HOUSING FOR AN ELECTRONIC COMPONENT, ARRANGEMENT WITH A HOUSING AND METHOD FOR MAKING A HOUSING

Abstract

Housing (1) for receiving an electronic component comprising a housing wall (2) and a heat dissipation element (3), wherein the heat dissipation element (3) is integrally formed with the housing wall (2), wherein the heat dissipation element (3) and the housing wall (2) are obtainable by a multi-component injection molding process, wherein the heat dissipation element (3) is arranged such that heat generated in the electronic component can be transported to the housing wall (2) by means of the heat dissipation element (3), and wherein the heat dissipation element (3) is designed and arranged such that the electronic component can be contacted over a surface by means of the heat dissipation element (3).

Description

Technical FieldThe present invention relates to a housing for receiving an electronic component and to a corresponding arrangement which has the housing. The invention also relates to a method for producing said housing.Prior ArtElectronic components, such as printed circuit boards with MOSFETs or other semiconductors mounted thereon, generate a lot of heat during operation, which must be transported away from the electronic component and released to the environment. A housing protecting the electronic component from external influences can impede the heat dissipation away from the printed circuit board to the environment. Accordingly, a series of measures are known from the prior art for optimizing the heat transport from the electronic component via the housing to the environment. For example, cooling ribs are often provided on the housing in order to increase the housing surface and thus optimize the heat transfer from the housing to the environment. Furthermore, the use of heat-conducting paste is known from the prior art, which is arranged between the electronic component and the housing and is intended to enable optimized heat transfer from the electronic component to the housing.In particular, the application of heat-conducting paste to the housing, into which an electronic component is subsequently mounted, means an additional mounting step during the mounting of the electronic component in the housing. In addition, air bubbles frequently form when the heat-conducting paste is applied to the housing, which reduces the heat conduction from the electronic component to the housing.DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTIONIt is therefore an object of the invention to provide, using means which are as simple as possible in terms of construction, a housing for receiving an electronic component, a corresponding arrangement and a method for producing the housing, which housing / s permit particularly efficient cooling of the component and at the same time a particularly short cycle time during the production of the housing and the mounting of the electronic component in the housing.The object is achieved by the subject matters of the independent claims. Advantageous developments of the invention are specified in the dependent claims, the description and the accompanying figures.According to a first aspect of the invention, the object is achieved by a housing for receiving an electronic component, having a housing wall and a heat dissipation element, wherein the heat dissipation element is formed integrally with the housing wall, wherein the heat dissipation element and the housing wall are obtainable by a multicomponent injection molding process, in particular by a two-component injection molding process, wherein the heat dissipation element is arranged such that heat arising in the electronic component can be transported to the housing wall by means of the heat dissipation element, and wherein the heat dissipation element is formed and arranged such that the electronic component can be contacted in a planar manner by means of the heat dissipation element.In other words, the heat dissipation element is formed integrally on the housing wall. That is, the heat dissipation member and the housing wall are integrally connected to each other.In the sense of the present invention, an integral formation of two components with one another means that those components are connected to one another in a materially integral manner. According to the present invention, said cohesive connection is effected by producing both components in a multicomponent injection molding process.A multicomponent injection molding process in the sense of the present invention can comprise, for example, a so-called overmolding process. That is to say that the multicomponent injection molding process can comprise the following method steps: producing the housing wall as an injection molded part from a first component and subsequently overmolding the housing wall or a part of the housing wall with a second component, which finally forms the heat dissipation element.A multicomponent injection molding process in the sense of the present invention can also comprise, for example, the simultaneous or sequential injection of a first and a second component into a mold cavity, wherein the first component ultimately forms the housing wall and the second component ultimately forms the heat dissipation element.The heat dissipation element and the housing wall can consist of different materials.The housing can be obtainable by a multicomponent injection molding process, in particular a two-component injection molding process.The housing according to the invention allows optimized transfer of the heat generated in the electronic component from the housing to the environment using the simplest possible structural means. In particular, the integral formation of the heat-removing element with the housing wall prevents air inclusions in the form of air gaps or air bubbles from forming between the housing wall and the heat-removing element, which reduce the heat transfer. Thus, particularly, static air generally has a low heat transfer coefficient and thus has heat insulating properties. A direct and in particular planar contact between the heat-removing element and the electronic component reduces or even prevents air inclusions between the housing wall and the heat-removing element. In addition, the cycle time during the production of the housing and the mounting of the electronic component in the housing can be reduced in particular by the production of the heat-removing element and the housing wall by a multicomponent injection molding process.According to one embodiment, the housing wall