Electric circuit device, electric circuit module, and power converter

• US 8,743,548 B2
• Filed: 09/23/2011
• Issued: 06/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Astemo Ltd. (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Tokuyama, Takeshi, Nakatsu, Kinya, Kawabata, Atushi
• Primary Examiner(s): THOMAS, BRADLEY H
• Application Number:
  US13/241,600
• Publication Number:
  US 20120008280A1
• Time in Patent Office: 984 Days
• US Class Current: 361/716
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 2/08 Cooling arrangements; Heating arrangements; Ventilating arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 4/224 Housing; Encapsulation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/32245 the item being metallic
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45124 Aluminium (Al) as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48247 connecting the wire to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/73215 Layer and wire connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/73265 Layer and wire connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/73 Means for bonding being of different types provided for in two or more of groups H01L24/10, H01L24/18, H01L24/26, H01L24/34, H01L24/42, H01L24/50, H01L24/63, H01L24/71
• 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 2924/00012 Relevant to the scope of the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/1305 Bipolar Junction Transistor [BJT]
• 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: H01L 2924/14 Integrated circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/181 Encapsulation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/30107 Inductance
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/3025 Electromagnetic shielding
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/003 Constructional details, e.g. physical layout, assembly, wiring or busbar connections
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/02 : Arrangements of circuit components or wiring on supporting structure
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

The present invention provides an electric circuit device in which it is possible to achieve simultaneously the improvement of cooling performance and reduction in operating loss due to line inductance. The above object can be attained by constructing multiple plate-like conductors so that each of these conductors electrically connected to multiple semiconductor chips is also thermally connected to both chip surfaces of each such semiconductor chip to release heat from the chip surfaces of each semiconductor chip, and so that among the above conductors, a DC positive-polarity plate-like conductor and a DC negative-polarity plate-like conductor are opposed to each other at the respective conductor surfaces.

Claims

1. A power converter comprising:

an electric circuit device having a plurality of semiconductor chips, a first heat release section, and a second heat release section facing said first heat release section with said plurality of semiconductor chips disposed between said first heat release section and said second release section;

a P-electrode connected to said electric circuit device;

a connection member containing a first nut;

a N-electrode connected to said electric circuit device, facing said P-electrode, and disposed so that said connection member is sandwiched between said P-electrode and said N-electrode;

a heat release base having flow channels permitting flow of a cooling medium; and

a capacitor block having a first capacitor terminal and a second capacitor terminal;

wherein

said electric circuit device is located such that said first heat release section and said second heat release section are located between said flow channels,

said capacitor, block is located adjacent to said heat release base,

a first screw connected to said first nut fixes said N-electrode to said connection member,

said first capacitor terminal is directly connected to said P-electrode, and

said second capacitor terminal is directly connected to said N-electrode.

2. A power converter according to claim 1, wherein

said P-electrode and said N-electrode are connected to a first surface of said electric circuit device facing said capacitor block, and

said electric circuit device has an alternating current side terminal connected to a second surface which is different from said first surface of said electric circuit device.

3. A power converter according to claim 1, wherein

said capacitor block has a capacitor element, a casing housing said capacitor element, and an insulating sheet located between said first capacitor terminal and said second capacitor terminal, and

said first capacitor terminal and said second capacitor terminal protrude from said casing with said insulating sheet positioned therebetween.

4. The power converter according to claim 1, further comprising:

a control circuit board which has electronic components for controlling switching timing of said semiconductor chip;

wherein

said control circuit board is fixed by said heat release base.

5. The power converter according to claim 4, wherein

said control circuit board faces said capacitor block through said electric circuit device and said flow channel.

6. The power converter according to claim 5, further comprising:

a plurality of current sensors for detecting said alternating current;

wherein

said current sensors are disposed on said circuit board; and

said electric circuit device has a lead wire for outputting said alternating current.

7. The power converter according to claim 1, wherein

said electric circuit device comprises

a first IGBT and a first diode which constitute an upper arm circuit of an inverter circuit,

a second IGBT and a second diode which constitute a lower arm circuit of said inverter circuit,

a first lead wire electrically connecting said first IGBT, said diode, and said P-electrode,

a second lead wire electrically connecting said second IGBT, said second diode, and said N-electrode, and

a molded section sealing said first IGBT, said first diode, said second IGBT, said second diode, said first lead wire, and said second lead wire.

8. The power converter according to claim 1, wherein

said connection member contains a second nut, and

a second screw connected to said second nut fixes said P-electrode to said connection member.