# US 10,873,244 B2 · Control and power module for brushless motor

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- Number: US 10,873,244 B2
- Document ID: US10873244B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/708,484
- Filed: 2017-09-19
- Published: 2018-03-22
- Granted: 2020-12-22
- Earliest claimed: 2016-09-19
- Assignees: Black & Decker Inc.
- Applicants: Black & Decker Inc.
- Inventors: Madhur M. Purohit; Joshua M. Lewis; Marcell E. Coates; Michael D. Grove; Victor A. Dorado
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10873244B2

## CPC

- H02K 11/215: Magnetic effect devices, e.g. Hall-effect or magneto-resistive elements
- B25F 5/008: {Cooling means}
- B25F 5/02: Construction of casings, bodies or handles {(B25F5/006, B25F5/008 take precedence)}
- H02K 5/08: Insulating casings
- H02K 5/22: Auxiliary parts of casings not covered by groups H02K5/06-H02K5/20, e.g. shaped to form connection boxes or terminal boxes
- H02K 5/225: {Terminal boxes or connection arrangements (specially adapted for submersible motors H02K5/132)}
- H02K 7/145: {Hand-held machine tool}
- H02K 9/22: by solid heat conducting material embedded in, or arranged in contact with, the stator or rotor, e.g. heat bridges
- H02K 9/227: {Heat sinks}
- H02K 11/33: Drive circuits, e.g. power electronics (H02K11/38 takes precedence)
- H05K 1/0203: {Cooling of mounted components (H05K1/0272 takes precedence)}
- H05K 1/115: {Via connections; Lands around holes or via connections (H05K1/112 takes precedence)}
- H05K 1/181: associated with surface mounted components
- H05K 3/284: {for encapsulating mounted components (H05K1/185 takes precedence)}
- H05K 5/0073: {having specific features for mounting the housing on an external structure}
- H05K 5/0247: {Electrical details of casings, e.g. terminals, passages for cables or wiring}
- H05K 5/061: {sealed by a gasket held between a removable cover and a body, e.g. O-ring, packing}
- H05K 7/1427: {Housings}
- H05K 7/2039: {characterised by the heat transfer by conduction from the heat generating element to a dissipating body (arrangements for increasing/decreasing heat-transfer, e.g. fins details, F28F13/00)}
- H05K 7/209: {Heat transfer by conduction from internal heat source to heat radiating structure (H05K7/20909 takes precedence)}
- H02K 9/223: {Heat bridges}
- H02K 29/08: using magnetic effect devices, e.g. Hall-plates, magneto-resistors (H02K29/12 takes precedence)
- H02K 2203/03: Machines characterised by the wiring boards, i.e. printed circuit boards or similar structures for connecting the winding terminations
- H02K 2211/03: Machines characterised by circuit boards, e.g. pcb
- H05K 5/0086: {portable, e.g. battery operated apparatus (casings for switching devices H01H9/02)}
- H05K 2201/066: Heatsink mounted on the surface of the printed circuit board [PCB]
- H05K 2201/09018: Rigid curved substrate
- H05K 2201/09036: Recesses or grooves in insulating substrate
- H05K 2201/10053: Switch
- H05K 2201/10151: Sensor
- H05K 2201/10166: Transistor
- H05K 2201/10522: Adjacent components
- H02K: DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES (dynamo-electric relays H01H53/00; conversion of DC or AC input power into surge output power {H03K3/53})
- B25F: COMBINATION OR MULTI-PURPOSE TOOLS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; DETAILS OR COMPONENTS OF PORTABLE POWER-DRIVEN TOOLS NOT PARTICULARLY RELATED TO THE OPERATIONS PERFORMED AND NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR {(machines or arrangements of machines for performing specified combinations of different metal-working operations not covered by a single other subclass B23P23/00 and subgroups)}
- H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS

