DE102021209640A1 - Cooling device, cooling arrangement, control device and rack system - Google Patents

Abstract

Cooling device for cooling a component to be cooled, comprising a heat sink, which is used to hold a cooling medium, wherein the heat sink has an inlet and an outlet for the cooling medium, and the heat sink is at least partially made of flexible material, so that the heat sink or a flexible part of the heatsink nestles against the component to be cooled to compensate for tolerances when it is filled with cooling medium or is actively flowing through it.

Description

The present invention relates to a novel cooling device and a cooling arrangement, in particular for a control device, a sensor or a rack system, a corresponding control device, in particular a control device, by the z. B. a (partly) automated control or the battery supply of a vehicle can take place, as well as a rack or rack system, which has a cooling device according to the invention or a cooling arrangement according to the invention.

Technological background

Modern means of transport such as motor vehicles or motorcycles are increasingly being equipped with driver assistance systems that use sensor systems to detect the environment, recognize the traffic situation and support the driver, e.g. B. by a braking or steering intervention or by the output of a visual or acoustic warning. Radar sensors, lidar sensors, camera sensors or the like are regularly used as sensor systems for detecting the surroundings. From the sensor data determined by the sensors, conclusions can then be drawn about the environment, e.g. B. an object and / or environment classification or an environment model can be created. Furthermore, the detection of the surroundings is almost indispensable in the field of (partly) autonomous driving, so that there is a special interest in the further development of the corresponding systems. Electronic control units (electronic control units, ECU) or control devices are generally used to control actuators (brakes, engine, transmission and the like) and/or sensors and to calculate and control driving and assistance functions.

Control units of many types often generate considerable waste heat, i. H. Power loss, whereby the power loss of the control units can be dissipated differently depending on the environmental conditions, e.g. B. via cooling. Various forms of cooling methods are known, e.g. B. by natural convection, in which heated air, which is lighter than cooler air, rises and the following air is heated and then also rises. Forced convection can also be provided, in which z. B. by means of fans, an air flow is blown or sucked over the components to be cooled, whereby the heated air is discharged. There are also fluid cooling systems, especially liquid cooling systems, in which the components to be cooled z. B. be cooled by cooling liquids (e.g. actively by the cooling liquid being driven past the components to be cooled by means of a pump). In addition, numerous mixed forms and variants as well as other cooling options for the systems shown, such as e.g. B. conduction to a cooler point known.

Furthermore, the heat to be dissipated from the electronic control unit can be replaced by a thermally highly conductive housing, e.g. B. metal housing, the control unit are brought to the outside. On the surface or at least on z. B. one side of the housing with high power loss, the challenge now is to dissipate the heat as well as possible so that the components in the housing are protected from overheating.

There are different forms of cooling, e.g. B. Air cooling, possibly with cooling fins, or a closed coolant circuit that can be connected to the housing of the control unit. Liquid cooling is increasingly being used in modern vehicles, since this is already present in electrically operated vehicles or hybrid vehicles due to various on-board electronics and it is therefore possible to use it for other control units. If e.g. If, for example, a housing is built around an electronic control unit for reasons of robustness, the heat to be dissipated is often routed to the outside through a metal housing with good thermal conductivity. Heat dissipation through metal is a preferred heat dissipation method. Here, with the help of the good thermal conductivity of the metal, the heat z. B. transported to a cooling liquid which z. B. flows or flows in a channel of the metal housing.

However, this method has the disadvantage that several components on a printed circuit board often have to be cooled, whereby overall height tolerances (e.g. due to the geometry of the electronic components on the printed circuit board) and also expansion coefficients have to be taken into account, so that the metal housing should not or cannot touch the components to be cooled directly, resulting in gaps that can reduce the cooling capacity. For this reason, pastes or adhesives or pads with significantly poorer thermal conductivity are used to bridge these gaps. This usually results in significant losses in the thermal connection. Another disadvantage of previous solutions are very complex and expensive housing z. B. lead water channels. Special tubes are often even embedded in the housing in order to achieve the cooling performance. Expensive constructions of today's fluid-cooled control unit housings, but also large gaps, which have to be routed to the metal housing parts by means of heat-conducting means, and larger housing dimensions are common disadvantages of such control units. Furthermore, another disadvantage is that in the event a change in the assemblies or component placement on the circuit carriers, the housing often has to be changed as well, since the metal has to be brought close to the electronic component components, but it must not collide due to changed component heights or the distances or gaps become too large to guarantee sufficient cooling capacity.

In addition to the challenges and disadvantages described, good EMC (Electromagnetic Compatibility) shielding is generally required in the design of new control devices, which is intended to prevent both emitted and radiated interference. In this case, circuit carriers or parts thereof are often arranged in metal housings. A particular challenge arises with rack systems that have several electronic circuit boards that need to be cooled. Circuit boards or plug-in cards can usually be used here, which should also be easy to remove and install or replace. However, this is difficult to achieve with conventional fluid cooling, since the cooling plates of the liquid cooling in the rack would have to be brought up to the individual plug-in cards if simple separability, e.g. B. is required in case of service. Bringing the fluid directly to the individual plug-in cards via hydraulic plugs is particularly complex and generally undesirable due to issues of tightness and handling.

