Patents by Inventor Akira Nakasaka

Akira Nakasaka has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20230292475
    Abstract: A power control apparatus has a plurality of switch units, a cooling unit, and an electronic control circuit. The electronic control circuit is configured to perform: measuring temperatures of each of the plurality of switch units; comparing the temperatures of each of the plurality of switch units measured in the measuring step; and determining whether a temperature difference between any two of the plurality of switch units is greater than or equal to a threshold value based on information from the comparing step.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2023
    Publication date: September 14, 2023
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akira NAKASAKA, Seiichiro NISHIMACHI
  • Patent number: 10250155
    Abstract: An electric power conversion device has semiconductor modules, a main P bus bar, a main N bus bar, a capacitor module, an input P bus bar and an input N bus bar. The input N bus bar is connected to the DC power source. The main N bus bar is connected to a negative electrode terminal of the semiconductor module to supply the DC power. A capacitor N bus bar, a filter capacitor and a smoothing capacitor in the capacitor module are molded by capacitor molded resin. The capacitor N bus bar is connected to a negative electrode terminal of the filter capacitor. The input N bus bar has a first N connection section connected to the capacitor N bus bar and a second N connection section connected to the main N bus bar. The main N bus bar is arranged outside of the capacitor mold resin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keisuke Mizushiri, Akira Nakasaka
  • Patent number: 10186979
    Abstract: An electric power converter includes a semiconductor module and a DC bus bar. The semiconductor module includes a main body portion having a built-in semiconductor element therein and a DC terminal to which a DC voltage is applied projecting from the main body portion. A DC bus bar is connected to the DC terminal. The DC bus bar is disposed such that a thickness direction of the DC bus bar matches a projecting direction of the DC terminal. The penetrating portion penetrating the projecting direction is formed in the DC bus bar. The DC terminal is connected to the DC bus bar in a state where at least a part of the DC terminal is disposed in a position that can be seen from the penetrating portion when viewed from the projection direction. The penetrating portion is formed in a hole shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Naohisa Harada, Akira Nakasaka, Tsuyoshi Kurauchi
  • Patent number: 9894814
    Abstract: An electric power converter 10 includes a flow passage FP1 formed so that cooling water can pass through while exchanging heat with semiconductor modules 51, another flow passage FP2 formed so that the cooling water can pass through while exchanging heat with a capacitor 52 and a reactor 53, and a plate-like connecting plate 200 attached in a state where a major surface thereof is disposed along a side wall 110 of a case 100. A groove 211 and a groove 221 that communicate between the flow passage FP1 and the flow passage FP2 are formed in the connecting plate 200.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Akira Nakasaka
  • Patent number: 9756755
    Abstract: An electric power converter includes a semiconductor module, a capacitor, and a DC bus bar that electrically connects them. The capacitor has a capacitor element and a capacitor terminal connected to the capacitor element. The capacitor terminals and the DC bus bar are connected to each other at least at two connecting portions. The DC bus bar has a bus bar main body portion that is connected to the semiconductor module. The two connecting portions are connected by at least a portion of the bus bar main body portion. The capacitor terminal has a terminal main body portion that is connected to the capacitor element. The two connecting portions are connected by at least a portion of the terminal main body portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Naohisa Harada, Akira Nakasaka
  • Publication number: 20160315549
    Abstract: An electric power converter includes a semiconductor module and a DC bus bar. The semiconductor module includes a main body portion having a built-in semiconductor element therein and a DC terminal to which a DC voltage is applied projecting from the main body portion. A DC bus bar is connected to the DC terminal. The DC bus bar is disposed such that a thickness direction of the DC bus bar matches a projecting direction of the DC terminal. The penetrating portion penetrating the projecting direction is formed in the DC bus bar. The DC terminal is connected to the DC bus bar in a state where at least a part of the DC terminal is disposed in a position that can be seen from the penetrating portion when viewed from the projection direction. The penetrating portion is formed in a hole shape.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2016
    Publication date: October 27, 2016
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Naohisa HARADA, Akira NAKASAKA, Tsuyoshi KURAUCHI
  • Publication number: 20160261207
    Abstract: An electric power conversion device has semiconductor modules, a main P bus bar, a main N bus bar, a capacitor module, an input P bus bar and an input N bus bar. The input N bus bar is connected to the DC s power source. The main N bus bar is connected to a negative electrode terminal of the semiconductor module to supply the DC power. A capacitor N bus bar, a filter capacitor and a smoothing capacitor in the capacitor module are molded by capacitor molded resin. The capacitor N bus bar is connected to a negative electrode terminal of the filter capacitor. The input N bus bar has a first N connection section connected to the capacitor N bus bar and a second N connection section connected to the main N bus bar. The main N bus bar is arranged outside of the capacitor mold resin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2016
