JP6805478B2 - Power supply - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a power supply device.

In an in-vehicle power supply device, a substrate on which electronic components such as semiconductor elements and transformers are mounted or connected is housed in a housing. Since some electronic components generate heat at high temperatures, it is common for power supply devices to dissipate heat via the bottom surface (base plate) of the housing. Further, as in Patent Document 1, a configuration in which a cooling unit having a refrigerant passage through which a refrigerant flows is provided to cool electronic components is also being studied.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2013-34270

However, the power supply device has a large number of heat-generating components included in the electronic components to be mounted. If the electronic components to be mounted are spread out and arranged on the base plate in order to cool them, the power supply device itself becomes large. On the other hand, increasing the size of the cooling means may lead to an increase in the size of the power supply device.

The present invention has been made in view of the above, and an object of the present invention is to provide a power supply device having an enhanced heat dissipation effect.

In order to achieve the above object, the power supply device according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a circuit board, winding components mounted on the circuit board, a plurality of semiconductor elements mounted on the circuit board, and the circuit board. The plurality of units include a housing for accommodating the housing and a first cooling means having a refrigerant flow path for flowing a refrigerant for cooling the bottom surface of the housing, when viewed along the direction of the refrigerant flow path. The semiconductor element of the above is characterized in that it is arranged so as to sandwich the winding component.

According to the above power supply device, a plurality of semiconductor elements are arranged so as to sandwich the winding component when viewed along the direction of the refrigerant flow path. As a result, the effect of heat dissipation using the first cooling means from the semiconductor element, which is a heat generating component, can be enhanced as compared with the case where the semiconductor elements are arranged close to each other along the direction of the refrigerant flow path.

Here, at least a part of the plurality of semiconductor elements may be mounted on an end portion of the circuit board, and the end portion of the circuit board may be in close proximity to a side wall extending from the bottom surface of the housing. it can.

Since the end portion of the circuit board is close to the side wall and the semiconductor element is mounted on the end portion of the circuit board, it is possible to dissipate heat from the semiconductor element to the outside from the side wall. Therefore, the heat dissipation effect in the power supply device is enhanced.

The side wall of the housing may be provided with a second cooling means having the refrigerant flow path.

When the side wall is provided with the second cooling means, heat can be suitably radiated from the winding component or the semiconductor element close to the side wall, so that the heat radiating effect can be enhanced.

In the circuit board, the back surface side of the position where the plurality of semiconductor elements are mounted may be thermally connected to the bottom surface of the housing.

By providing the above configuration, heat from a semiconductor element, which tends to be particularly hot, can be dissipated from the bottom surface of the housing, so that the heat dissipation effect is enhanced.

When viewed from the direction of the refrigerant flow path, the plurality of semiconductor elements and the winding components may be mounted at positions where they do not overlap with each other.

When a plurality of semiconductor elements and winding parts are mounted at positions where they do not overlap each other when viewed from the direction of the refrigerant flow path, the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant flow path cools both the semiconductor element and the winding parts. Therefore, the heat dissipation effect is enhanced.

A heat transfer member that transfers heat from the winding component to the side wall of the housing may be further provided.

By providing the heat transfer member as described above, heat from the winding parts mounted on the circuit parts can also be dissipated, so that the cooling efficiency in the power supply device can be improved.

Further, the power supply device according to one embodiment of the present invention accommodates a circuit board, winding components mounted on the circuit board, a plurality of semiconductor elements of the same type mounted on the circuit board, and the circuit board. The housing is provided with a cooling means having a first refrigerant flow path for circulating a refrigerant that cools the bottom surface of the housing, and the plurality of semiconductor elements of the same type are formed on the first refrigerant flow path. It is characterized in that it is continuously mounted on the end portion of the circuit board in a direction substantially orthogonal to the distribution direction.

According to the above power supply device, a plurality of semiconductor elements of the same type are continuously mounted on the end of the circuit board in a direction substantially orthogonal to the flow direction of the first refrigerant flow path. As a result, each semiconductor element can be suitably cooled by the refrigerant flowing through the first refrigerant flow path as compared with the case where a plurality of semiconductor elements are arranged close to each other along the direction of the first refrigerant flow path. Therefore, the effect of heat dissipation can be enhanced.

Here, the plurality of semiconductor elements of the same type can be continuously mounted on the upstream side and the downstream side of the first refrigerant flow path, respectively.

As described above, by continuously mounting them on the upstream side and the downstream side of the first refrigerant flow path, it is possible to prevent a plurality of semiconductor elements of the same type from being arranged close to each other. Cooling efficiency is improved.

