Cooling device for cooling an electrical component

Abstract

The invention relates to a cooling device (1) for cooling an electrical component (2) by means of a gaseous or liquid cooling medium, with at least one cooling channel (5) for the cooling medium, which can be connected or is connected to a cooling circuit, and with a heat sink (6), in particular a metallic one, arranged on the cooling device (1) and designed to dissipate heat from the component (2) to the cooling medium, wherein the heat sink (6) has a first cooling surface (7) which can be assigned or is assigned to the component (2) for contact with the component (2), and wherein the heat sink (6) has a second cooling surface (8) facing away from the first cooling surface (7) and which can be assigned or is assigned to the cooling channel (5).It is provided that the heat sink (6) is suspended on the cooling device (1) in an elastically displaceable and / or tiltable manner by means of at least one circumferential elastic element (11), in particular closing an opening (10) associated with the heat sink (6) in a channel wall (9) of the cooling channel (5).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a cooling device for cooling an electrical component by means of a gaseous or liquid cooling medium, with at least one cooling channel for the cooling medium that can be connected or is connected to a cooling circuit, and with a heat sink, in particular a metallic one, arranged on the cooling device and designed to dissipate heat from the component to the cooling medium, wherein the heat sink has a first cooling surface that can be assigned or is assigned to the component for contact with the component, and wherein the heat sink has a second cooling surface facing away from the first cooling surface and that can be assigned or is assigned to the cooling channel. State of the art

[0002] Cooling devices of the type mentioned above are known from the prior art. In order to compensate for tolerances, it is desirable for the distance between the heat sink and the component to be cooled to be variable. Typically, a layer of an elastic, thermally conductive material (TIM, Thermal Interface Material) is arranged between the heat sink and the component to be cooled. However, its ability to compensate for tolerances is limited. Therefore, cooling devices are also known in which the heat sink has a certain positional tolerance relative to the cooling device or its position is variable. For example, patent DE 199 64 055 B4 discloses a cooling device with a heat sink having an elastically deformable contact membrane, which is designed, in particular, as a thin metal sheet. Published patent application DE 10 2020 209 541 A1 discloses a further

[0003] A cooling device with a separable heat sink, which can connect a heat source, in particular a power semiconductor, to the heat sink in a temperature-dependent manner, either automatically or depending on the temperature of the heat sink or a coupling element connected to the heat sink, in particular in the form of a heat conductor. The heat conductor is a metal block that expands longitudinally when heated, or an elastomer balloon that can be filled with fluid for expansion and coupling to the heat sink. Finally, a cooling device with an adaptable holding device, in particular with a deformable (steel) membrane, is known from published patent application DE 43 26 207 A1. Disclosure of the invention

[0004] The cooling device according to the invention with the features of claim 1 is characterized in that the heat sink is suspended from the cooling device in an elastically displaceable and / or tiltable manner by means of at least one circumferential elastic element, in particular closing an opening in a channel wall of the cooling channel that is associated with the heat sink. This creates a particularly advantageous and simple alternative solution to the solutions mentioned above in order to ensure elastic suspension and mounting of a cooling surface to compensate for tolerances and / or to adapt to a dimension of the component to be cooled. In contrast to the solutions mentioned above, the heat sink itself is suspended elastically. The cooling device is to be understood as an active component that enables cooling and, for this purpose, has, in particular, a housing in which at least one cooling channel is arranged and / or formed.The heat sink is accordingly a passive component for heat conduction and is in particular displaceable and / or tiltable relative to the housing. The cooling device is designed in particular for liquid or air cooling. In particular, the cooling device has a plurality of heat sinks according to the invention, wherein preferably at least two of the heat sinks are geometrically identical or differently designed. For example, several components to be cooled are arranged on a common printed circuit board, and a corresponding number of heat sinks are mounted on the cooling device, in particular next to one another at the same height and / or on a common housing having the cooling channel. The heat sinks are then each suspended on the cooling device so as to be displaceable, in particular perpendicular to a surface of the printed circuit board facing them.Preferably, a layer of the thermally conductive, elastic material mentioned above is arranged on the first cooling surface. However, in contrast to previously known solutions, this layer can be made or is made much thinner due to the elastic suspension of the heat sink itself in order to compensate for remaining micro-irregularities on the surface of the component and / or the first cooling surface. For example, the heat sink is designed to compensate for axial tolerances in the range of a few millimeters, for example a maximum of 5 mm, in particular a maximum of 1 mm, and / or a tilt or an angular error of a maximum of 10°, in particular a maximum of 5°. The elastic element is designed to be radially or axially sealing, in particular with regard to a radial extension and axial extension of the heat sink. The heat sink in particular comprises aluminum and / or copper, for example an alloy comprising aluminum and / or copper, as its material.

