Power module

Abstract

To provide a power supply module which is easy to operate and can be implemented at low cost. A power supply module (1) mounted on a vehicle has an AC / DC conversion section (11) which converts one of an AC voltage and a DC voltage into the other and outputs, and a voltage conversion section (20) which converts a first voltage value of an input DC voltage into a second voltage value of a DC voltage, the voltage conversion section (20) including a first conversion section (21) connected to the AC / DC conversion section (11) and a second conversion section (23) connected to the first conversion section (21) via a transformer (22), and provided with a first substrate (81) on which the AC / DC conversion section (11) and the first conversion section (21) are provided, and a second substrate (82) on which the second conversion section (23) is provided and which is different from the first substrate (81).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a power module mounted on a vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] For example, in electric vehicles that use electricity to drive a motor (such as hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), battery electric vehicles (BEVs), and fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs), etc.), a battery is installed to drive the motor. When charging this battery, or when using the power stored in the battery, a power module is used to convert a DC voltage from a predetermined voltage value to a desired DC voltage value. As a technology related to such a power module, for example, there is the technology described in Patent Document 1, for instance, whose source is shown below.

[0003] Patent Document 1 describes a power conversion device (an example of a power module). This power conversion device includes an AC / DC converter and a DC / DC converter, with the AC / DC converter disposed on the upper surface side of the cooling rack and the DC / DC converter disposed on the lower surface side of the cooling rack.

[0004] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2016-111748

[0005] In the power conversion device described in Patent Document 1, the DC / DC converter disposed on the lower surface of the cooling rack includes a circuit block for high-voltage DC output and a circuit block for low-voltage DC output, both of which are mounted on a single substrate. This results in a large substrate, making it difficult to operate during manufacturing and inspection processes. Furthermore, the current values ​​flowing in the high-voltage DC output circuit block and the low-voltage DC output circuit block differ. While it's possible to modify the substrate's layer structure and conductor layer thickness according to their respective current values, since it's a single substrate, it must accommodate the specifications of the circuit block with the larger current value. This increases costs. Therefore, the power conversion device described in Patent Document 1 has room for improvement in terms of simplification and cost reduction. Summary of the Invention

[0006] Therefore, the goal is to find a power module that is easy to operate and can be implemented at a low cost.

[0007] The power module according to the present invention is characterized as follows: it is a power module mounted on a vehicle and includes: an AC-DC conversion unit that converts one of AC voltage and DC voltage to the other and outputs it; and a voltage conversion unit that converts a first voltage value of an input DC voltage to a second voltage value of a DC voltage. The voltage conversion unit includes: a first conversion unit connected to the AC-DC conversion unit and a second conversion unit connected to the first conversion unit via a transformer. It includes: a first substrate on which the AC-DC conversion unit and the first conversion unit are disposed; and a second substrate on which the second conversion unit is disposed and is different from the first substrate.

[0008] With such a configuration, a first substrate equipped with an AC / DC conversion section and a first conversion section, constructed via a transformer, and a second substrate equipped with a second conversion section can be manufactured separately. Therefore, assembly and inspection of the first and second substrates can be easily performed, and operations can be simplified during manufacturing and inspection processes. Furthermore, the layer structure and conductor layer thickness of the first and second substrates can be set according to the specifications of the AC / DC conversion section, the first conversion section, and the second conversion section, thus enabling the manufacture of each substrate at low cost. Attached Figure Description

[0009] Figure 1 This is a diagram showing the configuration of the circuitry installed in the power module.

[0010] Figure 2 This is a top view of a power conversion device equipped with a power module.

[0011] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 A cross-sectional view along line III-III.

[0012] Figure 4 This is a diagram showing the connecting components.

[0013] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0014] 1...Power supply module; 10...First filter; 11...AC-DC conversion unit; 20...Voltage conversion unit; 21...First conversion unit; 22...Transformer; 23...Second conversion unit; 24...Second filter; 25...Third conversion unit; 26...Third filter; 30...Control unit; 50...Tall sub-component; 71...Hole; 72...Elongated hole; 81...First substrate; 82...Second substrate; 83...Third substrate; 84...Control substrate; 85...Connecting member; 90...Space insulation unit; 91Area; 101...Housing; 102...Bottom surface; 103...Support body. Detailed Implementation

[0015] The power module according to the present invention is configured to be easily assembled relative to a power conversion device. Hereinafter, the power module 1 of this embodiment will be described. However, the power module 1 is not limited to the following embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from its spirit.

