FORM 2
THE PATENTS ACT, 1970
(39 of 1970)
&
THE PATENTS RULES, 2003
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
[See section 10, Rule 13]
VEHICLE POWER CONVERSION DEVICE;
MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION, A CORPORATION ORGANISED AND
EXISTING UNDER THE LAWS OF JAPAN, WHOSE ADDRESS IS 7-3,
MARUNOUCHI 2-CHOME, CHIYODA-KU, TOKYO 100-8310, JAPAN
THE FOLLOWING SPECIFICATION PARTICULARLY DESCRIBES THE
INVENTION AND THE MANNER IN WHICH IT IS TO BE PERFORMED.
2
DESCRIPTION
5 Technical Field
[0001] The present disclosure relates to a vehicle power conversion apparatus.
Background Art
[0002] Some existing vehicle power conversion apparatuses have been known, in
which heat transferred from a semiconductor element is cooled by introduction of
10 traveling wind generated due to running of a vehicle to a heat radiator, which is disposed
on the surface opposite to the surface provided with a heat receiver on which the
semiconductor element is mounted (for example, refer to Patent Literature 1).
Citation List
Patent Literature
15 [0003] Patent Literature 1: Japanese Patent No. 3469475
Summary of Invention
Technical Problem
[0004] Unfortunately, the existing vehicle power conversion apparatuses cannot
achieve introduction of sufficient traveling wind to the heat radiator, leading to
20 impairment in cooling capacity, in the case where the heat radiator is disposed at an inner
position relative to a rigging limit.
[0005] The present disclosure is made in view of the above-described
circumstances, and an objective of the present disclosure is to provide a vehicle power
conversion apparatus capable of efficient introduction of traveling wind, leading to
25 improvement in cooling capacity.
Solution to Problem
[0006] In order to achieve the aforementioned objective, a vehicle power
3
conversion apparatus according to the present disclosure includes: a housing to be
attached to a vehicle; a cooler including a heat receiver that is disposed on the side near
the housing and has a heated surface provided with a semiconductor element, and a heat
radiator disposed on the surface of the heat receiver opposite to the heated surface; and a
position adjusting member to adjust the position of the end of the heat 5 radiator distant
from the housing in the direction approaching the rigging limit of the vehicle.
Advantageous Effects of Invention
[0007] The vehicle power conversion apparatus according to the present disclosure
includes the cooler including the heat receiver that is disposed on the side near the
10 housing to be attached to the vehicle and has the heated surface provided with the
semiconductor elements, and the heat radiator disposed on the surface of the heat receiver
opposite to the heated surface, and the position adjusting member to adjust the position of
the end of the heat radiator distant from the housing in the direction approaching the
rigging limit of the vehicle. The vehicle power conversion apparatus can therefore
15 achieve efficient introduction of traveling wind, leading to improvement in cooling
capacity.
Brief Description of Drawings
[0008] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary configuration in which a vehicle power
conversion apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the disclosure is installed under the
20 floor of a vehicle;
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the vehicle power conversion apparatus as
viewed along the line A-A of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the vehicle power conversion apparatus as
viewed along the line B-B of FIG. 1;
25 FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an exemplary position adjusting member of the
vehicle power conversion apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present
disclosure;
4
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the position adjusting member as viewed along
the line C-C of FIG. 4;
FIG. 6 is an exemplary view of the vehicle power conversion apparatus according
to Embodiment 1 of the disclosure as viewed from the bottom surface of the vehicle;
FIG. 7 is a side view of a vehicle power conversion apparatus 5 according to
Embodiment 2 of the present disclosure;
FIG. 8 is a front view of the vehicle power conversion apparatus according to
Embodiment 2 of the present disclosure;
FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the vehicle power conversion apparatus as
10 viewed along the line D-D of FIG. 7;
FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the vehicle power conversion apparatus as
viewed along the line E-E of FIG. 8; and
FIG. 11 illustrates exemplary installation manners of the vehicle power conversion
apparatuses.
15 Description of Embodiments
[0009] Vehicle power conversion apparatuses according to embodiments of the
present disclosure are described with reference to the drawings. Components that are
the same are assigned the same reference signs throughout the drawings. The following
description of embodiments defines the directions on a first axis (traveling directions) and
20 the directions on a second axis (sleeper directions) orthogonal to each other in the
horizontal plane. One of the directions on the first axis is defined as positive direction
on the first axis, and the other of the directions on the first axis is defined as negative
direction on the first axis. The leftward direction as viewed from the positive side on the
first axis is defined as positive direction on the second axis, and the rightward direction as
25 viewed from the positive side on the first axis is defined as negative direction on the
second axis. The directions orthogonal to the directions on the first axis and the
directions on the second axis are defined as up-down directions. These definitions are
5
provided for illustration purposes only and not intended to limit the present disclosure.
[0010] Embodiment 1
FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary configuration in which a vehicle power conversion
apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure is installed under the floor
of a vehicle. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the vehicle power conversion 5 apparatus
as viewed along the line A-A of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the vehicle
power conversion apparatus as viewed along the line B-B of FIG. 1. As illustrated in
FIGS. 1 to 3, the vehicle power conversion apparatus 1 is installed on a railway vehicle 2
(hereinafter referred to as “vehicle”). The vehicle power conversion apparatus 1
10 includes a housing 3 fixed under the floor of the vehicle 2, semiconductor elements 4 for
power conversion, a cooler 5 for cooling the semiconductor elements 4, and a position
adjusting member 6 disposed between the housing 3 and the cooler 5. The vehicle
power conversion apparatus 1 causes the semiconductor elements 4 to operate, thereby
converting electric power supplied from a non-illustrated overhead wire or the like and
15 outputting the converted electric power to a motor for driving the vehicle. Also, a
rigging limit S is defined as a limit of a space under the floor of the vehicle 2, the space
under the floor of the vehicle 2 being a space in which vehicle apparatuses such as the
vehicle power conversion apparatus 1 can be rigged. The vehicle power conversion
apparatus 1 is installed so as to be encompassed in the rigging limit S. That is, the
20 rigging limit S, which is represented by the long dashed double-short dashed line in FIGS.
