Switching components
An apparatus is described having: a baseplate; an AC busbar mounted on the baseplate; a DC busbar having an upper DC busbar, a lower DC busbar and an insulating material therebetween, wherein the DC busbar is mounted such that the lower DC busbar is mounted to the baseplate and wherein the upper DC busbar has one or more openings through which the lower DC busbar is exposed; a first group of switching components mounted on the AC busbar, wherein the first group of switching components are connected to the upper DC busbar using first electrical connection means; and a second group of switching components mounted on the lower DC busbar, wherein at least one of the switching components of said second group of switching components is mounted within one of said openings, wherein the second group of switching components are to the AC busbar using second electrical connection means.
1 . An apparatus comprising:
a baseplate;
an AC busbar mounted on the baseplate;
a DC busbar comprising an upper DC busbar, a lower DC busbar and an insulating material therebetween, wherein the DC busbar is mounted such that the lower DC busbar is mounted to the baseplate and wherein the upper DC busbar comprises one or more openings through which the lower DC busbar is exposed;
a first group of switching components mounted on the AC busbar, wherein the first group of switching components are connected to the upper DC busbar using first electrical connection means;
a second group of switching components mounted on the lower DC busbar, wherein at least one of the switching components of said second group of switching components is mounted within one of said openings, wherein the second group of switching components are connected to the AC busbar using second electrical connection means; and
a control circuit;
wherein the first group of switching components comprises a first plurality of switching components and the second group of switching components comprises a second plurality of switching components; and
wherein each of the first plurality of switching components of the first group of switching components and each of the second plurality of switching components of the second group of switching components are connected to the control circuit.
2 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one of the switching components of said second group of switching components is surrounded by the upper DC busbar on at least three sides.
3 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the upper DC busbar is a negative DC busbar, and the lower DC busbar is a positive DC busbar.
4 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the upper DC busbar is a positive DC busbar, and the lower DC busbar is a negative DC busbar.
5 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is mounted on the DC busbar.
6 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the control circuit comprises a printed circuit board.
7 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the switching components are silicon carbide switching components.
8 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the apparatus forms a half-bridge circuit.
9 . A module comprising the apparatus as claimed in claim 1 .
10 . The module as claimed in claim 9 , further comprising a first DC terminal and a second DC terminal provided at one end of the module and an AC terminal provided at the other end of the module, wherein the first and second DC terminal are connected to the upper and lower DC busbars respectively and the AC terminal is connected to the AC busbar.
11 . The module as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the apparatus is encapsulated together with a leadframe configured to provide DC and AC terminals.
12 . The module as claimed in claim 9 , further comprising means for cooling said baseplate.
13 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising means for cooling said baseplate.
14 . An apparatus comprising:
a baseplate;
an AC busbar mounted on the baseplate;
a DC busbar comprising an upper DC busbar, a lower DC busbar and an insulating material therebetween, wherein the DC busbar is mounted such that the lower DC busbar is mounted to the baseplate and wherein the upper DC busbar comprises one or more openings through which the lower DC busbar is exposed;
a first group of switching components mounted on the AC busbar, wherein the first group of switching components are connected to the upper DC busbar using first electrical connection means; and
a second group of switching components mounted on the lower DC busbar, wherein at least one of the switching components of said second group of switching components is mounted within one of said openings, wherein the second group of switching components are connected to the AC busbar using second electrical connection means;
wherein the AC busbar extends on either side of the DC busbar.
15 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the first group of switching components are arranged such that an equal number of switching components of the first group are mounted on the AC busbar on each side of the DC busbar.
16 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the second group of switching components are arranged such that an equal number of switching components of the second group are connected to the AC busbar on each side of the DC busbar.
17 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the AC busbar is horseshoe-shaped.
18 . An apparatus comprising:
a baseplate;
an AC busbar mounted on the baseplate;
a DC busbar comprising an upper DC busbar, a lower DC busbar and an insulating material therebetween, wherein the DC busbar is mounted such that the lower DC busbar is mounted to the baseplate and wherein the upper DC busbar comprises one or more openings through which the lower DC busbar is exposed;
a first group of switching components mounted on the AC busbar, wherein the first group of switching components are connected to the upper DC busbar using first electrical connection means; and
a second group of switching components mounted on the lower DC busbar, wherein at least one of the switching components of said second group of switching components is mounted within one of said openings, wherein the second group of switching components are connected to the AC busbar using second electrical connection means;
wherein the AC busbar extends on opposite sides of the DC busbar;
wherein the first group of switching components comprises a first plurality of switching components and a second plurality of switching components; and
wherein the first plurality of switching components of the first group of switching components is arranged on one side of the opposite sides and the second plurality of switching components of the first group of switching components is arranged on the other side of the opposite sides.