WO2023030588A1

WO2023030588A1 - Cooling device, cooling assembly, controller, and rack system

Info

Publication number: WO2023030588A1
Application number: PCT/DE2022/200174
Authority: WO
Inventors: Andreas Heise
Original assignee: Continental Automotive Technologies GmbH
Priority date: 2021-09-01
Filing date: 2022-08-03
Publication date: 2023-03-09
Also published as: DE102021209640A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a cooling device (10, 100, 1 00a-1 OOd, 110) for cooling a component to be cooled, comprising a heat sink (11, 100, 111) which is designed to receive a cooling medium, wherein the heat sink (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 partly made of a flexible material so that the heat sink (1, 111) or a flexible part of the heat sink (11, 111) conforms to the component to be cooled when the heat sink is filled with the cooling medium and/or when the cooling medium is flowing through the heat sink.

Description

Cooling device, cooling arrangement, control device and rack system

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, ie power loss, with the power loss of the control units being 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 conductance 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 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. Another disadvantage is that in the event of a change to the assemblies or

Component placement on the circuit carriers, often the housing must also be changed, since the metal must be brought close to the electronic component components, but it must not collide due to changed component heights or the distances or gaps are 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 can also be easily removed and installed or replaced. should be interchangeable. 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

DE 10 2004 028 740 B4 discloses a combined cooling/air conditioning system for motor vehicles for cooling electrical and/or electronic components of the motor vehicle. 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 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 that are intended to accommodate projections, in particular electrical connector pins, of the component to be cooled in order to allow an electrical connection from the EMC-enclosed area of the metallic casing, ie 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 has at least one outlet for the cooling medium and is at least partially made of flexible material, so that the heat sink or a flexible part of the heat sink particularly clings to the component to be cooled when it is filled with cooling medium or is flowing through it, i.e. in particular that the internal pressure in the heat sink is higher than the ambient air pressure.

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 supported areally by a flexible material or flexibly suspended material.

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 printed circuit boards each having one or more connector connectors for contacting the backplane connector or as a direct connector can be plugged into the backplane connector. Thus, the printed circuit boards that fit into the common terminal block can be plugged in in a simple manner. This achieves a particularly simple and quick installation and deinstallation.

Description of the invention based on exemplary embodiments

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

1 shows a simplified schematic representation of an embodiment of a vehicle with a control device according to the invention;

2 shows a simplified schematic side view of an embodiment of a cooling device according to the invention, which encloses a printed circuit board (B) and the identical structure (A) before the heat sink is assembled;

3 shows a simplified schematic representation of an embodiment of a cooling arrangement according to the invention without an encapsulated printed circuit board (A) and with an inserted encapsulated printed circuit board (B), in each case in plan view;

FIG. 4 shows a simplified schematic representation of the cooling arrangement from FIG. 2 or FIG. 3, which is introduced into a housing;

5 shows a simplified schematic representation of an embodiment of a cooling arrangement according to the invention with holes for a connector plug in the heat sink in the uninstalled state (A) and with pins in the holes in the enclosed state (B) with a printed circuit board inserted;

6 shows a further simplified schematic sectional illustration of the embodiment from FIG. 5 of a cooling arrangement according to the invention holes and pins in the open state (A) and in the closed state with casing (B);

7 shows 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 representation along the section line A-A (A) and an exploded representation (B) of the sectional representation along the section line A-A;

Fig. 8 shows a simplified schematic representation of several configurations 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 shows a simplified schematic illustration of a rack according to the invention in a partial sectional illustration in plan view (A) and in a perspective sectional illustration (B);

10 shows a simplified schematic representation of a printed circuit board arrangement of a rack according to the invention in a top view (A) and different printed circuit boards with and without different heat spreads or partial housings in a perspective side view (B);

11 shows a simplified schematic representation of several configurations of a heat sink according to the invention without illustrated connections: elastic bellows with cooling liquid (A), a bladder or bag with cooling liquid (B) and a bag made of welding foil (C);

12 shows a simplified schematic representation of several configurations of a cooling arrangement according to the invention with (A) a heat spreader on one side or an inner housing on one side and a heat sink on both sides, (B) a heat spreader on both sides or on both sides inner case and single sided fluid heatsink, (C) single sided heat spreader or single sided inner case and single sided fluid heatsink, (D) double sided large heat spreader or double sided inner case and single sided fluid heatsink, and (E) single sided heat spreader or single sided inner case and single sided partial rigid and partially elastic heat sink;

13 shows a simplified schematic representation of a further embodiment of a cooling device according to the invention in plan view and sectional representations along the section lines A-A, B-B, C-C and D-D;

14 shows a simplified schematic representation of a further embodiment of a rack according to the invention with printed circuit boards (A) not inserted and printed circuit boards (B) inserted, and

15 shows 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 representation in top view (A) in a sectional representation without circuit board (B) and in a sectional representation with circuit board/circuit board assembly (C).

