Electronic control device

Abstract

An electronic control device 100 comprises: a circuit board 3 on which an electronic component 4 is mounted; and an upper housing 1 and a lower housing 2 for housing the circuit board 3. The upper housing 1 has a protrusion 7 having a top surface facing the circuit board 3. At least a part of an upper surface of the electronic component 4 is thermally connected to the upper housing 1 via a heat dissipation member 6. At least a part of a side surface of the electronic component 4 faces the protrusion 7 via the heat dissipation member 6. This configuration provides an electronic control device that achieves higher heat dissipation and suppression of radiation noise compared to conventional structures.

Description

Electronic control unit

[0001] The present invention relates to an electronic control device.

[0002] As an example of an electronic control device that can efficiently dissipate heat from a heat-generating element, Patent Document 1 describes a cover attached to a circuit board so as to cover the heat-generating element on the surface of the circuit board on which the heat-generating element is mounted, the cover having legs and a plate portion, the legs standing upright from the area surrounding the heat-generating element on the circuit board, and the plate portion for heat dissipation connected to the upper part of the legs, with its lower surface close to the upper surface of the heat-generating element and its upper surface close to the inner wall surface of the upper case.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-012127

[0004] In-vehicle electronic control devices are equipped with microcomputers capable of high-speed calculations and processing to enable advanced autonomous driving functions. However, as the demand for more advanced autonomous driving functions increases, the computing power of microcomputers is increasing year by year, and the amount of heat generated is also increasing proportionally.

[0005] In the past, when thermal grease was applied to electronic components to dissipate heat, there was a problem in that the parasitic capacitance of the thermal grease caused potential fluctuations caused by the operation of the electronic components to propagate to the casing, resulting in electromagnetic noise being radiated to the outside through gaps in the casing.

[0006] To address this issue, the technology described in Patent Document 1 suppresses radiated noise by using a local shielding structure that covers the electronic components that are the noise source. In addition, because the heat dissipation material is applied to the semiconductor chip, it is possible to achieve both heat dissipation and EMC.

[0007] In recent years, the level of autonomous driving has been further improved, and the integration of ECUs (Electronic Control Units) has expanded, resulting in improved performance requirements. As a result, electronic components have been increasingly integrated into SiPs (System in Packages) and chiplets, which have led to issues such as increased heat generation and higher frequencies.

[0008] It was found that if the technology described in Patent Document 1 above is applied to next-generation products, there is a risk that heat dissipation will be insufficient because the thermal grease is applied only to the top surface of the semiconductor chip, and that the parasitic capacitance of the thermal grease will cause the loop of potential fluctuations caused by the operation of electronic components to take a path from the top surface of the chip through the legs, resulting in insufficient suppression of radiated noise, and therefore there is room for improvement.

[0009] The present invention provides an electronic control device that achieves higher heat dissipation and suppression of radiation noise compared to conventional structures.

[0010] The present invention includes multiple means for solving the above-mentioned problems, and one example thereof is a circuit board on which an electronic component is mounted, and a housing that houses the circuit board, wherein the housing has a protrusion having a top surface facing the circuit board, at least a portion of the top surface of the electronic component is thermally connected to the housing via a heat dissipation member, and at least a portion of the side surface of the electronic component faces the protrusion via the heat dissipation member.

[0011] According to the present invention, it is possible to achieve higher heat dissipation and suppression of radiated noise than with conventional structures. Objects, configurations, and effects other than those described above will become clear from the following description of the embodiments.

[0012] 2 is a perspective view of the appearance of an electronic control device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. A top view of a housing of the electronic control device according to the first embodiment. A cross-sectional view taken along line II of FIG. 2. A cross-sectional view taken along line II-II of FIG. 2. A diagram showing the results of verifying the noise current reduction effect of the present invention and a comparative example. A diagram showing the results of verifying the temperature rise reduction effect of the present invention and a comparative example. A diagram corresponding to the cross-section taken along line II of FIG. 2 for an electronic control device according to a second embodiment. A diagram corresponding to the cross-section taken along line II-II of FIG. 2 for an electronic control device according to the second embodiment. A diagram corresponding to the cross-section taken along line II-II of FIG. 2 for an electronic control device according to a modified example of the second embodiment. A diagram corresponding to the cross-section taken along line II-II of FIG. 2 for an electronic control device according to a third embodiment. A diagram corresponding to the cross-section taken along line II-II of FIG. 2 for an electronic control device according to a fourth embodiment. A diagram corresponding to the cross-section taken along line II of FIG. 2 for an electronic control device according to a fifth embodiment. A diagram corresponding to the cross-section taken along line II of FIG. 2 for an electronic control device according to a sixth embodiment. A top view of a housing of an electronic control device according to a seventh embodiment. A top view of a housing of an electronic control device according to an eighth embodiment. A top view of a housing of an electronic control device according to a ninth embodiment. A view corresponding to the cross section of line II in Fig. 2 for an electronic control device according to a ninth embodiment. A view corresponding to the cross section of line II in Fig. 2 for an electronic control device according to a tenth embodiment. A view corresponding to the cross section of line II in Fig. 2 for an electronic control device according to an eleventh embodiment. A view corresponding to the cross section of line II in Fig. 2 for an electronic control device according to a twelfth embodiment. A view corresponding to the cross section of line II in Fig. 2 for an electronic control device according to a thirteenth embodiment.

