Electric compressor

Abstract

The present application suppresses resonance in an inverter case during operation of an electric compressor. An electric compressor (1) includes: an inverter (6) that drives an electric motor (4); a motor housing (20) that houses the electric motor (4); an inverter case (7) that is fixed to the motor housing (20) and houses the inverter (6); an inverter cover (32) that seals an opening of the inverter case (7); and a plurality of bolts (33a, 33b) for fixing the inverter cover (32) to the inverter case (7). Each of the inverter case (7) and the inverter cover (32) extends in a first direction (F1) that intersects an axial direction of the electric compressor (1) and protrudes from an outer contour of the motor housing (20) in the first direction (F1). A rib (40) is formed in the inverter cover (32). The rib (40) extends linearly in a manner that connects through holes for inserting the bolts (33a, 33b) that are adjacent to each other at intervals in the first direction (F1).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to an electric compressor. Background Technology

[0002] Most electric compressors used in automotive air conditioning systems for compressing refrigerant include an electric motor that drives the compression mechanism and an inverter. Furthermore, the inverter converts direct current (DC) from the vehicle battery into alternating current (AC) while simultaneously controlling the power supply to the electric motor to drive it. In this regard, Patent Document 1 discloses a method of securing the electric motor and inverter by axially abutting the motor housing (which houses the electric motor) against the inverter housing of the electric compressor.

[0003] Existing technical documents

[0004] Patent documents

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2022-138248 Summary of the Invention

[0006] The technical problem that the invention aims to solve

[0007] In recent years, the use of high voltage in electric vehicles has been increasing. Along with this, to ensure insulation distances at high voltages, the electronic circuit boards for inverters are becoming larger, resulting in larger inverters as well. Therefore, viewed axially from the electric compressor, the inverter housing extends significantly outward from the outer contour of the motor housing. Due to its low bending stiffness or low natural vibration frequency, this extended portion of the inverter housing may resonate during the operation of the electric compressor. However, this resonance will not cause damage to the inverter.

[0008] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to suppress resonance in the inverter housing during the operation of the electric compressor.

[0009] Technical solutions adopted to solve technical problems

[0010] According to one aspect of the present invention, an electric compressor is provided. The electric compressor includes: an electric motor; a compression mechanism driven by the electric motor; an inverter driving the electric motor; a motor housing housing the electric motor; an inverter housing fixed to the motor housing and housing the inverter; an inverter cover sealing an opening of the inverter housing; and a plurality of bolts for securing the inverter cover to the inverter housing. The motor housing, the inverter housing, and the inverter cover are arranged sequentially along the axial direction of the electric compressor. The inverter housing and the inverter cover extend along a first direction intersecting the axial direction of the electric compressor and extend further in the first direction than the outer contour of the motor housing. A plurality of through holes for inserting the plurality of bolts are formed in the inverter cover. Ribs are formed in the inverter cover, extending linearly such that the through holes, which are adjacent to each other in the first direction with a gap, are connected to each other.

[0011] According to another aspect of the present invention, an electric compressor is provided. The electric compressor includes: an electric motor; a compression mechanism driven by the electric motor; an inverter driving the electric motor; a motor housing housing the electric motor; an inverter housing fixed to the motor housing and housing the inverter; and an inverter cover sealing an opening of the inverter housing. The motor housing, the inverter housing, and the inverter cover are arranged sequentially along the axial direction of the electric compressor. The inverter housing and the inverter cover extend along a first direction intersecting the axial direction of the electric compressor, and extend further in the first direction than the outer contour of the motor housing. A rib extending linearly along the first direction is formed on the inverter cover. When viewed from the axial direction of the electric compressor, one end of the rib is located inside the outer contour of the motor housing, and the other end of the rib is located outside the outer contour of the motor housing.

[0012] Invention Effects

[0013] According to the present invention, resonance occurring in the inverter housing during operation of the electric compressor can be suppressed. Attached Figure Description

[0014] Figure 1 This is a front view of the electric compressor according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0015] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 AA sectional view.

[0016] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 A partial sectional view of BB.

[0017] Figure 4 This is a front view of the motor housing of the first embodiment.

[0018] Figure 5 This is a front view of the inverter enclosure of the first embodiment.

[0019] Figure 6 This is a rear view of the inverter enclosure of the first embodiment.

[0020] Figure 7 This is a front view of the inverter enclosure of the second embodiment.

[0021] Figure 8 This is a front view of the electric compressor according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 9 yes Figure 8 CC partial sectional view.

[0023] Figure 10 This is a front view of the inverter enclosure of the third embodiment.

[0024] Figure 11 This is a rear view of the inverter enclosure of the third embodiment.