[0016] Figure 1 This diagram illustrates the circuit configuration of the power supply module 1. In this embodiment, the power supply module 1 is used to utilize the power charged into the driving battery B1, which stores electricity for driving the vehicle's driving motor M. Therefore, the power supply module 1 is mounted in the vehicle. The driving motor M is driven by the motor inverter MI based on the power stored in the driving battery B1.

[0017] The charging of the driving battery B1 is performed, for example, using commercial power. The use of the power used to charge the driving battery B1 is, for example, equivalent to generating power equivalent to that of the commercial power source using that power, and generating power corresponding to a voltage different from the voltage value using that power. Specifically, generating power corresponding to a voltage different from the voltage value is equivalent to generating power for charging the low-voltage battery B2.

[0018] Therefore, the power module 1 is installed in the vehicle and uses commercial power to charge the driving battery B1, which stores the power used to drive the driving motor M of the vehicle, or uses the power charged to the driving battery B1 to generate power equivalent to the commercial power supply, or uses the power charged to the driving battery B1 to generate power, for example, to charge the low-voltage battery B2.

[0019] like Figure 1 As shown, the power module 1 includes a first filter 10, an AC-DC converter 11, a voltage converter 20, and a control unit 30. The voltage converter 20 includes a first converter 21, a transformer 22, a second converter 23, a second filter 24, a third converter 25, and a third filter 26.

[0020] The first filter 10 is provided on the inverter side to attenuate noise superimposed on the input voltage and current. Regarding the input voltage and current, on the one hand, in the case of charging the driving battery B1, it is equivalent to the voltage and current supplied from an external commercial power source. On the other hand, in the case of generating power from the driving battery B1 to the same level as commercial power, it is equivalent to the voltage and current from the AC-DC converter 11 described below.

[0021] The AC-DC converter 11 converts AC voltage and DC voltage to the other and outputs them. When charging the vehicle battery B1, this means converting AC voltage at the frequency of commercial power (50Hz or 60Hz) to DC voltage. When generating power from the vehicle battery B1 equivalent to that from commercial power, this means converting DC voltage from the voltage conversion unit 20 (described below) to AC voltage at the same frequency as the commercial power supply. Therefore, the AC-DC converter 11 converts AC voltage to DC voltage when AC voltage is input, and converts DC voltage to AC voltage when DC voltage is input.

[0022] The voltage conversion unit 20 converts the first voltage value of the input DC voltage into a second DC voltage value. For the voltage conversion unit 20, on the one hand, when charging the vehicle battery B1, it converts the DC voltage from the AC-DC conversion unit 11 into a DC voltage suitable for charging the vehicle battery B1 and the low-voltage battery B2. On the other hand, when generating power from the vehicle battery B1 that is equivalent to commercial power, it converts the DC voltage from the vehicle battery B1 into a DC voltage suitable for converting AC voltage to the same voltage as commercial power.

[0023] The first conversion unit 21 is connected to the AC-DC conversion unit 11. When DC power is supplied from the AC-DC conversion unit 11, the first conversion unit 21 causes the DC power to oscillate at a predetermined period and outputs it to the transformer 22. Furthermore, when AC power is supplied from the transformer 22, the AC power is converted to DC power and output to the AC-DC conversion unit 11. Here, "connection" in this embodiment refers to electrical connection.

[0024] The second conversion unit 23 is connected to the first conversion unit 21 via the transformer 22. When AC power is supplied from the transformer 22, the second conversion unit 23 converts the AC power into DC power and outputs it to the second filter 24. Furthermore, when DC power is supplied from the driving battery B1 via the second filter 24, the DC power is converted into AC power and output to the transformer 22.

[0025] The second filter 24 attenuates the noise superimposed on the input voltage and current. Regarding the input voltage and current, on the one hand, when charging the driving battery B1, it corresponds to the voltage and current supplied from the second conversion unit 23. On the other hand, when generating power from the driving battery B1 equivalent to that from a commercial power source, it corresponds to the voltage and current from the driving battery B1.

[0026] The third conversion unit 25 is connected to the first conversion unit 21 via the transformer 22. The third conversion unit 25 converts the AC power from the transformer 22 into a DC voltage suitable for charging the low-voltage battery B2, and outputs it to the third filter 26, both when the power module 1 is charging the driving battery B1 and when the power of the driving battery B1 is being used.

