Power converter

• US 8,054,633 B2
• Filed: 06/20/2008
• Issued: 11/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Astemo Ltd. (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Kunii, Keiji, Shimizu, Hisaya, Suwa, Tokihito
• Primary Examiner(s): Edmonds; Lisa Lea
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cunningham; Xanthia C
• Application Number:
  US12/143,317
• Publication Number:
  US 20090002956A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,236 Days
• Field of Search: 361/624, 361/637, 361/641, 361/807, 361/728, 439/947, 439/210
• US Class Current: 361/728
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/003 to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/14 Boost converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/14 Synchronous machines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/12 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/36 Temperature of vehicle components or parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/421 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/441 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/443 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/461 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/463 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/465 Slip
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/28 Four wheel or all wheel drive
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/106 for maintaining or recovering the adhesion of the drive wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/14 for vehicles propelled by ac motors
• 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 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/26 for vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/30 utilising a screw or nut clamping member H01R4/50 takes precedence; utilising a clamping member acted on by screw or nut H01R4/38; for coaxial cables H01R9/0521
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 9/2425 : Structural association with built-in components for coupling parts H01R13/66
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/003 : Constructional details, e.g. physical layout, assembly, wiring or busbar connections
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1432 : specially adapted for power drive units or power converters
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/14329 : specially adapted for the configuration of power bus bars
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 : Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility

Abstract

A power converter which can attain a reliable electric connection with electrodes of a power module by facilitating positioning of conductors connected to the electrodes of the power module. The power converter includes the power module having the plurality of electrodes in the form of plate-shaped conductors within a casing having a lid, and also includes a plurality of plate-shaped conductors connected to the electrodes of the power module. Male screws are embedded in ones of the electrodes of the power module provided at least on the side of the lid to be projected therefrom, the plate-shaped conductors connected to the electrodes having the male screws are formed therein with holes at locations corresponding to the male screws, the male screws being inserted in the corresponding holes, and electrically connected with the electrodes with nuts fastened to the male screws.

Claims

1. A power converter comprising:

a power module having a first plate-shaped conductor connected to a second plate-shaped conductor; and

a casing having a lid and storing the power module, wherein;

the power module is arranged on a bottom surface of the casing,

the lid is arranged at a top side of the casing opposite to the bottom surface of the casing,

a projection having a projecting portion and a flange portion is pre-installed in the first plate-shaped conductor so that the projecting portion projects upward toward the lid of the casing,

the second plate-shaped conductor has a first hole corresponding to the projecting portion, and

a nut is arranged above the second plate-shaped conductor and surrounding a section of the projecting portion such that the first plate-shaped conductor and second plate-shaped conductor are electrically connected by tightening the nut.

2. The power converter according to claim 1, wherein the first plate-shaped conductor of the power module is projected from a side wall of the power module.

3. The power converter according to claim 1, wherein the power converter is fixed to a rotary electric machine.

4. The power converter according to claim 1, further comprising:

a smoothing capacitor for smoothing a direct current;

wherein the second plate-shaped conductor is connected to an electrode of the smoothing capacitor.

5. The power converter according to claim 4, further comprising:

an insulating plate;

wherein the first plate-shaped conductor comprises a plus-side plate-shaped electrode and a minus-side plate-shaped electrode,

the insulating plate is arranged between the plus-side plate-shaped electrode and the minus-side plate-shaped electrode, and

the flange portion and the plus-side plate-shaped electrode or the minus-side plate-shaped electrode together form a flat surface that is in contact with the insulating plate.

6. The power converter according to claim 1,

wherein the second plate-shaped conductor is connected to a terminal of a rotary electric machine.

7. The power converter according to claim 4, further comprising:

a first insulating plate and a second insulating plate;

wherein the first plate-shaped conductor comprises a plus-side plate-shaped electrode and a minus-side plate-shaped electrode,

the first insulating plate is arranged between the plus-side plate-shaped electrode and the minus-side plate-shaped electrode,

the second plate-shaped conductor comprises a plus-side bus bar and a minus-side bus bar, and

the second insulating plate is arranged between the plus-side bus bar and the minus-side bus bar.

