STRUCTURE AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING STRUCTURE

Abstract

To provide a structure which is excellent in heat exchange efficiency of a heat-exchanged body, and to provide a manufacturing method of the structure.SOLUTION: A structure includes: a housing having a through hole or a non-through hole in a thickness direction; a heat exchanger embedded in the through hole or the non-through hole of the housing; and at least one heat-exchanged body which is provided contacting with the heat exchanger. The heat exchanger includes a hollow outer packaging material provided with a heat medium inflow port and a heat medium outflow port, and has a first major surface, a second major surface facing the first major surface, and a connection portion of the first major surface and the second major surface which are formed by the outer packaging material. The at least one heat-exchanged body is provided in contact with at least one of the first major surface and the second major surface of the heat exchanger. The heat exchanger has a maximum thickness larger than a depth of the through hole or the non-through hole in which the heat exchanger is embedded when the heat-exchanged body is removed and a heat medium flows into its interior.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a structure and a method for manufacturing a structure. [Background technology]

[0002] In the field of electronic devices such as smartphones and personal computers, and battery modules mounted on electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles, etc., techniques for incorporating water-cooling devices, heat pipes, etc. as heat generation countermeasures are known. Also, in power modules made of silicon carbide, etc., measures using cooling plates, heat sinks, etc. as heat generation countermeasures have been proposed.