[0027] The third filter 26 attenuates the noise superimposed on the input voltage and current. The input voltage and current are equivalent to the voltage and current supplied from the third conversion unit 25.

[0028] The control unit 30 controls the drive of the AC-DC converter 11, the voltage converter 20, and the motor inverter MI. The AC-DC converter 11, the voltage converter 20, and the motor inverter MI are each configured with multiple switching elements, and the control unit 30 controls these switching elements to switch their on / off (open / closed) states.

[0029] AC / DC conversion unit 11 and first conversion unit 21 are disposed on the first substrate 81. That is, AC / DC conversion unit 11 and first conversion unit 21 are disposed on a single substrate. Furthermore, second conversion unit 23 and second filter 24 are disposed on a second substrate 82, which is different from the first substrate 81. That is, second conversion unit 23 and second filter 24 are disposed on a separate and single substrate from the first substrate 81. Moreover, third conversion unit 25 and third filter 26 are disposed on a third substrate 83, which is different from both the first substrate 81 and the second substrate 82. That is, third conversion unit 25 and third filter 26 are disposed on a separate and single substrate from both the first substrate 81 and the second substrate 82. Furthermore, control unit 30 is disposed on control substrate 84. This control substrate 84 is also separate from the first substrate 81, the second substrate 82, and the third substrate 83. Figure 1 For ease of understanding, the diagram also includes reference numerals indicating the various substrates.

[0030] Figure 2 This is a top view of the power conversion device 100 assembled with the power module 1. Furthermore, Figure 3 yes Figure 2 A cross-sectional view along line III-III. (See example...) Figure 2 As shown, when viewed from above, the power conversion device 100 is composed of a quadrilateral shape. Hereinafter, the direction in which two of the four sides forming this quadrilateral shape extend will be designated as the X direction, and the direction orthogonal to the X direction will be designated as the Y direction (an example of the "second direction"). Furthermore, the direction orthogonal to both the X and Y directions will be designated as the Z direction (an example of the "first direction").

[0031] like Figure 2As shown, the first substrate 81, the second substrate 82, and the third substrate 83 are arranged around the transformer 22 such that they have at least non-overlapping portions when viewed in the Z direction along the thickness direction. In this embodiment, when viewed in the Z direction of the power conversion device 100, the transformer 22 is positioned in the central region relative to the X and Y directions. The state of having at least non-overlapping portions includes a state where they are completely non-overlapping and a state where they partially overlap.

[0032] The first substrate 81 is mainly disposed on one side (Y1 side) of the transformer 22 along the Y direction. Figure 2 In this example, the first substrate 81 partially overlaps with the transformer 22 along the Z direction. The first substrate 81 is connected at this overlapping portion to terminals erected from the transformer 22 toward the first substrate 81. For the second substrate 82, the transformer 22 is arranged in an L-shape when viewed in the Z direction on one side (X1 side) along the X direction and the other side (Y2 side) along the Y direction. The third substrate 83 is disposed on the other side (X2 side) of the transformer 22 along the X direction.

[0033] A heat-insulating space 90 is provided between at least one of the first substrate 81, the second substrate 82, and the third substrate 83 and the transformer 22 to suppress heat conduction between them. In this embodiment, as... Figure 2 As shown, a space heat insulation portion 90 is provided between the second substrate 82 and the transformer 22, and a space heat insulation portion 90 is provided between the third substrate 83 and the transformer 22. The space heat insulation portion 90 is a gap provided across a predetermined width between the substrate constituting the object and the transformer 22. This width is preferably set to reduce the impact of heat generated by the transformer 22 on the substrate constituting the object. Specifically, this width is preferably set to keep the heat impact below a predetermined amount.

[0034] Therefore, the space insulation portion 90 is preferably disposed between the region of high heat density on at least one of the first substrate 81, the second substrate 82, and the third substrate 83 and the transformer 22. In this embodiment, as described above, the space insulation portion 90 is disposed between the second substrate 82 and the transformer 22, and between the third substrate 83 and the transformer 22. High heat density refers to the case where the value obtained by dividing the heat generated by the substrate surface area is large. Therefore, in this embodiment, the space insulation portion 90 is preferably disposed between the region of the second substrate 82 and the third substrate 83 where the value obtained by dividing the heat generated by the substrate surface area is large and the transformer 22. As a result, even when heat is generated from the transformer 22, the thermal stress generated on the components disposed on the second substrate 82 and the third substrate 83 can be reduced.

