Power Inverter

• US 20070246635A1
• Filed: 04/05/2007
• Published: 10/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Astemo Ltd. (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: NAKAJIMA, Kenichiro, Hamada, Haruki, Suzuki, Hideyo
• Granted Patent: US 7,957,169 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 248/637
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/02 comprising more than one electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/003 with means for cooling the electrical propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/26 characterised by the motors or the generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/405 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/48 Parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/003 Constructional details, e.g. physical layout, assembly, wiring or busbar connections
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 27/06 using dc to ac converters or inverters H02P27/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20927 Liquid coolant without phase change
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles

Abstract

A power inverter comprises at least a box-shaped housing; and a power module, a smoothing capacitor, a base plate made of a flat plate, and a rotating electric machine control circuit board arranged in order in the housing. The base plate is arranged with the fringes fixed to the inner wall surfaces of the housing, and the smoothing capacitor and rotating electric machine control circuit board are fixed.

Claims

1. A power inverter connected to a rotating electric machine which is installed in a vehicle, comprising:

an approximately box-shaped housing; and

a power module, a capacitor module, a base plate, and a rotating electric machine control circuit board which are arranged in order in said housing;

wherein said base plate is fixed to the inside of said housing, and

wherein said capacitor module and said rotating electric machine control circuit board are fixed to said base plate.

2. A power inverter for rotating electric machine which is installed in a vehicle, comprising:

a metal housing;

a metal coolant channel body having a coolant channel therein, said coolant channel body being installed at the bottom of said housing;

a power module having power semiconductors therein, and being arranged in said housing;

a capacitor arranged in said housing;

a rotating electric machine control circuit arranged in the housing;

a DC power terminal and an AC power terminal which are attached to said housing; and

a metal cover arranged at the top of said housing,

said rotating electric machine control circuit generating a signal for controlling the rotating electric machine, said power semiconductors of said power module operating based on the signal so that the direct current supplied from said DC power terminal be converted to alternating current which is then supplied to the rotating electric machine from said AC power terminal;

wherein said power module is fixed so that the cooling surface of said power module be on the side of said coolant channel body;

wherein a metal base plate is arranged between said account power module and said metal cover, said metal base plate being fixed to said metal housing; and

wherein said capacitor and said rotating electric machine control circuit are fixed to said metal base plate.

3. A power inverter for rotating electric machine which is installed in a vehicle, comprising:

a metal housing;

a metal coolant channel body having a coolant channel therein, and being installed at the bottom of said housing;

a power module having power semiconductors therein, and being arranged in said housing;

a rotating electric machine control circuit arranged in said housing;

a DC power terminal and an AC power terminal which are attached to said housing; and

a metal cover arranged at the top of said housing,

said rotating electric machine control circuit generating a control signal for controlling the rotating electric machine, said power semiconductors electrically connected with said DC power terminal operating based on the control signal to control the rotating electric machine connected to said AC power terminal;

wherein said power module having a cooling fin is fixed so that said cooling fin projects into the channel in said coolant channel body;

wherein a metal base plate is arranged between said account power module and said metal cover, said metal base plate being fixed to said metal housing; and

wherein said rotating electric machine control circuit is fixed to said metal base plate.

4. A power inverter for rotating electric machine which is installed in a vehicle, comprising:

a metal housing;

a metal coolant channel body having a coolant channel therein, and being installed at the bottom of said housing;

a power module having power semiconductors therein, and being arranged in said housing;

a capacitor arranged in said housing; and

a metal cover arranged at the top of said housing;

wherein said power module having a cooling fin is fixed so that said cooling fin projects into the channel in said coolant channel body;

wherein a metal base plate is arranged between the account power module and the metal cover, and being fixed to said metal housing; and

wherein said capacitor is fixed to said metal base plate.

