Semiconductor power converter apparatus

• US 7,675,763 B2
• Filed: 12/05/2006
• Issued: 03/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Inventors: Michinaka, Takuya, Okuda, Tatsuya
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith; Zandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): Green; Telly D
• Application Number:
  US11/633,467
• Publication Number:
  US 20070284664A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,190 Days
• Field of Search: 363/50, 363/59, 363/60, 363/89, 361/91.5, 323/276, 323/277
• US Class Current: 363/89
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/34 Arrangements for cooling, heating, ventilating or temperature compensation ; Temperature sensing arrangements thermal treatment apparatus H01L21/00
• 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 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/32 Means for protecting converters other than automatic disconnection
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/538 in a push-pull configuration H02M7/5375 takes precedence ; with oscillating arrangements H02M7/53832, H02M7/53846
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/0828 in composite switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/127 in composite switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/18 Modifications for indicating state of switch
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2017/0806 against excessive temperature

Abstract

Even when one of IGBTs fails in a semiconductor power converter apparatus in which a plurality of semiconductor elements are connected in parallel, the remaining IGBT(s) is prevented from failing with a simple circuit configuration. The semiconductor power converter apparatus includes: a semiconductor power conversion circuit in which a first IGBT having a temperature sensing unit and a second IGBT having a current sensing unit are connected in parallel, for causing the first and second semiconductor elements to perform switching operations; an overheat protection circuit for performing overheat protection for the first and second IGBTs based on temperature information obtained from the temperature sensing unit of the first IGBT; and an overcurrent protection circuit for performing overcurrent protection for the first and second IGBTs based on current information obtained from the current sensing unit of the second IGBT.

Claims

1. A semiconductor power converter apparatus comprising:

a semiconductor power conversion circuit in which a first semiconductor element having a temperature sensing unit and a second semiconductor element having a current sensing unit are connected in parallel, for causing the first and second semiconductor elements to perform switching operations;

an overheat protection circuit for performing overheating protection for the first and second semiconductor elements based on temperature information obtained from the temperature sensing unit of the first semiconductor element;

an overcurrent protection circuit for performing overcurrent protection for the first and second semiconductor elements based on current information obtained from the current sensing unit of the second semiconductor element;

a current sensor for sensing an output current of the semiconductor power conversion circuit, and

means for determining that one of the first and second semiconductor elements fails to limit the output current of the semiconductor power conversion circuit if a detected value of the current sensor is equal to or lower than a predetermined set value, during operation of the overcurrent protection circuit or the overheat protection circuit.

2. The semiconductor power converter apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a current value at which the overcurrent protection circuit operates is set to be equal to or lower than a current value at which the overheat protection circuit operates.

3. The semiconductor power converter apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first and second semiconductor elements are mounted on a same heatsink.

4. The semiconductor power converter apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of the first and second semiconductor elements are arranged on a same heatsink in a checkerboard pattern so as to form a three phase inverter device.

5. The semiconductor power converter apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first and second semiconductor elements are IGBTs.