Housing for a power semiconductor module arrangement

{
  "publication_number": "US11856718B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Housing for a power semiconductor module arrangement",
  "abstract": "An arrangement includes a housing and a printed circuit board (PCB) arranged vertically above the housing. The housing includes: at least one protrusion attached to sidewalls and arranged on an outside of the housing at a lower end with at least one first through hole provided in the protrusion; holding devices each arranged inside a first through hole and/or between the PCB and the first through hole; and fastening elements configured to attach the housing to a heat sink or base plate. Each holding device is configured to clamp a corresponding fastening element such that the fastening elements are secured in defined positions, and to align each fastening element with a different first through hole. The PCB includes second through holes each arranged vertically above and aligned with a different fastening element. A diameter of each second through hole is less than the largest diameter of the respective fastening element.",
  "claims": [
    "1. An arrangement, comprising: a housing; and a printed circuit board arranged vertically above the housing, wherein the housing comprises: sidewalls; at least one protrusion attached to the sidewalls and arranged on an outside of the housing at a lower end of the housing distant from the printed circuit board, at least one first through hole being provided in the at least one protrusion; a plurality of holding devices, each holding device being arranged inside a first through hole and/or between the printed circuit board and the first through hole; and a plurality of fastening elements configured to attach the housing to a heat sink or base plate, wherein each of the plurality of holding devices is configured to clamp a different one of the fastening elements such that the fastening elements are secured in defined positions, and to align each of the fastening elements with a different one of the first through holes, wherein the printed circuit board comprises a plurality of second through holes, each of the second through holes being arranged vertically above and aligned with a different one of the plurality of fastening elements, wherein a diameter of each of the second through holes is less than a largest diameter of the respective fastening element, wherein when a defined force is exerted on the fastening elements, the fastening elements are configured to move vertically through the respective first through holes in a direction away from the printed circuit board.",
    "2. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein each of the holding devices contacts the respective fastening element in at least three different positions along a circumference of the fastening element.",
    "3. The arrangement of claim 2, wherein each of the holding devices contacts the respective fastening element continuously along the entire circumference.",
    "4. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein each of the fastening elements comprises a screw, a pin with or without thread, a stud with or without thread, or a rivet.",
    "5. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein each of the fastening elements comprises an elongated body and a head, wherein a diameter of the head is larger than a diameter of the elongated body, and wherein the largest diameter of a fastening element is the diameter of the head.",
    "6. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein each of the holding devices comprises a sleeve.",
    "7. The arrangement of claim 6, wherein each of the holding devices comprises at least three nubs along a circumference of the sleeve, wherein the at least three nubs are arranged between the sleeve and the respective fastening element.",
    "8. The arrangement of claim 6, wherein a diameter of the sleeve is equal to or less than a diameter of the fastening element.",
    "9. The arrangement of claim 6, wherein each of the holding devices further comprises a bracket which presses the respective fastening element against the sleeve.",
    "10. The arrangement of claim 6, wherein the sleeve is at least partly arranged inside or integrally formed with one of the first through holes.",
    "11. The arrangement of claim 6, wherein the sleeve forms a threaded hole.",
    "12. The arrangement of claim 6, wherein the sleeve comprises an interruption along a circumference of the sleeve.",
    "13. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the diameter of each of the second through holes is between 10% and 60% smaller than the largest diameter of each of the respective fastening element.",
    "14. The arrangement of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of terminal elements arranged inside the housing, wherein a first end of each of the plurality of terminal elements protrudes out of the housing and is mechanically and electrically connected to the printed circuit board."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The instant disclosure relates to a housing for a power semiconductor module arrangement, in particular to a housing comprising a mounting device for mounting the housing on a heat sink or base plate.\n\nPower semiconductor module arrangements often include a substrate within a housing. The substrate usually comprises a substrate layer (e.g., a ceramic layer), a first metallization layer deposited on a first side of the substrate layer and, optionally, a second metallization layer deposited on a second side of the substrate layer. A semiconductor arrangement including one or more controllable semiconductor elements (e.g., two IGBTs in a half-bridge configuration) may be arranged on the substrate. One or more contact elements, which allow for contacting such a semiconductor arrangement from outside the housing, are usually provided. A printed circuit board may be arranged outside of the housing, which contacts the one or more contact elements. Different contact elements may be electrically coupled to each other by means of conducting tracks on the printed circuit board, for example. The housing may comprise protrusions on its outside. Through holes may be provided in the protrusions such that the housing can be mounted on a heat sink or a base plate by means of screws that are inserted through the through holes and screwed into respective boreholes provided in the heat sink or base plate. The printed circuit board provided outside of the housing, however, impedes the insertion of the screws into the boreholes and the fastening of the screws by means of suitable tools.",
  "cpc": [
    "H05K 5/0026",
    "F16B 11/006",
    "F16B 2/22",
    "F16B 2200/93",
    "F16B 37/122",
    "F16B 43/005",
    "F16B 5/0208",
    "H01L 2224/48225",
    "H01L 23/4006",
    "H01L 23/49811",
    "H01L 24/48",
    "H01L 25/072",
    "H05K 5/0247",
    "H05K 7/209",
    "H10W 40/235",
    "H10W 40/611",
    "H10W 76/12",
    "H10W 90/00",
    "H10W 90/701",
    "H10W 90/754"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "H01L 23/00",
    "H01L 23/40",
    "H01L 23/498",
    "H01L 25/07",
    "H05K 5/00",
    "H05K 5/02",
    "H05K 7/20"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Infineon Technologies AG"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Alexander Herbrandt",
    "Philipp Bräutigam",
    "Andre Arens",
    "Marco Ludwig"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2022-11-29",
  "publication_date": "2023-12-26",
  "grant_date": "2023-12-26",
  "priority_date": "2021-12-07",
  "application_number": "US-202218070849-A",
  "family_id": "78822597",
  "cited_by_count": 0,
  "citations": [
    "US20080158822A1",
    "US20080080140A1",
    "US20100091461A1",
    "US20080203559A1",
    "US8134837B2",
    "US20160143187A1",
    "US20190304857A1",
    "US20180042128A1",
    "US20200058572A1",
    "US20200068729A1",
    "US20220044984A1",
    "US20230187311A1"
  ]
}