Electronic device with waterproof enclosure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9485891-B2
Application number	US-201414522223-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 23, 2014
Priority date	Oct 24, 2013
Publication date	Nov 1, 2016
Grant date	Nov 1, 2016

Abstract

An electronic device including a sealed enclosure, the electronic components arranged inside the sealed enclosure and including high-loss high-temperature components, a main heat sink including ribs, wherein the high-loss high-temperature components are attached to the main heat sink and the ribs of the main heat sink are arranged outside the enclosure, a cavity formed inside the enclosure and divided into a plurality of channel-like sections, the channel-like sections configured for providing air flow guidance inside the enclosure and being interconnected at their ends, wherein at least one channel-like section contains the electronic components and at least one other channel-like section contains an air-to-air heat exchanger extending from inside the sealed enclosure to outside of the sealed enclosure, wherein the electronic components inside the at least one channel like section are adapted to be cooled by air flow inside the sealed enclosure.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device comprising:
a sealed enclosure;
electronic components arranged inside the sealed enclosure and including one or more high-loss high-temperature components;
a main heat sink including ribs, wherein the high-loss high-temperature components are attached to the main heat sink and the ribs of the main heat sink are arranged outside the enclosure;
a cavity formed inside the enclosure and divided into a plurality of channel-like sections, the channel-like sections configured for providing air flow guidance inside the enclosure and being interconnected at their ends, wherein
at least one channel-like section contains the electronic components and at least one other channel-like section contains an air-to-air heat exchanger extending from inside the sealed enclosure to outside of the sealed enclosure, wherein the electronic components inside the at least one channel like section are adapted to be cooled by air flow inside the sealed enclosure, wherein
the air-to-air heat exchanger comprises:
an auxiliary heat sink; and
an internal heat sink, a base plate of the auxiliary heat sink and a base plate of the internal heat sink being connected to each other.

2. An electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the main heat sink, air-to-air heat exchanger, and channel-like sections are aligned in an upright orientation allowing for an internal air circulation based on natural convection.

3. An electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the electronic device comprises:
at least one internal fan for providing cooling air flow.

4. An electronic device according to claim 1 , comprising:
a thermally insulating sheet for thermally insulating the main heat sink from the remainder of the enclosed chamber.

5. An electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein temperature sensitive components are arranged in contact with the base plate of the auxiliary heat sink.

6. An electronic device according to claim 1 , comprising:
three channel-like sections, a first section arranged in a center and two other sections arranged on sides of the first section, the first section arranged in the center containing the electronic components and the two other sections on the sides of the first section each containing an air-to-air heat exchanger.

7. An electronic device according to claim 1 , comprising:
three channel-like sections, a first section arranged in a center and two sections arranged on sides of the first section, the two sections arranged on the sides of the first section containing the electronic components and the first section arranged in the center containing an air-to-air heat exchanger.

8. An electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the enclosure is made of metals or polymers or a mixture thereof using a fabrication process such as extrusion, die casting, or injection molding.

9. An electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the electronic device is a power electronic converter.

10. An electronic device according to claim 9 , wherein the power electronic converter is a variable frequency converter, photovoltaic inverter, or power supply.

11. An electronic device according to claim 5 , wherein the temperature sensitive components include capacitors.

12. An electronic device according to claim 5 , wherein the enclosure is waterproof.

13. An electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the electronic device is a power electronic converter, and comprising:
three channel-like sections, a first section arranged in a center and two other sections arranged on sides of the first section, the first section arranged in the center containing the electronic components and the two other sections on the sides of the first section each containing an air-to-air heat exchanger.

14. An electronic device according to claim 13 , wherein temperature sensitive components are arranged in contact with the base plate of the auxiliary heat sink, and the enclosure is waterproof.

15. An electronic device according to claim 14 , wherein the main heat sink, air-to-air heat exchanger, and channel-like sections are aligned in an upright orientation allowing for an internal air circulation based on natural convection.

16. An electronic device according to claim 15 , wherein the electronic device comprises:
at least one internal fan for providing cooling air flow, and comprising:
a thermally insulating sheet for thermally insulating the main heat sink from the remainder of the enclosed chamber.

17. An electronic device according to claim 16 , wherein the enclosure is made of metals or polymers or a mixture thereof using a fabrication process such as extrusion, die casting, or injection molding, the power electronic converter is a variable frequency converter, photovoltaic inverter, or power supply, and the temperature sensitive components include capacitors.

18. An electronic device comprising:
a sealed enclosure;
electronic components arranged inside the sealed enclosure and including one or more high-loss high-temperature components;
a main heat sink including ribs, wherein the high-loss high-temperature components are attached to the main heat sink and the ribs of the main heat sink are arranged outside the enclosure;
a cavity formed inside the enclosure and divided into a plurality of channel-like sections, the channel-like sections configured for providing air flow guidance inside the enclosure and being interconnected at their ends, wherein
at least one channel-like section contains the electronic components and at least one other channel-like section contains an air-to-air heat exchanger extending from inside the sealed enclosure to outside of the sealed enclosure, wherein the electronic components inside the at least one channel like section are adapted to be cooled by air flow inside the sealed enclosure; and
a thermally insulating sheet for thermally insulating the main heat sink from the remainder of the enclosed chamber.

19. An electronic device according to claim 18 , wherein the electronic device is a power electronic converter.

20. An electronic device according to claim 19 , comprising:
three channel-like sections, a first section arranged in a center and two other sections arranged on sides of the first section, the first section arranged in the center containing the electronic components and the two other sections on the sides of the first section each containing an air-to-air heat exchanger.

Assignees

• Abb Oy
• Abb Technology Oy

Inventors

• Huesgen Till
• Schrödl Christoph
• Kearney Daniel
• Riedel Gernot
• Sukanen Jarmo
• Tuomola Juha
• Suomela Kalle
• Kasza Krzysztof
• Malinowski Lukasz
• Matysiak Lukasz
• Nupponen Mikko
• Drofenik Uwe

Classifications

• H05K7/20945 Primary

  Thermal management, e.g. inverter temperature control · CPC title

• H05K7/20909

  Forced ventilation, e.g. on heat dissipaters coupled to components · CPC title

• H05K5/0091

  Housing specially adapted for small components (for resistors H01C; for capacitors H01G; for integrated circuits H10W99/00) · CPC title

• H05K7/20481

  characterised by the material composition exhibiting specific thermal properties · CPC title

• H05K7/209

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