Electric machine assembly with integrated conductor
By integrating conductive channels within 3D printed housings, the challenges of interconnection in miniaturized electromechanical assemblies are addressed, enhancing signal performance and simplifying assembly through optimized cable management and reduced miswiring.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- JP2025187064
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2022-04-07
- Filing Date
- 2025-11-06
- Publication Date
- 2026-03-02
AI Technical Summary
As electromechanical assemblies shrink in size and increase in integration, interconnections become a limiting factor, and existing interconnects and connectors are inefficient in managing signal paths, assembly complexity, and miswiring.
The integration of conductive channels within 3D printed housings that serve as cable channels and external ground conductors, providing thermal connections and improving power handling, while allowing complex geometries for optimized signal control and reducing miswiring.
The integrated cable channels enhance signal performance by controlling cable length, phase, and loss, facilitate high-frequency arrays with high interconnect density, and simplify assembly by reducing miswiring and size constraints.
Smart Images
Figure 2026034819000001_ABST
Abstract
Description
[Background technology]
[0001] As is known in the art, electromechanical assemblies require electrical interconnections. As assemblies shrink in size and increase in integration, interconnections can become a limiting factor. A wide variety of interconnects and connectors can be used to provide the desired signal paths. For example, in conventional systems, cables and connectors can be either free-standing or tied down with cable ties. Summary of the Invention
[0002] Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure provide methods and apparatus for electromechanical housing assemblies with integrated cable channels, such as DC and RF cable channels. In some embodiments, the housings are 3D printed. In some embodiments, the conductive channels are used as external ground conductors for coaxial RF cables and as shields for DC / logic cables. Direct contact between the cable structure and the housing serves as a thermal connection to the housing and improves power handling. A wide variety of desired complex geometries can be achieved to control cable length, phase, loss, etc., as well as simplify assembly and reduce the likelihood of miswiring. Furthermore, embodiments of the present disclosure can provide technology that enables high-frequency arrays with high interconnect density. In some embodiments, the channels can function as high-performance coaxial transmission lines.
[0003] In one aspect, the housing assembly includes a housing including a conductive material, a conductor extending through the housing, and a dielectric material at least partially surrounding the conductor, wherein the portion of the housing surrounds the conductor such that the conductor, the dielectric, and the portion of the housing 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; the 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 heat dissipation path; the conductor path through the housing is non-linear and selected to achieve a selected length for the conductor; the conductor path through the housing is non-linear and selected for phase performance; the conductor path through the housing is non-linear and selected for loss performance; the housing includes a surface having a series of facets; each circuit card is mounted on a facet; each channel is connected to a circuit card; the housing further includes structural members to enhance the thermal performance of the assembly; the housing further includes structural members to enhance the structural strength of the housing; and / or the ends of the conductors provide a through-hole soldering interface to the circuit board.
[0005] In another aspect, a method includes using a housing including a conductive material, using a conductor extending through the housing, and using a dielectric material at least partially surrounding the conductor, wherein the portion of the housing surrounds the conductor, such that the conductor, dielectric, and portion of the housing form a channel through the housing.
[0006] The method 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; the 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 heat dissipation path; the conductor path through the housing is non-linear and selected to achieve a selected length for the conductor; the conductor path through the housing is non-linear and selected for phase performance; the conductor path through the housing is non-linear and selected for loss performance; the housing includes a surface having a series of facets; each circuit card is mounted on the facet; each channel is connected to a circuit card; the housing further includes structural members to enhance the thermal performance of the assembly; the housing further includes structural members to enhance the structural strength of the housing; and / or the ends of the conductors provide a through-hole soldering interface to the circuit board.
