Shielded Power Converter Housing for Vehicle EMI Grounding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing power converters face challenges in effectively suppressing electromagnetic noise, which can lead to disturbances in electric components and peripheral devices due to the leakage of high-frequency energy and switching surges, particularly in in-vehicle applications such as electric cars and hybrid vehicles.
Innovation Solution
The power converter incorporates a housing with electrically conductive shield layers covering both inner and outer surfaces, along with a collar member that allows for grounding to a vehicle-side member, facilitating the transfer of electromagnetic noise from the shield layers to the vehicle-side member via a fastener, thus providing a noise suppression effect.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If shield layers are added to cover the housing surfaces, then electromagnetic noise suppression is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The collar member integrates multiple functions: it serves as both a mechanical fastening component (receiving the fastener to secure the housing) and an electrical connection component (electrically conductively joining the shield layer to the vehicle-side member). This merging of mechanical and electrical functions into a single component reduces the number of separate parts needed, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining effective electromagnetic noise suppression through the shield layers.
Solution Approach 2:
The collar member is designed as a multi-functional component that simultaneously provides mechanical support for fastening and electrical conduction for grounding the shield layer. By making the collar member universal in its functionality, the design avoids adding separate dedicated components for each function, thus improving electromagnetic noise suppression without proportionally increasing device complexity.
2Reliability
If a collar member is added to enable grounding, then electromagnetic compatibility performance is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The collar member combines mechanical fastening and electrical grounding functions into a single integrated component. The through-hole structure allows mechanical fastening while the electrical conduction capability provides grounding for the shield layer. This merging approach achieves improved electromagnetic compatibility without adding multiple separate components.
Solution Approach 2:
The collar member serves multiple purposes: it mechanically secures the housing to the vehicle-side member while simultaneously providing an electrical path to ground the shield layer. This multi-functionality improves electromagnetic compatibility performance without proportionally increasing device complexity, as one component accomplishes what would otherwise require multiple separate elements.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If shield layers cover both inner and outer surfaces, then electromagnetic noise suppression is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The collar member integrates mechanical and electrical functions, simplifying the manufacturing process by reducing the number of separate components that need to be assembled. The electrical conduction through the collar member provides a straightforward grounding path for the shield layers, avoiding complex wiring arrangements and making the overall manufacturing process more efficient while maintaining effective electromagnetic noise suppression.
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 configuration effectively suppresses electromagnetic noise by grounding it to the vehicle-side member, improving electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) performance and reducing noise disturbances within the power converter and its surroundings.
Implementation Method 1
The collar member is electrically conductively joined to the shield layer
Data Source
AI summary
A power converter includes a semiconductor modules, a capacitor, a housing, a shield layer and a collar member. The capacitor is electrically connected to the semiconductor modules. The housing houses at least the semiconductor modules and the capacitor. The shield layer is electrically conductive and provided on and covers at least one of inner and outer surfaces of the housing. The collar member is electrically conductive and integrated with the housing. The collar member is configured to allow a fastener to be inserted through the collar member such that the housing is fixed to a vehicle-side member via the fastener. The collar member is electrically conductively joined to the shield layer.