Electric compressor

Abstract

An electric compressor is disclosed. An electric compressor according to one embodiment of the present invention improves the sealing stability of the inverter body, thereby improving the assembly between the housing and the inverter cover.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an electric compressor equipped with a sealing member, and more specifically, to an electric compressor in which the sealing performance and manufacturability are improved and the assembly process is shortened by molding the sealing member in the inverter body using a double injection method. Background Technology

[0003] Generally, the air conditioning system equipped in a vehicle consists of a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, and an evaporator. The compressor compresses the refrigerant gas discharged from the evaporator into a high-temperature, high-pressure state that is easy to liquefy and delivers it to the condenser. Additionally, the compressor performs the function of pumping and recirculating the refrigerant to ensure that cooling is maintained.

[0004] The condenser liquefies the high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant gas by cooling it through heat exchange with the outside air, and the expansion valve lowers the temperature and pressure by adiabatically expanding the liquid refrigerant, making it suitable for evaporation in the evaporator.

[0005] The evaporator absorbs heat and vaporizes the liquid refrigerant by exchanging heat with the outside air introduced into the cabin. The outside air is cooled as it loses heat to the refrigerant and is blown into the cabin by a blower.

[0006] The compressor used in automotive air conditioning systems draws in refrigerant that has completed evaporation from the evaporator, converts it into a high-temperature and high-pressure state that facilitates liquefaction, and transfers it to the condenser. Regarding the components that actually compress the refrigerant, such compressors can be classified into reciprocating types, which perform compression through reciprocating motion, and rotary types, which perform compression through rotational motion.

[0007] Rotary compressors include mechanical types that perform rotation using an engine as the driving source, and electric types that use a motor as the driving source.

[0008] For example, a scroll compressor is a type of rotary compressor that refers to a compressor in which compression is achieved as two interlocking scrolls with involute teeth rotate.

[0009] The above scroll compressor operates by having a rotating scroll and a stationary scroll rotate relative to each other, having a geometric phase difference of 180 degrees inside the discharge chamber, and the rotating scroll and the stationary scroll have a scroll-shaped wrap, and the wrap is an involute curve having the same shape.

[0010] In a scroll compressor, a crescent-shaped compression chamber is formed by the engagement of a rotary scroll and a stationary scroll to create a compression cycle. The compression chamber is formed such that its volume is larger towards the outside and smaller towards the center, with a suction chamber formed on the outer side and a discharge port formed in the center.

[0011] In the above scroll compressor, compression occurs as the size of the compression space gradually decreases toward the discharge port due to the relative rotation of the scroll and the sealed suction gas within a sealed space of a given volume around the outer circumference of the scroll, and is discharged through the discharge port.

[0012] The refrigerant discharged from the above discharge chamber passes through an oil separator for centrifugal separation, and is finally discharged through the discharge port.

[0013] The rotational speed of the motor, which is the driving force of the electric compressor, is controlled by an inverter.

[0014] The above inverter is provided in a form in which various circuit components, including switching elements (IGBT: Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor) and capacitors, are mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB).

[0015] The above inverter is controlled by the vehicle's ECU (Electronic Control Unit), which is a higher-level control unit. The above inverter is equipped with a communication circuit for communicating with the vehicle's ECU. Generally, widely used communication protocols within a vehicle include CAN (Controller Area Network) communication and LIN (Local Interconnect Network) communication.

[0016] In electric compressors used in this manner, a gasket for sealing is installed between the motor housing and the inverter cover. Since the gasket is an individual component, a process is required for a worker to manually install the gasket onto the motor housing one by one at the work site. This process causes a problem of reduced work efficiency for the worker, and thus a countermeasure is required. Prior art literature

[0018] Republic of Korea Registered Patent No. 10-1290863 The problem to be solved

[0019] Embodiments of the present invention aim to provide an electric compressor with improved workability and assembly by molding sealing members on the front and rear surfaces of an inverter body using an integral injection molding method. means of solving the problem

[0021] The electric compressor according to the present embodiment comprises: a housing (10); a compression unit provided within the housing (10); a motor unit provided within the housing (10) for driving the compression unit; and an inverter unit (100) coupled to one side of the housing (10) for controlling the motor unit, wherein the inverter unit (100) comprises: an inverter body (110) coupled to one side of the housing (10); an inverter cover (120) coupled facing the inverter body (110); and a sealing member (200) integrally formed in the front and rear circumferential directions of the inverter body (110).

