Rotary electric machine

Abstract

To achieve excellent cooling performance and compactness.SOLUTION: The rotating electric machine 2 includes two refrigerant flow paths 100110, through which the refrigerant flows, and one power wiring 80 through which the current supplied to the rotating electric machine 2 flows. The two refrigerant flow paths 100,110 are disposed inside the integral structure part 50 so as to approach the power wiring 80 from different directions.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 13

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The disclosed technology particularly relates to a rotating electric machine (electric motor, generator, or dynamo-motor) mounted on a vehicle for driving the vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] When a rotating electric machine is in operation, it generates heat due to copper loss and iron loss. In the case of a rotating electric machine used as a driving source for a vehicle, a large current flows through it, and therefore a large amount of heat is generated. Rotating electric machines are generally cooled by circulating a refrigerant to suppress temperature increases. The same applies to current-carrying parts such as terminal blocks attached to rotating electric machines.

[0003] Prior art related to the disclosed technology includes, for example, Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2. Patent Document 1 discloses a motor in which a terminal block is attached to the top of a refrigerant flow path. Patent Document 2 discloses a motor in which a terminal block is attached to the side of a refrigerant flow path. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-296103 [Patent Document 2] US2022 / 0037963A1 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In the motors of Patent Documents 1 and 2, the heat-generating parts of the terminal block (such as the bus bar and electrical wiring, which are metal conductors) can only be cooled from a specific direction, either below or to the side. Furthermore, the terminal block and the coolant flow path, which are constructed separately, are arranged adjacent to each other. This increases the overall size of the motor. There is room for improvement in terms of miniaturization.

[0006] Therefore, this specification discloses a technology that overcomes the drawbacks of the above technologies relating to the terminal blocks and coolant flow paths of rotating electrical machines, and that provides excellent cooling performance and compact size. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The disclosed technology relates to a rotating electric machine.

[0008] The rotating electric machine includes a first flow path and a second flow path that form a refrigerant flow path through which a refrigerant flows, a first wiring that forms a power wiring through which a current flows to the rotating electric machine, and an integrated structure in which the first flow path, the second flow path, and the first wiring are integrated, and the first flow path and the second flow path are arranged inside the integrated structure so as to be adjacent to the first wiring from different directions.

[0009] That is, in this rotating electrical machine, one power wiring line through which a large current flows is integrated with two coolant flow paths into an integrated structure. Therefore, their relative positions remain unchanged even if a slight impact is applied. Even when they are close to each other, their arrangement can be stably maintained. Mutual interference can be prevented.

[0010] Two cooling channels are located close to one power wiring from different directions. This allows for effective cooling of one power wiring. It is possible to suppress the increase in electrical resistance that accompanies temperature rise. It is possible to reduce the cross-sectional area of ​​the power wiring, making it lighter. It is possible to make the size of the integrated structure, including the power wiring, more compact.

[0011] The integral structure may have an opening through which the coolant flows in or out.

[0012] This allows the size of the integral structure to be compact.

[0013] The integrated structure may have a terminal block formed by the first wiring.

[0014] This allows the size of the integrated structure to be made compact. If the integrated structure has an inlet and outlet for the refrigerant as well as the terminal block, the size of the integrated structure can be made even more compact.

[0015] The integral structure may have a molded structure made of insulating resin.

[0016] This allows the integral structure to be molded into any desired shape, making it highly versatile and advantageous in terms of insulation.

[0017] The molded structure may include an insulating filler having a higher thermal conductivity than the insulating resin.

[0018] This improves the cooling of the molded structure, thus allowing for a smaller cross-sectional area of ​​the power wiring, making it lighter, and allowing for a more compact size of the integral structure.

[0019] The first wiring may be made of a plate-shaped metal conductor, and the first flow path may be arranged so as to face a first plate surface of the first wiring, and the second flow path may be arranged so as to face a second plate surface of the first wiring.

[0020] This facilitates heat exchange between the power wiring and the coolant, thereby enabling the cross-sectional area of ​​the power wiring to be further reduced, making it even lighter, and further enabling the size of the integrated structure to be made more compact.

[0021] The first wiring may be made of a plate-shaped metal conductor, and may have a bent portion where a plate surface is bent along one of the first flow path and the second flow path.

[0022] This facilitates heat exchange between the power wiring and the coolant, thereby enabling the cross-sectional area of ​​the power wiring to be further reduced, making it even lighter, and further enabling the size of the integrated structure to be made more compact.

[0023] The first wiring may have a straight portion extending along the first flow path and the second flow path.

[0024] This facilitates heat exchange between the power wiring and the coolant, thereby enabling the cross-sectional area of ​​the power wiring to be further reduced, making it even lighter, and further enabling the size of the integrated structure to be made more compact.

[0025] The power wiring may include second wiring and third wiring that are integrated into the integrated structure together with the first wiring, and may be arranged closely side by side in the order of the third wiring, the first flow path, the first wiring, the second flow path, and the second wiring.

[0026] This allows for effective cooling of power wiring carrying three-phase alternating current in a compact size. [Effects of the Invention]

[0027] By applying the disclosed technology to a rotating electrical machine, excellent cooling performance can be achieved and the size can be made compact. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0028] [Figure 1] 1A and 1B are diagrams for explaining an application example of a rotating electric machine; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a view of the drive unit as seen from above. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a view seen from the direction of arrow A1 in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] 4 is an external view of the main body of the motor indicated by the broken line in FIG. 3 and a diagram for explaining the structure thereof. FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view indicated by an arrow A2 in FIG. 3, illustrating the cooling of the motor. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a part of the cooling structure of the motor. [Figure 7] FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view indicated by an arrow A2 in FIG. 3, illustrating the energization of the motor. [Figure 8]FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining a part of the current supply structure of the motor. [Figure 9A] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of a hybrid terminal block. [Figure 9B] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of a hybrid terminal block. [Figure 9C] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of a hybrid terminal block. [Figure 9D] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of a hybrid terminal block. [Figure 10] FIG. 9B is a schematic cross-sectional view indicated by arrow A3 in FIG. 9A. [Figure 11] 11 is a schematic cross-sectional view indicated by arrow A4 in FIG. 10. [Figure 12] FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining power wiring. [Figure 13] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between a coolant flow path and power wiring. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a reinforcing material. [Figure 15A] FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining a second embodiment. [Figure 15B] 15B is a schematic cross-sectional view indicated by arrow A6 in FIG. 15A. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0029] The disclosed technology will be described below. However, the following description is essentially merely an example. The front-rear, left-right, and up-down directions used in the description are based on the vehicle. In each drawing, these directions are indicated by arrows. The left-right direction corresponds to the vehicle width direction.

[0030] The direction in which the rotation axis extends is called the axial direction. The direction around the rotation axis is called the circumferential direction, and the direction of the radius of the rotation axis is called the radial direction.

[0031] <Overall structure of a rotating electrical machine> From a functional standpoint, the rotating electric machine in the disclosed technology is an electric motor, a generator, or a dynamomotor. The rotating electric machine to which the disclosed technology is applied is suitable as a drive source for a vehicle.

[0032] An example is shown in Figure 1. The rotating electric machine in the example also functions as a generator during regeneration, but its main function is as an electric motor (motor). Therefore, the rotating electric machine will be described here as a motor.

[0033] The illustrated vehicle 1 is a so-called hybrid vehicle. The vehicle 1 is equipped with a motor 2 and an engine 3. The vehicle 1 is driven by the engine 3 and / or the motor 2. A high-voltage, large-capacity battery 4 is mounted under the floor panel of the vehicle 1 as a power source for the motor 2.

[0034] The motor 2 is assembled integrally with the engine 3. That is, the motor 2 constitutes a drive unit DU integrated with the engine 3. The drive unit DU is mounted in the front compartment 1a of the vehicle 1. The drive unit DU drives and rotates the left and right front wheels 1b, 1b. The vehicle 1 is a so-called FF vehicle.

