Power supply module

Abstract

The invention relates to a power module. A power supply module (100) is provided with: drive substrates (20, 30) for driving an electronic circuit comprising a plurality of electronic components having different heights; a control substrate (40) that controls the drive substrate; and a housing (10) that accommodates the drive substrate and the control substrate, a first region (11a) and a second region (11b) are formed on both sides of an internal space (11) of the housing with respect to a virtual reference surface (50), and a relatively high electronic component (22c) among the plurality of electronic components is accommodated in a relatively high region of the first region.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a power module. Background Art

[0002] In the past, a power module equipped with circuits such as an inverter and a converter is known (for example, see Patent Document 1). This power module converts power supplied from an industrial power supply and charges a battery with the converted power, or converts power supplied from a battery mounted on a vehicle such as an automobile and supplies the converted power to an electronic device such as a motor.

[0003] In addition, a power module is known in the past in which an electronic circuit such as a converter circuit and a control substrate for controlling the electronic circuit are housed in an upper housing and a lower housing divided by a cooling bulkhead (for example, see Patent Document 2). This power module is miniaturized by housing the electronic circuit and the control substrate in the same housing.

[0004] The power module described in Patent Document 1 has a housing divided into upper and lower parts, with a converter circuit arranged in the upper space and an inverter circuit arranged in the lower space. In addition, a cooling flow path for cooling water to flow is provided at the bottom of the lower space to conduct heat to the metal housing to cool the converter circuit and the inverter circuit.

[0005] In addition, the power module described in Patent Document 2 has an inlet and an outlet for cooling water integrally formed on the side of the housing body, and the upper cover is fixed to the upper housing, and the lower cover is fixed to the lower housing, in a state where the electronic circuit is housed in the upper housing and the control substrate is housed in the lower housing. In addition, a through hole is provided in the cooling bulkhead, and a metal busbar for electrically connecting the filter circuit and the electronic circuit provided below the through hole is pulled out from the through hole.

[0006] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-121690

[0007] Patent Document 2: International Publication No. 2015 / 133201

[0008] The power module uses various electronic components of different heights, such as switching elements, reactors, capacitors, and transformers. The power module described in Patent Document 1 has a large upper and lower space on the basis of configuring a converter circuit and an inverter circuit, so there are layout constraints when it is installed in a vehicle.

[0009] In addition, the converter circuit described in Patent Document 2 is provided with a plurality of electronic components such as capacitors, reactors, transformers, high voltage switching elements, and low voltage switching elements. However, the power module described in Patent Document 1 does not disclose the specific structure of the cooling partition that electrically connects these electronic components to the control substrate. Summary of the invention

[0010] Therefore, a compact power module that can be mounted on a vehicle is desired. In addition, a power module that can be downsized and can ensure a lead wire route that crosses a cooling flow path is desired.

[0011] The characteristic structure of the power module of the present invention is the following aspects, which comprises: a driving substrate, which drives an electronic circuit composed of multiple electronic components of different heights; a control substrate, which controls the above-mentioned driving substrate; and a shell, which accommodates the above-mentioned driving substrate and the above-mentioned control substrate, the internal space of the above-mentioned shell is formed with a first area and a second area on both sides relative to a virtual reference plane, and in the above-mentioned first area, the above-mentioned electronic components with relatively high heights among the above-mentioned multiple electronic components are accommodated in an area with relatively high heights.

[0012] In this structure, a housing for accommodating a drive substrate and a control substrate is provided, and the internal space of the housing is divided into two regions relative to a virtual reference plane. In addition, a relatively high region, which is one of the two regions, accommodates high electronic components.

[0013] For example, a charger such as an on-board charger mounted on an electric vehicle or the like has high electronic components such as a reactor and a transformer, so if the electronic components are arranged in a high area of ​​the first region and other low electronic components are arranged in the second region, the power module becomes a compact component. In addition, since a relatively high area in the first region, such as a reactor and a relatively high transformer among transformers, is arranged, the space utilization efficiency can be improved.

[0014] In this way, a compact power module is achieved that can be mounted on a vehicle.

[0015] The characteristic structure of the power module of the present invention is the following aspect, the power module comprises: a driving substrate, which drives an electronic circuit composed of multiple electronic components; and a cooling plate, into which a cooling fluid flows, and any one of the multiple electronic components is arranged on the side opposite to the driving substrate across the cooling plate, and a wire electrically connecting any one of the electronic components and the driving substrate is fixed to a through hole formed in the cooling plate by a fixing mechanism.

[0016] As in this configuration, if any one of the plurality of electronic components is disposed on the side opposite to the drive substrate via the cooling plate, it is possible to improve space utilization efficiency and achieve miniaturization of the power module.

[0017] In addition, in this structure, the wire drawn out from any electronic component arranged on the side opposite to the drive substrate across the cooling plate is fixed to the through hole formed in the cooling plate by the fixing mechanism. Therefore, the wire can be pulled out from the cooling flow path in the shortest route without making a detour. In addition, the insulation can be ensured by only fixing it to the through hole formed in the cooling plate by the fixing mechanism, so the processing becomes easy.

[0018] In this way, a power module can be made compact and a lead wire route that crosses the cooling flow path can be ensured. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] Figure 1 This is a circuit configuration diagram of a cooling system including the power module according to the first embodiment.

[0020] Figure 2 This is an exploded perspective view of the power module.

[0021] Figure 3 This is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the power module.

[0022] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 Enlarged view of part B.

[0023] Figure 5 yes Figure 2 A cross-sectional view in the direction of the arrow on line VV.

[0024] Figure 6 It is a partial longitudinal sectional view of a power module according to a second embodiment.

[0025] Figure 7 It is a partial longitudinal sectional view of a power module according to a third embodiment.

[0026] Figure 8 This is a partially enlarged top view of the power module.

[0027] Fig. 9 yes Figure 8 A cross-sectional view in the direction of arrows IX-IX. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] Hereinafter, the embodiments of the power module of the present invention will be described in detail using the accompanying drawings. In addition, the embodiments described below are examples for describing the present invention and do not limit the present invention to the above embodiments. Therefore, the present invention can be implemented in various forms as long as it does not deviate from its purpose.

