not limited by these embodiments. The scope of protection of this invention should be interpreted through the following claims, and all technical concepts within the equivalent scope should be interpreted as being included within the scope of this invention.

Claims

1. A converter, comprising: A housing, the housing including an internal space; A printed circuit board, which is arranged within the internal space; A first electronic component is disposed on the upper surface of the printed circuit board; A second electronic component is disposed on the lower surface of the printed circuit board; as well as A heat dissipation space, which is arranged in the housing; as well as A refrigerant pipe is arranged inside the heat dissipation space and refrigerant flows therein. The first electronic component is arranged to overlap with the heat dissipation space in a first direction. The second electronic component is arranged to overlap with the heat dissipation space in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The refrigerant pipe includes: a first straight section having a refrigerant inlet component at one end; a second straight section having a refrigerant outlet component at one end parallel to the first straight section; and a connecting section connecting the first straight section and the second straight section and perpendicular to both the first straight section and the second straight section. The second electronic component is provided in multiple forms, some of which are arranged along a first row parallel to the first straight portion, and some of the remaining electronic components are arranged along a second row parallel to the second straight portion. The second electronic component, arranged along the first row, is positioned on the lower surface of the printed circuit board at a location facing the first straight section. The second electronic component, arranged along the second row, is positioned on the lower surface of the printed circuit board at a location facing the second straight section. The heat dissipation space has a partition wall shape surrounding the refrigerant pipe. The connection areas between the first straight portion and the connecting portion, and the connection areas between the second straight portion and the connecting portion, are exposed to the outside of the heat dissipation space. Specifically, the partition wall is discontinuous in the connection area between the first straight section and the connecting section, and in the connection area between the second straight section and the connecting section.

2. The converter according to claim 1, in, The first direction is the up-down direction, and The second direction is parallel to the printed circuit board.

3. The converter according to claim 1, in, A first thermally conductive layer is disposed between the upper surface of the heat dissipation space and the lower surface of the printed circuit board.

4. The converter according to claim 1, in, A recess, formed to be more recessed than other areas and accommodating the second electronic component, is arranged on the bottom surface of the interior space.

5. The converter according to claim 4, in, The second thermally conductive layer is disposed between the inner surface of the groove and the outer surface of the second electronic component.

6. The converter according to claim 5, in, The second heat-conducting layer includes a side surface portion, which is disposed between the side surface of the second electronic component and the inner surface of the groove; And a lower surface portion, which is disposed between the lower surface of the second electronic component and the bottom surface of the groove.

7. The converter according to claim 1, wherein, On the lower surface of the housing, the area where the heat dissipation space is arranged protrudes downward from the other areas.

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