Motor controller heat dissipating systems and methods

A motor controller configured to control a motive force provided by an electric motor to at least one wheel of a micromobility transit vehicle, the motor controller comprising:

• a printed circuit board (PCB) having a first side and an opposing second side, the PCB having an aperture defined by a metal ring;
• a metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) attached to the first side of the PCB above the aperture of the PCB;
• a heat transfer plug having a first portion positioned on a side of the PCB opposite of the MOSFET and a second portion at least partially attached to the second side of the PCB and extending through the aperture to contact the MOSFET, wherein the first portion of the heat transfer plug (1) at least partially contacts the metal ring and (2) does not contact the PCB, and wherein the second portion of the heat transfer plug has a diameter such that an air gap is formed between the second portion and the metal ring when the second portion is within the aperture;
• a heat sink;
• and
• a thermal interface material (TIM) positioned between the heat transfer plug and the heat sink, wherein the TIM is configured to dissipate heat from the heat transfer plug to the heat sink.

A method comprising:

• providing a motor controller configured to control a motive force provided by an electric motor to at least one wheel of a micromobility transit vehicle, the motor controller comprising a printed circuit board (PCB) having an aperture defined by a metal ring, a metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) attached to the PCB above the aperture of the PCB;
• positioning a heat transfer plug to have a first portion positioned on a side of the PCB opposite of the MOSFET and a second portion at least partially within the aperture of the PCB to contact the MOSFET, wherein the first portion of the heat transfer plug (1) at least partially contacts the metal ring and (2) does not contact the PCB, and wherein the second portion of the heat transfer plug has a diameter such that an air gap is formed between the second portion and the metal ring when the second portion is within the aperture;
• and
• dissipating heat from the heat transfer plug to a heat sink through a thermal interface material (TIM) positioned between the heat transfer plug and the heat sink.