Flexible inverter power module for motor drives

• US 20040227476A1
• Filed: 12/16/2003
• Published: 11/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Rectifier Corporation (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Original Assignee: International Rectifier Corporation (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Inventors: Keskar, Neeraj, Guerra, Alberto
• Application Number:
  US10/738,005
• Publication Number:
  US 20040227476A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 318/254
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/32225 the item being non-metallic, e.g. insulating substrate with or without metallisation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48227 connecting the wire to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/73265 Layer and wire connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/3121 a substrate forming part of the encapsulation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/73 Means for bonding being of different types provided for in two or more of groups H01L24/10, H01L24/18, H01L24/26, H01L24/34, H01L24/42, H01L24/50, H01L24/63, H01L24/71
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00012 Relevant to the scope of the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/1305 Bipolar Junction Transistor [BJT]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/13055 Insulated gate bipolar transistor [IGBT]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/13091 Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor [MOSFET]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/14 Integrated circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/19105 in a side-by-side arrangement on a common die mounting substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/30107 Inductance
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/3011 Impedance
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/3025 Electromagnetic shielding
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0009 Devices or circuits for detecting current in a converter
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/32 Means for protecting converters other than automatic disconnection
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/53875 with analogue control of three-phase output
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 27/08 with pulse width modulation

Abstract

An inverter power module for driving an electric motor comprising a plurality of motor drive power switches having at least one output for driving the motor, a driver integrated circuit for driving the plurality of motor drive power switches, the plurality of switches comprising at least two power switches arranged in a half bridge configuration adapted to be connected between rails of a supply bus, with a common connection between the switches serving as an output for driving the motor, the switches comprising a high side switch and a low side switch, the low side switch being connected to an external terminal of the module adapted to be connected through a sensing element to the lower potential supply bus rail, whereby a motor current can be monitored at the external connection.

Claims

1. An inverter power module for driving an electric motor comprising:

a plurality of motor drive power switches having at least one output for driving the motor;

a driver integrated circuit for driving the plurality of motor drive power switches;

the plurality of switches comprising at least two power switches arranged in a half bridge configuration adapted to be connected between rails of a supply bus, with a common connection between the switches serving as an output for driving the motor, the switches comprising a high side switch and a low side switch, the low side switch being connected to an external terminal of the module adapted to be connected through a sensing element to a lower potential supply bus rail, whereby a motor current can be monitored at the external connection.

2. The power module of claim 1, wherein the plurality of switches comprise three pair of switches each arranged in a half bridge and adapted to be connected between the supply bus rails and each pair having a common connection serving as a respective motor drive output for driving a respective phase of the motor, and wherein each low side switch is connected to an external terminal of the module and adapted to be connected to a sensing element.

3. The power module of claim 2, wherein the sensing element comprises an external shunt resistor or current transformer for monitoring the motor current in a respective motor phase.

4. The power module of claim 2, wherein the switches are IGBTs.

5. The power module of claim 4, wherein the IGBTs are non punch through IGBTs.

6. The power module of claim 1, further comprising at least one bootstrap diode integral to the module coupled to the driver integrated circuit and being coupled to an external terminal for coupling to a bootstrap capacitor.

7. The power module of claim 1, wherein the switches and driver IC are mounted on an insulated metal substrate (IMS).

8. The power module of claim 7, wherein the IMS forms a ground plane coupled to the external terminal of the low side switch.

9. The power module of claim 8, wherein the IMS functions as a shield for EMI.

10. The power module of claim 9, wherein the IMS is direct current insulated from a heat sink for the power module.

11. The power module of claim 1, further comprising an overcurrent/overtemperature detection circuit for detecting if the module has exceeded a preset temperature and if the current to the motor has exceeded a present current, and a trip terminal of the module connected to said driver IC for turning the switches off if either the temperature or current has exceeded the preset levels.

12. The power module of claim 11, wherein the trip terminal connected to the driver IC functions both to receive an overcurrent signal and to provide an overtemperature signal to an external monitoring circuit.

13. The power module of claim 11, wherein the trip terminal also functions to detect an overvoltage condition.

14. The power module of claim 11, wherein the overcurrent/overtemperature detection circuit comprises a temperature sensitive component.

15. The power module of claim 13, wherein the temperature sensitive component comprises a thermistor.

16. The power module of claim 6, wherein the at least one bootstrap diode is integral to the module.

17. An inverter power module for driving an electric motor comprising:

a plurality of motor drive power switches having at least one output for driving the motor;

a driver integrated circuit for driving the plurality of motor drive power switches;

the plurality of switches comprising at least two power switches arranged in a half bridge configuration adapted to be connected between rails of a supply bus, with a common connection between the switches serving as an output for driving the motor, the switches comprising a high side switch and a low side switch, further comprising at least one bootstrap diode integrated in the module and having one diode terminal connected to an external terminal of the module, the external terminal being adapted to be connected to a bootstrap capacitor.

