Compact In-Vehicle Electronics Cooling With Nested Coil Spring Pressing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cooling structures for in-vehicle electrical instruments require additional boss portions to support leaf springs, increasing the size of the case and compromising mountability.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a pressing mechanism with coil springs and a guide member that supports the substrate support section, allowing for effective heat dissipation without the need for additional structural features, thus maintaining compactness and ensuring mountability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a leaf spring is used to press the electronic component or substrate against the case for cooling, then heat dissipation is improved, but the case size increases due to additional boss portions required to support the leaf spring
Solution Approach 1:
The pressing mechanism transitions from a planar leaf spring requiring boss portions to a three-dimensional coil spring structure that utilizes vertical space. The coil spring is positioned in a recess of the case, allowing it to press the substrate against the cooling plate without requiring additional horizontal space or boss portions, thus resolving the contradiction between heat dissipation effectiveness and case size.
2Temperature
If a leaf spring is used to press the electronic component or substrate against the case, then cooling effectiveness is improved, but mountability deteriorates due to increased case size
Solution Approach 1:
The coil spring pressing mechanism utilizes the vertical dimension by being positioned in a recess of the case, allowing the pressing force to be applied without increasing the horizontal footprint of the case. This maintains the cooling effectiveness while preserving mountability by keeping the case compact.
Solution Approach 2:
The coil spring is nested within a recess of the case structure, allowing the pressing mechanism to be integrated into the existing case geometry without adding external protrusions or increasing the overall case dimensions, thereby maintaining ease of mounting.
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 solution effectively cools electronic components while preventing an increase in the case size, ensuring efficient heat release and maintaining the instrument's mountability.
Implementation Method 1
a pressing mechanism that is supported by the opposing section and presses either the electronic component of the substrate supported by the substrate support section or the substrate against the substrate support section
Implementation Method 2
a substrate support section that is naturally or forcibly cooled and disposed in the case to support the substrate
Data Source
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AI summary
An in-vehicle electrical instrument (10) includes a substrate (S) on which at least one electronic component (P) is mounted; a case (20) configured to accommodate the substrate; a substrate support section (210) that is naturally or forcibly cooled and disposed in the case to support the substrate; an opposing section (220) that is disposed in the case to be opposed to the substrate support section at an interval; and a pressing mechanism (30) that is supported by the opposing section and presses either the electronic component of the substrate supported by the substrate support section or the substrate against the substrate support section. The in-vehicle electrical instrument satisfactorily cools the electronic component of the substrate accommodated in the case while ensuring the mountability of the in-vehicle electric device.