POWER CONVERTER

• US 20120044640A1
• Filed: 07/06/2009
• Published: 02/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nexgen Control Systems LLC
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Inventors: Harada, Ryotaro, Takahashi, Tetsuya
• Granted Patent: US 8,599,554 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/688
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/003 with means for cooling the electrical propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2400/61 Arrangements of controllers for electric machines, e.g. inverters
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/003 Constructional details, e.g. physical layout, assembly, wiring or busbar connections
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20163 the components being isolated from air flow, e.g. hollow heat sinks, wind tunnels or funnels
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/209 Heat transfer by conduction from internal heat source to heat radiating structure H05K7/20909 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20909 Forced ventilation, e.g. on heat dissipaters coupled to components

Abstract

A power converter is installed in a casing attached beneath the floor of an electric vehicle. The power converter includes a capacitor unit and a power semiconductor module housed in a hermetically sealed part of the casing closed by a cover for closing an access port, and a cooler installed in an exposed part, the cooler cooling heat generated from the power semiconductor module. The power converter includes a bus bar that electrically connects the power semiconductor module and the capacitor unit, and a conductive bar that electrically connects the capacitor unit and the bus bar. The conductive bar is drawn from the upper surface of the capacitor unit, and is bent into a crank.

Claims

1. A power converter installed in a casing attached beneath the floor of an electric vehicle, the power converter comprising a capacitor unit and a power semiconductor module housed in a hermetically sealed part of the casing closed by a cover for closing an access port, and a cooler installed in an exposed part of the casing, the cooler cooling heat generated from the power semiconductor module,

the power converter comprising:

a bus bar that electrically connects the power semiconductor module and the capacitor unit;

a conductive bar that electrically connects the capacitor unit and the bus bar; and

a bolt inserted from a side of the access port through the bus bar toward the power semiconductor module to be installed between the capacitor unit and the bus bar,

wherein the conductive bar is drawn from an upper surface of the capacitor unit, extends toward the bus bar by a distance corresponding to a sum of a length from a part from which the capacitor unit is drawn to a surface of the capacitor unit closer to the bolt and a height of a head of the bolt, and is bent into a crank.

4. The power converter according to claim 1, wherein the conductive bar does not cross a space extending from the access port, with the space facing a connection end between the bus bar and the conductive bar and is drawn from the upper surface of the capacitor unit.

6. The power converter according to claim 1, wherein the conductive bar does not cross a space extending from the access port, with the space facing a connection end between the bus bar and the conductive bar and is drawn from the upper surface of the capacitor unit.

7. The power converter according to claim 1, wherein the bus bar and the conductive bar are connected via a bolt inserted from the access port toward the bus bar.

13. The power converter according to claim 4, wherein the bus bar and the conductive bar are connected via a bolt inserted from the access port toward the bus bar.

2. A power converter installed in a casing attached beneath the floor of an electric vehicle, the power converter comprising a capacitor unit and a power semiconductor module housed in a hermetically sealed part of the casing closed by a cover for closing an access port;

and a cooler installed in an exposed part of the casing, the cooler cooling heat generated from the power semiconductor module,

the power converter comprising;

a bus bar that electrically connects the power semiconductor module and the capacitor unit;

a conductive bar that electrically connects the capacitor unit and the bus bar; and

a bolt inserted from a side of the access port through the bus bar toward the power semiconductor module to be installed between the capacitor unit and the bus bar,

wherein the conductive bar is drawn from an upper surface of the capacitor unit, extends toward the bus bar by a distance or more, the distance corresponding to a sum of a length from a part from which the capacitor unit is drawn to a surface of the capacitor unit closer to the bolt and a height of a head of the bolt, and is further bent at a position spaced a predetermined distance from the capacitor unit so as to extend away from the capacitor unit and be substantially parallel to the bus bar.

3. The power converter according to claim 2, wherein as the predetermined distance a space for a head of a bolt for fixation of the bus bar to the power semiconductor module is ensured.

5. The power converter according to claim 2, wherein the bus bar and the conductive bar are connected via a bolt inserted from the access port toward the bus bar.

11. The power converter according to claim 3, wherein the conductive bar does not cross a space extending from the access port, with the space facing a connection end between the bus bar and the conductive bar and is drawn from the upper surface of the capacitor unit.

12. The power converter according to claim 3, wherein the bus bar and the conductive bar are connected via a bolt inserted from the access port toward the bus bar.

14. The power converter according to claim 11, wherein the bus bar and the conductive bar are connected via a bolt inserted from the access port toward the bus bar.

8. A power converter installed in a casing attached beneath the floor of an electric vehicle, the power converter comprising a capacitor unit and a power semiconductor module housed in a hermetically sealed part of the casing closed by a cover for closing an access port;

and a cooler installed in an exposed part of the casing, the cooler cooling heat generated from the power semiconductor module,

the power converter comprising;

a bus bar that electrically connects the power semiconductor module and the capacitor unit;

a pair of conductive bars that electrically connects the power semiconductor module and the capacitor unit in a longitudinal direction of the capacitor unit; and

a bolt inserted from a side of the access port through the bus bar toward the power semiconductor module to be installed between the capacitor unit and the bus bar,

wherein the conductive bars are drawn from an upper surface of the capacitor unit, and extend toward the bus bar by a distance or more, the distance corresponding to a sum of a length from a part from which the capacitor unit is drawn to a surface of the capacitor unit closer to the bolt and a height of a head of the bolt.

9. The power converter according to claim 8, wherein the conductive bar does not cross a space extending from the access port, with the space facing a connection end between the bus bar and the conductive bar and is drawn from the upper surface of the capacitor unit.

10. The power converter according to claim 8, wherein the bus bar and the conductive bar are connected via a bolt inserted from the access port toward the bus bar.