IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,453,031
Granted Patent B2
US 12,453,031 · App. 18/289,899 · Granted Oct 21, 2025

Power conversion device

Inventors: Yusuke Higaki (Tokyo, JP); Takushi Jimichi (Tokyo, JP); Kimiyuki Koyanagi (Tokyo, JP); Takuya Kajiyama (Tokyo, JP); Akito Nakayama (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
H05K7/14322H02M3/003H05K7/14329
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,453,031
App. No.
18/289,899
Granted
Oct 21, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Unit converters each comprises a capacitor, a switching element having a flat surface on one side, a P-pole connection conductor where a second terminal hole at one end for fixing an electrode corresponding to a P-pole of the switching element and a first terminal hole at the other end for fixing a terminal of the capacitor are formed, and an N-pole connection conductor where a second terminal hole at one end for fixing an electrode corresponding to a N-pole of the switching element and a first terminal hole at the other end for fixing a terminal of the capacitor are formed. The unit-converters each including the connection conductors arranged to overlap in the thickness direction with their insulation maintained make the cooling surfaces of the switching elements be opposed to each other with a cooling device therebetween.

Claims (28)

1. A power conversion device comprising:

a pair of unit-converters; and

a cooling device, wherein

each of the pair of unit-converters comprises:

a capacitor;

a switching element in which a cooling surface and a connecting surface opposite to the cooling surface are provided and two electrodes through which main power flows are formed in the connecting surface and by which a leg for power conversion is formed by forming a pair;

a first conductive plate in which a second terminal hole is formed at one end for fixing an electrode of the switching elements forming the pair, the electrode corresponding to a first pole in the leg, and a first terminal hole is formed at the other end for fixing an electrode of the capacitor corresponding to the first pole; and

a second conductive plate in which a second terminal hole is formed at one end for fixing an electrode of the switching elements forming the pair, the electrode corresponding to a second pole in the leg, and a first terminal hole is formed at the other end for fixing an electrode of the capacitor corresponding to the second pole, the second conductive plate being arranged to overlap with the first conductive plate in a thickness direction, maintaining insulation from the first conductive plate, wherein,

in the pair of unit-converters, the cooling surfaces of the switching elements forming the pair in one unit-converter is opposed to the cooling surfaces of the switching elements forming the pair in the other unit-converter with the cooling device interposed therebetween.

2. The power conversion device according to claim 1 , wherein, in each of the pair of unit-converters, the capacitor is placed on a front side relative to the cooling surface of the switching element in a direction away from the second terminal hole.

3. The power conversion device according to claim 1 , wherein the first conductive plate and the second conductive plate each have a bent portion in a middle portion so as to have an angle between a portion where the first terminal hole is formed and a portion where the second terminal hole is formed.

4. The power conversion device according to claim 2 , wherein the first conductive plate and the second conductive plate each have a bent portion in a middle portion so as to have an angle between a portion where the first terminal hole is formed and a portion where the second terminal hole is formed.

5. The power conversion device according to claim 1 , wherein the pair of unit-converters are such that the first conductive plates have the same shape to each other and the second conductive plates have the same shape to each other.

6. The power conversion device according to claim 2 , wherein the pair of unit-converters are such that the first conductive plates have the same shape to each other and the second conductive plates have the same shape to each other.

7. The power conversion device according to claim 1 , wherein three or more of the second terminal holes are arranged along the one end of each of the first conductive plate and the second conductive plate, and an opening is formed on a line connecting a centrally arranged terminal hole thereof and the first terminal hole.

8. The power conversion device according to claim 2 , wherein three or more of the second terminal holes are arranged along the one end of each of the first conductive plate and the second conductive plate, and an opening is formed on a line connecting a centrally arranged terminal hole thereof and the first terminal hole.

9. The power conversion device according to claim 1 , wherein a third terminal hole for electrical connection with an outside is formed in each of the first conductive plate and the second conductive plate at a position away from a shortest path connecting the second terminal hole and the first terminal hole.

10. The power conversion device according to claim 2 , wherein a third terminal hole for electrical connection with an outside is formed in each of the first conductive plate and the second conductive plate at a position away from a shortest path connecting the second terminal hole and the first terminal hole.

11. The power conversion device according to claim 9 , further comprising a wiring member that connects a terminal hole formed in the first conductive plate of the one unit-converter and a terminal hole formed in the first conductive plate of the other unit-converter among the third terminal holes.

12. The power conversion device according to claim 10 , further comprising a wiring member that connects a terminal hole formed in the first conductive plate of the one unit-converter and a terminal hole formed in the first conductive plate of the other unit-converter among the third terminal holes.

13. The power conversion device according to claim 9 , further comprising a wiring member that connects a terminal hole formed in the first conductive plate of the one unit-converter and a terminal hole formed in the second conductive plate of the other unit-converter among the third terminal holes.

14. The power conversion device according to claim 10 , further comprising a wiring member that connects a terminal hole formed in the first conductive plate of the one unit-converter and a terminal hole formed in the second conductive plate of the other unit-converter among the third terminal holes.

15. The power conversion device according to claim 1 , wherein, in one of the first conductive plate, the second conductive plate, and a third conductive plate whose one end is formed with a terminal hole corresponding to an AC pole in the leg and whose other end is formed with a terminal hole for electrical connection to an outside, the number of terminal holes formed at one end portion is larger than the number of terminal holes formed at the other end portion, and a width of the other end portion is narrower than a width of the one end portion.

16. The power conversion device according to claim 2 , wherein, in one of the first conductive plate, the second conductive plate, and a third conductive plate whose one end is formed with a terminal hole corresponding to an AC pole in the leg and whose other end is formed with a terminal hole for electrical connection to an outside, the number of terminal holes formed at one end portion is larger than the number of terminal holes formed at the other end portion, and a width of the other end portion is narrower than a width of the one end portion.

17. The power conversion device according to claim 1 , wherein, a bypass switch for bypassing between the pair of unit-converters is provided.

18. The power conversion device according to claim 2 , wherein, a bypass switch for bypassing between the pair of unit-converters is provided.

19. The power conversion device according to claim 3 , wherein, a bypass switch for bypassing between the pair of unit-converters is provided.

20. The power conversion device according to claim 5 , wherein, a bypass switch for bypassing between the pair of unit-converters is provided.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 8, 2023
From: HIGAKI, YUSUKE; JIMICHI, TAKUSHI; KOYANAGI, KIMIYUKI; KAJIYAMA, TAKUYA; NAKAYAMA, AKITO
To: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 065492/0595 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240251519A1 · Jul 25, 2024
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