High-voltage junction box

Abstract

Disclosed is a high-voltage junction box comprising: a housing body formed from a metallic material and receiving therein components of the junction box including a busbar; an upper cover coupled to the housing body so as to cover the upper surface of the housing body; a busbar support protrusion portion protruding from the housing body so as to support the busbar; and an insulating thermal pad positioned between the busbar support protrusion portion and the busbar. Thus, heat in the high-voltage junction box may be effectively managed by enabling heat generated from the internal components to be easily discharged through the busbar and the metallic housing body to which the busbar is connected.

Description

high voltage junction box

[0001] The present invention relates to a junction box, and more particularly, to a high-voltage junction box used for connecting high-voltage circuits in automobiles and the like.

[0002]

[0003] Unless otherwise indicated herein, the matters described in this identifier are not prior art to the claims of this application, and their description in this identifier is not intended to be deemed prior art.

[0004] High-voltage junction blocks are key components that distribute power to various electrical components within a vehicle, managing the electrical connection between the battery and the electrical components. Junction blocks typically include components such as the main body, top cover, and busbars, which transmit current within a sealed environment. During this current transmission, especially when high currents flow, the busbars and connecting components within the junction block can generate heat. This overheating cannot be effectively dissipated due to the sealed structure, and in severe cases, it can lead to a fire hazard. These issues significantly impact the safety and reliability of high-voltage junction blocks.

[0005] Patent Document 1 (Korean Patent No. 10-2088328) describes the basic structure and operation of a junction block, but fails to effectively address the issue of heat generation under high-voltage conditions. In particular, it lacks a technical solution for heat dissipation in sealed structures.

[0006] To address these issues, Patent Document 2 (Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2024-0036938) proposes a method of applying a heat-dissipating coating to a body made of aluminum or conductive shielding plastic and a copper busbar. However, this method alone has limitations in heat dissipation performance and makes it difficult to protect internal devices and components.

[0007]

[0008] An embodiment of the present invention has been devised to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a high-voltage junction box capable of efficiently discharging heat generated inside the junction box.

[0009]

[0010] In order to solve the above-described problem, an embodiment of the present invention provides a high-voltage junction box comprising: a housing body formed of a metallic material and housing a component of a junction box including a busbar therein; an upper surface cover coupled with the housing body so as to cover an upper surface of the housing body; a busbar support protrusion protruding from the housing body and supporting the busbar; and an insulating thermal pad positioned between the busbar support protrusion and the busbar.

[0011] The above busbar support protrusions are formed in multiple numbers, and it is preferable that the thermal pad and the busbar coupled to the busbar support protrusions are also formed in multiple numbers.

[0012] It is effective that at least some of the plurality of above-mentioned busbar support protrusions have different heights.

[0013] A cooling channel is formed in the housing body, and it is preferable that a cooling water inlet for introducing cooling water into the cooling channel and a cooling water outlet for discharging cooling water from the cooling channel are formed in the housing body.

[0014] It is effective that a cooling channel is formed in the above housing body, and a cooling water inlet for introducing cooling water into the cooling channel and a cooling water outlet for discharging cooling water from the cooling channel are formed in the housing body.

[0015] It is preferable that the above cooling channel be arranged between a plurality of the above bus bar support protrusions.

[0016] It is effective that the above thermal pad is formed to a size such that the bus bar support protrusion protrudes outward from the contact surface facing the above thermal pad.

[0017] The above contact surface is characterized by having a curved edge.

[0018] It further includes a fixing member for fixing the bus bar to the housing body; and when the bus bar is fixed to the housing body by the fixing member, it is preferable that the gap between the bus bar and the bus bar support protrusion is smaller than the thickness of the thermal pad.

[0019] It is effective that the contact surface areas of the plurality of bus bar support protrusions facing the thermal pad are different.

[0020] It is preferable that the above-mentioned fixed part includes: a fixed projection supporting the bus bar; a projection fixing groove penetrating the upper surface of the fixed projection; and a fixing bolt penetrating the bus bar and fastened to the projection fixing groove.

[0021] It is effective that the above fixed protrusion is formed separately from the above bus bar support protrusion.

