Patent ID: 8879256

Claim:
An electric power conversion apparatus comprising: a plurality of semiconductor modules each of which has a plurality of control terminals; a frame that receives the semiconductor modules therein, the frame having, at least, a pair of side walls that face each other with the semiconductor modules interposed therebetween; a control circuit board which is located outside of the frame and to which the control terminals of the semiconductor modules are connected; a reinforcing and fixing member that extends to connect the side walls of the frame, thereby reinforcing the frame, the reinforcing and fixing member also having the control circuit board fixed thereto so that the reinforcing and fixing member is positioned between the control circuit board and the semiconductor modules; and a cooling device arranged in the frame to cool the semiconductor modules, and wherein in the reinforcing and fixing member, there is formed at least one through-hole through which the control terminals of the semiconductor modules extend so as to be connected to the control circuit board, and the at least one through-hole of the reinforcing and fixing member is sized so that void spaces are formed between an inner surface of the at least one through-hole and the control terminals of the semiconductor modules.