Patent Grant
7262949
The new electrode arrangement relates to energy conditioning assemblies, electrode circuit arrangements, and a portioned electrode arrangement architecture. More specifically, the new electrode arrangement relates to a multi-functional electrode arrangement and shielding element for conditioning of propagating energy portions along energized conductive pathways or energized circuitry.
Electrical systems have undergone short product life cycles over the last decade. A system built just two years ago can be considered obsolete to a third or fourth generation variation of the same application. Accordingly, passive componentry and circuitry built into these the systems need to evolve just as quickly. However, the evolvement of passive componentry has not kept pace. The performance of a computer or other electronic systems has typically been constrained by the frequency operating speed of its slowest active elements.
Passive componentry technologies have failed to keep up with these new breakthroughs and have produced only incremental changes in composition and performance. Advances in passive component design and changes have also focused primarily upon component size reduction, slight modifications of discrete component electrode portioning, dielectric discoveries, and modifications of embodiment manufacturing techniques or rates of production that decrease unit production cycle times.
At higher frequencies, energy pathways should normally be grouped or paired as an electrically complementary element or elements that work together electrically and magnetically in harmony and in balance within an energized system. Attempts to condition propagating energy portions with prior art componentry have led to increased levels of interference in the form of EMI, RFI, and capacitive and inductive parasitics. These increases can be due in part to imbalances and performance deficiencies of the passive componentry that create or induce interference into the associated electrical circuitry. These conditions have also created a new industry focus on passive componentry whereas, only a few years ago, the focus was primarily on the interference created by the active components from sources and conditions such as voltage imbalances.
Other disruptions to a circuit derive from large voltage transients, as well as ground loop interference caused by varying voltage or circuit voltage potentials. Certain existing transient or surge and EMI protection embodiments have been lacking in a need to provide adequate protection in one integrated package. Therefore, there remains a need in the art for a universally exploitable solution to overcome these and other deficiencies in certain prior art that is also cost effective and will have a longevity of usages despite the ever-increasing operating frequencies of future circuits.
The new electrode arrangement overcomes the disadvantages of certain prior art devices by providing a multi-functional, component electrode arrangement and shielding element for conditioning of propagating energy portions along conductive by-pass pathways or circuitry. The new electrode arrangement also possesses a commonly shared and centrally positioned energy pathway or electrode(s) that can in many cases, simultaneously shield and allow smooth energy interaction between grouped and energized pathway electrodes. The new electrode arrangement, when energized, will allow the contained energy pathways or electrodes to operate with respect to one another harmoniously, yet in an oppositely phased or charged manner, respectively.
Coupled selectively into a circuit and energized, the new electrode arrangement and other elements will utilize three isolated energy pathways within one integrated package in order to provide simultaneous EMI filtering and energy surge/energy transient protection and/or suppression while still maintaining an apparent even or balanced voltage supply between an energy source and an energy-utilizing load.
The new electrode arrangement will simultaneous and effectively provide energy conditioning functions that can include noise and/or energy bypassing, noise and/or energy filtering, energy decoupling, and/or energy storage. Variations of the new electrode arrangement use commonly found and accepted materials and methodologies for its production.
Today's passive component manufacturing infrastructure will be provided with an unprecedented ability to produce the new electrode arrangement through the usage of current equipment and machinery to allow for an ease of adaptability or production changeover for producing a new product that gives the end user improved final performance for circuitries as compared to certain prior art products.
It is an advantage of the present new electrode arrangement to provide three isolated energy pathways within one integrated package in order to provide simultaneous EMI filtering and energy surge/energy transient protection and/or suppression while still maintaining an apparent even or balanced voltage supply between an energy source and an energy-utilizing load and to allow conditioning of propagating energy portions along energy pathways or circuitry possessing a commonly shared and centrally positioned energy pathway or electrode that can simultaneously shield and allow smooth energy interaction between paired complementary energy pathways operating in electrically opposite manner with respect to each other.
It is another object of the new electrode arrangement to provide a low impedance energy pathway that will develop upon at least at least single isolated and separate, third energy pathway that was until now, not normally considered possible to now be integral in a single amalgamated grouping or structure for energized circuitry operations.
It is another object of the new electrode arrangement to provide an embodiment in the form of embodiments that form a multi-functioning electronic embodiment to provide a blocking circuit or circuits utilizing an inherent common energy pathway inherent to the embodiment, which is combined with an external conductive portion or “ground” area to provide coupling to an additional energy pathway from the paired energy pathway conductors for attenuating EMI and over voltages.
It is an object of the new electrode arrangement to be able to provide energy decoupling for active system loads while simultaneously maintaining a constant, apparent voltage potential and circuit reference node for that same portion of active componentry and its circuitry.
