KR102580951B1 - Converter - Google Patents

Abstract

This embodiment relates to a converter. A converter according to one aspect includes a housing; a plurality of heating elements disposed on one surface of the housing; and a refrigerant pipe disposed on the other side of the housing, wherein the refrigerant pipe is formed as a single line from an inlet through which the refrigerant flows in to an outlet through which the refrigerant is discharged, and a refrigerant flow path through which the refrigerant flows inside the refrigerant pipe. A partition unit is disposed to divide the area into at least two or more areas.

Description

Converter

This embodiment relates to a converter.

Electrical devices in automobiles generally include engine electrical devices (starter, ignition, charging device) and lighting devices, but recently, as vehicles have become more electronically controlled, most systems, including chassis electrical devices, are becoming electrical and electronic. .

Various electrical equipment such as lamps, audio, heaters, and air conditioners installed in cars are supplied with power from the battery when the car is stopped, and from the generator when running. At this time, the normal power voltage is used to generate power in the 14V power system. Capacity is being used.

Recently, with the development of the information technology industry, various new technologies (motor-type power steering, Internet, etc.) aimed at increasing the convenience of automobiles have been incorporated into vehicles, and the development of new technologies that can utilize current automobile systems to the fullest extent will continue in the future. It is a prospect.

Hybrid electric vehicles (HEV), regardless of soft or hard type, are equipped with a DC-DC converter (Low Voltage DC-DC Converter) to supply electric loads (12V). In addition, the DCDC converter, which acts as a generator (alternator) in general gasoline vehicles, lowers the high voltage of the main battery (usually a high-voltage battery of 144V or higher) and supplies 12V voltage for electrical loads.

A DC-DC converter is an electronic circuit device that converts direct current power of a certain voltage into direct current power of a different voltage, and is used in various fields such as television sets and automotive electronics.

The converter according to the prior art has an external shape formed by a housing. A plurality of heating elements that generate heat are provided on one side of the housing, and a refrigerant flow path is formed on the other side of the housing to allow refrigerant to flow to absorb the generated heat.

The refrigerant flow path forms a path defined from the refrigerant inlet to the refrigerant outlet so that the refrigerant circulates around the other surface of the housing. The refrigerant inlet and the refrigerant outlet may be arranged to be spaced apart from each other on a side of the housing. Accordingly, the refrigerant flowing into the refrigerant inlet absorbs the heat of the heating element along the refrigerant flow path and is discharged to the refrigerant outlet.

Meanwhile, a cover to cover the refrigerant passage may be coupled to the other side of the housing. To prevent refrigerant from leaking to the outside, a sealing member (not shown) may be provided between the cover and the housing. Additionally, the refrigerant inlet and the refrigerant outlet may be coupled to separate pipes or may be provided with connectors for sealing.

According to the above-described prior art, a separate sealing member is additionally disposed to prevent refrigerant from leaking to the outside, so there is a problem that the number of parts increases and the manufacturing cost increases. Additionally, since the cover for covering the refrigerant passage is provided separately from the housing, there is a disadvantage that a separate process is required for assembling each part.

The present invention was proposed to improve the above problems, and aims to provide a converter that can reduce manufacturing costs by reducing the number of parts.

Additionally, the aim is to provide a converter that can prevent deformation of cooling pipes during the manufacturing process of the housing.

The converter according to this embodiment includes a housing; a plurality of heating elements disposed on one surface of the housing; and a refrigerant pipe disposed on the other side of the housing, wherein the refrigerant pipe is formed as a single line from an inlet through which the refrigerant flows in to an outlet through which the refrigerant is discharged, and a refrigerant flow path through which the refrigerant flows inside the refrigerant pipe. A partition unit is disposed to divide the area into at least two or more areas.

Through this embodiment, the internal space of the refrigerant pipe is divided into different areas by the partition, so the strength of the refrigerant pipe itself is strengthened and the surface area can withstand higher pressure, preventing deformation of the refrigerant pipe during the production process. There is an advantage to preventing it.

