Electric compressor

Abstract

An electric compressor reduces the number of connectors for external electrical connection and suppresses a decrease in connector shape stability caused thereby. In an electric compressor (1), a connector (20) installed to a connector mounting portion (10) of an outer surface of an inverter housing (6) is provided to supply high-voltage electric power and low-voltage electric power to an inverter (5). The connector (20) includes a resin-made connector housing (23), and a metal plate (30) having a plurality of fastening holes (33) is fixed to the connector housing (23) by insert molding. The connector (20) is fastened in each of the plurality of fastening holes (33) of the metal plate (30) by a bolt member (40) that penetrates a bottom wall portion (61) of the inverter housing (6) from an inner side of the inverter housing (6), and thereby is fixed to the connector mounting portion (10).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to electric compressors. Background Technology

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes an example of a conventional electric compressor. The electric compressor described in Patent Document 1 is a so-called inverter-integrated electric compressor, in which the motor, compression mechanism and inverter are housed in a frame. The inverter is supplied with high-voltage power from the outside through a high-voltage connector and with low-voltage power from the outside through a control signal connector.

[0003] Existing technical documents

[0004] Patent documents

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2023-172599 Summary of the Invention

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

[0007] To reduce the number of parts and assembly time, the inventors are exploring combining the high-voltage connector and the control signal connector into a single connector. In this case, the connector housing, primarily made of resin, becomes larger. Consequently, the connector's shape stability decreases, potentially leading to reduced ease of installation or gaps between the connector and its mounting portion.

[0008] The object of the present invention is to reduce the number of connectors used for external electrical connection in an electric compressor and to suppress the resulting decrease in connector shape stability.

[0009] Technical solutions for solving the problem

[0010] According to one aspect of the invention, an electric compressor includes: a motor; a compression mechanism driven by the motor; an inverter that drives and controls the motor; a compressor housing housing the motor and the compression mechanism; an inverter housing housing the inverter; and a connector mounted on a connector mounting portion on the outer surface of the inverter housing to supply power to the inverter. The connector is configured to supply both high-voltage and low-voltage power to the inverter. The connector includes a resin connector housing, on which a metal plate having a plurality of fastening holes is fixed by insert molding. The connector is fastened to each of the plurality of fastening holes in the metal plate by fastening members penetrating the wall of the inverter housing from the inside, thereby securing it to the connector mounting portion.

[0011] Invention Effects

[0012] According to the present invention, the number of connectors used for external electrical connection in an electric compressor can be reduced, and the resulting reduction in connector shape stability can be suppressed. Attached Figure Description

[0013] Figure 1 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the electric compressor according to the embodiment.

[0014] Figure 2 This is a perspective view showing the connector mounting section.

[0015] Figure 3 This is a 3D view of the connector.

[0016] Figure 4 This is a 3D view of the connector.

[0017] Figure 5 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the connector.

[0018] Figure 6 It is a 3D view of a metal plate.

[0019] Figure 7 This is a three-dimensional view of the first sealing component.

[0020] Figure 8 This is a three-dimensional view of the second sealing component.

[0021] Figure 9 This is a schematic sectional view of the second sealing component.

[0022] Figure 10 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the connector with the second sealing member installed.

[0023] Figure 11 This is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the connector mounted on the connector mounting section.

[0024] Figure 12 This is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the connector mounted on the connector mounting section. Detailed Implementation

[0025] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0026] Figure 1 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of an electric compressor according to one embodiment of the present invention. The electric compressor 1 of this embodiment is a so-called inverter-integrated electric compressor. The electric compressor 1 forms part of the refrigerant circuit of a vehicle air conditioning system (not shown), which is used to regulate the air inside the vehicle, and the electric compressor is configured to compress and discharge refrigerant.

[0027] Reference Figure 1 The electric compressor 1 includes a motor 2, a compression mechanism 3, a compressor housing 4, an inverter 5, and an inverter housing 6.

[0028] Motor 2 is, for example, a three-phase synchronous motor. Motor 2 is driven by power supplied from inverter 5 to rotate rotating shaft 2a. Compression mechanism 3 is, for example, a scroll compressor. Compression mechanism 3 is driven by the rotation of rotating shaft 2a, i.e., driven by motor 2, to compress and discharge refrigerant. Compressor housing 4 is formed in a cylindrical shape. Compressor housing 4 internally houses motor 2 and compression mechanism 3. Inside compressor housing 4, motor 2 and compression mechanism 3 are arranged in series. The opening on the compression mechanism 3 side of compressor housing 4 is sealed by first cover member 7.

