Power conversion apparatus and electric vehicle

• US 8,376,069 B2
• Filed: 07/11/2012
• Issued: 02/19/2013
• 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:
  US13/546,002
• Publication Number:
  US 20120275205A1
• Time in Patent Office: 223 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 converter apparatus comprising:

a power module having a power semiconductor element;

a driving circuit board having a driver circuit for driving the power semiconductor element;

a control circuit board having a control circuit for controlling the power semiconductor element; and

a metal base disposed between the driving circuit board and the control circuit board,

wherein the power module is arranged at an opposite side of the driving circuit from the control circuit board,

the driving circuit board has a power transformer for transmitting a driving power to the driver circuit,

the metal base provides a first opening in a first area of the metal base facing the driving circuit board, and

a part of the power transformer is accommodated within the first opening.

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

an apparatus casing accommodating the power module, the driving circuit board, the control circuit board, and the metal base; and

a cooling jacket forming a cooling path in which a cooling medium flows,

wherein the power module is attached on the cooling jacket,

the cooling jacket is connected with the apparatus casing, and

the metal base is connected with the cooling jacket.

3. The power conversion apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the control circuit board provides a second opening in a second area of the control circuit board facing the first opening, and

the part of the power transformer is accommodated within the second opening.