Pin Header Through Cooling Device for Flexible Board Spacing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electric-power conversion apparatuses face challenges in achieving space-saving designs and flexible board spacing due to limitations in connector types, such as wire harnesses requiring significant wiring space and difficulty in fitting and confirming connections, especially under vehicle vibrations, and board-to-board connectors restricting thickness and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
The use of a pin header with a connection pin that penetrates a hole in a cooling device, allowing for direct and flexible connection between control circuit boards, eliminating the need for extensive wiring and providing a secure, efficient assembly method.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If wire harnesses are used to connect control circuit boards, then electrical connection is achieved, but wiring space and clearance requirements increase the overall apparatus size
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the wire harness and connector from the connection system, replacing them with a direct rigid connection through the cooling device structure. The connection path is simplified by removing the intermediate wire harness component, thereby reducing the space required for wiring while maintaining reliable electrical connection between control circuit boards.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the cooling device with the electrical connection function. The cooling device is designed to simultaneously provide thermal management and serve as a structural pathway for electrical connections between control circuit boards, eliminating the need for separate wire harnesses and reducing overall apparatus volume.
2Reliability
If wire harnesses with connectors are used, then electrical connection is established, but the wiring-work space and clearance from case increase the complexity of assembly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the connector component from the assembly system, replacing it with a direct rigid connection integrated into the cooling device. This eliminates the complex fitting and confirmation work required for connector assembly, significantly simplifying the manufacturing process while maintaining reliable electrical connection.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling device is pre-designed with integrated connection pathways during the manufacturing stage, so that electrical connections are established as part of the structural assembly rather than requiring separate connector fitting operations. This preliminary integration of connection functions simplifies subsequent assembly steps.
3Reliability
If board-to-board connectors are used to connect control circuit boards, then electrical connection is achieved, but the thickness-direction distance between boards is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a flexible connection system where the rigid connection pathway is integrated into the cooling device structure, allowing the distance between control circuit boards to be adjusted according to thermal and electrical requirements. The connection maintains reliability while adapting to different spacing configurations, unlike fixed board-to-board connectors.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling device serves multiple functions simultaneously: thermal management and electrical connection. This multi-functionality allows the system to accommodate various board spacing configurations while maintaining both cooling effectiveness and electrical connectivity, providing greater design flexibility.
4Reliability
If pin headers with long connection pins are used for distant board connections, then electrical connection is achieved, but the efficiency of inserting signal terminals decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The connection pathways are pre-integrated into the cooling device structure during manufacturing, with connection points positioned optimally for both thermal and electrical functions. This preliminary configuration eliminates the need for long connection pins and complex insertion operations, significantly improving assembly efficiency while maintaining reliable electrical connection.
Data Source
AI summary
In the case where as a communication means among two or more control circuit boards corresponding to an on-vehicle environment, a wire harness is mounted, space-saving efficiency and assembly efficiency pose problems. When a board-to-board connector is utilized, arrangement of the control circuit boards cannot freely be performed, due to restriction of predetermined specific dimensions. An electric-power conversion apparatus includes a cooling device having a first surface, a second surface opposite to the first surface, and a hole penetrating the first surface and the second surface, a first control circuit board provided at the first surface side, a second control circuit board provided at the second surface side, and a pin header having a mold portion that partially wraps a connection pin penetrating the hole so as to connect the first control circuit board with the second control circuit board and that is fixed to the cooling device.