[0029] 〔Cooling circuit structure〕

[0030] like Figure 1As shown, the cooling circuit A of the power module 100 including the present embodiment cools the power module 100 by means of a cooling fluid. The cooling fluid is cooling water such as a long-life coolant (LLC), insulating oil such as a paraffin-based oil, or a refrigerant such as a hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) or a hydrofluoroolefin (HFO). In the present embodiment, it is preferred to use cooling water such as a long-life coolant (LLC), a liquid with high electrical insulation such as a fluorine-based inert liquid, or a coolant composed of cooling water or insulating oil. The cooling circuit A is mounted on a vehicle that charges a battery (not shown) with electricity from the outside.

[0031] The cooling circuit A is composed of a power module 100, a water-cooled condenser 1, an oil cooler 2, a water pump 3, a three-way valve 4, and a radiator 5. After the cooling fluid heated by cooling the power module 100 flows out of the power module 100, it is heated by heat exchange with the refrigerant by the water-cooled condenser 1, and then further heated by heat exchange with the lubricating oil by the oil cooler 2. Then, the cooling fluid is pumped by the water pump 3, and is switched between the case of being delivered to the radiator 5 and the case of not being delivered to the radiator 5 by the three-way valve 4. When the cooling fluid is delivered to the radiator 5, the cooling fluid is cooled by the radiator 5 and flows into the power module 100 again. When the cooling fluid is not delivered to the radiator 5, the cooling fluid is not cooled, but flows into the power module 100 again in a heated state.

[0032] [First embodiment]

[0033] 〔Power module structure〕

[0034] like Figure 2 As shown, the power module 100 of the first embodiment is composed of at least an OBC (On Board Charger) substrate 20 (an example of a drive substrate, a motor drive substrate 30 (an example of a drive substrate), and a control substrate 40 that controls the OBC substrate 20 and the motor drive substrate 30 housed in a housing 10. The power module 100 has a first space 11 (an example of an internal space). The OBC substrate 20, the motor drive substrate 30, and the control substrate 40 are independent substrates, respectively, and are housed in the first space 11 in a parallel posture to each other. Figure 3 The cross section cut in the direction perpendicular to the plate surface of the OBC substrate 20 (motor drive substrate 30, control substrate 40) is shown. Hereinafter, the direction perpendicular to the plate surface of the OBC substrate 20 is referred to as the "vertical direction". Figure 3 The direction in which the control substrate 40 is observed from the OBC substrate 20 and the motor drive substrate 30 along the vertical direction is referred to as the “upper direction”, “upper side”, etc., and the direction in which the OBC substrate 20 and the motor drive substrate 30 are observed from the control substrate 40 is referred to as the “lower direction”, “lower side”, etc.

[0035] The housing 10 has a second space 12 and a third space 13 separated from the first space 11. The second space 12 and the third space 13 are located at the lower side relative to the first space 11. The motor 6 driven by the motor drive substrate 30 is accommodated in the second space 12, and the gear mechanism 7 that reduces the rotation speed of the motor 6 and outputs it is accommodated in the third space 13. The housing 10 has an opening 10a on the upper side of the first space 11, and the OBC substrate 20, the motor drive substrate 30, the control substrate 40, and the cooling plate 50 are accommodated in the first space 11 through the opening 10a. The opening 10a is covered by a cover 14 (see Figure 2 ) is closed, and the first space 11 becomes a closed space. The second space 12 accommodates the motor 6 from the side and is closed by the motor cover 15 fastened by bolts not shown in the figure to become a closed space. The motor shaft 6a extends from the motor 6 to both sides along the rotation axis, and one of the motor shafts 6a penetrates the motor cover 15 and is exposed to the outside of the housing 10. The other motor shaft 6a penetrates into the third space 13. The third space 13 accommodates the gear mechanism 7 from the side and is closed by the gear cover 16 fastened by bolts not shown in the figure to become a closed space. The gear mechanism 7 is connected to the other motor shaft 6a extending from the second space 12, and the rotation of the motor 6 is input through the motor shaft 6a. The gear mechanism 7 reduces the rotation of the motor 6 and outputs it from the gear shaft 7a. The gear shaft 7a penetrates the gear cover 16 and is exposed to the outside of the housing 10. Hereinafter, the motor 6 and the gear mechanism 7 are also collectively referred to as a drive unit. In the present embodiment, the drive unit is integrated with the power module 100 and accommodated in the housing 10, and is arranged in the motor room of the electric vehicle. An electric vehicle is a vehicle that has a motor as a driving source, such as a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), a battery electric vehicle (BEV), and a fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV). In addition, the power module 100 may be provided in an electric vehicle independently of the drive unit.

[0036] The OBC substrate 20 is equipped with a power converter 22 (an example of an electronic circuit). The power converter 22 includes at least an AC-DC converter that converts an externally inputted alternating current into a direct current, and a DC-DC converter that converts a direct current voltage into a direct current voltage suitable for charging a battery (not shown). The structures of the AC-DC converter and the DC-DC converter are well known, so detailed descriptions are omitted.

[0037] The motor drive substrate 30 is equipped with a power converter 32 (an example of an electronic circuit). The power converter 32 includes at least an inverter for controlling the drive current of the drive motor 6. The structure of the inverter is well known, so a detailed description is omitted. In addition, the control substrate 40 is equipped with a control circuit 41 for controlling the power converter 22 and the power converter 32.

[0038] The AC-DC converter and the DC-DC converter of the power converter 22 include a heat generating component 22a (an example of an electronic component), and the inverter of the power converter 32 includes a heat generating component 32a (an example of an electronic component). Examples of the heat generating component 22a included in the power converter 22 include a reactor 22b (an example of an electronic component with a relatively low height), a transformer 22c (an example of an electronic component with a relatively high height), a diode 22e (an example of an electronic component with a relatively low height), and a switching element 22f (an example of an electronic component with a relatively low height). Examples of the heat generating component 32a included in the power converter 32 include a diode 32b (an example of an electronic component with a relatively low height) and a switching element 32c (an example of an electronic component with a relatively low height). The heights of the above electronic components are different.