[0035] The drive unit DU is mounted transversely on the vehicle 1 so that its rotation axis J extends in the vehicle width direction. The engine 3 is, for example, an in-line four-cylinder reciprocating engine. In the disclosed technology, the type and performance of the engine 3 can be selected arbitrarily.

[0036] As shown enlarged in FIG. 1, the drive unit DU includes an engine 3, a motor 2, a joint 5, and a transmission 6. The motor 2 is electrically connected to a battery 4 via an inverter 7. Under the control of the inverter 7, the motor 2 is driven by power input from the battery 4. The term "rotating electric machine" in the disclosed technology has a broad meaning, and the motor 2 here includes the inverter 7 (an example of a power device).

[0037] When the vehicle 1 is driven by the motor 2 to travel, the inverter 7 converts the DC power of the battery 4 into three-phase AC power with different phases and inputs it to the motor 2, thereby rotating the motor 2. When regeneration occurs due to deceleration of the vehicle 1, the inverter 7 converts the AC power generated by the motor 2 into DC power and outputs it to the battery 4. Note that the inverter 7 may also include other power devices related to power conversion, such as a converter.

[0038] Fig. 2 shows the drive unit DU as seen from above. Fig. 3 shows the drive unit DU as seen from the direction of arrow A1 in Fig. 2. Piping and the like are omitted. Fig. 4 is an external view of the motor 2 (main body portion) shown by the dashed line in Fig. 3 and a diagram for explaining its structure. Fig. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view shown by arrow A2 in Fig. 3, and is a diagram for explaining the cooling of the motor 2.

[0039] Fig. 6 is a diagram illustrating a part of the cooling structure of the motor 2. Fig. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view indicated by arrow A2 in Fig. 3, and is a diagram illustrating the energization of the motor 2. Fig. 8 is a diagram illustrating a part of the energization structure of the motor 2.

[0040] The drive unit DU is constructed by integrally assembling the engine 3, motor 2, joint 5, and transmission 6. That is, the engine 3 has an engine block 11 that forms its housing. Similarly, the joint 5 has a joint block 12, the motor 2 has a motor block 13, and the transmission 6 has a transmission block 14.

[0041] 2 and 3, the drive unit DU is integrated by assembling these blocks together. As a result, the drive unit DU has a unit block 10 in which these blocks are integrated. The "rotating electric machine" in the disclosed technology is used in a broad sense and is not limited to a single motor 2, but may also be a drive unit DU that includes a motor 2.

[0042] As shown by the dashed line in Figure 3, the main body of the motor 2 is housed in a motor block 13. Its appearance is shown on the left side of Figure 4. As shown in Figure 4, the main body of the motor 2 is made up of a housing 30, a stator 31, a rotor 32, a motor shaft 33, etc.

[0043] The motor 2 is, for example, a three-phase permanent magnet synchronous motor. The rotor 32 is a cylindrical member including a permanent magnet. Although not shown, magnetic poles consisting of north and south poles are alternately provided on the outer periphery of the rotor 32. The rotor 32 and the motor shaft 33 are fixed coaxially around a rotation axis J.

[0044] The stator 31 is made of a cylindrical member and is arranged coaxially with the rotor 32 across an air gap around the rotor 32. Although not shown, the stator 31 includes a steel core and a group of three-phase coils, U, V, and W, formed by winding copper wire around the core.

[0045] The housing 30 is a metal container with a circular cross section. The rotor 32 and the stator 31 are housed in the housing 30. The motor shaft 33 is rotatably supported by the housing 30. The motor shaft 33 is disposed to extend horizontally in the vehicle width direction so as to coincide with the rotation axis J. The right end of the motor shaft 33 is connected to the crankshaft of the engine 3 via a joint 5 in a detachable manner.

[0046] The left end of the motor shaft 33 is connected to the transmission 6. The transmission 6 changes the speed of the power output by the engine 3 and / or the motor 2 and outputs it. The transmission 6 has an output shaft 6a that is disposed eccentrically to the rotation axis J (see FIG. 15B). The changed speed power is output to the left and right front wheels 1b, 1b via the output shaft 6a.

[0047] The outer peripheral surface of the stator 31 is in close contact with the inner peripheral surface of the housing 30. When the motor 2 is in operation, a large current flows through the stator 31. At this time, the stator 31 generates heat due to copper loss and iron loss. To cool the stator 31, a band-shaped flow path (stator cooling flow path 34) through which a coolant flows is formed on the outer periphery of the housing 30. The stator cooling flow path 34 is provided so as to extend around the entire circumference of the housing 30 with a width that is at least half the width of the stator 31.

[0048] When viewed from the axial direction, the mounting base 35 is disposed diagonally above the front side of the housing 30. In other words, as shown in Fig. 4, when viewed from the left side in the axial direction, the mounting base 35 is disposed above the rotation axis J, at a position corresponding to between 12 o'clock and 3 o'clock on a clock, particularly between 1 o'clock and 2 o'clock. In other words, the mounting base 35 is disposed above the vertical midpoint of the stator cooling flow path 34 that extends along the stator 31. Because the stator 31 is annular, if the mounting base 35 is disposed on the housing 30 at a height midpoint in the vertical direction of the stator 31, the horizontal dimension of the rotating electric machine is likely to increase.

[0049] The mounting base 35 has a flat mounting surface 35a that faces diagonally upward and forward. The mounting base 35 is formed in a rectangular shape that extends tangentially to the housing 30. The mounting surface 35a is formed with an inlet 35b and an outlet 35c that communicate with the stator cooling flow passage 34. The inlet 35b and the outlet 35c are adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction. The mounting surface 35a also has two fastening holes 35d and two positioning holes 35e.

[0050] A partition wall 36 is provided in the stator cooling flow path 34 at a position facing the mount 35. The partition wall 36 is disposed between the inlet 35b and the outlet 35c. The stator cooling flow path 34 is divided by the partition wall 36. As a result, the refrigerant introduced into the stator cooling flow path 34 from the inlet 35b flows clockwise through the stator cooling flow path 34 and is then discharged from the outlet 35c.

[0051] A ring-shaped or arc-shaped coil connection bus bar 37 for each phase is provided on the right side surface of the stator 31. Each coil connection bus bar 37 is electrically connected to the coil group for each phase. As shown in FIG. 7, each of the coil connection bus bars 37 is provided with a connection piece 37a that protrudes radially outward at a position facing the mounting base 35.

[0052] A specific terminal block (an example of an integrally structured portion) is attached to the mounting base 35 by molding. This terminal block also serves as a refrigerant flow path that relays the circulation of the refrigerant (also referred to as a hybrid terminal block 50). Using the disclosed technology, the hybrid terminal block 50 has a compact structure with excellent cooling performance. Details of the hybrid terminal block 50 will be described later.

[0053] (Motor cooling structure) Fig. 5 shows a simplified cooling structure for the motor 2 using the stator cooling channel 34. The vehicle 1 is equipped with a cooling water circulation system to cool the engine 3. In the case of this cooling structure for the motor 2, the cooling water is used as the refrigerant. However, the refrigerant may be oil or the like, and the type of refrigerant is not important.

[0054] The cooling structure of the motor 2 utilizes a heat exchanger 20, a water pump 21, and other components provided in its circulation system. The heat exchanger 20 is disposed at the front of the vehicle 1 and air-cools the cooling water. The water pump 21 is operated by the power or electricity of the drive unit DU. The cooling water cooled by the heat exchanger 20 is sent to the engine 3 and the inverter 7 by the water pump 21.

[0055] Although not shown, the inverter 7 is provided with a cooling passage for cooling the electrical components housed therein. The cooling water that has cooled the inverter 7 is introduced into a flow path connecting portion 15 provided at the front of the unit block 10 through a refrigerant introduction pipe 22 shown in FIG.

