Method for producing bus bar assembly and flat plate laminate structure for bus bar assembly

Abstract

To provide a method for producing a bus bar assembly capable of producing simultaneously a plurality of plane type bus bar assemblies with a frame with excellent yield.SOLUTION: A bus bar flat plate that has m bus bar rows and bus bar side gripping pieces paralleled in an X direction, and has n bus bar forming regions and bus bar side connecting pieces where the bus bar rows are along a Y direction, and a flat plate for frame having m frame body rows and frame side gripping pieces paralleled in the X direction and having n frame forming regions and the frame body side connecting pieces along the Y direction at the same pitch as the bus bar forming region are fixed in a polymerization state, and the bus bar side connecting piece and the frame side connecting piece are displaced relative to each other so that they do not polymerize in a plane view, and a boundary between the bus bar forming region and the bus bar side connecting piece is cut from a surface facing the frame body flat plate to the opposite surface, and the boundary of the frame forming region and the frame side connecting piece is cut from the surface facing the bus bar flat plate to the opposite surface.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 13

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a manufacturing method for a busbar assembly in which a plurality of busbars are electrically insulated and mechanically connected, and to a flat plate laminate structure for a busbar assembly. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art Bus bar assemblies including a plurality of bus bars that are electrically insulated from one another and mechanically connected to one another have been proposed and are used in various fields.

[0003] For example, a stacked busbar assembly has been proposed in which one flat busbar and another flat busbar are stacked one on top of the other in a parallel state (see Patent Documents 1 and 2 below).

[0004] The laminated busbar assembly has a problem in that the opposing flat surfaces of one flat busbar and the opposing flat surfaces of another flat busbar are arranged to face each other across an insulating layer, making it difficult to ensure sufficient reliability in terms of insulation. In particular, if the thickness of the insulating layer between the one flat bus bar and the other flat bus bar is reduced in order to reduce the size in the vertical direction, there is a risk of leakage current flowing between the two bus bars.

[0005] In order to solve the problems with the laminated busbar assembly, the applicant has filed applications and received patents for a planar busbar assembly in which first and second busbars made of conductive metal plates are arranged in parallel on the same plane (see Patent Documents 3 and 4 below).

[0006] FIG. 17 shows a vertical cross-sectional view of a semiconductor module 600 in which semiconductor elements 110 such as LEDs are mounted on the flat bus bar assembly 500. As shown in FIG.

[0007] As shown in FIG. 17 , the planar side busbar assembly 500 is formed of a conductive flat plate-like member and includes a plurality of first and second busbars 510(1), 510(2) arranged in the same plane with a gap 519 between opposing side surfaces, a busbar side insulating layer 520 including a gap filling portion 529 filled in the gap 519 and an upper surface side laminated portion 521 extending integrally from the gap filling portion 529 so as to cover an upper surface on one side in the plate thickness direction of the busbar connected body formed by the gap filling portion 529, and a frame body 530 having a frame body main body 531 having the same external shape as the busbar connected body in a planar view and provided with a central hole 523 penetrating vertically, and a frame body side insulating layer 540 covering the outer peripheral surface of the frame body main body 531.

[0008] In the planar bus bar assembly 500, one of the first and second bus bars 510(1), 510(2) acts as an anode, and the other acts as a cathode.

[0009] The upper surface side laminate portion 521 is provided with first and second upper surface side openings 522(1), 522(2) that expose at least a portion of the upper surfaces of the first and second bus bars 510(1), 510(2).

[0010] A portion of the upper surface of first busbar 510(1) that is exposed through first upper surface opening 522(1) forms an upper surface side connection portion of first busbar 510(1), and a portion of the upper surface of second busbar 510(2) that is exposed through second upper surface opening 522(2) forms an upper surface side connection portion of second busbar 510(2).

[0011] One of a pair of electrode layers 111, 112 of the semiconductor element 110 is attached in an electrically connected state to the upper surface side connection portion of one of the first and second bus bars 510(1), 510(2), and the other electrode layer of the semiconductor element 110 is electrically connected to the other upper surface side connection portion of the first and second bus bars 510(1), 510(2) via an electrical connection member such as wire 120.

[0012] That is, the semiconductor element 110 has an element body 115, and an upper electrode layer 111 and a lower electrode layer 112 respectively arranged on one side and the other side of the element body 115 in the thickness direction, and the lower electrode layer 112 is mechanically and electrically connected to an upper surface side connection portion of one of the first and second bus bars 510(1), 510(2) (the first bus bar 510(1) in FIG. 17) via, for example, a plating layer (not shown), and the upper electrode layer 111 is electrically connected to an upper surface side connection portion of the other of the first and second bus bars 510(1), 510(2) (the second bus bar 510(2) in FIG. 17) via wire 120.

[0013] In the illustrated embodiment, the busbar side insulating layer 520 further has a lower side laminate portion 523 covering the underside of the busbar connector on the other side in the plate thickness direction, and a side side laminate portion 525 covering the side of the busbar connector, and the lower side laminate portion 523 is provided with first and second lower side openings 524(1), 524(2) that expose at least a portion of the underside of each of the first and second busbars 510(1), 510(2).

[0014] A portion of the underside of first busbar 510(1) that is exposed through first underside opening 524(1) forms a underside connection portion of first busbar 510(1), and a portion of the underside of second busbar 510(2) that is exposed through second underside opening 524(2) forms a underside connection portion of second busbar 510(2).

[0015] The frame body 530 is a member for preventing the outflow and detachment of the sealing resin body 130 that protects the semiconductor element 110 and the wire 120, and is fixed to the periphery of the upper surface of the busbar connector with the first and second upper surface openings 522(1), 522(2) positioned within the central hole 535 in a plan view.

[0016] That is, the sealing resin body 130 is formed by pouring insulating resin onto the upper surface of the bus bar connector so as to surround the semiconductor element 110 and the wire 120 and then hardening it, and the frame body 530 prevents the insulating resin from flowing out before hardening and also prevents the sealing resin body 130 from detaching from the bus bar assembly 500 after hardening.

[0017] The above-mentioned Patent Document 4 describes a manufacturing method (hereinafter, referred to as a conventional manufacturing method) capable of efficiently manufacturing the frame-attached planar busbar assembly 500. A conventional manufacturing method will now be described.

[0018] The conventional manufacturing method includes a step of preparing a bus bar flat plate 550 made of a conductive metal. FIG. 18 shows a plan view of the bus bar plate 550. As shown in FIG.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 18, the bus bar plate 550 has a bus bar row 555 extending along a first direction (Y direction in FIG. 18 below) of the XY plane in which the bus bar plate 550 is located.

[0020] The busbar row 555 has an outer shape in a planar view corresponding to the busbar connector, and has a plurality of busbar forming regions 560 (five in the illustrated form) arranged in series along a first direction of the XY plane, and a plurality of busbar side connecting pieces 570 (six in the illustrated form) that integrally connect the plurality of busbar forming regions 560.

[0021] The conventional manufacturing method includes a slit forming step. The slit forming process is configured to form slits 569 that penetrate busbar forming region 560 in the plate thickness direction and have the same width as gap 519, thereby dividing busbar forming region 560 into a plurality of busbar forming portions 565(1), 565(2) corresponding to the plurality of busbars 510(1), 510(2). FIG. 18 shows the state after the slit forming step.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 18, the slit 569 formed in one busbar forming region 560 in the slit forming process has one longitudinal end extending into a busbar side connecting piece 570 connected to one side (e.g., the downward side in FIG. 18) of the one busbar forming region in the first direction (Y direction in the illustrated form) and the other longitudinal end extending into a busbar side connecting piece 570 connected to the other side (e.g., the upward side in FIG. 18) of the one busbar forming region 560 in the first direction.

