Semiconductor circuit breaker and board using semiconductor circuit breaker

Abstract

Provided is a board (100) that uses a semiconductor breaker, the board able to cool a conductor element and be configured to be more space-saving as compared with conventional boards. The board (100) using a semiconductor circuit breaker (3) comprises: the semiconductor circuit breaker (3) for switching on / off a current flowing through an electric path between a first terminal and a second terminal; and a bus bar (22) that has a heat dissipation function and is connected to a first terminal of a semiconductor element through which a current in the semiconductor circuit breaker (3) flows.

Description

Semiconductor circuit breakers and panels using semiconductor circuit breakers

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a semiconductor circuit breaker that uses a semiconductor element as a switch and a panel that uses the semiconductor circuit breaker.

[0002] Conventionally, distribution boards using semiconductor circuit breakers that distribute power to multiple loads have been known. Patent Document 1 discloses a distribution board that includes power supply side terminals, load side terminals, semiconductor elements provided between the power supply side terminals and the load side terminals, multiple semiconductor circuit breakers each having a thermally conductive heat spreader configured to transfer heat from the semiconductor elements, a heat sink in thermal contact with the thermally conductive heat spreader, and a stacked bus bar to which the power supply side terminals of the semiconductor circuit breakers are connected.

[0003] US Patent Application Publication No. 2020 / 0395739

[0004] However, the technology described in Patent Document 1 uses a semiconductor circuit breaker, and the on-resistance of the semiconductor element used in the semiconductor circuit breaker is higher than that of the contacts in a mechanical contact type circuit breaker. As a result, in addition to a bus bar for connecting to the power supply terminal of the semiconductor circuit breaker, a heat sink for cooling the semiconductor element is also required, which poses the problem of requiring additional space for cooling.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made in consideration of the above, and aims to provide a panel that uses a semiconductor circuit breaker that can cool semiconductor elements and can be constructed in a space-saving manner compared to conventional panels.

[0006] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the objectives, a panel using the semiconductor circuit breaker of the present disclosure includes a semiconductor circuit breaker that switches on and off a current flowing in an electrical path between a first terminal and a second terminal, and a bus bar with a heat dissipation function that is connected to the first terminal of a semiconductor element in the semiconductor circuit breaker through which current flows.

[0007] A panel using the semiconductor circuit breaker according to the present disclosure has the advantage of being able to cool semiconductor elements and can be configured in a more space-saving manner than conventional panels.

[0008] 4A and 4B are side views showing examples of the configuration of the base shown in FIG. 4; and a rear view showing an example of the configuration of the base shown in FIG. 4. A partially enlarged perspective view showing an example of how a semiconductor circuit breaker is mounted to a base. A partially enlarged perspective view showing an example of the configuration of the rear surface of the semiconductor circuit breaker shown in FIG. 1. A partially enlarged perspective view showing an example of the configuration of the rear surface of the semiconductor circuit breaker shown in FIG. 9. A partially enlarged perspective view showing an example of the configuration of a power supply side terminal of the semiconductor circuit breaker and a power supply side terminal receiving terminal of the base. A cross-sectional view showing an example of the internal configuration of the semiconductor circuit breaker shown in FIG. 9. A circuit diagram showing an example of the circuit configuration of the semiconductor circuit breaker shown in FIG. 9. A diagram showing an example of the configuration of a semiconductor element in a semiconductor module shown in FIG. 13. A semiconductor element in a semiconductor module shown in FIG. 13. 20A and 20B are schematic diagrams showing an example of the configuration of a semiconductor circuit breaker and a base when the semiconductor circuit breaker is mounted on a base; a perspective view showing an example of how the semiconductor circuit breaker is mounted on a base; a perspective view of the state of FIG. 18 seen from a different angle; a single-line connection diagram showing an example of the electrical connection of a panel using the semiconductor circuit breaker according to embodiment 2; a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of the back side of a single semiconductor circuit breaker shown in FIG. 20; a circuit diagram showing an example of the circuit configuration of the semiconductor circuit breaker shown in FIG. 20; a cross-sectional view showing an example of the internal configuration of the semiconductor circuit breaker shown in FIG. 20; a cross-sectional view showing an example of the configuration of a semiconductor circuit breaker and a base when the semiconductor circuit breaker is mounted on a base; a circuit diagram showing an example of the circuit configuration of a semiconductor circuit breaker according to embodiment 3; a cross-sectional view showing an example of the configuration of a semiconductor element on the power supply side inside the semiconductor circuit breaker according to embodiment 3;

[0009] Hereinafter, a semiconductor circuit breaker and a panel using the semiconductor circuit breaker according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0010] Embodiment 1. Fig. 1 is a front view showing an example of a panel using a semiconductor circuit breaker according to embodiment 1. Fig. 2 is a side view showing an example of a panel using a semiconductor circuit breaker according to embodiment 1. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a panel 100 using a semiconductor circuit breaker 3 according to embodiment 1 includes a panel 4 that serves as a base for fixing devices constituting the panel 100. The panel 4 is, in one example, a plate-shaped member. The panel 100 includes, on the panel 4, a main circuit breaker 1 having a power supply side terminal 11 and a load side terminal 12, a base 2 to which the semiconductor circuit breaker 3 can be detachably attached, and wiring 5 that connects each pole of the load side terminal 12 of the main circuit breaker 1 to each pole of the base 2.

