JP6769701B2 - Power converter - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a power converter that performs power conversion using a semiconductor element.

A chopper-type DC-DC converter using a reactor is known as an electric power converter using a semiconductor element. This DC-DC converter mainly includes a power module including a semiconductor switching element, a capacitor, a reactor, and a circuit board on which these are mounted. These parts are individually configured independently and are fixed to a radiator, a case, or the like.

Patent Document 1 discloses a power converter (converter) in which a flat transformer and / or a flat inductor and a power switch are integrated. In this power converter, magnetic parts such as a transformer or a reactor are divided into a plurality of parts, each of which is made smaller and thinner. These parts are joined or secured to the case at intervals from each other.

Japanese Patent Publication No. 2008-502293

However, in the power converter described in Patent Document 1, even if the reactor is divided into a plurality of parts and thinned, gaps are generated between the reactors and between the short parts, and these are used as a support such as a case. Space was required for fixing parts, feet, bolts, etc. for fixing.

In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a power converter capable of reducing the gap between parts and reducing the space required for fixing the parts.

The power converter includes a reactor that stores and releases power. Reactor includes a first magnetic body, a plurality of forming a plurality of pillar-shaped magnetic body arranged in a standing state on the first magnetic member, wound in a plurality of pillar-shaped magnetic plurality of small reactors It includes a winding, a second magnetic body arranged on a plurality of columnar magnetic bodies, and a wiring for electrically connecting the plurality of windings . The plurality of small reactors are electrically connected in series or in parallel by wiring, and are arranged so that the magnetic flux generated by each is opposite to the magnetic flux generated in the adjacent small reactors.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a power converter capable of reducing the gap between parts and reducing the space required for fixing the parts by making the reactor thin.

It is a figure which shows the structure of the power converter which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the detailed structure of the reactor used in the power converter which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the arrangement of the small reactor which was directly connected which constitutes the reactor used in the power converter which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. (A) is a circuit diagram showing the structure of a reactor used in the power converter according to the first embodiment of the present invention. (B) is a plan view showing the structure of the reactor used in the power converter according to the first embodiment of the present invention. (C) is a cross-sectional view of (b) seen from the XX direction. It is a figure which shows the arrangement of the small reactor connected in parallel which constitutes the reactor used in the power converter which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a circuit diagram which shows the structure of the reactor used in the power converter which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a circuit diagram which shows the structure of the reactor used in the power converter which concerns on 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the example which configured the power converter which concerns on 4th Embodiment of this invention by a three-phase bidirectional chopper circuit. It is a figure which shows the structure of the reactor used in the power converter which concerns on 5th Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the structure of the reactor used in the power converter which concerns on 6th Embodiment of this invention. It is a side view which shows the structure of the reactor used in the power converter which concerns on 7th Embodiment of this invention. It is a side view which shows the structure of the reactor used in the power converter which concerns on 8th Embodiment of this invention. It is a side view which shows the structure of the reactor used in the power converter which concerns on 9th Embodiment of this invention. (A) is a top view showing the structure of a reactor used in the power converter according to the tenth embodiment of the present invention. (B) is a cross-sectional view of (b) seen from the YY direction. (C) is a cross-sectional view of (b) seen from the XX direction. It is sectional drawing which shows the structure of the reactor used in the power converter which concerns on 11th Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the structure of the reactor used in the power converter which concerns on 12th Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the structure of the reactor used in the power converter which concerns on 13th Embodiment of this invention. (A) is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of a reactor used in the power converter according to the modified example of the thirteenth embodiment of the present invention. (B) is a circuit diagram showing the structure of a reactor used in the power converter according to the thirteenth embodiment of the present invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the structure of the reactor used in the power converter which concerns on 14th Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the structure of the reactor used in the power converter which concerns on the modification of 14th Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the structure of the reactor used in the power converter which concerns on the modification of 14th Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the structure of the reactor used in the power converter which concerns on the modification of 14th Embodiment of this invention. (A) is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of a reactor used in the power converter according to the modified example of the fifteenth embodiment of the present invention. (B) is a circuit diagram showing the structure of a reactor used in the power converter according to the fifteenth embodiment of the present invention.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the description of the drawings, the same or similar parts are designated by the same or similar reference numerals, and duplicate description will be omitted.

(First Embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example in which the power converter according to the first embodiment of the present invention is configured by a single-phase bidirectional chopper circuit. This power converter includes terminals T1 and T2, a ground terminal GND, capacitors C1 and C2, a reactor L, switching elements Q1 and Q2, and diodes D1 and D2. For example, a DC power supply (not shown) is connected between the terminal T1 and the ground terminal GND, and an inverter (not shown) is connected between the terminal T2 and the ground terminal GND.

The capacitor C1 is connected between the terminal T1 and the ground terminal GND to smooth the voltage from the DC power supply (not shown) or the voltage supplied to the DC power supply. The capacitor C2 is connected between the terminal T2 and the ground terminal GND to smooth the voltage output from an inverter (not shown) or the voltage supplied to the inverter.

The reactor L stores and discharges DC power, one terminal is connected to the terminal T1, and the other terminal is connected to the connection point P between the switching element Q1 and the switching element Q2.

The switching element Q1 is composed of a semiconductor switching element such as a MOSFET, the source is connected to the ground terminal GND, the drain is connected to the connection point P, and the gate is connected to a control circuit (not shown). The diode D1 is connected in parallel with the switching element Q1. Specifically, the anode of the diode D1 is connected to the ground terminal GND, and the cathode is connected to the connection point P.

The switching element Q2 is composed of a semiconductor switching element such as a MOSFET, the source is connected to the connection point P, the drain is connected to the terminal T2, and the gate is connected to a control circuit (not shown). The diode D2 is connected in parallel with the switching element Q2. Specifically, the anode of the diode D2 is connected to the connection point P and the cathode is connected to the terminal T2.

