Radiator assembly

Abstract

A heat sink assembly includes: a heat sink having a plurality of ribs integrally molded along an internal length direction by extrusion molding, a space between the plurality of ribs forming a flow path, and having a first surface and a second surface open at both ends in the length direction; and a pair of end plugs respectively closing a first surface and a second surface at both ends of the heat sink, in which the heat sink ribs include: a middle rib closed at one end of the first surface and open at the other end of the second surface relative to the pair of end plugs; and a side rib provided on at least one side with respect to the middle rib and opened at both ends of the first surface side and the second surface side.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a heat sink assembly mounted to a bottom surface of a battery pack having a plurality of secondary batteries to facilitate heat dissipation of the battery pack.

[0002] This application claims the benefit of priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0069307, filed on May 30, 2023, and Korean Patent Application No. 10-2024-0067688, filed on May 24, 2024, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Background Art

[0003] Unlike primary batteries, secondary batteries are rechargeable and have been extensively researched and developed in recent years due to their potential for miniaturization and large capacity. The demand for secondary batteries as energy sources is rapidly increasing due to the continuous development of technology and the increasing demand for mobile devices, as well as the emergence of electric vehicles and energy storage systems in response to environmental protection needs.

[0004] Secondary batteries are classified into button-type batteries, cylindrical batteries, prismatic batteries, and pouch-type batteries according to the shape of the battery case. In a secondary battery, an electrode assembly mounted in a battery case is a chargeable and dischargeable power generation device including a stacked structure of electrodes and separators.

[0005] Since secondary batteries need to be used continuously for a long time, it is necessary to effectively control the heat generated during the charging and discharging process. If the secondary battery is not properly cooled, the temperature increase will lead to an increase in current, which in turn will lead to an increase in temperature, which will cause a chain reaction and eventually lead to the worst situation of thermal runaway.

[0006] In order to effectively dissipate the heat generated by the secondary battery, a radiator (also called a cooling plate) through which a coolant flows is widely used. The radiator is mounted on the bottom surface of a group of secondary batteries (e.g., a battery pack in which a plurality of secondary batteries are mounted), and performs a cooling function by absorbing the heat generated in the battery pack with the coolant and releasing it to the outside.

[0007] Radiators can be divided into brazed radiators and extruded radiators according to their structure or manufacturing method. A brazed radiator is a structure in which two plates are brazed together to form a flow path, which has a high degree of freedom in flow path design, but has a disadvantage in structural rigidity due to material degradation. On the other hand, an extruded radiator manufactured as a continuum by extrusion molding has an advantage in structural rigidity, but has the following disadvantages: only a straight flow path can be achieved, resulting in a large number of ports, so the pipes used for connection will take up space. Summary of the invention

[0008] Technical issues

[0009] The present disclosure aims to provide a radiator assembly which is an extruded radiator and does not require a separate pipe for flow path formation, thus occupying less space and can reduce the number of components through a simplified flow path configuration, thereby improving the pressure difference.

[0010] However, the technical problems to be solved by the present disclosure are not limited to the above problems, and a person skilled in the art can clearly understand other problems not mentioned from the description of the present disclosure described below.

[0011] Technical Solution

[0012] The present disclosure relates to a radiator assembly, wherein, in one example, the radiator assembly includes: a radiator having a plurality of ribs integrally formed along an internal length direction by extrusion molding, wherein spaces between the plurality of ribs form a flow path, and the radiator has an open first surface and a second surface at both ends of the length direction; and a pair of end plugs, respectively closing the first surface and the second surface at both ends of the radiator, wherein the radiator ribs include: an intermediate rib, wherein the intermediate rib is closed at one end of the first surface and is open at the other end of the second surface relative to the pair of end plugs; and a side rib, which is arranged on at least one side relative to the intermediate rib and is open at both ends of the first surface side and the second surface side.

[0013] In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, on the first surface side closed relative to the end plug, the middle rib may be provided with an inlet on one side in the width direction and with an outlet on the other side.

