Electric motor

Abstract

The invention describes an electric motor comprising a stator (1), a rotor (3) surrounding the stator (1), a shaft (5) non-rotatably connected to the rotor (3), a first housing component (6), and a second housing component (7), which together enclose a motor compartment in which the rotor (3) and the stator (1) are arranged, wherein a first end of the shaft (5) is arranged in the motor compartment and a second end of the shaft (5) protrudes from an opening in the second housing component (7). According to the invention, the first housing component (6), together with a third housing component (8), encloses an electronics compartment in which control electronics are arranged, wherein a wall (10) of the first housing component (6) separates the motor compartment from the electronics compartment, and the control electronics comprise a printed circuit board (9) whose plane faces this wall (10).

Description

[0001] The invention is based on an electric motor having the features specified in the preamble of claim 1, as is known, for example, from EP 3 091 637 B1.

[0002] Such electric motors are used primarily in motor vehicles, for example, to drive a fan. Car manufacturers are increasingly demanding that such electric motors be equipped with control electronics, thus reducing the load on the vehicle's engine control unit.

[0003] The object of the present invention is to show a way in which an electric motor of the type mentioned at the beginning can be provided with control electronics in the most cost-effective and space-saving way possible.

[0004] This object is achieved by an electric motor having the features specified in claim 1. Advantageous developments of the invention are the subject of subclaims.

[0005] An electric motor according to the invention has a first housing component and a second housing component, which together enclose a motor compartment in which a rotor and a stator, as well as an end of the shaft, are arranged. The first housing component and a third housing component together enclose an electronics compartment in which control electronics are arranged, which, during operation, controls the power supply to stator windings and the operation of the electric motor. A wall of the first housing component separates the motor compartment from the electronics compartment, and the control electronics has a printed circuit board whose plate plane faces this wall. For example, the plate plane can run perpendicular to the geometric longitudinal axis of the shaft.

[0006] In this way, control electronics can be integrated into a compact electric motor. By using the first housing component for both the motor compartment and the electronics compartment, the total number of required components can be kept relatively low, enabling cost-effective manufacturing. By locating the circuit board of the control electronics facing a wall of the first housing component, the axial length of the electric motor is advantageously increased only slightly by the control electronics.

[0007] An advantageous development of the invention provides that the engine compartment and the electronics compartment are sealed from each other. Both the electronics compartment and the engine compartment can be sealed against water ingress, for example, by arranging ring seals between the first and second housing components and between the first and third housing components.

[0008] A further advantageous development of the invention provides that the first housing component has an inlet and an outlet for coolant, and the electric motor has a cooling channel for cooling the stator and the control electronics. The cooling channel can run completely or a section of the cooling channel along the wall of the first housing component that separates the motor compartment from the electronics compartment. For example, the first housing component can carry a cooling plate, and an electronic component of the control electronics can rest against one side of the cooling plate, while the cooling channel flows along an opposite side of the cooling plate. This cooling plate can be formed integrally with the first housing component or attached to the first housing component as a separate component, for example by welding or screwing.A cooling channel section flowing along the cooling plate can very efficiently cool an electronic component of the control electronics. Another cooling channel section can run in an interior space enclosed by the stator, thus cooling the stator itself.

[0009] A further advantageous development of the invention provides that the first housing component has a housing opening in which an electrical connector is mounted, which is connected to the control electronics. This advantageously simplifies production. The second and third housing components can then be designed simply and can be easily connected to the first housing component.

[0010] Further details and advantages of the invention are explained using an exemplary embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings. They show: Fig. 1 shows an embodiment of an electric motor according to the invention in a sectional view; Fig. 2 another view of the electric motor; Fig. 3 a view of the electric motor without a third housing component and without a printed circuit board; and Fig. 4 a view according to Fig. 3 without cooling plate.

[0011] The electric motor shown in the figures has a stator 1 with stator windings 2, a rotor 3 with permanent magnets 4, and a shaft 5 connected to the rotor 3 in a rotationally fixed manner, for example by screwing or welding. The rotor 3 and stator 1 are enclosed in a motor compartment defined by a first housing component 6 and a second housing component 7. The second housing component 7 has an opening from which the shaft 5 protrudes.

[0012] The first housing component 6, together with a third housing component 8, defines an electronics compartment in which a printed circuit board 9 with control electronics is arranged. The motor compartment and the electronics compartment are separated from one another by a wall 10 of the first housing component 6. The printed circuit board 9 faces this wall 10, i.e., is oriented essentially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the shaft 5. The motor compartment and the electronics compartment are sealed from one another. Electrical lines that connect the stator windings 2 to the printed circuit board 9 of the control electronics are routed through sealed openings in the wall 10 of the first housing component 6.