[0023] The conventional manufacturing method further includes a busbar side insulating layer forming step of applying an insulating resin paint to the inside of the slits 569 and to the outer peripheral surface of the busbar forming region 560 and curing it to provide the busbar side insulating layer 520. FIG. 19 shows a plan view of the bus bar plate 550 after the bus bar side insulating layer forming step.

[0024] The conventional manufacturing method further includes a laser light irradiation process in which laser light is irradiated onto upper surface side laminated portion 521 of busbar side insulating layer 520 to form first and second upper surface side openings 522(1), 522(2), and laser light is irradiated onto lower surface side laminated portion 523 to form first and second lower surface side openings 524(1), 524(2). 20(a) and (b) show a plan view and a bottom view, respectively, of the bus bar plate 550 after the laser light irradiation step.

[0025] The conventional manufacturing method includes a frame forming process for forming the frame 530 in addition to the processing of the bus bar flat plate 550 .

[0026] Specifically, the frame forming process includes a step of preparing a frame plate 650 made of a conductive metal. FIG. 21 shows a plan view of the frame plate 650. As shown in FIG.

[0027] As shown in FIG. 21, the frame body flat plate 650 has a frame body row 655 extending in the same direction as the bus bar row 555 (the Y direction in the XY plane).

[0028] The frame body row 655 has a plurality of (five in the illustrated form) frame body forming regions 660 having a planar outer shape corresponding to the busbar forming regions 560 and having a through hole 665 corresponding to the central hole 35, and a plurality of (six in the illustrated form) frame body side connecting pieces 670 that integrally connect the plurality of frame body forming regions 660.

[0029] The frame forming process further includes a frame-side insulating layer forming step of applying an insulating resin paint to the outer peripheral surface of the frame forming region 660 and hardening it to provide the frame-side insulating layer 540 . FIG. 22 shows a plan view of the frame body flat plate 650 after the frame body side insulating layer forming step.

[0030] The conventional manufacturing method further includes a flat plate fixing process in which the lower surface of the frame body forming region 660 after the frame body forming process is fixed in an overlapping state to the upper surface of the busbar forming region 560 after the busbar side insulating layer forming process. FIG. 23 shows a plan view of the bus bar forming plate 550 and the frame forming plate 650 after the plate fixing step.

[0031] The conventional manufacturing method further includes a cutting step of cutting the busbar forming region 560 and the frame body forming region 660 in a fixed state from the busbar forming plate 550 and the frame body forming plate 650 after the flat plate fixing step.

[0032] The conventional manufacturing method having such a configuration is useful in that a plurality of the frame-equipped planar busbar assemblies 500 can be manufactured at the same time, but there is room for improvement.

[0033] In the conventional manufacturing method, as shown in FIG. 23, when the busbar flat plate 550 and the frame body flat plate 650 are fixed together so that the busbar forming region 560 and the frame body forming region 660 are overlapped, the busbar connecting piece 570 and the frame body connecting piece 670 are also overlapped with respect to each other.

[0034] In this case, a boundary D1 between the frame body forming region 660 and the frame body side connecting piece 670 and a boundary D2 between the busbar forming region 560 and the busbar side connecting piece 570 are located at the same position in a plan view.

[0035] Therefore, in the cutting process in the conventional manufacturing method, the cutting process for separating the frame body forming region 660 from the frame body flat plate 650 and the cutting process for separating the busbar forming region 560 from the busbar flat plate 550 are performed as a single cutting process at the same position when viewed in a plan view.

[0036] 24(a) and (b) are enlarged cross-sectional views taken along line XXIV-XXIV in FIG. 23. 24(a) and (b) show the state before and after cutting, respectively. In addition, reference numeral 180 in Figures 24(a) and (b) denotes a cutting member such as a diamond blade, and reference numeral 190 denotes a holding member that fixes the bus bar flat plate 550 and the frame body flat plate 650 and is provided with a guide for the cutting member 180.

[0037] As shown in Fig. 24(b), if a boundary D1 between the frame body forming region 660 and the frame body side connecting piece 670 and a boundary D2 between the busbar forming region 560 and the busbar side connecting piece 570, which are located at the same position in a plan view, are cut in a single cutting process, a "burr" 680 generated on one of the busbar flat plate 550 and the frame body flat plate 650 located upstream in the cutting direction (the frame body flat plate 650 in Figs. 24(a) and (b)) may damage the insulating layer of the other flat plate located directly below (the busbar flat plate 550 in Figs. 24(a) and (b)), and in some cases may come into contact with the flat plate located downstream in the cutting direction (the busbar flat plate 550 in Figs. 24(a) and (b)). If such a situation occurs, the product cannot be used and becomes defective. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0038] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 4432913 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 6487769 [Patent Document 3] Patent No. 6637002 [Patent Document 4] Patent No. 6637003 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0039] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional techniques, and has an object to provide a method for manufacturing busbar assemblies that can simultaneously manufacture a plurality of framed planar busbar assemblies with a high yield. [Means for solving the problem]

[0040] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a busbar insulating layer including a plurality of busbars formed of conductive flat plate members and arranged in the same plane with gaps between opposing side surfaces, gap filling portions filled in the gaps and a top surface side laminate portion covering an upper surface on one side in a plate thickness direction of a busbar connected body formed by connecting the busbars through the gap filling portions, and a frame body having a frame body main body having the same outer shape in a plan view as the busbar connected body and a central hole penetrating vertically, and a frame body side insulating layer covering an outer peripheral surface of the frame body main body, a busbar assembly including a busbar connecting member and a frame body, the busbar connecting member having one or more upper surface openings that expose at least a portion of an upper surface of each busbar, the frame body being fixed to a periphery of an upper surface of the busbar connecting member via the upper surface laminated portion with the one or more upper surface openings positioned within the central hole in a plan view, the busbar assembly comprising the steps of: preparing a busbar plate made of a conductive metal including a busbar forming region having an outer shape in a plan view that corresponds to the busbar connecting member; forming one or more slits in the busbar forming region that penetrate in a plate thickness direction and have the same width as the gap; a slit forming step of dividing the busbar forming region into a plurality of busbar forming portions corresponding to the plurality of busbars, a busbar side insulating layer forming step of applying an insulating resin paint at least in the slits and on an upper surface of the busbar forming region and curing the paint to provide the busbar side insulating layer, a laser light irradiation step of irradiating a laser light to an upper surface laminated portion of the busbar side insulating layer to provide the one or more upper surface openings, and a frame forming process which is performed before, after, or in parallel with the processes from the step of preparing the busbar plate to the laser light irradiation step. a frame forming process including a step of preparing a frame plate made of a conductive metal including a frame forming region having an outer shape in a plan view corresponding to the busbar forming region and having a through hole formed therein corresponding to the central hole, and a frame side insulating layer forming step of applying an insulating resin paint to an outer peripheral surface of the frame forming region and curing the paint to provide the frame side insulating layer, and a plate fixing step of fixing, in a superimposed state, a lower surface of the frame forming region after the frame forming process to an upper surface of the busbar forming region after the busbar side insulating layer forming step before or after the laser light irradiation step, andand a cutting step of cutting the busbar forming regions and the frame body forming regions in a fixed state from the busbar forming plate and the frame body flat plate, the busbar forming plate having a busbar row formed by a plurality of the busbar forming regions and a plurality of busbar side connecting pieces integrally connecting the plurality of busbar forming regions, the busbar forming plate being arranged in series along a first direction of an XY plane in which the busbar forming plate is located, the slits formed in one busbar forming region having one longitudinal end side extending into a busbar side connecting piece connected to one side of the one busbar forming region in the first direction and the other longitudinal end side extending into a busbar side connecting piece connected to the other side of the one busbar forming region in the first direction, the frame body flat plate having the same number and pitch as the plurality of busbar forming regions in the busbar row. a frame body row formed by a plurality of the frame body forming regions and a plurality of frame body side connecting pieces integrally connecting the plurality of frame body forming regions arranged in series in a first direction, the busbar side connecting pieces and the frame body side connecting pieces are displaced relative to each other so as not to overlap in a plan view when the frame body flat plate and the busbar flat plate are fixed, and the cutting step includes a busbar side cutting process for cutting the boundary between the busbar forming region and the busbar side connecting piece from the side of the surface facing the frame body flat plate toward the side of the surface opposite to the frame body flat plate, and a frame body side cutting process for cutting the boundary between the frame body forming region and the frame body side connecting piece from the side of the surface facing the busbar flat plate toward the side of the surface opposite to the busbar flat plate,

