Automotive liquid-cooling cooler structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025374490-A1
Application number	US-202519305785-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 21, 2025
Priority date	Jan 9, 2023
Publication date	Dec 4, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

An automotive liquid-cooling cooler structure includes a liquid-cooling cooler body, an outer frame, and a reserved structure. The liquid-cooling cooler body is located in a frame opening of the outer frame, the reserved structure is located at a gap between the liquid-cooling cooler body and the outer frame, and the reserved structure is configured for joining the liquid-cooling cooler body to the outer frame by friction stir welding.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An automotive liquid-cooling cooler structure, comprising:
a liquid-cooling cooler body; an outer frame; and a reserved structure; wherein the liquid-cooling cooler body is located in a frame opening of the outer frame, the reserved structure is located at a gap between the liquid-cooling cooler body and the outer frame, and the reserved structure is configured for joining the liquid-cooling cooler body to the outer frame by friction stir welding; wherein the liquid-cooling cooler body includes a metal housing and a plurality of liquid connectors located outside the metal housing for a cooling liquid flowing in and out of the metal housing; wherein the metal housing includes a first cover and a second cover, and the first cover and the second cover are joined to form a cavity of the metal housing; wherein the second cover has a first heat-dissipating surface and a second heat-dissipating surface that are opposite to each other, the first heat-dissipating surface is in contact with the cooling liquid, the second heat-dissipating surface is in contact with a first power component set, a second power component set, and a third power component set; wherein a first fin set is connected with the first heat-dissipating surface and located in a first heat-dissipating region, and the first heat-dissipating region is defined by a first projection area formed by projecting the first power component set on the first heat-dissipating surface; wherein a second fin set is connected with the first heat-dissipating surface and located in a second heat-dissipating region, and the second heat-dissipating region is defined by a second projection area formed by projecting the second power component set on the first heat-dissipating surface; wherein a third fin set is connected with the first heat-dissipating surface and located in a third heat-dissipating region, and the third heat-dissipating region is defined by a third projection area formed by projecting the third power component set on the first heat-dissipating surface; wherein a surface area of the first fin set located in the first heat-dissipating region in contact with the cooling liquid is less than or equal to a surface area of the second fin set located in the second heat-dissipating region in contact with the cooling liquid; wherein the surface area of the first fin set located in the first heat-dissipating region in contact with the cooling liquid is less than a surface area of the third fin set located in the third heat-dissipating region in contact with the cooling liquid; wherein any two adjacent ones of the first, second, and third heat-dissipating regions have an auxiliary heat-dissipating region formed therebetween, a guide fin set is formed on the first heat-dissipating surface and located in the auxiliary heat-dissipating region, and a surface area of the guide fin set located in the auxiliary heat-dissipating region in contact with the cooling liquid is less than 50% of the surface area of the first fin set located in the first heat-dissipating region in contact with the cooling liquid.

2 . The automotive liquid-cooling cooler structure according to claim 1 , wherein a length direction of each of fins of the guide fin set located in the auxiliary heat-dissipating region is inclined at an included angle of 5 to 25 degrees relative to a flow direction of the cooling liquid.

3 . The automotive liquid-cooling cooler structure according to claim 1 , wherein a contour of each of fins of the first fin set that is located in the first heat-dissipating region is drop-shaped, and a contour of each of fins of the second fin set and the third fin set that are respectively located in the second heat-dissipating region and the third heat-dissipating region is round-shaped.

4 . The automotive liquid-cooling cooler structure according to claim 3 , wherein a centroid-to-centroid distance between any two adjacent ones of the fins of the first fin set that is located in the first heat-dissipating region ranges from 1.3 mm to 1.5 mm, and a centroid-to-centroid distance between any two adjacent ones of the fins of the third fin set that is located in the third heat-dissipating region ranges from 1.0 mm to 1.2 mm.

5 . The automotive liquid-cooling cooler structure according to claim 1 , wherein each of the first cover and the second cover is one of a forged piece, a cast piece, a die-cast piece, and a metal injection-molded piece, and each of the first cover and the second cover is made from one of copper, aluminum, a copper alloy, and an aluminum alloy.

6 . The automotive liquid-cooling cooler structure according to claim 1 , wherein the outer frame is one of a cast piece, a die-cast piece, an extruded piece, a machined piece, and a metal assembly, and the outer frame is made from one of copper, aluminum, a copper alloy, and an aluminum alloy.

7 . The automotive liquid-cooling cooler structure according to claim 1 , wherein the reserved structure includes at least one first reserved planar structure formed by the liquid-cooling cooler body extending toward an inner periphery of the outer frame and at least one second reserved planar structure formed by the inner periphery of the outer frame extending toward the liquid-cooling cooler body; wherein the at least one first reserved planar structure and the at least one second reserved planar structure correspondingly form a lap joint, so that a solid-state welded portion is formed between the at least one first reserved planar structure and the at least one second reserved planar structure by friction stir welding.

8 . The automotive liquid-cooling cooler structure according to claim 1 , wherein the reserved structure includes at least one first reserved planar structure formed by the liquid-cooling cooler body extending toward an inner periphery of the outer frame and at least one second reserved planar structure formed by the inner periphery of the outer frame extending toward the liquid-cooling cooler body; wherein the at least one first reserved planar structure and the at least one second reserved planar structure correspondingly form an abutting joint, so that a solid-state welded portion is formed between the at least one first reserved planar structure and the at least one second reserved planar structure by friction stir welding.

9 . The automotive liquid-cooling cooler structure according to claim 1 , wherein the reserved structure includes at least one first reserved planar structure formed by the liquid-cooling cooler body extending toward an inner periphery of the outer frame and at least one second reserved planar structure formed by the inner periphery of the outer frame extending toward the liquid-cooling cooler body; wherein the at least one first reserved planar structure and the at least one second reserved planar structure correspondingly form a T-shaped connection, so that a solid-state welded portion is formed between the at least one first reserved planar structure and the at least one second reserved planar structure by friction stir welding.

10 . The automotive liquid-cooling cooler structure according to claim 1 , wherein the reserved structure includes at least one first reserved arc-shaped structure formed by the liquid-cooling cooler body extending toward an inner periphery of the outer frame and at least one second reserved arc-shaped structure formed by the inner periphery of the outer frame extending toward the liquid-cooling cooler body; wherein the at least one first reserved arc-shaped structure and the at least one second reserved arc-shaped structure correspondingly form a lap joint, so that a solid-state welded portion is formed between the at least one first rese

Assignees

• Amulaire Thermal Tech Inc

Inventors

• Lee Kuo-Wei
• Yeh Tze-Yang

Classifications

• H05K7/20254

  Cold plates transferring heat from heat source to coolant · CPC title

• H05K7/20927

  Liquid coolant without phase change · CPC title

• B23K2101/14

  Heat exchangers · CPC title

• B23K2103/12

  Copper or alloys thereof · CPC title

• B23K2103/10

  Aluminium or alloys thereof · CPC title