It is an object of the new electrode arrangement to provide an embodiment substantially free of the need of using additional discrete passive components to achieve the desired filtering and/or energy pathway conditioning that certain prior art components have been unable to provide.
It is an object of the new electrode arrangement to simultaneously minimize or suppress unwanted electromagnetic emissions resulting from differential and common mode currents flowing within electronic pathways that come under the new electrode arrangement influence.
It is an object of the new electrode arrangement to provide an embodiment giving the user an ability to realize an easily manufactured, adaptable, multi-functional electronic embodiment for a homogenous solution to a wide portion of the electrical problems and constraints currently faced when using certain prior art devices.
It is another object of the new electrode arrangement to provide an embodiment that utilizes standard manufacturing processes and be constructed of commonly found materials having predetermined properties and conductive or conductively made materials to reach tight capacitive tolerances between electrical pathways within the embodiment while simultaneously maintaining a constant and uninterrupted energy pathway for energy propagating from a source to an energy utilizing load.
Numerous other arrangements and configurations are also disclosed which implement and build on the above objects and advantages of the new electrode arrangement in order to demonstrate the versatility and wide spread application of a multi-functional, component electrode arrangement and its variations, all of which are within the scope of the present invention.
The new electrode arrangement begins as a combination of electrically conductive, electrically semi-conductive, and non-conductive materials having predetermined properties, independent materials, portioned and arranged or stacked in various embodiments such as discrete elements. These portions can be combined to form a unique circuit when positioned and energized in a system. The new electrode arrangement embodiments include portions of electrically conductive, electrically semi-conductive, and non-conductive portions that form groups of common energy pathway electrodes, conductors, conductive deposits, conductive pathways (all can generally be referred to as ‘energy pathways’, herein), and the various material elements and combinations having one or more predetermined properties.
These invention portions are normally oriented in a parallel relationship with respect to one another and to a predetermined pairing or groups of conductive elements. These invention portions can also include various combinations of isolated energy pathways and their predetermined arrangement and portioning into a predetermined manufactured embodiment. These new electrode arrangement embodiments also have one or more predetermined properties formed into portions, multiple energy pathways, multiple common energy pathways, shields, sheets, laminates, or deposits in an interweaved arrangement of overlapping and non-overlapping methodologies that couples individual elements together for energization into a larger electrical system in a predetermined manner.
New electrode arrangement embodiments can exist as a un-energized, stand alone, embodiment that is energized with a combination, as a sub-circuit for larger circuitry found in other embodiments such as, but not limited to a circuit board, connector, electric motor, PCB (printed circuit board) or circuit board, multi-layered substrate or printed circuit substrate and the like.
When or after a structured portion arrangement is manufactured, it can be shaped, buried within, enveloped, or inserted into various electrical systems or other sub-systems to perform differentially phased, energy conditioning, decoupling, and/or aid in modifying a transmission of energy or energy portions into a desired energy form or electrical/energy shape.
By interposing complementary energy pathway electrodes with a centralized and shared, common energy pathway, which is subsequently conductively coupled or connected to a larger external area or same potentialed common energy pathway will, in most cases, in an energized system, become a 0-reference voltage or circuit portion for circuit voltages between two oppositely phased or potentialed, complementary energy pathways, of which are generally located on opposite sides of this centralized and shared, common energy pathway, energy pathways, or area extension.
The new electrode arrangement configuration and its variations are preconfigured to function for conditioning energy in a manner that significantly suppress and/or minimizing E-Fields and H-fields, stray capacitances, stray inductances, energy parasitics, and allowing for substantial mutual cancellation of oppositely phased and adjoining/abutting energy field portions propagating along variously coupled energy-in and energy-return pathways of a an energized circuit. A circuit board, connector, electric motor, PCB or circuit board, multi-layered substrate or printed circuit substrate and the like comprising energy pathways built with the new electrode arrangement and/or its variations can take advantage of various grounding schemes and techniques used now by large PCB or circuit board manufacturers.
To produce and propagate electromagnetic interference energy, two fields are required, an electric field and a magnetic field. Electric fields couple energy onto energy pathways or circuits through voltage differential between two or more points. Changing electrical fields in a space can give rise to a magnetic (H) field. Any time-varying magnetic flux will give rise to an electric (E) field. As a result, a pure electric or pure magnetic time-varying field cannot exist independent of each other.
Certain electrode arrangement architectures, such as utilized by the new electrode arrangement and/or its variations can be built to condition or minimize both types of energy fields that can be found in an electrical circuit system. While the new electrode arrangement and/or its variations is not necessarily built to condition one type of field more than another, it is contemplated that different types of materials with predetermined properties such as 212 and 799 “X” can be added or used to build an embodiment that could do such specific conditioning upon one energy field over another.
