Cooling structure for vehicle-mounted device

Abstract

A cooling structure for an in-vehicle device is provided with: an in-vehicle device that is mounted in a predetermined space of a vehicle and that has a heat generation unit; and a refrigerant flow path provided in a housing of the vehicle-mounted device, the housing having a heat receiving portion that faces and approaches the external heat source in a state where the vehicle-mounted device is placed in the space, and that has a temperature increased by heat from the external heat source being transferred thereto, the refrigerant flow path having: a cooling flow path that is in contact with or approaches the heat generating portion and that is provided in the housing; the heat generating part is cooled through a refrigerant; and a heat-insulating flow path which communicates with the cooling flow path, through which the refrigerant flows continuously with the cooling flow path, and which is in contact with or close to the heat receiving part, and which cuts off or suppresses heat transfer from the external heat source by the refrigerant.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a cooling structure for cooling equipment or devices that generate heat and increase in temperature, and particularly to a cooling structure for vehicle-mounted equipment such as an inverter or a converter mounted on a vehicle. Background Art

[0002] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2022-41224 describes a power conversion device (inverter) designed to efficiently cool smoothing capacitors. The power conversion device described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2022-41224 includes a capacitor element for smoothing DC power, and a metal housing having a housing for the capacitor element and a refrigerant flow path. The power conversion device also includes a potting resin that fills the gap between the capacitor element and the housing. The housing is partially filled with potting resin, and a reservoir is formed to adjust the height of the exposed surface of the potting resin. Furthermore, a refrigerant flow path is formed on the bottom surface of the housing of the metal housing.

[0003] In addition, International Publication No. 2014 / 147961 describes an electronic device cooling device having a rectangular parallelepiped housing with a built-in heat-generating element, and a power conversion device (converter) equipped with the electronic device cooling device. The electronic device cooling device and power conversion device described in International Publication No. 2014 / 147961 are provided with a flat partition inside a chamber. The partition is tilted relative to two adjacent and orthogonal surfaces of the rectangular parallelepiped housing in a manner that distributes the desired refrigerant flow rate corresponding to the heat generation ratio of the chamber. In this way, the two adjacent and orthogonal surfaces (bottom surface and wall surface) of the housing are efficiently cooled. Furthermore, in International Publication No. 2014 / 147961, as a specific example of a power conversion device, a structure in which refrigerant flow paths are provided on the bottom surface and wall surfaces is described. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The power conversion device described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2022-41224 and International Publication No. 2014 / 147961 is a cooling structure for cooling a power conversion device such as an inverter or a converter, and a refrigerant flow path is provided inside a shell such as a metal shell. By circulating the refrigerant in the refrigerant flow path, the components and equipment arranged in the shell can be efficiently cooled. However, in the cooling structure described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2022-41224 and International Publication No. 2014 / 147961, thermal interference from the outside is not taken into account, that is, the heat transferred from the outside of the device is not taken into account. Therefore, the cooling performance may be insufficient by using only the refrigerant flow path as described above, and the heat-generating components or equipment in the shell cannot be fully cooled.

[0005] For example, onboard devices such as inverters and converters installed in hybrid electric vehicles or battery electric vehicles often use heat-generating semiconductors or magnetic components. Therefore, by applying the cooling structures (refrigerant flow paths) described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2022-41224 and International Publication No. 2014 / 147961, it is possible to cool onboard devices whose temperatures rise. However, such onboard devices are sometimes located close to other components or devices that generate high temperatures, such as electric motors, engines, other high-voltage devices, and engine exhaust systems. In other words, they are sometimes located close to or adjacent to external heat sources. Therefore, in addition to the temperature rise caused by their own heat generation, onboard devices such as inverters and converters may also experience temperature rises due to heat transfer from external heat sources. To prevent such heat transfer from external heat sources, i.e., external thermal interference, countermeasures such as placing them sufficiently separated from external heat sources or installing insulating members or thermal insulation materials are conceivable. However, either countermeasure results in an increase in the size of the device or installation space, a more complex structure, or an increase in the number of parts.

[0006] The present disclosure has been conceived in view of the above-mentioned technical problems, and aims to provide a cooling structure for vehicle-mounted equipment that can achieve sufficient cooling performance with a simple structure without increasing the size of the device or the installation space.

[0007] To achieve the above-mentioned object, the cooling structure of an on-vehicle device disclosed herein comprises: an on-vehicle device mounted in a predetermined space of a vehicle and having a heat generating portion whose temperature rises during operation; and a refrigerant flow path provided in a housing of the on-vehicle device and through which a refrigerant for cooling the heat generating portion flows. The cooling structure of the on-vehicle device is characterized in that:

[0008] The housing has a heat receiving portion, which is close to and faces a predetermined external heat source when the vehicle-mounted device is placed in the space, and is thus heated by the heat from the external heat source.

[0009] The above-mentioned refrigerant flow path includes: a cooling flow path, which is in contact with or close to the above-mentioned heat-generating part and cools the above-mentioned heat-generating part through the above-mentioned refrigerant; and a heat-insulating flow path, which is connected to the above-mentioned cooling flow path, continuously supplies the above-mentioned refrigerant to flow with the above-mentioned cooling flow path, and is in contact with or close to the above-mentioned heat-receiving part, and cuts off or suppresses heat transfer from the above-mentioned external heat source through the above-mentioned refrigerant.

[0010] In addition, the cooling flow path of the present disclosure may also be arranged to be in contact with or close to the heat generating portion at a location other than the heat receiving portion in the housing.

[0011] The heat-insulating flow path of the present disclosure may be arranged to face the inner wall surface of the heat-receiving portion (the inner side of the housing) and to be in contact with or close to the heat-receiving portion.

[0012] In addition, the refrigerant flow path in the present disclosure may include a cooling and heat-insulating flow path, the cooling and heat-insulating flow path being connected to at least one of the cooling flow path and the heat-insulating flow path, continuously supplying the refrigerant to flow through at least one of the cooling flow path and the heat-insulating flow path, and the cooling and heat-insulating flow path being in contact with or close to the heat-generating portion to cool the heat-generating portion by the refrigerant, and being in contact with or close to the heat-receiving portion to cut off or suppress heat transfer from the external heat source by the refrigerant.

[0013] It can also be that the above-mentioned cooling and heat-insulating flow path disclosed in the present invention has a cooling surface facing the above-mentioned heat-generating part and an insulating surface facing the above-mentioned heat-receiving part, and the above-mentioned cooling and heat-insulating flow path is configured so that the above-mentioned cooling surface is in contact with or close to the above-mentioned heat-generating part, and the above-mentioned insulating surface is in contact with or close to the above-mentioned heat-receiving part facing the above-mentioned inner wall surface.

[0014] Furthermore, the refrigerant flow path of the present disclosure may include an inlet for allowing the refrigerant to flow into the refrigerant flow path and an outlet for allowing the refrigerant to flow out of the refrigerant flow path.

[0015] In the present disclosure, the refrigerant having a temperature equal to or lower than that of the refrigerant flowing out of the outflow port may be caused to flow into the refrigerant flow path from the inflow port.