[0035] Furthermore, according to the power module 1 of this embodiment, even if the output power is increased (specifically, from 3.3kW to 6.6kW), it can be addressed simply by changing the first substrate 81 and the transformer 22. In this case, although the size of the transformer 22 increases, it can be configured in the area used as the space insulation part 90, so even if the size of the transformer 22 increases, it can still be configured.

[0036] like Figure 3 As shown, the first substrate 81, the second substrate 82, and the third substrate 83 are arranged such that their positions along the Z direction differ when viewed in the Y direction. In this embodiment, the first substrate 81, the second substrate 82, and the third substrate 83 are each supported by a support 103 erected from the bottom surface 102 of the housing 101. Hereinafter, for ease of understanding, the support 103 supporting the first substrate 81 will be designated as support 103A, the support 103 supporting the second substrate 82 as support 103B, and the support 103 supporting the third substrate 83 as support 103C. In this embodiment, among support 103A, support 103B, and support 103C, support 103A has the longest length along the Z direction, and support 103C has the shortest length along the Z direction. Therefore, the first substrate 81, the second substrate 82, and the third substrate 83 are positioned at different distances (heights) from the bottom surface 102 of the housing 101. Here, the housing 101 is a shell for housing the power module 1 and a cooling plate for cooling the components mounted on the substrate.

[0037] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the first substrate 81 has the highest potential and the third substrate 83 has the lowest potential applied to each of the first substrate 81, the second substrate 82, and the third substrate 83. Therefore, the first substrate 81, the second substrate 82, and the third substrate 83 are arranged sequentially from the side opposite to the bottom surface 102 of the housing 101 in order of decreasing applied potential. If we consider the bottom surface 102 side as the Z1 side when viewed along the Z direction from the perspective of each substrate, the side opposite to the bottom surface 102 refers to the Z2 side. Therefore, the first substrate 81, the second substrate 82, and the third substrate 83 are arranged sequentially from the Z2 side in order of decreasing applied potential. As a result, for example, when a conductive foreign object is generated, it will roll off to the lower potential side, thus providing excellent insulation robustness. In addition, the region 92 of the first substrate 81 on the Z1 side can be made longer along the Z direction, thus allowing for the placement of relatively tall components (e.g., capacitor 40).

[0038] A cover (not shown) is provided on the Z2 side of the housing 101. However, if the cover is provided along the XY plane, the space on the Z2 side of the third substrate 83 is, for example, larger than the space on the Z2 side of the first substrate 81. Therefore, a control substrate 84 is disposed on the side opposite to the bottom surface 102 of at least one of the first substrate 81, the second substrate 82, and the third substrate 83. That is, in this embodiment, the control substrate 84 is disposed on the Z2 side of the third substrate 83. In this embodiment, the control substrate 84 is disposed not only on the Z2 side of the third substrate 83 but also extends to the Z2 side of the second substrate 82.

[0039] From the perspective of the control board 84, when observing the Z1 side, the spatial length along the Z direction between it and the third board 83 is greater than the spatial length along the Z direction between it and the second board 82. Therefore, for the control board 84, the taller sub-component 50, which is relatively taller among the components disposed on the control board 84, is disposed in the region 91 on the control board 84 opposite to the third board 83, which is the board closest to the bottom surface 102 among the first board 81, the second board 82, and the third board 83. As a result, it is easy to ensure space for the tall sub-component 50, and it is not necessary to take measures such as placing the tall sub-component 50 laterally to keep its height low. Therefore, it is possible to install it without increasing the mounting area.

[0040] A first filter 10 is provided at the input stage when the driving battery B1 is charging. The first filter 10 is provided on a different substrate (in this embodiment, the substrate on the inverter side) than the second substrate 82 and the third substrate 83. Furthermore, a second filter 24 is provided at the output stage of the second substrate 82 when the driving battery B1 is charging. Moreover, a third filter 26 is provided at the output stage of the third substrate 83 when the low-voltage battery B2 is charging. The second filter 24 and the third filter 26 are provided at the relatively noisy parts of each substrate.

[0041] In this embodiment, in order to reduce the impact of the noise of the first filter 10 on the second substrate 82 and the third substrate 83 respectively, the distance between the first filter 10 and the second filter 24 disposed on the second substrate 82, and the distance between the first filter 10 and the third filter 26 disposed on the third substrate 83 are set to be greater than the distance between the second filter 24 and the third filter 26. Therefore, the impact of the noise of the first filter 10 on the second substrate 82 and the third substrate 83 can be reduced.

