JP2001352766A - Power unit - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Problem] To provide a power unit realizing miniaturization and low inductance. SOLUTION: A power module 1-1 has DC terminals 2 and 3 and an AC output terminal 6 on one end side, has a P terminal 4 and an N terminal 5 on the other end side, and has a DC terminal on one end side of a housing 18. Housing 1 so that terminals 2 and 3 and AC output terminal 6 are located
8. Here, DC terminals 2, 3 and P terminal 4,
The N terminal 5 is connected within the power module 1-1. A smoothing capacitor 8 that is directly connected to the P terminal 4 and the N terminal 5 is arranged between the other end of the power module 1 and the other end of the housing 18 in the housing 18.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a power unit having a relatively small capacity of about 10 kW, which is suitable for driving an electric motor of an electric vehicle or the like, and more particularly to a power unit which is reduced in size and reduced in inductance.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 11 shows an example of such a power unit circuit. That is, the power unit shown in FIG. 11 converts DC power from a storage battery or the like into AC power and drives the electric motor 12 in AC, and the power unit 1, the smoothing capacitor 8, the current detector 11, and a casing (not shown) Be composed.

[0003] The power unit is provided with a +
It has an input P terminal 2 and an input N terminal 3 connected to a pole and a negative pole, and the input P terminal 2 and the input N terminal 3 are connected via a + terminal 9 and a − terminal 10 to which a smoothing capacitor 8 is connected. The P terminal 4 and the N terminal 5 of the power module 1 are connected.
The power module 1 has a semiconductor switching element such as an IGBT mounted therein and is made of a resin mold or the like. AC terminal 7 of power module 1
Is connected to the AC output terminal 6 of the power unit, and the AC output terminal 6 is connected to the electric motor 12. Here, a current detector 11 is provided on a conductor connecting the AC terminal 7 and the AC output terminal 6.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the power unit shown in FIG. 11, in which a power module 1, a smoothing capacitor 8, a current detector 11 and the like are housed in a housing 18. Here, a terminal block 16 serving as a terminal lead-out portion is provided at one end of the housing 18. In the terminal block 16,
An input P terminal 2, an input N terminal 3, and an AC terminal 7 are provided. The power module 1 is provided with an AC output terminal 6 on one end, a P terminal 4 and an N terminal 5 on a side surface, and a cooler 17 on a back surface.

[0005] The P disposed on the upper surface of the power module 1
The conductor 13 and the N conductor 14 connect the input P terminal 2 and the input N terminal 3 to the + terminal 9 and the − terminal 10 of the smoothing capacitor 8, and the AC conductor 15 connects the AC output of the power module 1 and the AC terminal 7. And are connected.

FIG. 13 shows a power unit in which two power modules 1 are configured in parallel (two multiplex).

[0007]

In the above-mentioned conventional power unit, an off-the-shelf power module 1 and the like are mounted on a housing 18.
In order to connect the smoothing capacitor 8 and the power module 1, the P conductor 13 and the N conductor 1
4 is required to be arranged on the upper surface of the power module 1, the space factor is poor, and the use of such a conductor increases the inductance.

An object of the present invention is to provide a power unit that is reduced in size and lower in inductance.

[0009]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a housing having a terminal lead-out portion provided at one end, a first DC terminal portion provided at one end, It has an AC output terminal portion and has a second DC terminal portion on the other end side, and is arranged in the housing such that the first DC terminal portion and the AC output terminal portion are located on the one end side of the housing. And a smoothing capacitor disposed between the other end of the power module and the other end of the housing in the housing, and connected to the second DC terminal. And

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the power unit according to the first aspect, the AC output terminal section includes a plurality of AC output terminals, and the second DC terminal section includes a plurality of DC terminals. A smoothing capacitor is connected to the plurality of DC terminals.

The invention according to claim 3 is the power unit according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first DC terminal portion and the second DC terminal portion are connected inside the power module. I do.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the power unit according to the first or second aspect, the first DC terminal portion and the second DC terminal portion are outside the power module, and are stacked P conductors and It is characterized by being connected by N conductors.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the power unit according to the first or second aspect, the connection between the second DC terminal and the smoothing capacitor is performed by a plug-in type contact mechanism.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the power unit according to the first or second aspect, the smoothing capacitor is formed in a cylindrical shape, and P and N terminals connected to the second DC terminal portion are cylindrical hollow portions. It is characterized in that it is provided so as to protrude.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the power unit according to the first or second aspect, the smoothing capacitor includes a plurality of unit capacitors, and the plurality of unit capacitors are disposed on the wiring board and provided on the wiring board. A predetermined connection is made between the terminal and the terminal, the wiring board is arranged in the housing, and the terminal is connected to the second DC terminal.

According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, in the power unit according to the first or second aspect, the AC output terminal portion has a plug-in type contact mechanism.

According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, in the power unit according to the first or second aspect, a current detector is provided near the AC output terminal.

According to the above-mentioned inventions, the following effects are obtained.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, since the smoothing capacitor is directly connected and arranged to the second DC terminal of the power module in the housing, no external conductor is used. Since the required space is small and a conductor for connecting the smoothing capacitor is not required, the inductance is reduced, the switching surge voltage is reduced, and the operation reliability is improved.

