Gear Case Cooling Passage for Inverter and Oil Heat Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle cooling structures separately address the cooling needs of power conversion apparatuses like inverters and gear mechanisms, leading to increased space occupation and limited design flexibility.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle cooling structure that integrates a cooling passage within the gear case, allowing coolant to flow between the gear case's inner surface and both the inverter and step-down converter, thereby cooling both the oil and the power conversion apparatuses simultaneously.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate cooling structures are provided for power conversion apparatus and gear mechanism, then each component can be cooled effectively, but the space occupied by cooling structures increases and design flexibility is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges separate cooling structures into a single integrated cooling passage system. The cooling passage is formed within the gear case to simultaneously cool both the power conversion apparatus (inverter and step-down converter) and the gear mechanism, eliminating the need for separate cooling structures and reducing overall space occupation.
Solution Approach 2:
The gear case is designed to serve multiple functions: it houses the gear mechanism, contains oil for gear lubrication, and incorporates cooling passages for cooling both the power conversion apparatus and the gear mechanism. This multi-functional design reduces the number of separate components needed.
2Reliability
If separate cooling structures are provided for power conversion apparatus and gear mechanism, then each component can be cooled effectively, but the cooling structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple cooling functions into a single integrated cooling passage system within the gear case, reducing the number of separate cooling components and simplifying the overall cooling structure while maintaining effective cooling of all heat-generating components.
Solution Approach 2:
The gear case is designed as a multi-functional component that simultaneously serves as a housing for the gear mechanism, a container for lubricating oil, and a structure containing cooling passages for both the power conversion apparatus and the gear mechanism, thereby reducing structural complexity.
3Volume of moving object
If power conversion apparatus are disposed on the outer surface of the gear case, then space inside the gear case is saved, but heat dissipation becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling passage acts as an intermediary thermal pathway between the power conversion apparatus (disposed on the outer surface) and the coolant. The cooling passage is formed between the inner surface of the gear case and the power conversion apparatus, allowing efficient heat transfer from the externally mounted components to the circulating coolant.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This integrated cooling approach simplifies the cooling structure, reduces space occupation, and enhances design flexibility by effectively cooling both the oil and power conversion apparatuses with a common coolant.
Implementation Method 1
The cooling passage is formed between an inner surface of the gear case and the inverter, and between the inner surface and the step-down converter. The cooling passage is configured such that coolant flows therethrough.
Implementation Method 2
coolant flows therethrough
Implementation Method 3
The cooling passage is formed between an inner surface of the gear case and the inverter, and between the inner surface and the step-down converter. The cooling passage is configured such that coolant flows therethrough.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle cooling structure to be applied to a vehicle includes a gear case, an inverter, a step-down converter, and a cooling passage. The gear case is to house a gear mechanism and oil of the vehicle. The inverter is disposed on an outer surface of the gear case and to be electrically coupled to a motor of the vehicle. The step-down converter is disposed on the outer surface of the gear case and electrically coupled to the inverter. The cooling passage is formed between an inner surface of the gear case and the inverter, and between the inner surface and the step-down converter. The cooling passage is configured such that coolant flows therethrough.