POWER CONVERSION APPARATUS

• US 20150208556A1
• Filed: 03/19/2012
• Published: 07/23/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Inventors: Kodama, Katsuhisa, Fujii, Yoshiyuki
• Granted Patent: US 9,578,790 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 2210/10 DC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/30 AC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/40 DC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/36 Temperature of vehicle components or parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/525 Temperature of converter or components thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/003 relating to inverters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/22 Constructional details or arrangements of charging converters specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/025 Constructional details relating to cooling
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/105 Cooling by special liquid or by liquid of particular composition
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/209 Heat transfer by conduction from internal heat source to heat radiating structure H05K7/20909 takes precedence
• 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 10/70 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

A power converter includes: a first metal member; a second metal member to be connected to the first metal member to form a space in which a coolant flows; and a heating electric component main body to be housed in a concave portion formed on the first metal member so as to project into interior of the space.

Claims

1. A power converter, comprising:

a first metal member;

a second metal member to be connected to the first metal member to form a space in which a coolant flows; and

a heating electric component main body to be housed in a concave portion formed on the first metal member so as to project into interior of the space.

2. A power converter according to claim 1, wherein the first metal member comprises a semiconductor component for performing a high-frequency switching operation, the semiconductor component being mounted on a plane having the concave portion formed thereon.

3. A power converter according to claim 2, wherein distal end portions of terminals of the heating electric component main body and the semiconductor component extend in a direction perpendicular to the plane.

4. A power converter according to claim 3, further comprising a circuit board provided so as to be opposed to the plane,

wherein the terminals are electrically connected to the circuit board.

5. A power converter according to claim 1, wherein the heating electric component main body is fixed inside the concave portion with an insulating resin filled in the concave portion.

6. A power converter according to claim 1, wherein the heating electric component main body is positioned in a center of the concave portion by a resin holder for holding the heating electric component main body.

7. A power converter according to claim 1,

wherein a pair of the concave portions is formed so that the concave portions are separated away from each other,

wherein the concave portions are connected by a wall which forms an outgoing path and a return path for the coolant, and

wherein the coolant flowing into an inlet pipe in communication with the space passes through the return path and the return path to flow outside through an outlet pipe in communication with the space.

8. A power converter according to claim 7,

wherein the power converter comprises an in-vehicle power converter, and

wherein a reactor main body which is the heating electric component main body is housed in one of the concave portions, whereas a transformer main body which is the heating electric component main body is housed in another of the concave portions.