Power converter capable of converting direct-current electric power or three-phase alternating-current power

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10298145-B2
Application number	US-201615575060-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 17, 2016
Priority date	May 18, 2015
Publication date	May 21, 2019
Grant date	May 21, 2019

Abstract

A power converter 1 includes: a power module 20 that converts direct-current electric power to three-phase alternating-current electrical power and outputs the three-phase alternating-current electrical power from three-phase terminals; an output bus bar 24 that has motor terminals 26 and a plurality of power module terminals 25 that are connected to the power module 20; a bus bar holder 23 holding the output bus bar 24; and a case 2 that has a through hole 3 through which the output bus bar 24 penetrates and that accommodates the power module 20, the output bus bar 24, and the bus bar holder 23. The three-phase terminals are arranged side-by-side on the power module 20. The plurality of power module terminals 25 are respectively formed on the output bus bar 24 so as to correspond to the three-phase terminals, and the plurality of power module terminals 25 are positioned on the three-phase terminals when the output bus bar 24 and the power module 20 are accommodated in the case 2.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A power converter comprising:
a power module configured to convert direct-current electric power to three-phase alternating-current electrical power, the power module being configured to output the three-phase alternating-current electrical power from three-phase terminals;
a three-phase bus bar that has a plurality of connecting terminals and a load terminal, the plurality of connecting terminals being connected to the power module, and the load terminal being formed in a crossing direction with respect to the plurality of connecting terminals and configured to connect to an external load;
a bus bar holder configured to hold the three-phase bus bar; and
a case that has a through hole through which the three-phase bus bar penetrates, the case being configured to accommodate the power module, the three-phase bus bar, and the bus bar holder, which are inserted in a direction in which the three-phase bus bar penetrates through the through hole, wherein
the three-phase terminals are arranged side-by-side on the power module,
the plurality of connecting terminals are respectively formed on the three-phase bus bar so as to correspond to the three-phase terminals, the plurality of connecting terminals being configured to be positioned on the three-phase terminals when the three-phase bus bar and the power module, which are accommodated in the case, are inserted in the direction in which the three-phase bus bar penetrates through the through hole,
the bus bar holder further includes an attachment part, the attachment part being attached to a part of the case to fix the plurality of connecting terminals and the load terminal to the case, and
the plurality of connecting terminals overlap with the three-phase terminals from the direction in which the three-phase bus bar penetrates through the through hole when the attachment part is attached to the part of the case.

2. The power converter according to claim 1 , wherein
the attachment part has a guide to define a position of the bus bar holder with respect to the case.

3. The power converter according to claim 2 , wherein
the guide is a rib that extends in the direction in which the three-phase bus bar penetrates through the through hole.

4. The power converter according to claim 1 , wherein
the load terminal is configured such that the three-phase bus bar is inserted into the through hole and exposed to an outside of the case.

5. The power converter according to claim 4 , wherein
the case has a cooling-medium flow channel structured to permit cooling medium to flow through the cooling-medium flow channel, the cooling-medium flow channel being configured to cool the power module, and
the through hole is formed at a region of the case other than a region in which the cooling-medium flow channel is provided.

6. The power converter according to claim 5 , wherein
the case is formed to have a box-shape having a bottom portion in which the power module, the three-phase bus bar, and the bus bar holder are provided, and
the cooling-medium flow channel is formed in the bottom portion.

7. The power converter according to claim 5 , further comprising:
a DC/DC converter provided to face the three-phase bus bar so as to sandwich the power module therebetween, the DC/DC converter being configured to convert direct-current voltage supplied from a power storage apparatus; and
a charger provided to face the power module so as to sandwich the DC/DC converter therebetween, the charger being configured to convert three-phase alternating-current electrical power, which is supplied via an external connector, to direct-current electric power, and the charger being configured to charge the power storage apparatus.

8. The power converter according to claim 7 , wherein
the cooling medium flowing through the cooling-medium flow channel is discharged to the outside after cooling the power module, the DC/DC converter, and the charger.

9. The power converter according to claim 7 , further comprising:
a capacitor module attached to the case so as to straddle over the DC/DC converter, the capacitor module being configured to have a capacitor that smooths voltage supplied from the power storage apparatus.

10. The power converter according to claim 4 , wherein
the external surface of the case through which the through hole is formed faces the external load.

11. The power converter according to claim 1 , wherein:
an external surface of the case through which the through hole is formed faces the external load;
the connecting terminals and three-phase terminals are fastened;
the attachment part is fastened to the case; and
a fastening direction of the connecting terminals and a fastening direction of the attachment part are the same as the direction in which the three-phase bus bar penetrates through the through hole.

12. A power converter comprising:
a power module configured to convert direct-current electric power to three-phase alternating-current electrical power, the power module being configured to output the three-phase alternating-current electrical power from three-phase terminals;
a three-phase bus bar that has a plurality of connecting terminals and a load terminal, the plurality of connecting terminals being connected to the power module, and the load terminal being formed in a crossing direction with respect to the plurality of connecting terminals and configured to connect to an external load;
a bus bar holder configured to hold the three-phase bus bar; and
a case that has a through hole through which the three-phase bus bar penetrates, the case being configured to accommodate the power module, the three-phase bus bar, and the bus bar holder, wherein
the three-phase terminals are arranged side-by-side on the power module,
the plurality of connecting terminals are respectively formed on the three-phase bus bar so as to correspond to the three-phase terminals, the plurality of connecting terminals being configured to be positioned on the three-phase terminals when the three-phase bus bar and the power module are accommodated in the case,
the load terminal is configured such that the three-phase bus bar is inserted into the through hole and exposed to an outside of the case,
the case is formed to have a box-shape having a bottom portion in which the power module, the three-phase bus bar, and the bus bar holder are provided,
the case has a cooling-medium flow channel structured to permit cooling medium to flow through the cooling-medium flow channel, the cooling-medium flow channel being configured to cool the power module,
the through hole is formed at a region of the case other than a region in which the cooling-medium flow channel is provided, and
the cooling-medium flow channel is formed in the bottom portion.

13. The power converter according to claim 12 , wherein
the bus bar holder further includes an attachment part, the attachment part being attached to a part of the case to fix the plurality of connecting terminals and the load terminal to the case, and
the plurality of connecting terminals are positioned on the three-phase terminals when the attachment part is attached to the part of the case.

14. A power converter comprising:
a power module configured to convert direct-current electric power to three-phase alternating-current electrical power, the power module being configured to output the three-phase alternating-current electrical power from three-phase terminals;
a three-phase bus bar that has a plurality of connecting terminals and a load terminal, the plurality of connecting terminals being connected to the power module, an

Assignees

• Calsonic Kansei Corp

Inventors

• Okazaki Fumihiro
• Okuzuka Gen
• Nomura Yuuichirou
• Nagano Masaharu

Classifications

• H02M7/48 Primary

  using discharge tubes with control electrode or semiconductor devices with control electrode · CPC title

• B60R16/02

  electric {constitutive elements} · CPC title

• B60L2240/36

  Temperature of vehicle components or parts · CPC title

• H02M7/003 Primary

  Constructional details, e.g. physical layout, assembly, wiring or busbar connections · CPC title

• B60L2240/525

  Temperature of converter or components thereof · CPC title