[0041] Preferably, the busbar side connecting piece is disposed at the center in the width direction of the busbar row, and the frame body side connecting pieces are disposed on both sides of the center in the width direction of the frame body row.

[0042] Preferably, the busbar plate has a plurality of the busbar rows arranged in parallel in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction in an XY plane in which the busbar plate is located, and a busbar side gripping piece that holds the plurality of busbar rows as a whole, and the frame body plate has a plurality of the frame body rows arranged in parallel in the second direction with the same pitch and in the same number as the plurality of busbar rows, and a frame body side gripping piece that holds the plurality of frame body rows as a whole.

[0043] The present invention also provides a method for manufacturing a busbar assembly comprising: a plurality of busbars formed of conductive flat plate-like members and arranged in the same plane with gaps between opposing side surfaces; a busbar-side insulating layer including gap filling portions filled in the gaps and an upper surface side laminate portion covering an upper surface on one side in a plate thickness direction of a busbar connected body formed by the gap filling portions; and a frame body having a frame body main body having the same outer shape in a plan view as the busbar connected body and a central hole penetrating vertically, and a frame body side insulating layer covering an outer circumferential surface of the frame body main body, wherein the upper surface side laminate portion is formed so as to cover at least a portion of the upper surface of each of the plurality of busbars. the frame has one or more top surface openings that expose at least a portion of the top surface of the busbar connector, and the frame is formed with a flat plate laminate structure for a busbar assembly in which a plurality of busbar assemblies are connected in the same plane, the busbar assemblies being fixed to a periphery of the top surface of the busbar connector via the top surface laminate portion with the one or more top surface openings positioned within the central hole in a plan view, the flat plate for busbars being made of a conductive metal, the flat plate for busbars having an outer shape in a plan view that corresponds to the busbar connector, and a plurality of busbar forming regions and a front surface laminate structure that are arranged in series along a first direction in an XY plane in which the flat plate for busbars is located a busbar row formed by a plurality of busbar side connecting pieces integrally connecting the plurality of busbar forming regions, each of the plurality of busbar forming regions having a busbar forming flat plate partitioned into a plurality of busbar forming portions corresponding to the plurality of busbars by one or more slits penetrating in a plate thickness direction and having the same width as the gap, a portion filling the slits to form the gap filling portion, and a portion provided on an upper surface of the busbar forming region to form the upper surface side laminated portion, the one or more upper surface side openings being provided in the portion forming the upper surface side laminated portion a frame body flat plate made of a conductive metal having a busbar-side insulating coating film formed on an outer circumferential surface of the frame body forming region, a plurality of frame body forming regions having an outer shape in a plan view corresponding to the busbar forming regions and arranged in series in a first direction at the same pitch as the plurality of busbar forming regions in the busbar row, and a frame body row formed by a plurality of frame body side connecting pieces integrally connecting the plurality of frame body forming regions, each of the plurality of frame body forming regions having a through hole that forms the central hole, and a frame body side insulating coating film formed on an outer circumferential surface of the frame body forming regions to form the frame body side insulating layer,the slit formed in one busbar forming region has one longitudinal end extending into a busbar side connecting piece connected to one side of the one busbar forming region in the first direction and the other longitudinal end extending into a busbar side connecting piece connected to the other side of the one busbar forming region in the first direction, the busbar flat plate and the frame body flat plate are fixed so that the frame body forming region provided with the frame body side insulating coating film overlaps with the busbar forming region provided with the busbar side insulating coating film, and the busbar side connecting piece and the frame body side connecting piece are displaced relative to each other so as not to overlap in a plan view when the frame body flat plate and the busbar flat plate are fixed.

[0044] Preferably, the busbar side connecting piece is disposed at the center in the width direction of the busbar row, and the frame body side connecting pieces are disposed on both sides of the center in the width direction of the frame body row.

[0045] Preferably, the busbar plate has a plurality of the busbar rows arranged in parallel in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction in an XY plane in which the busbar plate is located, and a busbar side gripping piece that holds the plurality of busbar rows as a whole, and the frame body plate has a plurality of the frame body rows arranged in parallel in the second direction at the same pitch as the plurality of busbar rows, and a frame body side gripping piece that holds the plurality of frame body rows as a whole.

[0046] Preferably, the busbar side insulating coating further has a portion that is provided on the underside of the busbar forming area and forms a underside laminate portion covering the underside of the busbar connector on the other side in the plate thickness direction, and a portion that is provided on the side of the busbar forming area and forms a side side laminate portion covering the side of the busbar connector, and the portion that forms the underside laminate portion is provided with one or more underside openings that expose at least a portion of the underside of each of the plurality of busbars. Effect of the Invention

[0047] According to the method for manufacturing a busbar assembly according to the present invention, a plurality of planar busbar assemblies with frames can be manufactured simultaneously with a high yield. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0048] [Figure 1] FIG. 1(a) is a plan view of a semiconductor module in which semiconductor elements such as LEDs are attached to a busbar assembly manufactured by a manufacturing method related to embodiment 1 of the present invention, and FIG. 1(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line I(b)-I(b) in FIG. 1(a). [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the bus bar plate used in the manufacturing method according to the first embodiment, showing the state after the slit forming step in the manufacturing method. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a plan view of the busbar plate after a busbar-side insulating layer forming step in the manufacturing method according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a plan view of the bus bar plate after the laser light irradiation step in the manufacturing method according to the first embodiment. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the bus bar plate after the laser light irradiation step in the manufacturing method according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a plan view of a frame flat plate used in the manufacturing method according to the first embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a plan view of the frame-forming plate after the frame-side insulating layer forming step in the manufacturing method according to the first embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a plan view of the busbar plate and the frame plate after the plate fixing step in the manufacturing method according to the first embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is an enlarged view of portion IX in FIG. [Figure 10]Fig. 10(a) is a cross-sectional view taken along line X(a)-X(a) in Fig. 9, showing a state in which frame-side cutting processing is being performed in the cutting step in the manufacturing method according to the first embodiment. Fig. 10(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line X(b)-X(b) in Fig. 9, showing a state in which busbar-side cutting processing is being performed in the cutting step. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a plan view of a bus bar plate used in a manufacturing method according to the second embodiment of the present invention, showing a state after a slit forming step in the manufacturing method. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a plan view of a frame flat plate used in the manufacturing method according to the second embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a plan view of the busbar plate and the frame plate after the plate fixing step in the manufacturing method according to the second embodiment. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is an enlarged view of a portion XIV in FIG. [Figure 15] Fig. 15(a) is a cross-sectional view taken along line XV(a)-XV(a) in Fig. 14, showing a state in which frame-side cutting processing is being performed in the cutting step in the manufacturing method according to the second embodiment. Fig. 15(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line X(b)-X(b) in Fig. 14, showing a state in which busbar-side cutting processing is being performed in the cutting step. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is a plan view of the busbar plate and the frame plate used in the manufacturing method according to the modified example of the second embodiment after the plate fixing step. [Figure 17] FIG. 17 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a semiconductor module in which semiconductor elements such as LEDs are mounted on a flat bus bar assembly. [Figure 18] FIG. 18 is a plan view of a bus bar plate used in a conventional manufacturing method, showing the state after the slit forming step in the manufacturing method. [Figure 19] FIG. 19 is a plan view of the busbar plate after the busbar-side insulating layer forming step in the conventional manufacturing method. [Figure 20]20(a) and (b) are a plan view and a bottom view, respectively, of the bus bar forming plate after the laser light irradiation step in the conventional manufacturing method. [Figure 21] FIG. 21 is a plan view of a frame flat plate used in a conventional manufacturing method. [Figure 22] FIG. 22 is a plan view of the frame-forming plate after the frame-side insulating layer forming step in the conventional manufacturing method. [Diagram 23] FIG. 23 is a plan view of the bus bar forming plate and the frame forming plate after the plate fixing step in the conventional manufacturing method. [Figure 24] 24(a) and (b) are enlarged cross-sectional views taken along the line XXIV-XXIV in FIG. 23, showing the state before and after cutting, respectively. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0049] First embodiment Hereinafter, an embodiment of a method for manufacturing a busbar assembly according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 1(a) and (b) show a plan view and a cross-sectional view along line I(b)-I(b) in FIG. 1(a), respectively, of a semiconductor module 101 in which a semiconductor element 110 such as an LED is mounted on a busbar assembly 1 manufactured by the manufacturing method of this embodiment.

