CAPACITOR WITH DIRECT DC CONNECTION TO SUBSTRATE

• US 20090009980A1
• Filed: 07/06/2007
• Published: 01/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Smith, Gregory S., Ward, Terence G., Nelson, David F., John, George, Nagashima, James M., Yankoski, Edward P.
• Granted Patent: US 8,400,775 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/807
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/003 Constructional details, e.g. physical layout, assembly, wiring or busbar connections

Abstract

A subcomponent is provided for a power inverter module. The apparatus comprises a capacitor having a terminal and integrated into a housing. A substrate is mounted on the housing. The substrate incorporates a power semiconductor switch and has at least one direct current (DC) tab. The direct current tab is directly connected to the terminal of the capacitor.

Claims

1. A subcomponent for a power inverter module, comprising:

a housing;

a capacitor having a terminal and integrated into the housing;

a substrate mounted on the housing;

a power semiconductor switch incorporated into the substrate; and

at least one direct current (DC) tab coupled to the power semiconductor switch, wherein the at least one direct current (DC) tab is directly connected to the terminal of the capacitor.

2. The subcomponent for a power inverter module of claim 1, wherein the at least one direct current (DC) tab is connected to an input terminal of the power semiconductor switch.

3. The subcomponent for a power inverter module of claim 1, wherein the capacitor housing is mounted to a chassis for structural support.

4. The subcomponent for a power inverter module of claim 1, further including a DC bus bar coupled to an input terminal of the capacitor and integrated into the capacitor housing to provide electrical connectivity to a DC power source.

5. The subcomponent for a power inverter module of claim 1, wherein the capacitor is circularly disposed about an axis.

6. The subcomponent for a power inverter module of claim 1, further including an alternating current (AC) terminal coupled to an output terminal of the power semiconductor switch and integrated into the capacitor housing to provide electrical connectivity to a load.

7. The subcomponent for a power inverter module of claim 1, wherein the direct current tab comprises a bus to transfer electricity from the capacitor to the substrate.

8. A power inverter module component, comprising:

a housing;

a capacitor integrated into the housing and having an output terminal;

a substrate disposed over the housing;

a semiconductor switch device integrated into the substrate and disposed over the housing; and

an input tab structure integrated into the substrate and semiconductor switch device, and directly coupled to the output terminal of the capacitor.

9. The power inverter module component of claim 8, wherein the output terminal is disposed over a top surface of the housing.

10. The power inverter module component of claim 9, wherein the input tab structure is connected to a bottom surface of the substrate in electrical communication with the semiconductor switch device.

11. The power inverter module component of claim 8, wherein the capacitor is a circular capacitor.

12. The power inverter module component of claim 11, wherein the substrate is angularly disposed about a top portion of the circular capacitor.

13. The power inverter module component of claim 8, wherein the semiconductor switch device is connected to a controller.

14. An apparatus for a power inverter module, comprising:

a capacitor configurable to integrate into a housing, the capacitor having a plurality of output terminal leads corresponding to each of a plurality of direct current (D/C) connections;

a plurality of semiconductor switch devices disposed over a plurality of substrates and mounted over the housing, each of the plurality of semiconductor switch devices coupled to a plurality of input terminals extending from the plurality of substrates, wherein each of the plurality of input terminals are directly coupled to each of the plurality of output terminal leads.

15. The capacitor and switch apparatus of claim 14, wherein each of the plurality of semiconductor switch devices includes an associated transistor and a diode.

16. The capacitor and switch apparatus of claim 15, wherein the transistor further includes an insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT).

17. The capacitor and switch apparatus of claim 15, wherein the transistor is integrated into a semiconductor die.

18. The capacitor and switch apparatus of claim 14, wherein each of the plurality of semiconductor switch devices correspond to each of a plurality of AC output phases.

19. The capacitor and switch apparatus of claim 14, further including a bus terminal extending from the housing and coupled to an input terminal of the capacitor for providing electrical connectivity to a power source.

20. The capacitor and switch apparatus of claim 14, wherein the plurality of substrates are comprised of a ceramic layer disposed between a first and second copper layer.