Electric compressor

Abstract

The invention provides an electric compressor which can effectively reduce deformation caused by clamping during processing. An electric compressor (1) is provided with an inverter case (50) that is provided at one end of a housing (40) and accommodates an inverter (30). An inverter case (50) is provided with: a case main body (51) provided with: a bottom wall (51a) attached to one end of a case (40); and a side wall (51b) which extends from the edge of the bottom wall (51a) to the side opposite to the housing (40) and forms an inverter housing opening (50a). And a case cover (52) that closes the inverter housing opening (50a) of the case main body (51) and is provided with a cover sealing surface (521) facing a main body sealing surface (511), which is an annular end surface of the side wall (51b). The case body (51) is provided with a body-side clamping piece (53) which protrudes from the outer surface of the side wall (51b) and is clamped in the direction orthogonal to the body sealing surface (511), and the case cover (52) is provided with a cover-side clamping piece (54) which protrudes from the outer edge (52b) of the case cover (52) and is clamped in the direction orthogonal to the cover sealing surface (521).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an electric compressor integrally provided with an inverter. Background Art

[0002] Electric compressors used to compress refrigerant in vehicle air conditioners and other applications often incorporate an inverter. The inverter converts direct current (DC) from an onboard battery, for example, into alternating current (AC) and controls the power supply to the electric motor that drives the compression mechanism (driving the electric motor). Patent Document 1, for example, discloses an electric compressor comprising an electric motor; a compression mechanism driven by the electric motor; an inverter that drives the electric motor; and a housing that houses the electric motor and compression mechanism. A cover is attached to one end of the housing, and the cover and the housing form a sealed space that houses the inverter. Prior art literature Patent Literature

[0003] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent No. 6955220

[0004] However, the increasing use of higher voltages in electric vehicles has led to an increase in the size of the inverter circuit boards to ensure insulation distances within them. This has led to an increase in the size of the inverter housing. This has resulted in a decrease in the rigidity of the inverter housing, and during milling and other machining processes on the inverter housing's joint surfaces, there has been a problem in which the workpiece (such as the cover) is easily deformed by the jigs used on the machining machine. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide an electric compressor having a structure capable of effectively reducing the amount of deformation due to clamping during processing even if the circuit board is enlarged.

[0006] An electric compressor according to the present invention comprises an electric motor, a compression mechanism driven by the electric motor, an inverter driving the electric motor, and a housing accommodating the electric motor and the compression mechanism. The electric compressor includes an inverter housing disposed at one end of the housing and accommodating the inverter. The inverter housing comprises a housing body having a bottom wall attached to the one end of the housing, a side wall extending from an edge of the bottom wall toward a side opposite the housing and forming an inverter accommodating opening, and a housing cover closing the inverter accommodating opening of the housing body, the housing body having a cover sealing surface opposing a body sealing surface, the body sealing surface being an annular end surface of the side wall. The housing body comprises a body-side clamping piece protruding from an outer surface of the side wall and being clamped in a direction perpendicular to the body sealing surface. The housing cover comprises a cover-side clamping piece protruding from an outer edge of the housing cover itself and being clamped in a direction perpendicular to the cover sealing surface.

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an electric compressor having a structure capable of effectively reducing the amount of deformation due to clamping during processing even if the circuit board is enlarged. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] Figure 1 It is an exploded perspective view of an electric compressor according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 It is a three-dimensional diagram of an electric compressor. Figure 3 This is a conceptual diagram for explaining an example of a state in which an electric compressor is mounted on an installation object. Figure 4 This is a plan view of the housing body of the electric compressor as viewed from the housing cover side. Figure 5 This is a plan view of the housing body of the electric compressor as viewed from the casing side. Figure 6 This is a plan view of the housing cover of the electric compressor as viewed from the casing side. Figure 7A This is a conceptual diagram for explaining an example of processing the cover sealing surface of the case cover. Figure 7B This is another conceptual diagram for explaining an example of processing the cover sealing surface. Figure 8A This is a conceptual diagram for explaining an example of processing the shell-side sealing surface of the housing body. Figure 8B This is another conceptual diagram for explaining an example of processing the housing side sealing surface. Figure 9AThis is a conceptual diagram for explaining an example of processing the main body sealing surface of the housing main body. Figure 9B This is another conceptual diagram for explaining an example of processing the main body sealing surface. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments of the electric compressor according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0010] Figures 1 to 3 1 is a diagram for explaining an electric compressor 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Specifically, Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of the electric compressor 1. Figure 2 is a perspective view of the electric compressor 1, Figure 3 1 is a conceptual diagram for explaining an example of a state in which the electric compressor 1 is mounted on a predetermined object C. Figure 3 In FIG, a schematic cross-sectional view of a part is shown.

