Isolated high voltage assembly

Abstract

An electronic component includes: a heat diffuser including a heat-conducting plate having a first insulating surface and a second insulating surface. The first insulating surface and the second insulating surface are located on opposite sides of the heat-conducting plate. The first insulating surface includes an opening exposing the heat-conducting plate, and an electronic device including a body and an electrical connector, the body of the electronic device being thermally coupled to the heat-conducting plate through the opening.

Description

Priority requirements

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 63 / 552,270, filed February 12, 2024, entitled "ISOLATED HIGH VOLTAGE ASSEMBLYFOR IMPROVED THERMAL PERFORMANCE", the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] Some examples of this disclosure relate to isolated high-voltage components for improving thermal performance. Background Technology

[0003] High-voltage semiconductor devices are used in a variety of high-power applications and require both thermal cooling and electrical isolation. Typically, these semiconductor devices are cooled by a heat sink, which transfers heat away from the semiconductor device. In these conventional configurations, the semiconductor device is mounted on a single electrically insulating layer positioned between the device and one surface of the heat sink. This configuration results in poor thermal cooling performance. Attached Figure Description

[0004] Some examples are shown in the accompanying drawings for illustrative purposes rather than limiting. In the drawings (which are not necessarily drawn to scale), the same reference numerals may describe similar parts in different views or examples. It should be understood that additional and alternative examples are possible without departing from the principles of the subject matter described herein.

[0005] Figure 1A An exploded perspective view of an electronic component including a heat spreader with a thermal interface, according to an example described herein.

[0006] Figure 1B An example based on the description in this article is shown. Figure 1A Side view and thermal distribution diagram of the electronic components.

[0007] Figure 1C An example based on the description in this article is shown. Figure 1A An assembly perspective view of the electronic components.

[0008] Figure 1D The accompanying graph shows data plots comparing the thermal resistance of electronic components with and without heat sinks, based on the examples described herein.

[0009] Figure 1E A flowchart of an assembly procedure for an electronic component including a thermal diffuser, according to an example described herein, is shown.

[0010] Figure 2A An electronic component including a laminated thermal diffuser is shown according to an example described herein.

[0011] Figure 2B An exploded perspective view of an electronic assembly including a laminated thermal diffuser, according to an example described herein, is shown.

[0012] Figure 2C An example based on the description in this article is shown. Figure 2B Side view and thermal distribution diagram of the electronic components.

[0013] Figure 2D An example based on the description in this article is shown. Figure 2B An assembly perspective view of the electronic components.

[0014] Figure 2E An example based on the description in this article is shown. Figure 2B A side view of the assembled electronic components.

[0015] Figure 2F A flowchart is shown for an assembly procedure for an electronic component including a laminated thermal diffuser, according to an example described herein.

[0016] Figure 3A An exploded perspective view of an electronic assembly, including a laminated thermal diffuser, installed in an energy product according to an example described herein.

[0017] Figure 3B A flowchart is shown of an assembly procedure for an electronic component, including a laminated heat diffuser, for installation in an electric vehicle panel, according to an example described herein. Detailed Implementation

[0018] Various examples of this disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the relative arrangement, numerical expressions, and values ​​of components and steps in these examples set forth herein do not limit the scope of this disclosure unless otherwise specifically stated. The following description of at least one example is illustrative in nature only and is in no way intended to limit this disclosure, its application, or its use. Techniques, systems, methods, and apparatuses known to those skilled in the art may not be discussed in detail, but are intended to be part of the specification where appropriate. Any specific values ​​in all examples shown and discussed herein should be interpreted as illustrative and non-limiting. Therefore, other examples may have different values. In the following drawings, similar reference numerals and letters refer to similar items; therefore, once an item is defined in one drawing, further discussion may not be necessary for the following drawings. These examples will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0019] Some examples involve solutions that attempt to provide both thermal cooling and electrical isolation for high-voltage, high-power semiconductor devices, thereby achieving improved thermal cooling performance and reduced risk of electrical failure. Other examples also attempt to provide the benefit of unique components that allow for easy modification of the number and location of attached electrical devices while still maintaining a reduced number of components throughout the assembly.

[0020] In one example, an electric vehicle (EV) (e.g., an electric car) utilizes an inverter to convert the direct current (DC) from the battery into alternating current (AC) (e.g., three-phase AC) to drive the electric motor of the EV drivetrain. The inverter utilizes high-voltage, high-power semiconductor devices, such as metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs), thyristors, or triac switches, for the periodic switching of current from the battery to the motor during acceleration and from the motor to the battery during regenerative braking. During operation, these high-voltage / high-power semiconductor devices generate significant heat that can damage the devices and other EV components / structures. To ensure optimal performance and prevent failure, these high-voltage / high-power semiconductor devices are cooled by a heatsink, which is an active or passive metal block that removes heat from the high-voltage / high-power semiconductor devices. The example solution described herein does not mount the high-voltage / high-power semiconductor devices directly to the heatsink or via an additional electrical insulation layer, but instead utilizes an intermediate device referred to herein as a “thermal diffuser,” positioned between the high-voltage / high-power semiconductor device and the insulator of the heatsink. The functions of a heat diffuser include: improved thermal performance by diffusing the heat generated by high-voltage / high-power semiconductor devices over a larger area of ​​the heat sink, and electrical isolation by insulating the high-voltage / high-power semiconductor devices from the heat sink.

[0021] The benefits of these methods, devices, and systems include, but are not limited to, improved thermal performance and electrical isolation of high-voltage / high-power semiconductor devices in a variety of applications. It should be noted that while the examples described herein focus on high-voltage, high-power semiconductor switching devices for inverter circuits in drive systems used to control EVs, thermal diffuser solutions can be implemented in any such electronic component application where improved thermal performance and electrical isolation are desired for both passive and active types of high-voltage, high-power electrical devices (e.g., semiconductor devices, electromechanical relays, capacitors, etc.).

