Compact electrical device, especially a switched-mode power supply

• US 6,297,981 B1
• Filed: 09/06/2000
• Issued: 10/02/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Clearpath Partners, LLC
• Original Assignee: Mannesmann VDO AG (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Berberich, Reinhold, Schultz, Dietmar
• Primary Examiner(s): BERHANE, ADOLF D
• Application Number:
  US09/656,301
• Time in Patent Office: 391 Days
• Field of Search: 363/144, 363/146, 361/707, 361/679, 361/713, 361/728, 361/748
• US Class Current: 363/144
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/003 Constructional details, e.g. physical layout, assembly, wiring or busbar connections
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/144 Stacked arrangements of planar printed circuit boards

Abstract

The invention relates to A compact electrical device, especially a switched-mode power supply, comprising a transformer for matching different electrical voltages, and an electrical circuit and a plug-in device, which can be connected to a reference voltage, at least one primary winding of the transformer being connected to the plug-in device and at least one secondary winding of the transformer being connected to the electrical circuit via conductor tracks, the primary and secondary windings enclosing at least a part of a transformer core. In a compact electrical device which provides for reduction in the assembly expenditure and, nevertheless, operates reliably, the primary and the secondary windings (3) are arranged jointly with the conductor tracks (2) and/or the plug-in device (4, 5) in a carrier body (1) made of insulating material, the primary and secondary windings (3) being insulated from one another by the material of the carrier body (1) and the electrical circuit arranged on a planar carrier element being connected to the conductor tracks (2) of the carrier body (1) via an electrical connection.

Claims

1. A compact electrical device, especially a switched-mode power supply, comprising at least one inductance and one electrical contacting device which can be connected to a reference voltage, the inductance being connected to the contacting device via at least one first electrically conductive connection, wherein the inductance (3) and/or the first electrically conductive connection (2) and/or the contacting device (4, 5) are arranged at least partially in a carrier body (1) made of insulating material and are insulated from one another by the material of the carrier body (1), an electrical circuit (11) being connected to the first electrically conductive connection (2) of the carrier body (1) via a second electrically conductive connection (12).

2. The compact electrical device as claimed in claim 1, wherein two of said inductances arranged in the carrier body (1) are constructed as a transformer for matching different electrical voltages between the electrical circuit (11) and the contacting device (4, 5), the first electrically conductive connections (2) connecting a primary winding (3a) of the transformer to the contacting device (4, 5) and a secondary winding (3b) of the transformer to the electrical circuit (11), the primary winding (3a) and the secondary winding (3b) enclosing at least a part of a transformer core (13) of the transformer.

4. The compact electrical device as claimed in claim 1, wherein, for forming the second electrically conductive connection, at least one contact pin (12) is arranged on a carrier element (8) for connecting the electrical circuit (11), which electrical circuit is also arranged on the carrier element (8), to one of the first electrically conductive connections (2) of the carrier body (1), which at least one contact pint (12) projects into an opening (6, 7) in the carrier body (1) electrically connected to said one of the first electrically conductive connections (2).

5. The compact electrical device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the contact pin (12) is pressed into said opening (6, 7) of the carrier body (1) for making the electrical connection.

6. The compact electrical device as claimed in claim 4, wherein ends of the first electrically conductive connections constructed as conductor tracks (2) extend out of the opening (6, 7) of the carrier body (1), protruding beyond the latter, and the contact pin (12) conducted through the opening (6, 7) is soldered together with the ends of the conductor track (2).

7. The compact electrical device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the conductor tracks (2) are constructed as shaped sheet-metal parts.

8. The compact electrical device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the shaped sheet-metal parts (2) extend out of the carrier body (1) for forming electrical connections (4) of the contacting device (4, 5), a body (5) of the contacting device (4, 5) being formed by the carrier body (1).

9. The compact electrical device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the carrier body (1) is formed for accommodation of further electrical and/or electronic components (30, 31, 32).

10. The compact electrical device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the carrier body (1) has a receptacle having latching devices for a further component (33).

11. The compact electrical device as claimed in claim 9, wherein cased or uncased electronic components (33) are arranged on an outside on the carrier body (1).

12. The compact electrical device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a carrier element (8), and wherein the carrier body (1) is a component of a housing which covers said carrier element (8), said carrier element carrying the electrical circuit (11).

13. The compact electrical device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the carrier body (1) has a peripheral angled-away collar (19) which rests on the carrier element (8), a seal (20), which is also peripheral, being integrally molded to the collar (19).

14. The compact electrical device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the carrier body (1) is a center part (24) of the housing with said seal (20), which is injection molded on one side, for resting on the carrier element (8), the center part (24) of the housing being closed with a planar cover (22) which also has an integrally molded seal (23) for resting on the center part (24) of the housing.

15. The compact electrical device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a carrier element (8) made of metal, preferably aluminum and simultaneously dissipates heat from the electrical circuit comprising power components (11) mounted on said carrier element.