Printed state of the art

From the DE 10 2004 028 740 B4 a combined cooling/air conditioning system for motor vehicles for cooling electrical and/or electronic components of the motor vehicle is known. Here, the existing air conditioning system, in the form of a heater with a fan or an air conditioning system, is used to cool electrical or electronic components of the motor vehicle by almost completely compensating for the intervention in the air conditioning system by recirculating the cooling air into the intake tract of the fan of the air conditioning system is effected. Thus, a symmetrical tapping of air from the air conditioning system as cooling air can be made possible without significantly disturbing the symmetry of the air conditioning system.

Object of the present invention

The object of the present invention is now to specify a cooling device and a corresponding cooling arrangement, with which a good heat transfer between the heat sink or cooling element and the assembly components to be cooled is achieved and the disadvantages resulting from the prior art are overcome in a simple, space-saving and cost-effective manner become.

solution of the task

The above object is achieved by the entire teaching of claim 1 and the independent claims. Expedient developments of the invention are claimed in the dependent claims.

According to the invention, the cooling device for cooling a component to be cooled comprises a heat sink for receiving a cooling medium, the heat sink having at least one inlet and at least one outlet for the cooling medium and being at least partially made of flexible material, so that the heat sink or a flexible Part of the heatsink to the component to be cooled nestles tolerance-compensating if this z. B. is filled with cooling medium, so has a certain internal pressure. As a result of the present invention, thermally conductive paste can generally be dispensed with in the case of most component parts. Furthermore, the cooling performance of a component to be cooled can be improved in a simple manner, since the gap between the component to be cooled and the heat sink is reduced to a particular extent. This is done in a simple manner by filling or flowing through the heat sink with cooling medium and the expansion of the heat sink that then occurs at the latest and the resulting convergence between the heat sink and the component to be cooled. A dynamic pressure that arises when a cooling pump is in operation also ensures an intimate connection. Due to the flexible properties of the heat sink material, it nestles against the components to be cooled, especially when it expands. In the same way, the invention can also be used for tempering or heating a component to be heated.

Metal foil, in particular aluminum foil or copper foil, or plastic foil is preferably provided as the flexible material, since foils of this type can be produced in a simple manner and at low cost.

A compound foil or a laminate can expediently be provided as the flexible material, which comprises a metal foil and/or a plastic foil. The durability and stability of the heat sink can thereby be improved in a simple manner. In addition, the heat sink can be adapted to the properties of the respective cooling medium or to the ambient conditions

Furthermore, the flexible material can also have a coating, in particular an aluminum coating, in order to improve the properties with regard to stability, tightness, aging and durability. Anoxal layers (anodic process = anodic polarization of the aluminum creates an aluminum oxide layer on the surface of the aluminum) or anodized layers (eloxal process = electrolytic oxidation of aluminum, with an oxidic protective layer being produced on aluminum by anodic oxidation) are particularly suitable ) as a coating of an aluminum foil.

In a practical manner, the flexible material or the heat sink can be double-walled (and laid around the printed circuit board to be cooled), with the cooling medium flowing between the two walls. As a result, the stability can be improved to a particular extent.

Conveniently, the cooling device can include deep-drawn areas which components to be cooled, such as. B. the power electronics on a printed circuit board or protruding capacitors, so that a better concern of the cooling device can be made possible on the component parts.

Due to the fact that the heat sink can include a rigid area and at least one flexible area, only parts of the heat sink can also be conformable. The rigid area can z. B. be made of plastic or metal. As a result, the construction technology or the stability can be improved, and material costs can also be reduced.

Furthermore, the heat sink can be closed via welding or adhesive areas. As a result, a type of bag or pocket can be formed from the films used in a simple manner, which can hold the cooling medium.

According to a particular embodiment, the heat sink can have holes which are intended to accommodate projections, in particular electrical connector pins, of the component to be cooled in order to enable an electrical connection from the EMC-enclosed area of the metallic casing, i. H. to lead to the outside.

The heat sink can expediently have a separation on the inside, in particular a flexible fluid channel separation. As a result, the fluid flow can be directed and thus the cooling effect can be improved. In addition, the stability can be improved.

Spacers or a fluid channel separation can expediently be provided inside the heat sink. As a result, the pressure stability can be improved. Furthermore, the flow of fluid can be guided and thereby improved.

According to a preferred embodiment, the heat sink can be designed as a bag or as a film without a frame.

Alternatively or additionally, the heat sink can be designed as an elastic bellows. Furthermore, a flexible area of the heat sink can also be configured as an elastic bellows.

A fluid, in particular water, glycol, a water-glycol mixture, air, CO2 or the like can preferably be provided as the cooling medium.

Furthermore, the present invention includes a cooling arrangement, which generally includes a housing, a component to be cooled, and a cooling device for the component to be cooled. Alternatively, the heat sink z. B. form the housing or part of the housing by fixed areas. The cooling device has a cooling body, which is used to hold a cooling medium, the cooling body having at least one inlet and at least one outlet for the cooling medium and being at least partially made of flexible material, so that the cooling body or a flexible part of the cooling body in particular Degrees to the component to be cooled nestles when it is filled with cooling medium or flows through it, so in particular that a higher internal pressure than the ambient air pressure adjusts in the heat sink.