[0025] Figure 12 This is a rear view of the inverter enclosure of the fourth embodiment. Detailed Implementation

[0026] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0027] Figure 1 This is a front view of the electric compressor 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 yes Figure 1 AA section view, which is a schematic longitudinal section view of electric compressor 1. Figure 3 yes Figure 1 A partial sectional view of BB. Figure 4 This is the front view of the motor housing 20. Figure 5 This is the front view of inverter housing 32. Figure 6 This is a rear view of the inverter housing 32. The following description, for ease of explanation, will focus on the electric compressor 1, as... Figure 1 and Figure 2 The diagram shows the definitions for front and back, left and right, and up and down.

[0028] The electric compressor 1 can be configured, for example, as part of the refrigerant circuit installed in a vehicle and constituting a vehicle air conditioning unit, to compress and discharge the refrigerant (in this embodiment, a gaseous refrigerant).

[0029] 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 that compresses the refrigerant driven by the rotating shaft 3; an inverter 6 that drives the electric motor 4; and an inverter housing 7. The rotating shaft 3, the electric motor 4, and the compression mechanism 5 are housed in the housing 2. Here, the electric motor 4 and the compression mechanism 5 are arranged in series within the housing 2 along the axial direction of the rotating shaft 3 (i.e., the axial direction of the electric compressor 1). The inverter 6 is housed in the inverter housing 7.

[0030] 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 a rotating scroll (movable scroll) 9 that rotates relative to the fixed scroll 8. The fixed scroll 8 and the rotating scroll 9 are arranged opposite each other in the axial direction of the electric compressor 1.

[0031] The gyratory scroll 9 is configured to be driven by the crank mechanism 10 via the rotating shaft 3 so as to rotate relative to the fixed scroll 8, in other words, to revolve around the axis of the fixed scroll 8.

[0032] The crank mechanism 10 is configured to connect the rotating shaft 3 to the rotary scroll 9, and to convert the rotary motion of the rotating shaft 3 into the rotary motion of the rotary scroll 9. The compression mechanism 5 is configured to draw in low-pressure refrigerant and compress it by causing the rotary scroll 9 to rotate relative to the fixed scroll 8.

[0033] The outer casing 2 is, for example, made of metal. The outer casing 2 includes a motor casing 20, also referred to as the front casing, and a rear casing 21. The motor casing 20 (the main body 24 described later) houses the rotating shaft 3 and the electric motor 4. The rear casing 21 (the front cylinder 25 described later) houses the compression mechanism 5. The outer casing 2 is constructed by fastening the rear end face (rear end face 24b described later) of the motor casing 20 to the front end face (front end face 25a described later) of the rear casing 21 with fasteners (not shown) or the like.

[0034] The motor housing 20 (its main body 24) is cylindrical, extending in the front-to-back direction (horizontal direction), and is particularly cylindrical in this embodiment. The front end face (one end face) 24a of the main body 24 is closed, and the rear end face (the other end face 24b) is open.

[0035] The rear outer casing 21 is a two-layered cylindrical structure. The rear outer casing 21 includes: a cylindrical front section 25 with an outer diameter equal to that of the main body 24 of the motor housing 20; and a rear section 26 with an outer diameter smaller than that of the front section 25. The front end face 25a of the front section 25 is open. The rear end face 26b of the rear section 26 is closed. Alternatively, the front section 25 and the rear section 26 can be separate components.

[0036] The electric motor 4 is, for example, a three-phase synchronous motor (brushless DC motor), which includes a stator core unit 13 and a rotor 14.

[0037] The stator core unit 13 is fixed to the inner circumferential surface of the main body 24 of the motor housing 20. Direct current from a vehicle battery (not shown) or the like is converted into three-phase alternating current by the inverter 6 and supplied to the stator core unit 13.

[0038] The rotor 14 is configured with a predetermined gap to the radially inner side of the stator core unit 13. A permanent magnet (not shown) is installed in the rotor 14. The rotor 14 is formed into a cylindrical shape and is fixed to the shaft 3 with the shaft 3 inserted through its hollow portion. That is, the rotor 14 and the shaft 3 are integrated.

[0039] When the electric motor 4 generates a magnetic field in the stator core unit 13 due to the power supply from the inverter 6, the rotor 14 rotates due to the rotational force acting on the permanent magnet of the rotor 14, thereby causing the shaft 3 to rotate.

[0040] A suction port P1 is formed on the upper part of the main body 24 of the motor housing 20, adjacent to the front end face 24a. The suction port P1 is connected to the low-pressure side of the refrigerant circuit via a connecting pipe (not shown).

[0041] like Figure 1 As shown, in this embodiment, the electric compressor 1 includes: an intake chamber H1 for receiving low-pressure refrigerant; a compression chamber H2 for compressing the low-pressure refrigerant; and a discharge chamber H3 for discharging the refrigerant compressed in the compression chamber H2.

[0042] The suction chamber H1 is divided into sections 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 flows through the refrigerant passage L1 to the space H4 near the compressor 5.

