Electronic circuit unit

Abstract

An electronic circuit unit (1), in particular a circuit unit used as an inverter or converter of an electric machine, comprises at least one electronic device unit (4), in particular a power electronic device unit, wherein the electronic device unit (4) comprises at least one carrier substrate (5) and at least one electrical and / or electronic component element (32) arranged on the carrier substrate (5), wherein at least one first connection position (10) and at least two second connection positions (20) are constructed on the substrate upper side (7) of the carrier substrate (5) at the carrier substrate (5), wherein the first connection position (10) is arranged between the two second connection positions (20); wherein the electronic circuit unit (1) further comprises at least one first bus bar (12) for electrically contacting the electronic component (8) and at least one electrical or electronic component (8) that electrically contacts at least one second bus bar (22) of the electronic component (8); it is proposed that a conductive bridging element (40) conductively connects the two second connection positions (20) to each other, wherein the bridging element (40) is bridged over the first connection position (10) and is separated from and electrically insulated from the first connection position by an intermediate space, wherein the first connection position (10) is conductively connected to the first bus bar (12) by a first connection element (11), and the second connection position (20) is conductively connected to the second bus bar (22) by a second connection element (21).

Description

Field of the Invention

[0001] The present invention relates to an electronic circuit unit, in particular a circuit unit used as an inverter or a converter for an electric motor. Background Art

[0002] In hybrid or electric vehicles, converter structures and inverter structures with rectifier circuits are used, the rectifier circuits being composed of intermediate circuit capacitors and, for example, half-bridge circuits constructed in power modules. For example, an inverter is used to operate an electric motor, and the inverter supplies phase currents to the electric motor. The inverter and the converter include, for example, a power module and at least one intermediate circuit capacitor, which provides electrical energy for a short time. The power module can include, for example, a carrier substrate with a conductor circuit, on which, for example, power semiconductors are arranged, and the power semiconductors together with the carrier substrate form an electronic device structural assembly. It is known that the connection contacts of the intermediate circuit capacitor are conductively connected to the power module. For this purpose, contact elements led out from the power module, which are in electrical contact with the electronic device structural assembly, are connected to the connection contacts of the intermediate circuit capacitor. The electronic device structural assembly can be cast from an electrically insulating material, and the contact elements in electrical contact with the electronic device structural assembly are led out of the electrically insulating material and connected to connection elements outside the electrically insulating material.

[0003] US20070109715 A1 shows such an intermediate circuit capacitor that is conductively connected to a power module. Here, the electronic device structural assembly of the power module is arranged in a frame, and the contact elements in electrical contact with the electronic device structural assembly are led out of the frame for further contact and then tightened with the connection contacts of the intermediate circuit capacitor and thus conductively contacted. Summary of the Invention

[0004] According to the present invention, an electronic circuit unit is proposed, in particular a circuit unit used as an inverter or converter for an electric motor. The electronic circuit unit includes at least one electronic device unit, in particular a power electronic device unit, wherein the electronic device unit includes at least one carrier substrate and at least one electrical and / or electronic component element arranged on the carrier substrate. Wherein, at least one first connection position and at least two second connection positions are constructed on the substrate upper side of the carrier substrate, wherein the first connection position is arranged between the two second connection positions. The electronic circuit unit further includes at least one electrical or electronic component, and the at least one electrical or electronic component has at least one first bus bar for electrically contacting the electronic component and at least one second bus bar for electrically contacting the electronic component. According to the present invention, a conductive bridging element conductively connects the two second connection positions to each other, wherein the bridging element is guided in a bridge shape across the first connection position and is spaced apart from and electrically insulated from the first connection position through an intermediate space. The first connection position is conductively connected to the first bus bar through a first connection element, and the second connection position is conductively connected to the second bus bar through a second connection element.

[0005] Compared with the prior art, the electronic circuit unit according to the present invention has the following advantages: In the electronic circuit unit, the inductance in the region where the bus bars of the electronic components are conductively connected to the electronic device unit through connection elements is significantly reduced. This is achieved by the following method: The two second connection positions are conductively connected on the carrier substrate through a bridging element. Although the carrier substrate, such as a DBC substrate (direct bonded copper), is constructed in a single layer, and the first connection position is arranged on the carrier substrate between the two second connection positions, the two second connection positions can still be conductively contacted by the second connection element in the region between the two second connection positions through bridging the first connection position. Thus, compared with the prior art situation, more T+ / T− contact pairs at the connection elements can make conductive contact between the bus bar and the connection position of the carrier substrate. Here, the T+ / T− contact pair represents a pair composed of a corresponding first connection element and a second connection element. The first connection element and the second connection element conduct current in opposite directions. Through the bridging element, a large number of pairs composed of corresponding first connection elements and second connection elements can be constructed to connect the bus bar to the connection position. Thus, the inductance in the electronic circuit unit can be reduced, and therefore faster switching of the semiconductor switch in the electronic circuit unit can be achieved.

