# US 10,321,585 B2 · Power conversion apparatus and electric vehicle > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,321,585 B2 - Document ID: US10321585B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/199,853 - Filed: 2018-11-26 - Published: 2019-03-28 - Granted: 2019-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2008-07-29 - Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd. - Applicants: Hitachi, Ltd. - Inventors: Kinya Nakatsu; Hideyo Suzuki; Fusanori Nishikimi; Takeshi Matsuo; Toshiya Satou - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10321585B2 ## CPC - H02M 7/003: {Constructional details, e.g. physical layout, assembly, wiring or busbar connections} - B60L 50/00: Electric propulsion with power supplied within the vehicle (with power supply from force of nature, e.g. sun or wind, B60L8/00; for monorail vehicles, suspension vehicles or rack railways B60L13/00) - H02M 1/327: {against abnormal temperatures} - H05K 5/0026: {provided with connectors and printed circuit boards [PCB], e.g. automotive electronic control units} - H05K 5/0043: {comprising a frame housing mating with two lids wherein the PCB is flat mounted on the frame housing} - H05K 7/14322: {wherein the control and power circuits of a power converter are arranged within the same casing} - H05K 7/20927: {Liquid coolant without phase change} - H10W 40/255: {having a laminate or multilayered structure, e.g. direct bond copper [DBC] ceramic substrates} - H10W 40/47: by flowing liquids, e.g. forced water cooling - H10W 44/501: {Inductive arrangements (H10W44/20 takes precedence)} - H10W 44/601: {Capacitive arrangements (H10W44/20 takes precedence)} - H10W 70/611: {for connecting multiple chips together} - H10W 90/00: Package configurations - H10W 90/401: {characterised by multiple insulating or insulated package substrates, interposers or RDLs} - B60L 2200/26: Rail vehicles - H02M 1/008: {Plural converter units for generating at two or more independent and non-parallel outputs, e.g. systems with plural point of load switching regulators} - H02M 1/123: {Suppression of common mode voltage or current} - H02M 7/5387: in a bridge configuration - H10W 70/479: {on or in insulating or insulated package substrates, interposers, or redistribution layers} - H10W 72/352: {comprising metals or metalloids, e.g. solders} - H10W 72/5363: {the connected ends being wedge-shaped} - H10W 72/5445: {being orthogonal to a side surface of the chip, e.g. parallel arrangements} - H10W 72/5475: {multiple bond wires connected to common bond pads at both ends of the wires} - H10W 72/884: {Die-attach connectors and bond wires} - H10W 90/701: {characterised by the relative positions of pads or connectors relative to package parts} - H10W 90/734: {between a chip and a stacked insulating package substrate, interposer or RDL} - H10W 90/753: {between laterally-adjacent chips} - H10W 90/754: {between a chip and a stacked insulating package substrate, interposer or RDL} - H02M: APPARATUS FOR CONVERSION BETWEEN AC AND AC, BETWEEN AC AND DC, OR BETWEEN DC AND DC, AND FOR USE WITH MAINS OR SIMILAR POWER SUPPLY SYSTEMS; CONVERSION OF DC OR AC INPUT POWER INTO SURGE OUTPUT POWER; CONTROL OR REGULATION THEREOF (transformers H01F; dynamo-electric converters H02K47/00; controlling transformers, reactors or choke coils, control or regulation of electric motors, generators or dynamo-electric converters H02P) - B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES - H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS - H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 ## Abstract The metallic case of a power conversion apparatus includes a casing having a side wall, as well as an upper case and a lower case, a first area being formed between a cooling jacket provided at the inner periphery of the side wall and the lower case, the metal base plate dividing the first area between the cooling jacket and the upper case into a lower side second area and an upper side third area, first and second power modules being fastened to a top surface and a capacitor module being provided in the first area, driving circuits that drive inverter circuits of the power modules respectively being provided in the second area, and a control circuit that controls the driver circuits being provided in the third area. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A power converter apparatus comprising: a capacitor module that has capacitor cells for smoothing DC voltage; a power module that has an inverter circuit; a driving circuit board that has a driver circuit for driving the inverter circuit; a control circuit board that has a control circuit for controlling the driver circuit; a cooling jacket in which cooling medium flows; an apparatus casing to which the cooling jacket is fixed; a lower case that is fixed to a bottom surface of the apparatus casing; a metal base plate that is fixed to a top surface of the apparatus casing; and an upper case that is fixed to the metal base plate, wherein a first space for housing the capacitor module is formed between the lower case and the cooling jacket, a second space for housing the power module and the driving circuit board is formed between the cooling jacket and the metal base plate, a third space for housing the control circuit board is formed between the metal base plate and the upper case, the control circuit board is fixed onto the metal base plate, an inlet pipe for introducing the cooling medium into the cooling jacket is fixed onto a portion of the apparatus casing closer to the bottom surface of the apparatus casing than to the top surface of the apparatus casing, and the apparatus casing has a flange portion at the top surface of the apparatus casing for contacting with the metal base plate. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The power converter apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a support portion is formed on the metal base plate, and the control circuit board is fixed onto a top surface of the support portion. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The power converter apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a metal base having a heat releasing fins is provided on a bottom surface of the power module, and the heat releasing fins is configured to be in direct contact to the cooling medium flowing in the cooling jacket. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The power converter apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a metal plate is provided between the power module and the driving circuit board. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The power converter apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a connector is fixed on an outer peripheral wall of the second space, and a signal cable of the connector is connected to the control circuit board arranged in the third space through a first opening formed in the metal base plate. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The power converter apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the signal cable is disposed along a guide board formed by the metal base plate. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The power converter apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the metal base plate has a second opening, and an electronic component mounted on the driving circuit board is protruded into the third space through the second opening. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The power converter apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the capacitor module has a conductor board connected with the capacitor cells, a capacitor terminal is formed by bending the conductor board upward, and the capacitor terminal of the capacitor module is extended and connected to the power module through a through-hole formed in the apparatus casing. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The power converter apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the capacitor module includes two capacitors for filtering common mode noise, the two capacitors are arranged on one side of the power converter apparatus in a longitudinal direction of the power converter apparatus, and the inlet pipe is arranged on another side of the power converter apparatus in the longitudinal direction.