Electronic device module for power control and method of manufacturing the same

Abstract

The invention relates to an electronic device module for power control and a method for manufacturing the same. The electronic device module (100) comprises: a carrier element (102), the carrier element having at least a first power switch element (104) with a first cooling surface (106) and a second power switch element (108) with a second cooling surface (110); a cooling body (126); and a cooling plate (122), which, in the installed state of the electronic device module (100), is not only thermally connected to the first cooling surface (106) and the second cooling surface (110) but also thermally connected to the cooling body (126).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an electronic device module for power control and a method for manufacturing an electronic device module for power control. Background Art

[0002] In the production of electronic modules, for example for transmissions or control power control in vehicles, a major challenge is the increasing miniaturization of electronic components. The desire to integrate more and more power into increasingly smaller installation spaces leads to correspondingly high demands on heat dissipation.

[0003] For efficient heat dissipation, the component can be coupled to the heat sink, for example, via a heat-conducting intermediate element. Summary of the invention

[0004] Against this background, the invention provides an improved electronic component module and an improved method for producing the electronic component module according to the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments are apparent from the dependent claims and the following description.

[0005] The solution described here is based on the recognition that by coupling a group of power switching elements, such as MOSFETs, of an electronics module to a common cooling plate, it is possible to dissipate heat within the cooling plate, wherein the areas between the individual power switching elements can also be used to dissipate heat. This allows more heat to be dissipated than in a solution in which a separate cooling plate is assigned to each power switching element.

[0006] An electronic device module for power control is provided with the following features:

[0007] a carrier element, the carrier element having at least a first power switching element with a first cooling surface and a second power switching element with a second cooling surface;

[0008] a cooling body; and

[0009] A cooling plate which, in the installed state of the electronics module, is connected both to the first cooling surface and to the second cooling surface in a heat-conducting manner to one another and to the cooling body in a heat-conducting manner.

[0010] The electronic device module may refer to, for example, a module for controlling a transmission, in particular a vehicle transmission, or a power electronic device module. The carrier element may refer to, for example, a printed circuit board, also referred to as a circuit board or PCB (printed circuit board). The carrier element may be equipped with electronic structural elements on one side or both sides depending on the embodiment. The power switch element may be an electronic switch, such as a MOSFET or other semiconductor-based power switch. The first and second power switch elements may particularly relate to the final stage of an amplifier circuit. Here, the first and second power switch elements may be connected in parallel to each other. The first and second cooling surfaces may, for example, relate to surface sections of the upper side of the first or second power switch element facing away from the carrier element. The cooling plate may refer to a plate made of a material with a higher thermal conductivity, in particular a metal plate, such as a copper plate or a plate made of other suitable metals. The cooling plate may, for example, also be implemented as a composite made of different materials. The cooling body may generally refer to a main body that acts as a heat sink, which can absorb heat particularly well and output heat again through its geometry or its material properties. The cooling body may, for example, relate to the housing of the electronic device module or at least one section of the electronic device module. The cooling body can also be a separate component, such as a transmission component or another part of the vehicle that acts as a heat sink. The cooling body can also be realized, for example, as a metallic insert, for example for placement in a die-cast housing.

[0011] According to one embodiment, the first power switch element and / or the second power switch element can be implemented as a MOSFET, an IGBT or a thyristor. The first and second power switch elements can be connected in parallel with each other in addition or alternatively. This embodiment realizes effective power control in a structure form of the electronic device module that is as compact as possible.

[0012] According to another embodiment, the cooling plate is at least mostly made of copper and / or comprises copper as a main component. The cooling plate can be realized, for example, as a copper plate or copper sheet. Alternatively, the cooling plate can be realized from a copper-containing alloy. This allows efficient heat removal at low manufacturing costs.

[0013] According to another embodiment, the electronic device module can have a connecting element having a filler with a predefined thermal resistance. The connecting element can be designed to connect the cooling plate and the cooling body to each other in a heat-conducting manner when the electronic device module is installed. The filler can be, for example, a so-called caulking material with predefined mechanical and chemical properties, which is selected, for example, according to these properties. The connecting element can be realized, for example, as a film, a plate or a paste. This embodiment can further increase the efficiency of heat removal.

[0014] The electronics module can also have an electrically insulating insulating layer, which is designed to connect the connection element and the cooling body to each other in a heat-conducting manner when the electronics module is installed. The insulating layer can generally be understood as a heat-conducting but electrically insulating layer. The insulating layer can be applied to the surface of the cooling body, for example, at least in sections, for example by anodizing, during the production of the cooling body. This embodiment can also further increase the efficiency of heat removal.

