Patent · US Expired

High power inverter air cooling

US6233149A · kind A · utility

23Cited by
36References
6Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 23, 1997
Grant dateMay 15, 2001
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 23, 2017

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01L2924/0002
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An electrically powered vehicle includes an inverter mounted in the vehicle, the inverter having a plurality of high power IGBT modules for converting DC power to AC power for application to a plurality of AC electric motors connected in driving relationship to wheels on the vehicle. Each of the IGBT modules is mounted in thermal transfer relationship to an electrically isolated base plate and each base plate has a plurality of closely spaced, parallel slots formed across one surface with a plurality of fins fitted into the slots and extending from the base plate. The system includes apparatus for mounting the IGBT modules to a wall separating an electronics compartment from an air supply and air exhaust compartment. Air from an air supply plenum in the air supply compartment is directed into the fins extending from the IGBT base plate and exhaust through an exhaust conduit. The vehicle includes a blower to force air to flow through the fins extending from the base plate.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.