Circuit arrangement for current measurement and power semiconductor component having the same

Abstract

The present invention relates to a circuit device for current measurement and a power semiconductor component having the same. The circuit device is designed to have: a flexible printed circuit board, a contact device and two magnetic field sensors, wherein the first magnetic field sensor is arranged on a first sensor part of the flexible printed circuit board, the first sensor part is designed to be arranged on a first main surface of a load connection conductor of the power semiconductor component, wherein the second magnetic field sensor is arranged on a second sensor part of the flexible printed circuit board, the second sensor part is designed to be arranged on a second main surface of the load connection conductor of the power semiconductor component opposite to the first main surface, and wherein a connection part of the flexible printed circuit board is formed between the first sensor part and the second sensor part.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention describes a circuit arrangement for measuring current in a power semiconductor component, in particular in a vehicle which is partially or completely electrically driven, and a power semiconductor component having such a circuit arrangement. Background Art

[0002] According to the generally known prior art, the current sensors in power semiconductor components are implemented as measuring coils which surround the load connecting conductors. For this purpose, these measuring coils must be placed on the load connecting conductors during the manufacture of the power semiconductor components before the load connecting conductors are assembled.

[0003] In view of the above, the object of the present invention is to provide a circuit arrangement for current measurement in a power semiconductor component and a power semiconductor component having the circuit arrangement, wherein the circuit arrangement is suitable for simple installation on a load connecting conductor, has high measuring accuracy and a compact design. Summary of the invention

[0004] According to the invention, this object is achieved by a circuit arrangement for current measurement and by a power semiconductor component having the circuit arrangement. Preferred embodiments are also described.

[0005] The circuit device for current measurement in a power semiconductor component according to the present invention is designed to have: a flexible printed circuit board, a contact device and two magnetic field sensors, wherein the first magnetic field sensor is arranged on a first sensor part of the flexible printed circuit board, the first sensor part is designed to be arranged on a first main surface of a load connecting conductor of the power semiconductor component, wherein the second magnetic field sensor is arranged on a second sensor part of the flexible printed circuit board, the second sensor part is designed to be arranged on a second main surface of the load connecting conductor of the power semiconductor component opposite to the first main surface, and wherein a connecting part of the flexible printed circuit board is formed between the first and second sensor parts.

[0006] The magnetic field sensor can be designed, for example, as a Hall effect sensor or a magnetoresistive sensor.

[0007] Of course, the magnetic field sensor is in any case connected to the conductive traces of the printed circuit board in a circuit-compatible manner.

[0008] The contact device is preferably designed as part of the plug connector device and is electrically connected directly to the flexible printed circuit board in an electrically conductive manner or is designed as part of the flexible printed circuit board itself.

[0009] Preferably, the first sensor part of the flexible printed circuit board has a first positioning device for fixing the position on the load connecting conductor. Alternatively, but preferably, the second sensor part of the flexible printed circuit board advantageously has a second positioning device for fixing the position on the load connecting conductor.

[0010] The power semiconductor component according to the present invention is designed to have: a power electronic switching device, a load connecting conductor and the above-mentioned circuit device for current measurement, wherein the first sensor part is arranged on a first main surface of the load connecting conductor, wherein the second sensor part is arranged on a second main surface of the load connecting conductor opposite to the first main surface, wherein the sensor part of the circuit device is mechanically fixed to the load connecting conductor and wherein the connecting part of the flexible printed circuit board extends around the secondary surface of the load connecting conductor arranged between the first and second main surfaces and connects the first and second sensor parts together.

[0011] The term "arranged on the main face" is understood to mean both direct and indirect arrangement. Direct means arrangement without intermediate layers or intermediate elements. Indirect as used herein means that an intermediate layer or other intermediate elements, in particular a plastic body, for example in the form of an adhesive, or both an intermediate layer and other intermediate elements, for example in the form of an adhesive, can be arranged in addition.

[0012] Advantageously, the sensor part of the circuit arrangement is mechanically fixed to the load connecting conductor by means of a clamping device. The clamping device can be designed with two stirrup-shaped parts, two spring parts connecting the stirrup-shaped parts, and a locking device.

