JP4075535B2 - Electronic component housing structure - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a housing structure that accommodates an electronic component that generates a large amount of heat, such as a power module of an electric vehicle.
[0002]
[Prior art]
For example, high heat-generating electronic components such as inverters used in electric vehicles are accommodated in a shielded space in a casing having a cooling structure and disposed in an engine room. A conventional housing is composed of, for example, a metal side plate such as aluminum and a lid. And this side plate shielded the inside of the housing from the engine room, took heat from inside the housing, cooled the internal electronic components, and blocked the leakage of electromagnetic waves to the outside and the penetration of electromagnetic waves from the outside ( For example, see Patent Document 1). In addition, a sealing material such as an O-ring is interposed in the attachment portion of the lid attached to the side plate to prevent the entry of water or the like into the housing and protect the electronic components.
[0003]
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-211663
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, if the casing is made of metal, there is a problem that the weight of the casing itself increases. If the casing is made of resin or the like, the weight is reduced, but the cooling performance and electromagnetic shielding performance are deteriorated.
[0005]
An object of the present invention is to provide a casing structure for an electronic component that is lightweight and excellent in cooling properties, electromagnetic shielding properties, and waterproof properties.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
A housing structure of an electronic component according to the present invention includes a side plate composed of a metal plate and a resin plate provided so as to cover the metal plate, a metal lid attached to an end portion of the side plate, the lid and the side plate. An electronic component housing structure in which a sealed space is formed by an elastic body that seals between and an electronic component is disposed in the sealed space, and the side plate houses the elastic body on the open end surface of the resin plate The end of the metal plate is bent so as to cover one side in the width direction of the housing groove over the length direction of the housing groove , and the elastic body is accommodated in the housing groove. The first portion on one side in the width direction of the receiving groove pressed from the lid that is in contact with the end of the metal plate through the end of the metal plate, and the end of the metal plate Width direction of the accommodation groove that is not covered by the part but is accommodated in the accommodation groove and pressed from the lid to seal between the lid and the side plate To achieve the object described above by a second portion of the square side.
[0007]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, the metal plate covers a part of the housing groove provided on the open end surface of the resin plate, presses the elastic body from the lid through the metal plate, and elastically from the lid without using the metal plate. The body was pressed. Thereby, it is possible to seal the attachment portion of the lid body while increasing the contact force between the metal plate and the lid body, to reduce the weight of the housing, and to improve the cooling performance, electromagnetic shielding properties, and waterproofness of the housing. be able to.
[0008]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
-First embodiment-
Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view (partially sectional view) showing a housing structure according to the first embodiment, and FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a portion II in FIG. A rectangular cylindrical side plate 20 is erected on the upper surface of the substantially rectangular bottom plate 10, and the side plate 20 is bolted to the screw hole 11 of the bottom plate 10 through the through hole 21 a of the lower flange 21. The upper surface of the side plate 20 is covered with a substantially rectangular lid plate 30, and the lid plate 30 is bolted to a screw hole 21 a of the upper flange 22 of the side plate 20 through a through hole 31. The bottom plate 10, the side plate 20, and the lid plate 30 form a substantially rectangular parallelepiped housing 1 having a sealed space inside.
[0009]
An electronic component such as a power module used in an electric vehicle is disposed in the housing 1. This power module is equipped with a semiconductor element for power conversion such as IGBT or MOS FET that generates a large amount of heat. Further, the casing itself is generally disposed in a high temperature environment such as an engine room. Therefore, the housing 1 is required to cool the electronic component by preventing heat from entering from the outside, and to function as an electromagnetic shield for the electronic component and to protect the electronic component from water or the like. .
[0010]
The bottom plate 10 has a cooling structure, and a flow path (not shown) through which a coolant flows is formed inside the bottom plate 10. The cooling liquid flows from the flow path inlet 12 of the bottom plate 10 and is discharged from the flow path outlet 13. As the cooling liquid, water, an ethylene glycol aqueous solution, or the like is used, but cooling air may be allowed to flow instead of the cooling liquid. In addition, a cooling structure is not restricted to this, For example, it is good also as a boiling cooling device. The electronic component in the housing 1 is provided in contact with the upper surface of the bottom plate 10 and is cooled by absorbing heat from the bottom plate 10.
