Member that contains electronic components, and power conversion device

• US 8,681,498 B2
• Filed: 03/22/2011
• Issued: 03/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Akiyama, Tadashi, Mizutani, Ray
• Primary Examiner(s): DATSKOVSKIY, MICHAIL V
• Application Number:
  US13/582,682
• Publication Number:
  US 20120320528A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,099 Days
• Field of Search: 361/679.01, 361/679.02, 36167946-67954, 361690-697, 361/688, 361/689, 361700-715, 165/80.2, 165/80.3, 165/80.4, 165/80.5, 165/104.33, 165/104.34, 165/185, 174/50, 174/50.52, 174/520, 123/41.31, 123/647, 123/195.E, 123/198.E, 123/5, 123/184.24, 123/478, 310/52, 310/54, 310/58, 310/64, 310/75.R, 312/223.1, 312/223.2, 312/236
• US Class Current: 361/702
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1432 specially adapted for power drive units or power converters
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20927 Liquid coolant without phase change

Abstract

Disclosed is a member that contains electronic components. Using the member, when, for example, a vehicle or the like carrying electronic components such as an inverter collides with an external object, there is prevented damage to a housing containing the electronic components, which would otherwise occur due to interfering objects. Furthermore, the disclosed member can dissipate heat produced by the contained electronic components. The member includes a housing for containing electronic components, a cooling passage that is provided inside the housing and uses a refrigerant to cool the electronic components, and a heat dissipation part that dissipates heat from the cooling passage and prevents the housing from being damaged by impacts from external interfering objects.

Claims

1. A member that contains an electronic component, the member comprising:

a housing that contains an electronic component;

a cooling passage that is provided within the housing for cooling heat generated from the electronic component by a refrigerant; and

a heat dissipation section that dissipates heat from the cooling passage and prevents damage to the housing caused by impact from an external interfering object.

2. The member that contains an electronic component according to claim 1, wherein

at least a portion of the cooling passage is provided so as to be opposed to the external interfering object with the heat dissipation section being interposed between the cooling passage and the external interfering object.

3. The member that contains an electronic component according to claim 2, wherein

a high-voltage portion of the electronic component is provided so as to be opposed to the external interfering object with the heat dissipation section and at least a portion of the cooling passage being interposed therebetween.

4. The member that contains an electronic component according to claim 1, wherein

the heat dissipation section is formed of a plate member provided on an external surface of the housing.

5. The member that contains an electronic component according to claim 4, wherein

with the plate member, a gap portion is formed between the external surface of the housing and the plate member.

6. The member that contains an electronic component according to claim 4, wherein

the plate member has a slope shape.

7. The member that contains an electronic component according to claim 1, wherein

the heat dissipation section is formed of an inclined rib member provided on an external surface of the housing.

8. The member that contains an electronic component according to claim 1, wherein

the electronic component is a power converter that performs power conversion from direct-current power or alternating-current power from a power source to alternating-current power or direct-current power.

9. A power conversion device, comprising

the member that contains an electronic component according to claim 1;

and

a power converter that is contained in the member that contains an electronic component for performing power conversion from direct-current power or alternating-current power from a power source to alternating-current power or direct-current power.