Electric motor device for driving a sunroof or a roller blind in a vehicle

Abstract

Electric motor device (10) for driving a sunroof or a roller blind in a vehicle, comprising: a rotor device (20) comprising a plurality of magnets (22) and a rotor shaft (24); a stator device (30) having a core (31) having a plurality of stator teeth (32) projecting toward the rotor device (20), a plurality of windings (33) provided on the stator teeth (32), and respective terminals (34) provided at respective ends of the windings (33); a control device (40) configured to drive rotation of the rotor device (20) with respect to the stator device (30) by controlled energization of the windings (33) via the respective terminals (34); a stator housing (50) formed of a metal or plastic material provided with a conductive layer; wherein the stator device (30) is completely accommodated in the stator housing (50), and wherein the control device (40) has a first portion (41) which is also accommodated in the stator housing (50) and a second portion (42) which extends outside the stator housing (50).

Description

Technical area:

[0001] The present invention relates to an electric motor device for driving a sunroof or a roller blind in a vehicle. Technical background:

[0002] Brushless motors, such as BLDC (brushless direct current) or PMSM (permanent magnet synchronous) motors, are increasingly being used as electric motor devices to drive various components in vehicles, with important implementations involving sunroofs or window shades, for example. Such motors offer several advantageous features over conventional brushed DC motors and other alternatives. For example, compared to brushed DC motors, PMSM motors have fewer components that typically wear out over time. This means that PMSM motors can operate for much longer periods without maintenance. Furthermore, PMSM motors are generally very efficient because they do not suffer from voltage drops and energy losses, resulting in less battery consumption in vehicles, an essential factor for both conventional and electric vehicles (EVs).

[0003] In addition, PMSM motors incorporate control devices that enable precise control of speed, torque, and position. This precision is especially important for sunroofs, where smooth operation and the ability to stop precisely in positions are critical to user satisfaction and safety. Modern vehicles are becoming increasingly integrated with electronic systems, and PMSM motors are well-suited for integration as part of such systems due to their controllability and the ease with which they can be integrated with electronic control units (ECUs) and sensors.

[0004] Additionally, PMSM motors tend to produce less noise compared to brushed motors, a significant advantage in the automotive environment, where noise reduction is constantly sought. Furthermore, they generate less electromagnetic interference, which could disrupt the vehicle's electronic systems. Furthermore, PMSM motors tend to be more compact and lightweight without compromising performance. This property is advantageous in automotive applications where space conservation and avoiding significant additional weight to the vehicle are important considerations.

[0005] Generally, PMSM motors may comprise a stator assembly and a rotor assembly housed in a common housing along with a respective control assembly. The stator assembly includes a stator core, stator teeth, and windings wound around the stator teeth, which are electrically energized under appropriate control of the control assembly to drive the rotor assembly. The control assembly is typically located away from the moving parts of the rotor assembly to avoid structural interference with a rotor shaft extending outward to engage a gear mechanism through which torque is transmitted to the respective driven component.

[0006] Common stator designs for brushless DC motors (BLDC or PMSM motors) involve a stator that is not completely enclosed within the stator housing of the motor. Often, the ends of the respective windings, representing the U, V, and W phases, are exposed to the outside of the stator housing and are then covered with plastic terminal holders. Furthermore, the U, V, and W terminals may include terminals with additional length to connect to a control and power supply device. These extended terminals are often only covered by the plastic parts of the gearbox frame. These ends of the windings and extended terminals cause higher electromagnetic radiation, which in turn leads to higher EMC values ​​in certain frequency ranges.To suppress these emissions, additional metal shields are therefore required, which are usually located outside the stator housing and / or the plastic frames of the electric motor device.

[0007] Since the existing stator design may include additional parts such as extended terminals, terminal holders, and additional metal shields, this increases costs (material costs) and also requires additional process steps, increasing complexity and cycle time. Furthermore, additional metal shields and extended terminals, as separate parts, can contribute to the vibration behavior of the overall device and thus cause additional noise during operation or pre-conducted vibration validation tests.