A control circuit (not shown) generates a first control signal for turning on / off the switching element Q1 at high speed and a second control signal for turning on / off the switching element Q2 at high speed. The first control signal generated by the control circuit is supplied to the gate of the switching element Q1, and the second control signal is supplied to the gate of the switching element Q2.

Further, individual semiconductor elements can be used for each of the switching elements Q1 and Q2 and the diodes D1 and D2. It is also possible to use a semiconductor module in which the switching element Q1 and the diode D1 are housed in the same package, and a semiconductor module in which the switching element Q2 and the diode D2 are housed in the same package.

Next, the boosting operation of the power converter will be described. In this case, the terminal T1 is on the input side and the terminal T2 is on the output side. The control circuit supplies a first control signal that turns on / off at high speed to the switching element Q1 and supplies a low level signal to the switching element Q2 during the boosting operation. As a result, only the switching element Q1 repeats on and off at high speed. When the switching element Q1 is turned on, a current flows in the path of T1 → L → Q1 → GND in order. As a result, DC power is stored in the reactor L.

Next, when the switching element Q1 is turned off, a current flows in the path of T1 → L → D2 → T2 in order. The voltage generated at the terminal T2 at this time is a voltage obtained by adding an electromotive force due to the DC power stored in the reactor L to the voltage applied to the terminal T1. Therefore, the voltage generated at the terminal T2 becomes larger than the voltage applied to the terminal T1, and the voltage is boosted.

Next, the step-down operation of the power converter will be described. In this case, the terminal T2 is on the input side and the terminal T1 is on the output side. The control circuit supplies a second control signal that turns on / off at high speed to the switching element Q2 and supplies a low level signal to the switching element Q1 during the step-down operation. As a result, only the switching element Q2 repeats on and off at high speed. When the switching element Q2 is turned on, a current flows in the path of T2 → Q2 → L → T1 in order. As a result, DC power is stored in the reactor L.

Next, when the switching element Q2 is turned off, a current tries to flow in the path of T2 → D2 → L → T1 in order. At this time, the voltage generated at the terminal T1 is only the electromotive force due to the DC power stored in the reactor. Therefore, the voltage generated at the terminal T1 becomes smaller than the voltage applied to the terminal T2, and the voltage is stepped down.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a detailed configuration of the reactor L. The reactor L is composed of four small reactors l1 to l4 electrically connected to each other in series. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the arrangement of small reactors l1 to l4 connected in series. The adjacent small reactors (small reactors l1 and l2, and small reactors l3 and l4) are arranged so that the directions of the magnetic fluxes M (indicated by the white arrows) are opposite to each other. ing. As a result, for example, the magnetic flux is added to the small reactors l1 and l2, and the magnetic flux is added to the small reactors l3 and l4.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the structure of the reactor L used in the power converter according to the first embodiment. 4 (a) is a view showing electrical wiring, FIG. 4 (b) is a top view, and FIG. 4 (c) is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 4 (b) as viewed from the XX direction. The numbers 1 to 4 in FIG. 4A are terminal numbers and correspond to the terminal numbers shown in FIG. 4B.

As shown in FIGS. 4 (b) and 4 (c), the reactor L is arranged in a state of standing on the first magnetic body 12 which is a base having an upper surface and a lower surface and the first magnetic body 12. It is arranged on a plurality of columnar magnetic bodies 13, a winding 15 that forms a plurality of small reactors l1 to l4 by being wound around each of the plurality of columnar magnetic bodies 13, and a plurality of columnar magnetic bodies 13. A second magnetic body 14 having an upper surface and a lower surface is provided. The radiator 11 is made of a material having high thermal conductivity such as aluminum, and transfers the heat generated in the reactor L to the outside to dissipate heat.

The first magnetic body 12 has, for example, a rectangular flat plate, and is provided on the radiator 11. Each of the support column-shaped magnetic bodies 13 is, for example, a square columnar shape, and is formed so as to protrude from the first magnetic body 12. The second magnetic material 14 is, for example, a rectangular flat plate. In the example shown in FIG. 4, the four columnar magnetic bodies 13 are arranged in one direction. Each of the column-shaped magnetic bodies 13 is connected to the surface of the first magnetic body 12 on the lower bottom surface and to the lower surface of the second magnetic body 14 on the upper bottom surface. A wiring 16 for connecting the windings 15 to each other is provided on the second magnetic body 14.

With the above configuration, the following effects can be obtained.
(First effect)
Since the reactor L can be divided into small reactors l1 to l4 to form a thin and flat box shape, the reactor L is brought into close contact or close contact with the surface of a part or case having a large surface such as a radiator 11 without a gap. It is easy to arrange. As a result, the space can be used efficiently, and the gap generated around the reactor L can be reduced. Further, by joining the thin and flat box-shaped reactor L and the radiator 11 on a large surface, sufficient joining force can be obtained by bonding, joining or simple joining. Therefore, the space of the terminal portion required for fixing can be reduced.

(Second effect)
Even if the reactor L is divided into a plurality of small reactors l1 to l4, since all of these small reactors l1 to l4 use the first magnetic body 12 as a common base, the plurality of small reactors l1 to l4 are densely packed and adjacent to each other. Can be placed. That is, the reactor L can be miniaturized because the gap between the individual small reactors l1 to l4 can be reduced or eliminated. Further, even if a large number of small reactors are formed, they can be integrally formed, so that it is not necessary to individually put or fix each small reactor in the case. Therefore, a terminal portion for fixing each small reactor is unnecessary, and it is possible to avoid a situation in which a large number of terminal portions are formed as a whole and a large space is required.

(Third effect)
When the reactor L is joined to the radiator 11, the thin reactor L can be joined in a large area, so that the heat dissipation path is shortened and the heat dissipation area is increased. As a result, the heat dissipation performance of the reactor L is improved.