[0050] As shown in Figures 1(a) and (b), the busbar assembly 1 is formed of a conductive flat plate-like member and comprises a plurality of busbars 10 arranged in parallel in the same plane with gaps 19 between opposing side surfaces 15, a busbar-side insulating layer 20 including gap filling portions 29 filled in the gaps 19 and an upper surface side laminated portion 21 covering the upper surface of a busbar connected body formed by connecting the plurality of busbars 10 by the gap filling portions 29, and a frame body 30 having a frame body main body 31 having the same external shape in a planar view as the busbar connected body and provided with a central hole 35 that penetrates vertically, and a frame body side insulating layer 40 covering the outer peripheral surface of the frame body main body 31.

[0051] The bus bar 10 is made of a conductive metal such as Cu. The bus bar assembly 1 according to the present embodiment has two bus bars, namely, first and second bus bars 10(1) and 10(2), as the plurality of bus bars 10. Of course, the plurality of bus bars 10 may include three or more bus bars.

[0052] Each of the first and second busbars 10(1), 10(2) has an upper surface 11 and a lower surface 12 facing one side and the other side in the thickness direction, respectively, and a side surface 15 connecting the upper surface 11 and the lower surface 13, and the side surfaces 15 of adjacent busbars 10 face each other via the gap 19.

[0053] The busbar side insulating layer 20 is formed of an insulating resin coating having heat resistance and insulating properties, such as polyamideimide, polyimide, polyamide, or epoxy, and is preferably formed using Insulead (registered trademark).

[0054] The upper surface side laminate portion 21 is provided with one or more upper surface side openings 22(1), 22(2) that expose at least a portion of the upper surface of each of the first and second bus bars 10(1), 10(2).

[0055] As shown in Figures 1(a) and (b), in this embodiment, the upper surface side laminated portion 21 is provided with a plurality of upper surface side openings (first and second upper surface side openings 22(1), 22(2)) that each expose a portion of the upper surfaces 11 of the plurality of bus bars 10 (the first and second bus bars 10(1), 10(2)).

[0056] Alternatively, it is possible to provide a single upper surface opening in the upper surface laminate portion 21 that integrally exposes a portion of the upper surfaces 11 of the multiple bus bars 10 (the first and second bus bars 10(1), 10(2)).

[0057] The portions of the upper surfaces 11 of the first and second bus bars 10(1), 10(2) that are exposed through the upper surface openings (in this embodiment, the first and second upper surface openings 22(1), 22(2)) form upper surface connection portions 12.

[0058] One of the pair of electrode layers of the semiconductor element 110 is attached in an electrically connected state to the top side connection portion 12 of one of the first and second bus bars 10(1), 10(2) (for example, the first bus bar 10(1)), and the other of the pair of electrode layers of the semiconductor element 110 is electrically connected to the top side connection portion 12 of the other of the first and second bus bars 10(1), 10(2) (for example, the second bus bar 10(2)) via an electrical connection member 120 such as a wire.

[0059] That is, the semiconductor element 110 has an upper electrode layer 111 and a lower electrode layer 112 on an upper surface on one side in the thickness direction and a lower surface on the other side in the thickness direction, respectively, and has an element body 115 between the upper electrode layer 111 and the lower electrode layer 112.

[0060] In the semiconductor module 101, the lower electrode layer 112 of the semiconductor element 110 is fixed in an electrically connected state to the upper connection portion 12 of the first bus bar 10(1), and the upper electrode layer 111 is electrically connected to the upper connection portion 12 of the second bus bar 10(2) via a wire 120.

[0061] One of the first and second bus bars 10(1), 10(2) acts as a first electrode that is one of an anode and a cathode (e.g., an anode), and the other of the first and second bus bars 10(1), 10(2) acts as a second electrode that is the other of an anode and a cathode (e.g., a cathode).

[0062] At least a portion of the lower surface 13 of each of the first and second bus bars 10(1), 10(2) is exposed to form a lower surface side connection portion 14.

[0063] In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1(b), the busbar side insulating layer 20 has a lower surface side laminated portion 23 that covers the lower surface of the busbar connector, and the lower surface side laminated portion 23 is provided with first and second lower surface side openings 24(1), 24(2) that expose portions of the lower surfaces 13 of the first and second busbars 10(1), 10(2), respectively.

[0064] Alternatively, it is possible to provide a single lower surface opening in the lower surface laminate portion 23 that integrally exposes a portion of the lower surfaces 13 of the multiple bus bars 10 (the first and second bus bars 10(1), 10(2)).

[0065] The portions of the undersides 13 of the first and second busbars 10(1), 10(2) that are exposed through the underside openings (in this embodiment, the first and second underside openings 24(1), 24(2)) form the underside connection portions 14. The lower surface side connection portions 14 function as external connection terminals for electrically connecting the corresponding bus bars 10(1), 10(2) to the outside.

[0066] In this embodiment, the busbar side insulating layer 20 integrally has, in addition to the gap filling portion 29, the upper surface side laminated portion 21 and the lower surface side laminated portion 23, a side surface side laminated portion 25 that covers the side surfaces of the busbar connector.

[0067] The frame 30 holds a sealing resin body 130 that protects the semiconductor element 110 and the wires 120 mounted on the upper surface side connection portion 12 .

[0068] In detail, the frame body 30 is fixed to the peripheral edge of the upper surface of the busbar connector via the upper surface laminate portion 21 with the one or more upper surface openings (in this embodiment, the first and second upper surface openings 22(1), 22(2)) positioned within the central hole 35 in a plan view.

[0069] The frame body 31 is formed of a conductive metal member (preferably the same member as the bus bar 10).

[0070] The frame-side insulating layer 40 is formed of an insulating resin coating having heat resistance and insulating properties, such as polyamideimide, polyimide, polyamide, or epoxy, and is preferably formed using Insulead (registered trademark).

