COOLING STRUCTURE

• US 20130206371A1
• Filed: 10/12/2011
• Published: 08/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Fujita, Satoru
• Granted Patent: US 9,657,997 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 165/104.28
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 15/00 Heat-exchange apparatus with the intermediate heat-transfer medium in closed tubes passing into or through the conduit walls ; Heat-exchange apparatus employing intermediate heat-transfer medium or bodies F28D17/00, F28D19/00, F28D20/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 3/048 in the form of ribs integral with the element or local variations in thickness of the element, e.g. grooves, microchannels
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 3/12 Elements constructed in the shape of a hollow panel, e.g. with channels F28D1/02, F28D1/03 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/3672 Foil-like cooling fins or heat sinks being part of lead-frames H01L23/49568
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/473 by flowing liquids H01L23/4332, H01L23/4338 take precedence
• 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 7/20436 Inner thermal coupling elements in heat dissipating housings, e.g. protrusions or depressions integrally formed in the housing
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20927 Liquid coolant without phase change

Abstract

As a cooling structure, a cooling device has a configuration that comprises a mounting surface for a member to be cooled, a cooling fin provided on a rear surface side of the mounting surface, and a cooling passage for cooling the cooling fin with a liquid refrigerant, wherein the liquid refrigerant is caused to flow from a flow inlet to the cooling passage and is discharged from a discharge outlet. The cooling passage comprises a first surface provided with the cooling fin, a second surface opposing the first surface, and a wall portion provided between the first surface and the second surface and is configured into a channel longer than a channel connecting the flow inlet and the discharge outlet in a straight line. The wall portion has a first wall portion extending from the second surface to the first surface, and a second wall portion extending in parallel with the first wall portion from the first surface to a height exceeding a top portion of the first wall.

Claims

1. A cooling structure having an installation surface for placement of a target object to be cooled, a plurality of cooling fins disposed side by side on a reverse side of the installation surface, and a cooling passage for cooling the cooling fins with a liquid refrigerant that flows from an inlet port into the cooling passage and is discharged from an outlet port, wherein:

the cooling passage has a first surface on which the cooling fins are disposed, a second surface confronting the first surface, and a wall assembly disposed between the first surface and the second surface, the cooling passage being constructed as a channel having a length that is longer than a straight line interconnecting the inlet port and the outlet port;

the wall assembly has a first wall that extends from the second surface toward the first surface, and a second wall that extends in parallel with the first wall from the first surface to a height beyond a top of the first wall; and

a distance between the first wall and the second wall is shorter than a distance between the adjacent cooling fins.

2. The cooling structure according to claim 1, wherein the first wall and the second wall lie parallel to the cooling fins.

3. The cooling structure according to claim 1, further comprising:

second cooling fins disposed on the second surface and positioned in the cooling passage in juxtaposed relation to the cooling fins; and

a second installation surface disposed on a reverse side of the second surface for placement of a second target object to be cooled by the second cooling fins.

4. The cooling structure according to claim 1, wherein the second wall includes a recess, the first wall being inserted into the recess.

5. The cooling structure according to claim 1, wherein the cooling passage has the liquid refrigerant that flows therein in different directions respectively on one surface side and another surface side of the wall assembly.

6. The cooling structure according to claim 5, wherein the cooling passage has a turnaround section on a way from the inlet port to the outlet port;

and

the wall assembly (comprises a dividing wall assembly that divides the cooling passage, which is folded back by the turnaround section, into an outward passageway and a homeward passageway.

7. The cooling structure according to claim 2, further comprising:

second cooling fins disposed on the second surface and positioned in the cooling passage in juxtaposed relation to the cooling fins; and

a second installation surface disposed on a reverse side of the second surface for placement of a second target object to be cooled by the second cooling fins.