Motor Assembly Thermal Management via Integrated Cooling Cover
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing motor assemblies for vehicle gearboxes face challenges in effectively dissipating heat from electronics units, especially when installed near heat-emitting components, leading to potential overheating and damage due to restricted heat convection.
Innovation Solution
The motor assembly features a sandwich-like configuration with a cooling cover and motor carrier, both made from thermally conductive materials, coupled via abutment surfaces to create a common heat sink, allowing for efficient heat dissipation from both the electric motor and electronics unit, even when the cooling cover is close to other heat sources.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the cooling cover is arranged close to a heat-emitting component, then the compactness of the motor assembly is improved, but the heat dissipation capability of the electronics unit deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the cooling cover and motor carrier into a single integrated housing structure with a common abutment surface, allowing both components to function as a unified heat dissipation system. This integration enables the electronics unit to dissipate heat effectively even in compact arrangements near heat-emitting components, as the combined structure provides sufficient thermal mass and surface area for heat transfer.
2Temperature
If the electronics unit is decoupled from the electric motor in terms of heat conduction, then the temperature control of electronics is improved, but the heat dissipation path is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is segmented into distinct functional zones: the cooling cover for electronics heat dissipation, the motor carrier for motor heat dissipation, and the common abutment surface for shared heat transfer. This segmentation allows differentiated thermal management paths while maintaining effective heat dissipation through the structured division of thermal zones.
3Loss of energy
If the cooling cover uses convection for heat dissipation, then the heat dissipation efficiency is improved, but the reliability is reduced when installed near heat sources
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling cover and motor carrier are constructed from composite or multi-material structures with optimized thermal conductivity properties. The common abutment surface utilizes materials and interfaces designed to maximize thermal contact and heat transfer, ensuring reliable heat dissipation through conduction even when convection paths are restricted by installation near heat sources.
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 ensures reliable heat dissipation from the electronics unit, preventing overheating and extending the operational lifespan of electronic components by allowing heat transfer to a large thermal mass, such as the gearbox housing, through both convection and conduction.
Implementation Method 1
The cooling cover and the motor carrier are coupled to one another in heat-conducting fashion at at least one abutment surface
Implementation Method 2
allowing heat transfer to a large thermal mass, such as the gearbox housing, through both convection and conduction
Data Source
AI summary
A motor assembly has an electric motor with a motor housing and an electronics unit. A first housing shell is formed as a motor carrier and has the motor housing fastened to it. A second housing shell is in the form of a cooling cover. An electronics carrier is arranged in sandwich-like fashion between the motor carrier and the cooling cover. The cooling cover and the motor carrier exhibit greater thermal conductivity than the electronics carrier. The cooling cover and the motor carrier are coupled to one another in heat-conducting fashion at at least one abutment surface.