[0011] An electric compressor 1 is mounted on a vehicle, for example, as part of a vehicle air conditioner, and serves as a device for sucking in, compressing, and then discharging refrigerant for the air conditioner. The electric compressor 1 is mounted, for example, on a portion of the vehicle body. Specifically, the object C to which the electric compressor 1 is mounted is a portion of the vehicle body. Specifically, the vehicle is an electric vehicle.

[0012] Reference Figure 1 as well as Figure 2 In this embodiment, the electric compressor 1 includes an electric motor 10; a compression mechanism 20 driven by the electric motor 10; an inverter 30 driving the electric motor 10; a housing 40 accommodating the electric motor 10 and the compression mechanism 20; an inverter case 50 accommodating the inverter 30; and a mounting portion 60. The electric compressor 1 is a so-called inverter-integrated electric compressor.

[0013] Reference Figure 3 The electric motor 10 includes a stator 11, a rotor 12, and a coil (not shown) wound around the stator 11. As the electric motor 10, a three-phase AC motor is applied, for example. The stator 11 is composed of, for example, a plurality of silicon steel plates stacked on each other. The rotor 12 is arranged radially inside the stator 11 and has a plurality of magnetic poles (not shown). A through hole is formed in the radial center of the rotor 12, and each end of the rotating shaft 10a embedded in the through hole is rotatably supported inside the housing 40. If a magnetic field is generated in the stator 11 by power supply from the inverter 30, a rotational force acts on the rotor 12, thereby driving the rotating shaft 10a in rotation. One end of the rotating shaft 10a is connected to the compression mechanism 20 in a manner capable of driving the compression mechanism 20.

[0014] The compression mechanism 20 is driven by the electric motor 10 to compress the refrigerant. The compression mechanism 20 and the electric motor 10 are arranged in series inside the casing 40. As the compression mechanism 20, an appropriate type of compression mechanism such as a scroll compression mechanism can be adopted.

[0015] The inverter 30 converts direct current from, for example, a vehicle battery (not shown) into alternating current, supplies this alternating current to the electric motor 10, and drives the electric motor 10 by controlling the power supply to the electric motor 10. The inverter 30 includes a variety of electronic components and a circuit board CB on which these components are mounted. These electronic components include power switching elements such as IGBTs (insulated gate bipolar transistors), voltage smoothing elements (also called smoothing capacitors) that smooth the voltage of the direct current input to the inverter, and noise filter elements such as capacitors and coils that suppress noise.

[0016] The housing 40 constitutes the main housing of the electric compressor 1. The housing 40 houses the electric motor 10 and the compression mechanism 20. The housing 40 includes a motor housing 41 that houses the electric motor 10 and a compression mechanism housing 42 that houses the compression mechanism 20. The housing 40 has an intake port 40a and an exhaust port 40b for connecting to a refrigerant pipe (not shown). The electric compressor 1 draws refrigerant (low-pressure refrigerant) from the vehicle air conditioner through the intake port 40a, compresses it through the compression mechanism 20, and discharges the compressed refrigerant (high-pressure refrigerant) through the exhaust port 40b.

[0017] The inverter case 50 is provided at one end of the housing 40 and is a case that accommodates the inverter 30 therein. The inverter case 50 includes a case body 51 and a case cover 52. Specifically, the circuit board CB is accommodated in the inverter case 50.

[0018] The mounting portion 60 is formed on the inverter housing 50 and is used to attach the inverter housing 50 to a predetermined object C (here, a vehicle body). The mounting portion 60 is integrally formed with the inverter housing 50 (in this example, the housing body 51). The electric compressor 1 also includes a housing mounting portion 70. The housing mounting portion 70 is integrally formed with the housing 40 (in this example, the compression mechanism housing 42) and is used to attach the housing 40 to a predetermined object C. The electric compressor 1 is attached to the object C via the mounting portion 60 and the housing mounting portion 70.

