Power Conversion Device

The power conversion device addresses heat dissipation and inductance issues by using a capacitor bus bar with balanced connection ranges and external exposure, ensuring efficient heat dissipation and capacitor protection.

JP7809017B2Active Publication Date: 2026-01-30MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORP
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Patent Information

Application Number
JP2022090024
Authority / Receiving Office
JP · JP
Patent Type
Patents
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2022-06-02
Publication Date
2026-01-30
Estimated Expiration
2042-06-02

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Existing power conversion devices face issues with heat dissipation and increased wiring inductance in the bus bar connections between capacitor elements and power modules, leading to temperature rises that shorten the lifespan of capacitor elements.

Method used

The power conversion device employs a capacitor bus bar with a flat plate portion exposed outside the sealing resin, having equal lengths and positions for element and power terminal connection ranges, which reduces electrical resistance and wiring inductance, enhancing heat dissipation.

Benefits of technology

This configuration improves heat dissipation and suppresses temperature rises in capacitor elements, protecting them from premature failure while minimizing the device's size and cost.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

To obtain a power conversion device capable of improving a heat radiation property of a bus bar while suppressing increase in wiring inductance between a capacitor element and a power module.SOLUTION: A power conversion device comprises: a power module part that has a plurality of power terminals; and a capacitor module that has a capacitor element, a capacitor case, and a capacitor bus bar. The capacitor bus bar has a flat plate part exposed to the outside, a plurality of power terminal connection parts, a power supply connection part, and a plurality of element connection parts. A position range of the element connection parts that is a position range in a first direction between two element connection parts arranged at both ends, and a position range of the power terminal connection parts that is a position range in the first direction between two power terminal connection parts arranged at both ends, are inside a position range in the first direction where the flat plate part is arranged. A length of the position range of the element connection parts and that of the position range of the power terminal connection parts are equivalent to each other. A center position of the position range of the element connection parts and that of the position range of the power terminal connection parts are equivalent to each other.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2
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Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present application relates to a power conversion device. [Background technology]

[0002] Electric vehicles, such as electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles, that use a motor as a drive source are equipped with multiple power conversion devices. Examples of power conversion devices include a charger that converts a commercial AC power source into a DC power source to charge a high-voltage battery, a DC / DC converter that converts the DC power source of the high-voltage battery into a voltage (e.g., 12 V) for a battery for auxiliary equipment, and an inverter that converts DC power from the battery into AC power for the motor.

[0003] A power conversion device has been disclosed that includes a power module mounted with semiconductor elements that perform power conversion, a cooler that cools the power module, and a capacitor having a capacitor element that smooths the DC voltage supplied from an external DC power source (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Because a ripple current flows through the capacitor element, the capacitor element consumes power and generates heat. Furthermore, because the capacitor element is connected to the power module via a bus bar, when the power module becomes hot, heat is transferred from the power module to the capacitor element via the bus bar, and the transferred heat also heats the capacitor element. Particularly in high-power density power conversion devices, heat transfer to the bus bar connecting the power module and the capacitor element and heat generation due to Joule heat in the bus bar become significant. When the temperature of the bus bar rises significantly, heat is transferred to the capacitor element, causing the temperature of the capacitor element to rise. Because the temperature rise of the capacitor element shortens the lifespan of the capacitor element, measures to address this temperature rise in the capacitor element are a key issue.

[0004] In the structure disclosed in Patent Document 1, the capacitor includes a capacitor element, a sealing resin that seals the capacitor element, and a pair of bus bars connected to the capacitor element. Each bus bar has an exposed portion exposed from the sealing resin. Each exposed portion includes a plate-shaped portion, a power terminal extending from the plate-shaped portion and electrically connected to a DC power source, and a component connection terminal extending from the plate-shaped portion and electrically connected to another electronic component such as a power module. Each plate-shaped portion has a specific portion that is thinner than the surrounding area in a region closer to the power terminal than the component connection terminal. The specific portion is a recess, a through-hole penetrating each plate-shaped portion in the thickness direction (Z), or a slit portion formed in a slit shape that communicates with the edge of the plate-shaped portion. When the alignment direction of the exposed portion and the capacitor element is defined as the horizontal direction (X) and the longitudinal direction of the sealing resin when viewed from the horizontal direction is defined as the vertical direction (Y), the power terminal is formed at one end of the exposed portion in the vertical direction, and the component connection terminal is formed at the end of the exposed portion opposite the end where the power terminal is formed. The specific portion is formed in the horizontal direction between the power supply terminal and the connection portion of the bus bar and the capacitor element. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 7031452 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] In the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, the bus bar connects the capacitor element, the DC power supply, and the power module, and exposes the DC path between the DC power supply and the power module to the outside of the sealing resin. The exposed portion of the bus bar has a specific portion that is thinner than the surrounding area. Therefore, the exposed portion has high electrical resistance around the specific portion. Furthermore, the specific portion is formed in a region of the exposed portion closer to the power supply terminal than the component connection terminal, between the power supply terminal and the connection portion of the bus bar and the capacitor element. Therefore, the electrical resistance of the region of the plate-shaped portion closer to the power supply terminal than the component connection terminal is high.

[0007] This configuration facilitates guiding the DC component of the DC current flowing into the power supply terminal toward the component connection terminal. Therefore, it is easy to prevent the DC component of the DC current flowing from the power supply terminal toward the busbar connected to the capacitor element within the sealing resin. Furthermore, when a large current flows through the DC path from the power supply terminal to the component connection terminal, the heat resulting from that current is easily dissipated efficiently. However, the exposed portion of the busbar is the current path between the DC power supply and the power module, and also between the DC power supply and the capacitor element, as well as between the capacitor element and the power module. This increases the electrical resistance of the current path between the capacitor element and the power module in certain areas, resulting in an increase in wiring inductance between the capacitor element and the power module. Furthermore, an increase in wiring inductance between the capacitor element and the power module increases the temperature of the busbar. If the temperature rise of the busbar becomes significant, heat is transferred to the capacitor element, causing the temperature of the capacitor element to rise.

[0008] Therefore, an object of the present application is to obtain a power conversion device that improves the heat dissipation properties of the bus bar connecting the capacitor element and the power module section while suppressing an increase in wiring inductance between the capacitor element and the power module section. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The power conversion device disclosed in the present application includes a plurality of semiconductor elements arranged in a first direction, a power main body portion accommodating the plurality of semiconductor elements either separately or collectively, and a power module portion connected to each of the plurality of semiconductor elements, protruding from the power main body portion on one side in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and having a plurality of power terminals arranged in the first direction; and a capacitor module including capacitor elements, a capacitor case accommodating the capacitor elements via a capacitor sealing resin, and a capacitor bus bar connected to the capacitor elements, the capacitor bus bar being formed in a plate shape whose width in the first direction is longer than its width in the second direction, and having a flat plate portion exposed to the outside from the capacitor sealing resin, and a flat plate portion extending from the flat plate portion on the other side in the second direction and arranged in the first direction, and connected to each of the plurality of power terminals. the power terminal connection portion includes a plurality of power terminal connection portions connected to the flat plate portion, a power supply connection portion connected to the flat plate portion and connected to a DC power supply, and a plurality of element connection portions connected to the flat plate portion, arranged on one side of the flat plate portion in the second direction, arranged in the first direction, and connected to capacitor elements; a positional range of the element connection portions that is a positional range in the first direction between two element connection portions arranged at both ends of the plurality of element connection portions in the first direction, and a positional range of the power terminal connection portions that is a positional range in the first direction between two power terminal connection portions arranged at both ends of the plurality of power terminal connection portions are inside the positional range in the first direction in which the flat plate portion is arranged; the length of the positional range of the element connection portions and the length of the positional range of the power terminal connection portions are equal; and the center position of the positional range of the element connection portions and the center position of the positional range of the power terminal connection portions are equal. The power supply connection portion has a DC path portion that is exposed to the outside from the sealing resin for the capacitor and is connected to the flat plate portion, and a DC connection portion that is connected to the DC path portion and is connected to the DC power supply, the DC path portion extending from one side of the flat plate portion in the second direction on one side or the other side of the first direction to one side in the second direction, and the DC path portion is arranged to overlap the sealing resin for the capacitor when viewed in a third direction perpendicular to the first and second directions. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the power conversion device disclosed in the present application, the power conversion device includes a power module unit and a capacitor module, and the capacitor bus bar is formed in a plate shape whose width in a first direction is longer than its width in a second direction, and has a flat plate portion exposed to the outside from the sealing resin for the capacitor, a plurality of power terminal connection portions extending from the flat plate portion to the other side in the second direction, arranged in the first direction, and connected to a plurality of power terminals, a power supply connection portion connected to the flat plate portion and connected to a DC power supply, and a plurality of element connection portions connected to the flat plate portion, arranged on one side of the flat plate portion in the second direction, arranged in the first direction, and connected to capacitor elements, and a positional range of the element connection portions in the first direction is a positional range in the first direction between two element connection portions arranged at both ends of the plurality of element connection portions in the first direction, and a positional range of the power terminal connection portions, which is a positional range in the first direction between two power terminal connection portions arranged at both ends in the first direction of the plurality of power terminal connection portions, is inside the positional range in the first direction in which the flat portion is arranged, the length of the positional range of the element connection portions is equivalent to the length of the positional range of the power terminal connection portions, and the center position of the positional range of the element connection portions is equivalent to the center position of the positional range of the power terminal connection portions.Therefore, the capacitor busbar has a sufficient width in the first direction in the current path in the second direction between the plurality of element connection portions and the plurality of power terminal connection portions, thereby suppressing an increase in electrical resistance of this current path and thereby suppressing an increase in wiring inductance between the capacitor elements and the power module portion.Furthermore, the flat portion, which is the current path between the capacitor elements and the power module portion and the current path between the DC power source and the power module portion, is exposed to the outside from the capacitor sealing resin, thereby improving the heat dissipation performance of the capacitor busbar. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] 1 is a plan view showing an outline of a power conversion device according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] 3 is a plan view of a positive bus bar of the power converter according to the first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 3] 3 is a plan view of a negative bus bar of the power converter according to the first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 4]2 is a cross-sectional view of the power converter taken along the line AA in FIG. 1. [Figure 5] 2 is a cross-sectional view of the power converter taken along the line BB in FIG. 1. [Figure 6] 2 is a cross-sectional view of the power converter taken along the CC cross section in FIG. 1. [Figure 7] 2 is a cross-sectional view of the power converter taken along the line DD in FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 8] 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a main part of a power conversion device according to a first embodiment. [Figure 9] 1 is a diagram illustrating an outline of a circuit of a power conversion device according to a first embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of another power conversion device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a plan view showing an outline of a power conversion device according to a second embodiment. [Figure 12] 12 is a cross-sectional view of the power converter taken along the FF cross section of FIG. 11. FIG. [Figure 13] 12 is a cross-sectional view of the power converter taken along the line GG in FIG. 11. [Figure 14] 12 is a cross-sectional view of the power converter taken along the line HH in FIG. 11. [Figure 15] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a main part of another power conversion device according to the second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] Hereinafter, a power conversion device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same or equivalent members and parts are denoted by the same reference numerals.

[0013] Embodiment 1 FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an outline of a power converter 1 according to a first embodiment, FIG. 2 is a plan view of a positive bus bar 42a of the power converter 1, FIG. 3 is a plan view of a negative bus bar 42b of the power converter 1, FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the power converter 1 taken along the line AA in FIG. 1, FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the power converter 1 taken along the line BB in FIG. 1, FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the power converter 1 taken along the line CC in FIG. 1, showing a portion of a capacitor module 4, FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the power converter 1 taken along the line DD in FIG. 1, showing a portion of the capacitor module 4, FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing a main portion of the power converter 1, showing a support portion 47b and its surrounding area taken along the line EE in FIG. 1, and FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an outline of a circuit of the power converter 1. The power converter 1 is a device that converts an input current from DC to AC, AC to DC, or an input voltage to a different voltage.