[0005] According to a preferred development of the invention, the heat sink is at least substantially cylindrical or cuboid-shaped. The heat sink should therefore have an at least substantially cylindrical or cuboid-shaped outer contour, but may additionally have cooling fins. In particular, it has at least one cooling surface, a cavity, or a recess, so that it is, for example, cup-shaped overall. Such a design of the heat sink advantageously ensures that it is suspended particularly securely and with a simple geometry thanks to the elastic element.

[0006] Particularly preferably, the elastic element is designed as an elastomer element, in particular an O-ring or X-ring. With such a design of the elastic element, the advantages of the cooling device according to the invention are particularly pronounced. For example, the elastic element has a circular, X-shaped, or polygonal, in particular rectangular, cross-section.

[0007] According to a preferred development of the invention, the elastic element is arranged between the heat sink, in particular the second cooling surface and / or a circumferential projection of the heat sink, and the channel wall in order to apply a predetermined preload to the heat sink, in particular in the direction of the component. Such an arrangement advantageously ensures that the heat sink is elastically displaceable relative to the channel wall. If the heat sink is additionally preloaded in the direction of the component, this results in the advantage that the heat sink rests securely against the component even in the absence of the cooling medium, in particular coolant, or in the event of negative pressure.

[0008] Particularly preferably, the cooling channel has at least one channel wall with at least one opening, and the heat sink is arranged at least partially in the opening and / or in a projection protruding from the channel wall and surrounding the opening. Such an arrangement ensures that the heat sink is held particularly securely on the cooling device.

[0009] According to a preferred development of the invention, at least one circumferential sealing element is arranged for radial sealing between the heat sink, the opening and / or the projection, in particular in a groove formed in the heat sink, the opening or the projection. Such a sealing element advantageously ensures that the cooling channel is reliably sealed, in particular when using a liquid cooling medium. In particular, the elastic element according to the invention also performs a sealing function and / or is identical to the sealing element. Alternatively, at least one additional sealing element, in particular an elastomer element, as described above, is provided.

[0010] Particularly preferably, the first cooling surface has at least one projection, in particular a circumferential one. This projection provides a particularly advantageous possibility for adapting the cooling surface to a geometric dimension of the component to be cooled, in particular to components of different heights. If the projection is arranged circumferentially on the outside, this, in conjunction with the elastic element arranged thereon, results in an advantageously increased guide length because the corresponding surface is extended in the axial direction. The heat sink can therefore be displaced further in the axial direction.

[0011] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the first cooling surface has at least one recess. This recess provides a particularly advantageous option for adapting the cooling surface to a geometric dimension of the component to be cooled, in particular to components of different heights.

[0012] Particularly preferably, an insulating layer for electrical insulation is arranged on the first cooling surface. The insulating layer provides the advantage that the component is electrically insulated from the heat sink and, in particular, that predetermined creepage distances are maintained. The insulating layer is preferably made of plastic and / or ceramic.

[0013] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the second cooling surface comprises a plurality of cooling fins and / or cooling pins extending into the cooling channel. Such cooling fins or cooling pins advantageously maximize the surface area of the heat sink for heat dissipation.