[0011]
The side plate 20 is formed by insert molding a metal plate inside a resin material. That is, the metal member 25 is sandwiched between the resin inner wall member 23 and the outer wall member 24. The resin materials 23 and 24 are preferably those that can withstand a high temperature environment. For example, PBT (polybutylene terephthalate), PA (polyamide), PPS (polyphenylene sulfide), or the like is used. The metal material 25 has a low volume resistivity and a high thermal conductivity, and is preferably as thin as possible and light and easy to cut and bend. Copper and aluminum, or these may be used in consideration of price and versatility. It is preferable to use the main component. Note that the bottom plate 10 and the cover plate 30 are also made of, for example, aluminum, like the metal plate 25.
[0012]
Here, the inner wall member 23 and the outer wall member 24 have lower thermal conductivity than the metal member 25. Therefore, it mainly functions as a heat insulating layer that blocks heat input from the engine room into the housing 1. Moreover, since the resin materials 23 and 24 are used for the side plate 20, weight reduction can be achieved compared with the case where the side plate 20 is comprised only with a metal. Although not shown, the side plate 20 is provided with a connector for connecting an electronic component in the housing 1 and an electronic device outside the housing 1.
[0013]
3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG. A housing groove 26 having a substantially rectangular cross section with a width a and a height b (<a) is provided on the upper end surface of the outer wall member 24. The accommodation groove 26 makes one round of the upper surface (open end surface) of the side plate 20, and an O-ring 40 having a substantially elliptical cross section as shown in FIG. 4 is accommodated along the accommodation groove 26. The upper end of the metal member 25 is exposed from the inner wall member 23 and the outer wall member 24, and the exposed portion is bent so as to cover a part of the accommodation groove 26, for example, about half as shown in the figure, thereby forming a metal flange 25a. ing. In addition, also in the lower end part of the side plate 20, the lower end of the metal plate 25 is bent similarly, and the metal flange 25a is formed (refer FIG. 1).
[0014]
A part of the O-ring 40 accommodated in the accommodation groove 26, that is, the left side of the dotted line in FIG. 4 (hereinafter referred to as the flange portion 41) is covered with the metal flange 25a, and the flange portion 41 is pressed against the metal flange 25a. As a result, the flange portion 41 of the O-ring 40 is compressed, and a reaction force acts on the metal flange 25a from the flange portion 41. In the present embodiment, the metal flange 25 a is elastically deformed upward by the reaction force from the O-ring 40, so that at least the upper surface of the metal flange 25 a protrudes from the upper end surfaces of the resins 23 and 24 before the cover plate 30 is attached. Then, the metal flange 25a is formed. Therefore, it is necessary to suppress the rigidity of the metal flange 25a, and the thickness of the metal flange 25a is reduced or the overall thickness of the metal plate 25 is reduced. This is also preferable from the viewpoint of weight reduction. The metal flange 25a may be provided with holes or notches to reduce the rigidity.
[0015]
On the other hand, the O-ring 40 that is not covered by the metal flange 25a, that is, the right side of the dotted line in FIG. In the present embodiment, the thickness of the metal flange 25a and the material and shape of the O-ring 40 (ratio of width a to height b, etc.) are set so that the bulging amount is at least larger than the thickness of the metal flange 25a. It is determined. As a result, when the lid plate 30 is attached, the seal portion 42 comes into contact with the lid plate 30 and is compressed, and the attachment portion of the lid plate 30 is sealed. For example, NBR (acrylonitrile butadiene rubber) is used as the material of the O-ring 40. If sealability and reaction force can be obtained, EPDM (ethylene propylene diene rubber) or a silicone-based material may be used. It may be a material. A metal seal ring may be used.
[0016]
The side plate 20 is manufactured by, for example, any one of the following methods (1) to (3).
