JP5853886B2 - Power converter and manufacturing method thereof - Google Patents

Description

  In this specification, the technique regarding the power converter device using the semiconductor lamination unit by which the semiconductor module and the cooling panel are laminated | stacked alternately is disclosed. In particular, a power conversion device including a compression mechanism for keeping a semiconductor module and a cooling panel in close contact with each other, and a manufacturing method thereof are disclosed.

As described in FIG. 1 of Patent Document 1, a semiconductor stacked unit in which semiconductor modules and cooling panels are stacked alternately is known. In the case of a semiconductor stacked unit, cooling panels are arranged on both sides of each semiconductor module, and the semiconductor modules are cooled by the cooling panels arranged on both sides. In order to increase the cooling efficiency by the cooling panel, the cooling panel needs to be in close contact with both sides of each semiconductor module.
In the technique of Patent Document 1, a leaf spring is arranged on one side surface of a semiconductor multilayer unit and the other side surface of the semiconductor multilayer unit is fixed by the leaf spring in order to keep the cooling panel in close contact with both sides of the semiconductor module. Press against the member. According to this structure, the semiconductor laminated unit in which the semiconductor modules and the cooling panels are alternately laminated is compressed between the fixing member and the leaf spring, and the cooling panels are in close contact with both sides of the semiconductor module.

JP 2011-181687 A

As described in paragraph 0024 of Patent Document 1, the technique of Patent Document 1 performs a multi-step process until the above structure is realized.
1) Using a jig different from the leaf spring, the semiconductor laminated unit is crushed toward the fixed member.
2) A space is formed between the semiconductor stacked unit and the wall of the housing case by the semiconductor stacked unit being crushed, and a leaf spring is inserted into the space.
3) The leaf spring is deformed by displacing both ends of the leaf spring toward the semiconductor laminated unit.
4) Insert a cylindrical member to prevent the leaf spring from returning to its natural shape. The columnar member is sandwiched and fixed between both ends of the leaf spring and the wall of the housing case, and the leaf spring maintains a deformed posture in which the semiconductor laminated unit is pressurized.
By passing through said process, the semiconductor laminated unit with which the semiconductor module and the cooling panel are closely_contact | adhered by compressing with a leaf | plate spring is manufactured.

  The structure in which the semiconductor module and the cooling panel are brought into close contact with a leaf spring is an effective structure for increasing the cooling efficiency of the semiconductor laminated unit, but requires a multi-step process to obtain the structure. In the present specification, a structure and a manufacturing method thereof are disclosed in which a state in which a semiconductor module and a cooling panel are brought into close contact with each other by a leaf spring is obtained with fewer steps.

The present specification discloses a method for manufacturing a power conversion device to which a compression mechanism for keeping a semiconductor module and a cooling panel in close contact is added. In the semiconductor lamination unit, semiconductor modules and cooling panels are laminated alternately. The compression mechanism of the semiconductor laminated unit has a deformed posture in which the leaf spring presses the semiconductor laminated unit while being fixed to the housing for the semiconductor laminated unit, the leaf spring, and the end of the leaf spring. A pair of supporting members to maintain is provided.
The manufacturing method disclosed in the present specification includes a step of arranging a semiconductor laminated unit and a leaf spring so as to face each other with a gap between a pair of support members, and a tip of a jig at an intermediate position in the length direction of the leaf spring. And a step of advancing the jig so that the tip of the jig passes through the gap between the pair of support members and moves to the semiconductor lamination unit side. In the manufacturing method disclosed in the present specification, in the step of advancing the jig, both end portions of the leaf spring pass through the gap between the pair of support members and move to the semiconductor lamination unit side of the support members.

  According to the above manufacturing method, a structure in which the semiconductor module and the cooling panel are brought into close contact with each other by the leaf spring is obtained by pressing the tip of the jig through the gap between the pair of support members and pressing the semiconductor laminate unit. The compression mechanism that keeps the semiconductor module and the cooling panel in close contact is easily completed.

