초록 ▼

A printed circuit board (PCB) assembly is provided. The PCB assembly is adapted for mounting at least one heat-generating electrical device and providing integrated heat dissipating capability to dissipate heat generated by the electrical device. The PCB assembly has a top surface and a bottom surfa

A printed circuit board (PCB) assembly is provided. The PCB assembly is adapted for mounting at least one heat-generating electrical device and providing integrated heat dissipating capability to dissipate heat generated by the electrical device. The PCB assembly has a top surface and a bottom surface and comprises a signal carrying layer and an insert of pyrolytic graphite (PG). The signal carrying layer, disposed between the top surface and the bottom surface, comprises a material that is both thermally conductive and electrically conductive (such as at least one of aluminum, copper, and silver and alloys thereof) and has at least a portion lying in a first plane. The insert of PG is disposed within at least a portion of the first plane of the signal carrying layer, is in thermal contact with the signal carrying layer, and is constructed and arranged to have its greatest electrical conductivity in the first plane. Optionally, a conductive via can be formed in portions of the signal carrying layer not occupied by the insert of PG, where the conductive via operably couples a first side of the signal carrying layer to a second side of the signal carrying layer.

대표청구항 ▼

The invention claimed is: 1. A circuit card assembly, comprising: a first layer having first and second sides, at least a portion of the first layer being substantially planar in a first x-y plane, wherein the first layer comprises a first material that is electrically and thermally conductive, suc

