Integrated power conversion

• US 5,053,920 A
• Filed: 10/09/1990
• Issued: 10/01/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Digital Equipment Corporation (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Staffiere, Donald T., Friedman, Harvey S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thompson, Gregory D.
• Application Number:
  US07/595,656
• Time in Patent Office: 357 Days
• Field of Search: 174/35 R, 174/70 B, 174/72 B, 174/16.3, 307/149, 307/150, 363/144, 363/141, 363/147, 361/382-384, 361/386-389, 361/392-394, 361/407, 361/424
• US Class Current: 361/694
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/538 the interconnection structure between a plurality of semiconductor chips being formed on, or in, insulating substrates H05K takes precedence; manufacture or treatment H01L21/4846 ; mountings per se H01L23/12; materials H01L23/49866
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/552 Protection against radiation, e.g. light or electromagnetic waves
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/585 comprising conductive layers or plates or strips or rods or rings H01L23/60, H01L23/62, H01L23/64, H01L23/66 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/0655 the devices being arranged next to each other
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00

Abstract

A three-dimensional integrated power distribution and regulation apparatus for providing regulated power to a plurality of chips mounted on a module. The apparatus has a busbar mounted on the module, this busbar receiving high voltage power as an input. A plurality of power regulators are mounted on the busbar and are electrically coupled to this busbar. The power regulators are point-of-load regulators that receive high voltage power as an input and produce regulated power to the busbar. The busbar is electrically coupled to the chips and provides the chips with the regulated power. Heat and losses are reduced since the power regulators are mounted on the module, close to the chips themselves.

Claims

1. An arrangement providing regulated power to a chip module, comprising:

a busbar mounted on said module, said busbar receiving high voltage power as an input;

at least one high density power regulator mounted on said busbar and electrically coupled to said busbar, such that the coupling length between said power regulator and said busbar is minimized, and electromagnetic interference resulting from high currents along the coupling length is also minimized, said power regulator receiving said high voltage power as an input and producing regulated power to said busbar;

wherein said busbar is adapted to be electrically coupled to a plurality of electronic devices to provide the electronic devices with said regulated power.

2. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein said busbar is a grid having spaces said grid adapted to provide for placement of the electronic devices in said spaces.

3. The arrangement of claim 2, wherein said power regulator is mounted on said busbar in a 3-dimensional configuration which does not require module area, such that said power regulator extends outwardly from a plane of said module.

4. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein said power regulator is a point-of-load power regulator.

5. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein said power regulator produces said regulated power at a plurality of voltage levels.

6. The arrangement of claim 5, wherein said busbar is a multilayer busbar having multiple bus layer, and said power regulator is connected to said multiple bus layers so as to provide said regulated power at the plurality of voltage levels separately to said multiple bus layers.

16. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein said busbar is arranged on said module so as to provide mechanical support and mechanical stiffness to said module.

17. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein said busbar includes couplings to internal layers of said module to provide regulated power directly to said internal layers.

18. The arrangement of claim 6, wherein said multiple bus layers include de-coupling capacitance and control signal layers.

19. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein said busbar includes multi-voltage connectors that allow direct coupling of said busbar to a high voltage power source.

20. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein said busbar and said power regulator are mounted on three-dimensionally on said module, said power regulator being mounted on said busbar such that said power regulator extends away from a plane of said module, thereby reserving module surface area for high density device packaging.

7. An arrangement providing regulated power to a chip module, comprising:

a busbar mounted on said module, said busbar receiving high voltage power as an input;

at least one power regulator mounted on said busbar and electrically coupled to said busbar, said power regulator receiving said high voltage power as an input and producing regulated power to said busbar;

wherein said busbar is adapted to be electrically coupled to a plurality of electronic devices to provide the electronic devices with said regulated power; and

further comprising a cover assembly structure that provides EMI shielding, said cover assembly structure including a cold-plate that contacts said busbar, said cold-plate having at least one slot dimensioned to allow said power regulator to pass through said slot.