[0042] The transformer 22 is connected to the second substrate 82 and the transformer 22 is connected to the third substrate 83 using connecting members 85. Figure 4A connecting member 85 is shown that connects the transformer 22 to the third substrate 83. As described above, the transformer 22 and the third substrate 83 are positioned differently along the Z direction. Therefore, to compensate for this difference in position along the Z direction, the connecting member 85 is connected to the transformer 22 via a terminal 85A on one end and to the third substrate 83 via a terminal 85B on the other end. Furthermore, the connecting member 85 has an inclined portion 85C that is inclined relative to the Z direction between the terminals 85A and 85B.

[0043] A circular hole 71 is provided on the terminal 85A side, and an elongated hole 72 is provided on the terminal 85B side. A spacer 86 is provided between the terminal 85A and the transformer 22 along the Z direction. The terminal 85A and the transformer 22 are fastened together by bolts 87 inserted into the hole 71 and the spacer 86. Furthermore, a spacer 88 is provided between the terminal 85B and the third substrate 83 along the Z direction. The terminal 85B and the transformer 22 are fastened together by bolts 87 inserted into the elongated hole 72 and the spacer 88. At this time, any positional difference (misalignment) between the transformer 22 and the third substrate 83 along the Z direction can be absorbed by the inclined portion 85C, and any positional difference (misalignment) between the transformer 22 and the third substrate 83 along the XY direction can be absorbed by the elongated hole 72. Thus, the transformer 22 and the third substrate 83 can be properly connected.

[0044] Figure 4 The connection between transformer 22 and the third substrate 83 is described, but the connection between transformer 22 and the second substrate 82 is also the same.

[0045] [Other Implementation Methods]

[0046] Next, other embodiments of the power module 1 will be described.

[0047] In the above embodiment, the voltage conversion unit 20 further includes a third conversion unit 25, and the power module 1 further includes a third substrate 83 on which the third conversion unit 25 is provided. However, the power module 1 can also be configured such that the voltage conversion unit 20 does not include the third conversion unit 25. In this case, the third substrate 83 may not be provided.

[0048] In the above embodiments, it is described that the first substrate 81, the second substrate 82, and the third substrate 83 are arranged around the transformer 22 such that they have at least non-overlapping portions when viewed in the Z direction. However, it is also possible that the first substrate 81, the second substrate 82, and the third substrate 83 are arranged around the transformer 22 such that at least any two substrates completely overlap when viewed in the Z direction. Furthermore, it is also possible that, when viewed in the Z direction, the first substrate 81, the second substrate 82, and the third substrate 83 are not arranged around the transformer 22 (or may be configured not to surround the transformer 22).

[0049] In the above embodiments, it is described that the first substrate 81, the second substrate 82, and the third substrate 83 are arranged in a state where their positions relative to each other are different when viewed in the Y direction along the Z direction. However, it is also possible that the first substrate 81, the second substrate 82, and the third substrate 83 are arranged in a state where at least any two of them are in the same position relative to each other when viewed in the Y direction along the Z direction.

[0050] In the above embodiments, it is explained that the first substrate 81, the second substrate 82, and the third substrate 83 are each supported by a support 103 erected from the bottom surface 102 of the housing 101. However, the first substrate 81, the second substrate 82, and the third substrate 83 may also be suspended from a cover portion of the housing 101 opposite to the bottom surface 102, or they may be supported by the inner wall portion of the housing 101. Furthermore, when the first substrate 81, the second substrate 82, and the third substrate 83 are suspended from the cover portion, for example, the portion erected from the bottom surface 102 of the housing 101 that supports the cover portion, the cover portion itself, and the portion of the cover portion that supports the substrates 81, 82, and 83 are equivalent to the support 103. When the first substrate 81, the second substrate 82, and the third substrate 83 are supported by the inner wall portion of the housing 101, for example, the inner wall portion erected from the bottom surface 102 of the housing 101 is equivalent to the support 103.

[0051] In the above embodiments, the first substrate 81, the second substrate 82, and the third substrate 83 are arranged sequentially from the side of the housing 101 opposite to the bottom surface 102 in order of decreasing applied potential. However, the first substrate 81, the second substrate 82, and the third substrate 83 may also be arranged sequentially from the side of the housing 101 opposite to the bottom surface 102 in order of increasing applied potential, or they may be arranged regardless of the applied potential.

