Electricity: electrical systems and devices – Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical... – For electronic systems and devices
Reexamination Certificate
2000-07-24
2001-11-06
Thompson, Gregory (Department: 2835)
Electricity: electrical systems and devices
Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical...
For electronic systems and devices
C165S080400, C174S016300, C174S08800C, C361S704000, C361S715000, C361S830000, C257S714000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06313991
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates generally to electric vehicles and, more particularly, to an integrated power electronics cooling housing for use in a power electronics system.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The assignee of the present invention manufactures electric vehicles. The electric vehicle uses a power electronics system that is used to distribute electrical power to various components in the vehicle.
Prior art related to cooling of power electronics systems involves liquid cooling of power semiconductor devices using a discrete heat exchanger electrically connected to a chassis, combined with air cooling of other dissipating components (either directly to air or by conduction to chassis and air cooling of the chassis). Disadvantages of conventional cooling arrangements are as follows.
The heat exchanger is only used once for the power semiconductor devices. Air-cooling of other heat-dissipating components is less effective than cooling provided by a liquid cooling path, which results in higher operating temperatures and lower reliability. The capacitance of the power semiconductor devices relative to the chassis is higher, which results in higher injected currents that generate electromagnetic interference (EMI).
It would therefore be desirable to have an improved power electronics system having integrated cooling that may be used in an electric vehicle, for example, and that overcomes the limitations of conventional implementations.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention comprises an improved power electronics system having integrated cooling. An exemplary system comprises a cooling housing having a body having a coolant cavity formed in one surface and having a capacitor bus assembly potting cavity formed in an opposite surface, a bus bar passthrough opening formed through the body, a coolant inlet manifold having a coolant cavity inlet and a coolant outlet manifold having a coolant cavity outlet formed in the body that are coupled to respective ends of the coolant cavity, and an environmental sealing gasket surrounding the coolant cavity.
A plurality of laminated copper bus bars are disposed through the bus bar passthrough opening. A laminated horizontal bus bar assembly extends along the length of the housing above the coolant cavity and has horizontal bus bars that are coupled to the laminated copper bus bars. A battery input connector is coupled by way of a vertical bus bar assembly to the horizontal bus bar assembly.
A plurality of power switching devices are coupled to the laminated horizontal bus bar assembly. A heat sink is coupled to the plurality of power switching devices and thermally coupled to the coolant cavity. A plurality of capacitors are secured in the capacitor bus assembly potting cavity that are coupled by way of the laminated copper bus bars to the horizontal bus bar assembly.
All power-dissipating components coupled to the housing are liquid-cooled by the same coolant loop through the housing. The housing is designed to accept a thermal plate and environmental sealing gasket for use with high power dissipating devices. The housing has coolant inlet and outlet ports, a coolant cavity, thermal interfaces and component mounting and potting features. Low power dissipating devices are cooled through the housing by the coolant cavity. The housing is designed for automotive and other dynamic environments. The housing is designed to have a minimal parts count and a low number of electrical interconnects to provide higher reliability. All electronic components may be electrically-isolated from the chassis for EMI shielding and safety if the housing is made of dielectric material. The concepts of the present invention are generally applicable to inverters, power supplies, and other power electronics devices.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5694301 (1997-12-01), Donegan et al.
patent: 5740015 (1998-04-01), Donegan et al.
patent: 5841634 (1998-11-01), Visser
patent: 5940263 (1999-08-01), Jakoubovitch
patent: 6088227 (2000-07-01), Bujtas et al.
Downer Scott D.
Nagashima James M.
Ward Terence G.
DeVries Christopher
General Motors Corporation
Thompson Gregory
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