# US 2020/0288598 A1 · Electronics cooling using bimetal

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- Number: US 2020/0288598 A1
- Document ID: US20200288598A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/297,074
- Filed: 2019-03-08
- Published: 2020-09-10
- Earliest claimed: 2019-03-08
- Applicants: Byton North America Corporation
- Inventors: Meisam MEHRAVARAN; Sungyong BANG
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20200288598A1

## CPC

- H05K 7/20145: {Means for directing air flow, e.g. ducts, deflectors, plenum or guides}
- F16K 31/002: {actuated by temperature variation (thermo-electric F16K31/025)}
- H05K 7/20863: {Forced ventilation, e.g. on heat dissipaters coupled to components}
- H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS
- F16K: VALVES; TAPS; COCKS; ACTUATING-FLOATS; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING {(devices for emptying and evacuating the excess liquid in valves or conduits F16L55/07)}

## Abstract

Embodiments are disclosed of an apparatus including a first enclosure having an interior that is at a first temperature and a second enclosure having an interior that is at a second temperature. An opening allows fluid to flow between the interior of the first enclosure and the interior of the second enclosure. A bimetal valve is positioned in the opening to regulate fluid flow between the first enclosure and the second enclosure depending on the first temperature or on the difference between the first temperature and the second temperature.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An apparatus comprising:
a first enclosure having an interior that is at a first temperature;
a second enclosure having an interior that is at a second temperature;
an opening to allow fluid to flow between the interior of the first enclosure and the interior of the second enclosure; and
a bimetal valve positioned in the opening to regulate fluid flow between the first enclosure and the second enclosure depending on the first temperature or on the difference between the first temperature and the second temperature.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the bimetal valve is a bimetal door that is fixed to an edge of the opening and deforms in response to the difference between the first temperature and the second temperature.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the first temperature is higher than the second temperature and fluid flows from the second enclosure to the first enclosure when the bimetal door opens.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the bimetal door is formed from a sheet of a first metal laminated to a sheet of a second metal, the first and second metals having different coefficients of thermal expansion.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the bimetal door is surrounded by a flexible seal that engages at least one edge of the opening.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the bimetal valve is a rigid door that is hinged to an edge of the opening and coupled to a bimetal coil, so that the bimetal coil rotates the rigid door about the hinge in response to the difference between the first temperature and the second temperature.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the first temperature is higher than the second temperature and fluid flows from the second enclosure to the first enclosure when the rigid door opens.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the rigid door is surrounded by a seal that engages with at least one edge of the opening.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first enclosure has at least one heat-generating component in its interior.

### Claim 10

A system comprising:
a vehicle;
an electronics compartment positioned within the vehicle, an interior of the electronics compartment being at a first temperature;
a cooling duct positioned within the vehicle, an interior of the cooling duct being at a second temperature;
an opening to allow fluid to flow from the cooling duct into the electronics ; and
a bimetal valve positioned in the opening to regulate fluid flow between the cooling duct and the electronics compartment depending on the first temperature or on the difference between the first temperature and the second temperature.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 wherein the bimetal valve is a bimetal door that is fixed to an edge of the opening and deforms in response to the difference between the first temperature and the second temperature.

### Claim 12 (depends on 2)

The system of claim 2 wherein the bimetal door is formed from a sheet of a first metal laminated to a sheet of a second metal, the first and second metals having different coefficients of thermal expansion.

### Claim 13 (depends on 2)

The system of claim 2 wherein the bimetal door is surrounded by a flexible seal that engages at least one edge of the opening.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 wherein the bimetal valve is a rigid door that is hinged to an edge of the opening and coupled to a bimetal coil, so that the bimetal coil rotates the rigid door about the hinge in response to the difference between the first temperature and the second temperature.

### Claim 15 (depends on 6)

The system of claim 6 wherein the first temperature is higher than the second temperature and fluid flows from the second enclosure to the first enclosure when the rigid door opens.

### Claim 16 (depends on 6)

The system of claim 6 wherein the rigid door is surrounded by a seal that engages with at least one edge of the opening.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 wherein the first enclosure has at least one heat-generating component in its interior.