[0007] The foregoing features of the present disclosure, as well as the disclosure itself, may be more fully understood from the following description of the drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]
[0008] [Figure 1A] FIG. 10 is a partial cutaway side view of a housing assembly with an integral cable. [Figure 1B] FIG. 1 is a first isometric view of a housing assembly with an integral cable. [Figure 1C] FIG. 10 is a second isometric view of a housing assembly with an integral cable. [Figure 2A] 1B is a graphical representation of S-mode parameters of the housing assembly of FIG. 1A. [Figure 2B] 1B is a graphical representation of the E field of the housing assembly of FIG. 1A. [Figure 3]FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a conductive cylindrical housing with a groove for a cable. [Figure 4A] FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a housing assembly with an integral channel. [Figure 4B] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a housing assembly having an integral channel. [Figure 4C] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a housing assembly having an integral channel with certain features removed. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is a cutaway isometric view of a housing assembly with integrated cables and structural members. [Figure 6] 1A is an isometric view of a housing assembly with an integral cable interconnected to a circuit board; FIG. 1B shows further details of the cable connection to the circuit board. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0009] Before describing example embodiments of the present disclosure, some information is provided. A coaxial cable refers to a type of electrical cable having an inner conductor surrounded by a concentric conductive material forming a shield separated from the inner conductor by a dielectric material. A protective sheath or jacket may form the outer layer of a coaxial cable. A coaxial cable can be considered a type of transmission line for propagating high-frequency electrical signals with relatively low loss. In a coaxial cable configuration, the electromagnetic field corresponding to the propagating signal exists only in the space between the inner and outer conductors, allowing the coaxial cable to be located near conductive objects and materials without power loss. Similarly, the outer conductor prevents external signals from interfering with the signal carried by the central conductor. Typically, the outside of the shield is held at ground potential, and a signal-carrying voltage is applied to the central conductor.
[0010] 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. In applications where the cable length is comparable to the wavelength of the transmitted signal, a uniform cable characteristic impedance minimizes signal loss. Source and load impedances may be selected to match the cable impedance for favorable power transfer and standing wave characteristics.
[0011] It is understood that any suitable dielectric may be used to meet the needs of a particular 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.
[0012] Coaxial cables have a connector at the end to maintain the coaxial connection and provide the same impedance as the cable, and the connector is usually coated with a highly conductive metal.
[0013] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary assembly 100 including a conductive metal housing 102 and a conductor 104 at least partially encased within a dielectric material 106 to provide a low-loss, high-isolation interconnect. The exemplary interconnect is configured for RF signals, DC signals, digital logic signals, etc. In some embodiments, the conductor 104 is completely encased within the dielectric material 106. In other embodiments, the conductor 104 is not completely encased within the dielectric material. In some embodiments, a coaxial cable includes the conductor 104, the dielectric material 106, and a shield or outer conductor 108 provided by the conductive housing 102. In some embodiments, the conductor 104 is completely encased within the housing material 108. In other embodiments, the conductor 104 is not completely encased within the housing material 108.
[0014] In an embodiment, the conductor 104, dielectric 106, and shield 108 provide a signal channel within a 3D printed housing. The use of 3D printing allows for greater freedom in forming the housing than traditional assembly, resulting in better performance.
[0015] This arrangement allows the channel to be added to an existing housing, allowing the cable to be secured in place without the need for additional tie-down points. Because the housing 102 is conductive, the housing can act as the outer conductor of the coaxial cable, reducing the overall size of the cable. In embodiments, the channel can act as a high performance coaxial transmission line.
[0016] In an embodiment, the conductor 104 is integrally formed within the housing 102 and provides a thermal path for dissipating heat generated within and around the conductor.
[0017] Aspects of the present disclosure allow for complex geometries to be implemented to control the cable length, phase, loss, etc. of each channel to meet the needs of a particular application. In embodiments, the channels can serve to carry multiple signals as enablers for high frequencies and conformal arrays. Additionally, exemplary channel embodiments may reduce the likelihood of miswiring the assembly.
