Patent ID: 8503209

Claim:
A power conversion apparatus comprising, a channel case having a cooling channel built therein; and a semiconductor module having a built therein an upper and lower arm series circuit of an inverter circuit, wherein the semiconductor module comprises: a first heat radiating member made of a metal; a second heat radiating member made of a metal and facing the first heat radiating member; a case part that connects the first heat radiating member and the second heat radiating member; an upper and lower arm series circuit body disposed in a space between the first heat radiating member and the second heat radiating member; a first insulating member disposed between the series circuit and the first heat radiating member; and a second insulating member disposed between the series circuit body and the second heat radiating member; the series circuit body comprises: a plurality of power semiconductor devices forming the upper and lower arm series circuit; a first conductor plate that faces and is electrically connected with a main electrode of at least one of the power semiconductor devices; a second semiconductor plate that faces and is electrically connected with a main electrode of at least another one of the power semiconductor devices; a positive electrode-side terminal connected with the first conductor plate; and a negative electrode-side terminal connected with the second conductor plate; an opening that links the space between the first heat radiating member and the second heat radiating member with the outside channel case is formed in the case part and the case part is affixed to the channel case, thereby placing the first heat radiating member and the second heat radiating member in the cooling channel; the positive electrode-side terminal and the negative electrode-side terminal protrude in the same direction while being disposed outside of the case part through the opening in the case part; the positive electrode-side terminal and the negative electrode-side terminal of the semiconductor module are so disposed as to face each other; an alternating current terminal of the semiconductor module is disposed at a position that is offset relative to the positive electrode-side terminal and the negative electrode-side terminal in a direction parallel to a flow of cooling water; the semiconductor module is held by the channel case by being inserted into the cooling channel in a direction perpendicular to an axis that is parallel to the flow of the cooling water; and at least one power semiconductor device for the upper arm and at least one power semiconductor device for the lower arm are so disposed as to be offset in the insertion direction.