Control module for a vehicle with at least one electric motor and one transmission

Abstract

Control module for a vehicle with at least one electric motor and a transmission, wherein the control module has a housing (11, 12) with transmission control electronics (5) and converter electronics (1) for controlling an electric motor, and a heat sink (3) with cooling channels (4), characterized in that the housing (11, 12) comprises an upper housing part (11) and a lower housing part (12), wherein the heat sink (3) is arranged between the upper housing part (11) and the lower housing part (12) in such a way that the heat sink (3) forms part of the housing (11, 3, 12), that the lower housing part (12) and the heat sink (3) form a media-tight cavity (9) for receiving the converter electronics (1), wherein the converter electronics (1) has a printed circuit board (18) with electronic components (1.1) as a circuit carrier, and wherein the converter electronics (1) are thermally conductively connected to the heat sink (3), and that the transmission control electronics (5) are arranged thermally conductively on a base plate (7) and are surrounded by a plastic sheath (16), and that the transmission control electronics (5) with the plastic sheath (16) and the base plate (7) form the upper housing part (11), wherein the upper housing part (11) is thermally conductively connected to the heat sink (3) in such a way that heat is transported (10) from the transmission control electronics (5) via the base plate (7) to the heat sink (3).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a control module for a vehicle having at least one electric motor and a transmission according to the preamble of claim 1.

[0002] Electromobility primarily refers to the use of electric cars. These are fully or partially electrically powered, carry an energy storage device, and draw their energy primarily from the power grid. Hybrid vehicles combine two drive technologies. Shorter distances can usually be covered electrically, but with their combustion engines, they can also easily cover long distances. Hybrid cars that can also be charged from a power outlet are called plug-in hybrids. Hybrid vehicles are considered a bridge technology until cars are fully powered by electricity.

[0003] The vehicles are usually equipped with a transmission which is designed to transmit torque between an input and an output of the transmission by means of torque transmission clutches.

[0004] The operation of the transmission is controlled by a transmission control unit.

[0005] Another key component of the electric drivetrain in hybrid and electric vehicles is the power electronics. This is primarily responsible for controlling the electric motor, communicating with the vehicle control system, and diagnosing the drive system.

[0006] Power electronics typically includes an electronic control unit, an inverter, and a DC / DC converter. The control unit represents the control center of the power electronics. DC-to-AC converters, or inverters, convert the battery's direct current into alternating current to drive the electric motor. The electric motor ultimately converts electrical energy into mechanical energy. This process is reversed to charge the battery.

[0007] Other key components of an electric vehicle include the DC-DC converter, also known as a converter or inverter. It converts the high battery voltage, ranging from 100 to 400 volts or more, into the significantly lower operating voltage of 12 or 48 volts for electronic components.

[0008] DE 10 2013 222 599 A1 describes a vehicle with an internal combustion engine and an electric motor, whereby a transmission control module controls not only the transmission but also the electric motor, the inverter and the DC-DC converter.

[0009] Further control modules from the prior art are known, for example, from US 8 587 977 B2, DE 10 2014 112 330 A1, DE 11 2012 000 617 T5 and US 2010 / 0 188 813 A1.

[0010] The object of the present invention is to provide a compact control module for a vehicle with at least one electric motor and a transmission, whereby the number of individual parts of the control module can be kept low and whereby expensive, low-loss components can be dispensed with due to the efficient dissipation of the heat generated by the electronics.

[0011] This object is achieved according to the invention by a control module having the features of claim 1.

[0012] In the control module according to the invention, a housing comprises an upper housing part and a lower housing part, wherein a heat sink is arranged between the upper housing part and the lower housing part such that the heat sink forms part of the housing.

[0013] The housing base and the heat sink form a media-tight cavity to accommodate the converter electronics, with the converter electronics being thermally conductively connected to the heat sink.

[0014] The transmission control electronics are arranged in a thermally conductive manner on a base plate, whereby the base plate is advantageously made of metal, for example aluminum.

