POWER INVERTERS

• US 20110170259A1
• Filed: 10/09/2008
• Published: 07/14/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2008
• 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: MILLER, DAVID H., KORICH, MARK D., SMITH, GREGORY S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,059,404 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/689
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/003 Constructional details, e.g. physical layout, assembly, wiring or busbar connections
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20927 Liquid coolant without phase change

Abstract

Power inverters include a frame and a power module. The frame has a sidewall including an opening and defining a fluid passageway. The power module is coupled to the frame over the opening and includes a substrate, die, and an encasement. The substrate includes a first side, a second side, a center, an outer periphery, and an outer edge, and the first side of the substrate comprises a first outer layer including a metal material. The die are positioned in the substrate center and are coupled to the substrate first side. The encasement is molded over the outer periphery on the substrate first side, the substrate second side, and the substrate outer edge and around the die. The encasement, coupled to the substrate, forms a seal with the metal material. The second side of the substrate is positioned to directly contact a fluid flowing through the fluid passageway.

Claims

1. A power inverter comprising:

a frame having a first sidewall including a first opening, the first sidewall defining at least a portion of a fluid passageway; and

a first power module coupled to the frame over the first opening, the first power module including;

a substrate including a first side, a second side, a center section, an outer peripheral section, and an outer edge, the first side of the substrate comprising a first outer layer including a first metal material,

a plurality of die positioned in the center section of the substrate and coupled to the first side of the substrate, and

an encasement molded over the outer peripheral section of the substrate on the first side of the substrate, the second side of the substrate, and the outer edge of the substrate and around the plurality of die, the encasement coupled to the substrate to form a seal with the first metal material,

wherein the second side of the substrate is positioned to directly contact a fluid flowing through the fluid passageway.

2. The power inverter of claim 1, wherein:

the first metal material comprises copper.

3. The power inverter of claim 1, wherein:

the second side comprises a second outer layer including a second metal material;

the substrate further comprises an inner layer disposed between the first outer layer and the second outer layer and including a ceramic material; and

the encasement forms a seal with the second metal material.

4. The power inverter of claim 3, wherein:

the first and the second metal materials comprise copper.

5. The power inverter of claim 3, wherein:

the inner layer comprises silicon.

6. The power inverter of claim 1, wherein:

the seal is a hermetic seal.

7. The power inverter of claim 1, wherein:

the encasement comprises a plastic material.

8. The power inverter of claim 1, wherein:

the encasement comprises a liquid crystal polymer.

9. The power inverter of claim 1, wherein:

the frame further includes a second sidewall, a first end wall, and a second end wall, the first sidewall and the second sidewall extend between the first end wall and the second end wall to further define the fluid passageway, the first end wall includes an inlet opening and an adjacent outlet opening, and the inlet opening and the outlet opening are in flow communication with the fluid passageway.

10. The power inverter of claim 1, wherein:

the frame further includes a second sidewall, a first end wall, and a second end wall, the first sidewall and the second sidewall extend between the first end wall and the second end wall to further define the fluid passageway, and the second sidewall includes a second opening in flow communication with the fluid passageway.

11. The power inverter of claim 10, further comprising:

a second power module coupled to the second sidewall and disposed over the second opening of the second sidewall.

12. The power inverter of claim 1, further comprising:

a capacitor assembly disposed in the frame.

13. The power inverter of claim 10, wherein:

the frame further includes an interior box disposed therein and spaced apart from the first sidewall to define another portion of the fluid passageway.

14. A power inverter comprising:

a frame having a first sidewall, a second sidewall, a first end wall, and a second end wall, the first sidewall and the second sidewall extending between the first end wall and the second end wall to define a portion of a fluid passageway, the first sidewall including a first opening, the second sidewall including a second opening, and the first opening and the second opening are in flow communication with the fluid passageway; and

a first power module coupled to the frame over the first opening, the first power module including;

a substrate having a first side, a second side, a center section, an outer peripheral section, and an outer edge, the first side of the substrate comprising a first outer layer including a first metal material,

a plurality of die positioned in the center section of the substrate and coupled to the first side of the substrate, and

an encasement molded over the outer peripheral section of the substrate on the first side of the substrate, the second side of the substrate, and the outer edge of the substrate and around the plurality of die, the encasement coupled to the substrate to form a seal with the first metal material,

wherein the second side of the substrate is positioned to directly contact a fluid flowing through the fluid passageway.

15. The power inverter of claim 14, further comprising:

a second power module coupled to the second sidewall and disposed over the second opening of the second sidewall.

16. The power inverter of claim 14, wherein:

the second side comprises a second outer layer including a second metal material,

the substrate further comprises an inner layer disposed between the first outer layer and the second outer layer and including a ceramic material,

the encasement forms a seal with the second metal material, and

the first and the second metal materials comprise copper.

17. The power inverter of claim 16, wherein:

the inner layer comprises silicon.

18. The power inverter of claim 14, wherein:

the seal is a hermetic seal.

19. The power inverter of claim 14, wherein:

the encasement comprises a plastic material.

20. The power inverter of claim 14, wherein:

the encasement comprises a liquid crystal polymer.