Electric power conversion and distribution unit, driving system and vehicle

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an electric power conversion and distribution unit, a driving system and a vehicle. The electric power conversion and distribution unit comprises: a first housing having a first opening with a first electrical component arranged therein; a second housing having a second opening with a second electrical component arranged therein; wherein the first housing and the second housing are stacked in a way that the first opening and the second opening are docked with each other.

Description

[0001] ELECTRIC POWER CONVERSION AND DISTRIBUTION UNIT, DRIVING

[0002] SYSTEM AND VEHICLE

[0003] TECHNICAL FIELD

[0004] The present disclosure relates to an electric power conversion and distribution unit, a driving system and a vehicle.

[0005] BACKGROUND

[0006] As the state promotes energy conservation and emissions reduction and requires control of atmospheric pollution, the electric vehicle market is growing rapidly, and electric vehicles are set to become a mainstream product in the future motor vehicle market. On-board chargers (OBC), DC-DC converters, inverters, high-voltage power distribution units (PDU), high-voltage DC power supplies (HCDC), fusible devices, relays, electric heaters (PTC), fast chargers and compressor controllers, etc. are important components of electric vehicle drive systems.

[0007] With the development of technology, in recent years, the above components could have been integrated in a housing and then installed on the housings of a reducer and a motor. In view of different functions and failure rates of the above components, the above components are usually installed in different housings to facilitate assembly, disassembly and maintenance. However, a large and flat cover of a housing has a large vibration amplitude, which will generate large noise, thereby deteriorating the NVH performance of a vehicle.

[0008] SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0009] Therefore, an objective of the present disclosure is to provide an electric power conversion and distribution unit, a driving system and a vehicle, wherein the electric power conversion and distribution unit does not use a large and flat cover, the assembly, disassembly and maintenance of components in the driving system are simple and convenient, and they have a small volume, a reduced cost, improved NVH performance and better EMC performance. The above-mentioned objective is achieved by the electric power conversion and distribution unit, the driving system and the vehicle which will be described below.

[0010] The present disclosure relates to an electric power conversion and distribution unit, comprising: a first housing having a first opening with a first electrical component arranged therein; a second housing having a second opening with a second electrical component arranged therein; wherein the first housing and the second housing are stacked in a way that the first opening and the second opening are docked with each other.

[0011] In an embodiment, the electric power conversion and distribution unit further comprises a seal, which is arranged between the first housing and the second housing.

[0012] In an embodiment, the first housing has a first transverse extension located at the first opening, the second housing has a second transverse extension located at the second opening, and the first transverse extension and the second transverse extension are connected to each other through a fixing member.

[0013] In an embodiment, the first electrical component is arranged on a bottom wall of the first housing, and a second electrical component is arranged on the bottom wall of the second housing.

[0014] In an embodiment, the first housing accommodates a first circuit board assembly, and a first support column is provided on the bottom wall of the first housing to support the first circuit board assembly; and the second housing accommodates a second circuit board assembly, and a second support column is provided on the bottom wall of the second housing to support the second circuit board assembly.

[0015] In an embodiment, the first support column is located around the first electrical component, and the second support column is located around the second electrical component.

[0016] In an embodiment, the electric power conversion and distribution unit further comprises a shielding component, which is located between the first circuit board assembly and the second circuit board assembly. In an embodiment, a third support column is provided on the bottom wall of the first housing or the bottom wall of the second housing to support the shielding component; or the shielding component is supported in the first housing or the second housing through the first support column or the second support column; or the shielding component is clamped between the first housing and the second housing through a fixing member.

[0017] In an embodiment, the electric power conversion and distribution unit further comprises a cooling channel, wherein the cooling channel comprises a first channel portion arranged on a bottom wall of the first housing and a second channel portion arranged on a bottom wall of the second housing.

[0018] In an embodiment, the cooling channel further comprises a third channel portion arranged on a side wall of the first housing and a fourth channel portion arranged on a side wall of the second housing, wherein the third channel portion and the fourth channel portion are in fluid communication.

[0019] In an embodiment, the first housing is located above the second housing, and a joint surface of the third channel portion and the fourth channel portion is lower than a joint surface of the first housing and the second housing.

[0020] In an embodiment, outer walls of the first housing and / or the second housing are provided with reinforcing ribs.

