POWER ELECTRONIC ARRANGEMENT WITH DC VOLTAGE CONNECTION ELEMENT AND METHOD FOR ITS PRODUCTION

Abstract

A power converter module has a switching device with a substrate with a first and a second DC voltage conductor track and a first and a second DC voltage terminal element connected in an electrically conducting manner with the correct polarity, and having a first and a second DC voltage connection element. The first DC voltage terminal element is connected to the first DC voltage connection element in an electrically conducting manner with the correct polarity by means of a first materially-bonded connection, wherein the second DC voltage terminal element is connected to the second DC voltage connection element in an electrically conducting manner with the correct polarity by means of a second materially-bonded connection.

Claims

1. A power electronic arrangement (1), comprising: a power converter module (2), further comprising: a switching device (4) with a substrate with a first and a second DC voltage conductor track (42) and a first and a second DC voltage terminal element (50, 52) connected thereto in an electrically conducting manner with a respective correct polarity; a first and a second DC voltage connection element (60, 62), wherein the first DC voltage terminal element (50) is connected to the first DC voltage connection element (60) in an electrically conducting manner with said respective correct polarity by means of a respective first materially-bonded connection (70); wherein the second DC voltage terminal element (52) is connected to the second DC voltage connection element (62) in an electrically conducting manner with said respective correct polarity by means of a respective second materially-bonded connection (72); and wherein proximate each of the respective first and the second materially-bonded connections (70, 72) and between the DC voltage terminal element and the associated DC voltage connection element, the first and second DC voltage terminal element (50, 52), as well as the first and second DC voltage connection element (60, 62), is formed respective stacks with a respective first and a second insulation device (54, 64) arranged in between them viewed in the normal direction (N).

2. The power electronic arrangement, according to claim 1, wherein: each respective said first and said second materially-bonded connection is implemented as a welded joint.

3. The power electronic arrangement, according to claim 1, wherein: the first connection (70) is spaced apart from the second connection (72) perpendicular to the normal direction (N); and the first connection and the second connection (70, 72) do not have an overlap region.

4. The power electronic arrangement, according to claim 3, wherein: either the first DC voltage terminal element (50) or the first DC voltage connection element (60) rests on a supporting device (20) proximate one of the first connection and the second connection (70, 72); and said supporting device is one of a part of a housing (2) of the switching device (4) and a part of a cooling device (3).

5. The power electronic arrangement, according to claim 4, wherein: the first DC voltage terminal element (50) or the first DC voltage connection element (60) is arranged by means of a clamping device (74) on the support device (20) directly adjacent to the first connection (70).

6. The power electronic arrangement, according to claim 5, wherein: the clamping device (74) is a threaded connection (740) and with an insulating sleeve at least partially surrounding the clamping device (74) passes in an electrically insulated manner through an opening (510) in the first DC voltage terminal element (50) and also passes through a second opening in the second DC voltage connection element (62).

7. The power electronic arrangement, according to claim 1, wherein: the first DC voltage terminal element (50) is arranged in a first main plane (HE1); the second DC voltage terminal element (52) and the first DC voltage connection element (60) are arranged in a second main plane (HE2); and the second DC voltage connection element (62) is arranged in a third main plane (HE3); and and the first main plane, the second main plane, and the third main planes are stacked in the normal direction (N).

8. The power electronic arrangement, according to claim 1, wherein: the first DC voltage connection element (60) is arranged in a first main plane (HE1); the second DC voltage connection element (62) and the first DC voltage terminal element (50) are arranged in a second main plane (HE2); the second DC voltage terminal element (52) is arranged in a third main plane (HE3); and the first main plane, the second main plane, and the third main planes are stacked in the normal direction (N).

9. The power electronic arrangement, according to claim 1, wherein: the respective first and second insulation devices (54, 64) of the respective two stacks overlap each other in the region between the respective first and second materially-bonded connections (70, 72).

10. The power electronic arrangement, according to claim 1, wherein: each respective said first and said second DC voltage terminal element (50, 52) is a metal foil sheet, with a thickness of 300 μm to 2000 μm.

11. The power electronic arrangement, according to claim 1, wherein: each respective said first and said second insulation device (54, 64) is formed of a material selected from a group of plastics with high electrical dielectric strengths including a polyimide, an ethylene tetrafluoroethylene copolymer, and a liquid crystal polymer; and each said first and said second insulation device (54, 64) has a thickness of 50 μm to 500 μm.