[0015] The transmission control electronics are enclosed in a plastic casing to protect them from harmful environmental influences. The transmission control electronics, the plastic casing, and the base plate together form the upper housing section. The upper housing section is thermally conductively connected to the heat sink, allowing heat generated by the electronic components of the transmission control electronics to be dissipated to the heat sink via the base plate.

[0016] This creates a compact control module for an inverter and a transmission with a common, efficient cooling device, which can be used both as an attached-to and as a standalone control module in a vehicle.

[0017] According to the invention, the converter electronics comprises a printed circuit board with electronic components as the circuit carrier. The circuit board of the converter electronics can be equipped with electronic components on both sides, thereby further increasing the compactness of the arrangement.

[0018] In a further embodiment, the electronic components of the converter electronics, which are arranged on the side of the circuit board facing the upper housing part, are advantageously directly connected to the heat sink in a thermally conductive manner. This allows these electronic components to be cooled even more effectively.

[0019] In particular, at least the thermally conductive connection between the converter electronics and the heat sink, or the thermally conductive connection between the transmission control electronics and the base plate, or the thermally conductive connection between the electronic components of the converter electronics, which are arranged on the side of the circuit board facing the upper part of the housing, and the heat sink, is achieved by means of a thermally conductive material.

[0020] The thermal conductive material is usually a thermal paste or a thermal adhesive.

[0021] Depending on the amount of heat to be dissipated and, in particular, the size of the contact surface of the parts involved in the heat transfer, standard silicone-based thermal pastes or high-performance thermal pastes with improved thermal conductivity or thermal adhesives can be used.

[0022] In one embodiment, the cooling channels of the heat sink on the side opposite the converter electronics are sealed, particularly in a media-tight manner, with the base plate of the upper housing section. This embodiment can significantly reduce the manufacturing costs of the heat sink.

[0023] In a further embodiment, the upper housing section, comprising the transmission control electronics, plastic casing, and base plate, is thermally and mechanically connected to the heat sink by means of at least one connecting means, each of which engages with a corresponding receptacle of the heat sink. At least one of the connecting means can be a screw or a rivet. This modular design is simple, secure, and provides efficient heat dissipation away from the electronics.

[0024] In one embodiment, the plastic casing of the upper housing section is made of thermoset or thermoplastic. This reliably protects the electronic components of the transmission control electronics against external environmental influences. Furthermore, a separate cover for the transmission control electronics is eliminated.

[0025] To increase the thermal conductivity, the plastic sheath can additionally be provided with at least one inorganic filler.

[0026] The drawings show: Fig. 1 a schematic sectional view of a control module, Fig. 2 shows a view of another control module

[0027] Fig. 1 shows a control module for a vehicle having at least one electric motor and a transmission, for example, for an electric car or a hybrid vehicle. The control module has a housing 11, 12 for accommodating a transmission controller 5 for controlling the transmission and converter electronics 1 for controlling an electric motor. Additionally, the control module has a heat sink 3 for dissipating the heat generated by the control module's electronics via a cooling fluid.

[0028] The housing 11, 12 comprises an upper housing part 11 and a lower housing part 12.

[0029] The heat sink 3 is arranged between the upper housing part 11 and the lower housing part 12, and thus also between the transmission control electronics 5 and the converter electronics 1, such that the heat sink 3 forms part of the housing 3, 11, 12.

[0030] The housing base 12 and the heat sink 3 form a media-tight cavity 9 for accommodating the converter electronics 1. The housing base 12 and the heat sink 3 are thermally and mechanically connected to one another by means of a connecting means 8. To increase the seal, a seal 13 is arranged between the housing base 12 and the heat sink 3. The seal 13 can be designed, for example, as a separate insert seal or as an adhesive seal.

[0031] The converter electronics 1 comprises a printed circuit board 18 and electronic components 1.1 arranged thereon. The electronic components 1.1 are mounted both on the underside of the printed circuit board 18 of the converter electronics 1, facing the upper housing part 11, and on the upper side thereof. Here, the electronic components 1.1 are arranged on the underside in the center of the printed circuit board 18, near a coolant channel 4 of the heat sink 3. Because the printed circuit board 18 of the converter electronics 1 is populated on both sides, the heat sink 3 has a step 3.2 on the edge, each extending in the direction of a connecting means 8, on which the component-free part of the underside of the converter electronics 1 rests. A thermally conductive material 2 between the step 3.2 of the heat sink 3 and the converter electronics 1 ensures good heat transfer 10 from the converter electronics 1 to the heat sink 3.When using a thermally conductive adhesive 2, an extra mechanical connection between the converter electronics 1 and the heat sink 3 can be omitted.