[0013] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the electronic control device of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings used in this specification, identical or similar reference numerals are used to designate identical or corresponding components, and repeated description of these components may be omitted.

[0014] First Embodiment A first embodiment of an electronic control device of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6. FIG.

[0015] First, the overall configuration and cross-sectional configuration of the electronic control device will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 4. Figure 1 is an external perspective view of the electronic control device according to the first embodiment of the present invention, Figure 2 is a transparent view of the top surface of the housing of the electronic control device according to the first embodiment, Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II in Figure 2, and Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II in Figure 2.

[0016] The external appearance of the electronic control device 100 shown in Figures 1 and 2 includes an upper housing 1 and a lower housing 2 that house a circuit board 3, housing fins 9 formed on the upper surface side of the upper housing 1, and a connector 10 that serves as a connection terminal with the outside.

[0017] 1, the electronic control device 100 is made up of a lower housing 2 and an upper housing 1, and has a box-like shape as a whole. A circuit board 3 is housed and arranged within these housings. More specifically, the circuit board 3 is sandwiched between the lower housing 2 and the upper housing 1, and in this state, the circuit board 3 is fixed by threading a screw (not shown) through the lower housing 2 and the circuit board 3 into the upper housing 1.

[0018] The upper housing 1 is made of a metal such as copper, iron, aluminum, magnesium, etc., or a resin having a metal film formed by plating or the like on a part or more of its surface in order to dissipate heat from the electronic components 4 to the outside of the housing. Like the upper housing 1, the lower housing 2 is also made of a metal such as copper, iron, aluminum, magnesium, etc., or a resin having a metal film formed by plating or the like on a part or more of its surface.

[0019] 2, electronic components 4, a ground section 5, etc. are mounted on the circuit board 3. Note that the actual positions of the electronic components 4 and the ground section 5 on the circuit board 3 are merely an example, and needless to say, they can be changed as appropriate depending on the design.

[0020] The electronic components 4 consist of one or more high heat generating components 4a and one or more low heat generating components 4b that serve as heat sources for I / O circuits, etc., and a substrate 4c on which these high heat generating components 4a and low heat generating components 4b are mounted, and the high heat generating components 4a and low heat generating components 4b are arranged on the substrate 4c so as to face the upper housing 1.

[0021] 3 , the surface of the circuit board 3 of the upper housing 1 on which the electronic components 4 are mounted is provided with a protrusion 7 that protrudes so as to cover the electronic components 4. The top surface, which is the tip of this protrusion 7, faces the ground section 5 of the circuit board 3. In other words, the upper housing 1 has the protrusion 7 having a top surface that faces the circuit board 3.

[0022] The protrusions 7 are made of a metal such as copper, iron, aluminum, or magnesium, or a resin with a metal film formed on at least a portion of its surface, and can have high thermal conductivity, and can be made of the same material as the upper housing 1. In this embodiment, the upper housing 1 and the protrusions 7 are made of the same material and are the same molded body.

[0023] 3, the upper surface side of the electronic component 4 on which the high heat generating component 4a and the low heat generating component 4b are formed, within the inner periphery of the protrusion 7, is filled with a heat dissipation member 6 so that no space in which gas can exist exists between them. As a result, the upper surfaces of the high heat generating component 4a and the low heat generating component 4b of the electronic component 4 are thermally connected to the upper housing 1 via the heat dissipation member 6.

[0024] 3, in the electronic control device 100 of this embodiment, the heat dissipation member 6 is filled in the protrusion 7 so that not only the top surfaces of the electronic components 4 but also the side surfaces of the high heat generation components 4a and the low heat generation components 4b of the electronic components 4 face the protrusion 7 via the heat dissipation member 6. This results in a structure in which no gas exists between the side surfaces of the high heat generation components 4a and the low heat generation components 4b of the electronic components 4 and the inner surfaces of the protrusions 7 that face the corresponding side surfaces.

[0025] Although Figure 3 shows a configuration in which the side surfaces of all of the high heat-generating components 4a and low heat-generating components 4b of the electronic component 4 face the protrusion 7 via the heat dissipation member 6, it is sufficient that the side surface of at least one of the high heat-generating components 4a and low heat-generating components 4b on the electronic component 4 faces the protrusion 7 via the heat dissipation member 6.

