Abstract: Power conversion apparatus can include a circuit board with power conversion circuitry and a package. The package may be formed by encapsulating areas of the circuit board assembly either before or after the interface contacts are attached to the circuit board. A method for encapsulating two sides of a substrate can include providing a mold that fills a larger first cavity to create a sealing force on a smaller second cavity. The encapsulant flows through the first cavity into the second cavity. A thermal extender can include a surface for mounting a heat dissipating power converter and a surface for mating with an external circuit board. Interface conductors may mate with contacts on the heat dissipating power converter and with conductive regions on the external circuit board. A heat sink may be thermally coupled to remove heat generated by the power converter.

Abstract: Power conversion apparatus includes a circuit board with power conversion circuitry and a package having an upper portion and a lower portion that respectively enclose circuitry on a top surface and a bottom surface of the circuit board. The lower portion encloses a smaller region than that enclosed by the upper portion. The regions are arranged to define an overhang region on the bottom surface of the circuit board. Interface contacts are provided on the bottom surface in the overhang region for making electrical connections to the circuit board. A thermal extender includes a surface for mounting a heat dissipating power converter and a surface for mating with an external circuit board. Interface conductors mate with contacts on the power converter and with conductive regions on the external circuit board. A heat sink is thermally coupled to remove heat generated by the power converter.

Abstract: An interconnect architecture in which a substrate such as a printed circuit board includes multiple conductive layers separated by one or more interposed insulating layers, the conductive layers being adapted to receive a high density array of interconnect elements such as a ball grid array (BGA). In certain preferred embodiments, a printed circuit board may provide a very low resistance interconnect forming the drain and source terminals of a lateral power MOSFET device incorporating a high density array of alternating source and drain interconnect elements, such as a BGA. In such embodiments, source and drain currents may be routed on different conductive layers separated by one or more interposed insulating layers. The upper conductive layer may include laterally non-conductive regions accommodating conductive columns that are connected to the lower conductive layer.

Abstract: An interconnect architecture in which a substrate such as a printed circuit board includes multiple conductive layers separated by one or more interposed insulating layers, the conductive layers being adapted to receive a high density array of interconnect elements such as a ball grid array (BGA). In certain preferred embodiments, a printed circuit board may provide a very low resistance interconnect forming the drain and source terminals of a lateral power MOSFET device incorporating a high density array of alternating source and drain interconnect elements, such as a BGA. In such embodiments, source and drain currents may be routed on different conductive layers separated by one or more interposed insulating layers. The upper conductive layer may include laterally non-conductive regions accommodating conductive columns that are connected to the lower conductive layer.

Abstract: Power conversion apparatus includes a circuit board with power conversion circuitry and a package. The package includes an upper portion that encloses circuitry on a top surface of the circuit board and a lower portion that encloses circuitry on a bottom surface of the circuit board. The lower portion encloses a region on the circuit board that is smaller than the region enclosed by the upper portion and is arranged to define an overhang region on the bottom surface of the circuit board. The overhang region preferably extends along two or more sides of the periphery of the bottom surface. Interface contacts are provided on the bottom surface in the overhang region for making electrical connections to the circuit board. The power conversion apparatus may be mounted in an aperture in an external circuit board or may be mounted horizontally or vertically to the external board using an interconnect extender.

Abstract: A power converter includes a housing, heat generating circuitry in the housing, and a heat conducting metal sheath on the outside of the housing. The housing has an elongated-box shape including two relatively smaller ends and four relatively larger sides and a heat-conducting metal sheath on the outside of the housing. The heat conducting sheath covers substantially all of the four relatively larger sides.