[0056] FIG. 6 shows the flow path connecting portion 15. The flow path connecting portion 15 is composed of inlet and outlet connecting flow paths 23, 24, inlet and outlet joint pipes 25, etc. The flow path connecting portion 15 in the upper diagram of FIG. 6 is the inlet side, and the flow path connecting portion 15 in the lower diagram of FIG. 6 is the outlet side. The connecting flow paths 23, 24 are formed on the upper front side of the unit block 10. The refrigerant inlet pipe 22 is connected to an inlet 23a of the inlet-side connecting flow path 23 that opens at the front face of the unit block 10.

[0057] An outlet 23b of the inlet-side connecting flow path 23 is disposed on the inner surface of the unit block 10 so as to face a refrigerant inlet 101 of a hybrid terminal block 50, which will be described later. The refrigerant inlet 101 is connected to an inlet 35b of the stator cooling flow path 34. An inlet-side joint pipe 25 is attached between the outlet 23b of the inlet-side connecting flow path 23 and the refrigerant inlet 101 so as to form a flow path between them.

[0058] Similar to the inlet side, the outlet side connecting flow path 24 has an inlet 24a disposed on the inner surface of the unit block 10 so as to face a refrigerant outlet 111 of a hybrid terminal block 50, which will be described later. The refrigerant outlet 111 is connected to an outlet 35c of the stator cooling flow path 34. The outlet side joint pipe 25 is attached between the inlet 24a of the outlet side connecting flow path 24 and the refrigerant outlet 111 to form a flow path therebetween.

[0059] As shown in FIG. 5, the hybrid terminal block 50 is disposed in the upper portion of the housing 30, more specifically, as described above, obliquely above the front side of the housing 30 when viewed in the axial direction.

[0060] When air enters the annular stator cooling passage 34, the air collects at the top of the stator cooling passage 34. If air accumulates in the stator cooling passage 34, it hinders the cooling of the motor 2. Therefore, even if air enters the stator cooling passage 34, it is necessary to prevent the air from accumulating.

[0061] For this purpose, a hybrid terminal block 50 is disposed on top of the housing 30. The hybrid terminal block 50 forms an inlet and outlet through which the cooling water flows in and out of the stator cooling flow path 34. Therefore, the hybrid terminal block 50 can bleed air from the stator cooling flow path 34.

[0062] From the viewpoint of air bleeding, it is preferable to place the hybrid terminal block 50 at the top of the stator cooling channel 34. However, doing so increases the vertical dimension of the drive unit DU. In contrast, when placed as described above, air bleeding is improved compared to when the outlet of the stator cooling channel 34 is placed below the rotation axis J of the stator cooling channel 34, and it is possible to achieve both a reduction in the vertical dimension of the drive unit DU and the air bleeding ability of the stator cooling channel 34. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of air bleeding, it is preferable to provide the outlet on the upper surface side in the vertical direction of the stator cooling channel 34.

[0063] In addition, as will be described later, the AC connection terminals 44U, 44V, 44W of the AC side connector 44 of the inverter 7 can be directly attached to the hybrid terminal block 50. Therefore, the current carrying distance can be shortened.

[0064] As shown in the lower diagram of Figure 6, a refrigerant outlet pipe 26 is connected to outlet 24b of connecting flow path 24 on the outlet side, which opens at the front surface of motor block 13. Coolant is discharged from motor 2 through refrigerant outlet pipe 26. The coolant is then returned to water pump 21 via heat exchanger 20. In this way, the coolant circulates and cools motor 2.

[0065] (Motor current structure) 7 shows a simplified current supply structure for the motor 2 using the hybrid terminal block 50. As described above, the motor 2 is electrically connected to the battery 4 via the inverter .

[0066] The inverter 7 has an inverter case 40 that houses electrical components. As shown in Figures 2 and 7, the inverter case 40 has a generally flat shape that is thin in the vertical direction and widens in the front-to-back and left-to-right directions. The inverter case 40 is fastened to and attached to the upper part of the drive unit DU so as to straddle the rotation shaft J.

[0067] 2, the inverter 7 has electrical components such as a DC side connector 41, a smoothing capacitor 42, a control board 43, and an AC side connector 44. The DC side connector 41 includes a positive bus bar 41a and a negative bus bar 41b connected to the control board 43. The DC side connector 41 is housed in an inverter case 40. The DC side connector 41 is electrically connected to the battery 4 via a predetermined cable 8.

[0068] Power semiconductors such as IGBTs and MOSFETs are mounted on the control board 43. These constitute an inverter circuit on the control board 43. The control board 43 controls the power input and output to the motor 2. The AC side connector 44 includes AC connection terminals 44U, 44V, and 44W (an example of a "power device connection terminal") for three phases (U phase, V phase, and W phase) connected to the control board 43.

[0069] The inverter 7 is electrically connected to the motor 2 via the AC side connector 44 and the hybrid terminal block 50. For this purpose, the AC side connector 44 is installed on the front portion of the upper surface of the motor block 13 so that its upper portion is located inside the inverter case 40 and its lower portion is located inside the motor block 13.

[0070] 8 shows an enlarged view of the installation portion 16 of the AC side connector 44. The installation portion 16, which has an elongated hole 16a, is provided at the front end portion of the top surface of the motor block 13. The AC side connector 44 has a rectangular block-shaped base portion 44a and a plug portion 44b integrally formed on the lower side thereof. The plug portion 44b fits into the elongated hole 16a.

[0071] Each of the AC connection terminals 44U, 44V, and 44W is bent into an L shape. One end of each of the AC connection terminals 44U, 44V, and 44W is exposed on the base portion 44a and arranged side by side. The other end of each of the AC connection terminals 44U, 44V, and 44W protrudes downward from the insertion portion 44b and arranged side by side. The insertion portion 44b is inserted into the elongated hole 16a, and the base portion 44a is fixed to the installation portion 16. In this manner, the AC side connector 44 is installed on the motor block 13.

[0072] The AC connection terminals 44U, 44V, and 44W of the AC-side connector 44 are directly attached to the hybrid terminal block 50 without any intervening wiring. Specifically, as will be described in detail later, the AC connection terminals 44U, 44V, and 44W of the corresponding phases are screwed to the fastening seats 66U, 66V, and 66W of the hybrid terminal block 50. The stator-side connection terminals 73, 83a, and 93 of the hybrid terminal block 50 are joined to the connection pieces 37a of the coil connecting bus bars 37, respectively. This electrically connects the inverter 7 and the motor 2 over the shortest distance.

[0073] <Hybrid terminal block> 9A, 9B, 9C, and 9D show the hybrid terminal block 50 viewed from different directions. Fig. 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view indicated by arrow A3 in Fig. 9A. Fig. 11 is a schematic cross-sectional view indicated by arrow A4 in Fig. 10.

[0074] Fig. 12 is a diagram for explaining the power wiring. Fig. 13 is a schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between the refrigerant flow path and the power wiring. Fig. 14 is a diagram for explaining the reinforcing material 65. The cross-sectional view of Fig. 14 is a schematic cross-sectional view indicated by arrow A5 in Fig. 10.

[0075] As described above, the hybrid terminal block 50 also serves as a refrigerant flow path that relays the circulation of the refrigerant, and is integrally formed by molding (integral structure). That is, the hybrid terminal block 50 is interposed between the motor 2 (specifically, the stator 31) and the inverter 7, and constitutes a terminal block including power wiring that relays the electrical connection between them. The power wiring is embedded in resin by molding, making it resistant to vibration. Furthermore, even if the distance between each power wiring is shorter than the insulation distance without resin, the insulation distance can be secured and stable insulation can be ensured.

