Electric compressor

Abstract

The invention provides an electric compressor which suppresses generation of resonance of an inverter housing during operation of the electric compressor. An electric compressor (1) is provided with: an electric motor (4); a compression mechanism (5) driven by the electric motor (4); an inverter (6) that drives the electric motor (4); a motor housing (20) that houses the electric motor (4); and an inverter housing (7) which is fixed by abutting against the motor housing (20) and accommodates the inverter (6). The motor housing (20) has a cylindrical main body part (24) and a first protruding part (41) provided on the outer peripheral surface of the main body part (24). The inverter case (7) has an end wall (30), and an outer surface (30a) of the end wall (30) includes: a contact portion (30a1) that comes into contact with one end surface (front end surface 24a) of the main body portion (24); and an exposed portion (30a2) exposed to the outside. A second protrusion (42) is provided on an exposed portion (30a2) of the outer surface (30a) of the end wall (30). The first protrusion (41) is directly or indirectly fixed to the second protrusion (42).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an electric compressor. Background Art

[0002] Electric compressors used to compress refrigerant in vehicle air conditioners often include an electric motor that drives the compression mechanism and an inverter. The inverter converts DC power from, for example, an onboard battery into AC power and controls the power supply to the electric motor, thereby driving the electric motor. Regarding this, Patent Document 1 discloses a method in which a motor housing housing the electric motor and an inverter housing housing the inverter are butted together in the axial direction of the electric compressor and secured together. Prior art literature Patent Literature

[0003] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2022-138248 Summary of the Invention Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In recent years, electric vehicles have been moving toward higher voltages. This has led to a trend toward larger electronic circuit boards in inverters to ensure insulation distances at high voltages. Consequently, the inverter housing has also grown in size. Consequently, when viewed axially from the electric compressor, the inverter housing protrudes significantly from the motor housing. This protruding portion of the inverter housing has low bending stiffness and, due to its low natural frequency, can cause resonance during operation of the electric compressor. This resonance can also damage the inverter.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to suppress the occurrence of resonance in an inverter case during operation of an electric compressor. Means for solving problems

[0006] According to one aspect of the present invention, an electric compressor is provided. The electric compressor comprises: an electric motor; a compression mechanism driven by the electric motor; an inverter driving the electric motor; a motor housing accommodating the electric motor; and an inverter housing abutting and fixed to the motor housing and accommodating the inverter. The motor housing comprises: a cylindrical main body; and a first protrusion provided on the outer peripheral surface of the main body. The inverter housing comprises an end wall. The outer surface of the end wall comprises: an abutting portion abutting against one end surface of the main body; and an exposed portion exposed to the outside. A second protrusion is provided on the exposed portion of the outer surface of the end wall. The first protrusion is directly or indirectly fixed to the second protrusion. Effects of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of resonance in the inverter case during operation of the electric compressor. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] Figure 1 It is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of the electric compressor according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 yes Figure 1 AA view. Figure 3 This is a front view of the electric compressor according to the first embodiment. Figure 4 It is a bottom view of the electric compressor according to the first embodiment. Figure 5 This is a front view of the motor housing according to the first embodiment. Figure 6 This is a perspective view of the connecting member according to the first embodiment. Figure 7 It is a perspective view of a connecting member according to a second embodiment of the present invention. Figure 8 It is a perspective view of a connecting member according to a third embodiment of the present invention. Figure 9 It is a perspective view of a connecting member according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. Figure 10 It is a diagram showing the installation state of the connecting member according to the fourth embodiment as viewed from the rear. Figure 11 It is a diagram showing the installation state of the connecting member according to the fourth embodiment as viewed from below. Figure 12 It is a diagram for explaining the rotation preventing function of the connecting member according to the fourth embodiment. Figure 13 It is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of an electric compressor according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. Figure 14 yes Figure 13 BB direction view. Figure 15 It is a bottom view of the electric compressor according to the fifth embodiment. Figure 16 It is a diagram showing a modified example of the electric compressor according to the fifth embodiment. Figure 17 It is a left side view of an electric compressor according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention. Figure 18 It is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of the electric compressor according to the sixth embodiment. Figure 19 yes Figure 17 as well as Figure 18 CC view. Figure 20It is a front view of the electric compressor according to the sixth embodiment. Figure 21 It is a front view of the motor housing according to the sixth embodiment. Figure 22 It is a diagram showing a modified example of the electric compressor according to the sixth embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

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

[0010] Figure 1 It is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of the electric compressor 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 yes Figure 1 AA view. Figure 3 as well as Figure 4 They are a front view and a bottom view of the electric compressor 1 , respectively. Figure 5 2 is a front view of the motor housing 20. Figure 2 In order to simplify the illustration, the components in the motor housing 20 are omitted. Figure 1 as well as Figure 2 The front and back, left and right, and top and bottom are defined as shown in the figure for explanation.

[0011] The electric compressor 1 is mounted on a vehicle, for example, and constitutes a part of a refrigerant circuit of a vehicle air conditioner. The electric compressor 1 can be configured to compress and discharge a refrigerant (a gas refrigerant in the present embodiment).

[0012] The electric compressor 1 includes a housing 2, a rotating shaft 3, an electric motor 4 that rotates the rotating shaft 3, a compression mechanism 5 driven by the rotating shaft 3 to compress the refrigerant, an inverter 6 that drives the electric motor 4, and an inverter case 7. The rotating shaft 3, electric motor 4, and compression mechanism 5 are housed in the housing 2. The electric motor 4 and compression mechanism 5 are arranged in series within the housing 2 in the axial direction of the rotating shaft 3 (the axial direction of the electric compressor 1). The inverter 6 is housed in the inverter case 7.

