Patent Application
20240306349
The present disclosure relates to a cooler and an in-vehicle device including the cooler.
In-vehicle devices may include coolers thermally connected to electronic components to prevent heat damage on the electronic components during energization. A cooler dissipates heat transferred from an electronic component to air around the cooler. Thus, the electronic component is cooled. An example cooler cools an electronic component by dissipating heat transferred from the electronic component to cooling air drawn by a blower into a duct in an in-vehicle device. An example in-vehicle device including such a cooler is described in Patent Literature 1. An underfloor device described in Patent Literature 1 includes a duct for feeding cooling air, a blower for blowing cooling air to the duct, and a cooler including a heat dissipater located in the duct.
The underfloor device described in Patent Literature 1 includes the duct for feeding cooling air drawn from outside into an enclosed compartment with limited outside air inflow. This underfloor device also includes the cooler including the heat dissipater located in the duct for dissipating heat transferred from an electronic component accommodated in the enclosed compartment to cooling air. Thus, the underfloor device is to include the duct in which the heat dissipater as a part of the cooler is to be located. The underfloor device has a complicated structure. This issue is not limited to the underfloor device and may occur to any device including a cooler.
In response to the above circumstances, an objective of the present disclosure is to provide a cooler that can simplify the structure of an in-vehicle device, and an in-vehicle device with a simpler structure.
To achieve the above objective, a cooler according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes a heat-receiving block, a plurality of heat-dissipating members, and a channel definer. The heat-receiving block has a first main surface to which a heating element is attachable. The plurality of heat-dissipating members are fixed to a second main surface of the heat-receiving block opposite to the first main surface with spaces therebetween. The plurality of heat-dissipating members dissipate heat transferred from the heating element through the heat-receiving block to air flowing through the spaces. The channel definer covers the plurality of heat-dissipating members and is fixed to the second main surface of the heat-receiving block. The channel definer defines a flow channel for the air flowing through the spaces between the plurality of heat-dissipating members. The channel definer includes a plurality of vents for the air to flow into the flow channel and for the air drawn in the flow channel to flow out.
The cooler according to the above aspect of the present disclosure includes the flow channel extending through the spaces between the heat-dissipating members. An in-vehicle device including the cooler thus includes no duct. The in-vehicle device thus has a simpler structure.
A cooler and an in-vehicle device according to embodiments of the present disclosure are described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the figures, the same reference signs denote the same or equivalent components.
In Embodiment 1, an in-vehicle device 1 is described using an example in-vehicle device mountable on a railway vehicle. The in-vehicle device 1 illustrated in
The in-vehicle device 1 is, for example, a power conversion device that converts power supplied from an overhead line to three-phase alternating current (AC) power to be supplied to electric motors for generating a driving force for a railway vehicle, and supplies the three-phase AC power to a main electric motor. The in-vehicle device 1 as a power conversion device includes, for example, switching elements as the electronic components 21 that are heating elements. The in-vehicle device 1 includes the cooler 10 for preventing heat failure of the electronic components 21 during energization. The cooler 10 has an internal flow channel, and thus the in-vehicle device 1 includes no duct. The in-vehicle device 1 has a simpler structure than an in-vehicle device including a duct.
The components of the in-vehicle device 1 are described in detail.
The housing 20 is mounted under the floor of a railway vehicle with attachments, which are not illustrated. The housing 20 has two surfaces facing in Z-direction. One surface of the housing 20 has a first opening 20a, and the other surface has a first opening 20b. In detail, the housing 20 has the first opening 20a in the vertically lower surface, and the first opening 20b in the vertically upper surface.
The housing 20 accommodates the electronic components 21.
As illustrated in
The heat-receiving block 11 has the first main surface 11a and the second main surface 11b opposite to the first main surface 11a. The heat-receiving block 11 is preferably a flat plate member. In Embodiment 1, the first main surface 11a faces the second main surface 11b in Y-direction. The heat-receiving block 11 is formed from a highly thermally conductive material, for example, metal such as copper or aluminum.
The multiple heat-dissipating members 12 are fixed to the second main surface 11b of the heat-receiving block 11 with spaces therebetween. Each heat-dissipating member 12 dissipates heat transferred from the electronic components 21 through the heat-receiving block 11 to air flowing through the spaces. In Embodiment 1, the heat-dissipating members 12 are fins. In detail, the heat-dissipating members 12 are fins with main surfaces parallel to the YZ plane, and are fixed to the second main surface 11b at intervals in X-direction.
