Patents by Inventor Atsuo Nishihara

Atsuo Nishihara 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).

  • Patent number: 11232994
    Abstract: A power semiconductor device includes a circuit body, first and second insulations, first and second bases, a case, and a distance regulation portion. The circuit body incudes a semiconductor element and a conductive portion. The first insulation and the second insulation oppose each other. The first base and second base also oppose each other. The case has a first opening portion covered with the first base and a second opening portion covered with the second base. The distance regulation portion has a first end that contacts the first base and a second end, that is opposite to the first end, and that contacts the second base. The distance regulation portion regulates a distance between the first base and the second base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: Hitachi Astemo, Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobutake Tsuyuno, Hiromi Shimazu, Akihiro Namba, Akira Matsushita, Hiroshi Houzouji, Atsuo Nishihara, Toshiaki Ishii, Takashi Hirao
  • Publication number: 20200227333
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a power semiconductor device enabling maintenance in reliability and improvement in productivity. According to the present invention, provided are: a circuit body including a semiconductor element and a conductive portion; a first insulation and a second insulation opposed to each other, the circuit body being interposed between the first insulation and the second insulation; a first base and a second base opposed to each other, the circuit body, the first insulation, and the second insulation being interposed between the first base and the second base; a case having a first opening portion covered with the first base and a second opening portion covered with the second base; and a distance regulation portion provided in space between the first base and the second base, the distance regulation portion regulating a distance between the first base and the second base in contact with the first base and the second base.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2018
    Publication date: July 16, 2020
    Inventors: Nobutake TSUYUNO, Hiromi SHIMAZU, Akihiro NAMBA, Akira MATSUSHITA, Hiroshi HOUZOUJI, Atsuo NISHIHARA, Toshiaki ISHII, Takashi HIRAO
  • Patent number: 10064310
    Abstract: In order to efficiently cool a heat-generating semiconductor element, it is desirable to cool a power semiconductor element from both surfaces. Therefore, in order to cool multiple power semiconductor elements, it is an effective way to alternately arrange a semiconductor component having the incorporated semiconductor element and a cooling device. A power conversion device for handling a high-power voltage needs to ensure pressure resistance between semiconductor elements or circuits inside the device. It is an effective way to seal the semiconductor component with a sealing material such as a silicone gel. Therefore, it is necessary to install the semiconductor component or the circuit having the incorporated semiconductor element, in a case from which a liquid silicone gel prior to curing does not leak even if the gel is injected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hisashi Tanie, Eiichi Ide, Hiroshi Shintani, Atsuo Nishihara
  • Patent number: 10044220
    Abstract: When the power is normally supplied from the commercial power supply, the storage battery is charged by reducing the DC voltage by the charge/discharge chopper. The switching unit is provided in the previous stage of the converter. When the commercial power supply is in an abnormal state, the three-phase AC converter is operated as three discharge choppers connected in parallel by supplying the power of the storage battery to the converter and boosting the power by the switching element included in the converter. The power of the storage battery is boosted by the charge/discharge chopper, and a part of the discharging power is supplied. One three-phase AC reactor is provided in the previous stage of the converter, and the three-phase AC reactor has three coils, magnetic leg iron cores having the coils winding around them, and one leg without a coil winding around it connected in parallel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuichiro Konishi, Atsuo Nishihara, Keisuke Horiuchi
  • Publication number: 20170325360
    Abstract: In order to efficiently cool a heat-generating semiconductor element, it is desirable to cool a power semiconductor element from both surfaces. Therefore, in order to cool multiple power semiconductor elements, it is an effective way to alternately arrange a semiconductor component having the incorporated semiconductor element and a cooling device. A power conversion device for handling a high-power voltage needs to ensure pressure resistance between semiconductor elements or circuits inside the device. It is an effective way to seal the semiconductor component with a sealing material such as a silicone gel. Therefore, it is necessary to install the semiconductor component or the circuit having the incorporated semiconductor element, in a case from which a liquid silicone gel prior to curing does not leak even if the gel is injected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2014
    Publication date: November 9, 2017
