Patent ID: 7719838

Claim:
A power inverter comprising: a first power module having a first long side, a second long side opposite the first long side, a first short side, and a second short side opposite the first short side, said first and second short sides being disposed perpendicularly to the first and second long sides; a second power module having a third long side, a fourth long side opposite the third long side, a third short side, and a fourth short side opposite the third short side, said third and fourth short sides being disposed perpendicularly to the third and fourth long sides; a coolant channel structure, including a first coolant channel and a second coolant channel, for flowing a coolant through, said first and second coolant channels being arranged side by side; wherein, the first power module includes a plurality of first semiconductor chips for converting from DC current to AC current or from AC current to DC current, and a first DC terminal arranged along the first long side, for inputting and outputting the DC current; the second power module includes a plurality of second semiconductor chips for converting from DC current to AC current or from AC current to DC current, and a second DC terminal arranged along the third long side, for inputting and outputting DC current; the first power module is arranged so that the first and second long sides are disposed along the first coolant channel, and a plane formed by the first long side, second long side, first short side, and second short side is arranged opposite the first coolant channel; the second power module is arranged so that the third and fourth long sides are disposed along the second coolant channel, and a plane formed by the third long side, fourth long side, third short side, and fourth short side is arranged opposite the second coolant channel; and the first and second power modules are arranged so that the first DC terminal of the first power module is opposite the second DC terminal of the second power module.