Current Bar Spring Mechanism for Heat Dissipation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Hermetically sealed electronic circuits in hostile environments, such as automotive applications, face challenges in achieving effective heat dissipation due to the limitations of existing heat transfer methods, which often result in inefficient thermal binding to the environment.
Innovation Solution
An electrical configuration featuring a component with a current bar, typically a lead frame, that includes a heat dissipation surface and electric terminal, where the component is mounted on a support layer, utilizing the spring property of the current bar to press the heat dissipation surface against the layer, enhancing thermal binding through a U-shaped end region and welded connection for improved mechanical and electrical reliability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a hermetically sealed housing is used to protect electronic circuits in hostile environments, then reliability is improved, but heat dissipation becomes insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the electrical connection function (current bar) with the heat dissipation function by integrating the current bar into both the electrical circuit and the thermal management system. The current bar serves dual purposes: providing electrical connectivity and acting as a heat transfer path from the electronic circuit to the support layer.
Solution Approach 2:
The current bar is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: it provides electrical connection for the electronic circuit and serves as a heat dissipation element. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for separate cooling mechanisms while maintaining hermetic sealing.
2Temperature
If additional springs are used to press the housing onto a cooling surface, then heat dissipation is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the spring function from a separate additional component and integrates it into the existing current bar structure. The current bar itself is designed with elastic properties, eliminating the need for a separate spring mechanism while maintaining the necessary pressing force for heat dissipation.
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanical pressing function ( previously requiring a separate spring) is merged with the electrical connection function by designing the current bar to possess both electrical conductivity and elastic spring properties. This integration reduces component count and simplifies the overall device structure.
3Temperature
If the component is designed to fully touch the support layer, then heat dissipation contact is improved, but mechanical stability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamic elasticity to the current bar, allowing it to adapt its contact pressure with the support layer. The elastic current bar can dynamically adjust to variations in the support layer surface while maintaining stable electrical and thermal connections, rather than relying on rigid fixed-position contact.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the mechanical parameter of the current bar from rigid to elastic, enabling it to maintain both good contact with the support layer for heat dissipation and mechanical stability through its spring properties. The elastic deformation allows continuous contact pressure without compromising structural integrity.
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 provides a cost-effective and reliable method for heat dissipation, ensuring efficient thermal transfer by leveraging the spring properties of the current bar and U-shaped design, resulting in a secure and durable connection that maintains good electrical conductivity and mechanical reliability.
Implementation Method 1
the spring property of the current bar. The electronic circuit is accordingly connected mechanically and electrically to the at least one component via the current bar, namely, in particular, a lead frame. In this connection, the current bar has a spring property whereby, when the component is fastened on the support layer, the heat dissipation surface of the electronic circuit is pushed against the support layer, just because of this spring property of the current bar
Data Source
AI summary
An electrical configuration having at least one component which has at least one current bar, particularly a lead frame, and having an electronic circuit which has at least one heat dissipation surface and at least one electric terminal that is connected mechanically and electrically to the current bar. It is provided that the unit made up of the component and the electronic circuit is mounted on a support layer that effects the heat dissipation in such a way that, because of the fastening of the component onto the support layer, the heat dissipation surface is pushed against the support layer, based on the spring property of the current bar.