[0032] In Fig. 1, the height of the step 3.2 is adapted to the height of the electronic components 1.1 arranged on the underside of the converter electronics 1, so that the components 1.1 are directly connected to the heat sink 3 in a thermally conductive manner by means of the thermally conductive material 2.

[0033] For these electronic components 1.1 arranged on the underside of the converter electronics 1, the heat transfer 10 to the heat sink 3 thus takes place both via the circuit board 18 of the converter electronics 1 and directly from the components 1.1. In particular, electronic components 1.1 that generate particularly high levels of heat can therefore be mounted on the circuit board here. In addition, to further increase the heat transfer 10 to the heat sink 3, a more expensive but better high-performance thermally conductive material can be used instead of the standard thermally conductive material 2.

[0034] The upper housing part 11 comprising the transmission control electronics 5 with the plastic casing 16 and the base plate 7 is connected to the heat sink 3 by means of connecting means 8 in a thermally conductive and mechanical, in particular force-fitting manner, wherein the connecting means 8 is in engagement with a corresponding receptacle 3.1 of the heat sink 3. Fig. 1, a screw 8 is screwed into a corresponding thread 3.1 in the heat sink 3. Instead of a screw, a rivet could also be used.

[0035] In Fig. 1, the cooling channels 4 of the heat sink 3 are sealed on the side opposite the converter electronics 1 with the base plate 7 of the housing top 11. This significantly reduces the manufacturing costs of the heat sink 3. However, it would also be conceivable for the heat sink 3 to be self-contained, i.e., manufactured from a single piece.

[0036] Between the base plate 7 of the upper housing part 11 and the heat sink 3, Fig. 1, a circumferential seal 7 is arranged to increase the sealing effect. This seal 7 can be designed, for example, as an insert seal or an adhesive seal.

[0037] The transmission control electronics 5 has a printed circuit board 6 with electronic components 5.1 arranged thereon. The printed circuit board 6 is arranged in a thermally conductive manner on the base plate 7. The connecting element 8 is guided through a corresponding bore in the base plate 7. The plastic casing 16 of the transmission control electronics 5, which is made in particular of duroplastic or thermoplastic, encloses Fig. 1 essentially covers the area of ​​the printed circuit board 6 in which the electronic components 5.1 are arranged. However, the plastic casing 16 of the transmission control electronics 5 could also extend beyond the edge of the printed circuit board 6 to the edge of the base plate 7, in which case the connecting means 8 would be guided through a corresponding hole in the plastic casing 16 and the base plate 7.

[0038] The electronic components 5.1 are here in Fig. 1 is arranged on the side of the transmission control electronics circuit board 5 facing away from the converter electronics 1.

[0039] The lower housing part 12 is attached to the side of the heat sink 3 opposite the upper housing part 11 in a thermally conductive manner, for example, by force-locking. It can, in particular, form the interface of the control module, here as an attached-to version, to a transmission (not shown). However, the control module could also be installed in the vehicle as a stand-alone version, separate from the transmission.

[0040] Fig. 2 shows an external view of a control module housing with an upper housing part 11 with plastic sheath 16 and a base plate 7, a heat sink 3 and a lower housing part 12, wherein the heat sink 3 is arranged between the upper housing part 11 and the lower housing part 12.

[0041] The upper housing part 11, consisting of the transmission control electronics 5 with a plastic casing 16 and a base plate 7, and the heat sink 3 are connected to one another by means of the connecting means 8, wherein a connecting means 8 is guided through a hole in the base plate 7, which in this case projects beyond the circuit board of the transmission control electronics 5.

[0042] The heat transport 10 takes place from the transmission control electronics 5 via the base plate 7 to the heat sink 3.