(Fourth effect)
Since the reactor L is divided into a plurality of small reactors l1 to l4 and each small reactor l1 to l4 is arranged in an upright state, the winding 15 is vertically stacked with respect to the first magnetic body 12 as a base. become. Therefore, the entire reactor L can be made thin, and the winding 15 can suppress the spread in the surface direction. Further, it is possible to avoid a situation in which the strut-shaped magnetic body 13 has to be thinned in order to prevent the winding 15 from spreading in the plane direction.

(Fifth effect)
The magnetic flux passes through a closed loop formed by the first magnetic body 12, the strut-shaped magnetic body 13, and the second magnetic body 14. Therefore, since the magnetic flux does not leak to the outside, a large inductance can be realized and a decrease in the saturation magnetic flux can be prevented.

Further, when the reactor L is composed of small reactors connected in series with each other, the following effects can be obtained.

(Sixth effect)
Each winding of the small reactor can be reduced. As a result, the winding width can be reduced, and the entire reactor L can be made thinner.

(7th effect)
In the case of an application in which a large current is passed through a power converter, an air gap is generally provided in the magnetic material portion. In the above-described configuration, the small reactors are arranged in series with each other and upright on the same surface. Therefore, if a small air gap is provided in each small reactor, a large gap can be realized as a whole. In addition, the size of the reactor L, that is, the height can be minimized.

Further, the reactor L may be composed of small reactors l1 to l4 connected in parallel with each other. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the arrangement of small reactors l1 to l4 connected in parallel. The windings 15 of the two adjacent small reactors l1 and l2 and the windings 15 of the other two adjacent small reactors l3 and l4 have opposite directions of magnetic flux M (indicated by thick arrows). It is connected and arranged like this. The connection between the small reactors l1 to l4 is made by the wiring 16 on the second magnetic body 14.

When the reactor L is composed of small reactors l1 to l4 connected in parallel, the following effects can be obtained.

(8th effect)
Since the current flowing through the individual small reactors l1 to l4 is reduced and the amount of magnetic flux is reduced, the concern that the magnetic material is magnetically saturated is reduced. As a result, the strut-shaped magnetic body 13 can be made thinner, and the first magnetic body 12 and the second magnetic body 14 can also be made thinner, so that the entire reactor L can be made thinner and smaller.

(9th effect)
Since the current flowing through each of the small reactors l1 to l4 becomes small, the winding 15 can be made thinner than in the case of series even when the total current of the electric converter is large. For example, even when a current that should use wiring with a large cross-sectional area such as a flat wire flows, it is possible to use a so-called copper wire with a relatively small cross-sectional area by adopting a configuration in which they are connected in parallel. It becomes. Therefore, the winding 15 can be easily formed, and the gap in the portion of the winding 15 can be reduced.

(10th effect)
Further, since the current flowing through each of the small reactors l1 to l4 becomes small, when a semiconductor switching element is connected to each of the plurality of small reactors and the switching operation is performed at high speed, the current is small, so that the surge voltage and noise are reduced. it can. As a result, the loss in electrical operation due to high-speed switching can be reduced. In addition, miniaturization of the reactor L and the capacitor driven at high frequency becomes easier.

(Second Embodiment)
The power converter according to the second embodiment of the present invention is configured by connecting three sets of reactors L, each consisting of four small reactors l1 to l4 (windings) connected in series, in parallel with each other. It differs from the first embodiment in that it is performed. The configurations, actions, and effects not described in the second embodiment are substantially the same as those in the first embodiment and are omitted because they overlap.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the structure of the reactor L used in the power converter according to the second embodiment. 6 (a) is a view showing one set of electrical wiring, FIG. 6 (b) is a top view, and FIG. 6 (c) is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 6 (b) as viewed from the XX direction. The numbers 1 to 4 in FIG. 6A are terminal numbers and correspond to the terminal numbers shown in FIG. 6B.

In the second embodiment, the reactor L is composed of a first reactor L1, a second reactor L2, and a third reactor L3 corresponding to the reactor L of the first embodiment, respectively. By arranging the first reactor L1, the second reactor L2, and the third reactor L3 on one first magnetic body 12 in a direction orthogonal to the arrangement direction of the small reactors l1 to l4, a total of 12 small ones are arranged. The reactors l1 to l4 are arranged in a grid pattern on the first magnetic material 12. The first reactor L1, the second reactor L2, and the third reactor L3 are connected in parallel to each other by the wiring 16 formed on the second magnetic body 14.

According to the power converter according to the second embodiment, the following effects can be obtained. That is, the sixth effect and the seventh effect at the time of series connection described in the first embodiment and the eighth effect to the tenth effect at the time of parallel connection can be obtained at the same time. In particular, the height of each small reactor can be suppressed and the air gap can be reduced by connecting a plurality of small reactors in series, and the current is reduced by connecting the first reactor L1, the second reactor L2, and the third reactor L3 in parallel. To do. As a result, high-speed switching operation becomes easy and the reactor L can be miniaturized.

(Third Embodiment)
The power converter according to the third embodiment of the present invention is different from the second embodiment in that a plurality of small reactors constituting the reactor L are connected by a wiring pattern provided on the substrate. The configurations, actions and effects not described in the third embodiment are substantially the same as those in the first and second embodiments, and are omitted because they overlap.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the structure of the reactor L used in the power converter according to the third embodiment. 7 (a) is a top view, and FIG. 7 (b) is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 7 (a) as viewed from the XX direction. The reactor L includes a wiring board 17 arranged on the second magnetic material 14 and a wiring pattern 18 formed on the upper surface of the wiring board 17. The wiring pattern 18 corresponds to the wiring 16 in the first embodiment and the second embodiment.

According to the power converter according to the third embodiment, the following effects can be obtained. That is, the manufacturing cost can be reduced by connecting between a plurality of small reactors only from the wiring pattern 18 formed on the wiring board 17. Further, since it is not necessary to separately provide the bus bar wiring or the like or arrange the wiring 16 in the air, it is possible to reduce the wiring space including the peripheral dead space. It should be noted that the first reactor L1 to the third reactor L3 arranged in parallel with each other can also be connected only by the wiring pattern 18.

