POWER CONVERTER

• US 20130314966A1
• Filed: 02/10/2011
• Published: 11/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Sasayama, Shinya
• Granted Patent: US 8,953,353 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 363/141
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/473 by flowing liquids H01L23/4332, H01L23/4338 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/003 Constructional details, e.g. physical layout, assembly, wiring or busbar connections
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/2089 for power electronics, e.g. for inverters for controlling motor
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20927 Liquid coolant without phase change

Abstract

A power converter (100) comprises a cooler (20) having a cooling flow path (21) in which a refrigerant flows, a base plate (31) to which switching elements (32) are attached, a control circuit board (33) on which power-generating elements (34) are attached, and securing pins (40) that secure the base plate (31) onto the lower cooler wall (22) of the cooler (20) and support the control circuit board (33) so as to be spaced apart from the base plate (31). Upper end parts (41) of the securing pins (40) pass through the base plate (31) and the cooler lower wall (22), reaching inside the cooling flow path (21). First pass-through parts (42) of the securing pins for the lower cooler wall (22) are fitted by pressure into the lower cooler wall (22). Support column parts (46) of the securing pins (40) extend in a direction opposite the lower cooler wall (22), and the control circuit board (33) is secured to lower flanges (47) thereof. Thus, power converter can be reduced in size with a simple constitution.

Claims

1. A power converter, which comprises

a cooler having a cooling flow path, through which a refrigerant flows,

a base plate, on which switching elements are mounted;

a control circuit board, on which power-generating elements are mounted, and

securing pins, which securely fix the base plate to a cooling flow path wall of the cooler, and also support the control circuit board a distance from the base plate, characterized in that;

one end of each of the securing pins passes through the base plate and the cooling flow path wall, and reaches inside the cooling flow path, and a part of the securing pin that passes through the cooling flow path wall is fastened to the cooling flow path wall; and

the other end of each of the securing pins is extended to a side opposite to the cooling flow path wall, and the control circuit board is fixed to a distal end of the securing pin.

2. The power converter according to claim 1, characterized in that the power converter is mounted on a transaxle.

3. The power converter according to claim 1, characterized in that the part of each of the securing pins that passes through the cooling flow path wall is fitted by pressure into the cooling flow path wall.

4. The power converter according to claim 2, characterized in that the part of each of the securing pins that passes through the cooling flow path wall is fitted by pressure into the cooling flow path wall.

5. The power converter according to claim 1, characterized in that the power converter is a DC/DC converter.

6. The power converter according to claim. 2, characterized in that the power converter is a DC/DC converter.

7. The power converter according to claim 4, characterized in that the power converter is a DC/DC converter.

8. The power converter according to claim. 2, characterized in that the base plate and the control circuit board of the power converter are arranged between the transaxle and the cooler.

9. The power converter according to claim 4, characterized in that the base plate and the control circuit board of the power converter are arranged between the transaxle and the cooler.

10. The power converter according to claim 7, characterized in that the base plate and the control circuit board of the power converter are arranged between the transaxle and the cooler.

11. The power converter according to claim 1, characterized in that the part of each of the securing pins that passes through the cooling flow path wall is screwed in and secured to the cooling flow path wall.

12. The power converter according to claim 2, characterized in that the part of each of the securing pins that passes through the cooling flow path wall is screwed in and secured to the cooling flow path wall.

13. The power converter according to claim 6, characterized in that the part of each of the securing pins that passes through the cooling flow path wall is screwed in and secured to the cooling flow path wall.

14. The power converter according to claim 8, characterized in that the part of each of the securing pins that passes through the cooling flow path wall is screwed in and secured to the cooling flow path wall.

15. The power converter according to claim 1, characterized in that the control circuit board is fixed to the distal ends of the securing pins by means of bolts that pass through the control circuit board.

16. The power converter according to claim 2, characterized in that the control circuit board is fixed to the distal ends of the securing pins by means of bolts that pass through the control circuit board.

17. The power converter according to claim 3, characterized in that the control circuit board is fixed to the distal ends of the securing pins by means of bolts that pass through the control circuit board.

18. The power converter according to claim 12, characterized in that the control circuit board is fixed to the distal ends of the securing pins by means of bolts that pass through the control circuit board.