[0011] The power supply side terminal 11 of the main circuit breaker 1 is connected to an AC power supply (not shown), and the load side terminal 12 is connected to the base 2. The base 2 is a base material on which a semiconductor circuit breaker 3 can be mounted. The base 2 has a plurality of semiconductor circuit breaker mounting areas 200, which are areas where the semiconductor circuit breakers 3 can be attached and detached. In this example, the base 2 has eight semiconductor circuit breaker mounting areas 200, and the semiconductor circuit breakers 3 are mounted in six of these semiconductor circuit breaker mounting areas 200. The semiconductor circuit breakers 3 are mounted to the base 2 by being mounted in the semiconductor circuit breaker mounting areas 200 of the base 2.

[0012] Fig. 3 is a single-line wiring diagram showing an example of the electrical connections of the panel shown in Fig. 1. The electrical connections of the devices that make up the panel 100 are as shown in Fig. 3. That is, the main circuit breaker 1 is connected to an AC power source 7. The main circuit breaker 1 is also connected to each semiconductor circuit breaker 3 via a bus bar 22 attached to the base 2 by wiring 5. That is, power is supplied from the AC power source 7 to each semiconductor circuit breaker 3 via the main circuit breaker 1, wiring 5, and bus bar 22. Loads 6 are connected to the load 6 side of each semiconductor circuit breaker 3, and power is supplied from the semiconductor circuit breakers 3 to the loads 6.

[0013] Next, the structure of the base 2 will be described. Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of the base alone shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a front view showing an example of the configuration of the base shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a side view showing an example of the configuration of the base shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is a rear view showing an example of the configuration of the base shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 8 is a partially enlarged perspective view showing an example of how a semiconductor circuit breaker is attached to a base.

[0014] The base 2 comprises a base frame 21 attached to the panel 4, and a first bus bar 22a, a second bus bar 22b and a third bus bar 22c provided on the back surface of the base frame 21 and connectable to each of the load side terminals 12 of the main circuit breaker 1 by wiring 5.

[0015] The base frame 21 has a plate portion 25 to which the semiconductor circuit breaker 3 can be detachably attached and legs 26 that support the plate portion 25 on the panel 4. The plate portion 25 is the portion to which the semiconductor circuit breaker 3 is attached and is formed of a flat, plate-like member. Hereinafter, an example is shown in which the plate portion 25 is a rectangular, plate-like member. The legs 26 are provided so that the plate portion 25 is spaced a predetermined distance from the top surface of the panel 4. In this example, the legs 26 are provided along a pair of long sides of the rectangular plate portion 25. The space formed by the plate portion 25 and the legs 26 of the base frame 21 and the panel 4 is a space in which the first, second, and third bus bars 22a, 22b, and 22c can be installed. Hereinafter, when the first bus bar 22a, the second bus bar 22b, and the third bus bar 22c are not individually distinguished, they will also be referred to as bus bars 22.

[0016] The base frame 21 also has a plurality of heat transfer windows 211, which are openings, in each semiconductor circuit breaker mounting region 200 of the plate portion 25. In this example, three rectangular heat transfer windows 211 are provided in one semiconductor circuit breaker mounting region 200. The heat transfer windows 211 are openings for allowing components of the semiconductor circuit breaker 3 to come into contact with the bus bar 22 in order to transfer heat from the semiconductor circuit breaker 3 to the bus bar 22. The base frame 21 also has power supply side terminal receiving terminals 212 provided near each heat transfer window 211 and for receiving power supply side terminals (described later) of the semiconductor circuit breaker 3, and a plurality of base frame insertion openings 213 provided on both sides of each heat transfer window 211 and into which base frame insertion portions (described later) of the semiconductor circuit breaker 3 are inserted. In this example, one power supply side terminal receiving terminal 212 and three base frame insertion openings 213 are provided for one heat transfer window 211.

[0017] The bus bars 22 are provided on the back surface of the plate portion 25 of the base frame 21 in correspondence with the heat transfer windows 211 so as to cover the heat transfer windows 211. In this example, three bus bars, namely, first, second, and third bus bars 22a, 22b, and 22c, are provided at intervals in the short direction of the plate portion 25 so as to cover all of the heat transfer windows 211 in one row arranged along the longitudinal direction of the plate portion 25. Specifically, the bus bars 22 are fixed to the plate portion 25 so as to cover the heat transfer windows 211 from the back surface side of the plate portion 25.

[0018] The bus bar 22 has a flat contact portion 221 that contacts a component of the semiconductor circuit breaker 3 inserted into the heat transfer window 211, and heat dissipation fins 222 that are connected to the contact portion 221. The contact portion 221 is arranged to cover the heat transfer window 211. The contact portion 221 has openings 223 that correspond to the power supply terminal receiving terminals 212 and the base frame insertion openings 213 provided on the plate portion 25. In this example, the heat dissipation fins 222 are provided along the long sides of the contact portion 221 and upright relative to the contact portion 221. The bus bar 22 contacts the component of the semiconductor circuit breaker 3 through the heat transfer window 211, thereby dissipating heat from the semiconductor circuit breaker 3 to the outside. The bus bar 22 also contacts the power supply terminal of the semiconductor circuit breaker 3 through the openings 223 that correspond to the power supply terminal receiving terminals 212, thereby passing current from the main circuit breaker 1 to the semiconductor circuit breaker 3. For this reason, the bus bar 22 is made of a metal having low thermal conductivity and low electrical resistance, such as aluminum or copper, for example.

