Electricity: electrical systems and devices – Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical... – For electronic systems and devices
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-22
2001-11-27
Gaffin, Jeffrey (Department: 2841)
Electricity: electrical systems and devices
Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical...
For electronic systems and devices
C361S801000, C361S728000, C361S729000, C361S730000, C361S732000, C257S727000, C257S685000, C257S686000, C257S718000, C257S719000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06324073
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of clamping arrangements for compression-mounted power electronic devices such as thyristors, SCR's etc., and more particularly to improved arrangements for securing the clamping arrangement when clamping force is applied.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various clamping arrangements are known for compression mounted power electronic devices, i.e. where a power electronic device is clamped against a heat sink or other support member. For example, see the following U.S. Pat. Nos.: 3,661,013; 3,651,383; 3,688,159; 3,867,003; 3,982,308; 4,636,917; and 5,483,103. Additionally, commercial examples are found in an ABB brochure 34-300 (September 1996) and in a PQA '97 North America (Mar. 3-6, 1997) paper entitled “Switching Megawatts in Microseconds”. Two types of clamping arrangements are described by these arrangements, a first type that clamps an overall stack of alternating electronic power devices with interposed heat sinks and a second type wherein clamping is accomplished for each sub-assembly of a power electronic device and a heat sink or the like, in some cases the sub-assemblies being combined in an overall stack arrangement.
While the prior art arrangements may provide useful clamping arrangements, these prior arrangements do not provide a compact, economical arrangement that is easily assembled or field disassembled from economical parts to form modules that are easily and efficiently combined into an overall stack of modules.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide a clamping arrangement for compression mounted power electronic devices that is assembled from component parts to form a clamping module that provides clamping force to a power electronic device interposed between two heat sink arrangements.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a clamping arrangement that utilizes clamping beams disposed on either side of two heat sinks and an interposed power electronic device, elongated members that span and retain each end of each clamping beams against relative movement, and an arrangement for applying a desired clamping force to be heat sinks and the power electronic device.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a kit of component parts that can be assembled into a clamping module about a power electronic device disposed between two heat sinks.
These and other objects of the present invention are efficiently achieved by the provision of a clamping arrangement for compression mounted power electronic devices that is assembled from component parts to form a clamping module. The clamping module provides suitable clamping force to a power electronic device interposed between two heat sink arrangements. The clamping arrangement utilizes clamping beams disposed on either side of the two heat sinks and the interposed power electronic device, elongated members that span and retain each end of each clamping beam against relative movement, and an arrangement for applying a desired clamping force to the heat sinks and the power electronic device. The kit of component parts can be assembled into a clamping module about a power electronic device disposed between two heat sinks and is easily assembled or field disassembled from economical parts. The clamping modules are also adapted to be easily and efficiently combined into an overall stack of modules to provide a power electronic assembly of series connected power electronic devices for operation at medium voltages. In a preferred arrangement, the elongated members are implemented via the assembly of end cap assemblies about an elongated member. An arrangement to achieve predetermined clamping forces during assembly is also provided.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3651383 (1972-03-01), Livezey et al.
patent: 3661013 (1972-05-01), Wilcox
patent: 3688159 (1972-08-01), Robbins
patent: 3867003 (1975-02-01), Morton et al.
patent: 3955122 (1976-05-01), Maynard et al.
patent: 3982308 (1976-09-01), Yoneda
patent: 4097036 (1978-06-01), Henke
patent: 4636917 (1987-01-01), Jouanny
patent: 5483103 (1996-01-01), Blickhan et al.
patent: 5793618 (1998-08-01), Chan et al.
ABB Brochure 34-300, Sep. 1996, 4 pages.
“Switching Megawatts in Micro Seconds”, Paper—PQA '97 North America, Mar. 3-6, 1997, 11 pages.
Atanus Ronald D.
Mikosz Richard P.
O'Leary Raymond P.
Gaffin Jeffrey
S&C Electric Co.
Tran Thanh Y.
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