[0019] However, in electric vehicles, as the circuit board CB increases in size, the inverter housing portion of the electric compressor 1, which houses the inverter 30, also increases in size. This results in a problem in that the rigidity of the inverter housing portion tends to decrease, making it susceptible to deformation due to clamping during processing. To address this issue, the electric compressor 1 has the structure described below.

[0020] Next, refer to Figures 1 to 6 The electric compressor 1 will be described in detail. Figure 4 This is a plan view of the case body 51 of the inverter case 50 as viewed from the case cover 52 side. Figure 5 This is a top view of the housing body 51 as viewed from the housing 40 side. Figure 6 This is a plan view of the case cover 52 as viewed from the housing 40 side.

[0021] Reference Figures 1 to 3 In the electric compressor 1 , the portion that houses the inverter 30 is the inverter case 50 . The inverter case 50 is a component provided separately from the housing 40 .

[0022] As described above, the housing 40 includes a motor housing 41 and a compression mechanism housing 42. Specifically, the compressor body (compressor housing), which includes the housing 40 and the inverter housing 50, is divided into at least the motor housing 41, the compression mechanism housing 42, the housing body 51, and the housing cover 52. These components (41, 42, 51, 52) are primarily formed, for example, by casting. These components (41, 42, 51, 52) are integrally fastened together using fasteners such as screws, thereby forming the compressor body.

[0023] The motor housing 41 is disposed between the compression mechanism housing 42 and the inverter housing 50 (housing body 51). The motor housing 41 includes a first cylindrical portion 411, which is formed into a generally cylindrical shape to surround the electric motor 10. A first end face 411a, which serves as one end face of the first cylindrical portion 411 (in other words, one end face of the housing 41), faces the end face of the inverter housing 50 (housing body 51). A second end face 411b, which serves as the other annular end face of the first cylindrical portion 411, faces the end face of the compression mechanism housing 42 (a third end face 421a, described later). Furthermore, the suction port 40a is provided in the inverter-side portion of the first cylindrical portion 411.

[0024] The compression mechanism housing 42 includes a second cylindrical portion 421 formed in a generally cylindrical shape so as to surround the compression mechanism 20. One opening of the second cylindrical portion 421 is sealed. A third end surface 421a of the compression mechanism housing 42, which is the end surface on the opening side of the second cylindrical portion 421, forms a sealing surface with respect to the second end surface 411b of the motor housing 41. Furthermore, the discharge port 40b and the housing mounting portion 70 are provided in the second cylindrical portion 421.

[0025] As described above, the inverter case 50 includes a case body 51 and a case cover 52. The inverter case 50 is formed in a generally box-like shape that is long in a direction perpendicular to the central axis X of the rotating shaft 10a of the electric motor 10 (in the vertical direction in the figure).

[0026] In the inverter case 50, the case body 51 has a recessed portion that is open on the side opposite to the housing 40 and accommodates most or all of the inverter 30. The opening of the recessed portion of the case body 51 (the inverter accommodating opening 50a described later) is closed by a case cover 52. Furthermore, the circuit board CB constituting the inverter 30 is fixed to the bottom surface of the recessed portion of the case body 51.

[0027] When the inverter housing 50 is secured to the motor housing 41, one longitudinal end of the inverter housing 50 (the upper portion in the figure) protrudes outward from the outer surface of the housing 40. The other longitudinal end of the inverter housing 50 (the lower portion in the figure) also protrudes outward from the outer surface of the housing 40. The width of the inverter housing 50 in its transverse direction is greater than the outer diameter of the housing 40, and the inverter housing 50 itself also protrudes outward from the outer surface of the housing 40 in its transverse direction. Furthermore, a portion of the other longitudinal end (the lower portion) of the inverter housing 50 protrudes toward the side opposite to the housing cover 52. In other words, the lower portion of the recessed portion of the inverter housing 50 is deeper than the upper portion. Relatively large components, such as capacitors and coils, among the numerous electronic components of the inverter 30 are located in this deeply recessed portion.