2 and 3, indicates the boundary of the space for accommodating vehicle apparatuses to be
installed under the floor of the vehicle 2. The vehicle power conversion apparatus 1 is
required to be installed without protruding from this boundary, so as to avoid physical
interference with equipment on the ground, for example.
25 [0011] The housing 3 has a rectangular box shape, for example. As illustrated in
FIG. 2, the housing 3 is open on one side of the vehicle 2 (the negative side on the second
axis). The housing 3 is provided with hangers 7 on an upper surface 31. The hangers
6
7 are fixed on a bottom surface 21 of the vehicle 2, thereby installing the housing 3 under
the floor of the vehicle 2 such that a bottom surface 32 of the housing 3 is located above
the rigging limit S. The housing 3 accommodates, for example, a controller for
transmitting switching signals to a power conversion circuit including the semiconductor
elements 4, a detector, a power supply and the like, which are not illustrated 5 in detail.
The housing 3 is provided with the cooler 5 via the position adjusting member 6, on the
open side of the housing 3 (the negative side on the second axis). The position adjusting
member 6 has a space 61 for accommodating the semiconductor elements 4 therein.
[0012] The semiconductor elements 4 include a switching element, a diode element
10 and the like that operate for converting electric power supplied via a current collector
such as a pantograph from the non-illustrated overhead wire, for example. The
semiconductor elements 4 generate heat during the operation. The electric power
converted by the semiconductor elements 4 is output to the motor for driving the vehicle,
for example. The semiconductor elements 4 may convert alternating current (AC)
15 power into direct current (DC) power or convert DC power into AC power. The
semiconductor elements 4 made with, for example, a silicon material may be used.
Preferably, part or all of the semiconductor elements 4 are made as a wide bandgap
semiconductor made with silicon carbide, gallium nitride material, diamond or the like.
The semiconductor elements 4 containing the wide bandgap semiconductor have a higher
20 dielectric strength and a higher allowable current density, leading to a reduction in the
size of the vehicle power conversion apparatus 1. The semiconductor elements 4
containing the wide bandgap semiconductor also have a higher thermal resistance,
leading to a reduction in the size of the cooler 5. Furthermore, these semiconductor
elements 4 have lower power loss and are therefore improved in efficiency and can
25 achieve power conversion at higher efficiency.
[0013] The cooler 5 is fixed to the open side of the housing 3 (the negative side on
the second axis) via the position adjusting member 6. The cooler 5 is a device for
7
cooling the semiconductor elements 4. The cooler 5 includes, for example, a heat
receiver 51 and a heat radiator 52, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3.
[0014] The heat receiver 51 is, for example, a rectangular plate-shaped cooling
block made with a metallic material such as aluminum or copper having a high heat
conductivity. The heat receiver 51 has a heated surface 51a located 5 on a side near the
housing 3 (the positive side on the second axis). The heated surface 51a is coupled to
the semiconductor elements 4 via a heat conductive grease or the like, for example, so
that heat from the semiconductor elements 4 are transferred to the heat receiver 51. In
the example according to the present embodiment, the heat receiver 51 is disposed such
10 that the heated surface 51a is in parallel to the plane defined by the directions on the first
axis and the up-down directions. The heat receiver 51 also has a surface 51b on the side
opposite to the heated surface 51a (the negative side on the second axis). The surface
51b is provided with the radiator 52.
[0015] The heat radiator 52 has radiating fins 52a, for example, as illustrated in
15 FIGS. 1 and 2. The radiating fins 52a are fins for discharging heat emitted from the
semiconductor elements 4. The radiating fins 52a are disposed so as to extend from the
heat receiver 51 toward the lateral side of the vehicle 2 (the negative side on the second
axis). The heat radiator 52 is disposed such that the ends of the radiating fins 52a on the
side distant from the housing 3 (the negative side on the second axis) are encompassed in
20 the rigging limit S. In the example according to the present embodiment, the radiating
fins 52a each have a rectangular plate shape and extend in parallel to the plane defined by
the directions on the first axis and the directions on the second axis. The radiating fins
52a are arranged in intervals in the up-down directions. The width of the interval
between each adjacent two of the radiating fins 52a in the up-down directions is not
25 particularly limited and may be appropriately defined. In the example according to the
present embodiment, all the radiating fins 52a are arranged in regular intervals. In such
a manner, the radiating fins 52a of the heat radiator 52, which is disposed so as to extend
8
from the heat receiver 51 toward the lateral side of the vehicle 2 (the negative side on the
second axis), are arranged in intervals in the up-down directions while being exposed to
the outside air. This arrangement forms a flow path 53 extending in the directions on
the first axis between each adjacent two of the radiating fins 52a arranged in the up-down
directions. Accordingly, for example, when the vehicle 2 runs in a traveling 5 direction
100 indicated by an arrow of FIG. 1, a traveling wind 200 flows through the flow path 53,
which is formed between each adjacent two of the radiating fins 52a arranged in the
up-down directions, in the direction (negative direction on the first axis) indicated by
each arrow of a dashed and double-dotted line. The radiating fins 52a thus discharge
10 heat, which has been transferred from the semiconductor elements 4 via the heat receiver
51, from the surfaces of the radiating fins 52a to the air.
