Electric compressor

Abstract

To suppress generation of resonance in an inverter case during operation of an electric compressor.SOLUTION: An electric compressor 1 includes: an inverter 6 for driving an electric motor 4; a motor housing 20 for storing the electric motor 4; an inverter case 7 fixed to the motor housing 20 and storing an inverter 6; an inverter cover 32 for closing 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 perpendicular to an axial direction of the electric compressor 1, and projects in the first direction F1 from an outline of the motor housing 20. A rib 40 is formed on the inverter cover 32. The rib 40 linearly extends to communicate through holes for inserting the bolts 33a, 33b that are adjacent to each other with an interval therebetween in the first direction F1.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

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

Background Art

[0002] Many electric compressors used for compressing refrigerant in vehicle air conditioners have an electric motor that drives a compression mechanism and an inverter. Then, the electric motor is driven by controlling the power supply to the electric motor while converting DC power from an in-vehicle battery or the like into AC power by the inverter. In this regard, Patent Document 1 discloses that a motor housing that houses the electric motor and an inverter case that houses the inverter are butted against each other in the axial direction of the electric compressor and fixed to each other.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In recent years, the voltage of electric vehicles has been increasing. Along with this, for the inverter, in order to ensure the insulation distance at high voltage, the size of the electronic substrate has been increasing, and as a result, the inverter case has also been increasing in size. Therefore, when viewed in the axial direction of the electric compressor, the inverter case greatly protrudes outward from the outer contour of the motor housing. This protruding portion of the inverter case has low bending rigidity and a low natural frequency, so there is a risk of resonance occurring during the operation of the electric compressor. Incidentally, this resonance may lead to damage to the inverter.

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

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] 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 that drives the electric motor, a motor housing that houses the electric motor, an inverter case that is fixed to the motor housing and houses the inverter, an inverter cover that closes an opening of the inverter case, and a plurality of bolts for fixing the inverter cover to the inverter case. In the axial direction of the electric compressor, the motor housing, the inverter case, and the inverter cover are arranged in this order. The inverter case and the inverter cover each extend in a first direction intersecting the axial direction of the electric compressor and project in the first direction from an outer contour of the motor housing. A plurality of through holes for inserting the plurality of bolts are formed in the inverter cover. In the inverter cover, ribs extending linearly are formed so as to connect the adjacent through holes spaced apart from each other in the first direction.

[0007] 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 that drives the electric motor, a motor housing that houses the electric motor, an inverter case that is fixed to the motor housing and houses the inverter, and an inverter cover that closes an opening of the inverter case. In the axial direction of the electric compressor, the motor housing, the inverter case, and the inverter cover are arranged in this order. The inverter case and the inverter cover each extend in a first direction intersecting the axial direction of the electric compressor and project in the first direction from an outer contour of the motor housing. Ribs extending linearly in the first direction are formed in the inverter cover. When viewed in 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.

Advantages of the Invention

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of resonance in the inverter case during the operation of the electric compressor.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0009]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

Figure 11

Figure 12

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0011] FIG. 1 is a front view of the electric compressor 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line A-A of FIG. 1 and is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of the electric compressor 1. FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view taken along line B-B of FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is a front view of the motor housing 20. FIG. 5 is a front view of the inverter cover 32. FIG. 6 is a rear view of the inverter cover 32. Hereinafter, with respect to the electric compressor 1, for convenience, the front-rear, left-right, and up-down directions are defined as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and the description will be given.

[0012] The electric compressor 1 may be mounted on a vehicle, for example, and may be configured to form a part of a refrigerant circuit of a vehicle air conditioner and compress and discharge a refrigerant (a gaseous refrigerant in the present embodiment).

[0013] 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 is driven by the rotating shaft 3 to compress the refrigerant, an inverter 6 that drives the electric motor 4, and an inverter case 7. The rotating shaft 3, 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 in the axial direction of the rotating shaft 3 (that is, the axial direction of the electric compressor 1) in the housing 2. The inverter 6 is housed in the inverter case 7.

[0014] In the present 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 orbiting scroll (movable scroll) 9 that orbits relative to the fixed scroll 8. The fixed scroll 8 and the orbiting scroll 9 are arranged to face each other in the axial direction of the electric compressor 1.

[0015] The orbiting scroll 9 is driven by the rotating shaft 3 via a crank mechanism 10 and is configured to orbit around the axis of the fixed scroll 8, in other words, to revolve around the axis of the fixed scroll 8.