[0021] In an embodiment, the first electrical component comprises a DCDC converter and an on-board charger, and the second electrical component comprises a motor controller.

[0022] The present disclosure further relates to a driving system. The driving system comprises a motor, a reducer, and the electric power conversion and distribution unit as described above, wherein the electric power conversion and distribution unit is arranged on the motor and the reducer.

[0023] The present disclosure further relates to a vehicle. The vehicle comprises the driving system as described above.

[0024] The beneficial effects of the embodiments of the present disclosure are that the assembly, disassembly and maintenance are simple and convenient, the volume is small, the cost is low, the basic functions can be ensured not to be affected by the damage of the components, and the NVH performance and EMC performance are better.

[0025] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] A better understanding of the advantages and objectives of the present disclosure can be gained from preferred embodiments of the present disclosure as described in detail below in conjunction with the drawings. In order to better illustrate the relationships among the components in the drawings, the drawings are not drawn to scale. In the drawings:

[0027] FIG. 1 shows a cross-sectional schematic diagram of an electric power conversion and distribution unit for a driving system of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; and

[0028] FIG. 2 shows an external schematic diagram of an electric power conversion and distribution unit for a driving system of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0029] DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0030] In order to clarify the objective, technical solution and advantages of the present disclosure, the technical solution of embodiments of the present disclosure is described clearly and completely below in conjunction with the drawings accompanying particular embodiments of the present disclosure. In the drawings, identical reference numerals denote identical parts. It must be explained that the embodiments described are some, not all, of the embodiments of the present disclosure. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the described embodiments of the present disclosure without the need for inventive effort shall fall within the scope of protection of the present disclosure.

[0031] Unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used herein shall have the common meanings understood by those skilled in the art. "First", "second" and similar words used in the description and claims of the patent application of the present disclosure do not indicate any order, quantity or importance, being merely used to distinguish between different component parts. Likewise, words such as "a" or "one" do not necessarily represent a quantity limit. Words such as "comprising", "including” or "having" mean that the element or object preceding the word covers the elements or objects and equivalents thereof listed after the word, without excluding other elements or objects. Words such as "connection” or "communication”, rather than being limited to the physical or mechanical connection or communication shown in a drawing, may include connection or communication equivalent thereto, irrespective of whether it is direct or indirect. "Upper", "lower", "left", "right", etc., are only used to indicate a relative positional relationship, and when the absolute position of the described object changes, the relative positional relationship might also change accordingly.

[0032] Various embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 2.

[0033] A driving system included in a vehicle according to the present disclosure includes a motor and a reducer, and may further include an electric power conversion and distribution unit as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The electric power conversion and distribution unit is arranged close to the motor and the reducer. For example, the electric power conversion and distribution unit is arranged on the motor and the reducer, specifically on the top of the motor and the top of the reducer.

[0034] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the electric power conversion and distribution unit includes a first housing 1 and a second housing 2. The first housing 1 has a first opening with a first electrical component 3 arranged therein. The second housing 2 has a second opening with a second electrical component 4 arranged therein. The first housing 1 and the second housing 2 are stacked in a way that the first opening and the second opening are docked with each other. As shown in FIG. 1, the first housing 1 and the second housing 2 each have a U-shaped cross-section, and the first housing 1 is docked with the second housing 2 in an inverted manner. With this arrangement, a cover of the first housing 1 and a cover of the second housing 2 may be omitted, which can not only reduce the volume of the electric power conversion and distribution unit, but also improve the NVH performance of the vehicle.

[0035] In some embodiments, the first electrical component 3 may include a DCDC converter and an on-board charger (OBC), and the second electrical component 4 may include a motor controller.

[0036] In some embodiments, the first electrical component 3 may further include a fast charger, etc., and the second electrical component 4 may further include at least one of the following: a power distribution unit (e.g., a high-voltage power distribution unit, i.e., PDU), a high-voltage DC power supply (HVDC), an electric heater (PTC), etc.

[0037] The motor controller is an inverter for converting DC power stored in a power battery to AC power of variable frequency and variable voltage, so as to control the rotation speed and torque of the motor. The inverter of the vehicle may adjust the amplitude and frequency of the AC power, wherein the frequency controls the speed of the vehicle, and the amplitude controls the power of the vehicle.