[0071] The sealing resin layer 130 is formed of a transparent insulating resin material such as polyimide, polyamide, or epoxy.

[0072] More specifically, the insulating resin material that forms the sealing resin layer 130 is poured into the housing space defined by the frame 30 so as to surround the semiconductor element 110 and the wires 120 . The frame 30 prevents the insulating resin material from flowing out before hardening, and prevents the sealing resin layer 130 from detaching from the bus bar assembly 1 after hardening.

[0073] A method for manufacturing the busbar assembly 1 according to this embodiment will now be described.

[0074] The manufacturing method includes a step of preparing a bus bar plate 200A made of a conductive metal. FIG. 2 shows a plan view of the bus bar plate 200A. FIG. 2 shows the state after the slit forming step described below.

[0075] The busbar flat plate 200A has a plurality of busbar assembly formation regions 210 having an outer shape in a plan view corresponding to the busbar connected body formed by connecting a plurality of busbars 10 (in this embodiment, the first and second busbars 10(1), 10(2)) by the busbar side insulating layer 20.

[0076] The busbar assembly forming region 210 has a length in a first direction (Y direction in this embodiment) of the XY plane in which the busbar flat plate 200A is located that is the same as the length along a direction parallel to the gap 19 of the busbar assembly 1, and a second direction (X direction length in this embodiment) perpendicular to the first direction in the XY plane that is the same as the length along the width direction of the gap 19 of the busbar assembly 1.

[0077] As shown in FIG. 2, in this embodiment, the busbar plate 200A has m (m is an integer of 2 or more, and in the illustrated embodiment, m=3) busbar rows 205A (first to third busbar rows 205A(1) to (3) in this embodiment) arranged in parallel in the X direction of an XY plane, and a busbar side gripping piece 207 that holds the m busbar rows 205A integrally.

[0078] Each of the busbar rows 205A(1)-(3) has n (n is an integer of 2 or more, n=5 in the illustrated embodiment) busbar forming regions 210 arranged in series along the Y direction of the XY plane, and a plurality of (n+1) busbar side connecting pieces 230A that integrally connect the n busbar forming regions 210.

[0079] That is, in the present embodiment, the busbar forming plate 200A has m×n (3×5=15 in the illustrated embodiment) busbar forming regions 210 arranged in a rectangular shape.

[0080] In the present embodiment, the busbar side gripping piece 207 has first and second busbar side gripping pieces 207(1), 207(2) arranged on one and the other longitudinal sides of the busbar row 205A (in the present embodiment, the first to third busbar rows 205A(1) to (3)). Among the multiple busbar side connecting pieces 230A, the busbar side connecting piece 230A(1) located at the outermost position on one longitudinal side of the busbar row 205A is connected to the first busbar side gripping piece 207(1), and the busbar side connecting piece 230A(2) located at the outermost position on the other longitudinal side of the busbar row 205A is connected to the second busbar gripping piece 207(2).

[0081] As shown in FIG. 2, alignment holes 208 are formed in the first and second busbar side gripping pieces 207(1), 207(2).

[0082] The manufacturing method further includes a slit forming process of forming one or more slits 219 in the busbar forming region 210, which penetrate in the plate thickness direction and have the same width as the gap 19, to divide the busbar forming region 210 into a plurality of busbar forming portions 220 corresponding to the plurality of busbars 10.

[0083] As described above, in the present embodiment, the busbar assembly 1 has the first and second busbars 10(1), 10(2) as the multiple busbars 10, and therefore, as shown in FIG. 2, the slit forming process is configured to form one slit 219 in the busbar forming region 210 to divide the busbar forming region 210 into first and second busbar forming portions 220(1), 220(2).

[0084] The slit 219 formed in one busbar forming region 210 has one longitudinal end extending into a busbar side connecting piece 230A connected to one side of the busbar forming region 210 in the Y direction, and the other longitudinal end extending into a busbar side connecting piece 230A connected to the other side of the busbar forming region 210 in the Y direction.

[0085] In other words, the longitudinal length of the slit 219 is made greater than the length of the busbar forming area 210 along the longitudinal direction of the busbar row 205A, and after the slit forming step, the first and second busbar forming regions 220(1), 220(2) are configured to be maintained in a connected state to each other via a pair of busbar side connecting pieces 230A located on both sides of the busbar assembly forming area 210 in the longitudinal direction of the busbar row 205A. With this configuration, the slit 219 (the gap 19) can be formed with high precision.

[0086] The manufacturing method further includes a busbar side insulating layer forming step of applying and curing an insulating resin paint at least in the slits 219 and on the upper surface of the busbar forming region 210 to provide the busbar side insulating layer 20. FIG. 3 shows a plan view of the busbar plate 200A after the busbar-side insulating layer forming step.

[0087] The application of the insulating resin paint in the bus bar side insulating layer forming step can be carried out by, for example, electrodeposition coating, electrostatic powder coating, or spray coating.

[0088] As described above, in the busbar assembly 1, the busbar side insulating layer 20 has, in addition to the gap filling portion 29 and the top surface side laminated portion 21, the bottom surface side laminated portion 23 and the side surface laminated portion 25.

[0089] Therefore, the busbar side insulating layer forming process is configured to apply insulating resin paint not only to the inside of the slits 219 and the upper surface of the busbar forming area 210, but also to the lower surface and side surfaces of the busbar forming area 210.

[0090] The manufacturing method further includes a laser light irradiation process in which laser light is irradiated onto the upper surface side laminate portion 21 of the busbar side insulating layer 20 to provide the one or more upper surface side openings 22 (in this embodiment, the first and second upper surface side openings 22(1), 22(2)). FIG. 4 shows a plan view of the bus bar plate 200A after the laser light irradiation step.

[0091] As described above, in the bus bar assembly 1, the lower laminated portion 23 is provided with the first and second lower openings 24(1), 24(2).

[0092] Therefore, the laser light irradiation process is configured to irradiate laser light onto the upper surface side laminate portion 21 to form the first and second upper surface side openings 22(1), 22(2), as well as to irradiate laser light onto the lower surface side laminate portion 23 to form the first and second lower surface side openings 24(1), 24(2). FIG. 5 shows a bottom view of the busbar plate 200A after the lower laminate portion 23 is irradiated with laser light to form the first and second lower openings 24(1), 24(2).

[0093] The manufacturing method includes a frame forming process which is carried out before, after, or in parallel with the processes from the process of preparing the busbar plate 200A to the laser light irradiation process.

[0094] The frame body forming process includes a step of preparing a frame body flat plate 300A made of a conductive metal, the frame body including a frame body forming region 310 having a planar outer shape corresponding to the busbar forming region 210 and in which a through hole 315 corresponding to the central hole 35 is formed. FIG. 6 shows a plan view of the frame plate 300A.

[0095] As shown in FIG. 6, the frame body flat plate 300A has n frame body rows 305A (in this embodiment, first to fifth frame body rows 305A(1) to (5)) and a frame body side gripping piece 307 that holds the n frame body rows 305A integrally. The n frame body rows 305A are arranged in parallel in the Y direction of the XY plane on which the frame body flat plate 300A is located, at the same pitch as the n (in this embodiment, n=5) busbar forming regions 210 in the busbar row 205A.

[0096] Each of the n frame body rows 305A has m frame body forming regions 310 arranged in series along the X direction of the XY plane on which the frame body flat plate 300A is located, at the same pitch as the m (m=3 in this embodiment) bus bar rows 205A (the first to third bus bar rows 205A(1) to (3) in this embodiment), and a plurality of (m+1) frame body side connecting pieces 330A that integrally connect the m frame body forming regions 310.

