Power converter apparatus

• US 8,018,730 B2
• Filed: 03/03/2009
• Issued: 09/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Jidoshokki (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Jidoshokki (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Kobayashi, Hiroyuki, Nakamura, Takahiro, Ishikawa, Jun, Onishi, Hiroyuki, Nagase, Toshiaki, Fukatsu, Toshinari, Kontani, Kazuyoshi, Kanie, Naohito
• Primary Examiner(s): Semenenko; Yuriy
• Assistant Examiner(s): Aychillhum; Andargie M
• Application Number:
  US12/397,151
• Publication Number:
  US 20090237904A1
• Time in Patent Office: 924 Days
• Field of Search: 361/760, 361781-783, 361/773, 361/774, 361/278, 361/299, 361/298, 361/306.1, 361/622, 361/624, 361/632, 361/637, 361/639, 361/648, 361/750, 361/200
• US Class Current: 361/763
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/32225 the item being non-metallic, e.g. insulating substrate with or without metallisation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48095 Kinked
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48227 connecting the wire to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/73265 Layer and wire connectors
• 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: H01L 2924/13091 Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor [MOSFET]
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/003 Constructional details, e.g. physical layout, assembly, wiring or busbar connections

Abstract

A power converter apparatus includes a substrate 22 on which switching elements Q, Q1 to Q6 are mounted, positive and negative terminal interconnection members 27, 28 mounted on the substrate, and a capacitor 17 having a positive terminal 17a connected to the main body of the positive terminal interconnection member 27 and a negative terminal 17b connected to the main body of the negative terminal interconnection member 28. The interconnection members each have a plate-like main body 27a, 28a that is located above and parallel to the substrate 22. The main bodies of the interconnection members are stacked to be close to each other while being electrically insulated from each other. Each of the positive terminal interconnection member and the negative terminal interconnection member further includes a plate-like extension 27b, 28b that extends from the corresponding main body toward the substrate, and a terminal portion 27c, 28c that extends from the extension and is joined to the substrate. The extensions extend to positions closest to the substrate, while being parallel to and close to each other.

Claims

1. A power converter apparatus comprising:

a substrate on which switching elements are mounted;

a positive terminal interconnection member and a negative terminal interconnection member placed on the substrate, wherein the interconnection members each have a plate-like main body that is located above and parallel to the substrate, and wherein the main bodies of the interconnection members are stacked to be close to each other while being electrically insulated from each other; and

a capacitor having a positive terminal connected to the main body of the positive terminal interconnection member and a negative terminal connected to the main body of the negative terminal interconnection member,

wherein each of the positive terminal interconnection member and the negative terminal interconnection member further includes a plate-like extension that extends from the corresponding main body toward the substrate, and a terminal portion that extends from the extension and is joined to the substrate, the extensions extending to positions closest to the substrate while being parallel to and close to each other.

2. The power converter apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an insulation member is provided between the main bodies of the interconnection members, and between the extensions of the interconnection members.

3. The power converter apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a notch for limiting the flow of current is formed in each of the extensions.

4. The power converter apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the width of the notch is determined to be a value that does not hinder the passage of gel for insulation or protection.

5. The power converter apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, of the main bodies of the two interconnection members, the capacitor is mounted on the main body that is farther from the substrate.

6. The power converter apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each extension includes a bent portion, which is shaped like an angle iron in relation to the corresponding main body, and wherein the thickness of the extensions and the thickness of the terminal portions are less than the thickness of the main bodies.

7. The power converter apparatus according to claim 6, wherein each interconnection member includes a first surface having a step at a section where the thickness changes, and a second surface on the opposite side to the first surface, wherein the interconnection members are arranged such that the second surfaces face each other.

8. The power converter apparatus according to claim 6, wherein each interconnection member includes a first surface having a step at a section where the thickness changes, and a second surface on the opposite side to the first surface, wherein the interconnection members are arranged such that a first surface and a second surface face each other.

9. The power converter apparatus according to claim 6, wherein each bent portion is formed in a thin section of the corresponding interconnection member.

10. The power converter apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the substrate has a circuit pattern on which a plurality of semiconductor chips including the switching elements are mounted, and wherein each terminal portion has at its distal end a joint portion that is joined to the circuit pattern,

wherein the terminal portions are bent such that the cross-sectional shape of each interconnection member is cranked between the main body and the joint portion, and

wherein each joint portion is joined to the circuit pattern, so as to be spaced from the semiconductor chips by equal distances.

11. The power converter apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the terminal portions are joined to the substrate by ultrasonic bonding.