[0008] Document US 12 062 949 B2 describes a stator housing in which, in addition to the stator device, a printed circuit board (PCB) is also held on a holder. The stator and the PCB are both fully accommodated within the stator housing. The PCB is directly connected to the conductive housing via a spring element. The EMC shielding requirement can thus be met, and the PCB and the motor windings are directly contacted without the need for cables to be led out of the housing. However, connections for the power supply, etc., are provided on top of the stator housing, which can result in the motor not being very space-efficient. Furthermore, components of the control device that are not relevant with regard to EMC shielding are also contained within the stator housing, resulting in an unnecessary increase in the dimensions of the stator housing.For this reason alone, the motor device proposed in US'949 appears to be less suitable for applications in a vehicle, where installation space is a critical problem.

[0009] Furthermore, the electrical contact between the PCB and the stator housing is made by a press-fit spring contact that is pressed onto the PCB. When the PCB is inserted into the housing, the spring contact is then pressed against the housing. Furthermore, the PCB is inserted into the stator housing before the stator and rotor fixtures, which is disadvantageous in terms of process efficiency and in terms of an approach to assembling the most vulnerable parts in later assembly stages.

[0010] The document EP 3 631 953 B1 discloses a stator housing in which a control unit with a PCB is additionally arranged. Description of the invention:

[0011] It is an object to provide an electric motor device for driving components in a vehicle which improves on known stator concepts by reducing electromagnetic and acoustic emissions, and which further enables miniaturization and reduces the costs of manufacturing and additional parts.

[0012] According to aspects and embodiments of the invention, an electric motor device for driving a sunroof or a roller blind in a vehicle is provided, comprising: a rotor device comprising a plurality of magnets and a rotor shaft, a stator device having a core having a plurality of stator teeth projecting toward the rotor device, a plurality of windings provided on the stator teeth, and respective terminals provided at respective ends of the windings, a control device configured to drive rotation of the rotor device with respect to the stator device by controllably energizing the windings via the respective terminals, and a stator housing formed of a metal or plastic material provided with a conductive layer.Here, the stator device is completely accommodated in the stator housing, and the control device has a first portion, which is also accommodated in the stator housing, and a second portion, which extends outside the stator housing.

[0013] According to the novel stator concept proposed in connection with the claimed electric motor device, only a part of the control device, for example, the corresponding printed circuit board (PCB), is completely or partially enclosed by the stator housing. According to one embodiment, those circuit components responsible for strong EMC fluctuations, in particular switches, voltage converters, voltage or current regulators, etc., can be mounted in the control device in a sub-area (PCB: section) that is accommodated in the stator housing. However, to promote miniaturization, a remaining sub-area or section of the control device or PCB can protrude from the stator housing, for example, through an opening or an interruption. Consequently, the stator housing can be kept small in size.

[0014] According to one embodiment, the connector for the electrical connection in the vehicle is located at the end of the control device or circuit board that is outside the stator housing.

[0015] Preferably, the circuit board is equipped with electrical components or devices on both sides, enabling a compact design. With respect to the known concepts described above, relocating the circuit board from, for example, the gearbox housing or frame to the stator housing is achieved to improve EMC shielding. At the same time, the overall dimensions of the electric motor device can be kept relatively flat and allow connection via a side connector (connector placed laterally to the stator housing).

[0016] Furthermore, electrical contact between the control device or circuit board and the stator housing is facilitated more efficiently than described, for example, with reference to document US'949. According to one embodiment, contacting need only be performed after the circuit board has been inserted into the housing. For example, contact can be established after the circuit board has been inserted into the housing by soldering an angle piece between the circuit board and the housing as an SMD (surface-mounted device) component onto the circuit board, e.g., using a so-called reflow soldering process. However, pre-assembling the SMD angle piece with the circuit board is also possible or may even be advantageous, since the SMD component can be mounted in the same process in which other devices are soldered to the circuit board.

[0017] Furthermore, the present stator housing allows the stator device and the rotor device to be inserted into the stator housing and then the printed circuit board to be placed thereon, thereby connecting it to the housing.

[0018] Furthermore, according to one embodiment of the invention, a holder assembly on which the circuit board is mounted and which is press-fitted into the stator housing is made of two separate holder elements, which increases durability and assembly accuracy. At the same time, damage to the control device or circuit board can be avoided. This allows one holder element to be press-fitted into the stator housing, and the other holder element, together with the circuit board mounted thereon, is mounted on the press-fit part.