[0013] In this embodiment, the electric compressor 1 is an electric scroll compressor, and the compression mechanism 5 is a scroll compression mechanism. The compression mechanism 5 includes a fixed scroll 8 and an orbiting scroll (orbital scroll) 9 that rotates relative to the fixed scroll 8. The fixed scroll 8 and the orbiting scroll 9 are arranged to face each other in the axial direction of the electric compressor 1.

[0014] The orbiting scroll 9 is driven by the rotary shaft 3 via a crank mechanism 10 and is configured to perform an orbiting motion relative to the fixed scroll 8 , in other words, to revolve around the axis of the fixed scroll 8 .

[0015] The crank mechanism 10 is configured to connect the rotating shaft 3 and the orbiting scroll 9 and convert the rotational motion of the rotating shaft 3 into the rotational motion of the orbiting scroll 9. The compression mechanism 5 is configured to take in low-pressure refrigerant and compress the refrigerant by causing the orbiting scroll 9 to rotate relative to the fixed scroll 8.

[0016] The housing 2 is made of, for example, metal. It includes a motor housing 20, also referred to as a front housing, and a rear housing 21. The motor housing 20 (main body 24, described later) houses the rotating shaft 3 and the electric motor 4. The rear housing 21 (front cylinder 25, described later) houses the compression mechanism 5. The rear end face (rear end face 24b, described later) of the motor housing 20 and the front end face (rear end face 25a, described later) of the rear housing 21 are butted together and fastened together using fasteners (not shown), thereby forming the housing 2.

[0017] The main body 24 of the motor housing 20 is cylindrical and extends in the front-to-back direction (horizontally). In this embodiment, it is cylindrical. The main body 24 has a closed front end surface (one end surface) 24a and an open rear end surface (the other end surface) 24b.

[0018] The rear housing 21 is cylindrical with two sections, front and back. It comprises a cylindrical front section 25 with an outer diameter equal to that of the main body 24 of the motor housing 20, and a cylindrical rear section 26 with an outer diameter smaller than that of the front section 25. The front section 25 has an open front end 25a. The rear section 26 has a closed rear end 26b. Alternatively, the front section 25 and rear section 26 may be separate components.

[0019] The electric motor 4 is configured as, for example, a three-phase synchronous motor (brushless DC motor), and includes a stator core unit 13 and a rotor 14 .

[0020] The stator core unit 13 is fixed to the inner peripheral surface of the main body 24 of the motor housing 20 . A direct current from a vehicle-mounted battery (not shown) or the like is converted into a three-phase alternating current by the inverter 6 and supplied to the stator core unit 13 .

[0021] The rotor 14 is positioned radially inward of the stator core unit 13 with a predetermined gap therebetween. Permanent magnets (not shown) are incorporated into the rotor 14. The rotor 14 is cylindrical and fixed to the rotating shaft 3 with the rotating shaft 3 inserted through its hollow portion. In other words, the rotor 14 and the rotating shaft 3 are integrated.

[0022] When the electric motor 4 generates a magnetic field in the stator core unit 13 using power supplied from the inverter 6 , a rotational force acts on the permanent magnets of the rotor 14 , causing the rotor 14 to rotate, thereby rotating the rotary shaft 3 .

[0023] A suction port P1 is formed adjacent to the front end surface 24a at an upper portion of the main body 24 of the motor housing 20. The suction port P1 is connected to the refrigerant circuit (on the low-pressure side) via a connecting pipe (not shown).

[0024] like Figure 1 As shown, in this embodiment, the electric compressor 1 includes: a suction chamber H1 into which low-pressure refrigerant flows; a compression chamber H2 for compressing the low-pressure refrigerant; and a discharge chamber H3 into which the refrigerant compressed in the compression chamber H2 is discharged.

[0025] The suction chamber H1 is defined by the main body 24 of the motor housing 20. Low-pressure refrigerant from the refrigerant circuit flows into the suction chamber H1 through the suction port P1. The low-pressure refrigerant in the suction chamber H1 passes through the refrigerant passage L1 and reaches the space H4 near the compression mechanism 5.

[0026] The compression chamber H2 is formed in the compression mechanism 5, that is, between the fixed scroll 8 and the orbiting scroll 9. The compression mechanism 5 is configured to compress the low-pressure refrigerant by taking the low-pressure refrigerant from the space H4 when the compression chamber H2 is formed.

[0027] The discharge chamber H3 is located within the rear cylindrical portion 26 of the rear housing 21. A discharge hole L2 is formed in the base plate 8a of the fixed scroll 8, connecting the compression chamber H2 with the discharge chamber H3. Therefore, refrigerant compressed in the compression chamber H2 of the compression mechanism 5 is discharged into the discharge chamber H3 through the discharge hole L2. Furthermore, a check valve 15, such as a reed valve, is attached to the surface of the base plate 8a of the fixed scroll 8 facing the discharge chamber H3. This check valve 15 allows refrigerant to flow from the compression chamber H2 to the discharge chamber H3, but restricts refrigerant flow from the discharge chamber H3 to the compression chamber H2.

[0028] An oil separator 16 is located within the discharge chamber H3, separating the lubricating oil contained in the refrigerant (gas refrigerant). A discharge port P2 is formed in the upper portion of the rear cylindrical portion 26 of the rear housing 21, communicating with the discharge chamber H3 (oil separator 16). Discharge port P2 is connected to the refrigerant circuit (on the high-pressure side) via a connecting pipe (not shown). Therefore, the refrigerant flowing into the discharge chamber H3 is separated from the lubricating oil by the oil separator 16 and then discharged from the discharge port P2 to the high-pressure side of the refrigerant circuit.

