Electric power distributor for use in motor vehicle

• US 6,522,528 B2
• Filed: 03/25/2002
• Issued: 02/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Autonetworks Technologies, Ltd. (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Electric Industries Limited (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Autonetworks Technologies, Ltd. (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Electric Industries Limited (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamane, Shigeki
• Primary Examiner(s): Schuberg, Darren
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHANG, YEAN HSI
• Application Number:
  US10/104,032
• Publication Number:
  US 20020141143A1
• Time in Patent Office: 330 Days
• Field of Search: 361/676, 361/730, 361/601
• US Class Current: 361/601
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0238 Electrical distribution centers
• 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

Abstract

An electric power distributor mountable on a motor vehicle for distributing power from a power source installed in the motor vehicle to a plurality of electric load units equipped in the vehicle has a plurality of semiconductor operative elements which are incorporated in a power supply circuit from the power source to the electric load units; a control circuit board incorporated with a control circuit for controlling an operation of the semiconductor operative elements; a housing for encasing the semiconductor operative elements and the control circuit board therein; and a heat releasing member provided on an outer surface of the housing to release heat transferred from the semiconductor operative elements outside of the housing. The control circuit board is arranged at such a position as to be mounted over the semiconductor operative elements from a side of the housing opposite to the mounted side of the heat releasing member with respect to the semiconductor operative elements, and is formed with a heat transfer layer on a side of the control circuit board as opposed to the semiconductor operative elements. The heat transfer layer and the heat releasing member are connected by a heat transfer member.

Claims

1. An electric power distributor to be mounted on a motor vehicle for distributing electric power from a power source installed in the motor vehicle to a plurality of electric load units equipped in the motor vehicle, the power electric distributor comprising:

a plurality of semiconductor operative elements which are incorporated in a power supply circuit from the power source to the electric load units;

a control circuit board including a control circuit for controlling operation of the semiconductor operative elements, the control circuit board being disposed to cover the plurality of semiconductor operative elements with a space between the control circuit board and the semiconductor operative elements;

a heat transfer layer attached to the control circuit board on a side of the control circuit board facing the semiconductor operative elements;

a housing for enclosing the semiconductor operative elements and the control circuit board;

a heat releasing member attached to the semiconductor operative elements and exposed to outside of the housing to release heat caused on the semiconductor operative elements; and

a heat transfer member heat-conductively connected between the heat transfer layer and the heat releasing member to transfer heat received by the heat transfer layer to the heat releasing member.

2. The electric power distributor according to claim 1, wherein the heat releasing member is disposed on a side of the semiconductor operative elements opposite a side facing the control circuit board.

3. The electric power distributor according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of semiconductor operative elements are arranged substantially on a plane, and the heat releasing member and the control circuit board are arranged substantially in parallel to the plane.

4. The electric power distributor according to claim 1, wherein the heat transfer member includes a metallic bolt member that fixedly mounts the control circuit board on the housing, and is in contact with the heat transfer layer and the heat releasing member.

5. The electric power distributor according to claim 4, wherein the control circuit board is formed with a bolt receiving hole through which the bolt member passes, and the bolt member is fastened to the heat releasing member.

6. The electric power distributor according to claim 5, wherein the heat transfer layer extends to a wall which defines the bolt receiving hole, to be in contact with the bolt member when the latter is inserted in the hole.

7. The electric power distributor according to claim 6, wherein the heat transfer layer extending to the wall comprises a further extending portion which further extends to a side of the control circuit board opposite the side facing the semiconductor operative elements, such that a head of the bolt member is in contact with the further extending portion of the heat transfer layer.

8. The electric power distributor according to claim 5, wherein the housing is formed with a plurality of board supporting pins each of which is formed with a through hole, the bolt member extending through a through hole of a board supporting pin, and each board supporting pin having a length for spacing the control circuit board from the semiconductor operative elements.

9. The electric power distributor according to claim 5, wherein the heat transfer layer is formed on an substantially entire area of the control circuit board on the side of the control circuit board facing the semiconductor operative elements.