[0052] In the above embodiment, a control substrate 84 is provided on the side opposite to the bottom surface 102 of at least one of the first substrate 81, second substrate 82, and third substrate 83 that is closest to the bottom surface 102 of the housing 101. However, it is also possible that the control substrate 84 is not provided on the side opposite to the bottom surface 102 of at least one of the first substrate 81, second substrate 82, and third substrate 83 that is closest to the bottom surface 102 of the housing 101.

[0053] In the above embodiment, it is described that a space heat insulation portion 90 is provided between at least one of the first substrate 81, the second substrate 82, and the third substrate 83 and the transformer 22 to suppress heat conduction between them. However, it is also possible that no space heat insulation portion 90 is provided between at least one of the first substrate 81, the second substrate 82, and the third substrate 83 and the transformer 22.

[0054] In the above embodiment, the space insulation portion 90 is provided between regions with high heat density on at least one of the first substrate 81, the second substrate 82, and the third substrate 83. However, it is also possible that the space insulation portion 90 is provided between regions on at least one of the first substrate 81, the second substrate 82, and the third substrate 83 that are different from the regions with high heat density.

[0055] In the above embodiment, it is explained that for the connecting member 85 that connects the transformer 22 to any two of the first substrate 81, the second substrate 82, and the third substrate 83, a circular hole 71 is provided at one end, and an elongated hole 72 is provided at the other end. However, the connecting member 85 may also have an elongated hole at one end and a circular hole at the other end. Furthermore, both ends may have circular holes, or both ends may have elongated holes. Moreover, the connecting member 85 is not limited to the structure of having a circular hole 71 at one end and an elongated hole 72 at the other end. The connecting member 85 is not particularly limited as long as it can absorb the misalignment between the transformer 22 and two of the three substrates (excluding the one fixed to the transformer 22), such as a flexible busbar. Alternatively, the transformer 22 can be connected to the first substrate 81, the second substrate 82, and the third substrate 83 respectively via the connecting member 85.

[0056] In the above embodiments, it was explained that the distance between the first filter 10 disposed on a substrate other than the second substrate 82 and the third substrate 83 and the second filter 24 disposed on the second substrate 82, and the distance between the first filter 10 and the third filter 26 disposed on the third substrate 83, are greater than the distance between the second filter 24 and the third filter 26. However, the distance between the first filter 10 and the second filter 24 disposed on the second substrate 82, and the distance between the first filter 10 and the third filter 26 disposed on the third substrate 83, can be the same as the distance between the second filter 24 and the third filter 26, or the former can be shorter than the latter.

[0057] In the above embodiment, it is explained that, for the control substrate 84, the relatively tall sub-component 50 among the components disposed on the control substrate 84 is disposed in the region 91 of the control substrate 84 opposite to the side of the first substrate 81, second substrate 82, and third substrate 83 that is closest to the bottom surface 102 of the housing 101. However, it is also possible that, for the control substrate 84, the relatively tall sub-component 50 among the components disposed on the control substrate 84 is not disposed in the region 91 of the control substrate 84 opposite to the side of the first substrate 81, second substrate 82, and third substrate 83 that is closest to the bottom surface 102 of the housing 101.

[0058] [Summary of the above embodiments]

[0059] The following is a summary of the power module 1 described above.

[0060] (1) The power module 1 is a power module 1 mounted on a vehicle and has: an AC-DC conversion unit 11, which converts one of AC voltage and DC voltage into the other and outputs it; and a voltage conversion unit 20, which converts a first voltage value of the input DC voltage into a second voltage value of DC voltage. The voltage conversion unit 20 includes: a first conversion unit 21 connected to the AC-DC conversion unit 11 and a second conversion unit 23 connected to the first conversion unit 21 via a transformer 22. The power module 1 has: a first substrate 81, which is provided with the AC-DC conversion unit 11 and the first conversion unit 21; and a second substrate 82, which is provided with the second conversion unit 23 and is different from the first substrate 81.