[0016] The cooling structure of the vehicle-mounted equipment disclosed in the present invention cools vehicle-mounted equipment such as inverters, converters, or AC chargers installed in hybrid electric vehicles or battery electric vehicles. Most of these vehicle-mounted equipment use semiconductors or magnetic elements that generate heat, and therefore their temperature rises during operation. Therefore, the cooling structure of the vehicle-mounted equipment disclosed in the present invention includes a refrigerant flow path for cooling heat-generating parts such as semiconductors and magnetic elements. The refrigerant flow path cools the heat-generating parts by means of a refrigerant flowing in the cooling flow path, as in the past. In addition, the refrigerant flow path includes a heat-insulating flow path together with the above-mentioned cooling flow path. The heat-insulating flow path is, for example, provided in a heat-receiving part facing an external heat source such as an engine or an electric motor, and isolates heat transferred from the external heat source to the housing of the vehicle-mounted equipment. In short, the refrigerant flow path in the cooling structure of the vehicle-mounted equipment disclosed in the present invention is composed of a cooling flow path and a heat-insulating flow path, and has both a cooling function of cooling the heat-generating parts and a heat-insulating function of insulating the external heat source from the vehicle-mounted equipment. Therefore, when cooling the heat generating portion, it is also possible to insulate the external heat source, thereby improving the cooling performance of the cooling structure. In addition, the cooling flow path and the heat-insulating flow path in the refrigerant flow path are interconnected so that the same refrigerant circulates continuously, and thus can be easily constructed without significantly changing the previous cooling structure (the structure of only the cooling flow path). Furthermore, as described above, in addition to cooling the heat generating portion, the refrigerant flow path is also used for heat insulation from the external heat source, thereby eliminating the need for space for insulation and heat-insulating materials such as insulating parts. Therefore, miniaturization and simplification of the vehicle-mounted equipment can be achieved. Furthermore, the mounting space for the vehicle-mounted equipment can be ensured, and the degree of freedom of the mounting layout can be improved.

[0017] Therefore, the cooling structure for vehicle-mounted equipment disclosed herein can achieve sufficient cooling performance for cooling the vehicle-mounted equipment with a simple structure, without increasing the size of the device or installation space. Furthermore, the improved cooling performance allows for miniaturization of the vehicle-mounted equipment, resulting in a vehicle-mounted equipment that is easily mountable on a vehicle. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] Features, advantages, and technical and industrial significance of exemplary embodiments of the invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals represent like parts, and in which:

[0019] Figure 1 This is a diagram showing an example (basic configuration example) of a cooling structure of an in-vehicle device targeted by the present disclosure.

[0020] Figure 2 This is a diagram showing another example of the cooling structure of the vehicle-mounted equipment targeted by the present disclosure (an example of a configuration corresponding to two external heat sources).

[0021] Figure 3This is a diagram showing another example of the cooling structure of the vehicle-mounted equipment targeted by the present disclosure (an example of a structure for cooling a heat generating portion in contact with both surfaces of a cooling flow path).

[0022] Figure 4 This is a diagram showing another example of the cooling structure of the vehicle-mounted equipment targeted by the present disclosure (a configuration example corresponding to three external heat sources).

[0023] Figure 5 This is a diagram showing another example of the cooling structure of the vehicle-mounted equipment targeted by the present disclosure (an example of a structure for cooling a substrate-shaped heat generating portion). DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] The embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. The embodiment described below is merely an example of a case where the present invention is embodied, and does not limit the present invention.

[0025] The vehicle-mounted device in the embodiment of the present disclosure is targeted at machines or devices mounted on a vehicle. The vehicle-mounted device has a heat-generating portion such as a semiconductor or a magnetic element that generates heat. In addition, when mounted on a vehicle, it is placed adjacent to or close to an external heat source such as an engine or an electric motor. Therefore, the vehicle-mounted device has a heat-receiving portion, which is close to the external heat source when the vehicle-mounted device is mounted on the vehicle, thereby receiving heat transfer from the external heat source and increasing in temperature. Furthermore, the cooling structure of the vehicle-mounted device in the embodiment of the present disclosure is configured to cool the heat-generating portion as described above and to insulate the heat transferred to the heat-receiving portion. An example of such a cooling structure for a vehicle-mounted device is shown in Figure 1 .

