Three-phase inverter for motor

• US 10,230,289 B2
• Filed: 07/07/2017
• Issued: 03/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), Kia Motors Corporation (Kia Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), Kia Motors Corporation (Kia Corp.)
• Inventors: Kim, Yun Ho
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, James
• Assistant Examiner(s): Matey, Michael A
• Application Number:
  US15/644,550
• Publication Number:
  US 20180175709A1
• Time in Patent Office: 613 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 11/33 Drive circuits, e.g. power electronics H02K11/38 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/003 Constructional details, e.g. physical layout, assembly, wiring or busbar connections
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1432 specially adapted for power drive units or power converters
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/14329 specially adapted for the configuration of power bus bars
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20436 Inner thermal coupling elements in heat dissipating housings, e.g. protrusions or depressions integrally formed in the housing
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/2089 for power electronics, e.g. for inverters for controlling motor
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/209 Heat transfer by conduction from internal heat source to heat radiating structure H05K7/20909 takes precedence

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a three-phase inverter system for a motor, which supplies three-phase power to a motor. The three-phase inverter system includes first, second, and third output units, and first, second, and third capacitors configured to supply power to the respective first, second, and third output units. The first output unit, the first capacitor, the second output unit, the second capacitor, the third output unit, and the third capacitor are radially arranged to form a hexagonal shape.

Claims

1. A three-phase inverter for supplying three-phase power to a motor, the three-phase inverter comprising:

a hexagonal body comprising six sides;

first, second, and third output units; and

first, second, and third capacitors configured to supply power to the respective first, second, and third output units,

wherein the first output unit is located on a first one of the six sides, the first capacitor is located on a second one of the six sides, the second output unit is located on a third one of the six sides, the second capacitor is located on a fourth one of the six sides, the third output unit is located on a fifth one of the six sides, and the third capacitor is located on a sixth one of the six sides,

wherein the first capacitor is disposed between the first output unit and the second output unit,

wherein the second capacitor is disposed between the second output unit and the third output unit,

wherein the third capacitor is disposed between the third output unit and the first output unit.

2. The three-phase inverter according to claim 1, wherein:

the first output unit comprises a first frame, a first power module installed to the first frame so as to convert the power supplied from the first capacitor into V-phase power and supply the V-phase power to the motor, and a first cooler installed to the first frame to cool the first power module and the first and third capacitors;

the second output unit comprises a second frame, a second power module installed to the second frame so as to convert the power supplied from the second capacitor into U-phase power and supply the U-phase power to the motor, and a second cooler installed to the second frame to cool the second power module and the second and first capacitors; and

the third output unit comprises a third frame, a third power module installed to the third frame so as to convert the power supplied from the third capacitor into W-phase power and supply the W-phase power to the motor, and a third cooler installed to the third frame to cool the third power module and the third and first capacitors.

3. The three-phase inverter according to claim 1, further comprising:

a bus bar disposed on one surface of hexagonal structure formed by the first output unit, the first capacitor, the second output unit, the second capacitor, the third output unit, and the third capacitor so as to supply power to each of the first, second, and third capacitors.

4. The three-phase inverter according to claim 3, wherein the bus bar comprises a positive plate connected to an anode of a battery and a negative plate connected to a cathode of the battery, the positive and negative plates being laminated to each other in an insulated state.

5. The three-phase inverter according to claim 4, wherein:

the positive plate has a positive input terminal connected to the battery, a first positive terminal connected to the first capacitor, a second positive terminal connected to the second capacitor, and a third positive terminal connected to the third capacitor; and

the negative plate has a negative input terminal connected to the battery, a first negative terminal connected to the first capacitor, a second negative terminal connected to the second capacitor, and a third negative terminal connected to the third capacitor.

6. The three-phase inverter according to claim 5, further comprising a housing configured to surround the first output unit, the first capacitor, the second output unit, the second capacitor, the third output unit, and the third capacitor,

wherein the housing is opened at one side thereof so as to allow the power supplied from the first, second, and third output units to be transmitted to the motor, and has input holes formed at the other side thereof so as to allow power to be supplied to the second and third capacitors.

7. The three-phase inverter according to claim 6, wherein the positive and negative input terminals are formed at positions at which ends thereof correspond to the input holes.