[0026] For example, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 17 described later, a configuration may be adopted in which a portion of the high heat generating component 4a and a portion of the low heat generating component 4b do not face the protrusion 7 via the heat dissipation member 6.

[0027] Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the configuration shown in FIG. 3 in which the inside of the protrusion 7 on the side of the upper housing 1 from the tallest high-heat-generating component 4a facing the upper housing 1 is filled with heat dissipation material 6 and no gas is present inside, i.e., most of the space within the protrusion 7 is filled with heat dissipation material 6; the inside of the protrusion 7 on the side of the upper housing 1 from the tallest high-heat-generating component 4a facing the upper housing 1 may not be filled with heat dissipation material 6, and a space in which gas may be present may be formed; however, from the viewpoint of manufacturability, it is preferable that the protrusion 7 be filled with heat dissipation material 6 as shown in FIG. 3 .

[0028] In Figure 3, the portions of the upper surface of the substrate 4c where the high heat-generating components 4a and the low heat-generating components 4b are not formed are covered with the heat dissipation member 6, and the heat dissipation member 6 is filled so that no gas is present between them. In other words, the upper surface of the substrate 4c is also thermally connected to the upper housing 1 via the heat dissipation member 6. However, the upper surface of the substrate 4c does not have to be covered with the heat dissipation member 6 as long as the side of at least one of the high heat-generating components 4a and the low heat-generating components 4b on the electronic component 4 faces the protrusion 7 via the heat dissipation member 6.

[0029] Furthermore, in the electronic component 4, the side surface of the substrate 4c is shown as being covered with the heat dissipation member 6 and therefore not facing the protrusion 7 via the heat dissipation member 6, but the side surface of the substrate 4c may also face the protrusion 7 via the heat dissipation member 6.

[0030] Furthermore, while Figure 3 shows a case where the inner surface side of the protrusion 7 is an approximately rectangular parallelepiped having flat surfaces, the inner surface side of the protrusion 7 may have a shape having a plurality of flat surfaces as shown in Figure 11 in the fourth embodiment described later, or may have a shape in which curved surfaces are formed on at least a portion of the inner surface, or may be formed only with curved surfaces.

[0031] At least a portion of the top surface of the electronic component 4 is thermally connected to the upper housing 1, and at least a portion of the side surface of the electronic component 4 faces the protrusion 7, thereby forming a thermal connection. Therefore, the heat dissipation member 6 filled inside the protrusion 7 is preferably a semi-curing adhesive material (grease). Because semi-curing adhesives have high adhesion, it is expected that the contact thermal resistance between the electronic component 4 and the protrusion 7 will be reduced, thereby improving heat dissipation. Furthermore, by semi-curing, it is possible to prevent the heat dissipation member 6 from leaking to the circuit board 3, while also alleviating stress caused by vibration and heat.

[0032] In contrast, in the portion of the inside of the electronic control device 100 where the electronic components 4 are not mounted, the heat dissipation member 6 is not filled and a space exists, as shown in FIG.

[0033] Next, specific results of a study on the side of the electronic component 4 facing the protrusion 7 via the heat dissipation member 6 will be described with reference to Figures 5 and 6. Figure 5 shows the results of an examination of the noise current reduction effect of the present invention and a comparative example, and Figure 6 shows the results of an examination of the temperature rise reduction effect of the present invention and a comparative example.

[0034] The simulation was performed using thermal resistance calculations to evaluate heat dissipation and equivalent circuit simulations to evaluate electromagnetic compatibility. Specific conditions were a next-generation SiP, an outer diameter of the electronic component 4 of 65 mm, a chip size of the high heat-generating component 4a of 25 mm, a heat generation amount of 36 W, and a TIM (Thermal Interface Material) thickness of 1.2 mm.

[0035] As a result, as shown in Fig. 5, in the structure described in Patent Document 1 above, in which the heat dissipation member 6 is formed only on the chip corresponding to the high heat-generating component 4a, the noise current at 100 MHz was 60 dBμA (comparison example in Fig. 5), whereas in the structure of this embodiment in which the heat dissipation member 6 is filled up to the side surface of the chip corresponding to the high heat-generating component 4a and faces the protrusion 7 via the heat dissipation member 6, the noise current at 100 MHz was 50 dBμA, which was an improvement of 10 dBμA. Furthermore, although not shown, it was found that the noise current could be reduced by 35 dBμA in the structure described in Patent Document 1 above, compared to a structure in which there was no structure corresponding to the protrusion.

