US 12,262,512 B2
Systems for dissipating heat from vehicle-based devices having electronic circuitry
Christopher P. Bird, Carnegie, PA (US); and Andrew Moore, Pittsburgh, PA (US)
Assigned to Motional AD LLC, Boston, MA (US)
Filed by Motional AD LLC, Boston, MA (US)
Filed on Jul. 14, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/865,070.
Prior Publication US 2024/0023284 A1, Jan. 18, 2024
Int. Cl. H05K 7/20 (2006.01)
CPC H05K 7/20409 (2013.01) [H05K 7/20145 (2013.01); H05K 7/20209 (2013.01); H05K 7/2039 (2013.01); H05K 7/20854 (2013.01); H05K 7/20863 (2013.01)] 23 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A heat dissipation device comprising:
a heat sink;
an enclosure disposed on a first side of the heat sink and thermally coupled to the heat sink, wherein the enclosure is configured to receive at least one device comprising electronic circuitry;
a fan disposed on a second side of the heat sink opposite the first side;
control circuitry configured to regulate a rotation speed of the fan; and
a flange extending along a periphery of at least one of the enclosure or the heat sink,
wherein the heat dissipation device is configured for insertion into an aperture of a wall of an interior compartment of a vehicle, such that:
the flange is positioned against the wall,
at least a portion of the enclosure is positioned within the interior compartment of the vehicle, and
at least a portion of the heat sink and the fan are positioned along an exterior of the vehicle, and
wherein the heat dissipation device is configured to extract heat from the electronic circuitry using the heat sink and dissipate heat from the heat sink to the exterior of the vehicle,
wherein the control circuitry is configured to regulate the rotation speed of the fan based on a velocity of the vehicle, and
wherein regulating the rotation speed of the fan comprises:
determining that the velocity of the vehicle is a first velocity, and
in response to determining that the velocity of the vehicle is the first velocity, causing the fan to operate according to a first rotation speed.