[0022] The sealing member (200) is characterized by being formed by a double injection molding method with the inverter body (110).

[0023] The sealing member (200) includes a first sealing member (210) formed on the front surface of the inverter body (110); a second sealing member (220) formed on the rear surface of the inverter body (110); and a bridge (230) connecting the first sealing member (210) and the second sealing member (220) to each other.

[0024] The first sealing member (210) has a first fastening part (212) formed therein for inserting a fastening member (300) that is coupled to the housing (10) via the inverter body (110) on the outer side of the inverter cover (120), and the second sealing member (220) has a second fastening part (222) integrally formed at a position facing the first fastening part (212).

[0025] The first sealing member (210) further includes a first protrusion (214) protruding toward the front of the inverter body (110).

[0026] The first protrusions (214) are spaced apart from each other at a certain distance in the rear circumferential direction of the first sealing member (210).

[0027] In the inverter body (100), a first groove (102) is formed on the opposite surface facing the first protrusion (214).

[0028] The first sealing member (210) further includes a first rib (216) formed in the front circumferential direction facing the inverter body (110).

[0029] The second sealing member (220) further includes a second protrusion (224) protruding toward the rear of the inverter body (110).

[0030] The second protrusions (224) are spaced apart from each other at a certain distance in the front circumferential direction of the second sealing member (220).

[0031] In the inverter body (100), a second groove (104) is formed on the opposite surface facing the second protrusion (224).

[0032] The second sealing member (220) further includes a second rib (226) formed in the rear circumferential direction facing the inverter cover (300).

[0033] The above bridge (230) extends in the longitudinal direction of the inverter body (110) at the location where the first and second fastening parts (212, 222) are formed.

[0034] The above bridge (230) has a thickness different from the first and second fastening parts (212, 222).

[0035] A passage (111) is formed in the inner longitudinal direction of the inverter body (110) so that the sealing member (200) can be injected into the inverter body (110), and both ends of the passage (111) are extended toward the front and rear of the inverter body (110), respectively.

[0036] The above passages (111) are spaced apart from each other at regular intervals in the inner circumferential direction of the inverter body (110). Effects of the invention

[0038] In these embodiments, the sealing member is integrally formed on the front and rear surfaces of the inverter body, respectively, thereby reducing the assembly time required for a worker to install the sealing member and enabling improved productivity through enhanced workability.

[0039] These embodiments improve the sealing performance of the inverter body of the electric compressor and also improve the coupling performance with the fastening member, thereby enabling the maintenance of a more stable coupling state of the electric compressor. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0041] FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an electric compressor according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of FIG. 1. Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view of Fig. 1. FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating an inverter body and a sealing member according to the present embodiment. FIG. 5 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a sealing member according to the present embodiment. FIG. 6 is a drawing showing a state in which a sealing member is integrally formed on an inverter cover according to the present embodiment. FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the state of the inverter body according to the present embodiment as viewed from the outside. FIGS. 8 and 9 are drawings illustrating the state in which the first and second protrusions of the sealing member according to the present embodiment are formed. FIG. 10 is a perspective view illustrating a sealing member according to another embodiment of the present invention. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0042] The advantages and features of the present disclosure and the methods for achieving them will become clear by referring to the embodiments described below in detail together with the accompanying drawings. However, the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below but may be implemented in various different forms. These embodiments are provided merely to ensure that the disclosure of the present disclosure is complete and to fully inform those skilled in the art of the scope of the disclosure, and the present disclosure is defined only by the scope of the claims. Throughout the specification, like reference numerals refer to like components.