[0016] The crank mechanism 10 is configured to connect the rotary shaft 3 and the swivel scroll 9 and convert the rotational motion of the rotary shaft 3 into the swiveling motion of the swivel scroll 9. The compression mechanism 5 is configured to take in and compress low-pressure refrigerant when the swivel scroll 9 makes a swiveling motion with respect to the fixed scroll 8.

[0017] The housing 2 is made of, for example, metal. The housing 2 includes a motor housing 20, also referred to as a front housing, and a rear housing 21. The motor housing 20 (a main body portion 24 described later) houses the rotary shaft 3 and the electric motor 4. The rear housing 21 (a front cylinder portion 25 described later) houses the compression mechanism 5. The housing 2 is formed by butting the rear end face (a rear end face 24b described later) of the motor housing 20 against the front end face (a front end face 25a described later) of the rear housing 21 and fastening the two together with a fastener (not shown).

[0018] The motor housing 20 (its main body portion 24) is in the shape of a cylinder extending in the front-rear direction (horizontal direction), and is particularly a cylindrical shape in this embodiment. The front end face (one end face) 24a of the main body portion 24 is closed, and the rear end face (the other end face) 24b is open.

[0019] The rear housing 21 is in the shape of a two-stage cylinder in the front-rear direction. The rear housing 21 has a cylindrical front cylinder portion 25 having an outer diameter equivalent to the outer diameter of the main body portion 24 of the motor housing 20, and a cylindrical rear cylinder portion 26 having an outer diameter smaller than that of the front cylinder portion 25. The front end face 25a of the front cylinder portion 25 is open. The rear end face 26b of the rear cylinder portion 26 is closed. Note that the front cylinder portion 25 and the rear cylinder portion 26 may be separate members.

[0020] The electric motor 4 is composed of, for example, a three-phase synchronous motor (brushless DC motor), and includes a stator core unit 13 and a rotor 14.

[0021] The stator core unit 13 is fixed to the inner peripheral surface of the main body 24 of the motor housing 20. A direct current from an in-vehicle battery (not shown) or the like is converted into a three-phase alternating current by the inverter 6 and supplied to the stator core unit 13.

[0022] The rotor 14 is arranged with a predetermined gap inside the stator core unit 13 in the radial direction. A permanent magnet (not shown) is incorporated in the rotor 14. The rotor 14 is formed in a cylindrical shape and is fixed to the rotating shaft 3 with the rotating shaft 3 inserted through the hollow portion thereof. That is, the rotor 14 is integrated with the rotating shaft 3.

[0023] When a magnetic field is generated in the stator core unit 13 by power supply from the inverter 6, a rotational force acts on the permanent magnet of the rotor 14, causing the rotor 14 to rotate, thereby rotating the rotating shaft 3.

[0024] An intake port P1 is formed in the upper part of the main body 24 of the motor housing 20 so as to be adjacent to the front end face 24a. The intake port P1 is connected to the refrigerant circuit (low-pressure side) via a connecting pipe (not shown) or the like.

[0025] As shown in FIG. 1, in the present embodiment, the electric compressor 1 has a suction chamber H1 into which a low-pressure refrigerant flows, a compression chamber H2 that compresses the low-pressure refrigerant, and a discharge chamber H3 from which the refrigerant compressed in the compression chamber H2 is discharged.

[0026] The suction chamber H1 is partitioned and formed by the main body 24 of the motor housing 20. The low-pressure refrigerant from the refrigerant circuit flows into the suction chamber H1 through the intake port P1. The low-pressure refrigerant in the suction chamber H1 reaches the space H4 in the vicinity of the compression mechanism 5 through the refrigerant passage L1.

[0027] The compression chamber H2 is formed inside the compression mechanism 5, that is, between the fixed scroll 8 and the orbiting scroll 9. The compression mechanism 5 is configured to compress the low-pressure refrigerant by taking in the low-pressure refrigerant from the space H4 when the compression chamber H2 is formed.

[0028] The discharge chamber H3 is disposed within the rear cylinder portion 26 of the rear housing 21. A discharge hole L2 that communicates the compression chamber H2 and the discharge chamber H3 is formed in the substrate 8a of the fixed scroll 8. For this reason, the refrigerant compressed in the compression chamber H2 of the compression mechanism 5 is discharged into the discharge chamber H3 through the discharge hole L2. Incidentally, a check valve 15, such as a reed valve, which allows the flow of the refrigerant from the compression chamber H2 to the discharge chamber H3 but restricts the flow of the refrigerant from the discharge chamber H3 to the compression chamber H2, is attached to the surface of the substrate 8a of the fixed scroll 8 on the side facing the discharge chamber H3.

