Vehicular control system with fan and shroud for enhanced cooling at ECU

1 . A vehicular electronic control unit (ECU) module, the vehicular ECU module comprising:

a printed circuit board (PCB) comprising electronic circuitry;

a housing that accommodates the PCB;

wherein the vehicular ECU module is configured to be disposed at a vehicle equipped with the vehicular ECU module;

wherein the electronic circuitry includes a heat generating electronic component disposed on the PCB, and wherein the heat generating electronic component, when electrically operated, generates heat within the housing;

wherein a plurality of heat dissipating fins extend at least partially along an exterior side of the housing, and wherein, when heat is generated within the housing, the generated heat is at least partially dissipated via the plurality of heat dissipating fins;

a shroud comprising (i) an upper portion that extends at least partially along the exterior side of the housing and that at least partially covers the plurality of heat dissipating fins and (ii) a side wall that extends from the upper portion at least partially along a side portion of the housing, wherein a passageway extends through the upper portion of the shroud;

wherein an air inlet is disposed between the side wall of the shroud and the side portion of the housing to allow air to enter into a cavity between the shroud and the exterior side of the housing;

wherein the plurality of heat dissipating fins extend radially from a location at the exterior side of the housing that corresponds to a location of the passageway through the upper portion of the shroud;

an airflow source that is electrically operable to draw air along the passageway of the shroud;

wherein, with the vehicular ECU module disposed at the vehicle, and when the airflow source is electrically operated, the airflow source draws air (i) through the air inlet into the cavity between the shroud and the exterior side of the housing and (ii) from within the cavity along and through the passageway of the shroud; and

wherein the drawn air flows (i) between the side portion of the housing and the side wall of the shroud, (ii) between the exterior side of the housing and the shroud and (iii) along and between the plurality of heat dissipating fins at the exterior side of the housing to dissipate heat from the plurality of heat dissipating fins.

2 . The vehicular ECU module of claim 1 , wherein the airflow source is disposed at or near the passageway of the shroud.

3 . The vehicular ECU module of claim 1 , wherein the airflow source comprises a fan disposed at or near the passageway of the shroud, and wherein the fan, when electrically operated, directs the drawn air away from the shroud.

4 . The vehicular ECU module of claim 1 , wherein the airflow source is spaced from the passageway of the shroud.

5 . The vehicular ECU module of claim 4 , wherein the airflow source comprises a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system of the vehicle.

6 . The vehicular ECU module of claim 1 , wherein the airflow source comprises a vacuum source.

7 . The vehicular ECU module of claim 1 , wherein the shroud comprises a frustoconical protrusion, and wherein the passageway extends along and through the frustoconical protrusion.

8 . The vehicular ECU module of claim 7 , wherein the airflow source comprises a fan disposed at the shroud along the passageway at the frustoconical protrusion.

9 . The vehicular ECU module of claim 1 , wherein the side wall of the shroud extends at an oblique angle relative to the upper portion of the shroud.

10 . The vehicular ECU module of claim 1 , wherein the air inlet is provided at a perimeter edge region of the shroud.

11 . The vehicular ECU module of claim 1 , wherein the location of the passageway through the upper portion of the shroud corresponds to a location of the heat generating electronic component on the PCB.

12 . The vehicular ECU module of claim 1 , wherein the location from which the plurality of heat dissipating fins extend radially corresponds to a location of the heat generating electronic component of the PCB.

13 . The vehicular ECU module of claim 1 , wherein, with the vehicular ECU module disposed at the vehicle, the shroud extends above the exterior side of the housing.

14 . The vehicular ECU module of claim 1 , wherein, with the vehicular ECU module disposed at the vehicle, the shroud extends below the exterior side of the housing.

15 . The vehicular ECU module of claim 1 , wherein the vehicular ECU module is configured to be disposed at an in-cabin side of a windshield of the vehicle.

16 . The vehicular ECU module of claim 15 , wherein the vehicular ECU module comprises a vehicular forward-viewing camera module having a forward-viewing camera that, with the vehicular ECU module disposed at the in-cabin side of the windshield of the vehicle, views forward through the windshield of the vehicle.

17 . The vehicular ECU module of claim 16 , wherein the heat generating electronic component comprises an image processor operable to process image data captured by the forward-viewing camera.

18 . The vehicular ECU module of claim 17 , wherein, with the vehicular ECU module disposed at the in-cabin side of the windshield of the vehicle, the image processor is operable to process captured image data for at least one driving assist system of the vehicle.

19 . The vehicular ECU module of claim 18 , wherein the at least one driving assist system of the vehicle comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of (i) a headlamp control system of the vehicle, (ii) a pedestrian detection system of the vehicle, (iii) a traffic sign recognition system of the vehicle, (iv) a collision avoidance system of the vehicle, (v) an emergency braking system of the vehicle, (vi) a lane departure warning system of the vehicle, (vii) a lane keep assist system of the vehicle, (viii) a blind spot monitoring system of the vehicle and (ix) an adaptive cruise control system of the vehicle.

20 . The vehicular ECU module of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of heat dissipating fins are in thermal conductive connection with an interior portion of the housing.

