Inverter brick structure, motor controller, powertrain, and vehicle having the same

Abstract

This invention discloses an inverter brick structure, a motor controller, a powertrain, and a vehicle having the same. The inverter brick structure includes: a bracket having a first housing and a second housing; a capacitor module housed within the first housing; a power module housed within the second housing, its input terminal electrically connected to the output terminal of the capacitor module; a three-phase copper busbar electrically connected to the output terminal of the power module; and a control board electrically connected to the three-phase copper busbar. The second housing contains a first heat dissipation branch for cooling the capacitor module and a second heat dissipation branch for cooling the power module. This application highly integrates the capacitor, power module, three-phase copper busbar, and control board through an integrated bracket, and sets up independent heat dissipation branches to achieve differentiated and precise heat dissipation for different heat-generating components, resulting in advantages such as compact structure, small size, high heat dissipation efficiency, high power density, and low parasitic inductance.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of motor controller technology, specifically to an inverter brick structure, a motor controller, a powertrain, and a vehicle having the same. Background Technology

[0002] The motor controllers used in current new energy electric vehicles need to be developed towards lightweight, integrated, and high power density to meet customers' space requirements due to space constraints on the vehicle.

[0003] For example, Chinese invention patent CN117062405A, entitled "A Highly Integrated Motor Controller Module Based on Platform and Its Usage Method," describes a motor controller module. This module includes a controller module body composed of a heat dissipation component, a module component, and a control component. The module component is disposed on the upper surface of the heat dissipation component, and the control component is disposed on the upper surface of the module component. This controller module, through its heat dissipation component, module component, and control component, meets the performance requirements of 250KW output capability under a 400V platform and 240KW output capability under an 800V platform. All sub-modules of this controller module body can meet the platform-based design requirements, significantly improving the integration level compared to traditional solutions. This controller module body can be used independently as a motor controller, or installed in a motor and electronic control integrated housing as a motor-electronic control two-in-one assembly, or installed in a motor, electronic control, and reducer integrated housing as a motor-electronic control and reducer three-in-one assembly.

[0004] However, this controller module also has some drawbacks. The conventional power module of this controller module is large in size and occupies a lot of space, which is not conducive to the miniaturization of the entire module. The single-line current sensor used in this controller module is large in size and expensive, which not only takes up too much module space, but also leads to a significant increase in the cost of the entire module. This controller module uses multiple adapter copper busbars, which makes the assembly process complicated and is prone to generating parasitic inductance. The heat dissipation component design of this controller module is unreasonable and has low heat dissipation efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this application is to address the shortcomings of the aforementioned background technology and to provide an inverter brick structure, a motor controller, a powertrain, and a vehicle having the same.

[0006] The technical solution of this application is: an inverter brick structure, comprising: Capacitor module; The power module's input terminal is electrically connected to the capacitor module's output terminal. The three-phase copper busbar is electrically connected to the output of the power module at its input terminal. The control board is electrically connected to the three-phase copper busbar for sampling. The bracket includes a first housing for housing a capacitor module and a second housing for housing a power module; the second housing is provided with a first heat dissipation branch for dissipating heat from the capacitor module and a second heat dissipation branch for dissipating heat from the power module.

[0007] According to the inverter brick structure provided in this application, a partition is provided inside the second housing; the partition divides the inner cavity of the second housing into a first cooling chamber and a second cooling chamber; the wall of the first cooling chamber is thermally connected to the wall of the first housing to form a first heat dissipation branch for cooling the capacitor module; the second cooling chamber houses the power module to form a second heat dissipation branch for cooling the power module.

[0008] According to the inverter brick structure provided in this application, the partition plate has an inlet and an outlet at both ends, which are respectively connected to the first cooling chamber and the second cooling chamber. The first cooling chamber has an inlet for coolant to enter and an outlet for coolant to exit. The inlet is close to the inlet, and the outlet is close to the outlet. After the coolant enters the first cooling chamber from the inlet, it is divided into two. One path flows through the first cooling chamber and then flows out from the outlet to form the first heat dissipation branch. The other path enters the second chamber from the inlet and then flows back to the first cooling chamber from the outlet, and finally flows out from the outlet to form the second heat dissipation branch.

