Power conversion apparatus and electric vehicle

• US 8,240,411 B2
• Filed: 05/29/2009
• Issued: 08/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Astemo Ltd. (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Nakatsu, Kinya, Suzuki, Hideyo, Nishikimi, Fusanori, Matsuo, Takeshi, Satou, Toshiya
• Primary Examiner(s): TO, TOAN C
• Application Number:
  US12/475,203
• Publication Number:
  US 20100025126A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,173 Days
• Field of Search: 180/65.21, 363/141, 363/144, 361/689, 361/699
• US Class Current: 180/65.21
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/00 Electric propulsion with power supplied within the vehicle with power supply from force of nature, e.g. sun or wind, B60L8/00; for monorail vehicles, suspension vehicles or rack railways B60L13/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48227 connecting the wire to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48472 the other connecting portion not on the bonding area also being a wedge bond, i.e. wedge-to-wedge
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/49111 the connectors connecting two common bonding areas, e.g. Litz or braid wires
• 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 2924/00014 the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/1305 Bipolar Junction Transistor [BJT]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/13055 Insulated gate bipolar transistor [IGBT]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/13091 Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor [MOSFET]
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/003 Constructional details, e.g. physical layout, assembly, wiring or busbar connections
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0026 provided with connectors and printed circuit boards [PCB], e.g. automotive electronic control units
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/02 Arrangements of circuit components or wiring on supporting structure
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1432 specially adapted for power drive units or power converters
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/14322 wherein the control and power circuits of a power converter are arranged within the same casing
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/14329 specially adapted for the configuration of power bus bars
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20 Modifications to facilitate cooling, ventilating, or heating
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/209 Heat transfer by conduction from internal heat source to heat radiating structure H05K7/20909 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20927 Liquid coolant without phase change

Abstract

The metallic case of a power conversion apparatus includes a casing having a side wall, as well as an upper case and a lower case, a first area being formed between a cooling jacket provided at the inner periphery of the side wall and the lower case, the metal base plate dividing the first area between the cooling jacket and the upper case into a lower side second area and an upper side third area, first and second power modules being fastened to a top surface and a capacitor module being provided in the first area, driving circuits that drive inverter circuits of the power modules respectively being provided in the second area, and a control circuit that controls the driver circuits being provided in the third area.

Claims

1. A power conversion apparatus, comprising:

a metal casing having a side wall, an upper cover and a lower cover;

a cooling jacket having a cooling fluid path;

a metal plate connecting to the side wall;

a first power module;

a capacitor;

a first substrate having a first driving circuit that drives the first power module;

a second substrate having a control circuit that controls the first driving circuit;

a connector disposed on the side wall of the metal casing; and

a signal terminal connected with the connector;

wherein the cooling jacket divides an interior of the metal casing between a first region and a second region, the metal plate divides the interior of the metal casing between the second region and the third region, the capacitor is located in the first region, the first power module and the first substrate are located in the second region, the second substrate is located in the third region, and the signal terminal is connected with the second substrate through a first opening in the metal plate.

2. The power conversion apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising;

a second power module located in the first area; and

a third substrate located in the first area and having a second driving circuit that drives the second power module;

wherein the control circuit controls the second driving circuit.

3. The power conversion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cooling jacket is in contact with the metal casing, and the capacitor is located on the lower cover.

4. The power conversion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first substrate is attached on the metal plate, and the second substrate is also attached on the metal plate.

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

a first heat releasing portion located between the first substrate and the metal plate.

6. The power conversion apparatus according to claim 5, wherein a second heat releasing portion is located between the second substrate and the metal plate.

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

a driving power supply circuit located on the first substrate; and

a computing semiconductor located on the second substrate;

wherein the second substrate faces the first substrate, the first substrate has a first area in which the driving power supply circuit is located and a second area in which the driving power supply circuit is not located, and the computing semiconductor faces the second area.

8. The power conversion apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising:

a driving semiconductor located on the first substrate; and

a computing semiconductor located on the second substrate;

wherein the second substrate faces the first substrate, the first substrate has a first area in which the driving semiconductor is located and a second area in which the driving semiconductor is not located, and the computing semiconductor faces the second area.

9. The power conversion apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a heat releasing plate located between the power modules and the first substrate;

a heat releasing portion located between the heat releasing plate and the first substrate; and

a supporting wall in contact with the cooling jacket;

wherein the heat releasing plate and the first substrate.

10. The power conversion apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a power input terminal connecting to the capacitor; and

an output terminal connecting to the power module;

wherein the power input terminal is located on a portion of the side wall surrounding the first region, and an output terminal is located on a portion of the side wall surrounding the second region.

11. The power conversion apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the supporting wall is formed integrally with the cooling jacket.

12. The power conversion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the metal plate has a guide portion located adjacent to the first opening, the guide portion extends in a direction toward the connector, and the signal terminal extends through a space between the guide portion and the first opening.

13. The power conversion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second substrate has an engagement portion facing the first opening of the metal plate, and the signal terminal extends toward the engagement portion and is connected with the engagement portion.

14. The power conversion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the upper cover has a first flange, the metal casing has a second flange facing the first flange, and the metal plate is located between the first flange and the second flange.

15. The power conversion apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising:

a sealing material is located between the upper cover and the metal plate;

wherein the metal plate has a wall at a side of the third region, and the wall is arranged so that the sealing material is collected in a space between the wall and the upper cover.

16. The power conversion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the metal plate has a second opening, and the driving circuit includes a circuit element extending through the second opening.

17. The power conversion apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the first substrate has a third opening facing the second opening, and the circuit element extends through the third opening.