Power module and method for manufacturing the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10080313-B2
Application number	US-201415104587-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 27, 2014
Priority date	Jan 27, 2014
Publication date	Sep 18, 2018
Grant date	Sep 18, 2018

Abstract

A power module or the like is provided in which lower inductance and miniaturization are achieved. The power module includes: main body units ( 11 to 13 ), cooling units ( 21 to 24 ) which cool the main body units ( 11 to 13 ), busbars ( 51, 52 ) connected to power terminals ( 1 i, 1 j ) of the main body units ( 11 to 13 ), a casing (W) in which at least contact parts with the busbars ( 51, 52 ) are insulative, and a metal member ( 30 ) which supports the casing (W). The metal member ( 30 ) tightly contacts the casing (W), thereby forming a box with one side opened. At least the main body units ( 11 to 13 ) and the busbars ( 51, 52 ) are arranged inside the box. An insulating sealant is provided to fill the inside of the box.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A power module comprising:
one or more main body units, each of the body units respectively having a semiconductor element, a control terminal connected to the semiconductor element, a power terminal through which a current corresponding to an electrical signal to the control terminal flows, and a heat dissipation layer;
one or more cooling units disposed to exchange heat with the heat dissipation layer and cool the main body units;
a busbar connected to the power terminal of each of the main body units;
a casing in which at least a contact part with the busbar is insulating; and
a metal member which supports the casing;
wherein the metal member contacts the casing, thereby forming a box with one side opened,
at least the main body units and the busbar are disposed inside the box,
in each of the main body units, the control terminal and the power terminal are disposed to extend to the one side from the semiconductor element, and
an insulating sealant fills the inside of the box, thereby sealing the main body units and the busbar,
the metal member has one or more pockets which are recessed towards another side opposite the one side and which accommodate the main body units,
the cooling units and the main body units, accommodated in the pockets, are arranged alternately and separated by the metal member, and
the cooling units exchange heat with the main body units via the pockets.

2. The power module according to claim 1 , wherein
the main body units and the cooling units are arranged alternately in the state of being in contact with the pockets as a multilayer body, and the multilayer body is accommodated in the box.

3. The power module according to claim 2 , wherein the casing includes:
an insulating member in which the busbar is placed; and
a pressurizing member disposed to sandwich and press the cooling units into contact with the pockets.

4. The power module according to claim 3 , wherein
the insulating members form a pair of sidewalls of the box and the insulating members are supported by the pressurizing member.

5. The power module according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a cooling water circulation member having one or more flow paths configured to pass cooling water,
wherein the cooling units and the metal member are integrally formed as a heat dissipation member, and
wherein the cooling water circulation member is disposed in contact with the heat dissipation member.

6. The power module according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a heat dissipation member made up of the cooling units, the metal member and one or more air cooling fins which are integrally formed,
wherein the air-cooling fins extend away from the one side.

7. The power module according to claim 1 , wherein
the metal member has a standing part which surrounds the casing, as viewed in a plan view, and stands up toward the one side.

8. The power module according to claim 7 , wherein
a top of the standing part is higher than a liquid surface of the insulating sealant filling the inside of the box.

9. The power module according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a pressurizing member disposed to sandwich and press the cooling units into contact with the pockets from opposing sides.

10. The power module according to claim 1 , wherein
the cooling units have one or more flow paths configured to pass cooling water.

11. The power module according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a heat sink disposed on the cooling units which dissipates heat absorbed from the cooling units into the air.

12. The power module according to claim 1 , wherein
the insulating sealant is a gel or a resin.

13. A power module comprising:
one or more body units, each including a semiconductor element, a control terminal connected to the semiconductor element, a power terminal through which a current corresponding to an electrical signal to the control terminal flows, and a heat dissipation layer;
one or more cooling units which are arranged alternately with the main body units and which cool the main body units; and
a metal member which is integrally formed and which includes one or more pockets separating each of the main body units and the cooling units from each other;
wherein the main body units are exposed to one side from the metal member, and
the cooling units are exposed to another side opposite to the one side from the metal member,
the pockets are each recessed towards the other side and accommodate the main body units therein,
the cooling units and the main body units, accommodated in the pockets, are arranged alternately and separated by the metal member, and
the cooling units exchange heat with the main body units via the pockets.

14. A method for manufacturing a power module, comprising:
positioning one or more main body units, each having a semiconductor element, a control terminal connected to the semiconductor element, a power terminal through which a current corresponding to an electrical signal to the control terminal flows, and a heat dissipation layer, from one side into one or more pockets of a metal member, and positioning one or more cooling units to be arranged alternately with the main body units accommodated in the pockets and separated from the main body units by the pockets;
connecting together a busbar and the power terminal of each of the main body units;
forming a box having a casing in contact with and supported by the metal member, where the box has one side thereof which is open, at least a contact part of the casing with the busbar is insulating, and at least the main body units and the busbar are disposed inside the box;
filling an inside of the box with an insulating sealant;
wherein the control terminal and the power terminal extend to the one side from the semiconductor element in each of the main body units, and
the pockets are recessed towards another side opposite to the one side,
the cooling units and the main body units, accommodated in the pockets, are arranged alternately and separated by the metal member, and
the cooling units exchange heat with the main body units via the pockets.

Assignees

• Hitachi Ltd

Inventors

• Shintani Hiroshi
• Ide Eiichi
• Sasaki Koji
• Tanie Hisashi

Classifications

• H10W40/778

  in encapsulations · CPC title

• H10W40/613

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

• H10W90/00

  Package configurations · CPC title

• H10W76/47

  Solid or gel fillings · CPC title

• H10W76/13

  Containers comprising a conductive base serving as an interconnection · CPC title