Power substrate module

• US 5,835,356 A
• Filed: 09/29/1995
• Issued: 11/10/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Allen-Bradley Company LLC (Rockwell Automation, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Allen-Bradley Company LLC (Rockwell Automation, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wieloch, Christopher J., Mather, John C., Babinski, Thomas E.
• Primary Examiner(s): SOUGH, HYUNG SUB
• Application Number:
  US08/536,877
• Time in Patent Office: 1,138 Days
• Field of Search: 174/252, 174/254, 174/262, 174/260, 174/255-261, 361/749, 361/761, 361/764, 361/792, 361/795, 361/775, 361/780, 361/794, 361/13, 439/67-77, 363/37, 363/147, 327/565, 327/566
• US Class Current: 361/761
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/021 Components thermally connected to metal substrates or heat-sinks by insert mounting
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/182 associated with components mounted in the printed circuit board, e.g. insert mounted components [IMC]
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10166 Transistor
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10416 Metallic blocks or heatsinks completely inserted in a PCB metallic supports H05K3/0061
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/209 Heat transfer by conduction from internal heat source to heat radiating structure H05K7/20909 takes precedence

Abstract

A power substrate module having a multilayer circuit board or laminated circuit board for use in a motor controller is described. The power substrate module includes pair of switching devices coupled across a direct current bus for converting direct current power from the bus to controlled alternating current power in response to control signals. The circuit board includes a first conductive layer, a second conductive layer and an insulative layer separating the conductive layers. The first and second conductive layers each include a conductive bus region, one of which is coupled to the first switching device and forms a high side of the direct current bus, and the other of which is coupled to the second switching device and forms the low side of the direct current bus.

Claims

1. A power substrate module, comprising:

first and second switching devices for converting direct current power from a direct current bus to controlled alternating current power in response to control signals;

a first conductive layer including a first conductive bus region coupled to the first switching device and forming a high side of the direct current bus;

a first insulating layer disposed below the first conductive layer;

a second conductive layer including a second conductive bus region coupled to the second switching device and forming a low side of the direct current bus; and

a component mounting layer disposed intermediate the first and second conductive layers for supporting the switching devices, wherein the component mounting layer includes thermally conductive regions, each switching device being secured to a corresponding region of the thermally conductive regions, at least one of the thermally conductive regions being electrically coupled to a device conductive bus region and forming part of the device conductive bus region.

2. The power substrate module of claim 1, further including a second insulating layer disposed above the first conductive layer and a third conductive layer disposed above the second insulating layer, the third conductive layer including current carrying paths coupled to the first and second switching devices.

3. The power substrate module of claim 1, further comprising an output bus coupled between the first and second switching devices for conducting controlled alternating current power generated by the switching devices, wherein the output is disposed in the first conductive layer.

4. The power substrate module of claim 1, further comprising at least one switching device electrically coupled in parallel with the first switching device and at least one switching device coupled in parallel with the second switching device.

5. A power substrate module comprising:

a rectifying circuit for rectifying alternating current power from a source and for applying rectified current power to a direct current bus;

an inverting circuit including first and second switching devices for converting power from the direct current bus to a controlled alternating current power signal in response to control signals;

a first conductive layer including a first conductive bus region coupled to the first switching device and forming a high side of the current bus;

a first insulating layer disposed below the first conductive layer;

a second conductive layer including a second conductive bus region coupled to the second switching device and forming a low side of the direct current bus; and

a component mounting layer disposed intermediate the first and second conductive layers for supporting the switching devices;

wherein the component mounting layer includes thermally conductive regions, each switching device being secured to a corresponding region of the thermally conductive regions at least one of the conductive regions being electrically coupled to a device bus region and forming part of the device bus region.

6. The power substrate module of claim 5, wherein the rectifying circuit is a half wave rectifier.

7. The power substrate module of claim 5, further including a second insulating layer disposed above the first conductive layer and a third conductive layer disposed above the second insulating layer, the third conductive layer including current carrying paths coupled to the first and second switching devices.

8. The power substrate module of claim 5, further comprising an output bus coupled between the first and second switching devices for conducting controlled alternating current power generated by the switching devices, wherein the output is disposed in the first conductive layer.

9. The power substrate module of claim 5, further comprising a heat sink thermally coupled to the second conductive layer.

10. A power substrate module comprising:

a rectifying circuit for rectifying alternating current power from a source and for applying rectified current power to a direct current bus;

an inverting circuit including first and second switching devices for converting power from the direct current bus to a controlled alternating current power signal in response to control signals;

a first conductive layer including a first conductive bus region coupled to the first switching device and forming a high side of the direct current bus;

a first insulating layer disposed below the first conductive layer; and

a second conductive layer including a second conductive bus region coupled to the second switching device and forming a low side of the direct current bus; and

at least one switching device electrically coupled in parallel with the first switching device and at least one switching device coupled in parallel with the second switching device.

11. A power substrate module, comprising:

a rectifying means for rectifying an alternating current power signal and applying a rectified power signal to a direct current bus;

a switching means including a first switching device and a second switching device, for converting the rectified power signal from the direct current bus to a controlled power signal;

a first conductive layer including a first conductive bus region electrically coupled to the first switching device and forming a high side of the direct current bus;

a first insulating layer disposed below the first conductive layer;

a second conductive layer including a second conductive bus region electrically coupled to the second switching device and forming a low side of the direct current bus; and

a component mounting layer disposed intermediate the first and second conductive layers for supporting the switching devices;

wherein the component mounting layer includes thermally conductive regions, each switching device being secured to a corresponding region of the thermally conductive regions, at least one of the conductive regions being electrically coupled to a device bus region and forming part of the device bus region.

12. The power substrate module of claim 11, further including a second insulating layer disposed above the first conductive layer and a third conductive layer disposed above the second insulating layer, the third conductive layer including current carrying paths coupled to the first and second switching devices.

13. The power substrate module of claim 11, further comprising an output bus coupled between the first and second switching devices for conducting controlled alternating current power generated by the switching devices, wherein the output bus is disposed in the first conductive layer.