Capacitor module

The capacitor module addresses inefficiencies in heat dissipation and short circuits by using a high thermal conductivity case, busbars, and a locking mechanism, enhancing reliability and cooling performance.

JP2026055490APending Publication Date: 2026-03-31MURATA MFG CO LTD +1
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Patent Information

Authority / Receiving Office
JP · JP
Patent Type
Applications
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2024-09-18
Publication Date
2026-03-31

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

The existing capacitor modules lack sufficient reliability due to inefficient heat dissipation and potential short circuits between busbars, which can lead to overheating and reduced performance.

Method used

A capacitor module design featuring a case with high thermal conductivity, busbars connected to electrodes, a cooling plate in contact with the case, and a locking mechanism to secure the cooling plate to the busbars, ensuring efficient heat transfer and preventing short circuits.

Benefits of technology

The design enhances heat dissipation, improves reliability by preventing short circuits, and maintains precise positioning of components, resulting in improved cooling performance and assembly efficiency.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

We provide capacitor modules with improved reliability. [Solution] The capacitor module of this disclosure comprises a case having a bottom surface and a side surface; a capacitor element having a first electrode and a second electrode; a first busbar connected to the first electrode; a second busbar connected to the second electrode; a cooling plate located between the first busbar and the second busbar, in contact with the inside of the side surface of the case, and in contact with at least one of the first busbar and the second busbar; a sealing resin filled inside the case; and a locking portion that locks at least one of the first busbar and the second busbar with the cooling plate.
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a capacitor module.

Background Art

[0002] A capacitor module in which a plurality of capacitor elements are housed in a case and sealed with resin is known (for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] The capacitor module disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes a plurality of capacitor elements, a capacitor case that houses the plurality of capacitor elements in parallel, and an electrical conductive member electrically connected to the capacitor elements.

[0004] The capacitor module of Patent Document 1 further includes a cooling member that is sandwiched between two adjacent capacitor elements and is arranged so as to be able to transfer the heat of the capacitor element to the outside.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] In the capacitor module described in Patent Document 1, there is still room for improvement in terms of improving the reliability of the capacitor module.

[0007] The present disclosure provides a capacitor module with improved reliability.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0008] The capacitor module of the present disclosure a case having a bottom surface and side surfaces, A capacitor element having a first electrode facing the bottom surface of the case and a second electrode different from the first electrode, A first busbar connected to the first electrode of the capacitor element, A second busbar connected to the second electrode of the capacitor element, A cooling plate located between the first busbar and the second busbar, in contact with the inside of the side surface of the case, and in contact with at least one of the first busbar and the second busbar, The sealing resin filled inside the case, A locking portion that locks at least one of the first busbar and the second busbar and the cooling plate, It is equipped with. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to this disclosure, it is possible to provide a capacitor module with improved reliability. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] Perspective view showing a capacitor module [Figure 2] Exploded perspective view of the capacitor module with the sealing resin removed. [Figure 3] Plan view of the case [Figure 4] Perspective view of the case [Figure 5] Plan view of the first busbar [Figure 6] Plan view of the second busbar [Figure 7] Elevation view of the cooling plate [Figure 8] Enlarged view of the hook portion of the cooling plate in Figure 7. [Figure 9] Cross-sectional view showing the state in which the first busbar and the hooks of the cooling plate are locked together. [Figure 10] Assembly diagram showing the process of housing the capacitor assembly in the case. [Figure 11] Perspective view showing the capacitor assembly housed in the case. [Figure 12] A partial enlarged cross-section taken along line A-A of FIG. 11, showing a state in which the hole of the second bus bar is fitted into the second convex portion of the case and the bottom of the second bus bar is in contact with the first convex portion of the case [Figure 13] Cross-sectional view of the AA-AA cross-section of FIG. 1 with the sealing resin hatched [Figure 14] Cross-sectional view of the BB-BB cross-section of FIG. 1 with the sealing resin hatched

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0011] A capacitor module in which a plurality of capacitor elements are housed in a case and sealed with resin is known. When an electric current flows through the capacitor element, the capacitor element generates heat, which may exceed the heat-resistant temperature of the capacitor module. Therefore, efficient cooling of the capacitor module has been studied. As a method of cooling the capacitor module, it has been studied to install a cooling plate formed of a material with high thermal conductivity between the capacitors arranged in parallel.

