Enclosure with integrated heat wick

• US 7,817,428 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2008
• Issued: 10/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Square D Company (Schneider Electric SE)
• Original Assignee: Square D Company (Schneider Electric SE)
• Inventors: Greer, David Randall Jr., Farago, Jeffrey J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gandhi; Jayprakash N
• Assistant Examiner(s): SMITH, COURTNEY L
• Application Number:
  US12/163,271
• Publication Number:
  US 20090321130A1
• Time in Patent Office: 844 Days
• Field of Search: 361/690, 361/695, 361/700, 361/701, 361/704, 361/715, 361/719, 361/808
• US Class Current: 361/720
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/025 Constructional details relating to cooling
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/22 Cooling by heat conduction through solid or powdered fillings
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20409 Outer radiating structures on heat dissipating housings, e.g. fins integrated with the housing
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20445 the coupling element being an additional piece, e.g. thermal standoff

Abstract

An electrical enclosure system for transferring heat from a closed environment, includes an electrical device having a heat-generating part, and a polymer-based ventless housing for protecting the electrical device from environmental contaminants. The ventless housing fully encloses the electrical device and includes a base layer forming an impact-resistant portion of the ventless housing. The base layer includes one or more open areas in close proximity to the heat-generating part. The ventless housing further includes an integrated thermally conductive layer that forms a heat-flow path for conducting heat away from the heat-generating part towards an exterior environment. The integrated thermally conductive layer is molded around the base layer such that portions of the integrated thermally conductive layer cover the open areas of the base layer.

Claims

1. An electrical enclosure system for transferring heat from a closed environment, comprising:

an electrical device including a heat-generating part; and

a polymer-based ventless housing for protecting the electrical device from environmental contaminants, the ventless housing fully enclosing the electrical device and having at least three integrated molded layers, the at least three layers including

a base layer forming an impact-resistant portion of the ventless housing, the base layer including at least two open areas in close proximity to the heat-generating part, the base layer including a first side and an opposite second side,

a first integrated thermally conductive layer molded in a substantially parallel and overlapping manner to an internal surface of the first side of the base layer to form a water-tight union with the base layer, one of the open areas of the base layer being completely covered by the first integrated thermally conductive layer, the first integrated thermally conductive layer forming a first heat-flow path for conducting heat away from the heat-generating part towards an exterior environment, the first integrated thermally conductive layer being fixedly attached to the base layer in an immovable manner, and

a second integrated thermally conductive layer molded in a substantially parallel and overlapping manner to an internal surface of the second side of the base layer to form a water-tight union with the base layer, another one of the open areas of the base layer being completely covered by the second integrated thermally conductive layer, the second integrated thermally conductive layer forming a second heat-flow path for conducting heat away from the heat-generating part towards the exterior environment in an opposite direction to the first heat-flow path, the second integrated thermally conductive layer being fixedly attached to the base layer in an immovable manner.

2. The electrical enclosure system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first integrated thermally conductive layer and second integrated thermally conductive layer has an internal surface that is in direct contact with the heat-generating part.

3. The electrical enclosure system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first integrated thermally conductive layer and second integrated thermally conductive layer has an internal surface and an external surface, at least one of the internal surface and the external surface including protrusions for increasing surface area of heat absorption and dissipation.

4. The electrical enclosure system of claim 1, wherein the ventless housing further includes one or more heat transfer aids for further increasing conductance of heat towards the exterior environment.

5. An electrical enclosure system for efficient heat dissipation, comprising:

an electrical heat-generating device having at least one hot portion, the hot portion generating more heat than at least one other portion of the heat-generating device; and

a ventless housing enclosing the electrical heat-generating device and including

a first layer forming a structural portion of the ventless housing, the first layer including a first side and an opposite second side, each of the first side and second side having one or more open areas near the hot portion of the electrical heat-generating device,

a second layer integrated in a fixedly and immovable manner with the first side of the first layer and forming a first heat-flow path of the ventless housing, the second layer being adapted to conduct more heat than the first layer from the hot portion to an environment exterior of the ventless housing, the second layer being molded in a substantially parallel and overlapping manner to an internal surface of the first side, the second layer completely covering any open areas of the first side such that heat is conducted through the second layer, and

a third layer integrated in a fixedly and immovable manner with the second side of the first layer and forming a second heat-flow path of the ventless housing, the second heat-flow path conducting heat away from the heat-generating part towards the exterior environment in an opposite direction than the first heat-flow path, the third layer being adapted to conduct more heat than the first layer, the third layer being molded in a substantially parallel and overlapping manner to an internal surface of the second side, the third layer completely covering any open areas of the second side such that heat is conducted through the third layer.

6. The electrical enclosure system of claim 5, wherein the first layer is molded to at least one of the second layer and the third layer via an overmolding process.

7. The electrical enclosure system of claim 5, wherein each of the first layer, the second layer, and the third layer includes a polymer-based material.

8. The electrical enclosure system of claim 5, wherein at least one of the second layer and the third layer is in direct contact with the hot portion of the heat-generating device.

9. The electrical enclosure system of claim 5, wherein the first layer is a metal-based sheet and at least one of the second layer and the third layer is an internal liner.

10. The electrical enclosure system of claim 9, wherein the internal liner is polymeric.

11. The electrical enclosure system of claim 9, wherein the metal-based sheet is made via a method selected from a group consisting of one or more of stamping, laser cutting, forming, welding, piercing, or extruding.

12. The electrical enclosure system of claim 5, wherein at least one of surface of the second layer and third layer includes one or more protrusions for added surface area to increase heat absorption or heat dissipation.

13. The electrical enclosure system of claim 12, wherein the one or more protrusions include at least one protrusion selected from a group consisting of fins and bumps.

14. The electrical enclosure system of claim 5, wherein at least one of the second layer and third layer further includes a heat transfer aid selected from a group consisting of a paste and an adhesive.

15. The electrical enclosure system of claim 5, wherein the heat-generating device is a part included in an electrical device selected from a group consisting of an electrical communication hub, an electric generator, an electric meter, an electric monitor, and an electric transformer.