[0039] In the present embodiment, the OBC substrate 20 and the motor drive substrate 30 are located at the same height in the vertical direction. Moreover, the control substrate 40 is configured to overlap the OBC substrate 20 and the motor drive substrate 30 when viewed in the vertical direction (vertical view). The OBC substrate 20 and the control substrate 40 are connected, and the motor drive substrate 30 and the control substrate 40 are connected using a substrate-to-substrate connector 42. Hereinafter, the substrate-to-substrate connector 42 is simply referred to as the connector 42. In the present embodiment, since the OBC substrate 20 and the motor drive substrate 30 are located at the same height relative to the vertical direction, two connectors 42 of the same type can be used to connect the OBC substrate 20 and the control substrate 40, and the motor drive substrate 30 and the control substrate 40. By configuring in this way, the assembly of the control substrate 40 relative to the OBC substrate 20 and the motor drive substrate 30 becomes easy, and there is no need to use different types of connectors, so the assembly performance is also excellent.

[0040] 〔Cooling plate〕

[0041] The first space 11 of the housing 10 contains a cooling plate 50 (an example of a virtual reference plane) for cooling the heat generating component 22a of the power converter 22 and the heat generating component 32a of the power converter 32. The cooling plate 50 is made of a metal with high thermal conductivity such as aluminum, and is integrally formed by joining a plate-shaped lower plate 50a and an upper plate 50b by welding or other methods. The cooling plate 50 has a space formed inside (between the lower plate 50a and the upper plate 50b), and a cooling fluid flows in the space. The heat generating component 22a is mounted on the lower surface of the OBC substrate 20, and the heat generating component 32a is mounted on the lower surface of the motor drive substrate 30. Moreover, the heat generating component 22a and the heat generating component 32a are both configured to abut against the cooling plate 50, and heat exchange is performed between the heat generating components 22a, 32a and the cooling fluid, so that the temperature of the heat generating components 22a, 32a is reduced, and the temperature of the cooling fluid is increased. The heat generating component 22a and the heat generating component 32a can also be fixedly configured on the cooling plate 50.

[0042] As described above, the OBC substrate 20 and the motor drive substrate 30 are located at the same height relative to the vertical direction. In order to achieve this setting, the power module 100 of the present embodiment is provided with a height adjustment mechanism. Specifically, the flow path height H1 in the vertical direction of the position opposite to the OBC substrate 20 (the position overlapping with the OBC substrate 20 in the vertical direction view) and the flow path height H2 in the vertical direction of the position opposite to the motor drive substrate 30 (the position overlapping with the motor drive substrate 30 in the vertical direction view) are made different. In the present embodiment, the flow path height H2 is higher than the flow path height H1. That is, the height adjustment mechanism of the present embodiment makes the flow path heights H1 and H2 of the cooling plate 50 different according to the opposing substrates.

[0043] In the present embodiment, among the lower plate 50a and the upper plate 50b constituting the cooling plate 50, the lower plate 50a is in the shape of a flat plate, but the upper plate 50b has different heights at a position corresponding to the OBC substrate 20 and a position corresponding to the motor drive substrate 30. Specifically, the height of the position corresponding to the motor drive substrate 30 in the upper plate 50b is higher than the height of the position corresponding to the OBC substrate 20 relative to the lower plate 50a. As described above, the heat generating component 22a used in the power converter 22 of the OBC substrate 20 and the heat generating component 32a used in the power converter 32 of the motor drive substrate 30 are both cooled by contact with the upper plate 50b of the cooling plate 50. That is, the installation height of the heat generating component 22a of the power converter 22 is high, and the installation height of the heat generating component 32a of the power converter 32 of the motor drive substrate 30 is low.

[0044] Therefore, the upper plate 50b of this embodiment makes the height of the flow path H2 higher than the flow path height H1 by an amount equivalent to the difference between the installation height of the heat generating component 22a and the installation height of the heat generating component 32a. Thus, the heights of the OBC substrate 20 and the motor drive substrate 30 in the vertical direction can be made consistent when both the high-back heat generating component 22a and the low-back heat generating component 32a are in contact with the upper plate 50b.

[0045] In addition, generally, the heat generation of the heat generating component 32a of the power converter 32 of the motor drive substrate 30 is relatively larger than the heat generation of the heat generating component 22a of the power converter 22 of the OBC substrate 20. Therefore, by making the flow path height H2 where the heat generating component 32a abuts higher than the flow path height H1 where the heat generating component 22a abuts, the flow path cross-sectional area of ​​the cooling fluid at the position where the heat generating component 32a abuts can be made larger than the flow path cross-sectional area of ​​the cooling fluid at the position where the heat generating component 22a abuts. Thus, the heat generating component 32a can be efficiently cooled.

[0046] The flow path 53 of the cooling plate 50 is as shown in the vertical view. Figure 5 As shown. In the present embodiment, if the cooling fluid flows in from the inlet 51 of the cooling fluid in the cooling plate 50, it first flows to the position corresponding to the heat generating component 22a of the power converter 22 of the OBC substrate 20 on the upstream side, and then flows to the position corresponding to the heat generating component 32a of the power converter 32 of the motor drive substrate 30 on the downstream side and flows out from the outlet 52. That is, the cooling fluid cools the heat generating component 32a with a relatively large heat generating amount after initially cooling the heat generating component 22a with a relatively small heat generating amount. If the flow path structure is such that the cooling fluid first cools the heat generating component 32a and then cools the heat generating component 22a, the cooling fluid is sufficiently heated due to the cooling of the heat generating component 32a, so the heat generating component 22a cannot be sufficiently cooled. However, by configuring the flow path 53 in such a manner that the heat generating component 32a is cooled after cooling the heat generating component 22a, the cooling fluid can efficiently cool either of the heat generating components 22a and 32a.