    Inventors: Hisashi TANIE, Eiichi IDE, Hiroshi SHINTANI, Atsuo NISHIHARA
  • Publication number: 20170084515
    Abstract: In order to efficiently cool a heat-generating semiconductor element, it is desirable to cool a power semiconductor element from both surfaces. Therefore, in order to cool multiple power semiconductor elements, it is an effective way to alternately arrange a semiconductor component having the incorporated semiconductor element and a cooling device. In addition, it is desirable to eliminate a gap and to reduce contact heat resistance between members in contact with each other, by suitably pressurizing a portion between the semiconductor component having the incorporated semiconductor element and the cooling device. In this case, if rigidity of a case in which the semiconductor component having the incorporated semiconductor element or the cooling device is installed is high in a pressurizing direction, the rigidity hinders a heat transfer point from being suitably pressurized.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2014
    Publication date: March 23, 2017
    Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi SHINTANI, Eiichi IDE, Atsuo NISHIHARA
  • Patent number: 9585292
    Abstract: A power converter includes a power semiconductor module, a first flow path forming body and a second flow path forming body that forms a housing space for storing the power semiconductor module and the first flow path forming body, in which the first flow path forming body is configured of a first side wall section, a second side wall section, and a bottom surface section, the first side wall section forms a first flow path space between one surface of the power semiconductor module and the first side wall section, the second side wall section forms a second flow path space between the other surface of the power semiconductor module and the second side wall section, and cooling refrigerant flows through the housing space, the first flow path space, and the second flow path space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Keisuke Horiuchi, Yosei Hara, Morio Kuwano, Atsuo Nishihara, Kinya Nakatsu
  • Publication number: 20170012501
    Abstract: A scraping member for scraping up an oil coolant while the scraping member is being rotated in conjunction with rotation of a rotor, the scraping member being provided on a side-portion side of the rotor in an axial direction of a rotating shaft, is provided. The scraping member has a recessed portion that forms an opening serving as an inlet port of the oil coolant on an inner circumferential surface in a radial direction of the rotating shaft or on a side surface in the axial direction of the rotating shaft and has an oil introduction hole passed from an inner side to an outer side in the radial direction of the rotating shaft in the recessed portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2014
    Publication date: January 12, 2017
    Inventors: Kentaroh SANO, Atsuo NISHIHARA, Itsurou SAWADA
  • Patent number: 9510487
    Abstract: A power conversion apparatus includes: a power semiconductor module (150a); a flow channel forming body (20) for housing the power semiconductor module (150a); and a cover (5) for fixing the power semiconductor module (150a) to the flow channel forming body (20), and the power semiconductor module (150a) includes a power semiconductor element, main terminals (157b, 158b) electrically connected to the power semiconductor element, and a case for housing the power semiconductor element, the cover (5) has a recessed portion (5c) and an opening (5a) provided in a bottom surface portion of the recessed portion (5c), the power semiconductor module (150a) is placed to be fitted into the recessed portion (5c), the power semiconductor module (150a) is fixed to the cover (5) so that the main terminals (157b, 158b) pass through the opening (5a), the case and an inner wall of the recessed portion (5c) have an airtight structure, and therefore prevents intrusion of a coolant into the power semiconductor module having a dou
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Keisuke Horiuchi, Atsuo Nishihara, Kinya Nakatsu, Morio Kuwano, Yosei Hara
  • Publication number: 20160290363
    Abstract: Provided is a compression apparatus that can appropriately cool a motor even in a high-temperature operation environment. A rotating shaft, a main compressor attached to the rotating shaft, and which compresses ambient gases and to emit a compressed gas, a motor attached to an upstream side of the main compressor on the rotating shaft, and which drives the main compressor, a turbine provided at the upstream side of the main compressor, and which expands a part of the ambient gas to generate a low-temperature gas to be used to cool the motor, and a sub compressor provided at the upstream side of the main compressor and at a downstream side of the turbine, and which compresses the low-temperature gas used to cool the motor to pressure equal to the ambient gas, wherein the main compressor generates the compressed gas by mixing and compressing the low-temperature gas compressed by the sub compressor and a part of the remaining ambient gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2014
    Publication date: October 6, 2016
    Inventors: Atsuo NISHIHARA, Daisuke KAWAGUCHI, Itsurou SAWADA
  • Patent number: 9419535
