COMPACT ISOLATED SWITCHING POWER CONVERTERS

• US 20130077276A1
• Filed: 09/23/2011
• Published: 03/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Astec International Limited (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Astec International Limited (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Kippley, Robert H., Chin, Kwong Kei, Schumacher, Bradley J., Magnuson, Gary P.
• Granted Patent: US 8,897,029 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/784
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/003 Constructional details, e.g. physical layout, assembly, wiring or busbar connections
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/003 Constructional details, e.g. physical layout, assembly, wiring or busbar connections

Abstract

An isolated switching power converter includes a power isolation transformer having at least one primary winding, at least one secondary winding and a plurality of sides, a first power board mechanically coupled to a first side of the transformer, and a second power board mechanically coupled to a second side of the transformer. The first power board includes a primary side circuit electrically coupled to the at least one primary winding, and the second power board includes a secondary side circuit electrically coupled to the at least one secondary winding.

Claims

1. An isolated switching power converter comprising:

a power isolation transformer having a primary winding, a secondary winding and a plurality of sides;

a first power board mechanically coupled to a first side of the transformer and including a primary side circuit electrically coupled to the primary winding; and

a second power board mechanically coupled to a second side of the transformer and including a secondary side circuit electrically coupled to the secondary winding.

2. The power converter of claim 1 wherein the first power board and the second power board include electrical terminals for electrically coupling the first power board and the second power board to one or more other circuit boards.

3. The power converter of claim 2 wherein the electrical terminals are pins or surface mount terminals.

4. The power converter of claim 2 wherein the primary side circuit includes at least one switch and the secondary side circuit includes at least one switch.

5. The power converter of claim 4 wherein the switch of the primary side circuit is positioned between the first power board and the first side of the transformer, and the switch of the secondary side circuit is positioned between the second power board and the second side of the transformer.

8. The power converter of claim 1 wherein there is no electrical connection between the first power board and the second power board except through the transformer.

9. The power converter of claim 1 wherein the first power board and the second power board are mechanically and thermally coupled to the first side and the second side, respectively, of the transformer via a conductive epoxy.

10. The power converter of claim 1 further comprising a busbar electrically connected to the secondary winding and the second power board.

11. The power converter of claim 10 wherein the busbar and the second power board are configured for mechanically interlocking with one another.

12. The power converter of claim 1 wherein the secondary winding of the transformer is a plate winding.

13. The power converter of claim 12 wherein the busbar is formed monolithically with the secondary plate winding.

14. The power converter of claim 1 further comprising an electrical isolator positioned on the first side of the transformer between the first power board and the transformer.

15. The power converter of claim 14 wherein the electrical isolator includes structure for aligning the first power board with the first side of the transformer.

16. The power converter of claim 1 further comprising a nonconductive carrier extending about a portion of the transformer.

17. The power converter of claim 16 wherein the nonconductive carrier includes structure for aligning the first power board and the second power board with the first side and the second side, respectively, of the transformer.

18. The power converter of claim 16 wherein the nonconductive carrier includes electrical terminals electrically connected to the first power board and the second power board for electrically coupling the first power board and the second power board to one or more other circuit boards.

19. The power converter of claim 18 wherein the electrical terminals are pins or surface mount terminals.

20. The power converter of claim 1 further comprising a nonconductive cover extending over and around at least portions of the transformer and the first power board.

21. The power converter of claim 20 wherein the nonconductive cover includes a pick and place surface.

22. The power converter of claim 20 wherein the nonconductive cover includes structure on an interior side of the cover for aligning the first power board and/or the second power board with the transformer.

23. The power converter of claim 20 wherein the nonconductive cover includes an outwardly extending flange along a bottom side edge of the nonconductive cover.

24. The power converter of claim 20 wherein the nonconductive cover is vented adjacent the secondary winding.

25. The power converter of claim 1 wherein the first power board includes one or more wire wrap terminals terminating one or more conductors from the transformer.

26. The power converter of claim 1 wherein the power converter is cuboidal.

27. The power converter of claim 1 further comprising said one or more other circuit boards.

28. A computer server comprising the power converter of claim 1.

6. The power converter of claim, wherein the switch of the primary side circuit and the switch of the secondary side circuit are thin FETs.

7. The power converter of claim 6 wherein the switch of the secondary side circuit is a self-driven synchronous rectifier.