Electric power converter and mounting structure of semiconductor device

• US 7,508,668 B2
• Filed: 08/20/2004
• Issued: 03/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Harada, Daisuke, Ishiyama, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Vortman; Anatoly
• Application Number:
  US10/554,998
• Publication Number:
  US 20060284308A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,677 Days
• Field of Search: 361/689, 361/699, 361/715, 361/716
• US Class Current: 361/699
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/32245 the item being metallic
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/33181 On opposite sides of the body
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/4012 for stacked arrangements of a plurality of semiconductor devices assemblies per se H01L25/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/473 by flowing liquids H01L23/4332, H01L23/4338 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/072 the devices being arranged next to each other
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/16 the devices being of types provided for in two or more different main groups of groups H01L27/00 - H01L33/00, or in a single subclass of H10K, H10N, e.g. forming hybrid circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/18 the devices being of types provided for in two or more different subgroups of the same main group of groups H01L27/00 - H01L33/00, or in a single subclass of H10K, H10N
• 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 2924/13055 Insulated gate bipolar transistor [IGBT]
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/003 Constructional details, e.g. physical layout, assembly, wiring or busbar connections

Abstract

An electric power converter has a main circuit section including a semiconductor module and a cooling device; a control circuit substrate section electrically connected to a signal terminal of the semiconductor module, and having a control circuit; and a power wiring section connected to a main electrode terminal of the semiconductor module. The main circuit section is interposed between the control circuit substrate section and the power wiring section.

Claims

1. An electric power converter comprising:

a main circuit section having a semiconductor module and a cooling device, wherein the semiconductor module constitutes a part of an electric power converter circuit, and wherein the cooling device cools the semiconductor module;

a control circuit substrate section having a control circuit electrically connected to a signal terminal of the semiconductor module and controlling the semiconductor module; and

a power wiring section connected to a main electrode terminal of the semiconductor module and inputting/outputting current to the semiconductor module, wherein;

the main circuit section is disposed between the control circuit substrate section and the power wiring section,

the semiconductor module includes a module main body portion, the main electrode terminal and the signal terminal, and the module main body portion accommodates a semiconductor element therein, the main electrode terminal protruding from the module main body portion, and the signal terminal protruding toward a direction opposite to a protruding direction of the main electrode terminal by almost 180 degrees,

the cooling device includes a pair of refrigerant tubes arranged to sandwich the module main body portion from both sides thereof, the cooling device cooling the module main body portion from both sides thereof by flowing cooling medium inside of the refrigerant tubes, and

the semiconductor module is disposed in such a manner that the main electrode terminal and the signal terminal protrude toward opposite directions almost perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of a pair of the refrigerant tubes.

2. The electric power converter according to claim 1, wherein

the power wiring section includes an electric part connected to the semiconductor module.

3. The electric power converter according to claim 2, wherein

the electric part constitutes at least a part of a voltage raising circuit.

4. The electric power converter according to claim 1, wherein

the main circuit section has a stacking structure including a plurality of refrigerant tubes and a plurality of semiconductor modules, which are alternately stacked,

the main electrode terminal of the semiconductor module protrudes from one side of the semiconductor module, the one side being perpendicular to a stacking direction of the main circuit section, and

the signal terminal of the semiconductor module protrudes from the other side of the semiconductor module, the other side being opposite to the one side.