5. A power inverter for rotating electric machine which is installed in a vehicle, comprising:

a metal housing;

a metal coolant channel body having a coolant channel therein, and being installed at the bottom of said housing;

two or more power modules arranged in parallel in said housing; and

a rotating electric machine control circuit board arranged in said housing;

wherein an AC power terminal is installed in said housing;

wherein each of said two or more power modules has a DC input terminal and an AC output terminal;

wherein each of said two or more power modules is fixed in parallel, while said AC output terminal is positioned on the sides of said housing and said DC input terminal at the center; and

wherein said AC output terminal of said two or more power modules is electrically connected with said AC power terminal.

6. The power inverter for rotating electric machine which is installed in a vehicle according to claim 5, wherein

said metal housing has a capacitor therein, said capacitor being fixed so that a terminal of said capacitor be positioned at the center of said housing;

a conductor for electrically connecting said DC input terminal of said power module and the terminal of said capacitor is arranged at the center in said housing; and

a conductor for electrically connecting said AC output terminal of said power module and said AC power terminal is arranged on an inner side of said housing.

7. The power inverter for rotating electric machine which is installed in a vehicle according to claim 5, wherein

each power module has a cooling surface provided with a cooling fin;

said coolant channel body has a plurality of openings corresponding to said power module; and

said cooling fin projects into said coolant channel from said openings, and said openings are closed by said cooling surface.

15. The power inverter for rotating electric machine which is installed in a vehicle according to claim 7, wherein

said box-shaped housing is further provided with a noise reduction board including noise reduction parts, said noise reduction board being a different board from said rotating electric machine control circuit board.

16. The power inverter for rotating electric machine which is installed in a vehicle according to claim 6, wherein

each power module has a cooling surface provided with a cooling fin;

said coolant channel body has a plurality of openings corresponding to said power module; and

said cooling fin projects into said coolant channel from said openings, and said openings are closed by said cooling surface.

8. A power inverter, wherein

a metal housing;

a metal coolant channel body having a coolant channel therein, and being installed at the bottom of said housing;

two or more power modules arranged in parallel in said housing;

two or more capacitor modules arranged in parallel in said housing; and

a rotating electric machine control circuit board arranged in said housing;

wherein an AC power terminal is installed in said housing;

wherein each of said two or more power modules has a DC input terminal and an AC output terminal;

wherein each of said two or more power modules is fixed in parallel to said coolant channel body, while the AC output terminal is positioned on the sides of said housing and said DC input terminal is positioned at the center; and

wherein each of said two or more capacitor modules is arranged so that respective terminal be positioned at the center of said housing;

wherein a plate conductor for connecting said AC output terminal of said two power modules and said AC power terminal is arranged on the sides of said housing; and

wherein a plate conductor for electrically connecting said DC input terminal of each power module and the terminal of each capacitor is arranged at the center of said housing.

9. The power inverter according to claim 8, wherein

said power module has a cooling fin;

openings are prepared in said coolant channel body; and

said power module is fixed to said coolant channel body so that said cooling fin projects into said channel from said openings, and said openings of said coolant channel body are closed by said power module.

10. A power inverter for rotating electric machine which is installed in a vehicle, comprising:

a box-shaped housing;

a metal coolant channel body having a coolant channel therein, and being installed at the bottom of said housing;

two or more power modules arranged in parallel in said housing;

two or more capacitor modules arranged in parallel in said housing; and

a rotating electric machine control circuit board arranged in said housing;

wherein an AC power terminal is installed on a side of the box-shaped housing;

wherein each of said two or more power modules has a DC input terminal and an AC output terminal;

wherein each of said two or more power modules is fixed in parallel to said coolant channel body, while said AC output terminal is positioned on the sides and said DC input terminal is positioned at the center of said housing, said modules being fixed on a plane approximately in parallel with the bottom of said housing;

wherein each of said two or more capacitor modules is arranged so that respective terminal be positioned at the center of said housing, said modules being arranged on a plane approximately in parallel with the plane on which said power modules are arranged;

wherein a plate conductor for connecting said AC output terminal of said two power modules and said AC power terminal is arranged on the sides of said housing; and

wherein a plate conductor for electrically connecting said DC input terminal of each power module and said terminal of each capacitor is arranged at the center of said housing.

