POWER MODULE PACKAGE FOR HIGH FREQUENCY SWITCHING SYSTEM

• US 20040246662A1
• Filed: 06/06/2003
• Published: 12/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electronic Theatre Controls Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Electronic Theatre Controls Incorporated
• Inventors: Brunker, Bradley J., Suomi, Eric W., Thurk, John P.
• Granted Patent: US 6,849,943 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/631
• 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 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/44 Circuits or arrangements for compensating for electromagnetic interference in converters or inverters
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/003 Constructional details, e.g. physical layout, assembly, wiring or busbar connections
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 39/00 Circuit arrangements or apparatus for operating incandescent light sources structurally associated with the incandescent lamps H01K1/62
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 39/044 continuously H05B39/042 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0306 Inorganic insulating substrates, e.g. ceramic, glass
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/144 Stacked arrangements of planar printed circuit boards
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10166 Transistor
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/0061 onto a metallic substrate, e.g. a heat sink heat sinks for electric apparatus H05K7/20
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/222 Completing of printed circuits by adding non-printed jumper connections printed jumper connections H05K3/4685
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/00 Energy efficient lighting technologies, e.g. halogen lamps or gas discharge lamps

Abstract

A heat sink with fins has a flat, planar surface soldered to a metallic layer at one surface of a flat, planar ceramic layer. The opposite surface of the ceramic layer has a metallic pattern including base areas for high power, high frequency load switching MOSFETs. Lead frames are soldered between the lead frame base areas and base contact areas of the MOSFET packages. Thermal conduction between the MOSFETs and the heat sink dissipates the heat from switching losses. A gate drive circuit board for the load switching system is supported spaced from the and is separated from the MOSFETs by a thermally blocking air gap, with the component side of the gate drive circuit board facing away from the MOSFETs. Spade terminals of the lead frames extend through openings in the gate drive circuit board to route high power signals independently of the gate driver circuit board.

Claims

1. A power module package for a solid state switching system, said power module package comprising:

a heat sink having a flat, planar surface;

a ceramic card assembly having a flat planar electrically insulating and thermally conductive ceramic layer with opposed first and second faces;

a metallic layer bonded onto said first face of said ceramic layer, said metallic layer being bonded to said flat, planar heat sink surface;

a metallic pattern bonded onto said second face of said ceramic layer;

a plurality of high power solid state switch units, each having a flat, planar base contact;

said metallic pattern including a base area for each of said switch units;

a plurality of lead frames, one for each of said switch units, each said lead frame including a pad portion having opposed first and second surfaces and including a terminal portion;

said first surfaces of said pad portions being bonded to said base areas of said metallic pattern and said second surfaces of said pad portions being bonded to said base portions of said switch units.

2. A power module package as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a gate driver circuit board including circuitry for providing driving signals to said switch units, said gate driver circuit board being mounted adjacent to said ceramic card assembly and defining a thermal blocking air gap between said switch units and said gate driver circuit board, said switch units being located between said gate driver circuit board and said ceramic card assembly.

3. A power module package as claimed in claim 2, said gate driver circuit board having active components on one side of said board, said gate driver circuit board being mounted with said one side facing away from said switch units.

4. A power module package as claimed in claim 2, an opening extending through said gate driver circuit board, one of said lead frame terminal portions extending through said opening and beyond said gate driver circuit board.

5. A power module package as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a circuit board support engaging said gate driver circuit board and holding said gate driver circuit board parallel to said ceramic card assembly.

6. A power module package as claimed in claim 5, said heat sink including an edge wall structure extending beyond said flat, planar surface of said heat sink, said edge wall structure including said circuit board support.

7. A power module package as claimed in claim 1, said metallic layer being soldered to said flat, planar heat sink surface, said first surfaces of said pad portions being soldered to said base areas of said metallic pattern, and said second surfaces of said pad portions being soldered to said base portions of said switch units.

8. A power module package as claimed in claim 7, said metallic pattern including a terminal connection region, a pin terminal connector soldered to said terminal connection region, said pin terminal connector including a plurality of terminal pins extending away from said ceramic card assembly beyond said switch units, and a gate driver circuit board soldered to said pins.

9. A power module package as claimed in claim 8, an opening extending through said gate driver circuit board, one of said lead frame terminal portions extending through said opening and beyond said gate driver circuit board.

10. A power module package as claimed in claim 8, further comprising a circuit board support engaging said gate driver circuit board and holding said gate driver circuit board adjacent to said ceramic card assembly with said switch units located between said gate driver circuit board and said ceramic card assembly.

11. A power module package as claimed in claim 10, said heat sink including an edge wall structure extending beyond said flat, planar surface of said heat sink, said edge wall structure including said circuit board support.

12. A power module package as claimed in claim 7, said metallic pattern including a plurality of pad connection regions, a plurality of contact pads soldered to said pad connection regions, said switch units including terminal legs soldered to a first group of said contact pads, and a bridge connector soldered between a second group of said contact pads.

13. A power module package as claimed in claim 1, said heat sink including an aluminum body, the only electrical connection to said body being said soldering of said metallic layer to said flat, planar heat sink surface.

14. A power module package for a high power, high frequency electrical lamp dimmer system, said power module package comprising:

an elongated metal heat sink having fins on a first side and a flat, planar surface on an opposed second side;

a pair of longitudinal walls flanking said flat planar surface and extending away from said flat planar surface at said second side of said heat sink;

a ceramic card assembly having a flat planar electrically insulating and thermally conductive ceramic layer with opposed first and second faces, a metallic layer bonded onto said first face of said ceramic layer, and a metallic pattern bonded onto said second face of said ceramic layer;

said metallic layer of said ceramic card assembly being soldered to said flat, planar heat sink surface between said longitudinal walls of said heat sink;

said metallic patterns of said ceramic card assemblies including a pair of switch unit base areas;

a plurality of lead frames each including a pad portion having opposed first and second surfaces;

a plurality of high power solid state switch units, each having a flat, planar base contact;

said base contacts of said switch units being soldered to said first surfaces of said pad portions of said lead frames;

said second surfaces of said pad portions of said lead frames being soldered to said switch unit base areas of said metallic pattern;

a gate driver circuit board supported by said longitudinal walls of said heat sink at said second side of said heat sink overlying and spaced away from said switch units and defining a thermal blocking air gap between said gate driver circuit board and said switch units; and

electrical connections extending between said gate driver circuit board and said metallic pattern.

15. A power module package as claimed in claim 14, said lead frames including spade terminals extending away from said ceramic card assembly, said gate driver circuit board including openings, and said spade terminals extending through said openings.

16. A power module package as claimed in claim 15, said electrical connections including pin terminals soldered to said metallic pattern.