Circuit carrier arrangement and method for producing such a circuit carrier arrangement

Abstract

A circuit carrier arrangement includes: a cooling plate (1) which has spacer and fastening elements (3) for connection to a printed circuit board (2) in a spaced-apart manner; a printed circuit board (2) which has bores (4) for receiving spring element sleeves (9); at least one power semiconductor component (10) which is connected by a soldered connection to the printed circuit board (2) and fastening elements (3) in the state in which it is fitted with the cooling plate (1) by means of plug-in connections (11) of spring-action configuration; and at least one spring element (5) having at least two spring element sleeves (9) between which a web (6) that is connected to the spring element sleeves (9) extends, and supporting elements (7) arranged on either side of said web and at least one spring plate (8) being arranged on said web.

Claims

1. A circuit carrier arrangement comprising: a cooling plate (1) which has spacer and fastening elements (3) for connection to a printed circuit board (2) in a spaced-apart manner, a printed circuit board (2) which has bores (4) for receiving spring element sleeves (9), at least one power semiconductor component (10) which is connected by a soldered connection to the printed circuit board (2) on its side that faces the spacer and fastening elements (3) in the state in which it is fitted with the cooling plate (1) by means of plug-in connections (11) of spring-action configuration, and at least one spring element (5) which is formed with at least two spring element sleeves (9) between which a web (6) that is connected to the spring element sleeves (9) extends, and supporting elements (7) that extend perpendicularly in relation to the longitudinal direction of the spring element sleeves (9) being arranged on either side of said web and at least one spring plate (8) being arranged on said web, wherein the cooling plate (1), in the fitted state, has threaded elements (12) that are axially aligned with the bores (4) in the printed circuit board (2), and wherein, in the state in which the printed circuit board (2) is fitted with the cooling plate (1), screws (13) are inserted through the spring element sleeves (9) and are operatively connected to the threaded elements (12), so that, in the non-clamped state of the at least one spring plate (8), with the screw (13) not screwed in, said spring plate is arranged between the printed circuit board (2) and the at least one power semiconductor component (10), and, with the screw (13) screwed in, the spring plate (8) is pressed onto the power semiconductor component (10) against the cooling plate (1).

2. The circuit carrier arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plug-in connections (11) are of s-shaped or wave-like configuration.

3. The circuit carrier arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein a plurality of spring plates (8) are arranged on the web (6).

4. The circuit carrier arrangement as claimed in claim 3, wherein the spring plates (8) are arranged on either side of the web (6).

5. The circuit carrier arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the spring element sleeves (9) have a longitudinal slot and have a radial spring action.

6. The circuit carrier arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein a spring element (5), which is formed with the spring element sleeves (9), the web (6), at least one spring plate (8) and the supporting elements (7), is produced from a sheet-metal part by stamping and bending.

7. The circuit carrier arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein a supporting element (7) of a spring element (5) is formed by bending a spring plate (8) close to the web (6) of the spring element (5).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention is intended to be explained in more detail below on the basis of an exemplary embodiment with the aid of figures, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a perspective top view of a circuit carrier arrangement,

(3) FIG. 2 shows a perspective top view of a circuit carrier arrangement with a transparent printed circuit board,

(4) FIG. 3 shows a perspective side view of a circuit carrier arrangement,

(5) FIG. 4 shows a circuit carrier arrangement from the side,

(6) FIG. 5 shows a spring element from the front,

(7) FIG. 6 shows a spring element from behind,

(8) FIG. 7 shows a spring element from above,

(9) FIG. 8 shows a spring element from the side,

(10) FIG. 9 shows a perspective view of a spring element,

(11) FIG. 10 shows a perspective top view of a circuit carrier arrangement with a transparent printed circuit board with an alternative spring element,

(12) FIG. 11 shows a perspective view of an alternative spring element,

(13) FIG. 12 shows an alternative spring element from the side.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

(14) FIGS. 1 to 4 show, in various viewing angles, perspective illustrations of circuit carrier arrangements which realize the concept according to the invention and are produced using the method according to the invention. In FIG. 2, a view is selected in which the printed circuit board 2 is illustrated in a transparent manner in order to allow the underlying arrangement of the power semiconductor components 10 and spring elements 5 to be seen.