[0029] Inverter 5 drives and controls motor 2. Inverter housing 6 is formed as a bottomed cylindrical shape, housing inverter 5 inside. Inverter housing 6 is disposed at the end of compressor housing 4 on the motor 2 side and is integral with compressor housing 4. Specifically, inverter housing 6 includes a bottom wall portion 61 having an area larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​compressor housing 4, and a peripheral wall portion 62 rising from the periphery of bottom wall portion 61. A portion of bottom wall portion 61 is configured to seal the opening on the motor 2 side of compressor housing 4. The opening of inverter housing 6 located on the side opposite to bottom wall portion 61 is sealed by a removable second cover member 8.

[0030] A portion of the bottom wall 61 of the inverter housing 6, which seals the opening on the motor 2 side of the compressor housing 4, forms a partition wall 9 that separates the interior of the compressor housing 4 from the interior of the inverter housing 6. The remaining portion of the bottom wall 61 of the inverter housing 6 protrudes radially outward beyond the compressor housing 4. Furthermore, a connector 20 for supplying high-voltage and low-voltage power from the outside to the inverter 5 is mounted on the outer surface of the remaining portion of the bottom wall 61 of the inverter housing 6. Specifically, a connector mounting portion 10 is formed on the outer surface of the remaining portion of the bottom wall 61 of the inverter housing 6, where the connector 20 is mounted. The high-voltage power is DC power from the vehicle battery (not shown), which serves as a power source, and the low-voltage power is an electrical signal (control signal) from the control unit of the vehicle air conditioning system.

[0031] The compressor housing 4 has an inlet 4a for refrigerant to flow into the space between the partition wall 9 and the motor 2, and the first cover member 7 has an outlet 7a for refrigerant to flow out. When the compression mechanism 3 is driven, refrigerant flows into the compressor housing 4 from the inlet 4a. The refrigerant flowing into the compressor housing 4 flows along the partition wall 9 and passes through the motor 2 to reach the compression mechanism 3, where it is compressed. Then, the refrigerant compressed by the compression mechanism 3 flows out from the outlet 7a.

[0032] The refrigerant flowing into the compressor housing 4 from the inlet 4a is a low-temperature gaseous refrigerant. Therefore, the partition wall 9 and the motor 2 can be cooled by the refrigerant flowing into the compressor housing 4 from the inlet 4a.

[0033] The inverter 5 will be further described. The inverter 5 includes an inverter circuit section 52, a filter circuit section 53, and a control circuit section 54 mounted on a circuit board 51. In addition, the inverter circuit section 52, the filter circuit section 53, and the control circuit section 54 are mounted on one circuit board 51, but they can also be mounted separately on multiple circuit boards.

[0034] The inverter circuit section 52 is configured to convert the DC power supplied from the vehicle battery via connector 20 into three-phase AC power, and supply it to the motor 2 via power supply lines 11 extending through the partition wall 9. Therefore, the inverter circuit section 52 includes a plurality of switching elements (e.g., IGBTs) 521, specifically, a total of six switching elements 521, including switching elements on the upper arm side of each phase and switching elements on the lower arm side of each phase. However, Figure 1 Only two of the switching elements 521 are shown in the diagram.

[0035] The filter circuit section 53 includes a smoothing capacitor (not shown) that smooths the power supplied to the inverter circuit section 52, a capacitor (not shown) that constitutes a noise filter, and a coil 531, etc.

[0036] The control circuit section 54 controls the switching of multiple switching elements 521 of the inverter circuit section 52 based on electrical signals (control signals) supplied from the control section of the vehicle air conditioning unit via connector 20. Furthermore, the control circuit section 54 has the function of sending a signal indicating the driving state of the motor 2, i.e., low-voltage power, to the control section of the vehicle air conditioning unit via connector 20.

[0037] Next, the connector mounting portion 10 and the connector 20 will be described. As described above, in this embodiment, the connector 20 is mounted on the connector mounting portion 10 provided on the outer surface of the bottom wall portion 61 of the inverter housing 6. Figure 2 This is a perspective view showing the connector mounting section 10.