According to the second or seventh aspect of the invention, in addition to the effect of the first aspect, by providing a plurality of smoothing capacitors, the difference in impedance between the two current paths is reduced, and Of the current sharing is achieved, and the reliability of the operation can be ensured.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, in addition to the effects of the first or second aspect, since the connection is made inside the power module, the required space is reduced, which contributes to downsizing. Become.

According to the fourth aspect of the invention, in addition to the effects of the first or second aspect, since the conductor for connection has a laminated structure, the required space is reduced, which contributes to downsizing. Become.

According to the fifth or eighth aspect of the invention, in addition to the effects of the first and second aspects, the connection of the smoothing capacitor by the plug-in type contact mechanism is performed, so that the work at the time of manufacture or inspection is facilitated. Become.

According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the effects of the first and second aspects, the use of a cylindrical capacitor in which the terminal protrudes outside instead of outside contributes to further downsizing. Become.

According to the ninth aspect, in addition to the effects of the first and second aspects, current detection is performed.

[0026]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a power unit according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

(First Embodiment) FIG. 1 shows a power unit according to a first embodiment, and the same parts as those in FIGS. 11 to 13 are denoted by the same reference numerals. The power module 1-1 and the smoothing capacitor 8A are housed in a housing 18. An input P terminal 2 and an input N terminal 3 of the power module 1-1 are connected to a terminal lead-out portion on one end side of the housing 18;
AC output terminal 6 and power module 1-1
The power module 1-1 is arranged in the housing 18 such that the P terminal 4 and the N terminal 5 are located on the other end side of the housing 18. In the power module 1-1, the input P terminal 2 and the input N terminal 3 are connected to the P terminal 4 and the N terminal 5 in the power module 1-1.

The P terminal 4 and the N terminal 5 of the power module 1-1 are directly connected to the + terminal 9 and the-terminal 10 of the smoothing capacitor 8A.

According to the present embodiment configured as described above, the terminals 9A and 9A of the smoothing capacitor 8A are directly connected to the P terminal 4 and the N terminal 5 of the power module 1-1 in the housing 18.
10A is connected and arranged, so that no external conductor is used, so that the required space in the housing 18 is small, and since no conductor is required for connection of the smoothing capacitor 8A, the inductance can be reduced. Planned,
Switching surge voltage is reduced, and operation reliability is improved.

(Second Embodiment) FIG. 2 shows a power unit according to a second embodiment, and the same parts as those in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals. In the first embodiment, the input P terminal 2, the input N terminal 3, the P terminal 4, and the N terminal 5 are connected to the power module 1-1.
In this embodiment, the P terminal 4 is connected.
The N terminal 5, the P terminal 4, and the N terminal 5 are outside the power module 1-2 and are connected by the P conductor 13A and the N conductor 14A having an inner laminated structure.

According to the present embodiment configured as described above, the conductors 13A and 14A for connecting the input P terminals 2 and 3 and the P terminals 4 and 5 have a laminated structure.
The space required for the device is reduced, which contributes to downsizing.

(Third Embodiment) FIG. 3 shows a power unit according to a third embodiment, and the same parts as those in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals. In the present embodiment, one set of terminals 4 and 5 in the first embodiment is replaced with two sets of terminals 4a and 5a and 4b and 5b.
The smoothing capacitors 8Aa and 8Ab are connected to these. The two terminals 4a, 5a, 4b, 5b and the input P terminals 2, 3 are connected in the power module 1-3.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, by providing two smoothing capacitors 8Aa and 8Ab,
The difference in impedance between the current paths in the system is reduced,
The current sharing for each of the capacitors 8Aa and 8Ab is made uniform, and the reliability of operation can be ensured.

(Fourth Embodiment) FIG. 4 shows a power unit according to a fourth embodiment, and the same parts as those in FIG. 2 are denoted by the same reference numerals. In this embodiment, one set of terminals 4 and 5 in the second embodiment is replaced with two sets of terminals 4a and 5a and 4b and 5b.
The smoothing capacitors 8Aa and 8Ab are connected to these. The two sets of terminals 4a, 5a, 4b, 5b and the input P terminals 2, 3 are outside the power module 1-4, and are connected by a P conductor 13A 'and an N conductor 14A' having an inner laminated structure. . Reference numeral 19 denotes a switching chip formed of an IGBT or the like mounted in the power module 1-4.

(Fifth Embodiment) FIG. 5 shows a power unit of a fifth embodiment, and the same parts as those of FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals. In the present embodiment, a pair of terminals 4 and 5 in the first embodiment are configured as plug-in contacts 4 ′ and 5 ′, and the power module 1-1 is connected to the terminals 9 B and 10 B of the smoothing capacitor 8 B. 5 is assumed.

According to the present embodiment as described above, the same effects as those of the first embodiment can be obtained, and since the attachment and detachment of the smoothing capacitor 8B can be easily performed, the work at the time of manufacture or inspection can be performed. It will be easier.