[0026] Figure 1 The illustrated vehicle-mounted device 1 and its cooling structure 2 are placed in a predetermined space 3 of a vehicle Ve. Vehicle Ve is not limited to a specific type. For example, it may be a conventional engine vehicle powered by an engine, a hybrid electric vehicle powered by an engine and an electric motor, or a battery electric vehicle powered by an electric motor (none of which are shown). Examples of space 3 in this case include an engine compartment (not shown), a battery compartment (not shown), or a trunk (not shown). An external heat source 4 is located in space 3, and the vehicle-mounted device 1 is placed adjacent to this external heat source 4. Examples of external heat source 4 include other components, machinery, or devices that generate heat and reach high temperatures, such as an engine (not shown), an electric motor (not shown), or an engine exhaust system (not shown). External heat source 4 is located in space 3 and thermally affects the vehicle-mounted device 1 located adjacent to or adjacent to the vehicle-mounted device 1 in space 3. "Other vehicle-mounted devices" having a heat generating unit 6 (described later) can also serve as external heat source 4 in the embodiments of the present disclosure, provided they are located adjacent to or close to the vehicle-mounted device 1 in space 3.

[0027] In-vehicle equipment 1 is a machine or device mounted in a predetermined space 3 of a vehicle Ve as described above. Examples of such equipment include an inverter (not shown), a converter (not shown), or an AC charger (not shown) mounted on a hybrid electric vehicle or a battery electric vehicle. In the embodiment of the present disclosure, in-vehicle equipment 1 includes a housing 5, a heat generating unit 6, and a heat receiving unit 7.

[0028] The housing 5 is a component that forms the outer shell of the vehicle-mounted device 1. In other words, the housing 5 is the outer shell or housing of the vehicle-mounted device 1 that houses the devices and components (not shown) that constitute the vehicle-mounted device 1. The shape of the housing 5 is arbitrary and is not limited to a specific shape or size. Figure 1 , a rectangular cross section of the rectangular parallelepiped housing 5 is shown as an example.

[0029] The heat generating portion 6 is a device, component or part of the devices and components constituting the vehicle-mounted equipment 1 that generates heat during operation and causes the temperature to rise. In addition, the heat generating portion 6 is a "cooled portion" that is cooled by the cooling structure 2 described later. For example, semiconductors such as capacitors and resistors, magnetic components such as coils and reactors, etc. that constitute an inverter or converter, etc., are equivalent to the heat generating portion 6. As described above, the heat generating portion 6 is accommodated in a predetermined position in the housing 5. The type, shape and number of the heat generating portion 6 are arbitrary and are not limited to a specific type, shape, number, etc. In Figure 1 , an example is shown which includes three heat generating portions 6 : a heat generating portion 6 a , a heat generating portion 6 b , and a heat generating portion 6 c .

[0030] The heat-receiving portion 7 is a portion of the housing 5 that receives heat from the external heat source 4, causing its temperature to rise. As described above, the vehicle-mounted device 1 in the embodiment of the present disclosure is placed in the space 3 of the vehicle Ve, close to or adjacent to the external heat source 4. Therefore, when placed in the space 3, the housing 5 has a portion that, due to its proximity to and facing the external heat source 4, receives heat from the external heat source 4, causing its temperature to rise. The portion of the housing 5 that faces the external heat source 4 constitutes the heat-receiving portion 7.

[0031] As described above, the vehicle-mounted device 1 in the embodiment of the present disclosure has, in addition to the heat-generating portion 6 whose temperature rises due to self-heating, a heat-receiving portion 7 whose temperature rises due to heat transferred from an external heat source 4. Therefore, the cooling structure 2 in the embodiment of the present disclosure is configured to have both a cooling function of cooling the heat-generating portion 6 and a heat-insulating function of insulating the heat of the heat-receiving portion 7. To this end, the cooling structure 2 has a refrigerant flow path 9 for circulating a predetermined refrigerant 8. The type of refrigerant 8 is arbitrary and is not limited to a specific type. For example, water, coolant, oil, or air can also be used as the refrigerant 8.

