U.S. patent application number 15/616322 was filed with the patent office on 2018-05-31 for inverter for driving motor of vheicle.
This patent application is currently assigned to HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY. The applicant listed for this patent is HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION. Invention is credited to Ho Tae CHUN, Seung Hyun HAN, Chang Han JUN, Yun Ho KIM, Jeong Yun LEE, Se Min WOO.
Application Number | 20180152114 15/616322 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 62191090 |
Filed Date | 2018-05-31 |
United States Patent
Application |
20180152114 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
CHUN; Ho Tae ; et
al. |
May 31, 2018 |
INVERTER FOR DRIVING MOTOR OF VHEICLE
Abstract
An inverter for driving a motor of a vehicle mediating between a
battery and a driving motor is disclosed. The inverter includes a
power storage module, a power module, and a cooling module. The
power storage module is configured to be supplied with power from
the battery. The power module is configured to be supplied with
power from the power storage module to transfer the power to the
driving motor. The cooling module is configured to be installed
between the power storage module and the power module to
simultaneously cool the power storage module and the power
module.
Inventors: |
CHUN; Ho Tae; (Daejeon,
KR) ; WOO; Se Min; (Seoul, KR) ; JUN; Chang
Han; (Hwaseong-si, KR) ; KIM; Yun Ho; (Seoul,
KR) ; LEE; Jeong Yun; (Hwaseong-si, KR) ; HAN;
Seung Hyun; (Yongin-si, KR) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY
KIA MOTORS CORPORATION |
Seoul
Seoul |
|
KR
KR |
|
|
Assignee: |
HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY
Seoul
KR
KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
Seoul
KR
|
Family ID: |
62191090 |
Appl. No.: |
15/616322 |
Filed: |
June 7, 2017 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H02M 7/003 20130101;
Y02T 10/70 20130101; H05K 7/20927 20130101; Y02T 10/7072 20130101;
H02K 11/33 20160101; Y02T 90/14 20130101; H02K 11/0094
20130101 |
International
Class: |
H02M 7/00 20060101
H02M007/00; H02K 11/33 20060101 H02K011/33; H05K 7/20 20060101
H05K007/20 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Nov 30, 2016 |
KR |
10-2016-0161256 |
Claims
1. An inverter for driving a motor of a vehicle mediating between a
battery and a driving motor, comprising: a power storage module
configured to be supplied with power from the battery; a power
module configured to be supplied with power from the power storage
module to transfer the power to the driving motor; and a cooling
module configured to be installed between the power storage module
and the power module to simultaneously cool the power storage
module and the power module.
2. The inverter of claim 1, further including: a connection module
configured to connect the power storage module and the power module
to transfer power, wherein the connection module is formed in a
structure having a plus plate connecting a plus terminal of the
power storage module and a plus terminal of the power module and a
minus plate connecting a minus terminal of the power storage module
and a minus terminal of the power module, the plates being stacked
in an insulated state.
3. The inverter of claim 2, wherein each plus plate and each minus
plate are formed in the shape of the letter L and have a first
surface inserted between the power storage module and the cooling
module and a second surface extending along a side surface of the
cooling module from one end of the first surface, and a first
surface of the plus plate and a first surface of the minus plate
are stacked and a second surface of the plus plate and a second
surface of the minus plate are installed to contact each other
while being stacked.
4. The inverter of claim 3, wherein the connection module further
includes a plus terminal extending from a second surface of the
plus plate to be connected to a plus terminal of the power module
and a minus terminal extending from a second surface of the minus
plate to be connected to a minus terminal of the power module.
5. The inverter of claim 3, wherein the first surface of the minus
plate is provided with a through hole so that the first surface of
the plus plate and the plus terminal of the power storage module
contact each other.
6. The inverter of claim 3, wherein the first surface of the plus
plate is provided with a through hole so that the first surface of
the minus plate and the minus terminal of the power storage module
contact each other.
