Power Module, Power Converter Device, and Electrically Powered Vehicle

• US 20110299265A1
• Filed: 10/30/2009
• Published: 12/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Astemo Ltd. (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Nakatsu, Kinya, Satoh, Toshiya, Hozoji, Hiroshi, Tokuyama, Takeshi, Takagi, Yusuke, Oyama, Taku, Ninomiya, Takanori
• Granted Patent: US 8,946,567 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/820
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/40 DC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/51 characterised by AC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/64 Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/4882 Assembly of heatsink parts
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/36 Selection of materials, or shaping, to facilitate cooling or heating, e.g. heatsinks H01L23/28, H01L23/40, H01L23/42, H01L23/44, H01L23/46 take precedence; heating H01L23/345
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/473 by flowing liquids H01L23/4332, H01L23/4338 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/33 of a plurality of layer connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/072 the devices being arranged next to each other
• 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 2924/12042 LASER
• 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 2924/1306 Field-effect transistor [FET]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/13091 Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor [MOSFET]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/181 Encapsulation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/351 Thermal stress
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/327 against abnormal temperatures
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/003 : Constructional details, e.g. physical layout, assembly, wiring or busbar connections
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/44 : by static converters
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/5395 : by pulse-width modulation
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 27/08 : with pulse width modulation
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20409 : Outer radiating structures on heat dissipating housings, e.g. fins integrated with the housing
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/205 : Heat-dissipating body thermally connected to heat generating element via thermal paths through printed circuit board [PCB] details of PCBs relating to heat transfer H05K1/0201
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/209 : Heat transfer by conduction from internal heat source to heat radiating structure H05K7/20909 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20927 : Liquid coolant without phase change
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors

Abstract

A power module and a power converter device including the power module include: two base plates with their main surfaces facing each other; a semiconductor circuit unit disposed between the two base plates; a connecting member that is connected to the two base plates and forms a housing region in which the semiconductor circuit unit is housed; and an insulating member that is placed between the base plate and the semiconductor circuit unit and secures electrical insulation of the base plate and the semiconductor circuit unit. A rigidity or thickness of the connecting member is less than a rigidity or thickness of the base plate.

Claims

1-18. -18. (canceled)

19. A power module for a converter device that converts between DC power and AC power, comprising:

an electrode module having a semiconductor chip for converting direct current to alternating current, and a electrical wiring board for transferring said direct current to said semiconductor chip; and

a case for holding said electrode module;

wherein said case comprises first and second heat dissipating bases, a first external portion surrounding a perimeter of said first heat dissipating base, and a second external portion surrounding a perimeter of said second heat dissipating base;

said first external portion is thinner than said first heat dissipating base; and

said case has a first recessed portion, wherein said first heat dissipating base forms a bottom surface of said first recessed portion and said first external portion forms at least one side surface of said first recessed portion.

20. The power module according to claim 19, wherein:

said electrical wiring board comprises first and second electrical wiring board components; and

said semiconductor chip is disposed in between said first electrical wiring board component and said second electrical wiring board component.

21. The power module according to claim 19, wherein said electrode module is disposed between said first heat dissipating base and said second heat dissipating base.

22. The power module according to claim 19, wherein:

said second external portion is thinner than said second heat dissipating base;

said case has a second recessed portion; and

said second heat dissipating base forms a bottom surface of said second recessed portion and said second external portion forms at least one side surface of said second recessed portion.

23. The power module according to claim 19, wherein said electrode module is disposed in said case so that said electrode module is in contact with said first heat dissipating base and said second heat dissipating base.

24. The power module according to claim 19, wherein said first external portion is formed integrally with said first heat dissipating base.

25. The power module according to claim 22, wherein:

said first external portion is formed integrally with said first heat dissipating base; and

said second external portion is formed integrally with said second heat dissipating base.

26. The power module according to claim 19, wherein said case has fins formed on an outer side surface of said first heat dissipating base and on an outer surface of said second heat dissipating base.

27. The power module according to claim 19, wherein:

said electrode module has a resin material contacting said semiconductor chip, said electrical wiring board, and an adhesive insulation layer;

a part of said electrical wiring board is exposed through a part of said resin material; and

said adhesive insulation layer is disposed on said part of said electrical wiring board.

28. The power module according to claim 27, wherein said adhesive insulation layer comprises a insulation sheet made from a mixture of an epoxy resin and a thermally conductive filler.

29. A power converter device including a power module according to claim 26, further comprising a cooling jacket having a flow channel for carrying a cooling medium;

wherein;

said case is fixed to said cooling jacket so that said first and second heat dissipating bases are disposed in said flow channel; and

said fins protrude from said first and second recessed portions.

30. A method for constructing a power module comprising:

inserting an electrode module into a case; and

applying pressure from outside said case so that a first external portion of a first heat dissipating base of said case is deformed;

wherein,

said electrode module has a semiconductor chip for converting direct current to alternating current, and a electrical wiring board for transferring said direct current to said semiconductor chip; and

said case comprises said first heat dissipating base, and a second heat dissipating base, and said first external portion surrounding a perimeter of said first heat dissipating base, and a second external portion surrounding a perimeter of said second heat dissipating base; and

said first external portion is thinner than said first heat dissipating base.

31. The method for constructing a power module according to claim 30, further comprising:

applying pressure from outside said case so that said first and second external portions are deformed;

wherein said second external portion is thinner than said second heat dissipating base.

32. The method for constructing a power module according to claim 30, wherein:

said case has a first recessed portion;

said first heat dissipating base forms a bottom surface of said recessed portion; and

said first external portion forms at least one side surface of said first recessed portion.

33. The method for constructing a power module according to claim 30, wherein said case has fins formed on an outer side surface of said first heat dissipating base and on an outer surface of said second heat dissipating base.

34. The method for constructing a power module according to claim 30, further comprising:

applying pressure from outside said case so that said electrode module is held by said first heat dissipating base and said second heat dissipating base.

35. The method for constructing a power module according to claim 30, further comprising applying heat from outside said case so as to harden an adhesive insulation layer;

wherein;

said electrode module has a resin material that contacts said semiconductor chip, said electrical wiring board, and an adhesive insulation layer;

a part of said electrical wiring board is exposed through a part of said resin material; and

said adhesive insulation layer is disposed on said part of said electrical wiring board.