Coldplate for Use in an Electric Vehicle (EV) or a Hybrid-Electric Vehicle (HEV)

• US 20130312931A1
• Filed: 05/22/2012
• Published: 11/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Inventors: Sharaf, Nadir, Daftuar, Dilip, Kaminski, George, Hampo, Richard J., Yalamanchili, Venkat
• Granted Patent: US 8,971,038 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 165/67
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/209 Heat transfer by conduction from internal heat source to heat radiating structure H05K7/20909 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20927 Liquid coolant without phase change

Abstract

A coldplate for use with electronic components in an electric vehicle (EV) or a hybrid-electric vehicle (HEV). The coldplate includes a main portion having multiple raised features on a surface thereof. The raised features are configured for attaching the main portion to a printed circuit board having multiple electronic components attached thereto. The raised features are further configured for maintaining the printed circuit board in a spaced relation relative to the main portion to facilitate air flow between the printed circuit board and the main portion for dissipating heat generated by the plurality of electronic components. The coldplate also includes a protrusion extending from the surface of the main portion. The protrusion is configured for contacting one of the plurality of electronic components attached to the printed circuit board for dissipating heat generated by the electronic component.

Claims

1. A coldplate for use with electronic components in an electric vehicle (EV) or a hybrid-electric vehicle (HEV), the coldplate comprising:

a main portion having a plurality of raised features on a surface thereof, the raised features configured for attaching the main portion to a printed circuit board having a plurality of electronic components attached thereto, the raised features further configured for maintaining the printed circuit board in a spaced relation relative to the main portion to facilitate air flow between the printed circuit board and the main portion for dissipating heat generated by the plurality of electronic components; and

a protrusion extending from the surface of the main portion, the protrusion configured for contacting one of the plurality of electronic components attached to the printed circuit board for dissipating heat generated by the electronic component.

2. The coldplate of claim 1 wherein the protrusion extending from the surface of the main portion is configured for extending through an opening formed in the printed circuit board.

3. The coldplate of claim 1 wherein the protrusion comprises a substantially plate-like member extending substantially perpendicularly from the surface of the main portion.

4. The coldplate of claim 1 wherein the protrusion defines a recess having a floor and a plurality of walls, the recess configured for receiving a transformer having a bottom surface and a plurality of side surfaces, the floor of the recess configured for contacting the bottom surface of the transformer and the walls of the recess configured for contacting the plurality of side surfaces of transformer for dissipating heat generated by the transformer.

5. The coldplate of claim 1 wherein the recess is oriented for substantial alignment with an opening formed in the printed circuit board.

6. The coldplate of claim 2 wherein the one of the plurality of electronic components comprises a MOSFET having a surface, and wherein the protrusion comprises a contact surface having an area configured for contacting substantially all of the surface of the MOSFET for dissipating heat generated by the MOSFET.

7. The coldplate of claim 3 wherein the one of the plurality of electronic components comprises a MOSFET having a substantially planar surface, and wherein the protrusion comprises a contact surface having an area configured for contacting substantially all of the surface of the MOSFET for dissipating heat generated by the MOSFET.

8. The coldplate of claim 2 wherein the one of the plurality of electronic components comprises a bus bar having a surface, and wherein the protrusion comprises a contact surface having an area configured for contacting the surface of the bus bar for dissipating heat generated by the bus bar.

9. The coldplate of claim 3 wherein the one of the plurality of electronic components comprises a bus bar having a substantially planar surface, and wherein the protrusion comprises a contact surface having an area configured for contacting the surface of the bus bar for dissipating heat generated by the bus bar.

10. A heat sink for use with electronic components in an electric vehicle (EV) or a hybrid-electric vehicle (HEV), the heat sink comprising:

a main portion having a plurality of raised features on a surface thereof, the raised features configured for attaching the main portion to a printed circuit board having a plurality of electronic components attached thereto, the raised features further configured for maintaining the printed circuit board in a spaced relation relative to the main portion to facilitate air flow between the printed circuit board and the main portion for dissipating heat generated by the plurality of electronic components; and

a plurality of protrusion extending from the surface of the main portion, the plurality of protrusion configured for contacting the plurality of electronic components attached to the printed circuit board for dissipating heat generated by the electronic components;

wherein one of the plurality of protrusions comprises a substantially plate-like member extending substantially perpendicularly from the surface of the main portion, and another of the plurality of protrusion defines a recess having a floor and a plurality of walls, the recess configured for receiving a transformer having a bottom surface and a plurality of side surfaces, the floor of the recess configured for contacting the bottom surface of the transformer and the walls of the recess configured for contacting the plurality of side surfaces of transformer for dissipating heat generated by the transformer.

11. The heat sink of claim 10 wherein the protrusion extending from the surface of the main portion is configured for extending through an opening formed in the printed circuit board.

12. The heat sink of claim 10 wherein the recess is oriented for substantial alignment with an opening formed in the printed circuit board.

13. The heat sink of claim 10 wherein the one of the plurality of electronic components comprises a MOSFET having a substantially planar surface, and wherein the protrusion comprises a contact surface having an area configured for contacting substantially all of the surface of the MOSFET for dissipating heat generated by the MOSFET.

14. The heat sink of claim 10 wherein the one of the plurality of electronic components comprises a bus bar having a substantially planar surface, and wherein the protrusion comprises a contact surface having an area configured for contacting the surface of the bus bar for dissipating heat generated by the bus bar.

15. The heat sink of claim 10 wherein the main portion has a substantially plate-like shape.

16. A heat sink for use with electronic components in an electric vehicle (EV) or a hybrid-electric vehicle (HEV), the heat sink comprising:

a main portion having a plurality of raised features on a surface thereof, the raised features configured for attaching the main portion to a printed circuit board having a plurality of electronic components attached thereto, the raised features further configured for maintaining the printed circuit board in a spaced relation relative to the main portion to facilitate air flow between the printed circuit board and the main portion for dissipating heat generated by the plurality of electronic components; and

a protrusion extending from the surface of the main portion, the protrusion configured for contacting one of the plurality of electronic components attached to the printed circuit board for dissipating heat generated by the electronic component;

wherein the protrusion comprises a substantially plate-like member extending substantially perpendicularly from the surface of the main portion and configured for extending through an opening formed in the printed circuit board.

17. The heat sink of claim 16 further comprising another protrusion defining a recess having a floor and a plurality of walls, the recess configured for receiving a transformer having a bottom surface and a plurality of side surfaces, the floor of the recess configured for contacting the bottom surface of the transformer and the walls of the recess configured for contacting the plurality of side surfaces of transformer for dissipating heat generated by the transformer.

18. The heat sink of claim 16 wherein the recess is oriented for substantial alignment with an opening formed in the printed circuit board.

19. The heat sink of claim 16 wherein the one of the plurality of electronic components comprises a MOSFET having a substantially planar surface, and wherein the protrusion comprises a contact surface having an area configured for contacting substantially all of the surface of the MOSFET for dissipating heat generated by the MOSFET.

20. The heat sink of claim 16 wherein the one of the plurality of electronic components comprises a bus bar having a substantially planar surface, and wherein the protrusion comprises a contact surface having an area configured for contacting the surface of the bus bar for dissipating heat generated by the bus bar.