[0047] In addition, a plurality of protrusions 54 are formed in the flow path 53 on the downstream side opposite to the heat generating component 32a. The protrusions 54 are formed to protrude from the outside toward the inside in a manner that hinders the circulation of the cooling fluid in at least one of the upper plate 50 and the lower plate 50a. The protrusions 54 have a spherical segment shape and are configured in a serrated shape relative to the circulation direction of the cooling fluid. For example, when the lower plate 50a is configured with the protrusions 54, the water on the side close to the lower plate 50a is lifted to the upper plate 50b side through the protrusions 54 and generates a vortex. Thus, the cooling fluid on the side close to the upper plate 50b and the cooling fluid on the side close to the lower plate 50a can be mixed, and the water temperature on the side close to the upper plate 50b can be reduced. The cooling fluid on the side close to the upper plate 50b, whose water temperature has dropped, can absorb more heat, so the temperature of the heat generating component 32a can be further reduced.

[0048] like Figure 3 , Figure 5 As shown, a metal base substrate 23 is disposed on the upper plate 50b. A thin film capacitor 43 described later and a connection terminal 24 for inputting a DC voltage from a battery (not shown) are mounted on the metal base substrate 23.

[0049] [Film capacitors]

[0050] As described above, the OBC substrate 20 and the motor drive substrate 30 are different substrates. Figure 2 As shown, a film capacitor 43 (an example of an electronic component) is arranged between the OBC substrate 20 and the motor drive substrate 30. The film capacitor 43 is used for both smoothing of the inverter of the power converter 32 and smoothing of the secondary side of the DC-DC converter of the power converter 22. That is, the film capacitor 43 serves two smoothing purposes.

[0051] The film capacitor 43 has a height in the vertical direction, extending from the vicinity of the upper plate 50b of the cooling plate 50 to the vicinity of the control substrate 40. That is, the vertical height of the film capacitor 43 is higher than the vertical height of the electronic components including the heat generating component 22a mounted on the OBC substrate 20 and the electronic components including the heat generating component 32a mounted on the motor drive substrate 30. Therefore, the motor drive substrate 30 is surrounded by the control substrate 40, the film capacitor 43, and the wall surface of the housing 10, and is separated from the vicinity of the OBC substrate 20. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the heat generated by the power converter 32 of the motor drive substrate 30 from being transferred to the OBC substrate 20 side.

[0052] 〔Arrangement of high-profile electronic components〕

[0053] like Figure 3As shown, the first space 11 is divided into a first area 11a located at the lower side of the cooling plate 50 and a second area 11b located at the upper side of the cooling plate 50 by a cooling plate 50 as an example of a virtual reference plane. In the present embodiment, the volume of the first area 11a is smaller than the volume of the second area 11b. In the first space 11, a plurality of electronic components (including a heat generating component 22a) constituting the power converter 22 and a plurality of electronic components (including a heat generating component 32a) constituting the power converter 32 are separately arranged in the first area 11a and the second area 11b. The OBC substrate 20, the motor drive substrate 30 and the control substrate 40 are arranged in the second area 11b.

[0054] In the present embodiment, the reactor 22b, transformer 22c, and oil cooler 2 of the power converter 22 are arranged in the first area 11a. The diodes 22e, 32b, switching elements 22f, 32c, etc. of the power converter 22 and the power converter 32 are arranged in the second area 11b. The reactor 22b, transformer 22c, and oil cooler 2 arranged in the first area 11a are in contact with the lower plate 50a of the cooling plate 50, and the diodes 22e, 32b, switching elements 22f, 32c arranged in the second area 11b are in contact with the upper plate 50b. Among the electronic components, relatively high electronic components are stored and arranged in the first area 11a, and relatively low electronic components are stored and arranged in the second area 11b.

[0055] The first region 11a is adjacent to the second space 12 in which the motor 6 is arranged and the third space 13 in which the gear mechanism 7 is arranged via the wall of the housing 10. That is, the first region 11a is opposite to the motor 6 and the gear mechanism 7 via the wall of the housing 10. The first region 11a has a recessed portion 11c that is recessed toward the third space 13 at a position opposite to the gear mechanism 7. As a result, the height (depth) of the lower side (toward the gear mechanism 7) of the position where the recessed portion 11c is formed in the first region 11a from the virtual reference plane (the lower plate 50a of the cooling plate 50) becomes larger.

[0056] Of the reactor 22b and the transformer 22c disposed in the first region 11a, the transformer 22c has a relatively high height. Figure 3 As shown, the reactor 22b is arranged at a position not facing the recessed portion 11c, and the transformer 22c is arranged at a position facing the recessed portion 11c. The transformer 22c is arranged so that a portion enters the recessed portion 11c. By arranging the reactor 22b and the transformer 22c in this way, the recessed portion 11c of the first region 11a can be effectively utilized, and the power module 100 can be miniaturized.

[0057] [Insulation guaranteed by potting]

[0058] In this embodiment, the reactor 22b and the transformer 22c are arranged in the first area 11a of the first space 11, and the OBC substrate 20 is arranged in the second area 11b. The first area 11a and the second area 11b are separated by the cooling plate 50. A pair of wires 22d (an example of lead wires) at both ends of the coil winding of the reactor 22b need to be electrically connected to the OBC substrate 20. Therefore, in this embodiment, a through hole 55 is formed in the cooling plate 50, and the through hole 55 is used. Figure 4 The following describes a structure in which the lead wire 22d of the reactor 22b is inserted through the through hole 55 and electrically connected to the OBC substrate 20. Although not described in this embodiment, the same structure can be applied to the lead wire of the coil winding of the transformer 22c and other electronic components arranged in the first area 11a.

[0059] First, the method for forming the through hole 55 is described. The through hole 55 is formed from the upper plate 50b of the cooling plate 50 toward the lower plate 50a by friction stir welding, and the upper plate 50b and the lower plate 50a are joined. Figure 4 As shown, a through hole 55 is formed in the flow path 53 , but the through hole 55 is surrounded by the joined upper plate 50 b and lower plate 50 a , so that the cooling fluid flowing in the flow path 53 from the through hole 55 does not leak into the through hole 55 .

