Power conversion module

Abstract

To provide a power conversion module that simplifies a configuration while improving connectivity with external devices.SOLUTION: The power conversion module includes circuit units 201, 202, a switch 80, a P terminal 111, an N terminal 112, and a charging terminal 113. The circuit unit 201 constitutes a first inverter, and the circuit unit 202 constitutes a second inverter. The charging terminal 113 is electrically connected to the second inverter and is electrically connected to external devices for charging. The circuit units 201, 202 have a mutually common structure. The arrangement of the P terminal 111 and the N terminal 112 relative to the circuit unit 201 and the arrangement of the charging terminal 113 relative to the circuit unit are different.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The disclosure in this specification relates to a power conversion module.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a power conversion module including a first inverter connected to one end of a winding of a rotating electrical machine, a second inverter connected to the other end of the winding, and a switching switch. The switching switch is arranged in a path connecting the first inverter and the second inverter, connects the DC power supply and the second inverter in the closed state, and cuts off the connection between the DC power supply and the second inverter in the open state. The description of the prior art document is incorporated by reference as an explanation of the technical elements in this specification.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] A configuration in which an external device is connected to the power conversion module represented by Patent Document 1 to charge a DC power supply or charge an external device using the power supply voltage of the DC power supply is conceivable. However, when trying to simplify the configuration of the power conversion module, the connectivity with the external device deteriorates. From the above viewpoints, or from other viewpoints not mentioned, further improvements are required for the power conversion module.

[0005] One disclosed object is to provide a power conversion module capable of improving the connectivity with an external device while simplifying the configuration.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] One aspect of the disclosure is a power conversion module, a first circuit unit (201) that constitutes a first inverter (8) connected to one end of the winding of the rotating electrical machine (3), a second circuit unit (202) that constitutes a second inverter (9) connected to the other end of the winding, a changeover switch (80) provided in a path connecting the first inverter and the second inverter, connecting the DC power supply (2, 21) and the second inverter in a closed state, and disconnecting the connection between the DC power supply and the second inverter in an open state, a first main terminal (111, 112) electrically connected to the first inverter and connected to the DC power supply via a smoothing capacitor (7, 22), a second main terminal (113, 114) including a charging terminal (113, 113A) electrically connected to the second inverter and electrically connected to an external device (23) for charging, comprising: the first circuit unit and the second circuit unit have a common structure with each other, the arrangement of the first main terminal with respect to the first circuit unit is different from the arrangement of the second main terminal with respect to the second circuit unit.

[0007] According to the disclosed power conversion module, since the first circuit unit and the second circuit unit have a common structure, the configuration of the power conversion module can be simplified. Further, the main terminals are separated from the circuit units, and the arrangement of the first main terminal with respect to the first circuit unit is made different from the arrangement of the second main terminal with respect to the second circuit unit. Thereby, the charging terminal can be arranged in a configuration that is easy to connect to an external device. Therefore, the connectivity with an external device can be improved while simplifying the configuration.

[0008] The multiple aspects disclosed in this specification adopt different technical means to achieve their respective purposes. The claims and the reference signs in parentheses described in this section exemplarily show the correspondence with the parts of the embodiments described later, and are not intended to limit the technical scope. The purposes, features, and effects disclosed in this specification will become clearer by referring to the subsequent detailed description and the accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0009]

Figure 1

Figure 2

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Figure 8

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Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0010] Hereinafter, a plurality of embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. In each embodiment, corresponding components may be denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant descriptions may be omitted. When only a part of the configuration is described in each embodiment, the configuration of other embodiments described previously can be applied to other parts of the configuration. In addition, not only the combinations of configurations explicitly shown in the description of each embodiment, but also the configurations of a plurality of embodiments can be partially combined with each other as long as there is no problem with the combination.

[0011] The power conversion module of this embodiment is applied to, for example, a moving body having a rotating electric machine as a drive source. The moving body is, for example, an electric vehicle such as a battery electric vehicle (BEV), a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), a flying body such as an electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft or a drone, a ship, a construction machine, an agricultural machine, or the like.

[0012] (First Embodiment) First, based on FIG. 1, the schematic configuration of the drive system of the moving body will be described.

[0013] (Drive System of Moving Body) As shown in FIG. 1, the drive system 1 of the moving body includes a DC power supply 2, a rotating electric machine 3, and a power conversion circuit 4.

[0014] The DC power supply 2 may be, for example, a rechargeable secondary battery such as a lithium-ion battery or a nickel-metal hydride battery. The DC power supply 2 may be one that converts AC power into DC and outputs it.

[0015] The rotating electric machine 3 is an open-wound three-phase rotating electric machine with a neutral point released. The rotating electric machine 3 has a U-phase winding 3U, a V-phase winding 3V, and a W-phase winding 3W. Hereinafter, the U-phase winding 3U, the V-phase winding 3V, and the W-phase winding 3W may be simply denoted as windings 3U, 3V, and 3W.

[0016] The rotating electrical machine 3 functions as, for example, a drive source of a moving body, that is, an electric motor. When the moving body is a vehicle, the rotating electrical machine 3 generates torque for driving drive wheels (not shown). The rotating electrical machine 3 is not limited to an electric motor. The rotating electrical machine 3 may be a motor generator having functions as an electric motor and as a generator, or may be a generator.

[0017] The power conversion circuit 4 performs power conversion between the DC power source 2 and the rotating electrical machine 3. The drive system 1 is a power supply common system that supplies power from a common DC power source 2 to two inverters 8 and 9 described later in order to drive the rotating electrical machine 3. The drive system 1 may include only one common DC power source 2 as illustrated in FIG. 1, or may include a plurality of them. The drive system 1 may include a power supply switch (not shown) such as an SMR between the DC power source 2 and the power conversion circuit 4. SMR is an abbreviation for System Main Relay. When the power supply switch is turned on, power supply from the DC power source 2 to the rotating electrical machine 3 becomes possible, and when the power supply switch is turned off, power supply from the DC power source 2 to the rotating electrical machine 3 is cut off.

[0018] <Power Conversion Circuit> Next, the power conversion circuit 4 will be described with reference to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 shows an example of the power conversion circuit 4. The power conversion circuit 4 illustrated in FIG. 1 includes power supply lines 5 and 6, smoothing capacitors 7, inverters 8 and 9, a changeover switch 10, and snubber circuits 11 and 12.

[0019] The power line 5 is the high-potential side power line. The power line 5 is connected to the positive electrode of the DC power supply 2. The power line 5 may be referred to as the positive electrode side power line, P line, etc. The power line 5 has a wiring 5A. The wiring 5A is a part of the wiring that constitutes the power line 5. The wiring 5A is the wiring that connects the inverter 8 and the inverter 9 among the power line 5. The power line 6 is the low-potential side power line. The power line 6 is connected to the negative electrode of the DC power supply 2. The power line 6 may be referred to as the negative electrode side power line, N line, etc. The power line 6 has a wiring 6A. The wiring 6A is a part of the wiring that constitutes the power line 6. The wiring 6A is the wiring that connects the inverter 8 and the inverter 9 among the power line 6. The power lines 5 and 6 are composed of, for example, a bus bar which is a metal plate material.

[0020] The smoothing capacitor 7 mainly smoothes the DC voltage supplied from the DC power supply 2. The smoothing capacitor 7 is provided between the power lines 5 and 6. The positive electrode of the smoothing capacitor 7 is connected to the power line 5 between the DC power supply 2 and the inverters 8 and 9. The negative electrode of the smoothing capacitor 7 is connected to the power line 6 between the DC power supply 2 and the inverters 8 and 9. The smoothing capacitor 7 is connected in parallel to the inverters 8 and 9.

[0021] The inverters 8 and 9 are DC-AC conversion circuits. The inverter 8 is configured to include upper and lower arm circuits 8HL for three phases. The upper and lower arm circuits 8HL may be referred to as legs. The upper and lower arm circuits 8HL have an upper arm 8H and a lower arm 8L. The upper arm 8H and the lower arm 8L are serially connected between the power lines 5 and 6 with the upper arm 8H on the power line 5 side.

[0022] The connection point between the upper arm 8H and the lower arm 8L is connected to the winding of the corresponding phase in the rotating electrical machine 3 via the output line 13. The inverter 8 has six arms. Each arm is configured with a switching element. The number of switching elements constituting each arm is not particularly limited. It may be one or a plurality. In the case of a plurality, the plurality of switching elements connected in parallel to each other are turned on and off at the same timing by a common gate drive signal (drive voltage).

[0023] In the example shown in FIG. 1, an n-channel type MOSFET 8S is adopted as the switching element constituting each arm. MOSFET is an abbreviation for Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor. In the upper arm 8H, the drain terminal of the MOSFET 8S is connected to the power supply line 5. In the lower arm 8L, the source terminal of the MOSFET 8S is connected to the power supply line 6. The source terminal of the MOSFET 8S in the upper arm 8H and the drain terminal of the MOSFET 8S in the lower arm 8L are connected to each other.

[0024] A freewheeling diode 8D is connected in anti-parallel to each of the MOSFETs 8S. The diode 8D may be a parasitic diode (body diode) of the MOSFET 8S or may be provided separately from the parasitic diode. The anode terminal of the diode 8D is connected to the source terminal of the corresponding MOSFET 8S, and the cathode terminal is connected to the drain terminal.

[0025] The inverter 9 has the same configuration as the inverter 8. The inverter 9 is configured with upper and lower arm circuits 9HL for three phases. The upper and lower arm circuits 9HL have an upper arm 9H and a lower arm 9L. The upper arm 9H and the lower arm 9L are connected in series between the power supply lines 5 and 6 with the upper arm 9H on the power supply line 5 side.

[0026] The connection point between the upper arm 9H and the lower arm 9L is connected to the winding of the corresponding phase in the rotating electrical machine 3 via the output line 14. The inverter 9 also has six arms. Each arm is configured with a switching element. The number of switching elements constituting each arm is not particularly limited. It may be one or a plurality.

[0027] In the example shown in FIG. 1, an n-channel type MOSFET 9S is adopted as the switching element constituting each arm. In the upper arm 9H, the drain terminal of the MOSFET 9S is connected to the power supply line 5. In the lower arm 9L, the source terminal of the MOSFET 9S is connected to the power supply line 6. The source terminal of the MOSFET 9S in the upper arm 9H and the drain terminal of the MOSFET 9S in the lower arm 9L are connected to each other. A freewheeling diode 9D is connected in anti-parallel to each of the MOSFET 9S.

[0028] As described above, the high-potential side terminals (drain terminals) of the upper arms 8H, 9H of the inverters 8, 9 are connected to the power supply line 5. The low-potential side terminals (source terminals) of the lower arms 8L, 9L are connected to the power supply line 6. The node, which is the connection point between the upper arm 8H and the lower arm 8L, is connected to one end of the winding of the corresponding phase via the output line 13, and the node between the upper arm 9H and the lower arm 9L is connected to the other end of the winding of the corresponding phase via the output line 14. Specifically, the node U1 of the upper and lower arm circuit 8HL of the U phase is connected to one end of the U-phase winding 3U, and the node U2 of the upper and lower arm circuit 9HL of the U phase is connected to the other end of the U-phase winding 3U. The node V1 of the upper and lower arm circuit 8HL of the V phase is connected to one end of the V-phase winding 3V, and the node V2 of the upper and lower arm circuit 9HL of the V phase is connected to the other end of the V-phase winding 3V. The node W1 of the upper and lower arm circuit 8HL of the W phase is connected to one end of the W-phase winding 3W, and the node W2 of the upper and lower arm circuit 9HL of the W phase is connected to the other end of the W-phase winding 3W.

[0029] Note that the switching elements constituting the inverters 8 and 9 are not limited to the MOSFETs described above. For example, IGBTs may be employed. IGBT is an abbreviation for Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor. Also in the case of IGBTs, a diode for reflux is connected in antiparallel.