[0003] As a measure against heat generation in such equipment, Patent Document 1 proposes a resin-fused heat exchanger having an inner core material with unevenness inside a bag-shaped outer packaging material, and the inner core material and the outer packaging material are bonded together by resin fusion. Patent Document 1 describes that the heat exchanger is manufactured by heat fusing laminate materials having a heat-sealing layer, and therefore does not require troublesome metal processing, and can be manufactured efficiently and simply, thereby reducing costs. It also describes that the heat exchanger is manufactured by bonding laminate materials, and therefore has corrosion resistance and can be made sufficiently thin. It also describes that the shape and size of the laminate materials as the outer packaging material and inner core material in the heat exchanger can be easily changed, thereby increasing the degree of freedom in design and improving versatility. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2020-3132 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] On the other hand, with an increase in the amount of heat generated by a heat-generating body, etc., a technique for further improving heat exchange efficiency is desired. In view of such circumstances, the present disclosure relates to providing a structure having excellent heat exchange efficiency for a heat exchange object and a manufacturing method thereof. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] Means for solving the above problems include the following aspects. <1> A housing having a through hole or a non-through hole in a thickness direction; a heat exchanger embedded in the through hole or the non-through hole of the housing; At least one heat exchange body provided in contact with the heat exchanger; Equipped with The heat exchanger includes a hollow outer packaging material having a heat medium inlet and a heat medium outlet, and has a first main surface formed by the outer packaging material, a second main surface opposed to the first main surface, and a connection portion between the first main surface and the second main surface, the heat exchanger is embedded in the through hole or the non-through hole such that a thickness direction of the heat exchanger is aligned with a thickness direction of the housing, The at least one heat exchange body is provided in contact with at least one of the first main surface and the second main surface of the heat exchanger, A structure in which the heat exchanger has a maximum thickness that is greater than the depth of the through hole or the non-through hole in which the heat exchanger is embedded when the heat exchange body is removed and a heat medium flows into the outer packaging material. <2> The heat exchanger is configured so that the thickness can be changed by removing the heat exchange body and introducing the heat medium. <1> The structure described in <3> The outer packaging material of the heat exchanger has a metal layer and a resin layer provided on the inside of the metal layer. <1> or <2> 2. The structure according to any one of claims 1 to 11. <4> The outer packaging material of the heat exchanger has a metal layer and a resin layer provided on the outside of the metal layer. <1> ~ <3> 2. The structure according to any one of claims 1 to 11. <5> The outer packaging material of the heat exchanger has a metal layer and a resin layer provided on the outer and inner sides of the metal layer. <1> ~ <4> 2. The structure according to any one of claims 1 to 11. <6> the heat exchanger further comprising an inner core disposed within the outer envelope; <1> ~ <5> 2. The structure according to any one of claims 1 to 11. <7> The inner core material of the heat exchanger is fixed to only one of the inner surface of the first main surface and the inner surface of the second main surface of the outer packaging material, or is not fixed to either of them. <6> The structure described in <8> The surface of the heat exchange body in contact with the heat exchanger has an area larger than that of the surface of the heat exchanger in contact with the heat exchange body. <1> ~ <7> 2. The structure according to any one of claims 1 to 11. <9> The heat exchanger is embedded in the through hole of the housing, and the heat exchange body is provided in contact with at least one of the first main surface and the second main surface of the heat exchanger. <1> ~ <8> 2. The structure according to any one of claims 1 to 11. <10> The heat exchanger is embedded in the non-through hole of the housing, and the heat exchange body is provided in contact with only one of the first main surface and the second main surface of the heat exchanger. <1> ~ <8> 2. The structure according to any one of claims 1 to 11. <11> A housing has a through hole or a non-through hole in a thickness direction, and a heat exchanger is embedded in the through hole or the non-through hole such that the thickness direction of the heat exchanger is aligned with the thickness direction of the housing; and disposing at least one heat exchange body on the heat exchanger; The heat exchanger includes a hollow outer packaging material having a heat medium inlet and a heat medium outlet, and has a first main surface formed by the outer packaging material, a second main surface opposed to the first main surface, and a connection portion between the first main surface and the second main surface, The heat exchanger before being embedded in the housing is configured so that its thickness can be changed by the flow of the heat medium into the outer packaging material, and the maximum thickness of the heat exchanger is greater than the depth of the through hole or the non-through hole in which the heat exchanger is embedded, The at least one heat exchange body is provided in contact with at least one of the first main surface and the second main surface of the heat exchanger. A method for manufacturing a structure. <12> <1> ~ <10> The structure according to any one of the above is produced. <11> A method for producing the structure described in claim 1. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the present disclosure, a structure having excellent heat exchange efficiency for a heat exchange body and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a heat exchanger according to one embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the heat exchanger of FIG. 1 taken along line AA. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a modified example of the heat exchanger of FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a modified example of the heat exchanger of FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view of a converter case to which a heat exchanger according to one embodiment is applied. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the converter case taken along line XX in the embodiment of FIG. [Figure 7] 7 is a cross-sectional view of the converter case taken along line YY in the embodiment of FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Hereinafter, the form for carrying out the embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in detail. However, the embodiment of the present disclosure is not limited to the following embodiment. In the following embodiment, the components (including element steps, etc.) are not essential unless specifically stated. The same applies to the numerical values ​​and their ranges, and they do not limit the embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0010] In the present disclosure, a numerical range indicated using "~" includes the numerical values ​​before and after "~" as the minimum and maximum values, respectively. In the numerical ranges described in the present disclosure in stages, the upper or lower limit value described in one numerical range may be replaced with the upper or lower limit value of another numerical range described in stages. In addition, in the numerical ranges described in the present disclosure, the upper or lower limit value of the numerical range may be replaced with a value shown in the examples. In this disclosure, the term "layer" includes cases where the layer is formed over the entire area when the area in which the layer exists is observed, as well as cases where the layer is formed over only a portion of the area. In this disclosure, the term "lamination" refers to stacking layers, where two or more layers may be bonded together or where two or more layers may be removable. In the present disclosure, when an embodiment is described with reference to the drawings, the configuration of the embodiment is not limited to the configuration shown in the drawings. In addition, the size of the members in each drawing is conceptual, and the relative relationship of the size between the members is not limited thereto. In addition, in each drawing, the same reference numerals are given to members having substantially the same functions, and duplicated descriptions may be omitted. In this disclosure, the term "at least one" means one or more than one, but the absence of explicit mention of "at least one" does not exclude the singular or plural unless expressly stated.

[0011] ≪Structure≫ The structure according to one embodiment of the present disclosure comprises: A housing having a through hole or a non-through hole in a thickness direction; a heat exchanger embedded in the through hole or the non-through hole of the housing; At least one heat exchange body provided in contact with the heat exchanger; Equipped with The heat exchanger includes a hollow outer packaging material having a heat medium inlet and a heat medium outlet, and has a first main surface formed by the outer packaging material, a second main surface opposed to the first main surface, and a connection portion between the first main surface and the second main surface, the heat exchanger is embedded in the through hole or the non-through hole such that a thickness direction of the heat exchanger is aligned with a thickness direction of the housing, The at least one heat exchange body is provided in contact with at least one of the first main surface and the second main surface of the heat exchanger, When the heat exchanger is removed from the heat exchange body and a heat medium flows into the heat exchanger, the heat exchanger has a maximum thickness larger than the depth of the through hole or the non-through hole in which the heat exchanger is embedded.

