Power semiconductor module

• US 8,405,205 B2
• Filed: 06/14/2011
• Issued: 03/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fuji Electric Company Limited (Fuji Electric Systems Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Electric Company Limited (Fuji Electric Systems Company Limited)
• Inventors: Takahashi, Kiyoshi, Okita, Souichi
• Primary Examiner(s): MATTHEWS, COLLEEN ANN
• Application Number:
  US13/067,607
• Publication Number:
  US 20120001227A1
• Time in Patent Office: 651 Days
• Field of Search: 257/724, 257/E29.197, 257/E23.116
• US Class Current: 257/724
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/049 the other leads being perpendicular to the base
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/4006 with bolts or screws
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/072 the devices being arranged next to each other
• 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: 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

A power semiconductor module includes a plurality of sets of semiconductor switching elements, a molded resin casing containing the semiconductor switching elements, screw holders for receiving mounting screws formed at bottom regions of four corners of the molded resin casing, first terminal blocks having main circuit terminals, and arranged on a central region of a top surface of the molded resin casing, and second terminal blocks having control terminals arranged at a side edge of the molded resin casing apart. Insulating separation walls having a configuration of a rib erect from a surface of the second terminal blocks, and are interposed between groups of the control terminals corresponding to the sets of semiconductor switching elements, and between the screw holder including the mounting screw therein on the molded resin casing and the control terminal at a high voltage side adjacent to the screw holder.

Claims

1. A power semiconductor module, comprising:

a plurality of sets of semiconductor switching elements;

a molded resin casing with a box shape containing the plurality of sets of semiconductor switching elements;

screw holders for receiving mounting screws, formed at bottom regions of four corners of the molded resin casing;

first terminal blocks having main circuit terminals, and arranged on a central region of a top surface of the molded resin casing;

second terminal blocks having control terminals arranged in a row at a side edge of the molded resin casing apart from the first terminal blocks and drawn out from the sets of the semiconductor switching elements; and

insulating separation walls having a first rib erecting from a surface of the second terminal blocks for the control terminals and surrounding a middle control terminal among groups of the control terminals corresponding to the sets of semiconductor switching elements, and a second rib in a plate shape between the screw holder including the mounting screw therein on the molded resin casing and the control terminal at a high voltage side adjacent to the screw holder,

wherein the first rib has three side walls in a U-shape with one open side at an outer edge side of the second terminal block.

2. The power semiconductor module according to claim 1, wherein the insulating separation walls formed on the second terminal block for the control terminals at the side edge of the molded resin casing have dimensions with height and thickness that are determined in accordance with a clearance and a creepage distance specified in the international standards IEC 60077-1.

3. The power semiconductor module according to claim 1, wherein the power semiconductor module is a three-level IGBT module of a four-in-one type including four sets of semiconductor switching elements installed in the molded resin casing, where an IGBT and a FWD are anti-parallel-connected;

and

the IGBT module comprises an upper arm and a lower arm composing one phase of an inverter circuit connected between positive and negative terminals of a DC power supply; and

a bidirectional switching circuit connected between an AC output terminal of the inverter circuit and a neutral terminal of the DC power supply.

4. The power semiconductor module according to claim 3, wherein the second rib has a height less than that of the first rib.

5. The power semiconductor module according to claim 4, wherein the second terminal block includes three control terminals, the first rib surrounding a middle control terminal among the three control terminals, and the second rib at one side of the three control terminal, with no rib at a side opposite to the second rib.