Power module cooling system

• US 9,774,247 B2
• Filed: 01/28/2015
• Issued: 09/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Inventors: Sharaf, Nadir, Qin, Yu, Rathod, Reshma, Hampo, Richard J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cavallari, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pacheco, Rafael
• Application Number:
  US14/607,344
• Publication Number:
  US 20150138689A1
• Time in Patent Office: 972 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 4/228 Terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/44 Circuits or arrangements for compensating for electromagnetic interference in converters or inverters
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/003 Constructional details, e.g. physical layout, assembly, wiring or busbar connections
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/493 the static converters being arranged for operation in parallel
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20927 Liquid coolant without phase change

Abstract

A direct current (DC) link capacitor operable within an electrically drivable vehicle having a high-voltage battery is provided configured to facilitate output of a DC voltage to an inverter configured to process the DC voltage to facilitate powering an electric motor used to drive the vehicle. The DC link capacitor includes a housing enclosing capacitive elements configured to facilitate capacitive processing between an input and an output, at least a first pair of terminals configured to deliver the DC voltage to the input, the capacitive elements processing the DC voltage received at the input into a capacitive DC voltage, and at least a second pair of terminals configured to output the capacitive DC voltage to the inverter, the inverter relying on the capacitive DC voltage to facilitate powering the electric motor.

Claims

1. A direct current (DC) link capacitor operable within an electrically drivable vehicle having a high-voltage battery configured to facilitate output of a DC voltage to an inverter configured to process the DC voltage to facilitate powering an electric motor used to drive the vehicle, the DC link capacitor comprising:

a housing enclosing capacitive elements configured to facilitate capacitive processing between an input and an output;

at least a first pair of terminals configured to deliver the DC voltage to the input, the capacitive elements processing the DC voltage received at the input into a capacitive DC voltage; and

at least a second pair of terminals configured to output the capacitive DC voltage to the inverter, the inverter relying on the capacitive DC voltage to facilitate powering the electric motor;

wherein the housing, the at least a first pair of terminals, and the at least a second pair of terminals are configured to cooperate with a clamp bracket and a cold plate, the DC link capacitor being disposed between the clamp bracket and the cold plate, the clamp bracket for positioning the DC link capacitor relative to the cold plate and the cold plate for cooling the inverter.

2. The DC link capacitor of claim 1 further comprising at least a third pair of terminals configured to deliver the DC voltage to the input.

3. The DC link capacitor of claim 2 further comprising at least a fourth pair of terminals configured to output the capacitive DC voltage to the inverter.

4. The DC link capacitor of claim 3:

wherein the DC voltage is received from an electromagnetic interference EMI filter and the inverter comprises a first power module and a second power module, each of the first and second power modules providing a DC/AC conversion that is combined to facilitate powering the electric motor;

wherein the first and third pairs of terminals are configured to electrically and mechanically connect with the EMI filter; and

wherein the second and fourth pairs of terminals are configured to electrically and mechanically connect with the first and second power modules.

5. The DC link capacitor of claim 4 wherein the housing has a height greater than a combined height of the first and second power modules and a width greater than the first power module.