[0014] Particularly preferably, the heat sink is guided on at least one elongated guide element, in particular a guide pin. Such a guide element offers the advantage that the heat sink is securely fixed in the radial direction and can only be moved in the axial direction.

[0015] According to a preferred development of the invention, the guide element is connected to the channel wall at a first end and / or has a stop at a second end to limit displacement of the heat sink relative to the channel wall. Connecting the guide element to the channel wall advantageously ensures that the heat sink can only be moved axially relative to the selected channel. The corresponding stop advantageously and reliably limits the movement of the heat sink in the axial direction, so that, particularly in the absence of a component, it cannot move too far away from the channel wall, thus preventing the cooling channel from becoming leaky.

[0016] Further preferred features and combinations of features emerge from the above description and from the claims. The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1A shows a first embodiment of an advantageous cooling device, Fig. 1B shows a second embodiment of the cooling device, Fig. 1C a third embodiment of the cooling device, Fig. 1D a fourth embodiment of the cooling device, Fig. 2 a fifth embodiment of the cooling device, Fig. 3A shows a first embodiment of a cooling device according to Fig. 2 arranged heat sink, Fig. 3B shows a second embodiment of the cooling device of Fig. 2 arranged heat sink, and Fig. 3C shows a third embodiment of the cooling device of Fig. 2 arranged heat sink.

[0017] Fig. 1A to 1D each show exemplary embodiments of an advantageous cooling device 1 for cooling an electrical component 2 using a gaseous or liquid cooling medium. Because the cooling devices 1 differ only in detail, the corresponding exemplary embodiments will be described jointly below, with relevant differences being pointed out accordingly. In this case, the component 2 is arranged on a printed circuit board 3.

[0018] The cooling device 1 in the present case has a housing 4 which is made, for example, of a plastic, and in which at least one cooling channel 5 for the cooling medium is arranged or formed, which can be connected or is connected to a cooling circuit not otherwise shown in detail.

[0019] Furthermore, the cooling device 1 has a heat sink 6, in particular a metallic one, arranged on the cooling device 1 and designed to dissipate heat from the component 2 to the cooling medium. The heat sink 6 has a first cooling surface 7, which can be assigned or is assigned to the component 2, for contact with the component 2. In addition, the heat sink 6 has a second cooling surface 8 facing away from the first cooling surface 7 and which can be assigned or is assigned to the cooling channel 5.

[0020] In a channel wall 9 of the cooling channel 5, an opening 10 is formed, which is assigned to the heat sink 6. The heat sink 6 is suspended, closing the opening 10, on the cooling device 1 by means of at least one circumferential elastic element 11 on the cooling device 1 in an elastically displaceable and / or tiltable manner, as shown, for example, in the Fig. 1A by a correspondingly dashed, shifted outline of the heat sink 6, as well as a dashed outline of an elastically deformed element 11 and a corresponding double arrow.

[0021] The elastic element 11 is designed as an elastomer element. Fig. 1A and Fig. 1B, the elastic element 11 is arranged between the heat sink 6, in this case the second cooling surface 8, and the channel wall 9 in order to apply a predetermined prestress to the heat sink 6, in particular in the direction of the component 2.

[0022] In the Fig. 1C and Fig. 1D, two elastic elements 11 arranged one above the other (the provision of two elements 11 is of course not mandatory, but merely exemplary) are arranged between a circumferential side surface 12 of the heat sink 6 and a projection 13 projecting from the channel wall 9 and surrounding the opening 10, in the present case in a circumferential groove 14 formed in the side surface 12. In this respect, the elastic elements 11 are also designed as sealing elements. In the Fig. 1D, the heat sink has a further circumferential projection 15 on the first cooling surface 7, which advantageously extends the side surface 12 and thus a guide length for the elements 11, so that the heat sink 6 can be displaced further in the direction of the component 2.