[0029] An oil separator 16 that separates the lubricating oil contained in the refrigerant (gaseous refrigerant) is disposed within the discharge chamber H3. A discharge port P2 is formed at the upper portion of the rear cylinder portion 26 of the rear housing 21 so as to communicate with the discharge chamber H3 (oil separator 16). The discharge port P2 is connected to the refrigerant circuit (high-pressure side) via a connecting pipe (not shown). Therefore, for the refrigerant that has flowed into the discharge chamber H3, the lubricating oil is separated by the oil separator 16, and then is led out from the discharge port P2 to the high-pressure side of the refrigerant circuit.

[0030] Accordingly, the low-pressure refrigerant from the refrigerant circuit flows into the suction chamber H1 through the suction port P1, passes through the gap of the electric motor 4, and then is guided to the space H4 near the compression mechanism 5 through the refrigerant passage L1. The low-pressure refrigerant guided to the space H4 is taken into the compression chamber H2 of the compression mechanism 5 and compressed as the orbiting scroll 9 orbits. The refrigerant compressed in the compression chamber H2 is discharged into the discharge chamber H3 through the discharge hole L2 (and the check valve 15), and then the lubricating oil is separated by the oil separator 16. Then, the refrigerant from which the lubricating oil has been separated by the oil separator 16 is led out from the discharge port P2 to the refrigerant circuit.

[0031] Here, the low-temperature and low-pressure refrigerant flowing into the suction chamber H1 through the suction port P1 can cool the front end face 24a of the main body 24 of the motor housing 20 and the electric motor 4 (the stator core unit 13 and the rotor 14). Further, the compression mechanism 5 driven by the electric motor 4 is configured to compress and discharge the refrigerant sucked from the suction port P1 into the main body 24 of the motor housing 20 (inside the suction chamber H1).

[0032] In addition, in the present embodiment, one or more 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). This protrusion 27 can be used to fix the housing 2 to the vehicle. The protrusion 27 protrudes upward 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 protrusion 27 can be, for example, in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped (prismatic shape) or a cylindrical shape.

[0033] The inverter case 7 is made of, for example, metal. The inverter case 7 is disposed in front of the main body 24 of the motor housing 20. The inverter case 7 is fixed in contact with the main body 24 of the motor housing 20.

[0034] The inverter case 7 has an end wall (bottom wall) 30 and a peripheral wall 31 that rises from the peripheral edge of the end wall 30 and defines an opening facing the end wall 30. The inverter case 7 extends in a first direction F1 that intersects the axial direction of the electric compressor 1. Here, in the present embodiment, the first direction F1 is a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the electric compressor 1 and also coincides with the vertical direction. And in the present embodiment, the inverter case 7 is in the shape of a rectangular box extending in the vertical direction, and the rear end portion of the inverter case 7 is constituted by the end wall 30. An inverter cover 32 for closing the opening is detachably attached to the front end portion of the inverter case 7. The inverter cover 32 is made of, for example, metal or resin.

[0035] The inverter cover 32 has a rectangular plate-shaped main body portion 32a and a peripheral wall 32b formed so as to project rearward from the peripheral edge portion of the main body portion 32a. The front end face of the peripheral wall 31 of the inverter case 7 and the rear end face of the peripheral wall 32b of the inverter cover 32 are in contact with each other. Here, in the present embodiment, in the axial direction of the electric compressor 1 (from the rear to the front), the rear housing 21, the motor housing 20, the inverter case 7, and the inverter cover 32 are arranged in this order.

[0036] In the present embodiment, a plurality of bolts 33a, 33b are used to fix the inverter cover 32 to the inverter case 7. In the present embodiment, three bolts 33a and seven bolts 33b are used. Note that the number of bolts 33a, 33b is not limited to this and is arbitrary.

[0037] The bolt 33a is a bolt longer than the bolt 33b. The bolt 33a fixes the inverter cover 32, the inverter case 7, and the main body portion 24 of the motor housing 20 together. For this reason, a plurality (three in the present embodiment) of through holes 32c for inserting the male screw portion of the bolt 33a are formed in the main body portion 32a and the peripheral wall 32b of the inverter cover 32. Further, a plurality (three in the present embodiment) of through holes 38a for inserting the male screw portion of the bolt 33a are formed in the end wall 30 and the peripheral wall 31 of the inverter case 7. Furthermore, a plurality (three in the present embodiment) of female screw portions 24c into which the male screw portion of the bolt 33a is screwed are formed in the main body portion 24 (front end face 24a) of the motor housing 20.