According to the present invention, a power supply device having an enhanced heat dissipation effect is provided.

It is a perspective view explaining the schematic structure of the power supply device which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view from the lower surface side of a power supply device. It is the schematic plan view explaining the arrangement concerning the main circuit board and the electronic component on the main circuit board. It is an exploded perspective view explaining the schematic structure of the power supply device.

Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the description of the drawings, the same elements are designated by the same reference numerals, and duplicate description will be omitted. Further, in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, the X-axis, the Y-axis and the Z-axis are shown.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a schematic configuration of a power supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Further, FIG. 2 is a perspective view from the lower surface side of the power supply device according to the present embodiment. Further, FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view for explaining the schematic configuration of the power supply device, and FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view for explaining the arrangement of the main circuit board and the electronic components on the main circuit board.

The power supply device described in this embodiment is, for example, a switching power supply device that converts (steps down) the DC voltage input from the high-voltage battery connected to the input terminal to generate a desired DC output voltage. The power supply device 1 of the present embodiment describes a case where the secondary side is a synchronous rectification type DC-DC converter, but the present invention is not limited to this.

In the power supply device 1, electronic components such as an input smoothing capacitor, a switching element, a transformer, a rectifier circuit, an output smoothing capacitor, and an inductor are connected to a main circuit board 20 (circuit board) and housed in a housing 10. .. Of these, the transformer and the inductor are so-called winding components including a winding and a core around which the winding is wound. In FIG. 1, a pair of magnetic cores 31 constituting a main transformer 30 arranged between a main circuit board 20, a primary side and a secondary side, and a resonance inductor 40 which is a choke coil on the primary side are configured. A pair of magnetic cores 41, two primary side switching element groups 50A (switching elements 51 to 54) and 50B (switching elements 55 to 58) in which four semiconductor elements are arranged in a row, and two semiconductor elements in a row The two secondary side rectifying element groups 60A (rectifying elements 61 to 63) and 60B (rectifying elements 64 to 66) arranged in the above are shown in the figure. The power supply device 1 is configured to include a large number of electronic components in addition to the above-mentioned electronic components, but the description thereof will be omitted except for the main electronic components in the power supply device 1 according to the present embodiment.

The housing 10 constitutes a part of a metal case that houses the constituent members of the power supply device 1. The housing 10 includes a base plate 11 forming the bottom surface of the housing 10 and a side wall 12 surrounding the base plate 11. In the power supply device 1, the above-mentioned electronic components are housed inside the housing 10 and then covered with a cover (not shown). Each component is mounted on a base plate 11 that constitutes the bottom surface of the housing 10. Further, the housing 10 is made of a metal such as aluminum, and on the back surface side of the base plate 11 (lower side of FIG. 1: the surface side opposite to the surface on which the element or the substrate is fixed) for heat dissipation extending in the Y-axis direction. Fin 13 is attached.

Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the heat radiating fins 13 provided on the back surface of the base plate 11 are the side walls 12A and 12B which are arranged to face each other extending along the X-axis direction among the side walls 12 surrounding the four sides of the base plate 11. It is also continuous on the outside. The heat radiating fins 13 form a first cooling means that functions as a flow path when the air that cools the back surface side of the base plate 11 moves in the Y-axis direction outside the housing 10. In this case, the flow direction of the refrigerant in the refrigerant flow path (first refrigerant flow path) formed by the heat radiating fins 13 is the Y-axis direction. Further, the side walls 12A and 12B function as a flow path when air moves in the Z-axis direction along the heat radiating fins 13 outside the housing 10. That is, the heat radiating fins 13 on the side walls 12A and 12B form a second cooling means having a refrigerant flow path through which the refrigerant flows. As air moves between the heat radiating fins 13, the heat radiating fins 13 are air-cooled. As a result, the heat generated in each element of the power supply device 1 fixed to the front surface side of the base plate 11 is transferred to the base plate 11 and the side walls 12A and 12B, and radiated from the back surface side of the base plate 11 and the outside of the side walls 12A and 12B to the outside. Will be done. As described above, the base plate 11 and the side walls 12A and 12B also function as heat sinks having a heat dissipation function.

The heat radiating fin 13 may be made of a member different from the base plate 11 and the side walls 12A and 12B, or may be made of the same member. Further, the heat radiating fins 13 attached to the base plate 11 and the side walls 12A and 12B do not have to be continuous as in the present embodiment. Further, instead of the configuration in which the fins 13 for heat dissipation by air cooling are attached, a cooling liquid flow path for water cooling is provided on the back surface side of the base plate 11, and the base plate 11 is water-cooled to dissipate heat from the back surface side of the base plate 11 to the outside. It may be configured to be used.