[0038] Reference Figure 2 In this embodiment, the connector mounting portion 10 is surrounded by a surrounding wall portion 63 on the outer surface of the bottom wall portion 61 of the inverter housing 6. The surrounding wall portion 63 has an inner surface 631 and a front end surface 632. Furthermore, the connector mounting portion 10 is formed with a first through hole 65, a second through hole 66, and a plurality of (three in this case) third through holes 67 that communicate between the interior and exterior of the inverter housing 6. In addition, reference numeral 68 indicates the clearance hole of the pin portion 241a of the connector housing 23, which will be described later.

[0039] Figure 3 and Figure 4 This is a 3D view of connector 20. Figure 5 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of connector 20. (Refer to...) Figures 3 to 5 The connector 20 includes a plurality of (two in this case) high-voltage terminals 21, a plurality of (three in this case) low-voltage terminals 22, and a connector housing 23. The high-voltage terminals 21 are formed into elongated plate shapes from a conductor such as metal. The low-voltage terminals 22 are formed into elongated pin shapes or elongated plate shapes from a conductor such as metal. The connector housing 23 is formed of an insulating resin to hold each of the plurality of high-voltage terminals 21 and each of the plurality of low-voltage terminals 22 in a mutually spaced-out state.

[0040] The connector housing 23 has a base portion 24 formed in the shape of a plate or a block. The base portion 24 has a surface (hereinafter referred to as the "first surface") 241 facing the connector mounting portion 10 and a surface (hereinafter referred to as the "second surface") 242 facing in the opposite direction to the first surface.

[0041] A metal plate member (hereinafter referred to as "metal plate") is fixed to the first surface 241 of the base portion 24. The metal plate 30 is fixed to the first surface 241 of the base portion 24 by insert molding together with a plurality of high voltage terminals 21 and a plurality of low voltage terminals 22 when molding the connector housing 23.

[0042] Figure 6 This is a perspective view of the metal plate 30. The metal plate 30 has: a first plate through hole 31 corresponding to the first through hole 65 of the connector mounting portion 10; a second plate through hole 32 corresponding to the second through hole 66 of the connector mounting portion 10; and a plurality of (3) fastening holes 33 corresponding to the plurality of (3) third through holes 67 of the connector mounting portion 10. The fastening holes 33 are for bolt members 40 (see reference) to serve as fastening members. Figure 1 A threaded hole for threaded engagement. The fastening hole 33 is formed, for example, by flanging and tapping. Furthermore, two third plate through holes 34 are formed on the metal plate 30. The front end of the pin portion 241a, which protrudes from the first surface 241 of the base portion 24, protrudes from each of these two third plate through holes 34 (see reference). Figure 3 ).

[0043] In connector 20, a portion of one end 21a, which includes a plurality of high-voltage terminals 21 along its length, protrudes from the first surface 241 of base portion 24 through the first plate through-hole 31 of metal plate 30. This portion of one end 21 of each high-voltage terminal 21, except for one end 21a and a defined area therein, is covered by the first covering portion 25 of connector housing 23. A portion of the other end 21b, which includes the plurality of high-voltage terminals 21 along its length, protrudes from the second surface 242 of base portion 24.

[0044] Furthermore, a portion on one end side, including one end 22a along the length of the plurality of low-voltage terminals 22, protrudes from the first surface 241 of the base portion 24 through the second plate through-hole 32 of the metal plate 30. This portion on one end side of the plurality of low-voltage terminals 22, except for one end 22a and a defined area theren, is covered by the second covering portion 26 of the connector housing 23. Furthermore, although not explicitly shown in the figures, a portion on the other end side, including the other end along the length of the plurality of low-voltage terminals 22, protrudes from the second surface 242 of the base portion 24, similar to the portion on the other end side of the plurality of high-voltage terminals 21.

[0045] The connector housing 23 also has a first mounting portion 27 and a second mounting portion 28. The first mounting portion 27 is for mounting a connector (not shown) of a high-voltage wiring harness. The first mounting portion 27 rises from the second surface 242 of the base portion 24 and is formed to surround the other end portion of the plurality of high-voltage terminals 21. The second mounting portion 28 is for mounting a connector (not shown) of a low-voltage wiring harness. The second mounting portion 28 rises from the second surface 242 of the base portion 24 and is formed to surround the other end portion of the plurality of low-voltage terminals 22. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the high-voltage wiring harness is a power wiring harness extending from the vehicle battery, and the low-voltage wiring harness is a signal wiring harness extending from the control unit of the vehicle air conditioning unit.