[0016] The radiating fins 52a are made with a metallic material such as aluminum
or copper having a high heat conductivity, for example and are integrated with the heat
receiver 51. The radiating fins 52a are integrated with the surface 51b of the heat
15 receiver 51 on the lateral side of the vehicle 2 (the negative side on the second axis) by
brazing or welding, for example. The radiating fins 52a may be provided by being
squeezed in grooves provided on the surface 51b of the heat receiver 51, by being formed
integrally with the heat receiver 51 using a procedure, such as extrusion molding, or by
being fixed on the heat receiver 51 with fasteners, such as bolts. The method of
20 fabricating the radiating fins 52a is not particularly limited. The cooler 5 may have a
configuration other than the configuration according to the embodiment. For example,
the cooler 5 may be replaced with a well-known existing cooler, such as a heat pipe
cooler using the phase change of refrigerant, as required.
[0017] The position adjusting member 6 has a function as a spacer for adjusting the
25 position of the end of the heat radiator 52 (radiating fins 52a) on the side distant from the
housing 3 (the negative side on the second axis) in the direction approaching the rigging
limit S defined under the vehicle 2 (the negative direction on the second axis, in the
9
present embodiment). The position adjusting member 6 is disposed between the
housing 3 and the heat receiver 51.
[0018] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an exemplary position adjusting member of
the vehicle power conversion apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present
disclosure. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the position adjusting 5 member as viewed
along the line C-C of FIG. 4. As illustrated in FIGS. 2 to 4, the position adjusting
member 6 has a rectangular frame shape having the same external dimensions as those of
the heat receiver 51, for example. The position adjusting member 6 has a space 61 for
accommodating the semiconductor elements 4 therein. As illustrated in FIGS. 2 to 5,
10 the position adjusting member 6 has a first water stopper 63 on a surface 62 on the
housing 3-side(the positive side on the second axis) and a second water stopper 65 on a
surface 64 on the heat receiver 51-side(the negative side on the second axis). The
position adjusting member 6 is fabricated by cutting a metallic material such as
aluminum into a rectangular frame shape integrally with the first water stopper 63 and the
15 second water stopper 65, for example. The first water stopper 63 and the second water
stopper 65 are disposed at the positions opposite to each other on the surface 62 and the
surface 64, respectively, as illustrated in FIG. 5.
[0019] The first water stopper 63 serves to prevent fluid, such as rainwater, from
entering inside through the gap between the position adjusting member 6 and the housing
20 3. The first water stopper 63 has a protrusion protruding toward the housing 3. The
first water stopper 63 has a rectangular frame shape along the entire surface 62 of the
position adjusting member 6. As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the first water stopper 63
is configured to press a gasket 8 that is held with the gasket 8 being fitted in a recess
(gasket retainer) 34 when the position adjusting member 6 is attached to the housing 3,
25 for example. The recess 34 has a rectangular frame shape and is formed on a surface 33
along the peripheral edge of the open side of the housing 3 (the negative side on the
second axis).
10
[0020] The second water stopper 65 serves to prevent fluid, such as rainwater, from
entering inside through the gap between the position adjusting member 6 and the heat
receiver 51. The second water stopper 65 has a recess for retaining a gasket 9 held
therein. The second water stopper 65 has a rectangular frame shape along the entire
surface 64 of the position adjusting member 6. As illustrated in 5 FIGS. 2 and 3, the
second water stopper 65 is configured such that the gasket 9 is pressed by a protrusion
(gasket presser) 54 when the position adjusting member 6 is attached to the heat receiver
51, for example. The protrusion 54 has a rectangular frame shape and is formed on the
peripheral edge of the heated surface 51a of the heat receiver 51.
10 [0021] The position adjusting member 6 may have a structure other than the
structure according to the present embodiment. The first water stopper 63 may also be a
recess for retaining the gasket 8 held therein. In this case, the surface 33 along the
peripheral edge on the open side of the housing 3 (the negative side on the second axis)
has only to have a protrusion (gasket presser) having a rectangular frame shape for urging
15 the gasket 8. In addition, the second water stopper 65 may also be a protrusion for
urging the gasket 9. In this case, the peripheral edge of the heated surface 51a of the
heat receiver 51 has only to have a recess for retaining the gasket 9 held therein.
Alternatively, the first water stopper 63 may be replaced with a sealing member (not
shown) for stopping water provided in a boundary region between the position adjusting
20 member 6 and the housing 3, for example. Also, the second water stopper 65 may be
replaced with a sealing member (not shown) for stopping water provided in a boundary
region between the position adjusting member 6 and the heat receiver 51, for example.
[0022] The position adjusting member 6 is fixed to the housing 3 with fasteners 10,
together with the heat receiver 51, for example, as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3. The
25 fasteners 10 include bolts 10a and nuts 10b, for example. The heat receiver 51 and the
position adjusting member 6 are each provided with non-illustrated through holes
extending in the directions on the second axis and capable of receiving the bolts 10a.
11
These through holes are disposed at the respective positions corresponding to each other
on the heat receiver 51 and the position adjusting member 6. The positions of the
through holes are aligned such that the through holes are in communication with
non-illustrated individual holes that extend through the surface 33 of the housing 3 in the
directions on the second axis.. The nuts 10b to be screwed with the bolts 5 10a are fixed
to an inside portion of the surface 33 of the housing 3 by a procedure such as welding.
The bolts 10a are inserted through the through holes in the heat receiver 51 and the
position adjusting member 6 and the holes on the surface 33 of the housing 3 and then
screwed to the nuts 10b, so that the position adjusting member 6 is fixed to the housing 3
10 together with the heat receiver 51.
