MOTOR VEHICLE AND POWER CONVERTER DEVICE FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE

Abstract

Motor vehicle comprising an electric motor for driving the motor vehicle and a power converter device for supplying an alternating current to the electric motor, the power converter device having a cooling device, and the cooling device comprising at least one coolant connection, which is fluidically connected to a coolant port of the electric motor to form a common cooling circuit.

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16. A Motor vehicle comprising an electric motor for driving the motor vehicle and a power converter device for supplying an alternating current to the electric motor, said power converter device having a cooling device, wherein the cooling device has at least one coolant connection, which is fluidically connected to a coolant port of the electric motor to form a common cooling circuit, wherein the power converter device is arranged on a motor housing of the electric motor, wherein the power converter device and the motor housing delimit a receiving area, which is delimited by a frame-like and/or trough-like section of the motor housing and in which the coolant connection and the coolant port are located, and the power converter device has a base plate, on both sides of which components of the power converter device are arranged.

17. The motor vehicle according to claim 16, wherein the cooling device is formed by a plurality of cooling channels provided within the base plate, or is arranged on the base plate, in particular recessed into the same.

18. The motor vehicle according to claim 16, wherein the coolant connection is located on the side of the base plate that faces the electric motor or on at least one lateral edge of the base plate.

19. The motor vehicle according to claim 16, wherein a power electronics converter unit, and/or an intermediate circuit capacitor, and/or a control device, and/or a DC voltage terminal for connecting the power converter device to a low-voltage electrical system (27) of the motor vehicle are provided as components.

20. The motor vehicle according to claim 17, wherein the power converter unit is arranged on the cooling device, which is arranged on the base plate.

21. The motor vehicle according to claim 16, wherein an electromagnetic filter unit, and/or an AC voltage terminal for electrically connecting the power converter device to the electric motor, and/or a DC voltage terminal for electrically connecting the power converter device to a high-voltage assembly, and/or a DC voltage terminal for electrically connecting the electric motor to a low-voltage electrical system of the motor vehicle via the power converter device are provided as components.

22. The motor vehicle according to claim 16, wherein a housing part of the power converter device houses the components arranged on the side that faces the electric motor.

23. The motor vehicle according to claim 22, wherein the coolant connection extends through the housing part or is located outside of the housing part on the base plate.

24. The motor vehicle according to claim 23, wherein the coolant connection provided outside of the housing part is located on the side of the base plate that faces the electric motor or on the or one lateral edge of the base plate.

25. The motor vehicle according to claim 16, wherein a housing part of the power converter device houses the components arranged on the side that faces away from the electric motor.

26. The motor vehicle according to claim 17, wherein the coolant connection is located on the side of the base plate that faces the electric motor or on at least one lateral edge of the base plate.

27. The motor vehicle according to claim 17, wherein a power electronics converter unit, and/or an intermediate circuit capacitor, and/or a control device, and/or a DC voltage terminal for connecting the power converter device to a low-voltage electrical system (27) of the motor vehicle are provided as components.

28. The motor vehicle according to claim 18, wherein a power electronics converter unit, and/or an intermediate circuit capacitor, and/or a control device, and/or a DC voltage terminal for connecting the power converter device to a low-voltage electrical system (27) of the motor vehicle are provided as components.

29. The motor vehicle according to claim 19, wherein the power converter unit is arranged on the cooling device, which is arranged on the base plate.

30. The motor vehicle according to claim 17, wherein an electromagnetic filter unit, and/or an AC voltage terminal for electrically connecting the power converter device to the electric motor, and/or a DC voltage terminal for electrically connecting the power converter device to a high-voltage assembly, and/or a DC voltage terminal for electrically connecting the electric motor to a low-voltage electrical system of the motor vehicle via the power converter device are provided as components.

31. The motor vehicle according to claim 18, wherein an electromagnetic filter unit, and/or an AC voltage terminal for electrically connecting the power converter device to the electric motor, and/or a DC voltage terminal for electrically connecting the power converter device to a high-voltage assembly, and/or a DC voltage terminal for electrically connecting the electric motor to a low-voltage electrical system of the motor vehicle via the power converter device are provided as components.

