Motor device

Abstract

The present invention provides a motor device that appropriately cools a converter section of the motor device. The motor device (10) includes a motor housing and a converter housing (12) assembled to the motor housing. The motor device has: a motor section accommodated in the motor housing; a converter section (17) accommodated in the converter housing (12); and a terminal block (18) accommodated in the converter housing (12) and connected to a bus bar (19) extending from the motor section. A water jacket (38) for guiding a coolant is formed in the terminal block (18).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a motor device having a motor unit and an inverter unit. Background Art

[0002] As a motor device having a motor unit and an inverter unit, for example, there is a motor device such as an electric axle that drives wheels. In such a motor device, an inverter housing that houses the inverter unit is assembled to a motor housing that houses the motor unit (see Patent Documents 1 or 2).

[0003] Prior Art Documents

[0004] Patent Documents

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2008-131672

[0006] Patent Document 2: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2012-64724 Summary of the Invention

[0007] Technical Problem

[0008] However, when operating the motor device, it is necessary to appropriately cool the inverter unit composed of an IGBT or the like. Therefore, in the motor device described in Patent Document 1, a cooling flow path is formed near the IGBT or the like to actively cool the inverter unit. However, if the motor device is driven, heat is transferred from the heat-generating motor unit to the inverter unit, and thus the temperature of the inverter unit may rise significantly. In particular, in a motor device in which the inverter housing is assembled to the motor housing, since the inverter unit is disposed near the motor unit, it is difficult to suppress the temperature rise of the inverter unit.

[0009] An object of the present invention is to appropriately cool the inverter unit of the motor device.

[0010] Technical Solution

[0011] The motor device of the present invention is a motor device having a motor housing and an inverter housing assembled to the motor housing, and includes: a motor unit housed in the motor housing; an inverter unit housed in the inverter housing; and a terminal block housed in the inverter housing and connected to an energizing member extending from the motor unit. A terminal block flow path for guiding a coolant is formed in the terminal block.

[0012] Technical Effects

[0013] According to the present invention, a terminal block flow path for guiding a coolant is formed in the terminal block connected to the energizing member extending from the motor unit. Thereby, the inverter unit of the motor device can be appropriately cooled. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0014] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a motor device showing one embodiment of the present invention.

[0015] Figure 2 is Figure 1 a sectional view taken along line A-A of

[0016] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a motor device showing another embodiment of the present invention.

[0017] Figure 4 is Figure 3 a sectional view taken along line A-A of

[0018] Symbol Explanation

[0019] 10: Motor device 11: Motor housing

[0020] 12: Converter housing 15: Motor section

[0021] 16: Switching element 17: Converter section

[0022] 18: Terminal block 19: Bus bar (current-carrying component)

[0023] 33: First water jacket (converter flow path)

[0024] 38: Second water jacket (terminal block flow path)

[0025] 42: Radiator (heat dissipator)

[0026] 50: Motor device

[0027] 51: Motor section Detailed Embodiment

[0028] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail based on the drawings.

[0029] [Motor Device]

[0030] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a motor device 10 showing one embodiment of the present invention. The illustrated motor device 10 can be used as, for example, an electric wheel axle for driving the wheels of an automobile or the like.

[0031] As Figure 1As shown, the motor device 10 has a motor housing 11 and an inverter housing 12 assembled to the motor housing 11. A motor unit 15 including a stator 13 and a rotor 14 is accommodated in the motor housing 11. In addition, an inverter unit 17 including a switching element 16 and a capacitor or the like is accommodated in the inverter housing 12. Further, a terminal block 18 electrically connected to the inverter unit 17 is accommodated in the inverter housing 12. Further, three bus bars (power conduction components) 19 extending from the stator 13 are connected to the terminal block 18 accommodated in the inverter housing 12. That is, the motor unit 15 and the inverter unit 17 are electrically connected to each other via the terminal block 18 and the three bus bars 19. It should be noted that the motor unit 15 is a three-phase AC motor such as a synchronous motor or an induction motor, and each bus bar 19 is connected to the excitation coils of each phase (U phase, V phase, W phase) of the motor via the terminal block 18.

[0032] In addition, the inverter unit 17 in the inverter housing 12 is connected to a battery 21 such as a lithium-ion battery via a power conduction cable 20. The inverter unit 17 as a power conversion device has a function of converting DC power and AC power into each other. When the motor unit 15 is controlled in the power running state, by driving a switching element 16 such as an IGBT (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor), the DC power is converted into AC power by the inverter unit 17, and the power is supplied from the battery 21 to the motor unit 15 via the inverter unit 17. On the other hand, when the motor unit 15 is controlled in the regeneration state, by driving the switching element 16, the AC power is converted into DC power by the inverter unit 17, and the power is supplied from the motor unit 15 to the battery 21 via the inverter unit 17.

