ELECTRONIC CONTROL APPARATUS

• US 20080278918A1
• Filed: 11/02/2007
• Published: 11/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Inventors: Kifuku, Takayuki, Fujimoto, Tadayuki, Tominaga, Tsutomu, Akiyama, Shuzo
• Granted Patent: US 7,643,297 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/719
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 5/0406 including housing for electronic control unit
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/2049 Pressing means used to urge contact, e.g. springs
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20854 Heat transfer by conduction from internal heat source to heat radiating structure H05K7/20863 takes precedence

Abstract

An electronic control apparatus can be reduced in size and cost by removing a metal substrate part. The apparatus includes a housing having a pair of opening portions at its opposite sides, a heat sink attached to one of the opening portions of the housing, a pair of semiconductor switching elements mounted on the heat sink, a circuit board arranged in opposition to the heat sink, a plurality of conductive plates electrically connecting the circuit board and the semiconductor switching elements to each other, and a plate spring urging the semiconductor switching elements against the heat sink. The plate spring has engagement portions press-fitted to and engaged with inner sides of holding portions which are formed on the housing, and the housing has engagement portions engaged with protruded portions of the heat sink.

Claims

1. An electronic control apparatus comprising:

a housing that is made of an insulating resin and has a pair of opening portions at opposite sides thereof, respectively;

a heat sink that is attached to one of said opening portions of said housing;

a power device that is mounted on said heat sink;

a circuit board that is arranged in opposition to said heat sink, and has an electronic circuit including a control circuit for controlling said power device;

a plurality of conductive plates that have their base portions held by said housing and electrically connect said circuit board and said power device to each other; and

a resilient member that urges said power device to said heat sink;

wherein said resilient member is engaged with said housing 3.

2. The electronic control apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said resilient member is fixedly secured to said heat sink with said housing interposed therebetween by means of a fastening element.

3. The electronic control apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said resilient member is a plate spring made of metal.

4. The electric control apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said housing 3 has engagement portions engaged with said heat sink.

5. The electronic control apparatus as set forth in claim 4, wherein said engagement portions are formed on said housing by integral molding.

6. The electronic control apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein said engagement portions are formed on inner sides of side walls of said housing.

7. The electronic control apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein said side walls have notched portions in those regions which are in opposition to said engagement portions.

8. The electronic control apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein said heat sink is formed at its edge portions with protruded portions, and said engagement portions have their tip end portions placed in abutting engagement with said protruded portions.

9. The electronic control apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said heat sink has an insulating film formed on at least its surface on which said power device is mounted.

10. The electronic control apparatus as set forth in claim 9, wherein said insulating film is an anodized aluminum film, and said heat sink is formed by cutting an elongated, extruded shaped member of aluminum or aluminum alloy having an anodized aluminum film formed on its entire surface.

11. The electric control apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein grooves are formed between said housing and said heat sink, and an adhesive resin is filled and sealed into said grooves.

12. The electronic control apparatus as set forth in claim 2, further comprising:

a cover that is attached to the other of said opening portions of said housing for receiving said power device and said circuit board in cooperation with said heat sink;

wherein said cover is formed with a convex portion that protrudes toward said circuit board, and said convex portion protrudes from a hole formed in said circuit board to be disposed above said fastening element.