[0043] The electrical connections 17 of the transmission control electronics 5, in particular for exchanging signals and supply voltages with an ambient electronics system not shown, are located here on the top side of the upper housing part 11, but could also be placed, for example, on the side of the upper housing part 11.

[0044] The electrical connection 14 for the converter electronics 1 is arranged here on the lower housing part 12.

[0045] The heat sink 3 has a cooling connection 15 on each of its long sides.

[0046] This compact control unit for an inverter and a transmission with a common, efficient cooling device can be used both as an attached-to and as a standalone control unit in a vehicle. List of reference symbols 1 converter electronics 1.1 electronic component of the converter electronics 2 Thermal conductive material 3 heat sinks 3.1 Holder for connecting devices 3.2 Heatsink stage 4 Coolant channel 5 Transmission control electronics 5.1 electronic component of the transmission control electronics 6 Circuit board of the transmission control electronics 7 Base plate 8 connecting devices 9 Cavity 10 Heat transport 11 Upper housing part 12 Housing base 13 Seal 14 Connection of converter electronics 15 Cooling connection 16 Plastic covering 17 Connection transmission control electronics 18 Circuit board of the converter electronics

Claims

[1] Control module for a vehicle with at least one electric motor and a transmission, wherein the control module has a housing (11, 12) with transmission control electronics (5) and converter electronics (1) for controlling an electric motor, and a heat sink (3) with cooling channels (4), characterized bythat the housing (11, 12) comprises an upper housing part (11) and a lower housing part (12), wherein the heat sink (3) is arranged between the upper housing part (11) and the lower housing part (12) in such a way that the heat sink (3) forms part of the housing (11, 3, 12), that the lower housing part (12) and the heat sink (3) form a media-tight cavity (9) for receiving the converter electronics (1), wherein the converter electronics (1) comprises a printed circuit board (18) with electronic components (1.1) as a circuit carrier, and wherein the converter electronics (1) are thermally conductively connected to the heat sink (3), and that the transmission control electronics (5) are arranged thermally conductively on a base plate (7) and are surrounded by a plastic sheath (16), and that the transmission control electronics (5) with the plastic sheath (16) and the base plate (7) form the upper housing part (11), wherein the upper housing part (11) is thermally conductively connected to the heat sink (3) in such a way that heat is transported (10) from the transmission control electronics (5) via the base plate (7) to the heat sink (3). [2] Control module according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the circuit board (18) of the converter electronics (1) can be equipped with electronic components (1.1) on both sides. [3] Control module according to claim 2, characterized bythat the electronic components (1.1) of the converter electronics (1), which are arranged on the side of the printed circuit board (18) facing the upper housing part (11), are directly connected to the heat sink (3) in a thermally conductive manner. [4] Control module according to one of claims 2 or 3, characterized by that at least the thermally conductive connection between the converter electronics (1) and the heat sink (3), or the thermally conductive connection between the transmission control electronics (5) and the base plate (7), or the thermally conductive connection between the electronic components (1.1) of the converter electronics (1), which are arranged on the side of the printed circuit board (18) facing the upper housing part (11), and the heat sink (3), is achieved by means of a thermally conductive material (2). [5] Control module according to claim 4, characterized by that the thermally conductive material (2) is a thermally conductive paste or a thermally conductive adhesive. [6] Control module according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the cooling channels (4) of the heat sink (3) on the side opposite the converter electronics (1) are sealed in a media-tight manner with the base plate (7) of the upper housing section (11). [7] Control module according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the upper housing part (11), comprising transmission control electronics (5), plastic casing (16) and base plate (7), and the heat sink (3) are thermally conductively and mechanically connected to one another by means of at least one connecting means (8), wherein the connecting means (8) is in engagement with a corresponding receptacle (3.1) of the heat sink (3). [8] Control module according to claim 7, characterized by that at least one of the connecting means (8) is a screw or a rivet. [9] Control module according to one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat the plastic covering (16) of the upper housing part (11) is made of duroplastic or thermoplastic. [10] Control module according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the plastic sheath (16) is provided with at least one inorganic filler to increase the thermal conductivity.

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