CURRENT CONVERTER FOR A VEHICLE

Abstract

A power converter, for a vehicle that is at least partially electrically powered, has a first printed circuit board with DC link capacitors, a circuit breaker group for each alternating current phase, and terminals for alternating current busbars and direct current busbars. A second printed circuit board has a control apparatus for actuating the circuit breaker groups. Also, it has a respective signal pin carrier for the respective circuit breaker group. The signal pin carrier connects the first and the second printed circuit board. Thus, signals between the first and the second printed circuit board can be transmitted via the respective signal pin carrier. The signal pin carrier has six signal pins that are arranged on a plastic carrier.

Claims

1.-15. (canceled)

16. A power converter for a vehicle that is at least partially electrically powered, comprising: a first printed circuit board having direct current (DC) link capacitors, a circuit breaker group for each alternating current (AC) phase, and terminals for AC busbars and DC busbars; a second printed circuit board having a control apparatus for actuating the circuit breaker groups; and a respective signal pin carrier for a respective circuit breaker group, the signal pin carrier connects the first and the second printed circuit board such that signals between the first and the second printed circuit board can be transmitted via the respective signal pin carrier, and the signal pin carrier has a plurality of six, signal pins that are arranged on a plastic carrier.

17. The power converter as set forth in claim 16, wherein the signal pins are connected to the plastic carrier through overmolding with plastic.

18. The power converter as set forth in claim 16 wherein the signal pins are pressed through the second printed circuit board and protrude with their tip on one side of the second printed circuit board.

19. The power converter as set forth in claim 16, wherein the signal pins each have two compensating regions for the respective contacting of the first and the second printed circuit board.

20. The power converter as set forth in claim 19, wherein a first compensating region in the signal pins have a spring region that embodies a meandering or S-shaped spring region.

21. The power converter as set forth in claim 16, wherein each of the signal pins presses onto a contact surface on the first printed circuit board and is soldered there.

22. The power converter as set forth in claim 21, wherein the plastic carrier has at least one positioning pin for positioning the signal pins on the first printed circuit board.

23. The power converter as set forth in claim 21, wherein the plastic carrier has at least one stop, so that the signal pins are compressed with the second printed circuit board until the stop strikes the surface of the first printed circuit board.

24. The power converter as set forth in claim 16, wherein the plastic carrier is mirror-symmetrical and has a V-shaped portion in a central region.

25. The power converter as set forth in in claim 24 wherein the plastic carrier is designed so that the signal pins are arranged in a row relative to one another, the V-shaped portion of the plastic carrier is between the groups of signal pins with a first group of signal pins and a second group of signal pins. Also the V-shaped tip protrudes in the direction of the first printed circuit board.

26. The power converter as set forth in claim 16, wherein the plastic carrier has a cuboid web for carrying the signal pins, as well as cuboid blocks in the vicinity of an overmolding of the signal pins, each of which extends from the web in the direction of the second printed circuit board.

27. The power converter as set forth in claim 16, wherein the stop is designed to prevent the plastic carrier from tilting.

28. The power converter as set forth in claim 16, wherein two signal pin carriers are respectively provided for the source, drain, and gate of the circuit breakers, the gates being actuated and current measurements being carried out at the source and drain.

29. The power converter as set forth in claim 18, wherein the signal pins for contacting the second printed circuit board have a compressible region in the shape of the eye of a needle, particularly one that is materially bonded to the front side and includes two signal pin arms each.

30. The power converter as set forth in claim 16, wherein the effective cross section of the signal pins decreases, or the effective cross section tapers off, in a region between an overmolding portion and a soldering portion in the connection direction.

Description

DRAWINGS

[0033] Exemplary embodiments of the disclosure are illustrated in the drawing and elucidated in further detail in the following description.

