Cooling device and robot control device having a cooling device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10682773-B2
Application number	US-201816481947-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 22, 2018
Priority date	Jan 30, 2017
Publication date	Jun 16, 2020
Grant date	Jun 16, 2020

Abstract

A cooling device for cooling electrical components of a robot control device with cooling air flow generated by a fan having a first receiving space for first electrical components, a second receiving space for second electrical components, and a cooling body wall fluidically separating the first receiving space from the second receiving space. The cooling body wall has a first separating wall surface facing the first receiving space and an opposite second separating wall surface facing an intermediate space of the cooling body wall. The second separating wall surface includes cooling wall projections that form at least one flow channel. The cooling body wall has a cooling air passage opening that is designed to convey a cooling air flow conveyed by at least one fan of the cooling device from the first receiving space, through the cooling body wall, into the intermediate space.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cooling device for cooling electrical components of a robot control device with a cooling air flow generated by at least one fan, the cooling device comprising:
a first receiving space for first ones of the electrical components of the robot control device;
a second receiving space for second ones of the electrical components of the robot control device;
a cooling body wall fluidically separating the first receiving space from the second receiving space, the cooling body wall comprising:
a first separating wall surface facing the first receiving space,
a second separating wall surface disposed opposite the first separating wall surface and facing an intermediate space of the cooling body wall, the second separating wall surface including cooling wall projections that form at least one flow channel, the at least one flow channel comprises at least one first flow channel, and
a cooling air passage opening configured to convey the cooling air flow conveyed by the at least one fan from the first receiving space, through the cooling body wall, and into the intermediate space, the cooling air passage opening is arranged proximate a first end portion of the cooling body wall;
wherein the at least one first flow channel comprises:
a first inflow channel portion originating from the cooling air passage opening and leading to a second end portion of the cooling body wall opposite the first end portion of the cooling body wall, and
a first return flow channel portion originating from the second end portion of the cooling body wall and returning the cooling air flow to the first end portion of the cooling body wall; and

a first exhaust opening at the first end portion through which cooling air exits the intermediate space.

2. The cooling device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one fan comprises a first fan arranged proximate the cooling air passage opening; and
the first fan configured to draw the cooling air from the first receiving space and discharge the cooling air into the intermediate space.

3. The cooling device of claim 2 , wherein the first fan is configured as a radial fan and is arranged such that the first fan draws the cooling air from the first receiving space in an axial direction of the first fan and discharges the cooling air in a radial direction of the first fan into the intermediate space.

4. The cooling device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first lid connected with the cooling body wall and arranged on a side of the second separating wall surface of the cooling body wall; the first lid covering the cooling wall projections that form the at least one flow channel such that the at least one flow channel is fluidically enclosed by the second separating wall surface, the cooling wall projections, and the first lid.

5. The cooling device of claim 4 , wherein the first lid comprises a recess configured for conveying the cooling air flow conveyed by the at least one fan from the second receiving space, through the first lid, and into the intermediate space.

6. The cooling device of claim 5 , wherein the at least one fan comprises a second fan arranged proximate the recess of the first lid; the second fan configured to draw the cooling air from the second receiving space and discharge the cooling air into the intermediate space.

7. The cooling device of claim 6 , wherein the second fan is configured as a radial fan and is arranged such that the second fan draws the cooling air from the second receiving space in an axial direction of the second fan and discharges the cooling air in a radial direction of the second fan into the intermediate space.

8. The cooling device of claim 5 wherein:
the recess of the first lid is arranged in a region of the first end portion of the cooling body wall;
the at least one flow channel further comprises at least one second flow channel that comprises:
a second inflow channel portion originating from the recess of the first lid and leading to a second end portion of the cooling body wall opposite the first end portion of the cooling body wall, and
a second return flow channel portion originating from the second end portion of the cooling body wall and returning the cooling air flow to the first end portion of the cooling body wall; and

the cooling device further comprises a second exhaust opening at the first end portion through which the cooling air exits the intermediate space.

9. The cooling device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a plurality of fastening domes on the first separating wall surface of the cooling body wall and facing the first receiving space; the fastening domes configured for fastening at least one of the electrical components, the at least one of the electrical components comprises at least one power semiconductor component such that, in a fastened state of the at least one of the electrical component, the at least one power semiconductor component rests in a heat-transferring way against the first separating wall surface of the cooling body wall.

10. The cooling device of claim 1 , wherein the cooling body wall is configured as an integral die-cast cooling body.

11. The cooling device of claim 1 , wherein the cooling body wall comprises an enveloping, delimiting side wall that encloses, in a frame-like manner, the cooling body wall, the side wall extending at least substantially perpendicular to a plane of the cooling body wall and configured to form a housing outer wall of a housing of the robot control device.

12. The cooling device of claim 11 , wherein the cooling body wall and the enveloping, delimiting side wall that forms the housing outer wall of the housing of the robot control device are configured as an integral die-cast cooling body.

13. A robot control device comprising a cooling device according to claim 1 .

Assignees

• Kuka Deutschland Gmbh

Inventors

• Wagner Michael
• Werner Gerhard
• Selic Mario

Classifications

• H10W40/43

  by flowing gases, e.g. forced air cooling · CPC title

• B25J19/0054 Primary

  Cooling means · CPC title

• H05K7/20918 Primary

  the components being isolated from air flow, e.g. hollow heat sinks, wind tunnels or funnels · CPC title

• H05K7/2039

  characterised by the heat transfer by conduction from the heat generating element to a dissipating body (arrangements for increasing/decreasing heat-transfer, e.g. fins details, F28F13/00) · CPC title

• H05K7/20145

  Means for directing air flow, e.g. ducts, deflectors, plenum or guides · CPC title