Cooling structure of vehicle-mounted electronic control unit

Abstract

The invention provides a cooling structure of a vehicle-mounted ECU. The cooling structure of the vehicle-mounted ECU is provided with: a vehicle body member constituting a part of a vehicle body; and an ECU (electronic control unit) mounted on the vehicle body part. The vehicle body member has a heat sink on the rear surface of the ECU mounting portion, and the vehicle body member is an aluminum die-cast member integrally formed with the heat sink.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This specification discloses a cooling structure for an electronic control unit (ECU) mounted in a vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] An ECU is a device that controls the operation of electronic components mounted in a vehicle. The ECU is typically located in a space within the vehicle. An ECU usually has signal circuits and power circuits, and generates heat as it operates. When an ECU reaches excessively high temperatures, it can deteriorate or malfunction. Therefore, in the past, solutions involving installing a radiator on the ECU have been proposed to effectively cool it.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-039497 discloses a radiator for improving heat dissipation performance. The radiator in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-039497 has a heat dissipation base and multiple heat dissipation fins rising from the surface of the heat dissipation base. The multiple heat dissipation fins are cast by die casting and integrally formed with the heat dissipation base. According to the radiator in question, the heat transfer efficiency from the heat dissipation base to the heat dissipation fins is improved, thereby further enhancing heat dissipation performance. Summary of the Invention

[0004] However, the radiator described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-039497 is a separate component, independent of any other part of the vehicle's body or ECU. Therefore, manufacturing this radiator requires specialized processes, and installing it requires dedicated space. Furthermore, increasing the radiator's surface area is necessary to improve its heat dissipation capacity. However, it is generally difficult to significantly increase the size of a radiator, thus making it difficult to adequately increase its surface area.

[0005] Therefore, this disclosure provides a cooling structure for an on-board ECU that can efficiently cool the ECU while improving the space efficiency inside the vehicle.

[0006] The cooling structure of the vehicle ECU involved in this disclosure includes:

[0007] Body components, which constitute part of the vehicle body;

[0008] ECU, which is mounted on the vehicle body component,

[0009] The body component has a radiator on the back of the ECU mounting portion.

[0010] The vehicle body component is an aluminum die-cast component integrally formed together with the radiator.

[0011] By integrating the body components with the radiator, the ECU can be cooled efficiently without significantly increasing the radiator's size. The result is efficient ECU cooling while improving interior space efficiency.

[0012] In this case, the heat sink may also have multiple heat sinks arranged in parallel to each other, or multiple heat sink pins arranged in a two-dimensional array.

[0013] By designing the structure in question, the surface area of ​​the radiator is increased, thereby improving the radiator's heat dissipation effect.

[0014] Furthermore, in the aforementioned vehicle ECU cooling structure, the vehicle body component can also be an aluminum die-cast component that integrally forms a pair of side panels, wheel arches, and a connecting panel, wherein the pair of side panels are spaced apart in the vehicle width direction, the wheel arches bulge inward from the pair of side panels in the vehicle width direction, and the connecting panel connects the pair of side panels.

[0015] The pair of side panels may also include the side portions of the carriage that function as side walls of the carriage.

[0016] The ECU can also be mounted on the inner side of the vehicle's side in the vehicle width direction.

[0017] The radiator may also protrude outward from the opposite side of the ECU through the side panel.

[0018] By mounting the ECU on the side of the passenger compartment, available space can be effectively utilized. Furthermore, by having the radiator protrude outwards, heat from the ECU can be effectively dissipated. This also prevents heat from the ECU from reaching the front-seat occupants, maintaining their comfort.

[0019] Furthermore, the cooling structure of the vehicle ECU may also have a resin cover that covers the ECU from the passenger compartment side. The ECU has an aluminum housing and is screwed onto the vehicle body component while the aluminum housing is in contact with the vehicle body component.

[0020] By incorporating a resin cover, the aesthetic design can be improved, and heat transfer from the ECU to the occupants can be suppressed. Furthermore, by constructing the ECU housing using aluminum, a material with high thermal conductivity, or aluminum as the primary component, the ECU can be cooled more effectively.