[0036] Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 6, in the structure described in Patent Document 1 above, in which the heat dissipation member 6 is formed only on the chip corresponding to the high heat-generating component 4a, the temperature rise ΔT was 13.7°C (comparison example in FIG. 6), whereas in the structure of this embodiment in which the heat dissipation member 6 is filled up to the side surface of the chip corresponding to the high heat-generating component 4a and therefore faces the protrusion 7 via the heat dissipation member 6, the temperature rise ΔT was 8.6°C, which is a reduction of 5.1°C in the amount of temperature rise. In other words, it was found that this structure has a great deal of room for further improvement of chips such as the high heat-generating component 4a.

[0037] Next, the effects of this embodiment will be described.

[0038] The electronic control device 100 of the first embodiment of the present invention described above comprises a circuit board 3 on which electronic components 4 are mounted, and an upper housing 1 and a lower housing 2 that house the circuit board 3, wherein the upper housing 1 has a protrusion 7 having a top surface facing the circuit board 3, at least a portion of the top surface of the electronic component 4 is thermally connected to the upper housing 1 via a heat dissipation member 6, and at least a portion of the side surface of the electronic component 4 faces the protrusion 7 via the heat dissipation member 6.

[0039] This allows the heat dissipation area of ​​the electronic component 4 to be increased compared to conventional structures, thereby further improving heat dissipation, and also allows a loop with little potential fluctuation to be formed between the end of the electronic component 4 and the side of the protrusion 7, thereby reducing radiation noise compared to conventional structures.

[0040] Furthermore, the heat dissipation member 6 is a semi-curing adhesive member, which has the effects of further improving heat dissipation, preventing contamination of the heat dissipation member 6, and alleviating stress in the soldered portions of the electronic components 4.

[0041] Second Embodiment An electronic control device according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 7 to 9. Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of an electronic control device according to the second embodiment taken along line II in Figure 2, Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of an electronic control device according to the second embodiment taken along line II-II in Figure 2, and Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view of an electronic control device according to a modified example of the second embodiment taken along line II in Figure 2.

[0042] 7 and 8, the electronic control device 100A of this embodiment has the protrusion 7 facing the ground section 5 provided on the circuit board 3 via the conductive member 8, thereby electrically connecting the protrusion 7 to the ground section 5 of the circuit board 3, thereby forming electrical continuity or capacitive coupling with the ground section 5 via the conductive member 8. As a result, the impedance from the protrusion 7 to the circuit board 3 is reduced, and the noise current path 11 is further reduced compared to the first embodiment, thereby making it possible to further reduce radiated noise.

[0043] The conductive member 8 is made of a gasket, a conductive adhesive, or the like.

[0044] Furthermore, in the electronic control device 100A1 shown in Figure 9, which is a modified example of this embodiment, the high heat-generating components 4a and the low heat-generating components 4b are thermally connected to the upper housing 1 and the lower housing 2 via heat dissipation members 6, and the sides of the high heat-generating components 4a and the low heat-generating components 4b facing the protrusion 7 face the protrusion 7 via heat dissipation members 6A1, as in Figures 3 and 7, but some of the low heat-generating components 4b (in Figure 9, the low heat-generating component 4b on the far left in the figure) are not covered by the heat dissipation member 6A1.

[0045] The configuration shown in Figure 9 has the advantage that heat from the high heat-generating components 4a covered by the heat dissipation member 6A1 is less likely to be transmitted to the low heat-generating components 4b that are not covered by the heat dissipation member 6A1, allowing for a more flexible design.

[0046] In the structure of Figure 9, the protrusion 7 faces the ground portion 5 provided on the circuit board 3 via the conductive member 8, but it is also possible for the protrusion 7 to face the ground portion 5 provided on the circuit board 3 without the conductive member 8 in between, i.e., it is possible to have a configuration similar to that of the first embodiment.

[0047] The other configurations and operations are substantially the same as those of the electronic control device of the first embodiment described above, and details thereof will be omitted.

[0048] The electronic control device according to the second embodiment of the present invention also provides substantially the same effects as the electronic control device according to the first embodiment described above.

[0049] Furthermore, the protrusion 7 faces the ground portion 5 provided on the circuit board 3 via the conductive member 8, and by forming electrical continuity or capacitive coupling with the ground portion 5 via the conductive member 8, further reduction in radiation noise can be achieved.

[0050] Third Embodiment An electronic control device according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 10. Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the electronic control device according to the third embodiment taken along line II-II in Fig. 2.

[0051] 10, the protrusion 7B includes a box portion 7B1 that forms an opening toward the circuit board 3, and leg portions 7B2 that protrude from the box portion 7B1 toward the circuit board 3. The box portion 7B1 allows the heat dissipation material 6 to be applied to the side surface of the protrusion 7B without leakage, thereby reliably improving heat dissipation, and the leg portions 7B2 create a gap between the electronic component 4 and the box portion 7B1, thereby enabling components to be mounted densely around the electronic component 4.

[0052] The other configurations and operations are substantially the same as those of the electronic control device of the second embodiment described above, and details thereof will be omitted.

