Patent · US Expired

Power conversion device and semiconductor module suitable for use in the device

US5731970A · kind A · utility

38Cited by
10References
9Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 7, 1995
Grant dateMar 24, 1998
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 7, 2015

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S257/925
  • WIPO fieldSemiconductors
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An inverter device includes plural modules, each module being formed by a series circuit having a parallel circuit of a first switching device and a first diode, and a parallel circuit of a second switching device and a second diode, allowing a reduced size, high reliability, high frequency switching and low noise. Each module forms one arm portion of the inverter. Lifetimes of the diodes and the switching devices are set in a manner to equalize losses in the inverter. Preferably, insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs) formed by diffusion are used as the switching devices since the lifetimes of these devices can easily be adjusted to optimize design of the inverter.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.