# US 8,787,003 B2 · Low inductance capacitor module and power system with low inductance capacitor module > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,787,003 B2 - Document ID: US8787003B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/271,491 - Filed: 2011-10-12 - Published: 2013-04-18 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2011-10-12 - Assignees: Infineon Technologies AG - Applicants: Daniel Domes; Reinhold Bayerer - Inventors: Daniel Domes; Reinhold Bayerer - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8787003B2 ## CPC - H05K 7/14329: {specially adapted for the configuration of power bus bars} - H01G 2/06: specially adapted for mounting on a printed-circuit support - H01G 4/40: Structural combinations of fixed capacitors with other electric elements, the structure mainly consisting of a capacitor, e.g. RC combinations - H10W 72/5363: {the connected ends being wedge-shaped} - H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS - H01G: CAPACITORS; CAPACITORS, RECTIFIERS, DETECTORS, SWITCHING DEVICES, LIGHT-SENSITIVE OR TEMPERATURE-SENSITIVE DEVICES OF THE ELECTROLYTIC TYPE (selection of specified materials as dielectric H01B3/00; capacitors having potential barriers H10D1/62, H10K10/10) - H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 ## Abstract According to one embodiment of a capacitor module, the capacitor module includes a substrate having a metallization on a first side of the substrate, a plurality of connectors electrically coupled to the metallization and a plurality of capacitors disposed on the metallization. The plurality of capacitors includes a first set of capacitors electrically connected in parallel between a first set of the connectors and a second set of the connectors. The capacitor module further includes a housing enclosing the plurality of capacitors within the capacitor module. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A capacitor module, comprising: a substrate having a metallization on a first side of the substrate; a plurality of connectors electrically coupled to the metallization; a plurality of capacitors disposed on the metallization and including a first set of capacitors electrically connected in parallel between a first set of the connectors and a second set of the connectors; and a housing enclosing the plurality of capacitors within the capacitor module so that the capacitors are enclosed on all sides, wherein at least some of the plurality of connectors extend through the housing so that part of these connectors is outside the housing; wherein the substrate comprises a ceramic substrate with the metallization disposed on a first side of the ceramic substrate and an additional metallization disposed on a second opposing side of the ceramic substrate, and wherein at least part of the additional metallization is exposed through an opening in the housing. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A capacitor module according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of capacitors are ceramic capacitors. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A capacitor module according to claim 1, wherein the first set of connectors are spaced apart over a collective width of the first set of capacitors, and wherein the second set of connectors are spaced apart over the collective width of the first set of capacitors. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A capacitor module according to claim 1, wherein the metallization is patterned and comprises a plurality of elongated regions separated from one another, and wherein the first set of capacitors are connected in parallel between a first pair of the elongated regions and a second set of the plurality of capacitors are connected in parallel between a second pair of the elongated regions. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) A capacitor module according to claim 4, wherein the first and second pairs of elongated regions share a common elongated region, and wherein one end of the capacitors included in the first set and one end of the capacitors included in the second set are connected to the same elongated region. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A capacitor module according to claim 1, wherein at least two capacitors included in the first set of capacitors are stacked one above the other over the substrate and electrically connected in parallel between the first and second sets of connectors. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A capacitor module according to claim 1, wherein a first end of the capacitors included in the first set of capacitors is directly connected to a first elongated region of the metallization and a second opposing end of the capacitors included in the first set of capacitors is electrically connected to a second elongated region of the metallization, the first and second elongated regions being spaced apart from one another. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) A capacitor module according to claim 7, wherein the second end of the capacitors included in the first set of capacitors is directly connected to the second elongated region of the metallization. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A capacitor module according to claim 1, wherein a first end of the plurality of capacitors is directly connected to the metallization and a second opposing end of the plurality of capacitors is spaced apart from the metallization and connected to an electrically conductive layer disposed above the plurality of capacitors with the plurality of capacitors interposed between the electrically conductive layer and the substrate. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) A capacitor module according to claim 9, further comprising spring elements interposed between a first side of the electrically conductive layer and the plurality of capacitors, the spring elements providing an electrical connection between the electrically conductive layer and the second end of the plurality of capacitors. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) A capacitor module according to claim 9, further comprising a material interposed between a second opposing side of the electrically conductive layer and the housing, the material pressing the first side of the electrically conductive layer against the second end of the plurality of capacitors. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) A capacitor module according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of connectors are electrically conductive pins. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) A capacitor module according to claim 1, wherein only first and second rows of the plurality of connectors extend outside the housing, and wherein connections within the housing between the first row of connectors and the metallization are provided by a first metal sheet and connections within the housing between the second row of connectors and the metallization are provided by a second metal sheet. ### Claim 14 A power system, comprising: a cooler; a capacitor module on the cooler, the capacitor module comprising: a substrate having a metallization on a first side of the substrate; a plurality of connectors electrically coupled to the metallization; a plurality of capacitors disposed on the metallization and including at least a first set of capacitors electrically connected in parallel between a first set of the connectors and a second set of the connectors; and a housing enclosing the plurality of capacitors within the capacitor module so that the capacitors are enclosed on all sides, wherein at least some of the plurality of connectors extend through the housing so that part of these connectors is outside the housing; a power semiconductor module on the cooler; and an electrical connection medium electrically connected to the capacitor module through the part of the connectors that extend outside the housing and to the power semiconductor module; wherein the electrical connection medium is a printed circuit board. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) A power system according to claim 14, wherein the first set of connectors is coupled to a first supply voltage of the power semiconductor module via the electrical connection medium and the second set of connectors is coupled to a second supply voltage of the power semiconductor module via the electrical connection medium, and wherein the capacitor module is configured to operate as a DC-link for the power semiconductor module. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) A power system according to claim 14, further comprising one or more additional capacitors separate from the capacitor module and operable to store energy, and wherein the one or more additional capacitors are electrically connected to the electrical connection medium and the capacitor module is configured to operate as a snubber. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) A power system according to claim 14, wherein the first set of connectors are spaced apart over a collective width of the first set of capacitors, and wherein the second set of connectors are spaced apart over the collective width of the first set of capacitors. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) A power system according to claim 14, wherein the metallization is patterned and comprises a plurality of elongated regions separated from one another, and wherein the first set of capacitors are connected in parallel between a first pair of the elongated regions and a second set of the plurality of capacitors are connected in parallel between a second pair of the elongated regions. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) A power system according to claim 14, wherein a first end of the plurality of capacitors is directly connected to the metallization and a second opposing end of the plurality of capacitors is spaced apart from the metallization and connected to an electrically conductive layer disposed above the plurality of capacitors with the plurality of capacitors interposed between the electrically conductive layer and the substrate.