[0021] According to the technology disclosed in this specification, the ECU can be cooled efficiently while improving the space efficiency inside the vehicle. Attached Figure Description

[0022] The features, advantages, and technical and industrial significance of exemplary embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like symbols denote like elements, and wherein:

[0023] Figure 1 A three-dimensional view showing the vehicle body and frame at the front of the vehicle.

[0024] Figure 2 This is a perspective view of the side of the carriage when viewed from the outside in the width direction of the vehicle.

[0025] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of the area surrounding the ECU mounting section.

[0026] Figure 4 A perspective view showing other examples of heat sinks. Detailed Implementation

[0027] The cooling structure of ECU40 will be described below with reference to the attached diagram. Figure 1 The figure shows a perspective view of the vehicle body and frame at the front of the vehicle. Furthermore, in the various figures, Fr, Up, and Rh represent the front, top, and right sides of the vehicle, respectively.

[0028] Figure 1 The vehicle shown is a four-wheeled vehicle primarily used for passenger transport. A body component 10 is located at the front of the vehicle. The body component 10 is a part that forms part of the vehicle body. In this example, the body component 10 is an aluminum die-cast component 12 integrally formed from a pair of side panels 14, a pair of wheel arches 16, and a connecting panel 20. Furthermore, the aluminum die-cast component 12 is, of course, primarily composed of aluminum or an aluminum alloy, thus having a high thermal conductivity. As shown by... Figure 1 As explicitly stated, the aluminum die-cast component 12 is a large component with a pair of wheel arch covers 16. The large aluminum die-cast component 12 is manufactured using a large-scale die-casting technique known as gigacasting or megacasting.

[0029] The side panel 14 of the body component 10 (aluminum die-cast component 12) is a panel material that functions as the side wall of the vehicle. As... Figure 1 As shown, a portion of the side panel 14 bulges inward in the vehicle width direction. This bulging portion functions as the wheel arch 16. Furthermore, a suspension tower 18 is connected to the wheel arch 16. This suspension tower 18 is also integrally formed with the wheel arch 16 and the like by aluminum die casting.

[0030] A pair of left and right side panels 14 are connected by a connecting panel 20. The connecting panel 20 is a panel material extending in the vehicle width direction, and its two ends in the vehicle width direction are connected to the side panels 14. A front bulkhead 34 of the vehicle body is mounted on this connecting panel 20. Figure 1 Not shown in the image, please refer to the diagram. Figure 3 The front bulkhead 34 of the carriage serves as a partition separating the carriage 30 from the power unit compartment 32. Therefore, the space forward of the connecting panel 20 is the power unit compartment 32, and the space rearward of the front bulkhead 34 is the carriage 30. Furthermore, the portion of the side panel 14 forward of the connecting panel 20 functions as a side wall of the power unit compartment 32. Additionally, the portion of the side panel 14 rearward of the connecting panel 20 functions as a side wall of the carriage 30. In the following text, the portion functioning as a side wall of the carriage 30 will be referred to as the "carriage side 22".

[0031] Such body components 10 are fixed to the vehicle's frame structure. Figure 1 In the example, in the vehicle, a pair of lower side beams 27 extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and a transverse member 28 connecting the pair of lower side beams 27 are provided as frame members. Furthermore, the body component 10 is fixed to the lower side beams 27 and the transverse member 28.

[0032] Here, as described above, the side panel 22 is the front side wall of the passenger compartment 30 and is located near the lower limbs of the occupant seated in the front seat. In this example, an ECU 40 is installed on this side panel 22. The ECU 40 is a device that uses a microcomputer to process electrical signals input from various sensors mounted on the vehicle and to control the drive of various actuators mounted on the vehicle. The ECU 40 mounted on the body component 10 can be a standalone ECU (e.g., an engine ECU or battery ECU) that controls the drive of a specific device, or an integrated ECU that integrates multiple ECUs mounted on the vehicle. In short, the ECU 40 has a signal circuit for processing electrical signals, a power supply circuit that supplies power to the signal circuit, and an aluminum housing 42 that houses them. Furthermore, with the drive, current flows and heat is generated in the electronic components (e.g., semiconductor elements) assembled in the signal circuit and power supply circuit of the ECU 40. Due to this heat, if the ECU 40 becomes excessively hot, it may be damaged or malfunction. Furthermore, since the ECU40 is located near the occupant's lower limbs, the ECU40 may become too hot, thus compromising the occupant's comfort.

