Motor compressor

Abstract

To enhance exchangeability of an inverter included in a motor compressor.SOLUTION: A motor compressor (10) comprises a compression housing (20) to which a compression mechanism (80) is internally attached, a motor housing (30) to which an electric motor (100) is internally attached, and an inverter housing (50) to which an inverter (140) is internally attached. The compression housing (20), the motor housing (30), and the inverter housing (50) are arranged in this order in a row along an output axis (101) of the electric motor (100). One end (33) of the motor housing (30) facing toward the side of the inverter housing (50) is an open end (33). A closure member (40) for closing the open end (33) is interposed between the open end (33) and the inverter housing (50).SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an improved technique for an electric compressor including a compression mechanism that compresses a refrigerant, an electric motor that drives the compression mechanism, and an inverter that supplies power to the electric motor. [Background technology]

[0002] Some electric compressors have a compression housing that houses a compression mechanism, a motor housing that houses an electric motor, and an inverter housing that houses an inverter, arranged in a line in this order. The compression mechanism compresses and discharges refrigerant gas drawn into the compression housing from the air conditioning cycle through the motor housing. Patent Document 1, for example, discloses an example of such an electric compressor.

[0003] According to the technology disclosed in Patent Document 1, an electric compressor is mounted on a vehicle as part of a vehicle air conditioning system. The motor housing is a cylindrical member with a bottom, and a compression housing can be attached to the bottom surface with bolts, and an inverter housing can be attached to the open end with bolts. The inverter housing closes the open end of the motor housing. The interior of the motor housing, which serves as an airtight container, can be sealed by the inverter housing. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Special Publication No. 2014-513772 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In recent years, there has been a demand for electric compressors that allow the inverter (including the inverter circuit board) to be replaced as needed. The technology known from Patent Document 1 is a configuration in which the open end of the motor housing, which serves as an airtight container, is closed by an inverter housing. To replace the inverter, the electric compressor is removed from the vehicle and then disassembled. The dustproof and waterproof inverter housing is then disassembled, and the inverter is replaced, after which the dustproof and waterproof structure is reconstructed.

[0006] However, because inverters are high-voltage components, replacing them requires careful consideration of electric shock and electrical leakage, which is not easy. Instead of replacing just the inverter, it is possible to replace the electric compressor itself. However, replacing the electric compressor would be very expensive.

[0007] Furthermore, when removing the electric compressor from the vehicle, it is necessary to recover the refrigerant gas in the air conditioning cycle of the vehicle air conditioner. Furthermore, after installing the replaced electric compressor in the vehicle, it is necessary to charge new refrigerant gas into the air conditioning cycle and properly manage the amount of lubricating oil in the air conditioning cycle.

[0008] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a technique that can improve the replaceability of an inverter provided in an electric compressor. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In the following description, reference numerals in the accompanying drawings are placed in parentheses to facilitate understanding of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to the illustrated forms.

[0010] According to the present invention, firstly, a refrigerant compressor includes a compression mechanism (80) that compresses a refrigerant, an electric motor (100) that drives the compression mechanism (80), an inverter (140) that supplies power to the electric motor (100), a compression housing (20) in which the compression mechanism (80) can be attached, a motor housing (30) in which the electric motor (100) can be attached, and an inverter housing (50) in which the inverter (140) can be attached, the compression housing (20), the motor housing (30), and the inverter housing (50) are arranged in this order in a line along the output shaft (101) of the electric motor (100); One end (33) of the motor housing (30) facing the inverter housing (50) is an open end (33), The electric compressor (10) is characterized in that a closing member (40) that closes the open end (33) is interposed between the open end (33) and the inverter housing (50).

[0011] Second, preferably, in the electric compressor (10) described in the first aspect, one end face (62a) of the inverter housing (50) facing the closing member (40) has an opening (66) in at least a portion thereof, and the closing member (40) closes the opening (66) of the inverter housing (50).

[0012] Third, preferably, the electric compressor (10) according to the first aspect further includes a relay terminal (130) that electrically connects the electric motor (100) and the inverter (140). The relay terminal (130) includes a plate-shaped terminal plate (131) and a terminal pin (132) attached to the terminal plate (131). The terminal plate (131) is attached to a terminal fixing surface (48a) of the blocking member (40) on the motor housing (30) side by a fastening member (133). The terminal pin (132) penetrates the blocking member (40) and protrudes into the inverter housing (50).

[0013] Fourth, preferably, in the electric compressor (10) according to the third aspect, the closing member (40) has a first surface (41) facing the motor housing (30) and a second surface (42) facing the inverter housing (50), and one end surface (62a) of the inverter housing (50) facing the second surface (42) has an opening (66) at least in a part thereof, and the second surface (42) faces the opening (66). The first surface (41) has a bulging portion (47) that bulges outward from the bulging portion (47), and the first surface (41) has a recess (48) that is recessed toward the second surface (42) from a position corresponding to the bulging portion (47). The terminal plate (131) is attached to a bottom surface (48a) of the recess (48) in the blocking member (40) by the fastening member (133), and the terminal pin (132) penetrates the bulging portion (47) and protrudes into the inside of the inverter housing (50).

[0014] Fifth, preferably, in the electric compressor (10) according to the first aspect, the closing member (40) has a first surface (41) facing the open end (33) of the motor housing (30) and a second surface (42) facing one end face (62a) of the inverter housing (50), the inverter (140) includes a power semiconductor element (144), the inverter housing (50) has an element stacking surface (67) on an inner surface (50a) at a position corresponding to the power semiconductor element (144), on which the power semiconductor element (144) can be stacked, the element stacking surface (67) and the power semiconductor element (144) are in close contact with each other via a first heat dissipation grease layer (145) made of thermally conductive grease, and the closing member (40) has a first surface (41) facing the open end (33) of the motor housing (30) and a second surface (42) facing one end face (62a) of the inverter housing (50), the inverter (140) includes a power semiconductor element (144), the inverter housing (50) has an element stacking surface (67) on an inner surface (50a) at a position corresponding to the power semiconductor element (144), the element stacking surface (67) and the power semiconductor element (144) are in close contact with each other via a first heat dissipation grease layer (145) made of thermally conductive grease, and the The one end surface (62a) has a first heat transfer surface (62c) at a position corresponding to the element stacking surface (67), and the closing member (40) has a second heat transfer surface (49) at a position on the second surface (42) corresponding to the first heat transfer surface (62c) of the inverter housing (50), the first heat transfer surface (62c) of the inverter housing (50) and the second heat transfer surface (49) of the closing member (40) are in close contact with each other via a second heat dissipation grease layer (146) made of thermally conductive grease, and the power semiconductor element (144), the first heat dissipation grease layer (145), the element stacking surface (67), the first heat transfer surface (62c), the second heat dissipation grease layer (146), and the second heat transfer surface (49) overlap in a direction along the output shaft (101) of the electric motor (100).

