Voltage regulator module with cooling structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10887982-B2
Application number	US-201916356037-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 18, 2019
Priority date	Mar 22, 2018
Publication date	Jan 5, 2021
Grant date	Jan 5, 2021

Abstract

A high-power Voltage Regulator Module (VRM) includes a housing having side walls, an upper opening, and a lower opening, a VRM circuit board oriented within the housing, a plane of the VRM circuit board oriented in parallel to at least one of the side walls of the housing, an upper Printed Circuit Board (PCB) coupled to the upper opening of the housing, a lower panel coupled to the lower opening of the housing, a coolant inlet port formed in the lower panel, and a coolant outlet port formed in the lower panel. The high power VRM may include a coolant inlet adapter coupled to the coolant inlet port and a coolant outlet adapter coupled to the coolant outlet port. The coolant inlet adapter and the coolant outlet adapter may provide support for the VRM.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A high-power Voltage Regulator Module (VRM) comprising:
a housing having side walls, an upper opening, and a lower opening, the side walls, upper opening, and lower opening forming a cavity which receives a dielectric coolant;
a VRM circuit board oriented within the housing, a plane of the VRM circuit board oriented in parallel to at least one of the side walls of the housing;
an upper Printed Circuit Board (PCB) coupled to the upper opening of the housing;
a lower panel coupled to the lower opening of the housing;
a coolant inlet port formed in the lower panel, the coolant inlet port receiving the dielectric coolant to allow the dielectric coolant to flow into the formed cavity in direct contact with the VRM circuit board; and
a coolant outlet port formed in the lower panel.

2. The high power VRM of claim 1 , further comprising:
a coolant inlet adapter coupled to the coolant inlet port; and
a coolant outlet adapter coupled to the coolant outlet port.

3. The high power VRM of claim 2 , further comprising:
the coolant inlet adapter having an inlet quick disconnect; and
the coolant outlet adapter having an outlet quick disconnect.

4. The high power VRM of claim 2 , wherein the coolant inlet adapter and the coolant outlet adapter provide support for the VRM.

5. The high power VRM of claim 1 , wherein:
the VRM circuit board extends below the lower opening; and
the lower panel includes an opening through which the VRM circuit board extends.

6. The high power VRM of claim 1 , wherein:
the VRM circuit board converts voltage from approximately 40-50 volts to approximately 3-6 volts; and
the upper PCB converts voltage from approximately 3-6 volts to approximately 0.5 volts to 1.5 volts.

7. The high power VRM of claim 1 , wherein the housing is formed of metal.

8. The high power VRM of claim 1 , wherein the upper PCB is sealed to the upper opening of the housing by an adhesive.

9. The high power VRM of claim 1 , wherein:
the VRM circuit board extends through the lower opening of the housing; and
the lower panel includes an opening through which the VRM circuit board extends, wherein the opening in the lower panel is sealed to the VRM circuit board.

10. The high power VRM of claim 1 , wherein:
the coolant inlet port resides in the lower panel on a first side of the VRM circuit board; and
the coolant outlet port resides in the lower panel on a second side of the VRM circuit board.

11. The high power VRM of claim 10 , wherein the coolant inlet port, the coolant outlet port, and the VRM circuit board are oriented to support coolant flow of the coolant:
in through the coolant inlet port;
up along the first side of the VRM circuit board;
over a far edge of the VRM circuit board;
down along the second side of the VRM circuit board; and
out through the coolant outlet port.

12. A method for forming a high-power Voltage Regulator Module (VRM) comprising:
forming a housing having side walls, an upper opening, and a lower opening, the side walls, upper opening, and lower opening forming a cavity which receives a dielectric coolant;
mounting a VRM circuit board within the housing, a plane of the VRM circuit board oriented in parallel to at least one of the side walls of the housing;
affixing an upper Printed Circuit Board (PCB) to the upper opening of the housing; and
affixing a lower panel to the lower opening of the housing, the lower panel having a coolant inlet port formed in the lower panel and a coolant outlet port formed in the lower panel, the coolant inlet port receiving the dielectric coolant to allow the dielectric coolant to flow into the formed cavity in direct contact with the VRM circuit board.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
attaching a coolant inlet adapter to the coolant inlet port; and
attaching a coolant outlet adapter to the coolant outlet port.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the coolant inlet adapter and the coolant outlet adapter provide support for the VRM.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein:
the VRM circuit board extends below the lower opening; and
the lower panel includes an opening through which the VRM circuit board extends.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein:
the VRM circuit board converts voltage from approximately 40-50 volts to approximately 3-6 volts; and
the upper PCB converts voltage from approximately 3-6 volts to approximately 0.5 volts to 1.5 volts.

17. The method of claim 12 , wherein the upper PCB is sealed to the upper opening of the housing by an adhesive.

18. The method of claim 12 , wherein:
the VRM circuit board extends through the lower opening of the housing; and
the lower panel includes an opening through which the VRM circuit board extends, wherein the opening in the lower panel is sealed to the VRM circuit board.

19. The method of claim 12 , wherein:
the coolant inlet port resides in the lower panel on a first side of the VRM circuit board; and
the coolant outlet port resides in the lower panel on a second side of the VRM circuit board.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the coolant inlet port, the coolant outlet port, and the VRM circuit board are oriented to support coolant flow of the coolant:
in through the coolant inlet port;
up along the first side of the VRM circuit board;
over a far edge of the VRM circuit board;
down along the second side of the VRM circuit board; and
out through the coolant outlet port.

Assignees

• Tesla Inc

Inventors

• Nasr Mohamed
• Nabovati Aydin
• Zhao Jin

Classifications

• H05K1/0207

  using internal conductor planes parallel to the surface for thermal conduction, e.g. power planes · CPC title

• G05F1/10 Primary

  Regulating voltage or current  (G05F1/02 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H05K2201/064

  Fluid cooling, e.g. by integral pipes · CPC title

• H02J1/12

  Parallel operation of DC sources having power converters with further DC sources without power converters · CPC title

• H05K1/0262 Primary

  Arrangements for regulating voltages or for using plural voltages · CPC title