[0009] According to the inverter brick structure provided in this application, a flow-limiting protrusion is provided on the side of the partition facing the first cooling chamber and near the liquid inlet. The flow-limiting protrusion is used to increase the flow resistance of the first heat dissipation branch so that the flow rate of the coolant flowing through the second heat dissipation branch is greater than the flow rate of the coolant flowing through the first heat dissipation branch.

[0010] According to an inverter brick structure provided in this application, the power module includes a substrate that is sealed and connected to a second cooling chamber; a chip is integrated on the substrate, and a plurality of heat dissipation copper pillars extending into the second cooling chamber are provided on the side of the substrate facing the second cooling chamber, the heat dissipation copper pillars being used to contact the coolant.

[0011] According to the inverter brick structure provided in this application, a plurality of connecting copper blocks are provided on the substrate; the connecting copper blocks are located on the side of the substrate facing away from the second cooling chamber, and are used to connect with the terminals of the capacitor module and the three-phase copper busbar.

[0012] According to the inverter brick structure provided in this application, a current sensor is provided on the control board; the current sensor has a signal pin; the signal pin passes through and is soldered into a pre-set via on the three-phase copper busbar to realize the electrical connection between the current sensor and the three-phase copper busbar.

[0013] According to the inverter brick structure provided in this application, it further includes an adapter connected to a three-phase copper busbar; the adapter includes a rigid adapter seat connected to the three-phase copper busbar and a flexible connector seat fixed on the rigid adapter seat.

[0014] This application also relates to a motor controller, including a housing and an inverter brick structure according to the above description, the inverter brick structure being mounted on the housing.

[0015] This application also relates to a powertrain including the aforementioned motor controller.

[0016] This application also relates to a vehicle that includes the aforementioned powertrain.

[0017] The advantages of this application are as follows: 1. This application relates to an inverter brick structure, which has the advantages of high integration and miniaturization. The capacitor and power module, the two core heat-generating / working units, are physically integrated together through a bracket, forming a standardized brick-like module. This modular design significantly reduces the number of discrete components and connecting cables, ensuring the overall compactness of the structure. It achieves advantages such as small size, small footprint, and easy layout, laying the foundation for flexible installation in motor controllers, powertrains, and even the entire vehicle. The inverter brick structure of this application also has the advantage of differentiated and precise heat dissipation. In a highly integrated space, the heating mechanisms and heat tolerance of the capacitor and power module are often different. By setting independent first heat dissipation branches (for the capacitor) and second heat dissipation branches (for the power module) within the second housing, a divide-and-conquer approach to thermal management is achieved. This avoids the problems of localized overheating or wasted cooling capacity that may result from traditional single heat dissipation methods, ensuring that each key component operates within its optimal temperature range, significantly improving overall heat dissipation efficiency and reliability.

[0018] 2. This application does not directly expose the capacitor to the coolant; instead, it utilizes the wall of the first cooling chamber as a highly efficient heat exchange interface. As the coolant flows through the first cooling chamber, it carries away the heat generated by the capacitor through the wall. This method achieves effective heat dissipation for the capacitor while avoiding the need for complex sealing of the capacitor body to contact the coolant, simplifying the structure and manufacturing process. The partition not only serves as a physical separator, forming two independent flow channels, but also constitutes part of the heat dissipation path itself. This demonstrates a high degree of design integration and is a key step in achieving overall miniaturization.

[0019] 3. This application specifies the coolant flow path design between the first and second cooling chambers. Superficially, the two chambers appear to be connected in series (the coolant in the second chamber originates from the first chamber), but in effect, they operate in parallel. This design ensures that both heat dissipation branches can operate efficiently simultaneously without interference. The coolant first enters the first cooling chamber for gentle initial cooling of the capacitors, and then a portion is diverted to the second cooling chamber for powerful cooling of the more intensely heated power modules. This arrangement allows the coolant to absorb heat throughout the entire process, improving cooling efficiency. The entire dual-chamber cooling system requires only one inlet and one outlet to connect to the external cooling system. This greatly simplifies the interface design between the inverter and the external system, facilitating layout and maintenance, perfectly aligning with the advantage of easy installation.

