Assembly of an electric machine having an integrated conductor

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for a housing assembly comprising a housing including a conductive material, a conductor extending through the housing, and a dielectric material at least partially surrounding the conductor. The portions of the housing may surround the conductor, the dielectric, and the portions of the housing so as to form a channel through the housing.

Description

Background Technology

[0001] As is known in the art, assemblies of electrical machines require electrical interconnections. As assemblies shrink in size and increase in the degree of integration, interconnections can become a limiting factor. A wide variety of interconnections and connectors can be used to provide desired signal paths. For example, in conventional systems, cables and connectors can be routed free-standing or bundled with cable ties.

[0002] Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure provide methods and apparatuses for a housing assembly of an electric machine having integrated cable channels, such as DC and RF cable channels. In some embodiments, the housing is 3D printed. In some embodiments, the conductive channel is used as an external ground conductor for coaxial RF cables and as a shielding for DC / logic cables. The direct connection between the cable structure and the housing serves as a thermal connection to the housing for improved power handling. In addition to controlling cable length, phase, loss, etc., a wide variety of desirable complex geometries can be realized to simplify assembly and reduce the possibility of miswiring. Furthermore, embodiments of the present disclosure can provide enabling technology for high-frequency arrays with high interconnection density. In some embodiments, the channels can serve as high-performance coaxial transmission lines.

[0003] In one embodiment, a housing assembly comprises: a housing comprising a conductive material; a conductor extending through the housing; and a dielectric material that at least partially encloses the conductor, wherein portions of the housing enclose the conductor, the dielectric, and portions of the housing such that they form a channel through the housing.

[0004] The housing assembly may further include one or more of the following features: the first channel includes a coaxial transmission line; the housing is printed; the housing forms part of a conformal antenna array; a circuit board is conformally mounted on the housing; the housing has a hemispherical shape; the housing has a cylindrical shape; the housing is grounded; the housing provides a thermal dissipation path; the path of the conductor through the housing is nonlinear and selected to achieve a selected length for the conductor; the path of the conductor through the housing is nonlinear and selected for phase performance; the path of the conductor through the housing is nonlinear and selected for loss performance; the housing includes a surface having a series of facets, respective circuit cards mounted on the facets, and respective channels connected to the circuit cards; the housing further includes a structural member for increasing the thermal performance of the assembly; and the housing further includes a structural member for increasing the structural strength of the housing. Includes, and / or one end of the conductor provides a through-hole soldering interface to the circuit board.

[0005] In another embodiment, the method comprises: using a housing comprising a conductive material; using a conductor extending through the housing; and using a dielectric material that at least partially encloses the conductor, wherein the portions of the housing enclose the conductor, the dielectric, and the portions of the housing so as to form a channel through the housing.

[0006] The method may further include one or more of the following features: the first channel comprises a coaxial transmission line, the housing is printed, the housing forms part of a conformal antenna array, and a circuit board conformally mounted on the housing, the housing has a hemispherical shape, the housing has a cylindrical shape, the housing is grounded, the housing provides a thermal dissipation path, the path of the conductor through the housing is nonlinear and is selected to achieve a selected length for the conductor, the path of the conductor through the housing is nonlinear and is selected for phase performance, the path of the conductor through the housing is nonlinear and is selected for loss performance, the housing comprises a surface having a series of facets, respective circuit cards mounted on the facets, and respective channels connected to the circuit cards, the housing further comprises a structural member for increasing the thermal performance of the assembly, and the housing further comprises a structural member for increasing the structural strength of the housing. And / or one end of the conductor provides a through-hole soldering interface to the circuit board. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0007] In addition to the features of the present disclosure described above, the present disclosure itself can be more fully understood from the following description of the drawings: FIG. 1a is a partially cut-away side view of a housing assembly having an integrated cable, FIG. 1b is a first-order scale of a housing assembly having an integrated cable, and FIG. 1c is a second-order scale of a housing assembly having an integrated cable; FIG. 2a is a graphical representation of S-mode parameters for the housing assembly of FIG. 1a; FIG. 2b is a graphical representation of the E-field for the housing assembly of FIG. 1a; FIG. 3 is an isometric view of a conductive cylindrical housing having a groove for a cable; FIG. 4a is an isometric view of a housing assembly having integrated channels, FIG. 4b is a cross-sectional view of a housing assembly having integrated channels, and FIG. 4c is a cross-sectional view of a housing assembly having integrated channels with certain features removed; FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional equidistant view of a housing assembly having integrated cables and structural members; and FIG. 6a is an isometric view of a housing assembly having integrated cables interconnected to a circuit board, and FIG. 6b illustrates additional details of the connection of the cables to the circuit board. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0008] Before describing exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, some information is provided. Coaxial cables refer to a type of electrical cable having an inner conductor wrapped by a concentric conductive material that forms a shield separated from the inner conductor by a dielectric material. A protective sheath or jacket may form an outer layer for the coaxial cable. Coaxial cables can be considered as a type of transmission line for propagating high-frequency electrical signals with relatively low loss. In coaxial cable configurations, the electromagnetic field corresponding to the propagated signal exists only in the space between the inner conductors and the outer conductors, so that the coaxial cables can be located near conductive objects and materials without power loss. Similarly, the outer conductor prevents external signals from interfering with signals transmitted by the central conductor. Generally, the outer side of the shield is kept at ground potential, and a signal transmission voltage is applied to the central conductor.