[0014] Furthermore, a plurality of side ribs are provided, and one end of the first surface side of the plurality of side ribs may be farther from the first surface as it approaches the middle rib, and the other end of the second surface side of the plurality of side ribs may be closer to the second surface as it approaches the middle rib.

[0015] A plurality of side ribs may be provided on both sides in the width direction based on the middle rib.

[0016] Meanwhile, in an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a pair of end plugs may be respectively coupled to the first surface and the second surface of the heat sink by welding.

[0017] In one example, a pair of end plugs may be joined to the upper plate and the lower plate of the heat sink at the first surface side and the second surface side, respectively, by friction stir welding, and welding depths of the friction stir welding on the upper plate and the lower plate may overlap each other.

[0018] Alternatively, a pair of end plugs are joined to the upper plate or lower plate of the heat sink on the first surface side and the second surface side respectively by friction stir welding, and the welding depth of the friction stir welding can start from the upper plate or the lower plate and can penetrate the end plugs to reach at least a portion of the lower plate or the upper plate.

[0019] Furthermore, the upper plate and the lower plate of the heat sink may have different thicknesses with respect to the flow path in the first surface and the second surface.

[0020] Furthermore, the welding depth of the friction stir welding to the first and second surfaces of the heat sink may start from any one of the upper and lower plates having a smaller thickness relative to the flow path and may penetrate the end plug to at least a portion of the other having a larger thickness.

[0021] In another example, a pair of end plugs are joined to the upper plate and the lower plate of the heat sink at the first surface side and the second surface side by friction stir welding, respectively, and separate auxiliary welding parts may be formed on the pair of end plugs and the sides of the first surface and the second surface.

[0022] The auxiliary welded portion is formed in a region where weld depths of friction stir welding on the upper plate and the lower plate do not overlap each other.

[0023] Furthermore, the welding depth of the friction stir welding on the upper plate and the lower plate is connected by the auxiliary weld.

[0024] According to an embodiment, an auxiliary weld may be formed on a machined surface exposing a welding depth of friction stir welding on the upper and lower plates, and the auxiliary weld connects welding depths of friction stir welding on the upper and lower plates that do not overlap with each other.

[0025] In yet another example, a pair of end plugs may be joined by friction stir welding along a front width direction of the end plugs with respect to first and second surfaces of the heat sink.

[0026] In this case, the welding depth of the friction stir welding spans across the upper plate, the lower plate, and the side surface with respect to the first surface and the second surface of the heat sink.

[0027] Beneficial Effects

[0028] The radiator assembly of the present disclosure having the structure as described above has excellent structural rigidity because the radiator is manufactured as a continuous body by extrusion molding, and at the same time, the middle ribs and side ribs are formed by machining the two ends in the length direction of the ribs integrally formed in the radiator, and a cooling channel can be configured by combining a pair of end plugs at the two ends, and the cooling channel is divided into an inlet and an outlet.

[0029] Therefore, the radiator assembly of the present invention, while having an extruded radiator as a basic frame (which has advantages in structural rigidity), occupies less space because no separate pipes are required to form a flow path, and can reduce the number of components through a simplified flow path configuration, thereby improving the pressure difference.

[0030] However, the technical effects that can be obtained through the present disclosure are not limited to the above-mentioned effects, and a person of ordinary skill in the art can clearly understand other effects that are not mentioned through the description of the present disclosure described below. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] Since the following drawings attached to this specification illustrate exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure and help understand the technical idea of ​​the present disclosure in conjunction with the specific embodiments of the present disclosure described below, the present disclosure should not be limitedly interpreted based on the drawings.

[0032] Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating a heat sink assembly according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0033] Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the radiator assembly.

[0034] Figure 3 is a diagram showing the structure of a rib integrally formed in a heat sink.

[0035] Figure 4 is a diagram showing the flow of coolant within a radiator assembly.