[0028] The housing body 51 includes a bottom wall 51 a attached to one end of the housing 40 (in this example, the first end surface 411 a of the motor housing 41 ) and a side wall 51 b extending from an edge of the bottom wall 51 a toward the side opposite to the housing 40 to form the inverter housing opening 50 a .

[0029] Reference Figures 1 to 5 The bottom wall 51a of the housing body 51 is formed into a generally rectangular shape when viewed from above, and the side wall 51b is formed into a generally rectangular annular shape when viewed from above toward the bottom wall 51a. Furthermore, the annular end surface of the front end of the side wall 51b constitutes a main body sealing surface 511 of the housing body 51, which serves as a sealing surface with respect to the housing cover 52.

[0030] The portion of the bottom wall 51a that faces the first end face 411a of the motor housing 41 constitutes the housing-side sealing surface 512 of the housing body 51. This housing-side sealing surface 512 serves as a sealing surface with the housing 40 (motor housing 41). The bottom wall 51a is formed in a stepped shape when viewed from the side, with the lower portion of the bottom wall 51a offset toward the side away from the housing cover 52. Furthermore, a portion of the upper portion of the bottom wall 51a constitutes the housing-side sealing surface 512. As mentioned above, the width of the inverter housing 50 in the short-side direction is greater than the outer diameter of the cylindrical housing 40. Therefore, there is a portion of the upper portion of the bottom wall 51a that does not face the first end face 411a of the motor housing 41 and, therefore, does not constitute the housing-side sealing surface 512.

[0031] The housing cover 52 closes the inverter housing opening 50a of the housing body 51. In this example, the housing cover 52 is formed into a generally rectangular flat plate when viewed from above. The housing cover 52 is secured to the housing body 51 with screws or the like to close the inverter housing opening 50a of the housing body 51.

[0032] Specifically, a cover-side recess 52a is formed in the portion of the housing cover 52 that faces the inverter housing opening 50a of the housing body 51. The recess 52a is slightly recessed in the thickness direction of the housing cover 52. The cover-side recess 52a and the recess of the housing body 51 together form a housing space for accommodating the inverter 30.

[0033] Reference Figures 1 to 3 as well as Figure 6 The housing cover 52 has a cover sealing surface 521 opposite to the main body sealing surface 511 , and the main body sealing surface 511 is an annular end surface of the side wall 51 b of the housing body 51 .

[0034] Although not shown in the figure, for example, in a state where an annular sealing component is sandwiched between the main body sealing surface 511 and the cover sealing surface 521, the housing cover 52 is fastened to the housing body 51 by screws or the like, thereby achieving a seal on the joint surface between the housing body 51 and the housing cover 52 (the joint surface between the main body sealing surface 511 and the cover sealing surface 521). In addition, without limitation thereto, a sealing groove for embedding a sealing component such as an annular ring can also be formed on the main body sealing surface 511 or the cover sealing surface 521, and the sealing of the joint surface can be achieved by embedding the sealing component in the sealing groove. In addition, similarly, a sealing component is provided between the housing side sealing surface 512 and the first end face 411a of the motor housing 41, and a sealing component is also provided between the second end face 411b of the motor housing 41 and the third end face 421a of the compression mechanism housing 42.

[0035] Reference Figures 1 to 5 The housing body 51 includes a body-side clamping piece 53 that protrudes from the outer surface of the side wall 51b and is clamped in a direction perpendicular to the body sealing surface 511. Furthermore, the housing cover 52 includes a cover-side clamping piece 54 that protrudes from the outer edge 52b of the housing cover 52 itself and is clamped in a direction perpendicular to the cover sealing surface 521. The body-side clamping piece 53 is formed integrally with the side wall 51b, and the cover-side clamping piece 54 is formed integrally with the outer edge 52b.

[0036] The body-side clamping piece 53 is approximately the same thickness as, or thicker than, the bottom wall 51a and extends parallel to the bottom wall 51a along the outer surface of the side wall 51b. Similarly, the cover-side clamping piece 54 is approximately the same thickness as, or thicker than, the bottom wall of the cover-side recess 52a and extends parallel to the bottom wall of the cover-side recess 52a along the outer edge 52b. In other words, the body-side clamping piece 53 is clamped by a force acting in the thickness direction of the bottom wall 51a, while the cover-side clamping piece 54 is clamped by a force acting in the thickness direction of the housing cover 52 (more specifically, in the thickness direction of the bottom wall of the cover-side recess 52a).