[0029] Therefore, low-pressure refrigerant from the refrigerant circuit flows through the suction port P1 into the suction chamber H1, passes through the clearance of the electric motor 4, and is then introduced into the space H4 near the compression mechanism 5 via the refrigerant passage L1. The low-pressure refrigerant introduced into the space H4 is drawn into the compression chamber H2 of the compression mechanism 5 by the rotation of the orbiting scroll 9, where it is compressed. The refrigerant compressed in the compression chamber H2 is discharged into the discharge chamber H3 through the discharge port L2 (and the check valve 15), where the lubricating oil is separated from the refrigerant by the oil separator 16. The refrigerant, from which the lubricating oil has been separated, is then discharged from the discharge port P2 into the refrigerant circuit.

[0030] Here, the low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant flowing into the suction chamber H1 through the suction port P1 cools the front end surface 24a of the main body 24 of the motor housing 20 and the electric motor 4 (the stator core unit 13 and the rotor 14). Furthermore, the compression mechanism 5 driven by the electric motor 4 is configured to compress and discharge the refrigerant drawn into the main body 24 of the motor housing 20 (into the suction chamber H1) through the suction port P1.

[0031] In this embodiment, one or more protrusions 27 are provided on the upper portion of the housing 2 (at least one of the upper portion of the motor housing 20 and the upper portion of the rear housing 21). These protrusions 27 can be used to secure the housing 2 to the vehicle. The protrusions 27 protrude upward from the upper portion of the housing 2 (at least one of the upper portion of the motor housing 20 and the upper portion of the rear housing 21). The protrusions 27 can have, for example, a rectangular parallelepiped (prismatic) or cylindrical shape.

[0032] The inverter case 7 is made of metal, for example. The inverter case 7 is arranged in front of the main body 24 of the motor housing 20. The inverter case 7 is fixed to the main body 24 of the motor housing 20 by being in contact with the main body 24.

[0033] The inverter housing 7 has an end wall (bottom wall) 30 and a peripheral wall 31 that rises from the periphery of the end wall 30 and defines an opening opposite the end wall 30. In this embodiment, the inverter housing 7 has a rectangular box shape extending vertically, with the end wall 30 forming the rear end of the inverter housing 7. An inverter cover 32 is detachably attached to the front end of the inverter housing 7 to close the opening. This inverter cover 32 is secured to the inverter housing 7 using multiple (twelve in this embodiment) bolts 33.

[0034] When viewed from the axial direction of the electric compressor 1, the inverter housing 7 protrudes upward, downward, leftward, and rightward from the outline of the main body 24 of the motor housing 20. In particular, in the present embodiment, when viewed from the axial direction of the electric compressor 1, the inverter housing 7 protrudes significantly downward from the outline of the main body 24 of the motor housing 20.

[0035] The outer surface 30 a of the end wall 30 of the inverter case 7 includes a contact portion 30 a 1 that contacts the front end surface 24 a of the main body 24 of the motor housing 20 and an exposed portion 30 a 2 that is exposed to the outside.

[0036] The inverter 6, housed in the inverter housing 7, includes a plurality (six in this embodiment) of switching elements (power switching elements) 35, and a control board 36 on which a control circuit for controlling the switching elements 35 is mounted. The control board 36 is located within the inverter housing 7, spaced from the end wall 30 toward the opening. The control board 36 is mounted to the inverter housing 7 using mounting members (not shown). The switching elements 35 are provided on the inner surface 30b of the end wall 30 of the inverter housing 7, adjacent to the abutment portion 30a1 (in other words, adjacent to the front end surface 24a of the main body 24).

[0037] The inverter case 7 is secured to the main body 24 of the motor housing 20 using multiple (eight in this embodiment) first bolts 51. Therefore, the end wall 30 of the inverter case 7 is formed with multiple (eight in this embodiment) through-holes 38 for inserting the externally threaded portions of the first bolts 51. Furthermore, the main body 24 (front end surface 24a) of the motor housing 20 is formed with multiple (eight in this embodiment) internally threaded portions 24c into which the externally threaded portions of the first bolts 51 are threaded. Therefore, the first bolts 51 are screwed into the inverter case 7 from the inside. Here, the bolts 33 and the first bolts 51 are screwed in together from the front to the rear (i.e., in the same direction). Furthermore, in this embodiment, the multiple (eight in this embodiment) first bolts 51 are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the main body 24.

[0038] In this embodiment, one or more protrusions 39 are provided on the upper portion of the inverter housing 7. These protrusions 39 can be used to secure the inverter housing 7 to the vehicle. The protrusions 39 protrude upward from the upper portion of the inverter housing 7. The protrusions 39 can be, for example, rectangular or cylindrical.

[0039] In this embodiment, when viewed from the axial direction of the electric compressor 1, the inverter housing 7 protrudes significantly downward from the outline of the main body 24 of the motor housing 20. Consequently, the inverter housing 7 is in a so-called cantilevered state. To alleviate this cantilevered state, in this embodiment, the motor housing 20 and the inverter housing 7 are each provided with a first protrusion 41 and a second protrusion 42.

[0040] The first protrusion 41 is provided at the lower end of the outer circumferential surface of the main body 24 of the motor housing 20 and protrudes downward from this lower end. Specifically, the first protrusion 41 protrudes radially outward from the outer circumferential surface of the main body 24 of the motor housing 20. The second protrusion 42 is provided at a height position below the first protrusion 41 on the exposed portion 30a2 of the outer surface 30a of the end wall 30 of the inverter case 7 and protrudes rearward from this position. In this embodiment, the first protrusion 41 and the second protrusion 42 are each rectangular parallelepiped in shape, but cylindrical shapes are also acceptable.

[0041] In this embodiment, the first protrusion 41 is indirectly fixed to the second protrusion 42 via the connecting member 100. Here, in addition to the above-mentioned Figures 1 to 5 In addition, we also use Figure 6 Provide explanation. Figure 6 It is a perspective view of the connecting member 100 .