[0046] The connector 20 is mounted on the connector mounting portion 10 by means of the connector housing 23. Specifically, the connector 20 is secured to the connector mounting portion 10 by means of bolt members 40 through corresponding third through holes 67 in each of the plurality of fastening holes 33 of the metal plate 30 fixed to the first surface 241 of the base portion 24. In other words, the connector 20 is secured to the connector mounting portion 10 by means of bolt members 40 passing through the bottom wall portion 61 of the inverter housing 6 from the inside of the inverter housing 6 and fastening them to each of the plurality of fastening holes 33 of the metal plate 30 fixed to the first surface 241 of the base portion 24. (Refer to...) Figure 1 ).

[0047] Here, when the connector 20 is installed in the connector mounting part 10, that is, when the connector housing 23 is fixed to the connector mounting part 10, the first sealing member 70 is disposed between the connector mounting part 10 and the connector 20, and a second sealing member 80 is provided to seal the gap between the connector 20 and the surrounding wall part 63. These sealing members will be described in detail later.

[0048] When the connector housing 23 is fixed to the connector mounting portion 10, the portions of one end of the plurality of high-voltage terminals 21 enter the inverter housing 6 through the first through hole 65 of the connector mounting portion 10 (i.e., through the bottom wall portion 61 of the inverter housing 6). Then, one end 21a of each high-voltage terminal 21 is electrically connected to the inverter circuit portion 52 of the inverter 5. Although not particularly limited, one end 21a of each high-voltage terminal 21 may be connected to a suitable position on the circuit board 51, for example, and may be electrically connected to the inverter circuit portion 52 through the first conductive pattern on the circuit board 51.

[0049] Similarly, when the connector housing 23 is mounted on the connector mounting portion 10, the portions of one end of the plurality of low-voltage terminals 22 enter the inverter housing 6 through the second through hole 66 of the connector mounting portion 10 (i.e., through the bottom wall portion 61 of the inverter housing 6). Then, one end 22a of each low-voltage terminal 22 is electrically connected to the control circuit portion 54 of the inverter 5. Although not particularly limited, one end 22a of each low-voltage terminal 22, like one end 21a of each high-voltage terminal 21, is connected to an appropriate position on the circuit board 51 and can be electrically connected to the control circuit portion 54 via the second conductive pattern on the circuit board 51.

[0050] Subsequently, when the connector of the high-voltage harness (power harness) is installed in the first mounting part 27, multiple high-voltage terminals 21 are connected to the high-voltage harness, enabling the supply of DC power (high-voltage power) from the vehicle battery to the inverter circuit section 52 of the inverter 5. Furthermore, when the connector of the low-voltage harness (signal harness) is installed in the second mounting part 28, multiple low-voltage terminals 22 are connected to the low-voltage harness, enabling the supply of electrical signals (low-voltage power) from the control section of the vehicle air conditioning unit to the control circuit section 54 of the inverter 5, and enabling the supply of signals (low-voltage power) indicating the drive status of the motor 2 from the control circuit section 54 of the inverter 5 to the control section of the vehicle air conditioning unit.

[0051] Next, the first sealing member 70 will be described. As described above, the first sealing member 70 is disposed between the connector mounting portion 10 and the connector 20. Specifically, in this embodiment, the first sealing member 70 is configured to be disposed between the connector mounting portion 10 and the metal plate 30 fixed to the first surface 241 of the base portion 24 of the connector housing 23, and to seal between them. Figure 7 This is a three-dimensional view of the first sealing component 70.

[0052] Reference Figure 7 The first sealing member 70 is formed as an annular sheet. The first sealing member 70 has multiple bolt insertion holes 71 corresponding to the multiple (3) third through holes 67 of the connector mounting portion 10 and the multiple (3) fastening holes 33 of the metal plate 30. When the connector housing 23 is fixed to the connector mounting portion 10, a corresponding bolt member 40 is inserted into each of the multiple bolt insertion holes 71. Furthermore, the first sealing member 70 has two pin insertion holes 72 corresponding to the two pin portions 241a of the connector housing 23. When the connector 20 is installed in the connector mounting portion 10, the first sealing member 70 is positioned by inserting the two pin portions 241a of the connector housing 23 into the two pin insertion holes 72. Although not particularly limited, the first sealing member 70 may be, for example, a metal gasket.