[0053] The electronic control device according to the third embodiment of the present invention also provides substantially the same effects as those of the electronic control device according to the second embodiment described above.

[0054] In addition, the protrusion portion 7B is provided with a box portion 7B1 that forms an opening toward the circuit board 3 and a leg portion 7B2 that protrudes from the box portion 7B1 toward the circuit board 3, thereby enabling improved heat dissipation and high-density mounting.

[0055] In this embodiment, the protrusion 7B faces the ground portion 5 provided on the circuit board 3 via the conductive member 8, but it is also possible to use a configuration in which the protrusion 7B faces the ground portion 5 via a space without providing the conductive member 8 as in the first embodiment.

[0056] <Fourth embodiment> An electronic control device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 11. Fig. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the electronic control device according to the fourth embodiment taken along line II in Fig. 2.

[0057] 11 , the upper housing 1 has an uneven portion 7C1 on the surface facing the plurality of electronic components 4, and the distance of the uneven portion 7C1 from the circuit board 3 varies depending on the height of the electronic components 4 that the uneven portion 7C1 faces. By providing such uneven portion 7C1, the clearance of the heat dissipation member 6C between the electronic components 4 and the inside of the upper housing 1 can be adjusted, thereby minimizing the amount of heat dissipation member 6C applied and further improving heat dissipation performance.

[0058] The other configurations and operations are substantially the same as those of the electronic control device of the second embodiment described above, and details thereof will be omitted.

[0059] The electronic control device according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention also provides substantially the same effects as the electronic control device according to the second embodiment described above.

[0060] In addition, the upper housing 1 has an uneven portion 7C1 on the surface facing the multiple electronic components 4, and the distance of the uneven portion 7C1 from the circuit board 3 varies depending on the height of the electronic components 4 that the uneven portion 7C1 faces, which has the effect of minimizing the amount of heat dissipation material to be applied.

[0061] In this embodiment, too, the protrusion 7 faces the ground portion 5 provided on the circuit board 3 via the conductive member 8, but it is also possible to have a configuration in which the protrusion 7 faces the ground portion 5 via a space without providing the conductive member 8 as in the first embodiment, or a configuration in which the protrusion 7 is composed of a box portion and legs as in the third embodiment, regardless of whether the conductive member 8 is provided or not.

[0062] Fifth Embodiment An electronic control device according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 12. Fig. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the electronic control device according to the fifth embodiment taken along line II in Fig. 2.

[0063] In the electronic control device 100D of this embodiment shown in Figure 12, the protrusion 7D is provided separately from the upper housing 1, and is thermally connected to the upper housing 1 via a heat dissipation member 6D, and is also thermally connected to the electronic component 4 via a heat dissipation member 6.

[0064] In this case, the design freedom of the protrusion 7D is improved. That is, the shape can be selected more freely than when the protrusion 7D is formed integrally with the upper housing 1. Similarly, the material of the protrusion 7D can be freely selected from a material different from that of the upper housing 1, such as aluminum or copper. This makes it possible to further improve heat dissipation and further reduce radiated noise by adding thickness to the shape.

[0065] The other configurations and operations are substantially the same as those of the electronic control device of the first embodiment described above, and details thereof will be omitted.

[0066] The electronic control device according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention also provides substantially the same effects as those of the electronic control device according to the first embodiment described above.

[0067] Furthermore, the protrusion 7D is provided separately from the upper housing 1 and is thermally connected to the upper housing 1 via the heat dissipation member 6, thereby increasing design freedom and enabling further improvement in heat dissipation and reduction in radiated noise.

[0068] In this embodiment, too, it is possible to have the protrusion portion 7D face the ground portion 5 through a space without providing the conductive member 8 as in the first embodiment, and it is also possible to combine a configuration like that of the third or fourth embodiment regardless of whether or not the conductive member 8 is provided.

[0069] Sixth Embodiment An electronic control device according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 13. Fig. 13 is a cross-sectional view of the electronic control device according to the sixth embodiment taken along line II in Fig. 2.

[0070] 13, like the protrusion 7D of the electronic control device 100D shown in the fifth embodiment, the protrusion 7E is provided separately from the upper housing 1 and is thermally connected to the upper housing 1 via the heat dissipation member 6E1. In addition, at least a portion of the top surface of the protrusion 7E facing the circuit board 3 is provided with a folded portion 7E1 extending in the direction of the electronic components 4. This folded portion 7E1 increases the contact area with the conductive member 8, further reducing radiation noise and more reliably preventing the heat dissipation member 6E from leaking toward the circuit board 3.

[0071] The other configurations and operations are substantially the same as those of the electronic control device of the fifth embodiment described above, and details thereof will be omitted.

[0072] The electronic control device according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention also provides substantially the same effects as those of the electronic control device according to the fifth embodiment described above.