[0036] Figure 5 is a diagram showing one embodiment of a welding structure of a heat sink and an end plug.

[0037] Figure 6 and Figure 7 is a diagram showing one embodiment of a one-way welding structure of a heat sink and an end plug.

[0038] Figure 8 is a diagram showing another embodiment of a welding structure of a heat sink and an end plug.

[0039] Fig. 9 is a diagram showing still another embodiment of a welding structure of a heat sink and an end plug.

[0040] Fig.10 is a diagram showing an example in which a heat sink assembly according to the present disclosure is applied to a battery pack case. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0041] The present disclosure may have various modifications and various embodiments, so specific embodiments thereof will be described in detail below.

[0042] However, it should be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the specific embodiments, and includes all modifications, equivalents, or substitutes within the spirit and technical scope of the present disclosure.

[0043] The terms "include", "comprising" and "having" as used herein indicate the presence of features, numbers, steps, actions, parts or components or a combination thereof described in this specification, and it should be understood that the possibility of the presence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, actions, parts, components or a combination thereof is not excluded in advance.

[0044] Furthermore, in the present disclosure, when a component in a layer, film, region, plate, etc. is “disposed” “on” another component, this includes not only a case where a component is “directly disposed” “on” another component, but also a case where another component is interposed between the component and the other component. In contrast, when a component in a layer, film, region, plate, etc. is “disposed” “below” another component, this includes not only a case where a component is “disposed “directly below” another component, but also a case where another component is interposed between the component and the other component. Furthermore, in the present application, “on” includes not only a case where it is disposed on the upper part, but also a case where it is disposed on the lower part.

[0045] The present disclosure relates to a radiator assembly, wherein, in one example, the radiator assembly includes: a radiator having a plurality of ribs integrally formed along an internal length direction by extrusion molding, wherein spaces between the plurality of ribs form a flow path, and the radiator has an open first surface and a second surface at both ends in the length direction; and a pair of end plugs, wherein the pair of end plugs each close the first surface and the second surface at both ends of the radiator, wherein the radiator ribs include: an intermediate rib, which is closed at one end of the first surface and open at the other end of the second surface relative to the pair of end plugs; and a side rib, which is arranged on at least one side relative to the intermediate rib and is open at both ends of the first surface side and the second surface side.

[0046] The radiator assembly of the present disclosure has the above-mentioned structure, wherein the radiator is manufactured as a continuous body by extrusion molding so as to have excellent structural rigidity, and at the same time, both ends in the length direction of the ribs integrally formed in the radiator are machined to form middle ribs and side ribs, so that a cooling channel can be configured by combining a pair of end plugs at both ends, and the cooling channel is divided into an inlet and an outlet.

[0047] Therefore, the radiator assembly of the present invention uses the extruded radiator as the basic frame (which has advantages in structural rigidity) and, because no separate pipes are required to form a flow path, occupies a smaller space and can reduce the number of components through a simplified flow path configuration, thereby increasing the pressure difference.

[0048] [Specific embodiments for carrying out the present invention]

[0049] Hereinafter, a specific embodiment of the heat sink assembly 10 according to the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. For reference, the front, rear, upper, lower, left, and right directions used to designate relative positions in the following description are for the purpose of understanding the present disclosure and refer to the directions shown in the accompanying drawings unless otherwise specified.

[0050] [First embodiment]

[0051] Figure 1 is a diagram showing a heat sink assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, Figure 2 This is an exploded perspective view of the radiator assembly. Figure 3 is a diagram showing the structure of a rib integrally formed in a heat sink. Figures 1 to 3 , the radiator assembly 10 of the present disclosure will be described in detail.

[0052] The heat sink assembly 10 of the present disclosure includes a heat sink 100 and a pair of end plugs 200 . The heat sink 100 is manufactured by extrusion molding.