[0022] Figure 1AAn exploded perspective view 100 of an electronic assembly including a thermal diffuser with a thermal interface is shown. This electronic assembly typically includes electronic devices 104 (e.g., high-voltage, high-power semiconductor switches) electrically connected (e.g., soldered, press-fitted, etc.) to a printed circuit board (PCB) 102. The PCB 102 may also have other connected electrical components, such as traces, capacitors, inductors, resistors, etc. (not shown), to support the operation of the semiconductor switches. These other components are not shown for clarity. In one example, the semiconductor switches and other components may form part of an inverter circuit for driving an AC motor of an EV.

[0023] The electronic component also includes a thermal interface material (TIM) 106, a heat diffuser 108, an electrical insulator 110, and a heat sink 112. Instead of directly thermally coupling the electronic device 104 to the heat sink 112 using only the TIM 106, an intermediate component is used to both diffuse the heat generated by the electronic device 104 and electrically insulate it. More specifically, the TIM 106 is a sheet of material exhibiting good thermal conductivity and good electrical insulation properties, although electrical insulation is not required in this example. For example, boron nitride-filled polymers, alumina-filled silicone, and ceramic-filled epoxy resins are materials exhibiting good thermal conductivity and good electrical insulation properties. Some metal-filled polymers, such as composites filled with copper particles and silver-filled composites, exhibit good thermal conductivity but not electrical insulation properties. The heat diffuser 108 is a sheet of thermally conductive material (e.g., aluminum, copper, etc.).

[0024] The components of this assembly are typically joined together via soldering, thermal materials (e.g., adhesives), or a combination of both. For example, electronic device 104 may be soldered to PCB 102, and thermal interface material 106 may be attached to electronic device 104 on one side via thermally conductive adhesive and to heat diffuser 108 on the other side. The other side (bottom side) of heat diffuser 108 is then connected to heat sink 112 via electrical insulator 110 as an intermediary. Electrical insulator 110 may be part of heat sink 112, part of heat diffuser 108, or a separate layer placed between heat sink 112 and heat diffuser 108.

[0025] In this configuration, the thermal interface material 106 and the thermal diffuser 108 function to provide thermal conduction between the electronic device 104 and the electrically insulating heat sink 112. These properties are important for properly cooling the electronic device 104 and protecting it from electrical faults that may occur due to unintentional contact with grounded components such as the heat sink 112 and arc discharge.

[0026] like Figure 1AThe thermal interface material 106 shown typically conducts heat from the body of the electronic device 104. For example, the electronic device 104 may be a MOSFET with pins corresponding to the gate and main terminals of the MOSFET. These pins are typically soldered to a PCB 102 and located close to the heat diffuser 108. To avoid arcing and / or electrical faults (e.g., chassis grounding faults) caused by the heat sink 112 being grounded to the vehicle chassis, the TIM 106 may have electrical insulation properties to insulate the electronic device 104 from the heat diffuser 108, and an electrical insulator 110 may be positioned between the heat diffuser 108 and the heat sink 112 to insulate the electrical leads (not shown) of the electronic device 104 from the heat diffuser 108 and the heat diffuser 108 from the heat sink 112.

[0027] The heat diffuser 108 facilitates the dissipation of heat generated by the electronic device 104 before it is dissipated through the heat sink 112. For example, as described above, the electronic device 104 may be a MOSFET, which generates a significant amount of heat during operation when driving the motor of an EV. The electronic device 104 has a relatively small body and therefore a small surface area for directly transferring heat to the heat sink. However, in this solution, the heat generated by the electronic device 104 is transferred via thermal conduction through the thermal interface material 106 to the heat diffuser 108, which has a larger surface area than the electronic device 104. The heat absorbed by the heat diffuser 108 is then transferred to the heat sink 112 via thermal conduction. In other words, by diffusing the heat onto the larger surface area of ​​the heat diffuser 108, the heat is dissipated to the heat sink through the electrical insulator 110 with a smaller temperature rise. It should be noted that thermal conduction between these components may include thermal conduction between other materials (such as brazing materials or thermally conductive materials (e.g., pastes, adhesives, pads, greases, etc.)) used to couple and / or hold these components together in the assembly.

[0028] Figure 1B It shows Figure 1A Side view 120 and thermal distribution diagram of the electronic components. (See attached image.) Figure 1B As shown, electronic device 104 is mounted to thermal interface material 106, which is mounted to thermal diffuser 108. Thermal diffuser 108 is mounted to heat sink 112, wherein electrical insulator 110 is positioned between thermal diffuser 108 and heat sink 112. Thermal stacking (i.e., percentage of thermal contribution) is shown as 122, which includes thermal contribution 122A from electronic device 104 itself, thermal contribution 122B from thermal interface material 106, thermal contribution 122C from thermal diffuser, thermal contribution 122D from electrical insulator and mounting layer (e.g., adhesive), and thermal contribution 112E from heat sink and coolant.

[0029] Figure 1CAn assembly perspective view 130 of an electronic assembly including a heat diffuser 108 is shown. Specifically, electronic device 104 is mounted to a thermal interface material 106, which is mounted to the heat diffuser 108, which is mounted to a heat sink 112 via an electrical insulator 110. The mounting of these various devices may include the use of one or more of soldering, thermal paste, and adhesive. It should also be noted that electronic device 104 has electrical leads that are electrically connected (e.g., soldered) to a PCB 102 (not shown). Figure 1C The assembled electronic component provides a larger surface area for thermal contact with the heatsink 112 and also offers a thin profile throughout the component. In other words, thermal stacking ensures that the physical profile of the component remains as thin as that of a method without a heat diffuser, and therefore does not hinder the mounting of the component in an EV. For example, Figure 1C The components shown can be installed in energy products such as slim heatsink panels for EVs. Therefore, ensuring a slim profile prevents the need for design changes to the EV panel. In other words, the addition of a heat diffuser does not affect component installation.