1 is a perspective view of a converter according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view showing one side of a converter according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the other side of the converter according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of a converter according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the side of the housing according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a cross-section of a refrigerant pipe according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 7 is a diagram showing a modified example of a refrigerant pipe.
Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of a refrigerant pipe according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, some embodiments of the present invention will be described through exemplary drawings. When assigning reference numerals to components in each drawing, identical components are indicated with the same reference numerals as much as possible, even if they are shown in different drawings.

Additionally, when describing the components of an embodiment of the present invention, terms such as first, second, A, B, (a), and (b) may be used. These terms are only used to distinguish the component from other components, and the nature, sequence, or order of the component is not limited by the term. When a component is described as being 'connected', 'coupled' or 'connected' to another component, that component may be directly connected, coupled or connected to that other component, but that component and that other component It should be understood that another component may be 'connected', 'combined', or 'connected' between elements.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a converter according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view showing one side of the converter according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 3 is a view of the other side of the converter according to an embodiment of the present invention. This is the cross section shown.

1 to 3, a converter 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a housing 10 and a plurality of heating elements 14 and 16 disposed on one surface 12 of the housing 10. , 18) and a refrigerant pipe 20 disposed on the other side 11 of the housing 10.

A converter according to this embodiment is an electrical component installed in automobiles, air conditioners, etc., and refers to an electronic circuit device that converts a power source of one voltage into a power source of another voltage. As an example, the converter 100 may be a DC-DC converter. However, the configuration according to this embodiment is not limited to this, and can be applied to various electrical equipment including the types described above.

The housing 10 has a rectangular cross-sectional shape, and a mounting portion 30 in which the refrigerant pipe 20 is disposed and a plurality of heating elements 14, 16, and 18 are disposed therein. Among these, the heating elements 14, 16, and 18 are components that generate heat according to the operation of the converter 100, and are disposed on one surface 12 of the housing 10. At this time, a separate cover (not shown) to cover the heating elements 14, 16, and 18 may be coupled to one surface 12 of the housing 10.

In contrast, a plurality of mutually partitioned internal spaces are formed in the housing 10, and the plurality of heating elements 14, 16, and 18 are disposed in the internal space adjacent to the one side 12, and the other side 11 ) It is also possible to configure the mounting portion 30 to be formed in the internal space adjacent to the.

The heating elements 14, 16, and 18 may include a substrate 14 on which a plurality of electronic components are mounted, a transformer 16 for voltage control, and an inductor 18 for obtaining inductance. This is illustrative, and it can be understood that in the embodiment of the present invention, the heating elements 14, 16, and 18 are included if they are disposed in the converter 100 and generate heat according to operation.

A mounting portion 30 on which a refrigerant pipe 20 through which the refrigerant flows is disposed is formed on the other surface 11 of the housing 10. Due to the mounting part 30, the other surface 11 of the housing 10 may have a shape in which the area where the mounting part 30 is formed protrudes more outward than the other area.

Meanwhile, a cover 11a may be disposed on the other surface 11 of the housing 10 to couple with the other surface 11 and surround the mounting portion 30. The cover 11a may be made of the same material as the housing 10 and may be formed integrally with the housing 10.

As described above, the other surface 11 of the housing 10 may protrude outward from other areas due to the mounting portion 30. The protruding area may be referred to as a step portion 31. In addition, the other surface 11 of the housing 10 excluding the step portion 31 is provided with one or more heat dissipation fins 70 protruding from the other surface 11. The heat dissipation fins 70 are arranged in plural numbers to form mutual spacing, thereby increasing the cross-sectional area of the other surface 11, so that heat generated from the heating elements 14, 16, and 18 can be more easily discharged to the outside. there is. Additionally, separate heat dissipation fins 72 may be provided on the side of the housing 10 to expand the cross-sectional area of the housing 10.

Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of a converter according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the side of the housing according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 4, and 5, a mounting portion 30 on which the refrigerant pipe 20 is disposed is formed in the housing 10. In detail, the mounting portion 30 may be formed by a single line in an area defined from one end 19a to the other end 19a. In detail, a through hole 19 is formed on the side of the housing 10 to expose both ends 22 and 24 of the refrigerant pipe 20 to the outside. The through hole 19 is a space defined from the one end 19a to the other end 19b, and is understood to form an area where the refrigerant pipe 20 is disposed. And, since the mounting portion 30 is formed in a single line, it is obvious that the one end 19a and the other end 19b communicate within the housing 10.

The cross-sectional area of the mounting portion 30 is formed to be constant throughout the entire section. In other words, the width of the inner peripheral surface of the mounting portion 30 can be made constant throughout the entire area. This can also be understood as the cross-sectional area of the outer peripheral surface of the refrigerant pipe 20 disposed in the mounting unit 30 being arranged uniformly. And, since the refrigerant pipe 20 is disposed within the mounting part 30, the shape and cross-sectional area of the inner surface of the mounting part 30 may correspond to the shape and cross-sectional area of the outer surface of the refrigerant pipe 20. As a result, the flow rate of the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant pipe 20 may be relatively constant throughout the entire area. Therefore, since the refrigerant does not stagnate in a specific area, the housing 10 can have a uniform temperature distribution throughout the entire area.

The mounting portion 30 and the refrigerant pipe 20 may overlap in the upward and downward directions with a plurality of heating elements 14, 16, and 18 disposed on one surface 12 of the housing 10. there is. That is, the plurality of heating elements 14, 16, and 18 disposed on one surface 12 of the housing 10, the mounting portion 30, and the refrigerant pipe 20 may be positioned to face each other. To this end, the mounting part 30 and the refrigerant pipe 20 may include a straight part and a plurality of bent parts connecting the straight part.

In detail, an inlet portion 22 through which the refrigerant flows and an outlet portion 24 through which the heat-exchanged refrigerant is discharged are formed at both ends of the refrigerant pipe 20 through which the refrigerant flows. Here, the inlet 22 is understood as one end of the refrigerant pipe 20 exposed to the outside of the housing 10 through the one end 19a, and the outlet 24 is the other end 19b. It is understood as the other end of the refrigerant pipe 20 exposed to the outside of the housing 10 through.

In addition, a plurality of straight parts and a plurality of bent parts are disposed between the inlet part 22 and the discharge part 24. For example, the refrigerant pipe 20 includes a first straight portion 25a extending horizontally from the inlet 22, and a first bent portion bent inward from an end of the first straight portion 25a. It may include a portion 25b and a second straight portion 26a extending horizontally from an end of the first bent portion 25b. After the second straight portion 26a, a third straight portion 27a, a second bent portion 27b, a fourth straight portion 28a, and a third bent portion 28b are formed toward the discharge portion 24. , a fifth straight portion 29a, etc. may be further included. Among these, the bent portion, which has a relatively large cross-sectional area, is positioned to overlap the heating elements (14, 16, 18) in the vertical direction, thereby absorbing more heat generated from the heating elements (14, 16, 18). It can be. That is, the mounting part 30 and the refrigerant pipe 20 are concentrated in the area where the heating elements 14, 16, and 18 are located, which are relatively high temperature areas, so that heat dissipation efficiency can be further increased.

Meanwhile, the refrigerant pipe 20 may be formed integrally with the housing 10. That is, the refrigerant pipe 20 and the housing 10 can be manufactured integrally by an insert injection method. Therefore, there is an advantage in that the number of parts is reduced because a separate cover to cover the refrigerant pipe 20 is not required.

In other words, the refrigerant pipe 20 and the housing 10 can be produced through a die casting method. Therefore, in addition to the refrigerant pipe 20 and the housing 10 being produced and assembled separately, the refrigerant pipe 20 and the housing 10 are formed as one piece by applying pressure to molten metal in a mold. It can be.

According to the converter 100 configured as described above, the refrigerant pipe for refrigerant flow is formed integrally with the housing, so there is no need for separate covers or sealing parts, which has the advantage of reducing the number of parts and lowering the manufacturing cost. .