[0030] The switching switch 10 is a semiconductor switch. The semiconductor switch is formed by forming a switching element on a semiconductor chip. The switching element is not particularly limited. It may have the same configuration as the switching element constituting at least one of the inverters 8 and 9, or a different configuration. The switching switch 10 is provided between the inverter 8 and the inverter 9 in at least one of the power lines 5 and 6. The switching switch 10 is provided on the power line. The switching switch 10, in the closed state, connects the high-potential-side terminal of the upper arm 9H of the inverter 9 and the smoothing capacitor 7 (DC power supply 2). The switching switch 10, in the open state, cuts off the connection between the high-potential-side terminal of the upper arm 9H and the smoothing capacitor 7 (DC power supply 2). The switching switch 10 may be referred to as a switch, a switching switch, etc.

[0031] The switching element of the switching switch 10 illustrated in FIG. 1 is a MOSFET. A diode is connected in antiparallel to the MOSFET. The diode is, for example, a parasitic diode. The switching switch 10 includes switching switches 10A and 10B. The switching switch 10A is arranged on the wiring 5A of the power line 5. The switching switch 10A is arranged on the wiring 5A such that the drain terminal of the MOSFET faces the inverter 8 side and the source terminal faces the inverter 9 side. That is, it is arranged such that the forward direction of the diode is from the inverter 9 to the inverter 8.

[0032] The switching switch 10B is arranged on the wiring 6A of the power line 6. The switching switch 10B is arranged on the wiring 6A such that the drain terminal of the MOSFET faces the inverter 9 side and the source terminal faces the inverter 8 side. That is, it is arranged such that the forward direction of the diode is from the inverter 8 to the inverter 9. When the MOSFET is turned on and the switching switch 10 is in the closed state, the inverter 9 is electrically connected to the smoothing capacitor 7 (DC power supply 2). When the MOSFET is turned off and the switching switch 10 is in the open state, the electrical connection between the inverter 9 and the smoothing capacitor 7 is cut off.

[0033] The snubber circuit 11 is connected in parallel to the inverter 9, that is, the upper and lower arm circuits 9HL. The snubber circuit 11 reduces the inductance of the upper and lower arm circuits 9HL. In other words, the snubber circuit 11 absorbs the transient high voltage, so-called switching surge, generated during the switching of the switching element (MOSFET9S) that constitutes the upper and lower arm circuits 9HL. As a result, the inverter 9 can perform high-speed switching.

[0034] The snubber circuit 11 has at least a capacitor 11C. The snubber circuit 11 may be, for example, a C snubber circuit having a capacitor, or an RC snubber circuit having a capacitor and a resistor. It may also be an RCD snubber circuit having a capacitor, a resistor, and a diode. The snubber circuit 11 shown in FIG. 1 is an RC snubber circuit in which the capacitor 11C and the resistor 11R are connected in series. One end of the snubber circuit 11 is connected to the power line 5. One end of the snubber circuit 11 is connected to the portion of the wiring 5A that connects the switching switch 10 and the inverter 9. The other end of the snubber circuit 11 is connected to the power line 6.

[0035] In the power conversion circuit 4 illustrated in FIG. 1, the snubber circuits 11 are provided for each phase with respect to the upper and lower arm circuits 9HL. The power conversion circuit 4 includes three snubber circuits 11. In each snubber circuit 11, one of the ends is connected to the power line 5, and the other end is connected to the power line 6. Each snubber circuit 11 has a capacitor 11C and a resistor 11R. One of the snubber circuits 11 is connected in parallel to the upper and lower arm circuit 9HL of the U phase. Another one of the snubber circuits 11 is connected in parallel to the upper and lower arm circuit 9HL of the V phase. Another one of the snubber circuits 11 is connected in parallel to the upper and lower arm circuit 9HL of the W phase.

[0036] The snubber circuit 12 is connected in parallel to the inverter 8, that is, the upper and lower arm circuit 8HL. The snubber circuit 12 reduces the inductance of the upper and lower arm circuit 8HL. As a result, the inverter 8 can perform high-speed switching. The snubber circuit 12 has at least a capacitor 12C. The snubber circuit 12 may be, for example, a C snubber circuit, an RC snubber circuit, or an RCD snubber circuit. The snubber circuit 12 shown in FIG. 1 is an RC snubber circuit in which the capacitor 12C and the resistor 12R are connected in series. One end of the snubber circuit 12 is connected to the power line 5. The other end of the snubber circuit 11 is connected to the power line 6.

[0037] In the power conversion circuit 4 illustrated in FIG. 1, the snubber circuits 12 are provided for each phase with respect to the upper and lower arm circuits 8HL. The power conversion circuit 4 includes three snubber circuits 12. In each snubber circuit 12, one of the ends is connected to the power line 5, and the other end is connected to the power line 6. Each snubber circuit 12 has a capacitor 12C and a resistor 12R. One of the snubber circuits 12 is connected in parallel to the upper and lower arm circuit 8HL of the U phase. Another one of the snubber circuits 12 is connected in parallel to the upper and lower arm circuit 8HL of the V phase. Another one of the snubber circuits 12 is connected in parallel to the upper and lower arm circuit 8HL of the W phase.

[0038] As illustrated in FIG. 1, the power conversion circuit 4 may further include a control unit (CTR) 15. The control unit 15 may be configured to include, for example, a processor, a memory, a storage, etc. The processor executes various processes by accessing the memory. The memory is a rewritable volatile storage medium. The memory is, for example, a RAM. RAM is an abbreviation for Random Access Memory. The storage is, for example, a rewritable non-volatile storage medium. A program executed by the processor is stored in the storage. The program constructs a plurality of functional units by causing the processor to execute a plurality of instructions. The processes executed by the control unit 15 may be realized by software processes in which the processor executes the above-described program, or may be realized by hardware processes using dedicated electronic circuits. They may also be realized by a combination of software processes and hardware processes.

[0039] The control unit 15 may have, for example, a drive command generation unit (not shown) and a drive circuit unit. The drive command generation unit controls the inverters 8 and 9. The drive command generation unit generates a drive command (command signal) for controlling the on / off of the MOSFETs 8S and 9S and outputs it to the drive circuit unit. The drive command generation unit generates a drive command based on drive requirements of the rotating electrical machine 3 such as a torque command value input from an upper-level ECU (not shown) and signals detected by various sensors. The various sensors may include a current sensor, a rotation angle sensor, a voltage sensor, etc. (not shown). The current sensor detects the phase current flowing through the windings 3U, 3V, and 3W of each phase. The rotation angle sensor detects the rotation angle of the rotor of the rotating electrical machine 3. The voltage sensor detects the voltage across the smoothing capacitor 7.

[0040] The drive command generation unit controls the changeover switch 10 (10A, 10B). The drive command generation unit generates a drive command for controlling the on / off state of the changeover switch 10 and outputs it to the drive circuit unit. The drive circuit unit may be referred to as a driver. The drive circuit unit can independently control the on / off states of the MOSFETs 8S, 9S, and the changeover switch 10 based on the drive command. For the sake of simplicity, in FIG. 1, the signal lines for transmitting the drive signals from the control unit 15 to each switching element are omitted.

[0041] <Star connection drive and open connection drive> Next, based on FIGS. 2, 3, and 4, the star connection drive and the open connection drive will be described. FIG. 2 shows an example of an operating point map of a rotating electrical machine with the rotational speed on the horizontal axis and the torque on the vertical axis. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the star connection drive. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the open connection drive. For the sake of simplicity, in FIGS. 3 and 4, the control unit 15 is omitted.

[0042] As shown in FIG. 2, the drive region of the rotating electrical machine 3 is divided into two regions by the rotational speed and the torque. One of the drive regions is the star connection drive region. The star connection drive region is the normal operating region. The other drive region is the open connection drive region. The open connection drive region is a region of higher rotation or higher torque than the star connection drive region.

[0043] When the operating point is in the star connection driving region, the control unit 15 executes the control of star connection driving. Star connection driving is sometimes referred to as Y driving. The control unit 15 controls the MOSFETs 8S, 9S and the switching switch 10 so that the windings 3U, 3V, 3W are in a star connection state. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, the MOSFETs of the switching switch 10 (10A, 10B) are turned off, and the switching switch 10 is set to the open state. Also, the inverter 9 is neutralized. As exemplified in FIG. 3, for example, the MOSFET 9S of the upper arm 9H of all phases may be turned on and the MOSFET 9S of the lower arm 9L of all phases may be turned off. The MOSFET 9S of the upper arm 9H of all phases may be turned off and the MOSFET 9S of the lower arm 9L of all phases may be turned on. Then, the MOSFET 8S of the inverter 8 is controlled according to a driving request or the like.

[0044] FIG. 3 shows one of the energization patterns in star connection driving. The dashed-dotted arrow shown in FIG. 3 indicates an example of a current path. FIG. 3 shows the current path when the MOSFET 8S of the upper arm 8H of the U phase and the MOSFET 8S of the lower arm 8L of the W phase are turned on. In the example shown in FIG. 3, the upper arm 9H side of the inverter 9 is turned on and the lower arm 9L side is turned off. The current flows in the order of the upper arm 8H of the U phase → node U1 → U phase winding 3U → node U2 → upper arm 9H of the U phase → upper arm 9H of the W phase → node W2 → W phase winding 3W → node W1 → lower arm 8L of the W phase. In this way, in star connection driving, the current flows without passing through the switching switch 10.

[0045] When the operating point is in the open - connection drive region, the control unit 15 executes the control of open - connection drive. The open - connection drive is sometimes referred to as H - drive. The control unit 15 turns on the MOSFETs of the switching switches 10 (10A, 10B) to make the switching switches 10 in the closed state. Also, the control unit 15 releases the neutral point by the inverter 9. By releasing the neutral point, an open - connection circuit of the upper and lower arm circuits 8HL, 9HL of the U - phase through the U - phase winding 3U is formed. Similarly, an open - connection circuit of the upper and lower arm circuits 8HL, 9HL of the V - phase through the V - phase winding 3V is formed. An open - connection circuit of the upper and lower arm circuits 8HL, 9HL of the W - phase through the W - phase winding 3W is formed. The control unit 15 regards each phase as an independent open - connection circuit and controls the applied voltage for each phase.

[0046] Figure 4 shows one of the energization patterns in open - connection drive. The dashed - double - dotted arrow shown in Figure 4 indicates an example of the current path. In Figure 4, the current path when the MOSFET 8S of the lower arm 8L of the W - phase and the MOSFET 9S of the upper arm 9H of the W - phase are turned on is shown. The current flows in the order of switching switch 10 → upper arm 9H of the W - phase → node W2 → W - phase winding 3W → node W1 → lower arm 8L of the W - phase. Thus, in open - connection drive, current flows through the switching switch 10.

[0047] As described above, the power conversion circuit 4 is configured to be able to switch between star - connection drive and open - connection drive. The power conversion circuit 4 is configured to be able to execute star - connection drive. The power conversion circuit 4 is configured to be able to execute open - connection drive. By executing open - connection drive instead of star - connection drive, it is possible to output in a region of higher rotation speed or a region of higher torque.

[0048] <Charging using the power conversion circuit> Next, based on Figure 5, charging using the power conversion circuit 4 will be described. Figure 5 shows a circuit configuration showing a state where an external device is connected. In Figure 5, the external device is shown in a simplified manner.

