Alternator power converter

• US 6,215,679 B1
• Filed: 05/23/2000
• Issued: 04/10/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Maekawa, Hirotoshi, Yamane, Toshinori
• Primary Examiner(s): BERHANE, ADOLF D
• Application Number:
  US09/576,200
• Time in Patent Office: 322 Days
• Field of Search: 363/131, 363/132, 363/95, 363/98, 363/16, 363/17, 363/39
• US Class Current: 363/132
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48137 the bodies being arranged next to each other, e.g. on a common substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/16 the devices being of types provided for in two or more different main groups of groups H01L27/00 - H01L33/00, or in a single subclass of H10K, H10N, e.g. forming hybrid circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/18 the devices being of types provided for in two or more different subgroups of the same main group of groups H01L27/00 - H01L33/00, or in a single subclass of H10K, H10N
• 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 2924/00012 Relevant to the scope of the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01057 Lanthanum [La]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01068 Erbium [Er]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/1305 Bipolar Junction Transistor [BJT]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/13055 Insulated gate bipolar transistor [IGBT]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/13091 Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor [MOSFET]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/181 Encapsulation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/19041 being a capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/19107 off-chip wires
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/30107 Inductance
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/3025 Electromagnetic shielding
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/003 Constructional details, e.g. physical layout, assembly, wiring or busbar connections
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 9/002 with localised screening

Abstract

The present invention provides an alternator having a small size and a high reliability wherein, the alternator is equipped with a switching power module 1 having a resin case 13 housing switching elements 2 and a driving circuit section 5, a smoothing capacitor 7 for smoothing a direct current output supplied to the switching elements 2, a control circuit section 6 for outputting a control signal to the driving circuit section 5 and a cooling member 24; a ceramic capacitor is used as the smoothing capacitor; a smoothing capacitor board 25 for mounting the smoothing capacitor 7 is disposed between an insulating board mounting with the switching elements 2 and a driving circuit board 18 mounting with the driving circuit section 5; and the smoothing capacitor board 25 functions also as an electromagnetic shielding plate for protecting the driving circuit section 5 against the switching noise of the switching elements.

Claims

1. An alternator for converting direct current to alternating current comprising:

a switching power module having a switching elements for converting power by switching, a driving circuit section for driving the switching element and a resin case for housing the switching element;

a smoothing capacitor for smoothing power output of a DC power source supplied to the switching element;

a control circuit section for outputting a control signal to the driving circuit section for control operation of the switching element;

and a cooling member for cooling the switching element, wherein,

a ceramic capacitor is used as the smoothing capacitor and a smoothing capacitor board for mounting the smoothing capacitor is provided in the switching power module between an insulating board for mounting the switching element and a driving circuit board for mounting the driving circuit section, and the smoothing capacitor board functions also as an electromagnetic shielding plate for protecting the driving circuit section against switching noise from the switching element.

2. An alternator according to claim 1 characterized in that,

the smoothing capacitor and smoothing capacitor board are electrically connected via a smoothing capacitor mounting member having a flexible lead portion.

3. An alternator according to claim 1 characterized in that,

the smoothing capacitor is fixed to the smoothing capacitor board by means of a smoothing capacitor fixing member made of a material with good heat conducting properties.