Electronic assembly for an inverter

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9504191-B2
Application number	US-201414291996-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 30, 2014
Priority date	Mar 28, 2014
Publication date	Nov 22, 2016
Grant date	Nov 22, 2016

Abstract

An electronic assembly for an inverter comprises a substrate having a dielectric layer and metallic circuit traces. A plurality of terminals are arranged for connection to a direct current source. A first semiconductor and a second semiconductor are coupled together between the terminals of the direct current source. A primary metallic island (e.g., strip) is located in a primary zone between the first semiconductor and the second semiconductor. The primary metallic island has a greater height or thickness than the metallic circuit traces. The primary metallic island provides a heat sink to radiate heat.

First claim

The following is claimed:

1. An electronic assembly for an inverter, the electronic assembly comprising:
a substrate having a dielectric layer and metallic circuit traces;
a plurality of input terminals for connection to a direct current source;
a first semiconductor and a second semiconductor mounted on the substrate and electrically coupled together between the input terminals;
a plurality of surface mount connectors mounted on the substrate that are electrically connected to a respective one or more of the metallic circuit traces, the input terminals terminating in ones of the surface mount connectors;
a primary metallic island mounted on the substrate and located in a primary zone between the first semiconductor and the second semiconductor, the primary metallic island being separate from the first semiconductor and the second semiconductor, the primary metallic island having a greater height or thickness than the metallic circuit traces, the primary metallic island providing a heat sink to radiate heat; and
a secondary metallic island mounted on the substrate and located in a secondary zone between adjacent ones of the surface mount connectors, and the secondary metallic island being separate from each of the surface mount connectors.

2. The electronic assembly according to claim 1 wherein the heat is conducted away from the primary metallic island through thermally conductive dielectric vias connected between the primary metallic island and a ground plane or a heat sink on a side of the substrate opposite to the primary metallic island.

3. The electronic assembly according to claim 1 further comprising:
a first enclosure portion overlying the substrate and the primary metallic island; wherein the heat is conducted away from the primary metallic island through a first enclosure portion in contact with, above or in close proximity to the primary metallic island.

4. The electronic assembly according to claim 3 wherein a thermal interface material, a thermally conductive adhesive or a thermally conductive lubricant is used between the primary metallic island and the first enclosure portion.

5. The electronic assembly according to claim 3 wherein the first semiconductor and the second semiconductor comprise surface mount transistors that are mounted on the substrate and electrically connected to corresponding ones of the metallic circuit traces and wherein the first enclosure portion has an inner surface with a mating shape and size that corresponds to a contour or an adjoining surface of the primary metallic island and the surface mount transistors.

6. The electronic assembly according to claim 3 wherein the first enclosure portion comprises a group of channels or micro-channels within an adjoining cover or an enclosure in contact with, above or in close proximity to the primary metallic island for transfer of the heat from the primary metallic island.

7. The electronic assembly according to claim 1 wherein the surface mount connectors include a plurality of input surface mount connectors mounted on the substrate that are electrically connected to a respective one or more of the metallic circuit traces.

8. The electronic assembly according to claim 7 wherein the first enclosure portion comprises a group of channels or micro-channels within the first enclosure portion, and where an inner surface of the first enclosure portion is in contact with, above or in close proximity to the secondary metallic island for transfer of the heat from the secondary metallic island.

9. The electronic assembly according to claim 1 further comprising:
a plurality of pairs of the semiconductors, each of the pairs includes the first and second semiconductors;
wherein the surface mount connectors include a plurality of output surface mount connectors mounted on the substrate, each of the output surface mount connectors is electrically connected to a respective phase output terminal of each of the pairs of the first semiconductor and the second semiconductor; and
a tertiary metallic island mounted on the substrate and located in a tertiary zone between adjacent ones of the output surface mount connectors and the first and second semiconductors, the tertiary metallic island being separate from each of the output surface mount connectors and the first and second semiconductors.

10. The electronic assembly according to claim 9 wherein the first enclosure portion comprises a group of micro-channels within the first enclosure portion, and where an inner surface of the first enclosure portion is in contact with, above or in close proximity to the tertiary metallic island for transfer of the heat from the tertiary metallic island.

11. An electronic assembly for an inverter, the electronic assembly comprising:
a substrate having a dielectric layer and metallic circuit traces;
a first enclosure portion for mounting above the substrate, the first enclosure portion having a plurality of coolant channels located therein;
a second enclosure portion for mounting below the substrate;
a plurality of input terminals for connection to a direct current source;
a first semiconductor and a second semiconductor mounted on the substrate and electrically coupled together between the input terminals;
a plurality of surface mount connectors mounted on the substrate that are electrically connected to a respective one or more of the metallic circuit traces, the input terminals terminating in ones of the surface mount connectors;
a primary metallic island mounted on the substrate and located in a primary zone between the first semiconductor and the second semiconductor, the primary metallic island being separate from the first semiconductor and the second semiconductor, the primary metallic island having a greater height or thickness than the metallic circuit traces, the primary metallic island providing a heat sink to radiate heat for transfer via the coolant channels within an adjoining first enclosure portion in contact with, above or in close proximity to the primary metallic island; and
a secondary metallic island mounted on the substrate and located in a secondary zone between adjacent ones of the surface mount connectors, and the secondary metallic island being separate from each of the surface mount connectors.

12. The electronic assembly according to claim 11 wherein the coolant channels of the first enclosure portion comprises:
a series of inlet coolant channels for conveying/circulating a coolant within the first enclosure portion, the inlet coolant channels adapted to receive a coolant from an inlet port.

13. The electronic assembly according to claim 11 wherein the coolant channels of the first enclosure portion comprises:
a series of outlet coolant channels for conveying/circulating a coolant within the first enclosure portion, the outlet channels adapted to exhaust coolant to an outlet port.

14. The electronic assembly according to claim 11 wherein the coolant channels of first enclosure portion comprise:
an inlet port in the first enclosure portion for receiving a coolant;
a series of inlet coolant channels for conveying/circulating the coolant within the first enclosure portion, the inlet coolant channels in communication with a distributor portion associated with the inlet port;
a series of outlet coolant channels for conveying/circulating the coolant within the first enclosure portion, the outlet coolant channels in communication with a curved transition portion between the inlet coolant channels and the outlet coolant channels; and
an outlet port in the first enclosure portion for exhausting the coolant.

15. The e

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Singh Brij N
• Oenick John N

Classifications

• H05K2201/066

  Heatsink mounted on the surface of the printed circuit board [PCB] · CPC title

• H05K1/141

  One or more single auxiliary printed circuits mounted on a main printed circuit, e.g. modules, adapters (H05K1/142 and H05K1/147 take precedence) · CPC title

• H05K1/0306

  Inorganic insulating substrates, e.g. ceramic, glass · CPC title

• H05K1/0209 Primary

  External configuration of printed circuit board adapted for heat dissipation, e.g. lay-out of conductors, coatings · CPC title

• H05K7/20927

  Liquid coolant without phase change · CPC title