[0053] The configuration of the heat sink 100 manufactured as a continuous body by extrusion molding corresponds to a main body having a plurality of ribs 110 integrally molded along an inner length direction L. The heat sink 100 may be prepared by cutting an extrusion molded part manufactured as a continuous body into a designed length.

[0054] The plurality of ribs 110 are spaced apart at appropriate intervals, and each space between the ribs 110 is used as a flow path 120 (coolant channel) through which the coolant flows. Furthermore, if the surfaces forming both ends of the length direction L of the heat sink 100 are respectively referred to as a first surface 130 and a second surface 140, the first surface 130 and the second surface 140 are open. That is, through the first surface 130 and the second surface 140, the ribs 110 formed inside the heat sink 100 can be observed and touched.

[0055] Here, the length direction L refers to the extrusion direction of the heat sink 100 , that is, the direction in which the ribs 110 extend; the width direction W refers to a direction orthogonal to the length direction L, and the plurality of ribs 110 are spaced apart from each other in the width direction W.

[0056] A pair of end plugs 200 are respectively coupled to both ends of the heat sink 100 in the length direction L to close the first surface 130 and the second surface 140. The end plug 200 includes an insert 204 and a front portion 202, the insert 204 is inserted into the heat sink 100, and the front portion 202 covers the first surface 130 and the second surface 140 of the heat sink 100 after coupling. That is, when viewed from the width direction W, the end plug 200 is generally shaped like the letter "T" in the English alphabet. The shape of the front portion 202 of the end plug 200 corresponds to the contours of the first surface 130 and the second surface 140 of the heat sink 100, and the insert 204 is shaped to fit closely with the internal space of the heat sink 100. As will be described later, in order to provide an insertion space for the insert 204 of the end plug 200, the plurality of ribs 110 are machined to cut off a portion of their ends.

[0057] like Figure 3 As shown, the plurality of ribs 110 forming the flow path 120 inside the heat sink 100 may be divided into middle ribs 112 and side ribs 114 according to their relative positions with the end plug 200 (contact or not).

[0058] With respect to the pair of end plugs 200, the middle rib 112 is a rib 110 that is closed at one end on the first surface 130 and opened at the other end on the second surface 140. In other words, the middle rib 112 divides the space inside the heat sink 100 into two spaces, which are isolated on the first surface 130 but connected on the second surface 140. Figure 3 In the embodiment, the middle rib 112 is centered, but the middle rib 112 does not necessarily evenly divide the space inside the heat sink 100. The middle rib 112 should be understood in the sense of the rib 110, which is the structural reference of the entire flow path 120 and divides the internal space of the heat sink 100 so that it only extends to the second surface 140 side.

[0059] The side ribs 114 refer to the remaining ribs 110 provided at least on one side of the middle rib 112 in the width direction W. Unlike the middle rib 112, the side ribs 114 are open at both ends on the first surface 130 side and the second surface 140 side relative to the pair of end plugs 200. Therefore, the side ribs 114 provided on either side of the middle rib 112 in the width direction W are connected to each other at both ends of the first surface 130 and the second surface 140.

[0060] It should be noted that although Figure 3It is shown that a plurality of side ribs 114 are located on both sides of the middle rib 112 in the width direction W, but this is an example, and the side ribs 114 may be arranged in various ways. For example, although not shown, one or more side ribs 114 may be provided only on one side of the middle rib 112, or a plurality of side ribs 114 may be provided on one side and only one side rib 114 may be provided on the other side. In addition, the spacing between the side ribs 114 is not necessarily constant.

[0061] Based on the insertion depth of the insert 204 of the end plug 200, the structure of the middle rib 112 and the side ribs 114 (particularly the distances spaced from the first surface 130 and the second surface 140 and the full length of each rib 110) is made into a designed size by machining (e.g., cutting) the first surface 130 and the second surface 140. For example, the spacing between the middle rib 112 and the first surface 130 can be cut to correspond to the length of the insert 204 of the end plug 200, so that one end of the middle rib 112 can be closed on the first surface 130 side.

