# US 10,772,242 B2 · Inverter module of an electric vehicle

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 10,772,242 B2
- Document ID: US10772242B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/110,425
- Filed: 2018-08-23
- Published: 2019-10-17
- Granted: 2020-09-08
- Earliest claimed: 2018-04-17
- Assignees: Chongqing Jinkang New Energy Vehicle Co., Ltd.; SF Motors, Inc.
- Applicants: SF Motors, Inc.
- Inventors: Yunan Song; Kangwei Mao; Jinzhu Li; Colin Haag; Nathan Chung; Zhong Nie; Duanyang Wang; Yifan Tang
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10772242B2

## CPC

- B60L 15/007: {Physical arrangements or structures of drive train converters specially adapted for the propulsion motors of electric vehicles}
- H02M 7/003: {Constructional details, e.g. physical layout, assembly, wiring or busbar connections}
- H02M 7/5387: in a bridge configuration
- H02P 27/06: using DC to AC converters or inverters (H02P27/05 takes precedence)
- H05K 3/303: with surface mounted components (H05K3/32 takes precedence)
- H05K 5/0026: {provided with connectors and printed circuit boards [PCB], e.g. automotive electronic control units}
- H05K 5/30: Side-by-side or stacked arrangements
- H05K 7/14329: {specially adapted for the configuration of power bus bars}
- H05K 7/20854: {Heat transfer by conduction from internal heat source to heat radiating structure (H05K7/20863 takes precedence)}
- H05K 7/20881: {Liquid coolant with phase change}
- H05K 7/209: {Heat transfer by conduction from internal heat source to heat radiating structure (H05K7/20909 takes precedence)}
- H05K 7/20927: {Liquid coolant without phase change}
- H05K 7/20945: {Thermal management, e.g. inverter temperature control}
- H05K 9/0007: {Casings (standardised racks H05K9/0062)}
- B60L 2210/44: Current source inverters
- H02M 1/327: {against abnormal temperatures}
- H02M 1/44: Circuits or arrangements for compensating for electromagnetic interference in converters or inverters
- H05K 1/0209: {External configuration of printed circuit board adapted for heat dissipation, e.g. lay-out of conductors, coatings}
- H05K 2201/066: Heatsink mounted on the surface of the printed circuit board [PCB]
- H05K 2201/10015: Non-printed capacitor
- H05K 2201/10151: Sensor
- H05K 2201/10166: Transistor
- H05K 2201/10272: Busbars, i.e. thick metal bars mounted on the printed circuit board [PCB] as high-current conductors
- H05K 2201/10393: Clamping a component by an element or a set of elements
- Y02T 10/64: Electric machine technologies in electromobility
- Y02T 10/72: Electric energy management in electromobility
- 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
- 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)
- H02P: CONTROL OR REGULATION OF ELECTRIC MOTORS, ELECTRIC GENERATORS OR DYNAMO-ELECTRIC CONVERTERS; CONTROLLING TRANSFORMERS, REACTORS OR CHOKE COILS
- H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION

## Abstract

Provided herein is an inverter module to power an electric vehicle. The inverter module can include a power module or multiple power modules. The power module can include a capacitor and a heat sink coupled with the capacitor. The power module can include a ceramic plate coupled with the heat sink. The power module can include a locator having a plurality of slots and a plurality of transistors disposed within the plurality of slots. The locator and the plurality of transistors can be disposed over a first surface of the ceramic plate. The power module can include a laminated bus bar disposed over a first surface of the locator. The power module can include a gate drive printed circuit board coupled with the laminated bus bar. The power module can include a dielectric gel tray disposed over a first surface of the gate drive printed circuit board.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An inverter module to power an electric vehicle, comprising:
a power module, the power module comprising:
a capacitor;
a heat sink coupled with a first surface of the capacitor;
a first ceramic plate coupled with a first surface of the heat sink;
a second ceramic plate coupled with the first surface of the heat sink;
a locator having a plurality of slots;
a plurality of transistors disposed within the plurality of slots;
the locator and the plurality of transistors disposed over a first surface of the first ceramic plate and a first surface of the second ceramic plate;
a laminated bus bar disposed over a first surface of the locator;
a first input terminal disposed at a first side of the laminated bus bar, the first input terminal at a first level with respect to the first side of the laminated bus bar;
a second input terminal disposed at the first side of the laminated bus bar, the second input terminal at a second level with respect to the first side of the laminated bus bar;
an output terminal disposed at a second side of the laminated bus bar;
a gate drive printed circuit board coupled with a first surface of the laminated bus bar; and
a dielectric gel tray disposed over a first surface of the gate drive printed circuit board.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The inverter module of claim 1, comprising:
the dielectric gel tray defining an inner region;
the inner region having the gate drive printed circuit board, the laminated bus bar, the plurality of transistors, the locator, the first ceramic plate, the second ceramic plate and the heat sink disposed therein; and
the dielectric gel tray coupled with the capacitor through at least one fastener.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The inverter module of claim 1, comprising:
at least one clip coupling the plurality of transistors with the plurality of slots of the locator.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The inverter module of claim 1, comprising:
a positive DC bus bar coupled with a side surface of the power module through a holder.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The inverter module of claim 1, comprising:
a negative DC bus bar coupled with a side surface of the power module through a holder.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The inverter module of claim 1, comprising:
a positive Y-capacitor bus bar coupled with a side surface of the power module through a holder; and
the positive Y-capacitor bus bar having a first positive portion extending along a first side surface of the holder and a second positive portion extending along a second side surface of the holder.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The inverter module of claim 1, comprising:
a negative Y-capacitor bus bar coupled with a side surface of the power module through a holder; and
the negative Y-capacitor bus bar having a first negative portion extending along a first side surface of the holder and a second negative portion extending along a second side surface of the holder.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The inverter module of claim 1, comprising:
a ground Y-capacitor bus bar coupled with a positive DC bus bar of the power module through a holder; and
the ground Y-capacitor bus bar coupled with a first side surface of the holder.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The inverter module of claim 1, comprising:
an inverter housing assembly defining an inner region; and
multiple power modules disposed within the inner region.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The inverter module of claim 1, comprising:
an electromagnetic interference shield disposed over first surfaces of multiple power modules disposed within an inner region of the inverter module, the electromagnetic interference shield disposed within the inner region; and
a control board disposed over a first surface of the electromagnetic interference shield, the control board disposed within the inner region.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The inverter module of claim 1, comprising:
at least one voltage connector disposed within an inner region of the inverter module.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The inverter module of claim 1, comprising:
a first temperature sensor disposed adjacent to an inlet of an inverter housing assembly, the first temperature sensor disposed within the inner region; and
a second temperature sensor disposed adjacent to an outlet of the inverter housing assembly, the second temperature sensor disposed within the inner region.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The inverter module of claim 1, comprising:
a thermal pad;
a discharge board coupled with the thermal pad;
a holder coupled with the discharge board;
a temperature sensor;
a clip coupled with the temperature sensor, the holder, the discharge board, and the thermal pad; and
the thermal pad, the discharge board, the holder, the temperature sensor and the clip disposed within an inner region of the inverter module.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The inverter module of claim 1, comprising:
three power modules coupled in a triplet configuration within the inverter module; and
the inverter module disposed in an electric vehicle;
first input terminals of each of the three power modules disposed at the first level with respect to the first side of the laminated bus bar;
second input terminals of each of the three power modules disposed at the second level with respect to the first side of the laminated bus bar; and
output terminals of each of the three power modules aligned with respect to the second side of the laminated bus bar.

