Circuit structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11991815-B2
Application number	US-202017623781-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 24, 2020
Priority date	Jul 15, 2019
Publication date	May 21, 2024
Grant date	May 21, 2024

Abstract

Provided is a circuit structure having a novel structure that allows heat from a heat-generating component to be dissipated more efficiently. A circuit structure includes: a heat-generating component that generates heat when energized; energization bus bars that are connected to connection portions of the heat-generating component; cooling members that are formed separately from the energization bus bars, and are connected to the connection portions of the heat-generating component along with energization bus bars, and the heat-transfer portions that are provided in the cooling members, and are in heat-conductive contact with a heat-dissipating body.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A circuit structure comprising:
a heat-generating component that generates heat when energized;
an energization bus bar that is connected to a connection portion of the heat-generating component;
a cooling member that is formed separately from the energization bus bar, and is connected to the connection portion of the heat-generating component along with the energization bus bar; and
a heat transfer portion that is provided in the cooling member, and is in heat-conductive contact with a heat-dissipating body,
wherein a direction in which the energization bus bar extends from the connection portion of the heat-generating component and a direction in which the cooling member extends from the connection portion of the heat-generating component are different, and
wherein an external connection portion of the energization bus bar extends in a plane parallel to, and in a same direction as, the heat transfer portion of the cooling member.

2. The circuit structure according to claim 1 ,
wherein, at the connection portion of the heat-generating component, the energization bus bar is disposed on the connection portion side relative to the cooling member.

3. The circuit structure according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a case that houses the energization bus bar, the cooling member, and the heat-generating component,
wherein the cooling member is in heat-conductive contact with the heat-generating component, at the connection portion, and the heat transfer portion is in heat-conductive contact with the case, which is the heat-dissipating body.

4. The circuit structure according to claim 3 , further comprising:
a first heat-conducting member that is interposed between contact surfaces of the heat transfer portion and the case,
wherein the first heat-conducting member is positioned relative to a contact part of the case that comes into contact with the heat transfer portion.

5. The circuit structure according to claim 4 ,
wherein the contact part of the case that comes into contact with the heat transfer portion is in heat-conductive contact with another member that is the heat-dissipating body on an outer surface-side of the case,
the circuit structure further comprises a second heat-conducting member that is interposed between contact surfaces of the other member and the outer surface side of the case, and
the second heat-conducting member is positioned relative to the contact part on the outer surface side of the case.

6. The circuit structure according to claim 5 ,
wherein the contact part of the case that comes into contact with the heat transfer portion is thinner than the vicinity of the contact part in the case, and the second heat-conducting member is positioned relative to the contact part by a level difference that is formed at a boundary between the contact part and the vicinity.

7. The circuit structure according to claim 4 ,
wherein the contact part of the case that comes into contact with the heat transfer portion is thinner than the vicinity of the contact part in the case, and the first heat-conducting member is positioned relative to the contact part by a level difference that is formed at a boundary between the contact part and the vicinity.

8. The circuit structure according to claim 3 ,
wherein a contact part of the case that comes into contact with the heat transfer portion is thinner than the vicinity of the contact part in the case.

9. The circuit structure according to claim 1 ,
wherein the energization bus bar and the cooling member are made of different materials.

10. The circuit structure according to claim 1 ,
wherein the heat transfer portion of the cooling member is in heat-conductive contact with the heat-generating component.

11. The circuit structure according to claim 10 ,
wherein the cooling member includes a bolt fastening portion that is bolted to the connection portion, and
a bolt insertion hole provided in the bolt fastening portion includes a tolerance-absorbing space that absorbs the tolerance of the heat-generating component and allows the heat transfer portion to come into contact with the heat-generating component.

12. The circuit structure according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a case that houses the energization bus bar, the cooling member, and the heat-generating component, and
a first heat-conducting member that is interposed between contact surfaces of the heat transfer portion and the case,
wherein a pair of connection portions are provided in the heat-generating component,
the energization bus bar and the cooling member formed separately from each other are connected to one of the connection portions,
an energization bus bar that includes a heat-dissipating portion is connected to the other connection portion, and
the heat transfer portion is extended toward the energization bus bar that includes the heat-dissipating portion and the heat transfer portion and the heat-dissipating portion are in heat-conductive contact with the case via the one first heat-conducting member.

13. The circuit structure according to claim 12 ,
wherein the energization bus bar connected to the other connection portion is routed between the heat-generating component and the first heat-conducting member.

14. The circuit structure according to claim 12 , further comprising:
a plurality of heat-generating components,
wherein a plurality of energization bus bars that each include the heat-dissipating portion are thermally connected to the plurality of heat-generating components, and
the heat transfer portion and the plurality of heat-dissipating portions are in heat-conductive contact with the case via the one first heat-conducting member.

Assignees

• Autonetworks Technologies Ltd
• Sumitomo Wiring Systems
• Sumitomo Electric Industries

Inventors

• Igura Koushi
• Shimoda Hiroki
• Yanagida Taiji
• KOMAKI Kazuya
• Asano Ayaka

Classifications

• H05K7/2089

  for power electronics, e.g. for inverters for controlling motor · CPC title

• H05K1/0203 Primary

  Cooling of mounted components (H05K1/0272 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H05K5/0026

  provided with connectors and printed circuit boards [PCB], e.g. automotive electronic control units · CPC title

• H05K2201/10272

  Busbars, i.e. thick metal bars mounted on the printed circuit board [PCB] as high-current conductors · CPC title

• H05K1/021 Primary

  Components thermally connected to metal substrates or heat-sinks by insert mounting · CPC title