[0053] Next, the second sealing member 80 will be described. As described above, the second sealing member 80 seals the gap between the connector 20 and the surrounding wall portion 63. Specifically, in this embodiment, the second sealing member 80 is mounted on the connector housing 23 of the connector 20 and is configured to seal the gap between the connector housing 23 and the surrounding wall portion 63. Figure 8 This is a perspective view of the second sealing component 80. Figure 9 This is a schematic sectional view of the second sealing member 80.

[0054] Reference Figure 8 and Figure 9 The second sealing member 80 is formed in an annular shape and has a first sealing portion 81, a second sealing portion 82, and a bridging portion 83. The second sealing portion 82 is spaced apart from the first sealing portion 81 in the axial direction (height direction), and the bridging portion 83 connects the first sealing portion 81 and the second sealing portion 82. In other words, when the first sealing portion 81 is the lower part of the second sealing member 80, the second sealing portion 82 constitutes the upper part of the second sealing member 80, and the bridging portion 83 constitutes the middle part of the second sealing member 80. The second sealing member 80 is formed of an elastic material such as rubber.

[0055] Reference Figure 9Two inwardly projecting protrusions 811 are formed on the inner surface (inner circumferential surface) of the first sealing portion 81. In this embodiment, the two inwardly projecting protrusions 811 are spaced apart from each other in the axial direction. Specifically, one of the two inwardly projecting protrusions 811 is disposed at or near one end of the inner surface of the first sealing portion 81 in the axial direction, and the other of the two inwardly projecting protrusions 811 is disposed at or near the other end of the inner surface of the first sealing portion 81 in the axial direction. Furthermore, the front ends of the two inwardly projecting protrusions 811 are formed as flat surfaces. However, this is not a limitation. As long as at least one inwardly projecting protrusion 811 is formed on the inner surface of the first sealing portion 81, the number, arrangement, and shape of the inwardly projecting protrusions 811 can be arbitrarily set.

[0056] Two outwardly projecting portions 812 are formed on the outer surface (outer peripheral surface) of the first sealing portion 81. In this embodiment, the two outwardly projecting portions 812 are disposed at a position offset from the two inner projecting portions 811 in the axial direction. Specifically, the two outwardly projecting portions 812 are disposed adjacent to each other at the middle portion in the axial direction of the outer surface of the first sealing portion 81. Furthermore, the two outwardly projecting portions 812 are formed with a wedge-shaped cross-sectional shape whose thickness gradually decreases towards the front end. However, this is not a limitation. As long as at least one outwardly projecting portion 812 is formed on the outer surface of the first sealing portion 81, the number, arrangement, and shape of the outwardly projecting portions 812 can be arbitrarily set.

[0057] The second sealing portion 82 includes an annular inner extension portion 821 extending inward relative to the bridging portion 83 and an annular outer extension portion 822 extending outward.

[0058] The inner protrusion 821 has a wedge-shaped cross-sectional shape with a thickness that gradually thins inward. Specifically, the inner protrusion 821 has a surface (hereinafter referred to as the "third surface") 823 on the side of the first sealing portion 81 (bridging portion 83 side) and a surface (hereinafter referred to as the "fourth surface") 824 on the side opposite to the first sealing portion 81. The third surface 823 is formed as a flat surface parallel to a direction orthogonal to the axial direction, and the fourth surface 824 is formed as an inclined surface (including an inclined curved surface) that gradually approaches the third surface 823 inward.

[0059] The outer protrusion 822 has a wedge-shaped cross-sectional shape with its thickness gradually decreasing towards the outside. Specifically, the outer protrusion 822 has a surface 825 on the side of the first sealing portion 81 (the side of the bridging portion 83) (hereinafter referred to as the "fifth surface") and a surface 826 on the side opposite to the first sealing portion 81 (hereinafter referred to as the "sixth surface"). The fifth surface 825 is formed as a flat, inclined surface that gradually approaches the first sealing portion 81 in the outward direction, and the sixth surface 826 is formed as an inclined surface (including an inclined curved surface) that gradually approaches the fifth surface in the outward direction.

