IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,341,078
Granted Patent B2
US 12,341,078 · App. 17/440,700 · Granted Jun 24, 2025

Semiconductor device

Inventors: Naoki Yoshimatsu (Tokyo, JP); Shintaro Araki (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
H01L23/4006
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,341,078
App. No.
17/440,700
Granted
Jun 24, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A semiconductor device according to the present invention includes a cooler, a semiconductor package provided on an upper surface of the cooler, a metal plate having a main section provided on an upper surface of the semiconductor package, a spring that is provided above the main section and presses the main section toward the upper surface of the semiconductor package with an elastic force and a fixture that fixes the spring to an upper surface of the main section with the spring exerting the elastic force, wherein a surface, which faces the upper surface of the semiconductor package, of the main section is flat.

Claims (98)

1. A semiconductor device comprising:

a cooler;

a semiconductor package provided on an upper surface of the cooler;

a metal plate having a main section provided on an upper surface of the semiconductor package;

a spring that is provided above the main section and presses the main section toward the upper surface of the semiconductor package with an elastic force;

a fixture that fixes the spring to an upper surface of the main section with the spring exerting the elastic force;

a main terminal extending from the semiconductor package, an entirety of the main terminal extending straight outward from the semiconductor package; and

a signal terminal extending from the semiconductor package and bent upward outside the semiconductor package, wherein

a surface, which faces the upper surface of the semiconductor package, of the main section is flat,

the metal plate and the upper surface of the semiconductor package are fitted to each other by a protrusion fitted into an opening, and

the protrusion is provided in the metal plate and the opening is provided in the upper surface of the semiconductor package, or the opening is provided in the metal plate and the protrusion is provided in the upper surface of the semiconductor package.

2. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein

the fixture is a screw that penetrates the spring, the metal plate, and the semiconductor package to reach the cooler, and

the metal plate and the cooler are electrically connected to each other with the screw.

3. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein the spring is a belleville spring.

4. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein grease is provided between the cooler and the semiconductor package.

5. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor package is formed of resin.

6. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein

the semiconductor package includes a semiconductor chip, and

the semiconductor chip is made with a wide bandgap semiconductor.

7. The semiconductor device according to claim 6 , wherein the wide bandgap semiconductor is silicon carbide, a gallium nitride-based material, or diamond.

8. A semiconductor device comprising:

a cooler;

a semiconductor package provided on an upper surface of the cooler;

a metal plate having a main section provided on an upper surface of the semiconductor package;

a spring that is provided above the main section and presses the main section toward the upper surface of the semiconductor package with an elastic force;

a fixture that fixes the spring to an upper surface of the main section with the spring exerting the elastic force;

a main terminal extending from the semiconductor package, an entirety of the main terminal extending straight outward from the semiconductor package; and

a signal terminal extending from the semiconductor package and bent upward outside the semiconductor package, wherein

a surface, which faces the upper surface of the semiconductor package, of the main section is flat, and

the metal plate extends toward an outside of the semiconductor package in a planar view, and surrounds the signal terminal.

9. A semiconductor device comprising:

a cooler;

a semiconductor package provided on an upper surface of the cooler;

a metal plate having a main section provided on an upper surface of the semiconductor package;

a spring that is provided above the main section and presses the main section toward the upper surface of the semiconductor package with an elastic force;

a fixture that fixes the spring to an upper surface of the main section with the spring exerting the elastic force;

a main terminal extending from the semiconductor package, an entirety of the main terminal extending straight outward from the semiconductor package; and

a signal terminal extending from the semiconductor package and bent upward outside the semiconductor package, wherein

a surface, which faces the upper surface of the semiconductor package, of the main section is flat, and

the metal plate extends toward an outside of the semiconductor package and overlaps the main terminal, in a planar view.

10. A semiconductor device comprising:

a cooler;

a semiconductor package provided on an upper surface of the cooler;

a metal plate having a main section provided on an upper surface of the semiconductor package;

a spring that is provided above the main section and presses the main section toward the upper surface of the semiconductor package with an elastic force;

a fixture that fixes the spring to an upper surface of the main section with the spring exerting the elastic force;

a main terminal extending from the semiconductor package, an entirety of the main terminal extending straight outward from the semiconductor package; and

a signal terminal extending from the semiconductor package and bent upward outside the semiconductor package, wherein

a surface, which faces the upper surface of the semiconductor package, of the main section is flat, and

the metal plate is bent upward outside the main section.