## Abstract

An electronic module is provided for a power tool having an electric motor. The module includes a printed circuit board (PCB) having a first surface and a second surface; first set of power switches mounted on the first surface of the PCB; second set of power switches mounted on the PCB and electrically coupled to the first power switches forming an inverter bridge circuit for driving the electric motor; a first heat sink surface-mounted on the first surface of the PCB and having a planar main body disposed over the first power switches; a module housing arranged to receive the PCB therein; and a second heat sink secured to the module housing in thermal communication with the first heat sink to transfer heat from the first power switches.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An electronic module for a power tool having an electric motor, comprising:
a printed circuit board (PCB) having a first surface and a second surface;
a first plurality of power switches mounted on the first surface of the PCB;
a second plurality of power switches mounted on the PCB and electrically coupled to the first plurality of power switches forming an inverter bridge circuit for driving the electric motor;
a first heat sink surface-mounted on the first surface of the PCB and having a planar main body disposed over the first plurality of power switches;
a module housing arranged to receive the PCB therein, the module housing including a planar portion facing the first surface of the PCB and an outer wall extending from the planar portion around the PCB; and
a second heat sink secured to the planar portion of the module housing in thermal communication with the first heat sink to transfer heat from the first plurality of power switches,
wherein a first surface of the second heat sink is positioned in physical contact with the planar main body of the first heat sink directly or via a thermally-conductive gap pad therebetween, and a second surface of the second heat sink is at least partially exposed on an outer portion of the module housing facing the electric motor.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The electronic module of claim 1, wherein each of the second plurality of power switches is mounted on the second surface the PCB substantially opposite a respective one of the first plurality of power switches.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The electronic module of claim 2, further comprising a first plurality of conductive tracks disposed on the first surface of the PCB and electrically coupled to respective drains of the first plurality of power switches, and a second plurality of conductive tracks disposed on the second surface of the PCB and electrically coupled to respective sources of the second plurality of power switches.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The electronic module of claim 3, wherein the PCB comprises a plurality of through-holes between the corresponding ones of the first plurality of conductive tracks and the second plurality of conductive tracks, and a plurality of power terminals each having legs received within the plurality of through-holes to electrically connect the corresponding ones of the first plurality of conductive tracks and the second plurality of conductive tracks.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The electronic module of claim 4, wherein each of the plurality of power terminals includes a radial peripheral slot arranged to receive and make electrical contact with a corresponding one of a plurality of motor terminal therein.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The electronic module of claim 5, further comprising a plurality of peripheral slots disposed around the PCB arranged for pass-through of the plurality of motor terminals.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The electronic module of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of positional sensors disposed angularly around a center of the first surface of the PCB.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The electronic module of claim 7, wherein the module housing comprises a plurality of openings disposed in the planar portion angularly around a center of the module housing and corresponding to the plurality of positional sensors.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The electronic module of claim 1, wherein the module housing comprises a casing molded around the second heat sink.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The electronic module of claim 1, wherein the second heat sink includes a ring-shaped or a C-shaped profile.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The electronic module of claim 10, wherein the planar portion of the module housing comprises a non-conductive middle portion forming a central through-hole therethrough and a plurality of radial bridges extending radially from the non-conductive middle portion to the outer wall.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The electronic module of claim 1, wherein the second heat sink includes a surface area that is two to four times larger than a surface area of the first heat sink.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The electronic module of claim 1, wherein the module housing and the PCB each comprises a through-hole arranged to receive a shaft of the electric motor therein.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The electronic module of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of power switches is disposed on one side of the first surface of the PCB.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

A power tool comprising:
a housing arranged to house the electric motor; and
the electronic module of claim 1 disposed within the housing adjacent the motor.

### Claim 16

An electronic module for a power tool having an electric motor, comprising:
a printed circuit board (PCB) having a first surface and a second surface;
a first plurality of power switches mounted on the first surface of the PCB;
a second plurality of power switches mounted on the PCB and electrically coupled to the first plurality of power switches forming an inverter bridge circuit for driving the electric motor;
a first heat sink surface-mounted on the first surface of the PCB and having a planar main body disposed over the first plurality of power switches;
a module housing arranged to receive the PCB therein, the module housing including a planar portion facing the first surface of the PCB and an outer wall extending from the planar portion around the PCB; and
a second heat sink secured to the planar portion of the module housing in thermal communication with the first heat sink to transfer heat from the first plurality of power switches,
wherein the second heat sink includes a ring-shaped or a C-shaped profile,
wherein the planar portion of the module housing comprises a non-conductive middle portion forming a central through-hole therethrough and a plurality of radial bridges extending radially from the non-conductive middle portion to the outer wall, and
wherein the second heat sink comprises a plurality of channels arranged to receive the plurality of radial bridges.