[0060] As described above, the second sealing member 80 is mounted on the connector housing 23 of the connector 20. Figure 10 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the connector 20 with the second sealing member 80 installed. (Refer to...) Figure 10 The first sealing portion 81 of the second sealing member 80 is installed at the sealing mounting portion 243 provided on the base portion 24 of the connector housing 23. The sealing mounting portion 243 is formed between the first surface 241 and the second surface 242 of the base portion 24. The sealing mounting portion 243 constitutes a part of the side surface of the base portion 24, a part of the side surface of the connector housing 23, and a part of the side surface of the connector 20.

[0061] When the second sealing member 80 is installed on the sealing mounting portion 243 of the connector housing 23, the front ends of the two inner protrusions 811 of the first sealing portion 81 contact the sealing mounting portion 243, and the third surface 823 of the inner protrusion 821 of the second sealing portion 82 contacts the second surface 242 of the base portion 24 of the connector housing 23.

[0062] Figure 11 and Figure 12 This is a cross-sectional view showing the state of connector 20 when it is installed in connector mounting part 10. (Refer to...) Figure 11 and Figure 12 In this embodiment, the connector 20, on which the second sealing member 80 is installed, is mounted on the connector mounting portion 10. Figure 11 → Figure 12 At this time, the first sealing member 70 is disposed between the connector mounting portion 10 and the metal plate 30 fixed to the first surface 241 of the base portion 24.

[0063] Furthermore, when the connector 20 is installed on the connector mounting portion 10, the front ends of the two outer protrusions 812 of the first sealing portion 81 of the second sealing member 80 contact the inner surface 631 of the surrounding wall portion 63 that surrounds the connector mounting portion 10. The front ends of the two inner protrusions 811 of the first sealing portion 81 contact the sealing mounting portion 243 of the connector housing 23. Therefore, the first sealing portion 81 of the second sealing member 80 is pressed between the sealing mounting portion 243 of the connector housing 23 and the inner surface of the surrounding wall portion 63.

[0064] Furthermore, when the connector 20 is installed on the connector mounting portion 10, the fifth surface 825 of the outer protrusion 822 of the second sealing portion 82 of the second sealing member 80 contacts and is pressed against the front end surface 632 of the surrounding wall portion 63, causing the outer protrusion 822 to deform. Through this deformation, the third surface 823 of the inner protrusion 821 contacts the second surface 242 of the base portion 24 of the connector housing 23 while being pressed against it, and the fifth surface 825 of the outer protrusion 822 contacts the front end surface 632 of the surrounding wall portion 63 while being pressed against it by a restoring force. That is, the second sealing member 80 is configured to cover the gap between the connector housing 23 (the base portion 24) and the surrounding wall portion 63 (the inner surface), and contacts both the second surface 242 of the base portion 24 and the front end surface 632 of the surrounding wall portion 63.

[0065] Furthermore, as described above, the connector 20 is fastened to the connector mounting portion 10 by bolt members 40 via corresponding third through holes 67 in each of the plurality of fastening holes 33 in the metal plate 30 fixed to the first surface 241 of the base portion 24 of the connector housing 23, thereby fixing it to the connector mounting portion 10. Thus, the connector mounting portion 10 and the connector 20 are sealed by the first sealing member 70, and the gap between the surrounding wall portion 63 and the connector 20 is sealed by the second sealing member 80.

[0066] According to the embodiment of the electric compressor 1, the following effects can be obtained, for example.

[0067] The connector 20, installed at the connector mounting portion 10 formed on the outer surface of the inverter housing 6, is configured to supply high-voltage power and low-voltage power to the inverter 5. Therefore, compared with the prior art, which separately provides high-voltage power connectors and low-voltage power connectors, the number of connectors can be reduced.

[0068] In addition, the connector 20 includes a resin connector housing 23, and a metal plate 30 with multiple fastening holes 33 is fixed to the connector housing 23 by insert molding. The connector 20 is fastened to each of the multiple fastening holes 33 of the metal plate 30 by bolt members 40 that pass through the bottom wall portion 61 of the inverter housing 6 from the inside of the inverter housing 6, thereby fixing it to the connector mounting portion 10.