can form a receiving region for receiving the electronic component, wherein the heat dissipation element can be arranged in the receiving region.The receiving region can be a receiving space.By forming a specific receiving region for the electronic component, a particularly precise positioning of the electronic component in the housing is made possible, so that the heat transfer from the electronic component into the housing is optimized. The assembly is also simplified, so that the cycle time for the assembly of the electronic component in the housing is reduced.According to one embodiment, the heat dissipation element can be arranged on the side of the housing wall facing the receiving region. Particularly preferably, the heat dissipation element is arranged in the receiving region.By virtue of the arrangement of the heat-removing element in this way, in particular the heat transfer between the electronic component and the housing wall by means of the heat-removing element is optimized. Here, optimizing the heat transfer is particularly efficient.According to one embodiment, the heat dissipation element can comprise an elastomer. Particularly preferably, the heat dissipation element consists of an elastomer.The elastomer may be a silicone-based elastomer such as silicone rubber. Alternatively or additionally, the elastomer can be a thermoplastic elastomer, such as, for example, styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS), styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene (SEBS) and / or a styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene copolymer. Alternatively or additionally, the elastomer may be a polyurethane-based elastomerElastomers offer on the one hand a high thermal stability and on the other hand a high heat transfer coefficient, so that elastomers are particularly well suited for use as a heat dissipation element in the sense of the present invention. In addition, the usually elastic elastomers enable a particularly flat contact of the heat dissipation element with the electronic component, so that air inclusions are particularly effectively avoided.The heat dissipation element can be designed to compensate for tolerances. The heat dissipation element can have a contact surface for contacting the electronic component, wherein the contact surface can be formed in such a way that the contact surface can be adapted to the surface of the electronic component. The contact surface can be formed in such a way that the contact surface has a negative shape of the electronic component. The contact surface can be configured such that the contact surface fits against the surface of the electronic component. The contact surface can have a 3D contour.Alternatively or additionally, the heat dissipation element can comprise a thermoplastic and / or a thermosetting plastic.The housing wall preferably comprises a thermoplastic, in particular polypropylene or polyamide. Alternatively or additionally, the housing wall can comprise an elastomer. Alternatively or additionally, the housing wall can comprise a fiber-reinforced plastic, such as a glass fiber-reinforced plastic with a thermoplastic or thermosetting plastic matrix, in particular with polypropylene or polyamide as the plastic matrix. Additionally or alternatively, the housing wall can comprise a metal, which is obtainable, for example, by a metal powder injection molding process.According to an embodiment, the heat dissipation element may be electrically insulating. For this purpose, the heat dissipation element can be manufactured from an electrically insulating material. Alternatively or additionally, the heat dissipation element can have an insulation element, such as an insulating film. For this purpose, the insulating film can be embedded in the heat dissipation element, for example, and / or arranged on a contact surface for contacting the electronic component by the heat dissipation element.Insulating in the sense of the present invention can mean that the heat dissipation element has a high specific electrical resistance, in particular a specific electrical resistance that is greater than 10 10 Ω·cm.An electrically insulating property of the heat dissipation element enables a necessary electrical insulation of the electronic component from the housing wall using the simplest possible construction means. If necessary, further insulating elements can be dispensed with entirely, so that the cycle time for producing the housing and for mounting the electronic component in the housing can be further reduced.According to an embodiment, the heat dissipation element may comprise a phase change material element.A phase change material element in the sense of the present invention comprises a phase change material. Phase change material can absorb and release heat during phase transitions. Thus, a phase change material may absorb heat within a certain temperature range, wherein the thermal energy is partly used to cause a phase change of the material.By using a phase change material element, a particularly effective heat transfer and thermal management in the heat dissipation element can be achieved. This has the consequence that the electronic component can be cooled particularly effectively.According to a second aspect of the invention, the object is achieved by an arrangement comprising a housing according to the invention and an electronic component, wherein the electronic component is mounted in the housing.The electronic component may be a printed circuit board. The circuit board may include one or more semiconductors, such as one or more MOSFETs and / or other transistors.The arrangement according to the invention enables optimized transfer of the heat generated in the electronic component from the housing to the environment using the simplest possible constructive means. In addition, the cycle time during the production of the housing and the assembly arrangement can be reduced in particular by producing the heat-removing element and the housing wall by a multicomponent injection molding process.According to one embodiment, the electronic component may include at least one heat sink that is in contact with the heat dissipation member.The direct contacting of the heat sink or sinks of the electronic component by the heat dissipation element enables a particularly efficient cooling of the electronic component, since the heat can be dissipated to the environment in a particularly effective manner by the heat dissipation element.The electronic component, in particular the printed