[0015] Sixth, preferably, in the electric compressor (10) described in any one of the first to fifth aspects, the output shaft (101) of the electric motor (100) is supported at two axial positions by a first bearing (105) and a second bearing (107), the first bearing (105) is provided in the motor housing (30), and the second bearing (107) is provided in the closing member (40).

[0016] Seventh, preferably, in the electric compressor (10) described in any one of the first to sixth aspects, the closing member (40) is fixed to the motor housing (30) by a plurality of first fastening means (44) extending inside the motor housing (30).

[0017] Eighth, preferably, in the electric compressor (10) according to the seventh aspect, the inverter housing (50) is fixed to the closing member (40) by a plurality of second fastening means (52).

[0018] Ninth, preferably, in the electric compressor (10) according to the eighth aspect, the plurality of second fastening means (52) are fastened to the closing member (40) from the side opposite to the side where the plurality of first fastening means (44) are fastened.

[0019] Tenth, preferably, in the electric compressor (10) according to the ninth aspect, the closing member (40) has a plurality of first fastening holes (45) for fastening the plurality of first fastening means (44) and a plurality of second fastening holes (46) for fastening the plurality of second fastening means (52), and the plurality of first fastening holes (45) and the plurality of second fastening holes (46) are arranged independent of each other and at different positions from each other.

[0020] Eleventh, preferably, in the electric compressor (10) according to any one of the seventh to tenth aspects, the inverter housing (50) includes an inverter case (60) having an open end face (63) opposite to the closing member (40), and a cover (70) capable of closing the end face (63), and the cover (70) is fixed to the closing member (40) together with the inverter case (60) by a plurality of second fastening means (52). [Effects of the Invention]

[0021] The present invention can provide a technique that can improve the replaceability of an inverter provided in an electric compressor. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0022] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of an electric compressor according to an embodiment; [Figure 2] 2 is a cross-sectional view of the electric compressor shown in FIG. 1 with a portion thereof omitted. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the compression housing, motor housing, and closure member shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] 3 is an enlarged view of a configuration in which a closing member and an inverter housing are assembled to the open end of the motor housing shown in FIG. 2. FIG. [Figure 5] 5A is a perspective view of the closing member shown in FIG. 4 as seen from the motor housing side, and FIG. 5B is a perspective view of the closing member as seen from the inverter housing side. [Figure 6] 5 is an exploded view of the open end of the motor housing, the closing member, and the inverter housing shown in FIG. 4. [Figure 7] 2 is a cross-sectional view of a fastening structure between a closing member and an inverter housing shown in FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 8] 5 is a cross-sectional view of a heat dissipation structure of a power semiconductor element included in the inverter shown in FIG. 4. [Figure 9] 9A is an explanatory diagram of the electric compressor shown in FIG. 1 installed at an installation location, and FIG. 9B is an explanatory diagram of the electric compressor shown in FIG. 9A with only the inverter removed. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0023] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings are merely examples of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to these embodiments.

[0024] 1 and 2, the electric compressor 10 is suitable for use in a refrigeration cycle that uses a refrigerant (refrigerant gas) as a working fluid, and is used, for example, in the refrigeration cycle of an automotive air conditioner. However, the electric compressor 10 is not limited to a specific application.

[0025] The electric compressor 10 is configured as a so-called horizontally-mounted electric compressor, for example, in which the housing 11 can be installed horizontally. The housing 11 accommodates a compression mechanism 80 that compresses a refrigerant (refrigerant gas), an electric motor 100 that drives the compression mechanism 80, and an inverter 140 that supplies power to the electric motor 100.

[0026] The housing 11 includes a compression housing 20 in which the compression mechanism 80 can be attached, a motor housing 30 in which the electric motor 100 can be attached, a closing member 40 that closes one end 33 (open end 33) of the motor housing 30, and an inverter housing 50 in which the inverter 140 can be attached. The closing member 40 (partition wall 40) is interposed between the open end 33 of the motor housing 30 and the inverter housing 50.

[0027] The compression housing 20, the motor housing 30, the closing member 40, and the inverter housing 50 are arranged in this order in a row along the longitudinal center line CL1 (axis CL1) of the housing 11. The compression housing 20, the motor housing 30, the closing member 40, and the inverter housing 50 are made by casting metal material such as aluminum (including aluminum alloy).

[0028] The compression housing 20 is a cylindrical member with a bottom that is open on the side facing the motor housing 30, and is composed of a cylindrical peripheral wall 21 and a flat bottom wall 22. An end 23 of the compression housing 20 opposite the bottom wall 22, i.e., the end 23 facing the motor housing 30, is open. This end 23 may be referred to as the "open end 23 of the compression housing 20" as appropriate. The open end 23 (open end surface 23) of the compression housing 20 is a flat surface that is perpendicular to the center line CL1 of the housing 11.

[0029] 2 and 3, the motor housing 30 is a cylindrical member with a closed bottom and a side facing the compression housing 20, and is composed of a cylindrical peripheral wall 31 and a flat bottom wall 32. An end 33 of the motor housing 30 opposite the bottom wall 32, i.e., one end 33 facing the inverter housing 50, is open. This one end 33 may be referred to as the "open end 33 of the motor housing 30" as appropriate. The outer wall surface 32a of the bottom wall 32 and the open end 33 (open end surface 33) are flat surfaces that are parallel to each other and perpendicular to the center line CL1 of the housing 11.

