Patent ID: 6606245
Filing Date: 2003-08-12
Classification: B60K,H01M,Y02E,Y10S

Abstract:
A power supply apparatus comprising:a plurality of power modules; a holder-case which houses the power modules in a parallel fashion in a plurality of rows, and permits the power modules to be cooled with air passing through its interior; a fan for forcibly supplying air to, or exhausting air from, the holder-case; and wherein: the holder-case has a box shape and has a first surface plate and a second surface plate defining opposite surfaces, and the plurality of power modules are arranged laterally, in parallel, and in a single plane along the first surface plate and the second surface plate; the holder-case is provided with a plurality of walls located between the rows of power modules, the walls extend from the first surface plate to the second surface plate and divide the interior of the holder-case into a plurality of rows of partitioned cooling ducts, and each row of the power modules is disposed in one of the partitioned cooling ducts; a plurality of flow inlets are opened through the first surface plate of the holder-case so as to communicate with the partitioned cooling ducts, respectively, the flow inlets divide and induce air flow into the partitioned cooling ducts, and exhaust outlets are opened through the second surface plate to permit air to be expelled to the outside of the holder-case after passing through the partitioned cooling ducts; the fan is operable to create a cooling air flow that is divided and induced to flow through the first surface plate flow inlets into the partitioned cooling ducts to cool the power modules, the cooling air that has performed its cooling function is expelled from the partitioned cooling ducts via the second surface plate exhaust outlets, and thereby cooling the power modules disposed in the partitioned cooling ducts; and an air inlet duct defined in part by a surface of the first surface plate so as to permit cooling air flow to be delivered from the outside of the holder-case to the first surface flow inlets via the fan.