Integrated Inverter and Clamping Circuit Package
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional semiconductor devices with integrated inverter and clamping circuits face issues with long current paths leading to impedance, ohmic loss, voltage fluctuation, and noise due to discrete component configurations, and general-purpose inverter modules result in wasted components and increased costs when forming clamping circuits.
Innovation Solution
A semiconductor device with an inverter circuit and clamping circuit housed in a single package, utilizing conductive paths to connect switching devices, reducing path lengths and impedance, and employing a common drive power supply to maintain drive voltages within predetermined limits.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If discrete devices are used as components constituting the clamping circuit, then the clamping circuit can be formed, but the components need to be corrected to the influence of dispersion in component characteristics and temperature, and it is difficult to manage every component temperature, and mounting the discrete devices on a substrate requires complicated conductive pattern formation on the substrate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the inverter circuit and clamping circuit into a single semiconductor device module with a unified substrate. The conductive patterns for both circuits are integrated on the same substrate, eliminating the need for separate discrete device mounting and complex external interconnections. This merging approach simplifies the overall manufacturing process while maintaining electrical performance.
2Ease of manufacture
If a conventional semiconductor device module is used as components constituting the clamping circuit, then the problems in the first method can be solved, but such a conventional semiconductor device module is provided for not a dedicated circuit for a clamping circuit but a general-purpose circuit for an inverter circuit, and forming a clamping circuit with such a conventional semiconductor device module causes a disadvantage to cost because unused components remain in the semiconductor device module
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the semiconductor device module into distinct functional regions: an inverter circuit portion and a clamping circuit portion. Each portion contains only the components necessary for its specific function, eliminating unused components. The inverter circuit includes switching devices and diodes for inversion operation, while the clamping circuit includes switching devices and diodes specifically for clamping operation, with no overlapping or redundant parts.
3Ease of manufacture
If discrete devices or conventional modules are used, then the clamping circuit can be formed, but comparatively long current paths (wires, conductive lines on a substrate and the like) connecting between an inverter circuit and a clamping circuit cause large impedance in current paths between the inverter circuit and the clamping circuit and a large ohmic loss, as well as voltage fluctuation by inductance component of the current paths and the occurrence of noise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the inverter circuit and clamping circuit onto a single substrate with directly connected conductive patterns. The current paths between the inverter circuit switching devices and clamping circuit switching devices are formed as integrated conductive lines on the substrate rather than external wires, significantly shortening the path length. This integration eliminates long current paths and reduces impedance, ohmic losses, and inductance-related voltage fluctuations and noise.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A semiconductor device includes: an inverter circuit configured to convert a DC voltage into an AC voltage by turning on and off four switching devices in a full bridge configuration; two conductive paths that are formed of electrical conductors connected to output ends of the inverter circuit; and a clamping circuit configured to turn two switching devices on, thereby being allowed to transmit electricity across the two conductive paths. The inverter circuit, the two conductive paths and the clamping circuit are housed in one package.