16. The compact electrical device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the carrier element (8) carries a substrate made of copper (10) applied to a thermally conductive ceramic (9).

17. The compact electrical device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the transformer core (13, 14) is constructed of two parts, a first, E-shaped core element (13) resting on a carrier element (8) and forming three webs (13a, 13b, 13c), which webs point perpendicularly away from the carrier element (8), extending through corresponding transformer openings of the carrier body (1) and a second core element (14) which is formed planar or E-shaped, covering the webs (13a, 13b, 13c) and magnetically connecting them to one another, the primary and secondary windings (3a, 3b) being arranged to loop around between the webs (13a, 13b, 13c).

18. The compact electrical device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the primary and secondary windings (3a, 3b) of the transformer project from the carrier body (1) laterally interrupted, the transformer core (15) is formed in one-piece and has an eight-shape cross section, and is pushable over the interrupted primary and secondary windings (3a, 3b), wherein the primary and secondary windings (3), after the transformer core (15) has been pushed on, being electrically closed by a carrier body end part (18) which contains conductor tracks (29) adapted to the windings (3).

19. The compact electrical device as claimed in claim 17, further comprising a planar carrier element (8), and wherein the primary and secondary windings (3a, 3b) of the transformer are flat, and are arranged in parallel with the planar carrier element (8).

20. The compact electrical device as claimed in claim 18, wherein the primary and secondary windings (3a, 3b) of the transformer are flat, and are arranged in parallel with the carrier element (8), said carrier element being planar.

3. The compact electrical device, especially a switched-mode power supply, comprising a transformer for matching different electrical voltages between an electrical circuit and an electrical contacting device which can be connected to a reference voltage, at least one primary winding of the transformer being connected to the contacting device and at least one secondary winding of the transformer being connected to the electrical circuit via at least one of first electrically conductive connections, the primary and the secondary windings enclosing at least a part of a transformer core of the transformer, wherein the transformer core (15) and/or the first electrically conductive connections (2) and/or the contacting device (4, 5) being arranged in a carrier body (1) made of insulating material, the first electrically conductive connections (2) being electrically insulated from one another by the material of the carrier body (1), and the primary and secondary windings (3) of the transformer (3a, 3b, 15) being arranged on a planar carrier element (8) such that the transformer core (15) is enclosed by the windings (3a, 3b) and a second electrically conductive connection (12) being connected to the at least one first electrically conductive connection (2) of the carrier body (1), said carrier element carrying the electrical circuit (11).

21. The compact electrical device as claimed in claim 3, wherein, for forming the second electrically conductive connection, at least one contact pin (12) is arranged on the carrier element (8) for connecting the electrical circuit (11), to said at least one of the first electrically conductive connections (2) of the carrier body (1), which at least one contact pin (12) projects into at least one opening (6, 7) in the carrier body (1), the opening being electrically connected to said at least one first electrically conductive connection (2).

22. The compact electrical device as claimed in claim 21, wherein the contact pin (12) is pressed into the opening (6, 7) of the carrier body (1) for producing the electrical connection.

23. The compact electrical device as claimed in claim 21, wherein respective ends of the first electrically conductive connections formed as conductor tracks (2) extend out of the at least one opening (6, 7) of the carrier body (1), projecting beyond the latter, and the at least one contact pin (12) projecting through the opening (6, 7) is soldered together with the respective ends of the conductor tracks (2).

24. The compact electrical device as claimed in claim 22, wherein the conductor tracks (2) are constructed as shaped sheet-metal parts.

25. The compact electrical device as claimed in claim 24, wherein the shaped sheet-metal parts (2) extend out of the carrier body (1) forming electrical connections (4) of the contacting device (4, 5), a body (5) of the contacting device (4, 5) being formed by the carrier body (1).

26. The compact electrical device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the carrier body (1) is formed so as to accommodate additional electrical and/or electronic components (30, 31, 32).

27. The compact electrical device as claimed in claim 26, wherein the carrier body (1) has a receptacle having latching devices for the additional component (33).

28. The compact electrical device as claimed in claim 26, wherein cased or uncased electronic components (33) are arranged on an outside on the carrier body (1).

29. The compact electrical device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the carrier body (1) is a component of a housing which covers the carrier element.

30. The compact electrical device as claimed in claim 29, wherein the carrier body (1) has a peripheral angled-away collar (19) which rests on the carrier element (8), a seal (20), which is also peripheral, being integrally molded to the collar (19).

31. The compact electrical device as claimed in claim 29, wherein the carrier body (1) is a center part (24) of the housing with said seal (20), which seal is injection molded on one side, for resting on the carrier element (8), the center part (24) of the housing being closed with a planar cover (22) which also has an integrally molded seal (23) for resting on the center part (24) of the housing.

32. The compact electrical device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the carrier element (8) is made of metal, preferably aluminum and simultaneously dissipates heat from the electrical circuit comprising power components (11).

33. The compact electrical device as claimed in claim 32, wherein the carrier element (8) carries a substrate made of copper (10) applied to a thermally conductive ceramic (9).