    Publication date: September 8, 2016
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keisuke MIZUSHIRI, Akira NAKASAKA
  • Publication number: 20160128216
    Abstract: An electric power converter includes a semiconductor module, a capacitor, and a DC bus bar that electrically connects them. The capacitor has a capacitor element and a capacitor terminal connected to the capacitor element. The capacitor terminals and the DC bus bar are connected to each other at least at two connecting portions. The DC bus bar has a bus bar main body portion that is connected to the semiconductor module. The two connecting portions are connected by at least a portion of the bus bar main body portion. The capacitor terminal has a terminal main body portion that is connected to the capacitor element. The two connecting portions are connected by at least a portion of the terminal main body portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2015
    Publication date: May 5, 2016
    Inventors: Naohisa HARADA, Akira NAKASAKA
  • Publication number: 20160073556
    Abstract: An electric power converter 10 includes a flow passage FP1 formed so that cooling water can pass through while exchanging heat with semiconductor modules 51, another flow passage FP2 formed so that the cooling water can pass through while exchanging heat with a capacitor 52 and a reactor 53, and a plate-like connecting plate 200 attached in a state where a major surface thereof is disposed along a side wall 110 of a case 100. A groove 211 and a groove 221 that communicate between the flow passage FP1 and the flow passage FP2 are formed in the connecting plate 200.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2015
    Publication date: March 10, 2016
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Akira NAKASAKA
  • Patent number: 9184670
    Abstract: A power conversion device comprises a main circuit section that has a semiconductor module with a switching element therein and including a main electrode terminal, a capacitor with a capacitor element therein and that includes a capacitor terminal, and a bus bar that connects the main electrode terminal and the capacitor terminal. The capacitor terminal extends from a capacitor main body including the capacitor element therein towards the main circuit section. The bus bar provides a bending section on a base end side of a connecting section between the bus bar and the capacitor terminal. The bus bar and the capacitor terminal are connected such as to overlap in a state in which respective tip directions match.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mitsuharu Matsuno, Hiroshi Inamura, Akira Nakasaka
  • Patent number: 8963322
    Abstract: An electric power conversion apparatus includes a stacked body, a capacitor, a metal frame and a case. The stacked body is formed by stacking semiconductor modules with coolant passages formed therebetween. The frame has both the stacked body and the capacitor fixed therein. The case has all of the stacked body, the capacitor and the frame received therein. Further, the frame has a separation wall that separates the stacked body and the capacitor from each other, a stacked body-surrounding wall that surrounds the stacked body with the help of the separation wall, and a capacitor-surrounding that surrounds the capacitor with the help of the separation wall. The capacitor has a pair of end portions that are opposite to each other in a predetermined direction, in which control terminals of the semiconductor modules of the stacked body protrude, and each at least partially exposed from the capacitor-surrounding wall of the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Yuuya Kiuchi, Akira Nakasaka
  • Patent number: 8929097
    Abstract: A power conversion apparatus includes electronic components configuring a power conversion circuit, a cooler for cooling at least part of the electronic components, and a case housing the electronic components and the cooler. The at least part of the electronic components and the cooler are fixed to and integrated in a frame as an internal unit. The internal unit is fixed within the case through the frame. The frame has such a shape that the at least part of the electronic components is surrounded by the frame from four sides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Nakasaka, Kenichi Oohama
  • Publication number: 20140284765
    Abstract: An electric power conversion apparatus includes a stacked body, a capacitor, a metal frame and a case. The stacked body is formed by stacking semiconductor modules with coolant passages formed therebetween. The frame has both the stacked body and the capacitor fixed therein. The case has all of the stacked body, the capacitor and the frame received therein. Further, the frame has a separation wall that separates the stacked body and the capacitor from each other, a stacked body-surrounding wall that surrounds the stacked body with the help of the separation wall, and a capacitor-surrounding that surrounds the capacitor with the help of the separation wall. The capacitor has a pair of end portions that are opposite to each other in a predetermined direction, in which control terminals of the semiconductor modules of the stacked body protrude, and each at least partially exposed from the capacitor-surrounding wall of the frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2014
    Publication date: September 25, 2014
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuuya KIUCHI, Akira NAKASAKA
  • Patent number: 8803647
    Abstract: A reactor is provided with a coil, a core, and a case. The coil generates magnetic flux in response to supply of current thereto. The core is made of magnetic powder-containing resin filled in spaces inside and outside of the core. The case accommodates therein the coil and the core. The reactor is also provided with a cooling pipe (cooling member), which is arranged to be in contact with the core. A power converter is provided with semiconductor modules, a cooler, and the reactor. In the power converter, the cooler is arranged partially being in contact with the core of the reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignees: Denso Corporation, NEC Tokin Corporation