(15) Such a circuit carrier arrangement is formed with a cooling plate 1 which is connected to a printed circuit board 2 by means of spacer and fastening elements 3. The printed circuit board 2 can be populated with any desired circuit arrangement comprising a wide variety of electrical and electronic components, where, in particular, power semiconductor components 10 are connected to the printed circuit board 2 by means of plug-in connections 11. The plug-in connections 11 are inserted through holes, in particular bores, in the printed circuit board 2 and then soldered to conductor tracks (not illustrated) that are fitted on the printed circuit board 2. Such soldered connections are sensitive to mechanical loads, and therefore the plug-in connections 11 are configured as spring-action plug-in connections, in particular in an approximately s-shaped or wave-like manner.

(16) The printed circuit board 2 has bores 4 into which spring element sleeves 9 of a spring element 5 are inserted in the illustrated exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 4. In this case, the spring element 5 has supporting elements 7 (FIGS. 5 to 9), where the spring element sleeves 9 are inserted so far into the bores 4 in the printed circuit board 2 that the supporting elements 7 come into contact with the printed circuit board 2 and accordingly support the spring element 5 on the printed circuit board 2.

(17) After the spring element sleeves 9 are inserted into the bores 4 in the printed circuit board 2, the power semiconductor components 10 are soldered to the printed circuit board 2 by means of their plug-in connections 11, where, in this fitting situation, the power semiconductor components 10 are not in contact with the spring plates 8 of the spring elements 5. As a result, the plug-in connections 11 and therefore also their soldered connections to the printed circuit board 2 are relieved of mechanical loading.

(18) The cooling plate 1 has threaded elements 12 into which screws 13, which are inserted into the spring element sleeves 9 of the spring element 5, are operatively connected, in particular are screwed to them. In this case, the screws 13 can have an external thread, where the threaded elements 12 then accordingly have an internal thread, but the reverse is also possible. When the screws 13 are screwed into the threaded elements 12, the spring element sleeves are then moved in the direction of the cooling plate 1 and therefore the spring plates 8 are pressed onto the power semiconductor components 10, where these are pressed against the cooling plate 1.

(19) The process of screwing the screws 13 takes place only after the printed circuit board 2 has been connected to the cooling plate 1 by means of the spacer and fastening elements 3. In this case, the screws 13 can be inserted into the spring element sleeves 9 before the printed circuit board 2 is connected to the cooling plate 1, or only thereafter.

(20) FIGS. 5 to 9 show various views of a spring element 5. The spring element 5 is preferably produced from a sheet-metal strip which is correspondingly punched out, where the tabs implemented in this way are shaped by bending over to form supporting elements 7, spring plates 8 and spring elements 9. The entire assembly is held together by a web 6 which forms the middle of the original metal sheet. As can be gathered from the perspective view in FIG. 9 in particular, three supporting elements 7 are provided, which supporting elements therefore form a particularly stable three-legged unit with which the spring element 5 can be positioned in a stable manner when it is inserted into the bores 4 in the printed circuit board 2, so that a defined position of the spring plates 8 in relation to the power semiconductor components 10 can be achieved.

(21) FIG. 10 shows a further perspective illustration of a circuit carrier arrangement which likewise realizes the concept according to the invention and is produced using the method according to the invention. Here too, as in FIG. 2, a view is selected in which the printed circuit board 2 is illustrated in a transparent manner in order to allow the underlying arrangement of the power semiconductor components 10 and alternative spring elements 5 to be seen. In the case of this alternative spring element 5, a supporting element 7 is formed by bending a spring plate 8 close to the web 6. In this case, the bend forms that point of the spring plate 8 that is situated closest to the printed circuit board 2 and supports the spring element 5 on the printed circuit board 2 in the non-clamped state. A relatively low overall height can be achieved owing to this variant of a spring element 5.

(22) FIGS. 11 and 12 show a perspective view and a side view of the alternative spring elements 5. It can be clearly seen in FIG. 12 that bending a spring plate 8 close to the web 6 forms that point of the spring plate 8 that is situated closest to the printed circuit board 2. In this case, the printed circuit board 2 is intended to be above the spring element 5 based on the view in FIG. 12, as can also be seen in FIG. 10.

(23) The spring element sleeves 9 are likewise formed from the original stamped metal sheet and as a result have a longitudinal slot which leads to the spring element sleeves 9 being of spring-action configuration in the axial direction and therefore being able to be inserted particularly easily into bores 4 in the printed circuit board 2, without compliance with low, prespecified tolerances having to be taken into consideration in the process on account of a required press fit.

(24) Owing to this advantageous spring element 5 and the order according to the invention of fitting of the spring element 5 and the power semiconductor component 10 and the connection of the printed circuit board 2 to the cooling plate 1, a particularly simple and cost-effective circuit carrier arrangement with well cooled power semiconductor components 10 is produced.