Method and system for reducing audible and/or electrical noise from electrically or mechanically excited capacitors

Abstract

Devices and methods are disclosed for reducing vibration and noise from capacitor devices. The device includes a circuit board, and first and second capacitor structures. The second capacitor structure has substantially the same properties as the first and is coupled to the opposite face of a supporting structure substantially opposite of the first capacitor structure. The first and second capacitor structures can receive substantially the same excitation signals, can be electrically connected in parallel or in series. The first and second capacitor structures can be discrete capacitors, capacitor layers, stacks or arrays of multiple capacitor devices, or other capacitor structures. Stacks of multiple capacitor devices can be arranged symmetrically about the supporting structure. Arrays of multiple capacitor devices can be arranged with offsetting capacitors on the opposite face of the supporting structure substantially opposite one another.

We claim: 
     
         1 . An electronic device for reducing audible and/or electrical noise from electrically or mechanically excited capacitors, the electronic device comprising:
 a supporting structure having a top face and a bottom face, the bottom face being opposite the top face;   a first capacitor structure coupled to the top face of the supporting structure;   a second capacitor structure coupled to the bottom face of the supporting structure substantially opposite of the first capacitor structure, the second capacitor structure having substantially similar properties to the first capacitor structure.   
     
     
         2 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the first capacitor structure receives an excitation signal and the second capacitor structure receives substantially the same excitation signal. 
     
     
         3 . The electronic device of  claim 2 , wherein the first capacitor structure is electrically connected in parallel with the second capacitor structure. 
     
     
         4 . The electronic device of  claim 2 , wherein the first capacitor structure is electrically connected in series with the second capacitor structure. 
     
     
         5 . The electronic device of  claim 2 , wherein the first and second capacitor structures are discrete capacitors. 
     
     
         6 . The electronic device of  claim 5 , wherein the first and second capacitor structures are ceramic capacitors. 
     
     
         7 . The electronic device of  claim 2 , wherein the supporting structure is a circuit board. 
     
     
         8 . The electronic device of  claim 7 , wherein the first capacitor structure is mounted on the top face of the circuit board, and the second capacitor structure is mounted on the bottom face of the circuit board substantially opposite of the first capacitor structure. 
     
     
         9 . The electronic device of  claim 2 , wherein the first capacitor structure comprises a first stack of multiple capacitors, and the second capacitor structure comprises a second stack of multiple capacitors. 
     
     
         10 . The electronic device of  claim 9 , wherein the first stack of multiple capacitors and the second stack of multiple capacitors are substantially symmetric with one another about the supporting structure. 
     
     
         11 . The electronic device of  claim 2 , wherein the first capacitor structure comprises a first stack of capacitor layers, and the second capacitor structure comprises a second stack of capacitor layers. 
     
     
         12 . The electronic device of  claim 11 , wherein the first stack of capacitor layers and the second stack of capacitor layers are substantially symmetric with one another about the supporting structure. 
     
     
         13 . The electronic device of  claim 2 , wherein the first capacitor structure comprises a first array of multiple capacitor devices, and the second capacitor structure comprises a second array of multiple capacitor devices. 
     
     
         14 . The electronic device of  claim 13 , wherein for each individual capacitor device of the first capacitor array, the second capacitor array includes a substantially similar capacitor device, the substantially similar capacitor device of the second capacitor array being coupled on the opposite side of the supporting structure substantially opposite from the individual capacitor device of the first capacitor array. 
     
     
         15 . A method for reducing audible and/or electrical noise from electrically or mechanically excited capacitors in an electronic device, the method comprising:
 positioning a first capacitor structure on a top face of a supporting structure;   positioning a second capacitor structure having substantially similar properties as the first capacitor structure on a bottom face of the supporting structure substantially opposite of the position of the first capacitor structure.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 electrically connecting the first and second capacitor structures to receive substantially the same excitation signals.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 electrically connecting the second capacitor structure in parallel with the first capacitor structure.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 electrically connecting the second capacitor structure in series with the first capacitor structure.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the supporting structure is a circuit board, and wherein:
 positioning a first capacitor structure comprises mounting the first capacitor structure on the top face of the circuit board; and   positioning a second capacitor structure comprises mounting the second capacitor structure on the bottom face of the circuit board substantially opposite of the position of the first capacitor structure.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 stacking a first set of multiple capacitor devices to form the first capacitor structure; and   stacking a second set of multiple capacitor devices to form the second capacitor structure.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein stacking the second set of multiple capacitor devices comprises:
 stacking the second set of multiple capacitor devices such that the individual capacitor devices of the second set of multiple capacitor devices and the individual capacitor devices of the first set of multiple capacitor devices are substantially symmetric with one another about the supporting structure.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 arranging a first array of multiple capacitor devices to form the first capacitor structure; and   arranging a second array of multiple capacitor devices to form the second capacitor structure.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein arranging the second array of multiple capacitor devices comprises:
 arranging the second array of multiple capacitor devices such that for each individual capacitor device of the first array of multiple capacitor devices, the second array of multiple capacitor devices includes a substantially similar capacitor device, the substantially similar capacitor device of the second array of multiple capacitor devices being coupled to the opposite side of the supporting structure substantially opposite from the individual capacitor device of the first array of multiple capacitor devices.