[0012] The heat generated in the capacitor element moves from the cooling plate through the case to the outside of the capacitor module. In order to ensure higher cooling performance of the capacitor module, a structure in which the cooling plate and the bus bar are brought into contact to enable more efficient heat transfer has been studied, leading to the following invention.

[0013] (Embodiment) FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a capacitor module 1 according to an embodiment, and FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the capacitor module 1 according to the embodiment. In FIG. 2, the illustration of the sealing resin <140> is omitted.

[0014] The capacitor module 1 shown in Figures 1 and 2 is a module comprising one or more capacitor elements 40, and is used by being incorporated into various electronic devices, electrical equipment, industrial equipment, vehicle equipment, etc. As shown in Figure 1, the capacitor module 1 has a first external connection terminal 68 and a second external connection terminal 88 for electrically connecting to an external power supply, and functions as a capacitor when current is passed through the first external connection terminal 68 and the second external connection terminal 88.

[0015] As shown in Figure 2, the capacitor module 1 comprises a case 20, a capacitor element 40, a first busbar 60, a second busbar 80, insulating paper 100, a cooling plate 120, and a sealing resin 140 (Figure 1), which is not shown.

[0016] Excluding the case 20 and sealing resin 140, the assembled capacitor element 40, first busbar 60, second busbar 80, insulating paper 100, and cooling plate 120 are referred to as the capacitor assembly 160. In the figure, the X, Y, and Z directions represent the horizontal, height, and vertical directions of the capacitor module 1, respectively.

[0017] The components of capacitor module 1 will be explained below using Figures 3 to 9.

[0018] Figure 3 is a plan view of Case 20, and Figure 4 is a perspective view of Case 20.

[0019] The case 20 shown in Figures 3 and 4 is a component for housing the capacitor assembly 160 shown in Figure 2. The case 20 is made of a material with high thermal conductivity (e.g., aluminum).

[0020] The case 20 has a bottom surface 22, a pair of side surfaces 24, and a pair of side surfaces 26, and has a box-like shape with an opening on the opposite side of the bottom surface 22. An opening 34 is provided on the opposite side of the bottom surface 22. In this embodiment, the bottom surface 22 is rectangular, and the pair of side surfaces 24 and the pair of side surfaces 26 are provided according to the outer shape of the bottom surface 22. The side surfaces 24 correspond to the long sides of the bottom surface 22, and the side surfaces 26 correspond to the short sides of the bottom surface 22.

[0021] As shown in Figure 4, the bottom surface 22 is provided with a pair of first protrusions 30 and a pair of second protrusions 32 that are higher than the first protrusions 30. The first protrusions 30 and the second protrusions 32 are portions that protrude from the bottom surface 22 toward the opening 34 (+Y direction) and are used for positioning when housing the capacitor assembly 160, which will be described later, into the case 20.

[0022] The first protrusion 30 has the function of positioning the capacitor assembly 160 in the Y direction, and the second protrusion 32 has the function of positioning the capacitor assembly 160 in the X and Z directions. In this embodiment, the second protrusion 32 is provided on top of the first protrusion 30. However, the first protrusion 30 and the second protrusion 32 may be provided in different positions.

[0023] A groove 28 is provided on each of the pair of side surfaces 26. The pair of grooves 28 are shaped to guide and position the cooling plate 120, which will be described later, and each extends in the Y direction. By moving the cooling plate 120 in the -Y direction along the pair of grooves 28, the capacitor assembly 160 having the cooling plate 120 can be guided to a predetermined position inside the case 20. In this embodiment, each of the grooves 28 is provided at approximately the center position in the Z direction on the side surface 26.

[0024] The capacitor element 40 is a film capacitor composed of, for example, a laminate of dielectric films. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 2, four capacitor elements 40 are arranged. The capacitor element 40 has a first electrode 42 electrically connected to a first busbar 60 (described later) and a second electrode 44 electrically connected to a second busbar 80 (described later).

[0025] Figure 5 is a plan view of the first busbar 60, and Figure 6 is a plan view of the second busbar 80.