[0023] Since the position adjusting member 6 has the same external dimensions as
those of the heat receiver 51, an outer peripheral surface 66 of the position adjusting
member 6 is flush with an outer peripheral surface 51c of the heat receiver 51. Since the
position adjusting member 6 is fixed to the housing 3 together with the heat receiver 51,
15 the gasket 8 held in the recess 34 on the surface 33 of the housing 3 is pressed by the first
water stopper 63 while the gasket 9 held in the second water stopper 65 is pressed by the
protrusion 54 formed on the heated surface 51a of the heat receiver 51. The heat
receiver 51 thus closes the opening of the position adjusting member 6 on the lateral side
of the vehicle 2 (the negative side on the second axis), such that the space 61 inside the
20 position adjusting member 6 and the space inside the housing 3 are sealed while
adjoining each other, as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3. The semiconductor elements 4
coupled to the heated surface 51a of the heat receiver 51 are disposed in the sealed space
61 inside the position adjusting member 6. Although the entire semiconductor elements
4 are accommodated in the space 61 inside the position adjusting member 6 in the
25 example according to the present embodiment, the semiconductor elements 4 may also be
disposed across the space 61 inside the position adjusting member 4 and the space inside
the housing 3, depending on the thickness of the position adjusting member 6, for
12
example. Although the position adjusting member 6 is disposed between the housing 3
and the heat receiver 51 in the example according to the embodiment, the position
adjusting member 6 may also be disposed between the bottom surface 21 of the vehicle 2
and the hangers 7 or between the hangers 7 and the housing 3, so as to adjust the position
of the end of the heat radiator 52 in the direction approaching the rigging 5 limit S defined
under the vehicle 2.
[0024] The vehicle power conversion apparatus 1 according to Embodiment 1 of
the present disclosure includes: the housing 3 attached to the vehicle 2; the cooler 5
including the heat receiver 51 that is disposed on the side near the housing 3 and has the
10 heated surface 51a provided with the semiconductor elements 4, and the heat radiator 52
disposed on the surface 51b of the heat receiver 51 opposite to the heated surface 51a;
and the position adjusting member 6 to adjust the position of the end of the heat radiator
52 distant from the housing 3 in the direction approaching the rigging limit S defined
under the vehicle 2. The vehicle power conversion apparatus 1 can therefore achieve
15 efficient introduction of the traveling wind 200, leading to improvement in cooling
capacity.
[0025] FIG. 6 is an exemplary view of the vehicle power conversion apparatus
according to Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure as viewed from the bottom surface
side of the vehicle. The vehicle 2 may include another device 300 ahead of the vehicle
20 power conversion apparatus 1 in the frontward traveling direction 100 of the vehicle 2
(the positive direction on the first axis), for example, as illustrated in FIG. 6. The device
300 not equipped with the position adjusting member 6 at such a position may block the
traveling wind 200, leading to failure in introduction of sufficient traveling wind 200 to
the heat radiator 52. In contrast, in the vehicle power conversion apparatus 1 according
25 to Embodiment 1 of the disclosure, the position adjusting member 6 is able to shift the
heat radiator 52 in the direction approaching the rigging limit S (the negative direction on
the second axis) to the position at which the traveling wind 200 to the heat radiator 52 is
13
not blocked by the device 300, as illustrated in FIG. 6. The vehicle power conversion
apparatus 1 can therefore achieve efficient introduction of sufficient traveling wind 200 to
the heat radiator 52, leading to improvement in cooling capacity.
[0026] In the vehicle power conversion apparatus 1 according to Embodiment 1 of
the present disclosure, the position adjusting member 6 is disposed between 5 the housing 3
and the heat receiver 51. The position adjusting member 6 can thus adjust the position
of the end of the heat radiator 52 in the direction approaching the rigging limit S defined
under the vehicle 2 without detachment of the housing 3 from the vehicle 2. The
housing 3 is therefore not required to be displaced.
10 [0027] In the vehicle power conversion apparatus 1 according to Embodiment 1 of
the disclosure, the position adjusting member 6 has the space 61 for accommodating the
semiconductor elements 4 therein. The position adjusting member 6 can thus be
disposed between the housing 3 and the heat receiver 51 without displacement of the
semiconductor elements 4 coupled to the heated surface 51a of the heat receiver 51, for
15 example.
[0028] In the vehicle power conversion apparatus 1 according to Embodiment 1 of
the present disclosure, the position adjusting member 6 is integrally formed into a
rectangular frame shape. The position adjusting member 6 can thus adjust the position
of the end of the heat radiator 52 in the direction approaching the rigging limit S defined
20 under the vehicle 2, while maintaining the semiconductor elements 4 in the space 61
defined within the rectangular frame. The position adjusting member 6 is integrally
formed and can therefore prevent fluid, such as rainwater, from entering inside without
using sealing member or the like for connection portions, unlike a case in which a device
is assembled by connecting multiple members to one another.
25 [0029] In the vehicle power conversion apparatus 1 according to Embodiment 1 of
the present disclosure, the position adjusting member 6 is disposed such that the outer
peripheral surface 66 is flush with the outer peripheral surface 51c of the heat receiver 51.
14
This configuration provides no step or the like at the boundary between the position
adjusting member 6 and the heat receiver 51, and can readily achieve position alignment.
[0030] In the vehicle power conversion apparatus 1 according to Embodiment 1 of
the present disclosure, the surface 62 of the position adjusting member 6 on the housing
3-side is provided with the first water stopper 63 for preventing fluid from 5 entering inside
through the gap between the position adjusting member 6 and the housing 3. This
configuration can prevent fluid from entering inside without an additional member, such
as sealing member, in the boundary region between the position adjusting member 6 and
the housing 3.