[0032] The refrigerant flow path 9 is formed by at least two flow paths, namely a cooling flow path 9a and a heat-insulating flow path 9b. The cooling flow path 9a and the heat-insulating flow path 9b are connected to each other. In addition, the refrigerant flow path 9 has an inlet 9c for allowing the refrigerant 8 to flow into the refrigerant flow path 9 and an outlet 9d for allowing the refrigerant 8 to flow out of the refrigerant flow path 9. Figure 1 In the example shown, the cooling flow path 9a is provided with an inlet 9c, and the insulating flow path 9b is provided with an outlet 9d. Therefore, the refrigerant 8 flows continuously between the cooling flow path 9a and the insulating flow path 9b, from the cooling flow path 9a to the insulating flow path 9b.

[0033] The cooling flow path 9a is arranged in the housing 5 in a manner that is in contact with or close to the heat generating portion 6. In addition, the cooling flow path 9a is arranged in a portion of the housing 5 other than the heat receiving portion 7 (in the Figure 1 In the example shown, the bottom 10 of the housing 5 is near the bottom 10 and is arranged in contact with or close to the heat generating portion 6. Therefore, the cooling flow path 9a cools the heat generating portion 6 through the refrigerant 8 flowing therein. Figure 1 In the example shown, the cooling flow path 9a is arranged in contact with the heat generating parts 6a and 6b. Therefore, the heat of the heat generating parts 6a and 6b is transferred to the refrigerant 8 flowing in the cooling flow path 9a, thereby cooling the heat generating parts 6a and 6b.

[0034] The heat-insulating flow path 9b faces the inner wall surface 7a of the heat receiving portion 7 and is arranged in the shell 5 in a manner that is in contact with or close to the inner wall surface 7a. Therefore, the heat-insulating flow path 9b cuts off or suppresses heat transfer from the external heat source 4 through the refrigerant 8 flowing inside. Figure 1 In the illustrated example, the heat-insulating flow path 9b faces the inner wall surface 7a of the heat-receiving portion 7 and is disposed proximate to this inner wall surface 7a. Thus, the heat-insulating flow path 9b insulates heat transferred from the external heat source 4 through the heat-receiving portion 7 and the inner wall surface 7a into the housing 5. This suppresses any temperature rise in the housing 5 and within the housing 5 caused by the heat from the external heat source 4. Consequently, the cooling performance of the cooling structure 2 on the in-vehicle device 1 is improved.

[0035] In addition, the cooling structure 2 in the embodiment of the present disclosure is configured so that refrigerant 8 having a temperature equal to or lower than that of the refrigerant 8 flowing out of the outlet 9d of the refrigerant flow path 9 flows into the refrigerant flow path 9 from the inlet 9c. For example, a heat exchanger (not shown) such as a radiator or an oil cooler is provided to cool the refrigerant 8 flowing out of the outlet 9d. As a result, refrigerant 8 having a lower temperature (higher cooling effect) than the refrigerant 8 flowing out of the outlet 9d is supplied to the refrigerant flow path 9 from the inlet 9c. Furthermore, the heat generating portions 6a, 6b, and 6c are arranged so that the heat generating portion 6 having a greater heat output is closer to the inlet 9c of the refrigerant flow path 9. Alternatively, the shape and arrangement of the refrigerant flow path 9 (cooling flow path 9a and heat insulating flow path 9b) are determined relative to the position of each heat generating portion 6a, 6b, and 6c.

[0036] exist Figure 1 In the example shown, the three heat generating portions 6a, 6b, and 6c are positioned in descending order of heat generation, namely, heat generating portion 6a, heat generating portion 6b, and heat generating portion 6c. Therefore, the heat generating portions 6a, 6b, and 6c are positioned in this order, starting from the position closest to the inlet 9c. This allows the supply of cooler refrigerant 8 to the heat generating portions 6, which generate a large amount of heat and are at a high temperature, and thus allows efficient cooling of the heat generating portions 6a, 6b, and 6c.

