Parallel PCB Thermal Management in Compact Vehicle Camera Housings
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Solution Overview
Problem
Compact camera systems for driver assistance devices face challenges in efficient heat dissipation due to the production of waste heat by electronic components, which can negatively impact image capturing quality and operational reliability.
Innovation Solution
A compact camera design featuring parallel arrangement of printed circuit boards with vertical support areas and a heat dissipating element, such as cooling fins or thermally conductive materials, ensures effective heat convection and thermal contact with the housing, preventing thermal noise and allowing for efficient waste heat dissipation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If multiple electronic components are assembled in a compact camera housing, then the camera becomes more space-saving and compact, but heat dissipation becomes challenging and operational reliability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from planar arrangement of electronic components to a three-dimensional stacked configuration where multiple printed circuit boards are arranged vertically one above another within the housing. This vertical stacking utilizes the height dimension of the housing to reduce the footprint area while maintaining adequate spacing between components for heat dissipation, thereby achieving compactness without sacrificing operational reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides the housing into multiple levels or floors, with each printed circuit board occupying a separate level. This segmentation allows independent thermal management for each board, improves air circulation patterns for heat dissipation, and enables better organization of electronic components while maintaining a compact overall structure
2Volume of moving object
If electronic components are arranged in parallel on printed circuit boards, then space utilization is improved, but heat dissipation efficiency decreases due to reduced convection
Solution Approach 1:
The patent arranges printed circuit boards in a vertical stack along the height dimension of the housing rather than spreading them horizontally. This vertical arrangement maintains adequate spacing between boards to allow natural convection currents to rise, ensuring efficient heat dissipation while maximizing space utilization in the vertical direction and reducing the horizontal footprint
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs asymmetric positioning of electronic components on each printed circuit board, strategically placing heat-generating components away from regions where they would obstruct airflow to subsequent boards. This asymmetric layout optimizes convection patterns and ensures that hot air rising from one board does not create thermal blocking effects for adjacent boards
3Temperature
If printed circuit boards are spaced apart for heat dissipation, then cooling is improved, but the camera housing volume increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes the vertical height dimension of the housing to accommodate multiple printed circuit boards with adequate spacing between them. By stacking boards vertically rather than spreading them horizontally, the design maintains necessary thermal clearance for heat dissipation while minimizing the overall housing volume and footprint area
4Loss of energy
If thermal coupling between printed circuit boards is increased, then heat dissipation improves, but thermal noise from image processing components affects image capturing quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements differentiated thermal management strategies for different functional areas: heat-generating image processing components on one printed circuit board are thermally coupled to the housing structure for active cooling, while the image capturing sensor is thermally isolated to maintain stable operating temperature and prevent thermal noise. This localized thermal control allows efficient heat dissipation from processing components without compromising image quality
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 a reliable and compact camera system with efficient heat dissipation, preventing thermal noise and ensuring consistent operation, even in constrained vehicle installations like wing mirrors, while maintaining a compact geometry.
Implementation Method 1
a heat dissipating element (5), arranged in the housing (1) in such a way that thermal contact is established between the at least two printed circuit boards (2a, 2b, 2c) and the housing (1) by means of the heat dissipating element (5)
Implementation Method 2
The spaced-apart arrangement ensures adequate convection and thus heat dissipation
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~7
AI summary
The invention relates to a device for a motor vehicle, which is configured to process image data of an image capturing unit, with a housing (1), wherein in the housing (1) at least two printed circuit boards (2a, 2b, 2c) with electronic components (7, 8) for processing the image data are placed in parallel and spaced apart, and at least one heat dissipating element (5a, 5b, 5c, 6a, 6b, 6c, 1 1, 13, 14, 15) is positioned inside (I, 3) and/or on the outside (A, 4) of the housing (1), which is configured to dissipate heat generated by the electronic components in operation.