[0042] The connecting member 100 includes a rectangular plate-shaped main portion 101 extending in one direction, a rectangular plate-shaped first mounting portion 111 formed at one end of the main portion 101, and a rectangular plate-shaped second mounting portion 112 formed at the other end of the main portion 101. In this embodiment, the main portion 101, the first mounting portion 111, and the second mounting portion 112 can be formed by, for example, bending a single metal plate.

[0043] The first mounting portion 111 is in surface contact with the lower end surface of the first protrusion 41. The first mounting portion 111 is fixed to the first protrusion 41 using a bolt 121. Therefore, a through-hole 113 is formed in the first mounting portion 111 for inserting the external thread portion of the bolt 121. Furthermore, the first protrusion 41 is formed with an internal thread portion 43 into which the external thread portion of the bolt 121 is threadedly engaged.

[0044] The second mounting portion 112 is in surface contact with the rear end of the second protrusion 42. The second mounting portion 112 is fixed to the second protrusion 42 using a bolt 122. Therefore, a through-hole 114 is formed in the second mounting portion 112 for inserting the external thread portion of the bolt 122. Furthermore, the second protrusion 42 is formed with an internal thread portion 44 into which the external thread portion of the bolt 122 is threadedly engaged.

[0045] In this embodiment, from the perspective of reducing the cantilevered state of the inverter case 7, it is preferable that the second protrusion 42 is positioned as far downward as possible from the first protrusion 41. Furthermore, to utilize multiple connecting members 100, it is naturally possible to provide the first protrusion 41 and the second protrusion 42 corresponding to each connecting member 100. In other words, the electric compressor 1 may include multiple connecting members 100, multiple first protrusions 41, and multiple second protrusions 42.

[0046] According to this embodiment, the electric compressor 1 includes an electric motor 4; a compression mechanism 5 driven by the electric motor 4; an inverter 6 driving the electric motor 4; a motor housing 20 housing the electric motor 4; and an inverter case 7 abutting and fixed to the motor housing 20 and housing the inverter 6. The motor housing 20 includes a cylindrical main body 24 and a first protrusion 41 provided on the outer circumferential surface of the main body 24. The inverter case 7 has an end wall 30. The outer surface 30a of the end wall 30 includes an abutting portion 30a1 abutting against the front end surface 24a (one end surface) of the main body 24 and an exposed portion 30a2 exposed to the outside. A second protrusion 42 is provided on the exposed portion 30a2 of the outer surface 30a of the end wall 30. The first protrusion 41 is indirectly fixed to the second protrusion 42 via a connecting member 100. This suppresses the occurrence of resonance in the inverter case 7 during operation of the electric compressor 1. In addition, it is preferable that at least one of the first protrusion 41 and the second protrusion 42 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape or a cylindrical shape.

[0047] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the connecting member 100 includes a first mounting portion 111 that is in surface contact with the first protrusion 41, and a second mounting portion 112 that is in surface contact with the second protrusion 42. The first mounting portion 111 is fixed to the first protrusion 41, and the second mounting portion 112 is fixed to the second protrusion 42. This allows the connecting member 100 to be constructed with a simple structure.

[0048] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, a suction port P1 is formed in the main body 24 adjacent to the front end surface 24a (one end surface). The compression mechanism 5 is configured to compress and discharge the refrigerant drawn into the main body 24 through the suction port P1. A switching element 35 constituting the inverter 6 is provided on the inner surface 30b of the end wall 30, adjacent to the abutment portion 30a1. Therefore, the low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant flowing into the main body 24 through the suction port P1 can be used to cool the switching element 35 via the front end surface 24a of the main body 24 and the end wall 30 of the inverter case 7.

[0049] In addition, according to the present embodiment, the electric compressor 1 is mounted on a vehicle. The main body 24 extends in the horizontal direction. The inverter housing 7 extends in the vertical direction. A protrusion 39 for fixing to the vehicle is provided on the upper portion of the inverter housing 7. The inverter housing 7 extends downward from the main body 24. Furthermore, the first protrusion 41 is provided at the lower end portion of the outer peripheral surface of the main body 24. The second protrusion 42 is provided at a height position below the first protrusion 41 in the exposed portion 30a2 of the outer surface 30a of the end wall 30. Thus, the cantilever state of the inverter housing 7 can be reduced. Here, the main body 24 is cylindrical, and the first protrusion 41 protrudes radially outward from the outer peripheral surface of the main body 24.

[0050] Next, use Figure 7 A second embodiment of the present invention will be described. Figure 7 1 is a perspective view of a connecting member 100 according to this embodiment. Differences from the first embodiment described above will be described.

[0051] In this embodiment, the connecting member 100 further includes a pair of left and right reinforcements 102. Each reinforcement 102 is positioned inside the curve of the connecting member 100 (main portion 101, first mounting portion 111, and second mounting portion 112) to suppress deformation of the curved connecting member 100 (main portion 101, first mounting portion 111, and second mounting portion 112). The reinforcements 102 are positioned upright on the left and right edges of each of the main portion 101, first mounting portion 111, and second mounting portion 112 that constitute the connecting member 100.

[0052] In particular, according to this embodiment, the connecting member 100 further includes a pair of left and right reinforcement portions 102. This improves the rigidity of the connecting member 100 and further suppresses the occurrence of resonance of the inverter case 7 during operation of the electric compressor 1.

[0053] Next, use Figure 8 A third embodiment of the present invention will be described. Figure 8 1 is a perspective view of a connecting member 100 ′ according to this embodiment. Differences from the first embodiment will be described.

[0054] The connecting member 100' of this embodiment omits the main portion 101. Instead, the first and second mounting portions 111, 112 are formed by, for example, bending a single metal plate at a right angle. A pair of left and right reinforcements 102' are provided at the corners connecting the first and second mounting portions 111, 112. Each reinforcement 102' is secured to the corners by welding or other means to prevent deformation of the right-angled connecting member 100 (the first and second mounting portions 111, 112).

