Patent ID: 8878476
Filing Date: 2014-11-04
Classification: B60L,H02M,Y02T

Abstract:
1. A drive apparatus for driving a rotating electric machine mounted on a vehicle by using electric power from a power storage device, said drive apparatus comprising: a power conversion device including a switching element and converting the electric power from said power storage device; a capacitor connected in parallel to said power conversion device; and a control device for driving a control terminal of said switching element and discharging a charge stored in said capacitor, wherein said power conversion device includes a plurality of reverse conducting-type semiconductor elements, each of said plurality of reverse conducting-type semiconductor elements is integrally formed of a first semiconductor element operating as said switching element and a second semiconductor element connected in parallel to said first semiconductor element and operating as a free wheeling diode, at the time of an operation for discharging said capacitor, said control device changes a voltage applied to said control terminal of said first semiconductor element and increases an electric power loss in said second semiconductor element during a current-circulating operation by said second semiconductor element, and each of said plurality of reverse conducting-type semiconductor elements has a property that a conduction resistance of said second semiconductor element increases as the voltage applied to said control terminal of said first semiconductor element increases during said current-circulating operation.