Exchangeable Vehicle Electronics Assembly With Insertion-Direction Cooling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electronics assemblies in motor vehicles face challenges in achieving efficient thermal management, particularly in ensuring a low thermal resistance and effective heat transfer during insertion.

Innovation Solution

The proposed electronics assembly design facilitates heat transfer in the insertion direction, utilizing a heat-conducting element with a surface parallel to the insertion direction and a 90° bend to increase the contact surface with a cooler, thereby enhancing thermal linking and cooling efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If heat transfer is achieved laterally through the housing, then thermal contact is established, but thermal resistance increases and cooling efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvethermal resistanceVSAvoidcooling system linking

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of transferring heat laterally through the housing as in conventional designs, this patent inverts the approach by transferring heat in the insertion direction (front to back). The heat-conducting element is positioned to conduct heat from the electronics component through the circuit board toward the rear of the housing, where the cooler is located. This inversion of the heat transfer direction reduces thermal resistance and improves cooling efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Area of stationary object

If the cooler is positioned away from the electronics component, then assembly is simplified, but thermal contact surface area decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontact surface areaVSAvoidheat-conducting element structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The heat-conducting element extends in the insertion direction (front to back) rather than laterally, utilizing the depth dimension of the assembly. This allows the element to reach from the electronics component at the front to the cooler at the rear, maximizing the contact surface area with the cooler while maintaining a compact overall structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Productivity

If electrical and thermal contacts are made separately, then assembly precision is improved, but assembly time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveassembly speedVSAvoidcontact alignment

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines electrical and thermal contact functions into a single integrated assembly process. The heat-conducting element is positioned such that thermal contact with the cooler and electrical contact through the circuit board are achieved simultaneously during one insertion operation. This merging of functions improves assembly speed without compromising precision, as both contacts are designed to engage together in the same insertion direction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

4Temperature

If the plug and contact surface are located on the same side, then assembly is simplified, but cooling efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooling efficiencyVSAvoidassembly structure

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The assembly is segmented into distinct functional zones: the plug for electrical contact is located at the front to engage with the rear circuit board, while the contact surface for thermal contact is positioned at the rear to engage with the cooler. This spatial segmentation allows each function to be optimized independently while working together in the same insertion direction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

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 design achieves a low thermal resistance and improved heat transfer efficiency by aligning the thermal contact with the insertion direction, allowing for simultaneous electrical and thermal contact during assembly, and accommodating multiple circuit boards for complex electronics assemblies.

Implementation Method 1

the heat transfer between the exchangeable electronics assembly and the housing can take place not laterally, but in the insertion direction. This achieves a relatively low thermal resistance

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

the contact surface is designed such that it serves to link a cooler that is arranged in front of the circuit board

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat exchange: Heat Exchanger

Data Source

PatentUS20250169045A1Exchangeable electronics assembly of a motor vehicle

Publication Date: 2025.05.22 ROBERT BOSCH GMBH

AI summary

An exchangeable electronics assembly of a motor vehicle. The assembly includes at least one circuit board with at least one electronics component to be cooled arranged on the circuit board, at least one plug oriented in parallel to an insertion direction of the electronics assembly into a housing accommodating a plurality of electronics assemblies, at least one housing connected to the circuit board and at least partially surrounding the circuit board, at least one insertion mechanism that cooperates with at least one receptacle of the housing accommodating a plurality of electronics assemblies, and at least one heat-conducting element in thermal contact with the electronics component, wherein the heat-conducting element includes a contact surface oriented transverse to the insertion direction for thermally linking a cooler, wherein the plug protrudes further than the contact surface in the insertion direction.