[0030] The improvement in the thermal performance of the component is significant due to the addition of a heat diffuser. For example, Figure 1D View 140 shows a data graph 142 comparing the thermal resistance of an electronic component heatsink with and without a heat diffuser 108. In this example, electronic component 144 does not include a heat diffuser 108; instead, electronics 104 are connected to a thermal interface material 106, which is then connected to the heatsink via an electrically insulating layer. In contrast, electronic component 132 is... Figure 1C The illustrated electronic component includes an electronic device 104 connected to a thermal interface material 106, which in turn connects to a heat diffuser 108, which is then connected to a heat sink via an electrical insulating layer. Due to the use of the heat diffuser 108, it is evident that the electronic component 132 has a lower thermal resistance than the electronic component 144. Further, it is evident that the thermal resistance of the electronic component 132 decreases exponentially with increasing effective radius or square area of ​​the heat diffuser, until it eventually reaches a plateau. In other words, the thermal resistance decreases with increasing surface area of ​​the heat diffuser. An optimal surface area of ​​the heat diffuser 108 can be selected to achieve the desired percentage of the minimum thermal resistance achievable by the electronic component 132. It should be noted that the optimal area of ​​the heat diffuser 108 can depend on various factors, such as the type / size / shape / power requirements of the electronic device 104, the material of the heat diffuser 108, the material of the electrical insulator 110, physical mounting constraints, manufacturing methods, etc.

[0031] The assembly of the aforementioned electronic components can be carried out through various steps. For example, Figure 1EAn example flowchart 150 is shown for an assembly procedure for an electronic component including a heat diffuser. In step 152, the heat diffuser is thermally coupled to a heat sink. This can be a connection via a thin electrical insulating layer located between the heat diffuser and the heat sink. In step 154, a thermal interface is thermally coupled to the heat diffuser. In step 156, one or more electronic components are connected (e.g., soldered) to a PCB. In step 158, one or more electronic components are thermally coupled to a thermal interface. The thermal coupling between the electronic components, the thermal interface material, the heat diffuser, and the heat sink can be achieved using thermally conductive adhesives and / or brazing / soldering techniques. It should be noted that although these steps are described in a specific order, this order can be changed, and some steps can be performed simultaneously.

[0032] about Figures 1A to 1E The electronic components shown and described are examples of electronic components in which thermal interface materials are used as the interface between the electronic devices and the thermal diffuser. Figures 2A to 2F Now, another example of an electronic component utilizing a laminate is described. Specifically, a heat diffuser is laminated to provide electrical insulation while providing openings within the laminate for thermal contact with electronic devices. In other words, the heat diffuser is encapsulated with a laminate having limited openings to accommodate direct thermal and electrical contact with electronic devices, thereby providing insulating surfaces on opposite sides of the heat diffuser. This example can be advantageous for providing additional thermal performance and protection against electrical failures, or for fabricating multiple heat diffusers in a single component, or for using heat diffusers as conductors of current flowing through electronic devices. For example, when electronic devices are directly connected to a heat diffuser, electrical power and / or electrical signals can be conducted between electronic devices via the heat diffuser. This can be advantageous for carrying current via the heat diffuser rather than through PCB traces. In other words, electronic devices can be electrically connected to the heat diffuser, allowing the heat diffuser to be used as a busbar for electronic devices and other devices within energy products. It should be noted that Figures 1A to 1E Variations of the electronic components are possible. For example, the electronic components may include one or more heat diffusers (e.g., a large heat diffuser or multiple smaller heat diffusers), one or more electronic devices thermally coupled to one or more heat diffusers via a thermal interface (e.g., thermally conductive adhesive, brazing, etc.), attached to one of the heat diffusers or heat sinks, or included as an electrical insulator in the form of a laminate, coating, or surface conversion as a separate layer sandwiched between the heat diffuser and the heat sink.

[0033] Figure 2AAn example electronic assembly 200 including a laminated heat diffuser is shown. This electronic assembly typically includes electronic devices 204 (e.g., high-voltage, high-power semiconductor switches) that are soldered and possibly (glued, sintered, etc.) to a PCB 208, which may have other electrical components, such as traces, capacitors, inductors, resistors, etc. (not shown), to support the operation of the semiconductor switches. As described above, the semiconductor switches may form part of an inverter circuit for driving an AC motor of an EV. The electronic assembly also includes a laminated heat diffuser 202 and a heat sink 212. Instead of directly thermally coupling the electronic devices 104 to the heat sink 212, an intermediate component is used to both diffuse the heat generated by the electronic devices 204 and electrically insulate the electronic devices 204. In one example, the laminated heat diffuser 202 is a plate of material (e.g., aluminum) used to diffuse the heat generated by the electronic devices 204 to a larger surface area of ​​the heat sink. In this example, a single heat diffuser is used for multiple electronic devices 204. However, it should be noted that each electronic device in electronic device 204 may have a separate heat diffuser, or more than two electronic devices may share a single heat diffuser.