[0020] 4. This application incorporates a flow-limiting protrusion within the first cooling chamber, near the liquid inlet, enabling precise flow distribution and control. Since the power module (typically an IGBT or SiC module) generates significantly more heat than the capacitor module, it requires more coolant to dissipate that heat. The flow-limiting protrusion physically increases the flow resistance of the first heat dissipation path (capacitor cooling), forcing more coolant to flow to the second heat dissipation path (power module cooling), which demands greater cooling capacity. This achieves precise, on-demand distribution of cooling flow, representing optimal targeted adjustment and maximizing the efficiency of the cooling system.

[0021] 5. The heat dissipation copper pillars in this application extend directly into the coolant, essentially providing a high-speed highway with extremely low thermal resistance for heat transfer from the power chip. The coolant can directly contact these copper pillars for heat exchange, resulting in heat dissipation efficiency far exceeding that of traditional indirect heat dissipation plates. This highly efficient heat dissipation capability is one of the key technologies enabling power modules to handle larger currents within a smaller volume and achieve a significant increase in power density. Integrating the heat dissipation structure (copper pillars) directly onto the power module's substrate eliminates the need for additional heat sink components, further simplifying the structure and assembly process. Integrating the power chip onto the substrate significantly reduces the size of the power module, resulting in a more compact embedded structure and increased power density per unit volume.

[0022] 6. This application achieves seamless connection between the capacitor module and the three-phase copper busbar via copper block bonding, greatly simplifying the internal layout. The terminals of the capacitor module and the three-phase copper busbar can be directly and securely bonded to the same copper block, achieving efficient point-to-many connections. This layout significantly reduces the number and types of connectors, making the electrical path within the entire inverter brick clear and compact. It achieves high integration and minimization of size from the source, perfectly meeting the engineering requirements for easy layout. The capacitor terminals, substrate, and three-phase copper busbar achieve near-zero-distance physical bonding through connecting copper blocks. This means that the current path from the capacitor to the power switch and then to the three-phase output is compressed to its physical limits. Compared to traditional solutions using long wires or adapters, this solution tightly couples the DC and AC circuits, minimizing the area of ​​the commutation circuit. Low parasitic inductance effectively suppresses voltage overshoot during power device switching, reduces switching losses, improves system efficiency and reliability, and significantly increases power density.

[0023] 7. This application eliminates the need for an adapter busbar, simplifying the process and materials, further reducing size and facilitating layout. In traditional designs, current sensors are typically connected to the main three-phase busbar via an additional adapter busbar. This application directly inserts and solders the sensor's signal pins into the vias of the three-phase busbar, achieving a point-to-point direct connection between the sensor and the main power circuit. This completely eliminates intermediate adapter components, reduces the types of materials, simplifies the installation process, and lowers costs. The use of a coreless sensor further reduces the space occupied, and combined with this direct soldering installation method, further compresses the overall board area and height, contributing to the overall miniaturization.

[0024] 8. As a standardized module, the inverter brick of this application requires electrical connection to external components (such as a motor). A rigid adapter ensures stability and alignment accuracy when connected to the three-phase copper busbar. A flexible connector (e.g., made of multiple layers of laminated copper foil) provides the necessary flexibility. This design absorbs tolerances generated during installation, alleviates stress on welding points caused by vibration, and makes the placement of the inverter brick within the enclosure and its connection to the motor easier and more reliable. This reflects a thoughtful consideration for ease of engineering application while ensuring core performance.

[0025] 9. This application also protects a motor controller comprising the aforementioned inverter brick structure, a powertrain comprising the motor controller, and a vehicle comprising the powertrain. Applying the core inverter brick technology to higher-level products step by step can achieve smaller size, higher power density, better heat dissipation, and lower parasitic inductance, thereby improving the overall performance and reliability of the controller. Integrating a compact and efficient motor controller results in higher overall integration and a smaller size for the powertrain, making it easier to flexibly arrange on the vehicle chassis. A smaller, more efficient powertrain means more passenger space, lower energy consumption (or stronger power), and higher system reliability, directly enhancing the product's market competitiveness. Attached Figure Description

[0026] Figure 1 : An exploded schematic diagram of the inverter brick structure of this application; Figure 2 : A top view of the inverter brick structure of this application; Figure 3 : A bottom view of the inverter brick structure of this application; Figure 4 : A schematic diagram of the capacitor module structure in this application; Figure 5 : A schematic diagram of the power module structure of this application (side view); Figure 6 : A schematic diagram of the power module structure of this application (another side view); Figure 7 : A schematic diagram of the control board structure of this application; Figure 8 : A schematic diagram of the adapter structure of this application; Wherein: 1—bracket; 2—capacitor module; 3—power module; 31—substrate; 32—heat dissipation copper pillar; 33—connecting copper block; 4—three-phase copper busbar; 5—control board; 6—partition; 7—liquid inlet; 8—liquid outlet; 9—current limiting boss; 10—current sensor; 11—adapter; 111—rigid adapter; 112—soft connector. Detailed Implementation

[0027] The embodiments of this application are described in detail below, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and intended to explain this application, and should not be construed as limiting this application.