[0060] Next, the reactor 22b is placed in the reactor housing portion 56 (an example of a recessed portion) formed in the lower plate 50a, and the lead wire 22d is inserted through the through hole 55. Thus, the lead wire 22d is exposed to the second region 11b. The terminal end of the lead wire 22d is electrically connected to the OBC substrate 20.

[0061] Next, a sealing material 55a is dripped onto the end of the second region 11b side of the through hole 55, and the end is sealed. Thus, the wire 22d is fixed. Then, a resin-made potting material 55b (an example of a fixing mechanism) is filled into the reactor storage portion 56. The potting material 55b covers the entire circumference (all sides) and the bottom surface of the reactor 22b and also flows into the through hole 55. If the potting material 55b is cured, the insulation of the reactor 22b and the wire 22d is ensured by the potting material 55b filled between them and the cooling plate 50 (lower plate 50a, upper plate 50b).

[0062] In this way, the insulation of the inductor 22b and the wire 22d relative to the cooling plate 50 can be ensured by a simple structure in which a through hole 55 is formed in the cooling plate 50, the wire 22d is inserted therethrough, and the potting material 55b is filled therein. There is no need to pull the wire 22d over a long distance from the outside of the cooling plate 50, so the concern about the wire 22d breaking can be suppressed.

[0063] [Effects of the first embodiment]

[0064] In the present embodiment, for example, the power module 100 includes an OBC substrate 20 and a motor drive substrate 30 that drive power converters 22 and 32 such as converters and inverters, respectively, and a control substrate 40 that controls the above substrates. That is, the control substrate 40 composed of a CPU and the like that operates the OBC substrate 20 and the motor drive substrate 30 is shared, so that the shared control substrate 40 only needs to be connected to the OBC substrate 20 and the motor drive substrate 30 using the connector 42, and the assembly is excellent.

[0065] The cooling plate 50 of the present embodiment is provided with a flow path 53 for allowing the cooling fluid to flow from the heat generating component 22a having a relatively small heat generating amount toward the heat generating component 32a having a relatively large heat generating amount. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the cooling fluid heated by the heat generating component 32a having a relatively large heat generating amount from heating other electronic components. In addition, since the cooling starts from the heat generating component 22a having a relatively small heat generating amount, the heat generating component 32a having a relatively large heat generating amount can also be cooled by the cooling fluid.

[0066] In this embodiment, a film capacitor 43 is provided to divide the OBC substrate 20 and the motor drive substrate 30; and a control substrate 40 is provided to suppress heat transfer from the motor drive substrate 30 to the OBC substrate 20 via the film capacitor 43. Thus, the power converter 22 controlled by the OBC substrate 20 and the power converter 32 controlled by the motor drive substrate 30 can be set as independent cooling targets through the film capacitor 43 and the control substrate 40. In addition, since the heat is blocked by the film capacitor 43, there is no need to provide a separate component for heat insulation, and the power module 100 can be made compact.

[0067] In the present embodiment, the housing 10 for storing the OBC substrate 20, the motor drive substrate 30, and the control substrate 40 is provided, and the first space 11 of the housing 10 is divided into a first area 11a and a second area 11b relative to the cooling plate 50. Moreover, in the first area 11a, which is one of the two areas, electronic components with high height, namely, the reactor 22b and the transformer 22c, are stored in an area with a relatively large volume. In this way, if the reactor 22b and the transformer 22c are arranged in the first area 11a with a large volume of the first space 11, and other electronic components with low height are arranged in the second area 11b, the power module 100 becomes a compact component. In addition, in the first area 11a, the reactor 22b and the transformer 22c, which are relatively high in height, are arranged in an area with a relatively high height, so that the space utilization efficiency can be improved.

[0068] In the present embodiment, the lead wire 22d drawn out from the reactor 22b disposed on the opposite side of the OBC substrate 20 across the cooling plate 50 is fixed to the through hole 55 formed in the cooling plate 50 by the potting material 55b. Therefore, it is not necessary to make the lead wire 22d detour, and the lead wire 22d can be drawn out from the flow path 53 in the shortest route. In addition, insulation can be ensured only by fixing the potting material 55b to the through hole 55 formed in the cooling plate 50, so that processing becomes easy.

[0069] [Second embodiment]

[0070] Next, use Figure 6 The structure of the power module 100 of the second embodiment is described. In this embodiment, unlike the first embodiment, the flow path height of the cooling plate 50 is set to be constant. Therefore, the vertical position (vertical distance) of the OBC substrate 20 and the motor drive substrate 30 when observed from the control substrate 40 is different. Specifically, the vertical distance between the control substrate 40 and the motor drive substrate 30 is longer than that of the first embodiment. In addition, it has the same structure as the first embodiment. Therefore, in the description of this embodiment, the same figure mark is marked on the position of the same structure as the first embodiment, and the detailed description related to the same structure is omitted.

[0071] In the present embodiment, a height adjustment mechanism is provided in order to control the power converter 22 of the OBC substrate 20 and the power converter 32 of the motor drive substrate 30 by the control circuit 41 of the common control substrate 40. The height adjustment mechanism of the present embodiment makes the height of the connector connecting the OBC substrate 20 and the control substrate 40 different from the height of the connector connecting the motor drive substrate 30 and the control substrate 40. Specifically, the motor drive substrate 30 and the control substrate 40 are connected using a high-back substrate pair substrate connector 44 (hereinafter, also referred to as a high-back connector 44) that is higher than the connector 42. Thus, even if the vertical positions of the OBC substrate 20 and the motor drive substrate 30 are different when viewed from the control substrate 40, the power converter 22 of the OBC substrate 20 and the power converter 32 of the motor drive substrate 30 can be controlled using the common control substrate 40.

[0072] As in the present embodiment, if a high-back connector 44 having a height different from that of the connector 42 is used, when the OBC substrate 20 and the motor drive substrate 30 are assembled on a common control substrate 40, tolerance can be absorbed by the connector 42 and the high-back connector 44 by simply connecting one of the OBC substrate 20 and the motor drive substrate 30 to the control substrate 40 and then connecting the other substrate to the control substrate 40.