Reference numeral 1 in Fig. 1 designates a vehicle with various actuators (steering 3, motor 4, brake 5), which has a control device 2 according to the invention (ECU, Electronic Control Unit or ADCU, Assisted and Automated Driving Control Unit), through which a ( 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. Furthermore, the vehicle has 1 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 for the surroundings and

Object recognition can be used so that various assistance functions, such as B. Emergency brake assistant (EBA, Electronic Brake Assist), distance 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, in particular an aluminum foil, is used here, electrical insulation that may be necessary, but also corrosion resistance, can be ensured by a very thin plastic coating or an anoxal or anodized coating. 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. 2 shows an embodiment of a cooling device 10 according to the invention for cooling a component to be cooled, which comprises a cooling body 11 which serves to hold 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 shown in FIG. 2 (A) before the assembly is completed and as shown in FIG. 2 (B) almost completely).

3 shows a top view of the embodiment of a cooling device 10 according to the invention with heat sink 11, wherein the cooling device is shown without component or printed circuit board (A) to be cooled and with 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 FIG. 3 (B) indicate the flow direction of the cooling medium as an example. 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). Fig. 4 also shows a side view of Cooling arrangement from FIG. 3 (B) or FIG. 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.

An embodiment according to the invention is shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, in which the connection plug pins 17 are also routed 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 . FIG. 6 (B) shows a fixed, enclosing housing with two housing parts 19a, 19b in the unassembled state (exploded view).

7 shows a circuit carrier or a printed circuit board 14 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 connector etc. in Fig. 7 is not shown.

In Fig. 8 configurations of a cooling device according to the invention are shown, 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 Foil surfaces are applied. For example, in (B) is a heat sink 11 with a fixed or rigid area 11a (ie not equally flexible area), 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. (C) shows an embodiment of 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 due to the expansion properties of a bellows components and can also distribute the pressure particularly well. 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.

9 shows a rack according to the invention with a plurality of plug-in cards or printed circuit boards 14a-14d, with FIG. 9 (A) showing a sectional view from above and FIG. 9 (B) showing 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 connector 32 (backplane with so-called direct connectors) is provided, which the circuit boards 14a-14d can accommodate and thus contributes to the stabilization and storage security of the 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. FIG. 10 (A) shows a plan view of the printed circuit board 14a with the associated inner housing 20a or heat spreader arranged thereon without the cooling device 100a of the rack shown in FIG. 9 . In Fig. 10 (B) different configurations are shown, where 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. It can be clearly seen in FIG. 9 (B) that different height elevations of equipped 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. 11 shows various configurations of heat sinks or cooling devices, with (A) an elastic bellows with cooling liquid (no connections shown), (B) a bladder or bag with cooling liquid (no connections shown) and (C) a bag from welding foil with connections shows.

12 (A)-(E) shows various configurations of the cooling arrangement according to the invention, the necessary counterforce being supported by fluid cushions also originating from the same fluid circuit or by a bearing on a housing. An advantage of bilateral fluid cushion storage is that the location of the circuit board 14 and the electrical congestion at the plugs Connection strip 32 specifies the position and the fluid cushion or cooling devices 10 through which the flow passes exert almost no or only insignificant forces on the system (balance of forces). Floating connectors are generally not necessary here to compensate for tolerances. The embodiment according to FIG. 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 configuration according to FIG. 12 (B) shows a further cooling arrangement according to the invention with a heat sink 11 arranged on one side of 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 configuration according to FIG. 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 configuration according to FIG. 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 symmetrical introduction of force takes place through the housing counter-pressure (heat spreader on both sides or inner housing on both sides). The configuration according to FIG. 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 force is introduced by 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 or a cooling pad according to the invention, which is made of film material. In rack constructions in particular, a number of such cooling devices 100 or 100a, 100b, 100c can be introduced between a number of 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 (ie 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.

