IP Library Granted Patent US 11,166,397
Granted Patent B2
US 11,166,397 · App. 16/966,594 · Granted Nov 2, 2021

Power conversion device

Inventors: Nobuhiro Takahashi (Tokyo, JP); Tatsuji Katayama (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: TOSHIBA MITSUBISHI—ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL SYSTEMS CORPORATION
H05K7/20945H02M7/003H05K7/1427H05K7/20909H05K7/20927
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,166,397
App. No.
16/966,594
Granted
Nov 2, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

A power conversion device includes: a casing including a housing portion; a circuit board housed in the housing portion, the circuit board including an inverter circuit or an inverter control circuit configured to control the inverter circuit; a cooling fan configured to generate air flowing through the housing portion to cool the circuit board; a temperature sensor configured to sense a temperature inside or outside the casing; and a cooling fan control circuit configured to drive the cooling fan. The cooling fan control circuit is configured to, if the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor is higher than a predetermined temperature, turn on the cooling fan, and if the sensed temperature is equal to or below the predetermined temperature, control the cooling fan to turn off the cooling fan or make a speed of the flowing air lower than a speed when the cooling fan is in the on state.

Claims (34)

1. A power conversion device comprising:

a casing including a housing portion, the housing portion being separated into a first housing chamber and a second housing chamber by a partition wall extending in a vertical direction, one surface of the partition wall being exposed to the first housing chamber side, another surface of the partition wall being exposed to the second housing chamber;

a circuit board housed in the first housing chamber, the circuit board including an inverter circuit or an inverter control circuit configured to control the inverter circuit, the circuit board being attached to the one surface of the partition wall;

a water-cooling heat dissipation member housed in the second housing chamber and attached to a site in the other surface of the partition wall, the site being on an opposite side of the partition wall from the circuit board, the water-cooling heat dissipation member allowing a coolant to flow inside;

a heat generation component housed in the second housing chamber and attached to the other surface of the partition wall, the heat generation component forming a circuit jointly with the inverter circuit;

a cooling fan configured to generate flowing air flowing in the second housing chamber;

a temperature sensor configured to sense a temperature inside the casing or outside the casing; and

a cooling fan control circuit configured to drive the cooling fan, wherein:

the cooling fan control circuit is configured to, if the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor is higher than a predetermined temperature set in advance, turn on the cooling fan;

if the sensed temperature is equal to or below the predetermined temperature, the cooling fan control circuit controls the cooling fan so as to turn off the cooling fan or make a speed of the flowing air lower than a speed when the cooling fan is in the on state; and

the heat generation component is disposed immediately below the water-cooling heat dissipation member in the vertical direction on the other surface of the partition wall.

2. The power conversion device according to claim 1 , wherein:

the casing includes a ceiling portion including a ceiling-side vent hole and a floor portion including a floor-side vent hole;

the housing portion is provided between the ceiling portion and the floor portion and communicates with the ceiling portion and the floor portion;

if the sensed temperature is higher than the predetermined temperature, the cooling fan control circuit drives the cooling fan so that the flowing air flows from the ceiling-side vent hole toward the floor-side vent hole; and

the cooling fan control circuit is configured to, if the sensed temperature is equal to or below the predetermined temperature, turn off the cooling fan.

3. The power conversion device according to claim 2 , wherein:

the heat generation component includes a reactor and a capacitor; and

the reactor and the capacitor are arranged in a line along the vertical direction, immediately below the water-cooling heat dissipation member in the vertical direction.

4. The power conversion device according to claim 3 , wherein:

the water-cooling heat dissipation member includes an antifreeze; and

the predetermined temperature is a temperature set to be higher than a freezing temperature of the antifreeze but lower than 0° C.

5. The power conversion device according to claim 2 , wherein:

the water-cooling heat dissipation member includes an antifreeze; and

the predetermined temperature is a temperature set to be higher than a freezing temperature of the antifreeze but lower than 0° C.

6. The power conversion device according to claim 1 , wherein:

the heat generation component includes a reactor and a capacitor; and

the reactor and the capacitor are arranged in a line along the vertical direction, immediately below the water-cooling heat dissipation member in the vertical direction.

7. The power conversion device according to claim 6 , wherein:

the water-cooling heat dissipation member includes an antifreeze; and

the predetermined temperature is a temperature set to be higher than a freezing temperature of the antifreeze but lower than 0° C.

8. The power conversion device according to claim 1 , wherein:

the water-cooling heat dissipation member includes an antifreeze; and

the predetermined temperature is a temperature set to be higher than a freezing temperature of the antifreeze but lower than 0° C.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Apr 26, 2024
From: TOSHIBA MITSUBISHI-ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL SYSTEMS CORPORATION
To: TMEIC CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 067244/0359 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 31, 2020
From: TAKAHASHI, NOBUHIRO; KATAYAMA, TATSUJI
To: TOSHIBA MITSUBISHI-ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL SYSTEMS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 053367/0773 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20200367390A1 · Nov 19, 2020