[0043] When one component is referred to as being "connected to" or "coupled to" another component, it includes cases where it is directly connected or coupled to the other component, or cases where another component is interposed. Conversely, when one component is referred to as being "directly connected to" or "directly coupled to" another component, it indicates that no other component is interposed. "And / or" includes each of the mentioned items and all combinations of one or more of them.

[0044] The terms used herein are for describing embodiments and are not intended to limit the disclosure. In this specification, the singular form includes the plural form unless specifically stated otherwise in the text. As used herein, "comprises" and / or "comprising" do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other components, steps, actions, and / or elements to the mentioned components, steps, actions, and / or elements.

[0045] Although terms such as "first," "second," etc., are used to describe various components, it goes without saying that these components are not limited by these terms. These terms are used merely to distinguish one component from another.

[0047] An electric compressor according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0048] For reference, FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an electric compressor according to the present embodiment, FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of FIG. 1, and FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating an inverter body and a sealing member according to the present embodiment.

[0049] In this embodiment, after molding the inverter body (100), the sealing member (200) is integrally molded, thereby eliminating the need for additional work for sealing when the worker assembles the inverter body (10) to the housing (10), thus improving workability.

[0051] Referring to the attached FIGS. 1 to 4, the electric compressor according to the present embodiment includes a housing (10), a compression unit (3) provided within the housing (10), a motor unit (2) provided within the housing (10) to drive the compression unit (3), and an inverter unit (100) coupled to one side of the housing (10) to control the motor unit (2).

[0052] The above housing (10) forms the overall exterior of the electric compressor and, in this embodiment, consists of a front housing (12) and a rear housing (14).

[0053] The motor unit (2) is provided within the front housing (12) and provides power for the compression unit (3) to compress the refrigerant. The motor unit (2) includes a rotor (2b) coupled to a rotating shaft (2a) rotatably installed at the center of the front housing (12), and a stator (2c) fixed to the front housing (12) and positioned radially outside the rotor (2b). The stator (2c) includes a stator core (2c1) and a coil (2c2) wound on the stator core (2c1).

[0054] The above compression unit (3) is provided inside the rear housing (14) and includes a pivot scroll (3a) coupled to the rotation shaft (2a) through an eccentric bushing, and a fixed scroll (3b) fixed between the front housing (12) and the rear housing (14) to form a compression chamber in which the refrigerant is compressed together with the pivot scroll (3a).

[0055] In this way, the above compression unit (3) is connected to the motor unit (2) through the rotation shaft (2a), so that the rotational force generated in the motor unit (2) can be transmitted to the rotating scroll (3a) of the compression unit by the rotation shaft (2a).

[0056] The inverter unit (100) is provided on the outside of the housing (10) and is coupled to the opposite side of the compression unit (3) with respect to the motor unit (2). The inverter unit (100) is electrically connected to the motor unit (2) and applies power to the motor unit (2) and controls its operation through power and control signals transmitted from the outside.

[0057] More specifically, the stator (2c) forms an electromagnetic field by power applied from the inverter unit (100), and as the rotor (2b) rotates due to the electromagnetic field formed by the stator (2c), a rotational force is generated to drive the compression unit (3).

[0058] The inverter unit (100) is provided with a printed circuit board (P) having switching elements, and includes an inverter cover (120) coupled to a housing (10) so as to accommodate the printed circuit board (130).

[0059] The above inverter unit (100) is coupled to one side of the front housing (12), and the aforementioned inverter body (100) and inverter cover (120) are sequentially coupled with respect to the front housing (12).

[0060] The inverter unit (100) is electrically connected to the motor unit and applies power to the motor unit and controls its operation through power and control signals transmitted from the outside.

[0061] More specifically, the stator forms an electromagnetic field by power applied from the inverter unit (100), and as the rotor rotates by the electromagnetic field formed by the stator, a rotational force is generated to drive the compression unit.

[0062] The motor unit and the inverter unit (100) may be electrically connected by a terminal unit. In this embodiment, since a three-phase motor is used, three connecting pins and three terminals (not shown) connected to each of the three phases may be provided on the printed circuit board (130) to supply three-phase power from the inverter unit (100) to the motor unit.

