Semiconductor apparatus, power converter and automobile

• US 6,493,249 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2001
• Issued: 12/10/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Shirakawa, Shinji, Innami, Toshiyuki, Mishima, Akira, Mashino, Keiichi, Fukumoto, Hideshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Berhane, Adolf Deneke
• Application Number:
  US09/791,731
• Publication Number:
  US 20020011363A1
• Time in Patent Office: 652 Days
• Field of Search: 363/147, 363/144, 363/131, 361/720, 361/728
• US Class Current: 363/147
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/49111 the connectors connecting two common bonding areas, e.g. Litz or braid wires
• 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 2924/13055 Insulated gate bipolar transistor [IGBT]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/13091 Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor [MOSFET]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/19107 off-chip wires
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/003 Constructional details, e.g. physical layout, assembly, wiring or busbar connections

Abstract

A semiconductor apparatus includes positive and negative side conductors for bridge-connecting semiconductor switches, constituted to a wide conductor, and laminated by sandwiching an insulator between them. A semiconductor apparatus includes positive and negative side conductors extended from its case, and an electrolytic capacitor connected to the extension portion of the positive and negative side conductors. A power converter uses the semiconductor apparatus.

Claims

1. A semiconductor apparatus including at least two controllable semiconductor switches, at least one output terminal and a case equipped with said output terminal, wherein a positive side conductor plate and a negative side conductor plate for bridge-connecting said semiconductor switches are laminated while sandwiching an insulator between at least a part thereof, and said positive side conductor plate and said negative side conductor plate so laminated are exposed to a surface of said case.

2. A semiconductor apparatus including at least two controllable semiconductor switches, at least one output terminal and a case equipped with said output terminal, wherein a positive side conductor plate and a negative side conductor plate for bridge-connecting said semiconductor switches are laminated while sandwiching an insulator between at least a part thereof, said positive side conductor plate and said negative side conductor plate so laminated have an extension portion extending outside said case, and a plurality of terminals are provided to said extension portion.

3. A power converter comprising:

a semiconductor apparatus; and

electrolytic capacitors;

said semiconductor apparatus including at least two controllable semiconductor switches bridge-connected, at least one output terminal and a case equipped with said output terminal, wherein a positive side conductor plate and a negative side conductor plate for bridge-connecting said semiconductor switches are laminated while sandwiching an insulator between at least a part thereof, and said positive side conductor plate and said negative side conductor plate so laminated have an extension portion extending outside said case, and a plurality of terminals are provided to said extension portion;

said electrolytic capacitors being connected to a part of said plurality of terminals at said extension portion of said semiconductor apparatus;

the rest of said plurality of terminals being used as DC input terminals.

4. An automobile including said power converter according to claim 3, a power supply for supplying DC power to said power converter and a motor to which an output of said power converter is inputted, said automobile being at least moved back and forth by said motor.

5. A semiconductor apparatus including at least six controllable semiconductor switches, one set of three-phase AC terminals, at least two positive and negative DC terminals, a conductor for connecting said output terminal and said semiconductor switches, a conductor for connecting said DC terminals and said semiconductor switches and a case equipped with said output terminal, wherein a positive side conductor plate and a negative side conductor plate for bridge-connecting said semiconductor switches are constituted into a wide conductor, and are laminated while sandwiching an insulator between at least a part thereof, and said positive side conductor plate and said negative side conductor plate so laminated are extended outside said case, and at least one capacitor is connected to said extension portion of said positive side conductor plate and said negative side conductor plate.

6. A semiconductor apparatus including at least two controllable semiconductor switches, at least one output terminal, at least two positive and negative DC terminals, a conductor for connecting said output terminal and said semiconductor switches, a conductor for connecting said DC terminals and said semiconductor switches, and a case equipped with said output terminal and said DC terminals, wherein a positive side conductor plate and a negative side conductor plate for bridge-connecting said semiconductor switches are constituted into wide conductors and are laminated while sandwiching an insulator between them, said DC terminal portion has a wide surface structure by extending, into a step shape, a laminate portion of said upper conductor plate, said insulator and said lower conductor plate among said positive side conductor plate and said negative side conductor plate, a conductor plate for connecting a capacitor is superposed with said DC terminal portion, and at least two set screw positions for establishing surface contact are provided to the conductor surface of each of said upper and lower conductor plates.