[0015] The connecting element has a predefined elasticity depending on the embodiment and / or is self-adhesive and / or can be removed without residue and / or is electrically conductive and / or is implemented as a heat-conducting film. The connecting element can be specifically selected, for example, by means of or by a predetermined (desired) elasticity. The insulating layer can additionally or alternatively be implemented as a metallic oxide layer. This embodiment can reduce the cost when manufacturing, installing or removing the electronic device module. In addition, it is possible to compensate for the inhomogeneity of the corresponding surface characteristics in the cooling body and the cooling plate in a simple manner.

[0016] According to another embodiment, the cooling plate can be connected to the first cooling surface and / or the second cooling surface by material bonding, in particular by welding and / or bonding. This can significantly improve the heat conduction between the first cooling surface and the cooling plate or between the second cooling surface and the cooling plate.

[0017] In addition, the electronic device module can have a housing for enclosing the electronic device module. The housing can be realized, for example, by plastic or metal or plastic and metal. The housing can be constructed, for example, in a fluid-tight manner. This embodiment can protect the electronic device module from environmental influences and mechanical damage.

[0018] In this case, the heat sink can be realized as part of the housing, thereby making it possible to realize the electronics module as compact as possible.

[0019] It is particularly advantageous if the housing is formed by injection-molding the electronic component module with a housing material. The housing material is, for example, plastic or a composite material containing plastic. This allows the housing to be manufactured particularly cost-effectively and compactly.

[0020] The solution proposed herein ultimately creates a method for manufacturing an electronic device module for power control, wherein the method comprises the following steps:

[0021] Arranging the cooling plate between the heat sink and a carrier element, the carrier element having at least a first power switching element with a first cooling surface and a second power switching element with a second cooling surface; and

[0022] The cooling plate is connected thermally conductively to the first cooling surface, the second cooling surface and the cooling body in order to produce an electronic component module.

[0023] Also advantageous is a computer program product with a computer code which can be stored on a machine-readable carrier such as a semiconductor memory, hard disk memory or optical memory and which can be used to perform the method according to any of the above-described embodiments when the program is executed on a computer or device. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] The present invention is explained in more detail by way of example with the aid of the accompanying drawings.

[0025] Figure 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an electronic device module according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an electronic device module according to another embodiment of the present invention; and

[0027] Figure 3 is a flow chart of a method for manufacturing an electronic device module according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] In the following description of preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention, identical or similar reference numerals are used for elements which are shown in different figures and act similarly, wherein a repeated description of these elements is omitted. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] Figure 1 A schematic cross-sectional view of an electronic component module 100 for power control according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown. The electronic component module 100, for example, a component of an electronic control unit or power electronics for an (electric) vehicle, comprises a carrier element 102, also referred to as a circuit carrier, which, according to the exemplary embodiment, is equipped on one side with a first power switch element 104 with a first cooling surface 106, a second power switch element 108 with a second cooling surface 110, and a third power switch element 112 with a third cooling surface 114. The cooling surfaces 106, 110, 114 are used to dissipate heat via the respective upper sides of the power switch elements 104, 108, 112 facing away from the carrier element 102, which is also referred to as top-side cooling. The power switch elements 104, 108, 112 are implemented, for example, as MOSFET output stages.

[0030] The three cooling surfaces 106, 110, 114 are connected to a first contact side 120 of a cooling plate 122, for example, a copper sheet element, in a heat-conducting manner, for example, by welding at welding points 118. Alternatively, the cooling surfaces 106, 110, 114 are connected to the first contact side 120 by bonding. Thus, the cooling surfaces 106, 110, 114 are thermally coupled to one another via the cooling plate 122. By extending the cooling plate 122 also over the region of the carrier element 102 between the power switching elements 104, 108, 112, heat can be dissipated particularly effectively via the cooling plate 122, since the total surface of the cooling plate 122 is significantly larger than the total surface of the cooling surfaces 106, 110, 114 or the total surface of a cooling plate attached separately to each power switching element.

[0031] A second contact side of the cooling plate 122 , which is opposite the first contact side 120 , serves to make thermally conductive contact with a heat sink 126 , which is formed, for example, by a section of the housing underside of the electronics module 100 , a cooling fin or a heat sink.

[0032] According to this embodiment, the cooling body 126 and the cooling plate 122 are thermally coupled to each other by an optional connecting element 128 in the form of a caulking material. This particularly relates to a solid or pasty filler, by which the thermal resistance between the cooling plate 122 and the cooling body 126 is minimized. The caulking material can be well compressed and is elastic. Thus, the air gap caused by tolerance, structural height difference or different expansion coefficients between the cooling plate 122 and the cooling body 126 can be permanently avoided. The limited elasticity of the caulking material can achieve the application of corresponding pressure to the interface between the cooling plate 122 and the cooling body 126. Thus, even under very small pressing forces, particularly effective thermal connection can be achieved. In addition, the caulking material is optionally self-adhesive, thereby achieving simple pre-installation. The caulking material can also be removed without residue depending on the implementation scheme. Thus, a simple disassembly of the electronic device module 100 is achieved.