(Fourth Embodiment)
The power converter according to the embodiment of the present invention is different from the second and third embodiments in that it converts multi-phase power instead of single-phase power. The configurations, actions and effects not described in the fourth embodiment are substantially the same as those in the first to third embodiments and are omitted because they overlap.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example in which the power converter according to the fourth embodiment is configured by a three-phase bidirectional chopper circuit. The power converter according to the fourth embodiment includes a first reactor L1, a second reactor L2, and a third reactor L3 instead of the reactor L in the first embodiment, and the switching element Q1 and the switching element in the first embodiment. Instead of the switching circuit including Q2, the diode D1 and the diode D2, the first power module circuit P1, the second power module circuit P2 and the third power module circuit P3 are provided.

The first power module circuit P1 includes a switching element Q1, a switching element Q2, a diode D1 and a diode D2, similarly to the switching circuit of the power converter according to the first embodiment. The second power module circuit P2 and the third power module circuit also include a switching element Q1, a switching element Q2, a diode D1 and a diode D2, respectively, like the first power module circuit P1. One terminal of the first reactor L1 is connected to the terminal T1, and the other terminal is connected to the connection point between the switching element Q1 and the switching element Q2 of the first power module circuit P1. Similarly, in the second reactor L2 and the third reactor L3, one terminal is connected to the terminal T1, and the other terminal is connected to the second power module circuit P2 and the third power module circuit P3, respectively.

For example, a DC power supply (not shown) is connected between the terminal T1 and the ground terminal GND, and an inverter (not shown) is connected between the terminal T2 and the ground terminal GND. The switching elements Q1 and Q2 of the first power module circuit P1, the second power module circuit P2, and the third power module circuit P3 are controlled by a control circuit (not shown) so as to perform switching operations in different phases. In addition, in FIG. 6B and FIG. 7A, the terminals of the small reactor l4 of the terminal number 3 are connected to each other by the wiring 16 or the wiring pattern 18, respectively, but the power converter according to the fourth embodiment. In order to realize the above, the wiring 16 or the wiring pattern 18 may be removed, and each terminal of the small reactor l4 having the terminal number 3 may be connected to each power module circuit.

According to the power converter according to the fourth embodiment, the following effects can be obtained. That is, the power converter according to the fourth embodiment can reduce the generated electrical noise while reducing the size of electronic components such as reactors and capacitors by shifting each phase from each other by, for example, multi-phase interleave control. it can.

In particular, the power converter according to the fourth embodiment prevents a situation in which the gap between each reactor increases and the wiring space increases even if the number of phases larger than three phases is increased. it can. For example, even if many phases such as 5 phases and 10 phases are polymorphized, the number of first reactors L1 to nth reactor Ln corresponding to the number of phases n (integer of 2 or more) is one first magnetism. It may be formed on the body 12. Therefore, there is no wiring or space or gap required for fixing caused by dividing into a plurality of small reactors.

(Fifth Embodiment)
As shown in FIG. 9, the power converter according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention is different from the second embodiment in that a slit 19 is formed in the second magnetic body 14. The configurations, actions, and effects not described in the fifth embodiment are substantially the same as those in the first to fourth embodiments, and are omitted because they overlap.

FIG. 9 is a top view showing the structure of the reactor L used in the power converter according to the fifth embodiment. The second magnetic material 14 has linear slits 19 formed so as to correspond between the rows of the first reactor L1, the second reactor L2, and the third reactor L3 arranged in three rows. The slit 19 is formed so as to penetrate from the upper surface to the lower surface of the second magnetic body 14. Strictly speaking, the slit 19 is formed so that at least the upper surface of each of the plurality of columnar magnetic bodies 13 included in the nth reactor Ln can be held in a state of being connected to the lower surface of the second magnetic body 14. Just do it. The slit 19 magnetically separates (divides) between the first reactor L1 to the third reactor L3, which is a set of a plurality of small reactors l1 to l4 arranged in parallel.

According to the power converter according to the fifth embodiment, the following effects can be obtained. That is, for example, even when the first reactors L1 to the third reactors L3 operating in different phases are arranged close to each other, the slits 19 formed in the second magnetic body 14 allow the first reactors L1 to third. The magnetic path is cut off between each of the reactors L3. As a result, it is possible to prevent a malfunction caused by the magnetic flux wrapping around to another nth reactor Ln. Further, even if the slit 19 is formed in the second magnetic body 14, there is no adverse effect such as an increase in the size of the reactor itself or an enlargement of the gap.

(Sixth Embodiment)
The power converter according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention is different from the third embodiment in that the slit 19 is formed in the second magnetic body 14 as in the fifth embodiment. The configurations, actions, and effects not described in the sixth embodiment are substantially the same as those in the first to fifth embodiments, and are omitted because they overlap.

10A and 10B are views showing a structure of a reactor used in the power converter according to the sixth embodiment, FIG. 10A is a top view, FIG. 10B is a top view, and FIG. 10B is XX of FIG. 10A. It is a cross-sectional view seen from a direction. The second magnetic material 14 has linear slits 19 formed so as to correspond between the rows of the first reactor L1, the second reactor L2, and the third reactor L3 arranged in three rows. In other words, the power converter according to the sixth embodiment is obtained by adding the wiring board 17 and the wiring pattern 18 according to the third embodiment to the power converter according to the fifth embodiment.

According to the power converter according to the sixth embodiment, the following effects can be obtained. That is, for example, even when the slit 19 is formed so as to divide the second magnetic body 14, the second magnetic body 14 divided by the wiring board 17 can be held and fixed. Therefore, the second magnetic body 14 can be subdivided according to the convenience of electrical operation without the concern that the second magnetic body 14 must be held and fixed by other means. Further, since it is not necessary to hold and fix the second magnetic material 14 by other means, it can be subdivided without increasing the size. As a result, electrical malfunction can be prevented more reliably.

