Power electronics equipments

Abstract

Power electronics equipment includes a switching device directing current flow to a load and interrupting the current flowing to the load, a control circuit generating a control signal directing the conduction and non-conduction of the switching device, a driver circuit driving a control terminal of the switching device based on the control signal, and at least one air-cored insulating transformer insulating the control circuit and the driver circuit from each other. Each air-cored insulating transformer includes a primary winding and a secondary winding configured to generate a voltage by a change of interlinkage of a magnetic field. The secondary winding includes a plurality of coils configured such that voltages generated by external magnetic flux intersecting the secondary winding are canceled and a voltage generated by the signal magnetic flux intersecting the secondary winding is increased.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically showing an intelligent power module for a step-up and step-down converter, to which power electronics equipment according to a first embodiment of the invention is applied.

FIG. 2 schematically shows the external appearance of an air-cored insulating transformer according to the first embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a drawing describing the intersection of an external magnetic flux in the air-cored insulating transformer shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a drawing describing the intersection of a signal magnetic flux in the air-cored insulating transformer shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 5( a) is a cross sectional view schematically showing an insulating transformer according to a second embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 5( b) is a top plan view of the insulating transformer shown in FIG. 5(a).

FIG. 6 schematically shows the external appearance of an air-cored insulating transformer according to a third embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 7( a) is a cross sectional view schematically showing an insulating transformer according to a fourth embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 7( b) is a top plan view of the insulating transformer shown in FIG. 7(a).

FIGS. 8( a) through 8(l) are cross sectional views describing the manufacturing steps for manufacturing an insulating transformer according to a fifth embodiment of the invention.

FIGS. 9( a) through 9(h) are other cross sectional views describing the other manufacturing steps for manufacturing the insulating transformer according to the fifth embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 10 is a cross sectional view showing the mounted state of an intelligent power module for the step-up and step-down converter according to a sixth embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 11 is a block diagram schematically showing a vehicle driving system that employs a conventional step-up and step-down converter.

FIG. 12 is a block circuit diagram of the step-up and step-down converter shown in FIG. 11.

FIG. 13 is a wave chart describing the waveform of the current flowing through the reactor shown in FIG. 12 in the boosting operation.

FIG. 14 is a top plan view schematically showing a conventional insulating transformer for signal transmission.

FIG. 15 is a block diagram of a signal transmission circuit using a conventional insulating transformer for signal transmission.

Claims

1. A power electronics equipment, comprising: a switching device for making a current flow to a load or interrupting the current flowing to the load, said switching device having control terminals;a control circuit generating a control signal directing conduction and non-conduction of the switching device;a driver circuit for driving the control terminals of the switching device based on the control signal; andat least one air-cored insulating transformer for insulating the control circuit from the driver circuit, each transformer comprising a primary winding for generating a magnetic field and a secondary winding on a receiver side for generating a voltage by a change of interlinkage of a magnetic field;wherein the secondary winding comprises a plurality of coils configured such that voltages generated by external magnetic flux intersecting the secondary winding are canceled and a voltage generated by signal magnetic flux intersecting the secondary winding is increased.

2. The power electronics equipment according to claim 1, wherein: the secondary winding comprises a first secondary coil and a second secondary coil arranged adjacent to each other;a winding direction of the first secondary coil is opposite to a winding direction of the second secondary coil;the primary winding and the first secondary coil are arranged in a coaxial relationship; andthe first and second secondary coils each comprise a head and a tail, wherein the tail of the first secondary coil is connected to the head of the second secondary coil, or the head of the first secondary coil is connected to the tail of the second secondary coil.

3. The power electronics equipment according to claim 1, wherein: the secondary winding comprises a first secondary coil and a second secondary coil arranged adjacent to each other, each coil comprising a head and a tail;a winding direction of the first secondary coil is the same as a winding direction of the second secondary coil;the primary winding and the first secondary coil are arranged in a coaxial relationship; andthe head of the first secondary coil is connected to the head of the second secondary coil or the tail of the first secondary coil is connected to the tail of the second secondary coil.

4. A power electronics equipment, comprising: a switching device configured to direct a current flowing to a load and to interrupt the current flowing to the load, said switching device having a control terminal;a control circuit configured to generate a control signal directing conduction and non-conduction of the switching device;a driver circuit for driving the control terminal of the switching device based on the control signal; andat least one air-cored insulating transformer for insulating the control circuit from the driver circuit, said insulating transformer comprising a primary winding on a transmitter side and a secondary winding on a receiver side;wherein the primary winding comprises a plurality of coils configured such that a voltage generated by signal magnetic flux intersecting the secondary winding is increased; andwherein the secondary winding comprises a plurality of coils configured such that voltages caused by external magnetic flux intersecting the secondary winding are canceled and a voltage generated by signal magnetic flux intersecting the secondary winding is increased.

5. The power electronics equipment according to claim 4, wherein the primary winding comprises a first primary coil and a second primary coil arranged adjacent to each other,a winding direction of the first primary coil is opposite to a winding direction of the second primary coil,the secondary winding comprises a first secondary coil and a second secondary coil arranged adjacent to each other,a winding direction of the first secondary coil is opposite to a winding direction of the second secondary coil,the first primary coil and the first secondary coil are arranged in a coaxial relationship,the second primary coil and the second secondary coil are arranged in a coaxial relationship,the first and second primary coils each comprise a head and a tail, wherein the tail of the first primary coil is connected to the head of the second primary coil, or the head of the first primary coil is connected to the tail of the second primary coil, andthe first and second secondary coils each comprise a head and a tail, wherein the tail of the first secondary coil is connected to the head of the second secondary coil, or the head of the first secondary coil is connected to the tail of the second secondary coil.

6. The power electronics equipment according to claim 4, wherein: the primary winding comprises a first primary coil and a second primary coil arranged adjacent to each other, each of the first and second primary coils comprising a head and a tail;a winding direction of the first primary coil is the same as a winding direction of the second primary coil;the secondary winding comprises a first secondary coil and a second secondary coil arranged adjacently to each other, each of the first and second secondary coils comprising a head and a tail;a winding direction of the first secondary coil is the same as a winding direction of the second secondary coil;the first primary coil and the first secondary coil are arranged in a coaxial relationship,the second primary coil and the second secondary coil are arranged in a coaxial relationship,the head of the first primary coil is connected to the head of the second primary coil or the tail of the first primary coil is connected to the tail of the second primary coil, andthe head of the first secondary coil is connected to the head of the second secondary coil or the tail of the first secondary coil is connected to the tail of the second secondary coil.

7. The power electronics equipment according to claim 2, wherein a number of turns of the first secondary coil is substantially equal to a number of turns of the second secondary coil.

8. The power electronics equipment according to claim 1, wherein the air-cored insulating transformer is a micro-machined air-cored insulating transformer.