[0023] The heat sink 6 can have any geometric shape, but is preferably cylindrical or cuboid. Fig. 1 A it is plate-shaped, depending on the cross-sectional shape it can be cylindrical or cuboid, or have any other geometry. Fig. 1B shows a variant in which the heat sink 6 has a recess 16 in the first cooling surface 7, which advantageously saves installation space in the present case, so that the heat sink 6 is correspondingly cup-shaped in the direction of the first cooling surface 7.

[0024] In the Fig. 1C, the heat sink 6 is cup-shaped in the direction of the second cooling surface 8, and in the Fig. 1D is even double cup-shaped due to the projection 15 as described above, i.e. in the direction of both cooling surfaces 7, 8. Preferably, an insulation layer and / or a thermally conductive elastic layer are arranged on the first cooling surface 7.

[0025] In the Fig. 1A and Fig. 1B, the heat sink 6 is guided by a plurality of elongated guide elements 17, in this case designed as a guide pin. Each of the guide elements 17 is connected to the channel wall 9 at a first end and has, at a second end facing away from the first end, a stop 18, in this case plate-shaped, for limiting displacement of the heat sink 6 with respect to the channel wall 9. The guide elements 17 are rivet- or screw-shaped in this respect because they have a shaft and a head as a stop 18.

[0026] The heat sink has a corresponding through-hole 19 for each of the guide elements 17, through which the respective guide element 17 is inserted. For example, the guide elements 17 have a screw thread at their end associated with the cooling channel 9, with which they can be screwed into a corresponding screw hole in the channel wall 9, so that the limit reached by the stop 18 can be flexibly adjusted depending on the screw-in depth. The printed circuit board 3 is also fastened to the housing 4 by corresponding fastening elements 20, for example, designed as screws or rivets.

[0027] Fig. Fig. 2 shows a fifth embodiment of the cooling device 1, wherein three embodiments of heat sinks 6 arranged in the cooling device 1 are shown, each of which Fig. 3A to 3C are shown in detail. In the Fig. 2, the heat sinks 6 are arranged according to the numbering from left to right, the left heat sink 6 in the Fig. 2 corresponds to the one from the Fig. 3A, the middle one from the Fig. 3B and the right one from the Fig. 3C. In the present case, the heat sinks 6 are also shown in duplicate, each opposite one another, although this is merely exemplary; any single heat sink 6 is sufficient for the cooling device 1 according to the invention.

[0028] The basic structure of the cooling device 1 corresponds to that of the previously described embodiments and will therefore only be briefly repeated here. In this case, a plurality of components 2 are also arranged on the circuit board 3. Some of the components 2 are arranged on opposite sides of the circuit board 3. The cooling channel 5 is formed in the housing 4.

[0029] Furthermore, a plurality of heat sinks 6 are provided, each of the heat sinks being assigned with the first cooling surface 7 to at least one of the components, and with the second cooling surface 8 to the cooling channel 5. For reasons of clarity, the cooling surfaces 7, 8 are only shown in the Fig. 2 provided with reference symbols.

[0030] The arrangement and design of the heat sinks 6 differs from the embodiments of the Fig. 1A to 1D. Thus, each of the heat sinks 6 is assigned its own opening 10 in the channel wall 9. Each of the heat sinks 6 is elastically suspended from the cooling device 1 by an elastic element 11, wherein the elastic element 11 is arranged between the second cooling surface 8 and the channel wall 9 in order to apply a preload to the heat sink 6 in the direction of the component 2. Each of the elastic elements 11 surrounds a projection 13 protruding from the channel wall 9 and surrounding the opening 10. Here, too, for reasons of clarity, only one of the openings 10, elastic elements 11, and projections 13 is provided with reference numerals.

[0031] In particular, the elastic elements 11 each assume at least part of the sealing function. In this case, however, two additional, equally elastically deformable, circumferential sealing elements 21 arranged one above the other are arranged between the circumferential side surface 12 of the heat sink and the projection 13, more precisely, a side surface of the projection 13 facing away from the respective elastic element 11, for radial sealing. The sealing elements 21 are each arranged in one of the circumferential grooves 14 formed in the side wall 12.

