Electric power conversion apparatus

• US 9,042,101 B2
• Filed: 11/18/2014
• Issued: 05/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Astemo Ltd. (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Tokuyama, Takeshi, Nakatsu, Kinya, Saito, Ryuichi, Horiuchi, Keisuke, Satoh, Toshiya, Miyazaki, Hideki
• Primary Examiner(s): THOMPSON, GREGORY D
• Application Number:
  US14/546,458
• Publication Number:
  US 20150070955A1
• Time in Patent Office: 189 Days
• US Class Current: 361/704
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/16 of differential gearing
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/26 characterised by the motors or the generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/28 characterised by the electric energy storing means, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/46 Series type
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/007 Physical arrangements or structures of drive train converters specially adapted for the propulsion motors of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/40 DC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/14 Synchronous machines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/429 Current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/51 characterised by AC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/92 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/36 Structure, shape, material or disposition of the strap connectors prior to the connecting process
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/40 of an individual strap connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/40137 the bodies being arranged next to each other, e.g. on a common substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45099 Material
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/3121 a substrate forming part of the encapsulation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/36 Selection of materials, or shaping, to facilitate cooling or heating, e.g. heatsinks H01L23/28, H01L23/40, H01L23/42, H01L23/44, H01L23/46 take precedence; heating H01L23/345
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/3675 characterised by the shape of the housing
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/473 by flowing liquids H01L23/4332, H01L23/4338 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/492 Bases or plates or solder therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/49517 Additional leads
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/40 : of an individual strap connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/45 : of an individual wire connector
• 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 2924/00012 : 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 2924/0002 : Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/1203 : Rectifying Diode
• 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: H02M 7/003 : Constructional details, e.g. physical layout, assembly, wiring or busbar connections
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/537 : using semiconductor devices only, e.g. single switched pulse inverters
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 27/06 : using dc to ac converters or inverters H02P27/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0262 : Arrangements for regulating voltages or for using plural voltages
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/14329 : specially adapted for the configuration of power bus bars
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/2089 : for power electronics, e.g. for inverters for controlling motor
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20927 : Liquid coolant without phase change
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/906 : Motor or generator
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/907 : Electricity storage, e.g. battery, capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/909 : Gearing

Abstract

An electric power conversion apparatus includes a channel case in which a cooling water channel is formed; a double side cooling semiconductor module that has an upper and lower arms series circuit of an inverter circuit; a capacitor module; a direct current connector; and an alternate current connector. The semiconductor module includes first and second heat dissipation metals whose outer surfaces are heat dissipation surfaces, the upper and lower arms series circuit is disposed tightly between the first heat dissipation metal and the second heat dissipation metal, and the semiconductor module further includes a direct current positive terminal, a direct current negative terminal, and an alternate current terminal which protrude to outside. The channel case is provided with the cooling water channel which extends from a cooling water inlet to a cooling water outlet, and a first opening which opens into the cooling water channel.

Claims

1. A power semiconductor module, comprising:

a plurality of power semiconductor elements that constitute an upper arm circuit and a lower arm circuit;

a conducting plate that is continuous with a terminal for supplying direct current power to the power semiconductor elements; and

a first metal heat dissipation unit and a second metal heat dissipation unit that face to one another, with the plurality of power semiconductor elements therebetween, wherein;

the terminal includes a positive terminal and a negative terminal, and the conducting plate includes a positive conducting plate and a negative conducting plate;

each of the positive conducting plate and the negative conducting plate includes a main surface that is wider than other surfaces of the conducting plate and a side surface that is narrower than the main surface;

the conducting plate comprises a non-facing portion and a facing portion, in the non-facing portion the side surface of the positive conducting plate and the side surface of the negative conducting plate are formed so as not to face to one another in a space formed between the first heat dissipation unit and the second heat dissipation unit, and in the facing portion the side surface of the positive conducting plate and the side surface of the negative conducting plate are formed so as to face to one another by bending the conducting plate; and

the facing portion of the side surfaces of the positive conducting plate and the negative conducting plate is disposed at a distance from the space between the first heat dissipation unit and the second heat dissipation unit, and the positive terminal and the negative terminal are formed at ends of the positive conducting plate and the negative conducting plate in the facing portion, respectively.

2. A power semiconductor module according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first insulation member that is disposed between the positive conducting plate and the first heat dissipation unit;

a second insulation member that is disposed between the negative conducting plate and the second heat dissipation unit; and

a mold resin that seals the positive conducting plate except for part of the positive conducting plate that is in contact with the first insulation member, and seals the negative conducting plate except for part of the negative conducting plate that is in contact with the second heat dissipation unit.

3. A power semiconductor module, according to claim 2, wherein:

the first insulation member and the second insulation member comprise ceramic boards.

4. A power semiconductor module, according to claim 2, wherein:

the first insulation member and the second insulation member comprise resin insulation sheets.

5. A power semiconductor module according to claim 2, wherein:

a recessed portion is formed in the mold resin between the positive terminal and the negative terminal.

6. A power semiconductor module according to claim 1, further comprising:

an AC terminal that transmits alternating current power generated through switching operation of the plurality of power semiconductor elements, wherein;

the AC terminal includes a main surface that is wider than other surfaces of the AC terminal and a side surface that is narrower than said main surface; and

the side surface of the AC terminal is formed in a non-overlap state, at a position separated from the space between the first heat dissipation unit and the second heat dissipation unit, in which the side surface of the AC terminal does not face to a side surface of the positive terminal and a side surface of the negative terminal.

7. A power semiconductor module according to claim 5, further comprising:

an insulator disposed between the positive terminal and the negative terminal, wherein;

the insulator is inserted into the recessed portion.

8. An electric power conversion apparatus, comprising:

a power semiconductor module according to claim 1;

a capacitor that smooths direct current power; and

a direct current bus bar that connects the power semiconductor module with the capacitor, wherein;

the direct current bus bar comprises a bus bar positive terminal that is connected with a main surface of the positive terminal and a bus bar negative terminal that is connected with a main surface of the negative terminal.