ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT AND ROTATING ELECTRIC MACHINE

• US 20140225482A1
• Filed: 02/07/2014
• Published: 08/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: HARA, Yoshimichi, YAMAMOTO, Toshihisa, YAMANAKA, Takahiro
• Granted Patent: US 9,392,732 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 310/68.D
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48247 connecting the wire to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/49171 Fan-out 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 2924/00012 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 2924/13091 Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor [MOSFET]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/181 Encapsulation
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 11/33 Drive circuits, e.g. power electronics H02K11/38 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 5/22 Auxiliary parts of casings not covered by groups H02K5/06-H02K5/20, e.g. shaped to form connection boxes or terminal boxes
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 9/223 Heat bridges
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20509 Multiple-component heat spreaders; Multi-component heat-conducting support plates; Multi-component non-closed heat-conducting structures
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20854 Heat transfer by conduction from internal heat source to heat radiating structure H05K7/20863 takes precedence

Abstract

An electronic control unit is equipped with a semiconductor module having a semiconductor chip electrically connected to the first circuit pattern and the second circuit pattern. A resin body is wrapped around the semiconductor chip. A first metal plate has a side connected to the semiconductor chip and an other side connected to the first circuit pattern. A radiator projects toward and is connected to the first circuit pattern by a first heat conductor. As a result, heat generated by the semiconductor chip is transmitted to the radiator through the first metal plate, the first circuit pattern, and the first heat conductor during operation of the semiconductor module.

Claims

1. An electronic control unit comprising:

a substrate;

a first circuit pattern and a second circuit pattern disposed on the substrate;

a semiconductor chip electrically connected to the first circuit pattern and the second circuit pattern;

a resin body wrapped around a portion of the semiconductor chip and having a board shape with a first face facing the substrate and a second face facing away from the substrate;

a first metal plate having a side connected to the semiconductor chip and having an other side connected to the first circuit pattern;

a radiator having a base portion and a first shaped portion, the base portion having a board shape with a predetermined thickness, the base portion disposed on an opposite side of the resin body relative to the substrate, the first shaped portion projecting from the base portion toward the first circuit pattern and forming a first gap that is defined between the first shaped portion and the first circuit pattern; and

a first heat conductor disposed in the first gap and transmitting heat from the first circuit pattern to the radiator.

2. The electronic control unit of claim 1, further comprising:

a second metal plate disposed on an opposite side of the semiconductor chip relative to the first metal plate to sandwich the semiconductor chip between the first metal plate and the second metal plate, the second metal plate having a side connected to the semiconductor chip and an other side facing away from the second face of the resin body;

a second shaped portion of the radiator projecting from the base portion toward the second metal plate to form a second gap that is defined between the second shaped portion and the second metal plate; and

a second heat conductor disposed in the second gap to transmit heat of the second metal plate to the radiator.

3. The electronic control unit of claim 2, further comprising:

a third shaped portion of the radiator projecting from the base portion and toward the second circuit pattern to form a third gap that is defined between the third shaped portion and the second circuit pattern; and

a third heat conductor disposed in the third gap to transmit heat of the second circuit pattern to the radiator.

4. The electronic control unit of claim 1, further comprising:

a boss projecting from the base portion of the radiator, wherein

at least one of the substrate, the first circuit pattern, or the second circuit pattern is abuttingly fastened to the boss.

5. The electronic control unit of claim 1, further comprising:

a support projecting from the base portion of the radiator to a position abutting at least one of one of the substrate, the first circuit pattern, and the second circuit pattern.

6. The electronic control unit of claim 1, further comprising:

an electrically-insulating protective coat covering a portion of the first circuit pattern that is not in contact with the first heat conductor.

7. The electronic control unit of claim 1, further comprising:

an electrically-insulating protective coat covering a portion of the second circuit pattern that is not in contact with the third heat conductor.

8. The electronic control unit of claim 1, wherein

the second shaped portion has a surface that faces the resin body, the surface having an area that is equal to or greater than an area of the second face of the resin body.

9. The electronic control unit of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one of a diode, an IC, a coil, or a capacitor connected to the first circuit pattern or the second circuit pattern.

10. The electronic control unit of claim 1, further comprising:

a first airgap disposed between the base portion and the resin body; and

a second airgap disposed between the first shaped portion and the resin body.

11. A rotating electric machine comprising:

a motor case having a cylindrical shape;

an end cap positioned at an axial end of the motor case;

a stator housed in the motor case;

a rotor rotatably disposed inside of the stator;

a shaft disposed at a center of the rotor;

a winding wound on the stator;

an electronic control unit positioned at the axial end of the motor case and controlling a supply of electric power to the winding, the electronic control unit having a substrate, a first circuit pattern and a second circuit pattern disposed on the substrate, a semiconductor chip electrically connected to the first circuit pattern and the second circuit pattern;

a resin body wrapped around a portion of the semiconductor chip and having a board shape with a first face facing the substrate and a second face facing away from the substrate;

a first metal plate having a side connected to the semiconductor chip and having an other side connected to the first circuit pattern;

a radiator having a base portion and a first shaped portion, the base portion having a board shape with a predetermined thickness, the base portion disposed on an opposite side of the resin body relative to the substrate, the first shaped portion projecting from the base portion toward the first circuit pattern and forming a first gap that is defined between the first shaped portion and the first circuit pattern; and

a first heat conductor disposed in the first gap and transmitting heat from first circuit pattern to the radiator, wherein

the radiator is formed either (i) as a single body with the end cap, (ii) separate from and in direct contact with the end cap, or (iii) separate from and in thermal connection with the end cap.