Pivotable Carrier Electronic Assembly for Low-Force Thermal Coupling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electronic assembly designs require significant manual effort and force to close a cover for thermal coupling, leading to increased production costs and maintenance difficulties.
Innovation Solution
An electronic assembly with a pivotable carrier and an adjustment handle that allows easy closure of the cover, followed by enhanced thermal coupling through a mechanical advantage mechanism, using an actuator to adjust the carrier's position post-closure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the cover is pressed down to close it over the base to provide thermal coupling, then heat dissipation is improved, but a significant amount of force is required which increases production costs and maintenance difficulty
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a spring mechanism that dynamically adjusts the thermal coupling between the cover and heat-generating component. The spring allows the system to transition from a static pressed-state to a dynamic self-adjusting state, where the spring force automatically compensates for thermal expansion and maintains optimal thermal contact without requiring excessive closing force.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring mechanism enables the housing to self-adjust and maintain thermal coupling automatically. Once the cover is closed in the normal position, the spring inherently provides the necessary pressure to maintain thermal contact between the cover and the heat-generating component, eliminating the need for continuous external force or complex adjustment mechanisms during operation.
2Temperature
If a large area thermal pad is used to dissipate heat from high power lamps, then heat dissipation capacity is improved, but the force required to compress the thermal pad increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The spring mechanism transforms the static compression of a large-area thermal pad into a dynamic system. The spring distributes the compression force uniformly across the entire thermal pad area, preventing localized stress concentrations and enabling effective thermal coupling over large areas without requiring proportionally high closing forces.
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 easy cover closure with minimal force, reducing assembly and maintenance costs while ensuring effective thermal dissipation.
Implementation Method 1
a thermal coupling component on top of the electronic component for making contact with the internal surface of the cover for dissipating heat from the electronic component
Implementation Method 2
an adjustment handle on the outside of the housing; and an actuator being configured to be moved by the adjustment handle, wherein the actuator engages with the carrier, thereby to adjust a position of the second edge of the carrier thereby to move the thermal coupling component towards the internal surface of the cover
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
An electronic assembly comprises a housing having a base and a cover and electronic component mounted in the housing on a carrier. The carrier is pivotable about a first edge within the housing. An adjustment handle moves the carrier at a second, opposite, edge thereby to bring the electronic component into thermal contact with an internal surface of the cover after the cover is closed (or during closing of the cover), for dissipating heat from the electronic component.