Trough-Shaped Controller Housing for Heat Dissipation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current transmission control module housings face challenges in heat dissipation and mechanical stress due to high temperature fluctuations and aggressive transmission fluid, requiring effective heat conduction and mechanical fixation while maintaining electrical connectivity and hermetic sealing.

Innovation Solution

A trough-shaped control unit housing with a metal base and cover, where contact pins are glazed directly into the base, allowing for excellent flatness, reduced mechanical stress, and efficient heat dissipation, along with a modular design for various applications, using metal and glass materials with welding for a robust and cost-effective construction.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If glass-enclosed metal pins protrude vertically from the base plate, then electrical contact is enabled, but the contact surface for heat dissipation must form a raised surface requiring increased area

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveelectrical contactVSAvoidheat dissipation surface area
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The contact pins are arranged in a plane parallel to the base plate rather than protruding vertically, changing the spatial dimension of electrical connection. This allows the heat dissipation surface to remain flat and planar, eliminating the need for raised surfaces and reducing the required area while maintaining reliable electrical contact through the planar arrangement of pins.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Temperature

If the metal base is placed against the aluminum housing for heat dissipation, then heat conduction is achieved, but mechanical stress and vibrations may affect electrical connections

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheat dissipationVSAvoidelectrical connection stability
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The housing is divided into functionally separate components: a metal base for heat dissipation and a separate cover structure for electrical connection protection. The contact pins are enclosed in glass and mounted on the base plate, creating distinct functional zones. This segmentation allows the metal base to efficiently dissipate heat while the glass-enclosed pins and cover provide stable, protected electrical connections that are isolated from mechanical stress and vibrations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Object-affected harmful factors

If a hermetically sealed housing is used to protect electronics from transmission fluid, then protection is achieved, but heat dissipation becomes more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprotection from transmission fluidVSAvoidheat dissipation
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The housing employs composite material construction combining metal (for heat dissipation), glass (for hermetic sealing), and plastic (for structural support and fluid resistance). The metal base provides thermal conduction pathways while the glass-enclosed contact pins create hermetic seals against transmission fluid. This composite approach simultaneously achieves protection from harmful fluids and efficient heat dissipation through the metal components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

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 design ensures effective heat dissipation, mechanical strain relief, and hermetic sealing, reducing production costs and enabling reliable operation across temperature extremes with minimal mechanical stress on electrical connections.

Implementation Method 1

The contact pins for electrical contacting are accommodated by glazing (38) directly in the trough-shaped basic form (24)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGlass encapsulation: Vitrification

Implementation Method 2

the metal base of the control unit housing makes contact with the aluminum housing of the transmission hydraulics, which means that the heat loss is dissipated through heat conduction

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeat conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 3

a cover, which is preferably made of steel, with the two metal parts mentioned, i.e. trough-shaped base and cover, being able to be bonded to one another, for example, can be welded to one another

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectWelding: Welding

Data Source

PatentEP2225125B1Controller housing
Publication Date: 2017.05.03 ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
  • EP2225125B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2225125B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2225125B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a controller housing, particularly for a transmission control module of a transmission of a motor vehicle. The controller housing (12) comprises a first housing part (24) and a second cover-shaped housing part (40). A circuit carrier (30) having at least one electronic component (52) is received in the first housing part (24). The first housing part (24) is configured in the shape of a basin (28), the base of which is configured as a heat dissipation surface (14) to a further housing (10).