[0034] The components of this assembly are typically joined together via brazing, thermally conductive adhesive, or a combination of both. For example, electronic device 204 is thermally coupled (e.g., via thermally conductive adhesive or sintering / welding) to the metal plate of laminated heat diffuser 202 via an opening in a laminate, coating, or surface conversion. In other words, laminated heat diffuser 202 includes openings in the laminate that expose the metal surface of laminated heat diffuser 202. These openings are typically formed to the dimensions of the body of electronic device 204. This configuration allows the body of electronic device 204 to directly contact the metal surface of laminated heat diffuser 202 using thermally conductive adhesive, solder, brazing material, or any other possible metal-to-metal bonding method as a thermal interface material, while also protecting the electrical connections (e.g., pins) of electronic device 204 from contact with the metal surface of laminated heat diffuser 202. In other words, the laminate acts as an electrical insulator to prevent electrical faults. Furthermore, the laminate may have good thermal conductivity and thus facilitate the conduction of heat from electronic device 204 to the metal body of the heat diffuser. Once connected, device 206 (i.e., laminated heat diffuser 202 and electronic device 204) can be connected to PCB 208. Specifically, the electrical pins of electronic device 204 can be soldered to an electrical connector (not shown) on PCB 208. Once completed, device 206 is thermally coupled to heat sink 212. Since the laminate can serve as an electrical insulator, electrical insulation may or may not be required. In this example, it should be noted that the laminated heat diffuser 202 is constructed of a metal plate, etc., and all surfaces of the metal plate (except for the openings for thermal coupling to the electronic device) are laminated, coated, or transformed and thus electrically insulated. It should also be noted that a single opening or multiple openings can be made in the laminate to accommodate thermal coupling of one or more electronic devices to the metal surface of the laminated heat diffuser 202.

[0035] As described above, the function of the laminated heat diffuser 202 in this configuration is to provide electrical insulation between the electronic device 204 and the heat sink 212. These characteristics are beneficial for properly cooling the electronic device 204 and protecting it from electrical faults that may occur due to unintentional contact and arcing between components with different voltage potentials (including grounded chassis components).

[0036] Figure 2B An exploded perspective view 220 of an electronic assembly including a laminated heat diffuser is shown. Components in the assembly include a PCB 222, electronics 224, an upper laminate 226 including an opening 228 in the laminate, a heat diffuser 230, and a lower laminate 232.

[0037] In this configuration, the electronic component 224 has pins soldered to the PCB 222. The laminated heat diffuser can be formed from a single laminate or a combination of multiple laminates (e.g., a uniform substrate), such as an upper laminate 226 and a lower laminate 232, and a heat diffuser 230 (e.g., a metal plate). Specifically, the lower laminate 232 may include compliant features, such as recessed portions (i.e., recesses) having dimensions for accommodating the heat diffuser 230. In other words, the lower laminate 232 may be designed and formed to accommodate the heat diffuser 230 in a separate recessed portion. The upper laminate 226 may be a substantially flat laminate having an opening 228 for exposing a limited portion of the metal surface of the heat diffuser 230. During assembly, the heat diffuser 230 may be positioned within the recess of the lower laminate 232. The upper sheet 226 and the lower sheet 232 can then be combined to form a fully sealed unit (except for the opening 228) for electrically insulating the individual heat diffusers 230. It should be noted that, although... Figure 2B A configuration with a single device and a single heat diffuser is shown, but it should be noted that multiple heat diffusers (each with one or more devices) can be individually separated in the recess of the lower laminate 232. In this design, all electronic devices 204 can be thermally bonded to the same heat diffuser assembly, but not necessarily the same heat diffuser. In other examples without recesses, both laminates can be flat.

[0038] Figure 2C It shows Figure 2B Side view and thermal distribution diagram of the electronic components in Figure 240. (See figure 240.) Figure 2C As shown, electronic device 241 is mounted via thermal interface 242 to a laminated heat diffuser 244 laminated between upper laminate 243 and lower laminate 245. It should be noted that thermal interface 242 is optional, and in some examples, electronic device 241 is mounted directly to laminated heat diffuser 244. The laminated heat diffuser is then mounted to heat sink 247 via adhesive 246. The thermal stack (i.e., percentage of thermal contribution), as shown in 248, includes the thermal contribution 248A from electronic device 241 itself, the thermal contribution 248B from the thermal interface, the thermal contribution 248C from the heat diffuser, the thermal contribution 248D from the lower laminate 245, the thermal contribution 248E from the adhesive 246, and the thermal contribution 248F from the coolant and heat sink 247. It should be noted that the thermal stack contribution is merely an example and can vary depending on the materials used, the size of the device, the configuration of the device, etc.

[0039] Figure 2DAn assembled perspective view of the laminated heat diffuser module 250 is shown. In this view, the heat diffuser 230 is laminated between an upper laminating sheet 226 and a lower laminating sheet 232 to form a laminate 252 having the heat diffuser 230 therebetween. It should be noted that the laminate 252 also includes openings 256 exposing the metal surfaces of the heat diffuser 230. These openings are positioned and sized according to the location and dimensions of the electronic device 224 on the PCB. Typically, the size / shape of the openings corresponds to the size / shape of the body of the electronic device 224.

[0040] Figure 2E As shown Figure 2D The image shows an assembled side view 260 of the laminated heat diffuser. In this view, the heat diffuser is positioned within the lamination recess 254 and covered by the laminate 252. In another example, the heat diffuser 230 may be replaced by a single large heat diffuser (not shown), where openings allow electronic devices to be thermally coupled to different regions of this single large heat diffuser. It should be noted that... Figures 2A to 2E Variations of the electronic components are possible. For example, the electronic components may include one or more heat diffusers (e.g., a large heat diffuser or multiple smaller heat diffusers), one or more electronic devices thermally coupled to one or more heat diffusers via a thermal interface (e.g., thermally conductive adhesive, brazing, etc.), and a laminate comprising a top layer and a bottom layer, the top layer having one or more openings to allow one or more electronic devices to be thermally coupled to one or more heat diffusers, and the bottom layer providing electrical insulation between one or more heat diffusers and a heat sink.

