Electronics Unit with Cooling Fins

• US 20110051370A1
• Filed: 08/20/2010
• Published: 03/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ziehl-Abegg SE
• Original Assignee: Ziehl-Abegg AG (Ziehl Holding GmbH)
• Inventors: Leutwein, Gerhard
• Granted Patent: US 8,320,127 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/697
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20909 Forced ventilation, e.g. on heat dissipaters coupled to components
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20918 the components being isolated from air flow, e.g. hollow heat sinks, wind tunnels or funnels

Abstract

The invention concerns a unit with electronic components, which, when in operation, generate heat. The unit comprises a carrier plate, upon the first section of which a first group of electronic components is placed. Upon a second section thereof is installed a plurality of cooling ribs for the removal of heat produced by the electronic components. The cooling ribs are designed to be curved to a predetermined extent along their longitudinal axis and to lie in a plane parallel to the said carrier plate.

Claims

1. A unit (1) supporting electronic components (4) which, when in operation, emit heat

wherein the said unit encompasses one carrier plate (2), which, on a first section thereof, a first group of electronic components (4) is installed and on a second section thereof are placed, first, a plurality of cooling ribs (3) for the removal of heat developed by the said electronic components of the first group and second, a second group of electronic components (4), whereby the cooling ribs (3) at least run along their longitudinal axes with predetermined curvatures in a plane parallel to the said carrier plate (2).

2. A unit (1) in accord with claim 1, which possesses a device for hung mounting wherein undesirable environmental influxes are caused to act mainly in a direction along the longitudinal axes of the cooling ribs (3).

3. A unit (1) in accord with claim 2, wherein a device for hung mounting of the unit (1) is so designed, that in the case of environmental influx action is mainly from the top toward the bottom, the environmental influx being, for example, rain, dust or water spray.

4. A unit (1) in accord with one of the foregoing claims, comprising at least one fan (5) which is so directed at the cooling ribs, that it first, can impel air along the longitudinal axes of the ribs (3) and second, due to the preselected curvature of the cooling ribs (3) is at least partially or completely protected from said environmental influx.

5. A unit (1) in accord with the claims 3 and 4, wherein the fan (5), by means of a device for a hung mounting the unit 1, lies on the lower end of unit (1).

6. A unit (1) in accord with one of the foregoing claims, wherein the at least one electronic component (4) of the second group is so arranged, that it is at least partly protected from interfering environmental influences by means of the curved shape of the cooling ribs (3).

7. A unit (1) in accord with one of the foregoing claims, wherein the cooling ribs form one or both of its narrowed ends (7) are so tapered that the longitudinal length of the cooling ribs (3) is reduced in proportion to their increasing distance from the carrier plate (2).

8. A unit (1) in accord with claim 7 and with one of the claims 4 to 6, wherein the cooling ribs (3) are tapered from their narrowed edge (7) in proximity to the component to be protected (4) as well as to the fan (5).

9. A unit (1) in accord with one of the foregoing claims, wherein the curved cooling ribs (3) possess an S shape along their entire length, or along a part thereof.

10. A unit (1) in accord with one of the foregoing claims, wherein the separating distances between the ribs (3) are so designed in the curved length, than no rainwater can run in a directly through the air passages (6) therebetween.

11. A unit (1) in accord with one of the foregoing claims, which possesses a housing (8), which is separated into two part by the carrier plate (2).

12. A unit (1) in accord with one of the foregoing claims, wherein a housing (8), or a part thereof, encompasses a the first group of components (4) with a protective means of high order and another housing (8), or a part thereof, encloses a second group of the components (4) and the cooling ribs.

13. A unit (1) in accord with one of the foregoing claims, wherein the carrier plate (2) forms a part of the outer section of a housing (8) and whereby the second section of the carrier plate is outwardly exposed.

14. A unit (1) in accord with one of the foregoing claims, wherein at least one component (4) of the second group possesses a tightly sealed individual housing within which the said component is encapsulated in a cast, congealed mass in which a sealing means is included.

15. A unit 1, in accord with one of the foregoing claims, wherein the components (4) of the second group are placed in the section area of the carrier plate (2).