Electronic control unit

• US 7,031,165 B2
• Filed: 07/01/2004
• Issued: 04/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Itabashi, Toru, Makino, Akinobu
• Primary Examiner(s): CHERVINSKY, BORIS LEO
• Application Number:
  US10/880,461
• Publication Number:
  US 20040233640A1
• Time in Patent Office: 656 Days
• Field of Search: 361/690, 361/703, 361/704, 361/719, 361/720, 257/706, 257/718, 257/719, 174/252, 165/80.3, 165/185
• US Class Current: 361/719
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/32188 the layer connector connecting to a bonding area protruding from the surface of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48247 connecting the wire to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/3675 characterised by the shape of the housing
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/3677 Wire-like or pin-like cooling fins or heat sinks
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/4006 with bolts or screws
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00012 Relevant to the scope of the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01019 Potassium [K]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/181 Encapsulation
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0206 by printed thermal vias
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0207 using internal conductor planes parallel to the surface for thermal conduction, e.g. power planes
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09054 Raised area or protrusion of metal substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09309 Core having two or more power planes; Capacitive laminate of two power planes
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09781 Dummy conductors, i.e. not used for normal transport of current; Dummy electrodes of components
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10409 Screws
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10689 Leaded Integrated Circuit [IC] package, e.g. dual-in-line [DIL]
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/429 Plated through-holes specially for multilayer circuits, e.g. having connections to inner circuit layers
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20454 with a conformable or flexible structure compensating for irregularities, e.g. cushion bags, thermal paste
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/205 Heat-dissipating body thermally connected to heat generating element via thermal paths through printed circuit board [PCB] details of PCBs relating to heat transfer H05K1/0201
• 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 device having a high heat dissipating ability includes a printed board secured to an enclosure and interposed between a case and a cover with screws passing through the printed board. Thermally conductive thin film layers made of copper foil are formed in parallel on a mount face and an opposite mount face of the printed board and inside the printed board so as to be thermally separated from each other. A protrusion is provided on the cover and protrudes beyond a bottom part of the cover toward the position where an electronic component is mounted. A flexible, semi-solid thermally conductive material is placed between an end face of the protrusion and the opposite mount face of the printed board corresponding to the position where the electronic component is mounted to be in contact with the end face and the opposite mount face.

Claims

1. An electronic control unit comprising:

a substrate having a mount face and an opposite mount face;

an electronic component located on a side of the mount face, wherein the electronic component generates heat; and

an enclosure housing the substrate therein,

wherein;

a solid, thermally conductive member is placed between the opposite mount face and the enclosure so as to be in contact with a side of the opposite mount face and a side of the enclosure;

a flexible, thermally conductive material is placed between the thermally conductive member and the enclosure to be in contact with a side of the thermally conductive member and the side of the enclosure;

the enclosure includes a case and a cover, which are integrated for housing the substrate; and

the thermally conductive member is soldered to the opposite mount face.

2. The electronic control unit according to claim 1, wherein at least one surface of the thermally conductive member and the enclosure is formed to have a convex-concave shape and the at least one surface being is in contact with the thermally conductive material.

3. The electronic control unit according to claim 2, wherein the convex-concave shape of the enclosure is integrally formed with the enclosure.

4. The electronic control unit according to claim 2, wherein the convex-concave shape of the thermally conductive member is integrally formed with the thermally conductive member.

5. The electronic control unit according to claim 2, wherein the convex portion and the concave portion of the enclosure are respectively formed so as to correspond to the convex portion and the concave portion of the thermally conductive member.

6. The electronic control unit according to claim 1, wherein the substrate is directly mounted between the case and the cover with a screw.

7. The electronic control unit according to claim 1, wherein the thermally conductive member includes a movement-stopping part for protecting the thermally conductive material from flowing out to a periphery of the substrate.

8. An electronic control unit according to claim 1 further comprising a movement-stopping part, which protrudes toward a side of the thermally conductive material and prevents the thermally conductive material from moving and which is provided on at least one surface of the opposite mount face and the thermally conductive member, the at least one surface being in contact with the thermally conductive material.

9. The electronic control unit according to claim 8, wherein the movement-stopping part is integrally formed with the thermally conductive member or the enclosure.

10. The electronic control unit according to claim 8, wherein the thermally conductive member is soldered onto the opposite mount face.