[0019] Some advantages can be summarized as follows: According to embodiments, the electromagnetic circuit (stator) and the ECU may be fully (stator device) or partially (control device, printed circuit board, PCB) integrated into a metal housing of the stator device.

[0020] According to further embodiments, extended phase connections according to the previous concepts can be avoided. Short phase connections can be connected directly to the nearby circuit board.

[0021] According to still further embodiments, a shorter grounding path can be achieved compared to the previous concepts: the grounding terminal can now be connected directly from the circuit board to the metal housing via the angle piece.

[0022] In terms of electromagnetic shielding, the stator's metal housing can act as an effective "shield" for the stator's electromagnetic emissions, reducing electromagnetic interference radiated into the surrounding environment. Reduction of radiated emissions is achieved by encapsulating the magnetic field generated entirely within the stator housing, limiting electromagnetic radiation that could interfere with nearby electronics. Furthermore, the stator housing prevents high-frequency electromagnetic noise generated by the stator's switching currents (power electronics / ECU components) from escaping.

[0023] The fact that a terminal holder and extended phase connections can be eliminated simplifies the installation process. Previously, installing the three-phase connections in the terminal holder was a complex process.

[0024] Furthermore, there is no requirement for a cover due to the partial integration of the ECU, control unit, or PCB within the stator housing. The corresponding assembly process is not required with the new design.

[0025] Additional metal shielding to achieve the EMC level is also not required, as the stator device is now fully inserted into the metallic stator housing.

[0026] In terms of noise, since there is no longer a requirement for additional metal shielding, additional noise and vibration are ultimately reduced. Therefore, the fewer parts and shorter tolerance chains that must be considered for assembly directly lead to reduced noise problems.

[0027] Further advantageous aspects and embodiments emerge from the dependent claims. Short description of the drawings: Fig. 1 shows a side cutaway perspective view of a stator device fully housed within a stator housing formed of metal, according to one embodiment; Fig. Figure 2 shows a schematic perspective view of an electric motor device (PMSM motor) incorporating the stator device of Fig. 1 includes, according to one embodiment; Fig. Figure 3 shows a sectioned perspective profile view of an electric motor device (PMSM motor) incorporating the stator device of Fig. 1 includes, according to one embodiment; Fig. 4 shows a perspective view of an electric motor device (PMSM motor) incorporating the stator device of Fig. 1 includes, according to one embodiment; Fig. 5 shows a schematic perspective view of a vehicle in which a sunroof is formed; Detailed description of preferred embodiments:

[0028] In the following description of preferred exemplary embodiments, it should be understood that the present disclosure of the various aspects is not limited to the details of the construction and arrangement of the components as illustrated in the following description and in the figures. The exemplary embodiments may be practiced or embodied in a variety of ways. Furthermore, it should be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is used for the purpose of specific description only and should not be construed as limiting by those skilled in the art.Furthermore, in the following description, identical reference numerals in the various exemplary embodiments or figures indicate identical or similar features or objects, so that in some cases a repeated detailed description thereof is omitted in order to maintain the compactness and clarity of the illustration.

[0029] An overview of a roof section of a vehicle 100 into which an embodiment according to aspects of the invention can be integrated is shown in Fig. 5. The vehicle 100 comprises a windshield 110 and a rear window 120 in the roof section, which is defined by frame parts 130. An opening 2 is formed in the roof section, which opening can be opened or closed by moving a sliding roof 1 (e.g., a sunroof) as an example of a movable component. For the purpose of moving or driving the sliding roof 1, an electric motor device 10 is provided in the roof section of the vehicle 100 at a suitable location. In the schematic drawing of Fig. 5, the location of the electric motor device within the roof section is arbitrarily chosen, and any other locations can be selected according to requirements. Furthermore, the sunroof 1 can be a roller blind or any other movable component, such as a side window in a door of the vehicle 100, or a power-driven tailgate or door of the vehicle 100, or a sensor and / or camera component of a roof sensor module forming part of a system that supports autonomous driving, or the like.