[0013] Both the electronics compartment and the engine compartment each have a pressure equalization opening 11, 12, which is closed with a membrane that is permeable to air and impermeable to liquid water. Fig.In the embodiment shown in Figure 2, the pressure equalization opening 11 of the electronics compartment is arranged in the first housing component 6, and the pressure equalization opening 12 of the motor compartment is arranged in the second housing component 7. However, it is also possible to arrange both pressure equalization openings 11, 12 in the first housing component 6.

[0014] The first housing component 6 has an inlet 13 and an outlet 14 for coolant. A cooling channel leading from the inlet 13 to the outlet 14 has a channel section 15 for cooling an electronic component 17 of the control electronics and a channel section 16 for cooling the stator 1. The channel sections 15, 16 are connected in series. In the illustrated embodiment, the cooling channel section 15 for cooling the electronic component 17 is arranged upstream of the channel section 16 for cooling the stator 1. However, it is also possible for the cooling channel section 15 to be flowed through only after the cooling channel section 16.

[0015] The first housing component 6 supports a cooling plate 18, along the underside of which coolant flows during operation. For example, the cooling plate 18, together with the wall 10 separating the engine compartment from the electronics compartment, can define a start and end section of the cooling channel, in particular also the cooling channel section 15 for cooling the electronic component 17 of the control electronics. One or more electronic components 17 of the control electronics rest on the upper side of the cooling plate 18. To improve heat dissipation, the cooling plate 18 can have projections 19 on its underside that extend into the cooling channel section 15.

[0016] The cooling channel section 16 for cooling the stator 1 runs in an interior space surrounded by the stator 1. This cooling channel section 16 is thus also delimited by the wall 10, which separates the motor compartment from the electronics compartment. In the illustrated embodiment, the wall 10 forms an annular space surrounded by the stator 1, into which an insert 20 is inserted, which, together with the wall 10, defines the cooling channel section 16. However, the insert 10 can also be formed integrally with the first housing component 6.

[0017] The annular space defined by the wall 10, in which the cooling channel section 16 for cooling the stator 1 runs, surrounds an end section of the shaft 5 and bearings 21, 22 of the shaft 5. The cooling channel section 16 thus also cools the bearings 21, 22 of the shaft 5.

[0018] The housing of the electric motor carries several electrical connectors 23, 24 for power supply and communication with the control electronics. The connectors 23, 24 are attached to the first housing component. List of reference symbols 1 stator 2 stator windings 3 Rotor 4 permanent magnets 5 Wave 6 first housing component 7 second housing component 8 third housing component 9 Circuit board 10 Wall 11 Pressure equalization opening 12 Pressure equalization opening 13 Coolant inlet 14 Coolant outlet 15 Cooling channel section 16 Cooling channel section 17 Electronic components 18 Cooling plate 19 projections 20 deployment 21 camps 22 warehouses 23 connectors 24 connectors QUOTES CONTAINED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents submitted by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the convenience of the reader. This list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] EP 3 091 637 B1

[0001]

Claims

[1] Electric motor with a stator (1), a rotor (3) surrounding the stator (1), a shaft (5) connected to the rotor (3) in a rotationally fixed manner, a first housing component (6) and a second housing component (7) which together enclose a motor compartment in which the rotor (3) and the stator (1) are arranged, wherein a first end of the shaft (5) is arranged in the engine compartment and a second end of the shaft (5) protrudes from an opening of the second housing component (7), characterized by , that the first housing component (6) together with a third housing component (8) encloses an electronics compartment in which control electronics are arranged, wherein a wall (10) of the first housing component (6) separates the engine compartment from the electronics compartment and the control electronics comprises a printed circuit board (9) whose plate plane faces this wall (10). [2] Electric motor according to claim 1, characterized by that the electronics compartment and the engine compartment are sealed against each other. [3] Electric motor according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that both the electronics compartment and the engine compartment each have a pressure equalization opening (11, 12) which is closed with a membrane which is permeable to air and impermeable to liquid water. [4] Electric motor according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by an inlet (13) and an outlet (14) for cooling liquid on the first housing component (6) and a cooling channel for cooling the stator (1) and the control electronics. [5] Electric motor according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the cooling duct runs along the wall (10) that separates the engine compartment from the electronics compartment. [6] Electric motor according to claim 4 or 5, characterized bythat the first housing component (6) carries a cooling plate (18) and an electronic component (17) of the control electronics rests on one side of the cooling plate (18), while the cooling channel runs along an opposite side of the cooling plate (18). [7] Electric motor according to claim 6, characterized by that the cooling plate (18) has projections (19) projecting into the cooling channel. [8] Electric motor according to one of claims 4 to 7, characterized by that the cooling channel leads through an interior space surrounded by the stator (1) which is delimited by the wall (10) of the first housing component (6). [9] Electric motor according to one of claims 4 to 8, characterized by that the cooling channel has cooling channel sections (15, 16) arranged one behind the other for cooling the control electronics and the stator (1). [10] Electric motor according to one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat the first housing component (6) has a housing opening in which an electrical connector (23, 24) is mounted, which is connected to the control electronics.

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