[0014] As shown in FIG. 1, the power conversion device 1 includes a power module unit 3, a capacitor module 4, and a housing 2. The housing 2 houses the power module unit 3 and the capacitor module 4. As shown in FIG. 9, the power conversion device 1 in this embodiment is a device that receives DC power from a power supply connector 422 of the capacitor module 4 connected to a DC power supply 5, smoothes the DC power in the capacitor module 4, converts the DC power in the power module unit 3, and outputs the converted power from an output terminal 33. This embodiment shows the power conversion device 1 that outputs three-phase AC. As shown in FIG. 1, the power module unit 3 is composed of three power main units 32a, 32b, and 32c corresponding to the respective phases. While FIG. 9 shows only one power main unit 32a, the other two power main units 32b and 32c have the same configuration. The DC power supply 5, which is provided outside the power conversion device 1 and connected to the power supply connector 422, is not shown in FIG. 1. Note that the configuration of the power conversion device 1 is not limited to this, and the power conversion device 1 may be a device that converts input current from AC to DC.

[0015] <Power Module Section 3> As shown in FIG. 1 , the power module unit 3 includes a plurality of semiconductor elements 34 arranged in a first direction, a power main body that houses the plurality of semiconductor elements 34 either individually or together, and a plurality of power terminals 31 connected to the plurality of semiconductor elements 34, protruding from the power main body to one side in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and arranged in the first direction. In the figure, the first direction is defined as the Y direction, with the Y1 direction being one side of the first direction and the Y2 direction being the other side. The second direction is defined as the X direction, with the X1 direction being one side of the second direction and the X2 direction being the other side of the second direction. A third direction perpendicular to the first and second directions is defined as the Z direction, with the Z1 direction being one side of the third direction and the Z2 direction being the other side of the third direction. In this embodiment, power main bodies 32a, 32b, and 32c are provided, each housing a plurality of semiconductor elements 34 individually. However, a plurality of semiconductor elements 34 may be housed together in a single power main body, and the power module unit 3 may be configured from a single power main body.

[0016] Although the semiconductor element 34 is indicated by a dashed line in FIG. 1 , the number of semiconductor elements 34 accommodated in one power module is not limited to one. A power module may accommodate one or more semiconductor elements 34. The power module 3 further includes an output terminal 33 and multiple control terminals (not shown). The output terminal 33 and the control terminals also protrude outward from the power module. In this embodiment, the multiple output terminals 33 protrude from the power module to the other side in the X direction and are arranged side by side in the Y direction. The power modules 32a, 32b, and 32c shown in FIG. 1 are protective members such as sealing resin that surround the semiconductor element 34, or cases. In the case of a case, the interior of the case may be filled with resin. The power terminal 31, the output terminal 33, and the control terminal are made of, for example, copper, which has low electrical resistivity and excellent conductivity. The power terminal 31 is electrically connected to the capacitor bus bar 42 of the capacitor module 4. The capacitor bus bar 42 is a bus bar that connects the capacitor element 41 and the power module section 3.

[0017] <Case 2> The housing 2 is made of metal such as aluminum. As shown in FIG. 4, the housing 2 is formed, for example, in the shape of a cylinder with a bottom. The housing 2 has a first surface 2a to which the power module unit 3 is thermally connected and a second surface 2b to which the capacitor module 4 is thermally connected. A refrigerant flow path 21 for cooling the first surface 2a is provided on the back side of the first surface 2a. The portion of the housing 2 where the refrigerant flow path 21 is provided is a flow path forming portion 23. The refrigerant flow path 21 is a flow path through which a refrigerant flows. For example, water or ethylene glycol liquid is used as the refrigerant. The second surface 2b faces one side in the Z direction as shown in FIG. 4, is on one side of the first surface 2a in the X direction, and is located on the other side of the first surface 2a in the Z direction. The housing 2 has a step portion 2c between the first surface 2a and the second surface 2b. The refrigerant flow path 21 is located on the other side of the step portion 2c in the X direction.

[0018] The portion of the housing 2 having the first surface 2a is a base portion 22 formed in a plate shape. The base portion 22 is made of, for example, a metal such as aluminum, like the main body portion of the housing 2, but is not limited to this and may be made of a resin material with excellent thermal conductivity. The back surface of the base portion 22 opposite the first surface 2a constitutes part of the inner surface of the refrigerant flow path 21. One or more cooling fins 22a are provided on the back surface of the base portion 22 in an area overlapping with the power main body portion 32a as viewed from one side in the Z direction. The refrigerant flow path 21 has an upstream flow path 21a, a downstream flow path 21b, and an intermediate flow path 21c. The intermediate flow path 21c is a flow path through which the refrigerant flows from one side in the X direction to the other side in the X direction through the cooling fin 22a. The upstream flow path 21a is connected to one side in the X direction of the intermediate flow path 21c and is a flow path extending in the Y direction. The downstream flow path 21b is a flow path that is connected to the other side of the intermediate flow path 21c in the X direction and extends in the Y direction.

[0019] The refrigerant flows through the upstream flow path 21a, the intermediate flow path 21c, and the downstream flow path 21b in this order. As shown in FIG. 1, the flow path forming portion 23 has a refrigerant inlet / outlet 23a. The refrigerant inlet / outlet 23a is an inlet / outlet through which the refrigerant flows into or out of the refrigerant flow path 21. The refrigerant inlet / outlet 23a protrudes from the outer wall surface of the housing 2. When viewed from one side in the Z direction, the upstream flow path 21a is positioned so as to overlap the area between the power main body portions 32a, 32b, and 32c and the capacitor case 45. With this configuration, low-temperature refrigerant flows through the upstream flow path 21a before cooling the power module portion 3. Therefore, the upstream flow path 21a efficiently cools the step portion 2c adjacent to the first surface 2a and the second surface 2b. Because the second surface 2b is cooled, the capacitor module 4 thermally connected to the second surface 2b can also be cooled.

[0020] <Capacitor module 4> The capacitor module 4 includes a capacitor element 41, a capacitor case 45 housing the capacitor element 41 via a capacitor sealing resin 44, and a capacitor bus bar 42 connected to the capacitor element 41. The capacitor element 41 has capacitor electrodes 43 at both ends. Each of the capacitor electrodes 43 is a positive electrode or a negative electrode. The capacitor bus bar 42 is electrically connected to the capacitor element 41 on one side in the X direction and to the power terminal 31 on the other side in the X direction. The capacitor bus bar 42 is made of, for example, copper, which has low electrical resistivity and excellent conductivity. The capacitor bus bar 42 and the power terminal 31 are connected by welding at the ends of the power terminal connection portions 423 where the capacitor bus bar 42 and the power terminal 31 meet. The connection between the capacitor bus bar 42 and the power terminal 31 is not limited to welding, and may be connected by soldering, fitting, or screw fastening. Details of the capacitor bus bar 42 will be described later.

[0021] In this embodiment, the capacitor case 45 is formed in a cylindrical shape with a bottom. The capacitor case 45 is made of, for example, molded resin or aluminum die-cast. The capacitor sealing resin 44 is an insulating member made of epoxy resin or the like. The material and shape of the capacitor case 45 are not limited to these. The resin capacitor case 45 may directly accommodate the capacitor element 41. The bottom wall 45b of the capacitor case 45 is formed in, for example, a rectangular shape. The capacitor case 45 has an opening 45a, which is an open portion on the side opposite to the bottom wall 45b of the capacitor case 45. The capacitor bus bar 42 protrudes from the capacitor sealing resin 44 at the opening 45a. In this embodiment, the capacitor case 45 is arranged so that the opening 45a faces one side in the Z direction, and the capacitor bus bar 42 protrudes from the capacitor sealing resin 44 on one side in the Z direction. The arrangement of the capacitor case 45 is not limited to this, and the capacitor case 45 may be arranged so that the opening 45a faces the other side in the X direction, so that the capacitor bus bar 42 protrudes from the capacitor sealing resin 44 toward the power module section 3.

[0022] The outer surface of the bottom wall 45b of the capacitor case 45 is thermally connected to the second surface 2b of the housing 2. The thermal connection is not limited to a case where the bottom wall 45b and the second surface 2b are connected through direct contact with each other, and the bottom wall 45b and the second surface 2b may be thermally connected via a heat transfer member such as grease. By thermally connecting the capacitor case 45 to the housing 2, heat can be dissipated from the capacitor element 41 from the bottom wall 45b side of the capacitor case 45, thereby improving the heat dissipation performance of the capacitor element 41. Similarly, when the capacitor case 45 is arranged so that the opening 45a faces the other side in the X direction, heat can be dissipated from the side wall portion of the capacitor case 45 adjacent to the opening 45a and bottom wall 45b, which are in contact with the second surface 2b of the housing 2.

[0023] The capacitor element 41 smoothes DC power. The capacitor element 41 is a wound-type film capacitor with a laminated structure. The capacitor element 41 includes a metal film laminated via a dielectric, which is an insulating material. The capacitor element 41 includes capacitor electrodes 43 on one end surface in the Z direction, which intersects with the X direction, in which the metal film is laminated, and on the other end surface in the Z direction. In this embodiment, one capacitor electrode 43 is disposed on the bottom wall 45b side, and the other capacitor electrode 43 is disposed on the opening 45a side. The arrangement of the capacitor electrodes 43 is not limited thereto. The capacitor electrode 43 may also be disposed on a side of the capacitor element 41 between the bottom wall 45b side and the opening 45a side of the capacitor element 41. The thermal conductivity of the metal film is higher than that of the dielectric. Therefore, the thermal conductivity of the capacitor element 41 is higher in a direction intersecting the metal film lamination direction than in the X direction, in which the metal film is laminated. When the capacitor electrode 43 and the bottom wall 45b are arranged on the other side of the Z direction as in this embodiment, the thermal conductivity of the capacitor element 41 becomes higher on the other side of the Z direction. Therefore, by aligning the direction of high thermal conductivity of the capacitor element 41 with the direction of the heat dissipation path in which the bottom wall 45b of the capacitor case 45 is arranged, the heat of the capacitor element 41 can be dissipated more efficiently to the side of the bottom wall 45b of the capacitor case 45.

[0024] In this embodiment, the capacitor case 45 accommodates three capacitor elements 41. In FIG. 1, the outline of the capacitor elements 41 is indicated by a dashed line. The number of capacitor elements 41 is not limited to three. Multiple power main units may be connected to one capacitor element 41, or multiple capacitor elements 41 may be connected to one power main unit. Even when one capacitor element 41 is provided, multiple element connection units 425, which will be described later, are provided. This is to prevent bias in the current path.

[0025] In this embodiment, the power module 4 includes multiple power main bodies 32a, 32b, and 32c arranged in the Y direction, and the capacitor module 4 is arranged on one side of the multiple power main bodies 32a, 32b, and 32c in the X direction so as to overlap with the multiple power main bodies 32a, 32b, and 32c when viewed in the X direction. When viewed on one side in the Z direction, the capacitor bus bar 42 has a flat plate portion 421 that extends from the capacitor element 41 toward the multiple power main bodies 32a, 32b, and 32c on the other side in the X direction. With this configuration, the capacitor element 41 is arranged in close proximity to the power module unit 3, and therefore the capacitor element 41 and the power module unit 3 can be connected with low wiring inductance.