[0038] The DC-DC converter can convert a voltage from a DC power supply to any DC voltage, to supply required power for a power steering system, an in-vehicle air condition, and other auxiliary equipment. The DC-DC converter receives an input from the power battery, and supplies power for on-board electrical appliances. For example, the DC-DC converter may output a low voltage of about 12 V, which can supply power for a low- voltage storage battery.

[0039] The on-board charger is an energy conversion device for controlling and adjusting the charging of the power battery on the vehicle. A grid voltage is input into the on-board charger via a ground AC charging pile and an AC charging port, so that the power battery is charged.

[0040] The power distribution unit or high-voltage power distribution unit is connected to the power battery, motor controller, inverter, etc., of the vehicle, provides charging and discharging control, high-voltage component power-on control, circuit overload short-circuit protection, high-voltage sampling, low- voltage control and other functions for the vehicle's high-voltage system, and protects and monitors the operation of the high-voltage system.

[0041] The electric heater (positive temperature coefficient) is a thermistor, which heats up when energized to heat air flowing therethrough, so as to provide the functions of adjustable warm airflow and glass demisting / defrosting. The distribution of the above components in the first housing and the second housing can be carried out according to the functions and / or failure rates of the electrical components. By assembling in different housings, the removal and replacement of electrical components, especially inverters, DCDC converters and on-board chargers, can be carried out separately. Specifically, the installation of the first electrical component is independent of the installation of the second component. After the first component is installed in the first housing and the second component is installed in the second housing, the first housing and the second housing are assembled together. By arranging, in the first housing 1 located above, the DCDC converter and the on-board charger that have a relatively high failure rate, the assembly, disassembly and maintenance of the system are simple and convenient with a low cost, and the basic functions can be ensured not to be affected by damage of the components. Specifically, when the first electrical component 3 including the DCDC converter and the on-board charger is damaged, the inverter located in the second electrical housing 2 can still ensure that the driving system works for a period of time to ensure basic functions. For example, when the DCDC converter and the on-board charger are removed or replaced, the driving system can still work normally without being affected.

[0042] The electric power conversion and distribution unit further includes a seal 7. The seal 7 is arranged between the first housing 1 and the second housing 2. Specifically, the seal 7 can be arranged between the joint surfaces of the first housing and the second housing. For example, the seal 7 is a sealing ring made of an elastic material or a sealant, and its material is not limited in the present disclosure.

[0043] The first housing 1 has a first lateral extension 8 located at the first opening, and the second housing 2 has a second lateral extension 9 located at the second opening. The first lateral extension 8 and the second lateral extension 9 are connected to each other through a fixing member. The lateral extension described here is a portion extending laterally from the side wall of the corresponding housing. As shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of threaded holes are provided on each of the first lateral extension 8 and the second lateral extension 9, and the first lateral extension 8 and the second lateral extension 9 are connected together through bolts or screws.

[0044] Referring again to FIG. 1, a groove for accommodating the seal 7 may be provided on each of the contact surfaces of the first lateral extension 8 and the second lateral extension 9, or the groove for accommodating the seal 7 may be provided on one of the two.

[0045] The first electrical component 3 is arranged on the bottom wall of the first housing 1, and for the whole formed by the first housing 1 and the second housing 2, the first electrical component is arranged on a top wall. The second electrical component 4 is provided on the bottom wall of the second housing 2, and for the whole formed by the first housing 1 and the second housing 2, the second electrical component is arranged on a bottom wall. For example, the electrical components may be fixed to the bottom walls of their respective housings by means of threaded connection or bonding.

[0046] In addition, as shown in FIG. 1, the first housing 1 accommodates a first circuit board assembly 5, and a first support column 10 is provided on the bottom wall of the first housing 1 for supporting the first circuit board assembly 5. The second housing 2 accommodates a second circuit board assembly 6, and a second support column 11 is provided on the bottom wall of the second housing 2 for supporting the second circuit board assembly 6. The first circuit board assembly 5 is provided with a circuit for controlling the first electrical component 3, and the second circuit board assembly 6 is provided with a circuit for controlling the second electrical component 4. For example, the first circuit board assembly 5 and the second circuit board assembly 6 may each include a plurality of circuit boards, which are stacked in a corresponding housing. The first support column 10 may be located around the first electrical component 3. The second support column 11 may be located around the second electrical component 4. For example, the first support column 10 and the second support column 11 may be formed integrally with the corresponding housing. By providing the support column, the circuit board assembly may be stacked above the corresponding electrical component, thereby achieving a more compact design. Of course, the circuit board assembly of the present disclosure may also be arranged in the corresponding housing in other ways, such as a support member provided on the side wall of the corresponding housing.