[0030] Details of the electric motor device according to one embodiment are shown in the Fig. 1 - 4. The electric motor device in this embodiment is a brushless PMSM motor.

[0031] Fig. Figure 1 shows a side sectional view of a stator device 30 entirely housed in a stator housing 50 made of metal, such as aluminum or steel, according to the embodiment. The stator housing 50 has a generally tubular shape. The stator device 30 includes a stator core 31 and stator teeth 32 extending from the stator core 31 toward an axis R of a rotor shaft 24 (in Fig. 1 not shown). The stator teeth 32 are separated from each other in an azimuthal direction about the axis R by a gap 36. The stator core 31 is formed (together with the integrally formed stator teeth 32) in a known manner as a stack of laminated metal sheets, as shown in Fig. 1. Several windings 33 are wound around the stator teeth 32 and ends thereof (in Fig. 1 not specifically indicated) are connected to terminals 34. A total of three terminals 34 (U, V and W) are formed, two of which are in Fig. 1. In the embodiment, six stator teeth 32 are formed, and two windings 33 are connected in series and connected to one of the terminals 34. Other stator configurations are also possible.

[0032] It should be noted that in Fig. 1, a corresponding rotor device 20 and a control device 40 configured to excite the windings 33 via respective terminals 34 are omitted. In a lower portion of the stator housing 50, which forms a closed end of the stator housing, a bearing 53 is arranged, which supports a rotor shaft 24 (in Fig. 1 not shown) of the rotor device 20.

[0033] As from Fig. 1, the stator device 30 is completely accommodated in the stator housing 50 and thus shielded from electromagnetic emissions due to the operation of the electrical circuit associated with the stator device 30. In particular, a length Ls of the stator device 30, measured along the axis R of the rotor shaft 24, is smaller than a length Lh of the stator housing 50, measured along the axis R of the rotor shaft 24. An upper end of the stator device 30 opposite the bearing 53 is formed by the terminals 34. The terminals 34 are positioned, in the assembled state of the stator device 3 and the stator housing 50, within the stator housing 50 and below an open upper end of the stator housing 50. It should be noted that an open upper end of the stator housing 50 (see a Fig. 2) is closed when the electric motor device 10 is mounted on an external component, thus providing a cover.

[0034] With reference to Fig. 2 and Fig. 4, which show different perspective views of the electric motor device 10, the stator housing 50 has an interruption or opening 51 extending from its upper end (upper edge 57). A control device 40, which is essentially provided by the circuit board 60, extends through the opening 51. The circuit board 60 includes electronic components such as switches 64 (see Fig. 3), inductors, resistors, capacitors 65, and / or integrated components such as IC chips (e.g., one or more microcontrollers) mounted on a substrate of the circuit board 60. In this embodiment, the electronic components may be mounted on both sides of the substrate, so some of the components are not visible in the figures. For example, the switches (power switches, IGBTs, or power MOSFETs) 64 that control the excitation of the plurality of windings 33 are provided on a lower surface of the circuit board 60 in a position of the circuit board 60 mounted in the stator housing 50.

[0035] The circuit board 60 has a first portion 61 extending on one side of the opening 51 inside the stator housing 50 and a second portion 62 extending on one side of the opening 51 outside the stator housing 50.

[0036] As in Fig. 3, which discloses a sectional view of the stator housing 50 and the stator device 30, this time together with the rotor device 20 (including the rotor shaft 24 and rotor magnets 22) and the control device 40 can be seen in more detail, the printed circuit board 60 extends substantially perpendicular to the axis R of the rotor shaft 24. The first section 61 of the printed circuit board 60 represents a first section 41 of the control device 40, which includes electronic components located inside the stator housing 50, and the second section 62 of the printed circuit board 60 represents a second section 42 of the control device 40, which includes electronic components located outside the stator housing 50.

[0037] The printed circuit board 60 has a recess 66 in the first section 61 through which the rotor shaft 24 of the rotor device 20 extends. Due to such a configuration, a compact design of the entire PMSM motor construction is achieved, and the first section 61 of the printed circuit board 60 extends particularly close to the electrical circuit formed by the stator device 50, or in particular close to the terminals 34, as shown in the sectional view of Fig. 3 with respect to one of the terminals 34. As an advantageous consequence, the terminals 34 can be connected directly to the circuit board 60, and metal extensions for such connections are no longer required, which can traditionally provide a cause for EMC problems or which traditionally require metal shields in addition to the housing.