[0076] The hybrid terminal block 50 is formed with a refrigerant inlet 101 through which the cooling water flows in and a refrigerant outlet 111 through which the cooling water flows out. That is, the hybrid terminal block 50 is integrally provided with a refrigerant flow path that relays the circulation of the cooling water to the stator cooling flow path 34.

[0077] By devising the three-dimensional shape and arrangement of these power wiring and coolant flow paths, a compact hybrid terminal block 50 with excellent cooling properties is constructed.

[0078] This is because this type of terminal block is equipped with power wiring (bus bars, lead wires, etc.) that generates heat when current is applied. Moreover, a large current flows continuously through the power wiring when the vehicle 1 is running on electric power. Furthermore, the greater the electrical resistance of the power wiring, the greater the amount of heat generated and the higher the temperature of the power wiring. The higher the temperature of the power wiring, the higher its electrical resistance.

[0079] Therefore, power wiring is required to have low electrical resistance and a large cross section so that it does not exceed the cooling capacity even at expected high temperatures. As a result, the power wiring of this type of terminal block is generally heavy and large in size.

[0080] In contrast, the hybrid terminal block 50 also serves as a refrigerant flow path through which a refrigerant flows, and is configured so that the refrigerant can constantly cool the power wiring while power is being applied. In addition, the three-dimensional shape and arrangement of the refrigerant flow path and power wiring have been devised to more effectively cool the power wiring. As a result, the hybrid terminal block 50 has excellent cooling performance and is compact in size. Details of this are described below.

[0081] The hybrid terminal block 50 has a molded structure 51 made of insulating resin. The molded structure 51 is formed by injection molding. The molded structure 51 is formed by solidifying molten insulating resin into a predetermined shape.

[0082] The electrical resistivity of insulating resin is 10 8 The electrical resistance is Ω·m or more. From the viewpoints of insulation and formability, the insulating resin is preferably polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), etc. Note that the hybrid terminal block 50 is not limited to being made of insulating resin, and may be made of ceramic or the like.

[0083] Molded structure 51 may contain an insulating filler having a higher thermal conductivity than insulating resin.

[0084] Specific examples of fillers include silicon oxide, alumina, aluminum nitride, magnesium oxide, boron nitride, silicon nitride, and silicon carbide. The inclusion of such fillers in the molded structure 51 improves the cooling performance of the power wiring. Therefore, the hybrid terminal block 50 can be made more compact.

[0085] The molded structure 51 includes three conductor-embedded portions (U-phase conductor-embedded portion 52U, V-phase conductor-embedded portion 52V, and W-phase conductor-embedded portion 52W), two flow path forming portions (inflow path forming portion 53a and outflow path forming portion 53b), an attachment portion 54, a connection portion 55, etc.

[0086] U-phase wiring 70, V-phase wiring 80, and W-phase wiring 90 (examples of "power wiring") described below are buried in U-phase conductor buried portion 52U, V-phase conductor buried portion 52V, and W-phase conductor buried portion 52W, respectively. Inflow path forming portion 53a and outflow path forming portion 53b are formed in flow path 100 and outflow path 110 (examples of "refrigerant flow path") described below, respectively.

[0087] 9A, 9B, and 11, the inlet channel forming portion 53a and the outlet channel forming portion 53b are formed in a cylindrical shape and extend parallel to each other in the left-right direction (axial direction) together with the inlet channel 100 and the outlet channel 110. The U-phase conductor embedded portion 52U, the V-phase conductor embedded portion 52V, and the W-phase conductor embedded portion 52W are formed in a plate-wall shape and extend parallel to each other in the left-right direction (axial direction) with their wall surfaces facing each other.

[0088] The U-phase conductor embedded portion 52U, the V-phase conductor embedded portion 52V, and the W-phase conductor embedded portion 52W, as well as the inlet path forming portion 53a and the outlet path forming portion 53b, are integrally formed and arranged closely side by side from front to rear in the order of W-phase conductor embedded portion 52W, inlet path forming portion 53a, V-phase conductor embedded portion 52V, outlet path forming portion 53b, and U-phase conductor embedded portion 52U (this portion is also referred to as the conductor flow path integrated portion 56).

[0089] Specifically, the front side of the inlet path forming portion 53a is integrated with one wall surface of the W-phase conductor embedded portion 52W. The rear side of the inlet path forming portion 53a is integrated with one wall surface of the V-phase conductor embedded portion 52V, and the other wall surface of the V-phase conductor embedded portion 52V is integrated with the front side of the outlet path forming portion 53b. The rear side of the outlet path forming portion 53b is integrated with one wall surface of the U-phase conductor embedded portion 52U.

[0090] The right ends of the W-phase conductor embedded portion 52W, the inflow path forming portion 53a, the V-phase conductor embedded portion 52V, the outflow path forming portion 53b, and the U-phase conductor embedded portion 52U are formed so that their end faces are aligned (so-called flush).On the other hand, the left end of the U-phase conductor embedded portion 52U is formed slightly longer than the W-phase conductor embedded portion 52W, the V-phase conductor embedded portion 52V, the inflow path forming portion 53a, and the outflow path forming portion 53b.

[0091] A plate-wall-like conductor embedded extension 57 extending in the front-to-rear direction is provided adjacent to the left of the W-phase conductor embedded portion 52W, the V-phase conductor embedded portion 52V, the inflow path forming portion 53a, and the outflow path forming portion 53b. A plate-wall-like conductor embedded protrusion 58 extends further to the left from the front end of the conductor embedded extension 57.

[0092] The rear end of the buried conductor extension 57 is continuous with the left end of the U-phase conductor buried portion 52U. That is, the left side of the U-phase conductor buried portion 52U is extended forward and leftward by the buried conductor extension 57 and the buried conductor protruding portion 58.

[0093] The mounting portion 54 has a pair of flanges 54a, 54a that protrude from both sides of the conductor flow path integrated portion 56, and a flat, rectangular joint surface 54b. The joint surface 54b is provided below the pair of flanges 54a, 54a and the conductor flow path integrated portion 56.

[0094] The joint surface 54b is placed on the mounting surface 35a of the mounting base 35. The conductor flow path integrated portion 56 extends in the left-right direction (axial direction), while the joint surface 54b extends in the front-rear direction (axis-perpendicular direction). Therefore, they are perpendicular to each other.

[0095] 9C and 9D, a connecting outlet 59 and a connecting inlet 60 are formed in the joint surface 54b, corresponding to the inlet 35b and outlet 35c of the mounting surface 35a. Packings 61 (O-rings) that prevent liquid leakage are attached to the connecting outlet 59 and the connecting inlet 60. Two through holes 62 are formed in the pair of flanges 54a and the joint surface 54b, corresponding to the fastening holes 35d of the mounting surface 35a.

[0096] Two positioning pins 63 are also formed on the joint surface 54b, corresponding to the positioning holes 35e on the mounting surface 35a. The mounting part 54 is attached to the mounting base 35 by inserting each positioning pin 63 into each positioning hole 35e and screwing bolts 64 inserted into each through hole 62 into each fastening hole 35d, as shown in Fig. 8. This allows the inlet 35b and outlet 35c on the mounting surface 35a to be connected with the connecting outlet 59 and connecting inlet 60 on the joint surface 54b with high precision. Liquid leakage can also be effectively prevented.

[0097] Furthermore, in order to bring the joining surface 54b into close contact with the mounting surface 35a, the joining surface 54b needs to be flat with high precision. Therefore, a high degree of molding precision is required. Furthermore, the joining surface 54b needs to be strong enough to not deform when fastened.

[0098] A reinforcing member 65 is embedded in the formed structure 51 to improve the forming accuracy and strength of the joint surface 54b. FIG. 14 shows an example of the reinforcing member 65. The reinforcing member 65 is a pressed metal product having a rectangular appearance. The reinforcing member 65 has a pair of legs 65a, 65a formed by bending both edges of the reinforcing member 65 in the same direction. The reinforcing member 65 has an arch-shaped cross section.