[0049] As shown in FIG. 5, the external device 16 is connected to the power lines 5 and 6. The external device 16 is connected in parallel to the DC power supply 2. The external device 16 is an element separate from the elements constituting the drive system 1. The external device 16 may be, for example, an element outside a moving body (vehicle). The illustrated external device 16 is a charger. The charger charges the DC power supply 2. The voltage supplied by the external device 16 is lower than the power supply voltage of the DC power supply 2. For example, the DC power supply 2 is 800V and the external device 16 (charger) is 400V. In the rotating electrical machine 3 and the power conversion circuit 4, the windings 3U, 3V, 3W of the rotating electrical machine 3 and the upper and lower arm circuits 8HL constituting the inverter 8 function as a boost circuit.

[0050] The external device 16 is connected to the drive system 1 (power conversion circuit 4), for example, during travel stop. When the external device 16 is connected, the control unit 15 controls the inverters 8 and 9 and the changeover switch 10 so as to boost the supply voltage of the external device 16 and charge the DC power supply 2. In the boost operation, one phase may be used or a plurality of phases (multiphase) may be used. The control unit 15 turns off the MOSFET of the changeover switch 10. In this state, the control unit 15 turns on the upper arm 9H of the inverter 9 and controls the on / off of the upper and lower MOSFETs 8S of the upper and lower arm circuits 8HL in the corresponding phase.

[0051] The external device 16 may be a DC power supply (external power supply) separate from the DC power supply 2. The external power supply may be, for example, a secondary battery or may include a DC-AC conversion circuit. The DC power supply 2 charges the external device 16. The power supply voltage of the external device 16 is lower than the power supply voltage of the DC power supply 2. In the rotating electrical machine 3 and the power conversion circuit 4, the windings 3U, 3V, 3W of the rotating electrical machine 3 and the upper arm 8H of the inverter 8 function as a buck circuit.

[0052] When the external device 16 is connected to the drive system 1, the control unit 15 controls the inverters 8, 9 and the switching switch 10 so as to step down the power supply voltage of the DC power supply 2 and charge the external device 16. In the step-down operation, one phase may be used, or a plurality of phases (multi-phase) may be used. The control unit 15 turns off the MOSFET of the switching switch 10. In this state, the control unit 15 turns on the upper arm 9H of the inverter 9 and controls the on / off of the MOSFET 8S of the upper arm 8H of the corresponding phase. Note that the MOSFET 8S of the lower arm 8L of the corresponding phase is turned off. When the MOSFET 8S of the upper arm 8H is turned off, current flows through the diode of the lower arm 8L of the corresponding phase.

[0053] FIG. 6 shows an example of an external device connection structure corresponding to the circuit configuration shown in FIG. 5. FIG. 6 shows the connection structure between the power conversion module and the external device. In FIG. 6, the external device is shown in a simplified manner. FIG. 6 shows the directions (X direction, Y direction) described later.

[0054] The power conversion module 20 shown in FIG. 6 provides the main part of the power conversion circuit 4. The power conversion module 20 provides the inverters 8, 9, the switching switch 10, and the snubber circuits 11, 12. The power conversion module 20 includes two circuit units 201, 202 as described later. The power conversion module 20 includes a charging terminal 113 connected to the circuit unit 202. The power supply device 21 provides the DC power supply 2. The capacitor device 22 provides the smoothing capacitor 7. The external device 23 provides the external device 16.

[0055] The positive electrode of the power supply device 21 is electrically connected to the positive electrode terminal of the capacitor device 22 via the P bus bar 24P. The negative electrode of the power supply device 21 is electrically connected to the negative electrode terminal of the capacitor device 22 via the N bus bar 24N. The positive electrode terminal of the capacitor device 22 is electrically connected to the power conversion module 20 via the P bus bar 25P. The negative electrode terminal of the capacitor device 22 is electrically connected to the power conversion module 20 via the N bus bar 25N. The positive electrode terminal of the external device 23 is electrically connected to the charging terminal 113 of the power conversion module 20 via the P bus bar 26P. The negative electrode terminal of the external device 23 is electrically connected to, for example, the N bus bar 24N via the N bus bar 26N. The negative electrode terminal of the external device 23 is connected to a position closer to the power supply device 21 than the capacitor device 22. Thereby, the inductance can be reduced. Note that the conductive member that electrically connects the corresponding elements is not limited to a bus bar. A cable, a terminal, or the like may be used.

[0056] <Power conversion module> Next, based on FIGS. 7, 8, 9, and 10, the structure of the power conversion module will be described. FIG. 7 is a plan view showing an example of the power conversion module. In FIG. 7, for convenience, the sealing body is omitted. FIG. 8 is a view in which the cooler, the housing, and the sealing body are omitted from the power conversion module. That is, it is a view showing the circuit elements of the power conversion module. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IX-IX of FIG. 7. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line X-X of FIG. 7.

[0057] Hereinafter, the thickness direction of the substrate is defined as the Z direction, and one direction orthogonal to the Z direction is defined as the X direction. The direction orthogonal to both the Z direction and the X direction is defined as the Y direction. Unless otherwise specified, the shape viewed from the Z direction in plan view, in other words, the shape along the XY plane defined by the X direction and the Y direction is defined as the planar shape. Also, the plan view from the Z direction may be simply referred to as a plan view.

[0058] The power conversion module 20 provides at least a part of the above-described power conversion circuit 4. The power conversion module 20 includes a cooler 30, a housing 40, a substrate 50, a semiconductor element 60, a snubber component 70, a switching switch 80, a clip 90, a bus bar 100, and a main terminal 110. The power conversion module 20 may further include a circuit board that provides the control unit 15. The power conversion module 20 may be referred to as a semiconductor module, an inverter module, a power conversion device, or the like. A circuit is configured by wiring members including conductors of the substrate 50, the clip 90, and the bus bar 100, and electronic components including the semiconductor element 60, the snubber component 70, and the switching switch 80 mounted on the substrate 50. The main terminal 110 is a terminal for external connection connected to the circuit.

[0059] The cooler 30 supports other elements constituting the power conversion module 20. The cooler 30 cools circuit elements of the power conversion module 20, such as the semiconductor element 60 and the snubber component 70. The cooler 30 is formed using a metal material such as Al or Cu. The illustrated cooler 30 has a case 31 and a lid 32. The case 31 and the lid 32 form a flow path 33 in a state where the lid 32 is assembled to the case 31. The case 31 has, for example, a box shape with one side open. The lid 32 is fixed to the case 31 so as to close the opening of the case 31. Fins 34, for example, a plurality of pin fins, are provided on the inner surface of the lid 32. The fins 34 are disposed in the flow path 33. The flow path 33 extends, for example, in the X direction.

[0060] The cooler 30 has an inlet pipe 35 and an outlet pipe 36 provided on the side wall of the case 31. In the example shown in FIG. 9, the inlet pipe 35 is attached to the side wall on the substrate 52 side in the X direction, and the outlet pipe 36 is attached to the side wall on the substrate 51 side. The refrigerant 37 is supplied to the flow path 33 through the inlet pipe 35. The refrigerant 37 that has flowed through the flow path 33 is discharged outside the cooler 30 through the outlet pipe 36. As the refrigerant 37, a refrigerant that undergoes a phase change such as water or ammonia, or a refrigerant that does not undergo a phase change such as an ethylene glycol system may be used. For example, LLC may be used as the refrigerant 37. LLC is an abbreviation for long life coolant.

[0061] The cooler 30 has a front surface 301 and a back surface 302. The back surface 302 is the surface opposite to the front surface 301 in the Z direction. The substrate 50 is disposed on the front surface 301. The flow path 33 is provided so as to overlap the semiconductor element 60 and the snubber component 70 in a plan view so as to effectively cool the semiconductor element 60, the snubber component 70, etc. The flow path 33 is provided so as to overlap most of the substrate 50 in a plan view.

[0062] The cooler 30 is not limited to the configuration having the flow path 33 described above. As the cooler 30, for example, a heat dissipation member such as a heat sink may be used. The heat sink may be referred to as a heat dissipation plate, a cooling plate, etc. The heat dissipation member may include heat dissipation fins. When insulation of the substrate 50 with respect to the cooler 30 is not required, a bonding material such as solder or sintered Ag may be interposed between the substrate 50 and the cooler 30. That is, the substrate 50 may be bonded to the front surface 301 of the cooler 30. When insulation is required, an electrically insulating member may be disposed between the substrate 50 and the cooler 30. As the insulating member, for example, a ceramic plate or a resin sheet can be adopted. In order to enhance the thermal conductivity, a TIM such as silicone gel may be adopted. TIM is an abbreviation for Thermal Interface Material. Instead of the cooler 30, a support member that does not provide a cooling function may be used.

[0063] The housing 40 is formed using an electrical insulating material such as resin. The housing 40 may be, for example, a resin molded body. The housing 40 may hold a part of the elements of the power conversion module 20. A part of the elements may be integrally molded with the housing 40 as an insert component. The housing 40 may be fixed to the cooler 30. The housing 40 may be fixed to a case (not shown) that houses the power conversion module 20 together with the cooler 30. The housing 40 is arranged on one surface of the cooler 30 and provides a space for housing the substrate 50, electronic components such as the semiconductor element 60 mounted on the substrate 50, together with the cooler 30.

[0064] The illustrated housing 40 includes a frame body 41 and a partition wall 42. The frame body 41 has a predetermined height in the Z direction and is annular so as to surround the substrate 50 in a plan view in the Z direction. The frame body 41 may be referred to as an annular wall portion. The frame body 41 may have a substantially rectangular annulus. The rectangular annular frame body 41 has four wall portions 411, 412, 413, 414.

[0065] The wall portions 411, 412 extend substantially in the X direction. The wall portion 411 and the wall portion 412 are arranged to face each other with a predetermined interval in the Y direction. The wall portion 411 is arranged on one end side of the substrate 50 in the Y direction, and the wall portion 412 is arranged on the other end side of the substrate 50. The wall portions 413, 414 extend in the Y direction. The wall portion 413 is connected to the wall portions 411, 412 at one end side in the X direction. The wall portion 414 is connected to the wall portions 411, 412 at the other end side in the X direction.

[0066] The partition wall 42 has a predetermined height in the Z direction and is continuous with the frame body 41. The partition wall 42 partitions the area defined by the frame body 41. The partition wall 42 may be partitioned into a plurality of areas according to, for example, the number of substrates 50. The partition wall 42 may be referred to as a partition wall. The partition wall 42 extends in a predetermined direction, and both ends thereof may be continuous with the frame body 41. The illustrated housing 40 has two partition walls 42. The partition wall 42 extends in the Y direction like the wall portions 413 and 414. One of the ends of each partition wall 42 is continuous with the wall portion 411, and the other end is continuous with the wall portion 412. The two partition walls 42 and the wall portions 413 and 414 are arranged side by side in the X direction with a predetermined interval. The partition wall 42 partitions the opposing area of the frame body 41 into three areas. Substrates 50 are accommodated in each of the three partitioned areas.

[0067] As illustrated, a sealing body 43 may be arranged in the accommodation space by the housing 40 and the cooler 30. The sealing body 43 is arranged in the accommodation space and seals the substrate 50, the electronic components mounted on the substrate 50, etc. The sealing body 43 is, for example, a gel or a potting resin. The sealing body 43 is filled in the accommodation space so as not to exceed the upper end of the frame body 41. Since the partition wall 42 partitions into a plurality of areas as described above, the influence of the stress due to the expansion and contraction of the sealing body 43 on the electronic components mounted on the substrate 50 and the electrical connection structure can be reduced compared to the configuration without partitioning.

[0068] The substrate 50 provides a wiring function. The substrate 50 may be referred to as a wiring substrate, a printed circuit board, etc. A semiconductor element 60, a snubber component 70, and a switching switch 80 are mounted on the substrate 50. The substrate 50 has, for example, a substantially rectangular planar shape. The power conversion module 20 may include a single substrate 50 or a plurality of substrates 50. The illustrated substrate 50 includes three substrates 51, 52, and 53.