[0047] As shown in FIG. 1, the electric power conversion and distribution unit may further include a shielding component 12. The shielding component 12 is located between the first circuit board assembly 5 and the second circuit board assembly 6. For example, a third support column 13 is provided on the bottom wall of the first housing 1 or the second housing 2 for supporting a shielding component 7. The setting position of the third support column 13 can be determined according to the positions of the electrical components, the first support column and the second support column in the housing. In some other examples, the shielding component 7 is supported in the first housing 1 or the second housing 2 by the first support column 10 or the second support column 11, which can further reduce the volume and save costs. In some other examples, the shielding component 7 is clamped between the first housing 1 and the second housing 2 by a fixing member. For example, the shielding component 7 may be formed by a metal plate. When the thickness of the metal plate is moderate, the first housing 1 and the second housing 2 may be fixed on the shielding component 7. In this case, the fixing member used to connect the first housing and the second housing may also be used to fix the shielding component 7. By arranging the shielding component 7, better EMC performance can be provided, and when the first housing 1 located above is removed or the first electrical component in the first housing 1 is repaired, protection can be provided for the second electrical component (especially the inverter) arranged in the second housing 2.

[0048] As shown by dotted arrows in FIG. 1, the electric power conversion and distribution unit further includes a cooling channel, and the cooling channel includes a first channel portion 14 arranged on the bottom wall of the first housing 1 and a second channel portion 15 arranged on the bottom wall of the second housing 2. The first channel portion 14 and the second channel portion 15 may be in fluid communication with each other, for example, through a pipe, or may not be in fluid communication. By arranging the cooling channel close to the electrical components, efficient cooling can be achieved. As shown in FIG. 2, the cooling channel further includes a cooling inlet 19 located at one end of the second channel portion 15 and a cooling outlet 20 located at one end of the first channel portion 14. The cooling inlet 19 and the cooling outlet 20 may be interchanged, that is, the cooling inlet serves as an outlet and the cooling outlet serves as an inlet. For example, a cooling fluid may flow in from the cooling inlet 19, and after flowing through the second channel portion 15 and the first channel portion 14, the cooling fluid may flow out from the cooling outlet 20, for example, flowing into the housing of the motor.

[0049] Referring again to FIG. 1 , the cooling channel further includes a third channel portion 16 arranged on the side wall of the first housing 1 and a fourth channel portion 17 arranged on the side wall of the second housing 2, and the third channel portion 16 and the fourth channel portion 17 are in fluid communication. As shown by the dotted arrows in FIG. 1, the cooling fluid flows in from the cooling inlet 19, flows through the second channel portion 15, the fourth channel portion 17, the third channel portion 16 and the first channel portion 14 in sequence, and flows out from the cooling outlet 20. Of course, the circulation of the cooling fluid in an opposite direction is also possible.

[0050] The first housing 1 shown in FIG. 1 is located above the second housing 2, and a joint surface of the third flow channel portion 16 and the fourth flow channel portion 17 is lower than a joint surface of the first housing 1 and the second housing 2. When the first housing 1 located above needs to be removed, the cooling fluid can be prevented from flowing into the housing (especially the second housing 2). Of course, the joint surface of the third flow channel portion 16 and the fourth flow channel portion 17 may also be higher than the joint surface of the first housing 1 and the second housing 2, depending on specific design requirements.

[0051] The cooling fluid described above may be water or oil. In the case of using oil as the cooling fluid, the oil flows to the housing of the reducer and / or the housing of the motor after flowing through the electric power conversion and distribution unit as described above.

[0052] Referring again to FIG. 2, reinforcing ribs 18 are provided on the outer walls of the first housing 1 and / or the second housing 2. This makes the housings stronger and have thicker walls, so the NVH performance can be further improved.

[0053] The electric power conversion and distribution unit does not use a large and flat cover, the assembly, disassembly and maintenance of components in the driving system are simple and convenient, and they have a small volume, a reduced cost, improved NVH performance and better EMC performance.