12. The power electronic arrangement, according to claim 1, wherein: the first and the second DC voltage connection elements (60, 62) form the DC voltage supply of the power converter module (2); and the first and the second DC voltage connection elements are part of a capacitor device (8).

13. A method for producing a power electronic arrangement, according to claim 12, comprising the steps of: a. arranging the power converter module (2) with the first and the second DC voltage terminal element (50, 52) relative to a capacitor device (8) with the first and the second DC voltage connection elements (60, 62), in such a way that a surface connection section (600) of the first DC voltage connection element (60) is on an associated surface connection section (500) of the first DC voltage terminal element (50), and that a surface connection section (500, 600) of the first DC voltage terminal element (50) or of the first DC voltage connection element (60) is located opposite an associated surface welding section (502, 602) and is accessible to an external welding device (700); b. forming the first connection (70) by welding the first DC voltage connection element (60) to the first DC voltage terminal element (50); c. arranging a surface connection section (620) of the second DC voltage connection element (62) on an associated surface connection section (520) of the second DC voltage terminal element (52); and d. forming the second connection (72) by welding (720) the second DC voltage connection element (62) to the second DC voltage terminal element (52) on a second surface welding section (522, 622).

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein: during the step (a) the DC voltage terminal elements (50, 52) or the DC voltage connection element (60, 62) are arranged a distance apart in the region of their respective surface connection sections (500,520, 600,620) and are at an angle relative to each other.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein: in step c), the second DC voltage terminal element (52) or the second DC voltage connection element (62) is bent in a bending region (524, 624).

16. The method according to Cairn 15, wherein: in the step d) the respective welding (720) is a laser welding process.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] FIG. 1 schematically shows a detail of a first design of a power electronic arrangement in sectional view during method step b).

[0029] FIG. 2 shows this power electronic arrangement during method step d).

[0030] FIG. 3 shows a three-dimensional partial view of a power converter module of a power electronic arrangement according to the invention.

[0031] FIG. 4 schematically shows a detail of a second configuration of a power electronic arrangement in a sectional view.

[0032] FIG. 5 shows a three-dimensional partial view of the power converter module of this power electronic arrangement according to the invention.

[0033] FIG. 6 shows a capacitor device for connecting to this power converter module.

[0034] FIG. 7 schematically shows a detail of a third design of a power electronic arrangement in sectional view during method step b).

[0035] FIG. 8 shows essential steps of the method according to the invention.

[0036] FIG. 9 shows a three-dimensional view of a power electronic arrangement according to the invention.

[0037] FIGS. 10 and 11 show this power electronic arrangement in perspective and in different three-dimensional views during method step b).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0038] Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the invention. Wherever possible, same or similar reference numerals are used in the drawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts or steps. The drawings are in simplified form and are not to precise scale. The word ‘couple’ and similar terms do not necessarily denote direct and immediate connections, but also include connections through intermediate elements or devices. For purposes of convenience and clarity only, directional (up/down, etc.) or motional (forward/back, etc.) terms may be used with respect to the drawings. These and similar directional terms should not be construed to limit the scope in any manner. It will also be understood that other embodiments may be utilized without departing from the scope of the present invention, and that the detailed description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, and that elements may be differently positioned, or otherwise noted as in the appended claims without requirements of the written description being required thereto.

[0039] FIG. 1 schematically shows a detail of a first design of a power electronic arrangement 1 in sectional view during the method step b), while FIG. 2 shows this power electronic arrangement 1 during the method step d). Both figures show a power converter module 2 having a switching device 4, which is arranged on a metal base plate 3, here designed as a liquid cooling device. To provide electrical insulation from the liquid cooling device 3 and thermal coupling to the liquid cooling device 3, this switching device 4 has an insulating material body 40, implemented as a ceramic body. On the side facing away from the liquid cooling device 3 this ceramic body 40 has a multiplicity of conductor tracks 42, which in the operation of the switching device 4 have different potentials. One of these conductor tracks 42, a first DC voltage conductor, has a first DC voltage potential, while a further, a second DC voltage conductor track, has a second DC voltage potential. As an example, the switching device 4 forms a power converter circuit.

[0040] On at least one of these conductor tracks 42, which together with the insulating material body 40 form the substrate of the switching device 4, power semiconductor devices 44 arranged in a standard manner are connected to form a circuit. The connection in this embodiment is implemented as a standard film composite 46 made from electrically conductive and electrically insulating films stacked alternately.

