Rectifier bridge unit

Claim 1

A highly compact rectifier unit comprising: (A) a sub-assembly constituted by rectifying elements interconnected in a rectifying circuit arrangement by means including planar base straps and upwardly projecting terminals; and (B) an insulating frame formed of a material capable of withstanding the operating temperatures of the unit to accommodate the sub-assembly which is encapsulated therein by a potting compound with the terminals being adjacent the wall of the frame, said frame being provided with a metal base plate of high thermal conductivity which functions as a heat sink and in combination with the frame forms an open-top case, the inner face of the plate having a porcelain film fused thereon whose thickness is no greater than about 8 mils to define a thin dielectric electrically isolating the plate from the sub-assembly whose planar base straps rest on the film to create a thermal bridge between the sub-assembly and the base plate, said film in the zones in which said base straps rest thereon being metallized to form metallic zones electrically isolated from each other to which said base straps are soldered to hold said base straps in intimate physical and thermal contact with the film.