The present invention relates to power supply modules. More specifically, the present invention relates to cooling heat-generating power elements in power supply modules to thereby improve performance of the power supply modules.
Known power supply modules include heat-generating components, such as the power elements of the power supply modules. The heat-generating components are typically spaced away from other more heat-sensitive components at locations where cavities/voids are provided to allow temperature isolation and heat dissipation of the heat-generating components. For example, inductors near the heat-generating components can be a problem because inductors can have low thermal conductivity. Some of the heat generated in the heat-generating components is also typically transferred through a substrate to a heat sink that can be connected to a carbon sheet.
For example, JP 2020-205714, as shown in
However, these arrangements in the known power supply modules require a large amount of space, which is not desirable when a miniaturization of the power supply modules is required. Further, if heat-generating power components must be placed close to inductive components, this decreases cooling efficiency because inductive components have low thermal conductivity. When cooling efficiency is decreased, the heat-generating power components are not able to operate at high currents.
To overcome the problems described above, preferred embodiments of the present invention provide power supply modules that are able to be miniaturized while also having sufficient cooling such that it is still possible to generate high current.
Preferred embodiments of the present invention provide a power supply module including a first substrate, first electronic components on a principal surface of the first substrate, second electronic components above the first electronic components, and a heat sink located above the first electronic components. The first electronic components and the second electronic components are thermally connected, and the first electronic components and the heat sink are thermally connected. From a top view of the power supply module, at least a portion of one first electronic component of the first electronic components overlaps with at least a portion of one second electronic component of the second electronic components and at least a portion of the one first electronic component overlaps with a portion of the heat sink. From a side view of the power supply module, the second electronic components do not overlap any portion of the heat sink.
The first electronic components can include power elements.
The power supply module can further include third electronic components on the principal surface of the first substrate. The third electronic component can include capacitors.
The power supply module can further include a first thermally conductive material between the first electronic components and the second electronic components. The first thermally conductive material can include a first carbon sheet. The power supply module can further include a second thermally conductive material between the first electronic components and the heat sink. The second thermally conductive material can include a second carbon sheet. The first thermally conductive material and the second thermally conductive material can define a single layer.
The second electronic components can include inductors. The top surface of the heat sink can be located above a top surface of the inductors. The heat sink can have electrical conductivity and thermal conductivity. The top surface of the second electronic components and/or the top surface of the heat sink can be at least partially molded within a housing.
Preferred embodiments of the present invention also provide a power supply module including a first substrate, first electronic components and second electronic components on a principal surface of the first substrate, a second substrate above the first electronic components and the second electronic components, third electronic components on a principal surface of the second substrate, fourth electronic components above the third electronic components, and a heat sink above of the third electronic components. The third electronic components and the fourth electronic components are thermally connected, and the third electronic components and the heat sink are thermally connected. From a top view of the power supply module, at least a portion of one third electronic component of the third electronic components overlaps a portion of one fourth electronic component of the fourth electronic components and the power supply module, at least a portion of the one third electronic component overlaps a portion of the heat sink. From a side view of the power supply module, the fourth electronic components do not overlap any portion of the heat sink.
The first electronic components can include capacitors. The second electronic components can include conductive connection pins. The power supply module can further include fifth electronic components provided on the principal surface of the second substrate. The fifth electronic components can include capacitors. The power supply module can further include sixth electronic components provided on another principal surface of the second substrate opposing the principal surface of the second substrate where the third electronic components are provided. The sixth electronic component can include capacitors.
The above and other features, elements, characteristics, steps, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the present invention with reference to the attached drawings.
A power supply module according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to
As shown in
At least one first electronic component 11 and one third electronic component 13 are provided on a principal surface of the first substrate 11. Multiple first electronic components 11 and multiple third electronic components 13 can be provided on the principal surface of the first substrate 11. The first electronic components 11 can be higher-heat-generating elements. For example, the first electronic components 11 can be power elements such as, for example, transistors, op-amps, inverters, diodes, etc. The third electronic components 13 can be smaller, lower-heat-generating elements. For example, the third electronic components 13 can be capacitors such as, for example, surface mount chip capacitors.
The heat sink 18 can be a single heat sink or can be divided into multiple heat sinks that may or may not be in thermal contact with each other. The heat sink 18 can be made of a material that conducts heat, such as a metal, including, for example, Al, Cu, brass, or at least one alloy of Al, Cu, brass. The heat sink 18 can be manufactured by cutting, press working, die casting, etc. The heat sink 18 can be fixed onto a product by using an adhesive, solder, etc. The heat sink 18 can be provided with protrusions that can be used to fix the heat sink 18 in place by hooking the protrusions onto ends of a substrate. Fixing of the heat sink 18 onto end of a substate and adhesion of the heat sink can be performed at the same position.
