Bus Bar Cooling Protrusions for Dense Insulated Layouts
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Solution Overview
Problem
The close proximity of multiple bus bars in electronic systems often hampers adequate convection cooling due to the need for electric insulation between them, preventing effective heat dissipation.
Innovation Solution
The integration of protrusions on bus bars that can be connected to a cooling element, such as a heat sink, via an insulating mounting bracket and thermal insulation material, allowing for direct heat transfer and improved cooling efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple bus bars are placed in close proximity for insulation and routing, then electrical insulation and compact layout are improved, but convection cooling effectiveness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces protrusions on bus bars that serve as intermediary contact points for thermal coupling with cooling elements. These protrusions enable direct thermal contact while maintaining electrical insulation through the cooling assembly structure, thus resolving the contradiction between compact electrical insulation and effective heat dissipation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces natural convection cooling with a mechanically coupled thermal conduction system. By attaching cooling elements directly to bus bar protrusions, the system transitions from relying on air convection to using direct thermal conduction through the protrusion-cooling element interface, thereby overcoming the limitations of convection cooling in densely packed configurations.
2Volume of moving object
If bus bars are arranged in dense configurations for space efficiency, then space utilization is improved, but thermal management capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the bus bar surface into multiple protrusion points distributed along its length. This segmentation allows multiple discrete thermal contact points with cooling elements, enabling effective heat dissipation even when bus bars are densely packed. The segmented approach maintains compact space utilization while providing sufficient thermal management capability.
3Device complexity
If conventional convection cooling is used for bus bars, then system complexity is minimized, but cooling effectiveness deteriorates in dense configurations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables the bus bar itself to participate in the cooling process through its protrusions, which directly contact cooling elements. This self-service approach allows the bus bar to actively engage in thermal management without requiring complex external cooling systems, thereby improving cooling effectiveness while maintaining relatively simple system architecture.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration enhances heat dissipation by allowing bus bars to be directly connected to a cooling system, overcoming the limitations of convection cooling and ensuring effective thermal management in densely packed electronic setups.
Implementation Method 1
The at least one protrusion may be of uniform length... the at least one protrusion is connected to the cooling element via the thermal insulation material
Implementation Method 2
the at least one protrusion is connected to the cooling element via the thermal insulation material
Implementation Method 3
This configuration enhances heat dissipation by allowing bus bars to be directly connected to a cooling system
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure is concerned with bus bars that are provided with protrusions that allow them to be brought directly or indirectly in contact with a cooling system to remove heat generated in the bus bars themselves. The disclosure further provides a method of cooling a bus bar. The method includes providing at least one bus bar with at least one protrusion, and connecting the at least one protrusion to a cooling element.