[0009] Generally, the characteristic impedance of a coaxial cable corresponds to the dielectric constant of the insulating material and the size of the center and outer conductors. For applications where the cable length is comparable to the wavelength of the transmitted signals, a uniform cable characteristic impedance minimizes signal loss. Source and load impedances can be selected to match the cable impedance for preferred power transmission and standing wave characteristics.

[0010] It is understood that any bonded dielectric may be used to meet the requirements of a specific application. Exemplary dielectrics include solid and foam dielectric materials that may contain air or other gases to achieve desired operating characteristics. In some embodiments, the dielectric is air.

[0011] Coaxial cables have connectors at their ends to maintain the coaxial connection and provide the same impedance as the cable. The connectors are typically coated with highly conductive metals.

[0012] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary assembly (100) comprising a conductive metal housing (102) and a conductor (104) that are at least partially contained within a dielectric material (106) to provide low-loss, high-insulation interconnects. The exemplary interconnects are configured for RF signals, DC signals, digital logic signals, etc. In some embodiments, the conductor (104) is completely contained within the dielectric material (106). In other embodiments, the conductor (104) is not completely contained within the dielectric material. In some embodiments, the coaxial cable comprises a conductor (104), a dielectric material (106), and a shield or external conductor (108) provided by the conductive housing (102). In some embodiments, the conductor (104) is completely contained within the housing material (108). In other embodiments, the conductor (104) is not completely contained within the housing material (108).

[0013] In the embodiments, the conductor (104), dielectric (106), and shield (108) provide signal channels in the 3D-printed housing. The use of 3D printing provides more degrees of freedom in forming the housing than in conventional assemblies for better performance.

[0014] With this arrangement, channels can be added to existing housings, and cables can be secured in place without the need for additional tie-down points. Since the housing (102) is conductive, the housing can act as an external conductor for the coaxial cables, thereby reducing the overall size of the cables. In embodiments, the channel can serve as a high-performance coaxial transmission line.

[0015] In the embodiments, the conductor (104) is formed by being integrated into a housing (102) that provides a thermal path for dissipating heat generated inside and around the conductor.

[0016] In one aspect of the present disclosure, complex geometric structures may be implemented to control cable length, phase, loss, etc. for each channel to meet the requirements of a specific application. In embodiments, the channel may serve as an enabler for high-frequency and conformal arrays to transmit a large number of signals. In addition, exemplary channel embodiments may reduce the possibility of miswiring of the assembly.

[0017] As best illustrated in FIG. 1a, the channels may include individual conductors (104) interconnected to a conformal antenna array (120) as illustrated in FIG. 1c. As used herein, a conformal array refers to an array that follows the shape of a non-planar substrate. For example, the conformal array may follow the outer surface of an airplane.

[0018] In the embodiments, the channels can match phase and loss better than standard connectors and cables. The channels can be optimized to specific lengths and shapes for desired performance.

[0019] FIG. 2a illustrates exemplary S-parameter plots for frequencies for modes S (1, 1) (200) and S (2, 1) for the housing assembly of FIG. 1a. FIG. 2b illustrates an example of a graphical E-field display for exemplary channels such as a conductor (104), dielectric (106), and hemispherical housing (108) of the configuration of FIG. 1a.

[0020] FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary conductive housing (300) having a cylindrical shape. The housing (300) includes a groove (302) configured to hold a conductor and dielectric material along the length of the housing. The groove (302) allows a cable to be routed on the inner surface of the conductive housing (300). It is understood that the groove (302) may have any suitable geometric structure, location, size, etc. to hold a specific conductor and dielectric configuration to form a channel having selected characteristics.

[0021] FIG. 4a is an isometric view of a housing assembly (400) having integrated cables, FIG. 4b is an isometric cross-sectional view of the housing assembly (400) of FIG. 4a, and FIG. 4c is an isometric cross-sectional view of the housing assembly of FIG. 4b without an external conductor for cables provided by a conductive housing.

[0022] In the illustrated embodiment, the housing (402) includes upper and lower surfaces (408) having eight facets (404). Each circuit card assembly (410) (CCA) is mounted on each of the facets (404). An additional CCA (not shown) may be mounted on the lower surface (408) of the housing.

[0023] At least some of the CCAs (410) are interconnected to a circuit board on the bottom surface (408) of the housing. In the illustrated embodiment, each channel includes a cable (not shown) wrapped in a dielectric material (412) and a shield (414) provided with the same material as the conductive housing (402).

