POWER CONVERTER

• US 20130028001A1
• Filed: 07/26/2012
• Published: 01/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: YOKOTA, Akio
• Granted Patent: US 8,988,861 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 363/144
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/003 Constructional details, e.g. physical layout, assembly, wiring or busbar connections

Abstract

The power converter includes a power conversion section which configures a circuit for power conversion, a power bus bar extending from the power conversion section, a terminal block, and a current sensor measuring current flowing in the power bus bar. The terminal block includes a mounting surface to which a terminal portion of the power bus bar is mounted. The mounting surface faces a direction substantially perpendicular to an arrangement direction in which the power conversion section and the terminal block are arranged. The current sensor is located at a side of a bottom surface on the opposite side of the mounting surface in the terminal block. The power bus bar includes: a sensor-surrounded portion surrounded by the current sensor; and an outer surface faced portion located between the sensor-surrounded portion and the terminal portion along an outer surface on the opposite side of the power conversion section.

Claims

1. A power converter, comprising:

a power conversion section that configures a circuit for power conversion;

a power bus bar that extends from the power conversion section;

a terminal block that is located at the side in which the power bus bar is extended from the power conversion section, the terminal block including a mounting surface to which a terminal portion of the power bus bar is mounted;

a current sensor that measures current flowing in the power bus bar,

wherein;

the mounting surface faces a direction substantially perpendicular to an arrangement direction in which the power conversion section and the terminal block are arranged;

the current sensor is located at a side of a bottom surface which is a surface on the opposite side of the mounting surface in the terminal block; and

the power bus bar includes

a sensor-surrounded portion which is surrounded by the current sensor, and

an outer surface faced portion which is located between the sensor-surrounded portion and the terminal portion along an outer surface on the opposite side of the power conversion section.

2. The power converter according to claim 1, wherein

the power bus bar includes a nut which is fixed to a surface on the side of the terminal block in the terminal portion,

a concave groove portion is formed on the mounting surface in the terminal block, the concave groove portion having a shape corresponding to an outer shape of the nut, and

the nut is inserted in the concave groove portion.

3. The power converter according to claim 1, wherein:

the power bus bar further includes an engaging claw that is vertically arranged to the side of the mounting surface at an end portion on the opposite side of the outer surface faced portion in the terminal portion; and

the engaging claw is engaged with the terminal block.

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

the power bus bar further includes an engaging claw that is vertically arranged to the side of the mounting surface at an end portion on the opposite side of the outer surface faced portion in the terminal portion; and

the engaging claw is engaged with the terminal block.

5. The power converter according to claim 3, wherein

a vertical height in a height direction, which is an arrangement direction where the current sensor and the terminal block are arranged, is set to be larger than a distance in the height direction between the current sensor and the sensor-surrounded portion on the side of the mounting surface.

6. The power converter according to claim 4, wherein

a vertical height in a height direction, which is an arrangement direction where the current sensor and the terminal block are arranged, is set to be larger than a distance in the height direction between the current sensor and the sensor-surrounded portion on the side of the mounting surface.

7. The power converter according to claim 1, wherein

the mounting surface includes a first mounting surface and a second mounting surfaces;

and

a height position of the first mounting surface in a height direction, which is an arrangement direction where the current sensor and the terminal block are arranged, is set to be lower than that of the second mounting surface.

8. The power converter according to claim 7, further comprising:

a case that holds the power conversion section, the power bus bar, the terminal block, and the current sensor;

a first connection port that is formed in the case at a height position corresponding to the height position of the first mounting surface in the height direction; and

a second connection port that is formed in the case at a height position corresponding to the height position of the second mounting surface in a height direction.

9. The power converter according to claim 8, wherein

an opening portion for the first connection port is formed in the case, the opening portion being inclined outside in such a manner that the height position of the first connection port is substantially identical to that of the second connection port.