(1) First, the O-ring 40 is attached to the receiving groove 26 with the metal plate 25 extending in the longitudinal direction. Next, the end of the metal plate 25 is bent approximately 90 ° in the groove direction to form the metal flange 25a. According to this method, since the O-ring 40 is mounted before the metal plate 25 is bent, the O-ring 40 can be easily mounted.
(2) The end of the metal plate 25 is bent in advance by about 60 °. In this state, the O-ring 40 is attached, and the metal plate is bent approximately 90 ° to form the metal flange 25a. In this case, since the O-ring 40 is attached after the metal plate 25 is preliminarily bent, bending after the O-ring is attached is easy.
(3) First, the end of the metal plate 25 is bent by approximately 90 °. Next, the O-ring 40 is pushed through the gap of the accommodation groove 26, and the O-ring 40 is inserted into the accommodation groove 26. In this case, bending work after the O-ring is attached is unnecessary.
[0017]
In the side plate 20 thus formed, the flange portion 41 of the O-ring 40 comes into contact with the metal flange 25, and the seal portion 42 bulges from the gap of the accommodation groove 26. Therefore, when the cover plate 30 is attached to the side plate 20, the seal portion 42 is compressed between the side plate 20 and the cover plate 30, and sealing performance can be ensured. As a result, water can be prevented from entering the housing 1 from the engine room.
[0018]
In this case, since the reaction force from the flange portion 41 acts on the metal flange 25a, the upper surface of the flange 25a is brought into close contact with the lid plate 30 to ensure electromagnetic shielding properties. Further, since the metal plate 25 and the bottom plate 10 are in contact with each other at the lower part of the side plate 20, the heat of the metal plate 25 is removed from the bottom plate 30 with good conductivity, and cooling of the metal plate 20 is promoted. Since the metal plate 25 and the cover plate 30 are also in contact with each other at the upper part of the side plate 20, the cover plate 30 is also cooled, and the temperature rise of the gas in the housing 1 is suppressed. As a result, the electronic components in the housing 1 can be effectively cooled together with the heat insulating function by the resin materials 23 and 24.
[0019]
As described above, in the present embodiment, a part of the housing groove 26 is covered with the metal flange 25a, but this is also preferable from the following point. That is, for example, when the metal flange 25a is provided apart from the housing groove 26 as shown in FIG. 5, in order to obtain a sufficient contact force between the metal flange 25a and the cover plate 30, the upper surface of the metal flange 25a is placed on the resin material 23, It is necessary to make it higher than the upper end surface of 24. However, if the upper surface of the metal flange 25a is raised, a sufficient compressive force cannot be applied from the lid plate 30 to the O-ring 40, and the sealing performance may not be ensured. On the contrary, if priority is given to applying a sufficient compressive force to the O-ring 40, a sufficient contact force between the metal flange 25a and the cover plate 30 cannot be obtained, and there is a possibility that the cooling property and the electromagnetic shielding property cannot be ensured.
[0020]
In this respect, in the present embodiment, since the reaction force from the O-ring 40 is applied to the metal flange 25a, even if the height of the metal flange 25a is slightly lower than the resin materials 23 and 24, the metal flange 25a By deforming upward, a sufficient contact force between the metal flange 25a and the cover plate 30 can be obtained. Further, when the height of the metal flange 25a is slightly higher than that of the resin materials 23, 24, the metal flange 25a can be deformed into the groove 26, so that it does not provide a great resistance to compression of the seal portion 42 and ensures sealing performance. Can do.