[0073] [Third embodiment]

[0074] Next, use Figure 7 to Figure 9 The structure of the power module 100 of the third embodiment is described. In this embodiment, the structure of the cooling plate 50 is different from that of the first embodiment and the second embodiment. In addition, it has the same structure as the first embodiment and the second embodiment. Therefore, in the description of this embodiment, the same reference numerals are marked on the positions of the same structures as the first embodiment and the second embodiment, and detailed descriptions related to the same structures are omitted.

[0075] In the present embodiment, the housing 10 is formed by joining the first housing 101 and the second housing 102. The cooling plate 50 is disposed at the boundary between the first housing 101 and the second housing 102. Therefore, the first area 11a of the first space 11 is formed by the first housing 101 and the cooling plate 50, and the second area 11b of the first space 11 is formed by the second housing 102 and the cooling plate 50. Therefore, the reactor 22b and the transformer 22c are accommodated in the first housing 101.

[0076] like Fig. 9 As shown in FIG. 5 , the inlet 51 and the outlet 52 of the cooling plate 50 are formed in a cylindrical shape. Figure 7 As shown, the inlet 51 and the outlet 52 are formed at both ends of the cooling plate 50 in the horizontal direction (the direction parallel to the plate surface of the OBC substrate 20). Moreover, the inlet 51 and the outlet 52 are clamped by the first abutting surface 101b of the first protrusion 101a of the first housing 101 and the second abutting surface 102b of the second protrusion 102a of the second housing 102, and the end of the inlet 51 and the end of the outlet 52 are exposed from the outside of the housing 10 in a recognizable manner. In addition, the inlet 51 and the outlet 52 are connected to the cooling plate 50 by screw connection.

[0077] like Figure 8 , Fig. 9 As shown, the first protrusion 101a of the first housing 101 and the second protrusion 102a of the second housing 102 are fastened by bolts 58 in a state where the first abutting surface 101b and the second abutting surface 102b abut and clamp the inlet 51 and the outlet 52 of the cooling plate 50. In addition, annular washers 57 are respectively arranged between the inlet 51 and the first protrusion 101a, the second protrusion 102a, and between the outlet 52 and the first protrusion 101a, the second protrusion 102a. And, as shown in FIG. Figure 7 As shown, the second housing 102 serves as a cooling manifold 103 in which a flow path (not shown) constituting a part of the flow path 53 of the cooling plate 50 is formed.

[0078] The inlet 51 and outlet 52 of the cooling fluid of the cooling plate 50 of the present embodiment are clamped by the first abutting surface 101b of the first protrusion 101a of the first shell 101 and the second abutting surface 102b of the second protrusion 102a of the second shell 102, respectively. Therefore, the flow path 53 formed inside the cooling plate 50 can be designed as a single body of the cooling plate 50, and the design freedom of the flow path shape is high. In addition, since the two ends of the cooling plate 50, which form the inlet 51 and outlet 52 of the cooling fluid, are clamped by the first abutting surface 101b of the first shell 101 and the second abutting surface 102b of the second shell 102, assemblability can be ensured as long as the first shell 101, the cooling plate 50, and the second shell 102 are assembled in this order.

[0079] [Other implementation methods]

[0080] (1) In the first embodiment, the recessed portion 11 c is provided at a position facing the gear mechanism 7 , but may be provided at a position facing the motor 6 .

[0081] (2) In the first embodiment, the reactor 22b is a relatively low electronic component, and the transformer 22c is a relatively high electronic component, but the present invention is not limited thereto. Even electronic components other than the reactor 22b and the transformer 22c may be arranged so that the electronic component with a relatively high height relative to the other electronic components enters the recessed portion 11c.

[0082] (3) In the above-mentioned embodiment, although a structure in which the OBC substrate 20 and the motor drive substrate 30 are controlled by a common control substrate 40 is illustrated, the substrate housed in the housing 10 may be only one of the OBC substrate 20 and the motor drive substrate 30, or each of the OBC substrate 20 and the motor drive substrate 30 may be controlled by a different control substrate 40.

[0083] (4) In the first embodiment, the lead wire 22 d is inserted through the through hole 55 . However, instead of the lead wire 22 d , a terminal of any electronic component may be inserted through the through hole 55 .

[0084] (5) In the first embodiment, the reactor 22b and the lead wire 22d are fixed by the potting material 55b, but they may be fixed by a material other than the potting material 55b as long as the material has insulating properties.

[0085] (6) In the first embodiment, the reactor 22b is stored in the reactor storage section 56 and the entire circumference of the reactor 22b is covered with the potting material 55b, but the present invention is not limited to this. It is also possible to fix only the lead wire 22d with the potting material 55b, and not to cover the reactor 22b with the potting material 55b. In this case, the reactor storage section 56 does not need to be provided.

[0086] In the above-mentioned embodiment, the following configurations are conceivable.

[0087] <1> The characteristic structure of the power module (100) of the present invention is the following aspect, which comprises: a drive substrate (20, 30) that drives an electronic circuit (22, 32) composed of a plurality of electronic components (22b, 22c, 22e, 22f, 32b, 32c) of different heights; a control substrate (40) that controls the drive substrate (20, 30); and a housing (10) that accommodates the drive substrate (20, 30) and the control substrate (40), wherein an internal space (11) of the housing (10) is formed with a first area (11a) and a second area (11b) on both sides relative to a virtual reference plane (50), and an electronic component (22b, 22c) with a relatively high height among the plurality of electronic components (22b, 22c, 22e, 22f, 32b, 32c) is accommodated in an area with a relatively high height in the first area (11a).

[0088] In this structure, a housing (10) is provided for accommodating a drive substrate (20, 30) and a control substrate (40), and an internal space (11) of the housing (10) is divided into two areas relative to a virtual reference plane (50). In addition, a relatively high area of ​​a first area (11a) that is one of the two areas accommodates high electronic components (22b, 22c).