[0026] <Capacitor bus bar 42> The capacitor bus bar 42, which is a main part of the present application, will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. The capacitor bus bar 42 has a flat plate portion 421, multiple power terminal connection portions 423, a power supply connection portion 422, and multiple element connection portions 425. The flat plate portion 421 is formed in a plate shape whose width in the Y direction is longer than its width in the X direction, and is exposed to the outside from the capacitor sealing resin 44. The multiple power terminal connection portions 423 extend from the flat plate portion 421 to the other side in the X direction, are aligned in the Y direction, and are connected to the multiple power terminals 31, respectively. The power supply connection portion 422 is connected to the flat plate portion 421 and is connected to the DC power supply 5. The multiple element connection portions 425 are connected to the flat plate portion 421, are positioned on one side of the flat plate portion 421 in the X direction, are aligned in the Y direction, and are connected to the capacitor elements 41. Capacitor element 41 is housed in capacitor case 45 via capacitor sealing resin 44, and therefore multiple element connection portions 425 extend inside capacitor sealing resin 44 so as to face capacitor electrodes 43 and are connected to capacitor element 41. Flat plate portion 421, which is the current path between capacitor element 41 and power module unit 3 and the current path between DC power supply 5 and power module unit 3, is exposed to the outside from capacitor sealing resin 44, and therefore the heat dissipation properties of capacitor bus bar 42 can be improved.

[0027] In the present embodiment, the power supply connection portion 422 includes a DC path portion 424 that is exposed to the outside from the capacitor sealing resin 44 and is connected to the flat plate portion 421, and a DC connection portion 426 that is connected to the DC path portion 424 and is connected to the DC power supply 5. The DC path portion 424 is a portion through which a DC current flows between the flat plate portion 421 and the DC connection portion 426. Because the DC path portion 424 is exposed to the outside of the capacitor sealing resin 44, heat can be efficiently dissipated from the capacitor bus bar 42. The power supply connection portion 422 is not limited to a configuration including the DC path portion 424 and the DC connection portion 426. The power supply connection portion 422 may include only the DC connection portion 426. However, providing the DC path portion 424 improves the flexibility of the arrangement of the power supply connection portion 422.

[0028] A first capacitor bus bar and a second capacitor bus bar are provided as the capacitor bus bars 42. One of the first capacitor bus bar and the second capacitor bus bar is a positive bus bar 42a, and the other of the first capacitor bus bar and the second capacitor bus bar is a negative bus bar 42b. The positive bus bar 42a is connected to the positive power terminal 31, and the negative bus bar 42b is connected to the negative power terminal 31.

[0029] Capacitor element 41 has a first electrode which is capacitor electrode 43 connected to the first capacitor bus bar, and a second electrode which is capacitor electrode 43 connected to the second capacitor bus bar. One of the first electrode and the second electrode is arranged on the side of capacitor element 41 facing bottom wall 45b of capacitor case 45, and the other of the first electrode and the second electrode is arranged on the side of capacitor element 41 facing opening 45a of capacitor case 45.

[0030] 4 and 5, one of the first and second electrodes is a bottom wall-side electrode 43b, and the other of the first and second electrodes is an opening-side electrode 43a. Within a capacitor sealing resin 44, a negative bus bar 42b is connected to the bottom wall-side electrode 43b, and a positive bus bar 42a is connected to the opening-side electrode 43a. While the opening-side electrode 43a is the positive electrode and the bottom wall-side electrode 43b is the negative electrode in this embodiment, it does not matter whether the opening-side electrode 43a or the bottom wall-side electrode 43b is the positive electrode. The capacitor bus bar 42 connected to the positive electrode becomes the positive bus bar 42a, and the capacitor bus bar 42 connected to the negative electrode becomes the negative bus bar 42b.

[0031] 2 and 3, the positional range of the element connection parts (shown as YC in the figures), which is the positional range in the Y direction between two element connection parts arranged at both ends in the first direction in the plurality of element connection parts 425, and the positional range of the power terminal connection parts (shown as YP in the figures), which is the positional range in the first direction between two power terminal connection parts arranged at both ends in the Y direction in the plurality of power terminal connection parts 423, are inside the positional range in the Y direction (shown as YF in the figures) in which the flat plate part 421 is arranged. Furthermore, the length of the positional range of the element connection parts and the length of the positional range of the power terminal connection parts are equal, and the center position of the positional range of the element connection parts and the center position of the positional range of the power terminal connection parts are equal.

[0032] The term "the lengths of the positional ranges of the element connection parts and the power terminal connection parts are equivalent" means that the difference between the lengths of the positional ranges of the element connection parts and the power terminal connection parts is within 25% of the length of the positional range of the element connection parts. As shown in Figure 1, when there are multiple capacitor elements 41 and capacitor electrodes 43 are formed having both short and long sides, the difference between the lengths of the positional ranges of the element connection parts and the power terminal connection parts may be less than the short side length of capacitor electrode 43.

[0033] The center position of the positional range of the element connection portion and the center position of the positional range of the power terminal connection portion are said to be in the same position when the difference between the center position of the positional range of the element connection portion and the center position of the positional range of the power terminal connection portion is within 20% of the length of the positional range of the element connection portion. As shown in Figure 1, when there are multiple capacitor elements 41 and capacitor electrodes 43 are formed having both short and long sides, the difference between the center position of the positional range of the element connection portion and the center position of the positional range of the power terminal connection portion may be less than half the length of capacitor electrode 43 in the short side direction.

[0034] With this configuration, the capacitor bus bar 42 has a sufficient width in the Y direction in the current path in the X direction between the plurality of element connection portions 425 connected to each capacitor electrode 43 and the plurality of power terminal connection portions 423 connected to each power terminal 31, thereby suppressing an increase in electrical resistance of this current path and thereby suppressing an increase in wiring inductance between the capacitor elements 41 and the power module unit 3. Because the increase in wiring inductance is suppressed, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of excess loss in the capacitor bus bar 42 connecting the capacitor elements 41 and the power module unit 3. Because the occurrence of loss in the capacitor bus bar 42 is suppressed, heat generation due to Joule heat in the capacitor bus bar 42 is suppressed, and the capacitor elements 41 can be protected from temperature rise.

[0035] In this embodiment, as viewed in the X direction, 80% or more of the positional range of the element connection portion overlaps with the positional range of the power terminal connection portion, and 80% or more of the positional range of the power terminal connection portion overlaps with the positional range of the element connection portion. By defining the positional ranges of the element connection portion and the power terminal connection portion in this manner, an increase in wiring inductance between capacitor element 41 and power module unit 3 can be easily suppressed simply by the degree of overlap.

[0036] <Flat plate part 421> The configuration of the flat plate portion 421 in the first embodiment will be described in detail. In the present embodiment, the first flat plate portion, which is the flat plate portion of the first capacitor bus bar, and the second flat plate portion, which is the flat plate portion of the second capacitor bus bar, are arranged opposite each other. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 , the first flat plate portion 421a is provided on the positive bus bar 42a, and the second flat plate portion 421b is provided on the negative bus bar 42b. When the first flat plate portion 421a and the second flat plate portion 421b are arranged opposite each other in this manner, the projected area occupied by the capacitor bus bar 42 in the power converter 1 can be reduced, thereby enabling the miniaturization of the power converter 1. Furthermore, in the region of the flat plate portion 421 where the positive bus bar 42a and the negative bus bar 42b face each other, the wiring inductances cancel each other out, thereby significantly reducing the wiring inductance of the capacitor bus bar 42. The portion where positive bus bar 42a and negative bus bar 42b face each other is not limited to flat plate portion 421, and other portions such as DC path portion 424 may also face each other.

[0037] In this embodiment, an insulating spacer 420 is provided between the first flat plate portion 421a and the second flat plate portion 421b. The spacer 420 made of a resin member is manufactured by, for example, resin molding. When the insulating spacer 420 is provided, the distance between the first flat plate portion 421a and the second flat plate portion 421b can be narrowed. Narrowing the distance between the first flat plate portion 421a and the second flat plate portion 421b can further reduce the wiring inductance in the capacitor bus bar 42. A distance of 1.5 mm or less between the first flat plate portion 421a and the second flat plate portion 421b is suitable for reducing the wiring inductance. Note that the portion where the spacer 420 is provided is not limited to the flat plate portion 421. The spacer 420 may also be provided at an opposing location of another portion, such as the DC path portion 424.

[0038] <DC path portion 424> The DC path portion 424 extends to one side in the X direction from a portion on one side in the X direction of one or the other side of the flat plate portion 421 in the Y direction. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 , the DC path portion 424 extends to one side in the X direction from a portion on one side in the X direction of the flat plate portion 421 in the Y direction, spaced apart from the element connection portion 425. The positive bus bar 42a extends further to one side in the X direction than the negative bus bar 42b. The DC connection portions 426 of the positive bus bar 42a and the negative bus bar 42b are arranged to extend in the Y direction from a region on one side in the X direction of the DC path portion 424 of the positive bus bar 42a and the negative bus bar 42b. The arrangement of the DC connection portions 426 is not limited thereto; for example, the DC connection portions 426 may be arranged to extend to one side in the X direction from the DC path portion 424.

[0039] 1, the DC path portion 424 is arranged to overlap the capacitor sealing resin 44 when viewed in the Z direction. With this configuration, the DC path portion 424 and the capacitor sealing resin 44 overlap, and therefore the portion of the DC path portion 424 exposed to the outside does not protrude outward from the capacitor case 45, thereby making it possible to reduce the size of the power conversion device 1. Furthermore, the DC path portion 424 and the element connection portion 425 are arranged at a distance from each other, making it possible to prevent heat generated by the DC path portion 424 from being transmitted to the capacitor element 41 via the element connection portion 425.

[0040] <Element connection part 425> In the present embodiment, the element connection portion 425 is provided inside the capacitor sealing resin 44 adjacent to the capacitor element 41. The element connection portion 425 is connected to one side of the flat plate portion 421 in the X direction by a connecting portion that is wide in the Y direction and has multiple bent portions. The present invention is not limited to this configuration, and the portion of the element connection portion 425 provided inside the capacitor sealing resin 44 may extend to one side of the flat plate portion 421 in the X direction without having a connecting portion. As in the present embodiment, by connecting the element connection portion 425 to the flat plate portion 421 by a connecting portion that is wide in the Y direction, an increase in wiring inductance between the capacitor element 41 and the power module portion 3 can be suppressed.

[0041] When viewed in the Z direction, the area of ​​the first capacitor bus bar of the first electrode that overlaps with the element connection portion 425 is smaller than the area of ​​the first capacitor bus bar of the first electrode that does not overlap with the element connection portion 425, and the area of ​​the second capacitor bus bar of the second electrode that overlaps with the element connection portion 425 is smaller than the area of ​​the second capacitor bus bar of the second electrode that does not overlap with the element connection portion 425. In the present embodiment, the area of ​​the positive bus bar 42 a of the opening-side electrode 43 a that overlaps with the element connection portion 425 is smaller than the area of ​​the positive bus bar 42 a of the opening-side electrode 43 a that does not overlap with the element connection portion 425, and the area of ​​the negative bus bar 42 b of the bottom wall-side electrode 43 b that overlaps with the element connection portion 425 is smaller than the area of ​​the negative bus bar 42 b of the bottom wall-side electrode 43 b that does not overlap with the element connection portion 425.

[0042] With this configuration, the element connection portion 425 is connected to the opening-side electrode 43a and the bottom wall-side electrode 43b in an area close to the other side of the opening-side electrode 43a and the bottom wall-side electrode 43b in the X direction, and therefore there is no need to expand the overlapping area between the capacitor bus bar 42 and the capacitor element 41 more than necessary, thereby suppressing an increase in cost due to an increase in the volume of the capacitor bus bar 42. In addition, heat transfer from the capacitor bus bar 42 to the capacitor element 41 can be suppressed.

[0043] 4, in the present embodiment, element connection portion 425 has protrusion 4250 protruding toward capacitor element 41 at the end on the capacitor element 41 side. Opening-side electrode 43a of capacitor element 41 and protrusion 4250 are connected by, for example, soldering or welding.