[0028] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this application.

[0029] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this application, "multiple" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0030] The present application will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0031] This application provides a high power density inverter brick structure and its application. Its core innovation lies in the high integration of capacitor modules, power modules, three-phase copper busbars and control boards through an integrated bracket, which fundamentally solves the problems of large size, difficult heat dissipation and high parasitic inductance of traditional inverters.

[0032] Specifically, such as Figures 1-3 As shown, the structure includes a support 1, which has a first housing for housing a capacitor module 2 and a second housing for housing a power module 3. The first and second housings are welded together by friction welding and are arranged side by side. Both the first and second housings are hollow cavity structures with one open end. The output terminal of the capacitor module 2 is electrically connected to the input terminal of the power module 3. The output terminal of the power module 3 is electrically connected to the input terminal of the three-phase copper busbar 4. The control board 5 is electrically connected to the three-phase copper busbar 4 for sampling and obtaining output current information for control. The core improvement lies in the fact that the second housing is provided with a first heat dissipation branch for cooling the capacitor module 2 and a second heat dissipation branch for cooling the power module 3.

[0033] During operation, the heat generated by capacitor module 2 and power module 3 is conducted to the second housing of bracket 1. Since the second housing integrates two independent heat dissipation channels, when the coolant circulates internally, the first heat dissipation channel is specifically responsible for removing the heat from capacitor module 2, while the second heat dissipation channel is specifically responsible for removing the greater heat generated by power module 3. Control board 5 samples the current of the three-phase copper busbar 4 to achieve real-time control of the switching state of power module 3.

[0034] The direction of current flow is as follows: first from the input terminal of capacitor module 2 (e.g., ...). Figure 4 The M and N mentioned above enter the capacitor module 2, which includes a square film capacitor. The current is filtered in the capacitor module 2 to form a high voltage DC current. After being stored in the high voltage of the capacitor module 2, it enters the power module 3 through 6 output terminals. After being inverted by the power module 3, it enters the three-phase copper busbar from the output terminal and is finally output.

[0035] The inverter brick structure of this application integrates the capacitor module, power module, output copper busbar, and control board into a compact brick-like module through an integrated bracket 1. This greatly improves the integration of components, reduces the overall size, and facilitates placement in motor controllers or vehicles. More importantly, by setting up independent heat dissipation branches, differentiated heat dissipation for the capacitor and power module is achieved, avoiding thermal interference and significantly improving the heat dissipation effect and thermal reliability of the entire module, laying the foundation for increasing power density.

[0036] In some embodiments of this application, the heat dissipation flow described above has been optimized, specifically, as follows: Figures 2-3 As shown, a partition 6 is provided inside the second housing. The partition 6 divides the inner cavity of the second housing into a first cooling chamber and a second cooling chamber, which are located on opposite sides of the partition 6. The wall of the first cooling chamber is in close contact with the wall of the first housing used to house the capacitor module 2 to achieve efficient heat exchange, thereby forming a first heat dissipation path for cooling the capacitor module 2. The second cooling chamber is used to house the power module 3, forming a second heat dissipation path for cooling the power module 3.

[0037] Furthermore, to facilitate coolant circulation, the baffle 6 has an inlet 7 and an outlet 8 at both ends, connecting the first and second cooling chambers respectively. The first cooling chamber has an inlet for coolant entry and an outlet for coolant discharge. The inlet is located near the inlet 7, and the outlet is located near the outlet 8.

[0038] In practical applications, after the coolant enters from the inlet of the first cooling chamber, it splits into two due to the partition 6 and the presence of the inlet 7 and outlet 8: one path flows directly through the first cooling chamber, carrying away the heat of the capacitor module 2 through heat exchange with the wall, and then flows out from the outlet, which is the first heat dissipation branch; the other path enters the second cooling chamber from the inlet 7, where it undergoes forced convection heat exchange with the power module 3, carrying away its main heat, and then flows back to the first cooling chamber from the outlet 8, merging with the first coolant path, and finally flowing out together from the outlet, which is the second heat dissipation branch.