[0021]
According to the first embodiment described above, the metal flange 25a is formed so as to cover a part of the receiving groove 26 provided on the end face of the side plate 20, and a part of the O-ring 40 (the flange portion 41) is formed by the metal flange 25a. ) And a part of the O-ring 40 (seal part 42) bulges from the gap of the accommodation groove 26. Thus, the flange portion 41 of the O-ring 40 is pressed from the lid body 30 via the metal flange 25a, and the seal portion 42 is pressed from the lid body 30 without passing through the metal flange 25a. As a result, the gap between the lid 30 and the side plate 20 is sealed by the seal portion 42, and a reaction force is applied to the metal flange 25a from the flange portion 41, so that the contact force between the metal flange 25a and the lid 30 is increased. Electromagnetic shielding properties can be ensured. Moreover, since the side plate 20 is formed by insert-molding the metal plate 25 on the resin materials 23 and 24, weight reduction can be achieved. Since the flange portion 41 and the seal portion 42 are provided in one O-ring 40, the number of parts and the mounting space for the O-ring 40 can be saved.
[0022]
-Second Embodiment-
A second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in the shape of the O-ring. Hereinafter, differences from the first embodiment will be mainly described.
[0023]
FIG. 6 is a view showing a cross-sectional shape of the O-ring 50 accommodated in the accommodation groove 26 of the housing 1 according to the second embodiment. In the figure, 51 is a flange portion that contacts the metal flange 25 a, and 52 is a seal portion that contacts the lid plate 30. In the second embodiment, the height X of the seal portion 52 (the dimension in the housing groove depth direction) is higher than the height Y of the flange portion 51, and the difference (X−Y) is at least the plate thickness of the metal flange 25a. The O-ring 50 is formed so as to be thicker than the dimension. As a result, the O-ring 50 having a thickness equal to or greater than the thickness of the metal flange 25a swells from the gap of the housing groove 26, so that the seal portion 52 and the cover plate 30 are in reliable contact with each other, and sealing performance can be ensured.
[0024]
As described above, in the second embodiment, since the height of the seal portion 52 is set higher than the height of the flange portion 51, sufficient sealing performance can be ensured even when the cross-sectional area of the O-ring 50 is small. it can. As a result, the width a of the housing groove 26 can be reduced, and the flange 22 of the side plate 20 can be reduced in size.
[0025]
-Third embodiment-
A third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
The third embodiment differs from the first embodiment in the shape of the O-ring. Hereinafter, differences from the first embodiment will be mainly described.
[0026]
FIG. 7 is a view showing a cross-sectional shape of the O-ring 60 accommodated in the accommodation groove of the housing 1 according to the third embodiment. In the figure, 61 is a flange portion that contacts the metal flange 25a, and 62 is a seal portion that contacts the lid plate 30. A groove 63 is provided at the center of the upper surface of the O-ring 60 positioned immediately below the tip of the metal flange 25a. The groove 63 is divided into a flange portion 61 and a seal portion 62 with the groove 63 as a boundary.
[0027]
Thus, even if one of the O-rings 60 (for example, the flange portion 61) is compressed, the compression force is not transmitted to the other (for example, the seal portion 62), and the flange portion 61 and the seal portion 62 can be compressed independently of each other. . As a result, the reaction force can be accurately applied from the flange portion 61 to the metal flange 25a without being affected by the compression state of the seal portion 62. In the drawing, the upper surfaces of the flange portion 61 and the seal portion 62 are formed in a substantially semicircular shape, but they may not be semicircular. Similar to the second embodiment, the height of the seal portion 62 may be made higher than the height of the flange portion 61.
[0028]
As described above, in the third embodiment, the groove 63 is provided on the upper surface of the O-ring 60, and the flange portion 61 and the seal portion 62 are separated from each other with the groove 63 as a boundary. Therefore, the flange portion 61 is the tip of the metal flange 25a. It is possible to contact the inner side of the portion and accurately apply an upward reaction force to the metal flange 25a. As a result, the contact force between the metal flange 25a and the cover plate 30 can be further increased.
[0029]
-Fourth embodiment-
A fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
The fourth embodiment differs from the first embodiment in the shapes of the O-ring and the receiving groove. FIG. 8 is a view showing a cross-sectional shape of the housing groove 27 of the housing 1 according to the fourth embodiment, and FIG. 9 is a view showing a cross-sectional shape of the O-ring 70 housed in the housing groove 27. In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the location same as FIG. 3, and the difference is mainly demonstrated below.
