Switching element unit

• US 9,177,948 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2013
• Issued: 11/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Totani, Hirohisa
• Primary Examiner(s): Ingham, John C
• Application Number:
  US14/359,486
• Publication Number:
  US 20140264519A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,008 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/32225 the item being non-metallic, e.g. insulating substrate with or without metallisation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/40095 Kinked
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/40137 the bodies being arranged next to each other, e.g. on a common substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/40225 the item being non-metallic, e.g. insulating substrate with or without metallisation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/73263 Layer and strap connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/83801 Soldering or alloying
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/84801 Soldering or alloying
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/642 Capacitive arrangements H01L23/49589, H01L23/645, H01L23/647, H01L23/66 take precedence; capacitive effects between wiring layers on the semiconductor body H01L23/5222
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/32 of an individual layer connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/40 of an individual strap connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/84 using a strap connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/072 the devices being arranged next to each other
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/16 the devices being of types provided for in two or more different main groups of groups H01L27/00 - H01L33/00, or in a single subclass of H10K, H10N, e.g. forming hybrid circuits
• 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 27/0207 Geometrical layout of the components, e.g. computer aided design; custom LSI, semi-custom LSI, standard cell technique
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/0629 in combination with diodes, or resistors, or capacitors
• 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 2924/00014 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 2924/1306 : Field-effect transistor [FET]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/13091 : Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor [MOSFET]
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/126 : using passive filters
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/003 : Constructional details, e.g. physical layout, assembly, wiring or busbar connections

Abstract

A switching element unit comprising a switching element and a smoothing capacitor that suppresses variation in DC voltage to be supplied to the switching element. An element mounting surface may be formed in an outer surface of the smoothing capacitor and may be formed integrally with a dielectric portion interposed between electrodes of the smoothing capacitor. A capacitor connection electrode as an electrode may be electrically connected to a terminal of the smoothing capacitor formed on the element mounting surface, and the switching element is placed on the element mounting surface such that a terminal of the switching element is electrically connected to the capacitor connection electrode.

Claims

1. A switching element unit comprising:

a switching element; and

a smoothing capacitor that suppresses variation in DC voltage to be supplied to the switching element, wherein

the smoothing capacitor includes positive electrode-side internal electrodes and negative electrode-side internal electrodes alternatively arranged in a stacking direction,

dielectric portions are stacked in the stacking direction with the positive electrode-side internal electrodes and the negative electrode-side internal electrodes interposed therebetween,

an element mounting surface formed in an outer surface of the smoothing capacitor is formed integrally with the dielectric portions,

a capacitor connection electrode as an electrode that is electrically connected to a terminal of the smoothing capacitor is formed on the element mounting surface,

the switching element is placed on the element mounting surface such that a main terminal of the switching element is electrically connected to the capacitor connection electrode, and

the switching element has an opposing mounting surface facing the element mounting surface,

the switching element is placed on the element mounting surface so that the opposing mounting surface contacts the element mounting surface directly or via a bonding member, and

the switching element includes on the opposing mounting surface the main terminal that is electrically connected to a supply source of the DC voltage.

2. The switching element unit according to claim 1, wherein

a control terminal that controls the switching element is formed on the opposing mounting surface, and

a control electrode that is electrically connected to the control terminal is formed on the element mounting surface.

3. The switching element unit according to claim 2, further comprising:

a diode element that is electrically connected in parallel to the switching element, wherein

the diode element is placed on the element mounting surface.

4. The switching element unit according to claim 3, wherein

the opposing mounting surface facing the element mounting surface of the switching element is a first opposing mounting surface,

the diode element includes on a second opposing mounting surface facing the element mounting surface a terminal that is electrically connected to the capacitor connection electrode, and

the diode element is placed on the element mounting surface so that the second opposing mounting surface contacts the element mounting surface directly or via a bonding member.

5. The switching element unit according to claim 4, wherein

two of the switching elements that are electrically connected in series to each other to form a switching element series circuit are placed on the element mounting surface, and

a first capacitor connection electrode that electrically connects a first end of the switching element series circuit and a first terminal of the smoothing capacitor, a second capacitor connection electrode that electrically connects a second end of the switching element series circuit and a second terminal of the smoothing capacitor, and an inter-element connection electrode that electrically connects the two switching elements are formed on the element mounting surface.

6. The switching element unit according to claim 5, wherein

the inter-element connection electrode is placed between the first capacitor connection electrode and the second capacitor connection electrode in an extending direction of the element mounting surface.

7. The switching element unit according to claim 5, wherein

of the two switching elements forming the switching element series circuit, the switching element that is placed on a first end side is a first switching element, and the switching element that is placed on a second end side is a second switching element,

the switching element unit further comprises:

a first connection member that electrically connects the first capacitor connection electrode and the first switching element; and

a second connection member that electrically connects the inter-element connection electrode and the second switching element,

the first connection member has a first portion that contacts the first capacitor connection electrode directly or via a bonding member, and a second portion that contacts the first switching element directly or via a bonding member, and

the second connection member has a first portion that contacts the inter-element connection electrode directly or via a bonding member, and a second portion that contacts the second switching element directly or via a bonding member.

8. The switching element unit according to claim 7, wherein

six of the switching elements forming a DC-AC conversion circuit that converts a DC voltage to an AC voltage are placed on the element mounting surface.

9. The switching element unit according to claim 8, wherein

the dielectric portion is made of a ceramic material.

10. The switching element unit according to claim 1, further comprising:

a diode element that is electrically connected in parallel to the switching element, wherein

the diode element is placed on the element mounting surface.

11. The switching element unit according to claim 10, wherein

the opposing mounting surface facing the element mounting surface of the switching element is a first opposing mounting surface,

the diode element includes on a second opposing mounting surface facing the element mounting surface a terminal that is electrically connected to the capacitor connection electrode, and

the diode element is placed on the element mounting surface so that the second opposing mounting surface contacts the element mounting surface directly or via a bonding member.

12. The switching element unit according to claim 1, wherein

two of the switching elements that are electrically connected in series to each other to form a switching element series circuit are placed on the element mounting surface, and

a first capacitor connection electrode that electrically connects a first end of the switching element series circuit and a first terminal of the smoothing capacitor, a second capacitor connection electrode that electrically connects a second end of the switching element series circuit and a second terminal of the smoothing capacitor, and an inter-element connection electrode that electrically connects the two switching elements are formed on the element mounting surface.

13. The switching element unit according to claim 12, wherein

the inter-element connection electrode is placed between the first capacitor connection electrode and the second capacitor connection electrode in an extending direction of the element mounting surface.

14. The switching element unit according to claim 12, wherein

of the two switching elements forming the switching element series circuit, the switching element that is placed on a first end side is a first switching element, and the switching element that is placed on a second end side is a second switching element,

the switching element unit further comprises:

a first connection member that electrically connects the first capacitor connection electrode and the first switching element; and

a second connection member that electrically connects the inter-element connection electrode and the second switching element,

the first connection member has a first portion that contacts the first capacitor connection electrode directly or via a bonding member, and a second portion that contacts the first switching element directly or via a bonding member, and

the second connection member has a first portion that contacts the inter-element connection electrode directly or via a bonding member, and a second portion that contacts the second switching element directly or via a bonding member.

15. The switching element unit according to claim 1, wherein

six of the switching elements forming a DC-AC conversion circuit that converts a DC voltage to an AC voltage are placed on the element mounting surface.

16. The switching element unit according to claim 1, wherein

the dielectric portion is made of a ceramic material.