    Abstract: An electric power converter is provided with: a power semiconductor module, which has a power semiconductor element that converts a direct current into an alternating current; a capacitor module, which has a capacitor element that smooths the direct current; and a cooling body, which cools the power semiconductor module and the capacitor module. The capacitor module has: a case, which has an approximately rectangular shape, has an opening formed in one surface, and has a space for housing the capacitor element; and a DC conductor for electrically connecting the power semiconductor element and the capacitor element to each other. The cooling body is formed to face the bottom surface on the inner wall of the case, and both the side surfaces of the case, the side surfaces facing each other. Between the capacitor element and the inner wall surfaces of the case, the direct current conductor is formed along the bottom surface and both the side surfaces of the case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Atsuo Nishihara, Ken Maeda, Kinya Nakatsu, Yukio Hattori
  • Publication number: 20160056667
    Abstract: When the power is normally supplied from the commercial power supply, the storage battery is charged by reducing the DC voltage by the charge/discharge chopper. The switching unit is provided in the previous stage of the converter. When the commercial power supply is in an abnormal state, the three-phase AC converter is operated as three discharge choppers connected in parallel by supplying the power of the storage battery to the converter and boosting the power by the switching element included in the converter. The power of the storage battery is boosted by the charge/discharge chopper, and a part of the discharging power is supplied. One three-phase AC reactor is provided in the previous stage of the converter, and the three-phase AC reactor has three coils, magnetic leg iron cores having the coils winding around them, and one leg without a coil winding around it connected in parallel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2015
    Publication date: February 25, 2016
    Inventors: Yuichiro KONISHI, Atsuo NISHIHARA, Keisuke HORIUCHI
  • Publication number: 20150382501
    Abstract: A power converter includes a power semiconductor module, a first flow path forming body and a second flow path forming body that forms a housing space for storing the power semiconductor module and the first flow path forming body, in which the first flow path forming body is configured of a first side wall section, a second side wall section, and a bottom surface section, the first side wall section forms a first flow path space between one surface of the power semiconductor module and the first side wall section, the second side wall section forms a second flow path space between the other surface of the power semiconductor module and the second side wall section, and cooling refrigerant flows through the housing space, the first flow path space, and the second flow path space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2014
    Publication date: December 31, 2015
    Applicant: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Keisuke HORIUCHI, Yosei HARA, Morio KUWANO, Atsuo NISHIHARA, Kinya NAKATSU
  • Publication number: 20150223366
    Abstract: A power conversion apparatus includes: a power semiconductor module (150a); a flow channel forming body (20) for housing the power semiconductor module (150a); and a cover (5) for fixing the power semiconductor module (150a) to the flow channel forming body (20), and the power semiconductor module (150a) includes a power semiconductor element, main terminals (157b, 158b) electrically connected to the power semiconductor element, and a case for housing the power semiconductor element, the cover (5) has a recessed portion (5c) and an opening (5a) provided in a bottom surface portion of the recessed portion (5c), the power semiconductor module (150a) is placed to be fitted into the recessed portion (5c), the power semiconductor module (150a) is fixed to the cover (5) so that the main terminals (157b, 158b) pass through the opening (5a), the case and an inner wall of the recessed portion (5c) have an airtight structure, and therefore prevents intrusion of a coolant into the power semiconductor module having a dou
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2013
    Publication date: August 6, 2015
    Inventors: Keisuke Horiuchi, Atsuo Nishihara, Kinya Nakatsu, Morio Kuwano, Yosei Hara
  • Patent number: 9078376
    Abstract: A power conversion device includes: a cooling base 5 in which a flow passage 51 through which a cooling medium flows is formed and an opening portion 50 which is communicated with the flow passage 51 is formed; a power module 1; and a flow passage control portion 16b. The power module 1 has a bottomed cylindrical portion 13a in which a power semiconductor element is housed and which is inserted into the flow passage 51 through the opening portion 50, a flange portion 13b which is formed on an opening of the cylindrical portion 13a and is fixed to the cooling base 5 so as to close the opening portion 50, and a group of radiator fins 144 which are mounted on an outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 13a with a gap of a predetermined distance formed between the flange portion 13b and the group of radiator fins 144.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Atsuo Nishihara, Kenichiro Nakajima, Keisuke Horiuchi