[0069] Therefore, the reduction in the shape stability of connector 20 (connector housing 23) is suppressed, the decrease in the workability of mounting connector 20 to connector mounting part 10 is suppressed, and the generation of gap between connector 20 and connector mounting part 10 is also suppressed. In addition, since bolt member 40 passes through the bottom wall 61 of inverter housing 6 from the inside and is fastened to the fastening hole 33 of metal plate 30, the increase in connector installation space on the outer surface of inverter housing 6 can also be suppressed.

[0070] Furthermore, a sealing member (first sealing member 70) formed of an annular sheet is disposed between the connector mounting portion 10 and the metal plate 30, through which the bolt member 40 passes. Therefore, the connector mounting portion 10 and the connector 20 are well sealed, preventing water and the like from entering the inverter housing 6.

[0071] Furthermore, the connector mounting portion 10 is surrounded by the surrounding wall portion 63, and a sealing member (second sealing member 80) made of elastic material is mounted on the connector 20 to seal the gap between the connector 20 and the surrounding wall portion 63. The sealing member (second sealing member 80) has: a first sealing portion 81 that is clamped between the connector 20 and the surrounding wall portion 63 and pressed; a second sealing portion 82 that is configured to cover the gap between the connector 20 and the surrounding wall portion 63; and a bridging portion 83 that connects the first sealing portion 81 and the second sealing portion 82.

[0072] Specifically, in this embodiment, the connector 20 includes a connector housing 23 having a base portion 24. The base portion 24 has a first surface 241 facing the connector mounting portion 10 and a second surface 242 facing in the opposite direction to the first surface 241. The sealing member (second sealing member 80) is configured to be installed at a sealing mounting portion 243 formed between the first surface 241 and the second surface 242 of the base portion 24 of the connector housing 23 to seal the gap between the connector housing 23 and the surrounding wall portion 63. Furthermore, when the connector 20 is installed on the connector mounting portion 10, the first sealing portion 81 is clamped between the sealing mounting portion 243 and the surrounding wall portion 63 and pressed, and the second sealing portion 82 is configured to cover the gap between the connector housing 23 and the surrounding wall portion 63 and contacts the second surface 242 of the base portion 24 and the front end surface 632 of the surrounding wall portion 63.

[0073] Therefore, the gap between the connector 20 (connector housing 23) and the surrounding wall 63 is well sealed, preventing water from entering the connector mounting portion 10 and subsequently the inverter housing 6. In particular, by preventing water from entering the connector mounting portion 10, corrosion of the sealing member (first sealing member 70) disposed between the connector mounting portion 10 and the metal plate 30 can be prevented, and the reduction in the sealing performance of the sealing member (first sealing member 70) can also be suppressed.

[0074] Furthermore, the second sealing portion 82 has: an inner protrusion 821 having a surface (third surface 823) that extends inward and contacts the second surface 242 of the base portion 24; and an outer protrusion 822 having a surface (fifth surface 825) that extends outward and contacts the front end surface 632 of the surrounding wall portion 63. Moreover, when the connector 20 is mounted on the connector mounting portion 10, the outer protrusion 822 of the second sealing portion 82 is pressed against the front end surface 632 of the surrounding wall portion 63 and deformed. Through this deformation, the inner protrusion 821 is pressed against the second surface 242 of the base portion 24, while the outer protrusion 822 contacts the front end surface 632 of the surrounding wall portion 63 while being pressed against it by a restoring force. Therefore, it is possible to effectively prevent water from seeping into the gap between the connector 20 (connector housing 23) and the surrounding wall portion 63, and consequently into the connector mounting portion 10.

[0075] Furthermore, the inner protrusion 821 has a wedge-shaped cross-sectional shape with its thickness gradually decreasing inward, and the outer protrusion 822 has a wedge-shaped cross-sectional shape with its thickness gradually decreasing outward. Therefore, ensuring stable contact between the inner protrusion 821 and the second surface 242 of the base portion 24, and stable contact between the outer protrusion 822 and the front end surface 632 of the surrounding wall portion 63, can more effectively prevent water from seeping into the gap between the connector 20 (connector housing 23) and the surrounding wall portion 63, and consequently into the connector mounting portion 10.