[0043] The compression chamber H2 is formed within the compression mechanism 5, specifically between the fixed scroll 8 and the rotating scroll 9. The compression mechanism 5 is configured to compress the low-pressure refrigerant by drawing in low-pressure refrigerant from the space H4 when the compression chamber H2 is formed.

[0044] The discharge chamber H3 is disposed within the rear cylinder portion 26 of the rear outer casing 21. A discharge port L2 is formed on the base plate 8a of the fixed scroll 8, communicating between the compression chamber H2 and the discharge chamber H3. Therefore, the refrigerant compressed in the compression chamber H2 of the compression mechanism 5 is discharged to the discharge chamber H3 via the discharge port L2. Furthermore, a check valve 15, for example a reed valve, is installed on the side 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.

[0045] An oil separator 16 is installed inside the discharge chamber H3 to separate the lubricating oil contained in the refrigerant (gaseous refrigerant). An outlet P2 is formed on the upper part of the rear cylinder 26 of the rear outer casing 21, communicating with the discharge chamber H3 (oil separator 16). The outlet P2 is connected to the high-pressure side of the refrigerant circuit via a connecting pipe (not shown). Therefore, for the refrigerant flowing into the discharge chamber H3, the lubricating oil is separated by the oil separator 16, and then discharged from the outlet P2 to the high-pressure side of the refrigerant circuit.

[0046] Therefore, low-pressure refrigerant from the refrigerant circuit flows into the suction chamber H1 through the suction port P1 and passes through the gap of the electric motor 4. Subsequently, it is guided through the refrigerant passage L1 to the space H4 near the compression mechanism 5. The low-pressure refrigerant guided to space H4 is drawn into the compression chamber H2 of the compression mechanism 5 and compressed along with the gyratory motion of the rotary scroll 9. The refrigerant compressed in the compression chamber H2 is discharged into the discharge chamber H3 through the discharge port L2 (and check valve 15), where it is then separated from lubricating oil by the oil separator 16. Next, the refrigerant from which lubricating oil has been separated by the oil separator 16 is discharged from the discharge port P2 back into the refrigerant circuit.

[0047] Here, the front end face 24a of the main body 24 of the motor housing 20 and the electric motor 4 (stator core unit 13 and rotor 14) can be cooled by the low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant flowing into the suction chamber H1 through the suction port P1. 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 (suction chamber H1) of the motor housing 20 from the suction port P1.

[0048] In this embodiment, a plurality of protrusions 27 are provided on the upper part of the housing 2 (at least one of the upper part of the motor housing 20 and the upper part of the rear housing 21). These protrusions 27 are used to secure the housing 2 to the vehicle. The protrusions 27 protrude upwards from the upper part of the housing 2 (at least one of the upper part of the motor housing 20 and the upper part of the rear housing 21). The protrusions 27 may also be, for example, rectangular (prismatic) or cylindrical.

[0049] The inverter housing 7 is, for example, made of metal. The inverter housing 7 is positioned in front of the main body 24 of the motor housing 20. The inverter housing 7 is fixed by abutting against the main body 24 of the motor housing 20.

[0050] The inverter housing 7 has an end wall (bottom wall) 30 and a peripheral wall 31, which rises from the periphery of the end wall 30 and defines an opening opposite to the end wall 30. The inverter housing 7 extends along a first direction F1 intersecting the axial direction of the electric compressor 1. Here, in this embodiment, the first direction F1 is a direction orthogonal to the axial direction of the electric compressor 1 and coincides with the vertical direction. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the inverter housing 7 is a rectangular box shape extending vertically, and the rear end of the inverter housing 7 is formed by the end wall 30. An inverter cover 32 for sealing the opening is detachably mounted at the front end of the inverter housing 7. The inverter cover 32 is, for example, made of metal or resin.

[0051] The inverter cover 32 has a rectangular plate-shaped main body 32a and a peripheral wall 32b that protrudes rearward from the periphery of the main body 32a. The front end face of the peripheral wall 31 of the inverter housing 7 abuts against the rear end face of the peripheral wall 32b of the inverter cover 32. Here, in this embodiment, the rear housing 21, the motor housing 20, the inverter housing 7, and the inverter cover 32 are arranged sequentially in the axial direction (from rear to front) of the electric compressor 1.

[0052] In this embodiment, multiple bolts 33a and 33b are used to secure the inverter cover 32 to the inverter housing 7. In this embodiment, three bolts 33a and seven bolts 33b are used. However, the number of bolts 33a and 33b is not limited to this and can be arbitrary.