[0037] In addition, Figure 1 In the example shown, the heat insulating flow path 9b faces the inner wall surface 7a of the heat receiving portion 7 and is arranged in contact with the heat generating portion 6c. That is, the heat insulating flow path 9b becomes the cooling heat insulating flow path 9e in the embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0038] The cooling and heat-insulating flow path 9e has a cooling surface 9f facing the heat-generating portion 6c and a heat-insulating surface 9g facing the inner wall surface 7a of the heat-receiving portion 7. The cooling and heat-insulating flow path 9e is arranged so that the cooling surface 9f is in contact with or close to the heat-receiving portion 7 and the heat-insulating surface 9g is in contact with or close to the inner wall surface 7a of the heat-receiving portion 7. Figure 1 In the illustrated example, the cooling surface 9 f of the cooling and heat-insulating flow path 9 e is in contact with the heat receiving portion 7 , and the heat-insulating surface 9 g is close to and faces the inner wall surface 7 a of the heat receiving portion 7 .

[0039] Furthermore, the cooling and heat-insulating flow path 9e is connected to at least one of the cooling flow path 9a and the heat-insulating flow path 9b, and continuously supplies the refrigerant 8 to flow through at least one of the cooling flow path 9a and the heat-insulating flow path 9b. In addition, the cooling and heat-insulating flow path 9e is in contact with or close to the heat-generating portion 6 to cool the heat-generating portion 6 through the refrigerant 8, and is in contact with or close to the heat-receiving portion 7 to cut off or suppress heat transfer from the external heat source 4 through the refrigerant 8. Figure 1In the example shown, the cooling and heat-insulating flow path 9e also serves as the heat-insulating flow path 9b and is connected to the cooling flow path 9a, allowing the refrigerant 8 to flow continuously with the cooling flow path 9a. Furthermore, the cooling and heat-insulating flow path 9e is in contact with the heat-generating portion 6c, cooling the heat-generating portion 6c with the refrigerant 8, and is in close proximity to the inner wall surface 7a of the heat-receiving portion 7, thereby blocking or suppressing heat transfer from the external heat source 4 with the refrigerant 8.

[0040] In addition, the shape and type of the refrigerant flow path 9 (cooling flow path 9a, heat insulation flow path 9b, cooling heat insulation flow path 9e) are arbitrary and are not limited to a specific shape or type. For example, a structure in which a pipe-shaped flow path is piped or a structure in which a hollow flat plate-shaped flow path is assembled can also be applied. Figure 1 and the following Figure 2 、 Figure 3 、 Figure 4 、 Figure 5 , an image showing the refrigerant flow paths 9 (cooling flow paths 9 a , heat insulating flow paths 9 b , and cooling and heat insulating flow paths 9 e ) formed of tube-shaped components is shown.

[0041] Figure 2 、 Figure 3 、 Figure 4 、 Figure 5 Another structural example of the cooling structure 2 in the embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 2 、 Figure 3 、 Figure 4 、 Figure 5 In the cooling structure 2 shown, for the above Figure 1 Components or elements having the same structure and function as the cooling structure 2 shown in the above drawings are marked with the same Figure 1 Or the same reference numerals as those used in the drawings already described.

[0042] Figure 2 The cooling structure 2 shown is a structure corresponding to "two external heat sources" namely the external heat source 4 and the external heat source 11. The external heat source 11 is similar to the external heat source 4 mentioned above, and is other components, machines, and devices that generate heat and become high temperature, such as an engine, an electric motor, or an exhaust system of an engine. Figure 2 In the example shown, the vehicle-mounted device 1 is placed at a position where the bottom 10 of the housing 5 faces and is close to the external heat source 11. Figure 2 In the illustrated example, the bottom portion 10 of the housing 5 faces the external heat source 11 and serves as a heat receiving portion 12 that receives heat from the external heat source 11 and increases in temperature.