[0030]
In the fourth embodiment, the cross section of the accommodation groove 27 is formed in a curved surface (for example, a semicircular shape), and the bottom surface 74 of the O-ring 70 is also formed in a curved surface so as to correspond to the accommodation groove 27. As in the third embodiment, a groove 73 is provided on the upper surface of the O-ring 70, and the O-ring 70 is divided into a flange portion 71 and a seal portion 72 with the groove 73 as a boundary.
[0031]
In such a fourth embodiment, when a compressive force is applied to one of the O-rings 70 (for example, the flange portion 71), the O-ring 70 is moved along the shape of the receiving groove 27 by the compressive force, and the other (for example, for example) The compressive force is likely to act on the seal portion 72). Thereby, the compressive force from the metal flange 25a and the cover plate 30 acts on the O-ring 70 in a well-balanced manner, and the contact force between the metal flange 25a and the cover plate 30, and the seal portion 71 and the cover plate 30 is improved.
[0032]
Further, since the receiving groove 27 and the bottom surface 74 of the O-ring 70 are formed in a curved shape, the O-ring 70 can be easily attached. FIG. 10 is a view showing a mounting operation of the O-ring 70. First, the metal plate 25 is bent approximately 90 ° in the groove direction. Next, the O-ring 70 is inserted from the gap of the receiving groove 27 as shown in the figure, and the O-ring 70 is pushed in while sliding along the bottom surface of the receiving groove 27. Thereby, it can arrange | position below the metal flange 25a, without damaging O-ring 70. FIG.
[0033]
As described above, in the fourth embodiment, the accommodation groove 27 has a curved surface shape, and the bottom surface 74 of the O-ring 70 has a curved shape so as to correspond to the curved shape, so that the O-ring 70 extends along the accommodation groove 27. It becomes possible to move. Accordingly, the compression force acting on one of the O-rings 70 (for example, the flange portion 71) can increase the compression force of the other (for example, the seal portion 72), and the compression force can be applied to the O-ring 70 in a balanced manner. . Further, the O-ring 70 can be inserted while sliding along the receiving groove 27 with the metal plate 25 bent by approximately 90 °, so that the O-ring 70 can be easily mounted. Therefore, the side plate 20 can be molded and bent at the same time, and the manufacturing process can be saved. Even when only the receiving groove 27 has a curved surface and the bottom surface of the O-ring does not have a curved surface (for example, the shape shown in FIG. 7), the mounting operation of the O-ring can be facilitated. In order to apply the compressive force in a balanced manner, it is preferable to form a curved surface corresponding to the accommodation groove 27. Further, only the bottom surface of the accommodation groove 27 may be curved.
[0034]
-Fifth embodiment-
A fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
The fifth embodiment differs from the first embodiment in the shape of the metal flange. FIG. 11 is a perspective view mainly showing the shape of the metal flange 25b of the housing 1 according to the fifth embodiment. In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the location same as FIG. 2, and the difference is mainly demonstrated below.
[0035]
As shown in FIG. 11, the metal flange 25b is provided with a plurality of slits 25c substantially parallel to the width direction of the receiving groove 26, and the metal flange 25b is divided in the length direction of the receiving groove 26. Yes. Thereby, the rigidity of the metal flange 25b is further reduced. Therefore, even when the distance from the screw hole 22a is far away, even if the fastening force between the side plate 20 and the lid plate 30 is weak and the reaction force from the O-ring 40 is reduced, the metal flange 25b is moved to the lid plate 30 side. Can be deformed. As a result, the cover plate 30 can be brought into contact with the entire circumference of the metal flange 25b. In addition, when the slit 25c is provided, the area of the metal flange 25c is reduced correspondingly, which is not preferable for cooling performance and electromagnetic shielding performance. Therefore, the slit 25c is provided in consideration of the harmony with this.
[0036]
According to the fifth embodiment. Thus the slits 25c to the metal flange 25b, reduces the rigidity of the metal flange 2 5b, the metal flange is easily deformed. As a result, the lid 30 can be brought into contact over the entire circumference of the metal flange 25b, heat can be evenly transmitted in the circumferential direction, and the occurrence of local thermal stress can be prevented. Moreover, even if the surface of the cover plate 30 is uneven, the metal flange 25a and the cover plate 30 can be easily brought into contact with each other.