32. The motor vehicle according to claim 19, wherein an electromagnetic filter unit, and/or an AC voltage terminal for electrically connecting the power converter device to the electric motor, and/or a DC voltage terminal for electrically connecting the power converter device to a high-voltage assembly, and/or a DC voltage terminal for electrically connecting the electric motor to a low-voltage electrical system of the motor vehicle via the power converter device are provided as components.

33. The motor vehicle according to claim 20, wherein an electromagnetic filter unit, and/or an AC voltage terminal for electrically connecting the power converter device to the electric motor, and/or a DC voltage terminal for electrically connecting the power converter device to a high-voltage assembly, and/or a DC voltage terminal for electrically connecting the electric motor to a low-voltage electrical system of the motor vehicle via the power converter device are provided as components.

34. The motor vehicle according to claim 17, wherein a housing part of the power converter device houses the components arranged on the side that faces the electric motor.

35. The motor vehicle according to claim 18, wherein a housing part of the power converter device houses the components arranged on the side that faces the electric motor.

Description

[0024] Further advantages and details of the invention will be apparent from the exemplary embodiments described in the following, and in reference to the drawings. These are schematic representations and show:

[0025] FIG. 1 a detailed diagram of an electric motor for a motor vehicle;

[0026] FIG. 2 a cross-sectional view of a first exemplary embodiment of a power converter device for the motor vehicle according to the invention;

[0027] FIG. 3 an exploded view of another exemplary embodiment of a power converter device for the motor vehicle according to the invention;

[0028] FIG. 4 a perspective view of the power converter device shown in FIG. 3;

[0029] FIG. 5 a cross-sectional schematic diagram of another exemplary embodiment of a power converter device for the motor vehicle according to the invention; and

[0030] FIG. 6 a schematic diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a motor vehicle according to the invention.

[0031] FIG. 1 shows a detailed view of an electric motor 1, in which a section of a motor housing 2 is visible.

[0032] The motor housing 2 has a frame-like or trough-like section 3 with a plurality of walls 4, which delimit a receiving area 5. Within the receiving area 5, a coolant port 6 is provided for introducing and removing a coolant for cooling a stator and/or a rotor of the electric motor 1. Also provided within the receiving area 5 is a connector device 7 for supplying the electric motor 1 with a three-phase AC voltage and with a DC voltage of, for example, 12 volts, supplied by a low-voltage battery. Further, integrated into one wall 4 is a DC voltage terminal 8 for supplying a DC voltage from a high-voltage battery, to be converted into the AC voltage.

[0033] In an assembled state, the side of the receiving area 5 that is open in FIG. 1 is additionally delimited by a power converter device 9 (cf., FIGS. 2 to 5), which is placed on the motor housing 2 and fastened to the walls 4. The power converter device 9 converts the DC voltage supplied via the DC voltage terminal 8 to the three-phase AC voltage, and enables the low-voltage battery to be connected to the connector device 7. The power converter device 9 further has a cooling device 10 with coolant connections 11 (cf., FIG. 2 to 5), which are or can be connected to the coolant port 6 in order to form a common cooling circuit for the electric motor 1 and the power converter device 9.

[0034] FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional diagram of a first exemplary embodiment of a power converter device 9, including the receiving area 5 and the section 3 having the walls 4 of the motor housing 2.

[0035] The power converter device 9 comprises a base plate 12 into which the cooling device 10 is integrated, a first housing part 13 on the side of the base plate 12 that faces the electric motor 1, and a second housing part 14 on the side of the base plate 12 that faces away from the electric motor 1. The cooling device 10 penetrates the base plate 13 and the first housing part 13 in such a way that the coolant connections 11 (only one visible in FIG. 2) extend into the receiving area 5, where they can be connected to the coolant port 6.