Use of the new electrode arrangement and/or its variations will allow placement into a differentially operated circuit or any paired differentially phased, energy pathway circuitry providing balanced or essentially, equalized capacitive tolerances, of one new electrode arrangement unit, that is shared and between each paired differentially phased, energy pathway, relatively equally, in an electrical manner.
As for all embodiments of the new electrode arrangement depicted and those not pictured, the applicant contemplates a manufacturer to have options in some cases for combining a variety and wide range of possible materials that can be selected and combined into a make-up of an new electrode arrangement and/or its variations when manufactured, while still maintaining some or all of a desired degree of electrical functions of the new electrode arrangement and/or its variations.
For a particular application, the thickness of a material 212 having varistor properties for example, or a material having predetermined properties 212 for another example may be modified easily to yield the desired amount of filtering, decoupling, and/or transient protection, as necessary. The particular construction also allows for simultaneous filtering of both differential mode and common mode energy, as well as protection against energy transients and other forms of electromagnetic interference over a large frequency range than is possible from the certain prior art.
Materials for composition of the new electrode arrangement embodiments can comprise one or more portions of material elements compatible with available processing technology and are generally not limited to any specific material having predetermined properties 212.
Equally so, the new electrode arrangement and/or its variations may comprise conductive materials of one or more portions of conductive compounds or material elements compatible with available processing technology and are generally not limited to any specific a material including, but not limited to, palladium, magnetic, ferro-magnetic or nickel-based materials, or any other conductive substances and/or processes that can create energy pathways for, or with, a conductive material, a conductive-resistive material and/or any substances or processes that can create conductive areas such as conductively doped, or doped for application of conductive materials. It should be noted that a resistive-conductive material or a resistive material (not shown) that comprises the plurality of electrodes or even a predetermined number of the plurality of electrodes is fully contemplated by the applicants. Electrodes, such as 213, 214, and 204, 215, respectively can be formed with the entire electrode pattern comprised of a resistive-conductive material or a resistive material. Other multi-portioned embodiments are contemplated wherein part of the internal electrode portions are formed comprising portions or combinations of conductive and resistive materials designated as 799“X” (not shown) as opposed to electrodes formed from traditional 799 (not shown) conductive material or material combinations.
In this regard, this electrode material make-up is contemplated for substantially all embodiments of the electrode arrangement in bypass or even a feed-thru circuit configuration, as well. These materials may be a semiconductor material such as silicon, germanium, gallium-arsenide, or a semi-insulating or insulating material and the like such as, but not limited to any particular dielectric constant K.
Use of an electrode arrangement embodiment unit between energized, paired differentially phased, energy pathways rather than certain prior art units will alleviate the problem of circuit voltage imbalance or difference created by units of certain prior art introduced between a paired differentially phased, energy pathways, particularly at sensitive, high frequency operation.
New electrode arrangement tolerances or capacitive balance between a commonly shared central energy pathway found internally within the new electrode arrangement and/or its variations are generally maintained at levels that originated at the factory during manufacturing of the new electrode arrangement and/or its variations, even with the use of X7R dielectric, which is widely and commonly specified with as much as 20% allowable capacitive variation among any discrete units.
Thus, some of new electrode arrangement and/or its variations embodiments that are generally manufactured at 5% capacitive tolerance or less, for example, can be built closely as described in the disclosure will also have a correlated 5% capacitive tolerance or less measured between the differentially phased energy pathways or lines in an energized system and an added benefit exchanging two prior art devices for a single, paired energy pathway unit operating as complementary phased energy pathway pairing like 1-2, or one of the new electrode arrangement embodiment variants.
In bypass and/or decoupling circuit operations a symmetrical capacitive balance between two energy pathways that comprise energy pathways 217 and 216 exists by the utilizing of the third energy pathway elements as a fulcrum to function both as a common voltage divider during dynamic operations as well as physically dividing the capacitance equally and symmetrically (as is practicable using standard manufacturing practices) as is possible to allow this commonly shared fulcrum function to benefit each respective complementary energy pathway. Determining the relative capacitive balance found on either side of a common energy pathway 218 is measurable with today's standard capacitor component test measuring equipment. This new electrode arrangement provides users the opportunity to use an energy conditioning embodiment like 1-2 for that is homogeneous in conductive material make-up as well as homogeneous in any dielectric or material 212 make-ups as well, within a circuit. Now turning to
Referring specifically now to
The first electrode 213 is placed in a position and followed by the second electrode 214, which is adjacent, the first electrode 231, and then the third electrode 204 is arranged adjacent to the second electrode 213. Then a fourth electrode 215 is positioned or arranged adjacent the third electrode 204 such that the first electrode 213 and the fourth electrode 215 are sandwiching the second electrode 214 and the third electrode 204 and other elements conductive coupling material 203 and electrode portion 207 which are all conductively coupled operable for common electrical operation together, yet while the first electrode 213 and the fourth electrode 215 are maintained conductively and thus, electrically isolated from both complementary electrodes, mainly, the second electrode 214 and the third electrode 204, while they themselves (213 and 215) are maintained conductively isolated from each other.