[0030] A first sealing member 34 such as a gasket seals the gap between the open end 23 (open end surface 23) of the compression housing 20 and the outer wall surface 32a of the bottom wall 32 of the motor housing 30. The motor housing 30 is fixed to the compression housing 20 by a plurality of fastening means 35 (fastening members 35). These fastening means 35 are formed, for example, by bolts.

[0031] 2, an open end 23 of the compression housing 20 is closed by the motor housing 30, thereby forming a sealed compressor housing chamber 24 inside the compression housing 20. The bottom wall 32 side of the compressor housing chamber 24 is partitioned into a discharge chamber 25 by a fixed scroll 81 of a compression mechanism 80, which will be described later.

[0032] 4, 5A, and 5B, the closing member 40 is a flat member having a first surface 41 facing the open end 33 of the motor housing 30 and a second surface 42 facing one end surface 62a of the inverter housing 50 (the outer wall surface 62a of the bottom wall 62 of the inverter case 60). The first surface 41 and the second surface 42 are flat surfaces parallel to each other and perpendicular to the center line CL1 of the housing 11. The gap between the open end 33 of the motor housing 30 and the first surface 41 of the closing member 40 is sealed by a second sealing member 43 such as a gasket.

[0033] 1 and 3, the closing member 40 is fixed to the motor housing 30 by a plurality of first fastening means 44 (first fastening members 44). More specifically, the closing member 40 has a first surface 41 formed with a plurality of first fastening holes 45 (screw holes 45) for fastening the plurality of first fastening means 44. The plurality of first fastening means 44 are, for example, bolts and extend through the motor housing 30. That is, the bottom wall 32 of the motor housing 30 has a plurality of bolt insertion holes 36 penetrating in the axial direction. The closing member 40 can be fixed to the motor housing 30 by inserting each first fastening means 44 through the corresponding bolt insertion hole 36 from the outer wall surface 32a side of the bottom wall 32 of the motor housing 30 and screwing it into the plurality of first fastening holes 45. Referring also to FIG. 2, a head 44a of the first fastening means 44 is covered by the compression housing 20 (positioned in the compressor storage chamber 24). The first fastening holes 45 do not penetrate through the first fastening holes 45 of the blocking member 40 to the second surface 42. Therefore, the refrigerant in the compressor housing chamber 24 or the motor housing chamber 37 does not leak through the first fastening holes 45 to the outside of the inverter housing chamber 51 or the electric compressor 10.

[0034] 2, the open end 33 of the motor housing 30 is closed by a closing member 40, thereby forming a sealed motor storage chamber 37 inside the motor housing 30. The peripheral wall 31 of the motor housing 30 has a suction port 38 that draws refrigerant from the outside into the motor storage chamber 37. The bottom wall 32 of the motor housing 30 has a suction hole 39 that draws refrigerant from the motor storage chamber 37 into the compressor storage chamber 24.

[0035] 4 and 6, the inverter housing 50 is configured such that the side facing the second surface 42 of the closing member 40 is closed, and overlaps this second surface 42. More specifically, the inverter housing 50 includes an inverter case 60 and a cover 70 (lid 70).

[0036] The inverter case 60 is a cylindrical member with a bottom that is closed on the side facing the second surface 42 of the closing member 40, and is composed of a cylindrical peripheral wall 61 and a flat bottom wall 62. An end 63 of the inverter case 60 opposite the bottom wall 62, i.e., one end 63 facing the cover 70, is open. This one end 63 may be referred to as the "open end 63 of the inverter housing 50" as appropriate. The outer wall surface 62a of the bottom wall 62 and the open end 63 (open end surface 63) are flat surfaces that are parallel to each other and perpendicular to the center line CL1 of the housing 11. The cover 70 is a member that can close the open end 63 (open end surface 63) of the inverter case 60, and has a closed-side end surface 71 (closed end surface 71) that overlaps the open end 63.

[0037] A third sealing member 64 such as a gasket seals the gap between the second surface 42 of the closing member 40 and the outer wall surface 62a of the bottom wall 62 of the inverter case 60. A fourth sealing member 72 such as a gasket seals the gap between the open end surface 63 of the inverter case 60 and the closed end surface 71 of the cover 70. By closing the open end surface 63 of the inverter case 60 with the cover 70, a sealed inverter storage chamber 51 is formed inside the inverter housing 50.

[0038] As shown in FIG. 7 , the inverter case 60 and the cover 70, i.e., the inverter housing 50, are fixed to the closing member 40 by a plurality of second fastening means 52 (second fastening members 52). The second fastening means 52 are fastened to the closing member 40 from the opposite side to the first fastening means 44. More specifically, the closing member 40 has a plurality of first fastening holes 45 as well as a plurality of second fastening holes 46 (screw holes 46) for fastening the second fastening means 52. The second fastening means 52 are formed, for example, by bolts. The inverter case 60 and the cover 70 each have a plurality of bolt insertion holes 65, 73. The inverter case 60 and the cover 70 can be fixed to the closing member 40 by inserting each second fastening means 52 through the corresponding bolt insertion holes 65, 73 from the cover 70 side and screwing it into the second fastening holes 46. In this way, the cover 70, together with the inverter case 60, is fixed to the closing member 40 by the plurality of second fastening means 52. The second fastening holes 46 are separated from the motor accommodating chamber 37. For example, the second fastening holes 46 are located radially outward of the motor housing 30. Therefore, the refrigerant contained in the motor accommodating chamber 37 does not leak through the second fastening holes 46 to the outside of the inverter accommodating chamber 51 or the electric compressor 10.

[0039] 2, 5A, and 5B, the first fastening holes 45 and the second fastening holes 46 are independent of one another. For example, the first fastening holes 45 and the second fastening holes 46 are arranged at different positions in the circumferential and radial directions of the blocking member 40. Furthermore, the second fastening holes 46 are located radially outward of the motor housing 30 relative to the first fastening holes 45 and the motor accommodating chamber 37. Because the first fastening holes 45 and the second fastening holes 46 are independent of one another in this way, the refrigerant in the motor accommodating chamber 37 does not leak through the second fastening holes 46 to the outside of the inverter accommodating chamber 51 or the electric compressor 10.