[0038] The bolt 33b fixes the inverter cover 32 to the inverter case 7. For this reason, a plurality (seven in the present embodiment) of through holes 32d for inserting the male screw portion of the bolt 33b are formed in the main body portion 32a and the peripheral wall 32b of the inverter cover 32. Further, a plurality (seven in the present embodiment) of female screw portions 38b into which the male screw portion of the bolt 33b is screwed are formed in the peripheral wall 31 of the inverter case 7.

[0039] The outer surface 30a of the end wall 30 of the inverter case 7 is composed of a contact portion 30a1 that contacts the front end face 24a of the main body portion 24 of the motor housing 20 and an exposed portion 30a2 that is exposed to the outside.

[0040] The inverter 6 housed in the inverter case 7 has a plurality (six in this embodiment) of switching elements (power switching elements) 35 and a control board 36 on which a control circuit for controlling the switching elements 35 is mounted. The control board 36 is disposed at a position within the inverter case 7 that is away from the end wall 30 toward the opening side. The control board 36 is attached to the inverter case 7 by attachment members (not shown). The switching elements 35 are provided at a portion of the inner surface 30b of the end wall 30 of the inverter case 7 that is adjacent to the contact portion 30a1 (in other words, a portion adjacent to the front end face 24a of the main body portion 24).

[0041] In addition to the aforementioned bolts 33a, a plurality (five in this embodiment) of bolts 34 are used to fix the inverter case 7 to the main body portion 24 of the motor housing 20. For this reason, a plurality (five in this embodiment) of through holes 38c for inserting the male screw portions of the bolts 34 are formed in the end wall 30 of the inverter case 7. Further, a plurality (five in this embodiment) of female screw portions 24d into which the male screw portions of the bolts 34 are screwed are formed in the main body portion 24 (front end face 24a) of the motor housing 20. Therefore, the bolts 34 are screwed in from the inside of the inverter case 7. Here, the aforementioned bolts 33a, 33b and the bolts 34 are all screwed in from the front to the rear (that is, in the same direction). In this embodiment, the plurality of bolts 33a, 34 are arranged at intervals along the circumferential direction of the main body portion 24 of the motor housing 20. Also, in this embodiment, the plurality of bolts 33a, 33b are arranged at intervals in the circumferential direction along the circumferential wall 31 of the inverter case 7. In other words, the plurality of bolts 33a, 33b are arranged at intervals in the circumferential direction along the circumferential wall 32b of the inverter cover 32.

[0042] Further, in the present embodiment, one or more protrusions 39 are provided on the upper portion of the inverter case 7. The protrusions 39 can be used to fix the inverter case 7 to the vehicle. The protrusions 39 protrude upward from the upper portion of the inverter case 7. The protrusions 39 can be, for example, rectangular parallelepiped-shaped or cylindrical.

[0043] In the present embodiment, when viewed in the axial direction of the electric compressor 1 (in other words, in the front view shown in FIG. 1), the inverter case 7 and the inverter cover 32 largely protrude downward from the contour of the main body portion 24 of the motor housing 20 (that is, the outer contour of the motor housing 20), and are in a so-called cantilever state. The natural frequency f of the bending deformation regarding this protruding portion is represented by the following formula (1).

[0044] [Number]

[0045] In this formula (1), f: Natural frequency [Hz] k: Equivalent rigidity [N / m] m: Equivalent mass [kg] That is.

[0046] Here, the equivalent rigidity k indicates, in other words, the rigidity in the system including the inverter 6, the inverter case 7, and the inverter cover 32. Further, the equivalent mass m indicates, in other words, the mass in the system including the inverter 6, the inverter case 7, and the inverter cover 32.

[0047] In the present embodiment, in order to increase the above-described natural 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 in the vertical direction in parallel with a space therebetween in the left and right directions.

[0048] The rib 40 protrudes forward from the outer surface 32a1 of the inverter cover and extends linearly in the vertical direction. The rib 40 extends linearly so as to connect the through holes 32c and 32d adjacent to each other with a space therebetween in the vertical direction.

[0049] In the present embodiment, when viewed in the axial direction of the electric compressor 1, the through hole 32c located at the upper end portion (one end portion) of the rib 40 is located radially inward of the contour of the main body portion 24 of the motor housing 20 (the outer contour of the motor housing 20). Here, a bolt 33a is inserted into the through hole 32c located at the upper end portion of the rib 40.

[0050] Further, in the present embodiment, when viewed in the axial direction of the electric compressor 1, the through hole 32d located at the lower end portion (the other end portion) of the rib 40 is located radially outward of the contour of the main body portion 24 of the motor housing 20 (the outer contour of the motor housing 20). Here, a bolt 33b is inserted into the through hole 32d located at the lower end portion of the rib 40.