[0044] With this configuration, in the region other than the protrusion 4250 of the element connection portion 425, the capacitor sealing resin 44 is inserted into the gap between the element connection portion 425 and the opening-side electrode 43a by the protrusion height of the protrusion 4250, thereby increasing the thermal resistance between the capacitor bus bar 42 and the opening-side electrode 43a. This makes it possible to suppress transmission of heat from the capacitor bus bar 42 to the capacitor element 41. This configuration is not limited to this, and a member with a higher thermal conductivity than the capacitor sealing resin 44 may be interposed between the capacitor bus bar 42 and the capacitor element 41 in the region other than the joint between the element connection portion 425 and the opening-side electrode 43a. Furthermore, the protrusion 4250 may be provided on the bottom-wall-side electrode 43b side. Furthermore, the protrusion 4250 may be provided at the joint with the ground-side capacitor element, which will be described later.

[0045] <Ground-side capacitor element 410> The ground-side capacitor element 410 will now be described. As shown in FIG. 9, the power conversion device 1 includes ground-side capacitor elements 410 connected between the ground and each of the positive bus bar 42a and the negative bus bar 42b, which are capacitor bus bars 42. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, the two ground-side capacitor elements 410 are housed in a capacitor case 45 via capacitor sealing resin 44. The arrangement of the ground-side capacitor elements 410 is not limited thereto, and they may be provided outside the capacitor case 45. The ground-side capacitor elements 410 are Y capacitors that remove noise between the ground and the positive bus bar 42a and the negative bus bar 42b.

[0046] When viewed in the Y direction, the ground-side capacitor element 410 is disposed so as to partially overlap with the capacitor element 41. The ground-side capacitor element 410 is a film capacitor, like the capacitor element 41. The ground-side capacitor element 410 is smaller in size than the capacitor element 41. The ground-side capacitor element 410 has ground-side capacitor electrodes 430 on both end surfaces in the X direction, which intersects with the Y direction, in which the metal film is laminated. The positive and negative electrodes 430a, which are the ground-side capacitor electrodes 430 connected to the positive bus bar 42a or the negative bus bar 42b, are disposed on one side in the X direction. The ground-side capacitor electrode 430 opposite the positive and negative electrodes 430a is a GND electrode 430b connected to one end of the GND bus bar 46. The other end of the GND bus bar 46 is connected to the ground.

[0047] In this embodiment, the ground-side capacitor electrode 430 is formed to have a short-side direction and a long-side direction. The ground-side capacitor element 410 is formed so that the length between the positive and negative electrodes 430a and the GND electrode 430b, which is the length between both end faces in the X direction, is greater than the length in the Z direction, which is the long-side direction of the ground-side capacitor electrode 430. Therefore, to minimize the Y-direction dimension of the capacitor case 45, the ground-side capacitor electrodes 430 are arranged side by side in the X direction, and the two ground-side capacitor elements 410 are arranged so as to overlap when viewed in the X direction. The arrangement of the two ground-side capacitor elements 410 is not limited to this, and the two ground-side capacitor electrodes 430 may face one side in the Z direction. Furthermore, the length between the positive and negative electrodes 430a and the GND electrode 430b may be shorter than the short-side direction of the ground-side capacitor electrode 430, and the ground-side capacitor electrode 430 may face the Y direction. Furthermore, the number of ground-side capacitor elements 410 is not limited to two. A plurality of Y capacitors may be connected to the GND electrode 430b, and the GND electrodes 430b of the plurality of ground-side capacitor elements 410 may be connected to one GND bus bar 46 in parallel.

[0048] In this embodiment, the DC path portion 424 is arranged so that at least a portion thereof overlaps the ground-side capacitor element 410 when viewed in the Z direction. This configuration allows the power conversion device 1 to be miniaturized while maintaining the noise removal effect. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the ground-side capacitor element 410 is arranged on the side of the opening 45a, which is the open side opposite the bottom wall 45b of the capacitor case 45 formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape. This configuration allows the ground-side capacitor element 410 to be arranged close to the DC connection portion 426. Since the DC connection portion 426 and the ground-side capacitor element 410 are close to each other, the wiring inductance between the DC connection portion 426 and the ground-side capacitor element 410 can be reduced. Since the wiring inductance is reduced, the noise removal effect of the ground-side capacitor element 410 can be improved.

[0049] <Supporting portion 47 and spacer supporting portion 420b> The support portion 47 will now be described. The DC path portion 424 has a support portion 47 extending from the DC path portion 424 into the capacitor sealing resin 44. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the positive bus bar 42a has two support portions 47a and 47b, and as shown in FIG. 3, the negative bus bar 42b has one support portion 47c. The support portion 47 is formed integrally with the DC path portion 424 and is bent toward the other side in the Z direction. By providing the support portion 47, the support portion 47 is fixed to the capacitor sealing resin 44, thereby suppressing vibration in the portion of the capacitor bus bar 42 exposed from the capacitor sealing resin 44. Furthermore, like the positive bus bar 42a, the DC path portion 424 may have multiple support portions 47. If multiple support portions 47 are provided, the effect of suppressing vibration of the capacitor bus bar 42 can be further enhanced.

[0050] As shown in FIG. 6 , the support portion 47a is connected to the positive / negative electrode 430a, which is one of the electrodes of the ground-side capacitor element 410. The support portion 47c is connected to the positive / negative electrode 430a, which is one of the electrodes of the ground-side capacitor element 410. The support portions 47a and 47c connected to the positive / negative electrode 430a are ground-side capacitor terminals. The support portions 47a and 47c are arranged on one side of the DC path portion 424 in the X direction. The other electrode of the ground-side capacitor element 410, the GND electrode 430b, is connected to the ground. Because the support portions 47a and 47c have a fixing function as well as a function as a ground-side capacitor terminal, there is no need to provide a new ground-side capacitor terminal, and therefore the number of components of the power conversion device 1 can be reduced. Because the number of components of the power conversion device 1 is reduced, the cost of the power conversion device 1 can be reduced.

[0051] The support portion 47b is a vibration-resistant anchor whose end is not electrically connected inside the capacitor sealing resin 44. The support portion 47b is arranged on the other side in the X direction of the DC path portion 424. In this manner, the support portion 47b is arranged closer to the flat plate portion 421 than to the DC connection portion 426 in the DC path portion 424. With this configuration, the support portion 47b is arranged adjacent to the free end on one side in the Y direction of the flat plate portion 421 that is spaced apart from the element connection portion 425 and the power terminal connection portion 423, thereby improving the vibration resistance of the flat plate portion 421.

[0052] In this embodiment, the vibration resistance of the positive busbar 42a is improved by providing the support portion 47b, which is a vibration-resistant anchor, only to the positive busbar 42a of the capacitor busbar 42, in which the free end on one side in the Y direction of the flat plate portion 421 has a wide width in the X direction and the DC path portion 424 has a long length in the X direction. The arrangement of the support portion 47b is not limited to this, and vibration-resistant anchors may be deleted, repositioned, or added depending on various shapes of the capacitor busbar 42. Furthermore, the support portion 47 may be provided only on the ground-side capacitor terminal or on the vibration-resistant anchor, or multiple support portions 47 may be provided in different positions.

[0053] In the present embodiment, the DC path portion 424 is formed in a plate shape, and the DC connection portion 426 and the support portion 47b are provided on the same side of the DC path portion 424 when viewed in the Z direction. Before the support portion 47b is bent to the other side in the Z direction, the DC connection portion 426 and the support portion 47b extend in the same direction. When the positive bus bar 42a is manufactured, the DC connection portion 426 and the support portion 47b extend in the same direction, which makes it easier to manufacture the positive bus bar 42a, and therefore improves the yield of the positive bus bar 42a.

[0054] The support portion 47b is formed in a plate shape, and the portion of the support portion 47b extending into the capacitor sealing resin 44 has one or both of a portion cut inward from the side surface and a portion protruding from the side surface toward the capacitor sealing resin 44. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7, the support portion 47b has two notches 47d that are portions cut inward from the side surface. In another power converter 1 shown in FIG. 10, the support portion 47b has two protrusions 47e that are portions protruding from the side surface toward the capacitor sealing resin 44. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the power converter 1 cut at the same position as FIG. 7. The number of notches 47d and protrusions 47e is not limited to this and may be one or three or more. In addition, both the notches 47d and the protrusions 47e may be provided on a single support portion. Furthermore, the notch 47d and the protrusion 47e may be disposed at different positions in the X direction.

[0055] With this configuration, the support portion 47b is in contact with the capacitor sealing resin 44 at multiple locations, at the cutout portions 47d or the protrusions 47e, thereby improving the adhesion between the capacitor sealing resin 44 and the support portion 47b. Improved adhesion between the capacitor sealing resin 44 and the support portion 47b further improves the vibration resistance of the flat plate portion 421. The configuration of the support portion 47b is not limited to the cutout portions 47d or the protrusions 47e, and may be, for example, a shape in which the support portion 47b is bent in the Y direction, or any other shape that allows the support portion 47b to fit into the capacitor sealing resin 44.

[0056] The spacer support portion 420b will be described. In this embodiment, the spacer 420 has an opposing portion 420a and a spacer support portion 420b. As shown in FIG. 4, the opposing portion 420a is a portion of the spacer 420 sandwiched between the first flat plate portion 421a and the second flat plate portion 421b. As shown in FIG. 8, the spacer support portion 420b extends from the opposing portion 420a in the direction of the DC path portion 424 and extends along the support portion 47b into the capacitor sealing resin 44. With this configuration, the spacer support portion 420b can improve the vibration resistance of the spacer 420. Note that, as shown in FIG. 6, the spacer support portion 420b may extend into the capacitor sealing resin 44 at a portion separated from the support portion 47b.

[0057] In this embodiment, the spacer support portion 420b has a cylindrical portion 420b1 that surrounds the support portion 47b and extends into the capacitor sealing resin 44. The cylindrical portion 420b1 surrounds the support portion 47b at the boundary between the capacitor sealing resin 44 and the outside. This configuration allows the spacer support portion 420b to improve the vibration resistance of the spacer 420 and extend the resin creepage distance between the support portion 47b, which serves as a vibration-resistant anchor that requires insulation, and the GND bus bar 46. Because the resin creepage distance between the support portion 47b and the GND bus bar 46 is extended, the distance between the support portion 47b and the GND bus bar 46 can be sufficiently reduced at the boundary between the capacitor sealing resin 44 and the outside, thereby preventing the capacitor module 4 from becoming larger. Since the capacitor module 4 is prevented from becoming larger, the power conversion device 1 can be made smaller.

[0058] As described above, the power conversion device 1 according to the first embodiment includes the power module section 3 and the capacitor module 4, and the capacitor bus bar 42 has the flat plate section 421, the plurality of power terminal connection sections 423, the power supply connection section 422, and the plurality of element connection sections 425. The positional range of the element connection section, which is the positional range in the Y direction between two element connection sections 425 arranged at both ends in the Y direction among the plurality of element connection sections 425, and the positional range of the power terminal connection section, which is the positional range in the Y direction between two power terminal connection sections 423 arranged at both ends in the Y direction among the plurality of power terminal connection sections 423, are Since the capacitor bus bar 42 is located inside the positional range, the length of the positional range of the element connection portion is equal to the length of the positional range of the power terminal connection portion, and the center position of the positional range of the element connection portion is equal to the center position of the positional range of the power terminal connection portion, the capacitor bus bar 42 has a sufficient width in the Y direction in the current path in the X direction between the plurality of element connection portions 425 connected to each capacitor electrode 43 and the plurality of power terminal connection portions 423 connected to each power terminal 31, thereby suppressing an increase in electrical resistance of this current path and thereby suppressing an increase in wiring inductance between the capacitor element 41 and the power module unit 3. Furthermore, the flat portion 421, which is the current path between the capacitor element 41 and the power module unit 3 and the current path between the DC power supply 5 and the power module unit 3, is exposed to the outside from the capacitor sealing resin 44, thereby improving the heat dissipation of the capacitor bus bar 42.

