Conductor member with cooling structure
The conductor member with a cooling structure efficiently transfers heat to a refrigerant within an insulating case, addressing low cooling efficiency issues by using a conductive metal strip and insulating treatment, thereby enhancing heat dissipation and preventing short circuits.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- JP2023152098
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2023-09-20
- Publication Date
- 2025-04-02
- Estimated Expiration
- 2043-09-20
AI Technical Summary
Conventional conductor members with cooling structures have low cooling efficiency due to multiple inclusions between the conductor member and the cooling plate, leading to inefficient heat dissipation.
A conductor member with a cooling structure comprising a conductive metal strip connected to an electronic component terminal, an insulating resin refrigerant case with inlets and outlets, and a heat transfer member that transfers heat from the conductor member to the refrigerant within the case, enhancing heat transfer efficiency.
Improves cooling efficiency by directly transferring heat from the conductor member to the refrigerant, reducing the need for multiple intervening objects and preventing short circuits while using conductive refrigerants like water.
Smart Images
Figure 2025044500000001_ABST
Abstract
Description
[Technical field]
[0001] The present invention relates to a conductor member with a cooling structure that connects a component terminal of an electric / electronic component to an electrical connection target while cooling itself. [Background technology]
[0002] Conventionally, there is known a cooling structure that transfers heat from a conductor member that connects the component terminals of an electric / electronic component to an electrical connection target to the bottom wall of a device housing to dissipate the heat (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The cooling structure of Patent Document 1 transfers heat from a metal conductor member to the bottom wall via an insulating member, preventing electric leakage while dissipating the heat from the conductor member. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]
[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2020-127302 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]
[0004] Here, in the conductor member with a cooling structure that employs the cooling structure of the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, there are many inclusions between the conductor member and the bottom wall serving as a cooling plate, and the cooling efficiency tends to be low.
[0005] Therefore, in view of the above-mentioned problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a conductor member with a cooling structure that can improve the cooling efficiency of the conductor member. [Means for solving the problem]
[0006] In order to solve the above problem, the conductor member with cooling structure is characterized in that it comprises a conductor member formed in a strip shape from a conductive metal, one end side connected to a component terminal of a specific electric / electronic component and the other end side connected to an electrical connection target of the electric / electronic component to conduct electricity, a refrigerant case formed from an insulating resin for containing a refrigerant, the refrigerant case being provided with a pair of refrigerant inlets and outlets for allowing the refrigerant to enter and exit the case, and a heat transfer member having a first portion connected to the conductor member and a second portion connected to the refrigerant case while entering the interior of the refrigerant case and being in contact with the refrigerant, thereby connecting the conductor member and the refrigerant case to each other and receiving heat generated in the conductor member at the first portion and transferring it from the second portion to the refrigerant flowing inside the refrigerant case. Effect of the Invention
[0007] According to the above-mentioned conductive member with a cooling structure, the cooling efficiency for the conductive member can be improved. [Brief description of the drawings]
[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a conductor member with a cooling structure according to one embodiment. [Diagram 2] 2 is an exploded perspective view of the conductor member with a cooling structure shown in FIG. 1. [Diagram 3] 2 is a cross-sectional view of a conductor member with a cooling structure taken along line V11-V11 in FIG. [Figure 4] 2 is a cross-sectional view of a conductor member with a cooling structure taken along line V12-V12 in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0009] Hereinafter, one embodiment of a conductor member with a cooling structure will be described.
[0010] Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a conductor member with a cooling structure according to one embodiment, and Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the conductor member with a cooling structure shown in Fig. 1. Also, Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the conductor member with a cooling structure taken along line V11-V11 in Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the conductor member with a cooling structure taken along line V12-V12 in Fig. 1.
[0011] The conductor member 1 with a cooling structure in this embodiment is a member for connecting each of component terminals E11 of a relay, which is an electric / electronic component E1, to an electrical connection target of the electric / electronic component E1. The electric / electronic component E1 is provided with a pair of component terminals E11, and the conductor member 1 with a cooling structure includes a pair of conductor members 11, one refrigerant case 12, and a pair of heat transfer members 13.
