IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,507,376
Granted Patent B2
US 12,507,376 · App. 18/764,142 · Granted Dec 23, 2025

Cold plate for power electronic systems

Inventors: Michael Hibbard (Long Beach, CA); Areg Parlakyan (Tujunga, CA); Gary Randall (Rancho Palos Verdes, CA)
Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
H05K7/20254B60L53/22H05K7/20927B60L2210/10
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,507,376
App. No.
18/764,142
Granted
Dec 23, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

An energy management unit (EMU) is disclosed. The EMU includes a cold plate sandwiched between a first printed circuit board (PCB) and a second PCB, the cold plate including one or more magnetics. The cold plate cools both the first PCB and the second PCB.

Claims (25)

1 . An energy management unit (EMU) comprising:

a cold plate sandwiched between a first printed circuit board (PCB) and a second PCB, the cold plate comprising one or more magnetics;

wherein the cold plate is configured to cool both the first PCB and the second PCB;

wherein the cold plate comprises multiple layers including: a top outer layer and a bottom outer layer;

wherein the cold plate further comprises a first sealing gasket inside of the top outer layer and a second sealing gasket inside of the bottom outer layer;

wherein the first sealing gasket is configured to seal around a top side of the one or more magnetic pockets and allow coolant to flow over a top of the one or more magnetics; and

wherein the second sealing gasket is configured to seal around one or more magnetic leads while allowing coolant to flow over the magnetics, around the one or more magnetic leads.

2 . The EMU of claim 1 , wherein the first PCB comprises a DC-DC PCB and the second PCB comprises an on board charger (OBC) PCB.

3 . The EMU of claim 1 , wherein the cold plate comprises one or more magnetic pockets configured to hold the one or more magnetics.

4 . The EMU of claim 1 , wherein the first sealing gasket comprises an O-ring gasket.

5 . The EMU of claim 1 , wherein the second sealing gasket comprises a gasket plate having asymmetrical sealing surfaces on both sides.

6 . The EMU of claim 1 , wherein the second sealing gasket is configured to allow coolant to flow over the one or more magnetics and directly underneath a bottom of field effect transistors (FETs) packaged on an outside of the bottom outer layer.

7 . The EMU of claim 1 , wherein the second sealing gasket is configured to route coolant into and out of the bottom outer layer as the coolant passes through the cold plate.

8 . The EMU of claim 1 , further comprising a magnetics interface of the cold plate, the magnetics interface comprising:

a threaded interface comprising both an electrical connection between the one or more magnetics and the first PCB and a mechanical connection securing the first PCB to the cold plate.

9 . The EMU of claim 8 , further comprising an end cap on top of the one or more magnetics.

10 . The EMU of claim 8 , wherein the threaded interface comprises a compatible material interface with the first PCB.

11 . The EMU of claim 10 , wherein the compatible material interface comprises a combination of electroless nickel immersion gold (ENIG), copper, gold, or nickel.

12 . A cooling apparatus comprising:

one or more magnetic pockets configured to hold one or more magnetics;

a top outer layer and a bottom outer layer, both comprising end lid-manifolds of which power silicon devices are mounted to;

a first sealing gasket inside of the top outer layer, the first sealing gasket configured to seal around a top side of the one or more magnetic pockets and allow coolant to flow over a top of the one or more magnetics; and

a second sealing gasket inside of the bottom outer layer, the second sealing gasket is configured to seal around one or more magnetic leads while allowing coolant to flow over the magnetics, around the one or more magnetic leads.

13 . The cooling apparatus of claim 12 further comprising a magnetics interface comprising:

a threaded interface comprising both an electrical connection between the one or more magnetics and the first PCB and a mechanical connection securing the first PCB to the cold plate.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 28, 2024
From: HIBBARD, MICHAEL; PARLAKYAN, AREG; RANDALL, GARY
To: AUTO MOTIVE POWER INC.
Reel/Frame 068428/0464 →
Continuity (4)
Continuation 18143973 · May 5, 2023
Continuation 17864865 · Jul 14, 2022
Provisional Application 63222802 · Jul 16, 2021
Related Publication 20240365505A1 · Oct 31, 2024
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