Electronic Control Unit, Electric Power Steering Device, and Vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016355210-A1
Application number	US-201415103116-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 12, 2014
Priority date	Dec 13, 2013
Publication date	Dec 8, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An electronic control unit, an electric power steering device, and a vehicle are provided, such that the power loss from output terminals of two power modules including first and second power modules to the electric current joining point is suppressed. The electronic control unit includes an input and output board connected with the first and second power modules. First and second conductor patterns respectively connected with output terminals of the first and second power modules and extending independently of each other are formed in the input and output board. A terminal is mounted on the output connector, the terminal including first and second board connection portions respectively connected with the first and second conductor patterns.

First claim

1 . An electronic control unit comprising:
first and second power modules on which switching elements are respectively mounted; an input and output board on which an input connector and an output connector to be connected to an electric motor are mounted, and which is connected with the first and second power modules; and a control board on which a controller configured to control output currents from the first and second power modules, wherein first and second conductor patterns respectively connected with output terminals of the first and second power modules and extending independently of each other are formed in the input and output board, and wherein a terminal is mounted on the output connector, the terminal comprising: an output terminal portion to be connected to the electric motor; and first and second board connection portions extending from the output terminal portion to be respectively connected to the first and second conductor patterns.

2 . The electronic control unit according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second conductor patterns are arranged to be line-symmetric when the first and second conductor patterns are viewed from a plane of the input and output board.

3 . The electronic control unit according to claim 1 ,
wherein a first output terminal of the first power module comprises a first A-phase output terminal, a first B-phase output terminal, and a first C-phase output terminal respectively corresponding to an A phase, a B phase, and a C phase of the electric motor, wherein a second output terminal of the second power module comprises a second A-phase output terminal, a second B-phase output terminal, and a second C-phase output terminal respectively corresponding to the A phase, the B phase, and the C phase of the electric motor, wherein the first conductor pattern comprises a first A-phase conductor pattern connected with and extending from the first A-phase output terminal of the first power module, a first B-phase conductor pattern connected with and extending from the first B-phase output terminal of the first power module, and a first C-phase conductor pattern connected with and extending from the first C-phase output terminal of the first power module, and wherein the second conductor pattern comprises a second A-phase conductor pattern connected with and extending from the second A-phase output terminal of the second power module, a second B-phase conductor pattern connected with and extending from the second B-phase output terminal of the second power module, and a second C-phase conductor pattern connected with and extending from the second C-phase output terminal of the second power module.

4 . The electronic control unit according to claim 3 ,
wherein the terminal comprises an A-phase terminal, a B-phase terminal, and a C-phase terminal respectively corresponding to the A phase, the B phase, and the C phase of the electric motor, wherein the A-phase terminal comprises the output terminal portion, the first board connection portion to be connected to the first A-phase conductor pattern, and the second board connection portion to be connected to the second A-phase conductor pattern, wherein the B-phase terminal comprises the output terminal portion, the first board connection portion to be connected to the first B-phase conductor pattern, and the second board connection portion to be connected to the second B-phase conductor pattern, and wherein the C-phase terminal comprises the output terminal portion, the first board connection portion to be connected to the first C-phase conductor pattern, and the second board connection portion to be connected to the second C-phase conductor pattern.

5 . The electronic control unit according to claim 4 , wherein the A-phase terminal, the B-phase terminal, and the C-phase terminal are insert-molded to be insulated from each other and overlap each other, when a housing is formed.

6 . The electronic control unit according to claim 4 , wherein the first and second board connection portions of the A-phase terminal, the first and second board connection portions of the B-phase terminal, and the first and second board connection portions of the C-phase terminal are arranged to be line-symmetric when viewed from a plane of the output connector.

7 . An electric power steering device comprising the electronic control unit according to claim 1 .

8 . A vehicle comprising the electric power steering device according to claim 7 .

9 . The electronic control unit according to claim 2 ,
wherein a first output terminal of the first power module comprises a first A-phase output terminal, a first B-phase output terminal, and a first C-phase output terminal respectively corresponding to an A phase, a B phase, and a C phase of the electric motor, wherein a second output terminal of the second power module comprises a second A-phase output terminal, a second B-phase output terminal, and a second C-phase output terminal respectively corresponding to the A phase, the B phase, and the C phase of the electric motor, wherein the first conductor pattern comprises a first A-phase conductor pattern connected with and extending from the first A-phase output terminal of the first power module, a first B-phase conductor pattern connected with and extending from the first B-phase output terminal of the first power module, and a first C-phase conductor pattern connected with and extending from the first C-phase output terminal of the first power module, and wherein the second conductor pattern comprises a second A-phase conductor pattern connected with and extending from the second A-phase output terminal of the second power module, a second B-phase conductor pattern connected with and extending from the second B-phase output terminal of the second power module, and a second C-phase conductor pattern connected with and extending from the second C-phase output terminal of the second power module.

10 . The electronic control unit according to claim 5 , wherein the first and second board connection portions of the A-phase terminal, the first and second board connection portions of the B-phase terminal, and the first and second board connection portions of the C-phase terminal are arranged to be line-symmetric when viewed from a plane of the output connector.

Assignees

• Nsk Ltd

Inventors

• Inada Yoshikatsu
• Tagami Kotaro
• Sekine Takaaki

Classifications

• B62D5/0463

  calculating assisting torque from the motor based on driver input · CPC title

• H05K7/20854

  Heat transfer by conduction from internal heat source to heat radiating structure (H05K7/20863 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H02K11/33

  Drive circuits, e.g. power electronics (H02K11/38 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B62D5/0457

  characterised by control features of the drive means as such · CPC title

• B62D5/0406 Primary

  including housing for electronic control unit · CPC title