Electronic inverter assembly

• US 9,979,320 B2
• Filed: 08/26/2016
• Issued: 05/22/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deere & Company
• Original Assignee: Deere & Company
• Inventors: Singh, Brij N., Schmit, Christopher J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dole, Timothy J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tiku, Sisay G
• Application Number:
  US15/248,241
• Publication Number:
  US 20180062539A1
• Time in Patent Office: 634 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 15/18 using inductive devices, e.g. transformers
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 15/202 using Hall-effect devices Hall elements in arrangements for measuring electrical power G01R21/08
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/072 the devices being arranged next to each other
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/1608 Silicon carbide
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/2003 Nitride compounds
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0009 Devices or circuits for detecting current in a converter
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/08 Circuits specially adapted for the generation of control voltages for semiconductor devices incorporated in static converters
• 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 1/0263 High current adaptations, e.g. printed high current conductors or using auxiliary non-printed means; Fine and coarse circuit patterns on one circuit board H05K1/0293 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/117 Pads along the edge of rigid circuit boards, e.g. for pluggable connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/144 Stacked arrangements of planar printed circuit boards
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/165 incorporating printed inductors
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/181 associated with surface mounted components
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/042 Stacked spaced PCBs; Planar parts of folded flexible circuits having mounted components in between or spaced from each other
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10151 Sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10166 Transistor
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10189 Non-printed connector
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10272 Busbars, i.e. thick metal bars mounted on the printed circuit board [PCB] as high-current conductors
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1432 : specially adapted for power drive units or power converters
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/14322 : wherein the control and power circuits of a power converter are arranged within the same casing
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20518 : Unevenly distributed heat load, e.g. different sectors at different temperatures, localised cooling, hot spots
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20872 : Liquid coolant without phase change
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20927 : Liquid coolant without phase change

Abstract

A first driver portion comprises a set of first components mounted on or associated with a first circuit board. A second circuit board is spaced apart from the first circuit board. A second driver portion comprises a set of second components mounted on or associated with the second circuit board, where the first driver portion and the second driver portion collectively are adapted to provide input signals to the control terminal of each semiconductor switch of an inverter. A first edge connector is mounted on the first circuit board. A second edge connector is mounted on the second circuit board. An interface board has mating edges that mate with the first edge connector and the second edge connector.

Claims

1. An electronic inverter assembly, the assembly comprising:

an inverter power module comprising one or more pairs of semiconductor switches mounted on a substrate, each pair of semiconductors comprising a low-side semiconductor switch and a high-side semiconductor switch, each of the semiconductor switches comprising a control terminal and switched terminals;

a first circuit board having an outer side adjacent to or facing the inverter power module and a first inner side opposite the outer side;

a first driver portion comprising a set of first components mounted on or associated with the first circuit board;

a second circuit board spaced apart from the first circuit board, the second circuit board having a second inner side facing the first inner side;

a second driver portion comprising a set of second components mounted on or associated with the second circuit board, where the first driver portion and the second driver portion collectively are adapted to provide input signals to the control terminal of each semiconductor switch;

a first edge connector mounted on the first inner side of the first circuit board;

a second edge connector mounted on the second inner side of the second circuit board; and

an interface board with mating edges that mate with the first edge connector and the second edge connector;

wherein a current sensor comprises;

a magnetic field sensor overlying at least a portion of a plurality of conductive traces of a coil; and

one or more flux concentrators on opposite sides of the magnetic field sensor.

2. The assembly according to claim 1 wherein the first components comprises components with higher temperature operating ranges than the second components.

3. The assembly according to claim 1 wherein the first components have a first temperature operating range of greater than or approximately equal to 150 degrees Celsius.

4. The assembly according to claim 3 wherein the second components have a second temperature operating range of between approximately 125 degrees Celsius and approximately 150 degrees Celsius.

5. The assembly according to claim 1 wherein the interface board comprises a current sensor board with an opening for an output phase terminal of one output phase of a pair of semiconductor switches.

6. The assembly according to claim 1 wherein a current sensor board comprises a plurality of conductive traces that form an inductor or a current-sensing coil for inductively coupling a current sensor on the current sensor board to the output phase terminal.

7. The assembly according to claim 6 wherein the output phase terminal has a cross section that can pass through the opening or a corresponding slit in the inductor or current-sensing coil.

8. The assembly according to claim 1 wherein the current sensor further comprises a plurality of conductive traces that form an inductor or a current-sensing coil for inductively coupling a current sensor on the current sensor board to the output phase terminal.

9. The assembly according to claim 8 wherein a first sensed current from the magnetic field sensor is fused or combined with a second sensed current from the coil, wherein the coil comprises a time-varying flux sensing coil.

10. The assembly according to claim 1 wherein a secondary current sensor is associated with the output phase terminal, the secondary current sensor comprising:

a magnetic field sensor mounted on or near the output phase terminal;

one or more flux concentrators disposed laterally with respect to the magnetic field sensor; and

a multiconductor connector for connecting to the magnetic field sensor.

11. The assembly according to claim 1 wherein the interface board supports low inductance connections for the input signals to the control terminals of the semiconductor switches, where the input signals are generated by the first components and the second components collectively.

12. The assembly according to claim 1 wherein the semiconductor switches comprise silicon carbide or gallium nitride.

13. The assembly according to claim 1 wherein the inverter power module comprises a dual inverter having a primary inverter and a secondary inverter, the primary inverter mounted on a primary substrate that faces a secondary inverter mounted on a secondary substrate.

14. An electronic inverter assembly, the assembly comprising:

an inverter power module comprising one or more pairs of semiconductor switches mounted on a substrate, each pair of semiconductors comprising a low-side semiconductor switch and a high-side semiconductor switch, each of the semiconductor switches comprising a control terminal and switched terminals;

a first circuit board having an outer side adjacent to or facing the inverter power module and a first inner side opposite the outer side;

a first driver portion comprising a set of first components mounted on or associated with the first circuit board;

a second circuit board spaced apart from the first circuit board, the second circuit board having a second inner side facing the first inner side;

a second driver portion comprising a set of second components mounted on or associated with the second circuit board, where the first driver portion and the second driver portion collectively are adapted to provide input signals to the control terminal of each semiconductor switch;

a first edge connector mounted on the first inner side of the first circuit board;

a second edge connector mounted on the second inner side of the second circuit board; and

an interface board with mating edges that mate with the first edge connector and the second edge connector, wherein the first circuit board has first plurality of first edge connectors on the first inner side, the second circuit board has a second plurality of second edge connectors on the second inner side, and further comprising a plurality of interface boards for interconnecting the first driver portion and the second driver portion.

15. The assembly according to claim 14 wherein the interface board supports low inductance connections for the input signals to the control terminals of the semiconductor switches, where the input signals are generated by the first components and the second components collectively.