circuit board, can have a mounting side on which at least one electronic component such as a semiconductor, in particular a MOSFET, and / or an electrical resistor is mounted. The heat dissipation element can be in planar contact with the placement side of the electronic component, in particular the printed circuit board.According to a third aspect of the invention, the object is achieved by a method for producing a housing according to the invention and preferably for mounting an electronic component in the housing, having the following steps: providing a first material for producing the housing wall, providing a second material for producing the heat dissipation element, and producing the housing wall and the heat dissipation element integrally connected to the housing wall by means of a multicomponent injection molding process, in particular by means of a two-component injection molding process.The method according to the invention allows a particularly short cycle time for producing the housing and for mounting the electronic component in the housing, which can be reduced in particular by producing the heat-removing element and the housing wall by a multicomponent injection molding process.The method can also include the following method step: mounting an electronic component in the housing.Brief description of the FiguresIn the following, an advantageous embodiment of the invention is explained with reference to the accompanying figures. The following are shown: FIG. 1 shows a top view of the housing according to the invention according to a first exemplary embodiment, FIG. 2 shows a sectional view of the housing according to the invention according to the first exemplary embodiment along the sectional axis A-A illustrated in FIG. 1,Detailed Figure DescriptionThe figures are merely schematic representations and serve only to explain the invention. Identical or identically acting elements are provided with the same reference numerals throughout.FIG. 1 shows a housing 1 according to a first exemplary embodiment. The housing 1 according to the first embodiment is a housing plate as illustrated. That is to say that, according to the first exemplary embodiment, the housing 1 substantially has a planar extent. An additional housing cover, which is not depicted in the figures, could be formed corresponding to the housing plate and serve for enclosing the electronic component, likewise not depicted, arranged on the housing plate.According to the first embodiment, the housing 1 has two heat removing members 3 and a housing wall 2 which are integrally connected to each other. It is apparent in particular from FIG. 1 that those heat-removing elements 3 can have different shapes. The shape of the respective heat dissipation element 3 can be adapted to the shape of the electronic component or also to the shape of the electronic components. Thus, the electronic component in the form of a printed circuit board, not depicted, may have two regions in which a plurality of semiconductors such as MOSFETs are arranged in each case. Those MOSFETs generate a lot of heat, which must be finally released from the housing 1 to the environment in order to ensure sufficient cooling of the electronic component, not shown. The planar configuration of the heat dissipation elements 3 can be adapted accordingly to the arrangement of the MOSFETs in order to ensure optimum dissipation of the heat. For this purpose, the electronic component, not shown, is accommodated by the housing 1.The heat-removing elements 3 and the housing wall 2 are formed integrally with one another and are obtainable by a multicomponent injection molding process. It is also conceivable for the heat-removing elements 3, the housing wall 2 and the housing cover, not shown, to be obtainable by a multicomponent injection molding process.According to the first exemplary embodiment, as can be seen in particular from FIG. 2, the housing wall 2 forms two receiving regions 4. On those heat dissipation members 3, the electronic component not illustrated is disposed according to the first embodiment. Heat is generated in the electronic component, which is then conducted into the heat-removing elements 3, which are in planar contact with the electronic component, and finally into the housing wall 2 integrally connected to the heat-removing element 3. It is also conceivable for a plurality of heat-removing elements 3 to be arranged in a receiving region 4.In order to optimize the flat contact of the heat-removing elements 3 with the electronic component, which is not shown, the contact surface of the heat-removing elements 3 can be provided elastically and preferably flat, as can be seen in particular from FIG. 2. The elasticity of the heat-removing elements 3 allows the contact area between the respective heat-removing element 3 and the electronic component to be enlarged, since the surface of the electronic component is simulated by the contact area of the respective heat-removing element 3. Alternatively or additionally, during the production of the housing 1, an adaptation of the contact surface of the heat-removing elements 3 to the electronic component could already take place. This could be achieved, for example, by a correspondingly configured injection mold.As can be seen in particular from FIG. 2, the receiving regions 4 represent protuberances of the housing wall 2. Consequently, the casing wall 2 has a substantially constant thickness. The choice of the thickness of the housing wall 2 represents a compromise between the highest possible thermal conduction and a required protective effect of the electronic component, not shown, through the housing 1. It is also conceivable to provide a housing wall 2 with different thicknesses. In this case, contrary to the first embodiment, the protuberances forming the receiving area 4 could not be compensated for by corresponding recesses arranged on the side opposite the protuberances.It can also be seen from FIG. 2 that the housing 1 shown has only the housing wall 2 and the two heat-removing elements 3, further components are not provided. Accordingly, according to the first exemplary embodiment, the heat-removing elements 3 are designed to be insulating, so that the outer surface of the housing 1 is floating, even though the electronic component is in direct planar contact with the housing 1, in particular with the heat-removing elements 3. Accordingly, the housing 1 can be contacted safely.LIST OF REFERENCE CHARACTERS1 Housing 2 Housing wall 3 Heat-removing element 4 Receiving region