[0012] The structure having the above-mentioned configuration can exhibit excellent heat exchange efficiency for the heat exchange object. Since the maximum thickness of the heat exchanger is greater than the depth of the through hole or non-through hole in which the heat exchanger is embedded, when the heat exchange object is placed on the heat exchanger, the heat exchange object can be compressed to improve the adhesion between the heat exchanger and the heat exchanger.

[0013] In this disclosure, the "thickness" of the housing means the thickness of a member of the housing, for example a plate-like member, in the portion where the heat exchanger is embedded. In the present disclosure, the "thickness" of a heat exchanger refers to the distance between the first main surface and the second main surface. A specific thickness of a heat exchanger in the present disclosure is the distance between the intersection of a vertical line from any point on the second main surface and the first main surface when the second main surface is placed along a plane. In the heat exchanger of the present disclosure, the thickness may vary depending on the location. In the present disclosure, the "maximum thickness" of a heat exchanger means the maximum value that the thickness of the heat exchanger defined above can take. For example, when the heat exchanger is removed and a heat medium flows into the heat exchanger, the heat exchanger can expand due to the internal pressure. In this case, the maximum thickness of the heat exchanger refers to the maximum value of the thickness of the heat exchanger when it is expanded to the maximum extent.

[0014] <Case> The housing is any member that houses the heat exchange object, and its shape is not particularly limited. The housing may be composed of one member, or may be composed of two or more members. In addition, the housing may be a box-shaped member that forms a closed space, or may be a box-shaped member that is partially open.

[0015] The material of the housing can be appropriately selected depending on the desired application, and examples of the material of the housing include metal, resin, glass, and ceramics.

[0016] The housing has through holes or non-through holes in the thickness direction for embedding the heat exchanger. The thickness of the housing where the through holes or non-through holes are provided is not particularly limited and can be designed according to the desired application. For example, the thickness of the housing where the through holes or non-through holes are provided may be 0.5 mm to 50 mm, or 5 mm to 30 mm.

[0017] The depth of the through hole or non-through hole is not particularly limited. The depth of the through hole is the same as the thickness of the housing at the portion where the through hole is provided. The depth of the non-through hole may be, for example, 20% to 90% or 30% to 80% of the thickness of the housing.

[0018] When embedding a heat exchanger in a through hole of a housing, the maximum thickness of the heat exchanger is greater than the depth of the through hole, so that the heat exchanger can be embedded so as to protrude from the through hole. By arranging the heat exchange object so as to compress the protruding heat exchanger, it is possible to improve the adhesion between the heat exchanger and the heat exchange object. In this case, the heat exchange object may be arranged on both the first main surface and the second main surface of the heat exchanger, and compressed from both sides. The heat exchanger may be compressed by arranging the heat exchange object on one of the first main surface and the second main surface of the heat exchanger and arranging another member on the other.

[0019] When embedding a heat exchanger in a non-through hole of a housing, the heat exchanger can be embedded so as to protrude from the through hole because the maximum thickness of the heat exchanger is greater than the depth of the non-through hole. By arranging the heat exchange object on the surface of the first main surface or the second main surface that is exposed from the housing so as to compress the protruding heat exchanger, it is possible to improve the adhesion between the heat exchanger and the heat exchange object.

[0020] <Heat exchanger> The heat exchanger includes a hollow outer packaging material having a heat medium inlet and a heat medium outlet, and has a first main surface, a second main surface opposite to the first main surface, and a connecting portion between the first main surface and the second main surface, which are formed by the outer packaging material. When a heat medium flows into the outer packaging material with the heat exchange body removed, the heat exchanger has a maximum thickness that is greater than the depth of the through hole or non-through hole of the housing in which the heat exchanger is embedded.

[0021] In one embodiment, the heat exchanger is configured so that the thickness can be changed by removing the heat exchange object and by introducing the heat medium. In this embodiment, when the heat medium flows inside the heat exchanger, the outer packaging material is deformed by the internal pressure according to the unevenness of the heat exchange object provided in contact with the heat exchanger, thereby improving the adhesion to the heat exchange object. This is thought to improve the heat exchange efficiency of the heat exchange object.