The heat-dissipating members 12 are formed from a highly thermally conductive material, for example, metal such as copper or aluminum. The heat-dissipating members 12 are fixed to the second main surface 11b of the heat-receiving block 11 with any method such as fitting, brazing, welding, attaching with adhesives, or fastening with fasteners. More specifically, the heat-dissipating members 12 may be fixed to the heat-receiving block 11 firmly for the heat-dissipating members 12 and the heat-receiving block 11 to maintain a constant positional relationship under vibration from a traveling railway vehicle.
The channel definer 13 covers the multiple heat-dissipating members 12 and is fixed to the second main surface 11b of the heat-receiving block 11 to define the flow channel 14 for air flowing through spaces between the multiple heat-dissipating members 12. In detail, the channel definer 13 defines the flow channel 14 extending in Z-direction. The channel definer 13 includes multiple vents, or more specifically, a vent 13a for air to flow into the flow channel 14 and a vent 13b for air in the flow channel 14 to flow out. In Embodiment 1, the vents 13a and 13b face each other in Z-direction. The vent 13a is located vertically downward from the vent 13b.
As illustrated in
The structure of the channel definer 13 is described in detail below.
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
The side wall members 15 are strong enough not to deform under vibration from a traveling railway vehicle. Each side wall member 15 is formed from, for example, an aluminum plate having a thickness of at least 10 millimeters.
The lid member 16 is a plate and is fixed to the pair of side wall members 15 in a direction in which the lid member 16 faces the second main surface 11b of the heat-receiving block 11 with the multiple heat-dissipating members 12 in between. In detail, the lid member 16 is fixed to the side wall members 15 with a main surface 16a in contact with side surfaces 15c each being the other one of two longitudinal side surfaces of the corresponding side wall member 15. In other words, the lid member 16 is fixed to the pair of side wall members 15 with the multiple heat-dissipating members 12 and the pair of side wall members 15 between the lid member 16 and the second main surface 11b. Each side wall member 15 has the side surface 15c opposite to the side surface 15b. The lid member 16 may be fixed to the side wall members 15 firmly for the lid member 16 and the side wall members 15 to maintain a constant positional relationship under vibration from a traveling railway vehicle.
The lid member 16 is strong enough not to deform under vibration from a traveling railway vehicle. The lid member 16 is formed from, for example, an aluminum plate having a thickness of at least 10 millimeters.
The vent 13a is a space surrounded by ends 151 of the side wall members 15, an end 161 of the lid member 16, and an end 111 of the heat-receiving block 11. Each end 151 is a portion of the side wall member 15 including one end in Z-direction. The end 151 has an end face 15d intersecting with Z-direction. The end 161 is a portion of the lid member 16 including one end in Z-direction. The end 161 has an end face 16b intersecting with Z-direction. The end 111 is a portion of the heat-receiving block 11 including one end in Z-direction. The end 111 has an end face 11c intersecting with Z-direction.
The vent 13b is a space surrounded by ends 152 of the side wall members 15, an end 162 of the lid member 16, and an end 112 of the heat-receiving block 11. Each end 152 is a portion of the side wall member 15 including the other end in Z-direction. The end 152 has an end face 15e intersecting with Z-direction. The end 162 is a portion of the lid member 16 including the other end in Z-direction. The end 162 has an end face 16c intersecting with Z-direction. The end 112 is a portion of the heat-receiving block 11 including the other end in Z-direction. The end 112 has an end face 11d intersecting with Z-direction.
As described above, the heat-receiving block 11, the pair of side wall members 15, and the lid member 16 define the flow channel 14 extending from the vent 13a through spaces between the heat-dissipating members 12 to the vent 13b. As illustrated in
As described above, air outside the housing 20 flows through the flow channel 14. The in-vehicle device 1 is expected to have sealability sufficient for reducing flowing of air from outside the housing 20 into the internal space of the housing 20 accommodating the electronic components 21.