[0099] The plate surface of the reinforcing member 65 is formed with a connecting outlet 59, a connecting inlet 60, and four holes overlapping the two through holes 62. The reinforcing member 65 is embedded in the pair of flanges 54a, 54a and the conductor flow path integrated portion 56 with the legs 65a facing the joint surface 54b. The tips of the legs 65a face the joint surface 54b with a small gap between them.

[0100] By providing such reinforcing material 65, the strength of the joint surface 54b can be improved. Furthermore, during molding, the molten resin can be spread throughout the area where the joint surface 54b is to be formed. The joint surface 54b can be formed with high precision. Therefore, the sealing performance between the mounting surface 35a and the joint surface 54b can be improved. The amount of resin in the molded structure 51 can be reduced.

[0101] The connecting portion 55 is integrally provided on the upper side of the inlet passage forming portion 53a, the W-phase conductor embedded portion 52W, and the conductor embedded protruding portion 58. The connecting portion 55 has an inserting portion 55a in the shape of a rectangular block and a receiving portion 55b in the shape of a box. The inserting portion 55a extends in the left-right direction, similar to the conductor flow passage integrated portion 56.

[0102] As shown in FIG. 9A, one side (base end) of the insertion portion 55a is continuous with the upper edge of the W-phase conductor-embedded portion 52W. The insertion portion 55a slopes upward from there toward the rear. Fastening seats 66U, 66V, and 66W of each phase are arranged side by side in the left-right direction on the sloped outer surface of the insertion portion 55a. Three insertion openings 67 corresponding to the fastening seats 66U, 66V, and 66W are formed at the tip of the insertion portion 55a. The above-mentioned AC connection terminals 44U, 44V, and 44W are inserted into each of these insertion openings 67.

[0103] As shown in Fig. 9B, inverter-side connection terminals 71, 84, 91 for U-phase wiring 70, V-phase wiring 80, and W-phase wiring 90 are arranged in an exposed state in fastening seats 66U, 66V, 66W of each phase. As shown in Figs. 8 and 10, AC connection terminals 44U, 44V, 44W are placed on top of inverter-side connection terminals 71, 84, 91, and screws 68 (an example of a "predetermined fastening member") are inserted into these fastening seats 66U, 66V, 66W to fasten them together. In this manner, the inverter-side connection terminals 71, 84, 91 and AC connection terminals 44U, 44V, 44W of each phase are fastened together with the screws.

[0104] The fastening seats 66U, 66V, 66W of each phase have pilot holes formed therein that penetrate the outer surface of the insertion portion 55a. Three receiving portions 55b are provided between the insertion portion 55a and the conductor flow path integrated portion 56, corresponding to the fastening seats 66U, 66V, 66W of each phase. As shown in Fig. 10, these receiving portions 55b receive the threaded shafts of the screws 68 to be fastened therein.

[0105] (Inflow path, outflow path) 10 and 11, the inlet channel 100 has a refrigerant inlet 101 that opens at the right end face of the inlet channel forming portion 53a. The outlet channel 110 has a refrigerant outlet 111 that opens at the right end face of the outlet channel forming portion 53b. The inlet channel 100 and the outlet channel 110 are both cylindrical flow paths.

[0106] The inflow channel 100 corresponds to a "first flow channel" in the disclosed technology, and the outflow channel 110 corresponds to a "second flow channel" in the disclosed technology.

[0107] The inlet passage 100 has an inlet horizontal hole 102 extending leftward from the refrigerant inlet 101, and an inlet vertical hole 103 extending from the left end of the inlet horizontal hole 102 toward the mounting surface 35a. The inlet horizontal hole 102 is perpendicular to the inlet vertical hole 103. Similarly, the outlet passage 110 has an outlet horizontal hole 112 extending leftward from the refrigerant inlet 101, and an outflow vertical hole 113 extending from the left end of the outflow horizontal hole 112 toward the joining surface 54b.

[0108] The inlet horizontal hole 102 and the outlet horizontal hole 112 have larger diameters than the inlet vertical hole 103 and the outlet vertical hole 113. The inlet horizontal hole 102 and the outlet horizontal hole 112 are formed so that their diameters gradually decrease toward the left. The diameters of the left end portions of the inlet horizontal hole 102 and the outlet horizontal hole 112 are approximately the same as the diameters of the inlet vertical hole 103 and the outlet vertical hole 113.

[0109] The opening in the joining surface 54b of the inlet vertical hole 103 is the above-mentioned connecting outlet 59. The opening in the joining surface 54b of the outflow vertical hole 113 is the above-mentioned connecting inlet 60. An arched cutout 104 is provided at the upper left side of the inlet horizontal hole 102, formed by cutting out an arched cross section of the inlet horizontal hole 102. The surface of the arched cutout 104 is a flat surface that is approximately parallel to the joining surface 54b.

[0110] (power wiring) Three-phase power wiring that relays the electrical connection between the motor 2 and the inverter 7 is embedded in the molding structure 51 of the hybrid terminal block 50. A driving current input to the motor 2 or a regenerative current output from the motor 2 flows through these power wirings.

[0111] That is, since a large current flows through the power wiring, rod-shaped or plate-shaped metal conductors are preferable to electric wires for the power wiring. Rod-shaped or plate-shaped metal conductors can relatively easily reduce electrical resistance. In particular, plate-shaped metal conductors have excellent three-dimensional formability and are suitable for molding.

[0112] The power wiring for each phase of the hybrid terminal block 50 (U-phase wiring 70, V-phase wiring 80, and W-phase wiring 90) is formed into a specific shape by bending a metal plate (copper plate) that has been processed into a predetermined shape, from the viewpoints of cooling performance and compactness. Figure 12 shows these power wirings.

[0113] The V-phase wiring 80 corresponds to the "first wiring" in the disclosed technology. The U-phase wiring 70 corresponds to the "second wiring" in the disclosed technology. The W-phase wiring 90 corresponds to the "third wiring" in the disclosed technology.

[0114] (W phase wiring) The W-phase wiring 90 is arranged in the connecting portion 55 and the front portion (W-phase conductor embedded portion 52W) of the conductor flow path integrated portion 56 of the molded structure 51. The W-phase wiring 90 has a strip-shaped short intermediate portion 92, and a first inverter-side connection terminal 91 and a first stator-side connection terminal 93 extending perpendicularly in opposite directions from the edges of both diagonally opposite ends of the short intermediate portion 92.

[0115] The base end portion of the first inverter side connection terminal 91 is bent at an obtuse angle. An upper screw hole is formed in the tip portion of the first inverter side connection terminal 91. The tip portion of the first inverter side connection terminal 91 is arranged in an exposed state in the W-phase fastening seat 66W so that the upper screw hole overlaps the lower screw hole.

[0116] The first stator side connection terminal 93 is formed of a rectangular plate-shaped portion that is continuous with the short intermediate portion 92. The tip portion of the first stator side connection terminal 93 protrudes from the W-phase conductor embedded portion 52W. The tip portion of the first stator side connection terminal 93 is electrically connected to the connection piece 37a of the W-phase coil connecting bus bar 37.

[0117] (U phase wiring) The U-phase wiring 70 is arranged in the connecting portion 55 and in the rear and left portions of the conductor flow path integrated portion 56 of the molded structure 51. The U-phase wiring 70 has a strip-shaped long intermediate portion 72, and a second inverter-side connection terminal 71 and a second stator-side connection terminal 73 that extend perpendicularly in opposite directions from the edges of both diagonally opposite ends of the long intermediate portion 72.

[0118] The long intermediate portion 72 is embedded across the U-phase conductor embedded portion 52U, the conductor embedded extension portion 57, and the conductor embedded protruding portion 58. The long intermediate portion 72 is bent in accordance with these arrangements. That is, the long intermediate portion 72 has a main body portion 72a extending in the left-right direction, an extending portion 72b extending forward perpendicularly from the left end of the main body portion 72a, and an extending portion 72c extending leftward perpendicularly from the front end of the extending portion 72b.