[0013] It is particularly advantageous if the pin-shaped portion of the locking device also simultaneously forms the third part of the positioning device.

[0014] More preferably, the clamping device has two pressure elements, each of which presses against the housing of the first and second magnetic field sensors.

[0015] It is further advantageous if the clamping device has a third positioning device which engages in an associated first and / or second positioning device of the flexible printed circuit board. These first and second positioning devices are each formed as a recess and the third positioning device is formed as a pin which passes through the first and second positioning devices aligned flush with each other.

[0016] It goes without saying that various embodiments of the present invention, which are not necessarily excluded, whether used in combination with circuit configurations or with power semiconductor components, can be implemented individually or in any combination to achieve improvements. In particular, the above-mentioned features and those mentioned below can be applied not only in a specific combination, but also in other combinations or used alone without departing from the scope of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] Further explanations, advantageous details and features of the invention are derived from Figures 1 to 7 The following description of exemplary embodiments of the invention schematically shown in FIG. 1 is based on, or is derived from, relevant parts of, said description.

[0018] Figure 1 A circuit arrangement according to the invention is shown.

[0019] Figure 2 and Figure 3 Details of different views of a first design of a power semiconductor component according to the invention are shown.

[0020] Figure 4 and Figure 5 Details of a second design of a power semiconductor component according to the invention are shown.

[0021] Figure 6 and Figure 7 Further details of a second design of a power semiconductor component according to the invention are shown. Specific embodiments

[0022] Figure 1 A circuit arrangement 1 according to the invention is shown. Shown here is a flexible printed circuit board 2 with a plurality of conductor tracks 200 on one of the main sides of the flexible printed circuit board 2. Connected to the power supply section 20 of the flexible printed circuit board 2 is a first sensor section 24 on which a first magnetic field sensor 4 is arranged and which is electrically conductively connected to designated conductive tracks of the flexible printed circuit board 2 in a circuit-compatible manner.

[0023] Connected to this first sensor part 24 of the flexible printed circuit board 2 is a connecting part 22, to which a second sensor part 26 of the flexible printed circuit board 2 is connected. A second magnetic field sensor 6 is arranged on this second sensor part 26 and is electrically conductively connected to associated conductive tracks of the flexible printed circuit board 2 in a circuit-compatible manner.

[0024] According to the invention, the connecting part 22 is arranged and designed such that the two sensor parts 24, 26 can be arranged somewhat back-to-back, but spaced apart from each other. This is exactly what is described here.

[0025] By means of the described design of the flexible printed circuit board 2 , the circuit arrangement 1 can be arranged relative to the load connecting conductor 7 even if the load connecting conductor 7 has already been installed in the power semiconductor component.

[0026] Figure 2 and Figure 3 Detailed views of a first design of a power semiconductor assembly according to the invention are shown, in particular a packaged power semiconductor module. Figure 1 A circuit arrangement 1 is provided, which is arranged opposite a load connecting conductor 7.

[0027] Here, the first sensor part 24 of the flexible printed circuit board 2 is positioned on a portion of the first main face 74 of the load connection conductor 7. Here, the second sensor part 26 of the flexible printed circuit board 2 is positioned on a portion of the second main face 76 of the load connection conductor 7. The two magnetic field sensors 4, 6 are thus positioned opposite to each other within the tolerance range of the assembly. Due to this arrangement of the two magnetic field sensors 4, 6, erroneous measurements of the current flowing through the load connection conductor 7 can be easily and effectively compensated.

[0028] The connecting portion 22 of the flexible printed circuit board 2 connects the first sensor portion 24 to the second sensor portion 26 in such a way that the connecting portion 22 covers a portion of exactly one of the two secondary faces 72 of the load connecting conductor 7 but does not rest thereon.

[0029] Figure 2 Also shown is a contact device 3 of the circuit arrangement 1, which is designed here as a plug and is therefore formed as part of a plug connection. The plug is arranged in the power supply part 20 of the flexible printed circuit board 2. In principle, all variants of the contact device can be used here, in particular standard technical variants. Such a plug connector device connects the magnetic field sensor to a higher-level control unit for evaluating and assessing the sensor signal and also for driving the power semiconductor component.