The component to be cooled can expediently have an inner housing or what is known as a “heat spreader”, which is/are arranged on one or more sides of the component to be cooled. As a heat spreader or heat distributor z. B. a cooling plate made of a metal with good thermal conductivity, such as copper or aluminum, can be provided. The heat spreader thus acts as a kind of thermal extension or enlargement of the component to be cooled and to absorb forces that the heat sink would otherwise e.g. B. would bring to individual components on the circuit board.

Furthermore, the component to be cooled can be surrounded by the heat sink on one side or on both sides. Accordingly, the component to be cooled can be supported on both sides, with at least one side being covered by a flexible material or flexible material. flexibly suspended material is supported flatly.

The component to be cooled is preferably a printed circuit board or multiple printed circuit boards.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the rack, several cooling devices can be provided, which are preferably connected to a common fluid circuit. As a result, the cooling capacity can be improved in a particularly simple manner, in particular when there are a number of components to be cooled. In the case of redundant systems, e.g. For example, for automated driving, separate cooling circuits can also be considered for safety reasons, so that part of the heat sink is assigned to one fluid cooling circuit and another part to another fluid cooling circuit.

In a practical manner, the housing can be a housing for a control device or a sensor for detecting the surroundings. In particular, the present invention also includes a control device or a control device or a sensor, with a cooling device according to the invention or a cooling arrangement according to the invention being provided for cooling the component to be cooled.

The present invention also claims a rack system or a rack, comprising a rack housing and at least one component to be cooled, in particular a plurality of printed circuit boards, with at least one cooling device according to the invention or a cooling arrangement according to the invention being provided in order to cool the at least one component to be cooled .

At least one, two or more printed circuit boards, circuit boards (PCB), circuit carriers, plug-in cards, batteries, electronic component components, microcontrollers or other components to be cooled can expediently be provided as the component to be cooled.

In addition, a common connector z. B. "Backplane" with mounted plugs in the housing of the rack, which can accommodate the circuit boards, z. B. through suitable slots that are assigned to the backplane connectors, which improves the stability and the installation position can be specified. The cooling system according to the invention adapts (snuggles) to the position of the inserted printed circuit boards.

The rack preferably comprises a number of cooling devices between a number of components or printed circuit boards to be cooled. It should be explicitly mentioned here that a cooling device can also serve two components to be cooled.

Furthermore, the rack can have a backplane/connector strip with connectors, with the circuit boards each having one or more connector plugs for making contact with the backplane connectors or as a direct connector that can be plugged directly into the backplane connector. The circuit boards that fit into the common connector strip are therefore simpler way pluggable. This achieves a particularly simple and quick installation and deinstallation.

Description of the invention based on exemplary embodiments

• 1 eine vereinfachte schematische Darstellung einer Ausgestaltung eines Fahrzeuges mit einer erfindungsgemäßen Steuereinrichtung;
• 2 eine vereinfachte schematische Seitendarstellung einer Ausgestaltung einer erfindungsgemäßen Kühlvorrichtung, welche eine Leiterplatte umschließt (B) und den identische Aufbau (A) vor dem Zusammenfügen des Kühlkörpers;
• 3 eine vereinfachte schematische Darstellung einer Ausgestaltung einer erfindungsgemäßen Kühlanordnung ohne umschlossene Leiterplatte (A) und mit eingesetzter umschlossener Leiterplatte (B), jeweils in Draufsicht;
• 4 eine vereinfachte schematische Darstellung der Kühlanordnung aus 2 bzw. 3, die in einem Gehäuse eingebracht ist;
• 5 eine vereinfachte schematische Darstellung einer Ausgestaltung einer erfindungsgemäßen Kühlanordnung mit Löchern für einen Anschlussstecker im Kühlkörper im unverbauten Zustand (A) und mit Pins in den Löchern im umschlossenen Zustand (B) mit eingefügter Leiterplatte;
• 6 eine weitere vereinfachte schematische Schnittdarstellung der Ausgestaltung aus 5 einer erfindungsgemäßen Kühlanordnung mit Löchern und Pins im offenen Zustand (A) und im umschlossenen Zustand mit Umgehäuse (B);
• 7 eine vereinfachte schematische Darstellung einer Ausgestaltung einer erfindungsgemäßen Kühlvorrichtung mit tiefgezogenen Bereichen (C) in Draufsicht sowie einer Schnittdarstellung entlang der Schnittlinie A-A (A) und einer Explosionsdarstellung (B) der Schnittdarstellung entlang der Schnittlinie A-A;
• 8 eine vereinfachte schematische Darstellung mehrerer Ausgestaltungen eines erfindungsgemäßen Kühlkörpers mit Anschlüssen: flexibler Kühlkörper (A), Kühlkörper mit starrem und flexiblen Bereich (B), Kühlkörper mit starrem und flexiblen Balg (C) sowie Kühlkörper mit starrem und langgezogenem flexiblen Bereich (D);
• 9 eine vereinfachte schematische Darstellung eines erfindungsgemäßen Racks in Teilschnittdarstellung in Draufsicht (A) und in perspektivischer Schnittdarstellung (B);
• 10 eine vereinfachte schematische Darstellung einer Leiterplattenanordnung eines erfindungsgemäßen Racks in Draufsicht (A) und verschiedener Leiterplatten mit und ohne unterschiedlichen Heatspreaden bzw. Teilgehäusen in perspektivischer Seitenansicht (B);
• 11 eine vereinfachte schematische Darstellung mehrerer Ausgestaltungen eines erfindungsgemäßen Kühlkörpers ohne dargestellte Anschlüsse: elastischer Balg mit Kühlflüssigkeit (A), eine Blase bzw. Beutel mit Kühlflüssigkeit (B) und Beutel aus Schweißfolie (C);
• 12 eine vereinfachte schematische Darstellung mehrerer Ausgestaltungen eines erfindungsgemäßen Kühlanordnung mit (A) einseitigem Heatspreader bzw. einseitigem Innengehäuse und beidseitigem Kühlkörper, (B) beidseitigem Heatspreader bzw. beidseitigem Innengehäuse und einseitigen Fluid-Kühlkörper, (C) einseitigem Heatspreader bzw. einseitigem Innengehäuse und einseitigem Fluid-Kühlkörper, (D) beidseitigem großen Heatspreader bzw. beidseitigem Innengehäuse und einseitigem Fluid-Kühlkörper sowie (E) einseitigem Heatspreader bzw. einseitigem Innengehäuse und einseitigem teilweise starren und partiell elastischem Kühlkörper;
• 13 eine vereinfachte schematische Darstellung einer weiteren Ausgestaltung einer erfindungsgemäßen Kühlvorrichtung in Draufsicht sowie Schnittdarstellungen entlang der Schnittlinien A-A, B-B,C-C und D-D;
• 14 eine vereinfachte schematische Darstellung einer weiteren Ausgestaltung eines erfindungsgemäßen Racks mit nicht eingesteckten Leiterplatten (A) und eingesteckten Leiterplatten (B), sowie
• 15 eine vereinfachte schematische Darstellung einer weiteren Ausgestaltung einer erfindungsgemäßen Kühlvorrichtung mit elastischen Abstandhaltern/Fluidtrennern in Teilschnittdarstellung in Draufsicht (A) in Schnittdarstellung ohne Leiterplatte (B) und in Schnittdarstellung mit Leiterplatte/Leiterplattenbaugruppe (C).