[0026] The first busbar 60 shown in Figure 5 and the second busbar 80 shown in Figure 6 are components for electrically connecting the capacitor element 40 to an external power supply. The first busbar 60 is joined to the first electrode 42 of the capacitor element 40, and the second busbar 80 is joined to the second electrode 44 of the capacitor element 40. Both the first busbar 60 and the second busbar 80 are made of a material having conductivity and high thermal conductivity (for example, copper). As shown in Figure 2, the first busbar 60 is positioned toward the opening 34 of the case 20, and the second busbar 80 is positioned toward the bottom surface 22 of the case 20.

[0027] The first busbar 60 shown in Figure 5 has a first contact portion 62, a first bent portion 64, and a first external connection terminal 68 (Figure 1).

[0028] The first contact portion 62 is the part that contacts the first electrode 42 of the capacitor element 40, and has a plurality of first terminals 66, a first central hole 70, and a plurality of first holes 72.

[0029] The first terminal 66 is the part that is joined to the first electrode 42 of the capacitor element 40 by solder or the like. The first central hole 70 is a hole that allows the sealing resin 140 to pass through and increases the fluidity of the sealing resin 140.

[0030] The first bent portion 64 is a structure that exposes the first external connection terminal 68 to the outside of the case 20.

[0031] As mentioned above, the first external connection terminal 68 is a terminal for electrically connecting the capacitor element 40 to an external power supply.

[0032] The second busbar 80 shown in Figure 6 has both common and different structures from the first busbar 60 shown in Figure 5.

[0033] Common structural features include the second terminal 86 and the second central hole 90 provided on the second contact portion 82. The second terminal 86 and the second central hole 90 correspond to the first terminal 66 and the first central hole 70 provided on the first contact portion 62, respectively. Also common structural features include the second bent portion 84 and the second external connection terminal 88. The second bent portion 84 and the second external connection terminal 88 correspond to the first bent portion 64 and the first external connection terminal 68, respectively.

[0034] In terms of structure, the second busbar 80 has a second hole 92 and a slit 94 located in the second contact portion 82.

[0035] The second hole 92 is a hole that engages with the second protrusion 32 of the case 20 described above. The capacitor assembly 160 is positioned within the case 20 when the second protrusion 32 engages with the second hole 92.

[0036] The multiple slits 94 are elongated holes for engaging the cooling plate 120, which will be described later, with the second busbar 80. Each of the slits 94 in this embodiment is an elongated hole extending in the X direction, and multiple slits are provided spaced apart in the X direction (four in this embodiment).

[0037] In this embodiment, the second central hole 90, the second hole 92, and the slits 94 are positioned to overlap each other with respect to their position in the Z direction. Two slits 94 are provided between the second central hole 90 and the second hole 92, and two slits 94 are provided on the outside of the second hole 92.

[0038] Figure 7 is an elevation view of the cooling plate 120, and Figure 8 is a partially enlarged view of Figure 7.

[0039] The cooling plate 120 shown in Figure 7 is a plate-shaped member for cooling the capacitor element 40. The cooling plate 120 is made of a material having high thermal conductivity (for example, aluminum or copper). Alternatively, the cooling plate 120 may have an insulating coating layer made of resin or inorganic material formed on the surface of a metal material having high thermal conductivity, such as aluminum or copper. Furthermore, the cooling plate 120 may be made of a composite material in which a thermal conductive filler, such as aluminum nitride, which has high thermal conductivity while also being highly insulating, is mixed into a resin material.

[0040] The cooling plate 120 has a pair of sides 122 extending in the Y direction and a pair of sides 124 extending in the X direction. Sides 122 are the shorter sides and side 124 are the longer sides.

[0041] When the cooling plate 120 is placed in the groove 28 (Figure 4) of the case 20, the shorter side of the cooling plate 120, which is side 122, is placed in the groove 28.

[0042] Multiple hooks 126 are provided on one side of the longer side, side 124. The hooks 126 are the parts that are inserted into the slits 94 of the second busbar 80 shown in Figure 6, and together with the slits 94, they function as a locking part 180 that locks the cooling plate 120 to the second busbar 80.