8. The arrangement of claim 7, wherein said cold-plate is adapted to contact the electronic devices so as to provide a conduction path for heat dissipation from the electronic devices.

9. The arrangement of claim 8, wherein said cover assembly structure further includes cooling fins thermoconductively coupled to said cold-plate.

10. The arrangement of claim 9, wherein said structure further includes a top plate coupled to said fins, such that at least one plenum is formed between said top plate and said cold-plate.

11. The arrangement of claim 10, wherein said cold-plate contacts said busbar such that there is a thermoconductive coupling between said cold-plate and said busbar.

12. The arrangement of claim 11, wherein said busbar has a ground layer and said cold-plate is electrically coupled to said busbar ground layer.

13. The arrangement of claim 12, wherein the power regulator includes a heatsink, and wherein said heatsink extends into said plenum.

14. The arrangement of claim 13, wherein said power regulator is thermoconductively coupled to said busbar.

15. The arrangement of claim 14, wherein said busbar, said power regulator, and said cover assembly structure are provided on each side of said module.

21. The arrangement of claim 7, wherein said power regulator produces said regulated power at a plurality of voltage levels.

22. The arrangement of claim 21, wherein said busbar is a multilayer busbar having multiple bus layers, and said power regulator is connected to said multiple bus layers so as to provide said regulated power at the plurality of voltage levels separately to said multiple bus layers.

23. The arrangement of claim 7, wherein said busbar is a grid having spaces, said grid adapted to provide for placement of the electronic devices in said spaces.

24. The arrangement of claim 23, wherein said power regulator is mounted on said busbar in a 3-dimensional configuration which des not require module area, such that said power regulator extends outwardly from a plane of said module.

25. The arrangement of claim 7, wherein said power regulator is a point-of-load regulator.

26. An arrangement providing regulated power to a chip module, comprising:

a busbar mounted on said module, said busbar receiving high voltage power as an input;

at least one power regulator mounted on said busbar and electrically coupled to said busbar, said power regulator receiving said high voltage power as an input and producing said regulated power to said busbar;

wherein said busbar is adapted to be electrically coupled to a plurality of electronic devices to provide the electronic devices with said regulated power; and

further comprising a cover assembly structure that provides EMI shielding, said cover assembly structure including a cold-plate that contacts said busbar.

27. The arrangement of claim 26, wherein said cold-plate is adapted to contact the electronic devices so as to provide a conduction path for heat dissipation from the electronic devices.

35. The arrangement of claim 26, wherein said power regulator produces said regulated power at a plurality of voltage levels.

36. The arrangement of claim 35, wherein said busbar is a multilayer busbar having multiple bus layers, and said power regulator is connected to said multiple bus layers so as to provide said regulated power at the plurality of voltage levels separately to said multiple bus layers.

37. The arrangement of claim 26, wherein said busbar is a grid having spaces in which the electronic devices are arranged.

38. The arrangement of claim 37, wherein said power regulator is mounted on said busbar in a 3-dimensional configuration which does not require module area, such that said power regulator extends outwardly from a plane of said module.

39. The arrangement of claim 26, wherein said power regulator is a point-of-load regulator.

28. The arrangement of claim 28, wherein said cover assembly structure further includes cooling fins thermoconductively coupled to said cold-plate.

29. The arrangement of claim 28, wherein said cover assembly structure further includes a top plate coupled to said cooling fins, such that at least one plenum is formed between said top plate and said cold-plate.

30. The arrangement of claim 29, wherein said cold-plate contacts said busbar such that there is a thermoconductive coupling between said cold-plate and said busbar.

31. The arrangement of claim 30, wherein said busbar has a ground layer and said col-plate is electrically coupled to said busbar ground layer.

32. The arrangement of claim 31, wherein the power regulator includes a heatsink, and wherein said heatsink extends into said plenum.

33. The arrangement of claim 32, wherein said power regulator is thermoconductively coupled to said busbar.

34. The arrangement of claim 33, wherein said busbar, said power regulator and said cover assembly structure are provided on each side of said module.