Electricity: electrical systems and devices – Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical... – For electronic systems and devices
Reexamination Certificate
2000-09-05
2001-08-21
Tolin, Gerald (Department: 2835)
Electricity: electrical systems and devices
Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical...
For electronic systems and devices
C220S004210, C312S223100, C361S704000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06278612
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a housing for electronic units having printed circuit boards and heat sinks attached to the printed circuit boards.
Electronic units or devices have printed circuit boards mounted in a housing. Electric and electronic components are mounted on the printed circuit boards. In operation, the components generate heat which has to be dissipated. To this end it is known to mount heat sinks on the side of the printed circuit boards. These heat sinks take up the generated heat. Due to the high heat capacity of the heat sinks, the heat sinks are not heated up very strongly. The heat sinks are connected to the housing such that the heat taken up by the heat sinks is dissipated to the housing. The housing has to have good stability in dimensions such that can be reliably mounted in fixing devices.
German patent 38 41 893 discloses a power circuit module for motor vehicles. This modules has a housing which is open on one side and accommodates a printed circuit board. The housing opening is closed by a housing cover connected to the printed circuit board. The dissipation of heat from the electronic components provided on the printed circuit board is effected through a cooling body designed in a particular manner. The cooling body comprises an assembly of rod-shaped carriers having a T-profile. The individual carriers are arranged in parallel side by side in a fixing device attached to the printed circuit board and form a substantially closed heat contact surface, which thermally engages the inside of a metallic outer wall of the housing.
German utility model 92 13 671 discloses a housing for an electronic circuit arrangement. This housing comprises at least two housing portions and is suitable for cooling electrical components. This housing is designed to establish a simple thermal connection between the housing and an electrical component. This is effected through a supporting spring attached to one of the housing portions. The supporting spring urges the electrical component against the inner wall of the other housing portion.
German patent application 42 42 944 A1 discloses an electrical device having a multiple-portion housing. Several printed circuit boards and power components to be cooled are arranged in at least two housing portions. Supporting springs urge the power components against the inner wall or extensions of the housing which leads to elimination of loss heat.
German patent 197 00 558 discloses a housing for electronic components. The housing consists of two groove-shaped semi-shells. The semi-shells have locating grooves and ledges which fit to each other in pairs such that screw passages are formed, into which a front plate extends. This front plate holds the semi-shells together. This ensures that the housing is held together after the semi-shells have been pushed together.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One of the objects of the present invention is to construct a housing for electronic units by using simple means, the housing having stability in its dimensions and ensuring a good heat transmission between the heat sinks and the housing.
These and other objects are achieved by a housing for electronic units having printed circuit boards and heat sinks attached to the printed circuit boards. The housing comprises side walls formed by a first and a second u-shaped-section each having a central portion and a first and a second side cheek extending perpendicularly to said central portion. The u-shaped-sections extend into each other with clearance along longitudinal edges of the side cheeks. The central portions of the u-shaped-sections are connected to opposite end faces of the heat sinks.
This results in the dimensions of the housing being defined by the dimensions of the heat sinks. A good heat transmission between the heat sinks and the housing is always ensured. Thus, the tolerances of the u-shaped-sections are not critical.
In one embodiment of the invention, the u-shaped-sections can be of identical shape and asymmetrical with respect to a central plane thereof. In this embodiment, the u-shaped-sections can have a groove along an edge of a first side cheek and a ledge along an edge of a second side cheek, the u-shaped-sections being assembled displaced by 180° such that the ledge on the first side cheek of a first u-shaped-section extends into the groove of the second side cheek of a second u-shaped-section and the ledge on the first side cheek of the second u-shaped-section extends into the groove of the second side cheek of the first u-shaped-section.
The u-shaped-section can be provided with dovetail guides on outer sides of the u-shaped-sections.
Further objects and features of the invention will be apparent to a person skilled in the art from the following specification of a preferred embodiment when read in conjunction with the appended claims.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4027206 (1977-05-01), Lee
patent: 4656559 (1987-04-01), Fathi
patent: 5461542 (1995-10-01), Kosak et al.
patent: 5999406 (1999-12-01), McKain et al.
Kummle Wolfgang
Schreiber Alfred
Stolle Dieter
Bodenseewerk Geratetechnik GmbH
Fridman Lawrence G.
Tolin Gerald
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