[0040] 4 and 6, the bottom wall 62 of the inverter case 60 further has a through-hole 66 penetrating through at least a portion thereof along the center line CL1 of the housing 11. That is, one end surface 62a of the inverter housing 50 facing the closing member 40 (the outer wall surface 62a of the bottom wall 62 of the inverter case 60) has the through-hole 66 in at least a portion thereof. This through-hole 66 may be referred to as the "opening 66 of the inverter housing 50" as appropriate. The closing member 40 not only closes the open end 33 of the motor housing 30, but also closes the opening 66 (through-hole 66) of the inverter housing 50.

[0041] See also Figures 5A and 5B. At least a portion of the second surface 42 of the closing member 40 has a bulging portion 47 that bulges toward the opening 66 of the inverter housing 50. This bulging portion 47 extends into the opening 66. The first surface 41 of the closing member 40 has a recessed portion 48 that is recessed toward the second surface 42 from a position corresponding to the bulging portion 47. The range of this recessed portion 48 is set to the range over which the bulging portion 47 bulges. Furthermore, a bottom surface 48a of the recessed portion 48 is a flat surface parallel to the first surface 41 and perpendicular to the center line CL1 of the housing 11.

[0042] Next, before describing the compression mechanism 80, the electric motor 100 will be described. As shown in FIG. 2, the electric motor 100 is configured as, for example, a three-phase AC brushless motor. The electric motor 100 includes an output shaft 101 (motor shaft 101), a rotor 102 fixed to the output shaft 101, and a cylindrical stator 103 surrounding the rotor 102. The output shaft 101 is located on a center line CL1 of a housing 11 in the longitudinal direction. Hereinafter, the center line CL1 of the housing 11 may be referred to as the "center line CL1 of the output shaft 101" as appropriate. The rotor 102 is rotatable around the center line CL1 of the output shaft 101. The stator 103 is located radially outward of the rotor 102 and is fixed to an inner circumferential surface 31a of a peripheral wall 31 of the motor housing 30.

[0043] The output shaft 101 is rotatably supported at two axial locations by a first bearing 105 and a second bearing 107. The first bearing 105 is provided in a first bearing holder 104 on the bottom wall 32 of the motor housing 30. This first bearing holder 104 extends from the bottom wall 32 toward the open end 33 of the motor housing 30. The second bearing 107 is provided in a second bearing holder 106 of the closing member 40. This second bearing holder 106 is provided on the motor housing 30 side (first surface 41 side) of the closing member 40.

[0044] Furthermore, the output shaft 101 has an eccentric shaft 111 on one end surface thereof facing the bottom wall 32 of the motor housing 30. The eccentric shaft 111 extends from one end surface of the output shaft 101 through the bottom wall 32 of the motor housing 30 toward the compression mechanism 80. A center line CL2 of the eccentric shaft 111 is parallel to the output shaft 101 and is offset from a center line CL1 of the output shaft 101. An annular bushing 112 is rotatably fitted onto the eccentric shaft 111. A counterweight 113 protruding radially is integrally provided on the bushing 112. The inner peripheral surface of a third bearing 114 is fitted onto the outer peripheral surface of the bushing 112.

[0045] Next, the compression mechanism 80 will be described. 2, the compression mechanism 80 compresses the refrigerant gas drawn into the compression housing 20 from the air conditioning cycle through the motor housing 30, and is configured by, for example, a scroll compression mechanism. The compression mechanism 80 (scroll compression mechanism 80) is configured to compress the refrigerant by combining a fixed scroll 81 that is arranged in the compressor storage chamber 24 so that its relative rotation is restricted, and an oscillating scroll 82 that can oscillate in the circumferential direction relative to the fixed scroll 81.

[0046] The fixed scroll 81 has a disk-shaped fixed end plate 81a, a cylindrical outer peripheral wall 81b, and a spiral-shaped fixed spiral wall 81c. The fixed end plate 81a is perpendicular to the center line CL2 of the eccentric shaft 111. The outer peripheral wall 81b extends from the outer peripheral edge of the fixed end plate 81a toward the electric motor 100. A refrigerant suction port 81d is formed in this outer peripheral wall 81b for drawing refrigerant from the radially outer side to the inner side. The fixed spiral wall 81c is located inside the outer peripheral wall 81b and stands upright from the bottom surface of the fixed end plate 81a.

[0047] The orbiting scroll 82 is capable of revolving around the fixed scroll 81. The orbiting scroll 82 has a disk-shaped orbiting end plate 82a positioned opposite the fixed spiral wall 81c, and a spiral-shaped orbiting spiral wall 82b.

[0048] The oscillating end plate 82a is located inside the outer peripheral wall 81b of the fixed scroll 81 and is rotatably supported by the eccentric shaft 111 via a third bearing 114 and a bushing 112. The oscillating spiral wall 82b stands upright from the oscillating end plate 82a toward the fixed end plate 81a, and the oscillating spiral wall 82b and the fixed spiral wall 81c are combined to form multiple compression chambers 82c. When the output shaft 101 rotates, the oscillating scroll 82 can revolve (rotate eccentrically) around the axis CL1 of the output shaft 101.

[0049] Furthermore, the compression mechanism 80 has a rotation prevention mechanism 83 that prevents the orbiting scroll 82 from rotating on its axis while allowing it to oscillate.

[0050] As described above, the rotation of the output shaft 101 of the electric motor 100 causes the orbiting scroll 82 to revolve. As a result, refrigerant drawn through the suction port 38 passes through the gap of the electric motor 100 in the motor housing chamber 37 (low-pressure chamber 37), passes through the suction hole 39 in the bottom wall 32 of the motor housing 30, and passes through the refrigerant suction port 81d of the fixed scroll 81, and is drawn into the compression chamber 82c. As the orbiting scroll 82 revolves, the compression chamber 82c gradually reduces its internal volume and moves toward the center. This compresses the refrigerant in the compression chamber 82c. When the pressure in the compression chamber 82c increases to exceed the pressure at which the discharge valve 84 opens, the discharge valve 84 opens due to the pressure difference. The refrigerant in the compression chamber 82c flows into the discharge chamber 25 through the discharge hole 85. The refrigerant in the discharge chamber 25 is discharged to the outside from the discharge port 87 (see FIG. 1) via the oil separation chamber 86.

