Control device

• US 8,184,438 B2
• Filed: 02/19/2009
• Issued: 05/22/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Kaneko, Yujiro, Asano, Masahiko, Yoshinari, Hideto
• Primary Examiner(s): Thomas, Bradley
• Application Number:
  US12/389,220
• Publication Number:
  US 20090262503A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,188 Days
• Field of Search: 361/706, 361/709, 361/711, 361/719, 361/728, 361/705, 165 802- 803, 312/223.2, 439/76.2
• US Class Current: 361/705
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/026 Multiple connections subassemblies
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20854 Heat transfer by conduction from internal heat source to heat radiating structure H05K7/20863 takes precedence

Abstract

A modular control device comprises a control board, a sub-module and a housing cover, with a microcomputer mounted on the control board. The sub-module has a sub-module case provided with a wiring layer that is mounted into a wall of the sub-module case. Electronic parts are mounted in the sub-module case to electrically connect to the control board through the wiring layer. A housing cover accommodates the control board and the sub-module. A housing base is joined with the housing cover. The accommodation portion has a shape corresponding to a shape of each of the electronic parts is arranged in the housing cover. The sub-module is mounted to the housing cover with a heat radiation adhesive between the accommodation portion and each of the electronic parts.

Claims

1. A modular control device comprising:

a control board;

a sub-module having a sub-module case;

a wiring layer mounted into a wall of the sub-module case;

a plurality of electronic parts mounted in the sub-module case to electrically connect to the control board through the wiring layer;

a housing cover accommodating the control board and the sub-module; and

a housing base joined with the housing cover;

wherein,

the wiring layer is configured as a plate having lower resistance wiring for the plurality of electronic parts than a circuit wiring of the control board;

at least two of the electronic parts mounted in the sub-module case have mutually different shapes;

accommodation portions having respective different shapes corresponding to the different shapes of each of the electronic parts are arranged on an inner surface of the housing cover;

a heat radiation fin is formed on an outer surface of the housing cover;

the sub-module is disposed between the housing cover and the control board and is mounted to the housing cover with a heat radiation adhesive between each of the accommodation portions and both upper and side surfaces of each of the electronic parts; and

the electronic parts are fixed by being sandwiched between an inner surface of the sub-module case and the inner surface of the housing cover by fastening the sub-module case and the housing cover to each other.

2. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the heat radiation adhesive is provided in the accommodation portion before curing, and is cured after mounting the sub-module on the housing cover.

3. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the heat radiation adhesive is in contact with the housing cover side of the electronic parts and its contact area is less than a half of the entire surface area of the electronic parts.

4. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the control board and sub-module are fixed to said housing cover.

5. The control device according to claim 1, wherein said heat radiation fin is formed on the housing cover opposite a region where the accommodation portion is positioned on an inner surface of the housing cover.

6. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the housing cover is made of aluminum or aluminum alloy.

7. The control device according to claim 1, wherein:

the heat radiation adhesive is made of silicone resin; and

thermal conductivity of the heat radiation adhesive is 0.5 to 5 (W/mK), its modulus of elasticity is 1 to 1000 (kP) and its penetration value is in the range of 10 to 50, wherein a penetration value of 1 corresponds to a depth of 1/10 mm.

8. The control device according to claim 1, wherein:

the electronic parts are projected from an opening of the sub-module case in an exposed state; and

the sub-module is mounted on the housing cover so that the electronic parts are held with the heat radiation adhesive without contacting the bottom of the respective accommodation portions of the housing cover.