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JP-2026075480-A - Power converter and inverter module

JP2026075480AJP 2026075480 AJP2026075480 AJP 2026075480AJP-2026075480-A

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a power conversion device, etc., that enables miniaturization of the case housing the stacked cooler. [Solution] The power conversion device 100 comprises a stacked cooler 30, a case 80, a plurality of heating elements 20, and a leaf spring 50. The stacked cooler 30 includes a plurality of cooling plates 31 stacked in the stacking direction SH, and partitions a plurality of housing spaces 40 between the refrigerant flow paths 33 formed in each cooling plate 31. The case 80 houses the stacked cooler 30. The heating elements 20 form at least a part of the power conversion circuit 10 and generate heat in conjunction with the operation of the power conversion circuit 10. The heating elements 20 are housed in the housing spaces 40. The leaf spring 50 is housed in a spring housing space 43, which is at least one of the housing spaces 40. The leaf spring 50 applies a restoring force along the stacking direction SH to the cooling plates 31 that partition the spring housing space 43. [Selection Diagram] Figure 1

Inventors

  • 荒木 清道

Assignees

  • 株式会社デンソー

Dates

Publication Date
20260508
Application Date
20241022

Claims (7)

  1. A stacked cooler (30) includes a plurality of fluid coolers (31) stacked in the stacking direction (SH), and partitions a plurality of containment spaces (40) between the fluid flow paths (33) formed in each of the fluid coolers, A case body (80, 480) housing the aforementioned stacked cooler, A plurality of heating elements (20) that form at least a part of the power conversion circuit (10), generate heat in conjunction with the operation of the power conversion circuit, and are housed in the housing space, A pressing member (50, 250) is housed in a pressing space (43), which is at least one of the aforementioned housing spaces, and applies a restoring force along the stacking direction to the fluid cooling body that partitions the pressing space, A power conversion device equipped with the following features.
  2. The plurality of heating elements include a power module (20a) having a switching element (21), The power conversion device according to claim 1, wherein the power modules are housed in the housing spaces located on both sides of the pressing space in the stacking direction.
  3. The power conversion device according to claim 1, further comprising a reinforcing member (60) disposed between the pressing member and the fluid cooling body that partitions the pressing space.
  4. The pressing member is, Base (251) and, It has a plurality of pressing portions (253) arranged in a two-dimensional manner and protruding from the base in the stacking direction, The power conversion device according to claim 1, wherein the restoring force by the multiple pressing parts is applied to multiple locations.
  5. The power conversion device according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the pressing partition wall (32p) that partitions the pressing space is greater than the thickness of the normal partition wall (32c) that partitions the other accommodation spaces excluding the pressing space.
  6. The power conversion device according to claim 1, wherein the plate thickness of the input portion (32t) of the pressing partition wall (32p) that partitions the pressing space, to which the restoring force of the pressing member is input, is greater than the plate thickness of the portion of the pressing partition wall excluding the input portion.
  7. An inverter module housed in a case (80, 480), A stacked cooler (30) includes a plurality of fluid coolers (31) stacked in the stacking direction (SH), and partitions a plurality of containment spaces (40) between the fluid flow paths (33) formed in each of the fluid coolers, A plurality of heating elements (20) that form at least a part of the inverter circuit (10i), generate heat in conjunction with the operation of the inverter circuit, and are housed in the housing space, A pressing member (50, 250) is housed in a pressing space (43), which is at least one of the aforementioned housing spaces, and applies a restoring force along the stacking direction to the fluid cooling body that partitions the pressing space, An inverter module equipped with the following features.

Description

This specification discloses power conversion devices and inverter modules. Patent Document 1 discloses a power conversion device equipped with a laminated cooler configured as a laminated structure. This laminated cooler consists of multiple cooling tubes and multiple semiconductor modules stacked together and pressurized in the stacking direction by a pressurizing member. The pressurizing member is supported by a support portion provided in the case via a support pin, and is positioned in a compressed state between the cooler and the support portion. Japanese Patent Publication No. 2016-119816 This figure shows the configuration of a power conversion device according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure.This is a diagram illustrating the configuration for assembling an inverter module.This is a perspective view showing the configuration of the grid spring used in the second embodiment.This diagram shows the configuration of the power conversion device according to the third embodiment.This diagram shows the configuration of a power conversion device according to the fourth embodiment. The following describes several embodiments based on the drawings. Note that in each embodiment, corresponding components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations may be omitted. If only a portion of the configuration is described in each embodiment, the configuration of other embodiments described earlier can be applied to the remaining parts of that configuration. Furthermore, not only are the configurations explicitly stated in the description of each embodiment possible, but configurations from multiple embodiments can also be partially combined, even if not explicitly stated, as long as there are no particular problems with the combination. (First Embodiment) The power converter 100 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure, shown in Figure 1, is a vehicle control device used in an electric vehicle. The power converter 100 is mounted on the electric vehicle and connected to the traction battery and the motor generator. The power converter 100 performs power conversion between the traction battery and the motor generator. The power converter 100 is composed of a case 80 and an inverter module 110, etc. The case 80 is made of a lightweight metal material with high heat dissipation properties, such as an aluminum alloy. The case 80 has side walls 81-84 and a bottom wall 85, giving it an overall box-like shape. An opening 86 is formed in one of the side walls 81. The internal space 80a of the case is partitioned by the side walls 81-84 and the bottom wall 85. The inverter module 110 is housed in the internal space 80a. The case 80 protects the inverter module 110 and other components housed in the internal space 80a from vibrations and shocks generated during the operation of the electric vehicle. The inverter module 110 is a circuit unit that controls the rotational speed and torque of the motor generator. The inverter module 110 consists of a power module 20a, a layered cooler 30, a leaf spring 50, and a reinforcing plate 60, among other components. The power module 20a forms at least a part of the power conversion circuit 10. The power conversion circuit 10 includes multiple (two) inverter circuits 10i. Each inverter circuit 10i is a drive circuit that converts the input DC power into three-phase AC power and drives the motor generator. The power conversion circuit 10 is electrically connected to two motor generators, and the two inverter circuits 10i individually control the two motor generators. Each inverter circuit 10i includes three power modules 20a. The power conversion circuit 10 may further include a boost converter for increasing the voltage of the traction battery, and a DC-DC converter for stepping down the power supply voltage to the charging voltage of the auxiliary battery. The power module 20a is a heating element 20 that generates heat in conjunction with the operation of the power conversion circuit 10, including the inverter circuits 10i. The power module 20a has multiple (two) switching elements 21. The switching elements 21 are composed of transistors and free-wheeling diodes (FWDs), etc. The transistors are MOSFETs (Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistors) and IGBTs (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistors), etc. The power module 20a is a power card formed in a plate shape by resin molding the two switching elements 21 and heat sinks soldered to both sides of each switching element 21. The stacked cooler 30 includes a plurality (eight) of cooling plates 31. The cooling plates 31 are formed as longitudinal plates from a lightweight, highly heat-dissipating metal material such as aluminum alloy. The plurality of cooling plates 31 are stacked in the stacking direction SH. The stacking direction SH is substantially perpendicular to both plate surfaces of the cooling plates 31. On the other hand, the directions along both plate surfaces o