[0041] Figure 2FA flowchart 270 is shown for an assembly procedure for an electronic component including a laminated heat diffuser. In step 272, a heat diffuser (one or more metal plates) is laminated between a lower laminate and an upper laminate. The one or more metal plates can be aluminum plates or any material that provides sufficient thermal conductivity. The layers of the heat diffuser can be formed separately and then attached together (e.g., via adhesive, thermal welding, etc.) to form a laminated housing that completely covers (i.e., encapsulates) the heat diffuser except for one or more openings on the metal surface of the heat diffuser for thermally coupling the electronic components to the heat diffuser. In one example, the laminates can be molded onto the heat diffuser plate. In another example, the laminates can be molded separately and then fused / bonded together to encapsulate the heat diffuser plate. Furthermore, an electrical insulator can also be formed as a coating or surface transformation in place of the laminate. In step 274, the lower layer of the electrically insulated heat diffuser is thermally coupled to the surface of a heat sink. For example, the electrically insulated heat diffuser can be bonded to the exposed surface of the heat sink via a thermally conductive adhesive. In step 276, the electronic component is soldered to a PCB connector to form part of a circuit (e.g., an inverter circuit). In step 278, the body of the electronic component is thermally coupled to the surface of a heat diffuser through openings in the electrical insulator. These openings can be designed to accommodate the shape and size of the electronic component. The thermal coupling between the electronic component (one or more) and the electrically insulated heat diffuser and heat sink can be achieved using thermally conductive adhesives and / or brazing, welding, sintering, or other metal-to-metal bonding techniques. It should be noted that although these steps are described in a specific order, this order can be changed, and some steps can be performed simultaneously. It should also be noted that the upper and lower laminates can be formed as a single monolithic laminate. For example, the heat diffuser (one or more metal plates) can be positioned in a mold in which the laminating material is injected as a liquid to form... Figure 2F The laminated structure shown. In other words, the upper and lower laminates can be cured to form an integral laminated structure encapsulating the heat diffuser, except for the predetermined openings for receiving electronic components.

[0042] EVs utilize one or more electronic components, including high-voltage, high-power electronic devices (e.g., power switches), to drive the electric motor of the EV drivetrain. These electronic components are typically mounted in a panel configuration. Figure 3AAn exploded perspective view 300 of electronic components, including a laminated heat diffuser, mounted on a panel is shown. Panel 302 (the large radiator) can be located in various locations within the vehicle, including but not limited to the powertrain housing, chassis area, and EV battery compartment. The main components of panel 302 may include one or more panels and components, including but not limited to a top plate 302A having riveting hardware for attaching panel 302 to other EV structures, and a radiator including a middle plate 302B, fins 302C, and a bottom plate 302D, which, when combined, serve as a sealed coolant path through which coolant flows via fins 302C, absorbing heat conducted through the middle plate 302B and bottom plate 302D, and dissipating heat through the EV's coolant system (e.g., a coolant radiator) (not shown).

[0043] In this configuration, the laminated heat diffuser module 250 can be thermally coupled to the middle plate 302B via a thermally conductive adhesive, and the top plate 302A is mounted to the middle plate 302B, thereby holding the heat diffuser module 250 in a predetermined position. It should be noted that the top plate 302A has openings for nesting the heat diffuser within the plate and providing channels for thermal coupling of electronic devices (not shown) to the metal surface of the heat diffuser in the heat diffuser module 250. To complete the assembly, the bottom plate 302D of the heat sink is mounted to the middle plate 302B of the heat sink, and a heat sink fin is positioned between the bottom plate and the middle plate. As described above, the heat sink can be connected to a fluid coolant system to absorb and dissipate heat generated by the electronic components. In other words, heat generated by the electronic components can be absorbed into the heat diffuser and transferred to the middle plate 302B, the bottom plate 302D, and the heat sink fin 302C of the heat sink. The fluid flowing through the heat sink 302C can absorb heat from the components and dissipate the heat through the EV's coolant system. The coolant system may include fluid pipes / pipes, a coolant pump, and a coolant radiator located in the front grille area of ​​the EV. It should be noted that the flow of coolant can also cool other EV components, such as the EV battery and powertrain (e.g., motor, bearings, etc.).

[0044] It should be noted that while thermal diffuser assemblies are beneficial for EV cooling applications, thermal diffuser assembly solutions can also be used in other applications of energy products that require cooling of electronic components. These applications may include, but are not limited to, cooling electronic components of other types of EVs (e.g., air EVs, water EVs, etc.). These applications may also include non-EV applications of energy products (e.g., residential power systems that use inverters to convert DC from batteries to AC to power homes, etc.). Typically, thermal diffuser assembly solutions can be used in any application that requires cooling electronic components at a voltage potential different from that of the heat sink to which they are coupled.

