Intake module having integrated ECU

• US 20030142481A1
• Filed: 01/27/2003
• Published: 07/31/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Kinoshita, Kenji, Umemoto, Satoru
• Granted Patent: US 6,788,534 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/719
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0239 Electronic boxes
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20163 the components being isolated from air flow, e.g. hollow heat sinks, wind tunnels or funnels
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20854 Heat transfer by conduction from internal heat source to heat radiating structure H05K7/20863 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20863 Forced ventilation, e.g. on heat dissipaters coupled to components

Abstract

An intake module has an electronic control unit (ECU) housing portion that houses an ECU. The ECU housing portion is provided in a manner that a lateral direction of the ECU housing portion is approximately coincident with a direction of an intake air passage that is located upstream from the ECU housing portion. Intake air is blown to an air blown area that is located on one side of the ECU housing portion. Heat-producing components and low heat-resistant components are mounted in the air blown area and in an area away from the air blown area, respectively. A plurality of heat-radiating fins is arranged in the air blown area along with a stream of the intake air.

Claims

1. An intake module having an integrally housed electronic control unit, comprising:

a casing that includes an electronic control unit housing portion; and

a circuit board that includes heat-producing components and low heat-resistant components, wherein

the electronic control unit housing portion has an air blown area to which intake air is blown, and

the heat-producing components are located adjacent to the air blown area, and the low heat-resistant components are located away from the air blown area.

2. The intake module according to claim 1, wherein:

the electronic control unit housing portion is provided in a manner that a lateral direction of the electronic control unit housing portion matches a direction of an intake air passage upstream from the electronic control unit housing portion;

the air blown area is located on one side of the electronic control unit housing portion; and

the electronic control unit housing portion includes the heat-producing components adjacent to the air blown area.

3. The intake module according to claim 1, wherein:

the circuit board is perpendicular to an intake air passage upstream from the electronic control unit housing portion;

the air blown portion is located in an upper part of the electronic control unit housing portion; and

the heat-producing components and the low heat-resistant components are mounted in an upper part and a lower part of the circuit board, respectively.

4. The intake module according to claim 1, further comprising a heat-radiating pattern member on the circuit board to connect the heat-producing components and the air blown area.

5. The intake module according to claim 4, wherein the heat-radiating pattern member is located on a surface of the circuit board opposed to a surface on which the low heat-resistant components are mounted.

6. The intake module according to claim 1, further comprising heat barrier for blocking heat conducting from the heat-producing components to the low heat-resistant components, wherein:

the heat barrier is located between a first area that includes the heat-producing components and a second area that includes the low heat-resistant components; and

the heat barrier is in a form of dashed conductive pattern.

7. The intake module according to claim 1, further comprising a heat-radiating fin provided in the air blown area in line with a stream of intake air.

8. The intake module according to claim 7, wherein the heat-radiating fin gradually decreases in thickness toward a tip thereof.

9. The intake module according to claim 7, further comprising a plurality of heat-radiating fins, wherein the heat-radiating fins are arranged at irregular intervals in response to a heat radiation condition in the intake air passage.

10. The intake module according to claim 7, further comprising a plurality of heat-radiating fins, wherein sizes of the heat-radiating fins are determined according to a heat radiation condition in the intake air passage.

11. The intake module according to claim 7, further comprising a heat-radiating fin provided in an area of the electronic control unit housing portion other than the air blown area.