[0038] Furthermore, those electronic components (switches 64) that contribute to electromagnetic emission can be mounted on the first portion 61 of the circuit board 60 so that they are located within the stator housing 50. Consequently, electromagnetic interference is further reduced.

[0039] The second section 62 of the circuit board 60, or the second section 42 of the entire control device 40, is housed in an extended motor housing 58, which is connected to the stator housing 50 at the opening 51. The extended motor housing 58 can be made of a plastic material or a metal and is provided with a connector assembly 80 configured to form a plug-in connection between the control device 40, or in particular a microcontroller (not shown) of the control device 40, and an external power supply and a communication line for exchanging data between the control device and an external control module. The communication line can be a communication bus, such as a LIN bus or CAN bus.

[0040] In this specific embodiment, an axis C of the connector is perpendicular to the plane in which the printed circuit board 60 extends, to which the communication line and the power supply lines are connected. Consequently, the axis R of the rotor shaft 24 and the axis C of the connector assembly 80 are parallel to each other. Such a configuration offers advantages considering that a mounting direction of the stator housing 50 to an external device and a mounting direction of a cable containing the communication and power supply lines are more or less identical, so that the installation space requirements are the same and thus reduced overall.

[0041] The stator device 30 has the windings 33 wound around the stator teeth 32, or more precisely, around a coil former formed from an upper coil former part 37 and a lower coil former part 38. Here, the upper coil former part 37 is formed integrally with the extended motor housing 58.

[0042] An upper edge 57 of the stator housing 50 and an upper edge 59 of the extended motor housing 58 together define a plane in this specific embodiment that allows the interior to be sealed to the outside after mounting the electric motor device 10 to an external device (not shown).

[0043] Furthermore, an elbow 74 is provided and mounted on the circuit board 60 within the first section 61 within the stator housing 50 as an SMD component. Preferably, the elbow 74 is soldered to the circuit board 60 using a reflow soldering process. The elbow 74 is arranged on the circuit board 60 to contact an inner wall 55 of the stator housing 50, thereby establishing an electrical connection between the stator housing 50 and an electrical circuit including the switches 64, thereby shielding electromagnetic radiation emitted by the electrical circuit during operation.

[0044] An assembly process of one embodiment is described as follows: In a first step, the stator assembly 30 is provided. Next, the upper coil former 37, which is formed with the extended motor housing 58, and the lower coil former 38 are attached to the stator assembly 30. Next, windings 33 are wound around the assembled coil formers 37, 38. Furthermore, the thus-assembled stator assembly is inserted into the stator housing 50. The rotor shaft bearing 53 may optionally have been previously added to the stator housing. The stator assembly may be held in the stator housing 50 by a press-fit connection or by fasteners. Thereafter, the rotor assembly 20 is passed through and inserted into the stator assembly 30, and the circuit board 60 is attached to the stator housing 50 and the extended motor housing 58.Here, terminals 34 of the stator device 30 are passed through through-holes (not shown) formed in the PCB and electrically connected to leads of the electrical circuit formed on the PCB by soldering or, preferably, a press-fit connection or the like. Furthermore, electrical connections are made between contacts of the PCB and electrical leads formed in the connector assembly. The PCB 80 is also held by holding portions 56 formed as projections on sidewalls of the extended motor housing 58, as shown in FIGS. Fig. 2 and Fig.4. Further, the angle piece 74 is attached to the stator housing 50 and connected to a ground terminal formed on the PCB 80. Such an angle piece 74 can further fix the position of the PCB 80 relative to the stator housing. Finally, the thus-assembled electric motor device 10 can be attached to a wall (not shown) of an external device and connected to a transmission device (not shown). List of reference symbols: 1 sunroof 2 Opening 10 Electric motor device 20 Rotor device 22 magnets 24 Rotor shaft 30 Stator device 31 Stator core 32 stator teeth 33 windings 34 connections 36 Gap between teeth 37 upper coil body part 38 lower coil body part 40 Control device 41 first sub-area 42 second section 50 stator housings 51 Opening (stator housing) 53 rotor shaft bearings 55 Interior wall 56 stopping section 57 upper edge of the stator housing 58 extended engine housing 59 upper edge of the extended motor housing 60 Printed Circuit Board (PCB) 61 first section 62 second section 64 switches 65 capacitors 66 Recess in PCB 70 Holder arrangement 71 first holder element 72 second holder element 74 Angle piece 80 connector arrangement 100 vehicles 110 Windshield 120 rear window 130 frame parts C Axis of the connector defined by the connector arrangement R Axis of the rotor shaft (or axis of rotation of the rotor) 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] US 12 062 949 B2