[0043] In addition, in this Figure 2In the cooling structure 2 shown, as described above, the bottom 10 of the shell 5 becomes the heat receiving portion 12, and thus the cooling flow path 9a becomes the cooling heat insulating flow path 9h in the embodiment of the present disclosure. Therefore, similar to the above-mentioned cooling heat insulating flow path 9e, the cooling heat insulating flow path 9h has a cooling surface 9i facing the heat generating portions 6a and 6b and a heat insulating surface 9j facing the inner wall surface 12a of the heat receiving portion 12. Figure 2 In the illustrated example, cooling and heat-insulating flow path 9h also serves as cooling flow path 9a and communicates with heat-insulating flow path 9b (cooling and heat-insulating flow path 9e), allowing refrigerant 8 to flow continuously through heat-insulating flow path 9b (cooling and heat-insulating flow path 9e). Furthermore, cooling and heat-insulating flow path 9h contacts heat-generating portions 6a and 6b, cooling heat-generating portions 6a and 6b with refrigerant 8. Furthermore, cooling and heat-insulating flow path 9h is in close proximity to inner wall surface 12a of heat-receiving portion 12, thereby blocking or suppressing heat transfer from external heat source 11 with refrigerant 8.

[0044] exist Figure 3 In the cooling structure 2 shown, the refrigerant flow path 9 is provided on two opposing surfaces of the cooling flow path 9a so as to be in contact with or close to the heat generating portion 6. Figure 3 In the illustrated example, the cooling flow path 9a is arranged so that the heat generating portion 6a contacts the upper surface 9k of the cooling flow path 9a and the heat generating portion 6d contacts the lower surface 9m of the cooling flow path 9a.

[0045] In addition, Figure 3 In the illustrated example, the housing 5 is provided with a heat generating portion 13 other than the cooling structure 2 and another cooling device 14 for cooling the heat generating portion 13 .

[0046] Figure 4 The cooling structure 2 shown is a structure corresponding to the "three external heat sources" of the external heat source 4, the external heat source 11 and the external heat source 15. The external heat source 15 is similar to the external heat sources 4 and 11, and is other components, machines, and devices that generate heat and become high temperature, such as an engine, an electric motor, or an exhaust system of the engine. Figure 4 In the example shown, the vehicle-mounted device 1 is placed at a position where the right side 16 of the housing 5 faces and is close to the external heat source 15. Figure 4 In the illustrated example, the right side portion 16 of the housing 5 faces the external heat source 15 and serves as a heat receiving portion 17 that receives heat from the external heat source 15 and increases in temperature.

[0047] And, in this Figure 4In the illustrated cooling structure 2, as described above, corresponding to the situation where the right side portion 16 of the housing 5 serves as the heat receiving portion 17, a heat insulating flow path 9n is provided that faces the inner wall surface 17a of the heat receiving portion 17 and is in contact with or close to the inner wall surface 17a. The heat insulating flow path 9n insulates heat transferred from the external heat source 15 to the housing 5 through the heat receiving portion 17 and the inner wall surface 17a.

[0048] Figure 5 The cooling structure 2 shown corresponds to three external heat sources 4, 5, and 15 and is configured to cool a plate-shaped heat generating portion 6d. The heat generating portion 6d is, for example, a flat plate-shaped "substrate" on which multiple electronic components or semiconductors are mounted, and its temperature rises due to the heat generated by these components.

[0049] And, in this Figure 5 In the cooling structure 2 shown, a cooling flow path 9o is provided for cooling the heat generating portion 6d as described above. The downstream side of the cooling flow path 9o and the heat insulating flow path 9b (cooling heat insulating flow path 9e) is connected to the heat insulating flow path 9b. Figure 5 The upper side of the middle) is connected to the direction of the heat insulation flow path 9n ( Figure 5 On the right side of the figure) it is arranged in parallel with the cooling channel 9a (cooling and heat-insulating channel 9h). At the end of the cooling channel 9o ( Figure 5 Therefore, the refrigerant 8 flows continuously from the heat-insulating flow path 9n through the cooling flow path 9a (cooling and heat-insulating flow path 9h), the heat-insulating flow path 9b (cooling and heat-insulating flow path 9e), and the cooling flow path 9o, so as to surround the inner circumference of the shell 5.