[0051] Next, the electrical connection structure between the electric motor 100 and the inverter 140 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 6 , multiple lead wires 121 (motor wiring 121) drawn from the coil 103a of the stator 103 extend toward the first surface 41 of the blocking member 40 and are individually connected to multiple connection terminals 122 (receptacles 122). That is, these connection terminals 122 are electrically connected to the coil 103a of the electric motor 100 and are disposed on the first surface 41 side of the blocking member 40 relative to the electric motor 100. Each connection terminal 122 is incorporated into (housed in) a cluster block 123. This cluster block 123 (electrical connector 123) is formed, for example, from a molded product made of electrically insulating resin. Each connection terminal 122 housed in the cluster block 123 can be connected to the inverter 140 via a relay terminal 130.

[0052] The relay terminal 130 includes a plate-shaped terminal plate 131 and a plurality of terminal pins 132 attached to the terminal plate 131. The terminal plate 131 and each terminal pin 132 are sealed and insulated from each other. The terminal plate 131 is placed on the surface 48a of the closing member 40 facing the motor housing 30, i.e., on the bottom surface 48a of the recess 48 of the closing member 40, and is attached with fastening members 133 (fastening means 133) such as screws. The surface 131a (mating surface 131a) of the terminal plate 131 that is placed on the bottom surface 48a of the recess 48 is flat. A sealing member 134 such as an O-ring seals the gap between the bottom surface 48a of the recess 48 and the mating surface 131a. This prevents refrigerant in the motor housing chamber 37 from leaking out of the inverter housing chamber 51 or the electric compressor 10 via the relay terminal 130.

[0053] Each terminal pin 132 is perpendicular to the mating surface 131a of the terminal plate 131 and extends from the motor housing chamber 37 to the inverter housing chamber 51 along the center line CL1 of the housing 11. One of the terminal pins 132 located in the motor housing chamber 37 is removably connected to a connection terminal 122 in the cluster block 123. The other end of the terminal pin 132 passes through the bulge 47 from the terminal plate 131 and protrudes into the inverter housing 50.

[0054] The inverter 140 receives externally supplied power and a compressor operation signal that operates the electric compressor 10, and supplies driving power to the electric motor 100. The inverter 140 includes control components 141 such as an inverter circuit and a filter circuit, a board 142 on which the control components 141 are mounted, and a board-side connector 143 provided on the board 142. The board-side connector 143 can be connected to the tips of the terminal pins 132 of the relay terminal 130.

[0055] By assembling the inverter 140 inside the inverter housing 50, the board-side connector 143 is connected to each terminal pin 132. As a result, each lead wire 121 is electrically connected to the inverter 140. Driving power can be supplied from the inverter 140 to the electric motor 100.

[0056] As shown in FIG. 8, the inverter 140 includes power semiconductor elements 144 that constitute the arms of each phase of a three-phase inverter circuit. The power semiconductor elements 144 are configured as so-called molded power semiconductor elements, in which, for example, a semiconductor chip to which a switching element and a freewheeling diode are connected is housed in a resin package. The power semiconductor elements 144 may be arranged as a power module, as an integrated circuit component consisting of a single component, or each semiconductor element may be arranged as an individual component. The power semiconductor elements 144 generate a large amount of heat because a large current flows through them. For this reason, it is preferable to dissipate the heat generated by the power semiconductor elements 144 to the outside, that is, to improve heat dissipation.

[0057] To address this, the power semiconductor elements 144 are overlapped on a portion of the inner surface 50a of the inverter housing 50. More specifically, an element stacking surface 67, on which the power semiconductor elements 144 can be stacked, is formed on the inner surface 50a of the inverter housing 50, i.e., the inner wall surface 62b of the bottom wall 62 of the inverter case 60. Furthermore, the element stacking surface 67 is formed flat by machining. This element stacking surface 67 is located on the inner wall surface 62b of the bottom wall 62 of the inverter case 60. In other words, the position of the element stacking surface 67 corresponds to one end surface 62a of the inverter housing 50 (the outer wall surface 62a of the bottom wall 62 of the inverter case 60).

[0058] The element stacking surface 67 and the power semiconductor elements 144 are in close contact with each other via a first heat-dissipating grease layer 145 made of thermally conductive grease. A first heat-transfer surface 62c is formed on one end surface 62a of the bottom wall 62 of the inverter case 60 at a position corresponding to the element stacking surface 67. The first heat-transfer surface 62c is formed flat by machining. The closing member 40 has a second heat-transfer surface 49 formed on the second surface 42 at a position corresponding to the first heat-transfer surface 62c. The second heat-transfer surface 49 is formed flat by machining. The first heat-transfer surface 62c of the inverter housing 50, i.e., the first heat-transfer surface 62c on the outer wall surface 62a of the bottom wall 62 of the inverter case 60, and the second heat-transfer surface 49 on the second surface 42 of the closing member 40 are in close contact with each other via a second heat-dissipating grease layer 146 made of thermally conductive grease. Thermally conductive grease is a thermally conductive composition that is also known as a thermally conductive paste. The power semiconductor element 144, the first heat dissipation grease layer 145, the element stacking surface 67, the first heat transfer surface 62c, the second heat dissipation grease layer 146, and the second heat transfer surface 49 overlap in the direction along the output shaft 101 of the electric motor 100 (as viewed from the direction of the arrow Ri in FIG. 8). Furthermore, by flattening the element stacking surface 67, the first heat transfer surface 62c, and the second heat transfer surface 49 by machining, the thermally conductive grease can be applied thinly and uniformly, improving thermal conductivity.

[0059] Heat generated by the power semiconductor elements 144 is transferred from the first heat-dissipating grease layer 145 and the element stacking surface 67 through the first heat-transfer surface 62c, the second heat-dissipating grease layer 146, and the closing member 40 to the low-temperature refrigerant gas in the motor housing 30 (motor storage chamber 37), where it is exchanged. The closing member 40 and the inverter housing 50 are preferably made of a metal material with good thermal conductivity, such as aluminum (including aluminum alloys) or copper (including copper alloys). By selecting such materials, the heat generated by the power semiconductor elements 144 can be more efficiently exchanged with the low-temperature refrigerant gas in the motor housing 30.

