Power inverter

• US 8,040,088 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2009
• Issued: 10/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Tsuji, Masashige, Fujimoto, Takashi, Katayama, Hiroshi, Igarashi, Hiroaki, Yahata, Koichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Benson; Walter
• Assistant Examiner(s): DINH, THAI T
• Application Number:
  US12/479,881
• Publication Number:
  US 20090243524A1
• Time in Patent Office: 862 Days
• Field of Search: 318/400.07, 318/400.3, 318/400.31, 318/400.26, 318/400, 318/17, 318/722, 318/505, 318/506, 318/507, 180/54.1, 180/60, 180/297, 180/65.1, 180/65.21, 180/65.285, 180/65.31, 180/65.51, 180/65.8, 363/120, 363/123, 363/131, 363/132, 363/141, 363/146, 363/147
• US Class Current: 318/400.07
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/56 Temperature prediction, e.g. for pre-cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/15 with additional electric power supply with capacitors charged by engine-driven generators B60L50/40; with batteries charged by engine-driven generators B60L50/61
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/003 Constructional details, e.g. physical layout, assembly, wiring or busbar connections
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0231 Capacitors or dielectric substances
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/144 Stacked arrangements of planar printed circuit boards
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors

Abstract

A power inverter comprises a power module connected at least to a rotating electric machine, a gate drive circuit board which supplies switching power to the power module, and a rotating electric machine control circuit board which supplies a signal for controlling the waveform of the switching power to the gate drive circuit board. A noise reduction board is formed on a board different from the rotating electric machine control circuit board. The configuration of the noise reduction board is such that various signals for forming a signal for controlling the waveform of the switching power by means of the rotating electric machine control circuit board are inputted through the noise reduction board to the rotating electric machine control circuit board.

Claims

1. A power inverter comprising:

a power module for converting direct-current to alternative current;

a gate drive circuit board for supplying switching power to said power module;

a rotating electric machine control circuit board for supplying a signal for controlling an electric rotating machine to said gate drive circuit board;

a smoothing capacitor module connected in parallel electrically to said power module and at the side of a battery of said power module;

a housing for storing said power module, said gate drive circuit board, said rotating electric machine control circuit board and said smoothing capacitor module; and

an active discharge circuit formed on a board different from said rotating electric machine control circuit board for discharging charge stored in said smoothing capacitor module,

wherein said power module is arranged at one side of a storage area of said housing;

said smoothing capacitor module is arranged at another side of the storage area of said housing; and

said active discharge circuit is arranged rather than said power module at a side nearer said smoothing capacitor module.

2. A power inverter according to claim 1, further comprising:

a coolant channel body for being fixed to said housing and forming a channel for flowing cooling water,

wherein said power module is fixed at a side where said rotating electric machine control circuit board is arranged to said coolant channel body.

3. A power inverter according to claim 2, further comprising:

a base plate for being fixed to said housing for holding said rotating electric machine control circuit board,

wherein said rotating electric machine control circuit board is fixed at a side opposite a side where said power module is arranged to said base plate.

4. A power inverter according to claim 3, wherein said capacitor module comprises:

a capacitor module case;

a laminated conductor for projecting and extending from inside said capacitor module case; and

a film capacitor connectable to a portion of said laminated conductor positioned inside said capacitor module,

wherein direct electric power is supplied via a portion of said laminated conductor positioned outside said capacitor module.

5. A power inverter according to claim 2, wherein said capacitor module comprises:

a capacitor module case;

a laminated conductor for projecting and extending from the inside of said capacitor module case; and

a film capacitor for being connected to the inside portion of said laminated conductor which is positioned inside of said capacitor module,

wherein direct electric power is supplied via a portion of said laminated conductor positioned outside of said capacitor module.

6. A power inverter according to claim 2, wherein

an opening connecting to the channel is formed at said coolant channel body;

said power module includes a heat dissipation side, and a heat dissipation fin is provided at the heat dissipation side; and

said heat dissipation fin projects through said opening into the passage, with said opening being sealed by said heat dissipation side.

7. A power inverter according to claim 1, wherein said gate drive circuit board is arranged between said power module and said smoothing capacitor module.

8. A power inverter according to claim 7, wherein said capacitor module comprises:

a capacitor module case;

a laminated conductor for projecting and extending from inside said capacitor module case; and

a film capacitor connectable to a portion of said laminated conductor positioned inside said capacitor module,

wherein direct electric power is supplied via a portion of said laminated conductor positioned outside said capacitor module.

9. A power inverter according to claim 1, wherein said capacitor module comprises:

a capacitor module case;

a laminated conductor for projecting and extending from the inside of said capacitor module case; and

a film capacitor for being connected to the inside portion of said laminated conductor which is positioned inside of said capacitor module,

wherein direct electric power is supplied via the outside portion of said laminated conductor which is positioned outside of said capacitor module.

10. A power inverter according to claim 9, wherein

said power module and said capacitor module are arranged so that said power module is opposingly spaced from said capacitor module;

the portion of said laminated conductor inside said capacitor module case is arranged in the state of countering said power module extended along the filed of said power module; and

the portion of said laminated conductor outside said capacitor module case extends to a direction approaching said power module.

11. A power inverter according to claim 1, wherein

a terminal box is provided exteriorally of said housing;

and

said terminal box includes an AC terminal block for supplying AC electric power generated inside of said housing to said electric rotating machine.

12. A power inverter according to claim 1, wherein

a terminal box is provided exteriorally of said housing;

and

said terminal box includes an DC terminal block for receiving DC electric power and supplying the DC electric power to said capacitor module in said housing, and a noise filter between said DC terminal block and said capacitor module.