Fastening unit for connecting thermally stressed components to each other

{
  "publication_number": "US2020365484A1",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "A1",
  "title": "Fastening unit for connecting thermally stressed components to each other",
  "abstract": "The invention relates to a fastening unit (10) for connecting thermally stressed components to each other, particularly a heat-generating body (44) having a heat sink (42), comprising a retaining pin (12) and a retaining element (16), wherein the retaining pin (12) is connected to a retaining head (14), the retaining pin (12) extends through the retaining element (16), the retaining head (14) contacts the retaining element (16), and the retaining element (16) engages on the body (44) or heat sink (42) and retains it in a fastening direction (26) of the retaining pin (12). According to the invention, the retaining element (16) is designed to engage laterally on the body (44) or heat sink (42), in that the retaining element (16) has, on the side thereof facing the body (44) or heat sink (42), a retaining groove (24) extending in a longitudinal direction crosswise to the fastening direction, wherein at least one groove surface (24 a, 24 b) contacts the body (44) or heat sink (42) at least in regions when in the assembled state.",
  "claims": [
    "1. Fastening unit (10) for connecting thermally stressed components to each other, in particular a heat-generating body (44) having a heat sink (42), comprising a retaining pin (12) and a retaining element (16), wherein the retaining pin (12) is connected to a retaining head (14), the retaining pin (12) extends through the retaining element (16), the retaining head (14) contacts the retaining element (16), and the retaining element (16) engages on the body (44) or the heat sink (42) and retains it in a fastening direction (26) of the retaining pin (12), characterized in that the retaining element (16) is designed to engage laterally on the body (44) or the heat sink (42), in that the retaining element (16) has, on the side thereof facing the body (44) or the heat sink (42), a retaining groove (24) extending in a longitudinal direction perpendicular to the fastening direction, wherein, in the assembled state, at least one groove surface (24 a, 24 b) contacts the body (44) or the heat sink (42) at least in regions. 2. Fastening unit according to claim 1, characterized in that the retaining groove (24) is formed in a V-shape by two groove surfaces (24 a, 24 b), one groove surface (24 a; 24 b) being aligned parallel to the longitudinal axis of the fastening pin (12) and the other groove surface (24 a; 24 b) being inclined relative thereto, with the groove surfaces (24 a, 24 b) in particular extending at an acute or obtuse angle to one another. 3. Fastening unit according to one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the base area of the retaining element (16) is substantially rectangular. 4. Fastening unit according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the retaining element (16) has a greater length in the longitudinal direction of the retaining groove (24) than transversely to the longitudinal direction of the retaining groove (24). 5. Fastening unit according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by a symmetrical design of the retaining element (16) with two retaining grooves (24), so as to enable the retaining element (16) to bear against different adjacent bodies (44) or heat sinks (42) simultaneously. 6. Fastening unit according to claim 5, characterized in that at its center, to the side of the fastening pin (12), the retaining element (16) has an elongated projection (web 30 a) that extends perpendicularly to the fastening pin (12), which projection in turn has a further groove (30) made in its side remote from the retaining head (14). 7. Fastening unit according to claim 6, characterized in that the further groove (30) is V-shaped. 8. Fastening unit according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the retaining head (14) engages in, and bears against, a recess (20) of the retaining element (16). 9. Fastening unit according to claim 8, characterized in that the retaining head (14) is cylindrical and the recess (20) is of cylindrical shape, with the result that an end face of the retaining head (14) rests on the end face of the recess (20), thus enabling a relative compensating movement about the cylinder axis. 10. Fastening unit according to one of claims 1 to 8 above, characterized in that the retaining head (14) is at least partially spherical on its side facing the recess (20), the recess (20) has a partially spherical shape adapted to the retaining head (14), so that the spherical surfaces facing one another permit a compensating movement relative to one another in the manner of a ball joint. 11. Fastening unit according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the fastening pin (12) has a thread (32) at its end (34) remote from the retaining head (14), which thread (32) is adapted to engage a thread (32) in a bore (40) made in the heat sink (42) or in the body (44). 12. Fastening unit according to one of claims 1 to 10 above, characterized in that its end (32) remote from the retaining head (14), the fastening pin (12) has at least one detent means (38) which is adapted to engage an undercut in a bore (40) in the heat sink (42) or in the body (44), and the fastening pin is slotted in the region of the end (34) remote from the retaining head (14). 13. Fastening unit according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the body (44) is constituted by a power semiconductor. 14. Fastening unit according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the heat sink (42) is an air heat sink and/or a liquid heat sink. 15. Fastening unit according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the fastening head (14) consists of a thermally and/or an electrically insulating material, or of an electrically conductive material. 16. Use of at least two fastening units according to any one of the preceding claims for connecting a heat sink (42) and a body (44) to each other, characterized in that two fastening units (10) are mounted opposite one another on the edge of the body (44) or the heat sink (42), thus forming a floating bearing with the body (44) or the heat sink (42). 17. Use according to claim 16, characterized in that in the mounted state, the retaining grooves (24) of the fastening units (10) are aligned parallel to each other. 18. Method for connecting two thermally stressed components to each another, in particular a heat sink (42) and a body (44), by means of a floating bearing which allows movement of the one component relative to the other component at least along one axis, in particular using a fastening unit (10) of the type specified in any one of the preceding claims."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The invention relates to a fastening unit for connecting thermally stressed components to each other, as specified in the preamble of claim 1. Moreover, the invention also relates to the use of such fastening units, as specified in claim 16, and to a method for connecting two thermally stressed components, as specified in claim 18.\n\nA generic fastening unit for connecting thermally stressed components to each other, in particular for connecting a heat-generating body to a heat sink, comprises a retaining pin and a retaining element. The retaining pin is connected to a retaining head. The retaining pin passes through the retaining element. The retaining head rests against the retaining element. The retaining element engages the body or the heat sink, retaining it in a fastening direction of the retaining pin. In the mounting position, the retaining head connected to the retaining pin holds the retaining element in place, which latter in turn holds the body or the heat sink in place. The retaining pin is anchored in a hole in a component, for example a heat sink, if a power module generating thermal energy is to be retained.\n\nDE 103 06 227 A1 discloses a power module as a thermally stressed body, which comprises at least one circuit board and heat generating components. In addition, a heat sink is provided which is designed as a hollow body and through which a cooling medium flows for heat dissipation. The heat-generating components are arranged on cooling surfaces on the outside of the heat sink and are connected to these in a heat conducting manner.",
  "cpc": [
    "H10W 40/611",
    "F16B 43/025",
    "F16B 5/0635",
    "F16B 5/0642",
    "H01L 2023/4087",
    "H01L 23/13",
    "H01L 23/4006",
    "H10W 40/60",
    "H10W 70/68"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "H01L 23/13",
    "H01L 23/40"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Fachhochschule Kiel"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Jasper Schnack",
    "Ulf Schümann"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2018-12-21",
  "publication_date": "2020-11-19",
  "priority_date": "2018-01-12",
  "application_number": "US-201816961587-A",
  "family_id": "65019483",
  "cited_by_count": 6
}