14 shows a rack system according to the invention with cooling pads or cooling devices 100a, 100b, 100c (the connection lines for the cooling medium are not shown in FIG are then inserted in the illustration below. 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 rack housing 31 on one side, 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, direct insertion of the printed circuit board edge of the printed circuit boards into a so-called direct plug connector of a backplane is also possible (as shown by means of the plug connection 32 in FIG. 9). 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. Tolerance compensation, as is normally required for the cooling surfaces of a conventional cooling device to fit, is therefore 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, FIG. 15 shows an alternative embodiment of a cooling arrangement 110 according to the invention with heat sink 111 and connection lines 112, 113, in which, in contrast to the representation according to FIG. 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 controller

3 steering

4 engine

5 brake

6 radar sensor

7 lidar sensor

8 front camera

9a-9d ultrasonic sensor

10 cooler

11 heatsinks

11a rigid area

11 b flexible area

11c heatsink bellows

12 inlet

13 outlet

14, 14a-14d circuit board

15, 15a-15d connector plugs

16 adhesive area

17 pins

18 holes

19 housing

19a, 19b housing part

20, 20a-20c inner housing

21 thermoformed area

30 racks

31 rack enclosure

32 connector

33 connector block , 100a-100e cooler

connection area

connecting cable

composite foil

fluid channel separation

foil edge

cooler

heatsink

fluid connection line

Frame outer foil inner foil

fluid channel separation

Claims

23 patent claims

1. Cooling device (10, 100, 100a-1 OOd, 110) for cooling a component to be cooled, comprising a heat sink (11, 100, 111) which is used for receiving a cooling medium, wherein the heat sink (11, 111) a 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) nestles against the component to be cooled when it is filled with cooling medium and/or has cooling medium flowing through it.

2. Cooling device according to claim 1, characterized in that metal foil, in particular aluminum foil or copper foil, or plastic foil is provided as the flexible material.

3. Cooling device according to 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.

4. Cooling device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the flexible material has a coating, in particular an aluminum coating.

5. Cooling device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the flexible material and / or the heat sink (11, 111) is designed double-walled.

6. Cooling device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cooling device (10, 100, 100a-1 OOd, 110) comprises deep-drawn areas (21) which can accommodate components to be cooled.

7. 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).

8. Cooling device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the heat sink (11) is closed via welding and/or adhesive areas (16).

9. Cooling device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cooling body (11) has holes (18) which are intended to accommodate projections, in particular electrical contacts of a connector, of the component to be cooled.

10. Cooling device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cooling body (11, 100, 111) has a separation on the inside, in particular a flexible fluid channel separation (105, 117).

11. Cooling device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the heat sink (11, 111) is designed as a bag or as a film without a frame.

12. Cooling device according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the heat sink (11, 111) is designed as an elastic bellows or a flexible region of the heat sink (11) as an elastic bellows (11c).

13. 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.

14. Cooling arrangement 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 Cooling body (11, 111), which is used 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 cooling body ( 11, 111) is at least partially made of flexible material, so that the heat sink (11, 111) or a flexible part of the Cooling body (11, 111) nestles against the component to be cooled when it is filled with cooling medium or has the cooling medium flowing through it. 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 to 15, characterized in that the component to be cooled rests against the heat sink (11, 111) on one side or on both sides. Cooling arrangement according to one of Claims 14 to 16, characterized in that the component to be cooled is a printed circuit board (14, 14a-14d) and/or a populated and/or a circuit carrier and/or a plug-in card and/or a battery acts. Cooling arrangement according to one of Claims 14 to 17, characterized in that a plurality of 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, to different fluid circuits . Control device with a component to be cooled, characterized in that the control device comprises a cooling device (10, 100, 100a-100d, 110) according to one of Claims 1-13 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 any one of claims 1-13 to the at least one component to be cooled cool, or a cooling arrangement according to any one of claims 14-18 is provided. 26 Rack according to 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 according to 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 number of printed circuit boards (14a-14d). Rack according to one of Claims 20 to 22, characterized in that the rack has a number of cooling devices (100; 100a, 100b, 100c) between a number of components to be cooled. Rack according to one of Claims 20 to 23, characterized in that the rack (30) has a connection strip (33) and the printed circuit boards (14a-14d) each have a plug-in area, in particular connection plugs (15a-15d), which are inserted into the common Terminal strip (33) can be plugged in.