The power converter with a compression mechanism disclosed in this specification is also novel. The power conversion device disclosed in this specification includes a semiconductor laminated unit in which semiconductor modules and cooling panels are alternately laminated, a housing for the semiconductor laminated unit, a leaf spring, a plate fixed to the housing, and a plate A pair of support members are provided that maintain a deformed posture in which the leaf springs abut against the end of the spring and pressurize the semiconductor lamination unit.
In the power conversion device disclosed in this specification, the closest distance between the pair of support members is longer than the distance between both ends when the leaf spring is deformed to the maximum, and the leaf spring pressurizes the semiconductor stacked unit. It is characterized by being shorter than the distance between both ends in some cases.

  In the case of the above power converter, since the closest distance between the pair of support members is longer than the distance between both ends when the leaf spring is deformed to the maximum, the intermediate position in the length direction of the leaf spring is the pair of support members. When the semiconductor laminated unit is deformed so as to press the semiconductor laminated unit through the gap between the two, the phenomenon that the both ends of the leaf spring pass through the gap between the pair of supporting members and move to the semiconductor laminated unit side of the supporting member is obtained. be able to. In addition, since the closest distance between the pair of support members is shorter than the distance between both ends when the leaf spring is in a deformed posture to pressurize the semiconductor multilayer unit, the end portion of the support member moved to the semiconductor multilayer unit side is Thus, it is possible to obtain a relationship in contact with the surface of the support member on the semiconductor laminated unit side. That is, the pair of supporting members can maintain the deformed posture in which the leaf spring pressurizes the semiconductor stacked unit. The power conversion device with the compression mechanism can be easily manufactured.

Each of the pair of support members preferably includes an inclined surface that is inclined in such a direction that the distance between the pair of support members becomes shorter as the distance between the pair of support members approaches the semiconductor stacked unit.
In this case, a phenomenon occurs in which both end portions of the leaf spring move along the inclined surface in the process of pressing the intermediate position in the length direction of the leaf spring against the semiconductor laminated unit. As a result, in the process of pressing the intermediate position in the length direction of the leaf spring against the semiconductor lamination unit, a phenomenon of smoothly reducing the distance between both ends of the leaf spring is obtained, and both ends of the leaf spring are spaced between the pair of support members. The phenomenon of moving to the side of the semiconductor lamination unit of the support member through can be obtained without difficulty.

A state in which the semiconductor stacked unit 38 and the leaf spring 36 are disposed in a positional relationship facing each other with the gap L between the pair of support members 34a and 34b interposed therebetween is shown. A process in which the tip of the jig 42 is brought into contact with the intermediate position in the length direction of the leaf spring 36 and the tip of the jig 42 moves forward through the interval L toward the semiconductor lamination unit 38 is shown. The tip of the jig 42 is further advanced, and the state in which the distance between both ends of the leaf spring 36 is shortened until it becomes equal to the distance L is shown. A state in which both ends of the leaf spring 36 are moved to the semiconductor laminated unit 38 side of the pair of support members 34a and 34b is shown. A state in which the jig 42 is retracted is shown. The semiconductor module and the cooling panel are in close contact by the biasing force applied by the leaf spring 36. The modification of the power converter device with a compression mechanism is shown.

The main features of the embodiments shown below are listed.
(Characteristic 1) A leaf spring is disposed on one side of the semiconductor multilayer unit, and biases the semiconductor multilayer unit toward the fixed wall.
(Characteristic 2) The jig is advanced in a state in which the tip of the jig is brought into contact with the intermediate position in the length direction on the leaf spring surface far from the semiconductor laminated unit.

  The semiconductor stacked unit 38 will be described with reference to FIG. The semiconductor stacked unit 38 includes a cooling panel 16, semiconductor modules 2a and 2b, cooling panel 18, semiconductor modules 4a and 4b, cooling panel 20, semiconductor modules 6a and 6b, cooling panel 22, semiconductor modules 8a and 8b, cooling panel 24, The semiconductor modules 10a and 10b and the cooling panel 26 are stacked in this order.