10 [0031] In the vehicle power conversion apparatus 1 according to Embodiment 1 of
the present disclosure, the surface 64 of the position adjusting member 6 on the heat
receiver 51-side is provided with the second water stopper 65 for preventing fluid from
entering inside through the gap between the position adjusting member 6 and the heat
receiver 51. This configuration can prevent fluid from entering inside without an
15 additional member, such as sealing member, in the boundary region between the position
adjusting member 6 and the heat receiver 51.
[0032] In the vehicle power conversion apparatus 1 according to Embodiment 1 of
the present disclosure, the first water stopper 63 and the second water stopper 65 are
disposed at the positions opposite to each other on the surface 62 of the position adjusting
20 member 6 on the housing 3-side and the surface 64 of the position adjusting member 6
that is on the heat receiver 51-side, respectively. The first water stopper 63 and the
second water stopper 65 can thus be preliminarily formed into the structures
corresponding to the housing 3 and the heat receiver 51, respectively. The position
adjusting member 6 can therefore be installed without any modification of the structure of
25 the housing 3 or the heat receiver 51.
[0033] The vehicle power conversion apparatus 1 according to Embodiment 1 of
the present disclosure includes the fasteners 10 for fixing the position adjusting member 6
15
to the housing 3 together with the heat receiver 51. The position adjusting member 6
can thus be readily detached and replaced by loosening the fasteners 10. That is, the
position adjusting member 6 can readily be detached and replaced, for example,
depending on the position of another device as an obstacle and the size of the cooler 5,
without a large-scale manipulation, such as detachment of the entire 5 vehicle power
conversion apparatus 1 from the vehicle 2.
[0034] In the vehicle power conversion apparatus 1 according to Embodiment 1 of
the present disclosure, the semiconductor elements 4 is made as the wide bandgap
semiconductor and therefore have a higher dielectric strength and a higher allowable
10 current density, leading to a reduction in the size of the vehicle power conversion
apparatus 1. The semiconductor elements 4 containing the wide bandgap
semiconductor also have a higher thermal resistance, leading to a reduction in the size of
the cooler 5. Furthermore, these semiconductor elements 4 have lower power loss and
are therefore improved in efficiency and can achieve power conversion at higher
15 efficiency.
[0035] Embodiment 2
A vehicle power conversion apparatus 1a according to Embodiment 2 of the
present disclosure is described with reference to FIGS. 7 to 10. The components and the
like identical to those in the vehicle power conversion apparatus 1 according to
20 Embodiment 1 of the disclosure are provided with the same reference symbol without
redundant description.
[0036] FIG. 7 is a side view of the vehicle power conversion apparatus 1a
according to Embodiment 2 of the present disclosure. FIG. 8 is a front view of the
vehicle power conversion apparatus 1a according to Embodiment 2 of the present
25 disclosure. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the vehicle power conversion apparatus
1a as viewed along the line D-D of FIG. 7. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the
vehicle power conversion apparatus 1a as viewed along the line E-E of FIG. 8.
16
[0037] As illustrated in FIGS. 7 to 10, the vehicle power conversion apparatus 1a
includes the housing 3 fixed under the floor of the vehicle 2, the semiconductor elements
4 for power conversion, the cooler 5 for cooling the semiconductor elements 4, and the
position adjusting member 6 disposed between the housing 3 and the cooler 5. The
housing 3 of the vehicle power conversion apparatus 1a has a rectangular 5 box shape and
is open on the lower side, as illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10. The hangers 7 are fixed to
the vehicle 2, thereby installing the housing 3 under the floor of the vehicle 2 such that
the lower ends of the radiating fins 52a are located above the rigging limit S defined
under the vehicle 2.
10 [0038] The cooler 5 according to the present embodiment is fixed to the lower side
of the housing 3 via the position adjusting member 6. The cooler 5 is a device for
cooling the semiconductor elements 4. The cooler 5 includes a heat receiver 55 and a
heat radiator 56. The heat receiver 55 has a heated surface 55a, which corresponds to
the upper surface near the housing 3 and is coupled to the semiconductor elements 4.
15 According to the present embodiment, the heat receiver 55 is disposed such that the
heated surface 55a is in parallel to the plane (horizontal plane) defined by the directions
on the first axis and the directions on the second axis. The heat receiver 55 also has a
lower surface 55b, which is opposite to (below) the heated surface 55a and is provided
with the heat radiator 56.
20 [0039] The heat radiator 56 has radiating fins 56a, as illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9.
The radiating fins 56a are disposed so as to extend downward from the lower surface 55b
of the heat receiver 55. The heat radiator 56 is disposed such that the ends (lower ends)
of the radiating fins 56a on the side distant from the housing 3 (the lower side) are located
above the rigging limit S. In the example according to the present embodiment, the
25 radiating fins 56a are formed to each have a rectangular plate shape and are arranged to
be parallel to the plane defined by the directions on the first axis and the up-down
directions. The radiating fins 56a are arranged in intervals in the directions on the
17
second axis. The width of the interval between each adjacent two of the radiating fins
56a in the directions on the second axis is not particularly limited and may be
appropriately defined. In the example according to the present embodiment, all the
radiating fins 56a are arranged in regular intervals. That is, the radiating fins 56a of the
heat radiator 56, which are disposed to extend downward from the heat 5 receiver 55, are
arranged in intervals in the directions on the second axis while being exposed to the
outside air. This arrangement forms a flow path 57 extending in the directions on the
first axis between each adjacent two of the radiating fins 56a arranged in the directions on
the second axis.