[0069] The substrate 51, together with the electronic components mounted on the substrate 51, constitutes the circuit on the inverter 8 side. The substrate 52, together with the electronic components mounted on the substrate 52, constitutes the circuit on the inverter 9 side. The substrate 51 has an insulating base material 511 and conductors disposed on the insulating base material 511. The substrate 52 has an insulating base material 521 and conductors disposed on the insulating base material 521. The substrate 53 has an insulating base material 531 and conductors disposed on the insulating base material 531. The insulating base materials 511, 521, and 531 are formed using electrical insulating materials such as ceramics and resins.

[0070] The conductors are formed using metals with good electrical conductivity and thermal conductivity, such as Cu and Al, as materials. The conductors may be provided with plating films such as Ni-based and Au on their surfaces. The conductors may be disposed on only one side of the insulating base materials 511, 521, and 531, or may be disposed on both the front and back sides. The back surfaces of the insulating base materials 511, 521, and 531 are the surfaces on the cooler 30 side in the Z direction. The conductors may be disposed inside the insulating base materials 511, 521, and 531. That is, the substrates 51, 52, and 53 may be single-sided substrates, double-sided substrates, or multi-layer substrates with three or more layers including inner layer wirings. The conductors may include via conductors. The via conductors are formed by disposing conductors such as plating in through holes (vias) formed in the insulating layers constituting the insulating base materials 511, 521, and 531. The via conductors electrically connect the conductors disposed in different layers.

[0071] The substrates 51 and 52 have a common structure with each other. Substrates with the same specifications are used as the substrates 51 and 52. The forming materials of the substrates 51 and 52 are the same as each other, and the planar shapes are also the same as each other. The conductor patterns are also the same as each other. The substrate 53 has a structure different from that of the substrates 51 and 52. The substrates 51, 52, and 53 are all substantially rectangular in planar shape. The planar shapes of the substrates 51 and 52 are different from those of the substrate 53. In the Y direction, the lengths of the substrates 51 and 52 are substantially equal to the length of the substrate 53. In the X direction, the length of the substrate 53 is shorter than the lengths of the substrates 51 and 52. The conductor patterns of the substrates 51 and 52 are different from those of the substrate 53. The power conversion module 20 includes two types, a total of three substrates 50.

[0072] The substrates 51, 52, and 53 are arranged on one surface 301 of the cooler 30. The substrates 51, 52, and 53 are arranged side by side in the X direction. The substrate 53 is arranged between the substrates 51 and 52. In the X direction, the substrates 51, 53, and 52 are arranged in this order. The substrates 51 and 52 are arranged in the same direction with respect to the cooler 30.

[0073] The exemplary substrate 51 has a conductor 512 arranged on one surface and a conductor 513 arranged on the back surface. The substrate 52 has a conductor 522 arranged on one surface and a conductor 523 arranged on the back surface. The substrate 53 has a conductor 532 arranged on one surface and a conductor 533 arranged on the back surface. The conductors 513, 523, and 533 are electrically separated from the corresponding conductors 512, 522, and 532 by insulating substrates 511, 521, and 531. The conductors 513, 523, and 533 provide, for example, a heat dissipation function. The substrates 51, 52, and 53 are arranged on the cooler 30 with the conductors 513, 523, and 533 facing the cooler 30 side.

[0074] The conductors 512, 522, and 532 are patterned. The patterned conductors 512, 522, and 532 provide a wiring function. That is, they form a circuit together with the mounted electronic components. The conductor 512 of the substrate 51 includes a P wiring 514, an N wiring 515, an O wiring 516, and a signal wiring 517. Each wiring is electrically separated by a predetermined interval (gap). The P wiring 514 and the N wiring 515 are power wirings. The P wiring 514 may be referred to as a positive electrode wiring, a high-potential power line, etc. The N wiring 515 may be referred to as a negative electrode wiring, a low-potential power line, etc. The O wiring 516 may be referred to as an output wiring, etc.

[0075] The P wiring 514 is connected to the drain electrode (drain terminal) of the semiconductor element 61H. A P bus bar 101 to which the P terminal 111 is connected is joined to the P wiring 514. The P wiring 514 electrically connects the P terminal 111 and the semiconductor element 61H. The P wiring 514 is provided for each phase of the upper and lower arm circuits 8HL that constitute the inverter 8. The P wiring 514 extends generally in the Y direction. The three P wirings 514 are arranged side by side in the X direction with a predetermined interval. The P wiring 514 has wirings 514A, 514B, and 514C. The wiring 514A extends in the Y direction. The wiring 514B is connected to one of the ends of the wiring 514A, and the wiring 514C is connected to the other end of the wiring 514A.

[0076] The wiring 514B is disposed near the end of the substrate 51 in the Y direction. The wiring 514B extends in the X direction from the wiring 514A. The P bus bar 101 is joined to the wiring 514B. The wiring 514C is located in the middle of the substrate 51 in the Y direction. The wiring 514C extends in the X direction from the wiring 514A at the end opposite to the wiring 514B. The corresponding semiconductor element 61H (drain terminal) is joined to the wiring 514C.

[0077] Of the three P wirings 514 arranged side by side in the X direction, the P wiring 514 disposed at the end on the substrate 52 side and the P wiring 514 disposed in the middle are arranged in the same direction. In these two P wirings 514, the wirings 514B and 514C extend in a direction away from the substrate 52 from the wiring 514A. The remaining one P wiring 514 has a mirror-inverted arrangement with respect to the other two, that is, it is arranged symmetrically with respect to a virtual line substantially parallel to the Y direction. In this P wiring 514, the wirings 514B and 514C extend in a direction approaching the substrate 52 from the wiring 514A.

[0078] The N wiring 515 is electrically connected to the source electrode (source terminal) of the semiconductor element 61L via the clip 912. An N bus bar 102 to which the N terminal 112 is connected in series is joined to the N wiring 515. The N wiring 515 electrically connects the N terminal 112 and the semiconductor element 61L. The N wiring 515 has wirings 515A and 515B. The wiring 515A is disposed in the middle of the substrate 51 in the Y direction. The wiring 515A is disposed between the P wiring 514 and the O wiring 516. The wiring 515A extends generally in the X direction. The wiring 515A extends from near one end to near the other end of the substrate 51 in the X direction. Three-phase semiconductor elements 61L are commonly connected to the wiring 515A via corresponding clips 912.

[0079] The wiring 515B extends generally in the Y direction. The wiring 515B has a length substantially equal to that of the P wiring 514 (wiring 514A) in the Y direction. The wiring 515B is alternately arranged with the P wiring 514 in the X direction and is disposed between the P wirings 514. That is, the N wiring 515 has two wirings 515B. In the X direction, the P wiring 514, the wiring 515B, the P wiring 514, the wiring 515B, and the P wiring 514 are arranged in this order. One end of the wiring 515B is disposed near the end of the substrate 51 in the Y direction. An N bus bar 102 is joined to one end of the wiring 515B. The wiring 515A is connected in series to the other end of the wiring 515B.

[0080] The O wiring 516 is connected to the drain electrode (drain terminal) of the semiconductor element 61L. An O terminal 115 is joined to the O wiring 516. The source terminal of the semiconductor element 61H is electrically connected to the O wiring 516 via the clip 911. The O wiring 516 electrically connects the source terminal of the semiconductor element 61H, the drain terminal of the semiconductor element 61L, and the O terminal 115. The O wiring 516 is provided for each phase. The O wiring 516 is arranged side by side with the corresponding-phase P wiring 514 in the Y direction via the wiring 515A. The O wiring 516 has a generally L-shaped plane.

[0081] The signal wiring 517 electrically relays between the pads of the semiconductor elements 61H and 61L and a signal terminal (not shown). The signal wiring 517 is electrically connected to the pads, for example, via bonding wires. The signal wiring 517 is, for example, a signal island formed on the corresponding substrate 51. For the sake of convenience, FIG. 5 shows one signal wiring 517 for one semiconductor element 61H, 61L. The signal wiring 517 is aligned with the corresponding semiconductor element 61H in the Y direction. The signal wiring 517 corresponding to the semiconductor element 61H is arranged on the wiring 514B side of the semiconductor element 61H. The signal wiring 517 is aligned with the corresponding semiconductor element 61L in the X direction. The signal wiring 517 corresponding to the semiconductor element 61L is arranged on the substrate 52 side of the semiconductor element 61L.

[0082] As described above, the substrate 52 has the same configuration as the substrate 51. The substrate 52 is arranged in the same orientation as the substrate 51 with respect to the cooler 30. The conductor 522 of the substrate 52 is patterned in the same manner as the conductor 512. The conductor 522 includes a P wiring 524, an N wiring 525, an O wiring 526, and a signal wiring 527. The P wiring 524 has the same configuration as the P wiring 514. The P wiring 524 has wirings 524A, 524B, and 524C. The N wiring 525 has the same configuration as the N wiring 515. The N wiring 525 has wirings 525A and 525B. The P wiring 524 and the N wiring 525 are power supply wirings. The O wiring 526 has the same configuration as the O wiring 516. The signal wiring 527 has the same configuration as the signal wiring 517.

[0083] The conductor 532 of the substrate 53 includes a P wiring 534, an N wiring 535, and a signal wiring 537. The P wiring 534 and the N wiring 535 are also power supply wirings. The P wiring 534 is a wiring that connects the P wiring 514 of the substrate 51 and the P wiring 524 of the substrate 52. The P wiring 534 extends generally in the arrangement direction of the substrates 51 and 52, that is, in the X direction. The P wiring 534 is divided into two in its extending direction. A P bus bar 105 and a changeover switch 81 are joined to the P wiring 534 on the substrate 51 side. A clip 931 and a P bus bar 106 are joined to the P wiring 534 on the substrate 52 side.

[0084] The N wiring 535 is a wiring that connects the N wiring 515 of the substrate 51 and the N wiring 525 of the substrate 52. The N wiring 535 extends generally in the X direction. The N wiring 535 is divided into two in its extending direction. An N bus bar 107 and a clip 932 are joined to the N wiring 535 on the substrate 51 side. A changeover switch 82 and an N bus bar 108 are joined to the N wiring 535 on the substrate 52 side. The N wiring 535 and the N wirings 515 and 525 (wirings 515A and 525A) are arranged on a virtual straight line substantially parallel to the X direction.

[0085] The signal wiring 537 electrically relays between the pad of the changeover switch 80 and a signal terminal (not shown). The signal wiring 537 is electrically connected to the pad, for example, via a bonding wire. The signal wiring 537 is, for example, a signal island formed on the corresponding substrate 53. For convenience, in FIG. 5, one signal wiring 537 is shown for one changeover switch 80. The signal wiring 537 is aligned with the changeover switch 80 in the Y direction. The signal wiring 537 is arranged on the side opposite to the N wiring 535 with respect to the changeover switch 81. The signal wiring 537 is arranged on the P wiring 534 side with respect to the changeover switch 82.

[0086] The semiconductor element 60 is an electronic component that provides inverters 8 and 9. The semiconductor element 60 is formed by forming vertical elements on a semiconductor substrate made of materials such as silicon (Si) and wide-bandgap semiconductors having a wider bandgap than silicon. Examples of wide-bandgap semiconductors include silicon carbide (SiC), gallium nitride (GaN), gallium oxide (Ga2O3), and diamond. The semiconductor element 60 may be referred to as a power element, a semiconductor chip, or the like.

[0087] The vertical element is configured to allow a main current to flow in the thickness direction of the semiconductor element 60 (semiconductor substrate). The semiconductor element 60 is arranged such that its thickness direction is substantially parallel to the Z direction. The semiconductor element 60 has main electrodes (main terminals) on both surfaces in the thickness direction. In the illustrated power conversion module 20, the semiconductor element 60 is formed by forming an n-channel MOSFET as a vertical element on a semiconductor substrate made of SiC. The semiconductor element 60 has a drain electrode (drain terminal) on the lower surface facing the substrate 50 (51, 52), and a source electrode (source terminal) on the upper surface opposite to the lower surface.

