Electronic control unit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11051430-B2
Application number	US-201615090169-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 4, 2016
Priority date	Apr 6, 2015
Publication date	Jun 29, 2021
Grant date	Jun 29, 2021

Abstract

An electronic control unit includes a substrate, a plurality of electronic components, and a heat sink. The plurality of electronic components are mounted on the substrate, and include an integrated circuit and a plurality of tall components. The plurality of tall components are taller than the integrated circuit. The heat sink includes a recess collectively accommodating the plurality of tall components, and is provided on a side on which the plurality of tall components are mounted on the substrate.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic control unit comprising:
a substrate;
a plurality of electronic components that are mounted on the substrate and include:
an integrated circuit;
a semiconductor switching element; and
a plurality of tall components that are taller than the integrated circuit and the semiconductor switching element;

a heat sink formed from metal positioned on and contacting a first surface of the substrate;
a cover positioned over a second surface of the substrate that is opposite to the first surface and configured to cover the second surface of the substrate, and
a connector positioned on the first surface of the substrate, wherein
the plurality of tall components and the semiconductor switching element are mounted on the first surface of the substrate,
the plurality of tall components includes at least one of a coil, a mechanical relay, and a capacitor,
the heat sink comprises a first recess, a second recess, and a third recess,
the first recess faces the first surface of the substrate and is configured to receive the plurality of tall components,
the second recess faces the first surface of the substrate and is configured to receive the semiconductor switching element,
the third recess faces the first surface of the substrate and is configured to receive the connector,
the first recess comprises a first depth, which is defined as a distance in a thickness direction of the heat sink from a surface of the heat sink that contacts the substrate to a surface of the first recess that faces the substrate,
the second recess comprises a second depth, which is defined as a distance in the thickness direction of the heat sink from a surface of the heat sink that contacts the substrate to a surface of the second recess that faces the substrate,
the heat sink comprises a first thickness along the thickness direction, which is defined as a distance from the surface of the first recess that faces the substrate to a surface of the heat sink that faces away from the substrate,
the heat sink comprises a second thickness along the thickness direction, which is defined as a distance from the surface of the second recess that faces the substrate to the surface of the heat sink that faces away from the substrate,
the second thickness is greater than the first thickness,
a sum of the first thickness and the first depth is equal to a sum of the second thickness and the second depth,
the heat sink directly contacts the first surface of the substrate, and the first recess receives the plurality of tall components such that the plurality of tall components are enclosed by the first recess and the substrate, and
an unoccupied and empty clearance is formed between a surface of the first recess and an outer periphery of the plurality of tall components, except on a substrate-side of the plurality of tall components.

2. The electronic control unit according to claim 1 , wherein:
a surface of the heat sink that faces the first surface of the substrate is in direct contact with the first surface of the substrate.

3. The electronic control unit according to claim 1 , wherein:
the unoccupied and empty clearance is formed around the entire outer periphery of the plurality of tall components except on the substrate-side of the plurality of tall components.

4. The electronic control unit according to claim 1 , wherein:
the unoccupied and empty clearance is evenly formed.

5. The electronic control unit according to claim 1 , wherein:
the first recess is formed linearly in conformity with exterior shapes of the plurality of tall components.

6. The electronic control unit according to claim 1 , wherein:
a metal surface of the heat sink directly contacts the first surface of the substrate.

7. The electronic control unit according to claim 1 , wherein:
an inner periphery of the cover is in contact with an outer periphery of the heat sink.

8. The electronic control unit according to claim 1 , wherein:
the heat sink collectively accommodates the tall components and the semiconductor switching element.

9. The electronic control unit according to claim 1 , wherein:
the cover comprises a closed-end cylindrical shape.

10. The electronic control unit according to claim 9 , wherein:
the substrate is enclosed within the cover.

11. The electronic control unit according to claim 10 , wherein:
the heat sink comprises peripheral edges when viewed along the thickness direction, and
the cover covers a plurality of the peripheral edges of the heat sink.

12. An electromotive power steering system for a vehicle comprising:
an electronic control unit comprising:
a substrate;
a plurality of electronic components that are mounted on the substrate and include:
an integrated circuit;
a semiconductor switching element; and
a plurality of tall components that are taller than the integrated circuit and the semiconductor switching element, the plurality of tall components on a side of the substrate;

a heat sink formed from metal positioned on and contacting a first surface of the substrate;
a cover mounted on an opposite side of the substrate than the heat sink, the cover positioned over a second surface of the substrate that is opposite to the first surface and configured to cover the second surface of the substrate; and
a connector positioned on the first surface of the substrate,
wherein

the integrated circuit is mounted on the opposite side of the substrate than the heat sink,
the cover covers the integrated circuit,
the plurality of electronic components include a semiconductor switching element,
the semiconductor switching element is mounted on a surface of the substrate on the heat sink-side, or on a surface of the substrate on an opposite side of the substrate from the heat sink,
the plurality of tall components and the semiconductor switching element constitute a circuit through which an electric current flows from a power supply of the vehicle to a motor of the electromotive power steering system,
the plurality of tall components and the semiconductor switching element are mounted on the first surface of the substrate,
the plurality of tall components includes at least one of a coil, a mechanical relay, and a capacitor,
the integrated circuit and a microcomputer control operations of the plurality of tall components and the semiconductor switching element to control drive of the motor,
the heat sink includes a first recess, a second recess, and a third recess,
the first recess faces the first surface of the substrate and is configured to receive-one or more of the plurality of tall components,
the second recess faces the first surface of the substrate and is configured to receive one or more of a plurality of short components,
the third recess faces the first surface of the substrate and is configured to receive the connector,
the first recess comprises a first depth, which is defined as a distance in a thickness direction of the heat sink from a surface of the heat sink that contacts the substrate to a surface of the first recess that faces the substrate,
the second recess comprises a second depth, which is defined as a distance in the thickness direction of the heat sink from a surface of the heat sink that contacts the substrate to a surface of the second recess that faces the substrate,
the one or more of the plurality of short components being shorter than the one or more of the plurality of tall components,
the heat sink comprises a first thickness along the thickness direction, which is defined as a distance from the surface of the first recess that faces the substrate to a surface of the heat sink that faces

Assignees

• Denso Corp

Inventors

• Shibata Shinji

Classifications

• H10W40/22

  characterised by their shape, e.g. having conical or cylindrical projections · CPC title

• H10W40/10 Primary

  Arrangements for heating · CPC title

• H05K7/20454 Primary

  with a conformable or flexible structure compensating for irregularities, e.g. cushion bags, thermal paste · CPC title

• H05K7/209

  Heat transfer by conduction from internal heat source to heat radiating structure (H05K7/20909 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H05K7/20472

  Sheet interfaces · CPC title