The energy conditioning electrode arrangement 1-1 comprises one material having one or more predetermined properties 212 are formed into at least two main-body electrode portioned assemblies 201A and 201B having electrodes 213, 214, and 204, 215, respectively, coupled thereto each side of each shaped portion of material having predetermined properties 212.
The shaped material having predetermined properties 212 are formed into a planar portion or wafer, laminate or other suitable shape. Electrodes 213, 214, 204, and 215 can be comprised of deposited conductive material standard or combination as state earlier suitable for such applications.
It should be noted that although not shown, interior positioned electrodes 214 and 204 can be slightly larger in diameter and main-body conductive area (not numbered) than the diameter and main-body conductive area size of each respective, complementary paired electrodes 213 and 215, respectively.
This size arrangement differential aids in the electrostatic shielding of respectively positioned complementary electrodes, 213 and 215 from one another's respective energy parasitics emissions that would otherwise attempt to couple upon each other during energized operation.
The smaller area main body electrode areas 80 (not fully shown) of electrodes 213 and 215 and the main body electrode portion 81s (not fully shown) of the 204 and 214 electrodes are positioned along the same imaginary axis center point or line (not shown) that would pass through the center portion of each respective electrode of this arrangement results in a relative insetting effect of the respective superposed main body electrode portion 80s of electrodes 213 and 215 positioned within the electrode area of the superposed electrode main-body areas 81 (not shown) of positioned electrodes 214 and 204.
It should be noted that the inset area 806 (though, not shown) with respect to the actual material having one or more predetermined properties 212 not covering a portion of all conductively portioned areas of electrodes 204 and 214, by positioned electrodes 214 and 204 should be similar, respectively to one another in make-up and size diameter as well as volume, (that standard manufacturing tolerances allow).
Configurations of the invention also offer minimization of conductive area size differentials between the respective superposed conductive material areas 799 that comprise the respective electrodes.
Uniformity of like sizes of various material portions or deposits are normally symmetrically balanced as stated earlier such that this symmetrical balance also will help provide a very tight capacitive and voltage balance for portions of energies located at a moment in time on either side of the central common electrode element 241/250 found within the area of energy convergence 813. Thus, a superposed electrode alignment of all electrodes of the three conductively isolated external pathways 216, 217 and 218 is fully contemplated to undergo usage for facilitating a substantially balanced and symmetrical division of portions of propagating energies moving in a reduced amount (voltage) along portions of the first complementary energy pathway 216, the second complementary energy pathway 217, symmetrical and complementary, yet on opposite sides of third energy pathway 218.
A differentially phased, energy pathway conditioning circuit with new electrode arrangement components like embodiment 1-2 may be used as a voltage dividing capacitor network, constructed in a manner to provide flat or planar-shaped portions, wafers, or laminates of a material having predetermined properties 212 for subsequent or eventual conductive deposit of electrode materials 799 or 799“X” on material 212 by standard manufacturing means known in the art. An alternative of voltage dividing, capacitive network embodiment 1-2 may be provided by coupling together various 212 materials with thin film materials, PET materials, materials 799“X” to be patterned into electrodes (not shown) formed thereon such that in their arranged or stacked in position the thin film materials, PET materials and the like, will provide the desired capacitance or inductive characteristics desired to achieve various desired simultaneous filtering response and/or transient response effects.
A circuit utilizing this variation of new electrode arrangement network could include a new electrode arrangement having an magnetic characteristic and function provided by predetermined materials 212 to increase the inductive characteristics of the invention such as through the use of a ferrite material or ferrite-electric or ferro-dielectric material (not shown) in almost any portion or combination that would be comprising the 212 material portion of the electrode arrangement. Use of ferro-materials that will further add to an invention variation so configured, the energy conditioning abilities or characteristics of such a circuit conditioning assembly comprised of an energized circuit, if desired.
When new electrode arrangement elements are formed into a complete embodiment like electrode arrangement 1-1, a commonly shared and centrally positioned electrode pairing of electrode 214 and electrode 204 with energy pathway electrode portion 207 and solder 203 or conductive coupling material 203 is found either combined, coupled to, fused, sintered, melded or any combination thereof for conductively coupling electrode 214 and electrode 204 to each other.
