US-20260130269-A1 - ELECTRICAL DEVICE, METHOD FOR PRODUCING AN ELECTRICAL DEVICE

Abstract

An electrical device having a component which is at least partially covered with a gel, and a printed circuit board having an end face, on which a metal layer is applied, which metal layer covers the end face at least partially. The metal layer is at least partially covered by the gel, and the metal layer physically insulates the end face from the gel completely.

Inventors

• Matthias Duchrau
• Alexander Kuschel

Assignees

• Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG

Dates

Publication Date

20260507

Application Date

20230803

Priority Date

20220809

Claims (20)

1. 1 . (canceled)
2. 2 . (canceled)
3. 3 . (canceled)
4. 4 . (canceled)
5. 5 . (canceled)
6. 6 . (canceled)
7. 7 . (canceled)
8. 8 . (canceled)
9. 9 . (canceled)
10. 10 . (canceled)
11. 11 . (canceled)
12. 12 . (canceled)
13. 13 . (canceled)
14. 14 . (canceled)
15. 15 . An electrical device (V). having: a gel; a component (LM) which is at least partially covered with the gel (VG); a printed circuit board (LP), further comprising: an end face (SS), on which a metal layer is applied, which metal layer covers the end face (SS) at least partially; wherein the metal layer (MS) is at least partially covered by the gel (VG), and the metal layer (MS) physically insulates the end face (SS) from the gel (VG) completely.
16. 16 . The electrical device (V) of claim 1 , wherein the component (LM) is an electronics module or an electronic component.
17. 17 . The electrical device (V) of claim 1 , wherein the printed circuit board (LP) is a printed circuit board with fiber-reinforced plastic.
18. 18 . The electrical device (V) of claim 1 , further comprising: a driver/control circuit (TS) is formed on the printed circuit board (LP); wherein the driver/control circuit operates and/or controls the component (LM).
19. 19 . The electrical device (V) of claim 1 , the printed circuit board (LP) further comprising: at least one electrical conductor track (LB); wherein the metal layer (MS) is applied to the end face (SS) in the same metallization process of the at least one electrical conductor track (LB).
20. 20 . The electrical device (V) of claim 1 , wherein the metal layer (MS) is galvanically deposited on the end face (SS).

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to PCT Application PCT/EP 2023/071577, filed Aug. 3, 2023, which claims priority to German Patent Application No. DE 10 2022 208 289.3, filed Aug. 9, 2022. The disclosures of the above applications are incorporated herein by reference. FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an electric (power) device, such as e.g. (power) inverter, (power) DC-to-DC voltage converter, such as for an electrically driven motor vehicle. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for producing a device of this type. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Electric (power) devices, such as e.g. (power) inverters, (power) DC-to-DC voltage converters, are known and are used inter alia in electric drives, such as for electrically driven motor vehicles. Devices of this type, owing to the fields of use thereof, e.g. in motor vehicles, are exposed to strong environmental influences, such as e.g. strong temperature change influences. As is usual with all technical devices, there is also the general requirement for the abovementioned devices to be highly reliable. The object of the present application is therefore to increase the reliability of the abovementioned device. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This object is achieved by the subject matter described. According to a first aspect of the invention, an electrical device, such as an electric power device, is provided, specifically for an electrically driven motor vehicle. The device has a component (or a circuit component) which is at least partially, and may be completely, covered, or sealed, with a gel. Here, the gel protects the component from environmental influences and voltage flashovers. The device further has a printed circuit board (or a plastic-based circuit carrier) which has an end face (which is not or cannot be populated). A metal layer is applied on the end face of the printed circuit board, which metal layer covers the end face at least partially, or completely. The metal layer is at least partially, or completely, covered by the gel. In this case, the metal layer physically insulates or separates the end face from the gel completely, so that the end face is not in direct physical contact with the gel or does not (not even at least partially) come into contact directly (that is to say without the metal layer lying therebetween) with the gel. The printed circuit board has an end face which is located facing the gel and is provided with a metal layer as an edge metallization. The end face of the printed circuit board is one of the (cut) sides or side faces of the printed circuit board, which is not or cannot be populated. The gel, which primarily covers the component (which is not the previously mentioned printed circuit board) of the device and thus seals the same, reaches as far as the metal layer and covers the same at least partially. The metal layer insulates or separates the end face of the printed circuit board and also the printed circuit board from the gel and is used as a barrier between the gel on the one hand and the end face of the printed circuit board or the printed circuit board on the other hand and thus prevents physical contact between the gel on the one hand and the end face of the printed circuit board. Degassings of the printed circuit board—for example at the end face thereof, which may occur in the event of a direct physical contact with the gel and under temperature change influences and may influence required requirements with respect to high voltage endurance and protection from other environmental influences—are effectively suppressed by the arrangement of the metal layer on the end face of the printed circuit board and physical insulation of the end face of the printed circuit board from the gel that has taken place as a result. The end face of the printed circuit board no longer contributes to the degassing of the printed circuit board thanks to the edge metallization with the metal layer. Therefore, one possibility is provided for configuring the abovementioned device to be more stable with respect to the temperature change influences and thus for increasing the reliability of the device as a whole. The component may be an electronic module or a power electronics module, such as a switchable half bridge, or a part of this module, or an electronic or power electronics component, such as an unhoused or housing-less and therefore bare semiconductor switch or power semiconductor switch of the device, which should be protected from environmental influences, such as e.g. from the moisture. The printed circuit board may in this case be a printed circuit board with fiber-reinforced plastic. A driver/control circuit for operating and/or for controlling the component may be formed on the printed circuit board, wherein the component may be formed as a (power) electronics module or a (power) semiconductor switch. For example, the printed circuit board has at least one electrical