[0039] This embodiment cleverly constructs a series-parallel hybrid cooling channel using a simple partition 6. This design is not only compact and eliminates the need for complex internal piping, but also achieves multi-path circulation of the coolant. The walls of the first cooling chamber conduct heat through contact, achieving indirect and uniform cooling of the capacitors; while the second cooling chamber allows the coolant to flow directly through the power module, achieving efficient convection cooling. This partitioned cooling structure ensures that devices with different thermal characteristics can operate within their optimal temperature range.

[0040] In other embodiments of this application, a flow regulation structure is added based on the above embodiments. For example... Figure 3 As shown, a flow-limiting protrusion 9 is provided on the side of the partition 6 facing the first cooling chamber, near the liquid inlet 7. This flow-limiting protrusion 9 is used to increase the fluid resistance of the first heat dissipation branch at the flow branch point.

[0041] In operation, when the coolant enters the first cooling chamber from the inlet and flows towards the branch point, the presence of the flow-limiting protrusion 9 narrows the channel leading to the depths of the first cooling chamber (i.e., the first heat dissipation branch), increasing flow resistance. According to fluid mechanics principles, fluids tend to flow along paths of lower resistance. Therefore, more coolant is forced to enter the second cooling chamber (second heat dissipation branch) through the less resistant inlet 7. By designing the geometry of the flow-limiting protrusion 9, the flow distribution between the two branches can be precisely controlled.

[0042] In this embodiment, the current-limiting boss 9 achieves precise, passive control of the flow rate. The power module 3, as the primary heat source, requires a larger coolant flow rate to remove concentrated heat; however, the capacitor module 2 is sensitive to temperature gradients, and excessive flow can lead to localized overcooling or ineffective heat dissipation. The current-limiting boss 9 cleverly ensures that the flow rate of the second heat dissipation branch is greater than that of the first, achieving on-demand cooling and significantly optimizing heat dissipation efficiency without adding any active control components or extra power consumption, demonstrating extremely high engineering design value.

[0043] In a preferred embodiment of this application, the packaging structure of the power module 3 is improved based on the above embodiments. For example... Figure 5 and 6As shown, the power module 3 includes a substrate 31 that is sealed to the second cooling chamber. A groove is formed at the end of the second cooling chamber facing the substrate 31, and a sealing strip is installed within the groove. The substrate 31 is sealed to the opening of the second cooling chamber via the sealing strip. A power chip (such as an IGBT or MOSFET) is integrated on the substrate 31. Integrating the power chip on the substrate 31 significantly reduces the overall size of the power module, facilitating the miniaturization of the entire inverter structure. Multiple heat dissipation copper pillars 32 extending into the second cooling chamber are provided on the side of the substrate 31 facing the second cooling chamber. These heat dissipation copper pillars 32 are in direct contact with the coolant flowing through the second cooling chamber.

[0044] like Figure 6 As shown, a plurality of heat dissipation copper pillars 32 are provided on the substrate 31. Each group includes a plurality of heat dissipation copper pillars 32 arranged in an array. Each group of heat dissipation copper pillars 32 corresponds to a group of power chips. The heat dissipation copper pillars 32 are embedded in the substrate 31 to form a heat conduction structure with the power chips.

[0045] When power module 3 is operating, the heat generated by the chip is conducted to substrate 31. Since the heat dissipation copper pillars 32 are integral with substrate 31 or have a highly efficient thermally conductive connection, the heat is rapidly transferred to the numerous copper pillars. When the coolant flows in the second cooling chamber, it directly washes over the surface of these heat dissipation copper pillars 32, carrying away the heat through convection heat transfer.

[0046] This embodiment upgrades traditional planar heat dissipation to three-dimensional heat dissipation. The copper heat dissipation pillars 32 extending into the coolant greatly increase the heat dissipation area, resulting in an exponential increase in heat exchange efficiency. The heat generated by the chip can be transferred to the coolant with the shortest path and the least thermal resistance, thereby effectively reducing the junction temperature of the power module and allowing the module to operate stably at higher power levels. This is one of the key technologies for improving the power density of inverter bricks.