[0012] The conductor member 11 is a bus bar formed of a conductive metal such as copper in a rectangular strip shape, one end of which is connected to the component terminal E11 of the electric / electronic component E1, and the other end of which is connected to an electrical connection target of the electric / electronic component E1 to pass current. In this embodiment, a pair of conductor members 11 are provided so as to be connected one-to-one to the component terminals E11 provided in a pair on the electric / electronic component E1 and each extend in the arrangement direction D11 of the component terminals E11. Both ends of each conductor member 11 are provided with screw through holes 111 through which fastening screws E12 pass so as to connect to the component terminals E11 and the electrical connection target by screw fastening.
[0013] The refrigerant case 12 is a case formed of insulating resin and having a flat rectangular box-like appearance for accommodating the refrigerant, and is a member provided with a pair of refrigerant inlets and outlets 121 for allowing the refrigerant to flow in and out of the case. In this embodiment, water, which is a fluid having electrical conductivity, is used as the refrigerant. The refrigerant case 12 is arranged so that one side of the flat rectangular box-like appearance faces a connection portion between the pair of conductor members 11 and a pair of component terminals E11 of the electric / electronic component E1. A pair of refrigerant inlets and outlets 121 are provided near the other side opposite to the one side on the connection portion side so that the refrigerant flows along the arrangement direction D11 of the component terminals E11. These pair of refrigerant inlets and outlets 121 are attached one-to-one near the other side of a pair of opposing side walls intersecting with the arrangement direction D11 of the component terminals E11 in the refrigerant case 12 arranged as described above, one of which is an inlet for the refrigerant and the other is an outlet.
[0014] Here, in this embodiment, the electric / electronic component E1 has an appearance of a rectangular block, and a pair of component terminals E11 is provided on one of its six faces. An inter-terminal rib E13 is erected on this face so as to extend between the pair of component terminals E11 and cross the arrangement direction D11 of the component terminals E11. The refrigerant case 12 is formed with a slit portion 12a for receiving the inter-terminal rib E13 from one side of the connection portion between the pair of conductor members 11 and the pair of component terminals E11. The slit portion 12a is formed by cutting in the direction D12 crossing the arrangement direction D11 to a position slightly beyond the center of the refrigerant case 12. The refrigerant case 12 is arranged so that the inter-terminal rib E13 of the electric / electronic component E1 is fitted into the slit portion 12a. The refrigerant case 12 has a C-shape in plan view from the thickness direction D13. The slit portion 12a is between a pair of arms in the C-shape, and the tip side of the pair of arms is a member inlet 12b through which the heat transfer member 13 described below enters. A pair of refrigerant inlets 121 are provided at the base side of the pair of arms, and the heat from the heat transfer member 13 entering from the member inlet 12b is absorbed by the refrigerant flowing in from one of the refrigerant inlets 121, and the refrigerant flows out from the other refrigerant inlet 121, thereby discharging the heat. In this embodiment, the refrigerant case 12 in the shape of a C-shape and a flat rectangular box includes a case body 122 and a case lid 123 each formed in a C-shape, and the pair of refrigerant inlets 121 are attached to the side walls of the case body 122. The case body 122 and the case lid 123 are joined by adhesion using an adhesive, welding by heating and melting the joint, or the like.
