Fluid cooled rectifier holding assembly

Claim 2

In a semiconductor rectifier assembly adapted for connection in a high power electrical system: a. at least one semiconductor rectifier device including a semiconductor body in a sealed housing between a pair of main electrodes having external first and second contact surfaces on opposite sides of the housing, said surfaces being disposed parallel to each other and normal to the axis of said device; b. means for mounting said device with its main electrodes held under high clamping pressure, said mounting means including at least one heat dissipating electrode abutting the first contact surface of the device and first electrically conductive means abutting the second contact surface of the device, said heat dissipating electrode comprising: an electrically conductive planar member having a planar surface disposed generally parallel to and abutting said first contact surface; another electrically conductive member having means for connecting the heat dissipating electrode to said power system; and a plurality of electrically conductive force transmitting heat radiating elements extending in parallel with one another between said members and in intimate heat and electrical engagement with said members, said elements and said members forming a pluraltiy of parallel cooling fluid passages disposed immediately adjacent said planar surface and c. force applying means for applying a clamping force to said heat dissipating electrode and to said first electrically conductive means to force the planar surface of said electrode into intimate heat and electrical engagement with said first contact surface and to force the first electrically conductive means into intimate electrical engagement with said second contact surface, said clamping force being transmitted through said heat dissipating electrode via both of said members and the heat dissipating elements and coaxial with the rectifier device so that only axial rectifier clamping pressure results.

Claim 3

The semiconductor rectifier assembly as specified in claim 1 wherein said first electrically conductive means is a second heat dissipating electrode comprising a first electrically conductive planar member having a planar surface disposed generally parallel to and abutting said second contact surface, a second electrically conductive member having means for connecting said second heat dissipating electrode to said power system, and a plurality of force transmitting heat radiating elements extending in parallel with one another between said first and second members and in intimate heat and electrical engagement with said members, said elements and said members forming a plurality of parallel cooling fluid passages disposed immediately adjacent the planar surface of said first member; and wherein said force applying means forces the planar surface of said first member into intimate heat and electrical engagement with said second contact surface.

Claim 4

In a semiconductor rectifier assembly adapted for connection in a high power electrical system: a. a pair of semiconductor rectifier devices each including a semiconductor body in a sealed housing between a pair of main electrodes having external first and second contact surfaces on opposite sides of the housing, the axes of said devices being disposed parallel to one another and said contact surfaces being disposed parallel to each other and normal to the axes of said devices; b. means for mounting said devices with their main electrodes held under high clamping pressure, said mounting means comprising: a pair of heat dissipating electrodes disposed on opposite sides of said devices for transmitting a high clamping pressure thereto, each of said heat dissipating electrodes comprising: a first electrically conductive planar member having at least one planar surface disposed generally parallel to and abutting said contact surfaces; a second electrically conductive member adapted to be connected to said power system; and a plurality of electrically conductive force transmitting-heat dissipating fins disposed between and connected to said members and in intimate heat and electrical engagement with said first member, said fins and said members being arranged to form a plurality of parallel cooling fluid passages disposed immediately adjacent said planar surface; and c. force applying means for applying a clamping force to said opposed heat dissipating electrodes to force the planar surface of one of said electrodes into intimate heat and electrical engagement with the first contact surfaces of said devices and to force the planar surface of the other of said electrodes into intimate heat and electrical engagement with the second contact surfaces of said devices, said clamping force being transmitted through said first and second members and the heat dissipating fins and coaxial with the rectifier devices so that only axial rectifier clamping results.

Claim 5

In a semiconductor rectifier assembly adapted for connection in a high power electrical system: a. a pair of semiconductor rectifier devices each including a semiconductor body in a sealed housing between a pair of main electrodes having external first and second contact surfaces on opposite sides of the housing, the axes of said devices being disposed parallel to one another and said contact surfaces being disposed parallel to each other and normal to the axes of said devices; b. means for mounting said devices with their main electrodes held under high clamping pressure, said mounting means comprising: a pair of heat dissipating electrodes disposed on opposite sides of said devices for transmitting a high clamping pressure thereto, each of said heat dissipating electrodes comprising: a first electrically conductive planar member having at least one planar surface disposed generally parallel to and abutting said contact surfaces; a second electrically conductive member adapted to be connected to said power system; and a plurality of electrically conductive force transmitting-heat dissipating fins disposed between and connected to said members and in intimate heat and electrical engagement with said first member, said fins and said members being arranged to form a plurality of parallel cooling fluid passages disposed immediately adjacent said planar surface; and c. force applying means for applying a clamping force to said opposed heat dissipating electrodes to force the planar surface of one of said electrodes into intimate heat and electrical engagement with the first contact surfaces of said devices and to force the planar surface of the other of said electrodes into intimate heat and electrical engagement with the second contact surfaces of said devices, said clamping force being transmitted through said first and second members and the heat dissipating fins and coaxial with the rectifier devices so that only axial rectifier clamping results.