[0061] According to this structure, the first substrate 81, which is constructed via transformer 22 and equipped with AC / DC conversion section 11 and first conversion section 21, and the second substrate 82, equipped with second conversion section 23, can be separately constructed. Therefore, the assembly and inspection of the first substrate 81 and the second substrate 82 can be easily performed, and operations can be simplified during the manufacturing and inspection processes. Furthermore, the layer structure and conductor layer thickness of the first substrate 81 and the second substrate 82 can be set according to the specifications of the AC / DC conversion section 11, first conversion section 21, and second conversion section 23, thus enabling the construction of each substrate at low cost. Moreover, one of the first substrate 81 and the second substrate 82 can be modified according to specifications, thus easily accommodating the serialization of the power module 1 product series.

[0062] (2) In the power module 1 described in (1), preferably, the voltage conversion unit 20 further includes a third conversion unit 25, which is connected to the first conversion unit 21 via a transformer 22 and converts it into a DC voltage of a third voltage value. The power module 1 also includes a third substrate 83, which is provided with the third conversion unit 25 and is different from the first substrate 81 and the second substrate 82.

[0063] According to this structure, the third substrate 83, which is provided with the third conversion section 25, can be separately disposed from the first substrate 81 and the second substrate 82 described above. Therefore, similar to the first substrate 81 and the second substrate 82, it can be operated simply, and the third substrate 83 can be constructed at low cost.

[0064] (3) In the power module 1 described in (2), preferably, the first substrate 81, the second substrate 82 and the third substrate 83 are arranged around the transformer 22 in such a way that when viewed in the Z direction (first direction) along the thickness direction, they have at least non-overlapping portions.

[0065] According to this structure, the first substrate 81, the second substrate 82, and the third substrate 83 are respectively connected to the transformer 22. Therefore, by distributing them around the transformer 22, the first substrate 81, the second substrate 82, and the third substrate 83 can be connected to the transformer 22 with the shortest possible distance. Furthermore, it is also possible to suppress the crossing of mutual wiring.

[0066] (4) In the power module 1 described in (3), the first substrate 81, the second substrate 82 and the third substrate 83 are preferably arranged so that when viewed in the Y direction (the second direction) which is orthogonal to the Z direction, their positions along the Z direction are different.

[0067] According to this structure, the Z-direction positions of the first substrate 81, the second substrate 82, and the third substrate 83 are different from each other, thus ensuring the insulation distance between the first substrate 81, the second substrate 82, and the third substrate 83. Therefore, insulation measures can be implemented inexpensively.

[0068] (5) In the power module 1 described in (4), preferably, the first substrate 81, the second substrate 82 and the third substrate 83 are supported by a support body 103 erected from the bottom surface 102 of the housing 101, and the first substrate 81, the second substrate 82 and the third substrate 83 are arranged in order from high to low applied potential, starting from the side opposite to the bottom surface 102.

[0069] According to this structure, for example, when a conductive foreign object is generated, the foreign object rolls off to the lower potential side, thus exhibiting excellent insulation robustness. Therefore, it is possible to improve the insulation robustness against conductive foreign objects.

[0070] (6) In the power module 1 described in (4) or (5), preferably, the first substrate 81, the second substrate 82 and the third substrate 83 are each supported by a support body 103 erected from the bottom surface 102 of the housing 101. On the side opposite to the bottom surface 102 of at least one of the first substrates 81, the second substrate 82 and the third substrate 83, a control substrate 84 provided with a control unit 30 is disposed, and the control unit 30 controls the driving of the AC-DC conversion unit 11 and the voltage conversion unit 20.

[0071] According to this structure, the control board 84 can be arranged in the empty space on the opposite side of the board closest to the bottom surface 102 of the housing 101 among the first board 81, second board 82, and third board 83. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the power supply module 1 from becoming too large. In addition, the connection distances between the first board 81, second board 82, and third board 83 can be shortened, and the crossings with high-voltage lines (power lines with high applied voltage) can be reduced, thus improving noise immunity.

[0072] (7) In the power module 1 described in (4) or (5), preferably, a space heat insulation part 90 is provided between at least one of the first substrate 81, the second substrate 82 and the third substrate 83 and the transformer 22 to suppress heat conduction between them.

[0073] According to this structure, the impact of heat generated by the transformer 22 on the surrounding area can be reduced. Therefore, the heat-induced stress on the components provided on the first substrate 81, the second substrate 82, and the third substrate 83 can be reduced.

[0074] (8) In the power module 1 described in (7), preferably, the space heat insulation portion 90 is disposed between a region with a high heat density on at least one of the first substrate 81, the second substrate 82 and the third substrate 83.

[0075] According to this structure, a space insulation section 90 is provided adjacent to the area with high heat density, thereby reducing the impact of heat on the surrounding area.