[0045] Figure 3BA flowchart 310 illustrates an assembly procedure for an electronic component, including a laminated heat diffuser, for mounting in a panel. In step 312, the heat diffuser is laminated to form a laminated heat diffuser module 250. This lamination process may include creating individual laminated sheets (upper / lower sheets) and fusing these sheets together using an adhesive or heat. Alternatively, the lamination process may include creating a monolithic laminated sheet via injection molding. For example, a heat diffuser plate (e.g., a metal plate) may be placed in a mold, and then a lamination material is injected into the mold to encapsulate the metal plate, except for predetermined openings for accommodating the electronic components. In step 314, the laminated heat diffuser module 250 is thermally coupled to a middle sheet 302B of a heat sink. In step 316, a top sheet 302A is positioned above the laminated heat diffuser module 250 such that the laminated heat diffuser module 250 is exposed through openings in the top sheet 302A. Top sheet 302A and middle sheet 302B can be connected together via fasteners, brazing, etc., allowing the laminated heat diffuser module 250 to use these features to attach to specific locations between the sheets for precise positioning. In step 318, the electronic components are soldered to the PCB. This soldering process can result in multiple electronic components being soldered to one or more PCBs, and these multiple electronic components being thermally coupled to one or more laminated heat diffuser modules 250. In step 320, the body of the electronic component is thermally coupled to the exposed metal surface of the heat diffuser through openings in the laminate. As described above, these openings can have shapes and dimensions specifically designed to receive electronic components with specific shapes and sizes. Thermal coupling between the electronic components, any thermal interface materials, the heat diffuser, and the heat sink can be achieved using thermally conductive adhesives and / or brazing, welding, sintering, or other metal bonding techniques. It should be noted that although these steps are described in a specific order, this order can be changed, and some steps can be performed simultaneously.

[0046] While the foregoing is directed to the examples described herein, other and further examples may be devised without departing from its essential scope. Those skilled in the art will understand that the foregoing examples are exemplary and not restrictive. All permutations, enhancements, equivalents, and modifications that will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the specification and studying the accompanying drawings are intended to be included within the true spirit and scope of this disclosure. Therefore, the following appended claims are intended to include all such modifications, permutations, and equivalents that fall within the true spirit and scope of these teachings. Example

[0047] Therefore, some examples may include one or more of the following:

[0048] Example 1 is an electronic component comprising: a heat diffuser including a heat-conducting plate having a first insulating surface and a second insulating surface located on opposite sides of the heat-conducting plate, the first insulating surface including an opening exposing the heat-conducting plate; and an electronic device including a body and an electrical connector, the body of the electronic device being thermally coupled to the heat-conducting plate through the opening.

[0049] In Example 2, the subject of Example 1 includes a printed circuit board (PCB) that is electrically connected to the electrical connector of the electronic device.

[0050] In Example 3, the subject of Examples 1 to 2 includes a heat sink that is thermally coupled to a second insulating surface of the heat diffuser.

[0051] In Example 4, the subject matter of Examples 1 to 3 includes: wherein the first insulating surface and the second insulating surface are at least one of an insulating laminate, an insulating coating, or an insulating surface transformation.

[0052] In Example 5, the subject of Example 4 includes: the body of the electronic device is thermally coupled to the heat-conducting plate via a thermally conductive material, and the heat sink is thermally coupled to the second insulating surface of the heat diffuser via a thermally conductive material.

[0053] In Example 6, the subject matter of Examples 1 to 5 includes: wherein the laminate of the first insulating surface and the second insulating surface is made of a material that provides electrical insulation between the electrical connection of the electronic device and the heat-conducting plate, and provides electrical insulation between the heat-conducting plate and the heat sink.

[0054] In Example 7, the subject matter of Examples 1 through 6 includes: where the electronic device is a high-power semiconductor switch.

[0055] In Example 8, the subject matter of Examples 1 to 7 includes an additional heat diffuser comprising an additional heat-conducting plate comprising a third insulating surface and a fourth insulating surface located on opposite sides of the additional heat-conducting plate, the third insulating surface including an additional opening exposing the additional heat-conducting plate; and additional electronics comprising an additional body and additional electrical connections, the additional body of the additional electronics being thermally coupled to the additional heat-conducting plate through the additional opening, wherein the first insulating surface and the third insulating surface comprise a first uniform substrate of a laminate, and the second insulating surface and the fourth insulating surface comprise a second uniform substrate of a laminate.

[0056] In Example 9, the subject of Examples 1 to 8 includes an additional electronic device comprising an additional body and an additional electrical connection, the additional body of which is thermally coupled to the heat-conducting plate through an additional opening in the first insulating surface.

[0057] In Example 10, the subject matter of Examples 1 to 9 includes: wherein the second insulating surface includes a laminate substrate, the laminate substrate including a recess for receiving the heat-conducting plate.

[0058] Example 11 is a method comprising: laminating a heat diffuser to form a laminated heat diffuser module; thermally coupling the laminated heat diffuser module to a middle plate of a heat sink; positioning a top plate above the laminated heat diffuser module, the laminated heat diffuser module being exposed through one or more openings in the top plate; and thermally coupling one or more electronic devices to the laminated heat diffuser module through one or more openings in the top plate.

[0059] In Example 12, the subject of Example 11 includes fusing an upper and lower laminate together using adhesives or heat.

[0060] In Example 13, the subject matter of Examples 11 to 12 includes: wherein the top piece and the middle piece are connected by fasteners or brazing.

[0061] In Example 14, the subject matter of Examples 11 to 13 includes: wherein the one or more openings have a first shape and a first size, the first shape and the first size corresponding to a second shape and a second size of the one or more electronic devices.

[0062] Example 15 is a panel comprising: a heat diffuser including a heat-conducting plate having a first surface and a second surface located on opposite sides of the heat-conducting plate; a thermal interface thermally coupled to the first surface of the heat-conducting plate; and a power switch thermally coupled to the thermal interface.

[0063] Example 16 is an electronic component comprising: a heat diffuser including a heat-conducting plate having a first surface and a second surface located on opposite sides of the heat-conducting plate; a thermal interface thermally coupled to the first surface of the heat-conducting plate; and an electronic device including a body and an electrical connector, the body of the electronic device being thermally coupled to the thermal interface.

[0064] In Example 17, the subject of Example 16 includes a printed circuit board (PCB) that is electrically connected to the electrical connector of the electronic device.