[0022] The method for making the thickness of the heat exchanger variable is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include using a flexible material as the outer packaging material instead of a rigid material, and a method in which no inner core material is used, or in which the inner core material is used but not fixed to the outer packaging material.

[0023] A simple method for varying the thickness of the heat exchanger is to increase the thickness of the heat exchanger by inflowing a heat medium, but any method that can vary the internal pressure of the heat exchanger can be used.

[0024] Hereinafter, an example of a heat exchanger according to the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the embodiment of the present disclosure is not limited to the aspects of the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of a heat exchanger 100, and FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of line AA in FIG. 1. The heat exchanger 100 includes a hollow outer packaging material 1 having a heat medium inlet and a heat medium outlet. The heat exchanger 100 is formed hollow by having a first main surface 1a, a second main surface 1b facing the first main surface 1a, and a connecting portion 1c provided on the periphery of the first main surface 1a and the second main surface 1b and connecting the first main surface 1a and the second main surface 1b. As shown in the figure, joint pipes 3a and 3b are provided at the heat medium inlet and the heat medium outlet, respectively, and the heat medium is configured to flow into and out of the inside of the outer packaging material 1 through the joint pipes 3a and 3b. When the heat medium flows in from the heat medium inlet, the internal pressure of the heat exchanger 100 increases, and a stress acts to increase the thickness of the heat exchanger 100 compared to when the heat medium is not flowing in. As a result, when a heat exchange object is provided on the heat exchanger 100, the heat exchanger 100 can be tightly attached to the heat exchange object, improving the heat exchange efficiency.

[0025] Fig. 3 shows a cross-sectional view of a heat exchanger in a modified example of the embodiment in Fig. 1. In Fig. 3, a sheet-like material constituting the first main surface 1a and a sheet-like material constituting the second main surface 1b are bonded together at their peripheries to form a connecting portion 1c. In this embodiment, two sheets of sheet-like material are bonded together at their overlapping portions by, for example, resin fusion to form a bag-shaped outer packaging material.

[0026] Figure 4 shows a cross-sectional view of a heat exchanger in a modified embodiment of the embodiment in Figure 1. In Figure 4, a corrugated inner core 5 is provided inside the outer packaging material 1. The inner core is not integrated with the outer packaging material, or is fixed only to either the inner surface of the first main surface 1a or the inner surface of the second main surface 1b, and the thickness of the heat exchanger 100 can be changed by the inflow of the heat medium.

[0027] In the present disclosure, the "principal surfaces" of a heat exchanger refer to the two opposing surfaces with the largest area among the surfaces of the heat exchanger formed by the packaging material (i.e., the outer surfaces of the packaging material). In the heat exchanger of the present disclosure, it is intended that a heat exchange body is placed on at least one selected from the group consisting of the first principal surface and the second principal surface. The principal surface does not necessarily represent a flat surface, and may be a flat surface or a curved surface. In addition, the "connecting portion" refers to the portion where the first main surface and the second main surface are connected, but does not necessarily have to be made of a material separate from the material constituting the first main surface and the material constituting the second main surface, and also includes a portion formed from the material constituting the first main surface and the material constituting the second main surface, themselves.

[0028] The outer packaging material is formed hollow so that the first and second main surfaces of the heat exchanger are connected via a connecting portion. The connecting manner is not particularly limited as long as a hollow outer packaging material can be formed. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the first and second main surfaces may be connected via a side surface. Also, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the sheet-like material constituting the first main surface and the sheet-like material constituting the second main surface may be connected at the peripheral portion by resin fusion or the like. The sheet-like material constituting the first main surface and the sheet-like material constituting the second main surface may be connected via another sheet-like material. One sheet-like material may be folded in two, and the peripheral portions other than the fold portion may be connected to each other by resin fusion or the like. In addition, when the term "sheet-like" is used in the present disclosure, the thickness and material are not limited.

[0029] The thickness of the heat exchanger can be appropriately adjusted depending on the desired application, as long as the maximum thickness is greater than the depth of the through holes or non-through holes in the housing. The maximum thickness of the heat exchanger may be, for example, more than 1 time and not more than 5 times, 1.1 to 4 times, or 1.2 to 3 times the depth of the through holes or non-through holes in the housing.