In the following, the invention is explained in more detail by means of expedient exemplary embodiments. Show it:

• 1 a simplified schematic representation of an embodiment of a vehicle with a control device according to the invention;
• 2 a simplified schematic side view of an embodiment of a cooling device according to the invention, which encloses a circuit board (B) and the identical structure (A) before the assembly of the heat sink;
• 3 a simplified schematic representation of an embodiment of a cooling arrangement according to the invention without enclosed printed circuit board (A) and with inserted enclosed printed circuit board (B), each in plan view;
• 4 a simplified schematic representation of the cooling arrangement 2 or. 3 , which is placed in a housing;
• 5 a simplified schematic representation of an embodiment of a cooling arrangement according to the invention with holes for a connector in the heat sink in the uninstalled state (A) and with pins in the holes in the enclosed state (B) with inserted circuit board;
• 6 a further simplified schematic sectional view of the embodiment 5 a cooling arrangement according to the invention with holes and pins in the open state (A) and in the enclosed state with the surrounding housing (B);
• 7 a simplified schematic representation of an embodiment of a cooling device according to the invention with deep-drawn areas (C) in plan view and a sectional view along the section line AA (A) and an exploded view (B) of the sectional view along section line AA;
• 8th a simplified schematic representation of several embodiments of a heat sink according to the invention with connections: flexible heat sink (A), heat sink with rigid and flexible area (B), heat sink with rigid and flexible bellows (C) and heat sink with rigid and elongated flexible area (D);
• 9 a simplified schematic representation of a rack according to the invention in a partial sectional view in top view (A) and in a perspective sectional view (B);
• 10 a simplified schematic representation of a printed circuit board arrangement of a rack according to the invention in plan view (A) and different printed circuit boards with and without different heat spreads or partial housings in a perspective side view (B);
• 11 a simplified schematic representation of several embodiments of a heat sink according to the invention without connections shown: elastic bellows with cooling liquid (A), a bladder or bag with cooling liquid (B) and bag made of welding film (C);
• 12 a simplified schematic representation of several configurations of a cooling arrangement according to the invention with (A) one-sided heat spreader or one-sided inner housing and two-sided heat sink, (B) two-sided heat spreader or two-sided inner housing and one-sided fluid heat sink, (C) one-sided heat spreader or one-sided inner housing and one-sided fluid -Heat sink, (D) double-sided large heat spreader or double-sided inner housing and single-sided fluid heat sink and (E) single-sided heat spreader or single-sided inner housing and single-sided partially rigid and partially elastic heat sink;
• 13 a simplified schematic representation of a further embodiment of a cooling device according to the invention in plan view and sectional views along the section lines AA, BB, CC and DD;
• 14 a simplified schematic representation of a further embodiment of a rack according to the invention with non-inserted printed circuit boards (A) and inserted printed circuit boards (B), and
• 15 a simplified schematic representation of a further embodiment of a cooling device according to the invention with elastic spacers / fluid separators in a partial sectional view in plan view (A) in a sectional view without circuit board (B) and in a sectional view with circuit board / circuit board assembly (C).