21 . A vehicular electronic control unit (ECU) module, the vehicular ECU module comprising:

a printed circuit board (PCB) comprising electronic circuitry;

a housing that accommodates the PCB;

wherein the vehicular ECU module is configured to be disposed at a vehicle equipped with the vehicular ECU module;

wherein the electronic circuitry includes a heat generating electronic component disposed on the PCB, and wherein the heat generating electronic component, when electrically operated, generates heat within the housing;

wherein a plurality of heat dissipating fins extend at least partially along an exterior side of the housing, and wherein, when heat is generated within the housing, the generated heat is at least partially dissipated via the plurality of heat dissipating fins;

a shroud comprising (i) an upper portion that extends at least partially along the exterior side of the housing and that at least partially covers the plurality of heat dissipating fins and (ii) a side wall that extends from the upper portion at least partially along a side portion of the housing;

wherein the upper portion of the shroud comprises a frustoconical protrusion, and wherein a passageway extends along and through the frustoconical protrusion of the upper portion of the shroud;

wherein the shroud comprises an air inlet disposed between the side wall of the shroud and the side portion of the housing to allow air to enter into a cavity between the shroud and the exterior side of the housing;

an airflow source that is disposed at the shroud along the passageway at the frustoconical protrusion, and wherein the airflow source is electrically operable to draw air along the passageway of the shroud;

wherein the plurality of heat dissipating fins extend radially from a location at the exterior side of the housing that corresponds to a location of the passageway through the frustoconical protrusion of the upper portion of the shroud;

wherein, with the vehicular ECU module disposed at the vehicle, and when the airflow source is electrically operated, the airflow source draws air (i) through the air inlet into the cavity between the shroud and the exterior side of the housing and (ii) from within the cavity along and through the passageway of the shroud; and

wherein the drawn air flows (i) between the side portion of the housing and the side wall of the shroud, (ii) between the exterior side of the housing and the shroud and (iii) (ii) along and between the plurality of heat dissipating fins at the exterior side of the housing to dissipate heat from the plurality of heat dissipating fins.

22 . The vehicular ECU module of claim 21 , wherein the location of the passageway extends the frustoconical protrusion of the upper portion of the shroud corresponds to a location of the heat generating electronic component on the PCB.

23 . The vehicular ECU module of claim 21 , wherein the location from which the plurality of heat dissipating fins extend radially corresponds to a location of the heat generating electronic component of the PCB.

24 . The vehicular ECU module of claim 21 , wherein, with the vehicular ECU module disposed at the vehicle, the shroud extends above the exterior side of the housing.

25 . The vehicular ECU module of claim 21 , wherein, with the vehicular ECU module disposed at the vehicle, the shroud extends below the exterior side of the housing.

26 . A vehicular electronic control unit (ECU) module, the vehicular ECU module comprising:

a printed circuit board (PCB) comprising electronic circuitry;

a housing that accommodates the PCB;

wherein the vehicular ECU module is configured to be disposed at an in-cabin side of a windshield of a vehicle equipped with the vehicular ECU module;

wherein the vehicular ECU module comprises a vehicular forward-viewing camera module having a forward-viewing camera that, with the vehicular ECU module disposed at the in-cabin side of the windshield of the vehicle, views forward through the windshield of the vehicle;

wherein the electronic circuitry includes a heat generating electronic component disposed on the PCB, and wherein the heat generating electronic component, when electrically operated, generates heat within the housing;

wherein a plurality of heat dissipating fins extend at least partially along an exterior side of the housing, and wherein, when heat is generated within the housing, the generated heat is at least partially dissipated via the plurality of heat dissipating fins;

a shroud comprising (i) an upper portion that extends at least partially along the exterior side of the housing and that at least partially covers the plurality of heat dissipating fins and (ii) a side wall that extends from the upper portion at least partially along a side portion of the housing, wherein a passageway extends through the upper portion of the shroud;

wherein an air inlet is provided at a perimeter edge region of the shroud and between the side wall of the shroud and the side portion of the housing to allow air to enter into a cavity between the shroud and the exterior side of the housing;

wherein the plurality of heat dissipating fins extend radially from a location at the exterior side of the housing that corresponds to a location of the passageway through the upper portion of the shroud;

an airflow source that is electrically operable to draw air along the passageway of the shroud;

wherein, with the vehicular ECU module disposed at the vehicle, and when the airflow source is electrically operated, the airflow source draws air (i) through the air inlet into the cavity between the shroud and the exterior side of the housing and (ii) from within the cavity along and through the passageway of the shroud; and

wherein the drawn air flows (i) between the side portion of the housing and the side wall of the shroud, (ii) between the exterior side of the housing and the shroud and (iii) along and between the plurality of heat dissipating fins at the exterior side of the housing to dissipate heat from the plurality of heat dissipating fins.

27 . The vehicular ECU module of claim 26 , wherein the airflow source comprises a fan disposed at or near the passageway of the shroud, and wherein the fan, when electrically operated, directs the drawn air away from the shroud.

28 . The vehicular ECU module of claim 26 , wherein, with the vehicular ECU module disposed at the vehicle, the shroud extends above the exterior side of the housing.

29 . The vehicular ECU module of claim 26 , wherein, with the vehicular ECU module disposed at the vehicle, the shroud extends below the exterior side of the housing.

30 . The vehicular ECU module of claim 26 , wherein the heat generating electronic component comprises an image processor operable to process image data captured by the forward-viewing camera.

31 . The vehicular ECU module of claim 30 , wherein, with the vehicular ECU module disposed at the in-cabin side of the windshield of the vehicle, the image processor is operable to process captured image data for at least one driving assist system of the vehicle.

32 . The vehicular ECU module of claim 31 , wherein the at least one driving assist system of the vehicle comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of (i) a headlamp control system of the vehicle, (ii) a pedestrian detection system of the vehicle, (iii) a traffic sign recognition system of the vehicle, (iv) a collision avoidance system of the vehicle, (v) an emergency braking system of the vehicle, (vi) a lane departure warning system of the vehicle, (vii) a lane keep assist system of the vehicle, (viii) a blind spot monitoring system of the vehicle and (ix) an adaptive cruise control system of the vehicle.