[0063] The three connecting pins are each connected to the three-phase coils of the stator and protrude through the front housing (12) to the inside of the inverter unit (100). Each connecting pin protruding into the inside of the inverter unit (100) penetrates the printed circuit board (130) of the inverter unit (100) and is electrically connected to the printed circuit board (200) through each terminal.

[0065] The inverter unit (100) according to the present embodiment may include an inverter body (110), an inverter cover (120), a printed circuit board (130), a CM choke (not shown in the drawing), a high-voltage connector, a low-voltage connector, and an electromagnetic shielding member.

[0066] An inverter body (110) is positioned on one side of a front housing (12), and a circuit board (130) to which switching elements are connected is seated on the inside of the inverter body (110).

[0067] In this embodiment, the inverter body (110) may be formed of a plastic material to reduce costs and lighten weight.

[0068] The inverter unit (100) includes an inverter cover (120) coupled facing the inverter body (110) and a sealing member (200) integrally formed in the front and rear circumferential directions of the inverter body (110).

[0069] The sealing member (200) is formed by a double injection molding method with the inverter body (110) and can be replaced with rubber or other materials whose sealing stability has been verified. In this embodiment, the sealing member (200) is formed after the inverter body (110) is formed first.

[0070] The sealing member (200) above is made of rubber, but it may also be changed to another material that allows for stable sealing.

[0072] The sealing member (200) according to the present embodiment includes a first sealing member (210) formed on the front surface of the inverter body (110), a second sealing member (220) formed on the rear surface of the inverter body (110), and a bridge (230) connecting the first sealing member (210) and the second sealing member (220) to each other.

[0073] The above first and second sealing members (210, 220) eliminate the need for the worker to install additional sealing members, such as gaskets, on the inverter body (110), thereby improving the worker's workability and increasing the work speed.

[0074] The first and second sealing members (210, 220) may be formed in a ring shape, for example, or in other shapes, and are not necessarily limited to the shape shown in the drawing.

[0075] The above bridge (230) is formed together with the first and second sealing members (210, 220) and serves to connect the first sealing member (210) and the second sealing member (220) to each other, thereby improving the stable moldability of the first and second sealing members (210, 220) and simultaneously improving structural safety.

[0076] The above bridge (230) connects the first and second sealing members (210, 220) to minimize the phenomenon where the bonding force weakens at either the front or rear of the inverter body (110), thereby maintaining a stable bonding relationship.

[0077] To this end, the bridge (230) is formed with a relatively thicker thickness than the first and second sealing members (210, 220) so as to maintain the aforementioned bonding force.

[0078] The above bridge (230) extends in the longitudinal direction of the inverter body (110) at the location where the first and second fastening parts (212, 222) are formed, so the aforementioned coupling force is stably maintained.

[0080] The first sealing member (210) has a first fastening part (212) formed therein for inserting a fastening member (300) that is coupled to the housing (10) via the inverter body (110) on the outer side of the inverter cover (120), and the second sealing member (220) has a second fastening part (222) integrally formed at a position facing the first fastening part (212).

[0081] When the first and second fastening parts (212, 222) are formed as shown in the drawing and the fastening member (300) is coupled via the first and second fastening parts (212, 222), the coupling performance of the sealing member (200) is improved, and the sealing performance between the housing (10) and the inverter cover (120) can be further improved.

[0082] The first fastening part (212) and the second fastening part (222) are spaced apart at equal intervals, so that when the fastening member (300) is combined, the fastening force is maintained constant in the circumferential direction, thereby enabling stable sealing performance and fastening stability simultaneously.

[0084] Referring to the attached FIGS. 4 and 5, the first sealing member (210) further includes a first protrusion (214) protruding toward the front of the inverter body (110), and the first protrusions (214) are spaced apart from each other at a certain distance in the rear circumferential direction of the first sealing member (210).

[0085] In order for the first protrusion (214) to be formed, a first groove (102) is formed on the inverter body (110) on the opposite surface facing the first protrusion (214).