[0019] Next, the semiconductor circuit breaker 3 that can be mounted on the base 2 will be described. FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of the back side of the semiconductor circuit breaker shown in FIG. 1 . FIG. 10 is an enlarged perspective view of a main portion of the back side of the semiconductor circuit breaker shown in FIG. 9 . The semiconductor circuit breaker 3 switches on and off the current flowing through the electrical path between the first, second, and third power supply side terminals 32 a, 32 b, and 32 c and the load side terminal. In this example, the first, second, and third power supply side terminals 32 a, 32 b, and 32 c correspond to the first terminals, and the load side terminals correspond to the second terminals. The semiconductor circuit breaker 3 has a housing 31. The housing 31 is a hollow rectangular parallelepiped. Of the surfaces that constitute the housing 31, the surface that faces the base 2 when attached to the base 2 will be referred to as the bottom surface 31 a below. The semiconductor circuit breaker 3 includes first, second, and third conductive power supply terminals 32a, 32b, and 32c, a base frame insertion portion 33, a first heat transfer portion 34a, a second heat transfer portion 34b, and a third heat transfer portion 34c on the rear side of the bottom surface 31a of the housing 31. Hereinafter, the first, second, and third power supply terminals 32a, 32b, and 32c will also be referred to as power supply terminals 32 when not individually distinguished, and the first, second, and third heat transfer portions 34a, 34b, and 34c will also be referred to as heat transfer portions 34 when not individually distinguished.

[0020] The first, second, and third power supply terminals 32a, 32b, and 32c are connected to the first, second, and third bus bars 22a, 22b, and 22c of the base 2, respectively. The first, second, and third power supply terminals 32a, 32b, and 32c are terminals connected to the main circuit breaker 1 via wiring 5. The power supply terminals 32 may have any structure as long as they are mechanically and electrically connectable to the power supply terminal receiving terminals 212 of the base 2. In the example shown in FIG. 10 , the power supply terminals 32 are formed of conductive leaf springs. In this case, the power supply terminals 32 are fitted into the power supply terminal receiving terminals 212 of the base 2. FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing an example of the structure of the power supply terminals of the semiconductor circuit breaker and the power supply terminal receiving terminals of the base. As shown in FIG. 11 , when the power supply terminal receiving terminals 212 of the base 2 are well-known clip terminals, the power supply terminals 32 are formed of conductive flat-plate members. Then, an electrical connection may be made between the power supply side terminal 32 of the semiconductor circuit breaker 3 and the power supply side terminal receiving terminal 212 of the base 2 by inserting the power supply side terminal 32 so that it is clamped by the clip terminal which is the power supply side terminal receiving terminal 212.

[0021] Returning to FIGS. 9 and 10, the base frame insertion portion 33 is provided corresponding to the base frame insertion opening 213 of the base 2 and is a member that is inserted into the base frame insertion opening 213.

[0022] The first, second, and third heat transfer portions 34a, 34b, and 34c are provided on the bottom surface 31a of the housing 31 of the semiconductor circuit breaker 3, respectively corresponding to the heat transfer windows 211 of the base frame 21. The first heat transfer portion 34a transfers heat generated in a semiconductor module 36 (described later) to the first bus bar 22a, the second heat transfer portion 34b transfers heat to the second bus bar 22b, and the third heat transfer portion 34c transfers heat to the third bus bar 22c. The first, second, and third heat transfer portions 34a, 34b, and 34c are provided in openings in the bottom surface 31a of the housing 31 that are provided corresponding to the heat transfer windows 211 of the base frame 21, so as to penetrate the bottom surface 31a. The first, second, and third heat transfer portions 34a, 34b, and 34c are made of a material having a higher thermal conductivity than the housing 31.

[0023] The semiconductor circuit breaker 3 having such a configuration is fixed to the base 2 by inserting the base frame insertion portion 33 on the bottom surface 31a of the housing 31 into the base frame insertion port 213 of the base 2. Also, the power supply side terminal 32 is inserted into the power supply side terminal receiving terminal 212 of the base 2. At this time, the semiconductor circuit breaker 3 may be fixed to the base 2 by inserting the base frame insertion portion 33 into the base frame insertion port 213 of the base 2, or the insertion of the base frame insertion portion 33 into the base frame insertion port 213 may be performed as positioning, and the semiconductor circuit breaker 3 may be fixed to the base 2 by a separate fixing member such as a screw.

[0024] Fig. 12 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the internal configuration of the semiconductor circuit breaker shown in Fig. 9. As shown in Fig. 12, a housing 31 in the semiconductor circuit breaker 3 has therein a printed circuit board 35, first, second and third semiconductor modules 36a, 36b and 36c, first, second and third insulating sheets 37a, 37b and 37c, and a load-side terminal 38.

[0025] The printed circuit board 35 is a board on which electronic components including the first, second, and third semiconductor modules 36 a, 36 b, and 36 c, in this case, semiconductor elements constituting the first, second, and third semiconductor modules 36 a, 36 b, and 36 c, are mounted and on which wiring is arranged. The printed circuit board 35 is fixed inside the housing 31 by fixing members (not shown).

[0026] The first, second, and third semiconductor modules 36a, 36b, and 36c are mounted on a printed circuit board 35 and switch on and off the current flowing between the first, second, and third power-supply terminals 32a, 32b, and 32c of the semiconductor circuit breaker 3 and the load terminal 38. The first, second, and third semiconductor modules 36a, 36b, and 36c are provided corresponding to the first, second, and third heat transfer sections 34a, 34b, and 34c on the bottom surface 31a of the housing 31, respectively. The first, second, and third semiconductor modules 36a, 36b, and 36c each have a field-effect transistor having a gate, a source, and a drain as a semiconductor element, for example. Terminals of the first, second, and third semiconductor modules 36a, 36b, and 36c are fixed by soldering to through-holes or the like formed at predetermined positions on the printed circuit board 35.

