ELECTRICAL APPARATUS, COOLING SYSTEM THEREFOR, AND ELECTRIC VEHICLE

• US 20070242435A1
• Filed: 06/20/2007
• Published: 10/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: SAITO, Ryuichi, NAKAMURA, Takayoshi, TAMBA, Akihiro, NISHIHARA, Atsuo
• Granted Patent: US 7,660,122 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/699
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00392 for electric vehicles having only electric drive means
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00428 electric
• 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 2240/525 Temperature of converter or components thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/473 by flowing liquids H01L23/4332, H01L23/4338 take precedence
• 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 7/20927 Liquid coolant without phase change
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/88 Optimized components or subsystems, e.g. lighting, actively controlled glasses

Abstract

An inverter apparatus includes a liquid path in which cooling water flows, and in which the cooling water performs cooling at a cooling part located directly underneath the power circuit part of the inverter apparatus. The liquid path includes a first partial structure part formed between a feed pipe and the cooling part, and having a liquid path cross-sectional profile that is gradually reduced in the short-side direction of the cooling part and that is gradually enlarged in the long-side direction thereof; and a second partial structure part formed between the cooling part and a drain pipe, and having a liquid path cross-sectional profile that is gradually enlarged from the short-side of the cooling part and that is gradually reduced from the long-side thereof.

Claims

1. A direct cooling inverter comprising:

a plurality of semiconductor chips;

a substrate for mounting the plurality of semiconductor chips;

a base for mounting the substrate;

a fin formed integrally with the base; and

a case having an opening part;

wherein at least part of a liquid path of a cooling medium is formed by mounting the base on the opening part of the case;

wherein the base and the fin are directly cooled by the cooling medium;

wherein the liquid path comprises a cooling part formed at the bottom of the plurality of semiconductor chips and an introducing part for introducing the liquid medium supplied from an outside to the cooling part; and

wherein the liquid path forms a substantially U-shape.

2. The direct cooling inverter according to claim 1, wherein the direct cooling inverter is a two inverter system comprising liquid paths that are serially connected into the U-shape.

3. The direct cooling inverter according to claim 2, wherein the cross-sectional area of the liquid path extending from the introducing part up to the cooling part is substantially constant.

4. The direct cooling inverter according to claim 3, wherein the fin is formed in parallel with a longitudinal direction of the liquid path.

5. A direct cooling inverter comprising:

a first module having a plurality of first semiconductor chips;

a second module having a plurality of second semiconductor chips; and

a case having a first opening part and a second opening part;

wherein a liquid path of a cooling medium is formed by mounting the first module on the first opening part and formed by mounting the second module on the second opening part,

wherein the first module and the second module are placed on the same place; and

wherein the liquid path between the first module and the second module forms a substantially U-shape.

6. The direct cooling inverter according to claim 5, wherein the first module comprises a first substrate for mounting the plurality of the first semiconductor chips, a first base for mounting the first substrate, and a first fin formed integrally with the first base, and wherein the second module comprises a second substrate for mounting the plurality of the second semiconductor chips, a second base for mounting the second substrate, and a second fin formed integrally with the second base.