[0097] That is, the multiple (15 in this embodiment) busbar forming regions 210 in the busbar flat plate 200A and the multiple (15 in this embodiment) frame body forming regions 310 in the frame body flat plate 300A are positioned at the same position in the XY plane (i.e., in a planar view), while the multiple busbar side connecting pieces 230A and the multiple frame body side connecting pieces 330A are displaced in position in the XY plane.

[0098] The frame body side connecting piece 307 has first and second frame body side gripping pieces 307(1), 307(2) positioned in the same position as the first and second busbar side gripping pieces 207(1), 207(2) in a plan view.

[0099] In detail, as shown in FIG. 6, the frame body flat plate 300A is provided with a first intermediate piece 309(1) extending in the Y direction while connecting one end sides of the longitudinal direction (X direction) of the n frame body rows 305A (in this embodiment, the first to fifth frame body rows 305A(1) to (5)), and a second intermediate piece 309(2) extending in the Y direction while connecting the other end sides of the longitudinal direction (X direction) of the n frame body rows 305A.

[0100] In addition, the first frame side gripping piece 307(1) is positioned at the same position as the first busbar side gripping piece 207(1) in a planar view with one end sides of the longitudinal direction (Y direction) of the first and second intermediate pieces 309(1), 309(2) connected to each other, and the second frame side gripping piece 307(2) is positioned at the same position as the second busbar side gripping piece 207(2) in a planar view with the other end sides of the longitudinal direction (Y direction) of the first and second intermediate pieces 309(2) connected to each other.

[0101] As shown in FIG. 6, the first and second frame side gripping pieces 307(1), 307(2) are formed with alignment holes 308 that are positioned in the same positions as the alignment holes 208 of the first and second busbar side gripping pieces 207(1), 207(2) in a plan view.

[0102] The frame forming process further includes a frame-side insulating layer forming step of applying an insulating resin paint to the outer peripheral surface of the frame forming region 310 and curing it to provide the frame-side insulating layer 40 . FIG. 7 shows a plan view of the frame-forming plate 300A after the frame-side insulating layer forming step.

[0103] The application of the insulating resin coating material in the frame-side insulating layer forming step can be carried out by, for example, electrodeposition coating, electrostatic powder coating, or spray coating.

[0104] The manufacturing method further includes a flat plate fixing process in which the lower surface of the frame body forming region 310 after the frame body forming process is fixed in an overlapping state to the upper surface of the busbar forming region 210 after the busbar side insulating layer forming process. FIG. 8 shows a plan view of the busbar flat plate 200A and the frame body flat plate 300A after the flat plate fixing process (i.e., a plan view of the flat plate laminate structure for a busbar assembly in which the frame body flat plate 300A is fixed to the busbar flat plate 200A).

[0105] The busbar flat plate 200A and the frame flat plate 300A can be fixed together, for example, by an insulating adhesive in a state where the alignment holes 208, 308 are used to align the two flat plates 200A, 300A. Alternatively, instead of or in addition to the adhesive, it is also possible to utilize the hardening action of the insulating resin coating that forms the busbar side insulating layer 20 or the insulating resin coating that forms the frame side insulating layer 40.

[0106] In other words, when one of the insulating resin coating film forming the busbar side insulating layer 20 and the insulating resin coating film forming the frame side insulating layer 40 is in a semi-cured state, the two flat plates 200A, 300A can be pressed together in a polymerized state, and the semi-cured insulating resin coating film can be hardened, thereby fixing the two flat plates 200A, 300A together.

[0107] The laser light irradiation step is performed after the bus bar side insulating layer 20 is completely cured, but the order of the laser light irradiation step and the flat plate fixing step may be arbitrary.

[0108] That is, when the laser light irradiation process is carried out before the flat plate fixing process, the laser light irradiation process is carried out on the busbar flat plate 200A in a state in which the busbar side insulating layer 20 is completely cured, and then the busbar flat plate 200A and the frame flat plate 300A can be fixed with an insulating adhesive.

[0109] Alternatively, the busbar plate 200A in which the busbar-side insulating layer 20 is completely cured may be subjected to the laser light irradiation process, while the busbar plate 200A after the laser light irradiation process and the frame plate 300A in which the frame-side insulating layer 40 is in a semi-cured state may be pressure-bonded to each other, thereby fixing the two plates 200A and 300A together. At this time, in addition to the curing action of the frame-side insulating layer 40, an insulating adhesive may also be used.

[0110] When the laser light irradiation process is performed after the flat plate bonding process, the busbar flat plate 200A in a state in which the busbar side insulating layer 20 is completely cured and the frame body flat plate 300A in a state in which the frame body side insulating layer 40 is completely cured can be bonded together using an insulating adhesive before the laser light irradiation process.

[0111] Alternatively, instead of or in addition to an insulating adhesive, the two flat plates 200A, 300A can be pressure-bonded together when at least one of the busbar-side insulating layer 20 and the frame-side insulating layer 40 is in a semi-cured state, and the curing action of the insulating layer in the semi-cured state can be utilized to fix the two flat plates 200A, 300A together. At this time, an insulating adhesive can also be used in addition to the curing action of the insulating layer in the semi-cured state.

[0112] After both the flat plates 200A, 300A are fixed together and the bus bar side insulating layer 20 is completely cured, the laser light irradiation step is carried out.

[0113] The manufacturing method further includes a cutting step of cutting the busbar forming region 210 and the frame body forming region 310 in a fixed state from the busbar forming plate 200A and the frame body forming plate 300A after the flat plate fixing step.

[0114] The cutting process can be carried out by various cutting methods, such as a method using a rotating or non-rotating dicing blade.

[0115] FIG. 9 shows an enlarged view of part IX in FIG. As shown in Figures 8 and 9, the cutting process includes a frame body side cutting process in which the boundary C1 between the frame body forming region 310 and the frame body side connecting piece 330A is cut to separate the frame body forming region 310 from the frame body flat plate 300A, and a busbar side cutting process in which the boundary C2 between the busbar forming region 210 and the busbar side connecting piece 230A is cut to separate the busbar forming region 210 from the busbar flat plate 200A.

[0116] FIG. 10(a) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line X(a)-X(a) in FIG. 9, showing a state in which the frame-side cutting process is being performed. FIG. 10(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line X(b)-X(b) in FIG. 9, showing a state in which the bus bar side cutting process is being performed. In addition, reference numeral 180 in Figures 10(a) and (b) denotes a cutting member such as a diamond blade, and reference numeral 190 denotes a holding member that fixes the busbar flat plate 200A and the frame body flat plate 300A and is provided with a guide for the cutting member 180.

[0117] As shown in Figure 10(a), the frame body side cutting process is configured to cut the boundary C1 between the frame body forming region 310 and the frame body side connecting piece 330A from the lower surface on the other side of the plate thickness direction of the frame body flat plate 300A to the upper surface on one side of the plate thickness direction (i.e., from the side of the surface facing the busbar flat plate 200A to the surface opposite the busbar flat plate 200A).

[0118] As shown in Figure 10(b), the busbar side cutting process is configured to cut the boundary C2 between the busbar forming region 210 and the busbar connecting piece 230A from the upper surface on one side of the thickness direction of the busbar flat plate 200A to the lower surface on the other side of the thickness direction (i.e., from the side of the surface facing the frame body flat plate 300A to the surface opposite the frame body flat plate 300A).

[0119] According to this configuration, even if burrs 185 are generated by the frame-side cutting process, these burrs 185 do not affect the bus bar substrate 200A. Similarly, even if burrs 187 are generated by the bus bar side cutting process, these burrs 187 do not affect the frame body substrate 300A.

[0120] Therefore, according to the manufacturing method of the present embodiment, a plurality of planar busbar assemblies 1 with frames can be manufactured simultaneously with a high yield.

