Power Converter Elastic Bellows Vibration Absorption
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing power converters for vehicles face challenges in absorbing unevenness in dimensions and vibration, leading to potential water leakage and fatigue fracture, especially when the thickness of cooling pipes is reduced for weight reduction and increased cooling performance.
Innovation Solution
A power converter design featuring tubular elastic inlet and outlet connection portions, a first fixing member with fastening holes, and a refrigerant flow channel member with flange portions, which enhances tolerance for unevenness and vibration absorption, preventing leakage and fatigue fracture while maintaining a simple configuration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the thickness of cooling pipes is decreased to reduce weight and increase cooling performance, then cooling efficiency and weight reduction are improved, but the structure becomes more susceptible to vibration and fatigue fracture
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies flexible bellows portions to the connection portions between cooling pipes and headers. These bellows are made of flexible material that can deform elastically to absorb vibration, allowing the cooling pipes to be thin-walled for weight reduction while still providing sufficient vibration resistance through the flexible connection portions.
Solution Approach 2:
The bellows portions are designed in advance to absorb vibrations and dimensional unevenness before they can cause fatigue fracture to the thin-walled cooling pipes. This preemptive cushioning protects the vulnerable thin-walled structure from vibration-induced failure.
2Adaptability or versatility
If contractible portions are used to absorb dimensional unevenness, then assembly flexibility is improved, but stress is applied to brazed parts causing potential water leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces flexible bellows portions as intermediary elements between the cooling pipes and headers. These bellows absorb dimensional unevenness and vibrations without transmitting stress to the brazed joints, thereby preventing water leakage while maintaining assembly flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The bellows portions are constructed from flexible material that can deform to accommodate dimensional variations in the stacked assembly. This flexibility allows the connection to adapt to manufacturing tolerances without stressing the brazed connections, preventing leakage.
3Strength
If rigid connection portions are used to ensure structural integrity, then strength is improved, but vibration absorption capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The connection portions incorporate flexible bellows that provide both structural integrity and vibration absorption. The bellows are designed to be sufficiently strong to maintain connection integrity while being flexible enough to absorb vibrations, eliminating the need to choose between strength and vibration resistance.
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
The design effectively absorbs unevenness and vibrations, preventing fatigue fracture and leakage, even with thinner refrigerant pipes, while reducing the number of components and assembly processes.
Implementation Method 1
an inlet connection portion (51) that connects the inlet pipe portion (42) to the refrigerant flow channel member (2) and is formed of a tubular elastic member; and an outlet connection portion (52) that connects the outlet pipe portion (43) to the refrigerant flow channel member (2) and is formed of a tubular elastic member
Data Source
AI summary
A power converter includes: a refrigerant flow channel member in which a refrigerant cooling an electronic device flows; a flat refrigerant pipe portion stacked with a power module, provided for a refrigerant cooling the power module to flow therein, and including a contact surface portion contacting the power module to exchange heat; an inlet pipe portion that is disposed at one end of the refrigerant pipe portion and through which the refrigerant flows to the refrigerant pipe portion; an outlet pipe portion that is disposed at the other end of the refrigerant pipe portion and through which the refrigerant flows from the refrigerant pipe portion; an inlet connection portion connecting the inlet pipe portion to the refrigerant flow channel member and formed of a tubular elastic member; and an outlet connection portion connecting the outlet pipe portion to the refrigerant flow channel member and formed of a tubular elastic member.