Reference number 1 in 1 refers to a vehicle with various actuators (steering 3, motor 4, brake 5), which has a control device 2 (ECU, Electronic Control Unit or ADCU, Assisted and Automated Driving Control Unit) according to the invention, through which (partially) automated control of the Vehicle 1 can be done, z. B. by the control device 2 can access the actuators of the vehicle 1. In addition, the control device 2 has a memory unit, e.g. B. to store an algorithm, control instructions or patterns. Vehicle 1 also has sensors for detecting the surroundings: a radar sensor 6, a lidar sensor 7 and a front camera 8, as well as several ultrasonic sensors 9a-9d, the sensor data from which are used for detecting the surroundings and objects, so that various assistance functions, such as e.g. B. Emergency brake assistant (EBA, Electronic Brake Assist), distance following control (ACC, Adaptive Cruise Control), lane keeping control or a lane keeping assistant (LKA, Lane Keep Assist), parking assistant or the like can be realized. The execution of the assistance functions takes place z. B. via the control device 2 or the algorithm stored there.

The solution according to the invention is based on a flexible cooling device through which cooling fluid flows, instead of conventional, solid, metallic heat sinks, which are attached to the components to be cooled with small distances or gaps, usually with the aid of thermally conductive pastes in order to provide a thermal connection to a body through which cooling fluid flows or to use a cooling pad through which fluid flows, which "snuggles up" to the components to be cooled, whereby the cooling device can also absorb greater pressures (due to the support to the outside) but in particular due to the support on both sides and thereby adheres to the material of the outer casing or a housing nestles. In this case, the cooling device comprises a heat sink which is at least partially made of flexible material or foil or composite foil. Conveniently, as a flexible material, metal foil, such as. B. aluminum foil or copper foil, which preferably forms a laminate with a thin plastic film, or plastic film, which z. B. coated with aluminum or an anodized aluminum foil may be provided. Furthermore, plastic coatings on one or both sides of the aluminum foil can also be provided. In addition, what are known as drypack films (antistatic, water-vapour-tight and flexible barrier film for electronic components) can also be provided as the flexible material. If a metal foil is used, in particular an aluminum foil, a very thin plastic material can be used layering or an anoxal or anodized coating, electrical insulation that may be required, but also corrosion resistance, can be ensured. If a circuit carrier with electronic components is completely or partially surrounded or covered by such a metal foil (metal foil composite), this serves as EMC shielding at the same time. A double-walled foil or pad, which is placed around an electronic circuit board and has a cooling medium flowing around it, can thus bring about comprehensive cooling and at the same time improve the EMC to a particular extent.

In 2 an embodiment of a cooling device 10 according to the invention for cooling a component to be cooled is shown, which comprises a cooling body 11 which serves to accommodate a corresponding cooling medium. For this purpose, the heat sink 11 comprises an inlet 12 and an outlet 13 for the cooling medium (or fluid inlet line and fluid outlet line, in order to enable a designed through-flow). Inlet 12 and outlet 13 can of course be arranged arbitrarily in all exemplary embodiments. The heat sink 11 is made of flexible material, so that the heat sink nestles against the component to be cooled when it is filled with cooling medium. A printed circuit board 14 with electronic components located thereon (e.g. microchips, IC modules, capacitors and any type of power electronics) is provided as the component to be cooled. B. can be connected via a connector 15 to a control circuit or circuit or wiring harness. The printed circuit board 14 is surrounded by the double-walled heat sink 11 (as in 2 (A) shown prior to completion of assembly and in 2 B) almost entirely enclosed).

In 3 1 is a plan view of the embodiment of a cooling device 10 according to the invention with a heat sink 11, the cooling device being shown without a component or printed circuit board (A) to be cooled and with a printed circuit board 14 (B) component to be cooled. The cooling device 10 has welded or glued seams (adhesive areas 16) which allow sealing of the fluid area but also channeled guidance of the fluid in the heat sink 11 around the printed circuit board 14. Furthermore, at the cooling device 10 via the inlet 12 and the outlet 13 z. B. connected a cooling circuit with coolant reservoir and pump (not shown in the figures.), So that the cooling device 10 can be supplied with cooling medium. The black arrows in 3 (B) give an example of the flow direction of the cooling medium. For cooling, the cooling device 10 is optionally filled with or flows through various fluids or cooling media (e.g. water, a water-glycol mixture, glycol, air, CO2 or the like). 4 FIG. 12 additionally shows a side view of the cooling arrangement 3 (B) or. 2 however, installed in a surrounding housing or housing 19 that provides support.

Furthermore, the printed circuit board 14 can preferably be surrounded by the heat sink 11 on both sides. Embedding the printed circuit board 14 on both sides ensures a force balance, which practically prevents the printed circuit board 14 from bending. In principle, however, the second side can also be mechanically supported, i. H. the heat sink 11 is only on one side of the component to be cooled. If the heat sink 11 is sufficiently flexible, it nestles against the components on the printed circuit board 14 even at the lowest fluid pressures.