[0027] The first insulating sheet 37a is provided between the first semiconductor module 36a and the first heat transfer section 34a to provide insulation between the first semiconductor module 36a and the first heat transfer section 34a. The second insulating sheet 37b is provided between the second semiconductor module 36b and the second heat transfer section 34b to provide insulation between the second semiconductor module 36b and the second heat transfer section 34b. The third insulating sheet 37c is provided between the third semiconductor module 36c and the third heat transfer section 34c to provide insulation between the third semiconductor module 36c and the third heat transfer section 34c. The first, second, and third insulating sheets 37a, 37b, 37c are made of materials with good thermal conductivity. The first, second, and third semiconductor modules 36a, 36b, and 36c are insulated from the first, second, and third heat transfer sections 34a, 34b, and 34c by first, second, and third insulating sheets 37a, 37b, and 37c, respectively, but are thermally connected. In other words, the first, second, and third insulating sheets 37a, 37b, and 37c function to transfer heat generated in the first, second, and third semiconductor modules 36a, 36b, and 36c to the first, second, and third heat transfer sections 34a, 34b, and 34c. Hereinafter, the first, second, and third insulating sheets 37a, 37b, and 37c will also be referred to as insulating sheets 37 when not being individually distinguished.

[0028] The load-side terminal 38 supplies power to the load 6 connected to the semiconductor circuit breaker 3. The load-side terminal 38 is connected to the drains (not shown) of the first, second, and third semiconductor modules 36 a, 36 b, and 36 c via wiring 39. The load-side terminal 38 is also connected to the load 6 (not shown) via wiring.

[0029] Fig. 13 is a circuit diagram showing an example of the circuit configuration of the semiconductor circuit breaker shown in Fig. 9. The circuit configuration of the semiconductor circuit breaker 3 includes first, second, and third power supply side terminals 32a, 32b, and 32c connected to the first, second, and third bus bars 22a, 22b, and 22c, respectively, first, second, and third semiconductor modules 36a, 36b, and 36c connected to the first, second, and third power supply side terminals 32a, 32b, and 32c, respectively, and a load side terminal 38 connected to the first, second, and third semiconductor modules 36a, 36b, and 36c, respectively. In this example, the first, second, and third semiconductor modules 36a, 36b, and 36c include first semiconductor elements 361a, 361b, and 361c and second semiconductor elements 362a, 362b, and 362c, respectively. Hereinafter, when the first, second, and third semiconductor modules 36a, 36b, and 36c are not individually distinguished, they are also referred to as semiconductor modules 36. Furthermore, when the first semiconductor elements 361a, 361b, and 361c are not individually distinguished, they are also referred to as first semiconductor elements 361, and when the second semiconductor elements 362a, 362b, and 362c are not individually distinguished, they are also referred to as second semiconductor elements 362.

[0030] Figures 14 to 16 are diagrams showing an example of the configuration of semiconductor elements in the semiconductor module shown in Figure 13. As shown in Figures 14 and 15, the semiconductor module 36 has a configuration in which two semiconductor elements, i.e., a first semiconductor element 361 and a second semiconductor element 362, are connected in series in the opposite directions as a pair, or as shown in Figure 16, has a configuration in which two semiconductor elements, i.e., a first semiconductor element 361 and a second semiconductor element 362, are connected in anti-parallel as a pair.

[0031] In Fig. 14, the semiconductor module 36 has a series connection in which the source of the first semiconductor element 361 is connected to the source of the second semiconductor element 362. The first, second, and third semiconductor modules 36a, 36b, and 36c shown in the circuit diagram of Fig. 13 are shown as a series connection in which the sources of a pair of the first semiconductor element 361 and the second semiconductor element 362 shown in Fig. 14 are connected together. That is, in the first semiconductor module 36a, the source of the first semiconductor element 361a is connected to the source of the second semiconductor element 362a in series, in the second semiconductor module 36b, the source of the first semiconductor element 361b is connected to the source of the second semiconductor element 362b in series, and in the third semiconductor module 36c, the source of the first semiconductor element 361c is connected to the source of the second semiconductor element 362c in series.

[0032] 15, the semiconductor module 36 has a series connection in which the drain of the first semiconductor element 361 is connected to the drain of the second semiconductor element 362. In Fig. 16, the semiconductor module 36 has an anti-parallel connection in which the source and drain of each of the first semiconductor element 361 and the second semiconductor element 362 are connected to each other.

[0033] In a commonly known package for the first and second semiconductor elements 361 and 362, a metal tab to which a heat dissipation fin is thermally connected serves as the drain. The metal tab corresponds to a cooling portion for heat dissipation. Therefore, in the structure shown in FIG. 15 in which the drains of the first and second semiconductor elements 361 and 362 are connected in series, a heat transfer portion 34 may be electrically connected to the drains of the pair of first and second semiconductor elements 361 and 362, and an insulating sheet 37 may be provided between the heat transfer portion 34 and the bus bar 22.

[0034] Next, heat dissipation of the semiconductor module 36 in the panel 100 using the semiconductor circuit breaker 3 will be described. FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating an example of the configuration of the semiconductor circuit breaker and the base when the semiconductor circuit breaker is mounted on the base. Here, an enlarged view of the connection portion between the first semiconductor module 36a and the first bus bar 22a is shown. As shown in FIG. 17, the first semiconductor element 361a of the first semiconductor module 36a is mounted on the printed circuit board 35. The first semiconductor element 361a has a drain 361ad, which is a metal tab, on the upper surface opposite the surface facing the printed circuit board 35. As described above, a heat dissipation fin is usually attached to the drain 361ad. However, in the semiconductor circuit breaker 3 according to the first embodiment, the drain 361ad is connected to the first heat transfer portion 34a via the first insulating sheet 37a rather than the heat dissipation fin 222. The first heat transfer portion 34a is provided so as to penetrate the bottom surface 31a of the housing 31 and protrude from the bottom surface 31a toward the inside and outside of the housing 31. Although not shown, the second and third semiconductor modules 36b and 36c also have a similar configuration.