[0030] Figure 3 Also shown is a second positioning device 286 of the circuit arrangement 1. The second positioning device 286 is designed as a round, continuous recess of the flexible printed circuit board 2 in the region of the second sensor section 26. The first positioning device 284 of the circuit arrangement 1 is arranged here so that the first positioning device 284 is flushly aligned with the associated second positioning device 286 (compare Figure 7 ), the first positioning device 284 is also designed as a circular, continuous recess of the flexible printed circuit board 2 in the area of ​​the first sensor part 24.

[0031] Figure 4 and Figure 5 A detail of a second design of a power semiconductor component according to the invention, namely a clamping device 8 , is shown. Figure 4 The clamping device is shown in the open state, while Figure 5 The clamping device is shown in the closed, ie locked, state.

[0032] The clamping device 8 has a first stirrup-shaped, U-shaped portion 84, which is connected to a second stirrup-shaped, U-shaped portion 86 via two spring portions 82. In addition, the clamping device 8 has a locking device 88, which is designed as two snap-fit ​​pieces arranged on the second stirrup-shaped portion 86, each of which has a pin-shaped portion 880 and two abutments 882 associated with the respective snap-fit ​​piece, each of the two abutments 882 being part of the first stirrup-shaped portion 84.

[0033] The pin-shaped portion 880 of the snap-fit ​​member also serves as a third positioning means. Figure 6 and Figure 7 .

[0034] Furthermore, the clamping device 8 has a pressure element 840, 860 extending from the middle part of the respective stirrup-shaped portion 84, 86, which is designed to press on the respectively associated magnetic field sensor and thereby fix its position relative to the load circuit conductor 7, see Figure 6 and 7 .

[0035] Figure 6 and Figure 7 Further details of a second design of a power semiconductor component according to the invention are shown. Such a power semiconductor component with a power electronic switch can be designed in particular as a power semiconductor component with a plurality of power semiconductor components, which are arranged on a substrate in a circuit-compatible manner and are electrically conductively connected to the following components: connecting elements leading to the outside, in particular load connecting conductors, and a housing.

[0036] Here, only one load connection conductor 7 of the power semiconductor component is shown, and the one load connection conductor 7 is only partial. The load connection conductor 7 has a first main surface 74 and a second main surface 76 opposite to the first main surface 74. The two main surfaces 74, 76 are connected via the auxiliary surface 72. In addition, the load connection conductor 7 here has a one-sided limitation (i.e., starting from the auxiliary surface) 700, so that the circuit device 1 and the clamping device 8 for the circuit device 1 together occupy the minimum amount of space in the power semiconductor component.

[0037] If already in Figure 1 , the first magnetic field sensor 4 is arranged here on a first sensor part 24 of the flexible printed circuit board 2 of the circuit arrangement 1. The first sensor part 24 is in turn arranged on a part of the first main surface 74 of the load connecting conductor 7.

[0038] If already in Figure 1, the second magnetic field sensor 6 is arranged here on a second sensor part 26 of the flexible printed circuit board 2 of the circuit arrangement 1. The second sensor part 26 is in turn arranged on a part of the second main surface 76 of the load connecting conductor 7.

[0039] The first sensor part 24 is connected to the second sensor part 26 using the connecting part 22 of the flexible printed circuit board 2 which is arranged in the limiting portion 700 of the load connecting conductor 7 and thereby surrounds the secondary surface 72 of the load connecting conductor 7 .

[0040] In order to fix the position of the magnetic field sensors 4, 6, the respectively associated sensor parts 24, 26 of the flexible conductive track 2 have positioning means 284, 286. The first positioning means 284 belonging to the first sensor part 24 is designed as a circular recess and is aligned flush with the second positioning means 286 belonging to the second sensor part 26, which is also designed as a circular recess. The first and second positioning means 284, 286 are arranged in the area of ​​the secondary surface of the load connecting conductor 7 opposite the secondary surface 72, on which the connecting part 22 of the flexible printed circuit board 2 is arranged.