An input terminal 15 and an output terminal 16 that electrically connect the inside and outside of the housing 10 are attached to the housing 10. A DC voltage is input from the input terminal 15, and after voltage conversion (step-down), the DC voltage is output from the output terminal 16.

The main circuit board 20 is formed by, for example, forming a circuit pattern made of a conductor on the front and back surfaces of a base plate made of an insulating material such as resin, and further covering the circuit pattern with an insulating material such as resin. In this embodiment, the main circuit board 20 has a rectangular shape extending along the XY plane. As the main circuit board 20, a multilayer board in which insulating materials and circuit patterns (conductor layers) are alternately laminated may be used. The conductor of the circuit pattern is connected to an electronic component such as a semiconductor element connected to the main circuit board 20 to form a power supply circuit in the power supply device 1. The main circuit board 20 in this embodiment is also formed with a coil pattern in the winding component.

The main circuit board 20 is mounted on the base plate 11 of the housing 10. In a plan view, the size of the housing 10 corresponds to the shape of the main circuit board 20, and the side wall of the housing 10 is arranged close to the end of the main circuit board 20. In addition, the proximity means that the distance between the end portion of the main circuit board 20 and the side wall of the housing 10 is arranged while maintaining the minimum required electrical insulation distance. In the present embodiment, the proximity is less than 1/3 of the length of the short side of the main circuit board 20.

The main circuit board 20 and the electronic components attached to the main circuit board 20 will be further described. In the present embodiment, only the electronic components related to the features of the present invention are extracted and shown from the electronic components mounted on the main circuit board 20.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the magnetic core 31 constituting the main transformer 30 which is one of the winding components constitutes a so-called EI type magnetic core. Specifically, the E-type core 31A is arranged on the upper side (+ Z-axis side) of the main circuit board 20 so that the Y-axis direction is the longitudinal direction, and the I-type core (-Z-axis side) is arranged on the lower side (-Z-axis side). (Not shown) is placed. The main circuit board 20 is provided with three openings 21A, 21B, and 21C along the Y-axis direction for inserting the legs of the E-type core 31A. The three legs of the E-shaped core 31A are inserted into the openings 21A, 21B, and 21C, respectively. A pattern coil 25 (see FIG. 3) is formed in the main circuit board 20 so as to wind around the central opening 21B, and circuit patterns on the upstream side and the downstream side of the pattern coil portion (shown in the figure). Is formed. The number of coil turns in the pattern coil 25 is not particularly limited.

Further, a heat transfer member 35 (see FIGS. 1 and 3) connected to the side walls 12A and 12B is attached above the E-type core 31A of the main transformer 30. The heat transfer member is thermally connected to the E-type core 31A and the side walls 12A and 12B, and transfers heat from the main transformer 30 including the E-type core 31A to the side walls 12A and 12B.

Similarly, the magnetic core 41 constituting the resonant inductor 40, which is one of the winding components (second winding component), also constitutes a so-called EI type magnetic core. Specifically, the E-type core 41A is arranged on the upper side (+ Z-axis side) of the main circuit board 20 so that the Y-axis direction is the longitudinal direction, and the I-type core (-Z-axis side) is arranged on the lower side (-Z-axis side). (Not shown) is placed. The main circuit board 20 is provided with three openings 22A, 22B, and 22C along the Y-axis direction for inserting the legs of the E-type core 41A. The three legs of the E-shaped core 41A are inserted into the openings 22A, 22B, and 22C, respectively. A pattern coil 26 (see FIG. 3) is formed in the main circuit board 20 so as to wind around the central opening 22B, and circuit patterns on the upstream side and the downstream side of the pattern coil portion (shown in the figure). Is formed. The number of coil turns in the pattern coil 26 is not particularly limited.

Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the base plate 11 of the housing 10 on which the main circuit board 20 is placed can be thermally connected to the back surface side of the main circuit board 20 as much as possible. In particular, on the back surface side of the position where the switching element groups 50A and 50B and the rectifying element groups 60A and 60B are mounted, the main circuit board 20 and the base plate 11 are thermally connected. In the power supply device 1 of the present embodiment, the recess 17 capable of accommodating the I-type core of the main transformer 30 and the resonant inductor 40 so that the back surface side of the main circuit board 20 and the front surface of the base plate 11 can be thermally connected. By forming 18, the back surface side of the main circuit board 20 and the front surface of the base plate 11 are thermally connected by utilizing the steps between the recesses 17 and 18. In order to thermally connect the back surface side of the main circuit board 20 and the base plate 11, a thermal compound or the like may be applied between the two.

