Automotive inverter assembly

• US 8,072,758 B2
• Filed: 10/06/2009
• Issued: 12/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: C.R.F. Societa Consortile Per Azioni
• Original Assignee: C.R.F. Societa Consortile Per Azioni
• Inventors: Groppo, Riccardo, Catona, Giuseppe, Pizzato, Andrea
• Primary Examiner(s): Datskovskiy, Michail V
• Application Number:
  US12/573,965
• Publication Number:
  US 20100128437A1
• Time in Patent Office: 791 Days
• Field of Search: 361/679.46, 361/679.53, 361/688, 361/689, 361/698, 361/699, 361702-712, 361/734, 361/763, 361/766, 361/775, 361/782, 361/793, 361/794, 361/56.02, 361/137, 361/141, 361144-147, 165/80.3, 165/80.4, 165/80.5, 165/104.33, 165/104.34, 165/185, 174/16.3, 174/35, 174/50, 174/50.52, 174/58, 174/35.R, 174/35.GC, 310/54, 622/281, 622/592, 257/706, 257/713, 257/714, 257/718, 295/921, 297/40, 297/41, 297/59, 298/31, 295/57, 307/9.1, 307/10.1, 307/45, 307/58, 307/82, 307/147
• US Class Current: 361/703
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20927 Liquid coolant without phase change

Abstract

In an embodiment, an automotive inverter assembly has at least one component for cooling. The inverter assembly has a supporting body for supporting the at least one component. The supporting body defines at least part of a volume through which flows a cooling fluid coupled thermally with the at least one component for cooling.

Claims

1. An automotive inverter assembly, comprising:

at least one component to be cooled; and

a supporting body for supporting said at least one component, said supporting body defining at least part of a volume through which a cooling fluid that is coupled thermally with said at least one component to be cooled can flow, said supporting body including;

a first and a second wall opposite each other and defining at least part of said volume; and

a number of fins facing inwards of said volume so as to be flowed over by said fluid, said fins being carried by at least one of said first or second walls, some of said fins form at least two groups welded to each other by a weld interposed between the at least two groups to form a deflector, the weld configured to direct said fluid, flowing inside said volume, onto said fins.

2. The automotive inverter assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said deflector comprises at least one partition interposed between said first and said second walls.

3. The automotive inverter assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of said first or said second walls comprises a through seat engaged hermetically by said at least one component to be cooled.

4. The automotive inverter assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one component to be cooled faces at least partly inwards of said volume so as to be flowed over by said fluid.

5. The automotive inverter assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein said at least one component is fitted integrally with a number of said fins, which face inwards of said volume so as to be flowed over by said fluid.

6. The automotive inverter assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of said first or said second walls comprises, on the opposite side to said volume, at least one dead seat engaged at least partly by said at least one component to be cooled.

7. The automotive inverter assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first and said second wall are connected releasably and hermetically to each other along respective peripheries.

8. The automotive inverter assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first and said second walls are integral with each other.

9. The automotive inverter assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said supporting body comprises a number of lateral walls crosswise to said first and second walls;

and at least one half-casing connected releasably to said lateral walls and defining, with one of said first and second walls and with said lateral walls, a volume housing said at least one component.

10. The automotive inverter assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one component comprises at least one electronic component.

11. The automotive inverter assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one component comprises an IGBT module.

12. A vehicle propulsion system, comprising:

at least a traction electric machine; and

an automotive inverter assembly for powering said electric machine;

said automotive inverter assembly comprising;

at least one component to be cooled; and

a supporting body for supporting said at least one component, said supporting body defining at least part of a volume through which a cooling fluid that is coupled thermally with said at least one component to be cooled, said supporting body including;

a first and a second wall opposite each other and defining at least part of said volume; and

a number of fins facing inwards of said volume so as to be flowed over by said fluid, said fins being carried by at least one of said first or second walls, some of said fins form at least two groups welded to each other by a weld interposed between the at least two groups to form a deflector, the weld configured to direct said fluid, flowing inside said volume, onto said fins.

13. The propulsion system as claimed in claim 12, further comprising a voltage generator chargeable by connection to an electric mains and for powering said inverter assembly.

14. A hybrid vehicle, comprising a propulsion system as claimed in claim 13.