[0041] As in Figure 4 and Figure 5 As described in , the clamping device 8 fixes the magnetic field sensors 4, 6 at appropriate positions of the magnetic field sensors 4, 6 via the stirrup-shaped portions 84, 86 located on the associated sensor portions 24, 26 of the flexible printed circuit board 2 and the spring portion 82 surrounding the connecting portion 22.

[0042] Furthermore, the pin-shaped portion 880 of the locking device 88 protrudes through the associated first and second positioning means 284, 286 of the sensor parts 24, 26. Thus, at the same time, the pin-shaped portion 880 of the locking device 88 also forms a third positioning means.

[0043] The pin-shaped portion 880 of the locking device 88 thus forms part of a snap-fit, which engages in an abutment 882 , here a part of the first stirrup-shaped portion 84 of the clamping device 8 .

[0044] Moreover, in Figure 4 and Figure 5 The clamping device 8 described in has pressure elements 840 , 860 which, in the arranged and closed state of the clamping device 8 , press against the housings of the magnetic field sensors 4 , 6 and thus also provide a mechanical fixation for the sensor parts 24 , 26 .

Claims

1. A power semiconductor component, comprising: Power electronic switching devices; a load connecting conductor (7); and Circuit arrangement (1) for current measurement in a power semiconductor component, in, The circuit device (1) comprises: a flexible printed circuit board (2), a contact device (3), a first magnetic field sensor (4) and a second magnetic field sensor (6). The first magnetic field sensor (4) is arranged on a first sensor part (24) of the flexible printed circuit board (2), and the first sensor part (24) is designed to be arranged on a first main surface (74) of a load connecting conductor (7) of the power semiconductor component. The second magnetic field sensor (6) is arranged on a second sensor part (26) of the flexible printed circuit board (2), and the second sensor part (26) is designed to be arranged on a second main surface (76) of the load connecting conductor (7) of the power semiconductor component, which is opposite to the first main surface (74). wherein the connection portion (22) of the flexible printed circuit board (2) is formed between the first sensor portion (24) and the second sensor portion (26), wherein the first sensor part (24) and the second sensor part (26) of the circuit device (1) are mechanically fixed to the load connecting conductor (7), and the connecting part (22) of the flexible printed circuit board (2) extends around the secondary surface (72) of the load connecting conductor (7) arranged between the first main surface (74) and the second main surface (76) and connects the first sensor part (24) and the second sensor part (26) together, The first sensor part (24) of the flexible printed circuit board (2) has a first positioning device (284) for fixing the position on the load connecting conductor (7). The second sensor part (26) of the flexible printed circuit board (2) has a second positioning device (286) for fixing the position on the load connecting conductor (7). The first sensor part (24) and the second sensor part (26) of the circuit arrangement (1) are mechanically fixed to the load connecting conductor (7) by means of a clamping device (8). The clamping device (8) has a third positioning device (880), which is engaged in the associated first positioning device (284) and / or second positioning device (286) of the flexible printed circuit board (2), and The load connection conductor (7) has a one-side limiting portion (700) recessed from the auxiliary surface (72), so that the flexible printed circuit board (2) is arranged in the one-side limiting portion (700) of the load connection conductor (7).

2. The power semiconductor component according to claim 1, wherein The contact device (3) is designed as part of a plug connection and is directly connected to the flexible printed circuit board (2) in an electrically conductive manner, or is designed as part of the flexible printed circuit board (2) itself.

3. The power semiconductor component according to claim 1 or 2, wherein The clamping device (8) is formed to have: two stirrup-shaped parts (84, 86); two spring parts (82) connecting the two stirrup-shaped parts (84, 86); and a locking device (88).

4. The power semiconductor component according to claim 1 or 2, wherein The first positioning means (284) and the second positioning means (286) are always formed as recesses, and the third positioning means (880) is formed as a pin which passes through the first positioning means (284) and the second positioning means (286) which are aligned flush with each other.

5. The power semiconductor component according to claim 3, wherein The pin-shaped portion of the locking device (88) forms the third positioning device (880).

6. The power semiconductor component according to claim 1 or 2, wherein The holding device (8) has two pressure elements (840, 860) which are always pressed against the housings of the first magnetic field sensor (4) and the second magnetic field sensor (6).

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