[0035] Meanwhile, a heat transfer window 211 is provided in the base 2 at a location where the semiconductor circuit breaker 3 is inserted. A first bus bar 22a is provided on the rear surface of the base 2 at the location where the heat transfer window 211 is formed, so as to cover the heat transfer window 211. Therefore, when the heat transfer window 211 is viewed from the front surface of the base 2, the first bus bar 22a is exposed. Although not shown, the second and third bus bars 22b and 22c also have a similar configuration.

[0036] Fig. 18 is a perspective view showing an example of how the semiconductor circuit breaker is mounted on the base, and Fig. 19 is a perspective view seen from a different angle of the state shown in Fig. 18. As shown in Figs. 8, 18, and 19, when the semiconductor circuit breaker 3 is mounted on the base 2, the first, second, and third heat transfer portions 34a, 34b, and 34c provided on the back surface of the bottom surface 31a of the semiconductor circuit breaker 3 penetrate the multiple heat transfer windows 211 of the base 2 and come into contact with the first, second, and third bus bars 22a, 22b, and 22c, respectively.

[0037] Due to contact between the first, second, and third heat transfer portions 34a, 34b, and 34c and the first, second, and third bus bars 22a, 22b, and 22c, heat generated in the first, second, and third semiconductor modules 36a, 36b, and 36c is transferred to the first, second, and third bus bars 22a, 22b, and 22c via the first, second, and third heat transfer portions 34a, 34b, and 34c. Heat generated in the first, second, and third power supply terminals 32a, 32b, and 32c connected to the main circuit breaker 1 is also transferred to the first, second, and third bus bars 22a, 22b, and 22c.

[0038] In addition, since heat dissipation fins 222 are provided on each of the first, second and third bus bars 22a, 22b and 22c, the heat transferred to the first, second and third bus bars 22a, 22b and 22c is efficiently dissipated into the air.

[0039] The panel 100 may be provided with a fan (not shown) to forcibly air-cool the heat dissipation fins 222. This makes it possible to further suppress the degree of temperature rise of the semiconductor module 36.

[0040] Furthermore, in the configuration of the semiconductor circuit breaker 3 described above, the first, second, and third power supply side terminals 32 a, 32 b, and 32 c may be interchanged with the load side terminal 38. In other words, the first, second, and third power supply side terminals 32 a, 32 b, and 32 c may be the second terminals, and the load side terminal 38 may be the first terminal.

[0041] The panel 100 using the semiconductor circuit breaker 3 according to the first embodiment includes the semiconductor circuit breaker 3 that switches on and off the current flowing through the electrical path between the first terminal and the second terminal, and the bus bar 22 that has a heat dissipation function and is connected to the first terminal through which the current flows in the semiconductor circuit breaker 3. As a result, the bus bar 22 is thermally connected to the first terminal in the semiconductor circuit breaker 3, and heat generated in the semiconductor circuit breaker 3 can be dissipated via the bus bar 22.

[0042] Specifically, the semiconductor circuit breaker 3 includes first and second semiconductor elements 361, 362 having first terminals and switching current on and off, metal tabs serving as cooling units for heat dissipation provided on the first terminals of the first and second semiconductor elements 361, 362, a heat transfer unit 34 having one end connected to the bus bar 22 and the other end connected to the metal tab and transferring heat from the metal tab to the bus bar 22, and an insulating sheet 37 disposed between the cooling unit and the heat transfer unit 34. This allows the bus bar 22 for connecting the power supply side terminal 32 of the semiconductor circuit breaker 3 to serve as a heat sink for cooling the first and second semiconductor elements 361, 362 included in the semiconductor module 36, and thus reduces the space required for using the semiconductor circuit breaker 3 compared to conventional devices. In other words, this has the effect of cooling the first and second semiconductor elements 361, 362 while also allowing the panel 100 using the semiconductor circuit breaker 3 to be configured in a space-saving manner.

[0043] Furthermore, the bus bars 22 are provided on the rear surface of the base frame 21 so that the arrangement space for the bus bars 22 in the board 100 is the space between the panel 4 and the base frame 21 of the base 2. This makes it possible to use the space of the panel 4 more efficiently than when the bus bars 22 are arranged at positions on the panel 4 other than the position where the base 2 is arranged.

[0044] Second Embodiment In a second embodiment, when the power supply is a DC power supply and the drain is a metal tab or the like on which a heat dissipation fin is provided in the package of a semiconductor element, the power supply side terminals 32 of the semiconductor circuit breaker 3 are eliminated and the heat transfer section 34 also serves as the function of the power supply side terminals 32. Note that the same components as those in the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

[0045] 20 is a single-line wiring diagram showing an example of electrical connections in a panel using the semiconductor circuit breaker according to embodiment 2. A panel 100A using the semiconductor circuit breaker 3A according to embodiment 2 includes, on a panel 4, a main circuit breaker 1A having a power supply side terminal 11A and a load side terminal 12A, a base 2A to which the semiconductor circuit breaker 3A can be detachably attached, and wiring 5 connecting the positive and negative poles of the load side terminal 12A of the main circuit breaker 1A to the respective poles of the base 2A. The power supply side terminal 11A of the main circuit breaker 1A is connected to a DC power supply (not shown), and the load side terminal 12A is connected to the base 2A. A plurality of semiconductor circuit breakers 3A can be attached to the base 2A. The base 2A has the same configuration as the base 2 of embodiment 1, except that the second bus bar 22b, the heat transfer window 211 corresponding to the second bus bar 22b, the power supply side terminal receiving terminal 212, and the base frame insertion port 213 are deleted from the base 2 of embodiment 1.

