The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 28, 2009
Filed:
May. 08, 2003
Masayuki Takenaka, Aichi-ken, JP;
Naruhiko Kutsuna, Aichi-ken, JP;
Kozo Yamaguchi, Aichi-ken, JP;
Aisin AW Co., Ltd., Aichi-ken, JP;
Abstract
A drive unit comprises an electric motor, a drive unit casingaccommodating therein the electric motor, an inverterthat controls the electric motor, and a flow passage of a refrigerant that cools the inverter. The inverter defines a space R between it and a heat sinkintegral with a substrate of the inverter, and is mounted to the drive unit casing, the space being communicated to the flow passage of the refrigerant. The heat sink comprises finsthat cross the space R, and abuts against the drive unit casing in a state of low thermal conduction. Thereby, the heat sink is effectively cooled by heat exchange with a cooling refrigerant in wide areas. Also, the fins contact with the drive unit casing in a state of low thermal conduction via a heat insulation material, etc., whereby direct heat conduction is avoided and efficient cooling is enabled while temperature gradient conformed to heat-resistant temperatures of the inverter and the electric motor is maintained.