CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims foreign priority benefits under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to French Patent Application No. 1914292 filed on Dec. 12, 2019, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates, generally speaking, to the field of electrical equipment.

The invention more specifically pertains to high voltage electrical equipment for electric or hybrid vehicles.

BACKGROUND

An electrical equipment of an electric or hybrid vehicle, such as an inverter of an electric vehicle, comprises electrical components housed in a casing of the electrical equipment, as illustrated inFIG. 1.FIG. 1illustrates the longitudinal section of an electrical equipment100comprising a casing112and an electrical component111. The casing112, comprising a side wall116and a base plate115, is generally made of metal. The electrical component111is for example, like the casing112, an electrically conductive object. Alternatively, the electrical component111may comprise an insulating outer shell which is capable of having a defect. Such a defect potentially leads to a leakage current between the electrical component111and the casing112.

To improve thermal dissipation and to insulate the electrical component111with the base plate115, the electrical equipment generally comprises a thermal pad66. The thermal pad66is placed between the base plate115of the casing112and the electrical component111. The thermal pad66is made of an insulating material and has a thermal conductivity enabling dissipation of heat between the electrical component111and the base plate115.

The difference in electrical potential between the casing112and the electrical component111, in particular between the side wall116and the electrical component111, determines an electrical safety distance131, which it is necessary to respect in order to avoid the creation of a parasitic electrical pathway between the electrical component111and the casing112through air. For example, in the electrical equipment100, the minimum distance between the electrical component111and the side wall116must be of a distance greater than this electrical safety distance131, so as to ensure that, during the use of the electrical equipment100, there is no possibility of breakdown of the electrical insulation through air.

Moreover, the difference in electrical potential between the casing112and the electrical component111, in particular between the base wall115and the electrical component111, determines a leakage path170. The leakage path170is determined as the path of weakest resistance followed by a parasitic surface electric current between the electrical component111and the casing112, in particular between the electrical component111and the base plate115. In the present case, the leakage path170extends in particular along the outer surface of the thermal pad66between the electrical component111and the base plate115. The leakage path170follows the contour of the thermal pad66before touching the base plate115. The leakage path170must be sufficiently long so that a parasitic electric current between the electrical component111and the casing112does not appear.

However, if the electrical component111of the electrical equipment100ofFIG. 1is a high voltage (HV) electrical component, said difference in electrical potential is too great for the leakage path170to be sufficiently long to avoid the appearance of a surface leakage current. In this case, for the electrical equipment100, it is very important to further lengthen the leakage path170, while limiting the bulk in the electrical equipment100.

To overcome at least one of the aforesaid drawbacks, the present invention targets an inexpensive solution which allows to increase the length of the leakage path without increasing the size of an electrical equipment.

SUMMARY

To arrive at this result, the present invention relates to an electrical insulation module configured to determine at least one leakage path between an electrical component and a casing receiving said electrical component. The electrical insulation module, being made of electrically insulating material, comprises a spacer configured to define the at least one leakage path between said electrical component and said casing. Said spacer comprises a bottom wall and a peripheral wall, in which the peripheral wall follows a direction different from that of the bottom wall, an inner angle being formed between the bottom wall and the peripheral wall; and the at least one leakage path comprises at least one dimension of a surface corresponding to a portion of the bottom wall and/or a dimension of a surface of a portion of the peripheral wall.

The invention allows thus to increase the length of the leakage path without increasing the size of an electrical equipment.

Advantageously, said inner angle is comprised between 80 and 110 degrees.

In an advantageous manner, said spacer comprises a reception cavity defined by the bottom wall and the peripheral wall is configured to receive at least one portion of the at least one electrical component. In particular, the bottom wall is configured to receive said electrical component against it, and the peripheral wall is configured to come at least in part around said electrical component.

In a preferential manner, the peripheral wall comprises a rim, the at least one leakage path further comprising a dimension of a surface of said rim. In particular, the peripheral wall is in contact with the bottom wall at the level of a first end of the peripheral wall and the peripheral wall comprises a second end opposite to the first end; said rim extending from the second end along a transversal direction with respect to the peripheral wall.

Preferentially, the electrical insulation module comprises a thermal pad configured to be positioned between said electrical component and said spacer, said thermal pad being configured to evacuate at least a part of the heat generated during the operation of the electrical component.

Advantageously, the spacer comprises an opening formed in the bottom wall and configured to enable contact between the thermal pad and a wall of the casing so as to evacuate at least a part of said generated heat.

In an advantageous manner, the thermal pad is made of a deformable material. In particular, the thermal pad is configured to deform when the electrical component is received in the reception cavity, in particular against the bottom wall. The thermal pad being interposed between said electrical component and said bottom wall. The thermal pad deforms, in particular, in such a way as to traverse the opening of the bottom wall to come into contact with the wall of the casing.

The present invention also relates to an electrical equipment comprising a casing and at least one electrical component; said casing comprising at least one housing defined by a side wall and a support plate on which the at least one electrical component is mounted; the electrical equipment comprising an electrical insulation module such as briefly described above.

According to an alternative, the electrical component is received in said reception cavity of the electrical insulation module.

According to an alternative, a first leakage path extends successively along an upper outer surface of the thermal pad situated between the electrical component and the peripheral wall; and an inner surface of the peripheral wall devoid of thermal pad.

According to a particular alternative, the peripheral wall of the spacer is in contact with the side wall of the casing; and the first leakage path extends up to the side wall of the casing.

Alternatively, the peripheral wall of the spacer is at a distance from the side wall of the casing; and the first leakage path extends along an outer surface of the peripheral wall of the spacer up to said support plate.

According to an alternative, a first leakage path extends successively along an upper outer surface of the thermal pad situated between the electrical component and the peripheral wall; an inner surface of the peripheral wall devoid of thermal pad; and an outer surface of the peripheral wall up to said support plate.

According to an alternative, a second leakage path extends successively along an upper outer surface of the thermal pad situated between the electrical component and the peripheral wall; a first contact surface between the thermal pad and said peripheral wall; and a third contact surface between the thermal pad and said bottom wall up to said support plate.

In a preferential manner, the at least one electrical component is a capacitive element or a coil or a capacitance or a transformer.

Preferentially, said electrical equipment is an inverter or a DC-DC voltage converter or an electric charger, notably configured to be on board a vehicle.

Preferentially, the at least one electrical component is a high voltage electrical component.

Advantageously, said support plate is a base plate of said casing, or an intermediate plate installed between a base plate and an opening of said casing.

In an advantageous manner, said side wall is orthogonal to said support plate, said side wall being a peripheral wall of said casing or a partitioning wall installed in said casing.