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a cross-section of a refrigerant pipe according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 6, the refrigerant pipe 20 may have a circular cross-section. Additionally, a refrigerant passage 105 through which the refrigerant flows may be formed inside the refrigerant pipe 20. The refrigerant passage 105 may be divided into a plurality of spaces so that the refrigerant flows.

In detail, the refrigerant passage 105 may include a first passage 101, a second passage 102, a third passage 104, and a fourth passage 103 along a clockwise direction. The first to fourth passages 101, 102, 104, and 103 may be understood as areas each partitioned within the refrigerant pipe 20 by a partition 115 disposed between adjacent passages. The first to fourth passages 101, 102, 104, and 103 may have the same cross-sectional area.

The partition 115 may be arranged radially with respect to the center of the refrigerant passage 105. One end of the partition 115 may be coupled to the inner surface of the refrigerant pipe 20, and the other end may be disposed at the center of the refrigerant passage 105. Accordingly, when the plurality of partitions 115 are arranged, one end of the plurality of partitions 115 is arranged to be spaced apart from each other along the circumferential direction on the inner surface of the refrigerant pipe 20, and the plurality of partitions 115 ) The other ends may be coupled to each other at the center of the refrigerant passage 105.

The partition 115 includes a first partition 111 disposed between the first flow path 101 and the second flow path 102, and the second flow path 102 and the third flow path 104. ) a second compartment 113 disposed between, a third compartment 114 disposed between the third passage 104 and the fourth passage 103, and the fourth passage 103 It may include a fourth compartment 112 disposed between the first flow path 101.

When forming the housing and the refrigerant pipe, deformation of the refrigerant pipe may occur due to the high temperature and high pressure casting process. However, according to this embodiment, since the internal space of the refrigerant pipe 20 is divided into different areas due to the partition 115, the refrigerant pipe 20 can withstand higher pressure, thereby enabling the production process. It can prevent the refrigerant pipe from being deformed. This can be understood as an effect resulting from the strength of the refrigerant pipe 20 itself being strengthened and the surface area being increased due to the partition 115.

Figure 7 is a diagram showing a modified example of a refrigerant pipe.

Referring to FIG. 7, the refrigerant pipe 20 may similarly be divided into a plurality of spaces with a refrigerant flow path 210. The plurality of spaces are, in a clockwise direction, a first flow path (201), a second flow path (202), a third flow path (203), a fourth flow path (204), a fifth flow path (205), and a sixth flow path (206). ) may include. That is, the refrigerant passage 210 may have a plurality of passages arranged adjacent to each other along the circumferential direction. At this time, at least one of the first to sixth passages 201, 202, 203, 204, 205, and 206 may have a cross-sectional area different from other passages.

In addition, the partition 220 includes a first partition 211 that partitions the first flow path 201 and the second flow path 202, and the second flow path 202 and the third flow path 203. ), a second compartment 212 dividing the third flow path 203 and the fourth flow path 204, the fourth flow path 204 and the fourth flow path 204. A fourth compartment 214 dividing the 5th flow path 205, a 5th partition 215 dividing the 4th flow path 205 and the 6th flow path 206, and the 6th flow path 206 ) and a sixth compartment 216 dividing the first flow passage 201.

Therefore, in this modified example, by having more flow paths and partitions compared to the above-described example, deformation of the refrigerant pipe can be prevented.

Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of a refrigerant pipe according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 8, a protrusion 312 protruding from the inner surface may be formed on the inner surface of the refrigerant pipe 20 according to this embodiment. The protrusion 312 may be formed in a spiral shape and extend from one end of the refrigerant pipe 20 toward the other end. Alternatively, the protrusion 312 may be formed only in a partial area of the refrigerant pipe 20.

In other words, the protrusion 312 may be expressed as a screw thread formed on the inner surface of the refrigerant pipe 20. Accordingly, the protrusion 312 protrudes toward the center relatively than other areas on the inner surface of the refrigerant pipe 20, and an area adjacent to the protrusion 312 may have a groove shape.

