Mechatronic integration of motor drive and E-machine, especially smart-E-motor

• US 9,102,242 B2
• Filed: 08/02/2007
• Issued: 08/11/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Infineon Technologies Americas Corp. (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Original Assignee: International Rectifier Corporation (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Inventors: Hauenstein, Henning
• Primary Examiner(s): Ro, Bentsu
• Assistant Examiner(s): DINH, THAI T
• Application Number:
  US11/888,812
• Publication Number:
  US 20070267926A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,931 Days
• Field of Search: 318/722, 318/400.22, 318/400.26, 318/400.27, 318/400.28, 318/400.29, 318/400.3, 310/52, 310/54, 310/64, 310/68.R, 310/64.C
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/003 with means for cooling the electrical propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/20 for control of the vehicle or its driving motor to achieve a desired performance, e.g. speed, torque, programmed variation of speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/25 by controlling the electric load
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility

Abstract

The power switches of an inverter are mechanically integrated with an electric motor of a vehicle and are mounted on the end plate of the motor and employ short connections between the motor a-c terminals and the inverter a-c output terminals. Bond wireless modules are employed. The electronic controls for the inverter are mounted on a main control board which is positioned remotely from the inverter and is not subject to the heat and EMI produced by the inverter.

Claims

1. A power control system for an a-c motor having input a-c terminals, said power control system comprising:

an inverter circuit having a-c and d-c terminals and a control circuit for said inverter circuit;

said a-c motor being fixed to a first surface of a heat sink;

said inverter circuit being mounted on a second surface opposite of said first surface of said heat sink and having its a-c terminals connected to said input a-c terminals of said a-c motor by short power conductors;

said control circuit including a microcontroller for controlling said inverter circuit by controlling a plurality of gate driver ICs connected to said inverter circuit, said control circuit being mounted in a housing remote from and thermally insulated from said inverter circuit and said heat sink, and coupled to said inverter circuit by a low power interface link.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said inverter circuit comprises of a plurality of power semiconductor switching devices mounted in a bond wireless module.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said plurality of switching devices are IGBTs.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said inverter circuit is a three phase bridge connected circuit and said motor is a three phase motor.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein said inverter circuit is a three phase bridge connected circuit and said motor is a three phase motor.

6. The system of claim 2, which further includes a fluid coolant circulated in said heatsink for cooling both said motor and said switching devices.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said inverter circuit is a three phase bridge connected circuit and said motor is a three phase motor.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said inverter circuit comprises 3 half bridge circuits supported in separate modules.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said plurality of switching devices are IGBTs.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein said control circuit further comprises I/O modules coupled to said microcontroller and a sensor module coupled between the output current of said inverter and said microcontroller.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein said control circuit further comprises I/O modules coupled to said microcontroller and a sensor module coupled between the output current of said inverter and said microcontroller.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said inverter consists of a plurality of power semiconductor devices mounted in a bond wireless module.

13. The system of claim 1, which further includes a d-c source connected to said d-c terminals of said inverter circuit and a d-c bus capacitor connected in parallel with said d-c source.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein said d-c bus capacitor is mounted on said heat sink.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein said inverter circuit is a three phase bridge connected circuit and said motor is a three phase motor.

16. The system of claim 14, which further includes a fluid coolant circulated in said heatsink for cooling both said motor and said switching devices.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein said inverter circuit consists of a plurality of power semiconductor switching devices mounted in a bond wireless module.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein said plurality of switching devices are IGBTs.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of gate drivers comprises a plurality of smart gate driver ICs.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein said plurality of smart gate driver ICs have independent control functions from that of said microcontroller.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein said inverter circuit comprises of a plurality of power semiconductor switching devices mounted in a bond wireless module.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein said plurality of switching devices are IGBTs.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein said inverter circuit is a three phase bridge connected circuit and said motor is a three phase motor.