APPARATUS FOR AND METHOD OF COOLING ELECTRONIC CIRCUITS

• US 20110103119A1
• Filed: 12/20/2010
• Published: 05/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Flextronics America LLC (Flextronics International Limited)
• Original Assignee: Flextronics America LLC (Flextronics International Limited)
• Inventors: Jansen, Arian, Sharifipour, Bahman
• Granted Patent: US 8,295,048 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 363/141
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6658 on printed circuit board H01R13/6666 - H01R13/6691 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/28 Coupling parts carrying pins, blades or analogous contacts and secured only to wire or cable
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20463 Filling compound, e.g. potted resin
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing

Abstract

An electronic device such as an AC/DC power adapter includes a conductive heat dissipation system. The device contains heat generating components and is powered via power supply leads by an external power supply circuit. The device further contains a thermally conductive mass that is thermally coupled to both the heat generating components and to the power supply leads. When the power supply leads are coupled to receive electricity from the external power supply circuit, heat generated by the device is thermally conducted into the external power supply circuit via the power supply leads.

Claims

1-29. -29. (canceled)

30. A compact power conversion device comprising:

a) AC power supply leads comprising a prong end configured to plug into an AC wall socket coupled to an AC power supply network and a thermally conductive end;

b) an AC to DC (AC/DC) power conversion circuit configured to receive electric power from the AC power supply network via the AC power supply leads;

c) a heat conductive body thermally coupled with the AC/DC power conversion circuit and thermally coupled to the thermally conductive end of the AC power supply leads, wherein the thermally conductive end is configured to conduct heat generated by the AC/DC power conversion circuit to the AC power supply leads, into the AC wall socket, and into the AC power supply network, and further wherein the heat conductive body is molded around at least a portion of the AC/DC power conversion circuit and is molded around at least a portion of the thermally conductive end forming a contact area wherein the contact area is configured for the heat to flow through the AC power supply leads, into the AC wall socket and into the AC power supply network, and wherein the heat conductive body comprises a material providing at least the minimum required electrical insulation between the AC power supply leads to prevent electrical shorting of the AC power supply leads; and

d) a substantially rigid body encasing the heat conductive body and the AC/DC power conversion circuit wherein the prong end of the AC power supply leads protrude from the rigid body and wherein a thermal conductivity of the rigid body is configured such that the heat conductive body substantially efficiently transfers heat from AC/DC the power conversion circuit to the AC power supply leads, wherein the substantially rigid body limits thermal conductivity such that the rigid body external surface does not exceed 70°

C. in temperature.

31. The compact power conversion device of claim 30, wherein the heat conductive body comprises a UL recognized insulation material.

32. The compact power conversion device of claim 30, wherein the substantially rigid body comprises a material that is different from the material comprising the heat conductive body.

33. The compact power conversion device of claim 30, wherein the heat conductive body is positioned between the AC power supply leads and the substantially rigid body.

34. The compact power conversion device of claim 30, wherein the heat conductive body is positioned between the AC/DC power conversion circuit and the substantially rigid body.

35. The compact power conversion device of claim 30, wherein the heat conductive body is positioned between the AC/DC power conversion circuit and the substantially rigid body.

36. The compact power conversion device of claim 30, further comprising power output leads coupled with the AC/DC power conversion circuit.

37. The compact power conversion device of claim 30, further comprising the substantially rigid body coupled with the heat conductive body and with the AC/DC power conversion circuit to provide structural support.

38. The compact power conversion device of claim 30, wherein the heat conductive body forms also a structural enclosure for the AC/DC power conversion circuit and the thermally conductive end.

39. The compact power conversion device of claim 38, wherein the heat conductive body provides a structural element in an electrical housing.

40. The compact power conversion device power converter of claim 30, wherein the electrically inert, thermally conductive mass heat conductive body forms also a structural enclosure for the circuit and the AC power supply leads.

41. The compact power conversion device power converter of claim 30, wherein the electrically inert, thermally conductive mass heat conductive body is configured to provide structural support in an electrical housing.