[0062] In this embodiment of the present disclosure, on the first surface 130 side closed relative to the end plug 200, an inlet 210 is provided on one side of the middle rib 112 in the width direction W, and an outlet 220 is provided on the other side. As described above, the middle rib 112 divides the space inside the radiator 100 into two spaces isolated on the first surface 130 side, but the middle rib 112 is connected relative to the second surface 140. Therefore, by dividing the inlet 210 and the outlet 220 on both sides of the middle rib 112 in the width direction W near the first surface 130, the coolant flows in and out of the radiator 100 in the shape of the English letter "U". Figure 4 , the flow of coolant within the radiator assembly 10 is shown by arrows.

[0063] Furthermore, in the case of a plurality of side ribs 114, the relative positions in the length direction L may be changed while keeping the overall length of each side rib 114 the same or similar to facilitate the coolant flow from the inlet 210 to the outlet 220. Figure 4 The plurality of side ribs 114 may be manufactured such that, in the width direction W, one end of each side rib 114 located on the first surface 130 side gradually moves away from the first surface 130 as it approaches the middle rib 112, while the other end of each side rib 114 located on the second surface 140 side gradually moves closer to the second surface 140 as it approaches the middle rib 112. This relative arrangement of the side ribs 114 reduces the pressure difference of the coolant entering from the inlet 210 and leaving from the outlet 220, and improves the flow distribution in each flow path 120 to be more uniform.

[0064] [Second embodiment]

[0065] In the first embodiment, a structure of a heat sink assembly 10 is described, which utilizes an extruded heat sink 100 but does not require a separate pipe for forming a flow path 120. The heat sink assembly 10 of the present disclosure is manufactured by sealing and bonding a pair of end plugs 200 to the first surface 130 and the second surface 140 of the opening of the heat sink 100, respectively. In the second embodiment, various structures for effectively sealing and bonding the end plugs 200 to the heat sink 100 are described.

[0066] A pair of end plugs 200 that respectively seal the first surface 130 and the second surface 140 of the opening of the heat sink 100 can be combined in a variety of ways, including fitting and sealing components and welding, etc., but considering the thermal expansion and contraction associated with heat dissipation, sealing reliability, durability and productivity, etc., combining by welding may be preferred.

[0067] Figure 5 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a welding structure of a heat sink 100 and an end plug 200. In the example shown, a pair of end plugs 200 are joined to an upper plate 101 and a lower plate 102 of the heat sink 100 by friction stir welding on a first surface 130 side and a second surface 140 side, respectively. The friction stir welding spans the entire width of the heat sink 100, and in particular, the weld depths 300 of the friction stir welding on the upper plate 101 and the lower plate 102 overlap with each other. Since the weld depths 300 at the upper plate 101 and the lower plate 102 overlap, the front portion 202 of the end plug 200 is sealed against the upper plate 101 and the lower plate 102 of the heat sink 100, respectively, and together completes the sealing of the heat sink 100 on both sides in the width direction W. That is, the insert 204 side of the end plug 200 and the heat sink 100 on both sides in the width direction W are joined to each other by the weld depths 300 that overlap from top to bottom. Therefore, in Figure 5 In the embodiment, by sequentially performing two friction stir welding operations on the upper plate 101 and the lower plate 102 of the heat sink 100, a sealing structure in which all sides of the first surface 130 or the second surface 140 are welded is completed.

[0068] Figure 6 2 is a diagram showing a modified example of a welding structure of the heat sink 100 and the end plug 200 . Figure 5 The embodiment can be called a bidirectional welding structure, for example, the end plug 200 is respectively joined to the upper plate 101 and the lower plate 102 of the heat sink 100 by friction stir welding, and Figure 6 The embodiment shows a one-way welding structure, and the end plug 200 is joined to the upper plate 101 or the lower plate 102 of the heat sink 100 by a single friction stir welding.