11. A semiconductor device comprising:

a cooler;

a semiconductor package provided on an upper surface of the cooler;

a metal plate having a main section provided on an upper surface of the semiconductor package;

a spring that is provided above the main section and presses the main section toward the upper surface of the semiconductor package with an elastic force;

a fixture that fixes the spring to an upper surface of the main section with the spring exerting the elastic force;

a main terminal extending from the semiconductor package, an entirety of the main terminal extending straight outward from the semiconductor package; and

a signal terminal extending from the semiconductor package and bent upward outside the semiconductor package, wherein

a surface, which faces the upper surface of the semiconductor package, of the main section is flat, and

a step is formed in a portion of the semiconductor package, the step being provided between the metal plate and the main terminal.

12. A semiconductor device comprising:

a cooler;

a semiconductor package provided on an upper surface of the cooler;

a metal plate having a main section provided on an upper surface of the semiconductor package;

a spring that is provided above the main section and presses the main section toward the upper surface of the semiconductor package with an elastic force;

a fixture that fixes the spring to an upper surface of the main section with the spring exerting the elastic force;

a main terminal extending from the semiconductor package, an entirety of the main terminal extending straight outward from the semiconductor package;

a signal terminal extending from the semiconductor package and bent upward outside the semiconductor package; and

a control substrate provided above the metal plate, wherein

a surface, which faces the upper surface of the semiconductor package, of the main section is flat.

13. The semiconductor device according to claim 12 , wherein the main terminal extending from the semiconductor package is separated from the control substrate by the metal plate.

14. A semiconductor device comprising:

a cooler;

a semiconductor package provided on an upper surface of the cooler;

a metal plate having a main section provided on an upper surface of the semiconductor package;

a spring that is provided above the main section and presses the main section toward the upper surface of the semiconductor package with an elastic force;

a fixture that fixes the spring to an upper surface of the main section with the spring exerting the elastic force; and

a control substrate provided above the metal plate, wherein

a surface, which faces the upper surface of the semiconductor package, of the main section is flat,

the metal plate includes a support section extending upward from the main section, and

the control substrate is supported by the support section.

15. The semiconductor device according to claim 14 , wherein

a pattern for grounding is provided on a surface, opposite to an upper surface, of the control substrate, and

the pattern for grounding is provided on the support section, and is electrically connected to the metal plate.

16. The semiconductor device according to claim 14 , wherein

a pattern for grounding is provided on an upper surface of the control substrate,

the control substrate is fixed to the support section with a bolt, and

the pattern for grounding is electrically connected to the metal plate with the bolt.

17. A semiconductor device comprising:

a cooler;

a semiconductor package provided on an upper surface of the cooler;

a metal plate having a main section provided on an upper surface of the semiconductor package;

a spring that is provided above the main section and presses the main section toward the upper surface of the semiconductor package with an elastic force;

a fixture that fixes the spring to an upper surface of the main section with the spring exerting the elastic force; and

a signal terminal extending from the semiconductor package, wherein

a surface, which faces the upper surface of the semiconductor package, of the main section is flat, and

the metal plate extends toward an outside of the semiconductor package in a planar view, and surrounds the signal terminal.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 17, 2021
From: YOSHIMATSU, NAOKI; ARAKI, SHINTARO
To: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 057520/0445 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220173011A1 · Jun 2, 2022
References Cited (22)
US 6058014A · Choudhury · 2000 [cited by examiner]
US 9468087B1 · Joshi · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 10616993B1 · Gawlowski · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20060067059A1 · Ushijima et al. · 2006 [cited by applicant]
US 20070000544A1 · Thompson · 2007 [cited by examiner]
US 20130083504A1 · Fukuzono · 2013 [cited by examiner]
US 20140003111A1 · Ichijo et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20140299982A1 · Minamio · 2014 [cited by examiner]
US 20150194367A1 · Grosskreuz · 2015 [cited by examiner]
US 20180158804A1 · Martin · 2018 [cited by examiner]
CN 109712949A · 2019 [cited by applicant]
DE 102017125052A1 · 2019 [cited by examiner]
JP 2006100327A · 2006 [cited by applicant]
JP 2012080027A · 2012 [cited by applicant]
JP 2013118423A · 2013 [cited by examiner]
JP 2014011915A · 2014 [cited by applicant]
JP 201433119A · 2014 [cited by applicant]
JP 2014033119A · 2014 [cited by examiner]
JP 5754528B2 · 2015 [cited by applicant]
“Notice of Reasons for Refusal” Office Action issued in JP 2021-539701; mailed by the Japanese Patent Office on Jun. 28, 2022. [cited by applicant]
International Search Report; Written Opinion; and Notification of Transmittal of the International Search Report and the Written Opinion of the International Searching Authority, or the Declaration issued in PCT/JP2019/… [cited by applicant]
An Office Action mailed by the Chinese Patent Office on Apr. 26, 2024, which corresponds to Chinese Patent Application No. 201980099008.9 and is related to U.S. Appl. No. 17/440,700. [cited by applicant]