[0076] Furthermore, the inner peripheral surface of the first sealing portion 81 has at least one inner protrusion 811 whose front end contacts the sealing mounting portion 243, and the outer peripheral surface of the first sealing portion 81 has at least one outer protrusion 812 whose front end contacts the inner surface 631 of the surrounding wall portion 63. Therefore, it is possible to more effectively prevent water from entering the connector mounting portion 10.

[0077] The embodiments of the present invention have been described above, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and modifications can be made based on the technical concept of the present invention.

[0078] Symbol Explanation

[0079] 1…Electric compressor; 2…Motor; 3…Compression mechanism; 4…Compressor housing; 5…Inverter; 6…Inverter housing; 10…Connector mounting part; 20…Connector; 21…High voltage terminal; 22…Low voltage terminal; 23…Connector housing; 24…Base part; 27…First mounting part; 28…Second mounting part; 30…Metal plate; 31…Through hole in the first plate; 32…Through hole in the second plate; 33…Fastening hole; 40…Bolt component; 61…Bottom wall of inverter housing; 63…Surrounding wall; 65 …First through hole; 66…Second through hole; 67…Third through hole; 70…First sealing member; 71…Bolt insertion hole; 80…Second sealing member; 81…First sealing part; 82…Second sealing part; 83…Bridging part; 241…First surface; 242…Second surface; 243…Sealing mounting part; 811…Inner protrusion; 812…Outer protrusion; 821…Inner extension; 822…Outer extension; 823…Third surface; 824…Fourth surface; 825…Fifth surface; 826…Sixth surface.

Claims

1. An electric compressor, comprising: Electric motor; A compression mechanism, which is driven by the motor; An inverter that drives and controls the motor; A compressor housing that houses the motor and the compression mechanism; An inverter housing that houses the inverter; and a connector, the connector being mounted on a connector mounting portion on the outer surface of the inverter housing to supply power to the inverter, characterized in that, The connector is configured to supply both high-voltage and low-voltage power to the inverter. The connector includes a resin connector housing, and a metal plate with multiple fastening holes is fixed to the connector housing by insert molding. The connector is secured to the connector mounting portion by fastening members that penetrate the wall of the inverter housing from the inside of the inverter housing in each of the plurality of fastening holes in the metal plate.

2. The electric compressor according to claim 1, characterized in that, An annular sealing member is disposed between the connector mounting portion and the metal plate, through which the fastening member passes.

3. The electric compressor according to claim 1, characterized in that, The connector includes: Multiple high-voltage terminals, one end of which enters the inverter housing and one end is electrically connected to the inverter; and Multiple low-voltage terminals, one end of which enters the inverter housing and the other end is electrically connected to the inverter. The connector housing holds the plurality of high-voltage terminals and the plurality of low-voltage terminals, and has: a first mounting portion formed to surround the other end portion of the plurality of high-voltage terminals and for mounting a connector of a high-voltage wire harness; and a second mounting portion formed to surround the other end portion of the plurality of low-voltage terminals and for mounting a connector of a low-voltage wire harness.

4. The electric compressor according to claim 3, characterized in that, The connector housing has a first surface facing the connector mounting portion and a base portion facing a second surface in the opposite direction to the first surface. The metal plate is fixed to the first surface of the base portion. The first mounting portion and the second mounting portion are formed on the second surface of the base portion.

5. The electric compressor according to claim 4, characterized in that, The connector mounting portion has a first through hole, a second through hole, and a plurality of third through holes that allow communication between the interior and exterior of the inverter housing. The metal plate has a first plate through hole corresponding to the first through hole and a second plate through hole corresponding to the second through hole, and the plurality of fastening holes are formed corresponding to the plurality of third through holes. In the connector, One end portion of the plurality of high-voltage terminals protrudes from the first surface of the base portion through the through hole in the first plate, and the other end portion of the plurality of high-voltage terminals protrudes from the second surface of the base portion. One end portion of the plurality of low-voltage terminals protrudes from the first surface of the base portion through the through hole of the second plate, and the other end portion of the plurality of low-voltage terminals protrudes from the second surface of the base portion.

6. The electric compressor according to any one of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that, The inverter includes an inverter circuit section having multiple switching elements and a control circuit section for controlling the multiple switching elements. One end of the plurality of high-voltage terminals is electrically connected to the inverter circuit section. One end of the plurality of low-voltage terminals is electrically connected to the control circuit section. The high-voltage harness is a power supply harness. The low-voltage harness is a signal harness.

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