[0033] By means of this concept for thermally connecting the power switching elements 104, 108, 112 to the cooling body 126, in the form of a heat-conducting composite consisting of the cooling surfaces 106, 110, 114, the soldering points 118, the cooling plate 122 and the connecting elements 128, particularly effective heat dissipation can be achieved with the most compact possible design of the electronic component module 100.

[0034] Figure 2 FIG. 1 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of an electronic device module 100 according to another embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 The structure of the electronic device module 100 shown in FIG. 1 basically corresponds to the structure of the electronic device module 100 shown in FIG. Figure 1The described structure differs in that the electronic component module 100 here additionally has a housing 200 for enclosing the components of the electronic component module 100. Here, the housing 200 surrounds a large part of the assembly consisting of the power semiconductor components 104, 108, 112, the cooling plate 122, the connecting element 128 and the heat sink 126. The surface section of the heat sink 126 facing away from the carrier element 102 is exposed in order to achieve an unimpeded heat exchange with the surrounding environment of the electronic component module 100.

[0035] The housing 200 is formed, for example, by injection-molding the electronic component module 100 with a suitable housing material, for example, with a thermosetting plastic or other suitable plastic or a composite material containing plastic.

[0036] Furthermore, a surface section of the heat sink 126 facing the carrier element 102 is coated with an electrically insulating insulation layer 202. The insulation layer 202 is implemented as a metallic oxide layer, also referred to as an anodized layer, for example by anodizing the heat sink 126. In this way, in particular in conjunction with the electrically conductive connecting element 128, a particularly effective heat dissipation through the heat sink 126 is achieved.

[0037] The solution proposed here is summarized in another way below. The solution involves a structural design that allows the power loss of the semiconductors used to be dissipated in an efficient and space-saving manner.

[0038] In particular, in power semiconductors, the need arises, due to the very high power, to connect multiple output stages, for example, in the form of MOSFETs, in parallel. As explained above, the power loss of the power switching elements 104, 108, 112 can be discharged, for example, via a connecting element 128, i.e. a filler, made of an electrically insulating, heat-conducting material, towards a heat sink, such as the (aluminum) bottom of the housing 200, which acts as a heat sink 126. The main thermal resistance is determined by the following parameters: the thermal conductivity of the connecting element 128, the distance of the power switching element from the heat sink, i.e., from the heat sink 126, and the size of the cooling surfaces 106, 110, 114.

[0039] Since the available filler materials that still need to be processed well are limited in their thermal conductivity, for example to approximately 5 W / mK, and the distance cannot be significantly reduced due to tolerances within the overall system, such as component tolerances or cooling body tolerances, the only improvement measure remaining is an increase in the area to be observed.

[0040] According to a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, a copper sheet is soldered to the power switching elements 104, 108, 112 as a cooling plate 122 in order to thereby achieve a significantly larger heat action surface. Since the soldered joint is very thermally conductive, the heat to be dissipated can be transferred very well to the copper sheet, which can dissipate the heat very well due to its good thermal conductivity.

[0041] If an insulating filler is then additionally applied to cooling plate 122 as connecting element 128 , a significantly improved thermal conductivity of the overall system is achieved due to the significantly larger effective surface despite, for example, a larger distance due to additional tolerances of cooling plate 122 .

[0042] Instead of copper sheets, other solderable or adhesively bondable materials can also be used.

[0043] As the gap filler, an insulating, well-heat-conducting material such as a thermal film can be used.

[0044] By additional anodization of the heat sink 126 , ie by forming an electrically insulating oxide layer as the insulating layer 202 , it is possible to use an electrically conductive filler material which has a significantly higher thermal conductivity.

[0045] Optionally Figure 2 The structure is encapsulated by injection molding as shown in FIG.

[0046] The cooling element 126 is designed, for example, as a component of a water cooler.

[0047] Figure 3 A method for producing an electronic component module according to an exemplary embodiment, for example, Figure 1 and 2 Flow chart of the method 300 for producing an electronic component module is described. In this case, in a first step 310, a cooling plate is arranged between a heat sink and a carrier element, so that the cooling plate is opposite to the corresponding cooling surface of the power switching element on one side and to the heat sink on the other side. In a second step 320, the cooling plate is connected thermally both to the cooling surface and to the heat sink in order to produce the electronic component module.