10 [0040] According to the present embodiment, the vehicle 2 further includes a first
slope 11 and a second slope 12 that are respectively disposed. on a bottom surface 22, on
the side of introduction of the traveling wind 200 (the positive side on the first axis) of the
vehicle power conversion apparatus 1 a and the side of discharge of the traveling wind
200 (the negative side on the second axis) of the vehicle power conversion apparatus 1a,
15 as illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 10. The first slope 11 has a slant surface 11a inclined
downward in the direction away from the heat radiator 56 to the front side of the traveling
direction of the vehicle 2 (the positive side on the first axis), so as to efficiently introduce
the traveling wind 200 to the heat radiator 56. The second slope 12 has a slant surface
12a inclined downward in the direction away from the heat radiator 56 to the rear side of
20 the traveling direction of the vehicle 2 (the negative side on the first axis), so as to guide
the traveling wind 200 that has passed through the heat radiator 56 to the rear side of the
traveling direction of the vehicle 2 (the negative side on the first axis).
[0041] The vehicle power conversion apparatus 1a according to the present
embodiment includes an L-shaped first joint member 13 fabricated by bending in
25 accordance with the inclination angle of the slant surface 11a and an L-shaped second
joint member 14 fabricated by bending in accordance with the inclination angle of the
slant surface 12a. The first joint member 13 has a fixed segment 13a to be fixed to a
18
side surface 35 of the housing 3 on the positive side on the first axis with non-illustrated
fasteners or the like (not shown), and a joint segment 13b bent from the lower end of the
fixed segment 13a in accordance with the inclination angle of the slant surface 11a to be
coupled to the upper portion of the slant surface 11a with non-illustrated fasteners or the
like. The first slope 11 is thus fixed by being coupled to the side 5 surface 35 of the
housing 3 via the first joint member 13, for example. The second joint member 14 has a
fixed segment 14a to be fixed to a side surface 36 of the housing 3 on the negative side on
the first axis with non-illustrated fasteners or the like, and a joint segment 14b bent from
the lower end of the fixed segment 14a in accordance with the inclination angle of the
10 slant surface 12a to be coupled to the upper portion of the slant surface 12a with
non-illustrated fasteners or the like. The second slope 12 is thus fixed by being coupled
to the side surface 36 of the housing 3 via the second joint member 14, for example.
FIG. 8 does not illustrate the first slope 11 or the first joint member 13. The first joint
member 13 and the second joint member 14 may have a structure other than the structure
15 according to the embodiment and are only required to fix the first slope 13 and the second
slope 14, respectively, to the housing 3.
[0042] The position adjusting member 6 has a function as a spacer for adjusting the
position of the end of the heat radiator 56 (radiating fins 56a) on the side distant from the
housing 3 (the lower side) in the direction approaching the rigging limit S (the downward
20 direction, in the present embodiment) defined under the vehicle 2. The position
adjusting member 6 is disposed between the housing 3 and the heat receiver 55. The
position adjusting member 6 has a structure basically the same as that illustrated in FIG. 4
and is not redundantly described in detail. According to the present embodiment, the
first water stopper 63 is configured to press the gasket 8 that is held with the gasket 8
25 being fitted in a recess (gasket retainer) 38 when the position adjusting member 6 is
attached to the housing 3, for example, as illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10. The recess 38
has a rectangular frame shape and is formed on a bottom surface 37 along the peripheral
19
edge of the open side of the housing 3 (the lower side). The second water stopper 65
retains the gasket 9 held therein. The second water stopper 65 is configured such that
the gasket 9 is pressed by a protrusion (gasket presser) 58 when the position adjusting
member 6 is attached to the heat receiver 55, for example. The protrusion 58 has a
rectangular frame shape and is formed on the peripheral edge of the heated 5 surface 55a of
the heat receiver 55.
[0043] As in Embodiment 1, the position adjusting member 6 may have a structure
other than the structure according to the present embodiment. The first water stopper 63
may also be a recess for retaining the gasket 8 held therein. In this case, the bottom
10 surface 37 along the peripheral edge on the lower side of the housing 3 has only to have a
protrusion (gasket presser) having a rectangular frame shape for urging the gasket 8. In
addition, the second water stopper 65 may also be a protrusion for urging the gasket 9.
In this case, the peripheral edge of the heated surface 55a of the heat receiver 55 has only
to do have a recess for retaining the gasket 9 held therein. Alternatively, the first water
15 stopper 63 may be replaced with a sealing member (not shown) for stopping water
provided in a boundary region between the position adjusting member 6 and the housing
3, for example. Also, the second water stopper 65 may be replaced with a sealing
member (not shown) for stopping water provided in a boundary region between the
position adjusting member 6 and the heat receiver 51, for example.
20 [0044] As in Embodiment 1, the position adjusting member 6 is fixed to the
housing 3 with the fasteners 10 including the bolts 10a and the nuts 10b, together with the
heat receiver 55, for example, as illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10. Since the position
adjusting member 6 has the same external dimensions as those of the heat receiver 55, the
outer peripheral surface 66 of the position adjusting member 6 is flush with an outer
25 peripheral surface 55c of the heat receiver 55. Since the position adjusting member 6 is
fixed to the housing 3 together with the heat receiver 55, the gasket 8 held in the recess 38
on the bottom surface 37 of the housing 3 is pressed by the first water stopper 63 while
20
the gasket 9 held in the second water stopper 65 is pressed by the protrusion 58 formed
on the heated surface 55a of the heat receiver 55. The heat receiver 55 thus closes the
opening of the position adjusting member 6 on the lower side, such that the space 61
inside the position adjusting member 6 and the space inside the housing 3 are sealed
while adjoining each other, as illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10. 5 The semiconductor
elements 4 coupled to the heated surface 55a of the heat receiver 55 are then disposed
across the space 61 inside the position adjusting member 6 and the space inside the
housing 3 in the sealed state. Although the entire semiconductor elements 4 are
accommodated across the space 61 inside the position adjusting member 6 and the space
10 inside the housing 3 in the example according to the present embodiment, the entire
semiconductor elements 4 may also be accommodated in the space 61 inside the position
adjusting member 6, depending on the thickness of the position adjusting member 6, for
example.