[0022]

[0023] According to the problem-solving means of the present invention as discussed above, various effects, including the following, can be expected. However, the present invention is not established only if it exhibits all of the following effects.

[0024] The high-voltage junction box of the embodiment of the present invention can effectively manage the heat of the high-voltage junction box by easily discharging heat generated from internal components to the bus bar and the metallic housing body to which the bus bar is connected.

[0025] Additionally, by providing a cooling path in the housing body, heat can be managed more efficiently.

[0026] And, while maintaining insulation through the thermal pad, heat can be dissipated more efficiently.

[0027] Moreover, since the area of ​​the thermal pad is formed wider than the contact surface of the busbar support protrusion, the insulation distance between the busbar and the housing body can be further increased.

[0028] Additionally, by varying the height of the busbar support protrusion, the arrangement of internal components can be freely adjusted.

[0029] And, by varying the area of ​​the contact surface, the heat transfer capacity can be implemented in various ways.

[0030]

[0031] Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of a high-voltage junction box of one embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] Figure 2 is a perspective view of the housing body of Figure 1.

[0033] Figure 3 is a bottom view of Figure 2

[0034] Figure 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the busbar support protrusion and thermal pad of Figure 2 separated.

[0035] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the cutting line VV of Figure 1.

[0036] Fig. 6a is a front view of the first busbar support protrusion of Fig. 2 and the busbar combined.

[0037] Figure 6b is a front view of the second busbar support protrusion of Figure 2 and the busbar combined.

[0038]

[0039] Hereinafter, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0040] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a high-voltage junction box according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the housing body of FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a bottom view of FIG. 2, FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the busbar support protrusion and thermal pad of FIG. 2 separated, FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the cutting line VV of FIG. 1, FIG. 6a is a front view of the first busbar support protrusion and the busbar of FIG. 2 combined, and FIG. 6b is a front view of the second busbar support protrusion and the busbar of FIG. 2 combined.

[0041] As shown in these drawings, a high-voltage junction box of one embodiment of the present invention includes a housing body (2000) formed of a metallic material and housing a junction box component (3000) including a bus bar (3100) therein, an upper surface cover (1000) coupled with the housing body (2000) to cover an upper surface of the housing body (2000), a bus bar support protrusion (2200) protruding from the housing body (2000) to support the bus bar (3100), and an insulating thermal pad (2500) positioned between the bus bar support protrusion (2200) and the bus bar (3100).

[0042] A high-voltage junction box is installed with a fuse, a sensor, a relay (3200) for switching high-voltage current, a bus bar (3100) connecting them, and a wiring harness, etc. inside the box. As described above, the high-voltage junction box includes a housing body (2000) forming a lower structure, and an upper cover (1000) coupled to the upper surface of the housing body (2000).

[0043] The housing body (2000) is formed of a metallic material such as aluminum that conducts heat well. The housing body (2000) includes a body bottom surface (2010) and body side surfaces (2020) that protrude upward from the four corners of the body bottom surface (2010).

[0044] The bus bar support protrusion (2200) and the fixing portion (2400) are formed to protrude on the body bottom surface (2010). In addition, a cooling channel (2300) is formed by being recessed on the surface opposite to the surface of the body bottom surface (2010) where the bus bar support protrusion (2200) is formed, and a cooling channel cover (2100) that covers the cooling channel (2300) is coupled thereto.

[0045] The above busbar support protrusions (2200) are formed in plurality, and the thermal pads (2500) and busbars (3100) coupled to the busbar support protrusions (2200) are also formed in plurality. The busbar support protrusions (2200) are formed to protrude in a columnar shape, and at least some of the plurality of busbar support protrusions (2200) are formed to have different heights. That is, as illustrated in FIG. 6a, the first busbar support protrusions (2200a) having a high height are included, and as illustrated in FIG. 6b, the first busbar support protrusions (2200b) having a low height are included. By being formed in this manner, contact with busbars (3100) positioned at various heights can be facilitated. Therefore, the arrangement of internal components can be freely performed. That is, when a busbar (3100) is assembled to a first relay (3200a) that is assembled vertically as in FIG. 6a, the busbar (3100) must be supported at a high position, so a first busbar support protrusion (2200a) that is tall is suitable, and when a busbar (3100) is assembled to a second relay (3200b) that is assembled horizontally as in FIG. 6b, the busbar (3100) must be supported at a low position, so a second busbar support protrusion (2200b) that is short is suitable.