[0030] In one embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the first and second main surfaces of the heat exchanger are connected by a side surface, and the thickness of the heat exchanger at the side surface, i.e., the distance between the first and second main surfaces at the side surface, may be greater than the depth of the through hole or non-through hole in which the heat exchanger is embedded.

[0031] (outer packaging material) The outer packaging material is formed to be hollow, and is provided with a heat transfer medium inlet and a heat transfer medium outlet.

[0032] The material of the outer packaging material is not particularly limited. In one embodiment, the outer surface of the outer packaging material is preferably insulating. In conventional heat exchangers, an insulating material with high thermal conductivity is arranged between the heat exchanger and the heat exchange object to absorb the unevenness of the heat exchange object and to insulate it. In the heat exchanger of this embodiment, the outer surface of the outer packaging material is insulating, so that such an insulating material can be omitted. Examples of materials for the outer packaging material having insulating properties include resins.

[0033] In one embodiment, the outer packaging material may have a metal layer and a resin layer provided inside the metal layer. In this embodiment, the metal layer and the resin layer may be laminated to form a laminate material. The metal layer functions as an electric heating material, and the resin layer functions as a protective material for the metal layer. In this embodiment, since the resin layer is provided inside the metal layer, corrosion of the metal layer by the heat medium can be suppressed, and the life of the heat exchanger can be extended. Another layer may or may not be provided between the metal layer and the inner resin layer.

[0034] In one embodiment, the outer packaging material may have a metal layer and a resin layer provided on the outside of the metal layer. In this embodiment, when an insulating resin is used as the resin, it is useful in that insulation can be achieved even if the heat exchange body is directly placed adjacent to the resin layer. Therefore, according to this embodiment, it is possible to omit placing a separate insulating material between the heat exchanger and the heat exchange body. In addition, when a conductive resin is used as the resin, it is possible to impart an antistatic effect to the heat exchange body. Another layer may or may not be provided between the metal layer and the outer resin layer.

[0035] In one embodiment, the outer packaging material may have a metal layer and a resin layer provided on the inside and outside of the metal layer. In this embodiment, since the resin layer is provided on both the inside and outside of the metal layer, all of the above-mentioned advantages can be obtained.

[0036] In each of the above embodiments, the inner space side of the hollow packaging material is referred to as the "inside" and the outer space side is referred to as the "outside".

[0037] Examples of the metal layer include aluminum foil, stainless steel foil, nickel foil, plated copper foil, nickel foil and copper foil clad metal, etc. From the viewpoints of thermal conductivity, cost, etc., aluminum foil is preferred.

[0038] The thickness of the metal layer is not particularly limited. From the viewpoint of strength and thermal conductivity, the thickness of the metal layer is preferably 4 μm or more, more preferably 6 μm or more, and even more preferably 8 μm or more. From the viewpoint of thinning, the thickness of the metal layer is preferably 300 μm or less, more preferably 200 μm or less, and even more preferably 100 μm or less. From this viewpoint, the thickness of the metal layer is preferably 4 μm to 300 μm, more preferably 6 μm to 200 μm, and even more preferably 8 μm to 100 μm.

[0039] The material of the resin layer is not particularly limited. Examples of the resin include polyolefin resins such as polyethylene and polypropylene (e.g., non-oriented polypropylene) or modified resins thereof; fluorine-based resins; polyester resins such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) resin; vinyl chloride resins, etc. These resins have heat-sealing properties, and are therefore useful in that hollow outer packaging materials can be easily produced by heat fusion.

[0040] The thickness of the resin layer is not particularly limited. From the viewpoints of insulation, sufficient protection of the metal layer, adhesion to the heat exchange body, etc., the thickness of the resin layer is preferably 10 μm or more, more preferably 15 μm or more, and even more preferably 20 μm or more. From the viewpoint of thinning, the thickness of the resin layer is preferably 5000 μm or less, more preferably 3000 μm or less, and even more preferably 1000 μm or less. From such a viewpoint, the thickness of the resin layer is preferably 10 μm to 5000 μm, more preferably 15 μm to 3000 μm, and even more preferably 20 μm to 1000 μm. When the resin layer is provided both inside and outside the metal layer, the thickness of the resin layer refers to the thickness of each of the resin layers. In one embodiment, when the resin layer is provided on both the inside and outside of the metal layer, the thickness of the inner resin layer may be equal to or greater than the thickness of the outer resin layer from the viewpoint of sufficient protection of the metal layer.