[0088] When the MOSFET is turned on, a current (main current) flows between the main terminals, that is, between the drain terminal and the source terminal. When the diode is a parasitic diode, the source terminal also serves as the anode terminal, and the drain terminal also serves as the cathode terminal. The diode may be formed on a chip different from the MOSFET. The drain terminal is the main electrode on the high-potential side, and the source terminal is the main terminal on the low-potential side. The drain terminal is formed over substantially the entire lower surface. The source terminal is formed on a part of the upper surface.

[0089] The semiconductor element 60 has a substantially rectangular planar shape. The semiconductor element 60 has pads, which are signal terminals, on the upper surface. The pads are formed at positions different from the source terminal on the upper surface. The pads include at least gate pads.

[0090] The plurality of semiconductor elements 60 includes a semiconductor element 61H that constitutes the upper arm 8H, a semiconductor element 61L that constitutes the lower arm 8L, a semiconductor element 62H that constitutes the upper arm 9H, and a semiconductor element 62L that constitutes the lower arm 9L. The semiconductor element 60 includes three semiconductor elements 61H, 61L, 62H, and 62L each. The semiconductor elements 61H, 61L, 62H, and 62L are provided for each phase. One semiconductor element 60 provides one arm. Hereinafter, the semiconductor elements 61H and 62H may be referred to as upper arm elements 61H and 62H. The semiconductor elements 61L and 62L may be referred to as lower arm elements 61L and 62L.

[0091] The semiconductor elements 61H and 61L are mounted on the substrate 51. The semiconductor element 61H is arranged so as to overlap the wiring 514C of the P wiring 514 in a plan view. The drain terminal of the semiconductor element 61H is joined to the P wiring 514 via a bonding material such as solder (not shown). The semiconductor element 61L is arranged so as to overlap the O wiring 516 in a plan view. The drain terminal of the semiconductor element 61L is joined to the O wiring 516 via a bonding material (not shown).

[0092] The semiconductor elements 61H of each phase are arranged side by side in the X direction. The semiconductor elements 61L of each phase are arranged side by side in the X direction. The corresponding phase semiconductor elements 61H and 61L are arranged side by side in the substantially Y direction. The corresponding phase semiconductor elements 61H and 61L are arranged with a shift in the X direction so that only a part thereof faces in the Y direction. The arrangement of the semiconductor elements 61H and 61L is shifted by 90 degrees around an axis substantially parallel to the Z direction. The pads of the semiconductor element 61H are arranged on the wiring 514B side in the Y direction. The pads of the semiconductor element 61L are arranged on the substrate 52 side in the X direction.

[0093] The semiconductor elements 62H and 62L are mounted on the substrate 52. The semiconductor element 62H has the same structure as the semiconductor element 61H. That is, semiconductor elements of the same specification are used as the semiconductor elements 61H and 62H. The arrangement of the semiconductor element 62H on the substrate 52 is the same as the arrangement of the semiconductor element 61H on the substrate 51. The semiconductor element 62L has the same structure as the semiconductor element 61L. That is, semiconductor elements of the same specification are used as the semiconductor elements 61L and 62L. The arrangement of the semiconductor element 62L on the substrate 52 is the same as the arrangement of the semiconductor element 61L on the substrate 51. The semiconductor elements 61H, 61L, 62H, and 62L have a common specification.

[0094] The semiconductor element 62H is arranged so as to overlap with the wiring 524C in a plan view. The drain terminal of the semiconductor element 62H is joined to the wiring 524C via a bonding material (not shown). The semiconductor element 62L is arranged so as to overlap with the O wiring 526 in a plan view. The drain terminal of the semiconductor element 62L is joined to the O wiring 526 via a bonding material (not shown).

[0095] The semiconductor elements 62H of each phase are arranged side by side in the X direction. The semiconductor elements 62L of each phase are arranged side by side in the X direction. The semiconductor elements 62H and 62L of the corresponding phases are arranged side by side in the Y direction. The semiconductor elements 62H and 62L of the corresponding phases are arranged with a shift in the X direction so that only a part thereof faces in the Y direction. The arrangement of the semiconductor elements 62H and 62L is shifted by 90 degrees around an axis substantially parallel to the Z direction. The pads of the semiconductor element 62H are arranged on the wiring 524B side in the Y direction. The pads of the semiconductor element 62L are arranged on the side opposite to the substrate 51 in the X direction.

[0096] The snubber component 70 is an electronic component that provides a snubber circuit. The snubber component 70 includes a snubber component 71 that provides a snubber circuit 12 and a snubber component 72 that provides a snubber circuit 11. For convenience, FIGS. 7 to 9 show a simplified illustration. The snubber component 71 has at least a capacitor to provide the snubber circuit 12. The snubber component 71 is mounted on the substrate 51. The snubber component 71 is connected in parallel to the upper and lower arm circuits 8HL as described above. The snubber component 71 electrically bridges the P wiring 514 and the N wiring 515. In the illustrated power conversion module 20, the snubber component 71 is provided for each phase. The snubber component 71 electrically bridges the wiring 514A and the wiring 515B. The snubber component 71 electrically bridges the P wiring 514 and the N wiring 515 at a position closer to the P wiring 514 than the semiconductor element 61H. Among the two wirings 515B, one snubber component 71 is connected to the wiring 515B closer to the substrate 52, and two snubber components 71 are commonly connected to the wiring 515B farther from the substrate 52. The snubber components 71 of each phase are arranged in the X direction.

[0097] The snubber component 72 has the same structure as the snubber component 71. That is, snubber components of the same specification are used as the snubber components 71 and 72. The arrangement of the snubber component 72 on the substrate 52 is the same as the arrangement of the snubber component 71 on the substrate 51. In the illustrated power conversion module 20, the snubber component 72 is provided for each phase. The snubber component 72 electrically bridges the wiring 524A and the wiring 525B. The snubber component 72 electrically bridges the P wiring 524 and the N wiring 525 at a position closer to the P wiring 524 than the semiconductor element 62H. Among the two wirings 525B, one snubber component 72 is connected to the wiring 525B farther from the substrate 51, and two snubber components 72 are commonly connected to the wiring 525B farther from the substrate 51. The snubber components 72 of each phase are arranged in the X direction.

[0098] The switching switch 80 provides the switching switch 10 in the power conversion circuit 4. The switching switch 80 is formed by forming a switching element on a semiconductor substrate. In the exemplary power conversion module 20, the switching switch 80 has the same configuration as the semiconductor element 60. The switching switch 80 is formed by forming a MOSFET on a semiconductor substrate. A parasitic diode is connected in anti-parallel to the MOSFET.

[0099] In the exemplary power conversion module 20, the switching switch 80 is mounted on the substrate 53. The switching switch 80 includes switching switches 81 and 82. The switching switches 81 and 82 are arranged substantially in the Y direction. The switching switch 81 is provided on the P wiring 534. The switching switch 81 is arranged so as to overlap the P wiring 534 on the substrate 51 side in a plan view. The drain terminal of the switching switch 81 is joined to the P wiring 534. The source terminal of the switching switch 81 is connected to the N wiring 535 on the substrate 52 side via the clip 931. The pad of the switching switch 81 is arranged on the side of the corresponding signal wiring 537 in the Y direction.

[0100] The switching switch 82 is provided on the N wiring 535. The switching switch 82 is arranged so as to overlap the N wiring 535 on the substrate 52 side in a plan view. The drain terminal of the switching switch 82 is joined to the N wiring 535. The source terminal of the switching switch 82 is connected to the N wiring 535 on the substrate 51 side via the clip 932. The pad of the switching switch 82 is arranged on the side of the corresponding signal wiring 537 in the Y direction.

[0101] Clip 90 bridges an electronic component and a conductor (wiring). Clip 90 may be referred to as a bridging member, a relay member, a metal bridge, etc. Clip 90 is a metal plate material with a base material of a metal having good conductivity such as Cu or a Cu alloy. Clip 90 may be formed by punching and pressing a metal plate of a predetermined thickness. Clip 90 may be formed using a deformed material with partially different thicknesses. Clip 90 may be one with a film provided on the surface of the base material by surface treatment. Clip 90 may have a plating film such as Ni or Au on the surface. Clip 90 may have a Ni plating film containing P formed on the base material. The NiP film is formed, for example, by electroless plating. As the base material, Ag, Au, Al, Mg, etc. may be used instead of Cu. As the film added on the base material, Sn, Ag, etc. may be used instead of Ni or Au.

[0102] Clip 90 includes clips 911 and 912 mounted on substrate 51, clips 921 and 922 mounted on substrate 52, and clips 931 and 932 mounted on substrate 53. Clip 911 is connected to semiconductor element 61H. Clip 911 is provided individually for semiconductor element 61H. Clip 911 extends generally in the Y direction and electrically connects the source terminal of semiconductor element 61H and O wiring 516. Clip 912 is connected to semiconductor element 61L. Clip 912 is provided individually for semiconductor element 61L. Clip 912 extends generally in the Y direction and electrically connects the source terminal of semiconductor element 61L and wiring 515A of N wiring 515. Clips 911 and 912, together with semiconductor elements 61H and 61L, P wiring 514, N wiring 515, and O wiring 516, constitute inverter 8.

[0103] Clip 921 has the same structure as clip 911. That is, clips of the same specification are used as clips 911 and 921. The arrangement of clip 921 on substrate 52 is the same as the arrangement of clip 911 on substrate 51. In the exemplary power conversion module 20, clip 922 has the same structure as clip 912. That is, clips of the same specification are used as clips 912 and 922. The arrangement of clip 922 on substrate 52 is the same as the arrangement of clip 912 on substrate 51.

[0104] In the exemplary power conversion module 20, clip 921 is connected to semiconductor element 62H. Clip 921 is provided individually for semiconductor element 62H. Clip 921 extends generally in the Y direction and electrically connects the source terminal of semiconductor element 62H and O wiring 526. Clip 922 is connected to semiconductor element 62L. Clip 922 is provided individually for semiconductor element 62L. Clip 922 extends generally in the Y direction and electrically connects the source terminal of semiconductor element 62L and wiring 525A of N wiring 525. Clips 921 and 922, together with semiconductor elements 62H and 62L, P wiring 524, N wiring 525, and O wiring 526, constitute inverter 9.

[0105] Clip 931 is connected to changeover switch 81. Clip 931 extends generally in the X direction. Clip 931 electrically connects the source terminal of changeover switch 81 mounted on P wiring 534 on the substrate 51 side and P wiring 534 on the substrate 52 side. Clip 932 is connected to changeover switch 82. Clip 932 extends generally in the X direction. Clip 932 electrically connects the source terminal of changeover switch 82 mounted on N wiring 535 on the substrate 52 side and N wiring 535 on the substrate 51 side.

[0106] The bus bar 100 electrically connects the conductors (wiring) of the substrate 50. The bus bar 100 electrically connects the conductor and the main terminal 110. The bus bar 100 may be referred to as a lead, a wiring member, etc. The bus bar 100 is a plate material formed using a metal material with good conductivity such as Cu. In the illustrated power conversion module 20, the bus bar 100 is held by the housing 40. The bus bar 100 includes a P bus bar 101 and an N bus bar 102 mounted on the substrate 51, and a P bus bar 103 and an N bus bar 104 mounted on the substrate 52.