[0045] The position adjusting member 6 is disposed such that the end of the heat
15 radiator 56 on the lower side is located above the rigging limit S defined under the
vehicle 2. In the example according to the present embodiment, the position adjusting
member 6 is disposed such that the end of the heat radiator 56 is located at the same
height as the lower ends of the slant surfaces 11a and 12a of the first slope 11 and the
second slope 12, as illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 10. This height is higher than the rigging
20 limit S by a certain distance.
[0046] The bottom surface 37 of the housing 3 is located higher than the upper ends
of the slant surfaces 11a and 12a, and the lower surface 55b of the heat receiver 55
opposite to the heated surface 55a is located at the same height or lower than the upper
ends of the slant surfaces 11a and 12a. In the example according to the present
25 embodiment, the position adjusting member 6 is disposed such that the upper ends of the
slant surfaces 11a and 12a are located at the same height as the lower surface 55b of the
heat receiver 55, as illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 10. The positions of the upper ends of the
21
slant surfaces 11a and 12a can be varied by, for example, adjusting the lower-side
dimensions of the fixed segment 13a of the first joint member 13 and the fixed segment
14a of the second joint member 14, respectively. For example, in order to descend the
positions of the upper ends of the slant surfaces 11a and 12a, the fixed segment 13a of the
first joint member 13 and the fixed segment 14a of the second joint 5 member 14 has only
to have lower-side dimensions extended depending on the distance of descending the
positions of the upper ends of the slant surfaces 11a and 12a. The position adjusting
member 6 is disposed between the housing 3 and the heat receiver 55 in the example
according to the present embodiment, but may be disposed between the vehicle 2 and the
10 hangers 7 or between the hangers 7 and the housing 3 for adjusting the position of the end
of the heat radiator 56 in the direction approaching the rigging limit S defined under the
vehicle 2.
[0047] In the vehicle power conversion apparatus 1a according to Embodiment 2 of
the present disclosure, the heat radiator 56 is disposed below the housing 3, and the
15 position adjusting member 6 is disposed such that the end of the heat radiator 56 is
located above the rigging limit S defined under the vehicle 2. This configuration can
achieve efficient introduction of the traveling wind 200, leading to improvement in
cooling capacity, without causing the heat radiator 56 to protrude from the rigging limit
S.
20 [0048] In the vehicle power conversion apparatus 1a according to Embodiment 2 of
the present disclosure, the bottom surface 37 of the housing 3 is located higher than the
upper end of the slant surface 11a of the vehicle 2, which is inclined downward in a
direction away from the heat radiator 56 with respect to the traveling direction of the
vehicle 2 so as to introduce the traveling wind 200 to the heat radiator 56. In addition,
25 the lower surface 55b of the heat receiver 55 opposite to the heated surface 55a is located
at the same height or lower than the upper end of the slant surface 11a. This
configuration can achieve a shorter length of the slant surface 11a in the traveling
22
direction (the positive direction on the first axis) and a smaller height of the slant surface
11a in the up-down directions without displacement of the housing 3, in comparison to
the configuration in which the upper end of the slant surface 11a is located at the same
height or higher than the bottom surface 37 of the housing 3.
[0049] FIG. 11 illustrates exemplary installation manners 5 of vehicle power
conversion apparatuses. The section (a) of FIG. 11 illustrates an exemplary installation
manner of a vehicle power conversion apparatus 400 not equipped with the position
adjusting member 6. The vehicle power conversion apparatus 400 includes a first slope
15 having a slant surface 15a on the positive side on the first axis and a second slope 16
10 having a slant surface 16a on the negative side on the second axis. The first slope 15
and the second slope 16 are fixed to the housing 3 via a first joint member 17 and a
second joint member 18, respectively. The upper ends of the slant surfaces 15a and 16a
are located at the same height as the lower surface of a heat receiver 402 of a cooler 401
of the vehicle power conversion apparatus 400. The lower ends of the slant surfaces 15a
15 and 16a are located at the same height as the lower end of a heat radiator 403 (radiating
fins 403a) of the cooler 401. The slant surfaces 15a and 16a have a height h11 in the
up-down directions and a width w1 in the directions on the first axis. The radiating fins
403a have a height (dimension in the up-down directions) h21, which is approximately
the same as the height h11 of the slant surface 16a in the up-down directions (h21≃h11).
20 [0050] The section (b) of FIG. 11 illustrates an exemplary installation manner of a
vehicle power conversion apparatus 500, in which non-illustrated semiconductor
elements are made, for example, as a wide bandgap semiconductor and thus have a
higher thermal resistance, leading to a reduction in height of the heat radiator 56
(radiating fins 56a) of the cooler 5. The vehicle power conversion apparatus 500
25 includes the first slope 15 on the positive side on the first axis and the second slope 16 on
the negative side on the second axis, like the vehicle power conversion apparatus 400
illustrated in the section (a) of FIG. 11. In contrast, the radiating fins 56a in the vehicle
23
power conversion apparatus 500 have a height (length in the up-down directions) h22,
which is smaller than the height h21 of the radiating fins 403a illustrated in the section (a)
of FIG. 11 (h21>h22). The upper ends of the radiating fins 56a are, however, located at
the same height as the upper ends of the radiating fins 403a. The lower ends of the
radiating fins 56a are thus located higher than the lower ends of the slant 5 surfaces 15a and
16 in the vehicle power conversion apparatus 500. That is, the heat radiator 56 is
located at an inner position higher than the lower ends of the slant surfaces 15a and 16 in
the vehicle power conversion apparatus 500. The slant surfaces 15a and 16a in the
vehicle power conversion apparatus 500 have the same height h11 in the up-down
10 directions and the same width w1 in the directions on the first axis, as those of the vehicle
power conversion apparatus 400 illustrated in the section (a) of FIG. 11.
