Pivotable Circuit Board Cooling Layout for Fast Board Exchange
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing circuit board arrangements in vehicles with multiple electronic control devices are difficult and expensive to maintain due to the complexity of exchanging individual circuit boards for repairs or updates.
Innovation Solution
A circuit board arrangement where boards are pivotable around a pivot axis, allowing them to transition from a mounting position to an intermediate position, enabling easy removal and replacement without interference from heat transfer elements, and utilizing guide elements for smooth displacement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If circuit boards are arranged stacked above each other in a housing with heat transfer elements thermally coupling them to cooling devices, then heat dissipation efficiency is improved, but the complexity and cost of exchanging individual circuit boards increases
Solution Approach 1:
The circuit board is designed to be pivotable around a pivot axis, transitioning between a mounting position (where the heat transfer element abuts both the cooling device and circuit board for efficient heat dissipation) and an intermediate position (where the circuit board is spaced from the cooling device for easy exchange). This dynamic positioning resolves the contradiction by allowing the system to switch between optimal thermal coupling and easy maintainability.
Solution Approach 2:
The circuit board assembly is segmented into movable and stationary parts, with the circuit board pivotably connected to the housing via a pivot axis. This segmentation allows the circuit board to be independently moved between the mounting position for heat dissipation and the intermediate position for exchange, without requiring movement of the entire stacked assembly.
2Temperature
If heat transfer elements are used to thermally couple circuit boards to cooling devices, then heat dissipation performance is improved, but the difficulty of removing and replacing circuit boards increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pivotable circuit board design dynamically changes the contact state between the heat transfer element and the cooling device. In the mounting position, full thermal contact ensures optimal heat dissipation performance. In the intermediate position, the circuit board pivots away, spacing the heat transfer element from the cooling device and eliminating thermal contact, which enables easy removal and replacement without dealing with fixed thermal interfaces.
3Stability of the object's composition
If circuit boards are fixed in a stacked arrangement for stable heat dissipation, then thermal coupling stability is improved, but the speed of circuit board exchange decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The pivotable mechanism allows the circuit board to quickly transition between the stable mounting position (where the heat transfer element firmly abuts the cooling device for stable thermal coupling) and the intermediate position (where the circuit board is easily accessible for rapid exchange). This dynamic design eliminates the need for complex disassembly procedures while maintaining thermal stability during operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The circuit board is extracted from the fixed stacked arrangement and given independent pivotable movement. This extraction allows the circuit board to be removed from the thermal coupling configuration (intermediate position) without affecting the stability of other circuit boards in the stack, enabling rapid individual replacement while maintaining overall system stability.
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
Facilitates simple and efficient exchange of circuit boards while maintaining effective heat dissipation, ensuring compact arrangement and quick maintenance, particularly suitable for vehicles with high-performance electronic control units.
Implementation Method 1
The at least one of the circuit boards is thermally coupled to the at least one cooling device by means of at least one heat transfer element
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a circuit board arrangement (10) with at least one housing (12), in which a plurality of circuit boards (14) is arranged, and with at least one cooling device (16), through which a cooling fluid can be passed and which is formed for dissipating heat from at least one of the circuit boards (14). The circuit board (14) is thermally coupled to the cooling device (16) by means of a heat transfer element. The respective circuit board (14) is pivotable from a mounting position, in which the heat transfer element abuts both on the cooling device (16) and on the circuit board (14), around a pivot axis (44) into an intermediate position. In the intermediate position, an edge area (50) of the circuit board (14) far from the pivot axis (44) is further spaced from the cooling device (16) than in the mounting position. The housing (12) comprises at least one guide element (38), wherein the respective circuit board (14) is displaceable along the at least one guide element (38) into the intermediate position in introducing the circuit board (14) into the housing (12).