A circuit with the invention could include an energy source (not shown), an energy-using load (not shown), a first complementary conductive portion 216 coupled from a first side of two sides of the energy source to a first side of two sides of the energy-using load, a second complementary conductive portion 217 coupled from a second side of two sides of the energy-using load to a second side of two sides of the energy source. A separate conductive portion 218 is contemplated for the conductively/electrically isolated (isolated from 216 and 217) and yet, conductive coupling with conductive portions 219 and is used to couple the common shielding structure 241/250, comprising common electrodes 204 and 214 of any embodiment to separate conductive portion 218 for use as a pathway of low energy impedance that will develop at energization of the first and second complementary conductive portions 217 and 216, respectively.
Contiguous electrode portion 207 emerges from the embodiment in the form of what appears to be two separate elongations from within the embodiment 1-1. It is actually same contiguous unit of common energy pathway element 207 that is still structurally and electrically a uniform element.
This same type of electrode portion element makeup, construction or form and appearance of contiguous portion 207 coincides respectively with each complementary energy pathway contiguous electrode portions 208 and 206, respectively.
Contiguous electrode portion 207 can be positioned or located between commonly shared and centrally positioned electrode pairing of electrode 214 and electrode 204 within a sandwiched arrangement which conductively couple electrodes 214 and 204 to one another respectively, by either solder 203 with conductive coupling material 203 or solder-like methods, coupling or melding, pressure methodologies (not shown) or any other industry accepted practice.
The commonly shared and centrally positioned electrode pairings electrode 214 and electrode 204 are positioned and are sandwiched between externally positioned complementary electrodes 213 and 215. Electrodes 204 and 214 become a common electrode element that can also be used as a separate, third energy pathway 218. Third pathway 218 itself, is an isolated energy pathway from that of energy pathways 206 and 208 as mentioned earlier. A circuit coupled at 216, 217 by 219s′ (along with 218 external area coupled to common element portions 241/250 by 219s′) which are selective portions of the invention, will allow portions of energy utilizing the circuit (not shown) to propagate within an area of energy convergence 813 (not shown) found within the outline of an the new electrode arrangement. Such as circuit is normally electrically located between and servicing portions of energy propagating to and from an energy source and an energy utilizing-load such as a switch-mode power supply or an electric motor (both, not shown), for example.
It is also noted that insulating, non-conductive material potting or encapsulation or non-conductive coupling material 205 is of the standard industry material and can be applied by standard industry methods to be coupled around the invention elements of a typical energy conditioning electrode arrangement like embodiment 1-1, 1-2, etc. to complete this portion of a circuit assembly before the invention assembly is placed into and becomes part of an actual circuit energization. It is preferable to apply the coating 205 over a portion of the larger portion of whole element 1-1 shown in
Embodiment 1-1 is conductively coupled with various predetermined portions of the three energy pathways to form embodiment 1-2 such that it comprises a first energy pathway 216 coupled by means of conductive coupling 219 that is coupled between a first portion of at least two portions of an energy source (not shown ) and a first portion of at least two portions of the energy utilizing load (not shown ). Energy pathway 217 in
It should be noted that use of a contiguous, dual lead-appearing configuration of electrode portions or electrode elements 206, as well as contiguous, dual lead-appearing configuration electrode portions 208, and 207 is generally preferred in terms of lowering overall energy pathway inductances for portions of an energized circuit (not all shown) comprising the new electrode arrangement, however it is noted that a single contiguous lead configuration of 206, 207 and 208 is also acceptable.
The contiguous electrode portion 207 will also enhance formation of a low impedance energy pathway created and found along the coupled together shielding energy elements 241/250 and can comprise elements 214 which is an electrode, conductive coupling material 203, electrode 204, conductive aperture or via or conductive coupling portion 219 (if desired or used) and of course energy pathway 218 which is a portion of the external third energy pathway, as disclosed.
The electrode element or contiguous electrode portion 207 can be the centrally located conductor contiguously coupled in a conductive manner between both the shielding electrodes 214 and 204, as well as any other shielding electrodes used (but, not shown) and will also be found to be the centrally located conductor of the electrode arrangement as a whole, as well.
Formation of a low impedance energy pathway normally occurs along pathway portions such as 207 during energization of the assembly and is normally found along this and other third energy pathway elements as just described due to interaction of energy portions propagating along various energy pathways such as 206 and 208 and electrodes 213 and 215, among others, as they, by their physical predetermined proximity and location, along with their predetermined conductive couplings allow energy conditioning to take place. Such a configuration will interactively enhance or electrically encourage a simultaneous and complementary energy portions to propagate independent of a direct conductive coupling to pathway 218 or 207 due to the state of condition created at energization and as described above to be conducive of a low impedance energy pathway now used to both block energy from returning as it moves (what is normally, unwanted) out along this third pathway in a manner harmonious to simultaneous energy conditioning functions.