[0043] As shown in Figure 8, each of the hooks 126 has a first portion 128 and a second portion 130. The first portion 128 is the portion extending from the edge 124, and the second portion 130 is the portion extending in a direction intersecting the first portion 128.

[0044] Figure 9 shows the state in which the hooks 126 of the cooling plate 120 are inserted into the slits 94 of the second bus bar 80 and the cooling plate 120 is locked to the second bus bar 80.

[0045] As shown in Figure 9, the second portion 130 of the hook 126 of the cooling plate 120 contacts the back surface of the second contact portion 82 of the second bus bar 80 in the +Y direction. This is referred to as the locking portion 180. The locking portion 180 restricts the movement of the cooling plate 120 in the Y direction (arrow Y1), and the cooling plate 120 is locked to the second bus bar 80. With this locking method, even if a force acts to lift the cooling plate 120 in the +Y direction due to the filling of the sealing resin 140, the second bus bar 80 restricts the movement of the cooling plate 120, thus suppressing the lifting of the cooling plate 120.

[0046] Returning to Figure 2, the insulating paper 100 is a component for electrically insulating the first busbar 60 and the second busbar 80, and is made of a material with high insulating properties. The insulating paper 100 is placed between the first bend portion 64 of the first busbar 60 and the second bend portion 84 of the second busbar 80. By preventing contact between the first busbar 60 and the second busbar 80, a short circuit within the capacitor module 1 is prevented.

[0047] The sealing resin 140 shown in Figure 1 is a component for sealing the capacitor assembly 160 placed in the case 20, and is made of a thermosetting resin. The sealing resin 140 is made of, for example, epoxy resin or urethane resin.

[0048] Next, we will explain the procedure for assembling capacitor module 1.

[0049] First, the capacitor assembly 160 shown in Figure 2 is assembled. Specifically, the cooling plate 120 is attached to the second bus bar 80. More specifically, the hook 126 of the cooling plate 120 shown in Figure 7 is inserted in the slit 94 of the second bus bar 80 shown in Figure 6 in the -Y direction. Then, by moving the cooling plate 120 in the +X direction, a part of the second portion 130 of the hook 126 faces the second contact portion 82 of the second bus bar 80 in the Y direction, as shown in Figure 9. As a result, the movement of the cooling plate 120 in the +Y direction is restricted by the second bus bar 80.

[0050] Next, prepare a plurality of capacitor elements 40 as shown in Figure 2, connect the first electrode 42 of the capacitor element 40 to the first terminal 66 of the first busbar 60, and connect the second electrode 44 of the capacitor element 40 to the second terminal 86 of the second busbar 80. Place insulating paper 50 between the first busbar 60 and the second busbar 80.

[0051] As shown in Figure 10, the assembled capacitor assembly 160 is placed inside the case 20. Specifically, the capacitor assembly 160 is moved in the -Y direction from the opening 34 of the case 20 toward the bottom surface 22. At this time, the edge 122 of the cooling plate 120 is slid along the groove 28 of the case 20. This allows the capacitor assembly 160 to be moved toward the bottom surface 22 of the case 20 while maintaining its relative position to the case 20 in the XZ plane.

[0052] The capacitor assembly 160 stops when the second busbar 80 contacts the bottom surface 22 of the case 20. As shown in Figure 11, the capacitor assembly 160 is housed in the case 20, except for the first external connection terminal 68 of the first busbar 60 and the second external connection terminal 88 of the second busbar 80.

[0053] The contact between the edge 122 of the cooling plate 120 and the groove 28 of the case 20, as described later, restricts the movement of the cooling plate 120 in the -X direction. Therefore, unintended disengagement of the locking mechanism does not occur.

[0054] Figure 12 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion of the AA section in Figure 11.

[0055] As shown in Figure 12, the second protrusion 32 of the case 20 engages with the second hole 92 of the second bus bar 80, and the first protrusion 30 of the case 20 contacts the second contact portion 82 of the second bus bar 80. The second bus bar 80 is supported from below by the first protrusion 30, and the capacitor assembly 160 is positioned in the Y direction. Furthermore, the engagement of the second protrusion 32 with the second hole 92 positions the capacitor assembly 160 in the X and Z directions. In this way, the capacitor assembly 160 is positioned three-dimensionally.