[0055] In particular, according to this embodiment, the connecting member 100' further includes a pair of left and right reinforcement portions 102', thereby increasing the rigidity of the connecting member 100' and further suppressing the resonance of the inverter case 7 during operation of the electric compressor 1.

[0056] Next, use Figures 9 to 12 A fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described. Figure 9 1 is a perspective view of a connecting member 100 ″ according to this embodiment. Figure 10 1 is a diagram showing an installation state of a connecting member 100 ″ according to the present embodiment as viewed from the rear. Figure 11 1 is a diagram showing an installation state of a connecting member 100 ″ according to the present embodiment as viewed from below. Figure 12 This is a diagram for explaining the anti-rotation function of the connecting member 100" of this embodiment. Figure 10 With the above Figure 2 The following describes the differences from the first embodiment described above.

[0057] In the connecting member 100 ″ of the present embodiment, a rectangular plate-shaped extension portion 111 a is provided on the first mounting portion 111 of the connecting member 100 so as to be in surface contact with the left side surface of the first protrusion 41. Furthermore, a through-hole 113 ′ is formed in the extension portion 111 a of the first mounting portion 111 for inserting the external thread portion of the bolt 121. Furthermore, an internal thread portion (not shown) is formed on the first protrusion 41 to which the external thread portion of the bolt 121 is threadedly connected.

[0058] In this embodiment, the bolt 121 is screwed in from the left to the right. On the other hand, the bolt 122 is screwed in from the back to the front. Figure 12 1 and 2 illustrate a screwing direction D1 of the bolt 121 , a rotation direction R1 of the bolt 121 when the bolt 121 is screwed in, a screwing direction D2 of the bolt 122 , and a rotation direction R2 of the bolt 122 when the bolt 122 is screwed in, respectively.

[0059] When the bolt 121 is tightened in the tightening direction D1 (i.e., from left to right), the bolt 121 rotates clockwise (along the rotation direction R1). Consequently, the connecting member 100" also rotates clockwise (along the rotation direction R1). However, this rotation is prevented by the second mounting portion 112, which is in surface contact with the second protrusion 42. In other words, the second mounting portion 112 functions as a rotation stop, preventing the connecting member 100" from rotating relative to the first protrusion 41 when the bolt 121 is tightened.

[0060] On the other hand, when the bolt 122 is tightened in the screwing direction D2 (i.e., from the rear toward the front), the bolt 122 rotates clockwise (along the rotation direction R2). Consequently, the connecting member 100" also rotates clockwise (along the rotation direction R2), but this rotation is prevented by the extension 111a of the first mounting portion 111, which is in surface contact with the first protrusion 41. In other words, the extension 111a of the first mounting portion 111 functions as a rotation stop, inhibiting rotation of the connecting member 100" relative to the second protrusion 42 when the bolt 122 is tightened.

[0061] In particular, according to this embodiment, the first mounting portion 111 (extension 111a) is fixed to the first protrusion 41, and the second mounting portion 112 is fixed to the second protrusion 42 by bolt tightening using bolts 121 and 122, respectively. Each of the first mounting portion 111 (extension 111a) and the second mounting portion 112 is configured to function as a rotation stopper that suppresses rotation of the connecting component 100" relative to the first protrusion 41 and the second protrusion 42 when the bolts 121 and 122 are tightened. This allows for efficient assembly of the connecting component 100".

[0062] Next, use Figures 13 to 15 A fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described. Figure 13 It is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of the electric compressor 1 according to the present embodiment. Figure 14 yes Figure 13 BB direction view. Figure 15 1 is a bottom view of the electric compressor 1 of this embodiment. Figure 13 In, with Figure 2 Similarly, for the sake of simplicity, the components in the motor housing 20 are omitted from the illustration. The following describes the differences from the first embodiment.

[0063] In this embodiment, the second protrusion 42 is provided at the same height as the first protrusion 41 in the exposed portion 30a2 of the outer surface 30a of the end wall 30 of the inverter housing 7, and protrudes rearward from this position. Furthermore, with the front end face of the first protrusion 41 abutting the rear end face of the second protrusion 42, the first protrusion 41 is directly fixed to the second protrusion 42 by the bolt 123. Therefore, a through hole 115 for inserting the external thread portion of the bolt 123 is formed in the first protrusion 41. Furthermore, an internal thread portion 116 is formed in the second protrusion 42, into which the external thread portion of the bolt 123 is threadedly connected. Therefore, the bolt 123 is screwed in from the rear toward the front.

[0064] In particular, according to this embodiment, the first protrusion 41 abuts against the second protrusion 42. Furthermore, the first protrusion 41 is directly fixed to the second protrusion 42 by the bolt 123. Thus, the aforementioned connecting members 100, 100', and 100" can be omitted.

[0065] Figure 16 1 is a diagram showing a modified example of the electric compressor 1 of the present embodiment. In this modified example, a through hole 115' for inserting the external thread portion of the bolt 123 is formed in the end wall 30 of the inverter housing 7 and the second protrusion 42. In addition, an internal thread portion 116' is formed on the first protrusion 41 to which the external thread portion of the bolt 123 is threadedly connected. Therefore, the bolt 123 is screwed in from the inside of the inverter housing 7. In addition, as described above, the first bolt 51 is also screwed in from the inside of the inverter housing 7. In addition, both the bolt 123 and the first bolt 51 are screwed in from the front to the rear (i.e., in the same direction). Therefore, the screwing-in operation of the bolt 123 and the screwing-in operation of the first bolt 51 can be performed through a series of operations.

[0066] Examples of clauses that can be understood from the first to fifth embodiments and their modifications are described below.