[0053] Bolt 33a is a longer bolt than bolt 33b. Bolt 33a secures the inverter cover 32, the inverter housing 7, and the main body 24 of the motor housing 20 together. Therefore, multiple (three in this embodiment) through holes 32c are formed in the main body 32a and peripheral wall 32b of the inverter cover 32 for inserting the male threaded portion of bolt 33a. Furthermore, multiple (three in this embodiment) through holes 38a are formed in the end wall 30 and peripheral wall 31 of the inverter housing 7 for inserting the male threaded portion of bolt 33a. Additionally, multiple (three in this embodiment) female threaded portions 24c are formed in the main body 24 (front end face 24a) of the motor housing 20 for engaging the male threaded portion of bolt 33a.

[0054] Bolt 33b secures the inverter cover 32 to the inverter housing 7. Therefore, multiple (seven in this embodiment) through holes 32d are formed in the main body 32a and peripheral wall 32b of the inverter cover 32 for inserting the male threaded portion of the bolt 33b. Furthermore, multiple (seven in this embodiment) female threaded portions 38b are formed in the peripheral wall 31 of the inverter housing 7 for engaging with the male threaded portion of the bolt 33b.

[0055] The outer surface 30a of the end wall 30 of the inverter housing 7 is composed of an abutting portion 30a1 that abuts against the front end face 24a of the main body 24 of the motor housing 20 and an exposed portion 30a2 that is exposed to the outside.

[0056] The inverter 6, housed within the inverter housing 7, includes a plurality of (six in this embodiment) switching elements (power switching elements) 35 and a control board 36 on which control circuitry for controlling the switching elements 35 is mounted. The control board 36 is disposed within the inverter housing 7 at a position away from the end wall 30 on the opening side. The control board 36 is mounted to the inverter housing 7 by a mounting member (not shown). The switching elements 35 are disposed in the portion of the inner surface 30b of the end wall 30 of the inverter housing 7 adjacent to the abutment portion 30a1 (in other words, the portion adjacent to the front end face 24a of the main body 24).

[0057] To secure the inverter housing 7 to the main body 24 of the motor housing 20, in addition to the aforementioned bolts 33a, a plurality of bolts 34 (five in this embodiment) are used. Therefore, a plurality of through holes 38c (five in this embodiment) are formed on the end wall 30 of the inverter housing 7 for inserting the male threaded portions of the bolts 34. Furthermore, a plurality of female threaded portions 24d (five in this embodiment) are formed on the main body 24 (front end face 24a) of the motor housing 20 for engaging the male threaded portions of the bolts 34. Therefore, the bolts 34 are screwed in from the inside of the inverter housing 7. Here, the aforementioned bolts 33a, 33b and bolts 34 are all screwed in from the front to the rear (i.e., in the same direction). In addition, in this embodiment, the plurality of bolts 33a, 34 are arranged with a gap between them along the circumference of the main body 24 of the motor housing 20. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the plurality of bolts 33a, 33b are arranged with a gap between them along the circumferential wall 31 of the inverter housing 7. In other words, multiple bolts 33a and 33b are arranged circumferentially with gaps between each other along the peripheral wall 32b of the inverter cover 32.

[0058] In this embodiment, one or more protrusions 39 are provided on the upper part of the inverter housing 7. These protrusions 39 are used to secure the inverter housing 7 to the vehicle. The protrusions 39 protrude upwards from the upper part of the inverter housing 7. The protrusions 39 may also be, for example, rectangular or cylindrical in shape.

[0059] In this embodiment, viewed from the axial direction of the electric compressor 1 (in other words, in...) Figure 1 When viewed from the front (as shown), the inverter housing 7 and inverter cover 32 extend significantly downward from the outline of the main body 24 of the motor housing 20 (i.e., the outer outline of the motor housing 20), forming a so-called cantilever state. The natural frequency f of the bending deformation associated with the protrusion is expressed by the following formula (1).

[0060] [Formula 1]

[0061] In the above formula (1), f: Natural frequency [Hz] k: Equivalent stiffness [N / m] m: equivalent mass [kg].

[0062] In other words, the equivalent stiffness k represents the stiffness of the system including the inverter 6, the inverter housing 7, and the inverter enclosure 32. In other words, the equivalent mass m represents the mass of the system including the inverter 6, the inverter housing 7, and the inverter enclosure 32.

[0063] In this embodiment, in order to increase the aforementioned inherent frequency f, a pair of left and right ribs 40, 40 are formed on the outer surface (front surface) 32a1 of the inverter cover 32. The pair of left and right ribs 40, 40 extend parallel to each other in the vertical direction with a gap in the left and right direction.

[0064] Rib 40 protrudes forward from the outer surface 32a1 of the inverter housing and extends linearly in the vertical direction. Rib 40 extends linearly in such a way that it connects the through holes 32c, 32d that are adjacent to each other in the vertical direction with a gap between them.

[0065] In this embodiment, when viewed axially from the electric compressor 1, the through hole 32c located at the upper end (one end) of the rib 40 is located radially inward than the outline of the main body 24 of the motor housing 20 (the outer outline of the motor housing 20). Here, a bolt 33a is inserted into the through hole 32c located at the upper end of the rib 40.