(7th Embodiment)
The power converter according to the seventh embodiment of the present invention is different from the first to sixth embodiments in that the first magnetic body 12 and the second magnetic body are each foil-shaped. The configurations, actions, and effects that are not described in the seventh embodiment are substantially the same as those in the first to sixth embodiments, and are omitted because they overlap.

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of the reactor L used in the power converter according to the seventh embodiment. In the example shown in FIG. 11, the reactor L is configured such that the first magnetic body 12 and the second magnetic body 14 can be bent by the gap provided between the small reactors l1 and l2 and the small reactors l3 and l4, respectively. To.

According to the power converter according to the seventh embodiment, the following effects can be obtained. That is, the reactor L can be curved, bent, deformed or bent according to the mounting location and shape, or can be formed into, for example, a circular shape. As a result, for example, even when the mounting location of the electric power converter is not flat, the reactor L can be adjusted to the shape of the mounting portion, so that a situation where a gap is generated on the mounting surface can be avoided.

Furthermore, the power converter can be installed in the gap, which was difficult to install in the past. In particular, when a number of strut-shaped magnetic bodies 13 are arranged on the first magnetic body 12, if necessary, if the strut-shaped magnetic body 13 is not arranged on the first magnetic body 12 corresponding to the bent portion, it is curved. Etc. can be easily realized.

(8th Embodiment)
The power converter according to the eighth embodiment of the present invention is different from the third embodiment in that the reactor L is integrally formed with other parts. In the power converter according to the above, parts other than the reactor and the reactor are integrally configured. The configurations, actions, and effects not described in the eighth embodiment are substantially the same as those in the first to seventh embodiments, and are omitted because they overlap.

FIG. 12 is a side view showing the structure of the reactor used in the power converter according to the eighth embodiment. In this power converter, in the power converter according to the third embodiment shown in FIG. 7, the radiator 11 and the wiring board 17 are expanded in the lateral direction (right direction in FIG. 7), and the expanded radiator 11 The capacitors C1 and C2 and the power module circuits P1 to P3 are arranged between the wiring board 17 and the wiring board 17. The wiring pattern 18 on the wiring board 17 is appropriately extended to the positions of the terminals of the capacitors C1 and C2 and the power module circuits P1 to P3.

According to the power converter according to the eighth embodiment, the following effects can be obtained. That is, by expanding the radiator 11 and the wiring board 17 in the plane direction, the reactor L can be a support to which other parts can be attached. The power conversion device including the parts arranged in the plane direction has a plate shape, that is, a thin and flat box shape.

A thin and flat box-shaped power converter can be easily manufactured, and can be easily joined, mounted, and connected to other parts such as a power module circuit, a drive board, or a radiator without gaps. It is possible. In this way, since other parts can be closely connected and joined, the dead space (gap between parts) around the reactor can be reduced, and the foot part required for fixing can be significantly reduced.

(9th Embodiment)
As shown in FIG. 13, the power converter according to the ninth embodiment of the present invention is different from the first embodiment in that it includes the columnar magnetic body 13 and the intermediate substrate 20 as the winding 15. The configurations, actions, and effects not described in the ninth embodiment are substantially the same as those in the first to eighth embodiments, and are omitted because they overlap.

FIG. 13 is a side view showing the structure of the reactor used in the power converter according to the ninth embodiment. The power converter according to the ninth embodiment includes a plurality of intermediate substrates 20 (four in the illustrated example) laminated between the first magnetic body 12 and the second magnetic body 14. The intermediate substrate 20 is formed so as to surround the support magnetic body 21 corresponding to the support column magnetic body 13 in the first embodiment and the support winding 15 corresponding to the support magnetic body 21 in the first embodiment. It is composed of the wiring pattern 22 and the wiring pattern 22.

The wiring patterns 22 are connected in a winding shape by through holes and connection wirings (all of which are not shown) formed in each of the plurality of intermediate substrates 20, whereby a plurality of small reactors are formed. Wiring between the small reactors is performed on the second magnetic body 14 as in the power converter and the like according to the first embodiment.

According to the power converter according to the ninth embodiment, the following effects can be obtained. That is, the reactor can be manufactured by using the required number of intermediate boards 20 according to the design, and it is not necessary to individually wind and arrange the intermediate boards 20. As a result, the cost can be reduced due to the effect of mass production.

(10th Embodiment)
As shown in FIG. 14, the power converter according to the tenth embodiment of the present invention has a third aspect such that the wiring board 17 having the wiring pattern 18a formed on the upper surface is formed on the first magnetic body 12 side. Different from the embodiment. The configurations, actions, and effects not described in the tenth embodiment are substantially the same as those in the first to ninth embodiments, and are omitted because they overlap.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing the structure of the reactor L used in the power converter according to the tenth embodiment. 10 (a) is a top view, FIG. 10 (b) is a cross-sectional view seen from the YY direction of FIG. 10 (a), and FIG. 10 (c) is a view from the XX direction of FIG. 10 (a). It is a cross-sectional view. For convenience of explanation, FIG. 10 (a) is a top view of FIG. 10 (c) as viewed from the direction AA, that is, the first magnetic body 12, the strut-shaped magnetic body 13, the winding 15, and the first magnetic body. 2 It is a top view which omitted the magnetic material 14.

The wiring board 17 is arranged on the upper surface of the radiator 11. The wiring board 17 includes a wiring pattern 18a that serves as wiring that electrically connects between the plurality of windings 15. The first magnetic body 12 has a through hole (not shown) into which an end portion of each winding 15 is introduced in order to electrically connect each winding 15 and the wiring pattern 18a. The through hole may be slit-shaped. The wiring board 17 is configured such that the region of the wiring pattern 18a other than the portion electrically connected to each winding 15 is insulated from the first magnetic body 12 and the radiator 11. Specifically, in the wiring board 17, a wiring pattern 18a is formed on the upper surface of a substrate made of an insulator, and at least an insulating layer (not shown) is formed on the upper surface of the wiring pattern 18a.