[0059] When viewed in the X direction, 80% or more of the positional range of the element connection part overlaps with the positional range of the power terminal connection part, and when 80% or more of the positional range of the power terminal connection part overlaps with the positional range of the element connection part, an increase in wiring inductance between the capacitor element 41 and the power module part 3 can be easily suppressed by using only the indicator of the degree of overlap.

[0060] When the first flat plate portion, which is the flat plate portion 421 of the first capacitor bus bar, and the second flat plate portion, which is the flat plate portion 421 of the second capacitor bus bar, are arranged to face each other, it is possible to reduce the projected area occupied by the capacitor bus bar 42 in the power conversion device 1, thereby making it possible to miniaturize the power conversion device 1. Furthermore, in the region of the flat plate portion 421 where the positive bus bar 42a and the negative bus bar 42b face each other, the wiring inductances cancel each other out, so that the wiring inductance in the capacitor bus bar 42 can be significantly reduced.

[0061] If an insulating spacer 420 is provided between the first flat plate portion 421a and the second flat plate portion 421b, the distance between the first flat plate portion 421a and the second flat plate portion 421b can be narrowed, thereby further reducing the wiring inductance in the capacitor bus bar 42.

[0062] When the DC path portion 424 extends to one side in the X direction from a portion on one side in the X direction on one side or the other side of the flat plate portion 421 in the Y direction and is arranged so as to overlap the capacitor sealing resin 44 when viewed in the Z direction, the portion of the DC path portion 424 exposed to the outside does not protrude outward from the capacitor case 45, thereby making it possible to reduce the size of the power conversion device 1. Furthermore, because the DC path portion 424 and the element connection portion 425 are arranged at a distance from each other, it is possible to prevent heat generated by the DC path portion 424 from being transmitted to the capacitor element 41 via the element connection portion 425.

[0063] When viewed in the Z direction, if the area overlapping with the element connection portion 425 in the first capacitor busbar of the first electrode is smaller than the area not overlapping with the element connection portion 425 in the first capacitor busbar of the first electrode, and the area overlapping with the element connection portion 425 in the second capacitor busbar of the second electrode is smaller than the area not overlapping with the element connection portion 425 in the second capacitor busbar of the second electrode, the element connection portion 425 is connected to the opening-side electrode 43a and the bottom wall-side electrode 43b in an area close to the other side of the opening-side electrode 43a and the bottom wall-side electrode 43b in the X direction, it is possible to suppress an increase in cost due to an increase in the volume of the capacitor busbar 42, and it is possible to suppress the transfer of heat from the capacitor busbar 42 to the capacitor element 41.

[0064] When the DC path portion 424 is arranged so that at least a portion thereof overlaps the ground-side capacitor element 410 as viewed in the Z direction, the power conversion device 1 can be miniaturized while maintaining the noise removal effect. Furthermore, when the ground-side capacitor element 410 is arranged on the side of the opening 45a, which is the open side opposite the bottom wall 45b side of the capacitor case 45 formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape, the ground-side capacitor element 410 can be arranged close to the DC connection portion 426, thereby reducing the wiring inductance between the DC connection portion 426 and the ground-side capacitor element 410. Because the wiring inductance is reduced, the noise removal effect of the ground-side capacitor element 410 can be improved.

[0065] When the DC path portion 424 has the support portion 47 extending from the DC path portion 424 into the capacitor sealing resin 44, the support portion 47 is fixed to the capacitor sealing resin 44, thereby suppressing vibrations in the portion of the capacitor bus bar 42 that is exposed from the capacitor sealing resin 44. Furthermore, when the support portions 47a, 47c are connected to the positive and negative electrodes 430a that are one of the electrodes of the ground-side capacitor element 410, the support portions 47a, 47c function as ground-side capacitor terminals in addition to the fixing function, eliminating the need to provide a new ground-side capacitor terminal, thereby reducing the number of components of the power conversion device 1.

[0066] When the DC path portion 424 has a plurality of support portions 47, it is possible to further enhance the effect of suppressing vibration of the capacitor bus bar 42. Furthermore, when the support portion 47b is arranged closer to the flat plate portion 421 than to the DC connection portion 426 in the DC path portion 424, the support portion 47b is arranged adjacent to the free end on one side in the Y direction of the flat plate portion 421 that is spaced apart from the element connection portion 425 and the power terminal connection portion 423, thereby improving the vibration resistance of the flat plate portion 421.

[0067] When the DC path portion 424 is formed in a plate shape and the DC connection portion 426 and the support portion 47b are provided on the same side of the DC path portion 424 when viewed in the Z direction, the DC connection portion 426 and the support portion 47b extend in the same direction during fabrication of the positive bus bar 42a, which facilitates fabrication of the positive bus bar 42a and improves the yield of the positive bus bar 42a. Furthermore, when the spacer 420 extends from the opposing portion 420a toward the DC path portion 424 and has a spacer support portion 420b that extends along the support portion 47 into the capacitor sealing resin 44, the spacer support portion 420b improves the vibration resistance of the spacer 420.

[0068] When spacer support portion 420b has cylindrical portion 420b1 formed in a cylindrical shape surrounding support portion 47b and cylindrical portion 420b1 extends into capacitor sealing resin 44, spacer support portion 420b improves the vibration resistance of spacer 420 and can extend the resin creepage distance between support portion 47b, which is a vibration-resistant anchor that requires insulation, and GND bus bar 46. Because the resin creepage distance between support portion 47b and GND bus bar 46 is extended, the distance between support portion 47b and GND bus bar 46 can be made sufficiently short at the boundary between capacitor sealing resin 44 and the outside, and an increase in size of capacitor module 4 can be prevented.

[0069] If the support portion 47b is formed in a plate shape and has, at a portion extending into the capacitor sealing resin 44, one or both of a portion cut out inward from the side surface and a portion protruding from the side surface toward the capacitor sealing resin 44, the support portion 47b comes into contact with the capacitor sealing resin 44 at a plurality of locations at the cutout portions 47d or the protrusions 47e, thereby improving the adhesion between the capacitor sealing resin 44 and the support portion 47b. Since the adhesion between the capacitor sealing resin 44 and the support portion 47b is improved, the vibration resistance of the flat plate portion 421 can be further improved.

[0070] When the element connection portion 425 has a protrusion 4250 that protrudes toward the capacitor element 41 at the end on the capacitor element 41 side, and the capacitor element 41 and the protrusion 4250 are connected, the sealing resin 44 for the capacitor enters the gap between the element connection portion 425 and the opening side electrode 43a by the protruding height of the protrusion 4250, and the thermal resistance between the capacitor bus bar 42 and the opening side electrode 43a increases, thereby preventing the heat generated by the capacitor bus bar 42 from being transmitted to the capacitor element 41.

[0071] Embodiment 2 A power converter 1 according to a second embodiment will now be described. Fig. 11 is a plan view showing an outline of the power converter 1 according to the second embodiment, with the control board 6 removed. Fig. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the power converter 1 taken along the FF cross-section of Fig. 11. Fig. 13 is a cross-sectional view of the power converter 1 taken along the GG cross-section of Fig. 11. Fig. 14 is a cross-sectional view of the power converter 1 taken along the HH cross-section of Fig. 11, showing a portion of a ground-side capacitor module 40. Fig. 15 is a cross-sectional view showing a main portion of another power converter 1 according to the second embodiment, showing a cross-section of another ground-side capacitor module 40. The power converter 1 according to the second embodiment includes a ground-side capacitor module 40, and a ground-side capacitor element 410 is provided in the ground-side capacitor module 40.

[0072] <Ground-side capacitor module 40> As shown in FIG. 11 , the power conversion device 1 includes a capacitor module 4 and a ground-side capacitor module 40. The housing 2 accommodates the power module unit 3, the capacitor module 4, and the ground-side capacitor module 40. As shown in FIG. 14 , the ground-side capacitor module 40 includes a ground-side capacitor element 410 connected between a capacitor bus bar 42 and the ground, and a ground-side capacitor case 450 that accommodates the ground-side capacitor element 410 via a ground-side capacitor sealing resin 440. The ground-side capacitor case 450 is formed, for example, in a cylindrical shape with a bottom. With this configuration, the ground-side capacitor module 40 that removes noise is configured separately from the capacitor module 4 that smooths the DC voltage, making it easy to replace only the ground-side capacitor module 40. Because the ground-side capacitor module 40 is easily replaced, it is easy to change the ground-side capacitor module 40 to match the noise characteristics, improving the versatility of the capacitor module 4.

[0073] 11, in the present embodiment, the DC path section 424 is arranged so that at least a portion thereof overlaps with the ground-side capacitor module 40 when viewed in the Z direction. With this configuration, the DC path section 424 and the ground-side capacitor module 40 overlap, and therefore the portion of the DC path section 424 that is exposed to the outside does not protrude outward from the power conversion device 1, thereby enabling the power conversion device 1 to be made smaller.

[0074] The arrangement of the capacitor case 45 and the ground-side capacitor case 450 will be described. In one or both of the capacitor module 4 and the ground-side capacitor module 40, the open side opposite the bottom wall of the capacitor case 45 and the ground-side capacitor case 450 faces the step portion 2c. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 12, the opening 45a, which is the open side of the capacitor case 45, faces the step portion 2c, and as shown in FIG. 14, the opening 450a, which is the open side of the ground-side capacitor case 450, faces the step portion 2c. The capacitor case 45 is formed in a cylindrical shape with a bottom that opens to the other side in the X direction, and a lower wall portion 45c, which is the peripheral wall portion on the second surface 2b side, contacts the second surface 2b. The peripheral wall portion opposite the lower wall portion 45c is an upper wall portion 45d.

[0075] With this configuration, opening 45a faces step portion 2c, so heat from capacitor bus bar 42 and capacitor element 41 can be efficiently dissipated from opening 45a to step portion 2c. Similarly, opening 450a faces step portion 2c, so heat from capacitor bus bar 42 and ground-side capacitor element 410 can be efficiently dissipated from opening 450a to step portion 2c.

[0076] The step portion 2c may be thermally connected to the capacitor module 4 and the ground-side capacitor module 40 via, for example, grease. This configuration further improves the heat dissipation effect of the capacitor module 4 and the ground-side capacitor module 40. In particular, the step portion 2c may be thermally connected to one or both of the capacitor sealing resin 44 and the capacitor bus bar 42. In this embodiment, FIG. 12 shows an example in which the step portion 2c and the capacitor sealing resin 44 are thermally connected via a heat dissipation member 7. The heat dissipation member 7 is not limited to grease, and may be a heat dissipation sheet or a metal part partially embedded in the capacitor sealing resin 44. Furthermore, the step portion 2c may be thermally connected to the ground-side capacitor sealing resin 440.

[0077] 12 and 13, the capacitor module 4 is arranged so that the opening 45a faces the other side in the X direction. Because the capacitor bus bar 42 protrudes from the capacitor sealing resin 44 toward the power module section 3, the bending process of the capacitor bus bar 42 can be reduced and an increase in the volume of the capacitor bus bar 42 can be suppressed, thereby reducing the cost of the capacitor bus bar 42.

[0078] The capacitor module 4 and the ground-side capacitor module 40 may be arranged so that the openings 45a and 450a each face one side in the Z direction, or the openings 45a and 450a may face in different directions. In this way, the openings of the capacitor case 45 and the ground-side capacitor case 450 can be arranged so that they face in different directions, which increases the degree of freedom in the layout of the capacitor bus bar 42.

[0079] In the first embodiment, the DC path portion 424 and the flat plate portion 421 are integrally formed. However, the DC path portion 424 and the flat plate portion 421 may be formed separately. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 14 , the DC path portion 424 and the flat plate portion 421 are formed separately. The DC path portion 424 is formed in a plate shape, and the thickness of the DC path portion 424 is greater than the thickness of the flat plate portion 421. The DC path portion 424 and the flat plate portion 421 are fastened together at their overlapping portions by, for example, screws (not shown). The connection between the DC path portion 424 and the flat plate portion 421 is not limited to screw fastening, and may be made by soldering, fitting, or welding. The DC path portion 424 is made of, for example, copper, which has low electrical resistivity and excellent conductivity.