[0054] The driving system and vehicle of the present disclosure have corresponding advantages. According to another aspect of the present disclosure, the vehicle includes the driving system and the electric power conversion and distribution unit as described previously, and has the functions as described previously. The vehicle may be an electrified vehicle, such as a battery electric vehicle (BEV), a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), a range extended EV and a fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV). The vehicle may also be a hydrogen- powered vehicle.

[0055] Moreover, the technical features disclosed above are not limited to the disclosed combinations with other features, and those skilled in the art could also combine technical features in other ways according to the disclosed objective, to achieve the objective of the present disclosure.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. An electric power conversion and distribution unit, characterized in that it comprises: a first housing (1) having a first opening with a first electrical component (3) arranged therein; and a second housing (2) having a second opening with a second electrical component (4) arranged therein; wherein, the first housing (1) and the second housing (2) are stacked in a way that the first opening and the second opening are docked with each other.

2. The electric power conversion and distribution unit according to claim 1 , characterized in that the electric power conversion and distribution unit further comprises a seal (7), which is arranged between the first housing (1) and the second housing (2).

3. The electric power conversion and distribution unit according to claim 1, characterized in that the first housing (1) has a first transverse extension (8) located at the first opening, the second housing (2) has a second transverse extension (9) located at the second opening, and the first transverse extension and the second transverse extension are connected to each other through a fixing member.

4. The electric power conversion and distribution unit according to claim 1 , characterized in that the first electrical component (3) is arranged on the bottom wall of the first housing (1), and the second electrical component (4) is arranged on the bottom wall of the second housing (2).

5. The electric power conversion and distribution unit according to claim 4, characterized in that the first housing (1) accommodates a first circuit board assembly (5), and a first support column (10) is provided on the bottom wall of the first housing (1) to support the first circuit board assembly (5); the second housing (2) accommodates the second circuit board assembly (6), and a second support column (11) is provided on the bottom wall of the second housing (2) to support the second circuit board assembly (6).

6. The electric power conversion and distribution unit according to claim 5, characterized in that the first support column (10) is located around the firstelectrical component (3), and the second support column (11) is located around the second electrical component (4).

7. The electric power conversion and distribution unit according to claim 5, characterized in that the electric power conversion and distribution unit further comprises a shielding component (12), which is located between the first circuit board assembly (5) and the second circuit board assembly (6).

8. The electric power conversion and distribution unit according to claim 7, characterized in that a third support column (13) is provided on the bottom wall of the first housing (1) or the bottom wall of the second housing (2) to support the shielding component (7); or the shielding component (7) is supported in the first housing (1) or the second housing (2) through the first support column (10) or the second support column (11); or the shielding component (7) is clamped between the first housing (1) and the second housing (2) through a fixing member.

9. The electric power conversion and distribution unit according to claim 1, characterized in that the electric power conversion and distribution unit further comprises a cooling channel, wherein the cooling channel comprises a first channel portion (14) arranged on the bottom wall of the first housing (1) and a second channel portion (15) arranged on the bottom wall of the second housing (2).

10. The electric power conversion and distribution unit according to claim 9, characterized in that the cooling channel further comprises a third channel portion(16) arranged on the side wall of the first housing (1) and a fourth channel portion(17) arranged on the side wall of the second housing (2), wherein the third channel portion and the fourth channel portion are in fluid communication.

11. The electric power conversion and distribution unit according to claim 10, characterized in that the first housing (1) is located above the second housing (2), and the joint surface of the third channel portion (16) and the fourth channel portion (17) is lower than the joint surface of the first housing (1) and the second housing (2).

12. The electric power conversion and distribution unit according to claim 1,characterized in that the outer walls of the housing (1) and / or the second housing (2) are provided with reinforcing ribs (18).

13. The electric power conversion and distribution unit according to claim 10, characterized in that the first electrical component (3) comprises a DCDC converter and an on-board charger, and the second electrical component (4) comprises a motor controller.

14. A driving system characterized in that the driving system comprises a motor, a reducer, and an electric power conversion and distribution unit as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the electric power conversion and distribution unit is arranged on the motor and reducer.

15. A vehicle, characterized in that the vehicle comprises a driving system as claimed in claim 14.

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