Electric power conversion electronic device for electric or hybrid vehicle

Abstract

A power conversion electronics device (1) for an electric or hybrid vehicle, the power conversion electronics device (1) being mountable within at least one electric or hybrid vehicle and connectable to at least one battery of the vehicle, the power conversion electronics device (1) comprising: an outer container (2); an electronic circuit (3) housed in the container (2), the electronic circuit (3) being connectable to a battery and comprising a plurality of electrical components (4) configured for converting an input current / voltage into a predetermined output current / voltage to be sent to the battery; and at least one lid (5) for closing the container (2) at the top; at least one layer (6) located between the electrical components (4) and the cover (5), the at least one layer (6) being at least partially made of an elastically deformable material and arranged in contact with each electrical component (4) and adapted to reduce vibrations transmitted by the electric vehicle to the electrical components (4).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a power conversion electronic device for an electric or hybrid vehicle, of the type of a battery charger (so-called "on-board charger", OBC) or a DC-DC converter, which can be mounted on the electric or hybrid vehicle and can be connected to the battery of the vehicle. Background Art

[0002] As is known, electric and hybrid vehicles are equipped with power electronics, such as a battery charger (so-called "on-board charger", OBC) or a DC-DC converter, which are provided with special electrical components (in particular of the electrolytic and / or film capacitor type) suitable for performing a conversion of an input voltage / current into a corresponding and predetermined output voltage / current.

[0003] With regard to such electrical components, there is now an increasing need to reduce the stresses to which these components are subjected during their service life in order to maintain their structural integrity and the corresponding functionality for as long as possible.

[0004] In this regard, it is well known how vibrations generated when a vehicle is in motion and transmitted thereby to electrical components can create stresses on the electrical components, which can ultimately damage the electrical components in the long term and lead to premature end of life.

[0005] In order to solve this problem, at least partially, a known technical solution consists in applying a glue drop (for example of the silicone adhesive type) between one electrical component and another.

[0006] In fact, the glue applied in this way makes it possible to dampen the vibrations transmitted from the electric vehicle to the electrical components and thus at least partially reduce the stresses to which the electrical components are subjected when the vehicle is in motion.

[0007] Thus, in this way, the structural integrity of the electrical components can be maintained longer and their operating life can be extended.

[0008] However, the technical solution just described is not without disadvantages.

[0009] First, it should be noted that power conversion electronics can include a very large number of electrical components within them.

[0010] This means that the amount of glue that needs to be used between electrical components can be high.

[0011] Moreover, using such large amounts of glue inevitably requires considerable working time, which ultimately has a negative impact on the output of the device.

[0012] This fact leads, among other things, to an increase in the sales price of the equipment. Summary of the invention

[0013] The main purpose of the present invention is to design a power conversion electronics for an electric or hybrid vehicle which reduces the mechanical stresses to which the electrical components are subjected due to vibrations when the vehicle is in motion, while reducing production time and related sales costs compared to the prior art.

[0014] Another object of the present invention is to devise a power conversion electronics for an electric or hybrid vehicle which can overcome the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art within the framework of a simple, rational, easy and efficient use and cost-effective solution.

[0015] The above-mentioned object is achieved by a power conversion electronics for an electric or hybrid vehicle having the features of claim 1 . BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] Other features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of a power conversion electronics for an electric or hybrid vehicle, which is illustrated by way of schematic but not limiting example in the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0017] Figure 1 and Figure 2 is an axonometric and exploded view of the device according to the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0018] With particular reference to the drawings, reference numeral 1 generally designates power conversion electronics for an electric or hybrid vehicle.

[0019] According to one possible embodiment, the device 1 comprises a battery charger or on-board charger ("OBC") which can be installed on an electric or hybrid vehicle and connected to the battery of the vehicle.

[0020] Alternatively, according to another possible embodiment, the device 1 comprises a DC / DC converter which can be mounted on an electric or hybrid vehicle and connected to a battery of the vehicle.

[0021] In all cases, the power conversion electronics 1 for an electric or hybrid vehicle can be installed inside at least one electric or hybrid vehicle and can be connected to at least one battery of the vehicle, the power conversion electronics 1 comprising:

[0022] - at least one external container 2;

[0023] at least one electronic circuit 3 housed in the container 2, connectable to the battery and comprising a plurality of electronic components 4 (in particular of the electrolytic and / or film capacitor type) configured to transform an input current / voltage into a predetermined output current / voltage to be sent to the battery; and

[0024] - At least one lid 5 for closing the container 2 at the top.

[0025] In particular, the electronic circuit 3 comprises one or more power electronic boards provided with power components (for example, of the active semiconductor type) and the electrical components 4 .

[0026] In the present case, the electronic control board allows to carry out the regulation of the various electrical and / or electric components 4 , for example as a function of the input current / voltage of the device 1 .

[0027] The power and control electronics board is in particular of the type conventionally used for OBC chargers or DC-DC converters, which may be installed in electric or hybrid vehicles.

[0028] According to the invention, the device 1 comprises at least one layer 6 between the electrical components 4 and the cover 5 , the at least one layer 6 being arranged in contact with each electrical component 4 .

[0029] In practice, the layer 6 is placed on top of the various electrical components 4 and, more precisely, between the top of the electrical components 4 and the lower surface of the cover 5 , ie the surface facing the interior of the container 2 .

[0030] In detail, the layer 6 is suitable for damping the vibrations transmitted by the electric vehicle to the electric component 4 .

[0031] In this sense, the layer 6 is at least partially made of an elastically deformable material.

[0032] In particular, layer 6 is of the sponge type.

