Environmentally protected module

Claim 2

An environmentally protected module qualifiable under military specifications using commercial and industrial grade electronic components, comprising: thermoelectric heat pump apparatus coupled to an external heat exchanger; commercial and industrial grade electronic components electrically coupled together to perform an electronic function and each thermally coupled to said thermoelectric heat pump apparatus by thermally conductive vias; and thermally conductive and electrically insulative packaging material encapsulating said components and providing, with said vias, a thermally conductive coupling between said components and said thermoelectric heat pump apparatus.

Claim 3

An environmentally protected module according to claim 1 in which said thermoelectric heat pump apparatus comprises Peltier devices for enabling heat to be conducted selectively to and from said commercial and industrial grade electronic components.

Claim 4

An environmentally protected module according to claim 2 further comprising: a thermally conductive and electrically insulative cold plate in thermal coupling with said Peltier devices and said commercial and industrial grade electronic components; and a support supporting said Peltier devices for enabling said Peltier devices to be positioned in thermal coupling with the external heat exchanger.

Claim 5

An environmentally protected module according to claim 3 in which said printed wiring board arrangement includes a single printed wiring board, and said thermally conductive encapsulating packaging material is thermally coupled to said Peltier devices.

Claim 6

An environmentally protected module qualifiable under military specifications using commercial and industrial grade electronic components, comprising: thermoelectric heat pump apparatus coupled to an external heat exchanger; commercial and industrial grade electronic components electrically coupled together to perform an electronic function and thermally coupled to said thermoelectric heat pump apparatus; thermally conductive and electrically insulative packaging material encapsulating said components and providing a thermally conductive coupling between said components and said thermoelectric heat pump apparatus; and an arrangement including at least one printed wiring board having thermally conductive vias extending therethrough and providing, with said thermally conductive encapsulating packaging material, said thermally conductive coupling between said components and said thermoelectric heat pump apparatus.

Claim 7

An environmentally protected module qualifiable under military specifications using commercial and industrial grade electronic components, comprising: thermoelectric heat pump apparatus coupled to an external heat exchanger; commercial and industrial grade electronic components electrically coupled together to perform an electronic function and thermally coupled to said thermoelectric heat pump apparatus; thermally conductive and electrically insulative packaging material encapsulating said components and providing a thermally conductive coupling between said components and said thermoelectric heat pump apparatus; and an arrangement including at least one printed wiring board having thermally conductive vias extending therethrough and providing, with said thermally conductive encapsulating packaging material, said thermally conductive coupling between said components and said thermoelectric heat pump apparatus.

Claim 8

An environmentally protected module according to claim 5 in which said thermoelectric heat pump apparatus comprises Peltier devices for enabling heat to be conducted selectively to and from said commercial and industrial grade electronic components.

Claim 9

An environmentally protected module according to claim 6 in which said printed wiring board arrangement includes a single printed wiring board, and further comprising: a heat sink thermally coupled to the external heat exchanger; a thermally conductive cold plate positioned between and spaced from said heat sink and said printed wiring board; a board supporting said Peltier devices in an array that enables said Peltier devices to be positioned in thermal contact with both said heat sink and said cold plate; and a cover spaced from said printed wiring board, said encapsulating packaging material being positioned between said printed wiring board and said cold plate and between said printed wiring board and said Peltier supporting board.

Claim 10

An environmentally protected module according to claim 7 further comprising spacers separating said cover, said printed wiring board and said cold plate from one another, for enclosing said encapsulating packaging material between said cover and said printed wiring board and between said printed wiring board and said cold plate.

Claim 11

An environmentally protected module according to claim 6 further comprising: a thermally conductive and electrically insulative cold plate in thermal coupling with said Peltier devices and said commercial and industrial grade electronic components; and a support supporting said Peltier devices for enabling said Peltier devices to be positioned in thermal coupling with the external heat exchanger.

Claim 12

An environmentally protected module according to claim 9 in which said printed wiring board arrangement includes a single printed wiring board, in which said thermally conductive encapsulating packaging material is thermally coupled to said Peltier devices.

Claim 13

An environmentally protected module according to claim 10 further comprising thermally conductive vias extending through said printed wiring boards and providing, with said thermally conductive encapsulating packaging material, said thermally conductive coupling between said components and said thermoelectric heat pump apparatus.

Claim 14

An environmentally protected module according to claim 9 in which said printed wiring board arrangement includes a pair of printed wiring boards, and further comprising: thermally conductive vias extending through said printed wiring boards and providing, with said thermally conductive encapsulating packaging material, said thermally conductive coupling between said components and said thermoelectric heat pump apparatus; a thermally conductive and electrically insulative cold plate sandwiched between said printed wiring boards in thermal coupling with said Peltier devices and said commercial and industrial grade electronic components; a support supporting said Peltier devices for enabling said Peltier devices to be positioned in thermal contact with the external heat exchanger.

Claim 15

An environmentally protected module according to claim 1 in which said thermoelectric heat pump apparatus comprises Peltier devices for enabling heat to be conducted selectively to and from said commercial and industrial grade electronic components further comprising: a thermally conductive and electrically insulative cold plate; a support supporting said Peltier devices for enabling said Peltier devices to be positioned in thermal coupling with both said cold plate and the external heat exchanger.

Claim 16

An environmentally protected module comprising commercial and industrial grade components, thermally conductive material encapsulatingly said components to secure said components within an environmentally protected enclosure, thermo-electric heat pump apparatus having a thermal coupling between an external heat exchanger and said components, said thermal coupling including providing, in addition to said thermally conducting material, thermally conductive vias coupled to and between said components and said heat pump apparatus.

Claim 17

An environmentally protected module comprising commercial and industrial grade components, thermally conductive material encapsulatingly said components to secure said components within an environmentally protected enclosure, thermo-electric heat pump apparatus having a thermal coupling between an external heat exchanger and said components, said thermal coupling including providing, in addition to said thermally conducting material, thermally conductive vias coupled to and between said components and said heat pump apparatus.

Claim 18

An environmentally protected module comprising commercial and industrial grade components, thermally conductive material placed about said components to secure said components within an environmentally protected enclosure, thermoelectric heat pump apparatus thermally coupled between an external heat exchanger and said components; a printed wiring board supporting and electrically coupling said components together, and thermally conductive vias extending through said printed wiring board and providing, with said thermally conductive packaging material, said thermally conductive coupling between said components and said thermoelectric heat pump apparatus.

Claim 19

An environmentally protected module comprising commercial and industrial grade components, thermally conductive material placed about said components to secure said components within an environmentally protected enclosure, thermoelectric heat pump apparatus thermally coupled between an external heat exchanger and said components; a printed wiring board supporting and electrically coupling said components together, and thermally conductive vias extending through said printed wiring board and providing, with said thermally conductive packaging material, said thermally conductive coupling between said components and said thermoelectric heat pump apparatus.

Claim 20

A module according to claim 15 in which said components and said printed wiring board are encapsulated within said thermally conductive packaging material.

Claim 25

A method according to claim 18 further in which said enclosing step comprises the step of encapsulating the components and the printed wiring board within the thermally conductive packaging material.