The invention claimed is: 1. A circuit card assembly, comprising: a first layer having first and second sides, at least a portion of the first layer being substantially planar in a first x-y plane, wherein the first layer comprises a first material that is electrically and thermally conductive, such that the first layer is constructed and arranged to carry electrical signals; a first insert, the first insert comprising a solid, continuous piece of pyrolytic graphite (PG) disposed between the first side and the second side of the first layer, wherein the first insert is substantially planar in the x-y direction and is constructed and arranged to have its highest thermal conductivity in the x-y plane, and wherein the first insert has an exterior surface of solid, continuous PG that is surrounded on all sides by the first layer, such that substantially all of the exterior surface of the first insert is in continuous thermal contact with the first layer, the first insert being oriented within the first layer such that the insert can dissipate heat generated by the circuit card assembly; and a second layer having first and second sides, the second layer comprising at least one of an insulating and a dielectric material, wherein the second side of the second layer is coupled to the first side of the first layer so as to overlay at least a portion of the first layer. 2. The circuit card assembly of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the second layer is electrically coupled to the first layer. 3. The circuit card assembly of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first and second layers is constructed and arranged to permit a heat-generating electrical component to be operably coupled thereto and wherein the circuit card assembly is constructed and arranged to dissipate the heat generated by the electrical component. 4. The circuit card assembly of claim 1, wherein the circuit card assembly has at least one thermally conductive edge, wherein the first layer is in thermal contact with the thermally conductive edge, and wherein the first insert is oriented within the first layer so as to dissipate heat towards the thermally conductive edge of the circuit card assembly. 5. The circuit card assembly of claim 4 wherein at least one of the first and second layers is constructed and arranged to permit a heat-generating electrical component to be operably coupled thereto and wherein the circuit card assembly is constructed and arranged to dissipate the heat generated by the electrical component through the first layer and the first insert, towards the thermally conducting edge of the circuit card assembly. 6. The circuit card assembly of claim 4, further comprising a thermal dissipation member in thermal contact with the thermally conductive edge, wherein the circuit card assembly is constructed and arranged to dissipate the heat generated by the electrical component from the thermally conductive edge of the circuit card assembly into the thermal dissipation member. 7. The circuit card assembly of claim 6, wherein the thermal dissipation member comprises at least one of a cold plate and heat sink. 8. The circuit card assembly of claim 1, wherein the first layer comprises at least one of aluminum, copper, and silver and alloys thereof. 9. The circuit card assembly of claim 1, wherein the circuit card assembly comprises at least a portion of a power card. 10. The circuit card assembly of claim 1, wherein the circuit card assembly comprises at least a portion of at least one of a DC/DC converter, power supply, DC/AC converter, AC/DC converter, and AC/AC converter. 11. The circuit card assembly of claim 1, wherein the first layer and the first insert each has a respective thickness, wherein the first insert has a thickness greater than or equal to half the thickness of the first layer. 12. The circuit card assembly of claim 11, wherein the first insert is disposed within the first layer such that the thickness of the first layer between the first insert and the first side of the first layer is less than the thickness of the first insert. 13. The circuit card assembly of claim 1, wherein the first layer comprises a first portion and a second portion fixedly coupled together around the first insert of pyrolytic graphite, the first portion having an opening formed therein that is sized to receive the first insert and a second portion constructed and arranged to mate to the first portion so as to hold the first insert of pyrolytic graphite in a substantially fixed position. 14. The circuit card assembly of claim 13, wherein the first insert has an exterior surface and wherein the first portion and the second portion are constructed and arranged such that, when mated, at least a portion of the surface of the insert of pyrolytic graphite is in thermal contact with the first layer. 15. The circuit card assembly of claim 14, wherein the first portion and the second portion are constructed and arranged such that, when mated, substantially all of the surface of the first insert is in thermal contact with the first layer. 16. The circuit card assembly of claim 1, further comprising a second solid insert of PG disposed between the first side and the second side of the first layer, the second solid insert of PG being physically separate from the first solid insert of PG, wherein the second insert is substantially planar in the x-y direction and is constructed and arranged to have its highest thermal conductivity in the x-y plane, and wherein the second insert has an exterior surface that is surrounded on all sides by the first layer, such that substantially all of the exterior surface of the second insert is in thermal contact with at least a portion of the first layer, wherein the second insert is oriented within the first layer such that the second insert can dissipate heat generated by the circuit card assembly. 17. The circuit card assembly of claim 16, wherein the second insert lies in substantially the same plane as the first insert. 18. The circuit card assembly of claim 1, further comprising: a conductive via formed in the first layer, the conductive via operably coupling the first side of the first layer to the second side of the first layer, wherein the conductive via is formed in a portion of the first layer that is not occupied by the first insert. 19. A printed circuit board (PCB) assembly adapted for mounting at least one heat-generating electrical device and providing integrated heat dissipating capability to dissipate heat generated by the electrical device, the printed circuit board assembly comprising: a printed circuit board (PCB) having a top surface and a bottom surface; a signal carrying layer disposed between the top surface and the bottom surface, the signal carrying layer comprising a material that is both thermally conductive and electrically conductive and having at least a portion lying in a first plane; and a first solid, continuous insert of pyrolytic graphite (PG) disposed within at least a portion of the first plane of the-signal carrying layer, wherein the first insert is substantially planar in a second plane parallel to the first plane and has an exterior surface that comprises solid, continuous PG, where substantially all of the exterior surface is the insert being in thermal contact with the signal carrying layer, the first insert of PG being constructed and arranged to have its greatest thermal conductivity in the second plane. 20. The PCB assembly of claim 19, wherein the PCB further comprises at least one edge and wherein the signal carrying layer is in thermal contact with the edge, wherein the edge is operable to dissipate heat generated by the printed circuit board assembly away from the printed circuit board assembly. 21. The PCB assembly of claim 19, wherein the signal carrying layer comprises at least one of aluminum, copper, and silver an alloys thereof. 22. The PCB assembly of claim 19, further comprising an insulating layer disposed between the signal carrying layer and at least one of the top and bottom surfaces of the PCB assembly, the insulating layer overlaying at least a portion of the signal carrying layer. 23. The PCB assembly of claim 22, wherein the insulating layer comprises a dielectric material. 24. The PCB assembly of claim 19, further comprising a first conductive via formed in the signal carrying layer, the first conductive via operably coupling a first side of the signal carrying layer to a second side of the signal carrying layer, wherein the first conductive via is formed in a portion of the signal carrying layer that is not occupied by the insert of PG; and a second conductive via formed in the PCB, the second conductive via operably coupling the top surface of the PCB to the top surface of the signal carrying layer, wherein the second conductive via is in substantial alignment with the first conductive via such that the first side of the PCB is conductively coupled to the second side of the second layer. 25. A method of dissipating heat generated in a printed circuit board (PCB), the method comprising the unordered steps of: providing a solid, continuous, substantially planar insert of pyrolytic graphite (PG) constructed and arranged to have its greatest thermal conductivity in a first plane, the insert having an exterior surface of solid, continuous PG; disposing the insert within a first layer oriented in a second plane that is parallel to the first plane, the first layer comprising a layer of material that is electrically and thermally conductive such that the first layer is constructed and arranged to carry electrical signals, where the first insert is disposed such that substantially all of the exterior surface of the insert is in continuous thermal contact with the first layer; and providing the first layer as a signal carrying layer in a printed circuit board (PCB). 26. The method of claim 25, wherein the first layer has first and second sides and further comprising the unordered step of overlaying a second layer over at least a portion of one of the first and second sides of the first layer. 27. The method of claim 26, further comprising the unordered step of operably coupling a heat-generating electrical component to at least one of the first and second layers. 28. The method of claim 25, further comprising the unordered step of operably coupling a thermal dissipation member to the PCB, such that the heat dissipated by the first layer and the insert is directed towards the thermal dissipation member. 29. The method of claim 25, wherein the first layer has first and second sides and further comprising the unordered step of forming a conductive via in the first layer, the conductive via operably coupling the first side of the first layer to the second side of the first layer, wherein the conductive via is formed in a portion of the signal carrying layer that is not occupied by the insert. 30. The method of claim 25, wherein disposing the first insert within the first layer further comprises the unordered steps of: providing a first portion of the first layer having an opening formed therein that is sized to receive the insert; disposing the insert within the opening; and fixedly coupling a second portion of the first layer to the first layer, wherein the first portion and the second portion are constructed and arranged to mate together so as to hold the insert of pyrolytic graphite in a substantially fixed position.