18. the power module of claim 17, wherein the low side switch is connected to an external terminal of the module adapted to be connected through a sensing element to a lower potential supply bus rail, whereby a motor current can be monitored at the external connection.

19. The power module of claim 17, wherein the plurality of switches comprises three pair of switches each arranged in a half bridge and adapted to be connected between the supply bus rails and each pair having a common connection serving as a respective motor drive output for driving a respective phase of the motor, and wherein each low side switch is connected to an external terminal of the module and adapted to be connected to a sensing element.

20. The power module of claim 19, wherein the sensing element comprises an external shunt resistor or current transformer for monitoring the motor current in a respective motor phase.

21. The power module of claim 19, wherein the switches are IGBTs.

22. The power module of claim 21, wherein the IGBTs are non punch through IGBTs.

23. The power module of claim 17, further comprising a plurality of integral bootstrap diodes coupled to the driver integrated circuit and being coupled to external terminals for coupling to bootstrap capacitors.

24. The power module of claim 17, wherein the switches and driver IC are mounted on an insulated metal substrate (IMS).

25. The power module of claim 24, wherein the IMS forms a ground plane coupled to the external terminal of the low side switch.

26. The power module of claim 24, wherein the IMS functions as a shield for EM1.

27. The power module of claim 26, wherein the IMS is direct current insulated from a heat sink for the power module.

28. The power module of claim 17, further comprising an overcurrent/overtemperature detection circuit for detecting if the module has exceeded a preset temperature and if the current to the motor has exceeded a present current, and a trip terminal of the module connected to said driver IC for turning the switches off if either the temperature or current has exceeded the preset levels.

29. The power module of claim 28, wherein the trip terminal connected to the driver IC functions both to receive an overcurrent signal and to provide an overtemperature signal to an external monitoring circuit.

30. The power module of claim 28, wherein the overcurrent/overtemperature detection circuit comprises a temperature sensitive component.

31. The power module of claim 30, wherein the temperature sensitive component comprises a thermistor.

32. An inverter power module for driving an electric motor comprising:

a plurality of motor drive power switches having at least one output for driving the motor;

a driver integrated circuit for driving the plurality of motor drive power switches;

the plurality of switches comprising at least two power switches arranged in a half bridge configuration adapted to be connected between rails of a supply bus, with a common connection between the switches serving as an output for driving the motor, the switches comprising a high side switch and a low side switch;

further comprising an overcurrent/overtemperature detection circuit for detecting if the module has exceeded a preset temperature and if the current to the motor has exceeded a present current, and a trip terminal of the module connected to said driver IC for shutting down the module if either the temperature or current has exceeded the preset levels.

33. The power module of claim 32, wherein the low side switch connected to an external terminal of the module adapted to be connected through a sensing element to a lower potential supply bus rail, whereby a motor current can be monitored at the external connection.

34. The power module of claim 32, wherein the plurality of switches comprises three pair of switches each arranged in a half bridge and adapted to be connected between the supply bus rails and each pair having a common connection serving as a respective motor drive output for driving a respective phase of the motor, and wherein each low side switch is connected to an external terminal of the module and adapted to be connected to a sensing element.

35. The power module of claim 32, wherein the sensing element comprises an external shunt resistor or current transformer for monitoring the motor current in a respective motor phase.

36. The power module of claim 32, wherein the switches are IGBTs.

37. The power module of claim 36, wherein the IGBTs are non punch through IGBTs.

38. The power module of claim 32, further comprising at least one bootstrap diode integral to the module coupled to the driver integrated circuit and being coupled to an external terminal for coupling to a bootstrap capacitor.

39. The power module of claim 32, wherein the switches and driver IC are mounted on an insulated metal substrate (IMS).

40. The power module of claim 39, wherein the IMS forms a ground plane coupled to the external terminal of the low side switch.

41. The power module of claim 39, wherein the IMS functions as a shield for EM1.

42. The power module of claim 41, wherein the IMS is direct current insulated from a heat sink for the power module.

43. The power module of claim 32, wherein the trip terminal connected to the driver IC functions both to receive an overcurrent signal and to provide an overtemperature signal to an external monitoring circuit.

44. The power module of claim 32, wherein the overcurrent/overtemperature detection circuit comprises a temperature sensitive component.

45. The power module of claim 44, wherein the temperature sensitive component comprises a thermistor.

46. The power module of claim 32, wherein the trip terminal also functions to detect an overvoltage condition.