Extrusion-Coated Plastic Housing with Integrated Metal Cooling and Shielding

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing manufacturing processes for plastic housings with cooling channels and electromagnetic shielding for high-power electronic devices are complex and costly, especially when compared to metal housings, which require expensive machining and materials.

Innovation Solution

A pre-assembled assembly of a metallic wire cage or metal trough for shielding and a metal tube cooling channel is extrusion-coated with plastic to form a cup-shaped housing case, simplifying the manufacturing process and eliminating the need for complex machining.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If metal housings are used for high-power electronic devices, then electromagnetic shielding and heat dissipation are improved, but manufacturing cost and complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveelectromagnetic shieldingVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The housing combines plastic material with integrated metallic shielding elements and cooling channels. The plastic housing case incorporates metal foils, metal sheets, or metal fabric mats as shielding surfaces, and metal tubes as cooling channels, creating a composite structure that achieves electromagnetic shielding and heat dissipation without using expensive die-cast aluminum housings.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The metallic shielding elements and cooling channels are integrated within the plastic housing structure. The metal foils, sheets, or fabric mats are positioned between the inner surface of the housing case and the cooling channel, nesting multiple functional elements within a single housing component.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Ease of manufacture

If plastic housings with piping and metallic shielding surfaces are used, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but structural complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing costVSAvoidhousing structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The housing integrates multiple functions into a single plastic housing case structure. The cooling channels, shielding elements, and housing case are combined into one integrated component that can be manufactured as a single piece using injection molding, eliminating the need for separate assembly of multiple components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The plastic housing case serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides structural containment, thermal management through integrated cooling channels, electromagnetic shielding through metallic shielding surfaces, and fluid distribution through cooling channel outlets on the housing surface.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Temperature

If die-cast aluminum housings with cooling elements are used, then heat dissipation is improved, but weight and manufacturing complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat dissipationVSAvoidhousing weight

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The housing uses plastic material combined with metal cooling channels to achieve heat dissipation. The plastic housing case incorporates metal tubes as cooling channels, creating a composite structure that provides thermal management without the weight of solid metal housings.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

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 approach allows for cost-effective production of plastic housings with efficient heat dissipation and electromagnetic shielding, using materials with high thermal conductivity and flexible design options, while reducing manufacturing costs and weight compared to metal housings.

Implementation Method 1

a cooling channel guided in the housing case for fluid cooling of the device

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFluid cooling: Convection

Implementation Method 2

The cooling channel is formed by a metal tube

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 3

a planar shielding body integrated into the housing case and traversing the walls of the housing case for shielding from electromagnetic radiation. The shielding body is a metallic wire cage or a metal trough

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectromagnetic shielding: Faraday Cage

Data Source

PatentUS11452236B2Housing for an electric or electronic device

Publication Date: 2022.09.20 LEOPOLD KOSTAL GMBH & CO KG

AI summary

A housing includes a cup-shaped, plastic housing case; a cooling channel guided in the housing case for fluid cooling of an electric or electronic device situated in an interior of the housing case; and a planar shielding body integrated into the housing case and traversing walls of the housing case for shielding from electromagnetic radiation. The shielding body is a metallic wire cage or trough. The cooling channel is a metallic tubing. The shielding body and the cooling channel are connected to form a frame-like, pre-assembled assembly. The pre-assembled assembly, consisting of the shielding body and the cooling channel, is extrusion-coated with a plastic or encapsulated in a plastic to form the housing case.