[0050] As described above, the cooling structure of the vehicle-mounted device in the embodiment of the present disclosure includes a refrigerant flow path 9 for cooling a heat generating portion 6, such as a semiconductor or magnetic element. For example, the refrigerant flow path 9 is composed of a cooling flow path 9a and a heat insulating flow path 9b, combining the cooling function of cooling the heat generating portion 6 and the heat insulating function of insulating the external heat source 4 from the vehicle-mounted device 1. Therefore, while cooling the heat generating portion 6, the external heat source 4 can also be insulated, thereby improving the cooling performance of the cooling structure 2. Furthermore, the cooling flow path 9a and the heat insulating flow path 9b in the refrigerant flow path 9 are interconnected, allowing the same refrigerant 8 to flow continuously, making them easy to construct. Furthermore, as described above, the refrigerant flow path 9 not only cools the heat generating portion 6 but also serves to insulate the device from the external heat source 4, eliminating the need for insulation space or insulating materials such as insulating members. Consequently, the vehicle-mounted device 1 can be miniaturized and simplified. Furthermore, the mounting space for the vehicle-mounted device 1 can be ensured, increasing the freedom of mounting layout.

[0051] Therefore, according to the cooling structure for the vehicle-mounted device in the embodiment of the present disclosure, sufficient cooling performance for cooling the vehicle-mounted device 1 can be obtained with a simple structure without increasing the size of the device or the installation space. In addition, as the cooling performance is improved, the vehicle-mounted device 1 can be miniaturized, and the vehicle-mounted device 1 can be easily mounted on the vehicle Ve.

Claims

1. A cooling structure for vehicle-mounted equipment, wherein: The cooling structure of the vehicle-mounted device comprises: the vehicle-mounted device is mounted in a predetermined space of the vehicle and has a heat generating portion whose temperature rises during operation; and a refrigerant flow path provided in a housing of the vehicle-mounted device and through which a refrigerant for cooling the heat generating portion flows. The housing includes a heat receiving portion, and when the vehicle-mounted device is placed in the space, the heat receiving portion is close to and faces a predetermined external heat source, and is thus heated by the heat from the external heat source. The refrigerant flow path includes: a cooling flow path in contact with or close to the heat generating portion, and cooling the heat generating portion by the refrigerant; and a heat-insulating flow path, which is in communication with the cooling flow path, continuously supplies the refrigerant to flow through the cooling flow path, and is in contact with or close to the heat receiving part, thereby cutting off or suppressing heat transfer from the external heat source through the refrigerant.

2. The cooling structure for vehicle-mounted equipment according to claim 1, wherein: The cooling flow path is arranged so that a portion other than the heat receiving portion in the housing is in contact with or close to the heat generating portion. The heat-insulating flow path is arranged to face the inner wall surface of the heat-receiving portion and to be in contact with or close to the heat-receiving portion.

3. The cooling structure for vehicle-mounted equipment according to claim 2, wherein: The refrigerant flow path includes a cooling and heat-insulating flow path, the cooling and heat-insulating flow path being in communication with at least one of the cooling flow path and the heat-insulating flow path, continuously supplying the refrigerant to flow through at least one of the cooling flow path and the heat-insulating flow path, and the cooling and heat-insulating flow path is in contact with or close to the heat-generating portion to cool the heat-generating portion through the refrigerant, and is in contact with or close to the heat-receiving portion to cut off or suppress heat transfer from the external heat source through the refrigerant. The cooling and heat-insulating flow path has a cooling surface facing the heat-generating part and a heat-insulating surface facing the heat-receiving part. The cooling and heat-insulating flow path is configured so that the cooling surface is in contact with or close to the heat-generating part, and the heat-insulating surface is in contact with or close to the heat-receiving part facing the inner wall surface.

4. The cooling structure for vehicle-mounted equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: The refrigerant flow path includes an inlet for allowing the refrigerant to flow into the refrigerant flow path and an outlet for allowing the refrigerant to flow out of the refrigerant flow path. The refrigerant having a temperature equal to or lower than that of the refrigerant flowing out of the outflow port is caused to flow into the refrigerant flow path from the inflow port.

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