# US 12,003,186 B2 · Power module for an electric drive of an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle, inverter comprising such a power module > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,003,186 B2 - Document ID: US12003186B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/702,585 - Filed: 2022-03-23 - Published: 2022-09-29 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2021-03-29 - Assignees: ZF Friedrichshafen AG - Applicants: ZF Friedrichshafen AG - Inventors: Florian Pahn; Ivonne Trenz; Pengshuai Wang; Jonas Zeller - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12003186B2 ## CPC - H02M 7/003: {Constructional details, e.g. physical layout, assembly, wiring or busbar connections} - H02G 5/02: Open installations - H02M: APPARATUS FOR CONVERSION BETWEEN AC AND AC, BETWEEN AC AND DC, OR BETWEEN DC AND DC, AND FOR USE WITH MAINS OR SIMILAR POWER SUPPLY SYSTEMS; CONVERSION OF DC OR AC INPUT POWER INTO SURGE OUTPUT POWER; CONTROL OR REGULATION THEREOF (transformers H01F; dynamo-electric converters H02K47/00; controlling transformers, reactors or choke coils, control or regulation of electric motors, generators or dynamo-electric converters H02P) - H02G: INSTALLATION OF ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES, OR OF COMBINED OPTICAL AND ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES ## Abstract A power module includes a plurality of half-bridges, each including a substrate, a plurality of semiconductor switching elements, a positive DC power connection, a negative DC power connection, an AC power connection and a plurality of signal connections, wherein a respective DC busbar is connected to the respective DC power connection, wherein the two DC busbars extend from the half-bridges up to an intermediate circuit capacitor, wherein at least one of the two DC busbars is formed in one piece outside of the intermediate circuit capacitor with respect to the plurality of half-bridges. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A power module for an inverter for operating an electric drive in an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle, the power module comprising: a plurality of half-bridges, wherein each one of the plurality of half-bridges each comprises a substrate, a plurality of semiconductor switching elements, a positive DC power connection, a negative DC power connection, an AC power connection, and a plurality of signal connections, wherein the plurality of signal connections are electrically connected to the semiconductor switching elements in each half-bridge such that the semiconductor switching elements are configured to be switched by the signal connections, wherein the power connections are electrically connected to the semiconductor switching elements such that the semiconductor switching elements are configured to permit or interrupt an electrical power transmission between the power connections; and a positive busbar connected to the positive DC power connection and configured to provide external contact-connection for the positive DC power connection; and a negative busbar connected to the negative DC power connection and configured to provide external contact-connection for the negative DC power connection, wherein the positive DC busbar and the negative DC busbar each extend from the plurality of half-bridges up to an intermediate circuit capacitor, and wherein at least one of the positive DC busbar or the negative DC busbar is formed in one piece outside of the intermediate circuit capacitor with respect to the plurality of half-bridges. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The power module according to claim 1, wherein the at least one of the positive DC busbar or the negative DC busbar comprises a common region with respect to the plurality of half-bridges that extends continuously along a sequence of the plurality of half-bridges. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The power module according to claim 2, wherein the common region is arranged between the half-bridges on one side of the common region and the intermediate circuit capacitor on another side of the common region. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The power module according to claim 1, wherein the positive DC busbar and the negative DC busbar each have a common region that extends continuously along a sequence of the plurality of half-bridges, and wherein the positive DC busbar and the negative DC busbar are formed so as to overlap one another vertically in the respective common regions. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The power module according to claim 3, wherein the at least one of the positive DC busbar or the negative DC busbar is connected to the intermediate circuit capacitor, wherein the intermediate circuit capacitor comprises a housing. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The power module according to claim 5, wherein a first DC busbar of the positive DC busbar and the negative DC busbar is electrically connected outside of the housing of the intermediate circuit capacitor to a first DC contact line of the intermediate circuit capacitor. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The power module according to claim 6, wherein the first DC contact line protrudes out of the housing of the intermediate circuit capacitor and is formed in a hook-like manner at one end in such a way that the first DC busbar is electrically connected horizontally to the first DC contact line at the end thereof. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The power module according to claim 5, wherein a second DC busbar of the positive DC busbar and the negative DC busbar extends into the housing of the intermediate circuit capacitor and there transitions into a second DC contact line of the intermediate circuit capacitor. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The power module according to claim 1, further comprising: a current-isolating thin-layer film arranged between the positive DC busbar and the negative DC busbar. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) An inverter for an electric drive of an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle, comprising the power module of claim 1. ### Claim 11 (depends on 2) The power module according to claim 2, wherein the positive DC busbar and the negative DC busbar each have a common region that extends continuously along a sequence of the plurality of half-bridges, and wherein the positive DC busbar and the negative DC busbar are formed so as to overlap one another vertically in the respective common regions. ### Claim 12 (depends on 3) The power module according to claim 3, wherein the positive DC busbar and the negative DC busbar each have a common region that extends continuously along a sequence of the plurality of half-bridges, and wherein the positive DC busbar and the negative DC busbar are formed so as to overlap one another vertically in the respective common regions. ### Claim 13 (depends on 4) The power module according to claim 4, wherein the at least one of the positive DC busbar or the negative DC busbar is connected to the intermediate circuit capacitor, wherein the intermediate circuit capacitor comprises a housing. ### Claim 14 (depends on 6) The power module according to claim 6, wherein a second DC busbar of the positive DC busbar and the negative DC busbar extends into the housing of the intermediate circuit capacitor and there transitions into a second DC contact line of the intermediate circuit capacitor. ### Claim 15 (depends on 7) The power module according to claim 7, wherein a second DC busbar of the positive DC busbar and the negative DC busbar extends into the housing of the intermediate circuit capacitor and there transitions into a second DC contact line of the intermediate circuit capacitor. ### Claim 16 (depends on 2) The power module according to claim 2, further comprising: a current-isolating thin-layer film arranged between the positive DC busbar and the negative DC busbar. ### Claim 17 (depends on 3) The power module according to claim 3, further comprising: a current-isolating thin-layer film arranged between the positive DC busbar and the negative DC busbar. ### Claim 18 (depends on 4) The power module according to claim 4, further comprising: a current-isolating thin-layer film arranged between the positive DC busbar and the negative DC busbar. ### Claim 19 (depends on 5) The power module according to claim 5, further comprising: a current-isolating thin-layer film arranged between the positive DC busbar and the negative DC busbar. ### Claim 20 (depends on 6) The power module according to claim 6, further comprising: a current-isolating thin-layer film arranged between the positive DC busbar and the negative DC busbar.