[0037] In the present embodiment, the mounting portion 60 is provided on the housing body 51 , and the housing mounting portion 70 is provided on the compression mechanism housing 42 .

[0038] Specifically, the mounting portion 60 is provided on the upper surface of the inverter housing 50, that is, on the outer surface of the upper side wall extending in the width direction facing the object C among the side walls 51b. The housing mounting portion 70 is provided on the top of the second cylindrical portion 421 of the compression mechanism housing 42 on the side of the object C. The mounting portion 60 and the housing mounting portion 70 each extend linearly toward the object C. For example, the number (number of roots) of the mounting portions 60 is two (two roots), and the number (number of roots) of the housing mounting portion 70 is one (one root). In a top view of the housing 40 from above, the housing mounting portion 70 is arranged on the top of the second cylindrical portion 421 so as to overlap with the central axis X, and the two mounting portions 60 are provided on the upper surface of the side wall 51b of the inverter housing 50 so as to be separated from each other in a direction perpendicular to the central axis X.

[0039] In this embodiment, the main body-side clamping pieces 53 are provided at least three separate locations around the side wall 51b of the housing body 51, and the cover-side clamping pieces 54 are provided at at least three separate locations around the outer edge 52b of the housing cover 52. In this example, the main body-side clamping pieces 53 and the cover-side clamping pieces 54 are each provided at three locations. The main body-side clamping pieces 53 and the cover-side clamping pieces 54 are each formed at locations that avoid the location where the mounting portion 60 is formed in the inverter housing 50.

[0040] Specifically, in this example, as described above, the mounting portion 60 is provided on the outer surface of the upper side wall of the side wall 51b of the housing body 51. Furthermore, the body-side clamping piece 53 and the cover-side clamping piece 54 are formed at positions away from the upper side wall of the inverter housing 50 where the mounting portion 60 is formed.

[0041] In this embodiment, the cover-side clamping piece 54 is formed at a position overlapping with the main body-side clamping piece 53 in a plan view viewed toward one end of the housing 40 (in this example, the first end surface 411 a of the motor housing 41 ).

[0042] Specifically, one main body-side clamping piece 53 is formed on each of the left and right sides of the side wall 51b, which extend in the vertical direction and face each other, and on the lower side wall of the side wall 51b, which extends in the width direction. The main body-side clamping piece 53 on the left and right sides is located near one end of the longitudinal direction (vertical direction) of the housing body 51 (in this example, at a height substantially overlapping the central axis X). The main body-side clamping piece 53 on the lower side wall is located approximately in the center of the transverse direction (lateral direction) of the housing body 51.

[0043] One cover-side clamping piece 54 is formed on each of the left and right edges of the outer edge 52b, which extend in the vertical direction and face each other, and on the lower edge of the outer edge 52b, which extends in the width direction. The left and right cover-side clamping pieces 54 are located near one end of the case cover 52 in the longitudinal direction (vertical direction) (in this example, at a height substantially overlapping the central axis X). The lower cover-side clamping piece 54 is located approximately in the center of the case cover 52 in the transverse direction (lateral direction).

[0044] In this embodiment, the body-side clamping piece 53 is formed on the outer edge of the side wall 51b, away from the body sealing surface 511. The cover-side clamping piece 54 is formed on the outer edge 52b, away from the cover sealing surface 521. Specifically, the body-side clamping piece 53 has a first surface 53a, which faces the housing cover 52, and a second surface 53b, which faces the housing 40, in the thickness direction. Similarly, the cover-side clamping piece 54 has a third surface 54a, which faces the housing body 51, and a fourth surface 54b, which faces the opposite side of the housing body 51. Furthermore, the first surface 53a of the body-side clamping piece 53 is offset (receded) in the thickness direction of the side wall 51b away from the body sealing surface 511. The second surface 53b of the body-side clamping piece 53 on the right and left walls aligns with the housing-side sealing surface 512 when viewed from the side. The third surface 54a of the cover side clamping piece 54 deviates (retreats) in the direction of the plate thickness in the outer edge 52b toward the cover sealing surface 521, and the fourth surface 54b of the cover side clamping piece 54 is consistent with the surface of the shell cover 52 on the opposite side of the cover sealing surface 521 when viewed from the side.

