US5777844A — Electronic control with heat sink

Claim 1

Independent Claim 211 words

An electronic control comprising: a printed circuit board made of electrically insulating material and having circuitry thereon including at least one electrical component which generates heat in operation that must be dissipated to prevent failure, the heat-generating electrical component being mounted on a first face of the printed circuit board; a heat sink for transferring heat from the heat-generating electrical component on the printed circuit board, the heat sink comprising a plate made of thermally conductive material, the plate including a depression having a bottom wall lying generally in a plane, at least portions of the plate adjacent to the depression being disposed out of the plane to one side thereof; the heat sink being disposed adjacent to a second face of the printed circuit board, the bottom wall of the depression being in thermal contact with the second face of the printed circuit board generally opposite the heat-generating electrical component on the first face of the printed circuit board, the heat sink and printed circuit board being constructed and arranged for transferring heat through the printed circuit board generally from the first face to the second face and thence to the heat sink, the printed circuit board electrically isolating the heat sink from the circuitry on the printed circuit board.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 211 words

An electronic control comprising: a printed circuit board made of electrically insulating material and having circuitry thereon including at least one electrical component which generates heat in operation that must be dissipated to prevent failure, the heat-generating electrical component being mounted on a first face of the printed circuit board; a heat sink for transferring heat from the heat-generating electrical component on the printed circuit board, the heat sink comprising a plate made of thermally conductive material, the plate including a depression having a bottom wall lying generally in a plane, at least portions of the plate adjacent to the depression being disposed out of the plane to one side thereof; the heat sink being disposed adjacent to a second face of the printed circuit board, the bottom wall of the depression being in thermal contact with the second face of the printed circuit board generally opposite the heat-generating electrical component on the first face of the printed circuit board, the heat sink and printed circuit board being constructed and arranged for transferring heat through the printed circuit board generally from the first face to the second face and thence to the heat sink, the printed circuit board electrically isolating the heat sink from the circuitry on the printed circuit board.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 36 words

An electronic control as set forth in claim 1 wherein the control is free of electrically insulating material between the bottom wall of the heat sink depression and the second face of the printed circuit board.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 67 words

An electronic control as set forth in claim 2 further comprising a distributor sheet of thermally conductive material mounted on the second face of the printed circuit board opposite the heat-generating electrical component, the distributor sheet distributing the heat transferred from the electrical component through the printed circuit board over the volume of the distributor sheet, the bottom wall of the heat sink engaging the distributor sheet.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 31 words

An electronic control as set forth in claim 3 wherein the bottom wall is in face-to-face engagement with the distributor sheet over substantially the entire surface area of the bottom wall.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 42 words

An electronic control as set forth in claim 4 wherein the distributor sheet comprises a main section engaged with the bottom wall of the heat sink depression and a trace extending from the main section for connecting the distributor sheet to ground.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 36 words

An electronic control as set forth in claim 5 wherein the distributor sheet is made of copper and the main section has a shape corresponding to that of the bottom wall of the heat sink depression.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 31 words

An electronic control as set forth in claim 6 further comprising a plurality of heat-generating components, at least a portion of each of the heat-generating electrical component overlying the distributor sheet.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 40 words

An electronic control as set forth in claim 6 wherein the printed circuit board further includes circuitry mounted on the second face thereof within a space defined by the second face of the printed circuit board and the heat sink.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 25 words

An electronic control as set forth in claim 1 further comprising an enclosure member cooperable with the heat sink for enclosing the printed circuit board.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 18 words

An electronic control as set forth in claim 9 in combination with a motor controlled by the central.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 210 words

Electrical apparatus comprising: a printed circuit board made of electrically insulating material and having circuitry thereon including at least one electrical component which generates heat in operation that must be dissipated to prevent failure, the heat-generating electrical component being mounted on a first face of the printed circuit board; a heat sink for transferring heat from the heat-generating electrical component on the printed circuit board, the heat sink comprising a plate made of thermally conductive material, the plate including a depression having a bottom wall lying generally in a plane, at least portions of the plate adjacent to the depression being disposed out of the plane to one side thereof; the heat sink being disposed adjacent to a second face of the printed circuit board, the bottom wall of the depression being in thermal contact with the second face of the printed circuit board generally opposite the heat-generating electrical component on the first face of the printed circuit board, the heat sink and printed circuit board being constructed and arranged for transferring heat through the printed circuit board generally from the first face to the second face and thence to the heat sink, the printed circuit board electrically isolating the heat sink from the circuitry on the printed circuit board.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 210 words

Electrical apparatus comprising: a printed circuit board made of electrically insulating material and having circuitry thereon including at least one electrical component which generates heat in operation that must be dissipated to prevent failure, the heat-generating electrical component being mounted on a first face of the printed circuit board; a heat sink for transferring heat from the heat-generating electrical component on the printed circuit board, the heat sink comprising a plate made of thermally conductive material, the plate including a depression having a bottom wall lying generally in a plane, at least portions of the plate adjacent to the depression being disposed out of the plane to one side thereof; the heat sink being disposed adjacent to a second face of the printed circuit board, the bottom wall of the depression being in thermal contact with the second face of the printed circuit board generally opposite the heat-generating electrical component on the first face of the printed circuit board, the heat sink and printed circuit board being constructed and arranged for transferring heat through the printed circuit board generally from the first face to the second face and thence to the heat sink, the printed circuit board electrically isolating the heat sink from the circuitry on the printed circuit board.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 34 words

Apparatus as set forth in claim 11 wherein the control is free of electrically insulating material between the bottom wall of the heat sink depression and the second face of the printed circuit board.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 65 words

Apparatus as set forth in claim 12 further comprising a distributor sheet of thermally conductive material mounted on the second face of the printed circuit board opposite the heat-generating electrical component, the distributor sheet distributing the heat transferred from the electrical component through the printed circuit board over the volume of the distributor sheet, the bottom wall of the heat sink engaging the distributor sheet.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 29 words

Apparatus as set forth in claim 13 wherein the bottom wall is in face-to-face engagement with the distributor sheet over substantially the entire surface area of the bottom wall.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 31 words

Apparatus as set forth in claim 14 wherein the distributor sheet is made of copper and has a shape corresponding to that of the bottom wall of the heat sink depression.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 30 words

Apparatus as set forth in claim 15 further comprising a plurality of heat-generating electrical components, at least a portion of each of the heat-generating electrical components overlying the distributor sheet.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 38 words

Apparatus as set forth in claim 15 wherein the printed circuit board further includes circuitry mounted on the second face thereof within a space defined by the second face of the printed circuit board and the heat sink.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2001-07-06	2002-01-05	2002-07-07	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2005-07-06	2006-01-05	2006-07-07	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2009-07-06	2010-01-05	2010-07-07	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Electronic control with heat sink

Abstract

Inventors

Bibliographic Details

Claims Analysis

References Cited (Backward Citations)

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Assigned Categories & Tags

Assign Category Tag