The utilization of the internally and externally located shielding energy pathway will be described; as portions of energy propagating along paired complementary energy pathways undergo influence within the inventions' area of energy convergence 813, a portion of the energies can subsequently move out onto a common, externally located conductive areas or energy pathway such as 218 which are not of the complementary energy pathways 216 and 217 and thus, these portions of energy will be able to utilize this non-complementary energy pathway 218 as the energy pathway of low impedance for dumping and/or suppressing/blocking the return of unwanted EMI noise and energies from returning back into each of the respective energized complementary energy pathways 216 and 217. 216 and 217 receive symmetrical energy portions relative to the configuration of the balanced and symmetrical invention embodiment as a whole due to its make-up. This symmetrical energy portion conditioning is normally relative in terms of the balance of the various invention portions conductively coupled on either side of the fulcrum or shielding structure combination known as 241/250 (not shown in every FIG.) to them and separately on either side of the common third pathway or node utilized by the operating circuit.
Referring to
A second “leg” of complementary energy pathway 208 is conductively coupled at another coupling point or conductive coupling portion 219 by standard means 203 known to the art in a manner to external energy pathway 217 at one or more locations depending on usage.
Alternative variations of 1-2 could allow complementary energy pathway 208 to be twisted or fused together for a single coupling at couple point or conductive coupling portion 219 (not shown).
Complementary energy pathway 208 is conductively coupled to electrode 215 by the application of solder 203 or conductive coupling material 203 or conductive bonding agent in such a manner as to overlap one portion of the 208 energy pathway with the electrode 215 and to extend the remaining portions, outwardly away from electrode 215 in two portions, as shown.
Other energy pathways 217 and 216 and contiguous electrode portions 207 and 206 can be conductively coupled to each respective electrode in a similar manner as just described with 208 and 215 and 217.
A coupling scheme used for a circuit assembly as shown in
Nevertheless, electrodes 213 and 215 coupled upon portions of a material having predetermined properties 212, respectively. The coupled shielding electrodes 214 and 204, along with common energy pathway or contiguous electrode portion 207, and a material having predetermined properties 212 positioned there between, will function as a portion of a balanced surge protection circuit for portions of propagating energy passing therethrough new electrode arrangement area of energy convergence 813 (not shown) of embodiments 1-1 or 1-2 and the like. In this way, surge protection portion of circuit 4-1 and 5-1 to third energy pathway 218 (shown in
It should be noted that in 5-1, the complementary circuit assembly comprising energy pathways 216 and 217, a non-conductive gap 251 is arranged to space-apart externally positioned pathways of the second complementary energy pathway 217 and first complementary energy pathway 216, as well. Thus, with respect to keeping conductive coupling portions 219 of the first complementary energy pathway 216 and keeping conductive coupling portions 219 of the second complementary energy pathway 217 separate through the utilization of non-conductive gap 251 in 5-1 an alternative circuit assembly configuration is shown. When present, the non-conductive gap 251 of new electrode arrangement embodiment and its circuit assembly variations are operable to be considered “bypassing” a majority of the portions of propagating energy within the various electrode arrangement embodiment's area of energy convergence 813 as seen in
Embodiment 4-1 of
The circuits as shown in
As a further example of the new electrode arrangement and/or its variation utility, a voltage potential (not shown) across the second complementary energy pathway 217 and the first complementary energy pathway 216, each relative to a common conductive portion or third energy pathway 218 (as shown in
Thus, for example an embodiment when energized becomes a phase balanced embodiment easily and economically achieved utilizing a material portion that could be up to 50% or more less in the thickness of MOV material Or material 212 that is normally disposed between electrodes 213 and 215, for example, and relative to the prior art when complementary pathway elements and in a coupled combination 241/250 are electrode 214, conductive coupling material 203, electrode 204, and electrode portion 207 to accommodate the voltage V2 as desired. It is of course recognized that the energy propagated along the assembly and external energy pathways in a combination configuration or location could be modified to reflect the voltage dividing relationship of voltages V1 and V2, respectively.
The novel electrode patterns of the new electrode arrangement embodiment 1-1 and/or its variations, etc. that are coupled thereon in conjunction with the material making up a material having predetermined properties 212 help to produce a commonality between electrodes or energy pathways, thereby producing a balanced and symmetrical circuit arrangement or network like 4-1 and 5-1 for a larger circuit.
Alternatively, or in conjunction with this type of differentially phased, energy conditioning circuit network 5-1 or 4-1, many material variations of the electrodes and the material having predetermined properties 212, as well as any ferro-magnetic, MOV combinations of materials, either non-conductive, and/or semi-conductive, and/or full conductive in nature, either made or utilized naturally or by processing or even doping may be constructed and used as the make up of the electrode and/or spaced-apart material used to electrically isolate electrodes of the invention electrode arrangement may be utilized in a similar manner for obtaining variations or even the same functionality results of a typical invention embodiment.