[0046] In addition, the plurality of busbar support protrusions (2200) may be designed to have different areas of contact surfaces (2210) facing the thermal pad (2500) for each protrusion. This is configured to provide optimal heat dissipation performance depending on the distribution of the heat load occurring inside the junction box and the location of the busbar (3100). Adjusting the area of ​​the contact surfaces (2210) achieves the required heat transfer capacity for each busbar support protrusion (2200), and maximizes the adhesion to the busbar while maintaining structural stability.

[0047] The contact surface (2210) is machined, such as milling, to increase flatness.

[0048] A thermal pad (2500) is attached to the contact surface (2210), which is the upper surface of the busbar support protrusion (2200), and the corner (2211) of the contact surface (2210) is formed into a curved surface. In this way, by forming the corner (2211) of the contact surface (2210) into a curved surface, the thermal pad (2500) that is seated on the upper surface of the contact surface (2210) can be prevented from being torn by the corner (2211).

[0049] A cooling water inlet (2310) for introducing cooling water into the cooling channel (2300) and a cooling water outlet (2320) for discharging cooling water from the cooling channel (2300) are formed in the housing body (2000). In addition, the cooling channel (2300) is arranged between a plurality of bus bar support protrusions (2200). That is, by positioning as many bus bar support protrusions (2200) as possible in adjacent positions to the cooling channel (2300), heat transferred to the bus bar support protrusions (2200) can be cooled more efficiently.

[0050] The thermal pad (2500) is arranged to face the contact surface (2210) protruding outwardly of the busbar support protrusion (2200). The thermal pad (2500) is formed to a size such that the busbar support protrusion (2200) protrudes outwardly from the contact surface (2210) facing the thermal pad (2500). By forming it in this manner, the insulation distance between the busbar (3100) and the busbar support protrusion (2200) can be maximized, thereby preventing insulation breakdown from occurring.

[0051] The thermal pad used in the present invention is composed of a material with high thermal conductivity and low electrical conductivity. The thermally conductive thermal pad is manufactured from a silicone-based thermally conductive insulator and typically has a thermal conductivity of 1.5 W / mK to 7.0 W / mK, with some high-performance products providing thermal conductivities exceeding 10 W / mK. The electrical insulation is excellent, with a breakdown strength of 6 to 10 KV / mm, allowing for safe use even in high-voltage environments. In addition, the flexibility and adhesiveness unique to silicone minimize the air layer between the heat source and the heat sink, thereby maximizing heat transfer efficiency.

[0052] Representative products include BERGQUIST® SIL PAD® TSP 1600S, a fiberglass-reinforced silicone-based insulator offering a thermal conductivity of 1.6 W / mK and a soft, flexible surface. ISON EMC's silicone thermal pads also offer thermal conductivities ranging from 1.5 W / mK to 7.0 W / mK, and their flame retardancy and electrical insulation properties ensure reliable use in high-temperature environments.

[0053] The bus bar (3100) fixed inside the housing body (2000) is stably fixed by the fixing member (2400).

[0054] This fixing member (2400) minimizes vibration of the bus bar (3100) and increases thermal conductivity by keeping the gap between the bus bar (3100) and the bus bar support protrusion (2200) smaller than the thickness of the thermal pad (2500). The fixing member (2400) includes a fixing protrusion (2410) that supports the bus bar (3100), a protrusion fixing groove (2420) that penetrates the upper surface of the fixing protrusion (2410), and a fixing bolt (2430) that penetrates the bus bar (3100) and is fastened to the protrusion fixing groove (2420), thereby enabling the position of the bus bar (3100) to be accurately fixed. In addition, the fixing protrusion (2410) is formed separately from the bus bar support protrusion (2200), thereby providing structural flexibility.

[0055] The fixed protrusion (2410) may directly fix the bus bar (3100) or may fix a component such as a relay (3200) to which the bus bar (3100) is coupled. In this case, the bus bar (3100) is fixed to the component such as the relay (3200) and coupled to the bus bar support protrusion (2200). In this way, even when the bus bar (3100) is directly fixed by the fixed protrusion (2410) or fixed through another component, the thickness of the thermal pad (2500) overlapping in the thickness direction can be optimized.