[0047] In a further embodiment of this application, the electrical connection structure of the power module 3 has been optimized. For example... Figure 5 As shown, on the substrate 31, on the side facing away from the second cooling chamber, a plurality of connecting copper blocks 33 are provided, including input copper blocks and output copper blocks. In this embodiment, the substrate 31 is provided with six input copper blocks (e.g., Figure 5 The aforementioned a, b, c, d, e, and f) and the three output copper blocks (such as...) Figure 5 The six input copper blocks (g, h, and i) and the six output terminals (e.g., on capacitor module 2) are connected to the capacitor module 2. Figure 4 The A, B, C, D, E, and F mentioned above correspond to the three output copper blocks and the three-phase copper busbar 4 (e.g., Figure 1(As shown in the diagram). These connecting copper blocks 33 are directly electrically connected to the circuitry and chip output terminals inside the substrate 31. During assembly, the terminals of the capacitor module 2 and the input terminals of the three-phase copper busbar 4 are directly connected to these connecting copper blocks 33 and fixed and electrically connected by means of screws or laser welding.

[0048] This embodiment eliminates the need for separate connecting copper busbars used in traditional designs to connect the power module and capacitor, and the power module and copper busbar. The electrical energy of the capacitor module 2 is directly input to the power module 3 through the connecting copper block 33, and the electrical energy converted by the power module 3 is also directly output to the three-phase copper busbar 4 through another set of connecting copper blocks 33.

[0049] Direct connection via integrated copper connector 33 offers several significant advantages. First, it eliminates the need for separate adapter copper busbars, reducing the types and quantities of materials, simplifying assembly processes, and lowering costs. Second, and most importantly, it significantly shortens the current path of the DC bus and reduces the area enclosed by the loop, thereby significantly reducing parasitic inductance in the circuit. Low parasitic inductance is crucial for improving the switching speed of power devices, reducing switching losses and voltage spikes, further enhancing the efficiency and reliability of the inverter.

[0050] In some embodiments of this application, the structure of the control board 5 described above has been optimized. Specifically, for example... Figure 7 As shown, a current sensor 10 is provided on the control board 5. The current sensor 10 is preferably a coreless PCB-based current sensor (such as a sensor based on the magnetoresistive effect). The current sensor 10 has signal pins, which pass directly through and are soldered into pre-set vias on the three-phase copper busbar 4, thereby realizing the electrical and mechanical connection between the current sensor 10 and the three-phase copper busbar 4 to collect the output current.

[0051] The alternating current flowing through the three-phase copper busbar 4 generates a magnetic field around it. The coreless current sensor 10 achieves physical contact and electrical connection with the copper busbar 4 through its pins soldered to it. The magnetic field generated by the alternating current flowing through the copper busbar is directly sensed by the sensitive element inside the sensor 10 and converted into an electrical signal, which is then transmitted to the processing circuit on the control board 5 through the pins.

[0052] This direct-soldering sampling electrical connection method is highly innovative. On the one hand, it uses a coreless current sensor 10, which is much smaller than traditional cored sensors, greatly freeing up space on the control board 5 and facilitating miniaturization of the control board. On the other hand, the signal pins are directly soldered into the copper busbar vias, completely eliminating connecting wires and connectors, resulting in the shortest sampling path. This not only reduces interference during signal transmission but also further simplifies the module structure, perfectly aligning with the concept of high integration of the entire inverter brick.

[0053] In other embodiments of this application, an external connection structure is added based on the above embodiments. For example... Figure 8 As shown, the inverter brick structure also includes an adapter 11 connected to the output terminal of the three-phase copper busbar 4. The adapter 11 specifically includes a rigid adapter base 111 (such as a copper block) fixedly connected to the three-phase copper busbar 4, and a flexible connector base 112 (such as composed of multi-layered copper foil or flexible circuit board) fixed on the rigid adapter base 111.

[0054] The electrical energy inside the inverter brick is transmitted to the rigid adapter 111 via the three-phase copper busbar 4, and then to the flexible connector 112. Finally, the flexible connector 112 connects to the external motor harness or busbar to output electrical energy.