[0033] Therefore, in this example, in order to cool the ECU40 more effectively, the ECU40 is mounted on the body component 10, and a radiator 50 is formed on the body component 10. Hereinafter, reference will be made to this. Figure 2 as well as Figure 3 Let me explain.

[0034] Figure 2 This is a perspective view of the side 22 of the passenger compartment where the ECU40 is installed, viewed from the outside in the width direction of the vehicle. Furthermore, Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of the area surrounding the mounting section of ECU40. As... Figure 1 as well as Figure 2 As shown, the ECU 40 is screwed onto the side of the passenger compartment 30 of the passenger compartment side 22. At this time, a portion of the aluminum housing 42 of the ECU 40 contacts the passenger compartment side 22. Through this contact portion, the heat generated in the ECU 40 is effectively transferred to the body component 10. Furthermore, in this example, the ECU 40 is fastened with screws. However, the ECU 40 can be mounted on the passenger compartment side 22 in other ways as long as it is fixed in contact with the body component 10. For example, the ECU 40 can be fastened by clamps, fitted, or installed with tape. In addition, although the aluminum housing 42 can be in direct contact with the passenger compartment side 22, other high thermal conductivity components can also be placed between the aluminum housing 42 and the passenger compartment side 22. For example, thermal grease or a thermal pad can be placed between the aluminum housing 42 and the passenger compartment side 22 to fill the gap between them. Furthermore, although an aluminum housing 42 with aluminum as the main component is used in this example, the enclosure of the ECU 40 can also be of other structures as long as it can transfer the heat generated in the ECU 40 to the outside.

[0035] A resin cover 44 is also installed on the side 22 of the passenger compartment. The resin cover 44 is a box-shaped resin component that covers the ECU 40 from the side of the passenger compartment 30. By providing this resin cover 44, heat from the ECU 40 towards the lower limbs of the occupants is blocked. As a result, the temperature rise around the lower limbs of the occupants can be suppressed, and the comfort of the occupants can be improved. In addition, since the ECU 40 is hidden by providing the resin cover 44, the appearance design of the passenger compartment is improved.

[0036] A radiator 50 is formed on the opposite side of the ECU 40, separated from the side panel 22 of the passenger compartment. This radiator 50 is integrally cast with the body component 10. By adopting this structure, a dedicated process for separately forming or installing the radiator 50 is eliminated, reducing the cost and labor required for its installation. Furthermore, by integrally casting the radiator 50 with the body component 10, there is no seam between the mounting portion of the ECU 40 (i.e., the side panel 22 of the passenger compartment) and the radiator 50. Consequently, the absence of thermal resistance caused by such a seam improves the efficiency of heat transfer from the side panel 22 to the radiator 50.

[0037] like Figure 2 , Figure 3 As shown, the radiator 50 includes a plurality of heat dissipation fins 52 arranged at intervals in the vertical direction. Each heat dissipation fin 52 is a generally flat plate-shaped member extending outward from the side 22 of the vehicle body in the width direction. In this example, the thickness direction of the heat dissipation fin 52 is generally parallel to the vertical direction. Furthermore, by providing a plurality of heat dissipation fins 52, the overall surface area of ​​the radiator 50 is increased, thereby improving heat dissipation efficiency. And thus, the ECU 40 located on the opposite side of the radiator 50 can be effectively cooled.

[0038] Here, as Figure 2 , Figure 3 As shown, the body component 10 has folded-back portions 24 extending in the vehicle width direction at its upper and rear edges. Furthermore, a plurality of ribs 26 are formed on the outer surface of the body component 10 in the vehicle width direction. By providing such folded-back portions 24 and ribs 26, the section modulus and even the rigidity of the body component 10 are improved. The protrusion dimension H1 of the heat sink 52 is smaller than the protrusion dimension H2 of such folded-back portions 24 or a portion of the ribs 26. Therefore, even with the heat sink 52 provided, the volume of the body component 10 does not increase. In other words, in this example, the radiator 50 is formed in the dead corner created by the folded-back portions 24 and ribs 26. By forming the radiator 50 in the relevant dead corner, the deterioration of space efficiency associated with mounting the radiator 50 can be prevented.

