Power module and power electronics device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12389573-B2
Application number	US-202117452494-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 27, 2021
Priority date	Oct 29, 2020
Publication date	Aug 12, 2025
Grant date	Aug 12, 2025

Abstract

A power module for an inverter is disclosed. The power module has a base plate with a first base plate side and a second, opposite base plate side, controllable electronic switches arranged on the first base plate side, inputs and outputs, which are electrically connected to the electronic switches. The power module is designed to convert an input voltage applied to the inputs to an output voltage applied to the outputs by the electronic switches. The power module also includes a plurality of cooling devices attached to the second base plate side. The cooling devices each have loops arranged one behind the other. The loops of a first group of cooling devices are inclined with respect to the loops of a second group of cooling devices, and/or the loops of each group of cooling devices protrude from the second base plate side to different distances.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A power module for a power electronics device, comprising:
a base plate with a first base plate side and a second, opposite base plate side;
controllable, electronic switches, which are arranged on the first base plate side or are at least thermally coupled thereto;
inputs and outputs, which are electrically connected to the electronic switches, wherein the power module is configured to convert an input voltage applied to the inputs to an output voltage applied to the outputs by the electronic switches; and
a plurality of cooling devices attached to the second base plate side or at least thermally coupled thereto,
wherein the cooling devices each have a plurality of wire loops, formed via metal strips and arranged one behind the other,
wherein the wire loops of a first group of cooling devices are inclined relative to the wire loops of a second group of cooling devices and/or the wire loops of a first group of cooling devices and the wire loops of a second group of cooling devices protrude from the second base plate side to different distances,
wherein, when viewed from a plan view of the second base plate, respective planes of each of the plurality of wire loops are angled with respect to a longitudinal direction of the cooling device,
wherein sections of the metal strips lying between the wire loops are laterally offset to angle the respective planes of each of the wire loops,
wherein a proportion of adjacent cooling devices, the wire loops of which are offset from one another in the longitudinal direction of the cooling devices, is greater in a region of a first switch of the switches than in a region of a second switch of the switches, and
wherein an offset of wire loops of adjacent cooling devices is smaller in the region of the first switch than in the region of the second switch, and
wherein an angle of the wire loops of the adjacent cooling devices is greater in the region of the first switch than in the region of the second switch.

2. The power module according to claim 1 , wherein eyes of adjacent cooling devices formed by the wire loops are offset from one another in the longitudinal direction of the cooling devices.

3. The power module according to claim 1 , wherein all eyes that are formed by the wire loops point in the same direction.

4. The power module according to claim 1 , wherein:
the proportion of adjacent cooling devices, the wire loops of which are inclined relative to one another, is greater in the region of the first switch than in the region of the second switch, and/or
the proportion of adjacent cooling devices, the eyes of which point in different directions, is greater in the region of the first switch than in the region of the second switch.

5. A power electronics device, comprising:
a device housing; and
the power module according to claim 1 , arranges in the device housing,
wherein the base plate of the power module is placed with the second base plate side onto a receptacle in the device housing, and
wherein a cooling channel is formed, which is partially limited by the second base plate side, receives the cooling devices, has an inlet for connection to a cooling circuit and for an inflow of a cooling fluid, and has an outlet for connection to the cooling circuit and for an outflow of the cooling fluid and through which, during operation, the cooling fluid flows in a main flow direction from the inlet to the outlet.

6. The power electronics device according to claim 5 , wherein the longitudinal direction of the cooling devices is oriented transversely to the main flow direction of the cooling fluid and eyes that are formed by the wire loops are open in the direction of the main flow direction of the cooling fluid.

7. The power electronics device according to claim 5 , wherein the first switch is arranged downstream with respect to the second switch in the main flow direction of the cooling fluid.

8. The power electronics device according to claim 7 , wherein an attribute of cooling devices corresponding to a group of first switches, which are assigned to a half-bridge of an inverter, differs from an attribute of cooling devices corresponding to a group of second switches, which are assigned to other half-bridges of the inverter, but within the cooling devices corresponding to the respective group of switches the attribute is the same, wherein the first switches are arranged downstream with respect to the second switches in a main flow direction of the cooling fluid.

9. An inverter comprising: the power electronics device according to claim 5 , having a DC link capacitor, which is arranged in the device housing and is electrically connected to the inputs of the power module, wherein the power module is set up to convert a DC voltage applied to the inputs to an AC voltage applied to the outputs.

10. An electric drive, comprising: the inverter according to claim 9 ; and an electric machine connected to the outputs of the power module.

Assignees

• Valeo Siemens Eautomotive Germany Gmbh

Inventors

• Hollweck Benedikt
• Herold Christian
• Rayya Monzer

Classifications

• H10W40/47

  by flowing liquids, e.g. forced water cooling · CPC title

• H10W40/226

  characterised by projecting parts, e.g. fins to increase surface area (leadframes for cooling H10W70/461) · CPC title

• H02P27/06

  using DC to AC converters or inverters (H02P27/05 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60R16/03

  for supply of electrical power to vehicle subsystems {or for (circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00)} · CPC title

• H05K7/20927 Primary

  Liquid coolant without phase change · CPC title