[0119] The second inverter-side connection terminal 71 is continuous with the edge of the protruding portion 72c. Similar to the first inverter-side connection terminal 91, the second inverter-side connection terminal 71 is bent at an obtuse angle at its base end. An upper screw hole is formed in the tip of the second inverter-side connection terminal 71. The tip of the second inverter-side connection terminal 71 is positioned in an exposed state in the U-phase fastening seat 66U so that the upper screw hole overlaps the lower screw hole.

[0120] The second stator side connection terminal 73 is a rectangular plate-shaped portion connected to the right end of the main body portion 72a. The tip portion of the second stator side connection terminal 73 protrudes from the U-phase conductor embedded portion 52U. The tip portion of the second stator side connection terminal 73 is electrically connected to the connection piece 37a of the U-phase coil connecting busbar 37.

[0121] (V phase wiring) The V-phase wiring 80 is arranged in the molded structure 51, in the connection portion 55, and in a portion between the inlet path 100 and the outlet path 110 in the central portion of the conductor flow path integrated portion 56. Therefore, the V-phase wiring 80 has a particularly complex shape.

[0122] The V-phase wiring 80 has a first conductive portion 81, a second conductive portion 82, and a third conductive portion 83. The first conductive portion 81 is arranged to extend in the left-right direction between the inflow path 100 and the outflow path 110.

[0123] The first conductive portion 81 is embedded in the V-phase conductor embedded portion 52V (including parts of the integrated inlet path forming portion 53a and outlet path forming portion 53b) in a state where it is disposed substantially parallel to both the inlet path 100 and the outlet path 110. The first conductive portion 81 extends in the direction in which current flows (the current supply direction), as will be described later. The first conductive portion 81 has a pair of side portions, consisting of a first side portion 81s1 and a second side portion 81s2, which face each other in the up-down direction, and a pair of end portions, consisting of a first end portion 81e1 (left end portion) and a second end portion 81e2 (right end portion) located at both left and right ends of these side portions.

[0124] The first conductive portion 81 has a narrow portion (narrow width portion 81a) located on the first end 81e1 side and a wide portion (large width portion 81b) connected to the narrow portion 81a and located on the second end 81e2 side. The large width portion 81b is longer than the narrow width portion 81a (approximately twice as long). A bent portion 85 is provided in the first conductive portion 81 so as to straddle the narrow width portion 81a and the wide width portion 81b.

[0125] Specifically, the bent portion 85 is formed by bending the second side portion 81s2 of the first conductive portion 81 forward by a predetermined width into a substantially L-shape. As shown in Figures 10 and 11, the tip of the bent portion 85 is positioned to face the inlet vertical hole portion 103 with a small gap between them.

[0126] The bent portion 85 extends from the first end 81e1 of the second side portion 81s2 of the first conductive portion 81 to the middle portion of the second side portion 81s2. The bent portion 85 allows the cross-sectional area of ​​the first conductive portion 81 to be increased even if the plate width of the narrow portion 81a is small.

[0127] That is, even if the radial size of the first conductive portion 81 is limited as described below, a large conductive area (cross-sectional area through which current flows) can be ensured. Therefore, electrical resistance can be reduced. Even in areas where heat dissipation is difficult, temperature increases during current flow can be suppressed. Furthermore, by bending the portion into a roughly L-shape, molten resin can be smoothly filled during molding.

[0128] A recess 86 is provided at the boundary of the second side portion 81s2 on the side of the second end 81e2 of the bent portion 85. The recess 86 is formed by recessing the second side portion 81s2 into a substantially rectangular shape. The presence of the recess 86 makes it possible to easily bend the second side portion 81s2. The recess 86 contributes to the formation of the bent portion 85.

[0129] The presence of the recess 86 reduces the plate width of the first conductive portion 81. In contrast, the recess 86 is formed in the large width portion 81b. Therefore, even if the recess 86 exists, a large conductive area can be ensured.

[0130] The second conductive portion 82 is made up of a generally V-shaped portion and is provided on the first side portion 81s1 side of the first end portion 81e1 of the first conductive portion 81. A notch 87 cut in the plate width direction is provided at the boundary between the narrow portion 81a and the wide portion 81b of the first side portion 81s1 of the first conductive portion 81. A connecting portion between the first conductive portion 81 and the second conductive portion 82 is formed by bending the plate surface via this notch 87.

[0131] The presence of the notch 87 makes it possible to easily bend the first side portion 81s1. The notch 87 contributes to the formation of the second conductive portion 82 and the narrow portion 81a and the wide portion 81b, which have different widths. The notch 87 and the recess 86 are positioned offset in the current-carrying direction. A bent portion 85 is formed that straddles the narrow portion 81a and the wide portion 81b. Therefore, even if the first conductive portion 81 has the notch 87 and the recess 86 that reduce its width, a large conductive area can be ensured.

[0132] The second conductive portion 82 has a horizontal surface portion 82a that is bent at approximately a right angle from the first side portion 81s1 of the first conductive portion 81 to the same side as the bent portion 85 and extends further than the bent portion 85, and an inclined surface portion 82b that is bent back at an acute angle in the opposite direction from the tip of the horizontal surface portion 82a and extends in a direction away from the bent portion 85.

[0133] The horizontal surface portion 82a does not necessarily have to be bent at a substantially right angle. However, by bending the horizontal surface portion 82a together with the bent portion 85 at a substantially right angle, the horizontal surface portion 82a and the bent portion 85 can each be made into a linear shape that is easy to process, and the distance between them can be reduced to the width necessary to sandwich the inlet channel 100.

[0134] An upper screw hole is formed in the tip portion of the inclined surface portion 82b. As shown in Fig. 10, the tip portion of the inclined surface portion 82b is positioned in an exposed state on the fastening seat 66V so that the upper screw hole overlaps the lower screw hole. The tip portion of the inclined surface portion 82b forms the third inverter-side connection terminal 84.

[0135] The third conductive portion 83 is formed of a rectangular plate-shaped portion and is provided on the second side portion 81s2 side of the second end portion 81e2 of the first conductive portion 81. The third conductive portion 83 extends in a direction perpendicular to the second side portion 81s2 of the first conductive portion 81. The tip portion of the third conductive portion 83 protrudes from the V-phase conductor embedded portion 52V. The tip portion of the third conductive portion 83 constitutes a third stator-side connecting terminal 83a. The tip portion of the third conductive portion 83 is electrically connected to the connecting piece 37a of the V-phase coil connecting busbar 37.

[0136] (Positional relationship between power wiring and coolant flow path) 13 shows the positional relationship between the power wiring (U-phase wiring 70, V-phase wiring 80, and W-phase wiring 90) and the refrigerant flow paths (inlet path 100 and outlet path 110). The upper diagram shows the positional relationship between the outlet path 110 and the U-phase wiring 70 and the V-phase wiring 80. The lower diagram shows the positional relationship between the inlet path 100 and the V-phase wiring 80 and the W-phase wiring 90.

[0137] Inside the conductor flow path integrated section 56, from the front to the rear, the W-phase wiring 90 (corresponding to the "third wiring"), the inlet path 100 (corresponding to the "first flow path"), the V-phase wiring 80 (corresponding to the "first wiring"), the outlet path 110 (corresponding to the "second flow path"), and the U-phase wiring 70 (corresponding to the "second wiring") are arranged in close proximity to each other in this order.

[0138] In other words, the power wiring and the coolant flow paths are arranged alternately and closely side by side, thereby effectively cooling the U-phase wiring 70, the V-phase wiring 80, and the W-phase wiring 90. This allows the hybrid terminal block 50 to be made compact.