A water intake pipe 12 is connected to the cooling panel 16. Adjacent cooling panels communicate with each other through a cooling water pipe 13 on the water inlet side. A water discharge pipe 14 is connected to the cooling panel 16. Adjacent cooling panels communicate with each other through a cooling water pipe 15 on the water discharge side.
A part of the cooling water sent from the inlet pipe 12 flows in the direction indicated by the arrow in the cooling panel 16 and is discharged to the outlet pipe 14. The remainder of the cooling water sent from the water inlet pipe 12 is sent to the cooling panel 18 via the cooling water pipe 13 on the water inlet side. A part of the cooling water sent to the cooling panel 18 flows through the cooling panel 18 in the direction indicated by the arrow, and is discharged to the water discharge pipe 14 through the cooling water pipe 15 on the water discharge side. The same phenomenon occurs thereafter. Thereby, the cooling water flows through each of the cooling panels 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, and 26 as indicated by arrows.

  Each of the semiconductor modules 2a, 2b, 4a, 4b, 6a, 6b, 8a, 8b, 10a, and 10b generates heat when operated. Cooling panels 16 and 18 are disposed on both sides of the semiconductor modules 2a and 2b, and the semiconductor modules 2a and 2b are cooled by cooling water flowing through the cooling panels 16 and 18. Similarly, the semiconductor modules 4a and 4b are cooled by cooling water flowing through the cooling panels 18 and 20, the semiconductor modules 6a and 6b are cooled by cooling water flowing through the cooling panels 20 and 22, and the semiconductor modules 8a and 8b are cooled panels. The semiconductor modules 10 a and 10 b are cooled by the cooling water flowing through the cooling panels 24 and 26.

  In order to cool each semiconductor module efficiently, it is necessary that the semiconductor module and the cooling panel are in close contact with each other. That is, the cooling panels 16 and 18 are in close contact with the semiconductor modules 2a and 2b, the cooling panels 18 and 20 are in close contact with the semiconductor modules 4a and 4b, and the cooling panels 20 and 22 are in close contact with the semiconductor modules 6a and 6b. , 8b and the cooling panels 24 and 26 need to be in close contact with the semiconductor modules 10a and 10b. In the state of FIG. 1, the semiconductor module and the cooling panel are not sufficiently adhered.

  In order to bring the semiconductor module and the cooling panel into close contact, it is necessary to reduce the distance between adjacent cooling panels. Each of the cooling water pipes 13 and 15 extends from the left cooling panel in FIG. 1 and is in contact with the right cooling panel. A rubber seal member is disposed at the contact portion, and the coolant prevents the coolant from leaking. By utilizing the compression allowance of the seal member, the distance between adjacent cooling panels can be reduced.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 30 is a housing for the semiconductor laminated unit 38. FIG. 1 illustrates a state where the upper plate of the housing 38 is removed. The water inlet pipe 12 and the water outlet pipe 14 extend outside the housing 30.
Reference numeral 32 is a fixed wall fixed to the housing 30 and abuts against the left side surface of the cooling panel 16. The fixed wall 32 prevents the semiconductor stacked unit 38 from moving to the left any further.
Reference numbers 34 a and 34 b are a pair of support members fixed to the housing 30. As shown in FIG. 5, the pair of support members 34 a and 34 b maintain the posture in which both end portions 36 a and 36 b of the leaf spring 36 are deformed toward the semiconductor stacked unit 38. In the state of FIG. 5, the pair of support members 34 a and 34 b maintain the posture in which both end portions 36 a and 36 b of the leaf spring 36 are deformed toward the semiconductor lamination unit 38 side. The unit 38 is pressurized toward the left side of FIG. Reference numeral 28 is a pressure plate. The semiconductor laminated unit 38 is compressed between the fixed wall 32 and the leaf spring 36.