(Sixth Embodiment) FIG. 6 shows a power unit according to a sixth embodiment, in which the same parts as those in FIG. In the present embodiment, a pair of terminals 4 and 5 in the first embodiment are connected to opposed plug-in contacts 4 ″ and 4 ″.
5 ″, and these are connected to the terminal 9 of the smoothing capacitor 8C.
C and 10C are connected. Here, terminal 9C and terminal 1
A power module 1-6 in which an insulator 20 is arranged between the power module 1C and the power module 1C.

According to the present embodiment as described above, the same effects as in the fifth embodiment can be obtained.

(Seventh Embodiment) FIG. 7 shows a power unit according to a seventh embodiment, in which the same parts as those in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals. In the present embodiment, the cylindrical smoothing capacitor 8D
Is used. This cylindrical smooth condenser 8D is made of P, N
The terminals 9D and 10D are provided so as to project into the hollow portion of the cylinder.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the cylindrical smoothing capacitor 8D in which the protrusion of the terminal goes out instead of the outside.
Is used, which further contributes to downsizing.

(Eighth Embodiment) FIG. 8 shows a power unit according to an eighth embodiment, and the same parts as those in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals. In the present embodiment, a plurality of smoothing capacitors 8E connected in a predetermined manner to the wiring board 21 are arranged, and the terminals 9E, 1
0E is provided. The terminals 9E and 10E of the smoothing capacitor unit are connected to the P terminal 4 of the power module 1-8,
It is directly connected to the N terminal 5.

As described above, according to this embodiment, a large-capacity capacitor can be constituted by a plurality of capacitors 8E.
For example, even if one capacitor 8E is damaged, another capacitor 8E operates, so that highly reliable operation can be ensured.

(Ninth Embodiment) FIG. 9 shows a power unit according to a ninth embodiment, in which the same parts as those in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals. The power module 1-9 of the present embodiment includes:
An input P terminal 2 'and an input N terminal 3' employing a plug-in contact and an AC output terminal 6 'are provided.

According to the present embodiment as described above, the same effects as those of the first embodiment can be obtained, and the connection between the power unit, the storage battery, and the motor can be easily performed. Work becomes easier.

(Tenth Embodiment) FIG. 10 shows a power unit according to an eleventh embodiment, and the same parts as those in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals. The power module 1 of the present embodiment has a configuration in which the current detector 11 is provided near the AC output terminal 6.

According to the above-described embodiment, the detection of the alternating current is performed.

[0047]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a power unit having a reduced size and reduced inductance.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a power unit according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a power unit according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a power unit according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a power unit according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a power unit according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a power unit according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a power unit according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a power unit according to an eighth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a power unit according to a ninth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a power unit according to a tenth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a circuit diagram of an example of a power unit.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing an example of a conventional power unit.

FIG. 13 is a circuit diagram of another example of the power unit.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1-1 to 1-9 Power module 2, 2 '... Input P terminal 3, 3' ... Input N terminal 4, 4a, 4b ... P conductor 5, 5a, 5b ... N conductor 6, 6 '... AC output terminal 8A to 8E: Smoothing capacitor 9A to 9E: + terminal 10A to 10E ...-terminal 11: Current detector 13A: P conductor 14A: N conductor 15: AC conductor 17: Cooler 18: Housing

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. A housing having a terminal lead-out portion provided on one end side, a first DC terminal portion and an AC output terminal portion on one end side, and a second DC terminal portion on the other end side. A power module disposed in the housing such that the first DC terminal portion and the AC output terminal portion are located on the one end side of the body, and the other end of the power module in the housing and the other of the housing. A power unit comprising: a smoothing capacitor disposed between the first DC terminal and the second DC terminal; 2. An AC output terminal unit comprising a plurality of AC output terminals, a second DC terminal unit comprising a plurality of DC terminals, and a smoothing capacitor being connected to the plurality of DC terminals. The power unit according to claim 1, wherein: 3. The power unit according to claim 1, wherein the first DC terminal and the second DC terminal are connected inside the power module. 4. The power supply according to claim 1, wherein the first DC terminal portion and the second DC terminal portion are connected by stacked P conductors and N conductors outside the power module. 2. The power unit according to 2. 5. The power unit according to claim 1, wherein the connection between the second DC terminal and the smoothing capacitor is performed by a plug-in type contact mechanism. 6. The smoothing capacitor according to claim 1, wherein the smoothing capacitor is formed in a cylindrical shape, and P and N terminals connected to the second DC terminal are provided so as to protrude into the hollow cylindrical portion. 2. The power unit according to 2. 7. The smoothing capacitor includes a plurality of unit capacitors, the plurality of unit capacitors are arranged on a wiring board, and a predetermined connection is made between terminals provided on the wiring board. The power unit according to claim 1, wherein the power unit is disposed in the housing, and a terminal of the power unit is connected to the second DC terminal. 8. The power unit according to claim 1, wherein the AC output terminal includes a plug-in type contact mechanism. 9. The power unit according to claim 1, wherein a current detector is provided near the AC output terminal.