[0045] In this embodiment, the circuit board CB of the inverter 30 is a single circuit board having a shape that conforms to the opening edge of the inverter housing opening 50a. This single circuit board CB is larger than conventionally designed to ensure insulation distances associated with higher voltages. Furthermore, the inverter housing 50 is larger than conventionally designed to accommodate the single, large circuit board CB.

[0046] Next, refer to 7A to 9B An example of a method for processing the inverter case 50 will be described. Figure 7A as well as Figure 7B 5 is a conceptual diagram for explaining an example of processing the cover sealing surface 521 of the housing cover 52. Figure 8A as well as Figure 8B 1 is a conceptual diagram for explaining an example of processing the shell side sealing surface 512 of the housing body 51. Figure 9A as well as Figure 9B This is a conceptual diagram for explaining an example of processing the main body sealing surface 511 of the housing main body 51 . Figure 7A 、 Figure 8A as well as Figure 9A It is a side view of each processing step. Figure 7B 、 Figure 8B as well as Figure 9B It is a top view during the processing process.

[0047] Reference Figure 7A as well as Figure 7B The housing cover 52 is placed on a workbench WB of a milling machine or other processing machine MC, with the opening of the cover-side recess 52a facing upward. Furthermore, the cover-side clamping pieces 54 of the housing cover 52 are pressed from above by a fixture G fixed to the workbench WB, thereby securing the housing cover 52 to the upper surface of the workbench WB. In this state, the end face portion (surrounding the cover-side recess 52a) is milled using the end mill T of the processing machine MC. Figure 7B The portion with slashes added therein) is milled, and as a result, an annular cover sealing surface 521 is formed.

[0048] Reference Figure 8A as well as Figure 8B First, place the housing body 51 on the workbench WB with the inverter housing opening 50a facing downward. Then, the housing body 51's main body side clamping pieces 53 are pressed down from above by a jig G, thereby securing the housing body 51 to the upper surface of the workbench WB. In this state, the housing body 51's bottom wall 51a is milled with an end mill T to form the shell side sealing surface ( Figure 8B The portion with oblique lines added therein) is milled, and as a result, for example, a circular housing side sealing surface 512 is formed.

[0049] Reference Figure 9A as well as Figure 9B, place the housing body 51 on the workbench WB in a position where the inverter receiving opening 50a is open upward. For example, when the lower surface of the housing body 51 is in contact with the workbench WB, a height adjustment jig J that is freely retractable in the height direction is arranged between the workbench WB and the shell side sealing surface 512 of the housing body 51, and the upper part of the adjustment jig J supports the shell side sealing surface 512 from below. Moreover, each main body side clamping piece 53 of the housing body 51 is pressed from above by the jig G, thereby fixing the housing body 51 to the upper surface of the workbench WB. In this state, the end face portion ( Figure 9B The portion with oblique lines added therein) is milled, and as a result, an annular main body sealing surface 511 is formed.

[0050] As described above, in the electric compressor 1 of this embodiment, the inverter case 50, which houses the inverter 30, is a separate component from the outer casing 40. Therefore, even if the inverter case 50 is larger, the portion housing the inverter 30 (the inverter case 50) can be processed separately from the outer casing 40 during machining. This increases the degree of flexibility in workpiece handling, facilitates the construction of a structure that reduces deformation caused by clamping during machining, and improves the machining accuracy of the inverter case 50.

[0051] Furthermore, machining of the main body sealing surface 511 is performed while the main body-side clamping piece 53 of the housing main body 51 is pressed against the workbench WB by the jig G in a direction perpendicular to the main body sealing surface 511 (in other words, in the direction of the plate thickness of the bottom wall 51a). Therefore, during machining, no clamping force is applied to the housing main body 51 that would cause the side wall 51b to tilt inward (inward of the recessed portion of the housing main body 51). Furthermore, machining of the cover sealing surface 521 is performed while the cover-side clamping piece 54 of the housing cover 52 is pressed against the workbench WB by the jig G in a direction perpendicular to the cover sealing surface 521 (in other words, in the direction of the plate thickness of the bottom wall of the cover-side recessed portion 52a). Therefore, during machining, no clamping force is applied to the housing cover 52 that would compress the housing cover 52 inward from its outer edge 52b. Thus, even if the housing body 51 and housing cover 52 increase in size as the circuit board CB increases in size, the amount of deformation of the housing body 51 and housing cover 52 caused by clamping can be effectively reduced, or deformation of the housing body 51 and housing cover 52 caused by clamping can be prevented. Furthermore, the shape change of the housing body 51 and housing cover 52 caused by unclamping can be effectively reduced or prevented, allowing the inverter housing 50 to be manufactured with high precision. Thus, the electric compressor 1 has a structure that effectively reduces the amount of deformation caused by clamping during processing, even if the circuit board CB increases in size.

