Patent ID: 8805602

Claim:
An electric vehicle comprising: a body; a plurality of wheels provided at the body; an electromotor to drive at least one wheel; a battery provided in the body; an inverter coupled between the battery and the electromotor, the inverter configured to convert direct current (DC) power to alternating current (AC) power; a first heat sink to absorb heat within the inverter, the first heat sink including a first cooling fluid passage therein to allow cooling fluid to pass through and exchange heat with the first heat sink; a second heat sink to absorb heat within the inverter, the second heat sink including a second cooling fluid passage therein to allow the cooling fluid to pass through and exchange heat with the second heat sink; a third heat sink to absorb heat within inverter, the third heat sink including a third cooling fluid passage therein; a controller to control the flow of the cooling fluid through the first cooling fluid passage of the first heat sink, the second cooling fluid passage of the second heat sink, and the third cooling fluid passage of the third heat sink; and a cooling fluid circulation circuit coupling the first cooling fluid passage of the first heat sink, the second cooling fluid passage of the second heat sink, and the third cooling fluid passage of the third heat sink in parallel, the cooling fluid circulation circuit including a heater core to transfer heat from the cooling fluid to a passenger space of the body, wherein the inverter comprises a case forming an inner space therein, the case insulated using an insulating material so as to suppress thermal energy within the case from being dissipated to an outside of the case, wherein the inverter comprises at least one switching element, the first heat sink disposed at a lower side within the case so as to exchange heat with the at least one switching element, wherein the second heat sink is disposed at an upper side within the case so as to exchange heat with air of the upper side within the case, wherein the third heat sink is disposed at at least two sides within the case so as to exchange heat with air within the case, and wherein the controller controls the flow of the cooling fluid through the first cooling fluid passage of the first heat sink, the second cooling fluid passage of the second heat sink, and the third cooling fluid passage of the third heat sink.