In the 5 and 6 an embodiment according to the invention is shown, in which the connection plug pins 17 are also guided through a region of the heat sink 11 in a manner similar to feedthrough capacitors. For this purpose, the heat sink has holes 18 which can accommodate the pins 17 . In 6 (B) a fixed comprehensive housing with two housing parts 19a, 19b is shown in the unassembled state (exploded view).

In 7 a circuit carrier or a printed circuit board 14 is shown, which is provided on one side with a cooling device 10 according to the invention, the flexible film of the cooling device 10 or the heat sink 11 for tall components being partially deep-drawn (deep-drawn areas 21). Furthermore, welding or adhesive areas 16 are provided, where the film is closed to form a kind of bag. For clarity, other parts such. B. the housing or electrical plugs etc. in 7 not shown.

In 8th are shown embodiments of a cooling device according to the invention, which z. B. electronic assembly parts (not shown) can nestle or surround them. Here, in (A) the heat sink 11 is provided with a fluid inlet (inlet 12) and a fluid outlet (hidden), whereby the fluid cushion is supplied with fluid. Alternatively, a solid liquid-carrying body can be provided, on which z. B. movable film surfaces are applied. For example, in (B) a heat sink 11 is shown with a rigid portion 11a (ie not equally flexible portion), e.g. B. made of plastic or metal, and an integrated flexible "membrane" 11 b. The fixed or rigid heat sink area can also represent part of the surrounding housing, ie without an additional surrounding housing, in the assembly (not shown) with a printed circuit board and a structure on the rear. In (C) is an embodiment a heat sink 11 with integrated movable bellows 11c made of flexible material, in particular metal or plastic foil or laminate or foil with a coating, which has the advantage that it adapts particularly well to components due to the expansion properties of a bellows and also particularly well withstands pressure can distribute. Furthermore, in (D) a further embodiment of a heat sink 11 is shown with a continuous membrane surface 11b or film surface which nestles against an electronic system in the installed state. In turn, the rigid area can also represent an outer housing side (enclosure) when the entire device is assembled.

Conveniently, printed circuit boards (with or without housing or inner housing) z. B. in so-called "racks" (circuit board holder or PCB holder made of plastic or metal). As a rule, thermally conductive pastes can be dispensed with here, since the foil of the cooling device (in particular aluminum foil) clings to the component surfaces to be cooled without an air gap. If there are very large differences in height of the component components (e.g. due to larger protruding components), a surface foil can also be deep-drawn, for example, in order to be positioned close to the components even without fluid pressure or liquid pressure.

In the 9 an inventive rack with several plug-in cards or circuit boards 14a-14d is shown, where 9 (A) a sectional view in top view and 9 (B) shows a sectional view. The rack 30 comprises a rack housing 31 and a plurality of cooling devices 100a-100e, through which fluid flows for cooling. Furthermore, a plug-in device 32 (backplane with so-called direct connectors) is provided, which can accommodate the printed circuit boards 14a-14d and thus contributes to the stabilization and storage security of the printed circuit boards 14a-14d. The printed circuit boards 14a-14d (or electronic circuit boards or circuit carriers) can also have inner housings 20 (arranged on both sides or on one side) or so-called heat spreaders, e.g. B. in the form of metal plates which contact one or more parts or components thermally and can give off the heat over a larger surface to the fluid cooler, up to complete or partial housings of the circuit carrier, which are also preferably made of metal. 10 (A) shows a plan view of printed circuit board 14a with the associated inner housing 20a or heat spreader arranged on it without the in 9 shown cooling device 100a of the rack. In 10 (B) different configurations are shown, with z. B. (from top to bottom) either a two-sided partial inner housing 20a or heat spreader, a one-sided partial inner housing 20b, a complete housing 20c on both sides or no inner housing can be provided. In 9 (B) It can be clearly seen that different vertical elevations of assembled circuit carriers can also be thermally connected over a large area by the flexible cooling pads or cooling devices 100b. Forces are compensated by opposing forces from the other side and prevent significant bending of the circuit board. The size of the areas of the heat sink, which nestle elastically against the component parts, can be selected in a simple manner depending on the design of the system and the components to be cooled. In 11 Various designs of heat sinks or cooling devices are shown, with (A) a flexible bladder with cooling liquid (no connections shown), (B) a bladder or bag with cooling liquid (no connections shown) and (C) a bag of welded foil with connections shows.