7. An automobile including said power converter according to claim 6, a power supply for supplying DC power to said power converter and a motor to which an output of said power converter is inputted, said automobile being at least moved back and forth by said motor.

8. A semiconductor apparatus including at least six controllable semiconductor switches, one set of three-phase AC terminals, at least two positive and negative DC terminals, a conductor for connecting said output terminal and said semiconductor switches, a conductor for connecting said DC terminals and said semiconductor switches and a case equipped with said output terminal and said DC terminal, wherein a positive side conductor plate and a negative side conductor plate for bridge-connecting said semiconductor switches are constituted into a wide conductor and are laminated while sandwiching an insulator between at least a part thereof, and said DC terminal portion has a wide surface structure formed by extending, into a step shape, a laminate portion of said upper conductor plate, said insulator and said lower conductor plate among said positive side conductor plate and said negative side conductor plate, and at least two set screw positions for superposing and bringing from above said conductor plate into surface contact with said DC terminal portion are provided to a conductor surface of each of said upper and lower conductor plates.

9. An automobile including said power converter according to claim 8, a power supply for supplying DC power to said power converter and a motor to which an output of said power converter is inputted, said automobile being at least moved back and forth by said motor.

10. A power converter comprising:

a semiconductor apparatus for converting an input DC voltage to an AC having a variable voltage and a variable frequency; and

capacitors for restricting fluctuation of a DC voltage;

said semiconductor apparatus including at least two controllable semiconductor switches bridge-connected, at least one output terminal and a case equipped with said output terminal, wherein a positive side conductor plate and a negative side conductor plate for bridge-connecting said semiconductor switches are laminated while sandwiching an insulator between at least a part thereof, and said positive side conductor plate and said negative side conductor plate so laminated are exposed to a surface of said case.

11. An automobile including said power converter according to claim 10, a power supply for supplying DC power to said power converter and a motor to which an output of said power converter is inputted, said automobile being at least moved back and forth by said motor.

12. A power converter comprising:

a semiconductor apparatus for converting an input DC voltage to an AC having a variable voltage and a variable frequency; and

capacitors for restricting fluctuation of a DC voltage;

said semiconductor apparatus including at least six controllable semiconductor switches, one set of three-phase AC terminals, at least two positive and negative DC terminals, a conductor for connecting said output terminal and said semiconductor switches, a conductor for connecting said DC terminals and said semiconductor switches, and a case equipped with said output terminal, wherein a positive side conductor plate and a negative side conductor plate for bridge-connecting said semiconductor switches are constituted into a wide conductor and are laminated while sandwiching an insulator between at least a part thereof, and said positive side conductor plate and said negative side conductor plate so laminated are extended outside said case and at least one capacitor is connected to said extension portion of said positive side conductor plate and said negative side conductor plate so laminated.

13. A power converter comprising:

a semiconductor apparatus for converting an input DC voltage to an AC having a variable voltage and a variable frequency; and

capacitors for restricting fluctuation of a DC voltage;

said semiconductor apparatus including at least two controllable semiconductor switches, at least one output terminal and a case equipped with said output terminal, wherein a positive side conductor plate and a negative side conductor plate for bridge-connecting said semiconductor switches are laminated while sandwiching an insulator between at least a part thereof and are extended outside said case to form an extension portion, and a plurality of terminal are provided to said extension portion of said positive side conductor plate and said negative side conductor plate so laminated; and

wherein two wide conductors laminated by sandwiching an insulator between them and connected to at least one capacitor are brought into surface contact by at least two screws with said positive and negative DC terminals of said semiconductor apparatus.