[0065] In Example 18, the subject of Examples 16-17 includes a heat sink that is thermally coupled to the second surface of the heat diffuser.

[0066] In Example 19, the subject of Example 18 includes an insulating layer positioned between the heat sink and the heat diffuser.

[0067] In Example 20, the subject of Example 19 includes: the body of the electronic device is thermally coupled to the thermal interface via a thermally conductive material, and the heat sink is thermally coupled to the second surface of the thermal diffuser via the thermally conductive material.

[0068] In Example 21, the subject matter of Examples 16 to 20 includes: wherein the thermal interface is composed of a material that provides electrical insulation between the electrical connection of the electronic device and the heat-conducting plate, and provides thermal conduction between the body of the electronic device and the heat-conducting plate.

[0069] In Example 22, the subject of Examples 16 through 21 includes that the electronic device is a high-power semiconductor switch.

[0070] In Example 23, the subject matter of Examples 16 to 22 includes an additional thermal interface thermally coupled to a first surface of the heat-conducting plate; and additional electronics including an additional body and additional electrical connections, the additional body of the additional electronics being thermally coupled to the additional thermal interface.

[0071] In Example 24, the subject of Examples 16 to 23 includes an additional electronic device comprising an additional body and an additional electrical connection, the additional body of which is thermally coupled to the thermal interface.

[0072] In Example 25, the subject matter of Examples 16 to 24 includes: wherein the size of the thermal interface corresponds to the size of the electronic device.

[0073] It should be noted that the above description and figures are merely illustrative of the principles of this subject matter and the embodiments described herein, and should not be construed as limiting the subject matter. Therefore, it should be understood that various arrangements can be designed, although not explicitly described or shown herein, but which embody the principles of this subject matter. Furthermore, all statements and specific examples of the principles, aspects, and concrete implementations of this subject matter described herein are intended to cover their equivalents.

[0074] It should be understood that not all purposes or improvements can be achieved according to any particular example described herein. Therefore, for example, those skilled in the art will recognize that some examples may operate in a manner that implements or optimizes a feature or set of features as taught herein, without necessarily achieving other purposes or features that may be taught or suggested herein.

[0075] All processes described herein can be embodied in software code modules and executed by a computing system, including a computer or processor, and are fully automated via these software code modules. The code modules can be stored on any type of non-transitory computer-readable medium or other computer storage device. Some or all of the methods can be embodied in dedicated computer hardware.

[0076] Based on this disclosure, many other variations will be apparent in addition to those described herein. For example, according to the examples, certain actions, events, or functions of any algorithm described herein may be performed in a different order, may be added, combined, or omitted entirely (e.g., not all described actions or events are necessary for algorithmic practice). Furthermore, in some examples, actions or events may be performed concurrently, for example, through multithreading, interrupt handling, or multiple processors or processor cores, or other parallel architectures, rather than sequentially. Moreover, different tasks or processes may be performed by different machines and / or computing systems that can work together.

[0077] The various illustrative logic blocks and modules described in conjunction with the examples disclosed herein can be implemented or executed by a machine such as a processing unit or processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. A processor may be a microprocessor, but alternatively, it may be a controller, a microcontroller, or a state machine, a combination thereof, etc. A processor may include circuitry for processing computer-executable instructions. In some examples, the processor includes an FPGA or other programmable means that performs logic operations without processing computer-executable instructions. A processor may also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, such as a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, multiple microprocessors, one or more microprocessors combined with a DSP core, or any other such configuration.

[0078] Although this document primarily describes digital technologies, processors can also primarily comprise analog components. The computing environment can include any type of computer system, including but not limited to microprocessor-based computer systems, mainframe computers, digital signal processors, portable computing devices, computing engines within device controllers or appliances, etc. Elements of the methods, processes, routines, or algorithms described in conjunction with the examples disclosed herein can be implemented directly in hardware, in software modules executed by the processor device, or in a combination of hardware and software. Software modules can reside in RAM memory, flash memory, ROM memory, EPROM memory, EEPROM memory, registers, hard disks, removable disks, CD-ROMs, or any other form of non-transitory computer-readable storage medium. Exemplary storage media can be coupled to the processor device, enabling the processor device to read information from and write information to the storage medium. Alternatively, the storage medium can be a component of the processor device. The processor device and storage medium can reside in an ASIC. The ASIC can reside in a user terminal. Alternatively, the processor device and storage medium can reside as discrete components in the user terminal.

[0079] The processes described herein or illustrated in the accompanying drawings may be initiated in response to events, such as a predetermined or dynamically determined schedule, on demand when initiated by a user or system administrator, or in response to some other event. When these processes are initiated, a set of executable program instructions stored on one or more non-transitory computer-readable media (e.g., hard disk drives, flash memory, removable media, etc.) may be loaded into the memory (e.g., RAM) of a server or other computing device. The executable instructions may then be executed by the hardware-based computer processor of the computing device. In some examples, such processes, or portions thereof, may be implemented serially or in parallel on multiple computing devices and / or multiple processors.

[0080] Although the flowcharts described herein may show operations as a sequential process, many operations within an operation can be executed in parallel or simultaneously. Furthermore, the order of operations can be rearranged. A process terminates when its operations are complete. A process can correspond to a method, a program, an algorithm, etc. The operations of a method can be executed in whole or in part, can be combined with some or all of the operations from other methods, and can be executed by any number of different systems, such as the system described herein, or any part thereof, such as processors included in any system within the system.

[0081] Conditional language such as “can,” “able,” “may,” or “may,” unless explicitly stated otherwise, is understood in context to generally convey that certain examples include certain features, elements, and / or steps that are not included in other examples. Therefore, such conditional language is not generally intended to imply that features, elements, and / or steps are used in any way in an example, or that an example necessarily includes logic for determining whether such features, elements, and / or steps are included or to be executed in any particular example, with or without user input or prompts.

