Electrically driven vehicle inverter device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10615682-B2
Application number	US-201615743181-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 15, 2016
Priority date	Sep 18, 2015
Publication date	Apr 7, 2020
Grant date	Apr 7, 2020

Abstract

An electrically driven vehicle inverter device includes a smoothing capacitor, a discharge resistor, a discharge resistor and first and second discharge switching elements connected in series between both ends of the smoothing capacitor, and a clamp circuit provided for at least one of the first and second discharge switching elements. The clamp circuit includes a reverse flow prevention element and a constant voltage generation element that causes a constant voltage drop when a voltage across the constant voltage generation element exceeds a value determined in advance, for example.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electrically driven vehicle inverter device provided to a drive circuit for a motor that generates a drive force for a vehicle, comprising:
a smoothing capacitor;
a discharge resistor, one end of which is electrically connected to a positive electrode side of the smoothing capacitor;
a first discharge switching element including a gate and electrically connected to an other end of the discharge resistor in such a manner as to be electrically connected in series with the discharge resistor;
a second discharge switching element including a gate and electrically connected between the discharge resistor and the first discharge switching element and a ground;
a control circuit that directly applies, to the gate of one of the first discharge switching element and the second discharge switching element, a signal for turning on the gate;
time difference setting circuit configured to set a time difference with which the other of the first discharge switching element and the second discharge switching element starts being turned on after the one of the first discharge switching element and the second discharge switching element is turned on; and
a clamp circuit that is provided for the other switching element and that restricts a voltage across the other switching element so as not to exceed an upper-limit value determined in advance.

2. The electrically driven vehicle inverter device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a power source circuit that generates a power source voltage at a power feed portion in a case where a discharge command is input, wherein
the time difference setting circuit includes:
a first wire, one end of which is electrically connected to the power feed portion and the other end of which is electrically connected to the gate of the one switching element;
a second wire, one end of which is electrically connected to a point on the first wire between the power feed portion and the gate of the one switching element and the other end of which is electrically connected to the gate of the other switching element;
a first reverse flow prevention element that is provided on the second wire and that hinders a flow of a current in a direction opposite to a direction toward the gate of the other switching element;
a fourth wire, one end of which is electrically connected to a point on the second wire between the first reverse flow prevention element and the gate of the other switching element and the other end of which is electrically connected between the other switching element and the one switching element; and

a resistance element provided on the fourth wire.

3. The electrically driven vehicle inverter device according to claim 2 , wherein
the power source circuit generates the power source voltage at the power feed portion on the basis of a voltage of the smoothing capacitor.

4. The electrically driven vehicle inverter device according to claim 3 , wherein
the clamp circuit includes:
a third wire, one end of which is electrically connected to a point on the second wire between the first reverse flow prevention element and the gate of the other switching element and the other end of which is electrically connected between the other switching element and the discharge resistor;
a second reverse flow prevention element that is provided on the third wire and that hinders a flow of a current in a direction opposite to a direction toward the gate of the other switching element; and
a first constant voltage generation element that is provided on the third wire and that causes a constant voltage drop when a voltage across the first constant voltage generation element exceeds a value determined in advance.

5. The electrically driven vehicle inverter device according to claim 4 , wherein
the first constant voltage generation element includes a Zener diode.

6. The electrically driven vehicle inverter device according to claim 4 , further comprising:
a fifth wire, one end of which is electrically connected to a point on the first wire between the one end of the second wire and the gate of the one switching element and the other end of which is electrically connected between the other end of the fourth wire and the one switching element;
a third reverse flow prevention element that is provided on the fifth wire and that hinders a flow of a current in a direction opposite to a direction toward the gate of the one switching element; and
a second constant voltage generation element that is provided on the fifth wire and that causes a constant voltage drop when a voltage across the second constant voltage generation element exceeds a value determined in advance.

7. The electrically driven vehicle inverter device according to claim 6 , wherein
the second constant voltage generation element includes a Zener diode.

8. The electrically driven vehicle inverter device according to claim 5 , further comprising:
an abnormality detection circuit that electrically connects a point on the first wire between the power feed portion and the gate of the one switching element to the ground in the case where an elapsed time since input of the discharge command exceeds a predetermined time.

9. The electrically driven vehicle inverter device according to claim 8 , wherein
the power source circuit includes:
a high-potential switching element and a low-potential switching element provided between the positive electrode side of the smoothing capacitor and the ground in parallel with the smoothing capacitor, the high-potential and low-potential switching elements being connected in series with each other; and
a voltage dividing circuit that applies, to a gate of the high-potential switching element, a voltage obtained by dividing a difference between a voltage on the positive electrode side of the smoothing capacitor and a voltage applied to the low-potential switching element.

10. The electrically driven vehicle inverter device according to claim 2 , wherein
the clamp circuit includes:
a third wire, one end of which is electrically connected to a point on the second wire between the first reverse flow prevention element and the gate of the other switching element and the other end of which is electrically connected between the other switching element and the discharge resistor;
a second reverse flow prevention element that is provided on the third wire and that hinders a flow of a current in a direction opposite to a direction toward the gate of the other switching element; and
a first constant voltage generation element that is provided on the third wire and that causes a constant voltage drop when a voltage across the first constant voltage generation element exceeds a value determined in advance.

11. The electrically driven vehicle inverter device according to claim 10 , wherein
the first constant voltage generation element includes a Zener diode.

12. The electrically driven vehicle inverter device according to claim 10 , further comprising:
a fifth wire, one end of which is electrically connected to a point on the first wire between the one end of the second wire and the gate of the one switching element and the other end of which is electrically connected between the other end of the fourth wire and the one switching element;
a third reverse flow prevention element that is provided on the fifth wire and that hinders a flow of a current in a direction opposite to a direction toward the gate of the one switching element; and
a second constant voltage generation element that is provided on the fifth wire and that causes a constant voltage drop when a voltage across the second constant voltage generation element excee

Assignees

• Aisin Aw Co

Inventors

• Nakamura Yasushi
• Hirano Tomoya

Classifications

• H02M7/48 Primary

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

• H02M7/5387

  in a bridge configuration · CPC title

• H02M1/08

  Circuits specially adapted for the generation of control voltages for semiconductor devices incorporated in static converters · CPC title

• B60L58/10

  for monitoring or controlling batteries · CPC title

• H02M1/32 Primary

  Means for protecting converters other than automatic disconnection · CPC title