[0121] Embodiment 2 Hereinafter, another embodiment of the method for manufacturing a busbar assembly according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0122] 11 and 12 are plan views of a busbar plate 200B and a frame plate 300B used in the manufacturing method according to this embodiment, respectively. In the figure, the same members as those in the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted as appropriate.

[0123] The manufacturing method of this embodiment differs from the manufacturing method of embodiment 1 only in that the busbar flat plate 200A and the frame body flat plate 300A are changed to busbar flat plate 200B and frame body flat plate 300B.

[0124] As shown in FIG. 11, the busbar flat plate 200B has a busbar row 205B including a plurality (five in the illustrated embodiment) of the busbar forming regions 210 arranged in series along a first direction (Y direction in this embodiment) of the XY plane in which the busbar flat plate 200B is located, and a plurality (5+1=6 in the illustrated embodiment) of busbar side connecting pieces 230B that integrally connect the plurality of busbar forming regions 210.

[0125] As shown in FIG. 12, the frame body flat plate 300B has a frame body row 305B including a plurality of frame body forming regions 310 arranged in series along the same direction (i.e., the first direction of the XY plane (the Y direction in this embodiment)) with the same pitch and the same number as the plurality of busbar forming regions 210 in the busbar row 205B, and a plurality (5+1=6 in the illustrated embodiment) of frame body side connecting pieces 330B that integrally connect the plurality of frame body forming regions 310.

[0126] That is, in the embodiment 1, as shown in Figures 2 and 6, the longitudinal direction of the busbar row 205A (i.e., the arrangement direction of the multiple busbar forming regions 210 in the busbar row 205A) and the longitudinal direction of the frame body row 305A (i.e., the arrangement direction of the multiple frame body forming regions 310 in the frame body row 305A) are perpendicular to each other.

[0127] In contrast, in the present embodiment, the longitudinal direction of the busbar row 205B (i.e., the arrangement direction of the multiple busbar forming regions 210 in the busbar row 205B) and the longitudinal direction of the frame body row 305B (i.e., the arrangement direction of the multiple frame body forming regions 310 in the frame body row 305B) are in the same direction (the Y direction of the XY plane in the present embodiment).

[0128] FIG. 13 shows a plan view of the busbar plate 200B and the frame body plate 300B after the plate fixing process (i.e., a plan view of the flat plate laminate structure for a busbar assembly in which the frame body plate 300B is fixed to the busbar plate 200B). As shown in Figures 11 to 13, in this embodiment, the busbar side connecting piece 230B and the frame body side connecting piece 330B are displaced so that they do not overlap with each other in a planar view when the frame body flat plate 300B and the busbar flat plate 200B are fixed together.

[0129] In this embodiment, the busbar side connecting piece 230B is positioned at the center in the width direction of the busbar row 205B (X direction in this embodiment), and the frame body side connecting piece 330B is positioned on both sides of the center in the width direction of the frame body row 305B (X direction in this embodiment).

[0130] FIG. 14 shows an enlarged view of the portion XIV in FIG. As shown in Figures 13 and 14, in this embodiment, the boundary C2 between the busbar forming region 210 and the busbar connecting piece 230B and the boundary C1 between the frame body forming region 310 and the frame body side connecting piece 330B are in the same position in the longitudinal direction of the busbar row 205B and the frame body row 305B, but are displaced in the width direction of the busbar row 205B and the frame body row 305B.

[0131] FIG. 15(a) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line XV(a)-XV(a) in FIG. 14, showing a state in which the frame-side cutting process is being performed. FIG. 15(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line X(b)-X(b) in FIG. 14, showing a state in which the bus bar side cutting process is being performed.

[0132] As shown in Figure 15(a), in the same manner as in embodiment 1, in the present embodiment, the frame body side cutting process is configured to cut the boundary C1 between the frame body forming region 310 and the frame body side connecting piece 330B from the lower surface on the other side of the plate thickness direction of the frame body flat plate 300B to the upper surface on one side of the plate thickness direction (i.e., from the side of the surface facing the busbar flat plate 200B to the surface opposite the busbar flat plate 200B).

[0133] As shown in Figure 15(b), in the same manner as in embodiment 1, in the present embodiment, the busbar side cutting process is configured to cut the boundary C2 between the busbar forming region 210 and the busbar connecting piece 230B from the upper surface on one side in the plate thickness direction of the busbar flat plate 200B to the lower surface on the other side in the plate thickness direction (i.e., from the side facing the frame body flat plate 300B to the side opposite the frame body flat plate 300B).

[0134] The manufacturing method according to this embodiment having such a configuration can also provide the same effects as those in the first embodiment.

[0135] In this embodiment, the busbar flat plate 200B has a single busbar row 205B, and the frame body flat plate 300B has a single frame body row 305B, but it is also possible to modify the embodiment to use a busbar flat plate 200C having a plurality of busbar rows 205B and a frame body flat plate 300C having the same number of frame body rows 305B as the plurality of busbar rows 205B.

[0136] FIG. 16 is a plan view showing the bus bar plate and the frame plate used in the manufacturing method according to the modified example of the present embodiment after the plate fixing step. In the figure, the same members as those in the first and second embodiments are given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

[0137] As shown in FIG. 16, in the modified example, the busbar flat plate 200C has a plurality of busbar rows 205B (first to third busbar rows 205B(1) to 205B(3) in the illustrated embodiment) arranged in parallel in a second direction (i.e., the X direction) perpendicular to the first direction in the XY plane in which the busbar flat plate 200C is located.

[0138] The frame body flat plate 300C has a plurality of bus bar rows 305B (first to third bus bar rows 305B(1) to 305B(3) in the illustrated embodiment) arranged in parallel in a second direction (i.e., the X direction) perpendicular to the first direction in the XY plane in which the frame body flat plate 300C is located. [Explanation of symbols]

[0139] 1 Busbar Assembly 10(1)~(2) First and second bus bars 11 Top side 12 Top connection part 13 Bottom side 14 Bottom connection part 15 Side 19 Gap 20 Busbar side insulation layer 21 Upper surface layer 22(1)~(2) First and second upper openings 23 Bottom laminated section 24(1)~(2) First and second lower openings 25 Side laminated section 29 Gap filling part 30 Frame 31 Frame body 35 Central hole 40 Frame side insulation layer 200A, 200B Busbar Plate 205A(1)~(3), 205B(1)~(3) Busbar row 207 Busbar side gripping piece 208 Alignment hole 210 Busbar assembly forming area 219 Slit 220(1)~(2) First and second busbar forming portions 230A, 230B Busbar side connection piece 300A, 300B flat plate for frame 305A(1)~(5), 305B(1)~(3) Frame row 307 Frame side gripping piece 308 Alignment hole 310 Frame forming area 330A, 330B Frame side connecting piece C1 Boundary between frame forming region and said frame side connecting piece C2 Boundary between busbar forming area and busbar side connecting piece