[0089] For example, a charger such as an on-board charger mounted on a vehicle such as an electric vehicle has high electronic components such as a reactor (22b) and a transformer (22c), so if the electronic components are arranged in a high area of ​​the first area (11a), and other low electronic components (22e, 22f, 32b, 32c) are arranged in the second area (11b), the power module (100) becomes a compact component. In addition, in the relatively high area of ​​the first area (11a), for example, a reactor (22b) and a relatively high transformer (22c) are arranged, so that the space utilization efficiency can be improved.

[0090] In this way, a compact power module (100) is obtained that can be mounted on a vehicle.

[0091] <2> In the power module (100) of the above-mentioned <1>, the component that preferably forms the virtual reference plane (50) is a cooling plate (50) through which a cooling fluid flows internally, and among a plurality of electronic components (22b, 22c, 22e, 22f, 32b, 32c), relatively low-height electronic components (22e, 22f, 32b, 32c) are stored and arranged in the second area (11b), and relatively high-height electronic components (22b, 22c) are stored and arranged in the first area (11a).

[0092] As in the present structure, if low-height electronic components (22e, 22f, 32b, 32c) and high-height electronic components (22b, 22c) are arranged across a cooling plate (50), the low-height electronic components (22e, 22f, 32b, 32c) can be concentrated in the second area (11b), and the high-height electronic components (22b, 22c) can be concentrated in the first area (11a). For example, if low-height electronic components such as switch elements (22e, 22f, 32b, 32c) are arranged in the second area (11b), in addition to the low-height electronic components (22e, 22f, 32b, 32c), the drive substrate (20, 30) and the control substrate (40) can also be arranged in the second area (11b), thereby improving the space utilization efficiency. Furthermore, the first region (11a) and the second region (11b) are formed by the cooling plate (50) and the housing (10), so that the cooling efficiency of the electronic components can be improved.

[0093] <3> In the power module (100) of <2> above, preferably, the relatively tall electronic component is the transformer (22c), and the relatively short electronic component is the diode (22e, 32b) or the switch element (22f, 32c).

[0094] As in the present structure, if diodes (22e, 32b) or switching elements (22f, 32c) are arranged, in addition to low-height electronic components (22e, 22f, 32b, 32c), drive substrates (20, 30) and control substrates (40) can be arranged in the second area (11b), thereby improving space utilization efficiency.

[0095] <4> In the power module (100) of <3> above, there are the following points, namely, the first area (11a) of the housing (10) is opposite to the gear mechanism (7), the first area (11a) has a recessed portion (11c) recessed toward the gear mechanism (7), and at least a portion of the transformer (22c) is arranged in the recessed portion (11c).

[0096] As in this structure, if a recessed portion (11c) recessed toward the gear mechanism (7) is provided in the first area (11a) of the housing (10), and at least a portion of the transformer (22c) is arranged in the recessed portion (11c), the power module (100) can be made compact.

[0097] <5> In any one of the power modules (100) described in <1> to <4>, the drive substrates (20, 30) and the control substrate (40) are accommodated in a second space (12) having an opening (10a) that can be closed by a cover (14).

[0098] As in this structure, if the drive substrate (20, 30) and the control substrate (40) are arranged in the second area (11b) where low-height electronic components such as switch elements (22e, 22f, 32b, 32c) are arranged, the space utilization efficiency is improved. In addition, the second area (11b) has an opening (10a) that can be closed by a cover (14), so the cover (14) can be closed after the control substrate (40) is assembled to the drive substrate (20, 30), and the assembly efficiency is improved.

[0099] <6> In the power module (100) of <1> above, there is a point that the drive substrate (20, 30) is composed of a plurality of substrates for driving a plurality of electronic circuits (22, 32), respectively.

[0100] As in the present structure, if a plurality of drive substrates (20, 30) controlled by a control substrate (40) are provided, the control substrate (40) composed of a CPU etc. for operating the plurality of drive substrates (20, 30) is made common, so it is sufficient to connect the common control substrate (40) to the plurality of drive substrates (20, 30) via connectors (42, 44), thereby achieving excellent assembly performance.

[0101] <7>The characteristic structure of the power module (100) of the present invention is the following aspects, which comprises: a driving substrate (20, 30), which drives an electronic circuit (22, 32) composed of a plurality of electronic components (22b, 22c, 22e, 22f, 32b, 32c); and a cooling plate (50), into which a cooling fluid flows, wherein any one of the plurality of electronic components (22b) is arranged on the side opposite to the driving substrate (20, 30) across the cooling plate (50), and a wire (22d) electrically connecting any one of the electronic components (22b) and the driving substrate (20, 30) is fixed to a through hole (55) formed in the cooling plate (50) by a fixing mechanism (55b).

[0102] As in this structure, if any one of the plurality of electronic components (22b) is arranged on the side opposite to the drive substrate (20, 30) via the cooling plate (50), the space utilization efficiency can be improved and the power module (100) can be miniaturized.

[0103] In addition, in the present structure, the lead wire (22d) drawn out from any electronic component (22b) arranged on the side opposite to the drive substrate (20, 30) across the cooling plate (50) is fixed to the through hole (55) formed in the cooling plate (50) by the fixing mechanism (55b). Therefore, the lead wire (22d) can be drawn out from the cooling flow path in the shortest route without making a detour.

[0104] In this way, a power module (100) can be miniaturized and a conductor path that crosses the cooling flow path can be ensured.

[0105] <8> In the power module (100) of <7> above, the fixing means is preferably a potting material (55b) injected into the through hole (55).

[0106] As in the present structure, if the fixing means is a potting material (55b) injected into the through hole (55), insulation is ensured only by fixing the potting material (55b) to the through hole (55) formed in the cooling plate (50), so that processing is easy.

[0107] <9> In the power module (100) of <7> or <8> above, the cooling plate (50) preferably includes a lower plate (50a) and an upper plate (50b), a cooling fluid flows between the lower plate (50a) and the upper plate (50b), the heat-generating component (22a, 32a) abuts against a surface on the side opposite to the side of the upper plate (50b) where the cooling fluid flows, and the heat-generating component (22a, 32a) is arranged on a surface on the side of the driving substrate (20, 30) opposite to the upper plate (50b).