[0073] Furthermore, at least a portion of the top surface of the protrusion 7E facing the circuit board 3 is provided with a folded portion 7E1 extending in the direction in which the electronic component 4 is located, thereby further reducing radiation noise and further preventing contamination of the heat dissipation member 6.

[0074] In this embodiment, too, it is possible to have the protrusion portion 7E face the ground portion 5 through a space without providing the conductive member 8 as in the first embodiment, and it is possible to combine one or more of the configurations of the third to fifth embodiments regardless of whether or not the conductive member 8 is provided.

[0075] Seventh Embodiment An electronic control device according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 14. Fig. 14 is a perspective view of the top surface of the housing of the electronic control device according to the seventh embodiment.

[0076] 14, the protrusion 7 forms a rectangular opening facing the circuit board 3, and the four corners of the opening face the ground portion 5 via conductive members 8F. This reduces radiation noise without interfering with the surface wiring from the electronic components 4, and enables higher-density mounting.

[0077] In this example, the four corners of the opening are opposed to the ground portion 5 via the conductive member 8F, and although four corners are very suitable from the viewpoint of stability, the number of corners is not limited to four, and one or more points are sufficient. Furthermore, even if one point is provided, it does not have to be a corner.

[0078] The other configurations and operations are substantially the same as those of the electronic control device of the second embodiment described above, and details thereof will be omitted.

[0079] The electronic control device according to the seventh embodiment of the present invention also provides substantially the same effects as those of the electronic control device according to the second embodiment described above.

[0080] In addition, the protrusion 7 forms a rectangular opening facing the circuit board 3, and the four corners of the opening face the ground portion 5 via conductive members 8, thereby reducing radiation noise and achieving even higher density mounting.

[0081] In this embodiment, too, one or more of the configurations of the third to sixth embodiments can be combined.

[0082] Eighth Embodiment An electronic control device according to an eighth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 15. Fig. 15 is a perspective view of the top surface of the housing of the electronic control device according to the eighth embodiment.

[0083] 15 , the protrusion 7 forms a rectangular opening facing the circuit board 3, and the four sides of the opening face the ground portion 5 via conductive members 8G. By disposing the conductive members 8G around the entire periphery of the electronic component 4 in this manner, the shielding effect is further enhanced, and radiation noise can be significantly reduced.

[0084] The other configurations and operations are substantially the same as those of the electronic control device of the second embodiment described above, and details thereof will be omitted.

[0085] The electronic control device according to the eighth embodiment of the present invention also provides substantially the same effects as the electronic control device according to the second embodiment described above.

[0086] In addition, the protrusion 7 forms a rectangular opening facing the circuit board 3, and by facing the ground portion 5 on all four sides of the opening via the conductive member 8, a significant reduction in radiation noise can be achieved.

[0087] In this embodiment, too, one or more of the configurations of the third to sixth embodiments can be combined.

[0088] <Ninth embodiment> An electronic control device according to a ninth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 16 and 17. Figure 16 is a perspective view of the top surface of the housing of the electronic control device according to the ninth embodiment, and Figure 17 is a cross-sectional view of the electronic control device according to the ninth embodiment taken along line II in Figure 2.

[0089] 16 and 17 , the protrusions 7H are separate from the upper housing 1 and are thermally connected to it by a heat dissipation member 6H1. The heat dissipation member 6H is provided on the electronic components 4, particularly on the high heat-generating component 4a1, and the protrusions 7H and conductive members 8H are provided around the electronic components 4 in accordance with the position of the heat dissipation member 6H. As a result, the heat dissipation member 6H is applied to the high heat-generating component 4a1, improving heat dissipation, and the arrangement of the protrusions 7H and conductive members 8H more reliably prevents the heat dissipation member 6H from leaking toward the circuit board 3.

[0090] Furthermore, the top surfaces of the protrusions 7H that face the side surfaces of the high heat-generating components 4a and the low heat-generating components 4b are provided with folded portions 7H1 that extend in the direction of the high heat-generating components 4a and the low heat-generating components 4b. This increases the contact area with the conductive member 8H, further reducing radiation noise, and the folded portions 7H1 more reliably prevent the heat dissipation member 6H from leaking toward the circuit board 3.

[0091] The other configurations and operations are substantially the same as those of the electronic control device of the first embodiment described above, and details thereof will be omitted.

[0092] The electronic control device of the ninth embodiment of the present invention also provides substantially the same effects as the electronic control device of the first embodiment described above.

[0093] Furthermore, the top surface of the protrusion 7 facing the side surfaces of the high heat generating components 4a and the low heat generating components 4b is provided with a folded portion 7H1 extending in the direction in which the high heat generating components 4a and the low heat generating components 4b are located, thereby further reducing radiation noise and reliably preventing contamination of the heat dissipation member 6H.