[0006] The present invention also relates to further advantageous designs and improvements.

[0007] According to an advantageous embodiment, the first connecting element is configured as a ribbon joint and / or a wire joint, and / or the second connecting element is configured as a ribbon joint and / or a wire joint. By means of the ribbon joint or wire joint as the connecting element, the bus bar can be advantageously well and easily connected to the connection location of the substrate, and a large number of pairs of connecting elements can be used for the connection. By means of the large number of pairs of connecting elements, the inductance in the region of the connection between the bus bar and the connection location of the substrate is advantageously reduced.

[0008] According to an advantageous embodiment, the first connecting element and the second connecting element are arranged alternately. By means of this alternating arrangement of the first and second connecting elements, the first connecting element is arranged, for example, between two second connecting elements, and / or conversely the second connecting element is arranged between two first connecting elements. Thus, in addition to the inductance being reduced due to the individual pairs of connecting elements, the pairs can also interact with one another, and the inductance of the connection between the bus bar and the connection location of the substrate can be further reduced.

[0009] According to an advantageous embodiment, the first connecting element and the second connecting element are arranged parallel to one another. By means of the parallel arrangement, the current paths in the connecting elements run parallel to one another and run parallel to one another in opposite directions in the first connecting element and the second connecting element. Thereby, the inductance of the connection between the bus bar and the connection location of the substrate is further reduced by the connecting elements.

[0010] According to an advantageous embodiment, the first connection location extends planar between the two second connection locations on the carrier substrate in the extension direction. Here, the first connection location extends, for example, parallel to the bridging element. Then, the connecting elements can conductively contact in pairs and / or alternately over the entire extension of the first connection location and the bridging element.

[0011] According to an advantageous embodiment, the points at which the first connecting element conductively contacts the first connection location are arranged side by side in the extension direction.

[0012] According to an advantageous embodiment, the points at which the second connecting element conductively connects to the bridging element are arranged side by side in the extension direction of the bridging element.

[0013] According to an advantageous embodiment, the first connecting element is in electrically conductive contact with the first bus bar along the first bus bar, and / or the second connecting element is in electrically conductive contact with the second bus bar along the second bus bar.

[0014] According to an advantageous embodiment, the bridging element is configured as a metal strip. The bridging element thus has good electrical conductivity and can advantageously be well formed, processed, and contacted.

[0015] According to an advantageous embodiment, an electrically insulating spacer element is arranged in the intermediate space between the bridging element and the first connection location. The electrically insulating spacer element separates the conductive bridging element from the first connection location and insulates the bridging element from the first connection location. At the same time, the spacer element can create thermal contact of the bridging element with respect to the carrier substrate, and heat can be conducted from the bridging element via the carrier substrate, for example, to a cooling body. Description of the Drawings

[0016] Embodiments of the present invention are shown in the drawings and are explained in more detail in the following description. Among them:

[0017] Figure 1 A diagram of an electronic circuit unit from the prior art is shown;

[0018] Figure 2 A top view of an electronic circuit unit from the prior art is shown;

[0019] Figure 3 A diagram of an embodiment of an electronic circuit unit according to the present invention is shown. Detailed Description of the Invention

[0020] The electronic circuit unit according to the present invention can find various applications, such as an inverter or a converter in automotive technology. For example, the electronic circuit unit and an inverter known as a reverse converter can also be applied to operate motors of hybrid vehicles or electric vehicles, for example.