[0015] The heat transfer member 13 is a member in which the first portion 131 is connected to the conductor member 11, and the second portion 132 is connected to the refrigerant case 12 in a state where it enters the inside of the refrigerant case 12 and contacts the refrigerant. In this embodiment, the heat transfer member 13 is a member formed in a rectangular strip shape from a conductive metal such as copper, one end side of which is the first portion 131 and the other end side is the second portion 132. Here, the connection between the first portion 131 of the heat transfer member 13 and the conductor member 11 is a joint connection to the one end side of the conductor member 11 and the component terminal E11 by screw fastening. For this joint connection, the first portion 131 of the heat transfer member 13 is provided with a screw through hole 133 through which the screw E12 passes. A pair of such heat transfer members 13 are provided so that the first portions 131 are connected one-to-one to the pair of conductor members 11. Each heat transfer member 13 has a first portion 131 connected to the conductor member 11 and a second portion 132 connected to the refrigerant case 12, thereby connecting the conductor member 11 and the refrigerant case 12 to each other. Furthermore, as the second portion 132 enters the inside of the refrigerant case 12 and comes into contact with the refrigerant, heat generated in the conductor member 11 when electricity is applied is received by the first portion 131 and transferred from the second portion 132 to the refrigerant flowing inside the refrigerant case 12.
[0016] As described above, the refrigerant case 12 is formed with a pair of component inlets 12b on the side of the connection between the conductor member 11 and the component terminal E11. The second portions 132 of the pair of heat transfer members 13 connected to the component terminal E11 together with the conductor member 11 enter the pair of component inlets 12b one-to-one. Furthermore, in the refrigerant case 12, each of the component inlets 12b with the second portions 132 inserted therein is sealed by a rubber sealing member 124.
[0017] Here, each heat transfer member 13 is connected together with the first portion 131 overlapped on one of the front and back surfaces of the conductor member 11, specifically, on the surface opposite to the component terminal E11. Each heat transfer member 13 extends from one side edge of the conductor member 11 in a direction intersecting with the one side edge, that is, in a direction intersecting with the arrangement direction D11 of the component terminal E11. More specifically, a pair of heat transfer members 13 extend in the intersecting direction D12 from side edges on the same side between the pair of conductor members 11. The refrigerant case 12 is provided with a pair of component inlets 12b arranged in the arrangement direction D11 with the slit portion 12a therebetween so that the second portions 132 of the pair of heat transfer members 13 enter the refrigerant case 12 while being arranged in the arrangement direction D11. In addition, a pair of refrigerant inlets 121 are provided in a one-to-one relationship on the opposite side of the component inlets 12b in the pair of opposing side walls of the refrigerant case 12 in the intersecting direction D12. The coolant flows through the opposite side portion inside the coolant case 12 along the arrangement direction D11, and absorbs heat from the second portions 132 of the pair of heat transfer members 13 during the flow.
[0018] In this embodiment, the following insulating treatment is applied to the conductor member 11 and the refrigerant, each of which has electrical conductivity, so that they are electrically insulated from each other. That is, at least one of the connection points between the conductor member 11 and the heat transfer member 13, each of which is made of a conductive metal, and the contact point of the heat transfer member 13 with the refrigerant is insulating treatment. In this embodiment, as such insulating treatment, insulating paint 134 is applied to the contact surface of the heat transfer member 13 with the conductor member 11.
[0019] According to the conductor member 1 with a cooling structure of the embodiment described above, heat generated in the conductor member 11 is transferred to the refrigerant inside the refrigerant case 12 only via the heat transfer member 13. Therefore, according to the conductor member 1 with a cooling structure described above, it is possible to improve the cooling efficiency for the conductor member 11 compared to a structure in which heat is transferred to a cooling plate via multiple intervening objects.
[0020] Here, in this embodiment, one end side of the conductor member 11 is connected to the component terminal E11 by screw fastening, and the first portion 131 of the heat transfer member 13 is screw-fastened together with the one end side of the conductor member 11 to the component terminal E11. In the conductor member 11, the portion where heat is most likely to be generated when electricity is applied to the electric / electronic component E1 is the connection portion with the component terminal E11. According to the above configuration, since the first portion 131 of the heat transfer member 13 is screw-fastened together with the one end side of the conductor member 11 to the component terminal E11 of the electric / electronic component E1, heat during electricity application can be more effectively transferred to the refrigerant, further improving cooling efficiency.