[0056] As explained using Figure 10, when inserting the capacitor assembly 160 into the case 20, the edges 122 of the cooling plate 120 slide along the groove 28 of the case 20, thereby positioning the capacitor assembly 160 in the X and Z directions relative to the case 20. Therefore, by pre-setting the positions of the second hole 92 of the second busbar 80 and the second protrusion 32 of the case 20 to correspond to each other, the second protrusion 32 of the case 20 will engage with the second hole 92 of the second busbar 80 simply by sliding the cooling plate 120 along the groove 28. In this way, the second hole 92 and the second protrusion 32 can be engaged when housing the capacitor assembly 160 in the case 20 without any position adjustment.

[0057] After the capacitor assembly 160 is housed in the case 20, the sealing resin 140 is filled into the inside of the case 20. The filling of the sealing resin 140 continues until the capacitor assembly 160 is sealed by the sealing resin 140. This completes the capacitor module 1 shown in Figure 1.

[0058] As shown in Figure 12, a gap is maintained between the bottom surface 22 of the case 20 and the second bus bar 80 around the first protrusion 30. Therefore, the sealing resin 140 can be more reliably filled into the space below the capacitor assembly 160 through the first central hole 70 of the first bus bar 60 and the second central hole 90 of the second bus bar 80, and the sealing resin 140 can be efficiently filled into the case 20.

[0059] Figure 13 shows the AA-AA cross-section of Figure 1, where the sealing resin 140 is clearly indicated by hatching. The portion of the sealing resin 140 filled between the side surface 24 of the case 20 and the capacitor element 40 is referred to as the first portion 142. The portion of the sealing resin 140 filled between the side surface 26 of the case 20 and the capacitor element 40 is referred to as the second portion 146. The positioning of the capacitor assembly 160 within the case 20 as described above ensures that there is space to fill the sealing resin 140 to the intended dimensions. As a result, the first portion 142 and the second portion 146 of the sealing resin 140 are formed to the intended dimensions.

[0060] As shown in Figure 13, sealing resin 140 is filled between the capacitor element 40 and the cooling plate 120. This is referred to as the third portion 148. The contact between the edge 122 of the cooling plate 120 and the groove 28 of the case 20 restricts the movement of the cooling plate 120 in the Z direction. As a result, the movement of the cooling plate 120 in the Z direction due to the filling of sealing resin 140 is also restricted. This ensures that the dimensions of the third portion 148 of the sealing resin 140 are formed to the intended dimensions. For example, if the thickness of the third portion 148 of the sealing resin 140 in the Z direction is made uniform, variations in the cooling of the capacitor element 40 by the cooling plate 120 are suppressed. Also, by narrowing the distance between the capacitor element 40 and the cooling plate 120, the amount of sealing resin 140 flowing in is reduced. This improves the efficiency of heat transfer from the capacitor element 40 to the cooling plate 120.

[0061] Figure 14 shows the BB-BB cross-section of Figure 1, where the sealing resin 140 is clearly indicated by hatching. The portion of the sealing resin 140 filled between the bottom surface 22 of the case 20 and the second busbar 80 is referred to as the fourth portion 150. The positioning of the capacitor assembly 160 within the case 20 as described above ensures that there is space to fill the sealing resin 140 to the intended dimensions. The fourth portion 150 of the sealing resin 140 can be formed to the intended dimensions.

[0062] In this embodiment, the locking of the second busbar 80 and the cooling plate 120 suppresses the inflow of the sealing resin 140 between the second busbar 80 and the cooling plate 120. As a result, the sealing resin 140 does not obstruct heat transfer from the cooling plate 120 to the second busbar 80. In other words, the efficiency of heat transfer from the cooling plate 120 to the second busbar 80 is improved.

[0063] In the embodiment described above, the structure in which the second busbar 80 and the cooling plate 120 are locked together by the slit 94 and the hook 126 was explained, but the embodiment is not limited to this case.