[0021] Figure 1 and Figure 2Shows an embodiment of an electronic circuit unit 1 from the prior art. The circuit unit 1 includes an electronic device unit 4, in particular a power electronic device unit, wherein the electronic device unit 4 includes a carrier substrate 5 and electrical and / or electronic component elements 32 arranged on the carrier substrate 5. The carrier substrate 5 can include a plurality of layers made of electrically conductive materials such as metals and / or dielectric materials. The carrier substrate 5 is, for example, a circuit carrier, which is a DBC substrate (Direct Bonded Copper) in this embodiment. However, the carrier substrate 5 can also be, for example, an AMB substrate (Active Metal Brazed), an IMS substrate (Insulated Metal Substrate), a printed circuit board (PCB, Printed Circuit Board), or other substrates suitable for power modules. Different electrical and / or electronic component elements 32, such as, for example, power semiconductors, such as, for example, field effect transistors, such as MIS-FETs (Metal Insulated Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor), IGBTs (insulated-gate bipolar transistor), power-MOSFETs (metal oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor), and / or diodes, such as rectifier diodes, can be arranged on the substrate upper side 7 of the carrier substrate 5. It can, for example, relate to a housingless power semiconductor (die). In addition, passive component elements such as, for example, resistors or capacitors can also be arranged on the carrier substrate 5 as electrical and / or electronic component elements 32.

[0022] In addition, the carrier substrate 5 can include conductor circuits 17, 27. The electrical and / or electronic component elements 32 can be connected to each other or to additional electrical and / or electronic elements that are arranged outside the electronic device unit 4 and not shown in the figures, for example, through the conductor circuits 17, 27 of the carrier substrate 5, through bonding wires or other suitable conductive contact elements, such as by soldering or sintering, to be conductively connected. The conductor circuits 17, 27 can be configured as conductor surfaces as in this embodiment. At least one first connection position 10 is configured on the substrate upper side 7 of the carrier substrate 5, at which the first conductor circuit 17 can be conductively contacted. In addition, at least two second connection positions 20 are configured on the substrate upper side 7 of the carrier substrate 5, at which the second conductor circuit 27 can be conductively contacted. At the connection positions, the electronic device unit 4 can be conductively connected to elements arranged outside the electronic device unit 4. Here, the first connection position 10 has, for example, a polarity opposite to that of the second connection position 20, denoted by T−, where the polarity of the second connection position 20 is denoted by T+.

[0023] As shown in the figures, the electronic device unit 4 includes one first connection position 10 and two second connection positions 20 on the carrier substrate. The first connection position 10 is at least partially arranged between the two connection positions 20 and separates the second connection positions 20 from each other. The two connection positions 20 have the same polarity T+. The connection position 10 arranged between the connection positions 20 has a polarity opposite to that of T−. The connection position 10 represents, for example, the following region of the first conductor circuit 17, in which the conductor circuit 17 can be conductively contacted. The connection position 20 represents, for example, the region of the second conductor circuit 27 or the second conductor circuit 27, in which the conductor circuit 27 can be conductively contacted.

[0024] In this embodiment, the carrier substrate 5 of the electronic device unit 4 is arranged on the upper side 3 of the cooling body 2 and is, for example, soldered to the upper side 3 of the cooling body 2. The carrier substrate 5 can be placed directly on the cooling body 2 or, in the case of an intermediate layer of a heat-conducting layer. The cooling body 2 serves to dissipate the heat generated in the electronic device unit 4 and is characterized by a high heat-conducting capacity. The cooling body 2 is made of a material with good heat-conducting capacity, such as, for example, aluminum or copper. In this embodiment, the cooling body 2 is made of copper and is configured as a plate. At the cooling body 2, structures for improving heat dissipation, such as, for example, ribs, pins or channels, which are not shown in the drawings, can also be configured, for example. The carrier substrate 5 of the electronic device unit 4 can also be placed directly on the upper side 3 of the cooling body 2 and is insulated from the cooling body 2, for example, by an electrically insulating layer surrounded by the carrier substrate 5.

[0025] In addition, as Figure 1 shown, the electronic circuit unit 1 includes at least one electrical and / or electronic component 8 that is not included in the electronic device unit 4. In the embodiment described in the present application, the electrical and / or electronic component 8 is a capacitor. It can, for example, relate to a power capacitor that is used, for example, as an intermediate circuit capacitor of the electronic circuit unit 1. Such a capacitor can also include a plurality of capacitor elements conductively connected to each other, which form individual capacitances by themselves and also include, for example, conductive connection elements necessary for conductively connecting these capacitor elements. Here, different capacitor technologies, such as, for example, thin-film capacitors, such as stacked capacitors or circular-wound capacitors, or other suitable capacitor technologies, can be applied as capacitors or as capacitor elements.