Portions of the cooler 10 that are in contact with the housing 20 are thus preferably smooth and flat surfaces. In detail, the end faces 15d and 15e of each side wall member 15 illustrated in
The end faces 15d of the side wall members 15 and the end face 11c of the heat-receiving block 11 defining the vent 13a are preferably connected smoothly to each other. Being smoothly connected refers to the slope of a tangent plane being continuous. In Embodiment 1, the end faces 15d are flush with the end face 11c. The end faces 15d of the side wall members 15 and the end face 16b of the lid member 16 defining the vent 13a are preferably connected smoothly to each other. In Embodiment 1, the end faces 15d are flush with the end face 16b. In other words, the end faces 15d, 11c, and 16b are flush with one another.
Similarly, the end faces 15e of the side wall members 15 and the end face 11d of the heat-receiving block 11 defining the vent 13b are preferably connected smoothly to each other. In Embodiment 1, the end faces 15e are flush with the end face 11d. The end faces 15e of the side wall members 15 and the end face 16c of the lid member 16 defining the vent 13b are preferably connected smoothly to each other. In Embodiment 1, the end faces 15e are flush with the end face 16c. In other words, the end faces 15e, 11d, and 16c are flush with one another.
To improve the sealability of the in-vehicle device 1, the cooler 10 preferably includes a channel sealing member that seals the channel definer 13 fixed to the heat-receiving block 11, with the vents 13a and 13b being uncovered. The flow channel 14 is thus sealed with the channel sealing member, with the vents 13a and 13b being uncovered. In other words, flowing of air into or out of air the flow channel 14 without flowing through the vents 13a and 13b is reduced. Thus, flowing of air traveling through the flow channel 14 into the internal space of the housing 20 accommodating the electronic components 21 is reduced. Thus, the in-vehicle device 1 may have improved sealability.
In detail, the cooler 10 preferably includes a first channel sealing member filling a space between each of the side surfaces 15b of the side wall members 15 and the second main surface 11b of the heat-receiving block 11 to have sealability. The first channel sealing member is, for example, a waterproof and dustproof resin. For example, contact portions in which the side surfaces 15b of the side wall members 15 are to be in contact with the second main surface 11b of the heat-receiving block 11 may be treated to be waterproof and dustproof with a resin applied before the side wall members are fixed to the heat-receiving block 11 with fasteners. As described above, with the contact portions in which the side surfaces 15b of the side wall members 15 are to be in contact with the second main surface 11b of the heat-receiving block 11 treated to be waterproof and dustproof for being sealable, the in-vehicle device 1 may have improved sealability.
Preferably, the cooler 10 also includes a second channel sealing member filling a space between each of the side surfaces 15c of the side wall members 15 and the main surface 16a of the lid member 16 to have sealability. The second channel sealing member is, for example, a waterproof and dustproof resin. For example, portions in which the side surfaces 15c of the side wall members 15 are to be in contact with the main surface 16a of the lid member 16 may be treated to be waterproof and dustproof with a resin applied before the side wall members 15 and the lid member 16 are fastened with fasteners. As described above, with the portions in which the side surfaces 15c of the side wall members 15 are to be in contact with the main surface 16a of the lid member 16 treated to be waterproof and dustproof for being sealable, the in-vehicle device 1 may have improved sealability.
As described above, with the cooler 10 according to Embodiment 1 including the flow channel 14 for feeding air in the cooler 10, the in-vehicle device 1 is to include no duct for feeding cooling air. The in-vehicle device 1 thus has a simpler structure than an in-vehicle device including a duct.
In a structure including a duct, the entire duct is to be treated to be waterproof and dustproof. A device to be installed on, in particular, a railway vehicle is larger and thus includes an elongated duct. In this structure, many portions are to be treated to be waterproof and dustproof, complicating the manufacturing process. In contrast, the in-vehicle device 1 according to Embodiment 1 includes no duct, and thus has fewer portions to be treated to be waterproof and dustproof. The manufacturing process is thus simpler.
Although the in-vehicle device 1 described in Embodiment 1 performs natural air-cooling of the electronic components 21 by allowing outside air to flow through the flow channel 14 and dissipating heat generated by the electronic components 21 to the air through the heat-receiving block 11 and the heat-dissipating members 12, an in-vehicle device may perform forced air-cooling. An in-vehicle device 2 for forced air-cooling is described in Embodiment 2.