[0021] In the present embodiment, in the refrigerant case 12, the component inlet 12b in a state in which the second portion 132 of the heat transfer member 13 has entered is sealed by the sealing member 124. According to this configuration, since the second portion 132 of the heat transfer member 13 enters in a state in which the component inlet 12b in the refrigerant case 12 is sealed, it is possible to employ a liquid-cooling type cooling structure with high cooling efficiency that uses a liquid such as water as a refrigerant.
[0022] In this embodiment, the first portion 131 of the rectangular strip-shaped heat transfer member 13 is overlapped on one surface of the conductor member 11, and the second portion 132 of the heat transfer member 13 extends from one side edge in the intersecting direction D12 to enter the inside of the refrigerant case 12. According to this configuration, the extension length of the heat transfer member 13 from the conductor member 11 can be restricted to contact the refrigerant inside the refrigerant case 12, thereby further improving the cooling efficiency.
[0023] In this embodiment, the refrigerant is water as a fluid having electrical conductivity, and the heat transfer member 13 is formed of an electrically conductive metal. In order to electrically insulate the conductor member 11 and the refrigerant from each other, at least one of the connection points between the conductor member 11 and the heat transfer member 13 and the contact points of the heat transfer member 13 with the refrigerant is insulated. Specifically, the connection points of the heat transfer member 13 with the conductor member 11 are insulated by applying an insulating coating 134. According to this configuration, the cooling efficiency is further improved by forming the heat transfer member 13 from an electrically conductive metal having high thermal conductivity, and the conductor member 11 is effectively prevented from being short-circuited to an unintended location via the refrigerant. On the premise of preventing this short circuit, water, which is a general electrically conductive refrigerant, can be used.
[0024] In this embodiment, a pair of heat transfer members 13 are provided such that the first portions 131 are connected one-to-one to the pair of conductor members 11, and the second portions 132 of the pair of heat transfer members 13 enter the inside of the refrigerant case 12 and contact the refrigerant. With this configuration, the heat generated when electricity is applied to the pair of conductor members 11 connected to a pair of component terminals E11, such as + / -, which are often found in electric / electronic components E1, can be efficiently cooled by the refrigerant in one refrigerant case 12.
[0025] In this embodiment, the second portions 132 of the pair of heat transfer members 13 enter the refrigerant case 12 while being aligned in the arrangement direction D11, and the pair of refrigerant inlets 121 are disposed so that the refrigerant flows along the arrangement direction D11. With this configuration, the refrigerant flow path is configured along the pair of conductor members 11 each extending along the arrangement direction D11 of the component terminals E11, thereby optimizing the arrangement of the conductor members 11 and the refrigerant case 12 and achieving a reduction in the size of the conductor member 1 with a cooling structure.
[0026] The above-described embodiment merely shows a typical form of the conductor member with a cooling structure. The conductor member with a cooling structure is not limited to this embodiment, and can be modified in various ways.
[0027] For example, in the above-described embodiment, the conductor member with a cooling structure 1 for connecting each of a pair of component terminals E11 in a relay, which is an electric / electronic component E1, to an electrical connection target is illustrated as an example of the conductor member with a cooling structure. However, the conductor member with a cooling structure is not limited to this, and the electric / electronic component to be connected may be an electric component other than a relay, or may be another electronic component.
[0028] In the above-described embodiment, a liquid-cooled conductor member 1 with a cooling structure in which water, which is a conductive liquid, flows as a coolant is given as an example of a conductor member with a cooling structure. However, the conductor member with a cooling structure is not limited to this, and the coolant may be a non-conductive liquid or an air-cooling gas. When a non-conductive liquid or an air-cooling gas is used as a coolant, insulation treatment is not required for the conductor member or the heat transfer member.
[0029] In the above-described embodiment, as an example of a conductor member with a cooling structure, a conductor member with a cooling structure 1 in which a pair of refrigerant inlets and outlets 121 are provided in a pair of opposing side walls of the refrigerant case 12 is exemplified. However, the conductor member with a cooling structure is not limited to this, and the pair of refrigerant inlets and outlets may be attached at any position in the refrigerant case.