[0055] The design of the adapter 11 solves the tolerance compensation problem when connecting highly integrated modules to external devices. The rigid adapter 111 ensures reliable connection and current carrying capacity with the three-phase copper busbar 4. The flexible connector 112 has good flexibility and deformability, which can effectively absorb and compensate for assembly tolerances and vibrations generated when the inverter brick is installed in the enclosure or connected to the motor. It avoids the stress generated by the rigid connection from being transmitted to key components inside the inverter brick (such as the connecting copper block 33 of the power module and the solder joints), thereby greatly improving the long-term reliability and seismic performance of the system under complex operating conditions.

[0056] Specifically, the inverter brick of this application includes an integrated bracket 1, which has a first housing for accommodating a capacitor module 2 and a second housing for accommodating a power module 3. A partition 6 is provided inside the second housing, dividing it into a first cooling chamber and a second cooling chamber. The partition 6 has an inlet 7 and an outlet 8 at both ends. A current-limiting protrusion 9 is provided in the first cooling chamber near the inlet 7. The power module 3 includes a substrate 31 sealed to the second cooling chamber. The substrate 31 has a heat-dissipating copper pillar 32 extending into the cooling chamber and a connecting copper block 33 on the opposite side. The terminals of the capacitor module 2 and the three-phase copper busbar 4 are directly connected to the connecting copper block 33. The signal pins of the coreless current sensor 10 on the control board 5 are directly soldered into the through holes of the three-phase copper busbar 4. Finally, the output end of the three-phase copper busbar 4 is connected to an adapter 11 consisting of a rigid adapter 111 and a flexible connector 112.

[0057] During operation, coolant enters through the inlet of the first cooling chamber. Regulated by the flow-limiting protrusion 9, a small portion of the coolant flows through the first cooling chamber, dissipating heat from the capacitor module 2 through the wall. The majority of the coolant enters the second cooling chamber through the inlet 7, directly flushing the heat dissipation copper pillars 32 of the power module 3, efficiently removing heat from the chip. It then flows back to the first cooling chamber through the outlet 8 and flows out again. Electrically, the DC power, after being filtered by the capacitor module 2, enters the power module 3 through the connecting copper block 33, is inverted into AC power, and then outputs to the three-phase copper busbar 4 through the other connecting copper block 33. The control board 5 accurately samples the output current through the directly soldered current sensor 10, achieving precise control. Finally, the electrical energy is output to the external load through the adapter 11 with tolerance compensation capability.

[0058] The bracket 1 of this application ensures the highest integration, making the module small and easy to arrange; the series-parallel hybrid flow channel composed of the partition 6, liquid inlet 7, liquid outlet 8, and flow-limiting boss 9 achieves targeted heat dissipation and coolant flow regulation; the direct connection structure of the connecting copper block 33 eliminates the adapter copper busbar, simplifies the process, shortens the DC path, and significantly reduces parasitic inductance; the direct soldering method of the coreless current sensor 10 further reduces the size; the heat dissipation copper pillar 32 ensures excellent heat dissipation effect; and the adapter 11 ensures the reliability and adaptability of external connections. All these features work together to ultimately achieve an unprecedented increase in the power density of this inverter brick structure, making it a high-performance and highly reliable power module product.

[0059] Additionally, this application relates to a motor controller, which includes a housing and an inverter brick structure as described in the above embodiments, installed within the housing.

[0060] This motor controller uses a built-in, highly integrated inverter to convert DC power from the battery pack into three-phase AC power to drive the motor. All the advantages of the inverter (such as high efficiency, small size, and excellent heat dissipation) directly contribute to the advantages of the motor controller.

[0061] Applying the aforementioned inverter brick to the motor controller significantly reduces the controller's size, allowing for more flexible integration into the motor housing or space-constrained vehicle body locations. Simultaneously, due to the inverter brick's high heat dissipation efficiency and low parasitic inductance, the motor controller achieves higher power output and conversion efficiency, enhancing the overall performance of the electric drive system.

[0062] This application also relates to a powertrain comprising a motor controller as described in the above embodiments. This powertrain integrates a motor, a reducer, and the motor controller provided in this embodiment. The motor controller drives the motor to rotate, and the reducer adjusts the speed and increases torque before outputting power.

[0063] The powertrain, including the motor controller, achieves a new level of integration. The miniaturization of the inverter brick means the motor controller occupies almost no additional axial or radial space in the powertrain, resulting in an exceptionally compact three-in-one powertrain structure and a significant increase in power density (kW / kg). This is of great significance for improving the driving range and acceleration performance of new energy vehicles.