As illustrated in
The partition member 22 is located in the housing 20 with a main surface orthogonal to Y-direction, and divides the interior of the housing 20 into the first space 23 and the second space 24. The partition member 22 has a second opening 22a facing the vent 13a in the channel definer 13 included in the cooler 10 accommodated in the first space 23. The second opening 22a is preferably smaller than the vent 13a. The edge of the second opening 22a is preferably located inward from the edge of the vent 13a on the XZ plane.
The housing 20 has two surfaces facing in Y-direction. One surface of the housing 20 has an intake-exhaust port 20c, and the other surface has a first opening 20d. In detail, the intake-exhaust port 20c is located in a surface of the housing 20 that faces the second space 24 and is orthogonal to Y-axis. The intake-exhaust port 20c allows air outside the housing 20 to flow into the second space 24 or allows air in the second space 24 to flow out of the housing 20. A first opening 20d is located in a surface of the housing 20 that faces the first space 23 and is orthogonal to Y-axis. The first opening 20d faces the vent 13b in the channel definer 13 included in the cooler 10 accommodated in the first space 23. The first opening 20d is preferably smaller than the vent 13b. The edge of the first opening 20d is preferably located inward from the edge of the vent 13b on the XZ plane.
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
With the cooler 10 fixed to the housing 20 as described above, flowing of air outside the housing 20 into a space between the cooler 10 and the housing 20 in the first space 23 is reduced. The air outside the housing 20 flows into the second space 24 through the intake-exhaust port 20c.
With the blower 25 illustrated in
The air outside the housing 20 that flows through the intake-exhaust port 20c in the housing 20 into the second space 24 is drawn by the blower 25 and is blown out through the outlet in the blower 25 to the flow channel 14. The air blown out from the blower 25 into the flow channel 14 travels through the flow channel 14 and is released through the first opening 20d in the housing 20 to outside the housing 20. The heat generated by the electronic components 21 is dissipated to the air flowing through the flow channel 14 through the heat-receiving block 11 and the heat-dissipating members 12. This cools the electronic components 21. As illustrated in
As described above, the cooler 10 according to Embodiment 2 includes the flow channel 14 for feeding air in the cooler 10. Thus, cooling by forced air-cooling may be performed in the in-vehicle device 2 without a duct for feeding cooling air. The in-vehicle device 2 is thus simpler than an in-vehicle device with a duct.
In a structure including a duct, the entire duct is to be treated to be waterproof and dustproof. A device to be installed on, in particular, a railway vehicle is larger and thus includes an elongated duct. In this structure, many portions are to be treated to be waterproof and dustproof, complicating the manufacturing process. In contrast, the in-vehicle device 2 according to Embodiment 2 includes no duct, and thus includes fewer portions to be treated to be waterproof and dustproof. The manufacturing process is thus simpler.
Embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to the embodiments described above. The above embodiments may be combined. For example, as in the in-vehicle device 2, the internal space of the housing 20 in the in-vehicle device 1 may be divided into a first space 23 and a second space 24 by a partition member 22 having a main surface orthogonal to Y-direction. In this case, the partition member 22 may not have a second opening 22a. First openings 20a and 20b may be located in two surfaces of the housing 20 facing the first space 23 and facing each other in Z-direction.
The partition member 22 may be located in any manner other than the above examples. For example, in the housing 20 in the in-vehicle device 2, the partition member 22 may be located in the housing 20 with the main surface orthogonal to Z-direction. In this case, the second space 24 may be located, for example, vertically below, and the first space 23 may be located vertically above.
In the above embodiments, being fixed includes being integrally provided. For example, the heat-dissipating members 12 may be integrally provided with the heat-receiving block 11. When the heat-dissipating members 12 are integrally provided with the heat-receiving block 11, heat generated by the electronic components 21 is transferred more efficiently to air flowing through the flow channel 14 through the heat-receiving block 11 and the heat-dissipating members 12.
The pair of side wall members 15 may be integrally provided with the lid member 16. The pair of side wall members 15 that are integrally provided with the lid member 16 more reliably prevents dust, water, or other substances from flowing from the flow channel 14 into the internal space of the housing 20. The in-vehicle devices 1 and 2 may thus have improved sealability.
The heat-dissipating members 12 may have any shape other than in the examples described in the above embodiments. The heat-dissipating members 12 may have any shape that can transfer heat to air flowing through the flow channel 14. For example, the heat-dissipating members 12 may be protrusions extending away from the second main surface 11b. In this case, each heat-dissipating member 12 preferably has a tip thinner than a portion fixed to the second main surface 11b.