[0041] When the outer packaging material has a metal layer and a resin layer provided on at least one side selected from the group consisting of the inside and the outside of the metal layer, the metal layer and each resin layer may be bonded to each other by, for example, an adhesive. The metal layer and each resin layer may be laminated by a known lamination method.

[0042] The thickness of the outer packaging material can be designed depending on the material of the outer packaging material, the desired function, etc. For example, the thickness of the outer packaging material may be 4 μm to 15,000 μm, 10 μm to 10,000 μm, or 30 μm to 5,000 μm.

[0043] The positions of the heat medium inlet and the heat medium outlet are not particularly limited as long as the heat medium can flow in from the heat medium inlet and flow out from the heat medium outlet when the heat exchange object is placed on the heat exchanger, thereby enabling heat exchange with the heat exchange object. In one embodiment, the heat medium inlet and the heat medium outlet may be provided at opposite ends of the heat exchanger.

[0044] (inner core wood) In one embodiment, the heat exchanger may further include an inner core material disposed inside the outer cover material. The inner core material may be used to maintain the shape of the heat exchanger, improve heat exchange efficiency, etc.

[0045] In one embodiment, the inner core material is preferably fixed to only one of the inner surface of the first main surface and the inner surface of the second main surface of the outer packaging material, or to neither of them. This makes it possible to increase the thickness by circulating the heat transfer medium while maintaining the desired shape of the heat exchanger. The inner core material may be integrally molded with the outer packaging material by deep drawing or the like.

[0046] The material of the inner core material is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include metal, resin, etc. Specific examples of metal and resin include the materials exemplified as the materials of the metal layer and resin layer of the outer packaging material. In one embodiment, the inner core material may be a metal layer coated with a resin. When the inner core material is a metal layer coated with a resin, another layer may or may not be provided between the metal layer and the resin.

[0047] In one embodiment, the inner core may have irregularities. For example, the inner core may be corrugated or pleated into a corrugated shape, or may be embossed to provide irregularities. The inner core may have only concaves or convexes.

[0048] The shape of the projections and recesses is not particularly limited, and may be a circle, an ellipse, an oval, a polygon such as a triangle, a rectangle, or a pentagon, an irregular shape, a combination of these, etc. The inner core may be in a diamond pattern, silk pattern, cloth pattern, matte texture, polka dot, blind pattern, stripe pattern, etc.

[0049] The pattern of the multiple projections and recesses is not particularly limited, and the projections and recesses may be arranged regularly or irregularly.

[0050] The depth of the recesses or the height of the protrusions of the inner core material are not particularly limited, and from the viewpoint of ensuring a sufficient path for the heat transfer medium to flow, it may be 0.1 mm or more, 5 mm or more, or 10 mm or more. From the viewpoint of thinning, it may be 50 mm or less, 40 mm or less, or 30 mm or less. From such a viewpoint, the depth of the recesses or the height of the protrusions of the inner core material may be 0.1 mm to 50 mm, 5 mm to 40 mm, or 10 mm to 30 mm. In this disclosure, the depth of the recess of the inner core material is the depth from the middle position in the thickness direction of the inner core material to the deepest part, and the height of the protrusion is the height from the middle position in the thickness direction of the inner core material to the top part, and the sum of the depth of the recess and the height of the protrusion corresponds to the thickness of the inner core material.

[0051] In one embodiment, the inner core material may be the same as the inner core material described in JP 2020-3132 A, and may be fixed to the outer packaging material only on one of the inner surface of the first main surface and the inner surface of the second main surface, or may be fixed to neither. That is, the inner core material may be composed of an inner core laminate material including a metal electric heating layer and a resin heat fusion layer provided on both sides of the electric heating layer, and may have irregularities, and may be fixed to only one of the outer packaging material and the outer packaging material, or may be fixed to neither.

[0052] (Other Structures) The heat exchanger may have structures other than an outer envelope and an inner core. In one embodiment, the heat exchanger may be configured such that a joint pipe is provided at the heat medium inlet and the heat medium outlet, respectively, and the heat medium flows into or out of the packaging material through the joint pipe. The material of the joint pipe is not particularly limited. In one embodiment, the joint pipe may have a resin layer and be fused to the packaging material having a resin layer. By fusing the joint pipe to the packaging material, liquid leakage can be easily prevented.