In 12 (A)-(E) Various configurations of the cooling arrangement according to the invention are shown, with the necessary counterforce being supported by fluid cushions also originating from the same fluid circuit or by a system on a housing. An advantage of the fluid cushion mounting on both sides is that the position of the printed circuit board 14 and the electrical connection on the plugs of the connection strip 32 specifies the position and the fluid cushions or cooling devices 10 through which the fluid flows exert almost no or only insignificant forces on the system here (balance of forces). Floating connectors are generally not necessary here to compensate for tolerances. The design according to 12 (A) shows a cooling arrangement according to the invention with a cooling device 10 or heat sink 11 arranged on both sides of the printed circuit board 14, so that a symmetrical introduction of force and cooling on both sides takes place. Furthermore, an inner housing 20 is arranged on one side of the printed circuit board 14, which partially dissipates the heat (= one-sided heat spreader or one-sided inner housing) and thereby z. B. can also act as a component to be cooled. The design according to 12 (B) shows a further cooling arrangement according to the invention with a heat sink 11 arranged on one side on the printed circuit board 14, so that a symmetrical introduction of force takes place through the housing counter-pressure (=heat spreader on both sides or inner housing on both sides). The design according to 12 (c) shows a cooling arrangement according to the invention with a heat sink 11 arranged on one side on the printed circuit board 14, so that a symmetrical introduction of force takes place through the housing counter-pressure (one-sided heat spreader or one-sided inner housing). The design according to 12 (D) shows a cooling arrangement according to the invention with a heat sink 11 arranged on one side of the printed circuit board 14, so that a symmet tical introduction of force through the housing counter-pressure (heatspreader on both sides or inner housing on both sides). The design according to 12 (E) shows a cooling arrangement according to the invention with a heat sink 11 arranged on one side of the printed circuit board 14, so that an elastic, symmetrical introduction of force takes place through the housing counter-pressure (heat spreader on both sides or inner housing on both sides). In principle, any combination of the cooling system according to the invention, including those not shown, is possible.

13 shows a particularly simple and also slim design of a cooling device 100 according to the invention or a cooling pad, which is made of foil material. In rack constructions in particular, a number of such cooling devices 100 or 100a, 100b, 100c can be introduced between a number of printed circuit boards or circuit carriers, so that the fluid flow can be guided here in a particularly simple manner.

The cooling device 100 comprises a welded or glued connection area 101, connection lines 102, 103 for the cooling medium (i.e. an inlet and an outlet), foil or composite foil 104, if necessary a flexible fluid channel separator or a fluid channel separator 105 and if necessary a folded foil edge 106.

In 14 is a rack system according to the invention with cooling pads or cooling devices 100a, 100b, 100c (for the sake of clarity, the connection lines for the cooling medium are shown in 14 not shown) shown, with printed circuit boards 14a, 14b, 14c being unplugged in the upper representation and then plugged in in the lower representation. The plug-in cards or printed circuit boards 14a, 14b, 14c with electronic components on them can be easily inserted or removed as long as no pressure has built up in the cooling system. Furthermore, printed circuit board 14a has fluid cooling on one side and is supported on one side on rack housing 31, printed circuit board 14b has fluid cooling on both sides, and printed circuit board 14c has fluid cooling on both sides. On the printed circuit boards 14a, 14b, 14c there can be laterally arranged connection plugs 15a, 15b, 15c, which are plugged into a common connection strip 33 (backplane) or its backplane plug. In the same way, however, it is also possible to directly plug the printed circuit board edge of the printed circuit board into a so-called direct plug connector of a backplane (as illustrated by the plug connection 32 in 9 shown). During operation, the cooling devices 100a, 100b, 100c nestle against the printed circuit boards 14a, 14b, 14c, so that there is no or almost no air gap between the cooling devices 100a, 100b, 100c and the printed circuit boards 14a, 14b, 14c and there are no floating plugs to the backplane are necessary, since the cooling devices 100a, 100b, 100c adapt to the position of the printed circuit boards 14a, 14b, 14c (i.e. the same forces act on both sides, so to speak, regardless of whether the respective printed circuit board 14a, 14b, 14c has a different surface tolerance. Therefore, tolerance compensation, as is normally required for the cooling surfaces of a conventional cooling device to fit, is not required here, since the flexible cooling pads or cooling devices 100a, 100b, 100c nestle against the printed circuit boards 14a, 14b, 14c depending on requirements and the tolerance position.

Furthermore shows 15 an alternative embodiment of a cooling arrangement 110 according to the invention with heat sink 111 and connecting lines 112, 113, in which, in contrast to the representation 14 a solid frame construction or a solid frame 114 is used. Depending on the design of the frame 114, the cooling device 110 can be designed to be open on both sides or open on one side. In addition, the cooling device 110 can be applied on both sides or on one side, ie the cooling device can thus be flexibly conformable on both sides or only on one side. Here, (A) shows a top view and (B) a sectional view along the section line AA without circuit board 14 and (C) a sectional view along the section line AA with a non-detailed representation of the circuit board 14. The upper part of the cooling device in (B) and (C ) comprises a film arrangement on both sides, with an outer film 115 and an inner film 116, whereas the lower part of the cooling device 110 has only an inner film 116. The printed circuit board 14 has a connector plug 15 arranged on the side. In addition, elastic spacers or separations formed in the fluid channel are provided (fluid channel separation 117).

Of course, the cooling device can also be used to heat a component to be heated (as a heating device, so to speak) by being filled with a medium that gives off heat to a component to be heated. For this purpose, the cooling device can be easily connected to a heating circuit via the connections in order to be supplied with heating medium, which then flows through the cooling device or heating device. For example, the rack according to the invention or the cooling arrangement according to the invention could also be used to heat one or more batteries or accumulators, in particular in the automotive sector.