[0026] In an embodiment, the capacitor as an electrical and / or electronic component 8 comprises two busbars 12, 22. In the context of the present application, the busbars 12, 22 of the electrical and / or electronic component 8 are understood to be conductive and one-piece components starting from or extending from the electrical and / or electronic component 8, which are arranged to make the electrical and / or electronic component 8 electrically contact with electrical and / or electronic components arranged outside the electrical and / or electronic component 8. In this embodiment, two busbars 12, 22 are then extended from the capacitor as an electrical and / or electronic component 8, and the two busbars are arranged to make the two electrodes of the capacitor 8 electrically contact with electrical and / or electronic components arranged outside the capacitor 8, such as, in particular, the electronic device unit 4. The busbars 12, 22 can be at least partially made of one or more metals, such as copper or aluminum, and for example, partially insulated or not insulated. They can be made of, for example, a sheet. In the present application, a distinction is made between a first busbar 12 and a second busbar 22, wherein the first busbar 12 represents a connection contact, which, as in the embodiment described, in the case of a capacitor as an electrical and / or electronic component 8, starts from the first of the two electrodes of the capacitor, and the second busbar 22 represents a connection contact, which starts from the second of the two electrodes of the capacitor. In the figure, busbars 12, 22, a first busbar 12 and a second busbar 22 are shown by way of example. However, a plurality of first and / or second busbars 12, 22 can also be constructed, which can also be connected in an electrically conductive manner to other connection locations constructed at other electronic device units 4 not shown in the drawings, for example. In addition, the electrical and / or electronic component 8 can also be connected in an electrically conductive manner to other elements not shown in the drawings, such as, for example, other electrical and / or electronic components 8, through other electrical contacts not shown in the drawings.

[0027] As in Figure 1 As shown in , in the electronic circuit unit 1, the first busbar 12 is constructed in a planar manner and the second busbar 22 is constructed in a planar manner. In the context of the present application, the busbars 12, 22 are understood to be conductive planar conductors, such as conductive strips or conductive tapes. Therefore, the busbars 12, 22 can be, for example, busbars. The busbars 12, 22 can, for example, be bent or meandering or also extend in a curved or stepped manner. Here, the busbars 12, 22 can overlap to a large extent and, for example, can also be guided at least partially in parallel to each other in a planar manner, so as to be able to achieve the lowest possible inductance guidance of the current. For this purpose, the busbars 12, 22 can also preferably be guided in parallel to each other at least in a region and, for example, can also be equally wide.

[0028] exist Figure 3The electronic circuit unit 1 according to the present invention is shown herein. Here, the electronic circuit unit 1 includes a bridging element 40. The bridging element 40 is made of a conductive material. The bridging element 40 is configured, for example, as a metal strip. The bridging element 40 conductively connects two second connection positions 20 spaced apart from the first connection position 10 to each other. For this purpose, the bridging element 40 is guided in the form of a bridge over the first connection position 10 and / or the first conductor circuit 17. Here, the bridging element 40 is spaced apart from the first connection position 10 and the first conductor circuit 17 by an intermediate space that electrically insulates the bridging element 40 from the first connection position 10. The intermediate space can be empty or an electrically insulating spacer element can be arranged in the intermediate space. As Figure 3 shown, the first connection position 10 extends on the substrate upper side 7 of the carrier substrate 5 below the bridging element 40 and between the two second connection positions 20 and then expands and extends planar along the extension direction E on the carrier substrate 5. Here, the extension direction E extends, for example, parallel to the connection line between the two second connection positions 20. The bridging element 40 can be fastened, for example, by soldering, bonding, sintering, and / or diffusion soldering at the second connection position 20.

[0029] As in Figure 3 shown, the first connection position 10 is conductively connected to the first bus bar 12 by a plurality of first connection elements 11. At the same time, the bridging element 40 is conductively connected to the second bus bar 22 by a plurality of second connection elements 21. Thus, the first conductor circuit 17, the first connection position 10, the first connection elements 11, and the first bus bar 12 are conductively connected to each other and thus have the same potential T−. At the same time, the second conductor circuit 27, the second connection position 20, the bridging element 40, the second connection elements 21, and the second bus bar 22 are conductively connected to each other and thus are at the same potential T+.

[0030] The connection elements 11, 12 can be configured, for example, as wire bonds and / or ribbon bonds. In this embodiment, three first connection elements 11 configured as ribbon bonds and four second connection elements 21 also configured as ribbon bonds are provided.