    Inventors: Kenji Saka, Kazuhiro Kosaka, Akira Nakasaka
  • Patent number: 8724313
    Abstract: An electric power conversion apparatus is provided which includes electronic components, a cooler, an internal unit, a capacitor, and a case. The internal unit has a frame to which at least one of the electronic components and the cooler are secured and which surrounds all around the one of the electronic components. The frame includes unit fixing sections through which the internal unit is fixed to the case and capacitor fixing sections through which the capacitor is fixed to the internal unit. The capacitor fixing sections are located inward of the frame more than the unit fixing sections. The internal unit is fixed to the case and thus works as a beam to increase the mechanical rigidity of the case. The fixing of the internal unit to the case minimizes external force to be exerted through the case on the electronic component and the cooler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Nakasaka, Satoshi Noda, Kenichi Oohama
  • Publication number: 20140118909
    Abstract: A power conversion device comprises a main circuit section that has a semiconductor module with a switching element therein and including a main electrode terminal, a capacitor with a capacitor element therein and that includes a capacitor terminal, and a bus bar that connects the main electrode terminal and the capacitor terminal. The capacitor terminal extends from a capacitor main body including the capacitor element therein towards the main circuit section. The bus bar provides a bending section on a base end side of a connecting section between the bus bar and the capacitor terminal. The bus bar and the capacitor terminal are connected such as to overlap in a state in which respective tip directions match.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2013
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mitsuharu MATSUNO, Hiroshi INAMURA, Akira NAKASAKA
  • Publication number: 20140098496
    Abstract: The power conversion apparatus includes semiconductor modules constituting a part of a power conversion circuit, a cooler including coolant passages, and a frame holding the semiconductor modules and the cooler. The semiconductor modules and the coolant passages are stacked on one another to form a stacked body. The cooler includes a pair of inlet/outlet tubes for introducing and discharging a coolant, the pair of the coolant inlet/outlet tubes extending from one of the coolant passages which is located at one end in a stacking direction of the stacked body to outside of the frame. Each of the pair of the coolant inlet/outlet tubes includes a proximal end portion located inside the frame and a distal end portion located outside the frame. In at least one of the pair of the inlet/outlet tubes, the proximal end portion has an outer diameter smaller than an outer diameter of the distal end portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2013
    Publication date: April 10, 2014
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Akira NAKASAKA
  • Patent number: 8687358
    Abstract: The power conversion apparatus includes electronic components constituting a power conversion circuit, a cooler for cooling at least some of the electronic components, and a case housing the at least some of the electronic components and the cooler. The at least some of the electronic components and the cooler are fixed to and integrated in a frame as an internal unit. The frame has such a shape that at least some of the electronic components constituting the internal unit are disposed inside the frame. The frame includes a terminal block on which input/output terminals for inputting and outputting controlled power are mounted for providing connection between the input/output terminals and external devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Nakasaka, Masao Murakami
  • Patent number: 8582291
    Abstract: In a power conversion apparatus, electronic components and a cooler are integrated in a frame as an internal unit. The internal unit is fixed within a case through the frame. The frame has such a shape that the electronic components are surrounded by the frame, and includes a first wall section, and second and third wall sections extending from both sides of the first wall section. The cooler includes a coolant introduction tube and a coolant discharge tube. The coolant introduction tube and the coolant discharge tube project outward from to the frame. The first to third wall sections include a support wall section supporting at least one of the coolant introduction tube and the coolant discharge tube, and a frame wall section not supporting the coolant introduction tube and the coolant discharge tube. The thickness of the support wall section is larger than the thickness of the frame wall section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Nakasaka, Kenichi Oohama
  • Patent number: 8514590
    Abstract: The power conversion apparatus includes electronic components constituting a power conversion circuit, a cooler for cooling at least some of the electronic components, and a case housing the electronic components and the cooler. The at least some of the electronic components and the cooler are fixed to and integrated in a frame as an internal unit . The internal unit including therein the semiconductor modules also includes a control circuit board fitted to board fixing sections formed in the frame so as to project from the frame in the height direction perpendicular to the plane of the frame. Each of the board fixing sections has a board abutment surface at a position closer to the frame than the tips of control terminals of the semiconductor modules formed so as to project in the height direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Nakasaka, Masaru Miyazaki, Kenichi Oohama