[0034] FIG. 1 is an elevation view of a first side of the signal pin carrier;

[0035] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the signal pin carrier from below;

[0036] FIG. 3 is a side perspective view of the signal pin carrier in the installed state;

[0037] FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the built-in signal pin carrier in the installed position; and

[0038] FIG. 5 is a cross section view of the signal pin carrier in the installed state.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0039] FIG. 1 shows the signal pin carrier in a side elevation view. On both sides there are structures for a positioning pin POS for contacting the first printed circuit board and a positioning pin for positioning on the second printed circuit board. Each of these two positioning pins has a stop or shoulder AN on its side for the first printed circuit board. This defines the force with which the signal pins SP are pressed onto the first printed circuit board but is also designed in such a way that tilting of the signal pin carrier on the first printed circuit board is prevented. The plastic carrier KT has a mirror-symmetrical design. The signal pins are also arranged in mirror symmetry, apart from the compensating structure of the spring structure for the first printed circuit board. This spring region is denoted with FB. The signal pins have in their upper region a compensating region, a so-called press-fit region PFB, that is compressed when it is pressed through the holes in the second printed circuit board. If they are pressed through, the compression decreases and fixation is achieved. As can be seen here, the signal pins, in this upper region have the appearance of arrowheads or spearheads to press through the second printed circuit board. In the lower region, for contacting the first printed circuit board, the signal pins SP have the spring region FB and the contact structure. This results in soldering LS to the second printed circuit board. The positioning pins POS and PS are also arranged mirror-symmetrically in the present case.

[0040] FIG. 2 shows a plan view of the signal pin carrier from below. The two positioning pins POS are again shown symmetrically to the center of the signal pin carriers, as is the plastic carrier KT. The shoulders SK, that prevent tilting, are point-symmetrical to the center of the plastic carrier. Thus, they impart a high level of stability to the signal pin carrier on the first printed circuit board and prevent tilting. The soldering point LS is also shown for the signal pins.

[0041] FIG. 3 shows the signal pin carrier in the installed state. The plastic carrier is shown symmetrically with the two positioning pins POS and PS. The signal pin carriers SP lie on the first printed circuit board. They are soldered there and connected to a copper conductor track. This is denoted with CU. The soldering points of the signal pins are also denoted with LS. The shoulder AN is also shown, as well as the positioning pin POS. The insulating layer IM of the first printed circuit board is located beneath the copper tracks. The heat is transferred via this insulating layer to the aluminum layer HS. The aluminum layer HS distributes the heat or warmth over the printed circuit board. The thermal interface material TIM connects the printed circuit board to the cooler C, which is located beneath the aluminum layer HS. The cooler C has a fluid cooling system, which then transports the heat away.

[0042] FIG. 4 shows the signal pin carrier in the installed state in cross section. Positioning pins PS and POS are again shown on the sides, as well as the shoulder AN. The six signal pins SP are also shown in the installed state. This also shows how the positioning pin PS is passed through the second printed circuit board LP2. The signal pins, with their compressible structure, are inserted in the second printed circuit board LP and protrude slightly over the same. The positioning pins POS, which enable the six signal pins to be positioned on the first printed circuit board, are introduced in the lower region of the first printed circuit board LP1. This enables soldering at the soldering points LS on the copper layer CU of the first printed circuit board LP1. Below this copper layer CU is the insulation layer IM, and below that is the aluminum layer HS, as described above.

[0043] FIG. 5 again shows the signal pin carrier in the installed state in cross section. The printed circuit board LP1 is connected to the plastic carrier KT via the positioning pins POS. The signal pins SP are connected on the first printed circuit board LP1 and thereby on the copper layer CU via the solder points LS. As already shown, the signal pin carriers have the compensating region FB as a spring element in the lower region. The shoulder or the stop AN is also shown and defines the pressing force of the signal pins onto the first printed circuit board LP1. The signal pin carriers are shown here again as they are pressed through the second printed circuit board LP2 with their tips. The positioning pins PS are also passed through the second printed circuit board.

[0044] The foregoing description of the embodiments has been provided for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure. Individual elements or features of a particular embodiment are generally not limited to that particular embodiment, but, where applicable, are interchangeable and can be used in a selected embodiment, even if not specifically shown or described. The same may also be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the disclosure, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the disclosure.