Here, the main transformer 30 and the resonant inductor 40 in the power supply device 1 are arranged near the center (substantially the center) of the short side (Y-axis direction) of the main circuit board 20, as shown in FIG. Then, the primary side switching element groups 50A (switching elements 51 to 54) and 50B (switching elements 55 to 58) and the secondary side rectifying element groups 60A (rectifying elements 61 to 63) and 60B (rectifying elements 64 to 66). ) Is arranged at the end of the main circuit board 20 so as to face each other with the main transformer 30 and the resonant inductor 40 interposed therebetween. As shown in FIG. 3, the end portion referred to here means that the switching element groups 50A and 50B and the rectifying element groups 60A and 60B are arranged on the main transformer 30 or the resonance inductor 40 side with some margin from the edge of the main circuit board 20. It refers to the relative end portion when viewed from the entire main circuit board 20 as shown above. In the present embodiment, a region where the distance from the end of the main surface of the main circuit board 20 is about 1/4 of the length of the short side of the main circuit board 20 is referred to as an end portion.

In the power supply device 1 according to the present embodiment, the fins 13 for heat dissipation are formed so as to extend in the Y-axis direction. That is, the refrigerant flow path is formed in the Y-axis direction. When viewed along the Y-axis direction, switching element groups 50A and 50B, which are semiconductor elements, are arranged with the resonant inductor 40, which is a winding component, interposed therebetween . As this, when viewed along the refrigerant flow path direction, that a plurality of switching elements 51 to 58 are arranged across the resonant inductor 40, the heat radiation effect of the semiconductor device is enhanced.

A semiconductor element is a component having high heat generation. Therefore, when they are arranged close to each other, it may not be possible to sufficiently cool the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant flow path. In particular, if a plurality of semiconductor elements are arranged close to each other along the direction of the refrigerant flow path, the semiconductor elements located on the downstream side in the moving direction of the refrigerant may not be sufficiently cooled due to the influence of heat of the semiconductor elements located on the upstream side. On the other hand, like the power supply device 1 of the present embodiment, the main transformer 30 and the resonance inductor 40, which are winding parts, are arranged so as to be sandwiched when viewed along the refrigerant flow path direction (Y-axis direction). Therefore, since the distance between the plurality of semiconductor elements can be secured when viewed in the direction of the refrigerant flow path, the heat dissipation effect of the refrigerant moving in the refrigerant flow path can be enhanced. In this case, since it is not necessary to separately provide a cooling means for cooling the semiconductor element, it is possible to prevent the power supply device 1 from becoming large in size.

Further, the rectifying elements 63 and 66 are arranged at positions that do not overlap with the main transformer 30 and the resonant inductor 40, which are winding components, when viewed from the refrigerant flow path direction (Y-axis direction). Winding components such as the main transformer 30 and the resonant inductor 40 generate less heat than semiconductor elements, but generate heat. Therefore, when the winding component and the semiconductor element are arranged so as not to overlap each other when viewed from the refrigerant flow path direction (Y-axis direction), the refrigerant flow path in both the winding component and the semiconductor element is moved. The heat dissipation effect of the refrigerant can be enhanced. Then, even when the semiconductor elements are arranged so that the winding parts and the semiconductor elements do not overlap each other when viewed from the refrigerant flow path direction (Y-axis direction), the refrigerant is as in the rectifying elements 63 and 66. By arranging the semiconductor elements that overlap each other when viewed from the flow path direction (Y-axis direction) so as to be separated from each other, the heat dissipation effect of the refrigerant can be further enhanced.

Further, the primary side switching element groups 50A (switching elements 51 to 54) and 50B (switching elements 55 to 58) and the secondary side rectifying element groups 60A (rectifying elements 61 to 63) and 60B (rectifying elements 64 to 66). ) Is arranged at the end of the main circuit board 20. In the power supply device 1, the size of the main circuit board 20 is a size that is accommodated in the housing 10 with a slight margin, and the switching element group 50A and the rectifying element group 60A (rectifying elements 61, 62) are arranged. The end of the main circuit board 20 is close to the side wall 12A. Similarly, the end of the main circuit board 20 on which the switching element group 50B and the rectifying element group 60B (rectifying elements 64, 65) are arranged is close to the side wall 12B. Since the heat radiating fins 13 are attached to the side walls 12A and 12B, the heat radiating effect of the heat radiating fins 13 can be enhanced as compared with other side walls. Even when the side walls 12A and 12B are not provided with the fins 13 for heat dissipation, the side walls 12A and 12B are exposed to the outside, so that the cooling effect is large. Therefore, by mounting the semiconductor element on the end of the main circuit board arranged close to the side wall like the power supply device 1, the heat dissipation effect of the semiconductor element can be enhanced.

