Electric power converter

An electric power converter, comprising:

• a plurality of semiconductor modules having integral semiconductor elements and a capacitor as a power source connected to the semiconductor modules;
• the semiconductor modules include a positive side semiconductor module connected to a positive side of the capacitor and a negative side semiconductor module connected to a negative side of the capacitor;
• the positive side semiconductor module has a positive terminal connected to the capacitor and a 1st intermediate terminal connected to the negative side semiconductor module where both terminals are formed to project from the positive side semiconductor module;
• the negative side semiconductor module has a negative terminal connected to the capacitor and a 2nd intermediate terminal connected to the positive side semiconductor module where both terminals are formed to project from the negative side semiconductor module;
• the positive terminal is connected to the capacitor by a positive bus bar;
• the negative terminal is connected to the capacitor by a negative bus bar;
• the 1st intermediate terminal and the 2nd intermediate terminal are connected with each other by an intermediate bus bar;
• and
• the positive side semiconductor module, the negative side semiconductor module, the capacitor, the positive bus bar, the negative bus bar, and the intermediate bus bar constitute one closed circuit;
• wherein:
• a main part of the plurality of semiconductor modules that includes the positive side and negative side semiconductor modules, the positive and negative terminals, and the 1st and the 2nd intermediate terminals, the positive bus bar, the negative bus bar, and the intermediate bus bar are arranged in layered forms so that the direction of each current that flows to each of the main part of the plurality of semiconductor modules, the positive bus bar, the negative bus bar, and the intermediate bus bar opposes a neighboring current when a current flows in the closed circuit;
• the positive side semiconductor module and the negative side semiconductor module are arranged in parallel so that the positive terminal and the negative terminal adjoin each other;
• the capacitor is arranged in one side of the positive side semiconductor module that is the position opposite to the side where the negative side semiconductor module is arranged;
• and
• apart of the negative bus bar near the capacitor is arranged closer to the positive bus bar than the intermediate bus bar and a part of the negative bus bar near the positive terminal is arranged closer to the intermediate bus bar than the negative bus bar, the negative bus bar including a bent portion that bends to the positive bus bar side from the intermediate bus bar side in the negative bus bar as the negative bus bar approaches the capacitor;
• and
• the intermediate bus bar, the negative bus bar, and the positive bus bar are arranged parallel in this order and the negative bus bar is sandwiched between the intermediate bus bar and the positive bus bar.

An electric power converter comprising:

• a capacitor comprising a positive side and a negative side;
• a plurality of semiconductor modules, comprising:
• a positive side semiconductor module comprising a first plurality of integral semiconductor elements;
• a positive terminal extending from the positive side semiconductor module;
• a first intermediate terminal extending from the positive side semiconductor module;
• a negative side semiconductor module comprising a second plurality of integral semiconductor elements;
• a negative terminal extending from the negative side semiconductor module;
• and
• a second intermediate terminal extending from the negative side semiconductor module;
• a negative bus bar electrically connecting the negative terminal and the negative side of the capacitor;
• an intermediate bus bar electrically connecting the first intermediate terminal and the second intermediate terminal;
• and
• a positive bus bar electrically connecting the positive side of the capacitor and the positive terminal, the positive bus bar comprising a first portion near the capacitor, a bent portion, and a second portion near the positive terminal, wherein:
• the positive side semiconductor module and the negative side semiconductor module are arranged so that the positive terminal is closer to the negative terminal than the second intermediate terminal and the negative terminal is closer to the positive terminal than the first intermediate terminal,
• the capacitor is arranged closer to the negative side semiconductor module than the positive side semiconductor module,
• the positive side semiconductor module and the negative side semiconductor module are arranged closer to the intermediate bus bar than the negative bus bar,
• the positive bus bar is sandwiched between the intermediate bus bar and the negative bus bar, the first portion of the positive bus bar is arranged closer to the negative bus bar than the intermediate bus bar and the second portion of the positive bus bar is arranged closer to the intermediate bus bar than the negative bus bar,
• the electric power converter comprises a closed circuit wherein a current flows from the positive side of the capacitor through the positive bus bar, the positive side semiconductor module, the intermediate bus bar, the negative side semiconductor module, and the negative bus bar to the negative side of the capacitor,
• a direction of the current that flows through the positive side semiconductor module is opposite a direction of the current that flows through the intermediate bus bar,
• a direction of the current that flows through the negative side semiconductor module is opposite a direction of the current that flows through the intermediate bus bar,
• a direction of the current that flows through the intermediate bus bar is opposite a direction of the current that flows through the positive bus bar, and
• a direction of the current that flows through the positive bus bar is opposite a direction of the current that flows through the negative bus bar.

An electric power converter comprising:

• a capacitor comprising a positive side and a negative side;
• a plurality of semiconductor modules, comprising:
• a positive side semiconductor module comprising a first plurality of integral semiconductor elements;
• a positive terminal extending from the positive side semiconductor module;
• a first intermediate terminal extending from the positive side semiconductor module;
• a negative side semiconductor module comprising a second plurality of integral semiconductor elements;
• a negative terminal extending from the negative side semiconductor module;
• and
• a second intermediate terminal extending from the negative side semiconductor module;
• an intermediate bus bar electrically connecting the first intermediate terminal and the second intermediate terminal;
• a positive bus bar electrically connecting the positive side of the capacitor and the positive terminal;
• and
• a negative bus bar electrically connecting the negative terminal and the negative side of the capacitor, the negative bus bar comprising a first portion near the capacitor, a bent portion, and a second portion near the negative terminal, wherein:
• the positive side semiconductor module and the negative side semiconductor module are arranged so that the positive terminal is closer to the negative terminal than the second intermediate terminal and the negative terminal is closer to the positive terminal than the first intermediate terminal,
• the capacitor is arranged closer to the positive side semiconductor module than the negative side semiconductor module,
• the positive side semiconductor module and the negative side semiconductor module are arranged closer to the intermediate bus bar than the positive bus bar,
• the negative bus bar is sandwiched between the intermediate bus bar and the positive bus bar, the first portion of the negative bus bar is arranged closer to the positive bus bar than the intermediate bus bar and the second portion of the negative bus bar is arranged closer to the intermediate bus bar than the positive bus bar,
• the electric power converter comprises a closed circuit wherein a current flows from the positive side of the capacitor through the positive bus bar, the positive side semiconductor module, the intermediate bus bar, the negative side semiconductor module, and the negative bus bar to the negative side of the capacitor,
• a direction of the current that flows through the positive side semiconductor module is opposite a direction of the current that flows through the intermediate bus bar,
• a direction of the current that flows through the negative side semiconductor module is opposite a direction of the current that flows through the intermediate bus bar,
• a direction of the current that flows through the intermediate bus bar is opposite a direction of the current that flows through the negative bus bar, and
• a direction of the current that flows through the negative bus bar is opposite a direction of the current that flows through the positive bus bar.