42. The compact power conversion device of claim 30, wherein:

the AC power supply leads each extend out of the substantially rigid body all the way to the end of their prong end in a straight path, wherein the straight paths are parallel to one another; and

each AC power supply lead comprises a fixed position relative to the substantially rigid body.

43. A method of cooling an AC/DC electronic device supplied by an external power source, the method comprising:

a) thermally coupling for substantially efficient heat transfer at least a portion of the AC/DC electronic device to a thermally conductive body;

b) thermally coupling at least a portion of each of a plurality of AC power supply leads and AC/DC electronic device to the thermally conductive body by molding the thermally conductive body around the at least a portion of the of each of a plurality of AC power supply leads and AC/DC electronic device with a material providing at least the minimum required electrical insulation between the AC power supply leads to prevent electrical shorting of the AC power supply leads; and

c) encasing the thermally conductive body and the AC/DC electronic device in a substantially rigid body wherein the AC power supply leads protrude from the body and wherein a thermal conductivity of the rigid body is configured so that there is a substantially efficient heat transfer through thermally conductive body to the AC power supply leads, wherein the substantially rigid body limits heat dissipation such that the surface temperature of the substantially rigid body does not exceed 70°

C. in temperature.

44. The method of cooling the AC/DC electronic device of claim 43, wherein molding the thermally conductive body around the at least a portion of each of the plurality of AC power leads and AC/DC electronic device with a material comprises molding the thermally conductive body around at least a portion of each of the plurality of AC power leads and AC/DC electronic device with a UL recognized insulation material.

45. The method of cooling the AC/DC electronic device of claim 43, wherein encasing the thermally conductive body and the AC/DC electronic device in a substantially rigid body comprises encasing the thermally conductive body and the AC/DC electronic device in a material that is different from the material comprising the thermally conductive body.

46. The method of cooling the AC/DC electronic device of claim 43, wherein in encasing the AC/DC electronic device, at least a portion of each of the plurality of AC power supply leads, and the thermally conductive body in any appropriate, rigid shell body, the AC/DC electronic device is simultaneously embedded in the rigid shell body material and in the thermally conductive body.

47. The method of cooling the AC/DC electronic device of claim 43, wherein:

the AC power supply leads each extend out of the substantially rigid body in a straight path, wherein the straight paths are parallel to one another; and

each AC power supply lead comprises a fixed position relative to the substantially rigid body.

48. An AC/DC converter assembly comprising:

a) an AC/DC converter circuit having a primary portion and a secondary portion, the primary portion and the secondary portion having a space between them with a thickness;

b) a plurality of AC plugs electrically coupled with the AC/DC converter circuit, wherein the AC plugs are configured to plug into an AC wall socket coupled to an AC power supply network;

c) a housing comprising a thermally conductive and electrically resistive body molded around the primary portion of the AC/DC converter circuit and also around each of the plurality of AC plugs so that the thermally conductive and electrically resistive body is thermally coupled with the AC plugs and the AC/DC converter circuit, wherein the thermally conductive and electrically resistive body comprises a material providing at least the minimum required electrical insulation between the AC plugs to prevent electrical shorting of the AC plugs; and

d) a substantially rigid body encasing the housing and the AC/DC converter circuit wherein the AC plugs protrude from the substantially rigid body and wherein a thermal conductivity of the substantially rigid body is configured to substantially efficiently conduct heat transfer from the AC/DC converter circuit through the housing to the AC plugs and on to the AC wall socket and to the AC power supply network, wherein the substantially rigid body limits heat dissipation such that the surface temperature of the substantially rigid body does not exceed 70°

C. in temperature.

49. The AC/DC converter assembly of claim 48, wherein the thermally conductive and electrically resistive body comprises a UL recognized insulation material.

50. The AC/DC converter assembly of claim 48, wherein the substantially rigid body comprises a material different from the material comprising the thermally conductive and electrically resistive body.

51. The AC/DC converter assembly of claim 48, wherein the space between the primary portion and the secondary portion is filled by the substantially rigid body.

