Semiconductor Lead Sealing Structure for Creepage Distance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Increasing the creepage distance in semiconductor modules to enhance insulation performance leads to higher manufacturing costs due to additional manufacturing steps and material usage.
Innovation Solution
A semiconductor module design with a sealing member that includes a covering portion covering the outer lead portion from the boundary between the inner and outer lead portions to a position closer to the boundary, integrated with the main body portion, reducing the need for separate coating and bending steps.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the creepage distance is increased by coating the outer lead portion with a coating material different from the sealing member, then the insulation performance is improved, but the manufacturing cost increases due to additional manufacturing steps and material usage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the sealing member and the insulation function into a single integrated structure. The sealing member itself is designed with an extended portion that provides both sealing and insulation functions, eliminating the need for separate coating materials and steps. This integration maintains the creepage distance requirement while reducing manufacturing complexity and cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing member is designed to serve multiple functions simultaneously: it provides sealing for the semiconductor element, structural support, and insulation through its extended portion. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for additional specialized components or coating processes, thereby reducing manufacturing steps and material usage while maintaining insulation performance.
2Reliability
If the sealing member has a protrusion formed to protrude between the leads to increase the creepage distance, then the insulation performance is improved, but the manufacturing cost increases due to additional manufacturing steps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the insulation function directly into the sealing member structure. The extended portion of the sealing member that covers the outer lead portion serves both as part of the sealing structure and as the insulation barrier, eliminating the need for separate protrusions or additional manufacturing steps.
3Reliability
If the outer lead portion is bent at a predetermined bending position, then the creepage distance is increased, but the manufacturing complexity increases due to additional bending steps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the sealing member and the bending structure into a single integrated component. The extended portion of the sealing member that covers the outer lead portion is designed with a predetermined bend, eliminating the need for separate bending steps and reducing manufacturing process complexity while maintaining the required creepage distance.
Data Source
AI summary
A semiconductor module includes: a semiconductor element, a sealing member having a main body portion sealing the semiconductor element, and a plurality of leads, each of the leads having an inner lead portion extending to an inside of the main body portion of the sealing member and an outer lead portion extending to an outside of the main body portion, the outer lead portion being bent at a predetermined bending position, in which the sealing member has a covering portion individually covering, for each section of the outer lead portion, an entire surface of the section of the outer lead portion of the lead, in which the section is defined from a boundary between the inner lead portion and the outer lead portion to a position closer to the boundary than the bending position.