  • Patent number: 8879259
    Abstract: A cooling system for an onboard electrical power converter in which a heat dissipation surface extends parallel to a flow of cooling air draft includes: a coolant tank containing coolant that includes a bottom surface being in thermal contact with the heat dissipation surface; a first conduit provided connecting to an upper surface of the coolant tank, the coolant flowing into the first conduit; a heat exchanger that comprises second conduits arranged with opposing the upper surface, and conducts the coolant to upstream; and a return unit that returns the coolant to the coolant tank; wherein the heat exchanger comprises heat dissipation fins through which the cooling air draft passes from a first to a second side, the heat dissipation fins being provided on surfaces of the second conduits, the first side not facing the coolant tank and the second side facing the coolant tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Osamu Suzuki, Yosuke Yasuda, Keisuke Horiuchi, Tomoo Hayashi, Atsuo Nishihara, Sunao Funakoshi
  • Publication number: 20140078803
    Abstract: An electric power converter is provided with: a power semiconductor module, which has a power semiconductor element that converts a direct current into an alternating current; a capacitor module, which has a capacitor element that smooths the direct current; and a cooling body, which cools the power semiconductor module and the capacitor module. The capacitor module has a case, which has an approximately rectangular shape, has an opening formed in one surface, and has a space for housing the capacitor element; and a DC conductor for electrically connecting the power semiconductor element and the capacitor element to each other. The cooling body is formed to face the bottom surface on the inner wall of the case, and both the side surfaces of the case, the side surfaces facing each other. Between the capacitor element and the inner wall surfaces of the case, the direct current conductor is formed along the bottom surface and both the side surfaces of the case.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2012
    Publication date: March 20, 2014
    Applicant: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Atsuo Nishihara, Ken Maeda, Kinya Nakatsu, Yukio Hattori
  • Patent number: 8472188
    Abstract: A semiconductor power module includes an insulated substrate with a plurality of power semiconductor devices mounted thereon and a heat sink for radiating heat generated from the plurality of power semiconductor devices, wherein the heat sink is integrally molded with a plurality of radiation fins on one surface of a planate base by forging work such that a metallic material filled into a female die of a predetermined shape is pressed by a male die of a predetermined shape, and the insulated substrate is bonded by metallic bonding to another surface of the base of the heat sink opposite the one surface of the base of the heat sink on which the radiation fins are formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Keisuke Horiuchi, Atsuo Nishihara, Hiroshi Hozoji, Michiaki Hiyoshi, Takehide Yokozuka
  • Publication number: 20130128646
    Abstract: A power conversion device includes: a cooling base 5 in which a flow passage 51 through which a cooling medium flows is formed and an opening portion 50 which is communicated with the flow passage 51 is formed; a power module 1; and a flow passage control portion 16b. The power module 1 has a bottomed cylindrical portion 13a in which a power semiconductor element is housed and which is inserted into the flow passage 51 through the opening portion 50, a flange portion 13b which is formed on an opening of the cylindrical portion 13a and is fixed to the cooling base 5 so as to close the opening portion 50, and a group of radiator fins 144 which are mounted on an outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 13a with a gap of a predetermined distance formed between the flange portion 13b and the group of radiator fins 144.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2011
    Publication date: May 23, 2013
    Applicant: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Atsuo Nishihara, Kenichiro Nakajima, Keisuke Horiuchi
  • Publication number: 20120050993
    Abstract: A cooling system for an onboard electrical power converter in which a heat dissipation surface extends parallel to a flow of cooling air draft includes: a coolant tank containing coolant that includes a bottom surface being in thermal contact with the heat dissipation surface; a first conduit provided connecting to an upper surface of the coolant tank, the coolant flowing into the first conduit; a heat exchanger that comprises second conduits arranged with opposing the upper surface, and conducts the coolant to upstream; and a return unit that returns the coolant to the coolant tank; wherein the heat exchanger comprises heat dissipation fins through which the cooling air draft passes from a first to a second side, the heat dissipation fins being provided on surfaces of the second conduits, the first side not facing the coolant tank and the second side facing the coolant tank.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2011
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Osamu SUZUKI, Yosuke Yasuda, Keisuke Horiuchi, Tomoo Hayashi, Atsuo Nishihara, Sunao Funakoshi