[0041] For external connection, the power converter module 2 has two DC voltage terminal elements 50, 52, which are each connected in an electrically conducting manner to one of the DC voltage conductor tracks 42 carrying DC voltage potential. This connection is implemented in a standard way, in this case without restriction of generality, as a pressure sintering connection. These DC voltage terminal elements 50, 52 are used for the connection to associated DC voltage connection elements 60, 62, which are preferably connected to a capacitor device (see FIG. 6). Before and also during the method step b), the DC voltage connection elements 60, 62 are spaced apart from each other in the region of their respective surface connection sections 600,620, i.e., those sections which are to be connected to the assigned surface connection sections 500,520 of the DC voltage terminal elements 50, 52, and are at an angle to each other, here purely as an example a right angle, to each other. This angle is formed by bending the second DC voltage connection element 62 at a bending region 624.

[0042] During the method step b), the first DC voltage connection element 50 is already resting on a support surface 240 of the housing 20. The second DC voltage terminal element 52 ends recessed with respect to the first DC voltage connection element 50, with the result that its surface connection section 500 is accessible from above, i.e., in the negative normal direction, i.e., also the negative z-direction. The surface connection section 600 of the first DC voltage connection element 60 was arranged on this in method step a). On its opposite surface is its surface welding section 602. By the action of a first laser beam 700 of a welding laser on this surface welding section 602, a first welding joint 70 is formed, see FIG. 2.

[0043] In the following method step c), the surface connection section 620 of the second DC voltage connection element 62 is arranged on the associated surface connection section 520 of the second DC voltage terminal element 52. For this purpose, in the bending region 624 of the second DC voltage connection element 62, the angled section is bent in such a way, represented by the dashed curved arrow, that both DC voltage connection elements 60,62 again run parallel to each other over the entire length shown.

[0044] Represented in FIG. 2, the action of a second laser beam 720 of a welding laser on the surface welding section 622 of the second DC voltage connection element 62 now forms a second connection 72, see FIG. 4, thus here a second welding joint, that between the second DC voltage terminal element 52 and the second DC voltage connection element 62.

[0045] In the area of the connection between DC voltage terminal elements 50, 52 and DC voltage connection elements 60, 62, the first DC voltage terminal element 50 and the second DC voltage terminal element 52 form a stack, wherein an insulation device 54 is arranged between the two DC voltage terminal elements 50, 52, and shown in exemplary form in FIG. 4. The first DC voltage terminal element 50 rests on the supporting surface 240 of the housing 20, only partially shown, of the power converter module 2. This housing 20 in this design is only implemented as a partial housing 22, and thus does not completely enclose the switching device 4, as would be possible.

[0046] In the area of the surface connection section 500 of the first DC voltage terminal element 50, its course is defined by a first main plane HE1. The region of the surface connection section 520 of the second DC voltage terminal element 52 and the surface connection section 600 of the first DC voltage connection element 60 defines a second main plane HE2, directly following the first, in normal direction N, in this case the positive z-direction. The region of the surface connection section 620 of the second DC voltage connection element 62 defines a third main plane HE3, directly following the second in the direction away from the cooling device, thus in the normal direction N.

[0047] The housing 20 of the power converter module 2 itself is formed from a high-temperature-resistant plastic, here a polyphenylene sulphide, which also has a high flexural strength. The DC voltage terminal elements 50, 52, as well as the DC voltage connection elements 60, 62, are implemented as thin metal sheets, here more precisely copper sheets, with a thickness of 700 μm. The insulation device 54, 64, both between the DC voltage terminal elements 50, 52 and between the DC voltage connection elements 60, 62, is made from a plastic with high electrical dielectric strength, here from ethylene tetrafluoroethylene copolymer or liquid crystal polymer, with a thickness of 100 μm.

[0048] FIG. 3 shows a three-dimensional partial view of a power converter module of a power electronic arrangement according to the invention, as described in FIGS. 1 and 2. Also shown here is a cover element 26 of the housing 20.

[0049] FIG. 4 schematically shows a detail of a second design of a power electronic arrangement 1 in a sectional view. This differs from the first design in that a clamping device 74, which has been implemented as a screw connection 740, is also present here. FIG. 5 shows a three-dimensional partial view of the power converter module 2 of this power electronic arrangement according to the invention. FIG. 6 shows a capacitor device 8 with capacitor elements 80 and DC voltage connection elements 60, 62 for connection to the power converter module.