11. The electronic control unit according to claim 8, wherein thermally conductive thin film layers, each having a higher thermal conductivity than that of a periphery thereof, are respectively provided on the mount face and the opposite mount face so as to overlap a region obtained by projecting the electronic component thereon, and the thermally conductive thin film layers are connected to each other via a through hole.

12. The electronic control unit according to claim 8, wherein thermally conductive thin film layers, each having a higher thermal conductivity than that of a periphery thereof, are respectively provided on the mount face and the opposite mount face and inside the substrate so as to overlap a region obtained by projecting the electronic component thereon.

13. The electronic control unit according to claim 8, wherein, other than the thermally conductive thin film layer corresponding to the region obtained by projecting the electronic component thereon, a thermally conductive thin film layer is provided at another location of the substrate, and thermally conductive thin film layers are thermally separated from each other.

14. An electronic control unit comprising:

a substrate having a mount face and an opposite mount face;

an electronic component located on a side of the mount face, wherein the electronic component generates heat; and

an enclosure housing the substrate therein,

wherein;

a solid, thermally conductive member is placed between the opposite mount face and the enclosure so as to be in contact with a side of the opposite mount face and a side of the enclosure;

a flexible, thermally conductive material is placed between the thermally conductive member and the enclosure to be in contact with a side of the thermally conductive member and the side of the enclosure; and

at least one surface of the thermally conductive member and the enclosure is formed to have a convex-concave shape and the at least one surface being is in contact with the thermally conductive material.

15. The electronic control unit according to claim 14, wherein the convex-concave shape of the enclosure is integrally formed with the enclosure.

16. The electronic control unit according to claim 14, wherein the convex-concave shape of the thermally conductive member is integrally formed with the thermally conductive member.

17. The electronic control unit according to claim 14, wherein the convex portion and the concave portion of the enclosure are respectively formed so as to correspond to the convex portion and the concave portion of the thermally conductive member.

18. The electronic control unit according to claim 14, wherein the enclosure includes a case and a cover, which are integrated for housing the substrate, and the substrate is directly mounted between the case and the cover with a screw.

19. The electronic control unit according to claim 14, wherein the thermally conductive member includes a movement-stopping part for protecting the thermally conductive material from flowing out to a periphery of the substrate.

20. An electronic control unit comprising:

a substrate having a mount face and an opposite mount face;

an electronic component located on a side of the mount face, wherein the electronic component generates heat;

an enclosure housing the substrate therein; and

a movement-stopping part, which protrudes toward a side of the thermally conductive material and prevents the thermally conductive material from moving and which is provided on at least one surface of the opposite mount face and the thermally conductive member, the at least one surface being in contact with the thermally conductive material,

wherein;

a solid, thermally conductive member is placed between the opposite mount face and the enclosure so as to be in contact with a side of the opposite mount face and a side of the enclosure; and

a flexible, thermally conductive material is placed between the thermally conductive member and the enclosure to be in contact with a side of the thermally conductive member and the side of the enclosure.

21. The electronic control unit according to claim 20, wherein the movement-stopping part is integrally formed with the thermally conductive member or the enclosure.

22. The electronic control unit according to claim 20, wherein the thermally conductive member is soldered onto the opposite mount face.

23. The electronic control unit according to claim 20, wherein thermally conductive thin film layers, each having a higher thermal conductivity than that of a periphery thereof, are respectively provided on the mount face and the opposite mount face so as to overlap a region obtained by projecting the electronic component thereon, and the thermally conductive thin film layers are connected to each other via a through hole.

24. The electronic control unit according to claim 20, wherein thermally conductive thin film layers, each having a higher thermal conductivity than that of a periphery thereof, are respectively provided on the mount face and the opposite mount face and inside the substrate so as to overlap a region obtained by projecting the electronic component thereon.

25. The electronic control unit according to claim 20, wherein, other than the thermally conductive thin film layer corresponding to the region obtained by projecting the electronic component thereon, a thermally conductive thin film layer is provided at another location of the substrate, and thermally conductive thin film layers are thermally separated from each other.

26. The electronic control unit according to claim 20, wherein the enclosure includes a case and a cover, which are integrated for housing the substrate, and the substrate is directly mounted between the case and the cover with a screw.

27. The electronic control unit according to claim 20, wherein the thermally conductive member includes a movement-stopping part for protecting the thermally conductive material from flowing out to a periphery of the substrate.