In the wiring pattern 18a, the region connected to each terminal of the terminal numbers 1 to 4 connected to the winding 15 is expanded in the plane direction. In the example shown in FIG. 10, the wiring pattern 18a is extended from other places in the region corresponding to each of the small reactors l1 to l4 of the first reactor L1 to the third reactor L3. Specifically, the wiring patterns 18a are extended and formed in the region corresponding to the lower part of each small reactor l1 to l4 so as to be separated from each other by the distance required for proper connection of the winding 15. In this way, the wiring pattern 18a is extended to a region that is not required as a current path.

According to the power converter according to the tenth embodiment, the following effects can be obtained. For example, when the power converter uses a chopper type circuit to perform power conversion, the currents flowing through the reactor L have the same direction, and the current value increases or decreases. In this case, the copper loss in the winding 15 is larger than the iron loss due to the first magnetic body 12, the strut-shaped magnetic body 13, and the second magnetic body 14. In particular, when the power converter converts a large amount of power, the current flowing through the reactor L also increases, and the Joule loss due to the winding 15 also increases. In the power converter according to the tenth embodiment, the heat generated in the winding 15 can be directly transferred to the wiring pattern 18a arranged on the lower surface of the first magnetic body 12 over a short distance and with a low thermal resistance. ..

Further, since the wiring pattern 18a is extended under the flat reactor L, the amount of heat diffusion can be improved. Further, by arranging the radiator 11 on the lower surface of the wiring board 17, the heat generated in the winding 15 can be dissipated more effectively, and the temperature rise of the reactor L can be suppressed. Further, by dividing the reactor L into the small reactors l1 to l4, the heat generation density can be reduced, and a plurality of through holes for connecting the small reactors l1 to l4 and the wiring pattern 18a are formed. Since the magnetic material 12 has one, the thermal resistance between the winding 15 and the wiring pattern 18a can be further reduced. In particular, when the heat generated by the winding 15 is large, the temperature rise of the reactor L can be suppressed more effectively.

(11th Embodiment)
As shown in FIG. 15, the power converter according to the eleventh embodiment of the present invention is different from the tenth embodiment in that it includes a metal plate 31 and an insulator 32 instead of the wiring board 17. The configurations, actions, and effects not described in the eleventh embodiment are substantially the same as those in the first to tenth embodiments, and are omitted because they overlap.

FIG. 15 is a diagram showing the structure of the reactor L used in the power converter according to the eleventh embodiment. The metal plate 31 is formed by being patterned so as to electrically connect between the plurality of windings 15. The plane pattern of the metal plate 31 is, for example, the same as the wiring pattern 18a in the tenth embodiment. The insulator 32 is made of, for example, a resin material or an adhesive, and insulates at least between the metal plate 31 and the radiator 11. In the example shown in FIG. 15, the metal plate 31 and the first magnetic body 12 are similarly insulated by the insulator 32, but may be insulated by other means as in the tenth embodiment and the like.

According to the power converter according to the eleventh embodiment, the following effects can be obtained. For example, the wiring board to which the windings 15 and the like are connected is not an expensive insulating board such as a ceramic board or a metal base board, but a pre-patterned metal plate 31 is fixed on the radiator 11 via an insulator 32. As a result, the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

(12th Embodiment)
As shown in FIG. 16, the power converter according to the twelfth embodiment of the present invention is different from the eleventh embodiment in that the insulator 32 is composed of the first insulator 33 and the second insulator 32. The configurations, actions, and effects not described in the twelfth embodiment are substantially the same as those in the first to eleventh embodiments, and are omitted because they overlap.

FIG. 16 is a diagram showing the structure of the reactor L used in the power converter according to the twelfth embodiment. The first insulator 33 is made of, for example, a resin material or an adhesive, and is formed on the upper surface of the radiator 11. The second insulator 32 is made of, for example, a resin material, and is formed on at least the upper surface of the metal plate 31.

According to the power converter according to the twelfth embodiment, the following effects can be obtained. For example, by forming the first insulator 33 on the upper surface of the radiator 11 in advance and forming the patterned metal plate 31 on the upper surface of the first insulator 33, the insulating layer is interposed on the lower surface of the first magnetic body 12. It is possible to save the trouble of forming the wiring pattern and joining the radiator 11 again via the insulating layer, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

In particular, when the winding 15 is connected to the metal plate 31 on the radiator 11, the first magnetic body 12 is in a state where a narrow gap is left on the metal plate 31. Since mechanical strength is generated due to the large number of joints between the winding 15 and the metal plate 31, it is possible to fill the gap with a resin or the like and mechanically join the second insulator 32. This simplifies the manufacturing process and further reduces the manufacturing cost.

(13th Embodiment)
The power converter according to the thirteenth embodiment of the present invention is different from the eleventh embodiment in that other parts are formed on the radiator 11. The configurations, actions, and effects not described in the twelfth embodiment are substantially the same as those in the first to twelfth embodiments, and are omitted because they overlap.

FIG. 17 is a diagram showing the structure of the power converter according to the thirteenth embodiment. Power module circuits P1 to P3 including semiconductor switching elements, a circuit board (first circuit board) B1 for connecting each component of the power converter, and capacitors C1 to C2 are arranged on the lower surface of the radiator 11.

According to the power converter according to the thirteenth embodiment, the following effects can be obtained. That is, since the reactor L is thin and has a flat plate shape, the power module circuits P1 to P3, the circuit boards (first circuit board) B1 and the capacitors C1 to C2, etc., which form a power conversion circuit on the lower surface side of the radiator 11. Easy to place. In particular, since the wiring for the reactor L is located immediately above the upper surface of the radiator 11 as a metal plate 31, wiring of the power module circuits P1 to P3, the circuit board (first circuit board) B1 and the capacitors C1 to C2 is easy. Can be connected to.