[0066] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when viewed axially from the electric compressor 1, the through hole 32d located at the lower end (other end) of the rib 40 is located radially outward from the outline of the main body 24 of the motor housing 20 (the outer outline of the motor housing 20). Here, a bolt 33b is inserted into the through hole 32d located at the lower end of the rib 40.

[0067] In addition, recesses 41 are formed at the upper and lower ends of the rib 40 to accommodate the heads of bolts 33a and 33b, respectively.

[0068] In this embodiment, when viewed axially from the electric compressor 1, the upper end (one end) of the rib 40 is located radially inward than the outline of the main body 24 of the motor housing 20 (the outer outline of the motor housing 20). Furthermore, in this embodiment, when viewed axially from the electric compressor 1, the lower end (the other end) of the rib 40 is located radially outward than the outline of the main body 24 of the motor housing 20 (the outer outline of the motor housing 20).

[0069] The inverter cover 32 and the rib 40 are preferably formed in one piece.

[0070] Thus, by forming a pair of left and right ribs 40, 40 on the outer surface 32a1 of the inverter cover 32, the following effects (a) and (i) can be obtained with respect to the aforementioned formula (1).

[0071] (A) The root of the aforementioned bending deformation can be strengthened by rib 40, thus increasing the aforementioned equivalent stiffness k. This helps to increase the aforementioned natural frequency f.

[0072] (i) Regarding the aforementioned bending deformation at the front end (the lower end of the inverter housing 7 and the inverter cover 32), since no reinforcement is provided by the ribs 40, the increase in mass at this front end can be suppressed accordingly. This helps to suppress the increase in the aforementioned equivalent mass m, and in turn helps to suppress the decrease in the aforementioned natural frequency f.

[0073] 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; an inverter housing 7 fixed to the motor housing 20 and housing the inverter 6; an inverter cover 32 sealing the opening of the inverter housing 7; and a plurality of bolts 33a and 33b for fixing the inverter cover 32 to the inverter housing 7. The motor housing 20, the inverter housing 7, and the inverter cover 32 are arranged sequentially along the axial direction of the electric compressor 1. Each of the inverter housing 7 and the inverter cover 32 extends along a first direction F1 intersecting the axial direction of the electric compressor 1 and extends further in the first direction F1 than the outer contour of the motor housing 20. The inverter housing 32 has multiple through holes 32c and 32d for inserting multiple bolts 33a and 33b. Ribs 40 are formed in the inverter housing 32, extending linearly to connect the through holes 32c and 32d that are adjacent to each other in the first direction F1 with a gap between them. This suppresses resonance within the inverter housing 7 during operation of the electric compressor 1.

[0074] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, a bolt 33a is inserted into the through hole 32c at one end (upper end) of the rib 40 to fix the inverter cover 32, the inverter housing 7, and the motor housing 20 together, and a bolt 33b is inserted into the through hole 32d at the other end (lower end) of the rib 40 to fix the inverter cover 32 to the inverter housing 7. Thus, the rib 40 can be connected to the less vibrating motor housing 20 via the bolt 33a, thereby suppressing the vibration of the rib 40 itself.

[0075] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, when viewed axially from the electric compressor 1, the through hole 32c at one end (upper end) of the rib 40 is located further inward than the outer contour of the motor housing 20, and the through hole 32d at the other end (lower end) of the rib 40 is located further outward than the outer contour of the motor housing 20. Thus, the root of the aforementioned bending deformation can be strengthened by the rib 40, thereby increasing the aforementioned natural frequency f.

[0076] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, a rib 40 extending linearly along the first direction F1 is formed on the inverter housing 32. When viewed axially from the electric compressor 1, one end (upper end) of the rib 40 is located further inward than the outer contour of the motor housing 20, and the other end (lower end) of the rib 40 is located further outward than the outer contour of the motor housing 20. Thus, the root of the aforementioned bending deformation can be strengthened by the rib 40, thereby increasing the aforementioned natural frequency f.

[0077] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the rib 40 is formed on the outer surface 32a1 of the inverter cover 32. Therefore, the rib 40 can be easily formed by integrally molding the inverter cover 32 with the inverter cover.

[0078] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the electric compressor 1 is installed in a vehicle. The motor housing 20 extends horizontally. The first direction F1 is the vertical direction. A protrusion 39 for fixing to the vehicle is provided on the upper part of the inverter housing 7. The inverter housing 7 extends downward beyond the outer contour of the motor housing 20. The electric compressor 1 with the inverter housing 7 having the above-described structure can also suppress resonance occurring in the inverter housing 7 during its operation.

[0079] Next, use Figure 7 The second embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0080] Figure 7 This is a front view of the inverter housing 32 in this embodiment.

[0081] The differences from the first embodiment described above will be explained.

