Power conversion apparatus

• US 8,724,313 B2
• Filed: 02/07/2011
• Issued: 05/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Nakasaka, Akira, Noda, Satoshi, Oohama, Kenichi
• Primary Examiner(s): SMITH, COURTNEY L
• Application Number:
  US13/021,948
• Publication Number:
  US 20110194246A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,191 Days
• Field of Search: 36167946-67947, 36167952-67954, 361688-690, 361698-704, 361/707, 361715-718, 361/725, 361/728, 361763-764, 361/821, 361829-832
• US Class Current: 361/679.46
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/005 the electric storage means
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/003 Constructional details, e.g. physical layout, assembly, wiring or busbar connections
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20927 Liquid coolant without phase change

Abstract

An electric power conversion apparatus is provided which includes electronic components, a cooler, an internal unit, a capacitor, and a case. The internal unit has a frame to which at least one of the electronic components and the cooler are secured and which surrounds all around the one of the electronic components. The frame includes unit fixing sections through which the internal unit is fixed to the case and capacitor fixing sections through which the capacitor is fixed to the internal unit. The capacitor fixing sections are located inward of the frame more than the unit fixing sections. The internal unit is fixed to the case and thus works as a beam to increase the mechanical rigidity of the case. The fixing of the internal unit to the case minimizes external force to be exerted through the case on the electronic component and the cooler.

Claims

1. A power conversion apparatus, comprising:

electronic components constituting a power conversion circuit;

a cooler which works to cool at least a portion of the electronic components;

an internal unit having a frame to which the at least a portion of the electronic components and the cooler are secured and which surrounds the at least a portion of the electronic components;

a case in and to which the internal unit is disposed and fixed through the frame; and

;

a capacitor that is one of the electronic components and with which the internal unit is equipped,

wherein the frame includes unit fixing sections through which the internal unit is fixed to the case and capacitor fixing sections through which the capacitor is fixed to the internal unit,

wherein the capacitor fixing sections are located inward of the frame more than the unit fixing sections,

wherein the internal unit has a plurality of semiconductor modules disposed inside the frame as ones of the electronic components, the semiconductor modules having switching elements installed therein, wherein the semiconductor modules are equipped with a main electrode terminal into or from which controlled electric power is inputted or outputted and which protrudes toward the capacitor, and wherein the capacitor fixing sections protrude from the frame toward the capacitor to have a top end located farther away from the frame than a top end of the main electrode terminal.

2. A power conversion apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the internal unit incorporates therein a stacked body in which coolant passages and the semiconductor modules are stacked alternately, and wherein the frame includes a front wall section and a rear wall section which are located on sides of the frame in a stacking direction in which the coolant passages and the semiconductor modules are stacked and a pair of side wall sections joining the front and rear wall sections at ends thereof.

3. A power conversion apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein the internal unit is equipped with bus bars which have input/output terminals into or from which controlled electric power is input or outputted, the input/output terminals extending perpendicular to the side wall sections, and wherein the capacitor fixing sections are located in the stacking direction outward of two of side surfaces of the capacitor which extend in parallel to each other and perpendicular to the stacking direction.

4. A power conversion apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein the internal unit is equipped with a pressure member which presses the stacked body in the stacking direction, the stacked body having a front end and a rear end which are opposite each other in the stacking direction, the pressure member being disposed between the rear end of the stacked body and the rear wall section, the front end of the stacked body being supported by the front wall section and having a coolant introduction tube through which coolant is introduced into the coolant passages and a coolant discharge tube from which the coolant is discharged from the coolant passages, wherein the front wall section has formed therein recesses in which the coolant introduction tube and the coolant discharge tube are placed, wherein the capacitor fixing sections protrude from the frame toward the capacitor and overlap at least partially with the recesses as viewed from a direction in which the capacitor fixing sections protrude.

5. A power conversion apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein the cooler includes a plurality of cooling tubes each of which defines one of the coolant passages therein.