As shown in FIG. 18, the power converter may further include a circuit board (second circuit board) B2 arranged on the second magnetic body 14. As a result, even when the scale of the circuit is large and the area of the circuit board B1 is large, by arranging the circuit board B2 on the upper surface side of the second magnetic body 14, the space is effectively utilized and the circuits are integrated. It is possible to prevent the height from becoming excessive.

(14th Embodiment)
The power converter according to the 14th embodiment of the present invention is different from the 11th embodiment in that the reactor operates as an insulated transformer (transformer). The configurations, actions, and effects that are not described in the 14th embodiment are substantially the same as those in the 1st to 13th embodiments, and are omitted because they overlap.

FIG. 19 is a diagram showing a structure of a reactor used in the power converter according to the 14th embodiment. FIG. 19A is a cross-sectional view, and FIG. 19B is a diagram showing electrical wiring. The reactor in the 14th embodiment is formed on each of the plurality of first windings 151, which are wound around each of the plurality of columnar magnetic bodies 13 to form the first small reactors l11 to l14, and each of the plurality of columnar magnetic bodies 13. It includes a plurality of second windings 152 that are wound to form the second small reactors l21 to l24.

The first winding 151 and the second winding 152 are electrically connected in series so as to insulate each other. The connection between the first winding 151 and the second winding 152 is made by, for example, a metal plate 31 arranged on the second magnetic body 14. The first small reactors l11 to l14 are formed between the first input terminal S11 and the first output terminal S12, respectively, and the second small reactors l21 to l24 are formed between the second input terminal S21 and the second output terminal S22. Each is formed between.

The first small reactors l11 to l14 and the second small reactors l21 to l24 are arranged so that the magnetic fluxes generated are opposite to the magnetic fluxes generated by the adjacent first small reactors l11 to l14 and the second small reactors l21 to l24. To. That is, in the example shown in FIG. 19A, the first small reactor l11 and the second small reactor l21 generate magnetic fluxes in the same direction, and the generated magnetic fluxes are generated in the adjacent first small reactor l12 and the second small reactor l22. They are arranged so as to be opposite to the magnetic flux. As described above, the reactor is not limited to the choke coil electrically composed of one set of windings, and may be a transformer electrically composed of a plurality of sets of windings.

According to the power converter according to the 14th embodiment, the following effects can be obtained. For example, in order to form a transformer, the small reactors can be easily connected by a metal plate 31 or a wiring board 17. Further, in a high-power transformer whose overall size tends to be large, the second magnetic material 14 is easily and cooperatively joined in a wide area in order to make the magnetic flux a closed loop after the formation of the first winding 151 and the second winding 152. By doing so, it is possible to prevent the size from becoming excessive while reducing the manufacturing cost.

Further, as shown in FIG. 20, the wiring board made of the metal plate 31 and the insulator 32 may be arranged between the radiator 11 and the first magnetic body 12 as in the eleventh embodiment. .. As a result, the heat generated in the first winding 151, the second winding 152, etc. is transferred to the expanded metal plate 31 over a short distance and with low thermal resistance to the radiator 11, and the temperature of the transformer rises more effectively. It can be suppressed.

Further, as shown in FIG. 21, the power converter according to the 14th embodiment includes two radiators 11 arranged on the lower surface side of the first magnetic body 12 and the upper surface side of the second magnetic body 14, respectively. It may be. As a result, the heat generated in each of the first winding 151 and the second winding 152 can be efficiently transmitted to the two radiators 11, and the temperature rise of the transformer can be suppressed more effectively.

Further, as shown in FIG. 22, in the strut-shaped magnetic body 13, a plurality of first strut-shaped magnetic bodies 131 in which a plurality of first windings 151 are wound, and a plurality of second windings 152, respectively, are wound. It may be configured by joining a plurality of second strut-shaped magnetic bodies 132. For example, as the reactor, a second magnetic body 14 on which a plurality of second pillar-shaped magnetic bodies 132 equivalent to the first magnetic body 12 on which the plurality of first pillar-shaped magnetic bodies 131 are formed is prepared, and each of them has a second. After winding the 1st winding 151 and the 2nd winding 152 around the 1st pillar-shaped magnetic material 131 and the 2nd pillar-shaped magnetic material 132, the upper surfaces of the 1st pillar-shaped magnetic material 131 and the 2nd pillar-shaped magnetic material 132 are wound. It is formed by joining to each other. This makes it possible to easily manufacture a reactor that can operate as a transformer.

Further, in the example shown in FIG. 22, the power module circuits P1 to P3, the circuit boards B, and the capacitors C1 to C2 are arranged in the upper and lower radiators 11, respectively. Similar to the thirteenth embodiment, the components constituting the power conversion circuit can be easily arranged on the thin and flat plate-shaped radiator 11, and the circuits can be integrated by effectively utilizing the space. It is possible to prevent the height from becoming excessive.

(15th Embodiment)
The power converter according to the fifteenth embodiment of the present invention is different from the fourteenth embodiment in that the first winding 151 and the second winding 152 are not wound around the same strut-shaped magnetic body 13. The configurations, actions, and effects that are not described in the fifteenth embodiment are substantially the same as those in the fifteenth embodiment and are omitted because they overlap.

FIG. 24 is a diagram showing a structure of a reactor used in the power converter according to the fifteenth embodiment. FIG. 24A is a cross-sectional view, and FIG. 24B is a diagram showing electrical wiring. The reactor in the fifteenth embodiment is a plurality of first small reactors in which the plurality of first windings 151 are alternately wound around a plurality of columnar magnetic bodies 13 so that the plurality of first windings 151 are not wound around the adjacent columnar magnetic bodies 13. Form l11 to l12. The plurality of second windings are wound around the remaining columnar magnetic bodies 13 in which the first winding 151 is not wound among the plurality of columnar magnetic bodies 13 to form a plurality of second small reactors l21 to l22.