[0060] Next, a replacement method for removing and replacing the inverter housing 50 from the electric compressor 10 will be described. 9A shows a state in which the electric compressor 10 is installed at an installation location PL such as a vehicle. To remove only the inverter housing 50 from the electric compressor 10 while it remains installed at the installation location PL, first, the plurality of second fastening means 52 are released. Next, the inverter housing 50 is pulled out from the second surface 42 of the closing member 40. As a result, only the inverter housing 50 with the inverter 140 (see FIG. 4) attached thereto can be removed from the electric compressor 10 while it remains installed at the installation location PL.

[0061] Thereafter, a new inverter housing 50 with the inverter 140 attached is aligned with the second surface 42 of the closing member 40 and fastened with the plurality of second fastening means 52. In this way, the inverter housing 50 can be removed from the closing member 40 simply by removing the plurality of second fastening means 52. The electric compressor 10 can be easily replaced by removing only the inverter housing 50 with the inverter 140 attached, while the electric compressor 10 remains installed in the installation location PL of the vehicle or the like.

[0062] The above description of the electric compressor 10 can be summarized as follows.

[0063] As shown in FIG. 2, the electric compressor 10 includes a compression mechanism 80 that compresses a refrigerant (refrigerant gas), an electric motor 100 that drives the compression mechanism 80, an inverter 140 that supplies power to the electric motor 100, a compression housing 20 in which the compression mechanism 80 can be mounted, a motor housing 30 in which the electric motor 100 can be mounted, and an inverter housing 50 in which the inverter 140 can be mounted.

[0064] The compression housing 20, the motor housing 30, and the inverter housing 50 are arranged in this order in a row along the output shaft 101 of the electric motor 100. As shown in FIG. 4 , one end 33 of the motor housing 30 facing the inverter housing 50 is an open end 33. A closing member 40 (partition wall 40) that closes the open end 33 is interposed between this open end 33 and the inverter housing 50.

[0065] By closing the open end 33 of the motor housing 30 with the closing member 40 in this way, the inverter housing 50 can be positioned without coming into contact with the refrigerant gas region inside the motor housing 30, etc. As shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B , the inverter housing 50, with the inverter 140 (see FIG. 2 ) attached, can be removed and replaced from the electric compressor 10 installed in the installation location PL of a vehicle or the like. In other words, the entire inverter housing 50 of the electric compressor 10, including the inverter 140, can be replaced. Furthermore, there is no need to recover and recharge the refrigerant gas in the air conditioning cycle of an air conditioner (not shown). This improves the replaceability of the inverter 140 provided in the electric compressor 10. Furthermore, because the electric compressor 10 itself does not need to be replaced, replacement costs can be significantly reduced.

[0066] 4 and 6, one end surface 62a of the inverter housing 50 (the outer wall surface 62a of the bottom wall 62 of the inverter case 60) facing the closing member 40 has an opening 66 (through hole 66) in at least a portion thereof. The closing member 40 closes the open end 33 of the motor housing 30 and also closes the opening 66 of the inverter housing 50.

[0067] In this way, the closing member 40 that closes the open end 33 of the motor housing 30 can also close the opening 66 of the inverter housing 50. Therefore, there is no need to provide a separate closing member for closing the opening 66 of the inverter housing 50. This allows the electric compressor 10 to be made smaller.

[0068] 4 and 6, the electric compressor 10 further includes a relay terminal 130 that electrically connects the electric motor 100 and the inverter 140. The relay terminal 130 includes a plate-shaped terminal plate 131 and a terminal pin 132 attached to the terminal plate 131. The terminal plate 131 is attached to a terminal fixing surface 48a of the closing member 40 on the motor housing 30 side (the bottom surface 48a of the recess 48 of the closing member 40) by a fastening member 133. The terminal pin 132 penetrates the closing member 40 and protrudes into the inverter housing 50.

[0069] A refrigerant gas with a higher pressure than that inside the inverter housing 50 is supplied to the motor housing 30. Therefore, the interior 37 (motor storage chamber 37) of the motor housing 30 is a high-pressure region. In response to this, the relay terminal 130, which electrically connects the electric motor 100 and the inverter 140, is attached to the terminal fixing surface 48a of the closing member 40 on the motor housing 30 side by a fastening member 133. This makes it easy to improve the sealing performance between the closing member 40 and the relay terminal 130. Furthermore, because the terminal pin 132 is fixed to the motor housing 30 side of the closing member 40 by the fastening member 133, it is possible to prevent the fastening member 133 of the terminal pin 132 from accidentally coming off the closing member 40 after the inverter housing 50 is removed.

[0070] As shown in FIGS. 4 and 6 , the closing member 40 has a first surface 41 facing the motor housing 30 and a second surface 42 facing the inverter housing 50. One end surface 62a of the inverter housing 50 (the outer wall surface 62a of the bottom wall 62 of the inverter case 60) facing the second surface 42 has an opening 66 (through-hole 66) in at least a portion thereof. The second surface 42 has a bulging portion 47 that bulges toward the opening 66. The first surface 41 has a recessed portion 48 that is recessed toward the second surface 42 from a position corresponding to the bulging portion 47. A terminal plate 131 is attached to a bottom surface 48a of the recessed portion 48 in the closing member 40 by a fastening member 133. A terminal pin 132 penetrates the bulging portion 47 and protrudes into the interior 51 of the inverter housing 50 (the inverter storage chamber 51).

[0071] In this way, by making the bulging portion 47 bulge from the second surface 42 of the closing member 40 toward the opening 66 of the inverter housing 50, a recessed portion 48 with a large depth can be provided on the first surface 41 of the closing member 40. Moreover, because the bulging portion 47 bulges toward the opening 66, the thickness of the closing member 40 can be kept as small as possible even when a recessed portion 48 with a large depth is provided. By storing the relay terminal 130 in such a recessed portion 48 with a large depth, the amount of protrusion of the relay terminal 130 relative to the interior 37 (motor storage chamber 37) of the motor housing 30 can be kept as small as possible. As a result, the motor housing 30 can be made smaller.