[0051] In contrast, in the vehicle power conversion apparatus 1a according to
Embodiment 2 of the present disclosure illustrated in the section (c) of FIG. 11, the
position adjusting member 6 is able to adjust the position of the heat radiator 56. In the
15 vehicle power conversion apparatus 1a illustrated in FIG. 11, the lower ends of the
radiating fins 56a are shifted to the same height as the lower ends of the slant surfaces 15a
and 16 by means of the position adjusting member 6. The upper ends of the slant
surfaces 15a and 16 are only required to be located such that traveling winds can be
introduced to the upper ends of the radiating fins 56a. Accordingly, the upper ends of
20 the slant surfaces 11a and 12a can be descended to the same height as the lower surface
of the heat receiver 55 provided with the upper ends of the radiating fins 56a, depending
on the position of the heat radiator 56 adjusted by the position adjusting member 6, as
illustrated in the section (c) of FIG. 11. In the case where the slant surfaces 11a and 12a
are provided at the same inclination angles as those of the respective slant surfaces 15a
25 and 16a illustrated in the section (a) or (b) of FIG. 11, the height h12 of the slant surfaces
11a and 12a in the up-down directions can be designed to be smaller than the height h11
of the slant surfaces 15a and 16a in the up-down directions (h11>h12). Also, the width
24
w2 of the slant surfaces 11a and 12a in the directions on the first axis can be designed to
be smaller than the width w1 of the slant surfaces 15a and 16a in the directions on the
first axis (w1>w2). This configuration can reduce the space under the floor of the
vehicle 2 necessary for installation of the vehicle power conversion apparatus 1a, thereby
achieving a greater variety of installation 5 manners.
[0052] The above-described embodiments should not be construed as limiting the
disclosure and may be modified and simplified as required without departing from the
scope of the idea of the disclosure.
Reference Signs List
10 [0053] 1, 1a Vehicle power conversion apparatus
2 Vehicle
3 Housing
4 Semiconductor element
5 Cooler
15 6 Position adjusting member
10 Fastener
11a Slant surface
37 Bottom surface
51, 55 Heat receiver
20 51a, 55a Heated surface
51c Outer peripheral surface
52, 56 Heat radiator
52a, 56a Radiating fin
55c Lower surface
25 61 Space
63 First water stopper
65 Second water stopper
25
66 Outer peripheral surface
26
We Claim :
1. A vehicle power conversion apparatus comprising:
a housing to be attached to a vehicle;
a cooler comprising:
a heat receiver disposed on a side near the housing, 5 the heat receiver
comprising a heated surface provided with a semiconductor element; and
a heat radiator disposed on a surface of the heat receiver opposite to the
heated surface; and
a position adjusting member to adjust a position of an end of the heat radiator
10 distant from the housing in a direction approaching a rigging limit of the vehicle.
2. The vehicle power conversion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the
position adjusting member is disposed between the housing and the heat receiver.
15 3. The vehicle power conversion apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the
position adjusting member has a space for accommodating the semiconductor element
therein.
4. The vehicle power conversion apparatus according to claim 2 or 3, wherein
20 the position adjusting member is integrally formed into a rectangular frame shape.
5. The vehicle power conversion apparatus according to any one of claims 2 to
4, wherein the position adjusting member comprises an outer peripheral surface disposed
to be flush with an outer peripheral surface of the heat receiver.
25
6. The vehicle power conversion apparatus according to any one of claims 2 to
5, wherein the position adjusting member is provided with a water stopper on one of a
27
housing-side surface of the position adjusting member and a heat receiver-side surface of
the position adjusting member, the water stopper being configured to prevent fluid from
entering inside through a gap between the position adjusting member and the housing or a
gap between the position adjusting member and the heat receiver.
5
7. The vehicle power conversion apparatus according to any one of claims 2 to
5, wherein the position adjusting member is provided with water stoppers on both of a
housing-side surface of the position adjusting member and a heat receiver-side surface of
the position adjusting member, the water stoppers being configured to prevent fluid from
10 entering inside through a gap between the position adjusting member and the housing and
a gap between the position adjusting member and the heat receiver.
8. The vehicle power conversion apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the
water stoppers are disposed at positions opposite to each other on the housing-side
15 surface of the position adjusting member and the heat receiver-side surface of the position
adjusting member.
9. The vehicle power conversion apparatus according to any one of claims 2 to
8, further comprising:
20 fasteners to fix the heat receiver and the position adjusting member together to the
housing.
10. The vehicle power conversion apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to
9, wherein
25 the heat radiator is disposed below the housing, and
the position adjusting member is disposed such that the end of the heat radiator is
located above the rigging limit defined under the vehicle.
11. The vehicle
10, wherein
the housing comprises a bottom surface located higher than an upper end of a slant
surface included 5 in the vehic
away from the heat radiator with respect to
introduce a traveling wind to the heat radiator, and
the heat receiver comprises a lower surface
surface, the lower surface being located at a same height or lower than the upper end of
10 the slant surface.
12. The vehicle
11, wherein the semiconductor el