[0069] Figure 6The one-way welding structure is an embodiment that can be applied when a sufficiently deep welding depth 300 can be formed by friction stir welding. Here, the sufficiently deep welding depth 300 refers to such a welding depth 300 that the friction stir welding starting from the upper plate 101 or the lower plate 102 of the heat sink 100 can penetrate the insert 204 of the inserted end plug 200 to reach at least a portion of the lower plate 102 or the upper plate 101. Figure 6 is an exemplary description of friction stir welding on the upper plate 101 of the heat sink 100, referring to Figure 6 , the meaning of a sufficiently deep welding depth of 300 is self-explanatory.

[0070] Figure 6 The advantage of the one-way welding structure shown is that the end plug 200 is joined and the heat sink 100 is sealed by performing a single friction stir welding on the upper plate 101 or the lower plate 102 of the heat sink 100. Figure 6 In the embodiment, Figure 5 The sealing of the heat sink 100 on the upper plate and the lower plate and the sealing of both sides of the end plug 200 are completed as described in the embodiment of FIG. Therefore, if the welding equipment for friction stir welding has the ability to form a sufficiently deep welding depth 300, it can be achieved by applying Figure 6 The one-way welding structure is used to improve the productivity of the radiator assembly 10.

[0071] Figure 7 yes Figure 6 An alternative application of a one-way welding structure, which enables the one-way welding structure to be applied even when the performance of the welding equipment used for friction stir welding is somewhat insufficient. Figure 7 The thicknesses of the upper plate 101 and the lower plate 102 of the heat sink 100 formed relative to the flow path 120 of the heat sink 100 are configured to be different, and by performing friction stir welding on the thinner side of the heat sink 100, the welding depth 300 is configured to penetrate the insert 204 of the end plug 200 and enter at least a portion of the other side. Figure 7 , the thickness of the upper plate 101 of the heat sink 100 is thinner than that of the lower plate 102, and friction stir welding is performed on the upper plate 101 of the heat sink 100. Here, in order to cope with the asymmetric structure of the thickness of the upper and lower plates of the heat sink 100, the shape of the end plug 200 and the size of the front portion 202 and the position of the insert 204 may be changed.

[0072] Figure 7The embodiment has the following effects: the application scope of the one-way welding structure is expanded, and the equipment limitation of friction stir welding is surpassed. That is, by designing the structure of the heat sink 100 to be asymmetric in thickness, a sufficiently deep welding depth 300 can be obtained to realize the one-way welding structure. For reference, the structural rigidity of the thin side of the heat sink 100 (the upper plate in the figure) should be fully considered during the design, and, although not shown in the figure, if necessary, an auxiliary structure (for example, a rib structure, etc.) can be added to improve the rigidity.

[0073] Figure 8 is a diagram showing an alternative embodiment of a welding structure of the heat sink 100 and the end plug 200 . Figure 8 Examples and Figure 5 The embodiments are similar in that a pair of end plugs 200 are joined to the upper plate 101 and the lower plate 102 of the heat sink 100 on the first surface 130 side and the second surface 140 side respectively by friction stir welding, and further different in that a pair of end plugs 200 and the sides of the first surface 130 and the second surface 140 are formed with separate auxiliary welding portions 310.

[0074] Figure 8 The embodiments are intended to strengthen or supplement the sealing structure of the heat sink 100 in the width direction W. Figure 5 The embodiment requires that the welding depths 300 of the friction stir welding on the upper plate 101 and the lower plate 102 overlap each other, but Figure 8 The welding structure can be used to deal with possible welding quality deviations caused by equipment limitations of friction stir welding, aging of welding tools over time, etc., or difficulty in ensuring a sufficient welding depth of 300 by friction stir welding due to the characteristics of the base material.