[0051] Note that recesses 41 capable of accommodating the heads of the bolts 33a and 33b are formed at the upper end portion and the lower end portion of the rib 40, respectively.

[0052] In the present embodiment, when viewed in the axial direction of the electric compressor 1, the upper end portion (one end portion) of the rib 40 is located radially inward of the contour of the main body portion 24 of the motor housing 20 (the outer contour of the motor housing 20). Further, in the present embodiment, when viewed in the axial direction of the electric compressor 1, the lower end portion (the other end portion) of the rib 40 is located radially outward of the contour of the main body portion 24 of the motor housing 20 (the outer contour of the motor housing 20).

[0053] The inverter cover 32 and the rib 40 are preferably integrally formed.

[0054] Thus, by forming the pair of left and right ribs 40 and 40 on the outer surface 32a1 of the inverter cover 32, the following effects (a) and (i) can be obtained with respect to the above-described formula (1). (A) Since the root portion of the above-described bending deformation can be reinforced by the rib 40, the above-described equivalent rigidity k can be increased. This contributes to increasing the above-described natural frequency f. (B) Regarding the tip portion of the above-described bending deformation (the lower end portions of the inverter case 7 and the inverter cover 32), since it is not reinforced by the rib 40, it is possible to suppress an increase in mass at the tip portion accordingly. This contributes to suppressing an increase in the above-described equivalent mass m, and consequently, suppressing a decrease in the above-described natural frequency f.

[0055] According to the present embodiment, the electric compressor 1 includes an electric motor 4, a compression mechanism 5 driven by the electric motor 4, an inverter 6 that drives the electric motor 4, a motor housing 20 that houses the electric motor 4, an inverter case 7 that is fixed to the motor housing 20 and houses the inverter 6, an inverter cover 32 that closes the opening of the inverter case 7, and a plurality of bolts 33a, 33b for fixing the inverter cover 32 to the inverter case 7. In the axial direction of the electric compressor 1, the motor housing 20, the inverter case 7, and the inverter cover 32 are arranged in this order. The inverter case 7 and the inverter cover 32 each extend in a first direction F1 that intersects the axial direction of the electric compressor 1 and project in the first direction F1 from the outer contour of the motor housing 20. The inverter cover 32 is formed with a plurality of through holes 32c, 32d for inserting the plurality of bolts 33a, 33b. The inverter cover 32 is formed with a rib 40 that extends linearly so as to connect the through holes 32c, 32d that are adjacent to each other with a space therebetween in the first direction F1. Thereby, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of resonance in the inverter case 7 during the operation of the electric compressor 1.

[0056] Also according to this embodiment, a bolt 33a for collectively fixing the inverter cover 32, the inverter case 7, and the motor housing 20 is inserted into a through hole 32c located at one end (upper end) of the rib 40, and a bolt 33b for fixing the inverter cover 32 to the inverter case 7 is inserted into a through hole 32d located at the other end (lower end) of the rib 40. Thereby, since the rib 40 can be connected to the relatively vibration-resistant motor housing 20 via the bolt 33a, vibration of the rib 40 itself can be suppressed.

[0057] Also according to this embodiment, when viewed in the axial direction of the electric compressor 1, the through hole 32c located at one end (upper end) of the rib 40 is located inside the outer contour of the motor housing 20, and the through hole 32d located at the other end (lower end) of the rib 40 is located outside the outer contour of the motor housing 20. Thereby, the root portion of the above-described bending deformation can be reinforced by the rib 40, and thus the above-described natural frequency f can be increased.

[0058] Also according to this embodiment, a rib 40 extending linearly in the first direction F1 is formed on the inverter cover 32. When viewed in the axial direction of the electric compressor 1, one end (upper end) of the rib 40 is located inside the outer contour of the motor housing 20, and the other end (lower end) of the rib 40 is located outside the outer contour of the motor housing 20. Thereby, the root portion of the above-described bending deformation can be reinforced by the rib 40, and thus the above-described natural frequency f can be increased.

[0059] Also according to this embodiment, the rib 40 is formed on the outer surface 32a1 of the inverter cover 32. Thereby, the rib 40 can be easily formed by integral molding with the inverter cover 32 or the like.

[0060] According to this embodiment, the electric compressor 1 is mounted on a vehicle. The motor housing 20 extends in the horizontal direction. The first direction F1 is the vertical direction. On the upper part of the inverter case 7, a protrusion 39 for fixing to the vehicle is provided. The inverter case 7 protrudes downward from the outer contour of the motor housing 20. Even for the electric compressor 1 having the inverter case 7 configured in this way, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of resonance in the inverter case 7 during its operation.