[0082] In this embodiment, a pair of upper and lower ribs 44 and 45 are formed on the outer surface (front surface) 32a1 of the inverter cover 32. The pair of upper and lower ribs 44 and 45 extend parallel to each other in the left and right directions with a gap in the vertical direction.

[0083] The upper rib 44 protrudes forward from the outer surface 32a1 of the inverter cover and extends linearly in the left-right direction. The upper rib 44 extends linearly in such a way that it connects the through holes 32c, 32c that are adjacent to each other in the left-right direction with a gap between them. Here, the left and right ends of the upper rib 44 overlap with the upper ends of the aforementioned pair of left and right ribs 40, 40, respectively.

[0084] In this embodiment, when viewed axially from the electric compressor 1, the through holes 32c, 32c at the left and right ends of the upper rib 44 are located radially inward than the outline of the main body 24 of the motor housing 20 (the outer outline of the motor housing 20). Here, bolts 33a are inserted into the through holes 32c, 32c at the left and right ends of the upper rib 44, respectively.

[0085] The lower rib 45 protrudes forward from the outer surface 32a1 of the inverter cover and extends linearly in the left-right direction. The lower rib 45 extends linearly in such a way that it connects the through holes 32d, 32d that are adjacent to each other in the left-right direction with a gap between them. Here, the left and right ends of the lower rib 45 overlap with the lower ends of the aforementioned pair of left and right ribs 40, 40, respectively.

[0086] In this embodiment, when viewed axially from the electric compressor 1, the through holes 32d, 32d at the left and right ends of the lower rib 45 are located radially outward from the outline of the main body 24 of the motor housing 20 (the outer outline of the motor housing 20). Here, bolts 33b are inserted into the through holes 32d, 32d at the left and right ends of the lower rib 45, respectively.

[0087] The upper and lower pairs of ribs 44 and 45 are also preferably formed integrally with the inverter cover 32 and rib 40.

[0088] In particular, according to this embodiment, a pair of upper and lower ribs 44 and 45 are formed on the outer surface 32a1 of the inverter cover 32. This can suppress the deformation and vibration of the inverter cover 32 itself.

[0089] In addition, in this embodiment, a pair of upper and lower ribs 44 and 45 are formed, but either one can be omitted.

[0090] Next, use Figures 8-11 The third embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0091] Figure 8This is a front view of the electric compressor 1 in this embodiment. Figure 9 yes Figure 8 CC partial sectional view. Figure 10 This is the front view of inverter housing 32. Figure 11 This is a rear view of inverter housing 32.

[0092] The differences from the first embodiment described above will be explained.

[0093] In the aforementioned first embodiment, a pair of left and right ribs 40, 40 are formed on the outer surface (front surface) 32a1 of the inverter cover 32. However, in this embodiment, a pair of left and right ribs 40', 40' are formed on the inner surface (rear surface) 32a2 of the inverter cover 32. The pair of left and right ribs 40', 40' are formed by widening a portion of the peripheral wall 32b of the inverter cover 32.

[0094] The relationship and function of the left and right pair of ribs 40', 40' and the through holes 32c, 32d in this embodiment are the same as those of the left and right pair of ribs 40, 40 mentioned above, so their description is omitted.

[0095] In particular, according to this embodiment, rib 40' is formed on the inner surface 32a2 of the inverter cover 32. Therefore, rib 40' can be easily formed by integrally molding the inverter cover 32 with the inverter cover.

[0096] Next, use Figure 12 The fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described. Figure 7 This is a rear view of the inverter housing 32 in this embodiment. The differences from the aforementioned third embodiment will be explained.

[0097] In this embodiment, a pair of upper and lower ribs 44' and 45' are formed on the inner surface (rear surface) 32a2 of the inverter cover 32. The pair of upper and lower ribs 44' and 45' extend parallel to each other in the left and right directions with a gap in the vertical direction.

[0098] The upper rib 44' protrudes rearward from the inner surface 32a2 of the inverter cover and extends linearly in the left-right direction. The upper rib 44' extends linearly in such a way that it connects the through holes 32c, 32c that are adjacent to each other in the left-right direction with a gap between them. Here, the left and right ends of the upper rib 44' overlap with the upper ends of the aforementioned pair of left and right ribs 40', 40', respectively.

[0099] In this embodiment, when viewed axially from the electric compressor 1, the through holes 32c, 32c at the left and right ends of the upper rib 44' are located radially inward than the outline of the main body 24 of the motor housing 20 (the outer outline of the motor housing 20). Here, bolts 33a are inserted into the through holes 32c, 32c at the left and right ends of the upper rib 44', respectively.

[0100] The lower rib 45' protrudes rearward from the inner surface 32a2 of the inverter cover and extends linearly in the left-right direction. The lower rib 45' extends linearly in such a way that it connects the through holes 32d, 32d that are adjacent to each other in the left-right direction with a gap between them. Here, the left and right ends of the lower rib 45' overlap with the lower ends of the aforementioned pair of left and right ribs 40', 40', respectively.