A thermal interface material (TIM) can be interposed between the heat sink 18 and the first electronic components 11.
The thermally conductive layer 20 can be provided on an upper surface of the first electronic components 11. Depending on the application, the thermally conductive layer 20 can have a thermal conductivity lower, higher, or the same as the thermal conductivity of the first substrate 10. The thermally conductive layer can include at least one material or layer or can include two or more materials or layers joined together. The at least one material or layer can include one or more kinds of carbon sheets, for example.
At least one second electronic component 12 and a heat sink 18 are provided on a principal surface of the thermally conductive layer 20. Multiple second electronic components 12 and the heat sink 18 can be provided on the thermally conductive layer 20. The second electronic components 12 can be a larger, lower-heat-generating elements. For example, the second electronic components 12 can be inductors, which can have lower thermal conductivity than the heat sink 18. The first electronic elements 11 and the second electronic elements 12 can be larger than the third electronic elements 13. Arranging lower-heat-generating elements, such as inductors, and the heat sink on the same layer, while overlapping from a top view the larger electronic elements, such as the power elements and inductors, and overlapping from the top view the higher-heat-generating elements, such as the power elements, and the heat sink, helps achieve miniaturization (e.g., smaller footprint), while providing sufficient thermal coupling between the high-heat-generating elements and the heat sink.
Another TIM can be interposed between the portion of each of the first electronic components 11 that overlaps a lower portion of the second electronic component 12. The thermal resistance can be large, even when thermally coupled to the second electronic component 12. Thus, a thermally conductive layer 20 can be interposed between the first electronic component and the lower portion of the second electronic component to facilitate diffusion of heat to the heat sink 18.
The first electronic components 11, the second electronic components 12, and the heat sink 18 can be arranged such that (i) portions of the first electronic components 11 and the heat sink 18 overlap one another when seen from a top view of the power supply module 1, and (ii) portions of the first electronic components 11 and the second electronic components 12 overlap one another when seen from a top view of the power supply module 1. Alternatively, the first electronic components 11, the second electronic components 12, and the heat sink 18 can be arranged such that (i) a portion of one first electronic component 11 and the heat sink 18 overlaps one another when seen from a top view of the power supply module 1, and (ii) a portion of the first electronic component 11 and a portion of a second electronic component 12 overlap one another when seen from a top view of the power supply module 1. The first electronic component(s) 11 and the heat sink 18 can overlap by any overlap percentage. Because of these arrangements, and due to the thermally conductive layer 20, both of the first electronic components 11 and the second electronic components 12 are efficiently thermally connected to the heat sink 18. While inductors typically have low thermal conductivity, the inclusion of the thermally conductive layer 20 provides a path for heat to move from the second electronic components 12 to the heat sink 18. This efficient thermal connection produces an improved cooling effect, such that a performance of the power supply module 1 is improved and greater current outputs are possible.
Additionally, the first electronic components 11 and the third electronic components 13 may or may not, depending on the particular application, overlap one another when viewed from a side of the power supply module 1. The second electronic components 12 and the heat sink 18 may or may not, depending on the particular application, overlap one another when viewed from a side of the power supply module 1.
Since the first electronic components 11, the second electronic components 12, and the heat sink 18 can be arranged in an overlapping arrangement in the top view of the power supply module 1, it is possible to reduce a surface area of the first substrate 10, thereby aiding in miniaturizing the power supply module 1.
The heat sink 18 can be made of a material that is both thermally and electrically conductive. Suitable materials for the heat sink 18 include, for example, copper, aluminum, or other suitable material. A top surface of the heat sink 18 can be located higher than a top surface of the second electronic components 12. This arrangement allows heat to more easily escape to the outside of the power supply module 1 by defining a clearance between the housing 30, which can be in contact with the upper surface of the heat sink 18 but not the second electronic components 12, and the second electronic components 12. Further, this arrangement also helps avoid malfunctions which may be caused by, for example, short circuiting or static electric discharge between the housing 30 and the second electronic components 12. The housing 30 can be made of, for example, aluminum, steel, copper, brass, or other suitable material.
To further aid in heat dissipation, it is possible to have a top surface of the second electronic components 12 and/or a top surface of the heat sink 18 at least partially molded or embedded within a portion of the housing 30 to enhance thermal conductivity between the housing 30, the second electronic components 12, and the heat sink 18.