[0039] Furthermore, as repeatedly stated, the radiator 50 is integrally cast with the body component 10. Therefore, the heat generated on the ECU 40 is not only transferred to the radiator 50, but also to the body component 10. Moreover, the body component 10 is primarily composed of aluminum or an aluminum alloy, which has high thermal conductivity. Furthermore, the body component 10 is a very large component with a large surface area. By transferring heat to the involved body component 10, the heat dissipation efficiency of the ECU 40 is further improved.

[0040] In addition, such as Figure 3As shown, a front fender 62 is positioned on the outer side of the vehicle body 22 in the width direction. Furthermore, a front door 64 is positioned behind the front fender 62. Since the radiator 50 is surrounded by the front fender 62 and the front door 64, it cannot be visually confirmed from the outside. As a result, even with the radiator 50 installed, the vehicle's exterior design is largely maintained. Furthermore, by installing the radiator 50, the section modulus of the body component 10 is increased, and the rigidity of the body component 10 is further improved.

[0041] As explained above, in this example, an ECU 40 is mounted on the body component 10, and a radiator 50 integrally formed with the body component 10 is provided on the opposite side of the ECU 40. This configuration allows for efficient cooling of the ECU 40 while improving interior space efficiency.

[0042] However, the structure described so far is only an example, and other structures can be modified as long as the structure described in technical solution 1 is present. For example, in the above description, the radiator 50 has a plurality of heat dissipation fins 52 arranged vertically. However, the radiator 50 can also have other structures as long as it is integrally formed with the body component 10. For example, the heat dissipation fins 52 of the radiator 50 may not be arranged in the vertical direction, but in the front-rear direction. In this case, each heat dissipation fin 52 is arranged with its thickness direction parallel to the front-rear direction. In addition, the heat dissipation fins 52 may also be arranged in a direction inclined to both the front-rear and vertical directions. For example, when there is a driving airflow around the radiator 50, the plurality of heat dissipation fins 52 may be arranged in an inclined direction so that the heat dissipation fins 52 are parallel to the flow of the driving airflow. In addition, as Figure 4 As shown, the heat sink 50 may also have multiple heat dissipation pins 54 arranged in a two-dimensional array.

[0043] Furthermore, in the description up to this point, the body component 10 has been described as a large, die-cast aluminum component 12 integrally formed with two wheel arch portions 16. However, if the body component 10, on which the radiator 50 is mounted, is part of the vehicle body, it may have other structures. For example, the body component 10 may also have a structure that is split into left and right sides. That is, the body component 10 may also have a structure that has a wheel arch portion 16 on either the left or right side but not the other wheel arch portion 16.

[0044] Furthermore, the description up to this point has used the body component 10, which is located at the front of the vehicle, as an example. However, the ECU 40 and radiator 50 are not limited to the front of the vehicle and may also be mounted on other parts, such as the body component 10 located at the rear of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A cooling structure for an on-board electronic control unit, comprising: Body components, which constitute part of the vehicle body; The electronic control unit is mounted on the vehicle body component. The body component has a radiator on the back of the mounting portion of the electronic control unit. The vehicle body component is an aluminum die-cast component integrally formed together with the radiator.

2. The cooling structure of the vehicle electronic control unit as described in claim 1, wherein, The radiator has multiple heat sinks arranged in parallel to each other, or multiple heat sink pins arranged in a two-dimensional array.

3. The cooling structure for the vehicle-mounted electronic control unit as described in claim 1, wherein, The vehicle body component is an aluminum die-cast part integrally formed from a pair of side panels, wheel arches, and a connecting panel. The pair of side panels are spaced apart in the vehicle width direction. The wheel arches bulge inward from the pair of side panels in the vehicle width direction. The connecting panel connects the pair of side panels. The pair of side panels each comprise a side portion of the carriage that functions as the side wall of the carriage. The electronic control unit is mounted on the inner side of the vehicle's side panel in the vehicle width direction. The radiator protrudes outward from the opposite side of the electronic control unit, separated by the side panel.

4. The cooling structure of the vehicle electronic control unit as described in claim 3, wherein, It also has a resin cover that covers the electronic control unit from the side of the vehicle compartment. The electronic control unit has an aluminum housing and is screwed onto the body component in a state where the aluminum housing is in contact with the body component.

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