[0072] As shown in FIG. 8 , the closing member 40 has a first surface 41 facing the open end 33 of the motor housing 30 and a second surface 42 facing one end surface 62a of the inverter housing 50 (the outer wall surface 62a of the bottom wall 62 of the inverter case 60). The inverter 140 includes power semiconductor elements 144. The inverter housing 50 has an element stacking surface 67 on the inner surface 50a at a position corresponding to the power semiconductor elements 144, on which the power semiconductor elements 144 can be stacked. The element stacking surface 67 and the power semiconductor elements 144 are in close contact with each other via a first heat-dissipating grease layer 145 made of thermally conductive grease. The one end surface 62a of the inverter housing 50 has a first heat-transfer surface 62c at a position corresponding to the element stacking surface 67. The closing member 40 has a second heat-transfer surface 49 on the second surface 42 at a position corresponding to the first heat-transfer surface 62c of the inverter housing 50. The first heat transfer surface 62c on one end surface 62a of the inverter housing 50 and the second heat transfer surface 49 on the second surface 42 of the closing member 40 are in close contact with each other via a second heat dissipation grease layer 146 made of thermally conductive grease. The power semiconductor element 144, the first heat dissipation grease layer 145, the element stacking surface 67, the first heat transfer surface 62c, the second heat dissipation grease layer 146, and the second heat transfer surface 49 are all overlapped in the direction along the output shaft 101 of the electric motor 100.

[0073] In this way, the power semiconductor element 144, the inverter housing 50, the first and second thermally conductive materials 145, 146, the closing member 40, and the interior 37 (motor storage chamber 37) of the motor housing 30 are in close contact with and overlap each other in the direction along the output shaft 101 of the electric motor 100. Therefore, even though the closing member 40 is interposed between the interior 37 of the motor housing 30 and the interior 51 of the inverter housing 50, the power semiconductor element 144 can be efficiently cooled by the refrigerant gas in the motor housing 30.

[0074] 2, the output shaft 101 of the electric motor 100 is supported at two axial locations by a first bearing 105 and a second bearing 107. The first bearing 105 is provided in the motor housing 30. The second bearing 107 is provided in the closing member 40.

[0075] In this way, the output shaft 101 of the electric motor 100 is supported at two points: the motor housing 30 and the closing member 40. This allows for stable support of the output shaft 101. Because an excessive bending moment is not generated in the output shaft 101, the electric motor 100 can be operated stably and quietly with reduced noise.

[0076] As shown in FIG. 2, the closure member 40 is secured to the motor housing 30 by a plurality of first fastening means 44 that extend within the motor housing 30 .

[0077] Therefore, there is no need to remove the closing member 40 when removing the inverter housing 50 from the motor housing 30. Even when the inverter housing 50 is removed from the motor housing 30, the closing member 40 prevents the refrigerant gas inside the motor housing 30 from coming into contact with the inverter housing 50. As shown in Figures 9A and 9B, the inverter housing 50 with the inverter 140 attached can be easily replaced by removing only it from the electric compressor 10 that remains installed in the installation location PL of a vehicle or the like.

[0078] As shown in FIG. 7, the inverter housing 50 is fixed to the closing member 40 by a plurality of second fastening means 52.

[0079] Therefore, the inverter housing 50 can be removed from the closing member 40 simply by undoing the plurality of second fastening means 52. As shown in Figures 9A and 9B, the inverter housing 50 with the inverter 140 attached can be removed and easily replaced from the electric compressor 10 that remains installed in the installation location PL of a vehicle or the like.

[0080] As shown in FIG. 1, the plurality of second fastening means 52 are fastened to the closure member 40 from the opposite side to the plurality of first fastening means 44 .

[0081] 9A and 9B, with the electric compressor 10 installed at the installation location PL of a vehicle or the like, the plurality of second fastening means 52 can be removed or attached to the blocking member 40 from the side opposite to the plurality of first fastening means 44. This makes it easy to replace the inverter housing 50 for the electric compressor 10 in an installed state.

[0082] 5A, 5B, and 7, the closing member 40 has a plurality of first fastening holes 45 (screw holes 45) for fastening the plurality of first fastening means 44, and a plurality of second fastening holes 46 (screw holes 46) for fastening the plurality of second fastening means 52. The plurality of first fastening holes 45 and the plurality of second fastening holes 46 are arranged independent of each other and at different positions from each other.

[0083] Therefore, the first fastening holes 45 that fasten the plurality of first fastening means 44 and the second fastening holes 46 that fasten the plurality of second fastening means 52, which are provided in the closing member 40, are independent of each other. Therefore, refrigerant gas in the motor housing 30 (motor storage chamber 37) does not flow from the first fastening holes 45 of the first fastening means 44 through the second fastening holes 46 of the second fastening means 52 into the inverter housing 50 (inverter storage chamber 51).

[0084] Furthermore, the multiple first fastening holes 45 and the multiple second fastening holes 46 are positioned in different directions relative to the blocking member 40. The thickness of the blocking member 40 in the axial direction (direction along the output shaft 101) only needs to take into account either the depth of the first fastening holes 45 or the depth of the multiple second fastening holes 46. Because the thickness of the blocking member 40 can be reduced, the axial length of the electric compressor 10 can be shortened, and as a result, the electric compressor 10 can be made more compact.

[0085] 7, the inverter housing 50 includes an inverter case 60 having an open end face 63 opposite to the closing member 40, and a cover 70 that can close the end face 63 (open end face 63). The cover 70 is fixed to the closing member 40 together with the inverter case 60 by a plurality of second fastening means 52.

[0086] 9A and 9B, both the cover 70 and the inverter case 60 can be simultaneously removed from the closing member 40 simply by removing the plurality of second fastening means 52. This facilitates disassembly of the inverter housing 50. With the electric compressor 10 still installed in the installation location PL of a vehicle or the like, only the inverter case 60 and the cover 70 can be removed and easily replaced.

