Abstract:
Provided is an apparatus for effectively dissipating heat generated by an inductor of a DC-DC converter, and allowing for reducing a size and a weight of the DC-DC converter to thereby reduce manufacturing cost. The apparatus for dissipating heat of an inductor includes an inductor configured to protrude to outside; and a heat sink configured to be installed outside of the inductor and to receive the inductor.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2014-0150191, filed on Oct. 31, 2014, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
       TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to heat dissipation of an inductor, and more particularly, to an apparatus for effectively dissipating heat generated by an inductor of a DC-DC converter. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    In general, an electric device using electric energy such as a starting system or an ignition system is used in automobiles. Recently, as vehicles have been electromagnetically controlled, most systems provided in vehicles have become electrified and electronized. 
         [0004]    Also, as various facilities for increasing vehicle convenience and using information technology have been increasingly grafted into vehicles, electric devices using electric energy has been on the rise. 
         [0005]    In a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), a DC-DC converter is installed to supply power to an electric component load. In general, a DC-DC converter is a device serving as an alternator of a vehicle. That is, the DC-DC converter converts high voltage side power into low voltage side power and supplies energy to an electric component load and charge a battery. 
         [0006]    The DC-DC converter converts high voltage side power into low voltage side power through a power module, a transformer, and an output rectifying diode, and here, power loss is made in various power elements, which leads to heat generation. 
         [0007]    The transformer includes an inductor, and in order to dissipate heat generated by the inductor to an outside when the DC-DC converter operates, a related art is configured as illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is a view illustrating a structure for installing an inductor of a related art DC-DC converter. The related art DC-DC converter  10  has a structure in which a housing  13  is installed in a printed circuit board (PCB)  12  on which an inductor  11  is mounted, to hermetically seal the inductor  11 . 
         [0009]    In order to effectively dissipate heat generated by the inductor  11  outwardly, a heat sink  20  is attached to the PCB  12 . 
         [0010]    Thus, according to the related art, heat generated by the inductor  11  is dissipated by a convection current in a space within the DC/DC converter  10  or dissipated by the heat sink  20 . 
         [0011]    However, heat dissipation by a convection current is less effective in terms of cooling than heat dissipation by conduction, and also, since heat is dissipated using the PCB  12  in the lower end of the inductor  11 , heat dissipation efficiency is not good, which leads to a rapid increase in temperature of the inductor  11  to result in a limitation of output power. 
         [0012]    Also, since the inductor  11  is mounted on the PCB  12 , a size of the housing  13  forming an appearance of the DC-DC converter  10  is determined by a height of the inductor  11 , making the inductor  11  an element determining a size of the DC-DC converter  10 , and here, since the inductor  11  is larger than other components, there is a limitation in reducing the size of the DC-DC converter  10 . 
       SUMMARY 
       [0013]    Accordingly, the present invention provides an apparatus for effectively dissipating heat generated by an inductor of a DC-DC converter. 
         [0014]    In one general aspect, an apparatus for dissipating heat of an inductor includes: an inductor configured to protrude to an outside; and a heat sink configured to be installed outside of the inductor and to receive the inductor. 
         [0015]    The apparatus may further include: a printed circuit board (PCB) on which the inductor is mounted; and a housing configured to hermetically seal an internal component mounted on the PCB. 
         [0016]    The internal component may be mounted on a first surface of the PCB and the inductor may be mounted on a second surface opposing the first surface of PCB. 
         [0017]    The heat sink may include a receiving unit for receiving the inductor. 
         [0018]    An edge of an entrance of the receiving unit may be rounded with a predetermined curvature. 
         [0019]    The edge of the entrance of the receiving unit may be chamfered with a predetermined with and a predetermined slope. 
         [0020]    A thermal grease may be applied to the interior of the receiving unit. 
         [0021]    The thermal grease may be at least one of a ceramic-based thermal grease, a metal-based thermal grease, a carbon-based thermal grease, a fusible metal-based thermal grease. 
         [0022]    A solder cream may be applied between the receiving unit and the inductor. 
         [0023]    The inductor may be in contact with an inner surface of the receiving unit. 
         [0024]    Other features and aspects will be apparent from the following detailed description, the drawings, and the claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0025]      FIG. 1  is a view illustrating an inductor installation structure of the related art DC-DC converter. 