  In the state of FIG. 5, the pressurizing mechanism of the semiconductor laminated unit 38 is completed, and in the power converter 40 with a compression mechanism, the cooling panels 16 and 18 are attached to the semiconductor modules 2 a and 2 b by the fixed wall 32 and the leaf spring 36. , The cooling panels 18 and 20 are in close contact with the semiconductor modules 4a and 4b, the cooling panels 20 and 22 are in close contact with the semiconductor modules 6a and 6b, and the cooling panels 22 and 24 are in close contact with the semiconductor modules 8a and 8b. Cooling panels 24 and 26 are in close contact with the modules 10a and 10b. The natural shape of the leaf spring 36 is curved more strongly than that shown in FIG. 5 toward the semiconductor laminated unit 38, and is maintained in a flat shape by the pair of support members 34a and 34b. The restoring force that strongly bends pressurizes or compresses the semiconductor stacked unit 38.

  FIG. 1 shows one stage of the manufacturing process of the power converter 40 with a pressurizing mechanism. A state in which the semiconductor stacked unit 38 and the leaf spring 36 are disposed in a positional relationship facing each other with the gap L between the pair of support members 34a and 34b interposed therebetween is shown. The leaf spring 36 is curved in a direction that is convex toward the semiconductor laminated unit 38.

FIG. 2 shows a process in which the tip of the jig 42 is brought into contact with an intermediate position in the length direction of the leaf spring 36 and the tip of the jig 42 is pressed against the semiconductor lamination unit 38. The tip of the jig 42 approaches the semiconductor stacked unit 38 through the gap L between the pair of support members 34a and 34b. It can be seen that the leaf spring 36 is greatly deformed by this process, and the distance between both ends 36a and 36b is shortened.
An inclined surface 34c is formed on the support member 34a, and an inclined surface 34d is formed on the support member 34b. The inclined surfaces 34 c and 34 d are inclined so that the distance between the support members 34 a and 34 b becomes shorter as the distance between the inclined members 34 c and 34 b approaches the semiconductor stacked unit 38. In this case, a phenomenon occurs in which both end portions 36a and 36b of the leaf spring move along the inclined surfaces 34c and 34d in the process in which the tip of the jig 42 moves forward toward the semiconductor lamination unit 38 through the interval L. As a result, in the process of pressing the intermediate position in the length direction of the leaf spring 36 against the semiconductor lamination unit 38, a phenomenon of smoothly reducing the distance between both ends 36a and 36b of the leaf spring 36 is obtained.

  FIG. 3 shows a state in which the distal end of the jig 42 is further pushed, and as a result, the distance between both ends 36a, 36b of the leaf spring 36 is shortened until it becomes equal to the closest distance L between the pair of support members 36a, 36b. . If the closest distance L between the pair of support members 34a and 34b is set to be longer than the distance between both ends 36a and 36b when the leaf spring 36 is deformed to the maximum, the relationship shown in FIG. 3 is obtained. be able to.

  FIG. 4 shows a state immediately after FIG. 4 shows a state in which both ends 36a and 36b of the leaf spring 36 have moved to the semiconductor laminated unit 38 side of the pair of support members 34a and 34b. The closest distance L between the pair of support members 34a and 34b is set to be shorter than the distance between both ends 36a and 36b when the leaf spring 36 is in a deformed posture in which the semiconductor laminated unit 38 is pressed. Both ends 36a and 36b that have passed through the gap between the pair of support members 34a and 34b open outward. As a result, both ends 36a and 36b of the leaf spring 36 come into contact with the surfaces of the support members 34a and 34b on the semiconductor laminated unit 38 side.

  FIG. 5 shows a state in which the jig 42 is retracted. Even when the jig 42 is retracted, the pair of support members 34a and 34b maintain the posture in which both end portions 36a and 36b of the leaf spring 36 are deformed toward the semiconductor lamination unit 38, and the leaf spring 36 is semiconductor laminated. The unit 38 is maintained in a deformed posture to pressurize.

