Patent ID: 8970155
Filing Date: 2015-03-03
Classification: B60L,H02M,H02P,Y02T

Abstract:
1. A power inverter comprising: a plurality of power conversion elements that convert DC power supplied from a first DC power source into AC power used to drive an electrical motor; a first control circuit to which power is supplied from a second DC power source and which outputs a first control signal configured to control an operation of the plurality of power conversion elements; an electric storage circuit that stores the DC power by performing charging based on AC power generated by the electrical motor; a power source circuit that supplies power based on the first DC power source or the DC power supplied from the electric storage circuit; a voltage measurement circuit that measures a voltage of the electric storage circuit; a second control circuit to which the power is supplied from the power source circuit and which determines whether the second DC power source is normal and outputs a second control signal configured to control the operation of the plurality of power conversion elements based on the voltage of the electric storage circuit measured by the voltage measurement circuit, when determining that the second DC power source is not normal; and a driving circuit to which the power is supplied from the power source circuit and which outputs a driving signal configured to operate the plurality of power conversion elements based on the first or second control signal, wherein the plurality of power conversion elements are one of power conversion elements of an upper arm connected to a high-voltage side of the first DC power source and power conversion elements of a lower arm connected to a low-voltage side of the first DC power source, and a plurality of series circuits in which the power conversion elements of the upper arm and the power conversion elements of the lower arm are connected in series are connected in parallel to the electric storage circuit with respect to the first DC power source, and wherein, when the voltage of the electric storage circuit is greater than a predetermined first voltage value, the second control circuit outputs the second control signal configured to turn on all of one of the power conversion elements of the upper arm and the power conversion elements of the lower arm and turn off all of the other thereof.