[0064] First, there is the case where both the first busbar 60 and the second busbar 80 are locked to the cooling plate 120. By using the cooling plate 120, which has not only high thermal conductivity but also insulating properties, the first busbar 60 and the second busbar 80 are locked without causing a short circuit. As a result, the efficiency of heat transfer is improved not only between the cooling plate 120 and the second busbar 80, but also between the cooling plate 120 and the first busbar 60, further improving the cooling performance of the capacitor module 1. On the other hand, if the cooling plate 120 is locked only to the second busbar 80, the cooling plate 120 does not need to have insulating properties, and the cost of manufacturing can be reduced. In addition, there is the advantage that high precision is not required for the Y-direction dimension of the cooling plate 120. Taking the above into consideration, in this embodiment, the second busbar 80 and the cooling plate 120 are locked.

[0065] Another case involves locking the first busbar 60 and the cooling plate 120. First, since the first busbar 60 and the second busbar 80 are not locked by the cooling plate 120, the cooling plate 120 does not need to be insulating. Furthermore, since the first busbar 60 does not need to be mated with the second protrusion 32 of the case 20, it can have a locking portion freely, regardless of the position of the hole for mating. On the other hand, if the locking is limited to the second busbar only, there is the advantage that the capacitor assembly 160 can be aligned more easily. When the capacitor assembly 160 is housed in the case 20 while sliding between the groove 28 and the edge 122, if an external force is applied that rotates the capacitor assembly 160 around the X axis, a small elastic deformation occurs near the locking portion 180 of the cooling plate 120, and a rotational displacement around the X axis occurs centered around the locking portion 180. When the locking portion 180 is located on the first bus bar 60, compared to when it is located on the second bus bar 80, the distance between the center of rotation and the second hole 92 is shorter when the locking portion 180 is located on the second bus bar 80, thus suppressing the range of motion of the second hole 92.

[0066] Furthermore, regarding the method of locking at least one of the first busbar 60 and the second busbar 80 with the cooling plate 120, in addition to locking by the slit 94 and hook 126, other methods include locking by welding, locking by adhesive, and locking by interference fit.

[0067] Welding or adhesive fastening can more reliably prevent the sealing resin 140 from flowing between at least one of the first busbar 60 and the second busbar 80 and the cooling plate 120. On the other hand, the fastening in this embodiment is freely detachable, making it easy to assemble the capacitor module 1.

[0068] Similar to welding and bonding as described above, interference fit locking can more reliably prevent the inflow of the sealing resin 140. On the other hand, this embodiment has the advantage of being easy to manufacture as it does not require the high dimensional accuracy required for interference fit.

[0069] [effect] According to the embodiment described above, the following effects can be achieved.

[0070] The capacitor module 1 comprises a case 20, a capacitor element 40, a first bus bar 60, a second bus bar 80, a cooling plate 120, and a sealing resin 140. The capacitor module 1 includes a locking portion 180 for locking at least one of the first bus bar 60 or the second bus bar 80 with the cooling plate 120.

[0071] With this configuration, not only the heat from the capacitor element 40 but also the heat from the busbar can be efficiently dissipated to the outside via the cooling plate 120, improving the cooling performance and reliability of the capacitor module 1.

[0072] Furthermore, the locking portion 180 locks the second busbar 80 and the cooling plate 120.

[0073] This configuration makes it easier to assemble capacitor module 1.

[0074] Furthermore, the locking portion is secured by a slit 94 provided in at least one of the first busbar 60 or the second busbar 80 and a hook 126 provided on the cooling plate 120.

[0075] This configuration allows for locking with a simple structure.

[0076] Additionally, a groove 28 is provided on the side 26 of the case 20, and the edge 122 of the cooling plate 120 makes contact with it.

[0077] This configuration allows the capacitor assembly 160 to be easily and accurately positioned in the designated location on the case 20. Furthermore, it can further improve the cooling performance of the capacitor module 1.

[0078] Furthermore, the bottom surface 22 of the case 20 is provided with a first protrusion 30 and a second protrusion 32 that is higher than the first protrusion. The first protrusion 30 contacts the second bus bar 80. In addition, the second protrusion 32 engages with the second hole 92 of the second bus bar.

[0079] With this configuration, the first protrusion 30 of the case 20 contacts the second bus bar 80, and the second protrusion 32 of the case 20 engages with the second hole 92 of the second bus bar 80, thereby improving the positioning accuracy of the capacitor assembly 160 when housed in the case 20, and ensuring a precise gap between the case 20 and the capacitor assembly 160. This improves the dimensional accuracy of the sealing resin 140.