[0139] As shown in the upper diagram, the U-phase wiring 70 and the V-phase wiring 80 are arranged so as to be close to the outflow passage 110 from different directions (front and rear). As shown in the lower diagram, the V-phase wiring 80 and the W-phase wiring 90 are arranged so as to be close to the inflow passage 100 from different directions (front and rear).

[0140] As a result, the inlet path 100 and the outlet path 110 can cool two power wirings with one refrigerant flow path each. This allows these to be efficiently arranged in a small area, and each power wiring can be effectively cooled. Each power wiring can be made smaller, and the hybrid terminal block 50 can be made more compact.

[0141] The W-phase wiring 90 and the U-phase wiring 70 are located relatively outside the conductor flow path integrated portion 56. On the other hand, the V-phase wiring 80 is located relatively inside the conductor flow path integrated portion 56. Therefore, the V-phase wiring 80 is less favorable than the W-phase wiring 90 and the U-phase wiring 70 in terms of ease of heat dissipation.

[0142] In contrast, the inflow path 100 and the outflow path 110 are arranged to approach the V-phase wiring 80 from different directions (front and rear). Therefore, even if the V-phase wiring 80 is arranged inside the conductor flow path integrated portion 56, the V-phase wiring 80 can be effectively cooled. Since the temperature rise during current application can be suppressed, the V-phase wiring 80 can be made smaller. The hybrid terminal block 50 can be made more compact.

[0143] Furthermore, the V-phase wiring 80 is made of a plate-shaped metal conductor, and is arranged so that the inflow path 100 faces the front surface (corresponding to the "first plate surface") of the V-phase wiring 80, and the outflow path 110 faces the rear surface (corresponding to the "second plate surface") of the V-phase wiring 80. This further promotes heat exchange between the V-phase wiring 80 and the inflow path 100 and the outflow path 110. Therefore, the V-phase wiring 80 can be cooled even more effectively.

[0144] The V-phase wiring 80 also has a first conductive portion 81 that extends along the inflow path 100 and the outflow path 110. This further promotes heat exchange between the V-phase wiring 80 and the inflow path 100. Therefore, the V-phase wiring 80 can be cooled more effectively. The first conductive portion 81 corresponds to a "straight portion."

[0145] The V-phase wiring 80 further has a bent portion 85 in the first conductive portion 81 that bends along the outer periphery of the inlet passage 100. This further promotes heat exchange between the V-phase wiring 80 and the inlet passage 100. Therefore, the V-phase wiring 80 can be cooled even more effectively.

[0146] The hybrid terminal block 50 is placed in the predetermined position described above in order to screw the AC connection terminals 44U, 44V, 44W of the AC side connector 44. This limits the direction and position in which the screws 68 are fastened.

[0147] 10, the first conductive portion 81 is located at the tip of the screw shaft of the fastened screw 68. Therefore, in order to properly fasten the screw 68 to the hybrid terminal block 50, it is necessary to avoid interference between the screw 68 and the first conductive portion 81. This limits the radial size of the first conductive portion 81.

[0148] In contrast, since the first conductive portion 81 is provided with the bent portion 85, it is possible to increase the cross-sectional area even if it is small in the radial direction, thereby reducing the electrical resistance.

[0149] Furthermore, the horizontal inlet hole 102 is provided with an arch-shaped cutout 104, and the horizontal surface 82a is arranged to extend along the flat surface of the cutout 104. This allows the size of the hybrid terminal block 50 to be made compact in the radial direction. The V-phase wiring 80 can be cooled more effectively.

[0150] The U-phase wiring 70 and the W-phase wiring 90 are also made of plate-shaped metal conductors. The plate surface of the long intermediate portion 72 of the U-phase wiring 70 is disposed so as to face the outflow path 110. The plate surface of the short intermediate portion 92 of the W-phase wiring 90 is disposed so as to face the inflow path 100.

[0151] This also promotes heat exchange between the U-phase wiring 70 and the W-phase wiring 90 and the inflow path 100 or the outflow path 110. Therefore, it is possible to effectively cool the U-phase wiring 70 and the W-phase wiring 90. The long intermediate portion 72 and the short intermediate portion 92 correspond to "straight portions."

[0152] The long intermediate portion 72 and the short intermediate portion 92 of the U-phase wiring 70 and the W-phase wiring 90, and the first conductive portion 81 of the V-phase wiring 80 extend in the axial direction in parallel with the inlet path 100 or the outlet path 110. The openings of the inlet path 100 or the outlet path 110, through which the coolant flows into and out of the hybrid terminal block 50, i.e., the refrigerant inlet 101 and the refrigerant outlet 111, are located on the right end surface of the hybrid terminal block 50.

[0153] Furthermore, the stator-side connection terminals 73, 83a, and 93, which extend radially from the hybrid terminal block 50 and are connected to the stator 31, are each disposed below the right end portion of the hybrid terminal block 50. That is, the openings 101 and 111 and the stator-side connection terminals 73, 83a, and 93 are disposed in positions that overlap in the axial direction.

[0154] The axial size of the motor block 13 is small. By arranging each of the stator-side connection terminals 73, 83a, 93 so that they extend radially from the hybrid terminal block 50, the long intermediate portion 72 and the short intermediate portion 92 embedded in the resin, as well as the first conductive portion 81, can be made relatively short. This is therefore advantageous for suppressing temperature rise in the power wiring. Each of the stator-side connection terminals 73, 83a, 93 is exposed from the hybrid terminal block 50. This is also advantageous for suppressing temperature rise in the power wiring.

[0155] The stator-side connection terminals 73, 83a, and 93 are arranged at positions that overlap the refrigerant inlet 101 and the refrigerant outlet 111 in the axial direction. In other words, the refrigerant flow path is formed to the necessary and minimum length. This makes the hybrid terminal block 50 compact in the axial direction as well, optimizing its size.

[0156] 11, the long intermediate portion 72 of the U-phase wiring 70 has a main body portion 72a that extends in the axial direction in parallel with the outflow path 110, and an extension portion 72b that bends and extends along the end of the outflow path 110. This allows the U-phase wiring 70 to be effectively cooled. The extension portion 72b can function as a "bent portion."

[0157] Here, the U-phase wiring 70 and the V-phase wiring 80 are longer than the W-phase wiring 90, which is disadvantageous in terms of the amount of heat generated by electrical resistance, but by increasing the area that is closer to the refrigerant flow paths 100, 110 than the W-phase wiring 90, the temperature rise can be suppressed.

[0158] <Second embodiment> In the above-described embodiment, the hybrid terminal block 50 that electrically connects the inverter 7 and the motor 2 is exemplified as the "integrated structure" of the disclosed technology. In the second embodiment, another form of the "integrated structure" is exemplified.

[0159] In the case of the drive unit DU described above, when it is in operation, a large current flows through the DC side connector 41, which electrically connects the battery 4 and the inverter 7, and its surrounding parts. Since the amount of heat generated is also large, the size of these parts tends to increase. Therefore, by effectively cooling them, the overall size can be made compact.

[0160] Fig. 15A shows a hybrid DC repeater 200 (an example of an integral structure). Fig. 15B is a schematic cross-sectional view indicated by arrow A6 in Fig. 14A. Fig. 15A shows the rear side of the drive unit DU.

[0161] 15A further illustrates an enlarged view of the unit block 10 (the motor block 13 and the transmission block 14). The enlarged view is simplified to illustrate the hybrid DC repeater 200 and its cooling and current-carrying structures.

[0162] 15B, the output shaft 6a of the transmission 6 is disposed on a shaft support portion 14a that protrudes rearward from the lower portion of the transmission block 14. When the drive unit DU is displaced rearward due to a frontal collision of the vehicle 1 (a so-called head-on collision), this shaft support portion 14a comes into contact with the dash panel 1c.