8. The power converter according to claim 7,

wherein the plus-side plate-shaped electrode is arranged beneath the minus-side plate-shaped electrode, and

a length of the plus-side plate-shaped electrode along a direction in which a current flows is greater than a length of the minus-side plate-shaped electrode along the direction in which the current flows.

9. The power converter according to claim 7,

wherein the minus-side plate-shaped electrode is arranged beneath the plus-side plate-shaped electrode, and

a length of the minus-side plate-shaped electrode along a direction in which a current flows is greater than a length of the plus-side plate-shaped electrode along the direction in which the current flows.

10. The power converter according to claim 7,

wherein the power module has a side wall that surrounds a semiconductor,

the side wall is made of a resin,

the plus-side plate-shaped electrode is arranged above the minus-side plate-shaped electrode, and

the first insulating plate is formed integrally with the side wall and projects from the side wall to an edge of the plus-side plate-shaped electrode.

11. The power converter according to claim 7,

wherein the power module has a side wall that surrounds a semiconductor,

the side wall is made of a resin,

the minus-side plate-shaped electrode is arranged above the plus-side plate-shaped electrode, and

the first insulating plate is formed integrally with the side wall and projects from the side wall to an edge of the minus-side plate-shaped electrode.

12. The power converter according to claim 1,

wherein the first plate-shaped conductor has a recess part or a second hole, and

the flange portion of the projection is pre-installed in the recess part or the second hole.

13. The power converter according to claim 12, further comprising:

a brazing material in contact with the flange portion and the recess part or the hole.

14. The power converter according to claim 1,

wherein a thread is formed on a circumferential surface of the projecting portion.

15. A power converter comprising:

a power module having a plus-side plate-shaped electrode, a minus-side plate-shaped electrode, and a plurality of AC-side plate-shaped electrodes;

a plurality of plate-shaped conductors respectively connected to the electrodes of the power module;

a smoothing capacitor for smoothing a direct current; and

a casing having a lid and storing the power module and the smoothing capacitor,

wherein, the power module is arranged on a bottom surface of the casing,

the lid is arranged at a top side of casing opposite to the bottom surface of the casing,

a plurality of projections, each of which has a projecting portion and a flange portion, are respectively pre-installed in the plus-side plate-shaped electrode, the minus-side plate-shaped electrode, and the AC-side plate-shaped electrode so that the projecting portions project upward toward the lid of the casing,

each of the plate-shaped conductors has a hole corresponding to a respective one of the projecting portions,

nuts are arranged above each of the plate-shaped conductors and surrounding sections of the respective projecting portions such that the plus-side plate-shaped electrode, the minus-side plate-shaped electrode, and the AC-side plate-shaped electrode are electrically connected to the respective plate-shaped conductors by tightening the nuts,

two of the plate-shaped conductors are connected to electrodes of the smoothing capacitor,

the remaining of plate-shaped conductors connect to terminals of a rotary electric machine.

16. A method for constructing a power converter that comprises:

a power module having a first plate-shaped conductor connected to a second plate-shaped conductor; and

a casing having a lid and storing the power module,

wherein, the power module is arranged on a bottom surface of the casing,

a projection having a projecting portion and a flange portion that is pre-installed in the first plate-shaped conductor so that the projecting portion projects upward toward the lid of the casing,

the second plate-shaped conductor has a hole corresponding to the projection,

a nut is arranged above the second plate-shaped conductor and surrounding a section of the projecting portion,

the method comprising;

providing the first plate-shaped conductor in which the projection is pre-installed,

coupling the first plate-shaped conductor and the second plate-shaped conductor by arranging the hole of the second plate-shaped conductor to surround a section of the projecting portion of the projection of the first plate-shaped conductor,

causing the second plate-shaped conductor to be electrically connected to the first plate-shaped conductor by tightening the nut, and

arranging the lid at a top side of casing opposite to the bottom surface of the casing.