7. The inverter of claim 2, wherein the cooling module cools the
connection module, and the power storage module is indirectly
cooled by the connection module.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] The present application claims priority to Korean Patent
Application No. 10-2016-0161256, filed on Nov. 30, 2016, the entire
contents of which is incorporated herein for all purposes by this
reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE
1. Technical Field
[0002] The present disclosure relates to an inverter for driving a
motor of a vehicle, and more particularly, to an inverter for
driving a motor of a vehicle mediating between a battery and a
driving motor.
2. Description of the Related Art
[0003] Eco-friendly vehicles such as an electric vehicle, a hybrid
vehicle, etc., are driven by a driving motor operated by
electricity.
[0004] A vehicle is heavy, and therefore there is a need to
increase the output of the driving motor in order to accelerate to
a high speed. The output of the driving motor is determined by a
magnitude, a frequency, etc., of an input voltage. In this case,
the inverter including a power module is used to adjust the output
while a DC current transferred from a battery is converted into an
AC current.
[0005] Describing in more detail the configuration of the inverter
typically used, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the inverter is
configured to include a power module 10, a power storage module 20,
and a cooling module 30. The inverter may further include a housing
(not illustrated) enclosing the components.
[0006] The power module 10 is a core component that is supplied
with the DC current, converts the DC current into the AC current
and controls an output and a frequency of a motor. The power
storage module 20 is a component that temporarily stores a current
supplied from a battery to constantly keep electric energy supplied
to the power module 10 and takes up a largest volume in the
inverter. The cooling module 30 is a component for cooling the
power module 10 that generates heat during the conversion process
of current. The inside of the cooling module 30 is provided with a
plurality of cooling passages and thus has cooling water, etc.,
circulated in the cooling passages to cool the power module 10.
[0007] To reduce the volume of the inverter, there is a need to
optimize, in particular, a size of the power storage module 20
among the foregoing components. The power storage module 20
comprises a capacitor that is proportional to a size and power
storage capacity. Here, the power storage module 20 deteriorates
when the temperature of the components is increased and thus the
power storage capacity thereof is reduced. As a result, minimum
capacity, that is, a minimum volume of the power storage module 20
is calculated in consideration of that aspect.
[0008] If the power storage module 20 can be effectively cooled,
the volume of the power storage module 20 may be minimized. But if
the cooling is not appropriately made and thus temperature is
increased, the volume of the power storage module 20 needs to be
increased to take in account the deterioration in the power storage
capacity.
[0009] Meanwhile, if the distance between the power module 10 and
the power storage module 20 is increased, leakage inductance is
increased, such that deterioration in performance is caused due to
a momentary voltage spike. Therefore, the related art has used a
structure in which the power module 10 and the power storage module
20 are installed directly adjacent to each other.
[0010] For existing inverters, FIG. 1 illustrates a vertical
coupling structure and FIG. 2 illustrates a horizontal coupling
structure. As illustrated, when the power module 10 and the power
storage module 20 are adjacent to each other, as illustrated in
FIG. 1, the power storage module 20 and the cooling module 30 are
spaced apart from each other and thus the power storage module 20
may not be cooled by the cooling module 30. Alternately, when the
power module 10 and the power storage module 20 are adjacent to
each other as illustrated in FIG. 2, the size of the cooling module
30 becomes excessively large, thus causing the size of the inverter
to become large.
[0011] Therefore, a new inverter structure capable of maintaining
performance by minimizing leakage inductance occurring between the
power module 10 and the power storage module 20 while minimizing
the size of the power storage module 20 by cooling both the power
module 10 and the power storage module 20 is required.
[0012] The matters described as the related art have been provided
only for assisting in the understanding for the background of the
present disclosure and should not be considered as corresponding to
the related art known to those skilled in the art.
SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0013] An object of the present disclosure is to provide an
inverter for driving a motor of a vehicle capable of minimizing a
volume and leakage inductance.
[0014] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present
disclosure, there is provided an inverter for driving a motor of a
vehicle mediating between a battery and a driving motor, including:
a power storage module configured to be supplied with power from
the battery; a power module configured to be supplied with power
from the power storage module to transfer the power to the driving
motor; and a cooling module configured to be installed between the
power storage module and the power module to simultaneously cool
the power storage module and the power module.
