Power module with voltage overshoot limiting
First Claim
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1. A power module for supplying power to loads from power sources, the power module comprising:
- a lead frame forming at least a portion of a module housing;
a first set of terminals accessible from an exterior of the lead frame;
a second set of terminals accessible from the exterior of the lead frame;
a positive DC bus received at least partially in the module housing;
a negative DC bus received at least partially in the module housing;
a number of high side switches received in the module housing and selectively electrically coupling a first one of the first set of terminals to respective ones of the second set of terminals;
a number of low side switches received in the module housing and selectively electrically coupling a second one of the first set of terminals to respective ones of the second set of terminals; and
at least one capacitor received in the lead frame and electrically coupled between the positive DC bus and the negative DC bus.
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Abstract
A power module employs at least one capacitor electrically coupled across the input terminals to reduce voltage overshoot. The capacitor may be surface mounted to a high side collector plating area and a low side emitter plating area. The power module may employ a lead frame and terminals accessible from an exterior of a module housing, for making electrical couplings to externally located power sources and/or loads.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A power module for supplying power to loads from power sources, the power module comprising:
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a lead frame forming at least a portion of a module housing;
a first set of terminals accessible from an exterior of the lead frame;
a second set of terminals accessible from the exterior of the lead frame;
a positive DC bus received at least partially in the module housing;
a negative DC bus received at least partially in the module housing;
a number of high side switches received in the module housing and selectively electrically coupling a first one of the first set of terminals to respective ones of the second set of terminals;
a number of low side switches received in the module housing and selectively electrically coupling a second one of the first set of terminals to respective ones of the second set of terminals; and
at least one capacitor received in the lead frame and electrically coupled between the positive DC bus and the negative DC bus. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A power module, comprising:
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a lead frame;
a plurality of electrical terminals carried by the lead frame;
a first bus bar coupled to the lead frame;
a second bus bar coupled to the lead frame;
a high side substrate coupled to the lead frame, the high side substrate comprising a number of electrically conductive high side collector areas and a number of electrically conductive high side emitter areas, the high side emitter areas electrically isolated from the high side collector areas;
a low side substrate coupled to the lead frame, the low side substrate comprising a number of electrically conductive low side collector areas and a number of electrically conductive low side emitter areas, the low side emitter areas electrically isolated from the low side collector areas;
a number of high side switches physically coupled to the high side substrate;
a number of low side switches physically coupled to the low side substrate; and
a number of capacitors received in the lead frame, each of the capacitors electrically coupled between one of the high side collector areas and one of the low side emitter areas. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of forming a power module, the method comprising:
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providing a lead frame;
coupling a substrate comprising a high side and a low side to the lead frame, the high side comprising a number of high side collector areas and a number of high side emitter areas electrically isolated from the high side collector areas, the low side comprising a number of low side collector areas and a number of low side emitter areas electrically isolated from the low side collector areas;
mounting a number of high side switches to the high side of the substrate;
mounting a number of low side switches to the low side of the substrate;
surface mounting at least one capacitor to one of the low side emitter areas; and
surface mounting the at least one capacitor to one of the high side collector areas. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification