Power converter

{
  "publication_number": "US11011996B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Power converter",
  "abstract": "An object of the present invention is to improve the reliability of a power converter against electromagnetic noise. A power converter according to the present invention includes: a power semiconductor circuit unit; a DCDC converter circuit unit; a first drive circuit board that outputs a drive signal to the power semiconductor circuit unit; a second drive circuit board that outputs a drive signal to the DCDC converter circuit unit; and a control circuit board that outputs a first control signal for controlling the first drive circuit board and a second control signal for controlling the second drive circuit board, in which the control circuit board is arranged at a position facing the second drive circuit board with the power semiconductor circuit unit and the DCDC converter circuit unit interposed therebetween, the first drive circuit board is arranged to be substantially parallel to an array direction of the control circuit board and the second drive circuit board, and the first drive circuit board has a relay wiring that relays the second control signal output from the control circuit board to the second drive circuit board.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A power converter comprising: a power semiconductor circuit unit that converts DC power into AC power to be supplied to a drive motor; a DCDC converter circuit unit that converts a voltage of DC power; a first drive circuit board that outputs a drive signal to the power semiconductor circuit unit; a second drive circuit board that outputs a drive signal to the DCDC converter circuit unit; and a control circuit board that outputs a first control signal for controlling the first drive circuit board and a second control signal for controlling the second drive circuit board, wherein the control circuit board is arranged at a position facing the second drive circuit board with the power semiconductor circuit unit and the DCDC converter circuit unit interposed therebetween, the first drive circuit board is arranged such that a main surface of the first drive circuit board is substantially parallel to an array direction of the control circuit board and the second drive circuit board, and is arranged at a position facing the power semiconductor circuit unit, and the first drive circuit board has a relay wiring that relays the second control signal output from the control circuit board to the second drive circuit board.",
    "2. The power converter according to claim 1, wherein the first drive circuit board comprises a first conductive layer, and the first conductive layer is arranged between the power semiconductor circuit unit or the DCDC converter circuit unit, and the relay wiring.",
    "3. The power converter according to claim 2, wherein the first drive circuit board comprises a second conductive layer arranged on an opposite side to the first conductive layer with the relay wiring interposed therebetween.",
    "4. The power converter according to claim 1, further comprising a housing that accommodates the power semiconductor circuit unit, the DCDC converter circuit unit, the first drive circuit board, the second drive circuit board, and the control circuit board, and is formed of a conductive member, wherein the housing comprises a wall that partitions a first space and a second space, the control circuit board is arranged in the first space, the power semiconductor circuit unit, the DCDC converter circuit unit, the first drive circuit board, and the second drive circuit board are arranged in the second space, and the wall forms a through hole that penetrates a connection member that connects the control circuit board and the first drive circuit board.",
    "5. The power converter according to claim 1, wherein, in the first drive circuit board, at least one of a connection portion with the first drive circuit board and a connection portion with the control circuit board is a connector structure in which a male connector and a female connector are directly connected.",
    "6. The power converter according to claim 1, wherein the DCDC converter circuit unit comprises a transformer, and the transformer is arranged at a position facing the first drive circuit board with the power semiconductor circuit unit interposed therebetween.",
    "7. The power converter according to claim 1, wherein the DCDC converter circuit unit comprises a transformer, a low voltage side circuit electrically connected between the transformer and a low voltage power supply, and a high voltage side circuit electrically connected between the transformer and a high voltage power supply, and the low voltage side circuit is arranged closer to the control circuit board than the high voltage side circuit, and is controlled by a control signal from the control circuit board.",
    "8. The power converter according to claim 1, wherein the first drive circuit board comprises a drive circuit unit that drives the power semiconductor circuit unit, and a power supply circuit unit that supplies power to the drive circuit unit, and the relay wiring is arranged closer to the power supply circuit unit than the drive circuit unit.",
    "9. The power converter according to claim 8, wherein the first drive circuit board comprises a first connector for connecting to the control circuit board, and a second connector for connecting to the second drive circuit board, and the first connector and the second connector are arranged closer to the power supply circuit unit than the drive circuit unit.",
    "10. The power converter according to claim 1, further comprising a support member that supports the first drive circuit board, wherein the first drive circuit board comprises a first connector for connecting to the control circuit board, and the support member forms a concave portion that accommodates the first connector."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present invention relates to a power converter, and more particularly to an integrated power converter in which a power semiconductor circuit unit and a DCDC converter circuit unit are integrally formed.\n\nA vehicle such as a hybrid vehicle or an electric vehicle includes a DCDC converter circuit unit that converts high voltage and low voltage, and an inverter circuit unit that includes a power semiconductor circuit unit that converts DC power to AC power. With the miniaturization of vehicles, miniaturization of the DCDC converter circuit unit and the inverter circuit unit is also required.\n\nTherefore, PTL 1 discloses a technology in which the DCDC converter circuit unit and the inverter circuit unit are accommodated in the same casing.\n\nHowever, as electric products used in vehicles become high in voltage, further measures for parts constituting the DCDC converter circuit unit and the inverter circuit unit against electromagnetic noise need to be taken.\n\nPTL 1: JP 2014-72938 A\n\nThen, the technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to improve the reliability with respect to the electromagnetic noise of a power converter.",
  "cpc": [
    "H02M 1/44",
    "H01R 12/716",
    "H02M 7/00",
    "H02M 7/003",
    "H05K 1/0218",
    "H05K 1/0224",
    "H05K 1/141",
    "H05K 2201/042",
    "H05K 2201/047",
    "H05K 2201/0715",
    "H05K 3/366",
    "H05K 3/368",
    "H05K 5/0047",
    "H05K 5/006",
    "H05K 5/0065",
    "H05K 5/0069",
    "H05K 7/14322",
    "H05K 9/002"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "H02M 7/00",
    "H05K 1/02",
    "H05K 5/00",
    "H05K 9/00",
    "H02M 7/44",
    "H05K 1/18"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Hitachi Automotive Systems Ltd"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Akira Ishii",
    "Hiroyuki Saito",
    "Yutaka Okubo",
    "Ryuji Kurihara",
    "Yuji SOBU"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2018-01-29",
  "publication_date": "2021-05-18",
  "grant_date": "2021-05-18",
  "priority_date": "2017-03-30",
  "application_number": "US-201816489925-A",
  "family_id": "63674910",
  "cited_by_count": 1,
  "citations": [
    "US20060086981A1",
    "JP2006121834A",
    "JP2014072938A",
    "US20150163961A1",
    "JP2015053776A",
    "US20150246619A1",
    "JP2015164367A",
    "US20170040907A1",
    "US20180287466A1",
    "US20180048255A1"
  ]
}