Unhoused Component Direct Mount on Molded PCB Conductor

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Solution Overview

Problem

High current intensities in electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles lead to significant heat generation in power semiconductor switches, increasing the risk of overheating and reducing the operational reliability of switching devices due to inadequate cooling.

Innovation Solution

A printed circuit board design featuring a solid molded current conductor with unhoused electrical components directly attached, ensuring effective thermal dissipation through a high thermal capacity contact, and an electrically insulating layer with openings for reliable electrical connection and insulation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a housed electrical component with integrated heat sink is used, then the component is protected and structurally stable, but the thermal conduction path is interrupted by cavities and air pockets in the solder, reducing cooling efficiency

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperational safetyVSAvoidcooling efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the housing from the electrical component, creating an unhoused component that can be directly mounted on the printed circuit board. This eliminates the intermediate heat sink and solder joint between the component and PCB, allowing direct thermal contact between the semiconductor element and the PCB's heat dissipation structures, thereby removing the thermal resistance caused by air pockets and cavities in traditional housed components

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention merges the electrical component directly with the printed circuit board by eliminating the housing and intermediate mounting structures. The semiconductor element is directly bonded to the PCB, combining the electrical connection and thermal conduction paths into a single integrated structure, which maximizes thermal contact and cooling efficiency

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Strength

If traditional housed components with integrated heat sinks are used, then structural stability is provided, but heat dissipation is reduced due to thermal resistance in the solder joint

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural stabilityVSAvoidheat dissipation efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The housing is removed from the component structure, eliminating the intermediate thermal path through the heat sink and solder joint. This direct-mount approach creates an uninterrupted thermal conduction path from the semiconductor element directly to the PCB's heat dissipation structures, significantly reducing thermal resistance and improving heat dissipation efficiency

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention employs composite material structures in the printed circuit board, particularly using metal core PCBs or PCBs with enhanced thermal pathways composed of materials with high thermal conductivity. This composite structure provides both the necessary structural stability and superior heat dissipation capabilities, replacing the traditional separate housing-heat sink assembly

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This design enhances cooling efficiency, reduces the risk of overheating, and significantly improves the operational safety and reliability of the switching unit, allowing for high current handling without damage.

Implementation Method 1

The unhoused electrical component, which is exposed on its bottom side, is thermally conductively connected to the current conductor, so that heat can be dissipated from the actual semiconductor switch to the current conductor

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentEP2716145B1Printed circuit board for electric components, and printed circuit board system
Publication Date: 2017.08.09 CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
  • EP2716145B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2716145B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~4B
  • EP2716145B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The invention relates to a printed circuit board (9) for electric components (17), comprising at least one current conductor (12), which is designed as a molded part, and at least one unhoused electric component (13), which is fixed to the current conductor (12). An improved operating reliability of the printed circuit board (9) is thus produced.