Low Profile Cooling Plate with Surrounding Pipeline

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional cooling apparatuses for electronic components have a heightened profile due to the misalignment of the electronic component, cooling plate, and cooling pipeline in the thickness direction, which compromises cooling efficiency and increases overall thickness.

Innovation Solution

A cooling apparatus design where the electronic component is accommodated in a recessed section of the cooling plate with a filler, and the cooling pipeline is bent to surround the outer side surface of this section, ensuring both efficient heat transfer and a low profile by aligning the electronic component and cooling pipeline at the same height on the cooling plate.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the cooling pipeline is arranged on the back surface side of the cooling plate and the electronic component is arranged on the upper surface side, then the heat transfer path is established, but the electronic component, cooling plate, and cooling pipeline are aligned at different heights increasing the overall thickness

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecooling performanceVSAvoidoverall thickness
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The electronic component accommodating section merges the electronic component and cooling pipeline into the same plane (front surface of cooling plate), eliminating the need for separate back-surface pipeline arrangement. This integration reduces the thickness direction alignment issues while maintaining heat transfer effectiveness through the filler medium.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The cooling pipeline is configured to surround the outer side surface section of the electronic component accommodating section, transitioning from a planar back-surface arrangement to a three-dimensional surrounding structure. This spatial reconfiguration allows heat transfer from multiple directions (front and side surfaces) while keeping components in the same thickness plane.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Length of stationary object

If the cooling pipeline surrounds the outer side surface section of the electronic component accommodating section, then the profile is reduced, but the heat transfer path complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprofile thicknessVSAvoidheat transfer path configuration
Core Design Contradiction:
Length of stationary objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The filler medium serves multiple functions simultaneously: it fills the accommodating section, provides thermal conduction path from electronic component to cooling plate, and enables heat transfer to the surrounding cooling pipeline. This multi-functionality simplifies the overall heat transfer system despite the three-dimensional pipeline configuration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The cooling pipeline is nested around the electronic component accommodating section, with the pipeline surrounding the section that contains the electronic component. This nested arrangement creates an efficient thermal field where heat transfers from the electronic component through the filler to both the cooling plate and surrounding pipeline, reducing profile while maintaining simple thermal pathways.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

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 cooling performance by providing multiple heat transfer paths and reduces the overall profile of the cooling apparatus, improving thermal conductivity and reducing thermal resistance.

Implementation Method 1

the electronic component is arranged such that a side surface section thereof is in contact with an inner side of the electronic component accommodating section via a filler

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

a cooling pipeline that is disposed in a manner to surround an outer side surface section of the electronic component accommodating section and is joined to the cooling plate

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 3

through which a cooling medium flows

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Implementation Method 4

a cooling plate for cooling the electronic component

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeat sink: Heat Sink

Data Source

PatentEP3163988B1Cooling device
Publication Date: 2019.01.09 MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORP
  • EP3163988B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3163988B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3163988B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

A cooling apparatus (10) comprises: an opening (3a) formed in a cooling plate (3) for cooling an electronic component (1); and an electronic component accommodating section (4) formed in the opening (3a). A cooling pipeline (6) is disposed in a manner to surround an outer side surface section of the electronic component accommodating section (4), whereby the electronic component (1) and the cooling pipeline (6) are arranged at substantially the same height as a top of the cooling plate (3) to realize a low profile. In addition, the electronic component accommodating section (4), which is joined to the cooling plate (3), is configured that a side surface section (4a) thereof is in contact with a side surface section of the electronic component (1) via a potting material (5). In this way, an area that contributes to heat radiation is increased.