Cooling structure of electric device

• US 7,453,695 B2
• Filed: 11/09/2004
• Issued: 11/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Ohnishi, Kenichi, Torii, Koshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Gandhi; Jayprakash N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hoffberg; Robert J
• Application Number:
  US10/556,586
• Publication Number:
  US 20060291261A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,470 Days
• Field of Search: 361699-703, 165/80.4, 165/80.5, 165/104.33, 622/592, 363/141
• US Class Current: 361/689
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/003 Constructional details, e.g. physical layout, assembly, wiring or busbar connections
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20927 Liquid coolant without phase change

Abstract

A cooling structure of electric devices in a vehicle is structured to hold an inverter (300) downward of a cooling passage (356), and to hold a condenser (200) upward of the cooling passage (356). The heating value generated by the inverter (300) is larger than the heating value generated by the condenser (200).

Claims

1. A cooling structure of electric devices, comprising:

a first electric device that includes one or more first heater elements, all of the one or more first heater elements being disposed only on one side of a cooling passage;

a second electric device that includes one or more second hater elements, all of the one or more second heater elements being disposed only on another side of the cooling passage and the second electric device generates a heating value that is smaller than a heating value generated by the first electric device;

a cooling passage that allows a cooling medium to flow therethrough so as to cool the first electric device and the second electric device;

a first holding member that holds the first electric device so as to be disposed downward of the cooling passage; and

a second holding member that holds the second electric device so as to be disposed upward of the cooling passage,

wherein the first electric device is an inverter.

2. The cooling structure according to claim 1, wherein the first holding member has a recess portion that is formed in an upper surface of the first holding member and includes an opening directed upward so as to allow the cooling medium to flow thereinto, and the second holding member includes a fixture portion that allows the second holding member to be fixed to the first holding member so that the recess portion is covered from above.

3. The cooling structure according to claim 2, wherein the first holding member comprises a plurality of cooling fins each projecting upward from a bottom surface of the recess portion.

4. The cooling structure according to claim 3, wherein the second electric device is at least one of a condenser and a converter;

the first holding member is a member that holds the inverter so as to be disposed downward of the cooling passage; and

the second holding member is a member that holds the at least one of the condenser and the converter so as to be disposed upward of the cooling passage.

5. The cooling structure according to claim 2, wherein the second electric device is at least one of a condenser and a converter;

the first holding member is a member that holds the inverter so as to be disposed downward of the cooling passage; and

the second holding member is a member that holds the at least one of the condenser and the converter so as to be disposed upward of the cooling passage.

6. The cooling structure according to claim 1, wherein the second electric device is at least one of a condenser and a converter;

the first holding member is a member that holds the inverter so as to be disposed downward of the cooling passage; and

the second holding member is a member that holds the at least one of the condenser and the converter so as to be disposed upward of the cooling passage.

7. The cooling structure according to claim 1, wherein at least one bus bar connects the first and second electrical devices.

8. The cooling structure according to claim 1, wherein positive and negative bus bars connect the first and second electrical devices.

11. The cooling structure according to claim 1, wherein the first electric device and the second electric device are provided in a vehicle which uses a motor as a driving force.

9. A cooling structure of electric devices, comprising:

a first electric device that includes one or more heater elements, all of the one or more first heater elements, all of the one or more first heater elements being disposed only on one side of a cooling passage;

a second electric device that includes one or more heater elements, all of the one or more of the second heater elements, all of the one or more second heater elements being disposed only on another side of the cooling passage and the second electric device generates a heating value that is smaller than a heating value generated by the first electric device;

a cooling passage that allows a cooling medium to flow therethrough so as to cool the first electric device and the second electric device;

a first holding member that holds the first electric device so as to be disposed downward of the cooling passage; and

a second holding member that holds the second electric device so as to be disposed upward of the cooling passage,

wherein the first electric device is an inverter and bubbles generated in the cooling passage gather around the second electric device.

10. A cooling structure of electric devices, comprising:

a first electric device that includes one or more heater elements, all of the one or more first heater elements, all of the one or more first heater elements being disposed only on one side of a cooling passage;

a second electric device that includes one or more heater elements, all of the one or more second heater elements, all of the one or more second heater elements being disposed only on another side of the cooling passage and the second electric device generates a heating value that is smaller than a heating value generated by the first electric device;

a cooling passage that allows a cooling medium to flow therethrough so as to cool the first electric device and the second electric device;

a first holding member that holds the first electric device so as to be disposed downward of the cooling passage; and

a second holding member that holds the second electric device so as to be disposed upward of the cooling passage,

wherein the first electric device is an inverter and only the inverter is disposed downward of the cooling passage.