[0024] In embodiments, the housing (402) may be 3D printed using a conductive material to form facets (404) for channels, sides (416), and external conductor / cable shields (414). The channels may carry a large number of high-frequency signals, for example, for an antenna array. In some embodiments, the array may include a conformal array. Cables may be inserted and / or embedded within the housing to reduce or eliminate miswired connections and to facilitate assembly.

[0025] FIG. 5 illustrates a housing assembly (500) having integrated channels (502) that are shaped and configured to match phase and loss to provide improved performance compared to conventional cable configurations. The channels (502) may have lengths and shapes for optimizing desirable performance characteristics.

[0026] Channel walls that may contain the same conductive material as the housing provide a thermal interface to the rest of the system. In some embodiments, structural members (504) may increase structural support and thermal performance.

[0027] It is understood that any practical number of supporting members in any suitable geometric structure may be used to achieve desirable structural, thermal, and / or electrical performance characteristics. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, the channels (502) may be flared (506) at one end or both ends.

[0028] FIG. 6a is an isometric view of a housing assembly (600) having integrated cables capable of providing an interface to a circuit board (602), such as a printed wiring board. FIG. 6b illustrates additional details of the interface to the circuit board.

[0029] In the illustrated embodiment, the printed wiring board (602) (PWB) is conformally mounted in a hemispherical housing (604). As described above, a conductor (606) wrapped by a dielectric material (608) can pass through the housing (604). The conductor (606) can extend upward from the surface of the housing. In the embodiments, the conductor (606) is used as a through-hole soldering interface for the PWB (602).

[0030] As best illustrated in FIG. 6b, a portion of the conductor (606) extends through the PWB (602). A solder fillet (610) and a solder via pad (612) provide connections to the PWB (602). With this arrangement, circuit cards can be installed in housings where wiring is soldered into the through holes of the circuit boards.

[0031] Embodiments of assemblies having integrated cables are understood to be applicable to a wide variety of applications where highly integrated electromechanical assemblies are desired, such as radar antenna feed lines, computer network connections, digital audio, streaming configurations, cellular network connections, vehicles, etc.

[0032] As exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure have been described, it will now be apparent to those skilled in the art that other embodiments incorporating the concepts thereof may also be used. The embodiments contained herein should not be limited to the disclosed embodiments, but rather should be limited only by the spirit and scope of the appended claims. All publications and references cited herein are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0033] The elements of the different embodiments described herein may be combined to form other embodiments not specifically described above. The various elements described in the context of a single embodiment may be provided individually or in any suitable sub-combination. Other embodiments not specifically described herein are also within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

Claim 1 A housing assembly comprising: a housing including a conductive material; a conductor extending through the housing; a dielectric material at least partially surrounding the conductor, wherein portions of the housing surround the conductor such that the portions of the housing form a channel through the housing, the dielectric material; and a circuit board conformally mounted on an outer surface of the housing. Claim 2 In claim 1, the channel is a housing assembly including a coaxial transmission line. Claim 3 In claim 1, the housing is a printed housing assembly. Claim 4 In claim 1, the housing is a housing assembly having a hemispherical shape. Claim 5 In claim 1, the housing is a housing assembly having a cylindrical shape. Claim 6 In claim 1, the housing is a grounded housing assembly. Claim 7 In claim 1, the housing is a housing assembly that provides a thermal dissipation path. Claim 8 In claim 1, the path of the conductor through the housing is non-linear and the housing assembly selected to achieve a selected length for the conductor. Claim 9 In claim 1, the path of the conductor through the housing is nonlinear and the housing assembly selected for phase performance. Claim 10 In claim 1, the path of the conductor through the housing is nonlinear and the housing assembly selected for loss performance. Claim 11 In claim 1, the housing comprises a surface having a series of facets, each circuit card is mounted on the facets, and each channel is connected to the circuit cards. Claim 12 In claim 1, the housing assembly further comprises a structural member that increases the thermal performance of the housing assembly. Claim 13 In claim 1, the housing assembly further comprises a structural member that increases the structural strength of the housing. Claim 14 In claim 1, one end of the conductor is a housing assembly that provides a through-hole soldering interface to a circuit board. Claim 15 A housing assembly according to any one of claims 1 and 8 to 10, wherein the housing comprises a plurality of channels extending separately from the outer surface of the housing to the lower surface of the housing having a non-linear shape. Claim 16 A method for a housing assembly comprising the steps of: 3D printing a housing comprising a conductive material—the housing forms part of a conformal antenna array—; placing a conductor extending through the housing; placing a dielectric material that at least partially encloses the conductor—parts of the housing enclose the conductor such that the conductor, the dielectric, and parts of the housing form a channel through the housing—; and conformally mounting a circuit board on an outer surface of the housing. Claim 17 In claim 16, the path of the conductor through the housing is nonlinear and a method selected for at least one of achieving a selected length for the conductor, phase performance, and loss performance. Claim 18 A method according to claim 16 or 17, wherein the housing comprises a plurality of channels extending separately from the outer surface of the housing to the bottom surface of the housing having a non-linear shape. Claim 19 delete Claim 20 delete

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