[0075] Therefore, basically, the auxiliary welding part 310 is formed in the area where the welding depths 300 of the friction stir welding on the upper plate 101 and the lower plate 102 do not overlap each other. Therefore, the welding depths 300 of the friction stir welding on the upper plate 101 and the lower plate 102 are completely connected by the auxiliary welding part 310, and the sealing structure of both sides of the heat sink 100 in the width direction W is densely completed.

[0076] according to Figure 8 In the embodiment, the auxiliary welding part 310 may be formed on a machining surface 320 that exposes the welding depth 300 of the friction stir welding on the upper plate 101 and the lower plate 102 and connects the welding depths 300 of the friction stir welding that do not overlap each other of the upper plate 101 and the lower plate 102. The machining surface 320 is made to expose the depth of the insert 204 of the end plug 200, for example, the machining surface 320 may be formed as a curved surface or a flat surface by milling.

[0077] Fig. 9 2 is a diagram showing another embodiment of a welding structure of a heat sink 100 and an end plug 200. Figure 5 and Figure 8 Compared with the embodiment, Fig. 9 The embodiment of the invention differs in that the welding direction to the end plug 200 is: Fig. 9 In the embodiment of the present invention, the first surface 130 and the second surface 140 of the heat sink 100 are joined along the width direction W of the front portion 202 of the end plug 200 by friction stir welding. That is, the friction stir welding is performed through the front portion 202 of the end plug 200 instead of through the upper plate 101 and the lower plate 102 of the heat sink 100. Fig. 9 shown.

[0078] exist Fig. 9 In this embodiment, as shown in the cross-sectional view, the welding depth 300 of the friction stir welding spans the upper plate 101 and the lower plate 102 and the side surface relative to the first surface 130 and the second surface 140 of the heat sink 100. By making the welding depth 300 span the upper plate 101 and the lower plate 102 and the side surface of the heat sink 100, the entire surface engaged with the end plug 200 is sealed. Fig. 9 An advantage of the embodiment is that the sealing of the first surface 130 or the second surface 140 of the heat sink 100 is accomplished by performing a single friction stir welding on the front portion 202 of the end plug 200 .

[0079] [Third embodiment]

[0080] Fig.10 An example in which the heat sink assembly 10 of the present disclosure described in detail above is applied to a battery pack housing 400 is shown.

[0081] exist Fig.10 In the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the heat sink assembly 10 is bonded to the outer side (bottom surface) of the bottom plate 410 of the battery pack housing 400. The battery pack housing 400 shown is configured with a plurality of battery modules (not shown), which are installed in two rows along the length direction L, and each row is provided with a corresponding heat sink assembly 10, one per row. However, this is only an example, and a single heat sink assembly 10 may be bonded to the entire bottom surface of the battery pack housing 400.

[0082] The two heat sink assemblies 10 are mirror-symmetrical with respect to the middle of the length direction L of the battery pack housing 400 in terms of the layout of the ports 210 and 220 and the structure of the flow path 120. In the illustrated embodiment, a pair of inlets 210 are located in the middle of the battery pack housing 400 in the width direction W, and a pair of outlets are located further outward. By absorbing heat from the middle of the width direction W by the coolant, cooling of the internal battery cells that are at a disadvantage in terms of heat dissipation is effectively achieved.

[0083] As described above, the present disclosure has been described in more detail through the drawings and embodiments. However, since the construction described in the drawings or the embodiments described herein are only one embodiment of the present disclosure and do not represent the overall technical spirit of the present disclosure, it should be understood that the present disclosure covers various equivalents, modifications and substitutes at the time of submitting this application.

