Wireless circuit board system for a motor controller

• US 5,648,892 A
• Filed: 09/29/1995
• Issued: 07/15/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Allen-Bradley Company (Rockwell Automation, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Allen-Bradley Company (Rockwell Automation, Inc.)
• Inventors: Woychik, Gerard A., Wieloch, Christopher J., Mather, John C., McLaughlin, Steven R., Babinski, Thomas E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tolin, Gerald P.
• Application Number:
  US08/536,224
• Time in Patent Office: 655 Days
• Field of Search: 257/713, 257/720, 257/723, 257/724, 174/16.3, 174/252, 174/250, 174/260, 174/262, 439/59, 439/62, 439/65, 439/67, 439/485, 439/487, 361/704, 361/707, 361/712, 361/721, 361/717-719, 361/748, 361/749, 361/760, 361/761, 361/763, 361/764, 361/775, 361/784, 361/785, 361/788, 361/789, 361/792, 363/141
• US Class Current: 361/788
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/003 Constructional details, e.g. physical layout, assembly, wiring or busbar connections
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/14 Structural association of two or more printed circuits providing electric connection to or between printed circuits H05K1/11, H01R12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/148 Arrangements of two or more hingeably connected rigid printed circuit boards, i.e. connected by flexible means
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20918 the components being isolated from air flow, e.g. hollow heat sinks, wind tunnels or funnels

Abstract

A multilayer circuit board system or laminated circuit board system for use in a motor controller includes a motherboard, at least one power substrate circuit board, and a capacitor circuit board. The power substrate module includes a mounting area provided in a recess, window or portion of the circuit board where the circuit board is only a single layer thick. The single circuit board layer at the mounting area provides a heat conductive yet highly electrically insulated mounting area for receiving a heat sink. The heat sink can be mounted on a side opposite the electrical device. The capacitor circuit board, power substrate circuit board, and mother circuit board are interconnected without the use of external connectors or wires. A flexible circuit board layer or SCM™ interconnect interface allows the circuit boards to be connected solely by printed circuit (PC) wires.

Claims

1. A wireless motor controller, comprising:

a power substrate circuit board including semiconductor switches;

a capacitor circuit board including a plurality storage capacitors coupled between a positive bus and a negative bus situated on the capacitor circuit board; and

a first circuit board mechanically and electrically coupled to at least one of the power substrate circuit board and the capacitor circuit board, the positive bus and the negative bus on the capacitor circuit board being electrically coupled to the power substrate circuit board via a connection of solely printed wire circuit board conductors, whereby parasitic inductive effects are reduced as compared with a conductor arrangement in a conventional motor controller system.

2. The wireless motor controller of claim 1 wherein the printed wire circuit board conductors are provided on a flexible circuit board layer extending between the power substrate circuit board and the capacitor circuit board, the flexible circuit board layer providing the connection.

3. The wireless motor controller of claim 1 wherein the first circuit board is a mother board including a first mounting aperture receiving a first edge of the power substrate circuit board and a second mounting aperture receiving a second edge of the capacitor circuit board, the first mounting aperture and the second mounting aperture each having a lateral face with a plated connector, the plated connector being part of the connection.

4. The wireless motor controller of claim 3 wherein the first mounting feature receives a first mounting leg of the power substrate circuit board at a first leg aperture and the second mounting feature receives a second mounting leg at a second leg aperture.

5. The wireless motor controller of claim 1 wherein the positive bus is provided on a first side of the capacitor circuit board and the negative bus is provided on a second side of the capacitor circuit board and the positive bus is coupled to a first set of finger connectors on the power substrate circuit board and the negative bus is coupled to a second set of finger connectors on the power substrate circuit board.

6. The wireless circuit board of claim 5 wherein the first and second sets of finger connectors are located situated interstitially on a first side of the power substrate circuit board and a second side of the power substrate circuit board.

7. The wireless circuit board of claim 6 wherein the second side of the power substrate circuit board includes a ground plane coupled to the negative bus and configured to receive a heat sink.

8. The wireless motor controller of claim 3 wherein the first and second mounting apertures are oval shaped holes having plated through finger connectors on a lateral face of the slot.

9. The wireless motor controller of claim 3 wherein the power substrate circuit board and the capacitor board are mounted in a perpendicular fashion with respect to the mother circuit board.

10. A motor controller circuit board system, the circuit board system comprising:

a power substrate mounting board including semiconductor switches;

a capacitor mounting board including a plurality storage capacitors coupled between a first bus and a second bus, the first bus and the second bus being situated on the capacitor mounting board; and

a mounted circuit board including a plurality of mounting areas integral with the mounted circuit board, the mounting areas mechanically and electrically receiving the power substrate mounting board and the capacitor mounting board, the first bus and the second bus on the capacitor mounting board being electrically coupled to the power substrate mounting board via a connection of solely a plurality of printed wire circuit board conductors on the mounted circuit board, the connection being made without external wires and without external connectors, whereby parasitic inductance is reduced as compared with a conductor arrangement in a conventional motor controller system.

11. The motor controller circuit board system of claim 10 wherein the printed wire circuit board conductors include finger connectors at the mounting areas, and the mounting areas including apertures having lateral faces with plated connectors on the lateral faces.

12. The motor controller circuit board system of claim 10 wherein the power substrate mounting board includes a window exposing an enhanced metal circuit board layer.

13. The motor controller circuit board system of claim 12 wherein the enhanced metal circuit board layer is coupled to the first bus.

14. The motor controller circuit board system of claim 13 wherein the first bus is coupled to the enhanced metal circuit board layer via a plated portion of a wall of the window.

15. The motor controller circuit board system of claim 14 wherein the first bus is provided on a first side of the capacitor mounting board and the second bus is provided on a second side of the capacitor mounting board and the first bus is coupled to a first set of finger connectors on the power substrate mounting board and the second bus is coupled to a second set of finger connectors on the power substrate mounting board.

16. The motor controller circuit board system of claim 15 wherein the first and second sets of finger connectors located situated interstitially on a first side of the power substrate mounting board and a second side of the power substrate mounting board.

17. The motor controller circuit board system of claim 16 wherein the second side of the power substrate mounting board includes a ground plane coupled to the second bus configured to receive a heat sink, wherein the ground plane is coupled to the second bus.