[0082] Disjunctive languages ​​such as the phrase “at least one of X, Y, or Z” are, unless otherwise explicitly stated, understood in context to generally represent that items, terms, etc., can be X, Y, or Z, or any combination thereof (e.g., X, Y, and / or Z). Therefore, such disjunctive languages ​​are generally not intended to, and should not, imply that some examples require the existence of at least one of X, at least one of Y, or at least one of Z individually.

[0083] Any process description, element, or block depicted in the flowcharts described herein and / or in the accompanying drawings should be understood as potentially representing a module, segment, or code portion comprising executable instructions for implementing a particular logical function or element within the process. Alternative examples are included within the scope of the examples described herein, wherein, depending on the functionality involved (as would be understood by those skilled in the art), elements or functions may be removed, or performed in an order different from that shown or discussed, including substantially, simultaneously, or in reverse order.

[0084] It should be emphasized that many variations and modifications can be made to the above examples, and the elements of these examples should be understood as existing within other acceptable examples. All such modifications and variations are intended to be included within the scope of this disclosure.

[0085] Any process description, element, or block depicted in the flowcharts described herein and / or in the accompanying drawings should be understood as potentially representing a module, segment, or code portion comprising executable instructions for implementing a particular logical function or element within the process. Alternative implementations are included within the scope of the examples described herein, wherein, depending on the functionality involved (as those skilled in the art will understand), elements or functions may be omitted or performed in a different order than that shown or discussed, including substantially simultaneous or reverse order.

[0086] Unless otherwise explicitly stated, articles such as “a” or “an” should generally be interpreted as including one or more of the described items. Therefore, phrases such as “device configured to…” are intended to include one or more of the listed devices. Such one or more listed devices may also be configured collectively to perform the statements. For example, “processors configured to perform statements A, B, and C” could include a first processor configured to perform statement A working in conjunction with a second processor configured to perform statements B and C.

[0087] It will also be understood that one or more of the elements depicted in the accompanying drawings may also be implemented in a more separate or integrated manner, or removed or disabled in specific circumstances, as is useful depending on the specific application.

Claims

1. An electronic component, comprising: A heat diffuser includes a heat-conducting plate, the heat-conducting plate including a first insulating surface and a second insulating surface, the first insulating surface and the second insulating surface being located on opposite sides of the heat-conducting plate, the first insulating surface including an opening exposing the heat-conducting plate; as well as An electronic device, comprising a body and electrical connectors, wherein the body of the electronic device is thermally coupled to the heat-conducting plate through the opening.

2. The electronic component according to claim 1, further comprising: A printed circuit board (PCB) is an electrical connection that is electrically connected to the electronic device.

3. The electronic component according to claim 1, further comprising: The heat sink is thermally coupled to the second insulating surface of the heat diffuser.

4. The electronic component of claim 1, wherein the first insulating surface and the second insulating surface are at least one of an insulating laminate, an insulating coating, or an insulating surface transformation.

5. The electronic component of claim 3, wherein the body of the electronic device is thermally coupled to the heat-conducting plate via a thermally conductive material or a direct bonding method, and the heat sink is thermally coupled to the second insulating surface of the heat diffuser via the thermally conductive material.

6. The electronic component of claim 1, wherein the laminate of the first insulating surface and the second insulating surface is made of a material that provides electrical insulation between the electrical connector of the electronic device and the heat-conducting plate, and provides electrical isolation between the heat-conducting plate and the heat sink.

7. The electronic component of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a high-power semiconductor switch.

8. The electronic component according to claim 1, comprising: An additional heat diffuser includes an additional heat-conducting plate, the additional heat-conducting plate including a third insulating surface and a fourth insulating surface located on opposite sides of the additional heat-conducting plate, the third insulating surface including an additional opening exposing the additional heat-conducting plate; as well as An additional electronic component, comprising an additional body and additional electrical connections, wherein the additional body of the additional electronic component is thermally coupled to the additional heat-conducting plate through the additional opening. The first insulating surface and the third insulating surface comprise a first uniform substrate of a laminate, and the second insulating surface and the fourth insulating surface comprise a second uniform substrate of a laminate.

9. The electronic component according to claim 1, comprising: An additional electronic device, including an additional body and an additional electrical connection, wherein the additional body of the additional electronic device is thermally coupled to the heat-conducting plate through an additional opening in the first insulating surface.

10. The electronic component according to claim 1, The second insulating surface includes a laminate substrate, the laminate substrate including a recess for accommodating the heat-conducting plate.

11. A method comprising: Laminated thermal diffusers are used to form laminated thermal diffuser modules; The laminated heat diffuser module is thermally coupled to the middle plate of the heat sink; The top plate is positioned above the laminated heat diffuser module, the laminated heat diffuser module being exposed through one or more openings in the top plate; and One or more electronic devices are thermally coupled to the laminated thermal diffuser module through one or more openings in the top plate.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein laminating the thermal diffuser comprises: The upper and lower plates are fused together using adhesives or heat.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the top sheet and the middle sheet are connected by fasteners or brazing.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the one or more openings have a first shape and a first size, the first shape and the first size corresponding to a second shape and a second size of the one or more electronic devices.

15. A panel comprising: A heat diffuser includes a heat-conducting plate, the heat-conducting plate having a first surface and a second surface, the first surface and the second surface being located on opposite sides of the heat-conducting plate; A thermal interface is thermally coupled to the first surface of the heat-conducting plate; as well as The power switch is thermally coupled to the thermal interface.

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