[0080] With this configuration, the electrical resistance of the DC path portion 424 can be reduced, thereby suppressing an increase in heat generation in the DC path portion 424 and suppressing heat reception by the capacitor element 41 and the ground-side capacitor element 410. Furthermore, since it is easy to change the thickness of only the DC path portion 424 of the capacitor bus bar 42, it is possible to suppress an increase in cost due to an increase in the thickness of the DC path portion 424. Note that the DC path portion 424 may be encapsulated by an additional resin member different from the sealing resin 44 for the capacitor or the sealing resin 440 for the ground-side capacitor.

[0081] Since the ground-side capacitor module 40 only needs to be large enough to accommodate the ground-side capacitor element 410, the size of the ground-side capacitor case 450 may be smaller than that of the capacitor case 45. When the size of the ground-side capacitor case 450 is smaller than that of the capacitor case 45, the total amount of the sealing resin 44 for the capacitor and the sealing resin 440 for the ground-side capacitor can be less than the amount of the sealing resin 44 for the capacitor in the first embodiment.

[0082] DC connection portion 426 is disposed by being stacked on the outer wall of upper wall portion 450d. Ground-side capacitor element 410 is disposed near DC connection portion 426 and near lower wall portion 450c that contacts second surface 2b. With this configuration, ground-side capacitor element 410 is disposed close to DC connection portion 426, thereby reducing wiring inductance in the noise filter circuit. This improves the noise removal effect and also significantly improves the heat dissipation effect to housing 2.

[0083] The GND bus bar 46 has a fixing portion 46a at the end on the other side in the X direction of the ground-side capacitor case 450 that is fixed to the housing. Fixing and grounding of the GND bus bar 46 to the housing and fixing of the ground-side capacitor module 40 are shared. This prevents the assembly process of the power conversion device 1 from becoming complicated. The ground-side capacitor module 40 can be fixed by, for example, screwing, welding, fitting, or soldering. The GND bus bar 46 may have a fixing portion between the second surface 2b and a lower wall portion 450c that faces the second surface 2b.

[0084] In the configuration of the ground-side capacitor module 40 shown in FIG. 14, the two ground-side capacitor elements 410 are arranged adjacent to each other in the Y direction. The GND electrode 430b is arranged on one end surface in the Z direction, and the positive and negative electrodes 430a are arranged on the other end surface in the Z direction. The arrangement of the ground-side capacitor electrodes 430 is not limited to the configuration shown in FIG. 14. The two ground-side capacitor elements 410 may be arranged adjacent to each other in the X direction, as shown in FIG. 15. In the configuration shown in FIG. 15, the bottom wall 450b of the ground-side capacitor case 450 is thermally connected to the second surface 2b (not shown in FIG. 15). Furthermore, the ground-side capacitor electrode 430 may be provided on the opening 450a side. When the two ground-side capacitor elements 410 are arranged adjacent to each other in the X direction, the power conversion device 1 can be prevented from becoming larger in size in the Y direction compared to the configuration in which the ground-side capacitor elements 410 are arranged side by side in the Y direction as shown in FIG. 14.

[0085] <Control board 6> The power converter 1 includes a control board 6 that controls the power module unit 3. The capacitor case 45 has a bushing 48 that protrudes outward from an upper wall portion 45d, which is a peripheral wall portion on the side opposite the second surface 2b. If the capacitor case 45 is made of a resin material, the bushing 48 is, for example, insert-molded into the capacitor case 45. The control board 6 is fixed to the bushing 48 with a screw. With this configuration, the control board 6 is stacked on the capacitor module 4, which prevents the power converter 1 from becoming larger. Furthermore, since the control board 6 can be easily fixed to the capacitor case 45, the productivity of the power converter 1 can be improved. Furthermore, since the number of components for fixing the board can be reduced, the cost of the power converter 1 can be reduced.

[0086] The control board 6 is connected to a control terminal (not shown) extending from the capacitor bus bar 42. The control board 6 is mounted with control circuits such as an X capacitor that removes noise between the lines and a discharge resistor that releases the charge of the capacitor element 41. The control board 6 is fixed to the capacitor case 45, and the control board 6 and the capacitor bus bar 42 can be arranged close to each other, which prevents the wiring connecting the capacitor bus bar 42 and the control board 6 from becoming complicated.

[0087] As described above, the power converter 1 according to the second embodiment includes the ground-side capacitor module 40, and at least a portion of the DC path portion 424 is arranged to overlap the ground-side capacitor module 40 when viewed in the Z direction, which makes it easy to replace only the ground-side capacitor module 40, and also makes it possible to reduce the size of the power converter 1 because the portion of the DC path portion 424 that is exposed to the outside does not protrude outward from the power converter 1. Furthermore, the DC path portion 424 is formed in a plate shape and is thicker than the flat plate portion 421, which reduces the electrical resistance of the DC path portion 424 and thus suppresses an increase in heat generation in the DC path portion 424, thereby suppressing heat reception by the capacitor element 41 and the ground-side capacitor element 410.

[0088] The housing 2 has a step portion 2c between the first surface 2a and the second surface 2b, and one or both of the capacitor module 4 and the ground-side capacitor module 40 face the step portion 2c at the open side opposite to the bottom wall side of the capacitor case 45 and the ground-side capacitor case 450, so that heat from the capacitor bus bar 42, capacitor element 41, and ground-side capacitor element 410 facing the step portion 2c can be efficiently dissipated to the step portion 2c. In addition, the step portion 2c is thermally connected to one or both of the sealing resin 440 for the ground-side capacitor and the capacitor bus bar 42, so that the heat dissipation effect of the capacitor module 4 and the ground-side capacitor module 40 can be further improved.

[0089] The power conversion device 1 is provided with a control board 6 that controls the power module section 3, and the capacitor case 45 has a bush 48 that protrudes outward from the upper wall section 45d, which is the peripheral wall section opposite the second surface 2b, and the control board 6 is fixed to the bush 48 with screws. As a result, the control board 6 is stacked on the capacitor module 4, and the size of the power conversion device 1 can be prevented from increasing.

[0090] Furthermore, although the present application describes various exemplary embodiments and examples, the various features, aspects, and functions described in one or more embodiments are not limited to application to a particular embodiment, but may be applied to the embodiments alone or in various combinations. Therefore, countless variations not illustrated are conceivable within the scope of the technology disclosed in the present specification, including, for example, cases where at least one component is modified, added, or omitted, and cases where at least one component is extracted and combined with components of another embodiment.

[0091] Various aspects of the present disclosure are summarized below as appendices. (Appendix 1) a power module section including a plurality of power terminals connected to each of the plurality of semiconductor elements, protruding from the power body section to one side in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and arranged in the first direction; a capacitor module including a capacitor element, a capacitor case that houses the capacitor element via a capacitor sealing resin, and a capacitor bus bar that is connected to the capacitor element; The capacitor bus bar is a flat plate portion formed in a plate shape having a width in the first direction longer than a width in the second direction, the flat plate portion being exposed to the outside from the sealing resin for the capacitor; a plurality of power terminal connection portions extending from the flat plate portion to the other side in the second direction, arranged in the first direction, and connected to the plurality of power terminals, respectively; a power supply connection portion connected to the flat plate portion and connected to a DC power supply; and a plurality of element connection portions connected to the flat plate portion, arranged on one side of the flat plate portion in the second direction, arranged in the first direction, and connected to the capacitor elements; a positional range of an element connection portion, which is a positional range in the first direction between two of the element connection portions that are arranged at both ends in the first direction in the plurality of element connection portions, and a positional range of a power terminal connection portion, which is a positional range in the first direction between two of the power terminal connection portions that are arranged at both ends in the first direction in the plurality of power terminal connection portions, are inside a positional range in the first direction in which the flat plate portion is arranged, the length of the position range of the element connection portion is equal to the length of the position range of the power terminal connection portion; A power conversion device in which the center position of the positional range of the element connection portion and the center position of the positional range of the power terminal connection portion are at the same position. (Appendix 2) When viewed in the second direction, 80% or more of the position range of the element connection portion overlaps with the position range of the power terminal connection portion, 2. The power conversion device according to claim 1, wherein 80% or more of the positional range of the power terminal connection portion overlaps with the positional range of the element connection portion. (Appendix 3) the capacitor bus bars include a first capacitor bus bar connected to a first electrode of the capacitor element and a second capacitor bus bar connected to a second electrode of the capacitor element; The power conversion device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a first flat plate portion that is the flat plate portion of the first capacitor bus bar and a second flat plate portion that is the flat plate portion of the second capacitor bus bar are arranged opposite each other. (Appendix 4) 4. The power conversion device according to claim 3, further comprising an insulating spacer between the first flat plate portion and the second flat plate portion. (Appendix 5) the power supply connection portion includes a DC path portion that is exposed to the outside from the sealing resin for the capacitor and is connected to the flat plate portion, and a DC connection portion that is connected to the DC path portion and is connected to a DC power supply, the DC path portion extends from a portion of the flat plate portion on one side in the second direction that is on one side or the other side in the first direction toward the one side in the second direction, 5. The power conversion device according to claim 1, wherein the DC path portion is arranged to overlap the sealing resin for the capacitor when viewed in a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction. (Appendix 6) When viewed in a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction, an area of ​​the first electrode that overlaps with the element connection portion of the first capacitor bus bar is smaller than an area of ​​the first electrode that does not overlap with the element connection portion of the first capacitor bus bar; 5. The power conversion device according to claim 3, wherein an area of ​​the second electrode that overlaps with the element connection portion of the second capacitor bus bar is smaller than an area of ​​the second electrode that does not overlap with the element connection portion of the second capacitor bus bar. (Appendix 7) a ground-side capacitor element connected between the capacitor bus bar and ground, the power supply connection portion includes a DC path portion that is exposed to the outside from the sealing resin for the capacitor and is connected to the flat plate portion, and a DC connection portion that is connected to the DC path portion and is connected to a DC power supply, A power conversion device described in any one of Appendix 1 to 6, wherein the DC path section is arranged so that at least a portion of the DC path section overlaps with the grounded capacitor element when viewed in a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction. (Appendix 8) the power supply connection portion includes a DC path portion that is exposed to the outside from the sealing resin for the capacitor and is connected to the flat plate portion, and a DC connection portion that is connected to the DC path portion and is connected to a DC power supply, a ground-side capacitor element connected between the DC path portion and ground and housed in the capacitor case via a sealing resin for the capacitor; The capacitor case is formed in a cylindrical shape with a bottom, 8. The power conversion device according to claim 1, wherein the ground-side capacitor element is arranged on an open side opposite to the bottom wall side of the capacitor case. (Appendix 9) the power supply connection portion includes a DC path portion that is exposed to the outside from the sealing resin for the capacitor and is connected to the flat plate portion, and a DC connection portion that is connected to the DC path portion and is connected to a DC power supply, 9. The power converter according to claim 1, wherein the DC path portion has a support portion extending from the DC path portion into a sealing resin for the capacitor. (Appendix 10) a capacitor element on the ground side housed in the capacitor case via a sealing resin for the capacitor; 10. The power conversion device according to claim 9, wherein the support portion is connected to one electrode of the ground-side capacitor element, and the other electrode of the ground-side capacitor element is connected to ground. (Appendix 11) 11. The power conversion device according to claim 9, wherein the DC path portion has a plurality of the support portions. (Appendix 12) 12. The power converter according to claim 9, wherein the support portion is disposed on the DC path portion closer to the flat plate portion than to the DC connection portion. (Appendix 13) The DC path portion is formed in a plate shape, 13. The power conversion device according to any one of claims 9 to 12, wherein the DC connection portion and the support portion are provided on the same side of the DC path portion when viewed in a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction. (Appendix 14) the power supply connection portion includes a DC path portion that is exposed to the outside from the sealing resin for the capacitor and is connected to the flat plate portion, and a DC connection portion that is connected to the DC path portion and is connected to a DC power supply, the DC path portion has a support portion extending from the DC path portion into the inside of the sealing resin for the capacitor, The power conversion device described in Appendix 4, wherein the spacer has an opposing portion sandwiched between the first flat plate portion and the second flat plate portion, and a spacer support portion extending from the opposing portion toward the DC path portion and extending along the support portion into the sealing resin for the capacitor. (Appendix 15) the spacer support portion has a cylindrical portion formed in a cylindrical shape surrounding the periphery of the support portion, 15. The power conversion device according to claim 14, wherein the cylindrical portion extends into a sealing resin for the capacitor. (Appendix 16) The support portion is formed in a plate shape, The power conversion device according to any one of appendixes 9 to 13, wherein the support portion has, in a portion extending into the capacitor sealing resin, one or both of a portion cut out inward from the side surface and a portion protruding from the side surface toward the capacitor sealing resin. (Appendix 17) a ground-side capacitor module including a ground-side capacitor element connected between the capacitor bus bar and ground, and a ground-side capacitor case that houses the ground-side capacitor element via a sealing resin for the ground-side capacitor; the power supply connection portion includes a DC path portion that is exposed to the outside from the sealing resin for the capacitor and is connected to the flat plate portion, and a DC connection portion that is connected to the DC path portion and is connected to a DC power supply, A power conversion device described in any one of appendixes 1 to 16, wherein at least a portion of the DC path section is arranged to overlap the grounded capacitor module when viewed in a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction. (Appendix 18) the power supply connection portion includes a DC path portion that is exposed to the outside from the sealing resin for the capacitor and is connected to the flat plate portion, and a DC connection portion that is connected to the DC path portion and is connected to a DC power supply, The DC path portion is formed in a plate shape, 18. The power converter according to claim 1, wherein the DC path portion has a thickness greater than a thickness of the flat plate portion. (Appendix 19) a housing that houses the power module section, the capacitor module, and the ground-side capacitor module; The capacitor case and the ground-side capacitor case are formed in a cylindrical shape with a bottom, the housing has a first surface to which the power module unit is thermally connected and a second surface to which the capacitor module and the ground-side capacitor module are thermally connected, and a refrigerant flow path for cooling the first surface is provided on the back side of the first surface; the second surface faces one side in a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction, and is disposed on one side of the first surface in the second direction and on the other side of the first surface in the third direction, and the housing has a step portion between the first surface and the second surface; the refrigerant flow path is disposed on the other side of the step portion in the second direction, The power conversion device according to claim 17, wherein one or both of the capacitor module and the ground-side capacitor module have an open side opposite to the bottom wall side of the capacitor case and the ground-side capacitor case facing the step portion. (Appendix 20) 20. The power conversion device according to claim 19, wherein the step portion is thermally connected to one or both of the capacitor sealing resin and the capacitor bus bar. (Appendix 21) the element connection portion has a protrusion protruding toward the capacitor element at an end portion on the capacitor element side, 21. The power conversion device according to any one of claims 1 to 20, wherein the capacitor element and the protrusion are connected to each other. (Appendix 22) a housing that houses the power module unit and the capacitor module; a control board that controls the power module unit, the housing has a first surface to which the power module section is thermally connected and a second surface to which the capacitor module is thermally connected, the capacitor case is formed in a cylindrical shape with a bottom that opens to the other side in the second direction, a portion of a peripheral wall on the second surface side contacts the second surface, and a bush protruding outward from a portion of the peripheral wall opposite the second surface, 22. The power conversion device according to any one of claims 1 to 21, wherein the control board is fixed to the bush with a screw. [Explanation of symbols]