[0107] The P bus bar 101 commonly connects the P wirings 514 provided for each phase. The connection portion of the P bus bar 101 with the substrate 51 branches into three, and each is joined to the corresponding wiring 514B. In the Y direction, P terminals 111 are arranged continuously at the end of the P bus bar 101 on the side opposite to the substrate 51. The N bus bar 102 commonly connects a plurality of wirings 515B. The connection portion of the N bus bar 102 with the substrate 51 branches into two, and each is joined to the corresponding wiring 515B. In the Y direction, N terminals 112 are arranged continuously at the end of the N bus bar 102 on the side opposite to the substrate 51.

[0108] The P bus bar 103 has the same structure as the P bus bar 101. That is, bus bars of the same specification are used as the P bus bars 101 and 103. The arrangement of the P bus bar 103 on the substrate 52 is the same as the arrangement of the P bus bar 101 on the substrate 51. The N bus bar 104 has the same structure as the N bus bar 102. That is, bus bars of the same specification are used as the N bus bars 102 and 104. The arrangement of the N bus bar 104 on the substrate 52 is the same as the arrangement of the N bus bar 102 on the substrate 51.

[0109] The P bus bar 103 commonly connects the P wirings 524 provided for each phase. The connection portion of the P bus bar 103 with the substrate 52 branches into three, and each is joined to the corresponding wiring 524B. In the Y direction, charging terminals 113 are connected in series to the end of the P bus bar 103 on the side opposite to the substrate 52. The N bus bar 104 commonly connects a plurality of wirings 525B. The connection portion of the N bus bar 104 with the substrate 52 branches into two, and each is joined to the corresponding wiring 525B.

[0110] The P bus bars 101, 103 and the N bus bars 102, 104 are held (inserted) in the wall portion 411 of the frame body 41. The substrate connection portions of the P bus bars 101, 103 and the N bus bars 102, 104 project from the wall portion 411 into the accommodation space and are joined to the corresponding wirings.

[0111] The bus bar 100 further includes P bus bars 105, 106 and N bus bars 107, 108. The P bus bar 105 extends in the X direction in plan view. One end of the P bus bar 105 is joined to the P wiring 514 (wiring 514A) closest to the substrate 52, and the other end is joined to the P wiring 534. The P bus bar 106 extends in the X direction in plan view. One end of the P bus bar 106 is joined to the P wiring 524 (wiring 524A) closest to the substrate 51, and the other end is joined to the P wiring 534. The N bus bar 107 extends in the X direction in plan view. One end of the N bus bar 107 is joined to the end of the N wiring 515 (wiring 515A) on the substrate 52 side, and the other end is joined to the N wiring 535. The N bus bar 108 extends in the X direction in plan view. One end of the N bus bar 108 is joined to the end of the N wiring 525 (wiring 525A) on the substrate 51 side, and the other end is joined to the N wiring 535.

[0112] The P bus bar 105 and the N bus bar 107 are held by the partition wall 42 located between the substrates 51 and 53. The P bus bar 106 and the N bus bar 108 are held by the partition wall 42 located between the substrates 52 and 53. The substrate connection portions of the P bus bars 105, 106 and the N bus bars 107, 108 protrude from the partition wall 42 into the accommodation space and are joined to the corresponding wirings.

[0113] The main terminal 110 is a plate made of a metal material with good conductivity such as Cu, like the bus bar 100. The main terminal 110 is an external connection terminal electrically connected to the main terminal (main electrode) of the semiconductor element 60. The main terminal 110 includes a P terminal 111 and an N terminal 112 which are power supply terminals, a charging terminal 113, and O terminals 115, 116. In FIG. 8, the boundary between the bus bar 100 and the main terminal 110 is indicated by a two-dot chain line.

[0114] The power supply terminal is an external connection terminal electrically connected to the above-described capacitor device 22 (smoothing capacitor 7). The P terminal 111 is an external connection terminal connected to the positive electrode terminal of the capacitor device 22 via the P bus bar 25P. The P terminal 111 is continuous with the P bus bar 101. The P terminal 111 may be continuously and integrally continuous with the P bus bar 101, or may be continuous by joining. The P terminal 111 may be referred to as a positive electrode terminal, a high-potential power supply terminal, etc. The P terminal 111 is mounted on the substrate 51 via the P bus bar 101. The P terminal 111 extends outward in the Y direction from the wall portion 411 of the frame body 41 to a position where it does not overlap with the cooler 30 in plan view.

[0115] The N terminal 112 is an external connection terminal connected to the negative electrode terminal of the capacitor device 22 via the N bus bar 25N. The N terminal 112 is continuous with the N bus bar 102. The N terminal 112 may be continuously and integrally continuous with the N bus bar 102, or may be continuous by joining. The N terminal 112 may be referred to as a negative electrode terminal, a low potential power supply terminal, etc. The N terminal 112 is mounted on the substrate 51 via the N bus bar 102. The N terminal 112 extends outward in the Y direction from the wall portion 411 of the frame body 41 to a position that does not overlap with the cooler 30 in a plan view. The N terminal 112 is located on the substrate 52 side with respect to the P terminal 111 in the X direction.

[0116] The charging terminal 113 is an external connection terminal connected to the positive electrode terminal of the external device 23 via the P bus bar 26P. The charging terminal 113 is continuous with the P bus bar 103. Since the charging terminal 113 is electrically connected to the P wiring 524 via the P bus bar 103, it may be referred to as a P terminal. The charging terminal 113 may be continuously and integrally continuous with the P bus bar 103, or may be continuous by joining. The charging terminal 113 is mounted on the substrate 52 via the P bus bar 103. The charging terminal 113 extends outward in the Y direction from the wall portion 411 of the frame body 41 to a position that does not overlap with the cooler 30 in a plan view.

[0117] In a plan view, the position of the charging terminal 113 with respect to the substrate 52 is different from the position of the P terminal 111 with respect to the substrate 51. The connection position of the charging terminal 113 with respect to the P bus bar 103 is different from the connection position of the P terminal 111 with respect to the P bus bar 101. As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the P terminal 111 is continuous near the end portion on the wall portion 413 side of the P bus bar 101. The charging terminal 113 is continuous near the end portion on the wall portion 414 side of the P bus bar 103. In the X direction, the P terminal 111, the N terminal 112, and the charging terminal 113 are arranged in this order. That is, the charging terminal 113 is located at one end in the arrangement direction, and the P terminal 111 is located at the other end.

[0118] The O terminals 115 and 116 are electrically connected to the windings 3U, 3V, and 3W of the corresponding phases of the rotating electrical machine 3. The O terminals 115 and 116 may be referred to as output terminals, AC terminals, etc. The O terminal 115 is joined to the O wiring 516. The O terminal 115 is provided for each phase of the upper and lower arm circuits 8HL. The O terminal 115, together with the O wiring 516, provides the output line 13. The O terminal 115 extends generally in the Y direction from the joint with the O wiring 516. The O terminal 115 extends outward in the Y direction from the wall portion 412 of the frame body 41 to a position where it does not overlap with the cooler 30 in plan view.

[0119] The O terminal 116 is joined to the O wiring 526. The O terminal 116 is provided for each phase of the upper and lower arm circuits 9HL. The O terminal 116, together with the O wiring 526, provides the output line 14. The O terminal 116 extends generally in the Y direction from the joint with the O wiring 526. The O terminal 116 extends outward in the Y direction from the wall portion 412 to a position where it does not overlap with the cooler 30 in plan view. In the illustrated power conversion module 20, the O terminal 116 has the same structure as the O terminal 115. That is, external connection terminals of the same specification are used as the O terminals 115 and 116. The arrangement of the O terminal 116 on the substrate 52 is the same as the arrangement of the O terminal 115 on the substrate 51.

[0120] The power conversion module 20 includes two circuit units 201 and 202 that provide the power conversion circuit 4. The circuit unit 201 includes the substrate 51 and components mounted on the substrate 51. The components mounted on the substrate 51 included in the circuit unit 201 include semiconductor elements 61H, 61L, snubber components 71, clips 911, 912, a P bus bar 101, and an N bus bar 102. The circuit unit 201 provides the inverter 8 and the snubber circuit 12. The circuit unit 202 includes the substrate 52 and components mounted on the substrate 52. The components mounted on the substrate 52 included in the circuit unit 202 include semiconductor elements 62H, 62L, snubber components 72, clips 921, 922, a P bus bar 103, and an N bus bar 104. The circuit unit 202 provides the inverter 9 and the snubber circuit 11.

[0121] As described above, the circuit units 201 and 202 are configured, and the elements related to each other have a common structure. Also, the arrangement of the components mounted on the substrate 52 is substantially the same as the arrangement of the components mounted on the substrate 51. Therefore, the circuit units 201 and 202 have a common structure with each other. Circuit units of the same specification are used as the circuit units 201 and 202. Note that the common or identical may include errors within the range of manufacturing variations.

[0122] <Summary of the First Embodiment> The power conversion module 20 according to the present embodiment includes a circuit unit 201 (first circuit unit) that constitutes the inverter 8 and a circuit unit 202 (second circuit unit) that constitutes the inverter 9. Since the two circuit units 201 and 202 have a common structure, the configuration of the power conversion module 20 can be simplified.

[0123] Also, the P terminal 111, the N terminal 112, and the charging terminal 113 are separated from the circuit unit, and the arrangement of the P terminal 111 and the N terminal 112 (first main terminals) with respect to the circuit unit 201 is made different from the arrangement of the charging terminal 113 (second main terminal) with respect to the circuit unit 202. Thereby, the charging terminal 113 can be arranged in a position that is easy to connect to the external device 23 for charging. Therefore, while simplifying the configuration, the connectivity with the external device 23 can be improved. For example, the connectivity with the P bus bar 26P (charging wiring) can be improved.

[0124] As illustrated, in the arrangement where the circuit units 201 and 202 are arranged in the X direction which is a predetermined direction, a plurality of main terminals including the P terminal 111, the N terminal 112, and the charging terminal 113 may be arranged in the X direction. Then, the charging terminal 113 may be arranged at one end of the plurality of main terminals arranged in the X direction. According to this, the connectivity with the charging wiring, that is, the connectivity with the external device 23 can be further improved.

[0125] As illustrated, the circuit units 201 and 202 may each have a bus bar 100 extending in the X direction, and the P terminal 111, N terminals 112 and 113, and the charging terminal 113 may be connected in series to the corresponding bus bar 100. Since the bus bar 100 extends in the X direction, it is easy to set the positions of the main terminals at arbitrary positions. Therefore, the arrangements of the P terminal 111 and N terminals 112 with respect to the circuit unit 201 and the arrangement of the charging terminal 113 with respect to the circuit unit 202 can be easily made different.

[0126] As illustrated, the circuit units 201 and 202 may each have a substrate 50 and semiconductor elements 60 mounted on the substrate 50 and constituting the corresponding inverters 8 and 9. The semiconductor elements 60 may include upper arm elements 61H and 62H and lower arm elements 61L and 62L provided for each phase. The substrate 51 may have a P wiring 514 and an N wiring 515, and may be arranged such that the P wiring 514, N wiring 515, P wiring 514, N wiring 515, and P wiring 514 are arranged in the X direction in this order. Similarly, the substrate 52 may have a P wiring 524 and an N wiring 525, and may be arranged such that the P wiring 524, N wiring 525, P wiring 524, N wiring 525, and P wiring 524 are arranged in the X direction in this order. The bus bar may include P bus bars 101 and 103 connected to the P wirings 514 and 524 and N bus bars 102 and 104 connected to the N wirings 515 and 525 in the corresponding circuit units 201 and 202.

[0127] According to this, since the conductor patterns provided on each substrate 50 are arranged in the order of P wiring, N wiring, P wiring, N wiring, and P wiring in the X direction, it is easy to commonly connect a plurality of P wirings by a P bus bar extending in the X direction. Also, it is easy to commonly connect a plurality of N wirings by an N bus bar extending in the X direction. It is easy to set the positions of the main terminals at arbitrary positions, and each phase of the inverter can be electrically connected. Further, since the P wiring and the N wiring are adjacent to each other in the X direction, the inductance can be reduced by the PN parallel running structure.