[0033] [Cooling System]

[0034] Next, the cooling system 30 provided in the motor device 10 will be described. Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A of Figure 1 . As shown in Figure 2 , a cooling system 30 for cooling the inverter unit 17 is provided in the motor device 10.

[0035] As shown in Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, the converter section 17 within the converter housing 12 has a circuit board section 31 on which switching elements 16 and the like are assembled, and a cooling plate 32 mounted on the circuit board section 31. A first water jacket (converter flow path) 33 for guiding the coolant is formed in the cooling plate 32 that constitutes the converter section 17. Further, the terminal block 18 within the converter housing 12 has a main body section 35 formed of an insulating resin such as polyethylene, a nut member 36 assembled to the main body section 35, and connection terminals 37 provided on the surface of the main body section 35. A second water jacket (terminal block flow path) 38 for guiding the coolant is formed in the main body section 35 that constitutes the terminal block 18. It should be noted that, in order to connect the bus bar 19 to the connection terminals 37 of the terminal block 18, a bolt member 39 is fastened to the nut member 36 of the terminal block 18.

[0036] As Figure 2 shown, the cooling system 30 has a liquid storage tank 40 for storing the coolant, a cooling pump 41 for circulating the coolant, a radiator (heat radiator) 42 for dissipating the heat of the coolant, the first water jacket 33 of the converter section 17, and the second water jacket 38 of the terminal block 18. Further, the liquid storage tank 40, the cooling pump 41, the radiator 42, and the water jackets 33, 38 are connected in series by respective pipes 43 to 47. That is, a cooling circuit 48 composed of the liquid storage tank 40, the cooling pump 41, the radiator 42, the water jackets 33, 38, and the pipes 43 to 47 is provided in the cooling system 30.

[0037] By driving the cooling pump 41 using an electric motor or the like (not shown), the coolant is sucked from the liquid storage tank 40 into the cooling pump 41, and the coolant is discharged from the cooling pump 41 to the radiator 42. The coolant cooled by the radiator 42 is supplied to the first water jacket 33 to cool the converter section 17, and then is supplied to the second water jacket 38 to cool the terminal block 18, and then is guided to the liquid storage tank 40. Thus, as indicated by the arrow α, the coolant can be circulated along the cooling circuit 48, and the converter section 17 and the terminal block 18 can be continuously cooled. It should be noted that lubricating oil X is stored within the motor housing 11, and the stator 13 of the motor section 15 is cooled using this lubricating oil X.

[0038] [Cooling of the Converter Section]

[0039] As described above, the motor housing 11 and the converter housing 12 are assembled to each other. In the motor device 10 in which these two housings 11, 12 are integrally provided in this way, since the converter section 17 is disposed near the motor section 15, heat easily moves from the motor section 15 to the converter section 17. Further, the motor section 15 and the converter section 17 are connected by the bus bar 19 formed of a metal plate. The fact that such a bus bar 19 having a high thermal conductivity is provided between the motor section 15 and the converter section 17 is the main factor for causing a large amount of heat to move from the motor section 15 to the converter section 17.

[0040] Therefore, asFigure 2 As shown, a second water jacket 38 for guiding the coolant is formed in the terminal block 18 connected to the bus bar 19. In this way, by flowing the coolant through the terminal block 18 for cooling, the bus bar 19 connected to the terminal block 18 can be cooled, and the heat transferred to the converter unit 17 via the bus bar 19 can be reduced. Thereby, the temperature rise of the converter unit 17 can be suppressed, and the converter unit 17 can be cooled efficiently.

[0041] In addition, as Figure 2 shown, a radiator 42 is connected via a pipe 45 upstream of the first water jacket 33 formed in the converter unit 17, while a second water jacket 38 of the terminal block 18 is connected via a pipe 46 downstream of the first water jacket 33. That is, the coolant cooled by the radiator 42 flows through the first water jacket 33 of the converter unit 17 and then through the second water jacket 38 of the terminal block 18. By flowing the coolant through the converter unit 17 before flowing through the terminal block 18 in this way, the low-temperature coolant can be guided to the converter unit 17, and the converter unit 17 can be cooled more appropriately.

[0042] Furthermore, as Figure 1 shown, the first water jacket 33 of the converter unit 17 is located between the switching element 16 and the motor unit 15. That is, the layer of the coolant flowing in the first water jacket 33 blocks between the switching element 16 and the motor unit 15 opposed to the switching element 16. Thereby, the coolant can absorb the electromagnetic wave indicated by the arrow β in Figure 1 from the motor unit 15 toward the switching element 16, and the radiant heat (emitted heat) generated in the switching element 16 can be reduced. Thereby, the temperature rise of the switching element 16 can be suppressed, and the converter unit 17 can be cooled appropriately. In addition, as Figure 1 shown, since the first water jacket 33 of the converter unit 17 is arranged at a more central position of the motor device 10, damage to the first water jacket 33 caused by flying stones or the like can be prevented.