[0031] In Figure 3 shown, the first connection elements 11 and the second connection elements 21 are arranged alternately here, that is, the first connection elements 11 and the second connection elements 21 are arranged alternately for connection. Then the connection elements 11, 21 with opposite polarities T+, T− follow one another, and the inductance of the connection between the electronic device unit 4 and the electronic component 8 is reduced.

[0032] The connecting elements 11, 21 are arranged parallel to each other. Thus, for example, the first connecting element 11 and the second connecting element 21 can be respectively oriented parallel to each other in pairs. However, as shown in Figure 3 , all the connecting elements 11, 21 can also be oriented parallel to each other, for example.

[0033] Each first connecting element in the first connecting element 11 has a first end at which the first connecting element is connected to the first connection position 10; and has a second end at which the first connecting element is connected to the first bus bar 12. Similarly, each second connecting element in the second connecting element 21 has a first end at which the second connecting element is connected to the bridging element 40; and has a second end at which the second connecting element is connected to the second bus bar 22. The points at which the first connecting element 11 is in conductive contact with the first connection position 10 at the first end are arranged side by side along the extension direction E at the first connection position 10. The points at which the first connecting element 11 is in conductive contact with the first bus bar 12 at the second end are arranged side by side along the longitudinal extension of the first bus bar 12. The points at which the second connecting element 21 is in conductive contact with the bridging element 40 at the first end are arranged side by side at the bridging element 40. The points at which the second connecting element 21 is in conductive contact with the second bus bar 22 at the second end are arranged side by side along the longitudinal extension of the second bus bar 22.

[0034] It goes without saying that additional embodiments and hybrid forms of the illustrated embodiments are also feasible.

Claims

1. An electronic circuit unit (1), the electronic circuit unit comprising at least one electronic device unit (4), wherein, the electronic device unit (4) comprises at least one carrier substrate (5) and at least one electrical and / or electronic component element (32) arranged on the carrier substrate (5), wherein at least one first connection position (10) and at least two second connection positions (20) are constructed on the substrate upper side (7) of the carrier substrate (5) where the carrier substrate (5) is located, wherein the first connection position (10) is arranged between the two second connection positions (20), wherein the electronic circuit unit (1) further comprises at least one electrical or electronic component (8), the at least one electrical or electronic component having at least one first bus bar (12) for electrically contacting the electronic component (8) and at least one second bus bar (22) for electrically contacting the electronic component (8), characterized in that a conductive bridging element (40) conductively connects the two second connection positions (20) to each other, wherein the bridging element (40) is guided in a bridge shape over the first connection position (10) and is spaced apart from and electrically insulated from the first connection position by an intermediate space, wherein the first connection position (10) is conductively connected to the first bus bar (12) by a first connection element (11), and the second connection position (20) is conductively connected to the second bus bar (22) by a second connection element (21).

2. The electronic circuit unit according to claim 1, characterized in that, the first connection element (11) is configured as a fine-ribbon joint and / or a wire joint, and / or the second connection element (21) is configured as a fine-ribbon joint and / or a wire joint.

3. The electronic circuit unit according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, the first connection element (11) and the second connection element (21) are arranged alternately.

4. The electronic circuit unit according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, the first connection element (11) and the second connection element (21) are arranged parallel to each other.

5. The electronic circuit unit according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, the first connection position (10) extends flatly on the carrier substrate (5) between the two second connection positions (20) along an extension direction (E).

6. The electronic circuit unit according to claim 5, characterized in that, the points where the first connection element (11) conductively contacts the first connection position (11) are arranged side by side along the extension direction (E).

7. The electronic circuit unit according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, the points where the second connection element (21) conductively connects to the bridging element (40) are arranged side by side along the extension direction of the bridging element (40).

8. The electronic circuit unit according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The first connecting element (11) is in electrically conductive contact with the first bus bar (12) along the first bus bar (12), and / or the second connecting element (21) is in electrically conductive contact with the second bus bar (22) along the second bus bar (22).

9. The electronic circuit unit according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the bridging element (40) is configured as a metal strip.

10. The electronic circuit unit according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that an electrically insulating spacer element is arranged in the intermediate space between the bridging element (40) and the first connection location (10).

11. The electronic circuit unit according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the electronic circuit unit is a circuit unit that serves as an inverter for an electric motor or as a current converter.

12. The electronic circuit unit according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the electronic device unit (4) is a power electronic device unit.

Images