Power conversion apparatus

• US 8,031,478 B2
• Filed: 08/20/2010
• Issued: 10/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Inventors: Kuramoto, Yuji, Nishiyama, Ryoji, Yamabuchi, Hiroshi, Maekawa, Hirotoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh; Tuan T
• Application Number:
  US12/860,524
• Publication Number:
  US 20110013439A1
• Time in Patent Office: 410 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 361/775
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1432 specially adapted for power drive units or power converters
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/14329 specially adapted for the configuration of power bus bars

Abstract

A power conversion apparatus comprising a base 110 which includes a first fixation portion 110a and a second fixation portion 110b that are coupled to each other at a desired angle, wherein power modules IPM1, IPM2 and IPM3 are fixed on the first fixation portion 110a of the base 110, a control circuit board 10 is fixed with its first principal surface 10a held in direct or indirect touch with the second fixation portion 110b of the base 110, and components constituting a control circuit are packaged on the second principal surface 10b of the control circuit board 10. Owing to the configuration, a versatility for the installation of the power conversion apparatus on a vehicle becomes high, the vibration-proofness of the control circuit board is enhanced, and heats generated by the electronic components, etc. packaged on the control circuit board are sufficiently emitted.

Claims

1. A power conversion apparatus comprising:

a plurality of pairs of power modules which include semiconductor elements constituting a power conversion circuit for converting powers between DC and AC,

a plurality of control circuit boards on which components constituting control circuits for driving and controlling said semiconductor elements are packaged,

bus bars which connect said power conversion circuit and an external equipment, and

a base on which, at least, said power modules and said control circuit boards are fixed;

wherein said base includes a first fixation portion, a second fixation portion which is coupled to one end of said first fixation portion, and a third fixation portion which is coupled to the other end of said first fixation portion;

said first fixation portion and said second fixation portion, and said first fixation portion and said third fixation portion are respectively coupled to each other at predetermined angles;

said plurality of pairs of power modules are fixed on said first fixation portion of said base;

at least one of said plurality of control circuit boards is fixed with a first principal surface of the at least one of said plurality of control circuit boards held in direct or indirect contact—

with said second fixation portion of said base;

said components are packaged on a second principal surface of said at least one control circuit board;

at least one other control circuit board is fixed with a first principal surface of the at least one other control circuit board held in direct or indirect contact with said third fixation portion of said base; and

said components are packaged on a second principal surface of said at least one other control circuit board.

2. The power conversion apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising terminal members which transfer signals between said control circuit boards and said power modules, wherein said terminal members include crooked portions which absorb mechanical displacements of said terminal members.

3. The power conversion apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said control circuit boards are respectively fixed to said second fixation portion and third fixation portion of said base by at least either of adhesives and screws.

4. The power conversion apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said first principal surface of the at least one of said plurality of control circuit boards is a longer surface of the control circuit board and wherein majority of the first principal surface extends along the second fixation portion.

5. The power conversion apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the first principal surface of the at least one of said plurality of control circuit boards is parallel to the second principal surface and wherein the first principal surface of the at least one of said plurality of control circuit boards extends longitudinally with respect to the first fixation portion.

6. The power conversion apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein a main portion of the first principal surface of the at least one of said plurality of control circuit boards extends longitudinally against said second fixation portion and is perpendicular to said first fixation portion.

7. The power conversion apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein substantial portion of the first principal surface of the at least one of said plurality of control circuit boards extends along the second fixation portion and wherein the first principal surface parallels the second principal surface of the at least one of said plurality of control circuit boards and is perpendicular to the first fixation portion.

8. The power conversion apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said crooked portions are formed in said terminal members by a working method other than bending.

9. The power conversion apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said terminal members are formed in a plurality of arrays, and said terminal members are unitarily fixed to one another through electrically insulating members.

10. The power conversion apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said terminal members are packaged and fixed on said control circuit boards.

11. The power conversion apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said terminal members are electrically connected to signal electrode terminals provided on said power modules, by at least one of brazing, soldering and welding.