  According to the manufacturing method described above, the tip of the jig 42 is brought into contact with the intermediate position in the length direction of the leaf spring 36 (the surface on the side where the semiconductor laminated unit 38 does not exist), and the tip of the jig 42 is moved. A structure in which the semiconductor module and the cooling panel are brought into close contact with each other by the compression spring 36 is obtained by passing the gap between the pair of support members 34a and 34b against the semiconductor laminated unit 38. The manufacturing process of the power converter 40 with the compression mechanism is simplified.

In the above embodiment, the leaf spring 36 that is curved in a convex shape toward the semiconductor laminated unit 38 in the natural shape is used. Instead, as shown in FIG. 6, stopper shapes 34e and 34f for restricting both ends 36a and 36b of the leaf spring 36 from spreading outward are provided on the surface of the support members 34a and 34b on the semiconductor laminated unit 38 side. If provided, a flat leaf spring 36 in a natural shape can be used.
In the above embodiment, the semiconductor laminated unit 38 is disposed on one side of the fixed wall 32. On the other hand, as described in Patent Document 1, semiconductor laminated units may be arranged on both sides of the fixed wall. The present invention can be applied to a structure in which the left semiconductor laminated unit is pressed against the left surface of the fixed wall with the left leaf spring, and the right semiconductor laminated unit is pressed against the right surface of the fixed wall with the right leaf spring. Moreover, in the said Example, although two semiconductor modules are arrange | positioned between adjacent cooling panels, it is not restrict | limited by the number of semiconductor modules arrange | positioned between adjacent cooling panels.

Specific examples of the present invention have been described in detail above, but these are merely examples and do not limit the scope of the claims. The technology described in the claims includes various modifications and changes of the specific examples illustrated above.
The technical elements described in this specification or the drawings exhibit technical usefulness alone or in various combinations, and are not limited to the combinations described in the claims at the time of filing. In addition, the technology illustrated in the present specification or the drawings achieves a plurality of objects at the same time, and has technical utility by achieving one of the objects.

2a, 2b, 4a, 4b, 6a, 6b, 8a, 8b, 10a, 10b: Semiconductor module 12: Inlet pipe 14: Outlet pipe 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26: Cooling panel 28: Pressure plate 30: Case 32: Fixed walls 34a, 34b: Support members 34c, 34d: Inclined surfaces 34e, 34f: Stopper 36: Leaf spring 38: Semiconductor laminated unit 40: Power converter 42 with compression mechanism 42: Jig

Claims (3)

A semiconductor lamination unit seal member having rubber between the adjacent said cooling panels semiconductor module and the cooling panel are adjacent with are alternately laminated is disposed, a housing for the semiconductor laminate unit, the leaf spring When the power conversion device comprises a pair of support members in contact with the plate spring to the end to keep the deformation attitude pressurizing the semiconductor laminate unit of the leaf spring together it is fixed to the casing manufacturing And how to
Across the gap between the pair of support members, placing in a positional relationship where the plate spring and the semiconductor laminate unit face each other,
A step of abutting the tip of the jig to an intermediate position in the longitudinal direction of the plate spring,
Includes the step of advancing the jig so as to move said semiconductor laminate unit side tip of said jig through said gap,
The jig in the step of advancing the method of manufacturing a power converter, wherein both ends of said plate spring is moved on the semiconductor laminate unit side of the support member through the gap. A semiconductor lamination unit seal member having rubber between the adjacent said cooling panels semiconductor module and the cooling panel are adjacent with are alternately laminated is disposed, a housing for the semiconductor laminate unit, the leaf spring When provided with a pair of support members in contact with the leaf spring at an end portion of the leaf spring together it is fixed to maintain the deformation attitude pressurizing the semiconductor laminated unit to the housing,
And wherein the distance of closest approach between the pair of support members is longer than the inter-end distance when the plate spring was maximum deformation, it is shorter than the inter-end distance when the leaf spring is in the deformed position Power converter. Each of the pair of support members, according to claim 2, characterized in that the distance between the pair of support members is provided with an inclined surface which is inclined to shorten the time direction as approaching to the semiconductor laminate unit Power converter.

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