[0163] Generally, the DC connector and the like are arranged in the upper rear corner of the unit block 10 from the viewpoint of protection against frontal collisions. If the inverter 7 is arranged above the motor block 13, it is also preferable in that it is located near the DC side connector 41.

[0164] Therefore, the hybrid DC repeater 200 is also disposed in the upper rear corner of the transmission block 14. The hybrid DC repeater 200 is made of a molded insulating resin part in which relay terminals 201a and 201b are embedded and a refrigerant flow path is formed inside. The insulating resin and other components are the same as those of the hybrid terminal block 50.

[0165] The relay terminals 201a, 201b include two relay terminals, one for the positive electrode side and one for the negative electrode side. These relay terminals 201a, 201b are strip-shaped metal conductors. When viewed from the rear, these relay terminals 201a, 201b are arranged so as to overlap, but for convenience, in FIG. 15A, these positions are shown shifted to the left and right. The front side is the positive electrode side relay terminal 201a, and the rear side is the negative electrode side relay terminal 201b.

[0166] A DC terminal block 202 electrically connected to the DC side connector 41 is provided on the upper part of the hybrid DC repeater 200. A DC plug 203 is provided on the lower part of the hybrid DC repeater 200. A DC connector 8a of a cable 8 extending from the battery 4 is connected to the DC plug 203. Two relay terminals 201a, 201b connect between the DC terminal block 202 and the DC plug 203.

[0167] The two relay terminals 201a, 201b are arranged so as to be biased toward the rear of the hybrid DC repeater 200, that is, toward the motor block 13. This effectively prevents damage to the relay terminals 201a, 201b in the event of a frontal collision. On the other hand, arranging the two relay terminals 201a, 201b toward the rear of the hybrid DC repeater 200 is disadvantageous in terms of heat dissipation.

[0168] The hybrid DC relay 200 is formed with an inlet-side refrigerant flow path 205. In the cooling structure of the motor 2 of the above-described embodiment, the inlet-side refrigerant flow path 205 constitutes an upstream flow path of the coolant flowing into the inverter 7. The inlet-side refrigerant flow path 205 is configured to enable efficient heat exchange with the two relay terminals 201a, 201b.

[0169] Specifically, inlet-side refrigerant flow path 205 is arranged to intersect two relay terminals 201a, 201b in a three-dimensional manner. Inlet-side refrigerant flow path 205 has upstream intersecting portion 205a that extends and intersects with two relay terminals 201a, 201b, and downstream intersecting portion 205b that continues downstream of upstream intersecting portion 205a and extends in the opposite direction and intersects with two relay terminals 201a, 201b.

[0170] The upstream intersection 205a is disposed between the two relay terminals 201a and 201b, which are spaced apart, and the downstream intersection 205b is disposed adjacent to the outer side of the two relay terminals 201a and 201b, which are located close to each other. Relatively low-temperature cooling water flows through the upstream intersection 205a, whereas relatively high-temperature cooling water flows through the downstream intersection 205b.

[0171] Two relay terminals 201a and 201b are adjacent to the upstream intersection 205a from different directions. Therefore, these two relay terminals 201a and 201b can be effectively cooled. The negative-side relay terminal 201b, which passes through the center portion of the hybrid DC repeater 200, is adjacent to both the upstream intersection 205a and the downstream intersection 205b from both sides. Therefore, the negative-side relay terminal 201b can be effectively cooled.

[0172] The disclosed technology is not limited to the above-described embodiment, but also includes various other configurations.

[0173] For example, the integral structure may be part of the structure that constitutes the unit block 10. The refrigerant flow path of the illustrated integral structure is formed by resin molding, but it may also be formed by embedding a pipe. Although insulation treatment is required, the integral structure is not limited to resin and may also be formed by casting aluminum or the like.

[0174] The power wiring may be an electric wire. The power wiring may include a fourth or more wires, such as a neutral wire. The inverter 7 may be disposed to the side of the motor 2 (vertically placed) rather than above it.

[0175] The configurations of the first and second embodiments may be combined as needed. For example, the hybrid DC repeater 200 may be configured to have a refrigerant flow path interposed between the hybrid DC repeater 200 and the stator 31, as in the hybrid terminal block 50, so that the refrigerant flows from the hybrid DC repeater 200 to the stator cooling path 34. The present invention may also be applied to a rotating electric machine for an electric vehicle. [Explanation of symbols]

[0176] 1 vehicle 2 motors 3 Engine 4 Battery 5 Joint 6. Transmission 7 inverters 10 unit blocks 11 Engine block 12 Joint Block 13 Motor Block 14 Transmission Block 20 Heat exchanger 21 Water pump 22 Refrigerant introduction piping 25 Joint piping 30 Housing 31 Stator 32 rotor 33 Motor shaft 34 Stator cooling channel 35 Mounting base 36 Partition Wall 37 Coil-connected busbar 40 Inverter case 41 DC side connector 44 AC side connector 44U, 44V, 44W AC connection terminal 50 Hybrid terminal block (an example of an integrated structure) 51 Molding structure 52U, 52V, 52W Conductor buried section 53a, 53b Flow path forming portion 54 Mounting part 55 Connection 56 Conductor flow path integrated part 65 Reinforcement 66U,66V,66W Fastening seat 70 U phase wiring (power wiring) 71 Second inverter side connection terminal 73 Second stator side connection terminal 80 V phase wiring (power wiring) 81 First conductive part 81s1 First side 81s2 Second side 81e1 1st end 81e2 2nd end 81a Narrow width part 81b Significant part 82 Second conductive part 82a Horizontal part 82b Slope section 83 Third Conductive Section 83a Third stator side connection terminal 84 Third inverter side connection terminal 85 Bend 86 Recess 87 Notch 90 W-phase wiring (power wiring) 91 First inverter side connection terminal 93 First stator side connection terminal 100 Inflow channel 101 Refrigerant inlet 110 Outflow channel 200 Hybrid DC Repeater 201a, 201b Relay terminals 205 Inlet refrigerant flow path 205a Upstream intersection 205b Downstream intersection DU Drive Unit J rotation axis

Claims

1. A rotating electric machine, a first flow path and a second flow path that form a refrigerant flow path through which a refrigerant flows; a first wiring constituting a power wiring through which a current flows to be supplied to the rotary electric machine; an integrated structure portion in which the first flow path, the second flow path, and the first wiring are integrated; Equipped with The rotating electric machine is configured such that the first flow path and the second flow path are disposed inside the integral structure so as to approach the first wiring from different directions.

2. 2. The rotating electric machine according to claim 1, The integral structure has an opening through which the coolant flows in and out.

3. 2. The rotating electric machine according to claim 1, The integral structure includes a terminal block formed by the first wiring.

4. 3. The rotating electric machine according to claim 2, The integrated structure further includes a terminal block formed by the first wiring.

5. 2. The rotating electric machine according to claim 1, The integral structure portion is a rotating electrical machine having a molded structure made of insulating resin.

6. 6. The rotating electric machine according to claim 5, The molded structure includes an insulating filler having a higher thermal conductivity than the insulating resin.

7. 2. The rotating electric machine according to claim 1, the first wiring is made of a plate-shaped metal conductor, The rotating electric machine is arranged so that the first flow path faces a first plate surface of the first wiring, and the second flow path faces a second plate surface of the first wiring.

8. 2. The rotating electric machine according to claim 1, the first wiring is made of a plate-shaped metal conductor, The first wiring has a bent portion where a plate surface is bent along either the first flow path or the second flow path.

9. 2. The rotating electric machine according to claim 1, The first wiring has a straight portion extending along the first flow path and the second flow path.

10. The rotating electric machine according to any one of claims 1 to 9, the power wiring includes second wiring and third wiring that are integrated into the integrated structure portion together with the first wiring, a rotating electric machine in which the third wiring, the first flow path, the first wiring, the second flow path, and the second wiring are arranged in this order and adjacent to each other.

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