Abstract: An air cooled switching unit for a motor drive includes a plurality electrical switches and a plurality of heat pipe assemblies. Each heat pipe assembly includes a thermally and electrically conductive evaporator, a condenser, and at least one heat pipe extending between the evaporator and condenser. Each of the switches is abutted with an evaporator of at least one of the heat pipe assemblies for conduction of both electrical power and heat between the switch and the evaporator. Each heat pipe assembly further includes an electrically conductive base abutted with the evaporator, and the air cooled switching unit further includes a plurality of power lugs each connected to a base of a respective one of the heat pipe assemblies for input or output of electrical power to the base and the evaporator plate abutted with the base. Each heat pipe assembly includes at least one evaporator defined by a metallic plate. The condenser of each heat pipe assembly includes a plurality of parallel spaced-apart cooling fins.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for supporting a plurality of components, at least one of which is a heat-generating electrical device such as a power semiconductor device, are disclosed. In some embodiments, the apparatus includes a first structure having a first surface on one side of the structure configured for interfacing a first of the plurality of components and a second surface on another side of the structure, and also includes a second structure capable of receiving the first structure, where one of the second surface and an additional surface of the second structure includes a tip that is in contact with the other of those surfaces. The apparatus further includes at least one component configured to assist in retaining the first and second structures relative to one another, where notwithstanding the at least one component the first structure is capable of pivoting relative to the second structure about the tip.

Abstract: An air cooled switching unit for a motor drive includes a plurality electrical switches and a plurality of heat pipe assemblies. Each heat pipe assembly includes a thermally and electrically conductive evaporator, a condenser, and at least one heat pipe extending between the evaporator and condenser. Each of the switches is abutted with an evaporator of at least one of the heat pipe assemblies for conduction of both electrical power and heat between the switch and the evaporator. Each heat pipe assembly further includes an electrically conductive base abutted with the evaporator, and the air cooled switching unit further includes a plurality of power lugs each connected to a base of a respective one of the heat pipe assemblies for input or output of electrical power to the base and the evaporator plate abutted with the base. Each heat pipe assembly includes at least one evaporator defined by a metallic plate. The condenser of each heat pipe assembly includes a plurality of parallel spaced-apart cooling fins.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for supporting a plurality of components, at least one of which is a heat-generating electrical device such as a power semiconductor device, are disclosed. In some embodiments, the apparatus includes a first structure having a first surface on one side of the structure configured for interfacing a first of the plurality of components and a second surface on another side of the structure, and also includes a second structure capable of receiving the first structure, where one of the second surface and an additional surface of the second structure includes a tip that is in contact with the other of those surfaces. The apparatus further includes at least one component configured to assist in retaining the first and second structures relative to one another, where notwithstanding the at least one component the first structure is capable of pivoting relative to the second structure about the tip.