Product category:
DC/DC Convertors
News Release from: TDK Electronics Europe | Subject: Pico Brick iPB series
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 10 February 2004
Tiny SM convertor puts regulated DC on
the spot
The Pico Brick iPB series delivers 10A of tightly regulated power from a tiny 29.3 x 30.5mm surface-mount footprint.
The Pico Brick iPB series delivers 10A of tightly regulated power from a tiny 29.3 x 30.5mm surface-mount footprint The Pico Brick is designed to be the perfect solution for "spot power" requirements, where cost and board area are critical, but isolation is preferred or required
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 8 Nov 2004 at 8.00am (UK)
Related stories
Component library is free to design customers
TDK and Ansoft Corporation have announced the release of a new library for TDK's capacitor, inductor, common mode filter, and ferrite bead components for use in Ansoft Designer.
Wire-wound inductors go lead-free
The NLV32 and NLCV32 SMD are lead-free wire-wound inductors for signal lines.
The Pico Brick fits the most size-constrained applications including optical fibre equipment, WiFi basestations, and power over Ethernet applications.
The product combines a compact square footprint with easy SMT assembly and a low-profile 8.8mm height.
Solutions currently using a quarter brick at 10A consume 2.4 times the board area of a Pico Brick.
Further reading
Multilayer chip varistor protects portable devices
TDK has begun volume production of the industry's first 0201 type multilayer chip varistor.
Tiny claims for SMD inductors
The VLF series is billed as the smallest SMD power inductors available today.
Even the new eighth-brick form factor is 1.5 times larger than the iPB.
The Pico Brick offers the improved load protection and noise control associated with an isolated solution in a space approaching that of a nonisolated convertor.
"Pico Brick brings power density previously only seen in 100W convertors down to the 35W level", said Victor Lee, CEO of TDK Innoveta.
"Customers with tightly spaced cards can place five Pico Bricks in the space of two quarter bricks.
With its dramatically smaller size and cost effective design, Pico Brick offers an excellent alternative to eighth brick products on the market today".
The Pico Brick also boasts impressive thermal performance, despite its size.
At 70C, in natural convection airflow (no forced air), the iPB delivers full rated power.
With forced air, full load can be achieved at 85C.
Under these real customer environments, many eighth brick convertors are derated at or below 10A, even with their much larger size.
This means there is no need to derate power in high-temperature environments.
While the Pico Brick's revolutionary size required a new form factor to be developed, it has been designed for industry standardisation.
The SMT power pins are placed in the same locations as industry standard 10-20W products, making it compatible with TDK's iMB Micro Brick series.
In addition, its miniature size allows for easy multiple footprints with eighth brick or quarter brick products.
As a member of the Belleta product family, the Pico Brick is derived from a proven core product line featuring robust circuit design.
Carefully selected integration and patented circuits enable high performance with remarkably low parts count.
With fewer parts, MTBF and overall reliability is increased.
The iPB series accepts a wide range 36-75V input, converting to output voltages between 1.5 and 5V.
Standard offerings currently include 1.5, 1.8, 2.5, 3.3 and 5V, with output power reaching 35W.
All products feature 1500V basic isolation.
The iPB Series includes on/off control, remote sense, and output trim.
The iPB employs autorecovery circuitry to fully protect against input undervoltage, overcurrent, overtemperature and output overvoltage.
Belleta is tested to EN60950 for basic insulation.
• TDK Electronics Europe: contact details and other news
• Email this article to a colleague
• Register for the free Electronicstalk email newsletter
• Electronicstalk Home Page
Search the Pro-Talk network of sites