Claims

Housing (1) for receiving an electronic component, having a housing wall (2), and a heat-removing element (3), wherein the heat-removing element (3) is formed integrally with the housing wall (2), wherein the heat-removing element (3) and the housing wall (2) are obtainable by a multicomponent injection molding process, wherein the heat-removing element (3) is arranged in such a way that heat arising in the electronic component can be transported to the housing wall (2) by means of the heat-removing element (3), and wherein the heat-removing element (3) is formed and arranged in such a way that the electronic component can be contacted in a planar manner by means of the heat-removing element (3).Housing (1) according to Claim 1, wherein the housing wall (2) forms a receiving region (4) for receiving the electronic component, and wherein the heat-removing element (3) is arranged in the receiving region (4).Housing (1) according to claim 2, wherein the heat dissipation element (3) is arranged on the side of the housing wall (2) facing the receiving region (4).Housing (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the heat dissipation element (3) comprises an elastomer.Housing (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the heat dissipation element (3) is electrically insulating.The housing (1) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the heat dissipation element (3) comprises a phase change material elementAn arrangement comprising a housing (1) according to any of the preceding claims and an electronic component, wherein the electronic component is mounted in the housing (1).Arrangement according to claim 7, wherein the electronic component comprises at least one heat sink which is in contact with the heat dissipation element (3).Method for producing a housing (1) according to one of the preceding claims, having the following steps: - providing a first material for producing the housing wall (2), - providing a second material for producing the heat-removing element (3), and - producing the housing wall (2) and the heat-removing element (3) integrally connected to the housing wall (2) by means of a multicomponent injection molding process.

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