[0087] The electric compressor 10 according to the present invention is not limited to the embodiments as long as it exhibits the functions and effects of the present invention. For example, the compression mechanism 80 is not limited to a scroll compression mechanism, but may be any mechanism that is driven by the electric motor 100 and compresses the refrigerant. [Industrial Applicability]

[0088] The electric compressor 10 of the present invention is suitable for use in the refrigeration cycle of a vehicle air conditioner. [Explanation of symbols]

[0089] 10 Electric compressor 20 Compression Housing 30 Motor housing 33 Open end (open end surface, one end) 40 Closure member 41 Page 1 42 Side 2 44 First fastening means 45 1st fastening hole 46 2nd fastening hole 47 Bulge 48 recess 48a Bottom surface of recess (terminal fixing surface on the motor housing side) 49 Second heat transfer surface 50 Inverter housing 50a Inner surface of inverter housing 52 Second fastening means 60 Inverter case 61 Peripheral wall 62 Bottom wall 62a External wall surface (one end surface) 62b Inner surface of bottom wall 62c First heat transfer surface 63 Open end (end face) 66 Aperture 67 Element stacking surface 70 Cover 71 Closed end face 80 Compression mechanism 100 electric motor 101 Output shaft 105 First bearing 107 Second bearing 130 Relay Terminal 131 Terminal board 132 terminal pin 133 Fastening members 140 Inverter 144 Power semiconductor elements 145 First thermal grease layer 146 Second thermal grease layer CL1 center line PL installation location

Claims

1. a compression mechanism (80) that compresses a refrigerant; an electric motor (100) that drives the compression mechanism (80); an inverter (140) for supplying power to the electric motor (100); a compression housing (20) in which the compression mechanism (80) can be attached; a motor housing (30) in which the electric motor (100) can be mounted; an inverter housing (50) in which the inverter (140) can be attached; the compression housing (20), the motor housing (30), and the inverter housing (50) are arranged in this order in a line along the output shaft (101) of the electric motor (100); One end (33) of the motor housing (30) facing the inverter housing (50) is an open end (33), The electric compressor (10) is characterized in that a closing member (40) for closing the open end (33) is interposed between the open end (33) and the inverter housing (50).

2. an end surface (62a) of the inverter housing (50) facing the closing member (40) has an opening (66) at least in a part thereof; The electric compressor according to claim 1, wherein the closing member (40) closes the opening (66) of the inverter housing (50).

3. a relay terminal (130) that electrically connects the electric motor (100) and the inverter (140); The relay terminal (130) includes a plate-shaped terminal plate (131) and a terminal pin (132) attached to the terminal plate (131), The terminal plate (131) is attached to a terminal fixing surface (48a) of the closing member (40) on the motor housing (30) side by a fastening member (133), The electric compressor according to claim 1, wherein the terminal pin (132) penetrates the closing member (40) and projects into the inverter housing (50).

4. The closing member (40) has a first surface (41) facing the motor housing (30) and a second surface (42) facing the inverter housing (50), an end surface (62a) of the inverter housing (50) facing the second surface (42) has an opening (66) at least in a part thereof; the second surface (42) has a bulging portion (47) bulging toward the opening (66), the first surface (41) has a recess (48) recessed from a position corresponding to the bulge (47) toward the second surface (42), The terminal plate (131) is attached to the bottom surface (48a) of the recess (48) in the closing member (40) by the fastening member (133), The electric compressor according to claim 3, wherein the terminal pin (132) penetrates the bulge (47) and projects into the inverter housing (50).

5. the closing member (40) has a first surface (41) facing the open end (33) of the motor housing (30) and a second surface (42) facing one end surface (62a) of the inverter housing (50), The inverter (140) includes a power semiconductor element (144), the inverter housing (50) has an element stacking surface (67) on an inner surface (50a) at a position corresponding to the power semiconductor element (144), on which the power semiconductor element (144) can be stacked; the element stacking surface (67) and the power semiconductor element (144) are in close contact with each other via a first heat dissipation grease layer (145) made of thermally conductive grease; the one end surface (62a) of the inverter housing (50) has a first heat transfer surface (62c) at a position corresponding to the element stacking surface (67); the closing member (40) has a second heat transfer surface (49) at a position on the second surface (42) corresponding to the first heat transfer surface (62c) of the inverter housing (50); the first heat transfer surface (62c) of the inverter housing (50) and the second heat transfer surface (49) of the closing member (40) are in close contact with each other via a second heat dissipation grease layer (146) made of thermally conductive grease; 2. The electric compressor according to claim 1, wherein the power semiconductor element (144), the first heat dissipation grease layer (145), the element stacking surface (67), the first heat transfer surface (62c), the second heat dissipation grease layer (146), and the second heat transfer surface (49) overlap in a direction along the output shaft (101) of the electric motor (100).

6. The output shaft (101) of the electric motor (100) is supported at two axial positions by a first bearing (105) and a second bearing (107), the first bearing (105) is provided in the motor housing (30); The electric compressor according to claim 1, wherein the second bearing (107) is provided on the closing member (40).

7. 2. The electric compressor according to claim 1, wherein the closure member (40) is fixed to the motor housing (30) by a plurality of first fastening means (44) extending within the motor housing (30).

8. 8. The electric compressor according to claim 7, wherein the inverter housing (50) is fixed to the closing member (40) by a plurality of second fastening means (52).

9. 9. The electric compressor according to claim 8, wherein the plurality of second fastening means (52) are fastened to the closing member (40) from a side opposite to the side to which the plurality of first fastening means (44) are fastened.

10. the closing member (40) has a plurality of first fastening holes (45) for fastening the plurality of first fastening means (44) and a plurality of second fastening holes (46) for fastening the plurality of second fastening means (52), 10. The electric compressor according to claim 9, wherein the plurality of first fastening holes (45) and the plurality of second fastening holes (46) are arranged independent of each other and at different positions from each other.

11. The inverter housing (50) includes an inverter case (60) having an open end face (63) opposite to the closing member (40), and a cover (70) capable of closing the end face (63), The electric compressor according to claim 7, wherein the cover (70) is fixed to the closing member (40) together with the inverter case (60) by a plurality of second fastening means (52).

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