[0030] In the above-described embodiment, the refrigerant case 12 is illustrated as an example of the refrigerant case, which includes a case body 122 and a case lid 123, and which are joined to each other by adhesion or welding. However, the refrigerant case is not limited to this, and any specific member configuration may be adopted as long as the case is made of insulating resin and contains a refrigerant.
[0031] In the above-described embodiment, the heat transfer member 13 is illustrated as an example of the heat transfer member, which is fastened together with the conductor member 11 to the component terminal E11 by screw fastening. However, the heat transfer member is not limited to this, and may be connected to a portion of the conductor member away from the connection portion to the component terminal. However, as described above, the cooling efficiency can be further improved by fastening together the heat transfer member 13 and the conductor member 11.
[0032] In the above-described embodiment, the refrigerant case 12 in which the component inlet 12b in a state in which the second portion 132 of the heat transfer member 13 has entered is sealed by a rubber sealing member 124 is exemplified as an example of the refrigerant case. However, the refrigerant case is not limited to this, and the component inlet may not be sealed in particular, and a gas may be used as the refrigerant and allowed to flow out of the component inlet. However, as described above, by sealing the component inlet 12b of the refrigerant case 12, a liquid-cooling type cooling structure with high cooling efficiency can be adopted. Note that the sealing member is not limited to being made of rubber, and any specific material is acceptable as long as it is possible to seal the component inlet.
[0033] In the above-described embodiment, as an example of the heat transfer member, the heat transfer member 13 is illustrated in which the first portion 131 is overlapped with the conductor member 11 and extends from one side edge in the cross direction D12, and the second portion 132 enters the inside of the refrigerant case 12. However, the heat transfer member is not limited to this, and any arrangement can be adopted for the relative arrangement with the conductor member and the refrigerant case. However, as described above, according to the configuration in which the heat transfer member 13 enters the refrigerant case 12 in a cross arrangement with respect to the conductor member 11, the extension length of the heat transfer member 13 from the conductor member 11 can be reduced, and the cooling efficiency can be further improved.
[0034] In the above-described embodiment, as an example of the conductor member with a cooling structure, the conductor member 1 with a cooling structure is exemplified, in which the heat transfer member 13 made of conductive metal is used and an insulating treatment is performed so that the conductor member 11 and water as a refrigerant are electrically insulated from each other. However, the conductor member with a cooling structure is not limited to this, and an insulating material may be used as the heat transfer member or refrigerant to eliminate the need for insulating the conductor member. However, as described above, it is possible to further improve the cooling efficiency by using a heat transfer member made of a conductive metal with high thermal conductivity, while appropriately performing insulating treatment to use water, which is a general refrigerant having conductivity. Note that the location where the insulating treatment is performed is not limited to the contact location of the heat transfer member 13 with the conductor member 11 as in the above-described embodiment. The location where the insulating treatment is performed may be any location as long as it is at least one of the connection location between the conductor member and the heat transfer member and the contact location between the heat transfer member and the refrigerant.
[0035] In the above-described embodiment, as an example of the conductor member with a cooling structure, a conductor member with a cooling structure 1 in which a pair of heat transfer members 13 are provided so that the first portions 131 are connected to a pair of conductor members 11 in a one-to-one manner is exemplified. However, the conductor member with a cooling structure is not limited to this, and may be provided with only one heat transfer member connected to one conductor member. Alternatively, the conductor member with a cooling structure may be provided with a plurality of heat transfer members connected to three or more conductor members in a one-to-one manner. However, as described above, according to the configuration in which a pair of heat transfer members 13 are provided to a pair of conductor members 11, the pair of conductor members 11 connected to a pair of component terminals E11 often found in the electric / electronic component E1 can be efficiently cooled.
