Power converter system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12267980-B2
Application number	US-202017787194-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 15, 2020
Priority date	Dec 18, 2019
Publication date	Apr 1, 2025
Grant date	Apr 1, 2025

Abstract

A power converter system includes a printed circuit board having a first connector for receiving low voltage control signals and a second connector for receiving input voltages from one or more power generators and transmitting output voltages to a power distribution unit. Power devices are mounted onto the printed circuit board to manage the input voltages and to generate the output voltages. An enclosure is mounted around the printed circuit board and power devices. The power devices engage interior surfaces of the enclosure forming a conductive heat path between the power devices, the interior surfaces, and exterior surfaces of the enclosure. The heat path conductively transfers heat from the power devices to the exterior surfaces.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A power converter system comprising:
a printed circuit board having
a first connector for receiving low voltage control signals, and
a second connector for receiving input voltages from one or more power generators and transmitting output voltages to a power distribution unit;

a plurality of power devices being configured to manage the input voltages and generate the output voltages, the plurality of power devices mounted onto the printed circuit board, each of the plurality of power devices including:
a base on a first side of each of the power devices,
one or more through-holes through the base,
a plurality of contact assemblies extending from a second side of each of the power devices toward the printed circuit board, the second side opposite the first side, the plurality of contact assemblies include:
at least one contact to electrically connect each of the power devices to the printed circuit board, and
at least one contact frame that surrounds the at least one contact;

an enclosure mounted around the printed circuit board and the plurality of power devices, the enclosure having interior surfaces and exterior surfaces, the base of the power devices engaging the interior surfaces of the enclosure forming a conductive heat path between the power devices, the interior surfaces, and the exterior surfaces that conductively transfers heat from the power devices to the exterior surfaces, the conductive heat path between the power devices and the enclosure having a combined cross-sectional area taken transverse to a direction of heat flow that is at least half of a total surface area of the interior surfaces; and
one or more mechanical fasteners disposed through the one or more through-holes of each of the power devices to mount the base of each of the power devices to the interior surfaces of the enclosure to secure each of the power devices to the enclosure.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the enclosure includes first and second portions that assemble together and that each partially shape an internal cavity of the enclosure, and the exterior surfaces of the first and second portions include fins.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the power devices each include a plurality of electrical switches suitable for managing electrical power loads.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein a first row of the power devices engage an interior surface of a first portion of the enclosure, and a second row of the power devices engage an interior surface of a second portion of the enclosure, the first and second rows of the power devices being substantially parallel to a length of the enclosure and substantially orthogonal to a width of the enclosure.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the power devices in the first and second rows are aligned with one another inside an internal cavity of the enclosure.

6. The system of claim 5 , further comprising:
a first power device in the first row of the power devices aligned with a first power device in the second row of the power devices;
a second power device in the first row of the power devices aligned with a second power device in the second row of the power devices; and
a third power device in the first row of the power devices aligned with a third power device in the second row of the power devices.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the power devices engage the interior surfaces of the enclosure by a thermal interface material that eliminates air pockets between the power devices and the interior surfaces of the enclosure.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the thermal interface material is a thermally conductive paste.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the thermal interface material is a thermally conductive pad.

10. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
the one or more generators; and
the power distribution unit;
wherein the one or more power generators are configured to be located on a main engine of an aircraft, and the power distribution unit is configured to distribute electrical power generated from the one or more power generators to one or more electrical loads on the aircraft.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the power devices include notched regions adjacent to the one or more through-holes, the notched regions causing open spaces between the power devices and the printed circuit board for at least a portion of the one or more mechanical fasteners.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the notched regions cause each of the power devices to have a surface area facing the interior surfaces of the enclosure to be larger than a surface area of each of the power devices facing the printed circuit board.

Assignees

• Eaton Intelligent Power Ltd

Inventors

• Baronian Armen
• Singh Yash Veer
• Suntharalingam Piranavan
• Goykhman Mikhail
• Chui Galen

Classifications

• H05K7/209 Primary

  Heat transfer by conduction from internal heat source to heat radiating structure (H05K7/20909 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H05K7/1457 Primary

  Power distribution arrangements · CPC title

• H05K7/20545

  Natural convection of gaseous coolant; Heat transfer by conduction from electronic boards · CPC title