[0050] Here, the first DC voltage terminal element 50 has a first opening 500, the second DC voltage terminal element 52 is recessed relative to this first opening 510 and has a lateral retraction. Similarly, the second DC voltage connection element 62 has a second opening 610, the first DC voltage connection element 52 ends in a recessed position relative to this first opening 510 and has a lateral retraction. Furthermore, the housing 20 also has a third opening 210, which is aligned with the first opening 510. All the openings 210, 510, 650 are arranged in alignment with one another, wherein the screw of the screw connection 740 passes through all the openings 210, 510, 650 and the terminal and connection elements are fixed on the housing 20. Alternatively, but not shown, the screw of the screw connection can also engage in a further opening of the cooling device fitted with an internal thread, and thus additionally fix the power converter module thereto.

[0051] FIG. 7 schematically shows a detail of a third design of a power electronic arrangement 1 in sectional view during method step b). In contrast to the first design according to FIGS. 1 to 3, the first DC voltage connection element 60 rests on the cooling device 3 in an electrically insulated manner, in fact directly and therefore with excellent thermal conductance. For this purpose, and purely as an example, the cooling device has an elevation 30 with a supporting surface 340.

[0052] The first DC voltage terminal element 50 rests with its surface connection section 500 on the surface connection section 600 of the first DC voltage connection element 60. The action of a first laser beam 700 of a welding laser on the surface welding section 602 located opposite the surface connection section 600 of the first DC voltage connection element 60 is used to form a first welding joint.

[0053] Directly thereafter, in a method step c) the surface connection section 520 of the second DC voltage terminal element 52 is arranged on the surface connection section 620 of the second DC voltage connection element 62. For this purpose, the second DC voltage terminal element 52 is angled in a bending region 524. At the same time, a first insulation device 54 is also angled and then rests on the first DC voltage terminal element 50 and overlaps this so that it also partly overlaps the second insulation device 64.

[0054] In a method step d), the action of a second laser beam 720 of a welding laser on the surface welding section 622 opposite the surface connection section 620 of the second DC voltage connection element 62 then forms a second welding joint between the second DC voltage terminal element 52 and the second DC voltage connection element 62.

[0055] FIG. 8 shows the essential steps of the method according to the invention in plan view from the normal direction N, i.e., from the z-direction, onto the terminal and connection elements.

[0056] The top part of the figure shows a first DC voltage terminal element 50 with its surface connection section 500, and a second DC voltage terminal element 52 with its surface connection section 520.

[0057] In the center, a first DC voltage connection element 60 is additionally shown, which rests with its surface connection section on the surface connection section 500 of the first DC voltage terminal element 50. Also shown is the surface welding section 602 of each first DC voltage connection element 60 opposite the surface connection section 600. The laser track 704, which is created when forming the first connection on this surface welding section 602 by means of laser welding, is also shown.

[0058] In some sections the second DC voltage connection element 60 here protrudes from the drawing plane in the normal direction N, and is angled in its bending region 624 for this purpose.

[0059] The lower part of the figure shows the second DC voltage connection element 62 after bending at its bending region 624, so that the surface connection section 620 thereof now rests on the surface connection section 520 of the second DC voltage terminal element 52. This connection between these surface connection sections is made by means of laser welding. The laser track 724, which is created when forming the second connection on the surface welding section 622 of the second DC voltage connection element 62, is also shown.

[0060] FIG. 9 shows a three-dimensional view of a power electronic arrangement according to the invention. FIGS. 10 and 11 show this power electronic arrangement in different three-dimensional views during method step b). All the essential elements shown are already described above.

[0061] It is to be noted that of course features of different exemplary embodiments of the invention can be combined with one another in an arbitrary manner, unless the features are mutually exclusive, without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0062] Also, the inventors intend that only those claims which use the specific and exact phrase “means for” are intended to be interpreted under 35 USC 112, sixth paragraph. The structure herein is noted and well supported in the entire disclosure. Moreover, no limitations from the specification are intended to be read into any claims, unless those limitations are expressly included in the claims.

[0063] Having described at least one of the preferred embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, it will be apparent to those skills that the invention is not limited to those precise embodiments, and that various modifications and variations can be made in the presently disclosed system without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. Thus, it is intended that the present disclosure cover modifications and variations of this disclosure provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.