### Claim 15

A method to provide electrical power via an inverter module to power an electric vehicle, the method comprising:
providing a capacitor;
coupling a heat sink with a first surface of the capacitor;
disposing a first ceramic plate with a first surface of the heat sink;
disposing a second ceramic plate with the first surface of the heat sink;
providing a locator having a plurality of slots;
disposing a plurality of transistors within the plurality of slots, the locator and the plurality of transistors disposed over a first surface of the first ceramic plate and a first surface of the second ceramic plate;
providing a laminated bus bar over a first surface of the locator;
disposing a first input terminal at a first side of the laminated bus bar, the first input terminal at a first level with respect to the first side of the laminated bus bar;
disposed a second input terminal at the first side of the laminated bus bar, the second input terminal at a second level with respect to the first side of the laminated bus bar;
disposing an output terminal at a second side of the laminated bus bar;
coupling a gate drive printed circuit board with a first surface of the laminated bus bar; and
disposing a dielectric gel tray over a first surface of the gate drive printed circuit board.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, comprising:
providing the dielectric gel tray defining an inner region;
disposing each of the gate drive printed circuit board, the laminated bus bar, the plurality of transistors, the locator, the first ceramic plate, the second ceramic plate and the heat sink within an inner region defined by the dielectric gel tray; and
coupling the dielectric gel tray with the capacitor through at least one fastener.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, comprising:
providing a holder proximate to a side surface of the power module;
coupling a positive DC bus bar with the side surface of the power module using the holder; and
coupling a negative DC bus bar coupled with the side surface of the power module using the holder.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, comprising:
providing a holder proximate to a side surface of the power module;
coupling a positive Y-capacitor bus bar with the side surface of the power module using the holder;
the positive Y-capacitor bus bar having a first positive portion extending along a first side surface of the holder and a second positive portion extending along a second side surface of the holder;
coupling a negative Y-capacitor bus bar with the side surface of the power module using the holder; and
the negative Y-capacitor bus bar having a first negative portion extending along a first side surface of the holder and a second negative portion extending along a second side surface of the holder.

### Claim 19 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, comprising:
providing an inverter housing assembly defining an inner region of the inverter module;
disposing multiple power modules within an inner region;
disposing an electromagnetic interference shield over first surfaces of the multiple power modules, the electromagnetic interference shield disposed within the inner region; and
providing a control board over a first surface of the electromagnetic interference shield, the control board disposed within the inner region.

### Claim 20

An electric vehicle, comprising:
an inverter module to power the electric vehicle, the inverter module comprising:
a power module, the power module comprising:
a capacitor;
a heat sink coupled with a first surface of the capacitor;
a first ceramic plate coupled with a first surface of the heat sink;
a second ceramic plate coupled with the first surface of the heat sink;
a locator having a plurality of slots;
a plurality of transistors disposed within the plurality of slots;
the locator and the plurality of transistors disposed over a first surface of the first ceramic plate and a first surface of the second ceramic plate;
a laminated bus bar disposed over a first surface of the locator;
a first input terminal disposed at a first side of the laminated bus bar, the first input terminal at a first level with respect to the first side of the laminated bus bar;
a second input terminal disposed at the first side of the laminated bus bar, the second input terminal at a second level with respect to the first side of the laminated bus bar;
an output terminal disposed at a second side of the laminated bus bar;
a gate drive printed circuit board coupled with a first surface of the laminated bus bar; and
a dielectric gel tray disposed over a first surface of the gate drive printed circuit board.