[0037]
In the above embodiment, the lid plate 30 is made of aluminum. However, in consideration of the thermal influence, the resin plate may be made of metal by insert molding in the same manner as the side plate 20. The inner wall member 23 and the outer wall member 24 may be separately molded, and the metal plate 25 may be attached later. If the metal plate 25 is covered with the resin material, the resin material and the metal plate 25 may not be adhered to each other. Only one of the inner wall member 23 and the outer wall member 24 may be provided. The housing 1 is formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, but may have other shapes (for example, a substantially cylindrical shape). The lid plate 30 may be provided at the bottom of the side plate 20 and the bottom plate 10 may be provided at the top. The lid plate 30 may be provided with a cooling structure similar to that of the bottom plate 10.
[0038]
In the above embodiment, the flange parts 41, 51, 61, 71 correspond to the first part, and the seal parts 42, 52, 62, 72 correspond to the second part.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a housing structure according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a portion II in FIG.
3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG.
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of an O-ring used for the housing structure according to the first embodiment.
FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the effect of the first embodiment in comparison with FIG. 3;
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of an O-ring used in the housing structure according to the second embodiment.
FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of an O-ring used for a housing structure according to a third embodiment.
FIG. 8 is an essential part cross-sectional view showing a housing structure according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of an O-ring used for a housing structure according to a fourth embodiment.
FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining an O-ring mounting operation in the housing structure according to the fourth embodiment.
FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a main part of a housing structure according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
20 side plate 23 inner wall material 24 outer wall material 25 metal plate 25a, 25b metal flange 25c slit 26, 27 receiving groove 30 lid plate 40, 50, 60, 70 O-ring 41, 51, 61, 71 flange portion 42, 52, 62, 72 Seal part 63,73 Groove

Claims (6)

A side plate composed of a metal plate and a resin plate provided so as to cover the metal plate, a metal lid attached to an end of the side plate, and an elastic body that seals between the lid and the side plate An electronic component casing structure in which a sealed space is formed and an electronic component is disposed in the sealed space,
The side plate has an accommodation groove for accommodating the elastic body on an open end surface of the resin plate,
The end of the metal plate is bent so as to cover one side in the width direction of the housing groove over the length direction of the housing groove,
The elastic body is
The surface of the metal plate is covered with the end of the metal plate in the state of being accommodated in the housing groove, and the housing groove is pressed through the end of the metal plate from the lid that is in contact with the end of the metal plate. A first portion on one side in the width direction;
The second portion on the other side in the width direction of the housing groove that is not covered by the end portion of the metal plate and is housed in the housing groove and pressed between the lid body and seals between the lid body and the side plate. housing structure of an electronic component, characterized in that it comprises and. In the housing structure of the electronic component according to claim 1,
The dimension of the elastic body in the depth direction of the receiving groove is formed so that the second part is at least thicker than the thickness of the bent metal plate compared to the first part. An electronic component housing structure characterized by In the housing structure of the electronic component according to claim 1 or 2,
A housing structure for an electronic component, wherein a groove is provided on a surface of the elastic body so as to divide the first part and the second part. In the housing structure of the electronic component according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
A housing structure for an electronic component, wherein a cross-sectional shape in a width direction of at least a bottom portion of the housing groove has a substantially semicircular shape projecting from the housing groove opening toward the bottom portion. The housing structure for an electronic component according to claim 4,
A cross-sectional shape in the width direction of the elastic body is a housing structure for an electronic component, wherein at least a portion in contact with the bottom of the housing groove has substantially the same shape as the housing groove. In the housing structure of the electronic component according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
A housing structure for an electronic component, wherein a plurality of slits are provided at substantially predetermined intervals substantially parallel to the width direction of the housing groove in a bent portion of the metal plate that covers the housing groove.

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