Integrated Heat Sink Controller for Vacuum Pump
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vacuum pump devices face challenges in efficiently removing heat from control circuit boards without causing vibration, leading to reduced component lifespan and increased costs, especially in low-vibration environments like electron microscopes.
Innovation Solution
A controller with a heat sink formed integrally with the housing, featuring fins that protrude outwardly for natural air cooling, eliminating the need for cooling fans and separate piping, while improving heat conduction and reducing manufacturing complexity and costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a cooling fan is used to forcibly cool the control circuit board, then heat removal efficiency is improved, but vibration is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical cooling fan system with a passive heat sink system that uses natural convection and radiation. The heat sink includes fins that increase surface area for heat dissipation without requiring any moving parts, thereby eliminating vibration while still removing heat from the control circuit board.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat sink is designed to automatically dissipate heat through natural convection currents and thermal radiation without requiring external power or mechanical actuation. The system serves itself by utilizing the temperature difference between the hot control circuit board and the surrounding air to drive heat transfer.
2Temperature
If a water cooling system with cooling jacket is used, then heat removal efficiency is improved, but device complexity and size are increased
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the cooling function from the complex water cooling system with jackets and piping, retaining only the essential heat dissipation function through a simplified air-cooled heat sink. This removes the unnecessary piping infrastructure while maintaining the core thermal management capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the cooling medium from liquid water to air, and changes the heat transfer mode from forced convection through jackets to natural convection and radiation through fins. This parameter change simplifies the system by eliminating the need for liquid cooling infrastructure.
3Temperature
If heat sink is fixed to controller housing by screws, then heat dissipation is improved, but manufacturing cost and assembly complexity are increased
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the heat sink functionality directly into the controller housing structure. The housing itself is designed with integrated heat dissipation features such as fins or textured surfaces, eliminating the need for separate heat sink components and their associated mounting hardware.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller housing serves multiple functions: it provides structural enclosure for the control circuit board and simultaneously acts as a heat dissipation structure through integrated fins or surface features. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate cooling components.
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
The solution provides effective heat dissipation with reduced vibration, minimized size, and lower costs by integrating the heat sink with the controller housing, enhancing air cooling efficiency and simplifying assembly.
Implementation Method 1
a heat sink formed integrally with the controller housing and including a plurality of fins formed so as to protrude outwardly from an outer peripheral surface of the controller housing
Implementation Method 2
heat dissipation with reduced vibration
Data Source
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AI summary
A controller including a control circuit that controls operation of a pump main body of a vacuum pump device is provided. The controller includes a controller housing in which the control circuit is housed, and a heat sink formed integrally with the controller housing and including a plurality of fins formed from the outer peripheral surface of the controller housing toward the outer side.