[0061] Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 7. FIG. 7 is a front view of the inverter cover 32 in this embodiment. Differences from the above-described first embodiment will be described.

[0062] 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 in the left-right direction in parallel with a space therebetween in the vertical direction.

[0063] 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 so as to connect the through holes 32c and 32c adjacent to each other with a space therebetween in the left-right direction. Here, the left and right end portions of the upper rib 44 overlap with the upper end portions of the pair of left and right ribs 40 and 40 described above, respectively.

[0064] In this embodiment, when viewed in the axial direction of the electric compressor 1, the through holes 32c and 32c located at the left and right end portions of the upper rib 44 are located radially inside the contour of the main body portion 24 of the motor housing 20 (the outer contour of the motor housing 20). Here, bolts 33a are inserted into the through holes 32c and 32c located at the left and right end portions of the upper rib 44, respectively.

[0065] 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 so as to connect the through holes 32d, 32d adjacent to each other with a space therebetween in the left-right direction. Here, both the left and right end portions of the lower rib 45 overlap with the lower end portions of the respective left and right pair of ribs 40, 40 described above.

[0066] In the present embodiment, when viewed in the axial direction of the electric compressor 1, the through holes 32d, 32d located at both the left and right end portions of the lower rib 45 are located radially outside the contour of the main body portion 24 of the motor housing 20 (the outer contour of the motor housing 20). Here, bolts 33b are inserted into the through holes 32d, 32d located at both the left and right end portions of the lower rib 45, respectively.

[0067] It is also preferable that the pair of upper and lower ribs 44, 45 are integrally formed together with the inverter cover 32 and the ribs 40.

[0068] In particular, according to the present embodiment, a pair of upper and lower ribs 44, 45 are formed on the outer surface 32a1 of the inverter cover 32. Thereby, the deformation and vibration of the inverter cover 32 itself can be suppressed.

[0069] In addition, in the present embodiment, a pair of upper and lower ribs 44, 45 are formed, but either one of them may be omitted.

[0070] Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 8 to 11. FIG. 8 is a front view of the electric compressor 1 in the present embodiment. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line C-C of FIG. 8. FIG. 10 is a front view of the inverter cover 32. FIG. 11 is a rear view of the inverter cover 32. Differences from the above-described first embodiment will be described.

[0071] In the foregoing first embodiment, a pair of left and right ribs 40, 40 were 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 part of the peripheral wall 32b of the inverter cover 32.

[0072] The relationship between the pair of left and right ribs 40', 40' and the through holes 32c, 32d in this embodiment, and their roles are the same as those of the pair of left and right ribs 40, 40 described above, so the description thereof is omitted.

[0073] In particular, according to this embodiment, the rib 40' is formed on the inner surface 32a2 of the inverter cover 32. Thereby, the rib 40' can be easily formed by integral molding with the inverter cover 32 or the like.

[0074] Next, a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 12. FIG. 7 is a rear view of the inverter cover 32 in this embodiment. Differences from the foregoing third embodiment will be described.

[0075] In this embodiment, a pair of upper and lower ribs 44', 45' are formed on the inner surface (rear surface) 32a2 of the inverter cover 32. The pair of upper and lower ribs 44', 45' are spaced apart from each other in the vertical direction and extend in parallel in the left-right direction.

[0076] 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 so as to connect the through holes 32c, 32c adjacent to each other with a space therebetween in the left-right direction. Here, both left and right end portions of the upper rib 44' overlap with the upper end portions of the respective pair of left and right ribs 40', 40'.

[0077] In the present embodiment, when viewed in the axial direction of the electric compressor 1, the through holes 32c, 32c located at the left and right ends of the upper rib 44' are located radially inward of the contour of the main body portion 24 of the motor housing 20 (the outer contour of the motor housing 20). Here, bolts 33a are inserted into the through holes 32c, 32c located at the left and right ends of the upper rib 44', respectively.

[0078] 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 so as to connect the through holes 32d, 32d adjacent to each other with a space therebetween in the left - right direction. Here, the left and right ends of the lower rib 45' overlap with the lower ends of the respective left - right pair of ribs 40', 40'.

[0079] In the present embodiment, when viewed in the axial direction of the electric compressor 1, the through holes 32d, 32d located at the left and right ends of the lower rib 45' are located radially outward of the contour of the main body portion 24 of the motor housing 20 (the outer contour of the motor housing 20). Here, bolts 33b are inserted into the through holes 32d, 32d located at the left and right ends of the lower rib 45', respectively.