[0036] In the above-described embodiment, as an example of the conductor member with a cooling structure, the conductor member with a cooling structure 1 is illustrated in which the second parts 132 of the pair of heat transfer members 13 are arranged in the arrangement direction D11 inside the refrigerant case 12, and the refrigerant flows along this arrangement direction D11. However, the conductor member with a cooling structure is not limited to this, and the arrangement of the second parts of the heat transfer members inside the refrigerant case and the direction in which the refrigerant flows can be set arbitrarily. However, as described above, by setting the arrangement of the second parts 132 of the heat transfer members 13 and the direction in which the refrigerant flows to the arrangement direction D11 of the component terminals E11 through which the pair of conductor members 11 extend, the conductor member with a cooling structure 1 can be made smaller. [Explanation of symbols]
[0037] 1 Conductor member with cooling structure 11 Conductive material 12 Refrigerant case 12a Slit section 12b Component entrance 13 Heat transfer materials 111,133 Screw through hole 121 Refrigerant inlet / outlet 122 Case body 123 Case Cover 124 Sealing material 131 Part 1 132 Part 2 134 Insulating paint D11 Array direction D12 Cross direction D13 Thickness direction E1 Electrical and electronic components E11 Component terminal E12 Screw E13 Terminal rib
Claims
1. a conductor member formed in a strip shape from a conductive metal, one end of which is connected to a component terminal of a predetermined electric / electronic component and the other end of which is connected to an electrical connection target of the electric / electronic component to conduct electricity; a refrigerant case formed of an insulating resin and containing a refrigerant, the refrigerant case having a pair of refrigerant inlets and outlets for allowing the refrigerant to flow in and out of the case; a heat transfer member having a first portion connected to the conductor member and a second portion connected to the refrigerant case while entering the inside of the refrigerant case and being in contact with the refrigerant, thereby connecting the conductor member and the refrigerant case to each other, and receiving heat generated in the conductor member at the first portion and transferring it from the second portion to the refrigerant flowing inside the refrigerant case; A conductive member with a cooling structure comprising:
2. the one end of the conductor member is connected to the component terminal by screw fastening, The conductive member with a cooling structure according to claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the heat transfer member is connected to the component terminal together with the one end side of the conductive member by the screw fastening.
3. The conductor member with cooling structure as described in claim 1, characterized in that the refrigerant case has a component inlet through which the second portion of the heat transfer member enters, and the component inlet when the second portion has entered is sealed by a predetermined sealing member.
4. The conductor member with cooling structure as described in claim 1, characterized in that the heat transfer member is formed in a strip shape, the first portion is superimposed on one of the front and back surfaces of the conductor member, and the second portion extends from one side edge of the conductor member in a direction intersecting the one side edge and enters the inside of the refrigerant case.
5. The refrigerant is a fluid having electrical conductivity, The heat transfer member is formed of a conductive metal, The conductor member with cooling structure as described in claim 1, characterized in that an insulation treatment is applied to at least one of the connection points between the conductor member and the heat transfer member and the contact points of the heat transfer member with the refrigerant so that the conductor member and the refrigerant are electrically insulated from each other.
6. The electric / electronic component is provided with a pair of the component terminals, the conductor members are provided in a pair so as to be connected to the pair of component terminals in a one-to-one manner and each extend in the arrangement direction of the component terminals, the heat transfer members are provided in a pair such that the first portions are connected to the pair of conductor members in a one-to-one manner, 2 . The conductive member with a cooling structure according to claim 1 , wherein the second portions of the pair of heat transfer members enter the inside of the refrigerant case and are in contact with the refrigerant.
7. The pair of heat transfer members extend from side edges on the same side between the pair of conductor members so as to intersect with the arrangement direction, The conductor member with cooling structure as described in claim 6, characterized in that the second portions of each of the pair of heat transfer members enter the refrigerant case while being aligned in the arrangement direction, and the pair of refrigerant inlets and outlets are arranged so that the refrigerant flows along the arrangement direction.
Citation Information
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