Power conversion apparatus

• US 8,929,097 B2
• Filed: 02/07/2011
• Issued: 01/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Nakasaka, Akira, Oohama, Kenichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Bui, Hung S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wu, James
• Application Number:
  US13/021,937
• Publication Number:
  US 20110194249A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,429 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 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: H02M 7/003 Constructional details, e.g. physical layout, assembly, wiring or busbar connections
• 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 7/20927 Liquid coolant without phase change

Abstract

A power conversion apparatus includes electronic components configuring a power conversion circuit, a cooler for cooling at least part of the electronic components, and a case housing the electronic components and the cooler. The at least part of the electronic components and the cooler are fixed to and integrated in a frame as an internal unit. The internal unit is fixed within the case through the frame. The frame has such a shape that the at least part of the electronic components is surrounded by the frame from four sides.

Claims

1. A power conversion apparatus comprising:

electronic components that form at least part of a power conversion circuit;

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

a case that surrounds and encloses the electronic components and the cooler; and

a frame that is attached to an interior of the case,

wherein

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

the frame has such a shape that the at least part of the electronic components and the cooler are surrounded by the frame from four sides,

the internal unit includes semiconductor modules, which incorporate switching elements, as the electronic components,

the cooler includes coolant passages,

the internal unit incorporates a stacked body in which the coolant passages and the semiconductor modules are stacked alternately,

the internal unit includes a pressure member for pressing the stacked body in a stacking direction,

the frame includes a front wall section and a rear wall section located on both sides in the stacking direction of the stacked body, and a pair of side wall sections joining the front and rear wall sections at both ends thereof,

the pressure member is interposed between the rear wall section and a rear end in the stacked direction of the stacked body whose front end in the stacked direction is supported by the front wall section, and

the thickness of the rear wall section is larger than the thicknesses of the side wall sections.

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

3. The power conversion apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the frame includes unit fixing sections for fixing the internal unit to the case, and

the unit fixing sections project to the outside of the frame.

4. The power conversion apparatus according to claim 3, wherein at least parts of the unit fixing sections project outward in a lateral direction from the front wall section and the rear wall section.

5. The power conversion apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the rear wall section has concave portions, which are recessed inward, at both ends thereof.

6. The power conversion apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the rear wall section includes at least one of a unit fixing section for fixing the internal unit to the case, and a component fixing section for fixing the electronic components, at the outside in a lateral direction of the concave portion.

7. The power conversion apparatus according to claim 2, wherein thicknesses of the front wall section and the rear wall section are larger than thicknesses of the side wall sections.

8. The power conversion apparatus according to claim 7, wherein at least part of at least one of the front wall section and the rear wall section is formed with an H-shaped wall section having a substantially H-shaped cross section, the H-shaped wall section including a pair of plate sections perpendicular to the stacking direction, and a connecting section connecting the pair of plate sections together at the center of the pair of plate sections.

9. The power conversion apparatus according to claim 8, wherein in the H-shaped wall section, a rib orthogonal to the plate sections and the connecting section is partially provided between the plate sections and the connecting section.

10. The power conversion apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the rear wall section includes the H-shaped wall section,

a pair of support sections, which support the pressure member, are held between both sides of the pressure member and the rear wall section, and

the support sections contact the rear wall section at a position closer to the side wall section than to the H-shaped wall section.

11. The power conversion apparatus according to claim 2, wherein at least a part of the side wall section is formed with an L-shaped wall section having a substantially L-shaped cross section, the L-shaped wall section including a main wall portion having a major surface facing an inner side of the frame, and an inward portion projecting toward the inner side of the frame from one end of the main wall portion in the direction perpendicular to a lateral direction.

12. The power conversion apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the cooling tubes have long-length shapes, and are connected to each other in the vicinity of both ends in longitudinal directions thereof,

the semiconductor modules are stacked together with the cooling tubes to form a structure in which a main electrode terminal performing input and output of controlled electric power and a control terminal performing input of a control current for controlling switching elements project toward opposite sides and project in a height direction orthogonal to a stacking direction and the longitudinal directions of the cooling tubes, and

the frame is open to both sides in the height direction, and includes a board fixing section for fixing a control circuit board, to which the control terminal is connected, and a bus bar fixing section for fixing a bus bar, to which the main electrode terminal is connected, at opposite sides in the height direction.

13. The power conversion apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the frame includes a capacitor fixing section for fixing a capacitor at the side in the height direction at which the bus bar fixing section is located.