Power-module device, power conversion device, and method for manufacturing power-module device

US10064310B2 · US · B2

Patent metadata
FieldValue
Publication numberUS-10064310-B2
Application numberUS-201415319640-A
CountryUS
Kind codeB2
Filing dateJun 25, 2014
Priority dateJun 25, 2014
Publication dateAug 28, 2018
Grant dateAug 28, 2018

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  1. Title

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  2. Abstract

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  3. Assignees and inventors

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  4. Key dates

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  5. First independent claim

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  6. CPC / IPC classifications

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  7. Citations and related patents

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Abstract

Official abstract text for this publication.

In order to efficiently cool a heat-generating semiconductor element, it is desirable to cool a power semiconductor element from both surfaces. Therefore, in order to cool multiple power semiconductor elements, it is an effective way to alternately arrange a semiconductor component having the incorporated semiconductor element and a cooling device. A power conversion device for handling a high-power voltage needs to ensure pressure resistance between semiconductor elements or circuits inside the device. It is an effective way to seal the semiconductor component with a sealing material such as a silicone gel. Therefore, it is necessary to install the semiconductor component or the circuit having the incorporated semiconductor element, in a case from which a liquid silicone gel prior to curing does not leak even if the gel is injected. For these reasons, an object to be achieved by the invention is that the semiconductor element can be cooled from both surfaces by alternately arranging the semiconductor component having the incorporated semiconductor element and the cooling device. The above-described object can be achieved as follows. A substantially rectangular thin plate is subjected to mountain bending and valley bending so as to form a shape having as many recesses as the number of the mounted semiconductor components having the incorporated semiconductor element. Concurrently, a lateral side in a direction orthogonal to the above-described bending direction is bent so as to dispose the case in which all edges configuring an outer shape of the thin plate are arranged on substantially the same plane. The semiconductor component having the incorporated semiconductor element is arranged at a position serving as the recess of the case. The cooling devices are arranged so as to interpose the semiconductor component having the incorporated semiconductor element via the case. The semiconductor component having the incorporated semiconductor element is sealed with a silicone gel. In addition, preferably, the case is configured to include metal which has high heat conductivity. More preferably, the case is configured to include aluminum, copper, or an alloy whose principal components are both of these.

First claim

Opening claim text (preview).

The invention claimed is: 1. A power-module device comprising: a case that has multiple recessed portions; and multiple semiconductor components, wherein the case has a first side that is a side of the recessed portion, and a second side opposite the first side, wherein the case has an edge portion which extends further from the recessed portion, wherein the multiple semiconductor components are respectively arranged in the respective recessed portions so as to be interposed between cooling devices via the case from the first and second sides, and have a sealing material arranged on the first side of the case, and wherein the case has an integral structure so that the sealing material can be held on the first side up to at least a portion of the edge portion; wherein a number of cooling components is one more than the number of the semiconductor components, wherein the cooling components are connected by a member having a refrigerant passing therein so as to configure one liquid passage, and wherein the semiconductor component is cooled from both surfaces via the case; and wherein the cooling components are connected by a connection portion whose length is variable in a pressurizing direction. 2. The power-module device according to claim 1 , wherein the connection portions of the cooling components are connected via an O-ring. 3. A power-module device comprising: a case that has multiple recessed portions; and multiple semiconductor components, wherein the case has a first side that is a side of the recessed portion, and a second side opposite the first side, wherein the case has an edge portion which extends further from the recessed portion, wherein the multiple semiconductor components are respectively arranged in the respective recessed portions so as to be interposed between cooling devices via the case from the first and second sides, and have a sealing material arranged on the first side of the case, and wherein the case has an integral structure so that the sealing material can be held on the first side up to at least a portion of the edge portion; wherein the semiconductor component and a terminal block support member are arranged on the same plane orthogonal to a pressurizing direction, and wherein a thickness in the pressurizing direction of the terminal block support member is smaller than a thickness in the pressurizing direction of the semiconductor component. 4. The power-module device according to claim 1 , wherein a pressurizing plate having bending rigidity larger than bending rigidity of the cooling component is arranged outside two cooling components located at a terminal in the cooling components arranged side by side, and wherein the cooling component is pressurized by the pressurizing plate. 5. The power-module device according to claim 4 , wherein the pressurizing plate is bent in advance, and wherein an outer surface of the two cooling components located at the terminal in the cooling components whose surfaces are arranged side by side faces a convex surface of the pressurizing plate. 6. The power-module device according to claim 4 , wherein the pressurizing plate is pressurized by a bolt, and the bolt penetrates the pressurizing plate, the cooling component, and a block support member.

Assignees

Inventors

Classifications

  • by a substrate and the encapsulations · CPC title

  • Package configurations · CPC title

  • Encapsulations, e.g. protective coatings · CPC title

  • for stacked arrangements of a plurality of semiconductor devices · CPC title

  • by flowing liquids, e.g. forced water cooling · CPC title

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Frequently asked questions

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What does patent US10064310B2 cover?
In order to efficiently cool a heat-generating semiconductor element, it is desirable to cool a power semiconductor element from both surfaces. Therefore, in order to cool multiple power semiconductor elements, it is an effective way to alternately arrange a semiconductor component having the incorporated semiconductor element and a cooling device. A power conversion device for handling a high-…
Who is the assignee on this patent?
Hitachi Ltd
What technology area does this patent fall under?
Primary CPC classification H10W76/138. Mapped technology areas include Electricity.
When was this patent published?
Publication date Tue Aug 28 2018 00:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) (B2). Legal status and post-grant events are not shown on this page.
What related patents are in patentsdb?
We list 4 related publications on this page (citations in our corpus or others sharing the same primary CPC).