Power conversion apparatus

• US 8,514,590 B2
• Filed: 02/07/2011
• Issued: 08/20/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Nakasaka, Akira, Oohama, Kenichi, Miyazaki, Masaru
• Primary Examiner(s): Bui, Hung S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wu, James
• Application Number:
  US13/021,931
• Publication Number:
  US 20110194248A1
• Time in Patent Office: 925 Days
• Field of Search: 361688-704, 361/809, 361/810, 361/825, 361/829, 361/830, 361/831
• US Class Current: 361/831
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/473 by flowing liquids H01L23/4332, H01L23/4338 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/112 Mixed assemblies
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/162 the devices being mounted on two or more different substrates
• 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: H05K 7/20854 Heat transfer by conduction from internal heat source to heat radiating structure H05K7/20863 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20927 Liquid coolant without phase change

Abstract

The power conversion apparatus includes electronic components constituting a power conversion circuit, a cooler for cooling at least some of the electronic components, and a case housing the electronic components and the cooler. The at least some of the electronic components and the cooler are fixed to and integrated in a frame as an internal unit . The internal unit including therein the semiconductor modules also includes a control circuit board fitted to board fixing sections formed in the frame so as to project from the frame in the height direction perpendicular to the plane of the frame. Each of the board fixing sections has a board abutment surface at a position closer to the frame than the tips of control terminals of the semiconductor modules formed so as to project in the height direction.

Claims

1. A power conversion apparatus comprising:

electronic components constituting a power conversion circuit;

a cooler for cooling at least some of the electronic components;

a case housing the electronic components and the cooler; and

a frame attached to an interior of the case;

wherein

the at least some of the electronic components and the cooler are fixed to and integrated with the frame to form an internal unit,

the internal unit is fixed within the case through the frame,

the frame has such a shape that at least some of the electronic components constituting the internal unit are disposed inside the frame and such that the frame surrounds the at least some of the electronic components and the cooler on at least four sides,

the internal unit includes, as the at least some of the electronic components constituting the internal unit disposed inside the frame, semiconductor modules each incorporating switching elements and provided with control terminals through which control currents to control the switching elements are inputted and a control circuit board for generating the control currents,

the cooler includes therein coolant passages,

the internal unit further includes a stacked body of the coolant passages and the semiconductor modules,

the coolant passages and the semiconductor modules being stacked alternately in the stacked body in a stacking direction parallel to a plane of the frame,

the control terminals have a shape projecting in a height direction perpendicular to the stacking direction and the plane of the frame,

the frame is provided with board fixing sections to which the control circuit board is fixed, the board fixing sections projecting in a direction of projection of the control terminals, and

each of the board fixing sections has a board abutment surface for abutment with the control circuit board at a position closer to the frame in the height direction than tips of the control terminals.

2. The power conversion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the frame is provided with positioning pins each projecting from the board abutment surface of a corresponding one of the board fixing sections and inserted into a corresponding one of positioning holes formed in the board circuit board, tips of the positioning pins being located at positions closer to the frame in the height direction than the tips of the control terminals.

3. The power conversion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the frame includes unit fixing sections for fixing the internal unit to the case, the unit fixing sections being located outward of an outer edge of the control circuit board.

4. The power conversion apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the board fixing sections are located more inward than the unit fixing sections.

5. The power conversion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cooler includes a coolant introduction tube for introducing coolant into the coolant passages and a coolant discharge tube for discharging the coolant from the coolant passages, each of the coolant introduction tube and the coolant discharge tube projecting from one end of the stacked body in the stacking direction and protruding outward from the frame and the case,

the frame includes a front wall section located opposite to the one end of the stacked body in the stacking direction, a rear wall section located opposite to other end of the stacked body in the stacking direction, and a pair of side wall sections connecting the front and rear wall sections together at both ends of the front and rear wall sections, and

at least one of the board fixing sections is formed in the front wall section so as to be located between the coolant introduction tube and the coolant discharge tube.

6. The power conversion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cooling passages are formed by cooling tubes.

7. The power conversion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the frame and the internal unit are removably attached to an interior of the case.