Electricity: electrical systems and devices – Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical... – For electronic systems and devices
Patent
1998-05-22
2000-07-11
Tolin, Gerald
Electricity: electrical systems and devices
Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical...
For electronic systems and devices
361775, H05K 720
Patent
active
060882271
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to electrical circuit boards and, more particularly, to a circuit board assembly having a buss bar for distributing electrical current to several circuit modules provided on the circuit board and a heat sink for thermally conducting heat away from the circuit modules.
2. Description of the Related Art
Circuit boards are typically made of an electrically insulating material and have multiple circuit modules mounted thereon. It is known to use multiple buss bars mounted on the front surface of the circuit board to conduct electrical current from a suitable source to multiple modules mounted on the front surface of the circuit board. It is also known to provide a heat sink adjacent the modules in order to thermally conduct heat away from the circuit board in order to protect the modules from the high heat generated as a result of the current flow through the modules.
It is desirable to incorporate buss bars into a circuit board for the efficient distribution of current from a single source to the multiple modules. Preferably, the number of buss bars would be minimized to reduce weight and material cost.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The heat sink with an integrated buss bar according to the invention overcomes the problems of the prior art by permitting the utilization of a single buss bar for supplying electrical current to a large number of modules of an electrical circuit while providing means for effectively thermally conducting the heat generated in the electrical circuit away from the modules of the circuit board.
In one aspect, the invention comprises an electric circuit board assembly incorporating at least one circuit board, wherein multiple circuit modules are provided on the board. A buss bar is used to conduct electrical current from a suitable source of power to each of the circuit modules. The buss bar is provided between the two circuit boards and has multiple terminals formed thereon which are electrically connected to the circuit modules on both the circuit boards. A heat sink is also provided between the two circuit boards, and has at least one aperture provided therein to receive at least one of the buss bar terminals extending from the buss bar to one of the circuit modules of the second circuit board. The heat sink is adapted to thermally conduct heat away from the circuit modules.
Preferably, the heat sink also has a depression formed in the front surface thereof wherein the buss bar is received, at least in part, in the depression.
In another embodiment, the buss bar is electrically insulated from the heat sink and circuit boards.
In another aspect, the invention comprises an electrical circuit board assembly incorporating two circuit boards wherein each board has at least one circuit module provided thereon and each board has an outer edge. A buss bar is provided between the two circuit boards and has multiple terminals provided thereon. The terminals are electrically connected to the circuit modules on both the first and second circuit boards. A heat sink is also provided between the two circuit boards immediately adjacent to the buss bar. The heat sink extends outwardly from the circuit boards and has an outer edge extending beyond the outer edge of the circuit boards. The outer edge is adapted to contact the frame of a supporting chassis to thermally conduct heat away from the buss bar and circuit modules to the frame.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will now be described with reference to the drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an electrical circuit board incorporating the heat sink and buss bar according to the invention; and
FIG. 2 is an exploded, perspective view of the heat sink and buss bar assembly according to the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring now to the drawings and to FIGS. 1 and 2 in particular, a circuit board assembly 12 having an integrated heat sink and buss bar according to the invention is shown. The circuit board
REFERENCES:
patent: 4346257 (1982-08-01), Moss
patent: 5132896 (1992-02-01), Nishizawa
patent: 5172310 (1992-12-01), Deam
Bujtas Geza
Hupp Robert A.
Smiths Industries Aerospace and Defense Systems, Inc.
Tolin Gerald
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