Reference List

1

vehicle

2

control device

3

steering

4

engine

5

brake

6

radar sensor

7

lidar sensor

8th

front camera

9a-9d

ultrasonic sensor

10

cooler

11

heatsink

11 a

rigid area

11b

flexible area

11c

heatsink bellows

12

inlet

13

outlet

14, 14a-14d

circuit board

15, 15a-15d

connector plug

16

adhesive area

17

Pin code

18

Hole

19

Housing

19a, 19b

housing part

20, 20a-20c

inner case

21

deep drawn area

30

Rack

31

rack enclosure

32

connector

33

terminal strip

100, 100a-100e

cooler

101

connection area

102

connecting cable

103

connecting cable

104

composite foil

105

fluid channel separation

106

foil edge

110

cooler

111

heatsink

112

fluid connection line

113

fluid connection line

114

Frame

115

outer foil

116

inner foil

117

fluid channel separation

QUOTES INCLUDED IN DESCRIPTION

This list of documents cited by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Patent Literature Cited

• DE 102004028740 B4 [0008]

Claims (24)

Cooling device (10, 100, 100a-100d, 110) for cooling a component to be cooled, comprising a cooling body (11, 100, 111) which serves to hold a cooling medium, the cooling body (11, 111) having an inlet (12, 102, 112) and an outlet (13, 103, 113) for the cooling medium, and the heat sink (11, 111) is at least partially made of flexible material, so that the heat sink (11, 111) or a flexible part of the heat sink (11, 111) clings to the component to be cooled when it is filled with cooling medium and /or is flowed through with cooling medium. cooling device after claim 1 , characterized in that metal foil, in particular aluminum foil or copper foil, or plastic foil is provided as the flexible material. cooling device after claim 1 or 2 , characterized in that a laminate or a composite film is provided as the flexible material, which in particular comprises a metal foil and a plastic film. Cooling device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the flexible material has a coating, in particular an aluminum coating. Cooling device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the flexible material and/or the heat sink (11, 111) is double-walled. Cooling device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cooling device (10, 100, 100a-100d, 110) comprises deep-drawn areas (21) which can accommodate components to be cooled. Cooling device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cooling body (11) comprises a rigid area (11a) and at least one flexible area (11b). Cooling device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cooling body (11) is closed via welding and/or adhesive areas (16). Cooling device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the heat sink (11) has holes (18) which are intended to accommodate projections, in particular electrical contacts of a connector, of the component to be cooled. Cooling device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cooling body (11, 100, 111) has a partition on the inside, in particular a flexible fluid channel partition (105, 117). Cooling device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cooling body (11, 111) is designed as a bag or as a film without a frame. Cooling device according to one of Claims 1 until 11 , characterized in that the heat sink (11, 111) is designed as an elastic bellows or a flexible area of the heat sink (11) as an elastic bellows (11 c). Cooling device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a fluid, in particular water, glycol, a water-glycol mixture, air, CO2 or the like, is provided as the cooling medium. Cooling assembly comprising a housing (22), in particular a housing of a control device (2) or a sensor, a component to be cooled, and a cooling device (10, 100, 100a-100d, 110) for the component to be cooled, comprising a heat sink (11, 111) which serves to hold a cooling medium, wherein the cooling body (11, 111) has an inlet (12, 102, 112) and an outlet (13, 103, 113) for the cooling medium, and the heat sink (11, 111) is at least partially made of flexible material, so that the heat sink (11, 111) or a flexible part of the heat sink (11, 111) clings to the component to be cooled when it is filled with cooling medium, or is flowed through by the cooling medium. cooling arrangement according to Claim 14 , characterized in that the component to be cooled has an inner housing (20) or heat spreader, which is arranged on one or more sides of the component to be cooled. Cooling arrangement according to one of Claims 14 until 15 , characterized in that the component to be cooled rests on one or both sides of the heat sink (11, 111). Cooling arrangement according to one of Claims 14 until 16 , characterized in that the component to be cooled is a printed circuit board (14, 14a-14d) and/or an equipped and/or a circuit carrier and/or a plug-in card and/or a battery. Cooling arrangement according to one of Claims 14 until 17 , characterized in that several cooling devices (10, 100, 100a-100d, 110) are provided, which are preferably connected to a common fluid circuit or, in particular in the case of redundancies, are connected to different fluid circuits. Control device with a component to be cooled, characterized in that the control device has a cooling device (10, 100, 100a-1 00d, 110) according to one of Claims 1 - 13 comprises or a cooling arrangement according to one of Claims 14 - 18 is provided. Rack (30), comprising a rack housing (31) and at least one component to be cooled, wherein at least one cooling device (10, 100, 100a-100d, 110) according to one of Claims 1 - 13 comprises to cool the at least one component to be cooled, or a cooling arrangement according to one of Claims 14 - 18 is provided. rack after claim 20 , characterized in that at least one printed circuit board (14, 14a-14d) and/or a circuit carrier and/or a plug-in card and/or a battery is provided as the component to be cooled. rack after claim 20 or 21 , characterized in that a common plug-in device (32) is arranged in the rack housing (31), which can accommodate and/or make electrical contact with a plurality of printed circuit boards (14a-14d). Rack after one of the claims 20 until 22 , characterized in that the rack has a plurality of cooling devices (100; 100a, 100b, 100c) between a plurality of components to be cooled. Rack after one of the claims 20 until 23 , characterized in that the rack (30) has a terminal strip (33) and the printed circuit boards (14a-14d) each have a plug-in area, in particular connector plugs (15a-15d), which can be plugged into the common terminal strip (33).

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