[0032] The two in the Fig. 2 left or in the Fig. 3A, which are opposite one another with respect to the circuit board 3, each have a projection 22 which projects from the first cooling surface 7. The other of the Fig. 2 in the middle and right or in the Fig. 3B and Fig.The heat sinks 6 shown in Fig. 3C, two of which are also opposite each other, have recesses 23 of different depths.

[0033] By means of projection 22 and recess 23, the heat sinks 6 are adapted accordingly to the illustrated components 2 of different heights, but are simultaneously arranged at the same height in the channel wall 9, at least with respect to their second cooling surface 8. Each of the heat sinks 6 also has a circumferential collar 24, with the elastic element 11 being arranged accordingly between the collar 24 and the channel wall 9. In addition, each of the heat sinks 6 has a plurality of cooling fins 25 as a second cooling surface 8, alternatively or additionally cooling pins, in order to maximize the size of the cooling surface 8. QUOTES CONTAINED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents submitted by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the convenience of the reader. This list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] DE 199 64 055 B4

[0002] DE 10 2020 209 541 A1

[0002] DE 43 26 207 A1

[0003]

Claims

[1] Cooling device (1) for cooling an electrical component (2) by means of a gaseous or liquid cooling medium, - with at least one cooling channel (5) for the cooling medium which can be connected or is connected to a cooling circuit, and - with a heat sink (6), in particular a metallic one, arranged on the cooling device (1) and designed to dissipate heat from the component (2) to the cooling medium, - wherein the heat sink (6) has a first cooling surface (7) which can be assigned or is assigned to the component (2) for contact with the component (2), and - wherein the heat sink (6) has a second cooling surface (8) facing away from the first cooling surface (7) and assignable or assigned to the cooling channel (5), characterized bythat the heat sink (6) is suspended on the cooling device (1) in an elastically displaceable and / or tiltable manner by means of at least one circumferential elastic element (11), in particular closing an opening (10) in a channel wall (9) of the cooling channel (5) associated with the heat sink (6). [2] Cooling device according to claim 1, characterized by that the heat sink (6) is at least substantially cylindrical or cuboid-shaped. [3] Cooling device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the elastic element (11) is designed as an elastomer element, in particular an O-ring or X-ring. [4] Cooling device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat the elastic element (11) is arranged between the heat sink (6), in particular the second cooling surface (8) and / or a circumferential projection of the heat sink (6), and the channel wall (9) in order to apply a predetermined prestress to the heat sink (6), in particular in the direction of the component (2). [5] Cooling device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the cooling channel (5) has at least one channel wall (9) with at least one opening (10), and that the cooling body (6) is arranged at least in regions in the opening (10) and / or a projection (13) protruding from the channel wall (9) and surrounding the opening (10). [6] Cooling device according to claim 5, characterized bythat at least one circumferential sealing element (21) for radial sealing is arranged between the heat sink (6), the opening (10) and / or the projection (13), in particular in a groove (14) formed in the heat sink (6), the opening (10) or the projection (13). [7] Cooling device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the first cooling surface (7) has at least one, in particular circumferential, projection (15,22). [8] Cooling device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the first cooling surface (7) has at least one recess (16,23). [9] Cooling device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that an insulation layer is arranged on the first cooling surface (7). [10] Cooling device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat the second cooling surface (8) has a plurality of cooling fins (25) and / or cooling pins projecting into the cooling channel (5). [11] Cooling device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the heat sink (6) is guided on at least one elongated guide element (17), in particular a guide pin. [12] Cooling device according to claim 11, characterized by that the guide element (17) is connected to the channel wall (9) at a first end and / or has a stop (18) at a second end for limiting a displacement of the heat sink (6) with respect to the channel wall (9).

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