The heat-dissipating members 12 may be heat pipes. In this case, each heat-dissipating member 12 preferably includes a header pipe that is embedded in the heat-receiving block 11 and extending along the airflow in the flow channel 14, and a branch pipe connected to the header pipe and extending away from the heat-receiving block 11. A fan may be fixed to the branch pipe.
The vents 13a and 13b are not limited to two vents. For example, the channel definer 13 may define a flow channel 14 with branches, and may include one vent 13a for air to flow into the flow channel 14 and multiple vents 13b for air in the flow channel 14 to flow out.
The side wall members 15 and the lid member 16 may have any shape that can define the flow channel 14. The lid member 16 may be fixed to the main surfaces 15a of the side wall members 15.
To improve the sealability of the in-vehicle devices 1 and 2 further, portions in which the cooler 10 is to be in contact with the housing 20 are preferably treated to be waterproof and dustproof for being sealable. Similarly, portions in which the cooler 10 is to be in contact with the partition member 22 are preferably treated to be waterproof and dustproof for being sealable.
To improve the sealability of the in-vehicle devices 1 and 2, a filler member may fill a space between the cooler 10 and the housing 20. An in-vehicle device 3 illustrated in
The in-vehicle device 3 illustrated in
The first housing sealing members 17a and 17b may be, for example, gaskets. With the first housing sealing members 17a and 17b, flowing of air outside the housing 20 into the internal space of the housing 20 from the flow channel 14 is reduced.
To improve the sealability of the in-vehicle device 2, a filler member may fill a space between the cooler 10 and the partition member 22. An in-vehicle device 4 illustrated in
The in-vehicle device 4 illustrated in
The first housing sealing member 17c and the second housing sealing member 18 are, for example, gaskets. With the first housing sealing member 17c and the second housing sealing member 18, flowing of air outside the housing 20 into the first space 23 from the flow channel 14 is reduced.
The side wall members 15 illustrated in
Similarly, the lid member 16 is fixed to the side wall members 15 in any manner other than fastening with fasteners described in Embodiment 1. For example, the lid member 16 may be fixed to the side wall members 15 by brazing. In this case, a brazing material reduces flowing of air into the housing 20 accommodating the electronic components 21 from the flow channel 14. This eliminates waterproof and dustproof treatment in portions in which the main surface 16a of the lid member 16 is to be in contact with the side surfaces 15c of the side wall members 15.
The first openings 20a, 20b, and 20d and the intake-exhaust port 20c may be at any positions other than in the above examples. These openings may be at any positions that allow air to flow into the flow channel 14 in the cooler 10 and then to flow out. For example, the intake-exhaust port 20c may be located in a surface that faces the second space 24 in the housing 20 included in the in-vehicle device 2 illustrated in
The blower 25 accommodated in the housing 20 may face in any direction in accordance with the direction in which the blower 25 draws and blows air. The blower 25 may be located outside the housing 20. For example, the blower 25 may be adjacent to the first opening 20d outside the housing 20 to blow air outside the housing 20 to the flow channel 14 through the first opening 20d. In this case, the air flowing through the first opening 20d into the flow channel 14 flows through the second opening 22a into the second space 24, and flows out of the housing 20 through the intake-exhaust port 20c.
The in-vehicle devices 1 to 4 are not limited to power conversion devices that convert power supplied from an overhead line to three-phase AC power appropriate for powering main electric motors, and may be any devices that include heating elements and are mountable on a vehicle. The in-vehicle devices 1 to 4 may be mounted on any movable body other than a railway vehicle, such as an automobile, an aircraft, or a ship. The housing 20 may be mounted on a roof of a railway vehicle.
The housing 20 may be mounted on a railway vehicle in any direction other than the direction in the above examples. For example, the in-vehicle device 1 may be mounted on a railway vehicle with the main surfaces of the heat-dissipating members 12 being orthogonal to Y-direction.
The foregoing describes some example embodiments for explanatory purposes. Although the foregoing discussion has presented specific embodiments, persons skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the specification and drawings are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense. This detailed description, therefore, is not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the invention is defined only by the included claims, along with the full range of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/JP2021/009878 | 3/11/2021 | WO |