Normally, intimacy or commonality between complementary electrodes is not desirable, as all conductors carrying portions of propagating energy in circuits that are generally directly connected to a “ground” portion. In the new electrode arrangement, complementary interactive intimacy of complementary electrodes 213 and 215 is desirable Oust not direct conductive coupling) as the differentially phased, energy pathways of the conditioning circuits 5-1 and 4-1 are operable when these elements are electrically isolated from one another, yet positioned very close to one another as well to facilitate incoming and outgoing energy portions to come under influence of one another to allow complementary electrical interaction to occur. For example location of the configuration as apportion of a energy plug or I/O port or the like, so as to more effectively filter energy interference along these differentially operating energy pathways coupled to complementary electrodes 213 and 215, respectively.
Construction of the various new electrode arrangement circuits such as 4-1 and 5-1 allow simultaneous surge protection, filtering and decoupling of energy to take place within new electrode arrangement networks that are formed in a simple and miniaturized manner to provide an electrical plug, energy circuit, or other electrical circuit arrangement a needed multifunctional solution. New electrode arrangement circuitry utilizing these combined elements may be grouped into one package and are generally simply and easily constructed into the final electrical or electromechanical equipment to reduce labor and construction costs as well as to provide a miniaturized and effective circuit arrangement.
Additionally, the electrode arrangement architecture is for the most part so efficient that it allows faster clamping and recovery of energy then is possible for many MOV materials and thus standard dielectrics such as X7R can readily be substitute in place of MOV to accomplish almost identical transient energy handling capability in an energized circuit.
Coupling to an external conductive area 218 can include areas such as commonly described as a “floating”, non-potential conductive area, a circuit system return, chassis or PCB or circuit board “ground” portion, or even an earth ground (all not shown). Through other functions such as cancellation or minimization of mutually opposing complementary energy pathway conductors 216 and 217, new electrode arrangement and/or its variations allow a low impedance pathway (not shown) to develop within the Faraday cage-like 241/250 unit like that shown in embodiment 1-3A of
Embodiment 1-3A with respect to the enveloping conductive common shield conductive covering portion 245 and third energy pathway 218, the 1-3A unit as a whole, can subsequently continue to move energy out onto an externally located conductive area 218, thus completing an energy pathway of low impedance for unwanted EMI noise, if desired.
As depicted with new electrode arrangement conditioning circuit arrangement 5-1 shown in
A differentially phased, new electrode arrangement conditioning circuit arrangement 5-1 may be used in a larger system circuit arrangement wherein circuit arrangement 5-1 comprises at least one paired but differentially phased energy pathways coupled to the new electrode arrangement conditioning circuit arrangement made of a MOV (metal oxide varistor), an MOV/Ferrite material combination or any other MOV-type material which is constructed as a planar shaped portion or wafer having first and second parallel portions thereon.
Due to its larger diameter (or at least the same size electrode sizing) size in comparison to electrodes 213, 215, electrical coupling to third energy pathway 218 (like shown in
Use of new electrode arrangement embodiments 1-1, 1-2, 1-3A, 1-3B, 4-1, 5-1, or any of their possible variations like 1-6 shown in
This plurality of shielding electrodes is also shown in
It should also be noted that in all embodiments (although not shown) the first electrode 213 and the fourth electrode 215 of the at least one pair of complementary electrodes can be generally smaller than any one shielding electrode or any one shielding electrodes such as the second electrode 214 and the third electrode 204 of the common or shielding electrodes. This size differential between shielded electrodes 213 and 215 and the various shielding electrodes allows for the physical shielding of these complementary conductive pathways 213 and 215 to be accomplished just by the larger sized of the shielding conductive pathways or electrodes 214 and 204 and both the fifth electrode 269A of
Thus a shielding function is based on the relative size of the differentially conductive pathways to the larger shielding electrodes that in turn allow for energized, electrostatic shielding suppression or minimization of energy parasitics originating from the isolated but corresponding, complementary energy conductors 213 and 215, and substantially prevents them from escaping. In turn, the larger conductive covering 245 and the shielding electrodes as well as are preventing external energy parasitics not original to the contained complementary pathways from conversely attempting to couple on to the corresponding, shielded complementary energy pathways, sometimes referred to among others as capacitive coupling. Parasitic coupling is related to what is known as electric field (“E”) coupling and this shielding function amounts to primarily shielding electrostatically against electric field parasitics. Parasitic coupling involving the passage of interfering propagating energies because of mutual or stray capacitances that originated from the complementary conductor pathways is suppressed within the new invention. The invention blocks parasitic coupling by substantially enveloping the oppositely phased conductors within Faraday cage-like conductive shield structures 245 and shielding electrodes pathways or shielding electrodes which are the second electrode 214 and the third electrode 204, as well as the fifth electrode 269A of