Claims

1. a busbar assembly including a plurality of busbars formed of conductive flat plate-like members and arranged in the same plane with gaps between opposing side surfaces, a busbar-side insulating layer including a gap filling portion filled in the gap and a top surface side laminate portion covering an upper surface on one side in a plate thickness direction of a busbar connected body formed by the gap filling portions, and a frame body having a frame body main body having the same external shape as the busbar connected body in a planar view and a central hole passing therethrough in the vertical direction, and a frame body side insulating layer covering an outer peripheral surface of the frame body main body, wherein the top surface side laminate portion is provided with one or more top surface side openings exposing at least a portion of the top surface of each of the plurality of busbars, and the frame body is fixed to a periphery of the top surface of the busbar connected body via the top surface side laminate portion with the one or more top surface side openings positioned within the central hole in a planar view, preparing a busbar plate made of a conductive metal including a busbar forming region having an outer shape in a plan view corresponding to the busbar connector; a slit forming process of forming one or more slits in the busbar forming region, the slits penetrating the busbar forming region in a plate thickness direction and having the same width as the gap, to divide the busbar forming region into a plurality of busbar forming portions corresponding to the plurality of busbars; a busbar-side insulating layer forming step of applying and curing an insulating resin paint at least in the slits and on an upper surface of the busbar forming region to provide the busbar-side insulating layer; a laser light irradiation step of irradiating a laser light to an upper surface side laminated portion of the busbar side insulating layer to form the one or more upper surface side openings; a frame body forming process which is carried out before or after the process from the process of preparing a busbar flat plate to the process of applying laser light, or in parallel with the process, the frame body forming process including: a process of preparing a frame body flat plate made of a conductive metal, the frame body forming region having an outer shape in a plan view corresponding to the busbar forming region and in which a through hole corresponding to the central hole is formed; and a frame body side insulating layer forming process of applying an insulating resin paint to an outer peripheral surface of the frame body forming region and curing the paint to provide the frame body side insulating layer; a flat plate fixing step of fixing, in an overlapping state, a lower surface of the frame body forming region after the frame body forming process to an upper surface of the busbar forming region after the busbar-side insulating layer forming step, before or after the laser light irradiation step; a cutting step of cutting the busbar forming region and the frame body forming region in a fixed state from the busbar forming plate and the frame body forming plate after the flat plate fixing step, the busbar plate has a busbar row formed by a plurality of the busbar forming regions and a plurality of busbar side connecting pieces integrally connecting the plurality of busbar forming regions, the busbar forming regions being serially arranged along a first direction of an X-Y plane in which the busbar plate is located, the slit formed in one busbar forming region has one longitudinal end side extending into a busbar side connecting piece connected to one side of the one busbar forming region in the first direction, and the other longitudinal end side extending into a busbar side connecting piece connected to the other side of the one busbar forming region in the first direction, the frame body flat plate has a plurality of frame body forming regions arranged in series in a first direction at the same pitch as the plurality of busbar forming regions in the busbar row, and a frame body row formed by a plurality of frame body side connecting pieces that integrally connect the plurality of frame body forming regions, the busbar side connecting pieces and the frame body side connecting pieces are displaced relative to each other so as not to overlap with each other in a plan view when the frame body flat plate and the busbar flat plate are fixed to each other, a manufacturing method for a busbar assembly, characterized in that the cutting process includes a busbar side cutting process in which the boundary between the busbar forming region and the busbar side connecting piece is cut from the side of the surface facing the frame body flat plate toward the side of the surface opposite the frame body flat plate, and a frame body side cutting process in which the boundary between the frame body forming region and the frame body side connecting piece is cut from the side of the surface facing the busbar flat plate toward the side of the surface opposite the busbar flat plate.

2. the busbar side connecting piece is disposed at a center in a width direction of the busbar row, The method for manufacturing a busbar assembly according to claim 1, wherein the frame body side connecting pieces are arranged on both sides of a center in a width direction of the frame body row.

3. the busbar plate includes a plurality of busbar rows arranged in parallel in a second direction perpendicular to a first direction in an X-Y plane in which the busbar plate is located, and busbar-side gripping pieces that integrally hold the plurality of busbar rows; The manufacturing method for a busbar assembly according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the frame body flat plate has a plurality of frame body rows arranged in parallel in the second direction at the same pitch as the plurality of busbar rows, and a frame body side gripping piece that holds the plurality of frame body rows together.

4. a busbar-side insulating layer including a gap-filling portion filling the gap and a top-side laminate portion covering an upper surface on one side in a plate thickness direction of a busbar connected body formed by the gap-filling portion; and a frame body having a frame body main body having the same external shape as the busbar connected body in a plan view and a central hole passing through in the vertical direction, and a frame body-side insulating layer covering an outer peripheral surface of the frame body main body, wherein the top-side laminate portion is provided with one or more top-side openings exposing at least a part of the upper surface of each of the plurality of busbars, and the frame body is formed by connecting a plurality of busbar assemblies in the same plane, the one or more top-side openings being located within the central hole in a plan view, a busbar plate made of a conductive metal, the busbar plate having an outer shape in a plan view corresponding to the busbar connector, the busbar plate having a plurality of busbar forming regions arranged in series along a first direction of an X-Y plane in which the busbar plate is located, and a busbar row formed by a plurality of busbar side connecting pieces integrally connecting the plurality of busbar forming regions, each of the plurality of busbar forming regions being partitioned into a plurality of busbar forming sites corresponding to the plurality of busbars by one or more slits that penetrate in a plate thickness direction and have the same width as the gap; a busbar-side insulating coating having a portion that is filled in the slit to form the gap filling portion and a portion that is provided on an upper surface of the busbar forming region to form the upper surface side laminated portion, the one or more upper surface side openings being provided in the portion that forms the upper surface side laminated portion; a frame body flat plate made of a conductive metal, the frame body flat plate having an outer shape in a plan view corresponding to the busbar forming region, the frame body flat plate having a frame body row formed by a plurality of frame body forming regions arranged in series in a first direction at the same pitch as the plurality of busbar forming regions in the busbar row, and a plurality of frame body side connecting pieces integrally connecting the plurality of frame body forming regions, the frame body flat plate being made of a conductive metal, the frame body flat plate having an outer shape in a plan view corresponding to the busbar forming region, the frame body flat plate having a frame body row formed by a plurality of frame body side connecting pieces integrally connecting the plurality of frame body forming regions, the frame body flat plate being made of a conductive metal a frame-side insulating coating film provided on an outer peripheral surface of the frame-forming region to form the frame-side insulating layer, the slit formed in one busbar forming region has one longitudinal end side extending into a busbar side connecting piece connected to one side of the one busbar forming region in the first direction, and the other longitudinal end side extending into a busbar side connecting piece connected to the other side of the one busbar forming region in the first direction, the busbar forming region having the busbar side insulating coating film is overlapped with the frame forming region having the frame side insulating coating film, and A flat plate laminate structure for a busbar assembly, characterized in that the busbar side connecting piece and the frame body side connecting piece are displaced relative to each other so as not to overlap in a planar view when the frame body flat plate and the busbar flat plate are fixed in place.

5. the busbar side connecting piece is disposed at a center in a width direction of the busbar row, 5. The flat plate laminate structure for a busbar assembly according to claim 4, wherein the frame body side connecting pieces are arranged on both sides of the center in the width direction of the frame body row.

6. the busbar plate includes a plurality of busbar rows arranged in parallel in a second direction perpendicular to a first direction in an X-Y plane on which the busbar plate is located, and busbar-side gripping pieces that integrally hold the plurality of busbar rows; The flat plate for the frame body has a plurality of frame body rows arranged in parallel in the second direction at the same pitch as the plurality of busbar rows, and a frame body side gripping piece that holds the plurality of frame body rows together.

7. the busbar-side insulating coating film further has a portion that is provided on the lower surface of the busbar forming region and forms a lower surface-side laminated portion that covers the lower surface of the busbar connected body on the other side in the plate thickness direction, and a portion that is provided on a side surface of the busbar forming region and forms a side surface-side laminated portion that covers the side surface of the busbar connected body, 7. A flat plate laminate structure for a busbar assembly as described in any one of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that the portion forming the lower surface side laminated portion is provided with one or more lower surface side openings that expose at least a portion of the lower surface of each of the plurality of busbars.

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