[0033] Importantly, in this case, the choice of a layer 6 made of an elastically deformable material has proven to be particularly advantageous.

[0034] In fact, thanks to this feature, the compression of the layer 6 caused by closing the lid 5 causes the elastically deformed layer itself to be pushed between one part 4 and the other.

[0035] This makes it possible to increase the contact surface area between layer 6 and electrical component 4 and, as a clear and direct consequence, this dampens the vibrations transmitted to electrical component 4 even more effectively.

[0036] In order to further reduce the stresses to which the electrical component 4 is subjected, the layer 6 is expediently provided with at least one adhesive side 7 facing the electrical component 4 , the at least one adhesive side 7 being associated in an adhesive manner with the electrical component 4 .

[0037] In practice, the layer 6 is bonded on top of the electrical component 4 via the bonding side 7 .

[0038] As expected, the bonding of the adhesive side 7 on the electrical component 4 cooperates with the elastically deformable material from which the layer 6 is made to ensure a sharp reduction in the stresses to which the electrical component 4 is subjected.

[0039] In fact, the bonding pressure generated between layer 6 and electrical component 4 makes it possible to dissipate most of the vibrations transmitted to electrical component 4 so as to reduce their intensity and thus avoid any detrimental effect on the electrical component itself.

[0040] When describing these advantages, it should also be added that the layer 6 is preferably at least partially made of an electrically insulating material.

[0041] In this regard, it must be remembered that the electrical components 4 operate at high voltages and that sufficient space must therefore be left between them and the cover 5 to avoid the risk of electrical conduction between the two and the attendant safety threat to the vehicle's passengers.

[0042] Although this reason is legitimate, this fact leads to an inconvenient increase in the overall size of the device 1, which sometimes complicates the installation of the device 1 in a vehicle (for example, in cases where the space available for arranging the device 1 in the vehicle is reduced).

[0043] With this in mind, it is not difficult to understand that by providing a layer 6 made of an elastically deformable and electrically insulating material, it is possible to reduce the overall size of the device 1 (by squeezing the layer 6 and pushing the layer 6 between the various electrical components 4 by closing the cover 5) while at the same time ensuring complete electrical insulation of the device 1.

[0044] According to a first embodiment, the layer 6 is at least partially made of at least one thermally conductive material.

[0045] Therefore, the layer 6 can be used advantageously not only to reduce the stresses to which the electrical component 4 is subjected due to vibrations, but can also effectively dissipate the heat generated by the electrical component itself during operation.

[0046] In more detail, the layer 6 according to this first embodiment is made entirely of thermally conductive material.

[0047] According to a second embodiment, as an alternative to the previous embodiment, the layer 6 comprises a plurality of heat dissipation openings which are not shown in the figures for the sake of simplicity.

[0048] Specifically, each opening is located at a position where a corresponding electrical component 4 is located, and is at least partially filled with at least one thermally conductive material.

[0049] In fact, in this second embodiment, the thermally conductive material is present only inside the opening and therefore only at the locations where the electronic components 4 are located.

[0050] It will be readily appreciated that the embodiments described above illustrate how heat generated by the electrical components 4 can be effectively dissipated using a reduced amount of thermally conductive material.

[0051] In this way, the manufacturing costs of layer 6 and the final retail price of device 1 can obviously be reduced.

[0052] The openings may be obtained by die-cutting the layer 6 or using different technical processes which in all cases allow obtaining openings at least partially filled with thermally conductive material.

[0053] In this regard, the thermally conductive material is preferably of the type of thermally conductive foam, but it is not excluded that the thermally conductive material may be at least partially of a different type known to experts in the field.

[0054] It has been established in practice that the described invention achieves the intended purposes.

[0055] In particular, it is emphasized that the particular measure of providing an elastically deformable layer in contact with each component makes it possible to effectively dampen the vibrations transmitted to the components by the moving vehicle, thereby reducing the stresses to which the components are subjected and in this way increasing their operating life.

Claims

1. A power conversion electronic device (1) for an electric or hybrid vehicle, the power conversion electronic device (1) being installable in at least one electric or hybrid vehicle and connectable to at least one battery of the vehicle, the power conversion electronic device (1) comprising: - at least one outer container (2); - at least one electronic circuit (3) housed in the container (2) and connectable to the battery, the at least one electronic circuit (3) comprising a plurality of electrical components (4) configured to convert an input current / voltage into a predetermined output current / voltage to be sent to the battery; and - at least one cover (5) for closing the container (2) at the top; The invention is characterized in that the power conversion electronic device (1) comprises at least one layer (6) located between the electrical component (4) and the cover (5), the at least one layer (6) being at least partially made of an elastically deformable material, the at least one layer (6) being arranged to contact each of the electrical components (4) and being suitable for reducing vibrations transmitted from the electric vehicle to the electrical components (4).

2. The device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that The layer (6) is at least partially made of an electrically insulating material.

3. Device (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that The layer (6) is provided with at least one adhesive side (7) facing the electrical component (4), the at least one adhesive side (7) being associated in an adhesive manner with the electrical component.

4. Device (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that The layer (6) is at least partially made of at least one thermally conductive material.

5. Device (1) according to one or more of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that The layer (6) comprises a plurality of heat dissipation openings, each of which is located at a position where a corresponding electrical component (4) is located and is at least partially filled with at least one thermally conductive material.

6. The device (1) according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that The thermally conductive material is a type of thermally conductive foam.

7. Device (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that The layer (6) is of sponge type.

8. The electrical appliance (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that The power conversion electronic device (1) consists of an OBC charger.

9. Device (1) according to one or more of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that The power conversion electronic device (1) consists of a DC / DC converter.

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