LED Driver Housing Segmentation for Thermal Management

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional LED driving structures with metallic housings face increased costs and design complexities due to the need for large metal boxes to seal power modules and cables, leading to elevated operational temperatures and reduced service life, especially when meeting UL safety certification requirements.

Innovation Solution

The proposed LED driving structure features a lower housing, upper housing, separating board, and upper cover that form independent electrical and wiring chambers, isolating the power source module from input/output wiring to create a better working environment, reduce temperature, and extend service life while meeting safety certification requirements.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a big metal box is used to seal the power module and cables, then UL safety certification requirement is met, but the operational temperature increases and service life reduces

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveUL safety certificationVSAvoidoperational temperature

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The housing is divided into multiple segments including first housing, second housing, and third housing portions that can be separately assembled. This segmentation allows for optimized thermal management of the power module while maintaining safety requirements, as each segment can be designed with appropriate heat dissipation characteristics.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The power module is nested within the housing structure, with the first housing portion covering the power module and the second housing portion providing additional protection. This nested arrangement allows the power module to be thermally isolated from external heat sources while maintaining UL safety certification through proper structural containment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Reliability

If a big metal box is used to seal the power module and cables, then UL safety certification requirement is met, but the cost and design complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveUL safety certificationVSAvoiddesign complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The housing is divided into multiple segments including first housing, second housing, and third housing portions that can be separately assembled. This segmentation allows for optimized thermal management of the power module while maintaining safety requirements, as each segment can be designed with appropriate heat dissipation characteristics.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Multiple housing portions (first, second, and third housing) are combined to form an integrated housing structure that simultaneously provides UL safety certification, thermal management, and cable protection functions, thereby reducing overall design complexity compared to using separate components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Reliability

If a big metal box is used to seal the power module and cables, then UL safety certification requirement is met, but the cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveUL safety certificationVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The housing is divided into multiple segments including first housing, second housing, and third housing portions that can be separately assembled. This segmentation allows for optimized thermal management of the power module while maintaining safety requirements, as each segment can be designed with appropriate heat dissipation characteristics.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The housing structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: providing UL safety certification through structural containment, thermal management through segmented design, and cable protection through the third housing portion. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components, thereby lowering manufacturing cost.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS9803842B2LED driving structure

Publication Date: 2017.10.31 SHENZHEN LONGOOD INTELLIGENT ELECTRIC

AI summary

A LED driving structure, includes: a lower housing, being a box structure and having an opening end; a upper housing positioned on the opening end of the lower housing, and covering a part of the opening end; a separating board positioned an end of the upper housing and being perpendicular to the upper housing, the upper housing, the separating board and a part of the lower housing cooperative forming an electrical chamber; and an upper cover positioned on the opening end of the lower housing, wherein the upper cover and the upper housing cooperatively cover the opening end, the upper cover, the separating board and the rest part of the lower housing cooperatively form a wiring chamber.