Claim 6

The assembly as specified in claim 3 wherein said force applying means comprises: a two ended tension member passing through said heat dissipating electrodes and extending centrally among and parallel to the axes of said devices, first resilient means disposed between one end of the tension member and selected points on the second member of one heat dissipating electrode, said selected points lying on the axes of said devices; and second resilient means disposed between the other end of the tension member and selected points on the second member of the other heat dissipating electrode, said selected points lying on the axes of said devices.

Claim 7

The assembly as specified in claim 4 wherein said tension member comprises an elongated tie bolt electrically insulated from one of said heat dissipating electrodes and wherein said resilient means are leaf springs.

Claim 8

In a semiconductor rectifier assembly adapted for connection in a high power electrical system: a. first and second semiconductor rectifier devices each including a semiconductor body in a sealed housing between a pair of main electrodes having external first and second contact surfaces on opposite sides of the housing, said devices being disposed coaxially with one another and said surfaces being disposed parallel to each other and normal to the axes of said devices, the first contact surface of the second device being disposed adjacent the second contact surface of the first device; b. means for mounting said devices with their main electrodes held under high clamping pressure, said mounting means comprising: i. a pair of heat dissipating electrodes, one electrode being disposed adjacent the first contact surface of the first device and one electrode body being disposed adjacent the second contact surface of the second device, each of said heat dissipating electrodes comprising: a first electrically conductive planar member having at least one planar surface disposed generally parallel to and abutting said contact surfaces; a second electrically conductive member adapted to be connected to said power system; and a plurality of electrically conductive force transmitting heat dissipating fins disposed between and connected to said members and in intimate heat and electrical engagement with said first member, said fins and said members being arranged to form a plurality of parallel cooling fluid passages immediately adjacent said planar surface; ii. a third heat dissipating electrode disposed between said devices comprising: a third electrically conductive planar member having at least one planar surface disposed generally parallel to and abutting the second contact surface of said first device; a fourth electrically conductive planar member having at least one planar surface disposed generally parallel to and abutting the first contact surface of said second device; and a plurality of electrically conductive force transmitting heAt dissipating fins disposed between and connected in intimate heat and electrical engagement with said third and fourth members to form a plurality of parallel cooling fluid passages, and c. force applying means for applying a clamping force to said heat dissipating electrodes to force the planar surfaces and the abutting contact surfaces into intimate heat and electrical engagement with one another, said clamping force being transmitted through all of said members and the heat dissipating fins and coaxial with the devices so that only axial clamping pressure results.

Claim 9

In a semiconductor rectifier assembly adapted for connection in a high power electrical system: a. first and second semiconductor rectifier devices each including a semiconductor body in a sealed housing between a pair of main electrodes having external first and second contact surfaces on opposite sides of the housing, said devices being disposed coaxially with one another and said surfaces being disposed parallel to each other and normal to the axes of said devices, the first contact surface of the second device being disposed adjacent the second contact surface of the first device; b. means for mounting said devices with their main electrodes held under high clamping pressure, said mounting means comprising: i. a pair of heat dissipating electrodes, one electrode being disposed adjacent the first contact surface of the first device and one electrode body being disposed adjacent the second contact surface of the second device, each of said heat dissipating electrodes comprising: a first electrically conductive planar member having at least one planar surface disposed generally parallel to and abutting said contact surfaces; a second electrically conductive member adapted to be connected to said power system; and a plurality of electrically conductive force transmitting heat dissipating fins disposed between and connected to said members and in intimate heat and electrical engagement with said first member, said fins and said members being arranged to form a plurality of parallel cooling fluid passages immediately adjacent said planar surface; ii. a third heat dissipating electrode disposed between said devices comprising: a third electrically conductive planar member having at least one planar surface disposed generally parallel to and abutting the second contact surface of said first device; a fourth electrically conductive planar member having at least one planar surface disposed generally parallel to and abutting the first contact surface of said second device; and a plurality of electrically conductive force transmitting heAt dissipating fins disposed between and connected in intimate heat and electrical engagement with said third and fourth members to form a plurality of parallel cooling fluid passages, and c. force applying means for applying a clamping force to said heat dissipating electrodes to force the planar surfaces and the abutting contact surfaces into intimate heat and electrical engagement with one another, said clamping force being transmitted through all of said members and the heat dissipating fins and coaxial with the devices so that only axial clamping pressure results.

Claim 10

The semiconductor rectifier assembly of claim 1 wherein the cross-sectional area of said plurality of elements is substantially less than the cross-sectional area of said plurality of cooling fluid passages.