Power Converter Unit

• US 20080112201A1
• Filed: 11/13/2007
• Published: 05/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Astemo Ltd. (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: YAHATA, Koichi, Akaishi, Yoshio, Yukutake, Seigo
• Granted Patent: US 7,561,429 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 363/131
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45124 Aluminium (Al) as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45147 Copper (Cu) as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48139 with an intermediate bond, e.g. continuous wire daisy chain
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/49111 the connectors connecting two common bonding areas, e.g. Litz or braid wires
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/49175 Parallel arrangements
• 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 2924/00011 Not relevant to the scope of the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group
• 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 2924/00014 the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• 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 2924/181 Encapsulation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/19107 off-chip wires
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/30107 Inductance
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/3025 Electromagnetic shielding
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/003 Constructional details, e.g. physical layout, assembly, wiring or busbar connections

Abstract

A power converter unit comprises: a metal casing; a power module mounted in the metal casing and equipped with two or more power semiconductor devices; a metal plate disposed on the power module and fixed to the metal casing; a heat dissipating sheet disposed on the metal plate; and a drive circuit board disposed on the heat dissipating sheet and is equipped with a control circuit for controlling the power semiconductor devices.

Claims

1. A power converter unit comprising:

a metal casing;

a power module mounted in said metal casing and equipped with a plurality of power semiconductor devices;

a metal plate mounted on said power module and fixed to said metal casing;

a heat dissipating sheet disposed on said metal plate; and

a drive circuit board which controls said power semiconductor devices and is disposed on said heat dissipating sheet.

2. A power converter unit according to claim 1, wherein an insulating sheet is provided between said metal plate and said heat dissipating sheet.

3. A power converter unit according to claim 2, wherein said heat dissipating sheet is divided into two or more sheets and provided on said insulating sheet.

4. A power converter unit according to claim 3, wherein said heat dissipating sheet is disposed on one side face of the drive circuit board opposite to the other side face of the drive circuit board on which the electronic parts are mounted.

5. A power converter unit according to claim 3,

wherein electronic parts are mounted on a surface of said drive circuit board which is in contact with said heat dissipating sheet;

and

wherein electronic parts are disposed between said divided two or more heat dissipating sheets.

6. A power converter unit according to claim 2, wherein said heat dissipating sheet is meshed.

7. A power converter unit according to claim 5, wherein said metal plate is fixed to said metal casing with screws.

8. A power converter unit according to claim 2, wherein said metal plate and said insulating sheet have a positioning hole for defining a positional relationship relative to said power module.

9. A power converter unit according to claim 1, wherein said metal casing, which is disposed between said metal plate and said power module has a coolant path therein.

10. A power converter unit according to claim 1, further comprising a capacitor,

wherein said capacitor is electrically connected to said power module through a bus-bar;

and

wherein said metal plate is bent and part of it is positioned between said bus-bar and said drive circuit board.

11. A power converter unit comprising:

a power module including two or more power semiconductor devices for converting a direct current supplied from a battery to a three-phase alternating current;

a capacitor module including two or more capacitors for smoothing said direct current;

a metal plate mounted on said power module;

a heat dissipating sheet disposed on said metal plate; and

a drive circuit board which is disposed on said heat dissipating sheet and includes a circuit for supplying a control signal to said two or more power semiconductor devices.

12. A power converter unit according to claim 11, wherein an insulating sheet is provided between said metal plate and said heat dissipating sheet.

13. A power converter unit according to claim 11, wherein said power module is mounted in a metal casing and said metal plate is fixed to said metal casing.

14. A power converter unit according to claim 11,

wherein said power module has a plus side connection terminal and a minus side connection terminal for connection to said capacitor module;

and

wherein said plus side connection terminal and said minus side connection terminal are superimposed with isolation parts therebetween.

15. A power converter unit according to claim 14, wherein said plus side connection terminal and said minus side connection terminal are bent at their end portions for connection to said capacitor module in directions opposite to each other.

16. A power converter unit according to claim 14, wherein said power module includes a rein casing made of resin;

and

wherein at least part of said plus side connection terminal and at least part of said minus side connection terminal are fixed inside said resin casing.

17. A power converter unit according to claim 16, wherein said plus side connection terminal is constituted by a plurality of plus side connection terminals s and said minus side connection terminal is constituted by a plurality of minus side connection terminals, the plus side connection terminals and the minus side terminals being arranged in a row along one side of said resin casing.

18. A power converter unit according to claim 16,

wherein said power module has AC connection terminals for outputting said three-phase alternating current;

wherein said AC connection terminals are arranged in a row along a side opposing the side of said resin casing along which said plus side connection terminals and said minus side connection terminals are arranged.

19. A power converter unit according to claim 11,

wherein said power semiconductor devices are disposed on one face of an insulating substrate;

and

wherein metal patterns are formed on both the surfaces of said insulating substrate.

20. A power converter unit according to claim 19, wherein said isolated substrate is made of silicon nitride (SiN).