[0056] As described above, the high-voltage junction box of the embodiment of the present invention can effectively manage the heat of the high-voltage junction box by easily discharging heat generated from internal components to the bus bar and the metallic housing body to which the bus bar is connected.

[0057] Additionally, by providing a cooling path in the housing body, heat can be managed more efficiently.

[0058] And, while maintaining insulation through the thermal pad, heat can be dissipated more efficiently.

[0059] Moreover, since the area of ​​the thermal pad is formed wider than the contact surface of the busbar support protrusion, the insulation distance between the busbar and the housing body can be further increased.

[0060] Additionally, by varying the height of the busbar support protrusion, the arrangement of internal components can be freely adjusted.

[0061] And, by varying the area of ​​the contact surface, the heat transfer capacity can be implemented in various ways.

[0062] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above as examples, the scope of the present invention is not limited to these specific embodiments, and may be appropriately modified within the scope described in the claims.

Claims

1. A housing body (2000) formed of a metallic material and containing a junction box component (3000) including a bus bar (3100) therein; An upper surface cover (1000) coupled with the housing body (2000) to cover the upper surface of the housing body (2000); A busbar support protrusion (2200) that protrudes from the housing body (2000) and supports the busbar (3100); and An insulating thermal pad (2500) positioned between the above busbar support protrusion (2200) and the above busbar (3100); A high voltage junction box characterized by including:

2. In paragraph 1, A high-voltage junction box characterized in that the busbar support protrusions (2200) are formed in multiple numbers, and the thermal pads (2500) and the busbars (3100) coupled to the busbar support protrusions (2200) are also formed in multiple numbers.

3. In paragraph 2, A high-voltage junction box characterized in that at least some of the plurality of busbar support protrusions (2200) have different heights.

4. In paragraph 1, A cooling passage (2300) is formed in the above housing body (2000). A high-voltage junction box characterized in that a cooling water inlet (2310) for introducing cooling water into the cooling channel (2300) and a cooling water outlet (2320) for discharging cooling water from the cooling channel (2300) are formed in the housing body (2000).

5. In paragraph 2, A cooling passage (2300) is formed in the above housing body (2000). A high-voltage junction box characterized in that a cooling water inlet (2310) for introducing cooling water into the cooling channel (2300) and a cooling water outlet (2320) for discharging cooling water from the cooling channel (2300) are formed in the housing body (2000).

6. In paragraph 5, A high-voltage junction box characterized in that the above cooling channel (2300) is arranged between a plurality of the above bus bar support protrusions (2200).

7. In paragraph 1, A high-voltage junction box characterized in that the above thermal pad (2500) is formed to a size such that the busbar support protrusion (2200) protrudes outward from the contact surface (2210) facing the above thermal pad (2500).

8. In paragraph 7, A high-voltage junction box characterized in that the above contact surface (2210) has a corner (2211) formed into a curved surface.

9. In paragraph 1, A fixing member (2400) that fixes the above bus bar (3100) to the above housing body (2000); Including more, A high-voltage junction box characterized in that when the bus bar (3100) is fixed to the housing body (2000) by the fixing member (2400), the gap between the bus bar (3100) and the bus bar support protrusion (2200) is less than the thickness of the thermal pad (2500).

10. In paragraph 2, A high-voltage junction box characterized in that the contact surfaces (2210) of the plurality of bus bar support protrusions (2200) facing the thermal pad (2500) have different areas.

11. In paragraph 9, The above fixed part (2400) is A fixed protrusion (2410) supporting the above bus bar (3100); A fixing groove (2420) penetrating the upper surface of the above-mentioned fixing protrusion (2410); and A fixing bolt (2430) that penetrates the above bus bar (3100) and is fastened to the above protrusion fixing groove (2420); A high voltage junction box characterized by including:

12. In paragraph 11, A high-voltage junction box characterized in that the above-mentioned fixed protrusion (2410) is formed separately from the above-mentioned busbar support protrusion (2200).

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