[0101] In this embodiment, when viewed axially from the electric compressor 1, the through holes 32d, 32d at the left and right ends of the lower rib 45' are located radially outward from the outline of the main body 24 of the motor housing 20 (the outer outline of the motor housing 20). Here, bolts 33b are inserted into the through holes 32d, 32d at the left and right ends of the lower rib 45', respectively.

[0102] The upper and lower pairs of ribs 44' and 45' are also preferably formed integrally with the inverter cover 32 and rib 40'.

[0103] In particular, according to this embodiment, a pair of upper and lower ribs 44' and 45' are formed on the inner surface 32a2 of the inverter cover 32. This can suppress deformation and vibration of the inverter cover 32 itself.

[0104] In addition, in this embodiment, a pair of upper and lower ribs 44' and 45' are formed, but either one can be omitted.

[0105] At least one of the upper and lower ribs 44' and 45' of the aforementioned fourth embodiment can also be formed in the inverter housing 32 of the aforementioned first and second embodiments. Furthermore, at least one of the upper and lower ribs 44' and 45' of the aforementioned second embodiment can also be formed in the inverter housing 32 of the aforementioned third and fourth embodiments.

[0106] In the aforementioned first to fourth embodiments, for ease of explanation, the electric compressor 1 is defined as front-back, left-right, and up-down, as described above. However, this is not intended to limit the directionality of the electric compressor 1. That is, in the aforementioned first to fourth embodiments, the electric compressor 1 is a horizontally mounted electric compressor in which the electric motor 4 and the compression mechanism 5 are connected in series in the horizontal direction within the housing 2. Alternatively, it can be a vertically mounted electric compressor in which the electric motor 4 and the compression mechanism 5 are connected in series in the vertical direction within the housing 2.

[0107] In the aforementioned first to fourth embodiments, the electric compressor 1 is a scroll compressor, but the electric compressor 1 is not limited to a scroll compressor. For example, the electric compressor 1 can also be a so-called swashplate compressor.

[0108] Hereinafter, examples of clauses that can be obtained from the first to fourth embodiments described above will be described.

[0109] [Project 1]

[0110] An electric compressor, comprising: Electric motor; A compression mechanism, which is driven by the electric motor; Inverter, which drives the electric motor; A motor housing that houses the electric motor; An inverter housing is fixed to the motor housing and houses the inverter. An inverter enclosure that seals the opening of the inverter housing; and Multiple bolts are used to secure the inverter cover to the inverter housing. The motor housing, the inverter housing, and the inverter cover are arranged sequentially along the axial direction of the electric compressor. Each of the inverter housing and the inverter cover extends along a first direction intersecting the axial direction of the electric compressor, and protrudes further in that first direction than the outer contour of the motor housing. The inverter housing has multiple through holes for inserting the multiple bolts. The inverter housing is formed with ribs that extend linearly in such a way that the through holes that are spaced apart from each other in the first direction are connected to each other.

[0111] [Project 2]

[0112] The electric compressor described in Project 1, wherein, A bolt is inserted into the through hole at one end of the rib, the bolt securing the inverter cover, the inverter housing, and the motor housing together. A bolt is inserted into the through hole at the other end of the rib, the bolt securing the inverter cover to the inverter housing.

[0113] [Project 3]

[0114] The electric compressor described in Project 2 or Project 3, wherein... When viewed from the axial direction of the electric compressor, The through hole located at one end of the rib is situated further inward than the outer contour of the motor housing. The through hole at the other end of the rib is located further outward than the outer contour of the motor housing.

[0115] [Project 4]

[0116] An electric compressor, comprising: Electric motor; A compression mechanism, which is driven by the electric motor; Inverter, which drives the electric motor; A motor housing that houses the electric motor; An inverter housing, which is fixed to the motor housing and accommodates the inverter; and An inverter cover that seals off the opening of the inverter housing. The motor housing, the inverter housing, and the inverter cover are arranged sequentially along the axial direction of the electric compressor. Each of the inverter housing and the inverter cover extends along a first direction intersecting the axial direction of the electric compressor, and protrudes further in that first direction than the outer contour of the motor housing. Ribs extending linearly along the first direction are formed on the inverter cover. When viewed from the axial direction of the electric compressor, One end of the rib is located further inward than the outer contour of the motor housing. The other end of the rib is located further outward than the outer contour of the motor housing.

[0117] [Project 5]

[0118] The electric compressor, as described in any one of Items 1 to 4, has the ribs formed on the outer surface of the inverter housing.

[0119] [Project 6]

[0120] The electric compressor, as described in any one of Items 1 to 4, has the ribs formed on the inner surface of the inverter housing.

