Vehicle LED Package Thermal Management via PCB Thickness Optimization
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing LED packages for vehicles using aluminum metal layers face challenges in heat discharge and size optimization, leading to increased PCB size and reduced design freedom, while also having a higher number of pins that complicate the connector and increase the package size.
Innovation Solution
A compact LED package design featuring a printed circuit board (PCB) with an aluminum metal layer, an insulating layer, and an electric wiring layer, optimized to minimize thermal resistance and reduce the number of connector pins, allowing for a smaller size and improved design flexibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If aluminum metal layer is used in PCB to reduce cost, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but thermal conductivity decreases and PCB size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the thickness parameter of the aluminum metal layer from conventional thicker designs to a specific optimized range (30-50 μm for insulating layer, with metal layer thickness optimized for thermal performance). This parameter optimization allows aluminum to provide sufficient thermal management while maintaining compact PCB dimensions, resolving the contradiction between cost reduction and size control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a composite structure combining aluminum metal layer with specific insulating materials (epoxy resin with glass fiber) in a multi-layer configuration. This composite approach leverages the cost advantage of aluminum while using the insulating layer to manage thermal properties effectively, achieving both cost reduction and compact size.
2Ease of manufacture
If aluminum metal layer is used in PCB to reduce cost, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but thermal discharge performance degrades
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the thickness parameter of the aluminum metal layer and the insulating layer to achieve optimal thermal discharge performance. By carefully controlling these parameters, the design ensures adequate heat dissipation capability while maintaining the cost benefits of using aluminum instead of copper.
Solution Approach 2:
The insulating layer acts as an intermediary between the aluminum metal layer and the LED chip, managing thermal transfer effectively. This intermediary layer ensures that the aluminum provides sufficient thermal management despite its lower thermal conductivity compared to copper, resolving the thermal performance issue while maintaining cost efficiency.
3Reliability
If connector with multiple pins is used to connect various LED driving elements, then electrical connection reliability is improved, but device complexity increases and size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple electrical connection functions into a single integrated connector design. Instead of using separate connectors for different LED driving elements (Zener diode, thermistor, resistor), the invention combines all these connections into one unified connector, reducing overall device complexity and size while maintaining reliable electrical connections for all components.
Solution Approach 2:
The connector is designed with multi-functionality to handle various LED driving elements through a single interface. This universal connector design allows one connector to perform multiple connection functions, eliminating the need for multiple specialized connectors and thereby reducing device complexity and overall package size.
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
The solution effectively reduces the size of the LED package, minimizes thermal resistance, and enhances design freedom for vehicle lamps by using aluminum for cost reduction and simplifying electrical connections, resulting in a more efficient and compact LED package.
Implementation Method 1
aluminum has a lower thermal conductivity than that of copper, so that in order to supplement the problem, the metal layer is formed of the larger amount of aluminum than copper
Implementation Method 2
it is difficult to secure an insulating property between the metal substrate and an electric wire. Accordingly, the substrate is mostly applied by coating an insulating layer formed of an epoxy, and the like on an upper portion of the metal substrate
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a light emitting diode (LED) package for a lamp of a vehicle. The LED package includes a printed circuit board (PCB) which includes a metal layer, an insulating layer formed on the metal layer, and an electric wiring layer formed on the insulating layer; an LED circuit unit which includes an LED chip mounted on the electric wiring layer; and a connector which is mounted on the electric wiring layer to be connected with the LED chip. Area and thickness of the printed circuit board and position of the LED chip on the printed circuit board can be determined based on thermal resistance of the LED chip and thermal resistance of the PCB.