[0015] The inverter may further include: a connection module
configured to connect the power storage module and the power module
to transfer power. The connection module may be formed in a
structure having a plus plate connecting a plus terminal of the
power storage module and a plus terminal of the power module and a
minus plate connecting a minus terminal of the power storage module
and a minus terminal of the power module are stacked in an
insulated state.
[0016] The plus plate and the minus plate may each be formed in the
shape of the letter L and have a first surface inserted between the
power storage module and the cooling module and a second surface
extending along a side surface of the cooling module from one end
of the first surface, and a first surface of the plus plate and a
first surface of the minus plate may be stacked and a second
surface of the plus plate and a second surface of the minus plate
may each be installed to contact each other while being
stacked.
[0017] The connection module may further include a plus terminal
extending from a second surface of the plus plate to be connected
to a plus terminal of the power module and a minus terminal
extending from a second surface of the minus plate to be connected
to a minus terminal of the power module.
[0018] The first surface of the plus plate or the first surface of
the minus plate may be provided with a through hole so that the
first surface of the plus plate and the plus terminal of the power
storage module contact each other and the first surface of the
minus plate and the minus terminal of the power storage module
contact each other.
[0019] The cooling module may cool the connection module and the
power storage module may be indirectly cooled by the connection
module cooled by the cooling module.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0020] FIGS. 1 and 2 are diagrams illustrating the existing
inverter layout.
[0021] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of an inverter
according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0022] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a connection module
according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0023] FIG. 5 is a side view of the inverter according to an
embodiment of the present disclosure.
DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
[0024] Terminologies used herein are to mention only a specific
exemplary embodiment, and are not to limit the present disclosure.
Singular forms used herein include plural forms as long as phrases
do not clearly indicate an opposite meaning. A term "including"
used in the present specification concretely indicates specific
properties, regions, integer numbers, steps, operations, elements,
and/or components, and is not to exclude presence or addition of
other specific properties, regions, integer numbers, steps,
operations, elements, components, and/or a group thereof.
[0025] All terms including technical terms and scientific terms
used herein have the same meaning as the meaning generally
understood by those skilled in the art to which the present
disclosure pertains unless defined otherwise.
[0026] Hereinafter, an inverter for driving a motor of a vehicle
according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure will
be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0027] As illustrated in FIG. 3, an inverter according to an
exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is configured to
include a power module 10, a power storage module 20, a cooling
module 30, like the existing inverter, illustrated in FIGS. 1 and
2. In addition, the inverter further includes a connection module
100 for minimizing leakage inductance occurring between the power
module 10 and the power storage module 20.
[0028] According to the exemplary embodiment of the present
disclosure, the power module 10, the cooling module 30, and the
power storage module 20 are sequentially disposed so that the
cooling module 30 and the power storage module 20 may contact each
other to effectively cool the power storage module 20. Thus, the
cooling module 30 may simultaneously cool the power module 10 and
the power storage module 20.
[0029] As such, the cooling module 30 is disposed between the power
module 10 and the power storage module 20 to effectively cool the
power storage module 20, thereby minimizing the overall volume of
the inverter.
[0030] However, the power module 10 and the power storage module 20
are spaced apart from each other by the thickness of the cooling
module 30. Therefore, a connection module 100 having a laminate bus
bar structure is installed to minimize the increased leakage
inductance.
[0031] The connection module 100 has a stacked structure in which a
plus plate 110 and a minus plate 120 are coupled with each other in
an insulated state and may minimize the occurrence of leakage
inductance by minimizing the distance therebetween while keeping a
maximum contact area between both poles.
[0032] The plus plate 110 is configured to connect between a plus
terminal 11 of the power module 10 and a plus terminal 21 of the
power storage module 20. The minus plate 120 is configured to
connect between a minus terminal 12 of the power module 10 and a
minus terminal 22 of the power storage module 20.