[0092] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 power converter, 2 housing, 2a first surface, 2b second surface, 2c step portion, 21 refrigerant flow path, 21a upstream flow path, 21b downstream flow path, 22 base portion, 22a cooling fin, 23 flow path forming portion, 23a refrigerant inlet / outlet, 3 power module portion, 31 power terminal, 32a, 32b, 32c power main body portion, 33 output terminal, 34 semiconductor element, 4 capacitor module, 41 capacitor element, 42 capacitor bus bar, 42a positive bus bar, 42b negative bus bar, 420 spacer, 420a opposing portion, 420b spacer support portion, 420b1 cylindrical portion, 421 flat plate portion, 421a first flat plate portion, 421b second flat plate portion, 422 power supply connection portion, 423 power terminal connection portion, 424 DC path portion, 425 element connection portion, 4250 protrusion portion, 426 DC connection portion, 43 capacitor electrode, 43a opening side electrode, 43b bottom wall side electrode, 44 capacitor sealing resin, 45 capacitor case, 45a opening, 45b bottom wall, 45c lower wall portion, 45d upper wall portion, 46 GND bus bar, 46a fixing portion, 47, 47a, 47b, 47c support portion, 47d notch portion, 47e protrusion portion, 48 bush, 410 ground side capacitor element, 430 ground side capacitor electrode, 430a positive and negative electrodes, 430b GND electrode, 40 ground side capacitor module, 440 ground side capacitor sealing resin, 450 ground side capacitor case, 450a opening, 450b bottom wall, 450c lower wall portion, 450d upper wall portion, 5 DC power supply, 6 control board, 7 heat dissipation member

Claims

1. a power module section including a plurality of power terminals connected to each of the plurality of semiconductor elements, protruding from the power module section toward one side in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and arranged in the first direction; a capacitor module including a capacitor element, a capacitor case that houses the capacitor element via a capacitor sealing resin, and a capacitor bus bar that is connected to the capacitor element; The capacitor bus bar is a flat plate portion formed in a plate shape having a width in the first direction longer than a width in the second direction, the flat plate portion being exposed to the outside from the sealing resin for the capacitor; a plurality of power terminal connection portions extending from the flat plate portion to the other side in the second direction, arranged in the first direction, and connected to the plurality of power terminals, respectively; a power supply connection portion connected to the flat plate portion and connected to a DC power supply; and a plurality of element connection portions connected to the flat plate portion, arranged on one side of the flat plate portion in the second direction, arranged in the first direction, and connected to the capacitor elements; a positional range of an element connection portion, which is a positional range in the first direction between two of the element connection portions that are arranged at both ends in the first direction in the plurality of element connection portions, and a positional range of a power terminal connection portion, which is a positional range in the first direction between two of the power terminal connection portions that are arranged at both ends in the first direction in the plurality of power terminal connection portions, are inside a positional range in the first direction in which the flat plate portion is arranged, the length of the position range of the element connection portion is equal to the length of the position range of the power terminal connection portion; a center position of the position range of the element connection portion and a center position of the position range of the power terminal connection portion are at the same position; the power supply connection portion includes a DC path portion that is exposed to the outside from the sealing resin for the capacitor and is connected to the flat plate portion, and a DC connection portion that is connected to the DC path portion and is connected to a DC power supply, the DC path portion extends from a portion of the flat plate portion on one side in the second direction that is on one side or the other side in the first direction toward the one side in the second direction, The power conversion device wherein the DC path portion is arranged to overlap the sealing resin for the capacitor when viewed in a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction.

2. When viewed in the second direction, 80% or more of the positional range of the element connection portion overlaps with the positional range of the power terminal connection portion, The power conversion device according to claim 1 , wherein 80% or more of the positional range of the power terminal connection portion overlaps with the positional range of the element connection portion.

3. the capacitor bus bars include a first capacitor bus bar connected to a first electrode of the capacitor element and a second capacitor bus bar connected to a second electrode of the capacitor element; 3. The power conversion device according to claim 1, wherein the first flat plate portion of the first capacitor bus bar and the second flat plate portion of the second capacitor bus bar are arranged opposite each other.

4. The power conversion device according to claim 3 , further comprising an insulating spacer between the first flat plate portion and the second flat plate portion.

5. When viewed in a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction, an area of ​​the first electrode that overlaps with the element connection portion of the first capacitor bus bar is smaller than an area of ​​the first electrode that does not overlap with the element connection portion of the first capacitor bus bar; 4. The power conversion device according to claim 3, wherein an area of ​​the second electrode that overlaps with the element connection portion of the second capacitor bus bar is smaller than an area of ​​the second electrode that does not overlap with the element connection portion of the second capacitor bus bar.

6. a ground-side capacitor element connected between the capacitor bus bar and ground, the power supply connection portion includes a DC path portion that is exposed to the outside from the sealing resin for the capacitor and is connected to the flat plate portion, and a DC connection portion that is connected to the DC path portion and is connected to a DC power supply, The power conversion device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the DC path portion is arranged so that at least a portion thereof overlaps with the grounded capacitor element when viewed in a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction.

7. the power supply connection portion includes a DC path portion that is exposed to the outside from the sealing resin for the capacitor and is connected to the flat plate portion, and a DC connection portion that is connected to the DC path portion and is connected to a DC power supply, a ground-side capacitor element connected between the DC path portion and ground and housed in the capacitor case via a sealing resin for the capacitor; The capacitor case is formed in a cylindrical shape with a bottom, 3. The power conversion device according to claim 1, wherein the ground-side capacitor element is disposed on an open side of the capacitor case opposite to the bottom wall side.

8. A power module having a plurality of power terminals connected to each of the plurality of semiconductor elements, protruding from the power body to one side in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and arranged in the first direction; a capacitor module including a capacitor element, a capacitor case that houses the capacitor element via a capacitor sealing resin, and a capacitor bus bar that is connected to the capacitor element; The capacitor bus bar is a flat plate portion formed in a plate shape having a width in the first direction longer than a width in the second direction, the flat plate portion being exposed to the outside from the sealing resin for the capacitor; a plurality of power terminal connection portions extending from the flat plate portion to the other side in the second direction, arranged in the first direction, and connected to the plurality of power terminals, respectively; a power supply connection portion connected to the flat plate portion and connected to a DC power supply; and a plurality of element connection portions connected to the flat plate portion, arranged on one side of the flat plate portion in the second direction, arranged in the first direction, and connected to the capacitor elements; a positional range of an element connection portion, which is a positional range in the first direction between two of the element connection portions that are arranged at both ends in the first direction in the plurality of element connection portions, and a positional range of a power terminal connection portion, which is a positional range in the first direction between two of the power terminal connection portions that are arranged at both ends in the first direction in the plurality of power terminal connection portions, are inside a positional range in the first direction in which the flat plate portion is arranged, the length of the position range of the element connection portion is equal to the length of the position range of the power terminal connection portion; a center position of the position range of the element connection portion and a center position of the position range of the power terminal connection portion are at the same position; the power supply connection portion includes a DC path portion that is exposed to the outside from the sealing resin for the capacitor and is connected to the flat plate portion, and a DC connection portion that is connected to the DC path portion and is connected to a DC power supply, The power conversion device wherein the DC path portion has a support portion extending from the DC path portion into the inside of the sealing resin for the capacitor.