Further, in the main circuit board 20, the back surface side of the position where the semiconductor elements (switching element groups 50A and 50B and rectifying element groups 60A and 60B) are mounted is thermally connected to the base plate 11. Therefore, for the semiconductor element, heat dissipation via the main circuit board 20 and the base plate 11 is also preferably performed.

Further, when the main transformer 30 has a configuration in which heat generated in the winding parts is transferred to the side walls 12A and 12B via the heat transfer member 35, it is mounted in the center of the main circuit board 20. Since heat can be dissipated to the side wall of the wound parts, the heat dissipation in the power supply device 1 can be improved. In particular, when the longitudinal direction of the magnetic core 31 is the same as the direction of the refrigerant flow path (Y-axis direction) as in the main transformer 30, it is considered that the magnetic core 31 cannot be sufficiently cooled by the refrigerant. Be done. In such a case, by using the heat transfer member 35 to provide a heat dissipation path from above the magnetic core 31 to the side walls 12A and 12B, heat dissipation from the magnetic core 31 can be particularly preferably performed. ..

The characteristics of the arrangement of the semiconductor elements in the power supply device 1 can be said as follows. That is, a plurality of semiconductor elements of the same type (for example, switching elements 51 to 54 included in the switching element group 50A) are oriented in a direction substantially orthogonal to the flow direction (Y-axis direction) of the first refrigerant flow path. , It is continuously mounted on the end of the main circuit board 20. Therefore, as compared with the case where a plurality of semiconductor elements are arranged close to each other, each semiconductor element can be suitably cooled by the refrigerant flowing through the heat radiation fin 13 which is the refrigerant flow path, so that the effect of heat dissipation can be enhanced. Can be done.

Further, a plurality of semiconductor elements of the same type (for example, switching elements 51 to 54 included in the switching element group 50A and switching elements 55 to 58 included in the switching element group 50B) are each a refrigerant flow path (for heat dissipation). Each of the upstream side and the downstream side of the fin 13) is continuously mounted on the end portion of the main circuit board 20. As a result, it is possible to prevent a plurality of semiconductor elements of the same type from being arranged close to each other, so that the cooling efficiency in the power supply device 1 can be improved.

Although the power supply device according to the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the embodiment of the above embodiment.

For example, in the above embodiment, the example in which the main transformer 30 and the resonant inductor 40 are arranged in the center of the main circuit board 20 has been described, but the main transformer 30 and the resonant inductor 40 may not be arranged in the center. Moreover, the number of semiconductor elements can be changed as appropriate.

1 ... Power supply, 10 ... Housing, 11 ... Base plate, 12 ... Side wall, 20 ... Main circuit board, 25, 26 ... Pattern coil, 30 ... Main transformer, 40 ... Resonant inductor, 50A, 50B ... Switching element group, 51 ~ 58 ... Switching element, 60A, 60B ... Rectifying element group, 61-66 ... Rectifying element.

Claims (6)

With the circuit board
The winding parts mounted on the circuit board and
A plurality of semiconductor elements mounted on the circuit board and
A housing that houses the circuit board and
A first cooling means having a refrigerant flow path for circulating a refrigerant that cools the bottom surface of the housing,
With
When viewed along the direction of the refrigerant flow path, at least a part of the plurality of semiconductor elements is arranged so as to sandwich the winding component.
A power supply device in which the back surface side of the circuit board where the plurality of semiconductor elements are mounted is thermally connected to the bottom surface of the housing. At least a part of the plurality of semiconductor elements is mounted on an end portion of the circuit board.
The power supply device according to claim 1, wherein the end portion of the circuit board is close to a side wall extending from the bottom surface of the housing. Side wall of the housing, the power supply device according to claim 1 or 2 comprising a second cooling means having a refrigerant passage. The invention according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a heat transfer member that connects the winding component and the side wall of the housing and transfers heat from the winding component to the side wall of the housing. Power supply. The plurality of semiconductor elements include a plurality of semiconductor elements of the same type, and the plurality of semiconductor elements of the same type are oriented in a direction substantially orthogonal to the flow direction of the refrigerant flow path in the first cooling means. The power supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 4 , which is continuously mounted on an end portion of the circuit board. The power supply device according to claim 5 , wherein the plurality of semiconductor elements of the same type are continuously mounted on the upstream side and the downstream side of the refrigerant flow path in the first cooling means.

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