Power conversion device

• US 7,274,569 B2
• Filed: 05/17/2005
• Issued: 09/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Sonoda, Isao
• Primary Examiner(s): CHERVINSKY, BORIS LEO
• Application Number:
  US11/130,248
• Publication Number:
  US 20050259403A1
• Time in Patent Office: 861 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 361/714
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/003 Constructional details, e.g. physical layout, assembly, wiring or busbar connections
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20518 Unevenly distributed heat load, e.g. different sectors at different temperatures, localised cooling, hot spots
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/209 Heat transfer by conduction from internal heat source to heat radiating structure H05K7/20909 takes precedence

Abstract

A power conversion device is downsized by integrally constructing a power conversion module and a control circuit board. The power conversion device includes a power conversion module 11, a control circuit board 21, and a heat sink 12. A case is divided into a module case 13 and a control circuit case 23. In a power conversion module section 10, the power conversion module 11 is thermally coupled to the heat sink 12 and contained in the module case 13 with a radiator fin 12a exposed to outside, one side of the case 13 being open. In a control circuit section 20, the control circuit board 21 is contained in the control circuit case 23, one side of the case 23 being open. Opening sides of the module section 10 and the circuit section 20 are opposite each other, and between which a heat insulating partition wall 30 is inserted.

Claims

1. A power conversion device comprising:

a power conversion module;

a control circuit board on which a control circuit to control said power conversion module is arranged;

a heat sink serving to radiate generated heat of said power conversion module; and

a case that contains therein said power conversion module and said control circuit board;

wherein said case is divided into a module case that contains said power conversion module and a control circuit case that contains said control circuit board;

there are provided a power conversion module section in which said power conversion module and said heat sink are thermally coupled, said power conversion module is contained in said module case in such a manner that a radiator fin of said heat sink is exposed to outside, and one side of said module case is put in an open state; and

a control circuit section in which said control circuit board is contained in said control circuit case, and one side of said control circuit case is put in an open state;

and respective opening sides of said power conversion module section and said control circuit section are opposite to each other, a heat insulating partition wall functioning to do heat rejection is inserted between the opposite portions, and then said power conversion module section and said control circuit section are coupled.

2. The power conversion device according to claim 1, wherein a distance between said power conversion module and said heat insulating partition wall is not more than a predetermined distance, and an air heat insulating barrier is formed between said power conversion module and said heat insulating partition wall.

3. The power conversion device according to claim 1, wherein said heat insulating partition wall is made of a heat insulating material.

4. The power conversion device according to claim 1, wherein said heat insulating partition wall is of laminated structure comprised of a heat conducting plate that is made of a material of high thermal conductivity and a heat insulating plate that is made of a heat insulating material, and is arranged so that said heat conducting plate is on the side of said power conversion module.

5. The power conversion device according to claim 1, wherein said heat insulating partition wall is of laminate structure formed by laminating a heat conducting plate that is made of a material of high thermal conductivity and a heat insulating plate that is made of a heat insulating material, and inserting an air-gap formation member that is made by shaping a corrugated thin plate between said heat conducting plate and said heat insulating plate to form an air gap;

and said heat insulating partition wall is arranged such that said heat conducting plate is on the side of said power conversion module.

6. The power conversion device according to claim 1, wherein a surface on the power conversion module side of said heat insulating partition wall is treated to be a glossy surface of high heat reflectivity.

7. The power conversion device according claim 1, wherein said heat insulating partition wall is of laminated structure comprised of a heat conducting plate that is made of a material of high thermal conductivity and a heat insulating plate that is made of a heat insulating material;

said heat conducting plate is on the side of the power conversion module; and

a radiating piece equipped with a radiator fin is thermally connected to the heat conducting plate on the side of said power conversion module, and is disposed so that the radiator fin of said radiating piece may be externally located.

8. The power conversion device according to claim 1, wherein a module case on the side of said power conversion module is formed integrally with said heat sink using a material of high thermal conductivity.