Cooling structure of electric device

• US 20060291261A1
• Filed: 11/09/2004
• Published: 12/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Ohnishi, Kenichi, Koshi, Torii
• Granted Patent: US 7,453,695 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 363/141
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/003 Constructional details, e.g. physical layout, assembly, wiring or busbar connections
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20927 Liquid coolant without phase change

Abstract

A cooling structure of electric devices in a vehicle is structured to hold an inverter (300) downward of a cooling passage (356), and to hold a condenser (200) upward of the cooling passage (356). The heating value generated by the inverter (300) is larger than the heating value generated by the condenser (200).

Claims

1. A cooling structure of electric devices, comprising:

a first electric device that includes a heater element;

a second electric device that includes a heater element and generates a heating value that is smaller than a heating value generated by the first electric device;

a cooling passage that allows a cooling medium to flow therethrough so as to cool the first electric device and the second electric device;

a first holding member that holds the first electric device so as to be disposed downward of the cooling passage; and

a second holding member that holds the second electric device so as to be disposed upward of the cooling passage.

2. The cooling structure according to claim 1, wherein the first holding member has a recess portion that is formed in an upper surface of the first holding member and includes an opening directed upward so as to allow the cooling medium to flow thereinto, and the second holding member includes a fixture portion that allows the second holding member to be fixed to the first holding member so that the recess portion is covered from above.

3. The cooling structure according to claim 2, wherein the first holding member comprises a plurality of cooling fins each projecting upward from a bottom surface of the recess portion.

4. The cooling structure according to claim 1, wherein the first electric device is an inverter, and the second electric device is at least one of a condenser and a converter;

the first holding member is a member that holds the inverter so as to be disposed downward of the cooling passage; and

the second holding member is a member that holds the at least one of the condenser and the converter so as to be disposed upward of the cooling passage.

5. The cooling structure according to claim 2, wherein the first electric device is an inverter, and the second electric device is at least one of a condenser and a converter;

the first holding member is a member that holds the inverter so as to be disposed downward of the cooling passage; and

the second holding member is a member that holds the at least one of the condenser and the converter so as to be disposed upward of the cooling passage.

6. The cooling structure according to claim 3, wherein the first electric device is an inverter, and the second electric device is at least one of a condenser and a converter;

the first holding member is a member that holds the inverter so as to be disposed downward of the cooling passage; and

the second holding member is a member that holds the at least one of the condenser and the converter so as to be disposed upward of the cooling passage.