[0018] As best seen in Figure 1A, the channels may include respective conductors 104 interconnected into a conformal antenna array 120, as shown in Figure 1C. As used herein, a conformal array refers to an array that conforms to the shape of a non-planar substrate. For example, a conformal array may conform to the exterior surface of an airplane.
[0019] In embodiments, the channels can provide better phase and loss matching than standard connectors and cables. The channels can be optimized for specific lengths and shapes for desired performance.
[0020] Figure 2A shows an example plot of S-parameters versus frequency for modes S(1,1) 200 and S(2,1) for the housing assembly of Figure 1 A. Figure 2B shows an example graphical E-field display for an example channel, such as the arrangement of conductor 104, dielectric 106, and hemispherical housing 108 of Figure 1 A.
[0021] 3 shows an example of a conductive housing 300 that is cylindrical in shape. The housing 300 includes grooves 302 along the length of the housing that are configured to accommodate conductor and dielectric materials. The grooves 302 allow for routing cables on the interior surface of the conductive housing 300. It is understood that the grooves 302 can have any suitable geometry, position, size, etc. to accommodate a particular conductor and dielectric arrangement to form a channel with selected properties.
[0022] FIG. 4A is an isometric view of a housing assembly 400 having an integral cable, 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 in which the outer conductor of the cable is not provided by the conductive housing.
[0023] In the illustrated embodiment, the housing 402 includes a top with eight facets 404 and a bottom 408. A respective circuit card assembly (CCA) 410 is mounted on each of the facets 404. Additional CCAs (not shown) can be mounted to the bottom 408 of the housing.
[0024] 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) surrounded by a dielectric material 412 and a shield 414 provided by the same material as the conductive housing 402.
[0025] In embodiments, the housing 402 can be 3D printed using a conductive material to form the channel facets 404, sides 416, and outer conductor / cable shield 414. The channel can carry multiple high frequency signals, for example, to an antenna array. In some embodiments, the array can include a conformal array. Cables can be inserted and / or embedded in the housing, reducing or eliminating mis-wired connections and facilitating assembly.
[0026] 5 shows a housing assembly 500 having an integral channel 502 that is shaped and configured to match phase and loss to provide improved performance compared to conventional cable arrangements. The channel 502 can have a length and shape to optimize desired performance characteristics.
[0027] The channel walls, which may comprise the same conductive material as the housing, provide a thermal interface to the rest of the system. In some embodiments, the structural members 504 may provide increased structural support and thermal performance.
[0028] It will be understood that any practical number of support members may be used in any suitable geometry to achieve desired structural, thermal, and / or electrical performance characteristics. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, the channel 502 may be flared 506 at one or both ends.
[0029] Figure 6A is an isometric view of a housing assembly 600 with an integral cable that may provide an interface to a circuit board 602, such as a printed wiring board. Figure 6B shows further details of the interface to the circuit board.
[0030] In the illustrated embodiment, a printed wiring board (PWB) 602 is conformally attached to a hemispherical housing 604. As described above, a conductor 606 surrounded by a dielectric material 608 may pass through the housing 604. The conductor 606 may extend upward from the surface of the housing. In an embodiment, the conductor 606 is used as a through-hole solder interface to the PWB 602.
[0031] 6B, a portion of conductor 606 extends through PWB 602. Solder fillets 610 and solder via pads 612 provide connections to PWB 602. This arrangement allows the circuit card to be mounted on the housing by wires soldered into through holes in the circuit board.
[0032] It will be appreciated that embodiments of the assembly having an integrated cable are applicable to a wide variety of applications where a highly integrated electromechanical assembly is desirable, such as radar antenna feedlines, computer network connections, digital audio, streaming configurations, cellular network connections, vehicles, etc.
[0033] Although exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure have been described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that other embodiments incorporating these concepts 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 expressly incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
[0034] Elements of different embodiments described herein may be combined to form other embodiments not specifically described above. Various elements described in the context of a single embodiment may also be provided separately or in any suitable subcombination. Other embodiments not specifically described herein are also within the scope of the following claims.