[0084] [Description of Reference Numerals]

[0085] 10: Radiator assembly

[0086] 100: Radiator

[0087] 101: On board

[0088] 102: Lower the board

[0089] 110: Rib

[0090] 112: Middle rib

[0091] 114: Side ribs

[0092] 120: Flow Path

[0093] 130: First surface

[0094] 140: Second surface

[0095] 200: End plug

[0096] 202: Front

[0097] 204: Insert

[0098] 210: Entrance

[0099] 220: Exit

[0100] 300: Welding depth

[0101] 310: Auxiliary welding part

[0102] 320: Processing surface

[0103] 400: Battery pack housing

[0104] 410: Base plate

[0105] L: length direction

[0106] W: Width direction

Claims

1. A radiator assembly, comprising: A heat sink having a plurality of ribs integrally formed along an inner length direction by extrusion molding, wherein spaces between the plurality of ribs form a flow path, and the heat sink has a first surface and a second surface with openings at both ends in the length direction; as well as a pair of end plugs, respectively closing the first surface and the second surface at both ends of the radiator, Wherein, the radiator ribs include: a middle rib which is closed at one end on the first surface side and open at the other end on the second surface side relative to the pair of end plugs; and A side rib is provided at least on one side relative to the middle rib, and both ends of the side rib are open on the first surface side and the second surface side.

2. The heat sink assembly according to claim 1, wherein: On the first surface side closed relative to the end plug, the intermediate rib is provided with an inlet on one side in the width direction and an outlet on the other side.

3. The heat sink assembly according to claim 2, wherein: A plurality of side ribs are provided, and One ends of the side ribs on the first surface side are farther from the first surface as they approach the middle rib, and the other ends of the side ribs on the second surface side are closer to the second surface as they approach the middle rib.

4. The heat sink assembly according to claim 3, wherein: Taking the middle rib as a reference, a plurality of side ribs are respectively arranged on both sides in the width direction.

5. The heat sink assembly according to claim 1, wherein: The pair of end plugs are respectively bonded to the first surface and the second surface of the heat sink by welding.

6. The heat sink assembly according to claim 5, wherein: The pair of end plugs are joined to the upper plate and the lower plate of the heat sink at the first surface side and the second surface side by friction stir welding, respectively, and Weld depths of the friction stir welds on the upper plate and the lower plate overlap each other.

7. The heat sink assembly according to claim 1, wherein: The pair of end plugs are joined to the upper plate or the lower plate of the heat sink at the first surface side and the second surface side by friction stir welding, respectively, and The welding depth of the friction stir welding starts from the upper plate or the lower plate and penetrates through the end plug to reach at least a portion of the lower plate or the upper plate.

8. The heat sink assembly according to claim 7, wherein: In the heat sink, the upper plate and the lower plate have different thicknesses with respect to the flow path in the first surface and the second surface.

9. The heat sink assembly according to claim 8, wherein: The welding depth of the friction stir welding to the first and second surfaces of the heat sink starts from any one of the upper plate and the lower plate having a smaller thickness relative to the flow path, penetrates the end plug and reaches at least a portion of the other one having a larger thickness.

10. The heat sink assembly according to claim 5, wherein: The pair of end plugs are joined to the upper plate and the lower plate of the heat sink at the first surface side and the second surface side by friction stir welding, respectively, and Separate auxiliary welding portions are formed on the pair of end plugs and on the sides of the first surface and the second surface.

11. The heat sink assembly according to claim 10, wherein: The auxiliary welded portion is formed in a region where weld depths of friction stir welding on the upper plate and the lower plate do not overlap with each other.

12. The heat sink assembly according to claim 11, wherein: The welding depths of the friction stir welding on the upper plate and the lower plate are connected by the auxiliary weld.

13. The heat sink assembly according to claim 10, wherein: The auxiliary welding part is formed on the processed surface exposing the welding depth of the friction stir welding on the upper plate and the lower plate, and The auxiliary weld connects the weld depths of the friction stir welds on the upper plate and the lower plate that do not overlap with each other.

14. The heat sink assembly according to claim 5, wherein: The pair of end plugs are joined by friction stir welding along a front width direction of the end plugs with respect to the first surface and the second surface of the heat sink.

15. The heat sink assembly according to claim 14, wherein: A welding depth of the friction stir welding spans across an upper plate, a lower plate, and a side surface relative to the first surface and the second surface of the heat sink.

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