US6621701B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Water cooled inverter
Assignee: Hitachi Ltd
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Filing: 2002-07-16
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Granted: 2003-09-16
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Expires: 2022-07-16
Abstract
Abstract According to the invention, there is provided a water cooled inverter structure forming a plurality of shallow cavities and deep cavities in a housing, fixing a bottom surface of power semiconductor modules to shallow cavities to form a shallow water channel and directly cooling the power semiconductor modules using this shallow water channel. Since cooling water flows fast in the shallow water channel, it is possible to improve a cooling efficiency and also reduce pressure loss using a deep water channel with deep cavities. Furthermore, providing a plurality of cavities makes it possible to reduce a size of the power semiconductor modules and provide a plurality of power semiconductor modules, thus improving reliability. It is possible to place a control board below the water channel to thermally cut off the control board from the power semiconductor modules, which makes it possible to reduce temperature of a control circuit.
Inventors
- 👤 Akihiro Tamba
- 👤 Takayoshi Nakamura
- 👤 Ryuichi Saito
- 👤 Naohiro Momma
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 13:21
CPC Classifications
H; H05; H05K; H05K7/00; H05K7/20; H05K7/2089; H05K7/20927
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
117 words
A water cooled inverter comprising: a housing; an IGBT module portion comprising a plurality of IGBT modules, the IBGT module portion being accommodated in the housing; a control circuit configured such that a plurality of circuit elements for driving the plurality of IGBT modules are mounted on a board, the control circuit board being accommodated in the housing; a connector electrically connecting the control circuit with the IGBT module portion, the connector being accommodated in the housing; and a water channel formed between the IGBT module portion and the housing, wherein the water channel comprises a first water channel having a first depth, and a second water channel having a second depth deeper than the first depth.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
117 words
A water cooled inverter comprising: a housing; an IGBT module portion comprising a plurality of IGBT modules, the IBGT module portion being accommodated in the housing; a control circuit configured such that a plurality of circuit elements for driving the plurality of IGBT modules are mounted on a board, the control circuit board being accommodated in the housing; a connector electrically connecting the control circuit with the IGBT module portion, the connector being accommodated in the housing; and a water channel formed between the IGBT module portion and the housing, wherein the water channel comprises a first water channel having a first depth, and a second water channel having a second depth deeper than the first depth.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
48 words
The water cooled inverter according to claim 1 , wherein the first channel is formed by the IGBT module, the housing, and a metallic plate disposed between the IGBT module portion and the housing, and the second water channel is formed by the metallic plate and the housing.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
The water cooled inverter according to claim 2 , wherein the first depth of the first water channel is defined by the thickness of the metallic plate.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
The water cooled inverter according to claim 1 , wherein the first depth of the first water channel is 5 mm or less.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
The water cooled inverter according to claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is fixed to a top cover of the housing.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
27 words
The water cooled inverter according to claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is accommodated in a bottom cover provided on a bottom surface of the housing.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
The water cooled inverter according to claim 1 , wherein a part of the plurality of circuit elements is contacted with a heat conductive sheet bonded on the housing.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
126 words
The water cooled inverter according to claim 1 , wherein the control circuit comprises a first control circuit configured such that a microcomputer among the circuit elements is mounted on a board, and a second control circuit configured such that the circuit elements other than the microcomputer are mounted on a board, the second control circuit is disposed on one plane side of the IGBT module portion, and electrically connected with the IGBT module portion by a first connector, and the first control circuit is disposed on the other plane side of the IGBT module portion so that the IGBT module and the water channel are disposed between the first and second control circuits, and electrically connected with the second control circuit by a second connector.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
28 words
The water cooled inverter according to claim 8 , wherein the first control circuit is accommodated in a bottom cover provided on a bottom surface of the housing.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
32 words
The water cooled inverter according to claim 8 , wherein a part of the circuit elements on the first control circuit is contacted with a heat conductive sheet bonded on the housing.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
JPH042156A
Cited
JPH09121557A
Cited
JPH09207583A
Cited
US5966291A
Cited
US6166937A
Cited
US6414867B2
Cited
US6529394B1
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2006-09-15 | 2007-03-17 | 2007-09-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2010-09-15 | 2011-03-17 | 2011-09-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2014-09-15 | 2015-03-17 | 2015-09-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |