Power-module assembly with endcap

• US 10,405,466 B1
• Filed: 06/14/2018
• Issued: 09/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Pradeepkumar, Akash Changarankumarath, Munoz, Alfredo R., Degner, Michael W., Jih, Edward Chan-Jiun, Lei, Guangyin
• Primary Examiner(s): Buttar, Mandeep S
• Application Number:
  US16/008,311
• Time in Patent Office: 446 Days
• Field of Search: 361699, 361707, 361702, 361704, 361716, 361676, 36167946, 36167953, 361728, 361729, 361831
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/405 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/445 Differential gearing distribution type
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/007 Physical arrangements or structures of drive train converters specially adapted for the propulsion motors of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/15 with additional electric power supply with capacitors charged by engine-driven generators B60L50/40; with batteries charged by engine-driven generators B60L50/61
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/50 using propulsion power supplied by batteries or fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/4006 with bolts or screws
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/4012 for stacked arrangements of a plurality of semiconductor devices assemblies per se H01L25/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/473 by flowing liquids H01L23/4332, H01L23/4338 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/007 Plural converter units in cascade push-pull DC/DC converters with pre-regulator H02M3/3374; DC-AC converters following a DC-DC stage including a high frequency transformer H02M7/4807; DC-AC converters following a DC-DC conversion stage generating periodically varying voltages H02M7/4826
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/008 Plural converter units for generating at two or more independent and non-parallel outputs, e.g. systems with plural point of load switching regulators
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/088 for the simultaneous control of series or parallel connected semiconductor devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/158 including plural semiconductor devices as final control devices for a single load
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/003 Constructional details, e.g. physical layout, assembly, wiring or busbar connections
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/5387 in a bridge configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20218 using a liquid coolant without phase change in electronic enclosures in cabinets of standardized dimensions H05K7/20536; in server cabinets H05K7/20709; in vehicle electronic casings H05K7/20845; in power control electronics H05K7/2089; in displays H05K7/20954
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20927 Liquid coolant without phase change
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• 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 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a power-module assembly includes a power-module stack having coolant chambers interleaved with power modules and supply and return manifold channels extending axially along the stack. An endcap has a major side defining recessed inlet and outlet manifold cavities aligned with the channels and inlet and outlet ports disposed on one or more minor sides that are perpendicular to the major side.

Claims

1. A method of modular assembly comprising:

assembling same first and second power-module assemblies that each include a stack of power stages and a manifold;

attaching a first endcap, having manifold cavities and inlet and outlet ports, to the first power-module assembly; and

attaching a second endcap, having manifold cavities and inlet and outlet ports, to the second power-module assembly, wherein the inlet and outlet ports have different placements on the first and second endcaps.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the inlet and outlet ports of the first endcap are disposed on a same side of the first endcap, and the inlet and outlet ports of the second endcap are disposed on different sides of the second endcap.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising attaching the first power-module assembly to a wall of a case such that one of the inlet and outlet ports is aligned with a hole defined in the case.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the power stages of the first and second power-module assemblies have a transistor-based switching unit.

5. A method of modular assembly comprising:

assembling same first and second power-module assemblies that each include a plurality of power modules arranged in a stack, each power module including a frame having a first opening with a power stage seated therein and a second opening, wherein, for each of the first and second power-module assemblies, the power modules are arranged in the stack such that the second openings are aligned to define a manifold extending axially along the stack;

attaching a first endcap, having manifold cavities and inlet and outlet ports, to the first power-module assembly; and

attaching a second endcap, having manifold cavities and inlet and outlet ports, to the second power-module assembly, wherein the inlet and outlet ports have different placements on the first and second endcaps.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the inlet and outlet ports of the first endcap are disposed on a same side of the first endcap, and the inlet and outlet ports of the second endcap are disposed on different sides of the second endcap.

7. The method of claim 5 further comprising attaching the first power-module assembly to a wall of a case such that one of the inlet and outlet ports is aligned with a hole defined in the case.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the power stages of the first and second power-module assemblies have a transistor-based switching unit.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the manifold cavities of the first endcap include inlet and outlet manifold cavities in fluid communication with the inlet and outlet ports of the first endcap, respectively.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the manifold of the first power-module assembly includes an inlet channel and an outlet channel, and wherein the first endcap is attached to the first power-module assembly such that the inlet channel and the inlet manifold cavity are aligned and the outlet channel and the outlet manifold cavity are aligned.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the manifold of the second power-module assembly includes an inlet channel and an outlet channel, and the manifold cavities of the second endcap include inlet and outlet manifold cavities in fluid communication with the inlet and outlet ports of the second endcap, respectively, and wherein the second endcap is attached to the second power-module assembly such that the inlet channel and the inlet manifold cavity are aligned and the outlet channel and the outlet manifold cavity are aligned.

12. The method of claim 5, wherein the first endcap is attached to the first power-module assembly such that the manifold cavities are in aligned with the manifold.

13. The method of claim 5, wherein the manifold cavities of the second endcap include inlet and outlet manifold cavities in fluid communication with the inlet and outlet ports of the second endcap, respectively.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the manifold cavities of the first endcap include inlet and outlet manifold cavities in fluid communication with the inlet and outlet ports of the first endcap, respectively.

15. A method of modular assembly comprising:

assembling same first and second power-module assemblies that each include a plurality of power modules arranged in a stack, each power module including a frame having a first opening with a power stage disposed therein and a second opening, wherein, for each of the first and second power-module assemblies, the power modules are arranged in the stack such that the second openings are aligned to define manifold channels extending axially along the stack and such that the power stages are spaced apart to define coolant chambers interleaved with the power stages and in fluid communication with the manifold channels;

attaching a first endcap, having manifold cavities and inlet and outlet ports, to the first power-module assembly; and

attaching a second endcap, having manifold cavities and inlet and outlet ports, to the second power-module assembly, wherein the inlet and outlet ports have different placements on the first and second endcaps.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the first endcap further has inner and outer major sides and minor sides extending between the major sides, wherein the manifold cavities are recessed into the inner major side.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the second endcap further has inner and outer major sides and minor sides extending between the major sides, wherein the manifold cavities are recessed into the inner major side.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the first endcap is attached to the first power-module assembly such that the manifold cavities are in aligned with the manifold channels.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the second endcap is attached to the second power-module assembly such that the manifold cavities are in aligned with the manifold channels.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the inlet and outlet ports of the first endcap are disposed on a same side of the first endcap, and the inlet and outlet ports of the second endcap are disposed on different sides of the second endcap.