[0046] Fig. 21 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of the back surface of a single semiconductor circuit breaker shown in Fig. 20. Semiconductor circuit breaker 3A has a housing 31. Semiconductor circuit breaker 3A includes a base frame insertion portion 33, a first heat transfer portion 34a, and a third heat transfer portion 34c on the back surface side of a bottom surface 31a of housing 31.

[0047] The first and third heat transfer portions 34a and 34c are provided on the bottom surface 31a of the semiconductor circuit breaker 3A corresponding to the heat transfer windows 211 of the base frame 21. The first heat transfer portion 34a transfers heat generated in the semiconductor module 36 to the first bus bar 22a, and the third heat transfer portion 34c transfers heat to the third bus bar 22c. The first and third heat transfer portions 34a and 34c are provided in openings in the bottom surface 31a of the housing 31 that correspond to the heat transfer windows 211 of the base 2A, penetrating the bottom surface 31a. The first and third heat transfer portions 34a and 34c are made of a material with a higher thermal conductivity than the housing 31. Note that in the second embodiment, the second heat transfer portion 34b and the power-supply-side terminals 32 are not provided on the bottom surface 31a.

[0048] Fig. 22 is a circuit diagram showing an example of the circuit configuration of the semiconductor circuit breaker shown in Fig. 20. In the circuit configuration of semiconductor circuit breaker 3A, the direction of current flow is fixed for each pole, and therefore first and third heat transfer portions 34a and 34c are electrically connected to first and third bus bars 22a and 22c, respectively.

[0049] The first and third semiconductor modules 36a, 36c include first semiconductor elements 361a, 361c. A drain 361ad of the first semiconductor element 361a is connected to the first heat transfer section 34a and to the positive pole of the main circuit breaker 1A via the first bus bar 22a. A source 361as of the first semiconductor element 361a is connected to the positive pole of the load-side terminal 38.

[0050] The source 361cs of the first semiconductor element 361c is connected to the third heat transfer unit 34c and to the N pole of the trunk circuit breaker 1A via the third bus bar 22c. The drain 361cd of the first semiconductor element 361c is connected to the N pole of the load side terminal 38.

[0051] Fig. 23 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the internal configuration of the semiconductor circuit breaker shown in Fig. 20. Housing 31 in semiconductor circuit breaker 3A has therein printed circuit board 35, first semiconductor elements 361a and 361c, third insulating sheet 37c, and load-side terminal 38. First semiconductor elements 361a and 361c are mounted on printed circuit board 35 and turn on or off the current flowing between heat transfer unit 34, which has the function of power-supply-side terminal 32, and load-side terminal 38.

[0052] 22, the first semiconductor element 361a is a semiconductor element in which the drain 361ad is a metal tab, and therefore the drain 361ad is directly connected to the first heat transfer portion 34a. In other words, the drain 361ad is connected to the first heat transfer portion 34a without the insulating sheet 37 therebetween.

[0053] On the other hand, in the first semiconductor element 361c, since the source 361cs needs to be connected to the third bus bar 22c, the drain 361cd, which is a metal tab, is thermally connected to the third heat transfer portion 34c via the third insulating sheet 37c and is insulated from the third heat transfer portion 34c. In addition, the source 361cs of the first semiconductor element 361c is electrically connected to the third heat transfer portion 34c.

[0054] The source 361as of the first semiconductor element 361a is connected to a load-side terminal 38 for supplying power to the load 6 connected to the semiconductor circuit breaker 3A via a wiring 39 at a position not shown in Fig. 23. The drain 361cd of the first semiconductor element 361c is also connected to the load-side terminal 38 for supplying power to the load 6 connected to the semiconductor circuit breaker 3A via a wiring 39 at a position not shown in Fig. 23.

[0055] FIG. 24 is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating an example of the configuration of a semiconductor circuit breaker and a base when the semiconductor circuit breaker is mounted on the base. Here, an enlarged view of the connection between the first semiconductor element 361a and the first bus bar 22a is shown. As shown in FIG. 24 , when the semiconductor circuit breaker 3A is mounted on the base 2, the first heat transfer portion 34a is connected to the first bus bar 22a. This connects the first heat transfer portion 34a to the first bus bar 22a thermally and electrically. That is, the first heat transfer portion 34a also functions as the first power supply terminal 32a. The first semiconductor element 361c and the third bus bar 22c (not shown) are connected in a similar manner. However, in the first semiconductor element 361a, the drain 361ad is thermally and electrically connected to the first bus bar 22a via the first heat transfer portion 34a, whereas in the first semiconductor element 361c, the drain 361cd is thermally connected to the third bus bar 22c via the third insulating sheet 37c and the third heat transfer portion 34c, and the source 361cs is electrically connected to the third bus bar 22c via the third heat transfer portion 34c. This makes it possible to omit the installation of the first and third power supply side terminals 32a, 32c on the base 2.

[0056] In the configuration of the semiconductor circuit breaker 3A described above, the first and third power supply side terminals 32 a, 32 c and the load side terminal 38 may be interchanged. That is, the first and third power supply side terminals 32 a, 32 c may be the second terminals, and the load side terminal 38 may be the first terminal.

