Canted Coil Spring Pressure Unit for Semiconductor Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional pressure units for power conversion devices, such as those used in electric vehicles, face challenges in absorbing manufacturing variations and maintaining adequate cooling due to the use of disc springs with constant load deflection, leading to potential under or over-pressing issues when space is limited, complicating the configuration.
Innovation Solution
A pressure unit featuring a canted coil spring with periodically changing pitch angles and a housing member with locking mechanisms, hooks, and a mesh spring to absorb dimensional variations and maintain constant load, allowing for a reduced size and stable cooling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a disc spring is used as a pressure unit, then the configuration can absorb dimensional variations, but the device size increases and the configuration becomes complicated when space is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the coil spring by making the pitch angle periodic rather than constant. This parameter modification allows the spring to provide a constant load deflection characteristic while maintaining a compact size, resolving the contradiction between reliability and device volume.
2Volume of moving object
If a coil spring with regular pitch is used to reduce size, then the configuration is simplified, but the load changes with deflection amount and cannot sufficiently absorb manufacturing variations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the pitch angle parameter of the coil spring to be periodic rather than constant. This creates a load-deflection characteristic where the load remains nearly constant over a significant deflection range, enabling the compact spring to absorb manufacturing variations effectively while maintaining space efficiency.
3Temperature
If the pressing force is increased to ensure adequate cooling, then cooling performance improves, but the semiconductor element and cooling tube may be deteriorated
Solution Approach 1:
The periodic pitch angle design creates a constant load deflection range that provides a self-regulating pressing force. The spring maintains adequate cooling pressure without excessive force, preventing deterioration of the semiconductor element and cooling tube while ensuring sufficient heat dissipation.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If the pressing force is decreased to avoid deterioration, then the semiconductor element and cooling tube are protected, but cooling may be insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The constant load deflection characteristic achieved through periodic pitch angle variation ensures that the spring maintains an optimal pressing force within a specific deflection range. This provides sufficient cooling pressure while protecting the semiconductor components from excessive force, resolving the contradiction between protection and cooling sufficiency.
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
The canted coil spring with a periodically changing pitch angle provides a constant load deflection range, effectively absorbing manufacturing variations and allowing for a compact configuration while ensuring stable cooling and ease of assembly, reducing the risk of under or over-pressing the semiconductor and cooling tube.
Implementation Method 1
a spring member that is formed into a coil form obtained by winding a wire rod and that has a periodically changing pitch angle
Implementation Method 2
a cooling tube that makes contact with the semiconductor element module and cools the semiconductor element module
Data Source
AI summary
The pressure unit includes a spring member that is formed into a coil form obtained by winding a wire rod and that has a periodically changing pitch angle and a housing member to which end portions of the spring member are attached, and the pressure unit pressurizes a semiconductor stacked unit obtained by alternately stacking a semiconductor element module and a cooling tube that makes contact with the semiconductor element module and cools the semiconductor element module.