[0094] In this embodiment, too, the protrusion 7H may be integral with the upper housing 1 rather than being separate from it, and the protrusion 7H may face the ground portion 5 via a space without providing a conductive member 8H as in the first embodiment, and any one or more configurations of the third to eighth embodiments may be combined regardless of whether or not the conductive member 8H is provided.

[0095] Tenth Embodiment An electronic control device according to a tenth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 18. Fig. 18 is a cross-sectional view of the electronic control device according to the tenth embodiment taken along line II in Fig. 2.

[0096] 18, in addition to the protrusions 7, the upper housing 1 is provided with heat dissipation member partitioning protrusions 7I that protrude from the surface facing the electronic components 4 toward the circuit board 3, and the heat dissipation member 6I is filled into the space defined by the protrusions 7 and the heat dissipation member partitioning protrusions 7I, which contain the high heat-generating components 4a and the low heat-generating components 4b. In this way, by providing the heat dissipation member partitioning protrusions 7I, it is possible to prevent heat conduction from the high heat-generating components 4a to other components and also to minimize the amount of heat dissipation member 6I applied, thereby improving heat dissipation.

[0097] The other configurations and operations are substantially the same as those of the electronic control device of the first embodiment described above, and details thereof will be omitted.

[0098] The electronic control device according to the tenth embodiment of the present invention also provides substantially the same effects as the electronic control device according to the first embodiment described above.

[0099] In addition, the upper housing 1 is provided with a heat dissipation member partitioning protrusion 7I that protrudes from the surface facing the electronic components 4 toward the circuit board 3, and the heat dissipation member 6 is filled into the space partitioned by the protrusion 7 and the heat dissipation member partitioning protrusion 7I, which contains the high heat generation components 4a and the low heat generation components 4b, thereby improving heat dissipation, further reducing radiation noise, and preventing heat conduction from the high heat generation components 4a to other components.

[0100] In this embodiment, too, a conductive member 8 can be provided as in the second embodiment so that the heat dissipation member partitioning protrusion 7I faces the ground portion 5 through a space, and any one or more of the configurations of the third to ninth embodiments can be combined regardless of whether or not the conductive member 8 is provided.

[0101] An electronic control device according to an eleventh embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 19. Fig. 19 is a cross-sectional view of the electronic control device according to the eleventh embodiment taken along line II in Fig. 2.

[0102] In the electronic control device 100J of this embodiment shown in Figure 19, the protrusions 7J and housing fins 9J are provided separately from the upper housing 1J and are physically connected to the upper housing 1J with screws or the like. Note that the protrusions 7J and housing fins 9J do not need to be physically connected to the upper housing 1J, and may be electrically connected with a conductive member such as a gasket. This improves ease of manufacturing, improves heat dissipation, reduces radiated noise, and prevents heat conduction from the high-heat-generating component 4a to other components.

[0103] The other configurations and operations are substantially the same as those of the electronic control device of the first embodiment described above, and details thereof will be omitted.

[0104] The electronic control device according to the eleventh embodiment of the present invention also provides substantially the same effects as the electronic control device according to the first embodiment described above.

[0105] In this embodiment, too, it is possible to have the protrusion portion 7J face the ground portion 5 through a space without providing the conductive member 8 as in the first embodiment, and it is possible to combine one or more of the configurations of any one of the third to tenth embodiments regardless of whether or not the conductive member 8 is provided.

[0106] <Twelfth embodiment> An electronic control device according to a twelfth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 20. Fig. 20 is a cross-sectional view of the electronic control device according to the twelfth embodiment taken along line II in Fig. 2.

[0107] 20, the electronic control device 100K of this embodiment has protrusions 7K provided separately from the upper housing 1K, and housing fins 9K are also provided separately from the upper housing 1K, and the housing fins 9K and protrusions 7K are thermally connected via a heat dissipation member 6K1. By providing the housing fins 9K and protrusions 7K as separate bodies in this way, ease of manufacturing is improved.

[0108] The other configurations and operations are substantially the same as those of the electronic control device of the eleventh embodiment, and details thereof will be omitted.

[0109] The electronic control device according to the twelfth embodiment of the present invention also provides substantially the same effects as those of the electronic control device according to the eleventh embodiment described above.

[0110] In this embodiment, too, it is possible to have the protrusion portion 7K face the ground portion 5 through a space without providing the conductive member 8 as in the first embodiment, and it is possible to combine one or more of the configurations of any one of the third to tenth embodiments, regardless of whether or not the conductive member 8 is provided.

[0111] <Thirteenth embodiment> An electronic control device according to a thirteenth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 21. Fig. 21 is a cross-sectional view of the electronic control device according to the thirteenth embodiment taken along line II in Fig. 2.

