Transformer and power conversion device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11640871-B2
Application number	US-201716758625-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 8, 2017
Priority date	Nov 8, 2017
Publication date	May 2, 2023
Grant date	May 2, 2023

Abstract

A transformer includes: a base that is a plate-like member and has a first surface and a second surface, a core attached to the first surface of the base, coils wound around the core, coil terminals attached to the second surface of the base, and a cooling unit that is thermally connected to the core and is to release heat transferred from the core. The coil terminals are disposed on the second surface of the base opposite to the first surface of the base to which the core is attached. The cooling unit is disposed on a side of the core opposite to the base.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A transformer comprising:
a base that is a plate-like member and has a first surface and a second surface;
a core attached to the first surface of the base;
coils wound around the core;
coil terminals that are each electrically connected to one end of a corresponding coil of the coils and are disposed on the second surface opposite to the first surface of the base to which the core is attached; and
a fixing frame disposed on a side of the core opposite to the base, the core being fixed to the fixing frame, wherein
the first surface of the base extends in a vertical direction, and
the fixing frame is a plate-like member extending in the vertical direction and includes a slide portion that (i) extends away from the base at a vertically lower end of the fixing frame and (ii) has an edge located at a position, in the vertical direction, higher than a position of the vertically lower end of the fixing frame, the slide portion having a slide surface for facilitating movement of the transformer.

2. The transformer according to claim 1 further comprising:
a cooling unit that is disposed on a side of the core opposite to the base, is thermally connected to the core, and is to release heat transferred from the core.

3. The transformer according to claim 2 , wherein
the cooling unit is attached to the fixing frame and is to release heat transferred from the cores via the fixing frame.

4. The transformer according to claim 3 , wherein
the core is a plurality of cores, and
the cooling unit releases heat transferred from the cores via the fixing frame.

5. The transformer according to claim 4 , wherein the cooling unit has a fin-like shape.

6. The transformer according to claim 4 , wherein the cooling unit has a lattice-like shape.

7. The transformer according to claim 4 , wherein the cooling unit comprises a heat pipe in which refrigerant is enclosed.

8. The transformer according to claim 3 , wherein the cooling unit has a fin-like shape.

9. The transformer according to claim 3 , wherein the cooling unit has a lattice-like shape.

10. The transformer according to claim 3 , wherein the cooling unit comprises a heat pipe in which refrigerant is enclosed.

11. A power conversion device comprising:
the transformer according to claim 3 ;
an electronic circuit electrically connected to the coil terminals; and
a housing to accommodate the transformer and the electronic circuit,
wherein
an interior of the housing is divided by a partition into (i) an open section through which an ambient air flow passes and (ii) a closed section through which an ambient air flow does not pass,
the partition has an opening,
the electronic circuit is accommodated in the closed section,
the transformer is accommodated in the housing such that (i) the core, the coils, and the cooling unit are located in the open section and (ii) the coil terminals are located in the closed section, and
the base of the transformer covers the opening of the partition.

12. The transformer according to claim 2 , wherein the cooling unit has a fin-like shape.

13. The transformer according to claim 2 , wherein the cooling unit has a lattice-like shape.

14. The transformer according to claim 2 , wherein the cooling unit comprises a heat pipe in which refrigerant is enclosed.

15. A power conversion device comprising:
the transformer according to claim 2 ;
an electronic circuit electrically connected to the coil terminals; and
a housing to accommodate the transformer and the electronic circuit,
wherein
an interior of the housing is divided by a partition into (i) an open section through which an ambient air flow passes and (ii) a closed section through which an ambient air flow does not pass,
the partition has an opening,
the electronic circuit is accommodated in the closed section,
the transformer is accommodated in the housing such that (i) the core, the coils, and the cooling unit are located in the open section and (ii) the coil terminals are located in the closed section, and
the base of the transformer covers the opening of the partition.

16. A power conversion device comprising:
the transformer according to claim 1 ;
an electronic circuit electrically connected to the coil terminals; and
a housing to accommodate the transformer and the electronic circuit,
wherein
an interior of the housing is divided by a partition into (i) an open section through which an ambient air flow passes and (ii) a closed section through which an ambient air flow does not pass,
the partition has an opening,
the electronic circuit is accommodated in the closed section,
the transformer is accommodated in the housing such that (i) the core and the coils are located in the open section and (ii) the coil terminals are located in the closed section, and
the base of the transformer covers the opening of the partition.

Assignees

• Mitsubishi Electric Corp

Inventors

• Kawaguchi Takayuki
• Watanabe Tomoki
• NAJIMA Yumi

Classifications

• H01F27/22

  Cooling by heat conduction through solid or powdered fillings · CPC title

• H01F27/085

  Cooling by ambient air · CPC title

• H01F27/24

  Magnetic cores · CPC title

• H01F30/10

  Single-phase transformers (H01F30/16 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01F27/025 Primary

  Constructional details relating to cooling · CPC title