[0108] As in this structure, if the heat generating components (22a, 32a) are arranged on the drive substrate (20, 30), the heat generating components (22a, 32a) can be efficiently cooled by the cooling fluid of the cooling plate (50).

[0109] <10> In any one of the power modules (100) described in <7> to <9>, the through hole (55) is preferably arranged in the flow path (53) of the cooling fluid in a state sealed by a sealing material (55a).

[0110] As in this structure, if the through hole (55) is sealed with a sealing material (55a), the lead wire (22d) can be made to cross the cooling flow path simply by injecting a fixing mechanism such as a potting material (55b) into the through hole (55), thereby facilitating processing.

[0111] <11> In any one of the power modules (100) described in <7> to <9>, preferably, any one of the electronic components (22b) includes a coil, and the conductive wires (22d) are a pair of lead wires located at both ends of the winding of the coil.

[0112] As in this structure, if the coils used in the high-height reactor (22b) and transformer (22c) are arranged on the side opposite to the drive substrate (20, 30) through the cooling plate (50), the space utilization efficiency can be improved. In addition, the lead wire (22d) that is easily misaligned can be firmly fixed by a fixing mechanism such as a potting material (55b).

[0113] <12> In the power module (100) of <8> above, the potting material (55b) preferably surrounds the entire circumference of the coil.

[0114] As in this structure, if the potting material (55b) is provided around the entire circumference of the coil, the coil can be stably fixed relative to the cooling plate (50).

[0115] <13> In any one of the power modules (100) described in <7> to <9>, preferably, any one of the electronic components (22b) is accommodated in a recess (56) formed integrally with the cooling plate (50).

[0116] As in this structure, if the electronic component (22b) is housed in a recess (56) formed integrally with the cooling plate (50), a fixing mechanism such as a potting material (55b) can be guided to the recess (56), and the coil can be stably fixed relative to the cooling plate (50).

[0117] Possibility of industrial application

[0118] The present invention can be used in a power module.

[0119] Description of Reference Numerals

[0120] 7: Gear mechanism

[0121] 10: Shell

[0122] 10a: Opening

[0123] 11: First Space (Inner Space)

[0124] 11a: First Area

[0125] 11b: Second area

[0126] 11c: Depression

[0127] 12: Second Space

[0128] 14: Cover

[0129] 20: OBC substrate (drive substrate)

[0130] 22: Power converter (electronic circuit)

[0131] 22a: Heat generating components (electronic components)

[0132] 22b: Reactor (relatively low-height electronic component)

[0133] 22c: Transformer (relatively tall electronic component)

[0134] 22d: Wire (lead wire)

[0135] 22e: Diode (relatively low height electronic component)

[0136] 22f: Switching element (relatively low height electronic component)

[0137] 30: Motor drive substrate (drive substrate)

[0138] 32: Power converter (electronic circuit)

[0139] 32a: Heat generating components (electronic components)

[0140] 32b: Diode (relatively low height electronic component)

[0141] 32c: Switching element (relatively low-height electronic component)

[0142] 40: Control board

[0143] 50: Cooling plate (virtual reference surface)

[0144] 50a: Lower plate

[0145] 50b: upper board

[0146] 53: Flow path

[0147] 55: Through hole

[0148] 55a: Sealing material

[0149] 55b: Fixing mechanism (potting material)

[0150] 56: Reactor storage part (recess)

[0151] 100: Power module.

Claims

1. A power module, comprising: a driving substrate that drives an electronic circuit composed of a plurality of electronic components having different heights; a control substrate that controls the drive substrate; and a housing for accommodating the drive substrate and the control substrate; The inner space of the housing is provided with a first area and a second area on both sides relative to the virtual reference plane. In the first region, relatively high electronic components among the plurality of electronic components are stored in a relatively high region.

2. The power module according to claim 1, in, The component forming the virtual reference plane is a cooling plate into which a cooling fluid flows. Among the plurality of electronic components, relatively low electronic components are stored and arranged in the second region, and relatively high electronic components are stored and arranged in the first region.

3. The power module according to claim 2, in, The relatively tall electronic component is the transformer. The above-mentioned electronic component having a relatively low height is a diode or a switching element.

4. The power module according to claim 3, in, The first region of the housing is opposite to the gear mechanism. The first region has a recessed portion recessed toward the gear mechanism. At least a portion of the transformer is disposed in the recessed portion.

5. The power module according to any one of claims 1 to 4, in, The drive substrate and the control substrate are accommodated in the second region having an opening that can be closed by a cover.

6. The power module according to claim 1, in, The driving substrate is composed of a plurality of substrates for driving the plurality of electronic circuits respectively.

7. A power module, comprising: a driving substrate that drives an electronic circuit composed of a plurality of electronic components; and Cooling plate, cooling fluid flows into it, Any one of the plurality of electronic components is disposed on the side opposite to the drive substrate via the cooling plate. A lead wire electrically connecting any one of the electronic components and the drive substrate is fixed to a through hole formed in the cooling plate by a fixing mechanism.

8. The power module according to claim 7, in, The fixing means is a potting material injected into the through hole.

9. The power module according to claim 7 or 8, in, The cooling plate comprises a lower plate and an upper plate. The cooling fluid flows between the lower plate and the upper plate. The heat generating component is in contact with the surface of the upper plate on the side opposite to the side where the cooling fluid flows. The heat generating component is provided on a surface of the drive substrate that is opposite to the upper plate.

10. The power module according to claim 7 or 8, in, The through hole is arranged in the flow path of the cooling fluid in a state of being sealed by a sealing material.

11. The power module according to claim 8, in, Any of the above electronic components includes a coil, The conductive wires are a pair of lead wires located at both ends of the winding of the coil.

12. The power module according to claim 11, in, The potting material surrounds the entire circumference of the coil.

13. The power module according to claim 7 or 8, in, Any of the electronic components is accommodated in a recessed portion formed integrally with the cooling plate.

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