[0080] It is also preferable that the pair of upper and lower ribs 44', 45' be integrally formed together with the inverter cover 32 and the rib 40'.

[0081] Particularly according to the present embodiment, a pair of upper and lower ribs 44', 45' are formed on the inner surface 32a2 of the inverter cover 32. Thereby, the deformation and vibration of the inverter cover 32 itself can be suppressed.

[0082] In addition, in the present embodiment, a pair of upper and lower ribs 44', 45' are formed, but either one of them may be omitted.

[0083] In the inverter cover 32 in the foregoing first and second embodiments, at least one of the pair of upper and lower ribs 44', 45' in the foregoing fourth embodiment may be formed. Further, in the inverter cover 32 in the foregoing third and fourth embodiments, at least one of the pair of upper and lower ribs 44, 45 in the foregoing second embodiment may be formed.

[0084] In the foregoing first to fourth embodiments, for the electric compressor 1, for convenience of explanation, the front-rear, left-right, and up-down directions were defined as described above. However, this is not intended to limit the directionality of the electric compressor 1. That is, in the foregoing first to fourth embodiments, the electric compressor 1 is a horizontally placed electric compressor in which the electric motor 4 and the compression mechanism 5 are arranged in series in the horizontal direction in the housing 2. However, in addition, it may be a vertically placed electric compressor in which the electric motor 4 and the compression mechanism 5 are arranged in series in the vertical direction in the housing 2.

[0085] In the foregoing 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 may be a so-called swash plate compressor.

[0086] Examples of clauses that can be grasped from the foregoing first to fourth embodiments are described below.

[0087] [Clause 1] An electric motor, A compression mechanism driven by the electric motor, An inverter that drives the electric motor, A motor housing that houses the electric motor, An inverter case that is fixed to the motor housing and houses the inverter, An inverter cover that closes the opening of the inverter case, A plurality of bolts for fixing the inverter cover to the inverter case, An electric compressor comprising, In the axial direction of the electric compressor, the motor housing, the inverter case, and the inverter cover are arranged in this order. The inverter case and the inverter cover each extend in a first direction intersecting the axial direction of the electric compressor and project in the first direction from the outer contour of the motor housing. A plurality of through holes for inserting the plurality of bolts are formed in the inverter cover. In the inverter cover, ribs extending linearly are formed so as to connect the through holes adjacent to each other with a space therebetween in the first direction. Electric compressor.

[0088] [Article 2] A bolt for collectively fixing the inverter cover, the inverter case, and the motor housing is inserted into the through hole located at one end of the rib. A bolt for fixing the inverter cover to the inverter case is inserted into the through hole located at the other end of the rib. The electric compressor according to Article 1.

[0089] [Article 3] When viewed in the axial direction of the electric compressor, The through hole located at one end of the rib is located inside the outer contour of the motor housing. The through hole located at the other end of the rib is located outside the outer contour of the motor housing. The electric compressor according to Article 1 or Article 2.

[0090] [Article 4] An electric motor, A compression mechanism driven by the electric motor, An inverter for driving the electric motor, A motor housing for housing the electric motor, An inverter case fixed to the motor housing and housing the inverter, An inverter cover that closes the opening of the inverter case, A motor compressor comprising: In the axial direction of the motor compressor, the motor housing, the inverter case, and the inverter cover are arranged in this order, The inverter case and the inverter cover each extend in a first direction that intersects the axial direction of the motor compressor, and project in the first direction beyond the outer contour of the motor housing, A rib extending linearly in the first direction is formed on the inverter cover, When viewed in the axial direction of the motor compressor, One end of the rib is located inside the outer contour of the motor housing, The other end of the rib is located outside the outer contour of the motor housing, Motor compressor.

[0091] [Clause 5] The motor compressor according to any one of Clauses 1 to 4, wherein the rib is formed on the outer surface of the inverter cover.

[0092] [Clause 6] The motor compressor according to any one of Clauses 1 to 4, wherein the rib is formed on the inner surface of the inverter cover.

[0093] [Clause 7] The motor compressor is mounted on a vehicle, The motor housing extends in the horizontal direction, The first direction is the vertical direction, A protrusion for fixing to the vehicle is provided on the upper part of the inverter case, The inverter case projects downward beyond the outer contour of the motor housing, The motor compressor according to any one of Clauses 1 to 6.

[0094] [Clause 8] The electric compressor according to any one of clauses 1 to 7, wherein the motor housing is cylindrical.

