Fixing and protecting arrangement for a capacitor

• US 6,972,941 B2
• Filed: 06/01/2004
• Issued: 12/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vacon Oy (Danfoss A/S)
• Original Assignee: Vacon Oyj (Danfoss A/S)
• Inventors: Koskinen, Timo, Miettinen, Osmo, Norrena, Juha, Palomäki, Leo
• Primary Examiner(s): Thomas, Eric W.
• Application Number:
  US10/856,956
• Publication Number:
  US 20050007725A1
• Time in Patent Office: 553 Days
• Field of Search: 361/32, 361/541, 361/522, 361/272, 361/274.1, 361/274.2, 361/274.3, 361/321.6
• US Class Current: 361/274.3
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 2/08 Cooling arrangements; Heating arrangements; Ventilating arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 4/38 Multiple capacitors, i.e. structural combinations of fixed capacitors

Abstract

The present invention relates to a fixing and protecting arrangement for a capacitor. The arrangement comprises a cooling element, one or more recesses arranged in the cooling element, and a capacitor intended to be fixed into each recess. The arrangement is characterized in that it comprises one or more recesses arranged in the cooling element, in which recess the capacitor is intended to be arranged in such a way that the lower surface of the capacitor is in contact with the cooling element for transferring heat from the capacitor to the cooling element.

Claims

1. A fixing and protecting arrangement for a capacitor, comprising:

a capacitor, the capacitor including a lower surface, an upper surface and a longitudinal axis;

a cooling element;

a fixing member configured to fix the capacitor to the cooling element; and

at least one recess arranged in the cooling element, into which recess the capacitor is configured to be arranged in such a way that the lower surface of the capacitor is in contact with the cooling element to transfer heat from the capacitor to the cooling element;

wherein the fixing member comprises a fixing plate arranged against the upper surface of the capacitor, the fixing plate being configured to direct forces at the capacitor in a direction of the longitudinal axis of the capacitor.

2. A fixing and protecting arrangement for a capacitor according to claim 1, wherein an adapter collar is arranged between the capacitor and the cooling element.

3. A fixing and protecting arrangement for a capacitor according to claim 2, wherein the recess includes:

a deeper portion closer to an outer periphery thereof, to which a lower portion of the adapter collar is mountable, and

an inner portion, to which the lower surface of the capacitor is mountable.

4. A fixing and protecting arrangement for a capacitor according to claim 2, wherein the upper portion of the adapter collar is arranged to protrude to support the capacitor in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the capacitor.

5. A fixing and protecting arrangement for a capacitor according to claim 1, wherein the fixing plate comprises fixing members configured to fix the fixing plate to the cooling element.

6. A fixing and protecting arrangement for a capacitor according to claim 1, wherein the fixing plate includes openings through which the capacitor is connectable.

7. A fixing and protecting arrangement for a capacitor according to claim 1, wherein the fixing plate includes at least one fixing member configured to direct forces at the capacitor in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the capacitor.

8. A fixing and protecting arrangement for a capacitor according to claim 1, wherein an insulating film is arranged between the capacitor and the cooling element.

9. A fixing and protecting arrangement according to claim 1, wherein heat-conducting paste is arranged between the capacitor and the cooling element.

10. A fixing and protecting arrangement for a capacitor according to claim 1, wherein the fixing plate comprises fixing means which are arranged to have flexibility with an adapted moment of force when attaching the fixing plate over the capacitor thereby reducing the risk of over tightening when fixing the fixing plate.