[0121] [Project 7]

[0122] The electric compressor as described in any one of Projects 1 to 6, The electric compressor is installed in the vehicle. The motor housing extends horizontally. The first direction is the up-down direction. A protrusion for fixing to the vehicle is provided on the upper part of the inverter housing. The inverter housing extends downwards beyond the outer contour of the motor housing.

[0123] [Project 8]

[0124] The motor housing of the electric compressor, as described in any one of Items 1 to 7, is cylindrical.

[0125] [Project 9]

[0126] The electric compressor as described in any one of Items 1 to 8, wherein the first direction is a direction orthogonal to the axial direction of the electric compressor.

[0127] [Project 10]

[0128] The electric compressor as described in any one of Items 1 to 9, The inverter housing has an end wall, the outer surface of which includes: an abutting portion that abuts against one end face of the motor housing; and an exposed portion that is exposed to the outside.

[0129] [Project 11]

[0130] The electric compressor described in Project 10, An intake port is formed on the motor housing adjacent to the end face. The compression mechanism is configured to compress and discharge the refrigerant drawn into the motor housing from the suction port. A switching element constituting the inverter is provided on the inner surface of the end wall adjacent to the abutting portion.

[0131] The embodiments of the present invention have been described above. However, the present invention is not limited to the foregoing embodiments, and further modifications can be made based on the technical concept of the present invention, which is to be expected.

[0132] Symbol Explanation

[0133] 1 Electric compressor; 2 Housing; 3 Shaft; 4 Electric motor; 5 Compression mechanism; 6 Inverter; 7 Inverter housing; 8 Fixed scroll; 8a Base plate; 9 Rotating 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, 24d Female 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 Abutting portion; 30a2 Exposed portion; 30b Inner surface; 31 Peripheral wall; 32 Inverter cover; 32a Main body; 32a1 Outer surface; 32a2 Inner surface; 32b Peripheral wall; 32c, 32d through holes; 33a, 33b, 34 bolts; 35 switching element; 36 control board; 38a through hole; 38b female threaded part; 38c through hole; 39 protrusion; 40, 40' ribs; 41 recess; 44, 44', 45, 45' ribs; F1 first direction; H1 suction chamber; H2 compression chamber; H3 discharge chamber; H4 space; L1 refrigerant passage; L2 discharge hole; P1 suction port; P2 discharge port.

Claims

1. An electric compressor, comprising: Electric motor; A compression mechanism, which is driven by the electric motor; Inverter, which drives the electric motor; A motor housing that houses the electric motor; An inverter housing is fixed to the motor housing and houses the inverter. Inverter cover, which seals the opening of the inverter housing; as well as Multiple bolts are used to secure the inverter cover to the inverter housing. Its features are, The motor housing, the inverter housing, and the inverter cover are arranged sequentially along the axial direction of the electric compressor. Each of the inverter housing and the inverter cover extends along a first direction intersecting the axial direction of the electric compressor, and extends from the outer contour of the motor housing toward the first direction. The inverter housing has multiple through holes for inserting the multiple bolts. The inverter housing is formed with ribs that extend linearly in such a way that the through holes that are spaced apart from each other in the first direction are connected to each other.

2. The electric compressor as described in claim 1, characterized in that, A bolt is inserted into the through hole at one end of the rib, the bolt securing the inverter cover, the inverter housing, and the motor housing together. A bolt is inserted into the through hole at the other end of the rib, the bolt securing the inverter cover to the inverter housing.

3. The electric compressor as described in claim 1, characterized in that, When viewed from the axial direction of the electric compressor, The through hole located at one end of the rib is situated further inward than the outer contour of the motor housing. The through hole at the other end of the rib is located further outward than the outer contour of the motor housing.

4. An electric compressor, comprising: Electric motor; A compression mechanism, which is driven by the electric motor; Inverter, which drives the electric motor; A motor housing that houses the electric motor; An inverter housing is fixed to the motor housing and houses the inverter. as well as An inverter cover that seals off the opening of the inverter housing. Its features are, The motor housing, the inverter housing, and the inverter cover are arranged sequentially along the axial direction of the electric compressor. Each of the inverter housing and the inverter cover extends along a first direction intersecting the axial direction of the electric compressor, and extends from the outer contour of the motor housing toward the first direction. Ribs extending linearly along the first direction are formed on the inverter cover. When viewed from the axial direction of the electric compressor, One end of the rib is located further inward than the outer contour of the motor housing. The other end of the rib is located further outward than the outer contour of the motor housing.

5. The electric compressor as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The ribs are formed on the outer surface of the inverter cover.

6. The electric compressor as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The ribs are formed on the inner surface of the inverter cover.

7. The electric compressor as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The electric compressor is installed in the vehicle. The motor housing extends horizontally. The first direction is the up-down direction. A protrusion for fixing to the vehicle is provided on the upper part of the inverter housing. The inverter housing extends downwards beyond the outer contour of the motor housing.

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