[0086] The first protrusion (214) is configured to be formed by supplying resin into the space of the first groove (102) when resin is injected to form the first sealing member (210), and serves as a position guide to ensure that the first sealing member (210) is formed in the correct position without its position changing when it is formed. In this case, the injection and molding of the resin can always be performed stably on the front of the inverter body (110).

[0087] Since the first groove (102) is formed first when the inverter body (110) is formed, stable forming of the first protrusion (214) can be achieved. The first protrusion (214) is positioned at a certain distance from the rear surface of the first sealing member (210), so that twisting does not occur or the position does not change at a specific location.

[0088] Therefore, the first sealing member (210) can be stably formed on the front surface of the inverter body (110) through the first protrusion (214).

[0090] The second sealing member (220) according to the present embodiment further includes a second protrusion (224) protruding toward the rear of the inverter body (110), and the second protrusions (224) are spaced apart from each other at a certain distance in the front circumferential direction of the second sealing member (220).

[0091] In order for the second protrusion (214) to be formed, a second groove (104) is formed on the inverter body (100) on the opposite surface facing the second protrusion (224).

[0092] The second protrusion (224) is formed by supplying resin into the space of the second groove (104) when resin is injected to form the second sealing member (220), and serves as a position guide to ensure that the second sealing member (220) is formed in the correct position without changing its position when it is formed.

[0093] In this case, the second sealing member (220) can always stably inject and mold resin at the rear of the inverter body (110).

[0094] Since the second groove (104) is formed first when the inverter body (110) is formed, stable forming of the second protrusion (224) can be achieved. The second protrusion (224) is positioned at a certain distance from the rear surface of the second sealing member (220), so that twisting does not occur or the position does not change at a specific location.

[0095] Therefore, the second sealing member (220) can be stably formed on the front surface of the inverter body (110) through the second protrusion (224).

[0097] In this embodiment, when the sealing member (200) is integrally formed on the inverter cover (120), it is configured as shown in FIG. 6, and when the sealing member (200) is integrally formed on the inverter body (110), it is configured as shown in FIG. 7, so the worker does not need to additionally install a gasket for sealing. Therefore, the worker's workability and work efficiency are improved.

[0099] Referring to the attached FIGS. 8 and 9, the first sealing member (210) according to the present embodiment further includes a first rib (216) formed in the front circumferential direction facing the inverter body (110). The first rib (216) is formed in a ring shape having different concentric circles in the radial direction.

[0100] For example, the first rib (216) may be arranged at regular intervals toward the radial outer side of the first sealing member (210), so that when the inverter cover (120) is combined, the sealing performance is improved.

[0101] The second sealing member (220) further includes a second rib (226) formed in the rear circumferential direction facing the inverter cover (300). The second rib (226) is formed in a ring shape having different concentric circles in the radial direction.

[0102] For example, the second rib (226) may be arranged at regular intervals toward the radial outer side of the second sealing member (220), so that when the inverter cover (120) is combined, the sealing performance is improved.

[0104] A passage (111) is formed in the inner longitudinal direction of the inverter body (110) so that the sealing member (200) can be injected into the inverter body (110), and both ends of the passage (111) are extended toward the front and rear of the inverter body (110), respectively.

[0105] In this embodiment, the passage (111) is formed to inject resin for molding, and a separately provided injection mold is coupled to the inverter body (110).

[0106] The above passage (111) is depicted as a passage having a semicircular cross-section as shown in the drawing, but it may be changed to a different shape.

[0107] The above passage (111) extends toward the front and rear of the inverter body (110), respectively, so that when resin is injected at a predetermined pressure, the first and second sealing members (210, 220) and the bridge (230) can be stably molded. In addition, the above passage (111) corresponds to the aforementioned bridge (230).

[0108] The above passage (111) is spaced apart from each other at regular intervals in the inner circumferential direction of the inverter body (110), so that when resin is injected, the resin is not concentrated at a specific location and uniform injection is achieved, thereby improving the molding stability of the sealing member (200).

[0110] Unlike the previously described embodiment, this embodiment may be configured such that the first and second fastening parts are not formed, and this will be explained with reference to the drawings.

