Apparatus for cooling a card cage

• US 5,979,540 A
• Filed: 05/31/1995
• Issued: 11/09/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies Incorporated (Visteon Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Ford Motor Company, United Technologies Automotive, Inc. (Lear Corporation)
• Inventors: Williams, Bruce Allen, Arndt, R. David, Lecznar, Mark Timothy, Heath, Gerald Arthur, Allison, Johnny Hugh, Wills, David S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ford, John K.
• Application Number:
  US08/455,365
• Time in Patent Office: 1,623 Days
• Field of Search: 165/41, 165/80.3, 180/65.1, 180/65.8, 123/198 E, 361/695, 361/690, 454/69, 454/127, 296/208
• US Class Current: 165/41
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00271 HVAC devices specially adapted for particular vehicle parts or components and being connected to the vehicle HVAC unit
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00295 for trim components, e.g. panels, dashboards, liners
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/003 Component temperature regulation using an air flow
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0239 Electronic boxes
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20863 Forced ventilation, e.g. on heat dissipaters coupled to components

Abstract

An apparatus for cooling electrical components contained inside an enclosed housing, which is positioned proximate to a dashboard of a vehicle, includes an inlet pipe which receives a forced air flow and an outlet pipe which expels air from the enclosed housing. The inlet pipe receives the forced air flow either from a fan or from an air intake mechanism which supplies filtered air to an intake manifold of the vehicle engine. The air intake mechanism also maintains the temperature of the vehicle battery at a predetermined temperature by use of heated air from the engine exhaust manifold.

Claims

1. Apparatus for cooling electrical components in a vehicle, comprising:

a card cage comprising a plurality of circuit boards coupled to a backplane and positioned inside an enclosed housing, said housing having an inlet opening and an outlet opening, the card cage being positioned between a firewall and an instrument panel of said vehicle;

an inlet pipe having a first end for receiving a forced air flow and a second end coupled to said inlet opening, the inlet pipe comprising a first inlet tube for receiving said forced air at a first end, and for expelling said forced air at a second end, a first portion of a structural hollow beam, said first portion being sealed at a first and second location to form an air transport pipe for transporting air from said first tube, and a second inlet tube having a first end coupled to said first portion of said structural hollow beam for receiving air from said structural hollow beam and a second end coupled to said inlet opening expelling air into said card cage;

an outlet pipe having a first end coupled to said outlet opening and a second end for expelling air from said card cage; and

means for receiving air outside of a passenger compartment of said vehicle and for generating said forced air flow.

2. The invention as set forth in claim 1 wherein the outlet pipe comprises a first outlet tube for receiving air from said outlet opening, a second portion of said structural hollow beam, said second portion being sealed at a first and second location to form an air transport pipe for transporting air from said first outlet tube, and a second outlet tube having a first end coupled to said second portion of said structural hollow beam for receiving air from said structural hollow beam and a second end for expelling air from said structural hollow beam.

3. The invention as set forth in claim 1 wherein the means for generating said forced air flow is a fan.

4. The invention as set forth in claim 1 further comprising an engine air intake pipe having a first end for receiving filtered air and a second end coupled to an intake manifold of the vehicle engine, said inlet pipe being coupled at said first end to said engine air intake pipe.

5. Apparatus for cooling electrical components in a vehicle, comprising:

a card cage comprising a plurality of circuit boards coupled to a backplane and positioned inside an enclosed housing, said housing having an inlet opening and an outlet opening, the card cage being positioned between a firewall and an instrument panel of said vehicle;

an inlet pipe having a first end for receiving a forced air flow and a second end coupled to said inlet opening;

an outlet pipe having a first end coupled to said outlet opening and a second end for expelling air from said card cage, the outlet pipe comprising a first outlet tube for receiving air from said outlet opening, a second portion of a structural hollow beam, said second portion being sealed at a first and second location to form an air transport pipe for transporting air from said first outlet tube, and a second outlet tube having a first end coupled to said second portion of said structural hollow beam for receiving air from said structural hollow beam and a second end for expelling air from said structural hollow beam; and

means for receiving air outside of a passenger compartment of said vehicle and for generating said forced air flow.

6. The invention as set forth in claim 5 wherein the inlet pipe comprises a single tube.

7. Apparatus for cooling electrical components in a vehicle, comprising:

a card cage comprising a plurality of circuit boards coupled to a backplane and positioned inside an enclosed housing, said housing having an inlet opening and an outlet opening, the card cage being positioned between a firewall and an instrument panel of said vehicle;

an inlet pipe having a first end for receiving a forced air flow and a second end coupled to said inlet opening, the inlet pipe comprising a first inlet tube for receiving said forced air at a first end, and for expelling said forced air at a second end, a first portion of a structural hollow beam, said first portion being sealed at a first and second location to form an air transport pipe for transporting air from said first tube, and a second inlet tube having a first end coupled to said first portion of said structural hollow beam for receiving air from said structural hollow beam and a second end coupled to said inlet opening expelling air into said card cage;

an outlet pipe having a first end coupled to said outlet opening and a second end for expelling air from said card cage; and

means for receiving air outside of a passenger compartment of said vehicle and for generating said forced air flow comprising,

a first air duct for transporting ambient air;

a second air duct for transporting heated air from an exhaust manifold of a vehicle engine;

an enclosed chamber containing a battery, an inlet opening and an outlet opening;

a third air duct for coupling said first air duct and said second air duct and containing a damper disposed within the third air duct for directing the flow of air from said first air duct or said second air duct into said third air duct, said third air duct coupled to said inlet opening of said enclosed chamber for expelling air into said inlet opening of said enclosed chamber;

a filter disposed in said enclosed chamber for filtering air expelled from said enclosed chamber;

a fourth air duct coupled at a first end to said outlet opening of said enclosed chamber and at a second end to an intake manifold of the vehicle engine; and

a fifth air duct coupled at a first end to said fourth air duct and at a second end to said inlet pipe.