           [0026]      FIG. 2  is a view illustrating a configuration of a DC-DC converter having an inductor heat dissipation apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
       [0027]    The advantages, features and aspects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, which is set forth hereinafter. The present invention may, however, be embodied in different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the present invention to those skilled in the art. Throughout the specification, like numbers refer to like elements. 
         [0028]    In describing embodiments of the present invention, a detailed description of known techniques associated with the present invention unnecessarily obscure the gist of the present invention, it is determined that the detailed description thereof will be omitted. Moreover, the terms used henceforth have been defined in consideration of the functions of the present invention, and may be altered according to the intent of a user or operator, or conventional practice. Therefore, the terms should be defined on the basis of the entire content of this specification. 
         [0029]    Hereinafter, an inductor heat dissipation apparatus of a DC-DC converter and a DC-DC converter having the same according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail. 
         [0030]      FIG. 2  is a view illustrating a configuration of a DC-DC converter having an inductor heat dissipation apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0031]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , a DC-DC converter  110  having an inductor heat dissipation apparatus an inductor  111  and a heat sink  120  installed outside of the inductor  111 . 
         [0032]    The DC-DC converter  110 , a device installed in an electric vehicle and to convert high voltage side power into a low voltage side power, includes an internal component such as a power module, or the like. 
         [0033]    The inductor  111  and the internal component are mounted on a PCB  113 . The internal component is sealed by a housing  114  so as to be protected from external moisture, dust, and the like. 
         [0034]    Thus, in the DC-DC converter  110  according to the present invention, the inductor  111  is exposed to outside of the housing  114 . 
         [0035]    The heat sink  120  is installed on outside of the inductor  111  and serves to effectively dissipate heat generated by the inductor  111  exposed to the outside. 
         [0036]    The heat sink  120  includes a receiving unit  121  for receiving the inductor  111 . Here, a thermal grease may be coated within the receiving unit  121  of the heat sink  120 . 
         [0037]    The thermal grease may be one of a ceramic-based thermal grease, a metal-based thermal grease, a carbon-based thermal grease, a fusible metal-based thermal grease. 
         [0038]    The receiving unit receives the inductor  111 , and here, the inductor  111  may be received by the receiving unit  121  according various coupling schemes. 
         [0039]    In order to prevent the inductor  111  from being damaged by the receiving unit  121  when received by the receiving unit  121 , edges of an entrance of the receiving unit  121  may be rounded with a predetermined curvature or may be chamfered to have a predetermined width and a predetermined slope. 
         [0040]    For example, the inductor  111  may be received by the receiving unit  121  in a shrink-fit manner, and when the inductor  111  is received by the receiving unit  121  in the shrink-fit manner, the inductor  111  is brought into contact with an inner surface of the receiving unit  121 . 
         [0041]    In another example, the inductor  111  may be received by the receiving unit  121  through soldering, and here, a solder cream may be applied between the receiving unit  121  and the inductor  111  and cured to receive the inductor  111  in the receiving unit  121 . 
         [0042]    According to the configuration of the present invention, since the inductor  111  is received in the heat sink  120 , an area in which the inductor  111  is in contact with the heat sink  120  increases, effectively spreading heat generated by the inductor  111 . 
         [0043]    Also, according to the present invention, since the inductor  111  protrudes to outside of the housing  113 , a size of the housing  113  may be reduced, reducing a size and a weight of the DC-DC converter and manufacturing cost thereof. 
         [0044]    According to the present invention, in order to receive an inductor of a DC-DC converter, a receiving unit is formed in a heat dissipation apparatus and the inductor of the DC-DC converter is received in the receiving unit. 
         [0045]    Thus, since the inductor is received in the heat dissipation apparatus, an area in which the inductor is in contact with the heat dissipation apparatus increases, effectively spreading heat generated by the inductor. 
         [0046]    Also, since the inductor protrudes to the outside, a size of the housing may be reduced, which leads to a reduction in a size and a weight of a DC-DC converter and a reduction in manufacturing cost. 
         [0047]    The heat dissipation apparatus has been described according to the embodiments, but the scope of the present invention is not limited to a specific embodiment. The present invention may be corrected and modified within the technical scope obvious to those skilled in the art. 
         [0048]    A number of exemplary embodiments have been described above. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made. For example, suitable results may be achieved if the described techniques are performed in a different order and/or if components in a described system, architecture, device, or circuit are combined in a different manner and/or replaced or supplemented by other components or their equivalents. Accordingly, other implementations are within the scope of the following claims.