Electricity: electrical systems and devices – Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical... – For electronic systems and devices
Patent
1999-06-29
2000-05-09
Tolin, Gerald
Electricity: electrical systems and devices
Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical...
For electronic systems and devices
361707, 361709, 361713, 361715, 361717, 361722, 361728, 361761, 361748, 361792, 361785, 257704, 257706, 257712, 257723, 257707, 257675, 165 803, 16510433, 165185, 439 34, 439 65, H05K 720
Patent
active
060612436
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the integration of electrical/electronic related componentry with related thermal control and structural support systems into a unitary structure that is suitable for use in spacecraft and the like.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Presently, the electrical/electronic systems and the thermal control and structural support for the electrical/electronic systems of a spacecraft are designed and fabricated separately and then connected to one another during the final assembly of the spacecraft. Typical structural support elements for the electrical/electronic systems include load-bearing plates, frames, shells and walls. Thermal control for electrical/electronic systems is generally achieved using radiators, cold plates and the like. The electrical/electronic systems are implemented in the form of "black boxes". Each black box contains a plurality of circuit boards that are each connected to a mother board. The mother board provides power to each of the circuit boards and communication paths that permit signals to be transmitted between the circuit boards. The mother board also provides power and communication interfaces to the environment exterior to the black box. The transmission of power and signals to the black boxes is achieved with relatively bulky cables that mate with the appropriate mother board interfaces.
The process of separately designing and fabricating the electrical/electronic systems and the related structural support and thermal control systems of a spacecraft and then connecting each of these systems to one another during final assembly results in a spacecraft in which a substantial portion of the available volume within the spacecraft is occupied by these systems. As such, the room available in the spacecraft for other systems is constrained by these systems. Stated differently, the ratio of electrical/electronic functionality to the volume occupied by the electrical/electronic systems and the associated structural support and thermal control systems is relatively low. Furthermore, the present process has resulted in a spacecraft in which a relatively large percentage of the overall mass of the spacecraft is attributable to the electrical/electronic systems and the related structural and thermal control systems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to providing a structure that integrates the electrical/electronic systems and associated structural and thermal control systems in a manner that realizes a substantial increase in the ratio of electrical/electronic functionality to the volume occupied by the electrical/electronic systems and related structural and thermal systems. Due to the increase in this ratio, for a given electrical/electronic functionality, there is more space available within a spacecraft for other equipment when compared to a spacecraft that employs the "black box" approach. In one case, a 50% increase in the internal volume was realized. Further, the structure is also capable of providing a reduction in mass for a given electrical/electronic functionality. This reduction in mass permits, for example, a more massive payload to be carried aloft by the spacecraft. In one instance, a 25% increase in payload mass fraction was realized.
The structure of the present invention, due to the integration of several systems is referred to as a multifunctional structure or MFS. One embodiment of the multifunctional structure includes a panel, a flex circuit patch, a multi-chip module and a connector for establishing an electrical pathway between the multi-chip module and the flex circuit patch. The panel serves as a structural support or mounting structure for the other components of the MFS. Additionally, the panel serves to dissipate the heat generated by the multi-chip module and the flex circuit patch. This, in turn, prevents the multi-chip module from being damaged or malfunctioning due to overheating. The multi-chip module is comprised of a substrate on which two or more semiconductor dies have bee
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Barnett David M.
Harris Edward N.
Morgenthaler Daniel R.
Rawal Suraj P.
Chervinsky Boris L.
Lockheed Martin Corporation
Tolin Gerald
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