[0067] [Project 1] An electric compressor comprising: electric motors; a compression mechanism driven by the electric motor; an inverter driving the electric motor; a motor housing for housing the electric motor; and The inverter housing is fixed to the motor housing and accommodates the inverter. The motor housing includes: a cylindrical main body; and a first protrusion provided on an outer peripheral surface of the main body. The inverter housing has an end wall, and the outer surface of the end wall includes: a contact portion contacting one end surface of the main body; and an exposed portion exposed to the outside. A second protrusion is provided on the exposed portion of the outer surface of the end wall, The first protrusion is directly or indirectly fixed to the second protrusion.

[0068] [Project 2] The electric compressor according to item 1, wherein: The first protrusion abuts against the second protrusion, The first protrusion is directly fixed to the second protrusion by a bolt.

[0069] [Item 3] The electric compressor according to item 1, wherein: The first protrusion is indirectly fixed to the second protrusion via a connecting member.

[0070] [Item 4] The electric compressor according to item 3, wherein: The connecting member includes: a first mounting portion in surface contact with the first protrusion; and a second mounting portion in surface contact with the second protrusion. The first mounting portion is fixed to the first protrusion, The second mounting portion is fixed to the second protrusion.

[0071] [Item 5] The electric compressor according to item 4, wherein: The first mounting portion is fixed relative to the first protrusion and the second mounting portion is fixed relative to the second protrusion by bolt fastening. The first mounting portion and the second mounting portion are each configured to function as a rotation stopper that suppresses rotation of the connecting member relative to the first protruding portion and the second protruding portion when the bolt is tightened.

[0072] [Item 6] The electric compressor according to item 4 or 5, wherein The connecting member further includes a reinforcement portion.

[0073] [Item 7] The electric compressor according to any one of items 1 to 6, wherein A suction port is formed in the main body so as to be adjacent to the end surface. The compression mechanism is configured to compress and discharge the refrigerant sucked into the main body through the suction port. A switching element constituting the inverter is provided on a portion of the inner surface of the end wall adjacent to the abutting portion.

[0074] [Item 8] The electric compressor according to any one of items 1 to 7, wherein The electric compressor is mounted on a vehicle. The main body extends in the horizontal direction, The inverter housing extends in the up-down direction. A protrusion for fixing the inverter to the vehicle is provided on the upper portion of the inverter housing. The inverter case extends downward from the main body.

[0075] [Item 9] The electric compressor according to item 8, wherein: The first protrusion is provided at the lower end portion of the outer peripheral surface of the main body. The second protrusion is provided at the exposed portion of the outer surface of the end wall at a height position equal to that of the first protrusion or at a height position lower than that of the first protrusion.

[0076] [Item 10] The electric compressor according to any one of items 1 to 9, wherein The main body is cylindrical. The first protrusion protrudes radially outward from the outer peripheral surface of the main body.

[0077] [Item 11] The electric compressor according to any one of items 1 to 10, wherein At least one of the first protrusion and the second protrusion is in a rectangular parallelepiped shape or a cylindrical shape.

[0078] Next, use Figures 17 to 21 A sixth embodiment of the present invention will be described. Figure 17 It is a left side view of the electric compressor 1 according to the present embodiment. Figure 18 It is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of the electric compressor 1 according to the present embodiment. Figure 19 yes Figure 17 as well as Figure 18 CC view. Figure 20 It is a front view of the electric compressor 1 according to the present embodiment. Figure 21 2 is a front view of the motor housing 20 of this embodiment. Figure 17 , a partial cross-section of the mounting portion of the second bolt 52 described later is also shown. Figure 19 In FIG, for simplicity of illustration, the components in the motor housing 20 are omitted. The differences from the first embodiment described above will be described.

[0079] In the present embodiment, the first protrusion 41 and the second protrusion 42 are omitted. Furthermore, the motor housing 20 has a flange portion 130 in addition to the main body 24. The flange portion 130 is formed on the front end surface (one end surface) 24a of the main body 24. The flange portion 130 extends radially outward from the front end surface 24a of the main body 24. The flange portion 130 has a square-shaped outline that surrounds the outer peripheral surface of the main body 24 from the outside when viewed from the axial direction of the electric compressor 1. When viewed from the axial direction of the electric compressor 1, it is preferred that the outer peripheral surface of the main body 24 is inscribed in the square-shaped outline of the flange portion 130. Thus, the extension of the flange portion 130 from the outer peripheral surface of the main body 24 can be limited to the necessary minimum.

[0080] In this embodiment, the front end surface 24a of the main body 24 of the motor housing 20 and the flange portion 130 abut against the outer surface 30a of the end wall 30 of the inverter case 7. In this embodiment, when viewed from the axial direction of the electric compressor 1, the inverter case 7 protrudes upward, downward, leftward, and rightward from the outline of the flange portion 130 of the motor housing 20.

[0081] In this embodiment, the inverter case 7 is secured to the flange portion 130 of the motor housing 20 using multiple (four in this embodiment) second bolts 52. Therefore, the end wall 30 of the inverter case 7 is formed with multiple (four in this embodiment) through-holes 38' for receiving the externally threaded portions of the second bolts 52. Furthermore, the flange portion 130 of the motor housing 20 is formed with multiple (four in this embodiment) internally threaded portions 131 into which the externally threaded portions of the second bolts 52 are threadedly engaged. Therefore, the second bolts 52 are screwed in from the inside of the inverter case 7. As mentioned above, the first bolts 51 are also screwed in from the inside of the inverter case 7. Furthermore, both the first and second bolts 51, 52 are screwed in from the front toward the rear (i.e., in the same direction). Therefore, the screwing of the first and second bolts 51, 52 can be performed in a single operation. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the second bolts 52 are placed at the four corners of the square-shaped flange portion 130.

