Power module

• US 7,046,518 B2
• Filed: 04/01/2002
• Issued: 05/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ASBU Holdings, LLC
• Original Assignee: International Rectifier Corporation (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Inventors: Grant, William, Golightly, Alan Frederik
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuneo, Kamand
• Assistant Examiner(s): Phan, Thanh S.
• Application Number:
  US10/114,541
• Publication Number:
  US 20020196609A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,506 Days
• Field of Search: 361/704, 361/705, 361/707, 361/709, 361/715, 361/730, 361/752, 361/723, 361/728, 361/734, 361/775, 361/679, 257/706, 257/707, 257720-724
• US Class Current: 361/736
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48137 the bodies being arranged next to each other, e.g. on a common substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48139 with an intermediate bond, e.g. continuous wire daisy chain
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/49111 the connectors connecting two common bonding areas, e.g. Litz or braid wires
• 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 2924/13091 Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor [MOSFET]
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/202 using self-supporting metal foil pattern
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1432 specially adapted for power drive units or power converters
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/14329 specially adapted for the configuration of power bus bars

Abstract

A power module that houses components of a circuit for driving a three-phase motor. The power module includes a molded shell. A number of leads are embedded within the body of the power shell and extend from its exterior where they make electrical connection to exterior devices to a chamber within the molded shell where they are connected to respective components of the circuit. The power module includes capacitor leads, which are embedded in the molded shell, for making direct connection to respective bus capacitors, thereby allowing the capacitors to be directly assembled onto the power shell and become part of the power module. The leads embedded within the molded shell are arranged so that they pass over one another within the body of the molded shell. At least one of the leads has a portion within the chamber which acts as bridge to allow the passage of conductors.

Claims

1. A power module comprising:

a molded power shell having an opening that extends between a top surface thereof and a bottom surface thereof;

a substrate disposed at a bottom of said opening, said substrate having at least one conductive trace disposed on a major surface thereof; and

a lead frame, said lead frame including at least one conductive pad having a power semiconductor die disposed on a major surface thereof, said conductive pad being integrally connected to an extension that extends from an edge of said conductive pad over said at least one conductive trace, a ground lead, a power lead, and at least a pair of leads extending outside said power shell, each lead being electrically connected to either said power lead or said ground lead and each directly coupled to a respective connector of a capacitor;

whereby said capacitor is directly assembled onto said power module.

2. A power module according to claim 1, wherein said extension is integrally connected to another conductive pad thereby forming a bridge over said conductive trace.

3. A power module according to claim 1, wherein said extension penetrates one of said walls of said opening.

4. A power module according to claim 1, wherein said pair of leads each includes an aperture that receives a respective connector of said capacitor.

5. A power module according to claim 1, further comprising a control pin in electrical contact with said conductive trace and extending through one of said walls of said opening to the exterior of said molded power shell, wherein said pin is connectable to a controller for controlling said power semiconductor device and said conductive trace is electrically connected to a control electrode of said power semiconductor device.

6. A power module according to claim 1, wherein said substrate is an insulated metal substrate.

7. A power module according to claim 1, wherein said lead frame includes a plurality of leads for making electrical connection to one phase winding of a multiphase motor, each one of said leads including a conductive pad integrally connected to an extension that extends through said power shell to the exterior of said power shell, each extension having a bent portion that bends downwardly, and at least one lead having a portion that passes through said power shell and over said bent portions.

8. A power module according to claim 7, further comprising a ground lead having a portion that passes through said molded power shell and over said bent portions.

9. A power module according to claim 8, further comprising a plurality of leads that extend at an angle from said portion of said ground lead that passes over said bent portions that form a plurality of pairs of leads connected to respective connectors of a plurality of capacitors with a plurality of leads that extend at an angle from said portion of said at least one lead that passes over said bent portions.

10. A power module according to claim 1, further comprising a jumper having two ends connected to respective conductive portions on said substrate and a portion between said two ends disposed within said molded power shell.

11. A power module comprising:

a molded shell having an opening that extends between a top surface thereof and a bottom surface thereof;

a substrate disposed at a bottom of said opening, said substrate having at least one conductive trace disposed on a major surface thereof;

a lead frame, said lead frame including at least one conductive pad having a power semiconductor die disposed on a major surface thereof;

a power lead;

a ground lead; and

a pair of leads extending from said molded shell, one lead electrically connected to said power lead and the other lead electrically connected to said ground lead, and each lead directly coupled to a respective connector of a capacitor;

whereby said capacitor is directly assembled onto said power module.

12. A power module according to claim 11, an extension integrally connected to and extending from an edge of said conductive pad over said at least one conductive trace.

13. A power module according to claim 11, wherein said pair of leads each includes an aperture that receives a respective connector of said capacitor.

14. A power module according to claim 11, further comprising a control pin in electrical contact with said conductive trace and extending through one of said walls of said opening to the exterior of said molded shell, wherein said pin is connectable to a controller for controlling said power semiconductor device and said conductive trace is electrically connected to a control electrode of said power semiconductor device.

15. A power module according to claim 11, wherein said substrate is an insulated metal substrate.

16. A power module according to claim 11, wherein said lead frame includes a plurality of leads for making electrical connection to one phase winding of a multiphase motor, each one of said leads including a conductive pad integrally connected to an extension that extends through said molded shell to the exterior of said molded shell, each extension having a bent portion that bends downwardly, and at least one lead having a portion that passes through said molded shell and over said bent portions.

17. A power module according to claim 16, further comprising a ground lead having a portion that passes through said molded power shell and over said bent portions.

18. A power module according to claim 17, further comprising a plurality of leads that extend at an angle from said portion of said ground lead that passes over said bent portions that form a plurality of pairs of leads connected to respective connectors of a plurality of capacitors with a plurality of leads that extend at an angle from said portion of said at least one lead that passes over said bent portions.

19. A power module according to claim 11, further comprising a jumper having two ends connected to respective conductive portions on said substrate and a portion between said two ends disposed within said molded power shell.

20. A power module according to claim 11, wherein said extension is integrally connected to another conductive pad thereby forming a bridge over said conductive trace.