[0080] (Summary of the embodiment) (1) The capacitor module of the present disclosure comprises a case having a bottom surface and a side surface; a capacitor element having a first electrode disposed toward the bottom surface of the case and a second electrode different from the first electrode; a first busbar connected to the first electrode of the capacitor element; a second busbar connected to the second electrode of the capacitor element; a cooling plate located between the first busbar and the second busbar, in contact with the inside of the side surface of the case, and in contact with at least one of the first busbar or the second busbar; a sealing resin filled inside the case; and a locking portion that locks the first busbar, the second busbar, and the cooling plate.

[0081] (2) In the capacitor module of (1), the locking portion may lock the second busbar and the cooling plate, and restrict the movement of the cooling plate in the direction from the second busbar to the first busbar.

[0082] (3) In the capacitor modules of (1) and (2), the locking portion may lock a slit provided in the first busbar or the second busbar with a hook provided in the cooling plate.

[0083] (4) In the capacitor modules of (1) to (3), the case may have a groove extending in the height direction on the inside of the side surface, and the edge of the cooling plate may be in contact with the groove.

[0084] (5) In the capacitor module of (1) to (4), the case has a first protrusion on the inside of the bottom surface and a second protrusion on the inside of the bottom surface that is higher than the first protrusion, the second bus bar has a hole that fits into the second protrusion, the first protrusion and the second bus bar are in contact, and the second protrusion and the hole in the second bus bar are fitted together.

[0085] This disclosure is described in full with reference to the accompanying drawings in relation to preferred embodiments. On the other hand, various variations and modifications of the invention will be obvious to those skilled in the art. Such variations and modifications should be understood to be included within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims, as long as they do not fall outside that scope. [Industrial applicability]

[0086] The capacitor module of this disclosure is useful in various electronic devices, electrical equipment, industrial equipment, vehicle equipment, etc. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0087] 1 Capacitor module 20 cases 22 Bottom 24, 26 Side view 28 Groove 30 First protrusion 32 Second protrusion 40 Capacitor elements 42 1st electrode 44 2nd electrode 60 First Bus Bar 62 1st contact part 64 1st bending part 66 1st terminal 68 First external connection terminal 70 1st central hole 72 Hole 1 80 Second Bus Bar 82 Second contact part 84 2nd bending part 86 2nd terminal 88 Second external connection terminal 90 2nd central hole 92 2nd hole 94 slits 100 Insulating paper 120 Cooling plate 122, 124 sides 126 hooks 128 Part 1 130 Part 2 140 Sealing resin 142 Part 1 146 Part 2 148 Part 3 150 Part 4 152 Part 5 160 Capacitor Assembly 180 Locking part

Claims

1. A case having a bottom and sides, A capacitor element having a first electrode positioned toward the bottom surface of the case and a second electrode different from the first electrode, A first busbar connected to the first electrode of the capacitor element, A second busbar connected to the second electrode of the capacitor element, A cooling plate located between the first busbar and the second busbar, in contact with the inside of the side surface of the case, and in contact with at least one of the first busbar or the second busbar, The sealing resin filled inside the case, The device comprises a locking portion that engages at least one of the first busbar and the second busbar with the cooling plate, Capacitor module.

2. The locking portion locks the second busbar and the cooling plate, and restricts the movement of the cooling plate in the direction from the second busbar toward the first busbar. The capacitor module according to claim 1.

3. The locking portion locks a slit provided in the first busbar or the second busbar with a hook provided in the cooling plate. The capacitor module according to claim 1.

4. The case has a groove extending in the height direction on the inner side of the side, The edge of the cooling plate contacts the groove. The capacitor module according to claim 1.

5. The case has a first protrusion on the inside of the bottom surface and a second protrusion on the inside of the bottom surface that is higher than the first protrusion. The second busbar has a hole that fits into the second protrusion, The first protrusion and the first busbar come into contact, and the second protrusion and the hole in the second busbar engage. The capacitor module according to claim 1.

Citation Information

Patent Citations

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