[0057] The panel 100A using the semiconductor circuit breaker 3A according to the second embodiment includes the semiconductor circuit breaker 3A that turns on and off the current flowing through the electrical path, and the bus bar 22 that is electrically connected to the terminals of the semiconductor circuit breaker 3A through which the current flows. The bus bar 22 has heat dissipation fins 222 and is thermally connected to the first semiconductor elements 361a and 361c in the semiconductor circuit breaker 3A. This allows the panel 100A using the semiconductor circuit breaker 3A to be configured in a space-saving manner, as in the first embodiment. Furthermore, because the heat transfer portion 34 in the semiconductor circuit breaker 3A is used as the power supply side terminal 32, the number of parts can be reduced and costs can be reduced compared to the first embodiment in which the power supply side terminal 32 is separately provided.

[0058] Embodiment 3 In embodiment 3, the power supply side terminal 32 of the semiconductor circuit breaker 3 provided in embodiment 1 is eliminated, and the heat transfer section 34 is given the function of the power supply side terminal 32, as in embodiment 2. Note that the same components as those in embodiments 1 and 2 are given the same reference numerals, and their description will be omitted.

[0059] Fig. 25 is a circuit diagram showing an example of the circuit configuration of a semiconductor circuit breaker according to embodiment 3. As shown in Fig. 25, in a semiconductor circuit breaker 3B according to embodiment 3, a semiconductor module 36 has a configuration in which a source of a first semiconductor element 361 and a source of a second semiconductor element 362 are connected in series.

[0060] The first, second, and third heat transfer portions 34 a, 34 b, and 34 c are electrically connected to the first, second, and third bus bars 22 a, 22 b, and 22 c of the base 2 .

[0061] A drain 361ad of the first semiconductor element 361a in the first semiconductor module 36a is connected to the first heat transfer unit 34a and is connected via the first bus bar 22a to a pole of the main circuit breaker 1. A drain 361bd of the first semiconductor element 361b in the second semiconductor module 36b is connected to the second heat transfer unit 34b and is connected via the second bus bar 22b to a pole of the main circuit breaker 1. A drain 361cd of the first semiconductor element 361c in the third semiconductor module 36c is connected to the third heat transfer unit 34c and is connected via the third bus bar 22c to a pole of the main circuit breaker 1.

[0062] A drain 362ad of the second semiconductor element 362a of the first semiconductor module 36a is connected to an electrode of the load-side terminal 38. A drain 362bd of the second semiconductor element 362b of the second semiconductor module 36b is connected to an electrode of the load-side terminal 38. A drain 362cd of the second semiconductor element 362c of the third semiconductor module 36c is connected to an electrode of the load-side terminal 38.

[0063] FIG. 26 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the configuration of a semiconductor element on the power supply side inside a semiconductor circuit breaker according to embodiment 3. FIG. 27 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the configuration of a semiconductor element on the power supply side inside a semiconductor circuit breaker according to embodiment 3. The internal configuration of a semiconductor circuit breaker 3B according to embodiment 3 is basically the same as that described in FIG. 12 of embodiment 1. However, when using semiconductor elements in a package in which the drain is a metal tab, as shown in FIG. 26, drains 361ad, 361bd, and 361cd of first semiconductor elements 361a, 361b, and 361c on the power supply side of first, second, and third semiconductor modules 36a, 36b, and 36c are directly connected to first, second, and third heat transfer portions 34a, 34b, and 34c. That is, the drains 361ad, 361bd, and 361cd of the first semiconductor elements 361a, 361b, and 361c on the power supply side are connected to the first, second, and third heat transfer portions 34a, 34b, and 34c without the insulating sheet 37. As a result, the first semiconductor elements 361a, 361b, and 361c on the power supply side are thermally and electrically connected to the first, second, and third heat transfer portions 34a, 34b, and 34c, respectively. The sources 361as, 361bs, and 361cs of the first semiconductor elements 361a, 361b, and 361c are connected to predetermined positions on the printed circuit board 35 so as to be electrically connected to the sources of the second semiconductor elements.

[0064] 15 or 16, the first semiconductor elements 361a, 361b, and 361c are thermally connected to the first, second, and third heat transfer portions 34a, 34b, and 34c, respectively, with the insulating sheet 37 sandwiched therebetween. Separately, the drains 361ad, 361bd, and 361cd of the first semiconductor elements 361a, 361b, and 361c are electrically connected to the first, second, and third heat transfer portions 34a, 34b, and 34c, respectively.

[0065] 27, drains 362ad, 362bd, and 362cd of second semiconductor elements 362a, 362b, and 362c on the load 6 side are connected to load-side terminal 38 via wiring 39. Furthermore, drains 362ad, 362bd, and 362cd, which are metal tabs, are thermally connected to first, second, and third heat transfer portions 34a, 34b, and 34c, respectively, with first, second, and third insulating sheets 37a, 37b, and 37c sandwiched therebetween.

[0066] Depending on the configuration of the semiconductor module 36, the drain or source of the semiconductor element to be connected to the bus bar 22 is connected to the heat transfer portion 34. As a result, when the semiconductor circuit breaker 3B is mounted on the base 2, the first, second, and third heat transfer portions 34a, 34b, and 34c are connected to the first, second, and third bus bars 22a, 22b, and 22c, respectively. The first, second, and third heat transfer portions 34a, 34b, and 34c are thermally and electrically connected to the first, second, and third bus bars 22a, 22b, and 22c, respectively, and therefore also function as power supply terminals 32.

[0067] In the configuration of the semiconductor circuit breaker 3B described above, the first, second, and third power supply side terminals 32a, 32b, and 32c may be interchanged with the load side terminal 38. In other words, the first, second, and third power supply side terminals 32a, 32b, and 32c may be the second terminals, and the load side terminal 38 may be the first terminal.