[0082] In particular, according to this embodiment, the electric compressor 1 includes an electric motor 4; a compression mechanism 5 driven by the electric motor 4; an inverter 6 that drives the electric motor 4; a motor housing 20 that houses the electric motor 4; an inverter case 7 that houses the inverter 6; and at least one first bolt 51 and at least one second bolt 52 for abutting and securing the inverter case 7 to the motor housing 20. The motor housing 20 includes a cylindrical main body 24 and a flange 130 formed on the front end surface 24a (one end surface) of the main body 24. The front end surface 24a of the main body 24 and the flange 130 abut against the inverter case 7. The first bolt 51 secures the inverter case 7 to the main body 24. The second bolt 52 secures the inverter case 7 to the flange 130. This suppresses the generation of resonance in the inverter case 7 during operation of the electric compressor 1.

[0083] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the main body 24 is cylindrical, and the flange 130 extends radially outward from the front end surface 24a (one end surface) of the main body 24. This simple structure increases the contact area between the motor housing 20 and the inverter case 7, enabling bolt fastening at multiple points.

[0084] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the inverter case 7 includes an end wall 30. The outer surface 30a of the end wall 30 abuts against the front end face 24a (one end face) of the main body 24 and the flange portion 130. At least one through-hole 38 is formed in the end wall 30. At least one internal thread 24c is formed in the main body 24 (the front end face 24a). The external thread of the first bolt 51 is inserted into the through-hole 38 of the end wall 30 and is threadedly engaged with the internal thread 24c. This allows the first bolt 51 to be screwed in from the inside of the inverter case 7.

[0085] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the inverter housing 7 includes an end wall 30, with the outer surface 30a of the end wall 30 abutting against the front end face 24a (one end face) of the main body 24 and the flange portion 130. At least one through-hole 38' is formed in the end wall 30. The flange portion 130 has at least one internal thread 131. The external thread of the second bolt 52 is inserted into the through-hole 38' of the end wall 30 and is threadedly engaged with the internal thread 131 of the flange portion 130. This allows the second bolt 52 to be screwed in from the inside of the inverter housing 7.

[0086] In addition, according to the present embodiment, a suction port P1 is formed in the main body 24 adjacent to the front end face 24a (one end face). The compression mechanism 5 is configured to compress and discharge the refrigerant sucked into the main body 24 from the suction port P1. The inverter housing 7 has an end wall 30, and the outer surface 30a of the end wall 30 abuts against the front end face 24a of the main body 24 and the flange portion 130. The switching element 35 constituting the inverter 6 is provided in a portion of the inner surface 30b of the end wall 30 adjacent to the front end face 24a of the main body 24. Therefore, the switching element 35 can be cooled by the low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant flowing into the main body 24 through the suction port P1 via the front end face 24a of the main body 24 and the end wall 30 of the inverter housing 7.

[0087] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the electric compressor 1 is mounted on a vehicle. The main body 24 extends horizontally. The inverter housing 7 extends vertically. A protrusion 39 is provided on the upper portion of the inverter housing 7 for securing the inverter housing to the vehicle. The inverter housing 7 extends downward from the main body 24. With this configuration of the electric compressor 1, it is possible to suppress the generation of resonance in the inverter housing 7 during operation.

[0088] Figure 22 This is a diagram showing a modified example of the electric compressor 1 of this embodiment, which is different from the above Figure 19 In this variation, the flange portion 130 is formed with multiple (four in this variation) through-holes (not shown). Furthermore, the end wall 30 of the inverter case 7 is formed with multiple (four in this variation) internal threads (not shown). The external thread of the second bolt 52 is inserted into the through-holes of the flange portion 130 and threadedly engaged with the internal thread of the end wall 30 of the inverter case 7. Therefore, the second bolt 52 is screwed in from the rear toward the front.

[0089] Examples of items that can be understood from the sixth embodiment and its modified examples are described below.

[0090] [Item 12] An electric compressor comprising: electric motors; a compression mechanism driven by the electric motor; an inverter driving the electric motor; a motor housing for housing the electric motor; an inverter housing for housing the inverter; and At least one first bolt and at least one second bolt are used to abut and fix the inverter housing to the motor housing. The motor housing includes: a cylindrical main body; and a flange formed on one end surface of the main body. The end surface of the main body and the flange portion abut against the inverter housing. The first bolt fixes the inverter housing to the main body. The second bolts fix the inverter case to the flange portion.

[0091] [Item 13] The electric compressor according to item 12, wherein: The main body is cylindrical. The flange portion extends radially outward from the end surface of the main body portion.

[0092] [Item 14] The electric compressor according to item 12 or item 13, wherein The inverter housing has an end wall, and the outer surface of the end wall abuts against the end surface of the main body and the flange portion. At least one through hole is formed in the end wall, At least one internal thread portion is formed on the flange portion, The external thread portion of the second bolt is inserted into the through hole of the end wall and is threadedly connected to the internal thread portion of the flange portion.

[0093] [Item 15] The electric compressor according to any one of items 12 to 14, wherein A suction port is formed in the main body so as to be adjacent to the end surface. The compression mechanism is configured to compress and discharge the refrigerant sucked into the main body through the suction port. The inverter housing has an end wall, and the outer surface of the end wall abuts against the end surface of the main body and the flange portion. A switching element constituting the inverter is provided on a portion of the inner surface of the end wall adjacent to the end surface of the main body.

[0094] [Item 16] The electric compressor according to any one of items 12 to 15, wherein The electric compressor is mounted on a vehicle. The main body extends in the horizontal direction, The inverter housing extends in the up-down direction. A protrusion for fixing the inverter to the vehicle is provided on the upper portion of the inverter housing. The inverter case extends downward from the main body.

[0095] Of course, the method of fixing the inverter case 7 and the flange portion 130 of the motor housing 20 using at least one second bolt 52 described in the sixth embodiment and its modified examples can also be applied to the electric compressor 1 described in the first to fifth embodiments and their modified examples.