The protrusion 312 may be formed by inserting a screw (not shown) into the internal space 310 of the refrigerant pipe 20 when manufacturing the refrigerant pipe 20. At this time, the screw is configured to have threads formed on the outer peripheral surface, and the threaded area of the inner surface of the refrigerant pipe 20 forms a groove, and the area adjacent to the groove forms the protrusion 312. . Thereafter, when the screw is separated from the refrigerant pipe 20, only the protrusion 312 exists on the inner surface of the refrigerant pipe 20. At this time, the above

Therefore, according to this embodiment, the strength of the refrigerant pipe is reinforced by forming a protrusion on the inner surface of the refrigerant pipe 20, and there is an advantage in preventing the refrigerant pipe from being deformed when manufacturing the refrigerant pipe.

In the above, just because all the components constituting the embodiment of the present invention have been described as being combined or operated in combination, the present invention is not necessarily limited to this embodiment. That is, as long as it is within the scope of the purpose of the present invention, all of the components may be operated by selectively combining one or more of them. In addition, terms such as 'include', 'comprise', or 'have' described above mean that the corresponding component may be present, unless specifically stated to the contrary, and therefore do not exclude other components. Rather, it should be interpreted as being able to include other components. All terms, including technical or scientific terms, unless otherwise defined, have the same meaning as generally understood by a person of ordinary skill in the technical field to which the present invention pertains. Commonly used terms, such as terms defined in a dictionary, should be interpreted as consistent with the contextual meaning of the related technology, and should not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless explicitly defined in the present invention.

The above description is merely an illustrative explanation of the technical idea of the present invention, and various modifications and variations will be possible to those skilled in the art without departing from the essential characteristics of the present invention. Accordingly, the embodiments disclosed in the present invention are not intended to limit the technical idea of the present invention, but rather to explain it, and the scope of the technical idea of the present invention is not limited by these embodiments. The scope of protection of the present invention should be interpreted in accordance with the claims below, and all technical ideas within the equivalent scope should be construed as being included in the scope of rights of the present invention.

Claims (11)

housing;
a plurality of heating elements disposed on one surface of the housing; and
It includes a refrigerant pipe disposed on the other side of the housing,
The refrigerant pipe is formed as a single line from the inlet where the refrigerant flows in to the outlet where the refrigerant is discharged,
A partition portion is disposed inside the refrigerant pipe to divide the refrigerant passage through which the refrigerant flows into at least two areas,
A mounting portion for accommodating the refrigerant pipe therein is disposed on the other side of the housing,
The converter wherein the mounting portion protrudes relatively to the other side of the other surface of the housing compared to the other area.
According to claim 1,
The partition portion is arranged radially with respect to the center of the refrigerant passage,
A converter wherein one end is coupled to the inner surface of the refrigerant passage, and the other end is disposed at the center of the refrigerant passage.
According to claim 2,
A converter in which a plurality of passages through which refrigerant flows from the inlet toward the outlet are disposed inside the refrigerant pipe by the partition.
According to claim 3,
A converter wherein the plurality of flow paths each have the same cross-sectional area.
According to claim 3,
A converter wherein the plurality of flow paths each have different cross-sectional areas.
According to claim 1,
A converter in which the refrigerant pipe and the housing are integrally formed by an insert injection method.
delete According to claim 1,
A converter in which a heat dissipation fin protruding from the other surface of the housing is disposed on an area other than the mounting portion of the other surface of the housing.
According to claim 1,
A converter wherein the heating element and the refrigerant pipe are arranged to overlap in the upward and downward directions.
housing;
a plurality of heating elements disposed on one surface of the housing; and
It includes a refrigerant pipe disposed on the other side of the housing,
The refrigerant pipe is formed as a single line from the inlet where the refrigerant flows in to the outlet where the refrigerant is discharged,
A converter in which a protrusion that protrudes inward from other areas is disposed on the inner surface of the refrigerant pipe.
According to claim 10,
The protrusion extends spirally from one end of the refrigerant pipe toward the other end.