IP Library Granted Patent US 10,090,760
Granted Patent B2
US 10,090,760 · App. 15/431,913 · Granted Oct 2, 2018

DC-DC voltage conversion device

View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,090,760
App. No.
15/431,913
Granted
Oct 2, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

In a DC-DC voltage conversion device, overheat of a diode element connected in anti-parallel with a semiconductor switching element is a problem, and in order to resolve this, a temperature of a semiconductor switching element of a main conversion circuit is detected, a temperature of a diode element connected in parallel with the semiconductor switching element is calculated using a correction calculation of the detected semiconductor switching element temperature value in accordance with a step-up ratio of the DC-DC voltage conversion device, and diode element overheat protection is carried out in accordance with the calculated temperature value.

Claims (12)

1. A DC-DC voltage conversion device, comprising:

a semiconductor switching element of a main conversion circuit;

a diode element connected in parallel with the semiconductor switching element;

a temperature detection unit that detects a temperature of the semiconductor switching element;

a diode element temperature calculation unit that calculates a temperature of the diode element using a correction calculation that utilizes the semiconductor switching element temperature detected by the temperature detection unit and a step-up ratio of the DC-DC voltage conversion device; and

overheat protection means that carries out control for protecting the diode element in accordance with a value of the calculated temperature.

2. The DC-DC voltage conversion device according to claim 1 , wherein the diode element temperature calculation unit calculates the diode element temperature using a temperature ratio coefficient that is variable in accordance with a step-up ratio that is a ratio between a secondary side voltage and primary side voltage of the DC-DC voltage conversion device.

3. The DC-DC voltage conversion device according to claim 2 , wherein characteristics of the temperature ratio coefficient of the diode element temperature calculation unit differ between a time when the DC-DC voltage conversion device performs a discharging operation, whereby power is supplied from the primary side to the secondary side, and a time when the DC-DC voltage conversion device performs a charging operation, whereby power is supplied from the secondary side to the primary side.

4. The DC-DC voltage conversion device according to claim 2 , wherein the temperature ratio coefficient of the diode element temperature calculation unit is a value fixed by referring to a table that has the step-up ratio and a magnitude of current flowing through the DC-DC voltage conversion device as input variables.

5. The DC-DC voltage conversion device according to claim 1 , wherein the diode element temperature calculation unit calculates the diode element temperature based on a coolant temperature of the main conversion circuit correlated to the magnitude of current passing through the DC-DC voltage conversion device and the diode element temperature when the primary side voltage and secondary side voltage of the DC-DC voltage conversion device coincide and the semiconductor switching elements have stopped switching.

6. The DC-DC voltage conversion device according to claim 1 , wherein the main conversion circuit is such that a smoothing capacitor and an inductor are connected between a primary side positive electrode side terminal and negative electrode side terminal of the main conversion circuit, a serial body of four power semiconductor units wherein the semiconductor switching element and diode element are connected in anti-parallel is connected between a secondary side positive electrode side terminal and negative electrode side terminal, a terminal of the inductor differing from a connection terminal for a terminal of the smoothing capacitor is connected to a connection point of a second power semiconductor unit and third power semiconductor unit of the serial body of power semiconductor units, and an energy shifting capacitor is connected between a connection point of a first power semiconductor unit and the second power semiconductor unit and a connection point of the third power semiconductor unit and a fourth power semiconductor unit.

7. The DC-DC voltage conversion device according to claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor switching element is an SiC element.

Assignments (2)
COMPANY SPLIT Recorded Sep 4, 2024
From: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
To: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC MOBILITY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 068834/0585 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 14, 2017
From: KOBAYASHI, MASARU; IKEDA, MATAHIKO; KIHARA, NOBUHIRO; OTSUKA, KAZUHIKO; ABE, JUNICHI
To: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 041251/0647 →