[0033] As illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, the plus plate 110 is
configured in the shape of the letter L having a first surface 112
and a second surface 111 that extends perpendicularly from the
first surface 112. The first surface 112 is inserted between the
cooling module 30 and the power storage module 20 with the second
surface 111 extending along a side surface of the cooling module
30. The minus plate 120 is also configured in the shape of the
letter L and has a first surface 122 and a second surface 121 that
extends perpendicularly from the first surface 122. The first
surfaces 112 and 122 of the plus plate 110 and the minus plate 120
are stacked to contact each other and the second surfaces 111 and
121 of the plus plate 110 and the minus plate 120 contact each
other to form the shape of the letter L.
[0034] The distance between the plus plate 110 and the minus plate
120 is minimized while the plus plate 110 and the minus plate 120
contact each other over a wide area. Thus, the leakage inductance
of current transferred may also be minimized.
[0035] A method for coupling a plus plate 110 and a minus plate 120
in an insulated state is not particularly limited, but it is
preferable to simultaneously obtain insulation and adhesion by
coupling the plus plate 110 and the minus plate 120 using an
adhesive having insulation.
[0036] The plus plate 110 further includes a plus terminal 113
extending from an end portion of the second surface 111 thereof.
The plus terminal 113 extends toward the power module 10 from the
end portion of the second surface located opposite side of the
other end portion contact to the first surface 112.
[0037] The minus plate 120 further includes a minus terminal 123
extending from the second surface 121. The installation position
and form of the terminal 123 are similar to that of the plus
terminal 113.
[0038] The plus terminal 113 is connected to the plus terminal 11
of the power module 10 and the minus terminal 123 is connected to
the minus terminal 12 of the power module 10. Here, the plus
terminal 113 and the minus plate 120 and the minus terminal 123 and
the plus plate 110 each are preferably separated from each other
not to contact each other or coupled surfaces thereof are
preferably insulated.
[0039] Both the first surface 112 of the plus plate 110 and the
first surface 122 of the minus plate 120 are installed between the
cooling module 30 and the power storage module 20. Here, the plus
plate 110 and the minus plate 120 have a stacked structure.
Therefore, only any one of the two plates may contact the power
storage module 20.
[0040] As illustrated in FIGS. 3 to 5, according to the exemplary
embodiment of the present disclosure, the minus plate 120 is
installed to contact the power storage module 20 and the plus plate
110 is installed to contact the cooling module 30.
[0041] In this case, the plus plate 110 may not be coupled with the
plus terminal 21 of the power storage module 20. Therefore, a
portion of the first surface 122 of the minus plate 120 is provided
with a through hole 124 to form a path through which the plus plate
110 and the plus terminal 21 of the power storage module 20 may be
coupled with each other.
[0042] Of course, the present disclosure is not limited that
arrangement. By reversing the stacking order of the positive plate
110 and the minus plate 120, the first surface 112 of the plus
plate 110 may be provided with a through hole 114 to form a path
through which the minus plate 120 and the minus terminal 22 of the
power storage module 20 are coupled with each other.
[0043] The cooling module 30 directly cools the power module 10 and
the connection module 100 that are installed to be directly
contacted thereto. The connection module 100 cooled by the cooling
module 30 in turn cools the power storage module 20 installed to be
contacted thereto. Thus, the cooling module 30 indirectly cools the
power storage module 20.
[0044] The inverter for driving a motor of a vehicle according to
the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure has the
following effects.
[0045] First, it is possible to minimize the size of the power
storage module by effectively cooling the power storage module.
[0046] Second, it is possible to minimize leakage inductance by
connecting the power module and the power storage module using the
layered planar laminate bus bar.
[0047] Although exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure
have been described with reference to the accompanying drawings,
those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications
and alterations may be made without departing from the spirit or
essential feature of the present disclosure.
[0048] Therefore, it should be understood that the above-mentioned
embodiments are not restrictive but are exemplary in all aspects.
It is to be understood that the scope of the present disclosure
will be defined by the claims rather than the above-mentioned
description and all modifications and alternations derived from the
claims and their equivalents are included in the scope of the
present disclosure.
* * * * *