9. A power module having a plurality of power terminals connected to each of the plurality of semiconductor elements, protruding from the power body to one side in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and arranged in the first direction; a capacitor module including a capacitor element, a capacitor case that houses the capacitor element via a capacitor sealing resin, and a capacitor bus bar that is connected to the capacitor element; The capacitor bus bar is a flat plate portion formed in a plate shape having a width in the first direction longer than a width in the second direction, the flat plate portion being exposed to the outside from the sealing resin for the capacitor; a plurality of power terminal connection portions extending from the flat plate portion to the other side in the second direction, arranged in the first direction, and connected to the plurality of power terminals, respectively; a power supply connection portion connected to the flat plate portion and connected to a DC power supply; and a plurality of element connection portions connected to the flat plate portion, arranged on one side of the flat plate portion in the second direction, arranged in the first direction, and connected to the capacitor elements; a positional range of an element connection portion, which is a positional range in the first direction between two of the element connection portions that are arranged at both ends in the first direction in the plurality of element connection portions, and a positional range of a power terminal connection portion, which is a positional range in the first direction between two of the power terminal connection portions that are arranged at both ends in the first direction in the plurality of power terminal connection portions, are inside a positional range in the first direction in which the flat plate portion is arranged, the length of the position range of the element connection portion is equal to the length of the position range of the power terminal connection portion; a center position of the position range of the element connection portion and a center position of the position range of the power terminal connection portion are at the same position; the power supply connection portion includes a DC path portion that is exposed to the outside from the sealing resin for the capacitor and is connected to the flat plate portion, and a DC connection portion that is connected to the DC path portion and is connected to a DC power supply, the DC path portion has a support portion extending from the DC path portion into the inside of the sealing resin for the capacitor, a capacitor element on the ground side housed in the capacitor case via a sealing resin for the capacitor; The support portion is connected to one electrode of the ground-side capacitor element, and the other electrode of the ground-side capacitor element is connected to ground.

10. The power conversion device according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the DC path portion has a plurality of the support portions.

11. The power conversion device according to claim 8 , wherein the support portion is disposed on the DC path portion closer to the flat plate portion than to the DC connection portion.

12. A power module having a plurality of power terminals connected to each of the plurality of semiconductor elements, protruding from the power body to one side in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and arranged in the first direction; a capacitor module including a capacitor element, a capacitor case that houses the capacitor element via a capacitor sealing resin, and a capacitor bus bar that is connected to the capacitor element; The capacitor bus bar is a flat plate portion formed in a plate shape having a width in the first direction longer than a width in the second direction, the flat plate portion being exposed to the outside from the sealing resin for the capacitor; a plurality of power terminal connection portions extending from the flat plate portion to the other side in the second direction, arranged in the first direction, and connected to the plurality of power terminals, respectively; a power supply connection portion connected to the flat plate portion and connected to a DC power supply; and a plurality of element connection portions connected to the flat plate portion, arranged on one side of the flat plate portion in the second direction, arranged in the first direction, and connected to the capacitor elements; a positional range of an element connection portion, which is a positional range in the first direction between two of the element connection portions that are arranged at both ends in the first direction in the plurality of element connection portions, and a positional range of a power terminal connection portion, which is a positional range in the first direction between two of the power terminal connection portions that are arranged at both ends in the first direction in the plurality of power terminal connection portions, are inside a positional range in the first direction in which the flat plate portion is arranged, the length of the position range of the element connection portion is equal to the length of the position range of the power terminal connection portion; a center position of the position range of the element connection portion and a center position of the position range of the power terminal connection portion are at the same position; the power supply connection portion includes a DC path portion that is exposed to the outside from the sealing resin for the capacitor and is connected to the flat plate portion, and a DC connection portion that is connected to the DC path portion and is connected to a DC power supply, the DC path portion has a support portion extending from the DC path portion into the inside of the sealing resin for the capacitor, The DC path portion is formed in a plate shape, A power conversion device in which the DC connection portion and the support portion are provided on the same side of the DC path portion when viewed in a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction.

13. A power module having a plurality of power terminals connected to each of the plurality of semiconductor elements, protruding from the power body to one side in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and arranged in the first direction; a capacitor module including a capacitor element, a capacitor case that houses the capacitor element via a capacitor sealing resin, and a capacitor bus bar that is connected to the capacitor element; The capacitor bus bar is a flat plate portion formed in a plate shape having a width in the first direction longer than a width in the second direction, the flat plate portion being exposed to the outside from the sealing resin for the capacitor; a plurality of power terminal connection portions extending from the flat plate portion to the other side in the second direction, arranged in the first direction, and connected to the plurality of power terminals, respectively; a power supply connection portion connected to the flat plate portion and connected to a DC power supply; and a plurality of element connection portions connected to the flat plate portion, arranged on one side of the flat plate portion in the second direction, arranged in the first direction, and connected to the capacitor elements; a positional range of an element connection portion, which is a positional range in the first direction between two of the element connection portions that are arranged at both ends in the first direction in the plurality of element connection portions, and a positional range of a power terminal connection portion, which is a positional range in the first direction between two of the power terminal connection portions that are arranged at both ends in the first direction in the plurality of power terminal connection portions, are inside a positional range in the first direction in which the flat plate portion is arranged, the length of the position range of the element connection portion is equal to the length of the position range of the power terminal connection portion; a center position of the position range of the element connection portion and a center position of the position range of the power terminal connection portion are at the same position; the capacitor bus bars include a first capacitor bus bar connected to a first electrode of the capacitor element and a second capacitor bus bar connected to a second electrode of the capacitor element; a first flat plate portion that is the flat plate portion of the first capacitor bus bar and a second flat plate portion that is the flat plate portion of the second capacitor bus bar are disposed opposite each other, an insulating spacer is provided between the first flat plate portion and the second flat plate portion; the power supply connection portion includes a DC path portion that is exposed to the outside from the sealing resin for the capacitor and is connected to the flat plate portion, and a DC connection portion that is connected to the DC path portion and is connected to a DC power supply, the DC path portion has a support portion extending from the DC path portion into the inside of the sealing resin for the capacitor, The spacer has an opposing portion sandwiched between the first flat plate portion and the second flat plate portion, and a spacer support portion extending from the opposing portion in the direction of the DC path portion and extending along the support portion into the interior of the sealing resin for the capacitor.

14. the spacer support portion has a cylindrical portion formed in a cylindrical shape surrounding the periphery of the support portion, The power converter according to claim 13 , wherein the cylindrical portion extends into the sealing resin for the capacitor.

15. The support portion is formed in a plate shape, The power conversion device according to claim 8, wherein the support portion has, in a portion extending into the sealing resin for the capacitor, one or both of a portion cut out inward from the side surface and a portion protruding from the side surface toward the sealing resin for the capacitor.

16. A power module having a plurality of power terminals connected to each of the plurality of semiconductor elements, protruding from the power body to one side in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and arranged in the first direction; a capacitor module including a capacitor element, a capacitor case that houses the capacitor element via a capacitor sealing resin, and a capacitor bus bar that is connected to the capacitor element; The capacitor bus bar is a flat plate portion formed in a plate shape having a width in the first direction longer than a width in the second direction, the flat plate portion being exposed to the outside from the sealing resin for the capacitor; a plurality of power terminal connection portions extending from the flat plate portion to the other side in the second direction, arranged in the first direction, and connected to the plurality of power terminals, respectively; a power supply connection portion connected to the flat plate portion and connected to a DC power supply; and a plurality of element connection portions connected to the flat plate portion, arranged on one side of the flat plate portion in the second direction, arranged in the first direction, and connected to the capacitor elements; a positional range of an element connection portion, which is a positional range in the first direction between two of the element connection portions that are arranged at both ends in the first direction in the plurality of element connection portions, and a positional range of a power terminal connection portion, which is a positional range in the first direction between two of the power terminal connection portions that are arranged at both ends in the first direction in the plurality of power terminal connection portions, are inside a positional range in the first direction in which the flat plate portion is arranged, the length of the position range of the element connection portion is equal to the length of the position range of the power terminal connection portion; a center position of the position range of the element connection portion and a center position of the position range of the power terminal connection portion are at the same position; a ground-side capacitor module including a ground-side capacitor element connected between the capacitor bus bar and ground, and a ground-side capacitor case that houses the ground-side capacitor element via a sealing resin for the ground-side capacitor; the power supply connection portion includes a DC path portion that is exposed to the outside from the sealing resin for the capacitor and is connected to the flat plate portion, and a DC connection portion that is connected to the DC path portion and is connected to a DC power supply, The power conversion device wherein the DC path portion is arranged so that at least a portion thereof overlaps with the ground-side capacitor module when viewed in a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction.

17. the power supply connection portion includes a DC path portion that is exposed to the outside from the sealing resin for the capacitor and is connected to the flat plate portion, and a DC connection portion that is connected to the DC path portion and is connected to a DC power supply, The DC path portion is formed in a plate shape, The power conversion device according to claim 1 , wherein the DC path portion has a thickness greater than a thickness of the flat plate portion.

18. A power module having a plurality of power terminals connected to each of the plurality of semiconductor elements, protruding from the power body to one side in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and arranged in the first direction; a capacitor module including a capacitor element, a capacitor case that houses the capacitor element via a capacitor sealing resin, and a capacitor bus bar that is connected to the capacitor element; The capacitor bus bar is a flat plate portion formed in a plate shape having a width in the first direction longer than a width in the second direction, the flat plate portion being exposed to the outside from the sealing resin for the capacitor; a plurality of power terminal connection portions extending from the flat plate portion to the other side in the second direction, arranged in the first direction, and connected to the plurality of power terminals, respectively; a power supply connection portion connected to the flat plate portion and connected to a DC power supply; and a plurality of element connection portions connected to the flat plate portion, arranged on one side of the flat plate portion in the second direction, arranged in the first direction, and connected to the capacitor elements; a positional range of an element connection portion, which is a positional range in the first direction between two of the element connection portions that are arranged at both ends in the first direction in the plurality of element connection portions, and a positional range of a power terminal connection portion, which is a positional range in the first direction between two of the power terminal connection portions that are arranged at both ends in the first direction in the plurality of power terminal connection portions, are inside a positional range in the first direction in which the flat plate portion is arranged, the length of the position range of the element connection portion is equal to the length of the position range of the power terminal connection portion; a center position of the position range of the element connection portion and a center position of the position range of the power terminal connection portion are at the same position; a ground-side capacitor module including a ground-side capacitor element connected between the capacitor bus bar and ground, and a ground-side capacitor case that houses the ground-side capacitor element via a sealing resin for the ground-side capacitor; the power supply connection portion includes a DC path portion that is exposed to the outside from the sealing resin for the capacitor and is connected to the flat plate portion, and a DC connection portion that is connected to the DC path portion and is connected to a DC power supply, the DC path portion is disposed so that at least a portion thereof overlaps with the ground-side capacitor module when viewed in a third direction orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction, a housing that houses the power module unit, the capacitor module, and the ground-side capacitor module; The capacitor case and the ground-side capacitor case are formed in a cylindrical shape with a bottom, the housing has a first surface to which the power module unit is thermally connected and a second surface to which the capacitor module and the ground-side capacitor module are thermally connected, and a refrigerant flow path for cooling the first surface is provided on the back side of the first surface; the second surface faces one side in a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction, and is disposed on one side of the first surface in the second direction and on the other side of the first surface in the third direction, and the housing has a step portion between the first surface and the second surface; the refrigerant flow path is disposed on the other side of the step portion in the second direction, A power conversion device in which one or both of the capacitor module and the ground-side capacitor module have an open side opposite to the bottom wall side of the capacitor case and the ground-side capacitor case facing the step portion.

19. The power conversion device according to claim 18 , wherein the step portion is thermally connected to one or both of the sealing resin for the capacitor and the capacitor bus bar.

20. the element connection portion has a protrusion protruding toward the capacitor element at an end portion on the capacitor element side, 19. The power conversion device according to claim 1, wherein the capacitor element and the protruding portion are connected to each other.

21. a housing that houses the power module unit and the capacitor module; a control board that controls the power module unit, the housing has a first surface to which the power module section is thermally connected and a second surface to which the capacitor module is thermally connected, the capacitor case is formed in a cylindrical shape with a bottom that opens to the other side in the second direction, a portion of a peripheral wall on the second surface side contacts the second surface, and a bush protruding outward from a portion of the peripheral wall opposite the second surface, 19. The power conversion device according to claim 1, wherein the control board is fixed to the bushing by a screw.

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