[0064] This application also relates to a vehicle that includes the powertrain described in the above embodiments. The vehicle (such as an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle) provides the driving force required for travel through the powertrain.

[0065] Vehicles using this powertrain will directly benefit from the advantages of all the preceding technical solutions. The vehicle can achieve a smaller footprint for the electric drive system, thereby optimizing interior passenger space or battery pack placement; thanks to the high efficiency of the electronic control system, energy consumption is reduced, and driving range is correspondingly increased; at the same time, the modularity and high reliability of the inverter brick also improve the overall vehicle quality and reduce potential failure rates.

[0066] The foregoing has shown and described the basic principles, main features, and advantages of this application. Those skilled in the art should understand that this application is not limited to the above embodiments. The embodiments and descriptions in the specification are merely illustrative of the principles of this application. Various changes and modifications can be made to this application without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and all such changes and modifications fall within the scope of this application as claimed. The scope of protection of this application is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. An inverter brick structure, characterized by: include: Capacitor module (2); The input terminal of the power module (3) is electrically connected to the output terminal of the capacitor module (2); The three-phase copper busbar (4) is electrically connected to the output terminal of the power module (3) at its input terminal; The control board (5) is electrically connected to the sampling point of the three-phase copper busbar (4); The bracket (1) includes a first housing for accommodating the capacitor module (2) and a second housing for accommodating the power module (3); the second housing is provided with a first heat dissipation branch for dissipating heat from the capacitor module (2) and a second heat dissipation branch for dissipating heat from the power module (3).

2. A reverse brick structure according to claim 1, wherein: The second housing is provided with a partition (6); the partition (6) divides the inner cavity of the second housing into a first cooling chamber and a second cooling chamber; the wall of the first cooling chamber is thermally connected to the wall of the first housing to form a first heat dissipation branch for cooling the capacitor module (2); the second cooling chamber houses the power module (3) to form a second heat dissipation branch for cooling the power module (3).

3. A reverse brick structure according to claim 2, wherein: The partition (6) has an inlet (7) and an outlet (8) at both ends, which connect the first cooling chamber and the second cooling chamber. The first cooling chamber has an inlet for coolant to enter and an outlet for coolant to exit. The inlet is close to the inlet (7), and the outlet is close to the outlet (8). After the coolant enters the first cooling chamber from the inlet, it splits into two. One path flows through the first cooling chamber and then flows out from the outlet to form the first heat dissipation branch. The other path enters the second chamber from the inlet (7) and then flows back to the first cooling chamber from the outlet (8), and finally flows out from the outlet to form the second heat dissipation branch.

4. A reverse brick structure according to claim 3, wherein: The partition (6) is provided with a flow-limiting boss (9) on the side facing the first cooling chamber and near the liquid inlet (7). The flow-limiting boss (9) is used to increase the flow resistance of the first heat dissipation branch so that the flow rate of the coolant flowing through the second heat dissipation branch is greater than the flow rate of the coolant flowing through the first heat dissipation branch.

5. A reverse brick structure according to claim 2, wherein: The power module (3) includes a substrate (31) that is sealed to the second cooling chamber; a chip is integrated on the substrate (31), and a plurality of heat dissipation copper pillars (32) extending into the second cooling chamber are provided on the side of the substrate (31) facing the second cooling chamber, and the heat dissipation copper pillars (32) are used to contact the coolant.

6. A reverse brick structure according to claim 5, wherein: The substrate (31) is provided with a plurality of connecting copper blocks (33); the connecting copper blocks (33) are located on the side of the substrate (31) facing away from the second cooling chamber, and are used to connect with the terminals of the capacitor module (2) and the three-phase copper busbar (4).

7. A reverse brick structure according to claim 1, wherein: The control board (5) is provided with a current sensor (10); the current sensor (10) has a signal pin; the signal pin passes through and is soldered into a pre-set via on the three-phase copper busbar (4) to realize the sampling electrical connection between the current sensor (10) and the three-phase copper busbar (4).

8. An electric machine controller characterized by It includes a housing and an inverter brick structure according to any one of claims 1 to 7, the inverter brick structure being mounted on the housing.

9. A powertrain characterized by, Includes the motor controller as described in claim 8.

10. A vehicle characterized by comprising: Includes the powertrain as described in claim 9.

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