Claims
1. a housing including a conductive material; a conductor extending through the housing; a dielectric material at least partially surrounding the conductor, the portion of the housing surrounding the conductor such that the conductor, the dielectric material, and the portion of the housing form a channel through the housing; and Including, the path of the conductor through the housing is non-linear and is selected to achieve a selected length for the conductor; Housing assembly.
2. The housing assembly of claim 1 , wherein the channel includes a coaxial transmission line.
3. The housing assembly of claim 1 , wherein the housing is printed.
4. The housing assembly of claim 1 , wherein the housing forms a portion of a conformal antenna array.
5. The housing assembly of claim 4 further comprising a circuit board conformally mounted on the housing.
6. The housing assembly of claim 1 , wherein the housing has a hemispherical shape.
7. The housing assembly of claim 1 , wherein the housing has a cylindrical shape.
8. The housing assembly of claim 1 , wherein the housing is grounded.
9. The housing assembly of claim 1 , wherein the housing provides a heat dissipation path.
10. The housing assembly of claim 1 , wherein the housing further includes a structural member for improving the thermal performance of the housing assembly.
11. The housing assembly of claim 1 , wherein the housing further includes a structural member for improving the structural strength of the housing.
12. The housing assembly of claim 1 , wherein the ends of the conductors provide a through-hole solder interface to a circuit board.
13. a housing including a conductive material; a conductor extending through the housing; a dielectric material at least partially surrounding the conductor, the portion of the housing surrounding the conductor such that the conductor, the dielectric material, and the portion of the housing form a channel through the housing; and Including, the path of the conductor through the housing is non-linear and selected for phase performance; Housing assembly.
14. a housing including a conductive material; a conductor extending through the housing; a dielectric material at least partially surrounding the conductor, the portion of the housing surrounding the conductor such that the conductor, the dielectric material, and the portion of the housing form a channel through the housing; and Including, the path of the conductor through the housing is non-linear and selected for loss performance; Housing assembly.
15. a housing including a conductive material; a conductor extending through the housing; a dielectric material at least partially surrounding the conductor, the portion of the housing surrounding the conductor such that the conductor, the dielectric material, and the portion of the housing form a channel through the housing; and Including, the housing includes a surface having a series of facets, one or more circuit cards mounted on the facets, and each of the channels is connected to the one or more circuit cards; Housing assembly.
16. using a housing comprising a conductive material; using a conductor extending through the housing; using a dielectric material at least partially surrounding the conductor, wherein a portion of the housing surrounds the conductor such that the conductor, the dielectric material, and the portion of the housing form a channel through the housing; Including, the path of the conductor through the housing is non-linear and is selected to achieve a selected length for the conductor; method.
17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the housing is printed.
18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the housing forms part of a conformal antenna array.
19. The method of claim 18 further comprising using a circuit board conformally mounted on the housing.
20. using a housing comprising a conductive material; using a conductor extending through the housing; using a dielectric material at least partially surrounding the conductor, wherein a portion of the housing surrounds the conductor such that the conductor, the dielectric material, and the portion of the housing form a channel through the housing; Including, the path of the conductor through the housing is non-linear and selected for phase performance; method.
21. using a housing comprising a conductive material; using a conductor extending through the housing; using a dielectric material at least partially surrounding the conductor, wherein a portion of the housing surrounds the conductor such that the conductor, the dielectric material, and the portion of the housing form a channel through the housing; Including, the path of the conductor through the housing is non-linear and selected for loss performance; method.
22. using a housing comprising a conductive material; using a conductor extending through the housing; using a dielectric material at least partially surrounding the conductor, wherein a portion of the housing surrounds the conductor such that the conductor, the dielectric material, and the portion of the housing form a channel through the housing; Including, the housing includes a surface having a series of facets, one or more circuit cards mounted on the facets, and each of the channels is connected to the one or more circuit cards; method.