A power supply module according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to
As illustrated in
The first substate 10, the first electronic components 11, the second electronic components 12, the third electronic components 13, the heat sink 18, the thermally conductive layer 20, and the housing 30 of the second preferred embodiment can be arranged the same or similar as in the first preferred embodiment. The first substrate 10 can be mounted to the second substrate 100 with the fourth electronic components 14 and the fifth electronic components 15 between the first substrate 10 and the second substrate 100. The fourth electronic components 14 can include smaller, lower-heat-generating element, including, for example, capacitors, and the fifth electronic component 15 can include, for example, contact pins or other suitable connector(s) that connect the first substrate 10 and the second substrate 100.
The power supply module 2 can include a stack of substrates defined by the first substrate 10 and the second substrate 100. The first substrate 10 includes at least one third electronic component 13 provided on a principal surface of the first substrate 10. The second substrate 200 includes at least one fifth electronic component 15 provided on a principal surface of the second substrate 200. This arrangement allows miniaturization of the power supply module 2, especially in the case when additional chip capacitors are used in the power supply module 2.
The first substrate 10 can include at least one first electronic component 11 and one third electronic component 13 on a principal surface, with at least one second electronic component 12 and a heat sink 18 being provided on a principal surface of a thermally conductive layer 20 on the first electronic component 11. As with the power supply module 1, in the power supply module 2, the first electronic components 11, the second electronic components 12, and the heat sink 18 can be arranged such that (i) portions of the first electronic components 11 and the heat sink 18 overlap one another when seen from a top view of the power supply module 2, and (ii) portions of the first electronic components 11 and the second electronic components 12 overlap one another when seen from a top view of the power supply module 2. Alternatively, the first electronic components 11, the second electronic components 12, and the heat sink 18 can be arranged such that (i) a portion of a first electronic component 11 and the heat sink 18 overlap one another when seen from a top view of the power supply module 2, and (ii) a portion of the first electronic component 11 and a portion of a second electronic component 12 overlap one another when seen from a top view of the power supply module 2.
The inclusion of the stack of substrates defined by the first substrate 10 and the second substrate 100 in the power supply module 2 makes it possible to include additional components in a smaller footprint However, by including the specific arrangements of the power supply module 2, it is possible to provide an efficient thermal connection which produces improved cooling, such that a performance of the power supply module 2 is improved, and greater current outputs are possible.
The first substate 10, the second substrate 100, the first electronic components 11, the second electronic components 12, the third electronic components 13, the fourth electronic components 14, and the fifth electronic components 15, the heat sink 18, the thermally conductive layer 20, and the housing 30 of the modification of the second preferred embodiment can be arranged the same or similar as in the second preferred embodiment. The sixth electronic components can be added to the bottom surface of the first substrate 10. The sixth electronic component 15 can be smaller, lower-heat-generating element, including, for example, capacitors.
The circuit diagram includes an input voltage V1, an input capacitor Cin, power stages 1, 2, 3, 4, inductors L1, L2, L3, L4, output capacitor Cout, and load 11. The input voltage V1 is connected to the input capacitor Cin. The power stages 1, 2, 3, 4 are connected to the input capacitor Cin. Although
The various components in the circuit diagram can be located in different areas of the power supply module. For example, the components of the power stages 1, 2, 3, 4, including the drivers and the power switches Q1 & Q2, Q3 & Q4, Q5 & Q6, Q7 & Q8, can be the first electronic components 11 on the first substrate 10; the inductors L1, L2, L3, L4 can be the second electronic components 12 located above and at least partially overlapping with the first electronic components 11; and the input capacitor Cin and the output capacitor Cout can be the third electronic components 13 on the first substrate 10 or, as shown in
The heat sink 18, the first electronic component 11, the second electronic component 12, and the third electronic component 13 are located above the first substrates 10. As shown in
As shown in
The heatmap of
The configurations of the preferred embodiments and modifications described above can appropriately be combined with each other, and effects corresponding to the respective combinations can be achieved.
It should be understood that the foregoing description is only illustrative of the present invention. Various alternatives and modifications can be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the present invention. Accordingly, the present invention is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications, and variances that fall within the scope of the appended claims.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/353,305, filed on Jun. 17, 2022, and U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/440,164, filed on Jan. 20, 2023. The entire contents of these applications are hereby incorporated by reference.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/US2023/025529 | 6/16/2023 | WO |
Number | Date | Country | |
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63440164 | Jan 2023 | US | |
63353305 | Jun 2022 | US |