[0095] [Clause 9] The electric compressor according to any one of clauses 1 to 8, wherein the first direction is a direction orthogonal to the axial direction of the electric compressor.

[0096] [Clause 10] The electric compressor according to any one of clauses 1 to 9, wherein the inverter case has an end wall, and an outer surface of the end wall includes a contact portion that contacts one end surface of the motor housing and an exposed portion that is exposed to the outside.

[0097] [Clause 11] A suction port is formed in the motor housing so as to be adjacent to the end surface. The compression mechanism is configured to compress and discharge the refrigerant sucked into the motor housing from the suction port. The electric compressor according to clause 10, wherein a switching element constituting the inverter is provided in a portion of the inner surface of the end wall adjacent to the contact portion.

[0098] As described above, the embodiments of the present invention have been described. However, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and it goes without saying that further modifications are possible based on the technical idea of the present invention.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0099] 1... Electric compressor, 2... Housing, 3... Rotating shaft, 4... Electric motor, 5... Compression mechanism, 6... Inverter, 7... Inverter case, 8... Fixed scroll, 8a... Substrate, 9... Orbiting scroll, 10... Crank mechanism, 13... Stator core unit, 14... Rotor, 15... Check valve, 16... Oil separator, 20... Motor housing, 21... Rear housing, 24... Main body, 24a... Front end face, 24b... Rear end face, 24c, 24d... Female threaded part, 25... Front cylinder part, 25a... Front end face, 26... Rear cylinder part, 26b... Rear end face, 27... Protrusion, 30... End wall, 30a... Outer surface, 30a1... Contact part, 30a2... Exposed part, 30b... Inner surface, 31... Peripheral wall, 32... Inverter cover, 32a... Main body, 32a1... Outer surface, 32a2... Inner surface, 32b... Peripheral wall, 32c, 32d... Through hole, 33a, 33b, 34... Bolt, 35... Switching element, 36... Control board, 38a... Through hole, 38b... Female threaded part, 38c... Through hole, 39... Protrusion, 40, 40’... Rib, 41... Recess, 44, 44’, 45, 45’... Rib, 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 motor, A compression mechanism driven by the electric motor, An inverter that drives the electric motor, A motor housing that houses the electric motor, An inverter case that is fixed to the motor housing and houses the inverter, An inverter cover that closes the opening of the inverter case, A plurality of bolts for fixing the inverter cover to the inverter case, An electric compressor comprising: In the axial direction of the electric compressor, the motor housing, the inverter case, and the inverter cover are arranged in this order, The inverter case and the inverter cover each extend in a first direction intersecting the axial direction of the electric compressor and project in the first direction from the outer contour of the motor housing, A plurality of through holes for inserting the plurality of bolts are formed in the inverter cover, The inverter cover is formed with ribs extending linearly so as to connect the adjacent through holes spaced apart from each other in the first direction, An electric compressor.

2. A bolt for collectively fixing the inverter cover, the inverter case, and the motor housing is inserted into the through hole located at one end of the rib, A bolt for fixing the inverter cover to the inverter case is inserted into the through hole located at the other end of the rib, The electric compressor according to Claim 1.

3. When viewed in the axial direction of the electric compressor, The through hole located at one end of the rib is located inside the outer contour of the motor housing, The through hole located at the other end of the rib is located outside the outer contour of the motor housing. The electric compressor according to claim 1.

4. An electric motor; A compression mechanism driven by the electric motor; An inverter for driving the electric motor; A motor housing for housing the electric motor; An inverter case fixed to the motor housing and housing the inverter; An inverter cover for closing the opening of the inverter case; An electric compressor comprising: In the axial direction of the electric compressor, the motor housing, the inverter case, and the inverter cover are arranged in this order; The inverter case and the inverter cover each extend in a first direction intersecting the axial direction of the electric compressor and project in the first direction from the outer contour of the motor housing; A rib extending linearly in the first direction is formed on the inverter cover; When viewed in the axial direction of the electric compressor, One end of the rib is located inside the outer contour of the motor housing; The other end of the rib is located outside the outer contour of the motor housing. Electric compressor.

5. The electric compressor according to claim 1, wherein the rib is formed on the outer surface of the inverter cover.

6. The electric compressor according to claim 1, wherein the rib is formed on the inner surface of the inverter cover.

7. The electric compressor is mounted on a vehicle, The motor housing extends in the horizontal direction, The first direction is the vertical direction. On the upper part of the inverter case, there are provided protrusions for fixing to the vehicle. The inverter case projects downward beyond the outer contour of the motor housing. The electric compressor according to claim 1.

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