[0048] The exemplary embodiments described and shown in the figures are selected only by way of example. Different exemplary embodiments can be combined with one another completely or with reference to individual features. An exemplary embodiment can also be supplemented by features of another exemplary embodiment.

[0049] Furthermore, method steps according to the invention can be repeated and carried out in an order other than that described.

[0050] If an exemplary embodiment includes the conjunction “and / or” between a first feature and a second feature, it can be understood that the exemplary embodiment has both the first feature and the second feature according to one embodiment and has either only the first feature or only the second feature according to another embodiment.

[0051] Reference numerals list

[0052] 100 Electronics Modules

[0053] 102 carrier element

[0054] 104 first power switch element

[0055] 106 first cooling surface

[0056] 108 second power switch element

[0057] 110 Second cooling surface

[0058] 112 The third power switch element

[0059] 114 Third cooling surface

[0060] 118 welding parts

[0061] 120 First contact side

[0062] 122 Cooling Plate

[0063] 124 Second contact side

[0064] 126 cooling body

[0065] 128 Connecting elements

[0066] 200 Shell

[0067] 202 Insulation layer

[0068] 300 Method for manufacturing electronic device module

[0069] 310 Arrangement Steps

[0070] 320 Steps for thermally conductive connection

Claims

1. An electronic device module (100) for power control, wherein: The electronic device module (100) has the following characteristics: A carrier element (102) having at least one first power switching element (104) with a first cooling surface (106) and a second power switching element (108) with a second cooling surface (110); a cooling body (126); and A cooling plate (122) which, in the installed state of the electronic component module (100), connects the first cooling surface (106) and the second cooling surface (110) to each other in a heat-conducting manner and also to a cooling body (126) in a heat-conducting manner, The first cooling surface (106) and the second cooling surface (110) are used to dissipate heat via the sides of the first power switching element (104) and the second power switching element (108) facing away from the carrier element (102).

2. The electronic device module (100) according to claim 1, wherein: The first power switch element (104) and / or the second power switch element (108) are implemented as MOSFET, IGBT or thyristor, and / or wherein: The first power switch element (104) and the second power switch element (108) are connected in parallel with each other or can be connected in parallel with each other.

3. The electronic device module (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The cooling plate (122) is at least predominantly made of copper and / or comprises copper as a main component.

4. The electronic device module (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 2, comprising a connecting element (128) having a filler with a predefined thermal resistance, wherein: The connecting element (128) is designed to connect the cooling plate (122) and the cooling body (126) to one another in a thermally conductive manner when the electronics module (100) is in an assembled state.

5. The electronic device module (100) according to claim 4 comprises an electrically insulating insulation layer (202), which is configured to connect the connecting element (128) and the cooling body (126) to each other in a thermally conductive manner when the electronic device module (100) is installed.

6. The electronic device module (100) according to claim 4, wherein: The connecting element (128) has a predetermined elasticity and / or is self-adhesive and / or can be removed without residue and / or is electrically conductive and / or is embodied as a heat-conducting film.

7. The electronic device module (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein: The cooling plate (122) is connected to the first cooling surface (106) and / or the second cooling surface (110) in a materially bonded manner.

8. The electronic device module (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 2, comprising a housing (200) for enclosing the electronic device module (100).

9. The electronic device module (100) according to claim 8, wherein: The cooling body (126) is realized as a part of the housing (200).

10. The electronic device module (100) according to claim 8, wherein: The housing (200) is formed by injection-molding the electronic device module (100) with a housing material.

11. The electronic device module (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein: The cooling plate (122) is welded and / or bonded to the first cooling surface (106) and / or the second cooling surface (110).

12. The electronic device module (100) according to claim 5, wherein: The insulating layer (202) is implemented as a metal oxide layer.

13. A method (300) for manufacturing an electronic device module (100) for power control, wherein: The method (300) comprises the following steps: A cooling plate (122) is arranged (310) between a cooling body (126) and a carrier element (102), the carrier element having at least one first power switching element (104) with a first cooling surface (106) and a second power switching element (108) with a second cooling surface (110); and The cooling plate (122) is connected to the first cooling surface (106), the second cooling surface (110) and the cooling body (126) in a heat-conducting manner (320) in order to produce the electronic device module (100), The first cooling surface (106) and the second cooling surface (110) are used to dissipate heat via the sides of the first power switching element (104) and the second power switching element (108) facing away from the carrier element (102).

14. A computer program configured to carry out and / or control the steps of the method (300) as claimed in claim 13.

15. A machine-readable storage medium on which the computer program according to claim 14 is stored.

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