Electric power converter

• US 10,201,118 B2
• Filed: 07/23/2014
• Issued: 02/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Tagei, Hisato
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Jerry
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sul, Stephen S
• Application Number:
  US14/338,677
• Publication Number:
  US 20150029663A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,658 Days
• Field of Search: 361676, 361677, 361678, 361688-690, 361692-693, 257712, 257713, 257721, 257722, 174547, 174548, 312236, 454184
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20127 Natural convection
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/2089 for power electronics, e.g. for inverters for controlling motor

Abstract

The electric power converter has a transformer having a primary coil and a secondary coil, a first circuit section connected to the primary coil side of the transformer, a second circuit section connected to the secondary coil side of the transformer, and a case that accommodates the transformer, the first circuit section, and the second circuit section inside and has a lower opening and an upper opening. An air passage communicated with an exterior of the case is formed inside the case in a vertical direction between the lower opening and the upper opening. At least one of the transformer, the first circuit section, or the second circuit sections is disposed in the air passage.

Claims

1. An electric power converter comprising:

a transformer having a primary coil and a secondary coil;

a first circuit section connected to the primary coil side of the transformer;

a second circuit section connected to the secondary coil side of the transformer; and

a case that accommodates the transformer, the first circuit section, and the second circuit section inside and has a lower opening and an upper opening;

wherein,

the case is composed of a base plate where the transformer, the first circuit section, and the second circuit section are mounted, and a cover fixed to the base plate and covers the transformer, the first circuit section, and the second circuit section, and the base plate is arranged in a plane extending between the lower opening and the upper opening of the case;

an air passage communicated with an exterior of the case is formed inside the case in a vertical direction between the lower opening and the upper opening;

all horizontal circumferences of the air passage, formed inside the case in the vertical direction between the lower opening and the upper opening, are surrounded by a part of the base plate and a part of the cover;

the base plate and the cover each has side partitions, the side partitions divide the air passage into a plurality of air passages; and

at least one of the transformer, the first circuit section, or the second circuit sections is disposed in at least one of the plurality of air passages.

2. The electric power converter according to claim 1, wherein,

the transformer is disposed in one of the plurality of the air passages.

3. The electric power converter according to claim 2, wherein,

the side partitions surrounding the air passage are constituted to function also as a positioner that positions the transformer.

4. The electric power converter according to claim 2, wherein,

the transformer, the first circuit section, and the second circuit section are disposed in one of plurality of the air passages, respectively.

5. The electric power converter according to claim 1, wherein,

there is provided a circuit board that has a control circuit for controlling at least one of the first circuit section or the second circuit section;

and

the circuit board is disposed in the air passage.

6. The electric power converter according to claim 1, wherein,

a lower wall part and an upper wall part are disposed in a lower end and an upper end of the air passage, respectively;

a plurality of holes are provided in the lower wall part and the upper wall part, respectively; and

the lower opening and the upper opening are constituted by the plurality of holes, respectively.

7. The electric power converter according to claim 1, wherein,

a lower end and an upper end of the air passage are blocked by the lower wall part and the upper wall part of the case, respectively;

and

the lower opening and the upper opening are opened toward a horizontal direction in the lower end and the upper end of the cover on a surface opposite to the base plate.

8. The electric power converter according to claim 1, wherein,

a lower projecting plate and an upper projecting plate mounted on the mounting surface are formed in the lower end and the upper end of the base plate, respectively;

the lower projecting plate and the upper projecting plate have gaps between the cover, respectively; and

each gap is configured to the lower opening and the upper opening, respectively.

9. The electric power converter according to claim 1, wherein the side partitions in the case form a second air passage in the case and a third air passage in the case;

wherein the transformer is disposed in the air passage, the first circuit section is disposed in the second air passage, and the second circuit section is disposed in the third air passage.

10. The electric power converter according to claim 9, wherein the air passage having the transformer disposed therein is arranged between the second air passage having the first circuit section disposed therein and the third air passage having the second circuit section disposed therein.

11. The electric power converter according to claim 1, wherein the transformer, the first circuit section, and the second circuit section are disposed in the air passage so that the transformer, the first circuit section, and the second circuit section are aligned in the vertical direction so as to overlap with each other.

12. The electric power converter according to claim 1, wherein the transformer is located, in the vertical direction, between the first circuit section and the second circuit section.