[0036] A plurality of components of the power converter device 9 are arranged on the side of the base plate 12 that faces away from the electric motor 1, and are housed by the second housing part 14, which is preferably made of a metal, such as aluminum. The components are a power electronics converter unit 15, an intermediate circuit capacitor 16, control units of a control device 17 for controlling the power converter unit 15, and a DC voltage terminal (not shown) for connecting the power converter device to the low-voltage battery. Here, the power converter unit 15 is located directly on the cooling device 10 through which coolant flows, because the power converter unit makes the greatest contribution to the heat generated during operation of the power converter device 9. The intermediate circuit capacitor 16 is coupled in a thermally conductive manner to the base plate 12, in order to conduct the heat generated by the intermediate circuit capacitor during operation via the base plate to the cooling device 10.

[0037] Additional components of the power converter device 9 are arranged on the side of the base plate 12 that faces the electric motor 1, and are housed by the first housing part 13, which is preferably made of a plastic, such as polyamide. The components are an electromagnetic filter unit 18, an AC voltage terminal 19 for electrically connecting the power converter device 9 to the connector device 7, a DC voltage terminal (not shown) for electrically connecting the power converter device 9 to a high-voltage battery via the DC voltage terminal 8, and a DC voltage terminal (not shown) for electrically connecting the electric motor 1 to the low-voltage battery via the connector device 7.

[0038] While the first housing part 13 rests on the base plate 12 and is fastened thereto, the second housing part 14 overlaps the base plate 12 and, in the mounted state, rests on section 3 of the motor housing 2. The receiving area 5 is thereby closed off. The second housing part 14 is attached to the walls 4 by fastening means (not shown). As an alternative to the multi-part embodiment of the housing parts 13, 14 shown, it is also conceivable for the housing parts 13, 14 to form one integral housing.

[0039] FIG. 3 shows an exploded view of another exemplary embodiment of a power converter device 9; elements that are the same as or equivalent to elements in FIG. 2 have been denoted by identical reference signs. The power converter device 9 differs from the one shown in FIG. 2 essentially in that the base plate 12 is configured as a cooling device 10 through which coolant flows, and for this purpose, cooling channels (not shown) are provided inside the base plate 12. Furthermore, the coolant connections 11 (cf., FIG. 4) do not extend through the base plate 12 and the first housing part 13, and are instead formed outside of the housing parts 13, 14, on the side of the base plate 12 that faces the electric motor 1.

[0040] Also shown in FIG. 3 are the DC voltage terminal 20 for electrically connecting the power converter device 9 to a high-voltage battery via the DC voltage terminal 8, the DC voltage terminal 21 for electrically connecting the electric motor 1 to the low-voltage battery via the connector device 7, the DC voltage terminal 22 for connecting the power converter device 9 to the low-voltage battery, and a shielding means 23 for the control device 17 between its control units.

[0041] FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the power converter device 9 shown in FIG. 3, from the side of the base plate 12 that faces the electric motor 1. The coolant connections 11 of the cooling device 10, configured as openings in the base plate 12 into which the cooling channels lead, are clearly visible. The coolant connections can thus be connected, via suitable connection means, to the coolant port 6 of the electric motor 1.

[0042] FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional schematic diagram of another exemplary embodiment of a power converter device 9; elements that are the same as or equivalent to elements in FIG. 3 have been denoted by identical reference signs. The power converter device 9 differs from the one shown in FIG. 3 essentially in that the coolant connections 11 are located on a lateral edge 24 of the base plate.

[0043] FIG. 6 shows a schematic diagram of a motor vehicle 25 comprising an electric motor 1 according to FIG. 1 for the partially or fully electric driving of the motor vehicle 25, and a power converter device 9 attached thereto according to any of the aforementioned exemplary embodiments. The power converter device 9 is connected via DC voltage terminal 8 to a high-voltage vehicle electrical system 26, and is connected via DC voltage terminal 23 to a low-voltage electrical system 27 of the motor vehicle 25.