IP Library Granted Patent US 10,420,256
Granted Patent B1
US 10,420,256 · App. 16/228,275 · Granted Sep 17, 2019

Power converter

Inventors: Kazuki Nakamura (Tochigi, JP); Morifumi Shigemasa (Tochigi, JP); Shinichiro Hayakawa (Tochigi, JP); Kenichi Sasaki (Tochigi, JP)
Assignee: KEIHIN CORPORATION
H05K7/20927H05K5/061H05K7/20254H05K7/20272H05K5/0008
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,420,256
App. No.
16/228,275
Granted
Sep 17, 2019
Kind
B1
Abstract

A power converter includes a sealing member in a loop shape sealing a space between a sealing surface of a cooler and a sealing surface of a casing. Either one of the sealing surface of the cooler and the sealing surface of the casing is provided with a groove in a loop shape enabling the sealing member to be fitted therein. A first positioning portion is provided on a bottom surface of the groove. The sealing member includes an internal sealing portion with a circular cross-section and located along the bottom surface of the groove, an external sealing portion with a circular cross-section and located so as to surround a looped outer circumference surface of the internal sealing portion, and a connected portion that connects the internal sealing portion to the external sealing portion across an entire circumference of the loop. The connected portion includes a second positioning portion capable of being fitted in the first positioning portion.

Claims (28)

1. A power converter comprising:

a cooler that cools down an electronic component;

a casing comprising the cooler; and

a sealing member in a loop shape sealing a space between a sealing surface of the cooler and a sealing surface of the casing, wherein:

either one of the sealing surface of the cooler and the sealing surface of the casing is provided with a groove in a loop shape enabling the sealing member to be fitted therein;

a first positioning portion is provided on a bottom surface of the groove;

the sealing member comprises an internal sealing portion with a circular cross-section and located along the bottom surface of the groove, an external sealing portion with a circular cross-section and located so as to surround a looped outer circumference surface of the internal sealing portion, and a connected portion that connects the internal sealing portion to the external sealing portion across an entire circumference of the loop; and

the connected portion comprises a second positioning portion capable of being fitted in the first positioning portion.

2. The power converter according to claim 1 , wherein:

both surfaces of the connected portion are recessed backwardly relative to the respective sealing surfaces of the internal sealing portion and the external sealing portion; and

a space surrounded by the internal sealing portion, the external sealing portion, and the connected portion forms a drain passage enabling a leaked cooling medium from the internal sealing portion to pass therethrough.

3. The power converter according to claim 2 , wherein:

the first positioning portion comprises a protrusion protruding from the bottom surface of the groove toward an opening of the groove;

the protrusion has a drain hole capable of discharging the cooling medium trapped in the drain passage to an exterior of the casing; and

the second positioning portion is a through-hole enabling the protrusion to be fitted therein.

4. The power converter according to claim 2 , wherein:

the electronic component comprises a power module, and other electronic components that have a little amount of heat generation than the power module;

the cooler comprises a first cooling unit that cools down the power module and a second cooling unit that cools down the other electronic components;

a drain guide path runs through an interior of the casing, the drain guide path guiding a leaked cooling medium from between the first cooling unit and the casing;

the sealing member comprises a second cooling unit sealing member that seals a space between a sealing surface of the second cooling unit and a sealing surface of the casing;

the groove comprises a second cooling unit groove enabling the second cooling unit sealing member to be fitted therein;

the first positioning portion comprises a protrusion protruding from a bottom surface of the second cooling unit groove toward an opening of the groove;

the protrusion has a drain hole enabling the cooling medium guided from the drain guide path to flow in the drain passage of the second cooling unit sealing member; and

the second positioning portion is a through-hole enabling the protrusion to be fitted therein.

5. The power converter according to claim 1 , wherein:

the sealing member in the loop shape comprises an extended portion extended outwardly from an outer circumference surface of the loop or an inner circumference surface thereof; and

either one of the cooler and the casing has a recess enabling the extended portion to be fitted therein.

6. The power converter according to claim 1 , wherein at least a part of the cooler is integrally formed with the casing.

Assignments (2)
MERGER Recorded Feb 2, 2022
From: KEIHIN CORPORATION
To: HITACHI ASTEMO, LTD.
Reel/Frame 058951/0325 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 21, 2018
From: NAKAMURA, KAZUKI; SHIGEMASA, MORIFUMI; HAYAKAWA, SHINICHIRO; SASAKI, KENICHI
To: KEIHIN CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 047847/0146 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2017-051492 · Mar 19, 2018 · national
Cited By (1)
US 12,408,309