[0053] The heat exchanger can be used as a cooler or a heater in various applications where heat exchange is desired. Accordingly, the heat transfer medium may be a refrigerant or a heat transfer medium.

[0054] <Heat exchange object> The heat exchange object is provided in contact with the heat exchanger. Examples of the heat exchange object include a heat generating body and a heated body. Examples of the heat generating body include a semiconductor package, a display, an LED, an electric lamp, a power module for an automobile, and an industrial power module. In one embodiment, the heat exchange object may be a reactor, a DC / DC converter, or the like, which is incorporated in a converter case in a power control unit of a vehicle.

[0055] In one embodiment, the surface of the heat exchanger that is in contact with the heat exchanger of the heat exchanger may have an area larger than that of the heat exchanger that is in contact with the heat exchanger. In this embodiment, for example, the surface of the heat exchanger can cover the entire surface of the heat exchanger that is exposed from the housing, so that the heat exchanger can be used effectively. In addition, the above embodiment is preferable from the viewpoint of preventing the thickness of the heat exchanger from becoming too small due to the pressure of placing the heat exchanger on the heat exchanger.

[0056] In one embodiment, from the viewpoint of efficient utilization of the heat exchanger, at least one of the first and second main surfaces of the heat exchanger may independently have 50% or more, 60% or more, 70% or more, 80% or more, or 90% or more of the area exposed from the housing in contact with the heat exchange body.

[0057] In one embodiment, the heat exchanger is embedded in the through hole of the housing, and the heat exchange object is provided in contact with at least one of the first main surface and the second main surface of the heat exchanger. In another embodiment, the heat exchanger is embedded in a blind hole in the housing, and the heat exchange body is provided in contact with only one of the first main surface and the second main surface of the heat exchanger.

[0058] When the heat exchanger is embedded in a through hole of the housing and both the first and second main surfaces of the heat exchanger are exposed from the housing, the heat exchange object may be provided on both the first and second main surfaces of the heat exchanger, or may be provided on only one of them. When the heat exchange object is provided on only one of the first and second main surfaces of the heat exchanger, another member such as a substrate is provided on the other main surface, so that when the heat medium flows into the outer packaging material, the heat exchanger is tightly attached to the heat exchange object by the internal pressure.

[0059] Hereinafter, as an example of a structure according to the present embodiment, a converter case in a power control unit of a vehicle will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the structure of the present disclosure is not limited to the example shown in the drawings.

[0060] FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view of the converter case 15 when the heat exchanger 100 is applied to the converter case 15. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the converter case 15 taken along line XX, and FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the converter case 15 taken along line YY. A through hole is provided in the thickness direction of the plate-like member in the converter case 15, and the heat exchanger 100 is embedded in the through hole. Note that the embedded portion of the heat exchanger 100 in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 corresponds to the through hole of the plate-like member of the converter case 15. The heat exchanger 100 is embedded in the through hole so that the thickness (t1) direction of the heat exchanger 100 is aligned with the thickness (t2) direction of the plate-like member of the converter case 15. The reactor 11, which is a heat exchange object, is disposed on the upper portion of the heat exchanger 100, and the DC / DC converter 13, which is a heat exchange object, is disposed on the lower portion. In this example, a joint pipe 17a is connected to the heat medium inlet of the heat exchanger 100, and a joint pipe 17b is connected to the heat medium outlet. When the refrigerant flows from the joint pipe 17a to the heat exchanger sandwiched between the reactor 11 and the converter 13, stress acts in a direction to increase the thickness of the heat exchanger due to the internal pressure in the heat exchanger. This improves the adhesion between the reactor 11 and the DC / DC converter 13 and the heat exchanger 100.