The first winding 151 and the second winding 152 are electrically connected in series so as to insulate each other. The first small reactors l11 to l12 are formed between the first input terminal S11 and the first output terminal S12, respectively, and the second small reactors l21 to l22 are formed between the second input terminal S21 and the second output terminal S22. Each is formed between. The plurality of first small reactors l11 to l12 and the plurality of second small reactors l21 to l22 are arranged so that the generated magnetic fluxes are opposite to each other.

According to the power converter according to the fifteenth embodiment, the following effects can be obtained. That is, the height of the transformer can be suppressed and the structure can be made thinner by alternately winding the first winding 151 and the second winding 152 around the plurality of column-shaped magnetic bodies 13.

(Other embodiments)
As described above, the present invention has been described by the first to fifteenth embodiments, but the statements and drawings that form part of this disclosure should not be understood to limit the invention. Various alternative embodiments, examples and operational techniques will be apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure.

In the first to fifteenth embodiments described above, the current converter can be used, for example, as a delayed reactance source for preventing voltage rise, a power factor improving circuit for blocking harmonic current, a DC current smoothing circuit, and the like. ..

In addition to the above, it goes without saying that the present invention includes various embodiments not described here, such as configurations in which each configuration described in the above embodiments is arbitrarily applied. Therefore, the technical scope of the present invention is defined only by the matters specifying the invention relating to the reasonable claims from the above description.

11 Dissipator 12 1st magnetic body 13 Strut-shaped magnetic body 14 2nd magnetic body 15 Winding 16 Wiring 17 Wiring board 18, 18a Wiring pattern (wiring)
31 Metal plate 32 Second insulator (insulator)
33 First insulator (insulator)
131 First strut-shaped magnetic material (strut-shaped magnetic material)
132 Second strut-shaped magnetic material (strut-shaped magnetic material)
151 First winding (winding)
152 Second winding (winding)
C1, C2 Capacitors D1, D2 Diode L Reactor Ln nth reactor l1 to l4 Small reactor l11 to l14 First small reactor (small reactor)
l21 to l24 2nd small reactor (small reactor)
P1 1st power module circuit (power module circuit)
P2 2nd power module circuit (power module circuit)
P3 3rd power module circuit (power module circuit)
Q1, Q2 switching element (semiconductor switching element)

Claims (9)

In a power converter with a reactor that stores and releases power,
The reactor is
The first magnetic material that serves as the base,
A plurality of columnar magnetic materials arranged in an upright state on the first magnetic material, and
A plurality of windings wound around each of the plurality of columnar magnetic materials to form a plurality of small reactors,
A second magnetic material disposed over the plurality of struts shaped magnetic,
It is provided with a wiring for electrically connecting between the plurality of windings .
The plurality of small reactors are electrically connected in series or in parallel by the wiring , and the magnetic flux generated by each is arranged so as to be opposite to the magnetic flux generated in the adjacent small reactors. vessel. The power converter according to claim 1, wherein the reactor is configured by electrically connecting a plurality of sets of the plurality of small reactors connected in series in parallel. With a radiator
Is disposed on the radiator, and a wiring substrate including the wiring,
With more
The first magnetic material has a through hole into which each end of the plurality of windings is introduced in order to electrically connect the plurality of windings and the wiring.
The power converter according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the wiring board is configured such that the wiring is insulated from the first magnetic material and the radiator. The wiring consists of a metal plate patterned so as to electrically connect between the plurality of windings.
The power converter according to claim 3, wherein the wiring board is composed of the metal plate and an insulator that insulates between the metal plate and the radiator. The wiring consists of a metal plate patterned so as to electrically connect between the plurality of windings.
The wiring board includes a first insulator made of a resin material or an adhesive formed on the radiator, and a first insulator.
The power converter according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the metal plate is composed of a second insulator made of a resin material formed on the metal plate. A power module circuit including a semiconductor switching element, a first circuit board, and a capacitor, which are arranged on the lower surface of the radiator and connected to the reactor, respectively, and arranged on the second magnetic material and connected to the reactor. The power converter according to any one of claims 3 to 5, further comprising at least one of the second circuit boards. The plurality of windings are wound around each of the plurality of strut-shaped magnetic materials to form a plurality of first small reactors, and a plurality of first windings are wound around each of the plurality of strut-shaped magnetic materials. With a plurality of second windings forming a plurality of second small reactors,
The plurality of first small reactors and the plurality of second small reactors are electrically connected in series or in parallel so as to insulate each other.
The plurality of first small reactors and the plurality of second small reactors are arranged so that the magnetic fluxes generated in each of them are opposite to the magnetic fluxes generated in the plurality of adjacent first small reactors and the plurality of second small reactors. The power converter according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the power converter is characterized by the above. The plurality of strut-shaped magnetic bodies include a plurality of first strut-shaped magnetic bodies in which the plurality of first windings are wound, and a plurality of second strut-shaped magnetic bodies in which the plurality of second windings are wound. The power converter according to claim 7, wherein the power converter is configured by being joined to a body. The plurality of windings are alternately wound around the strut-shaped magnetic material to form a plurality of first small reactors so as not to be wound around the adjacent strut-shaped magnetic material among the plurality of strut-shaped magnetic materials. A plurality of second windings are wound around the plurality of first windings and the remaining strut-shaped magnetic material from which the first winding is not wound to form a plurality of second small reactors. Has windings and
The plurality of first small reactors and the plurality of second small reactors are electrically connected in series or in parallel so as to insulate each other.
The power conversion according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the plurality of first small reactors and the plurality of second small reactors are arranged so that the generated magnetic fluxes are arranged in opposite directions to each other. vessel.

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