[0128] As illustrated, the semiconductor element 62L that constitutes the lower arm 9L of the inverter 9 may be arranged at a position farther from the P terminal 111 and the N terminal 112 in a direction orthogonal to the predetermined direction, that is, in the Y direction, than the semiconductor element 62H that constitutes the upper arm 9H. The P terminal 111 and the N terminal 112, which are power supply terminals, are connected to the smoothing capacitor 7. That is, as shown in FIG. 6, the capacitor device 22 is arranged on the P terminal 111 side in the Y direction. The power conversion module 20 and the capacitor device 22 are arranged side by side in the Y direction. The capacitor device 22 has conductors (bus bars) connected to capacitor elements, and these conductors function as antennas when the semiconductor element 60 switches, thereby radiating electromagnetic noise. Also, as described above, the upper arm 9H of the inverter 9 is turned on during charging. In this state, if the lower arm 9L is erroneously turned on due to the electromagnetic noise radiated by the capacitor device 22, a short circuit between the upper and lower arms will occur. As described above, since the semiconductor element 62L is separated from the capacitor device 22, it is possible to suppress the semiconductor element 62L (lower arm 9L) from being erroneously turned on during charging.

[0129] As illustrated, the semiconductor element 60 may be arranged at a position farther from the P terminal 111 and the N terminal 112 in a direction orthogonal to the predetermined direction, that is, in the Y direction, than the changeover switch 80 arranged on the common power supply wiring with the semiconductor element 60. The power supply wiring is the P wiring and / or the N wiring formed on the substrate 50. In the example shown in FIG. 7, a changeover switch 81 is provided in the P wiring, and the semiconductor elements 61H, 62H connected to the P wiring are arranged at positions farther from the P terminal 111 than the changeover switch 81. Also, a changeover switch 82 is provided in the N wiring, and the semiconductor elements 61L, 62L connected to the N wiring are arranged at positions farther from the P terminal 111 than the changeover switch 82. In this way, since the semiconductor element 60 is separated from the capacitor device 22, it is possible to suppress the semiconductor element 60 from being erroneously turned on by electromagnetic noise.

[0130] As illustrated, the changeover switch 80 may be disposed between the circuit units 201 and 202 in the arrangement direction (X direction) of the circuit units 201 and 202. According to this, it is easy to connect the inverter 8 and the inverter 9. Also, the inductance can be reduced.

[0131] As illustrated, a substrate 53 (third substrate) may be provided between the substrate 51 (first substrate) and the substrate 52 (second substrate) in the X direction. The changeover switch 80 may be mounted on the substrate 53 having a structure different from that of the substrates 51 and 52 constituting the circuit units 201 and 202. According to this, since the three substrates 50 can be constituted by two types, the configuration can be simplified. Also, since the substrate 50 is divided into three substrates 51, 52, and 53 arranged in the X direction, warping can be suppressed.

[0132] As illustrated, the circuit unit 201 may have a snubber component 71 connected to adjacent P wiring 514 and N wiring 515 in the X direction, and the circuit unit 202 may have a snubber component 72 connected to adjacent P wiring 524 and N wiring 525 in the X direction. By providing the snubber components 71 and 72, the wiring inductance of the upper and lower arm circuits 8HL and 9HL can be reduced. Also, with the above arrangement, the area of the current loop can be reduced, and the wiring inductance can be further reduced.

[0133] As illustrated, the first main terminal may include a P terminal 111 continuous with the P bus bar 101 and an N terminal 112 continuous with the N bus bar 102, and the second main terminal may include only a charging terminal 113 continuous with the P bus bar 103. By providing a changeover switch 82 (10B) on the N wiring 535 connecting the inverters 8 and 9, the N terminal for connecting the inverter 9 to the smoothing capacitor 7 (capacitor device 22) becomes unnecessary, and this N terminal can be eliminated. Thereby, the configuration can be simplified.

[0134] The control unit 15 performs star connection drive while switching between a plurality of energization patterns. The control unit 15 performs star connection drive using, for example, the PWM control method. PWM is an abbreviation for Pulse Width Modulation. During star connection drive, the MOSFETs of the switching switches 10(80) are off, that is, all the switching switches 10 are in the open state. Since the switching switch 10B(82) provided on the power line 6 is in the open state, the potential on the negative electrode side of the capacitor 11C included in the snubber circuit 11 becomes a floating potential during star connection drive. Thereby, fluctuations in the voltage across the capacitor 11C can be suppressed during star connection drive. That is, charging and discharging of the capacitor 11C can be suppressed. Therefore, the power conversion efficiency can be improved. In addition, heat generation of the resistor 11R due to charging and discharging can be suppressed, and the capacitor 11C can be prevented from being affected by heat.

[0135] In addition, in this embodiment, an example of the clip 90 is shown as the bridging member, but the present invention is not limited to this. Instead of the clip 90, a bonding wire or the like may be used. However, using the clip 90 can reduce the inductance.

[0136] (Second Embodiment) This embodiment is a modified example based on the preceding embodiment, and the description of the preceding embodiment can be incorporated. In the preceding embodiment, only the charging terminal 113 was provided as the second main terminal connected to the circuit unit 202. Instead of this, a plurality of terminals including the charging terminal 113 may be provided as the second main terminal.

[0137] <Power Conversion Circuit> FIG. 11 shows a power conversion circuit 4 provided by the power conversion module 20 according to this embodiment. In the power conversion circuit 4 shown in FIG. 11, the switching switch 10 is arranged only on the power line 5 (wiring 5A) and is not arranged on the power line 6. The switching switch 10 is arranged such that the drain terminal of the MOSFET faces the inverter 8 side and the source terminal faces the inverter 9 side. Other configurations are the same as those of the power conversion circuit (see FIG. 1) shown in the preceding embodiment.

[0138] <Charging Structure> FIG. 12 shows an external device connection structure, that is, a charging structure. FIG. 12 shows the connection structure between the power conversion module 20 and the external device 23. In FIG. 12, the external device 23 is shown in a simplified manner. As shown in FIG. 12, in the power conversion module 20, the circuit unit 202 is electrically connected to the capacitor device 22 via the N bus bar 25N. That is, as the main terminals connected to the circuit unit 202, it includes a charging terminal 113 and a main terminal (N terminal 114 described later) not shown that is electrically connected to the capacitor device 22. Other configurations are the same as the connection structure shown in the previous embodiment (see FIG. 6).

[0139] <Power Conversion Module> FIG. 13 is a diagram in which the cooler 30, the housing 40, and the sealing body 43 are omitted in the power conversion module 20 according to this embodiment. FIG. 13 corresponds to FIG. 8. Although not shown, the power conversion module 20 includes a cooler 30, a housing 40, and a sealing body 43 as in the previous embodiment.

[0140] In the power conversion module 20, the changeover switch 80 is disposed on the P wiring 534 and not on the N wiring 535. The power conversion module 20 has a configuration in which the changeover switch 82, the clip 932, and the signal wiring 537 corresponding to the changeover switch 82 are excluded from the configuration shown in the previous embodiment. The N wiring 535 is not divided into two and extends from near one end to near the other end of the substrate 53.

[0141] The power conversion module 20 includes an N terminal 114 as a second main terminal. The N terminal 114, similar to the N terminal 112, is an external connection terminal connected to the negative terminal of the capacitor device 22. The N terminal 114 is continuous with the N bus bar 104. The N terminal 114 may be continuously and integrally continuous with the N bus bar 104, or may be continuous by joining. The N terminal 114 is mounted on the substrate 52 via the N bus bar 104. The N terminal 114 extends outward in the Y direction from the wall portion 411 of the frame body 41 to a position that does not overlap with the cooler 30 in a plan view. In a plan view, the position of the N terminal 114 with respect to the substrate 52 is different from the position of the N terminal 112 with respect to the substrate 51. The first main terminal and the second main terminal are arranged in the order of the P terminal 111, the N terminal 112, the N terminal 114, and the charging terminal 113 in the X direction.

[0142] The power conversion module 20 includes a P terminal 111 and an N terminal 112 as first main terminals connected to the circuit unit 201 (inverter 8), similar to the previous embodiment. The power conversion module 20 includes a charging terminal 113 and an N terminal 114 as second main terminals connected to the circuit unit 202 (inverter 9). Other configurations are the same as those of the power conversion module 20 (see FIGS. 7 to 9) shown in the previous embodiment.

[0143] <Summary of the Second Embodiment> According to the power conversion module 20 of the present embodiment, the same effects as those of the configuration shown in the previous embodiment can be achieved. For example, since the two circuit units 201 and 202 have a common structure, the configuration of the power conversion module 20 can be simplified. Also, the arrangement of the P terminal 111 and the N terminal 112 (first main terminals) with respect to the circuit unit 201 is different from the arrangement of the charging terminal 113 and the N terminal 114 (second main terminals) with respect to the circuit unit 202. Thereby, the charging terminal 113 can be arranged in a position that is easy to connect to the external device 23 for charging. Therefore, the connectivity with the external device 23 can be improved while simplifying the configuration.

[0144] Also, the first main terminal and the second main terminal are arranged in the order of the P terminal 111, the N terminal 112, the N terminal 114, and the charging terminal 113 in the X direction. That is, the charging terminal 113 is located at the end in the arrangement direction. According to this, the connectivity with the charging wiring, that is, the connectivity with the external device 23 can be further improved.

[0145] The power conversion module 20 of this embodiment does not include the switching switch 82. That is, the power conversion circuit 4 does not include the switching switch 10B on the power supply line 6. In such a configuration, only open-wire driving may be executed.

[0146] (Third Embodiment) This embodiment is a modification example based on the preceding embodiment, and the description of the preceding embodiment can be incorporated. In the preceding embodiment, the charging terminal 113 was electrically connected to the positive terminal of the external device 23. Instead, it may be configured to electrically connect the charging terminal to the negative terminal of the external device 23.

[0147] FIG. 14 shows the connection structure between the power conversion module 20 according to this embodiment and the external device 23. FIG. 14 corresponds to FIG. 12. As shown in FIG. 14, the arrangement of the P bus bar 24P and the N bus bar 24N is opposite to the configuration shown in the preceding embodiment. Similarly, the arrangement of the P bus bar 25P and the N bus bar 25N is opposite to the configuration shown in the preceding embodiment.

[0148] The power conversion module 20 includes a charging terminal 113A. Although not shown, the charging terminal 113A is continuous with the N bus bar 104 of the circuit unit 202. The charging terminal 113A is electrically connected to the negative terminal of the external device 23 via the N bus bar 26N. The positive terminal of the external device 23 is connected to the P bus bar 24P via the P bus bar 26P. Although not shown, a switching switch 82(80) is provided in the N wiring 835.

[0149] Although illustration is omitted, a changeover switch 81(80) is provided in the P wiring 534. The power conversion module 20 does not include a P terminal connected to the P bus bar 103 of the circuit unit 202. It may be configured to exclude the changeover switch 81 and include a P terminal connected to the P bus bar 103. Other configurations are the same as those of the power conversion module 20 shown in the previous embodiment.

[0150] <Summary of the Third Embodiment> As illustrated, the charging terminal 113A may be configured to be connected to the N bus bar 104 of the circuit unit 202. Also, as the second main terminal connected to the circuit unit 202, only the charging terminal 113A may be provided. Even with such a configuration, the same effects as those of the configuration shown in the previous embodiment can be achieved.