[0061] <Manufacturing method of structure> A method for producing a structure according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes: A housing has a through hole or a non-through hole in a thickness direction, and a heat exchanger is embedded in the through hole or the non-through hole such that the thickness direction of the heat exchanger is aligned with the thickness direction of the housing; and disposing at least one heat exchange body on the heat exchanger; The heat exchanger includes a hollow outer packaging material having a heat medium inlet and a heat medium outlet, and has a first main surface formed by the outer packaging material, a second main surface opposed to the first main surface, and a connection portion between the first main surface and the second main surface, The heat exchanger before being embedded in the housing is configured so that its thickness can be changed by the flow of the heat medium into the outer packaging material, and the maximum thickness of the heat exchanger is greater than the depth of the through hole or the non-through hole in which the heat exchanger is embedded, The at least one heat exchange object is provided in contact with at least one of the first main surface and the second main surface of the heat exchanger. According to the manufacturing method of the structure of this aspect, the adhesion between the heat exchanger and the heat exchange body is increased, and excellent heat exchange efficiency can be achieved. The above-mentioned structure may be manufactured by the method for manufacturing a structure of this embodiment. [Explanation of symbols]

[0062] 1 Outer packaging material 1a First main surface 1b Second main surface 1c Connecting part 3a Joint Pipe 3b Joint pipe 5 Inner core material 11 Reactor 13 DC / DC converter 15 Converter case 17a Joint pipe 17b Joint pipe 100 heat exchanger

Claims

1. A plate-like member having through holes or non-through holes in a thickness direction; a heat exchanger embedded in the through hole or the non-through hole of the plate-shaped member; At least one heat exchange body provided in contact with the heat exchanger; Equipped with The heat exchanger includes a hollow outer packaging material having a heat medium inlet and a heat medium outlet, and has a first main surface, a second main surface opposed to the first main surface, and a connection portion between the first main surface and the second main surface, the first main surface and the second main surface being formed by the outer packaging material; The heat exchanger further includes an inner core disposed inside the outer packaging material, the inner core being fixed to only one of an inner surface of the first main surface and an inner surface of the second main surface of the outer packaging material, or to neither of the inner surfaces; the heat exchanger is embedded in the through hole or the non-through hole such that a thickness direction of the heat exchanger is aligned with a thickness direction of the plate-like member, The at least one heat exchange body is provided in contact with at least one of the first main surface and the second main surface of the heat exchanger, A structure in which the heat exchanger has a maximum thickness that is greater than the depth of the through hole or the non-through hole in which the heat exchanger is embedded when the heat exchange body is removed and a heat medium flows into the outer packaging material.

2. The structure according to claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger is configured so that a thickness thereof can be changed by removing the heat exchange body and by introducing a heat medium.

3. The structure according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the outer packaging material of the heat exchanger has a metal layer and a resin layer provided on the inside of the metal layer.

4. The structure according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the outer packaging material of the heat exchanger has a metal layer and a resin layer provided on the outside of the metal layer.

5. The structure according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the outer packaging material of the heat exchanger has a metal layer and resin layers provided on the outer and inner sides of the metal layer.

6. A structure described in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the plate-like member is provided in a housing.

7. A structure described in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the surface of the heat exchange body covers the entirety of at least one of the first main surface and the second main surface exposed from the plate-shaped member of the heat exchanger.

8. The structure according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the heat exchanger is embedded in the through hole of the plate-like member, and the heat exchange body is provided in contact with at least one of the first main surface and the second main surface of the heat exchanger.

9. The structure described in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the heat exchanger is embedded in the non-through hole of the plate-like member, and the heat exchange body is provided in contact with only one of the first main surface and the second main surface of the heat exchanger.

10. A plate-like member has a through hole or a non-through hole in a thickness direction, and a heat exchanger is embedded in the through hole or the non-through hole such that the thickness direction of the heat exchanger is aligned with the thickness direction of the plate-like member; and disposing at least one heat exchange body on the heat exchanger; The heat exchanger includes a hollow outer packaging material having a heat medium inlet and a heat medium outlet, and has a first main surface, a second main surface opposed to the first main surface, and a connection portion between the first main surface and the second main surface, the first main surface and the second main surface being formed by the outer packaging material; The heat exchanger further includes an inner core disposed inside the outer packaging material, the inner core being fixed to only one of an inner surface of the first main surface and an inner surface of the second main surface of the outer packaging material, or to neither of the inner surfaces; The heat exchanger before being embedded in the plate-like member is configured so that its thickness can be changed by the flow of a heat medium into the outer packaging material, and the maximum thickness of the heat exchanger is greater than the depth of the through hole or the non-through hole in which the heat exchanger is embedded, The at least one heat exchange body is provided in contact with at least one of the first main surface and the second main surface of the heat exchanger. A method for manufacturing a structure.

11. A method for producing the structure according to claim 10, comprising producing the structure according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

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