[0111] Referring to the attached FIG. 10, in this embodiment, the first sealing member (210) and the second sealing member (220) may be formed in a ring shape for sealing at a position in close contact with the inverter body (110). In this case, a bridge (230) is also formed between the first and second sealing members (210, 220), and the overall configuration is configured in the same way as the previously described embodiment.

[0112] For example, the first sealing member (210) further includes a first protrusion (214) protruding toward the front of the inverter body (110), and the first protrusions (214) are spaced apart from each other at a certain distance in the rear circumferential direction of the first sealing member (210).

[0113] The second sealing member (220) according to the present embodiment further includes a second protrusion (224) protruding toward the rear of the inverter body (110), and the second protrusions (224) are spaced apart from each other at a certain distance in the front circumferential direction of the second sealing member (220).

[0115] Although an embodiment of the present invention has been described above, those skilled in the art may modify and change the present invention in various ways by adding, changing, deleting, or adding components, etc., without departing from the spirit of the present invention as described in the claims, and such modifications and changes are also to be included within the scope of the rights of the present invention. Explanation of the symbols

[0116] 10 : Housing 100: Inverter section 110: Inverter body 111 : Passage 120 : Inverter cover 200 : Sealing member 210, 220: 1st and 2nd sealing members 212, 222: 1st and 2nd connecting parts 214, 224: 1st and 2nd protrusions 230 : Bridge

Claims

Claim 1 An electric compressor comprising: a housing; a compression unit provided within the housing; a motor unit provided within the housing for driving the compression unit; and an inverter unit coupled to one side of the housing for controlling the motor unit, wherein the inverter unit comprises an inverter body coupled to one side of the housing; an inverter cover coupled facing the inverter body; and a sealing member integrally formed in the front and rear circumferential directions of the inverter body, wherein the sealing member comprises a first sealing member formed on the front of the inverter body, a second sealing member formed on the rear of the inverter body, and a bridge connecting the first sealing member and the second sealing member to each other. Claim 2 In claim 1, the sealing member is an electric compressor formed by a double injection molding method with the inverter body. Claim 3 delete Claim 4 An electric compressor according to claim 1, wherein the first sealing member has a first fastening portion formed therein for inserting a fastening member that is coupled to the housing via the inverter body on the outer side of the inverter cover, and the second sealing member has a second fastening portion integrally formed therein at a position facing the first fastening portion. Claim 5 In claim 4, the electric compressor further comprises a first sealing member protruding toward the front of the inverter body. Claim 6 In claim 5, the first protrusions are electric compressors spaced apart from each other at a constant distance in the rear circumferential direction of the first sealing member. Claim 7 In claim 5, the electric compressor has a first groove formed on the opposite surface facing the first protrusion in the inverter body. Claim 8 An electric compressor according to claim 1, wherein the first sealing member further comprises a first rib formed in the front circumferential direction facing the inverter body. Claim 9 An electric compressor according to claim 1, wherein the second sealing member further comprises a second protrusion protruding toward the rear of the inverter body. Claim 10 In claim 9, the second protrusions are electric compressors spaced apart from each other at a constant distance in the front circumferential direction of the second sealing member. Claim 11 In claim 9, an electric compressor having a second groove formed on the opposite surface facing the second protrusion in the inverter body. Claim 12 In claim 9, the electric compressor further comprises a second rib formed in the rear circumferential direction facing the inverter cover in the second sealing member. Claim 13 In claim 4, the bridge is an electric compressor extending in the longitudinal direction of the inverter body at the location where the first and second fastening parts are formed. Claim 14 In claim 13, the bridge is an electric compressor having a thickness different from that of the first and second fastening parts. Claim 15 In claim 1, the inverter body has a passage formed in the inner longitudinal direction of the inverter body so as to allow injection of the sealing member, and the passage has both ends extended toward the front and rear of the inverter body, respectively, for an electric compressor. Claim 16 In claim 15, the passage is an electric compressor having a plurality of passages spaced apart from each other at regular intervals in the inner circumferential direction of the inverter body.

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