11. A power inverter for rotating electric machine, which is installed in a vehicle comprising:

a housing having a coolant channel;

a base plate fixed in said housing;

a power module having a cooling fin, and being arranged in said housing;

a capacitor module arranged in said housing; and

a rotating electric machine control circuit board arranged in said housing;

wherein said power module is fixed to said coolant channel so that said cooling fin projects into said coolant channel;

wherein said capacitor module and said rotating electric machine control circuit board are fixed to said base plate;

wherein an inlet pipe and an outlet pipe of coolant for supplying water to said coolant channel are installed in said housing;

wherein an AC power terminal and a DC power terminal are installed in said housing; and

wherein a plate conductor for passing the alternating current to be supplied to an externally arranged rotating electric machine through said AC power terminal from said power module or passing the alternating current, supplied from the externally arranged rotating electric machine, from said AC power terminal to said power module is installed in said housing;

or a plate conductor for supplying direct current from said DC power terminal to said power module is installed in said housing.

12. A power inverter for rotating electric machine which is installed in a vehicle, comprising:

a box-shaped housing;

a metal coolant channel body having a coolant channel therein, and being installed in said housing;

two or more power modules arranged in parallel in said housing;

two or more capacitor modules arranged in parallel in said housing;

a rotating electric machine control circuit board arranged in said housing; and

a base plate fixed in said housing;

wherein an AC power terminal is installed on a side face of said box-shaped housing;

wherein each of said two or more power modules has a DC input terminal and an AC output terminal;

wherein each of said two or more power modules is fixed in parallel to said coolant channel body, while said AC output terminal is positioned on the sides of said housing and said DC input terminal is positioned at the center, said modules being fixed on a plane approximately in parallel with the bottom of said housing;

wherein said base plate is fixed on a plane approximately in parallel with the bottom of said housing;

wherein each of the two or more capacitor modules is fixed to said base plate so that respective terminal be positioned at the center of said housing;

wherein a plate conductor for connecting said AC output terminal of said two or more power modules and said AC power terminal is arranged on an inner side of said housing; and

wherein a plate conductor for electrically connecting said DC input terminal of each power module and said terminal of each capacitor is arranged at the center of said housing.

13. The power inverter for rotating electric machine which is installed in a vehicle according to claim 12, wherein

said two or more capacitor modules are fixed to the side of said power module of said base plate, and said rotating electric machine control circuit board is fixed to the opposite side of said power module of said base plate.

14. The power inverter for rotating electric machine which is installed in a vehicle according to claim 12, wherein

two AC power terminals respectively connected with two rotating electric machines are installed on a side face of said box-shaped housing;

said AC output terminal of one power module arranged on an inner side of said housing is connected with one AC power terminal by use of a plate conductor; and

said AC output terminal of the other power module arranged on an inner side of said housing is connected with the other AC power terminal by use of a plate conductor fixed along an inner side of said housing.

17. The power inverter for rotating electric machine which is installed in a vehicle according to claim 13, wherein

two AC power terminals respectively connected with two rotating electric machines are installed on a side face of said box-shaped housing;

said AC output terminal of one power module arranged on an inner side of said housing is connected with one AC power terminal by use of a plate conductor; and

said AC output terminal of the other power module arranged on an inner side of said housing is connected with the other AC power terminal by use of a plate conductor fixed along an inner side of said housing.

18. The power inverter for rotating electric machine which is installed in a vehicle according to claim 12, wherein

said box-shaped housing is further provided with a noise reduction board including noise reduction parts, said noise reduction board being a different board from said rotating electric machine control circuit board.

19. The power inverter for rotating electric machine which is installed in a vehicle according to claim 14, wherein

said box-shaped housing is further provided with a noise reduction board including noise reduction parts, said noise reduction board being a different board from said rotating electric machine control circuit board.