[0151] (Other Embodiments) The disclosure in this specification, drawings, etc. is not limited to the illustrated embodiments. The disclosure includes the illustrated embodiments and modifications by those skilled in the art based on them. For example, the disclosure is not limited to the combination of parts and / or elements shown in the embodiments. The disclosure can be implemented by various combinations. The disclosure can have additional parts that can be added to the embodiments. The disclosure includes those in which parts and / or elements of the embodiments are omitted. The disclosure includes the replacement or combination of parts and / or elements between one embodiment and another. The technical scope disclosed is not limited to the description of the embodiments. Some of the technical scopes disclosed should be understood to be indicated by the description of the claims and to include all changes within the meaning and scope equivalent to the description of the claims.

[0152] The disclosure in the specification, drawings, etc. is not limited by the description in the claims. The disclosure in the specification, drawings, etc. encompasses the technical idea described in the claims and further extends to more diverse and extensive technical ideas than the technical idea described in the claims. Therefore, various technical ideas can be extracted from the disclosure in the specification, drawings, etc. without being restricted by the description in the claims.

[0153] When an element or layer is referred to as "above", "connected", "attached", or "coupled", it may be directly above, connected, attached, or coupled to another element or layer, and there may also be intervening elements or intervening layers. In contrast, when an element is referred to as "directly above", "directly connected", "directly attached", or "directly coupled" to another element or layer, there are no intervening elements or intervening layers. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in a similar manner (e.g., "between" versus "directly between", "adjacent" versus "directly adjacent", etc.). As used in this specification, the term "and / or" includes any combination and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. That is, the description of A and / or B means at least one of A and B, and may include only A, only B, or both A and B.

[0154] Spatially relative terms such as "inner", "outer", "back", "down", "lower", "up", "upper", etc. are used herein to facilitate descriptions of the relationship of one element or feature to another element or feature as illustrated. Spatially relative terms can be intended to encompass different orientations of the device during use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the drawings. For example, if the device in the figure is turned over, an element described as "under" or "directly under" another element or feature will be oriented "above" the other element or feature. Accordingly, the term "under" can encompass both upward and downward orientations. The device may be oriented in other directions (rotated 90 degrees or other orientations), and the spatially relative descriptors used in this specification will be interpreted accordingly.

[0155] (Disclosure of Technical Ideas) This specification discloses a plurality of technical ideas described in a plurality of claims listed below. Some claims may be described in a multiple dependent form that alternatively quotes a preceding claim in subsequent claims. Further, some claims may be described in a multiple dependent form that quotes another multiple dependent form claim. The claims described in these multiple dependent forms define a plurality of technical ideas.

[0156] <Technical Idea 1> A first circuit unit (201) constituting a first inverter (8) connected to one end of the winding of a rotating electrical machine (3); A second circuit unit (202) constituting a second inverter (9) connected to the other end of the winding; A changeover switch (80) provided in a path connecting the first inverter and the second inverter, connecting the DC power supply (2) and the second inverter in a closed state, and disconnecting the connection between the DC power supply and the second inverter in an open state; A first main terminal (111, 112) electrically connected to the first inverter and connected to the DC power supply via a smoothing capacitor (7, 22); A second main terminal (113, 114) including a charging terminal (113, 113A) electrically connected to the second inverter and electrically connected to an external device (23) for charging; Comprising: The first circuit unit and the second circuit unit have a common structure with each other; A power conversion module in which the arrangement of the first main terminal with respect to the first circuit unit is different from the arrangement of the second main terminal with respect to the second circuit unit.

[0157] <Technical Idea 2> The first circuit unit and the second circuit unit are arranged side by side in a predetermined direction; The first main terminal and the second main terminal are arranged side by side in the predetermined direction; The power conversion module according to Technical Idea 1, wherein the charging terminal is arranged at one end of the first main terminal and the second main terminal in the predetermined direction.

[0158] <Technical Idea 3> The first circuit unit and the second circuit unit each have a bus bar (100) extending in the predetermined direction; The power conversion module according to Technical Idea 2, wherein the first main terminal and the second main terminal are continuous with the bus bar of the corresponding circuit unit among the circuit units including the first circuit unit and the second circuit unit.

[0159] <Technical Idea 4> The first circuit unit and the second circuit unit each have a substrate (50) and semiconductor elements (60) mounted on the substrate and constituting the corresponding inverter among the inverters including the first inverter and the second inverter; The semiconductor element includes an upper arm element (61H, 62H) and a lower arm element (61L, 62L) provided for each phase; The substrate is provided for each phase and has P wirings (514, 524) electrically connected to the upper arm elements and N wirings (515, 525) electrically connected to the lower arm elements. In each substrate, the P wiring, the N wiring, the P wiring, the N wiring, and the P wiring are arranged in the predetermined direction in this order. The bus bar includes a P bus bar (101, 103) connected to the P wiring and an N bus bar (102, 104) connected to the N wiring in the corresponding circuit unit, and is the power conversion module according to Technical Idea 3.

[0160] <Technical Idea 5> The lower arm element constituting the second inverter is arranged at a position farther from the first main terminal in the direction orthogonal to the predetermined direction than the upper arm element constituting the second inverter, and is the power conversion module according to Technical Idea 4.

[0161] <Technical Idea 6> The semiconductor element is arranged at a position farther from the first main terminal in the direction orthogonal to the predetermined direction than the switching switch arranged on the power supply wiring common to the semiconductor element, and is the power conversion module according to Technical Idea 4 or Technical Idea 5.

[0162] <Technical Idea 7> The switching switch is arranged between the first circuit unit and the second circuit unit in the predetermined direction, and is the power conversion module according to any one of Technical Ideas 4 to 6 of the claims.

[0163] <Technical Idea 8> A third substrate (53) is provided and arranged between a first substrate (51) which is the substrate of the first circuit unit and a second substrate (52) which is the substrate of the second circuit unit in the predetermined direction. The third substrate has a structure different from that of the first substrate and the second substrate. The switching switch is the power conversion module described in Technical Idea 7, which is mounted on the third substrate.

[0164] <Technical Idea 9> The first main terminal includes a P terminal (111) connected to the P bus bar and an N terminal (112) connected to the N bus bar in the first circuit unit. The second main terminal includes only the charging terminal connected to either the P bus bar or the N bus bar in the second circuit unit, and is the power conversion module described in any one of Technical Ideas 4 to 8.

[0165] <Technical Idea 10> The first circuit unit and the second circuit unit each have snubber components (70, 71, 72) connected to the P wiring and the N wiring adjacent to each other in the predetermined direction, and are the power conversion module described in any one of Technical Ideas 4 to 9.

Explanation of Signs

[0166] 1... drive system, 2... DC power supply, 3... rotating electrical machine, 3U, 3V, 3W... windings, 4... power conversion circuit, 5, 6... power supply lines, 5A, 6A... wiring, 7... smoothing capacitor, 8, 9... inverters, 8HL, 9HL... upper and lower arm circuits, 8D, 9D... diodes, 8H, 9H... upper arms, 8L, 9L... lower arms, 8S, 9S... MOSFETs, 10, 10A, 10B... switching switches, 11, 12... snubber circuits, 11C, 12C... capacitors, 11R, 12R... resistors, 13, 14... output lines, 15... control unit, 16... external device, 20... power conversion module, 201, 202... circuit units, 21... power supply device, 22... capacitor device, 23... external device, 24N, 25N, 26N... N busbars, 24P, 25P, 26P... P busbars, 30... cooler, 301... one side, 302... back side, 31... case, 32... lid, 33... flow path, 34... fins, 35... inlet pipe, 36... outlet pipe, 37... refrigerant, 40... housing, 41... frame, 411, 412, 413, 414... wall parts, 42... partition wall, 43... sealing body, 50, 51, 52, 53... substrates, 511, 521, 531... insulating substrates, 512, 513, 522, 523, 532, 533... conductors, 514, 524, 534... P wirings, 514A, 514B, 514C, 524A, 524B, 524C... wirings, 515, 525, 535... N wirings, 515A, 515B, 525A, 525B... wirings, 516, 526... O wirings, 517, 527, 537... signal wirings, 60, 61H, 61L, 62H, 62L... semiconductor elements, 70, 71, 72... snubber components, 80, 81, 82... switching switches, 90, 911, 912, 921, 922, 931, 932... clips, 100... busbar, 101, 103, 105, 106... P busbars, 102, 104, 107, 108... N busbars, 110... main terminal, 111... P terminal, 112, 114... N terminals, 113, 113A... charging terminals, 115, 116... O terminals

Claims

1. A first circuit unit (201) constituting a first inverter (8) connected to one end of a winding of a rotating electrical machine (3); A second circuit unit (202) constituting a second inverter (9) connected to the other end of the winding; A changeover switch (80) provided in a path connecting the first inverter and the second inverter, connecting a DC power supply (2) and the second inverter in a closed state, and disconnecting the connection between the DC power supply and the second inverter in an open state; First main terminals (111, 112) electrically connected to the first inverter and connected to the DC power supply via smoothing capacitors (7, 22); Second main terminals (113, 114) including charging terminals (113, 113A) electrically connected to the second inverter and electrically connected to an external device (23) for charging; Comprising; The first circuit unit and the second circuit unit have a common structure with each other; A power conversion module in which the arrangement of the first main terminals with respect to the first circuit unit is different from the arrangement of the second main terminals with respect to the second circuit unit.

2. The first circuit unit and the second circuit unit are arranged side by side in a predetermined direction; The first main terminals and the second main terminals are arranged side by side in the predetermined direction; The power conversion module according to claim 1, wherein the charging terminals are arranged at one ends of the first main terminals and the second main terminals in the predetermined direction.

3. The first circuit unit and the second circuit unit each have a bus bar (100) extending in the predetermined direction; The power conversion module according to claim 2, wherein the first main terminals and the second main terminals are continuous with the bus bar of the corresponding circuit unit among the circuit units including the first circuit unit and the second circuit unit.

4. The first circuit unit and the second circuit unit each have a substrate (50) and semiconductor elements (60) mounted on the substrate and constituting the corresponding inverter among the inverters including the first inverter and the second inverter; The semiconductor elements include upper arm elements (61H, 62H) and lower arm elements (61L, 62L) provided for each phase; The substrate has P wirings (514, 524) provided for each phase and electrically connected to the upper arm elements and N wirings (515, 525) electrically connected to the lower arm elements. In each substrate, the P wirings, the N wirings, the P wirings, the N wirings, and the P wirings are arranged in the predetermined direction in this order. The power conversion module according to claim 3, wherein the bus bar includes, in the corresponding circuit unit, a P bus bar (101, 103) connected to the P wiring and an N bus bar (102, 104) connected to the N wiring.

5. The power conversion module according to claim 4, wherein the lower arm element constituting the second inverter is arranged at a position farther from the first main terminal than the upper arm element constituting the second inverter in a direction orthogonal to the predetermined direction.

6. The power conversion module according to claim 4 or claim 5, wherein the semiconductor element is arranged at a position farther from the first main terminal than the switching switch arranged on a power supply wiring common to the semiconductor element in a direction orthogonal to the predetermined direction.

7. The power conversion module according to claim 4 or claim 5, wherein the switching switch is arranged between the first circuit unit and the second circuit unit in the predetermined direction.

8. In the predetermined direction, a third substrate (53) is provided between a first substrate (51) which is the substrate of the first circuit unit and a second substrate (52) which is the substrate of the second circuit unit. The third substrate has a structure different from that of the first substrate and the second substrate. The power conversion module according to claim 7, wherein the switching switch is mounted on the third substrate.

9. The first main terminal includes a P terminal (111) continuous with the P bus bar and an N terminal (112) continuous with the N bus bar in the first circuit unit. The power conversion module according to claim 4, wherein the second main terminal includes only the charging terminal continuous with either the P bus bar or the N bus bar in the second circuit unit.

10. The power conversion module according to claim 4, wherein the first circuit unit and the second circuit unit each have snubber components (70, 71, 72) connected to the adjacent P wiring and N wiring in the predetermined direction.

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