52. The AC/DC converter assembly of claim 48, wherein the thickness is less than 1 millimeter.

53. The AC/DC converter assembly of claim 48, wherein the housing is for providing a structural enclosure for the primary portion of the AC/DC converter circuit.

54. The AC/DC converter assembly of claim 48, wherein:

the AC plugs each extend out of the substantially rigid body in a straight path, wherein the straight paths are parallel to one another; and

each AC plug comprises a fixed position relative to the substantially rigid body.

55. A method of manufacturing a power adaptor, comprising the steps:

a) providing an AC/DC power conversion circuit, including a plurality of AC power supply leads configured to plug into an AC wall socket, power conversion components, and power output leads;

b) molding a heat conductive material around the power conversion components to form an AC plug structure and integrated strain relief structure thermally connected to one or more of the plurality of AC power supply leads and the AC/DC power conversion circuit, wherein molding a heat conductive material around the power conversion components comprises molding a material around the power conversion components that provides at least the minimum required electrical insulation between the AC power supply leads to prevent electrical shorting of the AC power supply leads; and

c) encasing the heat conductive material and the power conversion components with a housing wherein the AC power supply leads protrude from the housing and wherein a thermal conductivity of the housing is configured such that is a substantially efficient heat transfer of the heat generated by the power conversion components through the heat conductive material to the AC power supply leads and into the AC wall socket, of sufficient thermal conductivity to not exceed 70°

C.

56. The method of claim 55, wherein encasing the heat conductive material and the power conversion components with a housing comprises encasing the heat conductive material and the power conversion components with a material that is different from the heat conductive material.

57. The method of claim 55, wherein encasing the heat conductive material and the power conversion components with a housing comprises encasing the heat conductive material and the power conversion components with a UL recognized insulation material.

58. The method of claim 55, wherein:

the AC power supply leads each extend out of the housing in a straight path, wherein the straight paths are parallel to one another; and

each AC power supply lead comprises a fixed position relative to the housing.

59. A device for cooling one or more AC/DC electronic circuits supplied by an external AC power source via a plurality of AC power supply leads configured to plug into an AC wall socket, the AC/DC circuits comprising a plurality of circuit elements, the elements further comprising heat producing elements, the device comprising a thermally conductive mass thermally coupled with at least the heat producing elements of the AC/DC circuits and with the AC power supply leads, wherein a substantial portion of heat produced by the heat producing elements is conducted to the AC power supply leads, and wherein the thermally conductive mass comprises a material providing at least the minimum required electrical insulation between the AC power supply leads to prevent electrical shorting of the AC power supply leads.

60. The device of claim 59, wherein the material providing at least the minimum required electrical insulation between the AC power supply leads to prevent shorting of the AC power supply leads comprises a UL recognized insulation material.

61. The device of claim 59, wherein:

the AC power supply leads each extend out of the thermally conductive mass in a straight path, wherein the straight paths are parallel to one another; and

each AC power supply lead comprises a fixed position relative to the thermally conductive mass.

62. A system for cooling an AC/DC electronic device, the AC/DC device comprising heat generating elements and supplied by an external AC power source, the system comprising:

a) means for conductively capturing heat produced by the heat generating elements of the AC/DC device;

b) means for conducting the heat captured from the heat generating elements of the AC/DC device into the external AC power source, and

c) means for limiting the heat conduction from the heat generating elements, wherein the means for limiting the heat conduction dissipates heat such that a surface temperature of the means for limiting the heat conduction does not exceed 70°

C. in temperature.

63. The system of claim 62, wherein:

the means for conducting the heat captured from the heat generating elements comprises a plurality of AC power supply leads;

the AC power supply leads each extend out of the means for conductively capturing heat in a straight path, wherein the straight paths are parallel to one another; and

each AC power supply lead comprises a fixed position relative to the means for conductively capturing heat.

64. The system of claim 62, wherein the means for limiting heat conduction comprise a material providing at least the minimum required electrical insulation between the AC power supply leads to prevent electrical shorting of the AC power supply leads.

65. The system of claim 64, wherein the material comprises a UL recognized insulation material.