Wiper Motor Thermal Management via Housing Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional wiper motors face challenges in reducing size while maintaining cooling efficiency and improving assembly workability, as downsizing often compromises cooling efficiency and increases assembly complexity due to the need for intricate molding of cooling fin members.
Innovation Solution
A wiper motor design featuring a thermally-conductive member between the circuit board and housing, with heat dissipation fins on the housing, and an elastic heat dissipation sheet for efficient heat transfer, eliminating the need for a cooling fin member within the case cover, allowing for easier assembly and enhanced cooling efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the size of the wiper motor is reduced to enable downsizing, then the size is improved, but the cooling efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the cooling fin function directly into the case cover by integrating protrusions that extend into the housing cavity. This combines the structural role of the case cover with the thermal management role of cooling fins, eliminating the need for separate cooling components and enabling effective cooling within a compact form factor.
Solution Approach 2:
The case cover is designed to serve multiple functions: it provides structural closure for the housing, acts as a mounting surface for the circuit board, and simultaneously functions as a heat dissipation structure through its protrusions. This multi-functionality allows the component to maintain cooling efficiency while reducing overall motor size.
2Temperature
If a cooling fin member is inserted in the case cover via complicated molding operation, then the cooling efficiency is improved, but the assembly workability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling fin structure is merged into the case cover as an integrated feature rather than a separate insertable component. The protrusions are formed as part of the case cover molding process, eliminating the need for separate molding operations and assembly steps to install cooling fins.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the cooling fin function from a separate component and integrates it directly into the case cover structure. This eliminates the complex insert molding process and simplifies both manufacturing and assembly operations while maintaining effective heat dissipation.
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 design effectively dissipates heat from electronic components, improving cooling efficiency and assembly workability by utilizing thermally-conductive materials and eliminating the need for complex cooling fin insertions, thus enabling a more compact and efficient wiper motor.
Implementation Method 1
a thermally-conductive member provided between the circuit board and the housing and releasing heat to the housing from the electronic components
Implementation Method 2
the housing has a portion opposed to the thermally-conductive member, and provided with a heat dissipation fin for releasing heat to outside from the thermally-conductive member
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
A thermally-conductive member (60) is provided between a housing (53) and a FET module (54f) constituting a controller (54b), and used to release heat of the FET module (54f) to the housing (53). Therefore, heat of the FET module (54f) can be dissipated to outside via the thermally-conductive member (60) and the housing (53). Since the housing (53) is made of aluminum, a surface area of the housing (53) can be increased to become larger than the conventional cooling fin member, and heat of the FET module (54f) can be dissipated to outside, the DR-side wiper motor (21) can be reduced in size and improved in cooling efficiency. Furthermore, since a cooling fin member is not inserted in the case cover (54) in a conventional manner. Therefore, the case cover (54) can be molded with ease, and the wiper motor can be improved in assembly workability.