[0112] 21, the electronic control device 100L of this embodiment has protrusions 7L provided separately from the upper housing 1L, and housing fins 9L are also provided separately from the upper housing 1L, with the housing fins 9L and protrusions 7L thermally connected via a heat dissipation member 6L1. In this way, the ease of manufacturing is improved by providing the housing fins 9L and protrusions 7L separately, and the heat dissipation performance and radiated noise reduction performance are improved by filling the housing with the heat dissipation member 6L1.

[0113] The other configurations and operations are substantially the same as those of the electronic control device of the first embodiment described above, and details thereof will be omitted.

[0114] The electronic control device according to the thirteenth embodiment of the present invention also provides substantially the same effects as the electronic control device according to the first embodiment described above.

[0115] In this embodiment, too, it is possible to have the protrusion portion 7L face the ground portion 5 through a space without providing the conductive member 8 as in the first embodiment, and it is possible to combine one or more of the configurations of any one of the third to tenth embodiments, regardless of whether or not the conductive member 8 is provided.

[0116] <Others> The present invention is not limited to the above-described examples, and includes various modifications. The above-described examples have been described in detail to clearly explain the present invention, and the present invention is not necessarily limited to those having all of the described configurations.

[0117] It is also possible to replace part of the configuration of one embodiment with the configuration of another embodiment, or to add the configuration of one embodiment to the configuration of another embodiment.It is also possible to add, delete, or replace part of the configuration of each embodiment with the configuration of another embodiment.

[0118] DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1, 1J, 1K, 1L...Upper housing (housing) 2...Lower housing (housing) 3...Circuit board 4...Electronic component 4a, 4a1...High heat-generating component (heat-generating component) 4b...Low heat-generating component (heat-generating component) 4c...Substrate 5...Grounding portion 6, 6A1, 6C, 6D, 6E, 6E1, 6H, 6H1, 6I, 6K, 6K1, 6L, 6L1...Heat dissipation member 7, 7B, 7D, 7E, 7H, 7J, 7K, 7L...Protrusion 7B1...Box portion 7B2...Leg portion 7C1...Uneven portion (uneven surface) 7E1, 7H1...Folded portion 7I...Protrusion for dividing heat dissipation member 8, 8F, 8G, 8H...Conductive member 9, 9J, 9K, 9L...Housing fin 10...Connector 11...Noise current path 100, 100A, 100A1, 100B, 100C, 100D, 100E, 100F, 100G, 100H, 100I, 100J, 100K, 100L...Electronic control device

Claims

1. An electronic control device comprising: a circuit board on which an electronic component is mounted; and a housing that houses the circuit board, wherein the housing has a protrusion with a top surface facing the circuit board, at least a portion of the top surface of the electronic component is thermally connected to the housing via a heat dissipation member, and at least a portion of the side surface of the electronic component faces the protrusion via the heat dissipation member.

2. An electronic control device as described in claim 1, wherein the protrusion faces a ground section provided on the circuit board via a conductive member, and forms an electrical connection or a capacitive coupling with the ground section via the conductive member.

3. An electronic control device according to claim 1, wherein the protrusion comprises a box portion that forms an opening toward the circuit board, and a leg portion that protrudes from the box portion toward the circuit board.

4. An electronic control device according to claim 2, wherein the protrusion forms a rectangular opening facing the circuit board, and the four corners of the opening face the ground section via the conductive member.

5. An electronic control device according to claim 2, wherein the protrusion forms a rectangular opening facing the circuit board, and the four sides of the opening face the ground section via the conductive member.

6. An electronic control device according to claim 1, wherein the housing has an uneven surface on the surface facing the plurality of electronic components, and the distance of the uneven surface from the circuit board varies depending on the height of the electronic components that the uneven surface faces.

7. An electronic control device according to claim 1, wherein the protrusion is provided separately from the housing and is thermally connected to the housing via the heat dissipation member.

8. An electronic control device according to claim 7, wherein at least a portion of the top surface of the protrusion that faces the circuit board is provided with a folded portion that extends in the direction in which the electronic component is located.

9. An electronic control device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic components include heat-generating components, the heat-generating components are thermally connected to the housing via the heat dissipation member, and the side of the heat-generating components facing the protrusion faces the protrusion via the heat dissipation member.

10. An electronic control device according to claim 9, wherein the top surface of the protrusion facing the side surface of the heat-generating component is provided with a folded portion extending in the direction of the heat-generating component.

11. An electronic control device according to claim 1, wherein the heat dissipation member is a semi-hardening adhesive member.

12. An electronic control device as described in claim 1, wherein the housing is provided with a heat dissipation member partitioning protrusion that protrudes from the surface facing the electronic components toward the circuit board, and the heat dissipation member is filled into the space that contains the heat-generating components among the spaces partitioned by the protrusion and the heat dissipation member partitioning protrusion.

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