[0076] (9) In the power module 1 described in (4) or (5), preferably, for the connecting member 85 that connects the transformer 22 to any two of the first substrate 81, the second substrate 82 and the third substrate 83 respectively, a circular hole 71 is provided at one end and an elongated hole 72 is provided at the other end.

[0077] According to this structure, the misalignment between any two of the first substrate 81, the second substrate 82, and the third substrate 83 and the transformer 22 can be absorbed through the elongated hole 72. Therefore, assembly can be easily performed.

[0078] (10) In the power module 1 described in (4) or (5), preferably, the distance between the first filter 10 disposed on a substrate other than the second substrate 82 and the third substrate 83 and the second filter 24 disposed on the second substrate 82, and the distance between the first filter 10 and the third filter 26 disposed on the third substrate 83 are greater than the distance between the second filter 24 and the third filter 26.

[0079] According to this structure, the impact of noise generated by the first filter 10 on the second substrate 82 and the third substrate 83 can be reduced.

[0080] (11) In the power module 1 described in (6), preferably, for the control board 84, the taller sub-component 50 among the components disposed on the control board 84 is disposed in the area of ​​the control board 84 opposite to the side of the first board 81, the second board 82 and the third board 83 closest to the bottom surface 102.

[0081] This structure ensures sufficient space for the tall sub-component 50 mounted on the control board 84. Therefore, measures such as horizontal mounting of the tall sub-component 50 are unnecessary, preventing an increase in the mounting area.

[0082] Industrial availability

[0083] The technology disclosed herein can be used in power modules mounted in vehicles.

Claims

1. A power module mounted in a vehicle, comprising: an AC-DC converter that converts one of AC voltage and DC voltage to the other and outputs it; and a voltage converter that converts a first voltage value of an input DC voltage to a second voltage value of a DC voltage. The power module is characterized in that... The voltage conversion unit includes: A first conversion unit connected to the AC / DC conversion unit and a second conversion unit connected to the first conversion unit via a transformer. The power module has the following features: A first substrate, which is provided with the AC / DC conversion section and the first conversion section; and The second substrate has the second conversion section provided thereon and is different from the first substrate.

2. The power module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The voltage conversion unit further includes a third conversion unit, which is connected to the first conversion unit via the transformer and converts the voltage to a third DC voltage value. The power module also includes a third substrate, which has the third conversion unit disposed thereon and is different from the first substrate and the second substrate.

3. The power module according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first substrate, the second substrate, and the third substrate are arranged around the transformer in such a way that they have at least non-overlapping portions when viewed along a first direction along the thickness direction.

4. The power module according to claim 3, characterized in that, The first substrate, the second substrate, and the third substrate are configured such that when viewed in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, their positions along the first direction differ from each other.

5. The power module according to claim 4, characterized in that, The first substrate, the second substrate, and the third substrate are each supported by a support body erected from the bottom surface of the housing. The first substrate, the second substrate, and the third substrate are arranged sequentially from the side opposite to the bottom surface in order of the applied potential from high to low.

6. The power module according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that, The first substrate, the second substrate, and the third substrate are each supported by a support body erected from the bottom surface of the housing. A control board with a control unit is disposed on the side opposite to the bottom surface of at least one of the three substrates, namely the first substrate, the second substrate, and the third substrate, and the control unit controls the driving of the AC-DC conversion unit and the voltage conversion unit.

7. The power module according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that, A space heat insulation portion is provided between at least one of the first substrate, the second substrate and the third substrate and the transformer to suppress heat conduction between them.

8. The power module according to claim 7, characterized in that, The space insulation portion is disposed between a region with high heat density on at least one of the first substrate, the second substrate, and the third substrate.

9. The power module according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that, For the connecting member that connects the transformer to any two of the first substrate, the second substrate, and the third substrate, a circular hole is provided at one end and an elongated hole is provided at the other end.

10. The power module according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that, The distance between the first filter disposed on a substrate other than the second substrate and the third substrate and the second filter disposed on the second substrate, and the distance between the first filter and the third filter disposed on the third substrate, are greater than the distance between the second filter and the third filter.

11. The power module according to claim 6, characterized in that, For the control substrate, the relatively taller sub-component among the components disposed on the control substrate is disposed in the region of the control substrate opposite to the substrate closest to the bottom surface among the first substrate, the second substrate, and the third substrate.

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