[0096] In the first to sixth embodiments and their variations, the plurality of first bolts 51 are used to secure the inverter case 7 to the main body 24 of the motor housing 20. Alternatively, some of the plurality of first bolts 51 may be longer bolts to secure the inverter cover 32, the inverter case 7, and the main body 24 of the motor housing 20 simultaneously. This arrangement allows the omission of some of the plurality of bolts 33.

[0097] In the sixth embodiment and its variations, the plurality of second bolts 52 are used to secure the inverter case 7 to the flange portion 130 of the motor housing 20. In this regard, several longer bolts among the plurality of second bolts 52 may be used to simultaneously secure the inverter cover 32 to the inverter case 7 and the flange portion 130 of the motor housing 20. This may allow some of the plurality of bolts 33 to be omitted.

[0098] In the first through sixth embodiments and their variations, the electric compressor 1 is described as front-to-back, left-to-right, and up-to-down for ease of explanation. However, this is not intended to limit the directionality of the electric compressor 1. Specifically, in the first through sixth embodiments and their variations, the electric compressor 1 is a horizontal electric compressor in which the electric motor 4 and the compression mechanism 5 are arranged in series horizontally within the housing 2. Alternatively, the electric compressor 1 may be a vertical electric compressor in which the electric motor 4 and the compression mechanism 5 are arranged in series vertically within the housing 2.

[0099] In the first to sixth embodiments and their modifications, the electric compressor 1 is a scroll compressor. However, the electric compressor 1 is not limited to a scroll compressor. For example, the electric compressor 1 may be a so-called swash plate compressor.

[0100] While the embodiment and its modified examples of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment and modified examples, and further modifications are possible based on the technical concept of the present invention. Description of reference numerals:

[0101] 1: Electric compressor; 2: Housing; 3: Rotating shaft; 4: Electric motor; 5: Compression mechanism; 6: Inverter; 7: Inverter housing; 8: Fixed scroll; 8a: Base plate; 9: Orbiting scroll; 10: Crank mechanism; 13: Stator core unit; 14: Rotor; 15: Check valve; 16: Oil separator; 20: Motor housing; 21: Rear housing; 24: Main body; 24a: Front end face; 24b: Rear end face; 24c: Internal threaded portion; 25: Front cylinder; 25a: Front end face; 26: Rear cylinder; 26b: Rear end face; 27: Protrusion; 30: End wall; 30a: Outer surface; 30a1: Abutment portion; 30a2: Exposed portion; 30b: Inner surface; 31: Peripheral wall; 32: Inverter cover; 33: Bolt; 35: Switch element; 36: Control board; 38, 38' : through hole; 39: protrusion; 41: first protrusion; 42: second protrusion; 43, 44: internal threaded portion; 51: first bolt; 52: second bolt; 100, 100', 100": connecting member; 101: main portion; 102, 102': reinforcement portion; 111: first mounting portion; 111a: extension portion; 112: second mounting portion; 113, 113', 114, 115, 115': through hole; 116, 116': internal thread portion; 121, 122, 123: bolt; 130: flange portion; 131: internal thread portion; D1, D2: screwing direction; H1: suction chamber; H2: compression chamber; H3: discharge chamber; H4: space; L1: refrigerant channel; L2: discharge hole; P1: suction port; P2: discharge port; R1, R2: rotation direction.

Claims

1. An electric compressor, wherein: have: electric motors; a compression mechanism driven by the electric motor; an inverter driving the electric motor; a motor housing for housing the electric motor; as well as The inverter housing is fixed to the motor housing and accommodates the inverter. The motor housing has: a cylindrical main body; and a first protrusion, provided on the outer peripheral surface of the main body, The inverter housing has an end wall, and the outer surface of the end wall includes: an abutment portion abutting against one end surface of the main body; And the exposed part, exposed to the outside, A second protrusion is provided on the exposed portion of the outer surface of the end wall, The first protrusion is directly or indirectly fixed to the second protrusion.

2. The electric compressor according to claim 1, wherein The first protrusion abuts against the second protrusion, The first protrusion is directly fixed to the second protrusion by a bolt.

3. The electric compressor according to claim 1, wherein The first protrusion is indirectly fixed to the second protrusion via a connecting member.

4. The electric compressor according to claim 3, wherein: The connecting member includes: a first mounting portion in surface contact with the first protrusion; and a second mounting portion in surface contact with the second protrusion. The first mounting portion is fixed to the first protrusion, The second mounting portion is fixed to the second protrusion.

5. The electric compressor according to claim 4, wherein The first mounting portion is fixed relative to the first protrusion and the second mounting portion is fixed relative to the second protrusion by bolt fastening. The first mounting portion and the second mounting portion are each configured to function as a rotation stopper that suppresses rotation of the connecting member relative to the first protruding portion and the second protruding portion when the bolt is tightened.

6. The electric compressor according to claim 4, wherein The connecting member further includes a reinforcement portion.

7. The electric compressor according to claim 1, wherein A suction port is formed in the main body so as to be adjacent to the end surface. The compression mechanism is configured to compress and discharge the refrigerant sucked into the main body through the suction port. A switching element constituting the inverter is provided on a portion of the inner surface of the end wall adjacent to the abutting portion.

8. The electric compressor according to claim 1, wherein The electric compressor is mounted on a vehicle. The main body extends in the horizontal direction, The inverter housing extends in the up-down direction. A protrusion for fixing the inverter to the vehicle is provided on the upper portion of the inverter housing. The inverter case extends downward from the main body.

9. The electric compressor according to claim 8, wherein: The first protrusion is provided at the lower end portion of the outer peripheral surface of the main body. The second protrusion is provided at the exposed portion of the outer surface of the end wall at a height position equal to that of the first protrusion or at a height position lower than that of the first protrusion.

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