[0068] According to the panel 100 using the semiconductor circuit breaker 3B of embodiment 3, the panel 100 is equipped with the semiconductor circuit breaker 3B that turns on or off the current flowing through the electrical circuit, and the bus bar 22 that is electrically connected to the terminal through which the current flows of the semiconductor circuit breaker 3B, and the bus bar 22 has heat dissipation fins 222 and is thermally connected to the first semiconductor element 361 and the second semiconductor element 362 in the semiconductor circuit breaker 3B, so that, as in embodiment 1, the first and second semiconductor elements 361, 362 can be cooled, and the panel 100 using the semiconductor circuit breaker 3B can be configured in a space-saving manner.

[0069] Furthermore, the heat transfer section 34, which is thermally connected to the metal cooling section of the semiconductor module 36 and the bus bar 22, is electrically connected to the bus bar 22, so that a dedicated power supply terminal is not required, and the semiconductor circuit breaker 3B can be constructed at low cost.

[0070] The configurations shown in the above embodiments are merely examples, and may be combined with other known technologies, or different embodiments may be combined with each other. It is also possible to omit or modify parts of the configurations as long as they do not deviate from the gist of the invention.

[0071] DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1, 1A Main circuit breaker, 2, 2A Base, 3, 3A, 3B Semiconductor circuit breaker, 4 Panel, 5 Wiring, 6 Load, 7 AC power supply, 11, 11A Power supply side terminal, 12, 12A Load side terminal, 21 Base frame, 22 Bus bar, 22a First bus bar, 22b Second bus bar, 22c Third bus bar, 25 Plate portion, 26 Leg portion, 31 Housing, 31a Bottom surface, 32 Power supply side terminal, 32a First power supply side terminal, 32b Second power supply side terminal, 32c Third power supply side terminal, 33 Base frame insertion portion, 34 Heat transfer portion, 34a First heat transfer portion, 34b Second heat transfer portion, 34c Third heat transfer portion, 35 Printed circuit board, 36 Semiconductor module, 36a First semiconductor module, 36b Second semiconductor module, 36c Third semiconductor module, 37 insulating sheet, 37a first insulating sheet, 37b second insulating sheet, 37c third insulating sheet, 38 load side terminal, 39 wiring, 100, 100A panel, 200 semiconductor circuit breaker mounting area, 211 heat transfer window, 212 power supply side terminal receiving terminal, 213 base frame insertion port, 221 contact portion, 222 heat dissipation fin, 223 opening, 361, 361a, 361b, 361c first semiconductor element, 361ad, 361bd, 361cd, 362ad, 362bd, 362cd drain, 361as, 361bs, 361cs source, 362, 362a, 362b, 362c second semiconductor element.

Claims

1. A semiconductor circuit breaker that switches the current flowing through the circuit between the first terminal and the second terminal on and off, A busbar having a heat dissipation function is connected to the first terminal of the semiconductor element through which the current flows in the semiconductor circuit breaker, A control panel using a semiconductor circuit breaker, characterized by being equipped with a semiconductor circuit breaker.

2. The aforementioned semiconductor circuit breaker is The semiconductor element having the first terminal and switching the current on and off, A cooling unit for heat dissipation is provided at the first terminal of the semiconductor element, A heat transfer unit having one end connected to the busbar and the other end connected to the cooling unit, which transmits heat from the cooling unit to the busbar, A control panel using the semiconductor circuit breaker according to claim 1, characterized by having the following features.

3. The base further comprises a heat transfer window, which is an opening provided in a removable area of ​​the plate-shaped semiconductor circuit breaker, and a bus bar provided on the back surface of the plate so as to cover the heat transfer window. The aforementioned semiconductor circuit breaker is The casing and The semiconductor element mounted on a printed circuit board arranged inside the housing, The heat transfer portion penetrates the bottom surface, which is the surface of the housing that is mounted on the base, and is connected to the cooling portion of the semiconductor element, It has, A control panel using a semiconductor circuit breaker according to claim 2, characterized in that when the semiconductor circuit breaker is mounted on the base, the heat transfer section is connected to the busbar via the heat transfer window.

4. The panel using the semiconductor circuit breaker according to claim 1, characterized in that the busbar is connected to the first terminal via an insulating sheet.

5. The panel using the semiconductor circuit breaker according to claim 2, further comprising an insulating sheet disposed between the cooling section and the heat transfer section.

6. The panel using the semiconductor circuit breaker according to claim 2, further comprising an insulating sheet disposed between the heat transfer section and the busbar.

7. The panel using the semiconductor circuit breaker according to claim 2, characterized in that the heat transfer section is directly connected to the busbar and also serves as the first terminal.

8. The first terminal is a power supply terminal, A panel using a semiconductor circuit breaker according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the second terminal is a load-side terminal.

9. The first terminal is the load-side terminal, A panel using a semiconductor circuit breaker according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the second terminal is a power supply side terminal.

10. A semiconductor circuit breaker used in a panel comprising: a semiconductor circuit breaker that switches the current flowing through a circuit between a first terminal and a second terminal on and off; and a busbar having a heat dissipation function connected to the first terminal of the semiconductor element through which the current flows in the semiconductor circuit breaker, The semiconductor element having the first terminal and switching the current on and off, A cooling unit for heat dissipation is provided at the first terminal of the semiconductor element, A heat transfer unit having one end connected to the busbar and the other end connected to the cooling unit, which transmits heat from the cooling unit to the busbar, A semiconductor circuit breaker characterized by having the following features.

11. The semiconductor circuit breaker according to claim 10, further comprising an insulating sheet disposed between the cooling section and the heat transfer section.