Power module for the control of electric motors

• US 5,966,291 A
• Filed: 11/03/1997
• Issued: 10/12/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Temic Telefunken Microelectronic GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Temic Telefunken Microelectronic GmbH (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Geiger, Kurt, Leicht, Gunter, Schuch, Bernhard, Kilian, Hermann, Baumel, Hermann
• Primary Examiner(s): TOLIN, GERALD P
• Application Number:
  US08/963,199
• Time in Patent Office: 708 Days
• Field of Search: 257/696, 257/706, 257/713, 257/723, 257/724, 257/796, 174/16.3, 165/80.3, 165/80.4, 165/185, 165/42, 363/141, 361/704, 361/707-712, 361/784, 361/785, 361/717-719
• US Class Current: 361/707
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48227 connecting the wire to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48465 the other connecting portion not on the bonding area being a wedge bond, i.e. ball-to-wedge, regular stitch
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/162 the devices being mounted on two or more different substrates
• 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 2924/00014 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 2924/13055 Insulated gate bipolar transistor [IGBT]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/19041 being a capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/30107 Inductance
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/3025 Electromagnetic shielding
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20927 Liquid coolant without phase change

Abstract

A power module for the control of electric motors is described which displays an integrated design and provides the following functional units: A power unit with a circuit arrangement on the upper side of a substrate with power semiconductor components. A cooling unit with a cooling medium flowing through it, which has a heat sink with structured surface formed as an insert section onto which the underside of the substrate is directly fitted. A control unit with semiconductor components arranged on a carrier, which is arranged in parallel to and at a given distance from the substrate of the power unit. Contact pins between the substrate of the power unit and the carrier of the control unit for the connection and contacting of the circuit arrangement of the power unit with the semiconductor components on the control unit. A housing body, which encloses the power unit and the control unit. Two conductor bars which are led parallel to the substrate of the power unit and the carrier of the control unit and out through the housing body for the power supply to the circuit arrangement of the power unit. Connecting bars, which are led out of the housing body and connected to the circuit arrangement of the power unit and/or the semiconductor components of the control unit, for the application of control signals for the control of the power module and/or to tap off output signals from the power module.

Claims

1. Power module for the control of electric motors, consisting of

a power unit (1) with a circuit arrangement on the upper side (131) of a substrate (13) with power semiconductor components (11),

a heat sink (2) with a cooling medium (23) flowing through it, which has a heat sink (21) with structured surface formed as an insert section onto which the underside (133) of the substrate (13) is directly fitted,

a control unit (3) with semiconductor components (32) arranged on a carrier (31) which is arranged in parallel to and at a given distance from the substrate (13) of the power unit (1),

contact pins (51) between the substrate (13) of the power unit (1) and the carrier (31) of the control unit (3) for the connection and contacting of the circuit arrangement of the power unit (1) with the semiconductor components (32) on the control unit (3),

a housing body (61) which encloses the power unit (1) and the control unit (3),

two conductor bars (55, 56) which are led parallel to the substrate (13) of the power unit (1) and the carrier (31) of the control unit (3) and out through the housing body (61) for the power supply to the circuit arrangement of the power unit (1),

connecting bars (52, 53, 54), which are led vertically from the substrate (13) of the power unit (1) and the carrier (31) of the control unit (3) out of the housing body (61) and connected to the circuit arrangement of the power unit (1) and/or the semiconductor components (32) of the control unit (3), for the application of control signals for the control of the power module and/or to tap off output signals (R, S, T) from the power module.

2. Power module according to claim 1, wherein additional functional units (4) are arranged within the housing (61).

3. Power module according to claim 2, wherein as additional functional units (4) a current measuring unit and/or an evaluation unit are provided.

4. Power module according to claim 2, wherein the additional functional units (4) are arranged on at least one additional carrier, which is/are arranged in parallel to and at a given distance from the carrier (31) of the control unit (3).

5. Power module according to claim 2, wherein the further functional units (4) are arranged on the carrier (31) of the control unit (3).

6. Power module according to claim 1, wherein semiconductor components (32, 41) are arranged on both sides (33, 34) of the carrier (31).

7. Power module according to claim 1, wherein semiconductor components are only arranged on the side (33) of the carrier (31) which faces away from the substrate (13) of the power unit (1).

8. Power module according to claim 7, wherein a metallic plate is arranged on the side (34) of the carrier (31) which faces substrate (13) of the power unit (1).