The first electrode 213 of the pair of shielded electrodes and the second electrode 215 of the pair of shielded electrodes are sandwiched by predetermined shielding electrodes of the plurality of shielding electrodes, respectively. The pair of shielded electrodes 213 and 215 is also conductively isolated from both the plurality of shielding electrodes and from each other within the electrode arrangement. Now, turning to
Conductive covering portion 245 can also be electrically connected or coupled to common energy pathway combination 241/250 of having a larger diameter extending past material having predetermined properties 212 or by additional conductive coupling provided by other means (not shown) such as a monolithic conductive interposing embodiment. Due to its larger diameter in comparison to electrodes 206, 208, 213, 215, electrical coupling to third energy pathway 218 (shown in
Not shown in
Although conductive covering portion 245 can also be coupled to the total common energy pathway combination of the larger shielding electrodes 269A, 269B, 204 (if used) and 214 (if used), conductive coupling portion 270, as well as their conductive elements 203, 207, etc to form a shielding structure 241/250, it is noted that shielding electrodes 269A, 269B do not have electrode lead portions and that these shielding electrodes rely on covering 245 and common conductive portion 270 for conductive combination with 204 (if used) and/or 214 (if used).
As previously, noted, propagated electromagnetic interference can be the product of both electric and magnetic fields, respectively. The new electrode arrangement and/or its variations is capable of conditioning energy that uses DC, AC, and AC/DC hybrid-type propagation of energy along energy pathways found in an electrical system or test equipment. This includes use of the new electrode arrangement and/or its variations to condition energy in systems that contain many different types of energy propagation formats, in systems that contain many kinds of circuitry propagation characteristics, within the same electrical system platform.
In some variations depicted, principals of a Faraday cage-like shielding embodiment 241/250 are used when the shielding pathway element or combination conductive covering portion 245 of an electrode arrangement 1-2 is coupled to one or groupings of energy pathways, including conductive covering portion 245, coupling portion 242, electrode portion 207, third energy pathway 218 (shown in
Conductively coupled, internal common energy pathway combination 241/250, electrode 204, electrode portion 207, electrode 214, and conductive coupling material 203 along with conductive covering portion 245 that make up Faraday cage-like element as shown in
In all embodiments whether shown or not, the number of pathways, both shielding energy pathway electrodes and complementary energy pathway electrodes, can be multiplied in a predetermined manner to create a number of energy pathway element combinations, all in a generally physical parallel relationship that also be considered electrically parallel in relationship with respect to these elements in an energized existence with respect to a circuit source will exist additionally in parallel which thereby add to create increased capacitance values.
Secondly, additional shielding energy pathways surrounding the combination of center energy pathway elements in a coupled combination 241/250 are electrode 214, conductive coupling material 203, electrode 204, and a plurality of electrodes can be employed to provide an increased inherent “ground” with the utilization of a coupled common conductive shielding combination 241/250 for an optimized Faraday cage-like function and surge dissipation area in all embodiments.
Third, although a minimum of one common energy shielding embodiment 241/250 is made of in a coupled combination 241/250 are electrode 214, conductive coupling material 203, electrode 204 and paired with additionally positioned shielding energy pathway or shielding combination 241/250 is generally desired, the electrode arrangement requires positioned elements such that it allows energy to propagate evenly, if possible, on opposite sides of the common energy shielding combination 241/250 and in a coupled combination 241/250 are electrode 214, conductive coupling material 203, electrode 204 (other elements such as material having predetermined properties 212 and complementary electrodes can be located between these shields as described). Additional common energy pathways can be employed with any of the embodiments shown and is fully contemplated herein.
Finally, from a review of the numerous embodiments it should be apparent that the shape, thickness or size may be varied depending on the electrical application derived from the arrangement of common energy pathways, coupling elements that form at least one single conductively homogenous, Faraday cage-like element or utilized with other shielded energy pathways.
Although the principals, preferred embodiments and preferred operation of the new electrode arrangement have been described in detail herein, this is not to be construed as being limited to the particular illustrative forms disclosed. It will thus become apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications of the preferred embodiments herein can be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the electrode arrangement and/or its variations as defined.
This application is a US national stage application of international application PCT/US01/41720, filed Aug. 14, 2001, which claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/225,497, filed Aug. 15, 2000.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/US01/41720 | 8/14/2001 | WO | 00 | 5/30/2003 |
| Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| WO02/15360 | 2/21/2002 | WO | A |
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