[0043] [Other Embodiments]

[0044] In the above description, the motor unit 15 is cooled by storing the lubricating oil X in the motor housing 11, but it is not limited thereto, and the motor unit 15 can also be cooled by the above cooling system 30. Here, Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a motor device 50 showing another embodiment of the present invention. In addition, Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the A-A line of Figure 3 . It should be noted that in Figure 3 and Figure 4 , for those related to Figure 1 and Figure 2For components and parts that are the same as those shown, the same symbols are marked and their descriptions are omitted.

[0045] As Figure 3 shown, a motor unit 51 is provided in the motor device 50, and a third water jacket 53 is formed in the stator 52 of the motor unit 51. As Figure 4 shown, the cooling system 54 provided in the motor device 50 includes a liquid storage tank 40, a cooling pump 41, a radiator 42, and water jackets 33, 38, and 53. In addition, the liquid storage tank 40, the cooling pump 41, the radiator 42, and the water jackets 33, 38, and 53 are connected in series by respective pipes 43 to 46, 55, and 56. That is, a cooling circuit 57 composed of the liquid storage tank 40, the cooling pump 41, the radiator 42, the water jackets, and the pipes 43 to 46, 55, and 56 is provided in the cooling system 54.

[0046] By driving the cooling pump 41 of the cooling system 54, the coolant is sucked from the liquid storage tank 40 into the cooling pump 41, and the coolant is discharged from the cooling pump 41 to the radiator 42. The coolant cooled by the radiator 42 is supplied to the first water jacket 33 to cool the converter unit 17, supplied to the second water jacket 38 to cool the terminal block 18, and supplied to the third water jacket 53 to cool the motor unit 51, and then is guided to the liquid storage tank 40. Thus, as shown by the arrow α, the coolant can be circulated along the cooling circuit 57, and the converter unit 17, the terminal block 18, and the motor unit 51 can be continuously cooled.

[0047] Such a motor device 50 can also achieve the same effects as the above-described motor device 10. That is, by cooling while the coolant flows through the terminal block 18, the bus bar 19 connected to the terminal block 18 can be cooled, and the heat transferred to the converter unit 17 via the bus bar 19 can be reduced. Thus, the temperature rise of the converter unit 17 can be suppressed, and the converter unit 17 can be efficiently cooled.

[0048] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can of course be made without departing from the gist thereof. In the above description, as the switching element 16 provided in the converter unit 17, an IGBT as a semiconductor element is exemplified, but it is not limited thereto. For example, other semiconductor elements such as MOSFETs can also be used. In addition, in the above description, the bus bar 19 composed of a metal plate is used as the energizing member extending from the motor units 15 and 51, but it is not limited thereto, and a wire or a cable can also be used as the energizing member. It should be noted that an antifreeze for a water-cooled engine or the like can be used as the coolant injected into the cooling systems 30 and 54.

[0049] In the above description, the motor units 15 and 51 are cooled by using lubricating oil X or a coolant, but it is not limited thereto, and air can also be used to cool the motor units 15 and 51. That is, as a cooling method for the motor units 15 and 51, any one of oil cooling, water cooling, and air cooling can be adopted. In addition, in the illustrated example, a cooling pump 41 is provided on the upstream side of the radiator 42, but it is not limited thereto, and the cooling pump 41 can also be provided on the downstream side of the radiator 42. In addition, in the illustrated example, the motor housing 11 and the converter housing 12 are arranged vertically, but it is not limited thereto, and the motor housing 11 and the converter housing 12 can also be arranged horizontally. It should be noted that the shapes of the motor housing 11 and the converter housing 12 are not limited to the illustrated shapes and can be other housing shapes.

Claims

1. A motor device, characterized in that, It has a motor housing and a converter housing assembled to the motor housing, The motor device has: A motor part, accommodated in the motor housing; A converter part, accommodated in the converter housing; And A terminal block, accommodated in the converter housing and connected to an energizing component extending from the motor part, A terminal block flow path for guiding a coolant is formed inside the terminal block, A converter flow path for guiding a coolant is formed in the converter part, A radiator is connected to the upstream side of the converter flow path. On the other hand, the terminal block flow path is connected to the downstream side of the converter flow path.

2. The motor device according to claim 1, wherein A switching element is provided in the converter part, The converter flow path is located between the switching element and the motor part.

3. The motor device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein The energizing component is a bus bar made of a metal plate.

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