Coolant Distribution Plate Assembly for Compact Vehicle Thermal Modules

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing coolant distribution assemblies in vehicle thermal management systems are difficult to assemble due to complex structures and large volumes.

Innovation Solution

A coolant distribution assembly with a distribution plate main body, a cover, and a coolant distribution unit, where the distribution plate main body has a mounting cavity and a channel cavity connected by a through-hole, allowing for easy assembly by fitting the cover and coolant distribution unit onto the distribution plate main body.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Volume of stationary object

If highly customized components are used to reduce the number of pipelines, then the volume of the thermal management system is reduced, but the assembly difficulty increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevolume of thermal management systemVSAvoidassembly difficulty
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of stationary objectVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The distribution plate main body is segmented into functional cavities (mounting cavity, channel cavity, through-hole) that allow separate components to be assembled together. The cover and coolant distribution unit are mounted on opposite sides of the distribution plate main body, enabling modular assembly while maintaining compact volume.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The coolant distribution unit is nested within the mounting cavity, and the cover is nested over the channel opening. This nesting arrangement allows multiple components to occupy overlapping spatial volumes, reducing the overall system volume while maintaining ease of assembly through standardized mounting interfaces.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Ease of manufacture

If the distribution plate main body has mounting cavity and channel cavity with through-hole, then the assembly process is simplified, but the structural complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveassembly processVSAvoidstructural complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The mounting cavity, channel cavity, and through-hole are merged into a single integrated distribution plate main body. This consolidation allows the cover and coolant distribution unit to be assembled from opposite sides through the through-hole, simplifying the assembly process while the internal cavities manage the structural complexity for fluid distribution.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP4549185A1Coolant distribution assembly, thermal management module and vehicle thermal management system
Publication Date: 2025.05.07 VALEO ELECTRIFICATION
  • EP4549185A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4549185A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4549185A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present invention relates to a coolant distribution assembly, a thermal management module and a vehicle thermal management system. In the coolant distribution assembly provided by the present invention, a mounting opening and a channel opening of a distribution plate main body respectively face two sides in a thickness direction of the distribution plate main body, so the coolant distribution assembly is easy to assemble. The thermal management module provided by the present invention comprises the coolant distribution assembly mentioned above. The vehicle thermal management system provided by the present invention comprises the thermal management module mentioned above.