[0052] In this embodiment, the body-side clamping pieces 53 are provided at least three locations spaced apart circumferentially on the side wall 51b, and the cover-side clamping pieces 54 are provided at least three locations spaced apart circumferentially on the outer edge 52b. As a result, the workpiece is secured with at least three points of support during machining, allowing machining to proceed in a stable, held state and achieving improved machining accuracy.

[0053] In this embodiment, the cover-side clamping piece 54 is positioned so as to overlap with the main body-side clamping piece 53. This allows the position of the fixture G of the workbench WB to be the same for both the housing body 51 and the housing cover 52, thereby streamlining machining preparations. Furthermore, since the main body-side clamping piece 53 and the cover-side clamping piece 54 are each formed on the inverter housing 50 to avoid the location where the mounting portion 60 is formed, setting the machining tool path is simplified.

[0054] The description of the present embodiment is an example for explaining the present invention and does not limit the invention described in the claims. In addition, the components of the present invention are not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made within the technical scope described in the claims. Description of Reference Numerals

[0055] 1 Electric compressor, 10 Electric motor, 20 Compression mechanism, 30 Inverter, 40 Housing, 50 Inverter housing, 50a Inverter accommodating opening, 51 Housing body, 51a Bottom wall, 51b Side wall, 511 Body sealing surface, 512 Housing-side sealing surface, 52 Housing cover, 521 Cover sealing surface, 53 Body-side clamping piece, 54 Cover-side clamping piece, 60 Mounting portion, C Object, CB Circuit board.

Claims

1. An electric compressor, characterized in that The electric compressor includes: an electric motor; a compression mechanism driven by the electric motor; an inverter driving the electric motor; and a housing accommodating the electric motor and the compression mechanism. The electric compressor includes an inverter housing, which is provided at one end of the housing and accommodates the inverter. The inverter housing includes: The housing body comprises: a bottom wall mounted on the one end of the housing; and a side wall extending from an edge of the bottom wall to a side opposite to the housing and forming an inverter receiving opening; as well as A housing cover, which closes the inverter receiving opening of the housing body and has a cover sealing surface opposite to the body sealing surface, wherein the body sealing surface is an annular end surface of the side wall. The housing body includes a main body side clamping piece, which protrudes from the outer surface of the side wall and is clamped in a direction perpendicular to the main body sealing surface. The housing cover includes a cover-side clamping piece that protrudes from an outer edge of the housing cover itself and is clamped in a direction perpendicular to the cover sealing surface.

2. The electric compressor according to claim 1, characterized in that The main body side clamping pieces are provided at at least three locations separated in the circumferential direction of the side wall. The cover-side clamping pieces are provided at at least three locations separated in a circumferential direction of the outer edge.

3. The electric compressor according to claim 1, characterized in that The main body side clamping piece is formed at a position away from the edge of the main body sealing surface side of the outer surface of the side wall. The cover-side clamping piece is formed at a position of the outer edge away from the edge of the cover sealing surface.

4. The electric compressor according to claim 1, characterized in that The formation position of the cover-side clamping piece is set to a position overlapping with the formation position of the main body-side clamping piece in a plan view viewed toward the one end of the housing.

5. The electric compressor according to claim 1, characterized in that The electric compressor includes a mounting portion formed on the inverter housing for mounting the inverter housing on a predetermined object. The main body-side clamping piece and the cover-side clamping piece are respectively formed at positions of the inverter case that are away from a position where the mounting portion is formed.

6. The electric compressor according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The inverter includes a circuit board on which a plurality of electronic components are mounted and has an outer shape that follows an opening edge of the inverter housing opening.

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