[0008] EP 3 631 953 B1

[0010]

Claims

[1] Electric motor device (10) for driving a sunroof or a roller blind in a vehicle, comprising: a rotor device (20) comprising a plurality of magnets (22) and a rotor shaft (24); a stator device (30) having a core (31) having a plurality of stator teeth (32) projecting toward the rotor device (20), a plurality of windings (33) provided on the stator teeth (32), and respective terminals (34) provided at respective ends of the windings (33); a control device (40) configured to drive rotation of the rotor device (20) with respect to the stator device (30) by controlled energization of the windings (33) via the respective terminals (34); a stator housing (50) formed of a metal or plastic material provided with a conductive layer; wherein the stator device (30) is completely accommodated in the stator housing (50), and wherein the control device (40) has a first portion (41) which is also accommodated in the stator housing (50) and a second portion (42) which extends outside the stator housing (50). [2] Electric motor device (10) according to claim 1, wherein the electric motor device (10) is a brushless direct current (BLDC) motor and / or a permanent magnet synchronous (PMSM) motor. [3] Electric motor device (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the control device (40) is an electronic control unit (ECU) that is connectable or connected to an external control module of a vehicle, preferably via a communication line such as a digital bus, preferably a LIN bus or a CAN bus. [4] Electric motor device (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein: the control device (40) comprises a circuit board (60) equipped with a set of switches (64) electrically connected to respective ones of the terminals (34) and configured to excite the windings (33) via the terminals (34) with phase pulses of electrical power. [5] Electric motor device (10) according to claim 4, wherein: the circuit board (60) has a first section (61) associated with the first sub-region (41) of the control device (10) that extends inside the stator housing (50), and a second section (62) associated with the second sub-region (42) of the control device (40) that extends outside the stator housing (40), wherein the circuit board (60) extends through an opening (51) provided in the stator housing (50), wherein the opening (51) is configured to connect the first and second sections (61, 62). [6] Electric motor device (10) according to claim 5, wherein: the set of switches (64) is provided to be mounted on the first portion (61) of the circuit board (60), preferably together with further switches associated with a voltage converter and / or a current or voltage regulator, and / or preferably together with discrete electrical components such as capacitors (65) and / or inductors. [7] Electric motor device (10) according to one of claims 5 or 6, wherein: the circuit board (60) extends in a plane substantially perpendicular to an axis of the rotor shaft (24). [8] Electric motor device (10) according to claim 7, wherein: the circuit board (60) comprises a recess (66) through which the rotor shaft (24) extends. [9] Electric motor device (10) according to one of claims 4 to 8, further comprising: a connector assembly (80) configured to form a plug-in connection with an external power supply and a communication line for exchanging data between the control device (40) and an external control module. [10] The electric motor device (10) of claim 9, wherein the connector assembly (80) defines an axis (C) of connection between the plug and the socket that is parallel to an axis (R) of the rotor shaft (24) and that is arranged outside the stator housing (50) in a lateral direction with respect to the rotor shaft (24). [11] Electric motor device (10) according to one of claims 4 to 10, further comprising: an angle piece (74) mounted on the circuit board (60) within the first section (61) within the stator housing (50) as an SMD component, preferably soldered thereto using a reflow soldering process, wherein the angle piece (74) is arranged on the circuit board (60) to contact an inner wall (55) of the stator housing (50) so as to establish an electrical connection between the stator housing (50) and an electrical circuit having the switches (64) to consequently shield electromagnetic radiation emitted by the electrical circuit during operation.

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