Inverter case

Abstract

To provide an inverter case capable of suppressing intrusion of foreign matter into the case.SOLUTION: An inverter case (1) is provided with a lower case (3) which surrounds the bottom surface and side surfaces of an inverter (2), and an upper cover (4) which covers the upper surface of the inverter (2), and an annular seal material (10) for preventing dust from entering from the outside is bonded to a seal surface (6) where the lower case (3) and the upper cover (4) fit together, wherein a flange section (5) which bonds the seal material (10) is formed on the lower case (3) so as to project outward, and an inner wall section (11) which is higher than the thickness of the seal material (10) is formed on the inner side of the seal material (10) on the flange section (5) over the entire inner circumference of the seal material (10). As a result, in the work of removing the sealing material 10, it is possible to prevent or suppress the sealing material 10 from entering the inside of the lower case 3 by the inner wall portion 11, and it is possible to avoid component failure due to foreign matter contamination.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an inverter case for accommodating an inverter, electronic components, and the like. [Background technology]

[0002] It is well known that electric vehicles that use an electric motor as a driving force source for traveling are provided with an inverter as a means for converting power between direct current and alternating current. Patent Document 1 describes an inverter cover for suppressing the external emission of electromagnetic noise generated from the inverter. Specifically, it is said that liquid-tightness can be ensured by interposing a sealing material such as sealing rubber or a gasket between the mating surfaces of a container body (case) that houses the inverter and an inverter cover that is shaped like a lid and covers the top surface of the container body. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 4235681 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] When an inverter needs to be inspected or repaired, the inverter cover must be removed to replace or repair the inverter's internal components. In particular, the inverter cover described in Patent Document 1 uses a sealant or similar material to bond the mating surfaces of the case and cover. Therefore, removing the cover to repair or replace internal components requires the removal of the sealant. When removing the sealant, part of the sealant may accidentally come off, potentially allowing foreign matter to enter the case and cause component failure.

[0005] The present invention has been made in light of the above technical problems, and aims to provide an inverter case that can prevent foreign matter from entering the inside of the case. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides an inverter case comprising a lower case that surrounds the bottom and sides of an inverter and an upper cover that covers the top surface of the inverter, and an annular sealing material for preventing the intrusion of dust from the outside is adhered to the sealing surface where the lower case and the upper cover join, wherein a flange portion to which the sealing material is adhered is formed on the lower case in a state that protrudes outward, and an inner wall portion that is thicker than the sealing material is formed on the flange portion, inside the sealing material, around the entire inner circumference of the sealing material. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] In the inverter case of the present invention, an inner wall portion that is thicker than the sealant on the flange portion is formed around the entire inner periphery of the sealant. By providing this inner wall portion, when the upper cover is removed and the sealant is removed, the inner wall portion can prevent or suppress the sealant or its broken fragments from entering the interior of the lower case, thereby preventing component failure due to foreign matter contamination. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the configuration of an inverter case according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] As shown in Fig. 1, an inverter case 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention is a housing for accommodating an inverter 2 that converts DC energy from a battery into AC energy in an electric vehicle that is equipped primarily as a driving power source or auxiliary driving power source. Specifically, it is composed of a lower case 3 that surrounds the bottom and sides of the inverter 2, and an upper cover 4 that covers the top of the inverter 2.

[0010] The lower case 3 has a so-called box-like shape, and a lower flange portion 5 (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as flange portion 5) extends horizontally to a predetermined length (formed so as to protrude outward) at the end of the side surface of the lower case 3. A lower sealing surface 6 (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as sealing surface 6) is provided on the upper surface of the lower flange portion 5. A predetermined gap is provided between a side surface portion 7 of the lower case 3 and the side surface of the inverter 2.

[0011] The upper cover 4 has a so-called lid shape, and at its outer circumferential edge there is an upper flange 8 and an upper seal surface 9 which extend horizontally to a predetermined length corresponding to the flange 5 and seal surface 6 of the lower case 3. An annular seal material 10 is bonded where the lower seal surface 6 and the upper seal surface 9 join together to prevent the intrusion of dust, muddy water, and other foreign particles from the outside.

[0012] In the above-described configuration, when the upper cover 4 is removed for repair or replacement of the inverter 2, the sealing material 10 may peel off or break into pieces during the process of peeling it off, and some of the pieces may unintentionally get inside the inverter case 1 and cause a component failure. In response to this problem, in the present invention, an inner wall 11 is formed in the lower case 3 so as to separate the sealing material 10 from the inverter 2.

[0013] In the embodiment of the present invention, the inner wall portion 11 is formed so as to extend upward from the bottom surface portion of the lower case 3. More specifically, the inner wall portion 11, which is thicker than the sealing material 10, is formed around the entire inner periphery of the sealing material 10, inside the sealing material 10 on the flange portion 5. By providing this inner wall portion 11, it is possible to prevent or suppress the sealing material 10 or its broken fragments from entering the interior of the lower case 3 during the operation of removing the sealing material 10, thereby avoiding component failure due to the intrusion of foreign matter.

[0014] The above-described embodiment is merely an example of how the present invention may be implemented, and is not intended to limit the present invention. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the inner wall portion 11 is formed to extend upward from the bottom or side surface 7 of the lower case 3. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the inner wall portion 11 may be formed to extend vertically on the sealing surface 6 of the flange 5 and inside the sealing material 10. Alternatively, the inner wall portion 11 may be an L-shaped inner wall portion that extends horizontally from a predetermined height on the side surface 7 of the lower case 3 to a predetermined length and then further extends upward. In short, as long as the inner wall portion 11 is inside the sealing material 10 on the flange 5, is higher than the thickness of the sealing material 10, and is formed along the entire inner periphery of the sealing material 10, the inner wall portion 11 can prevent or suppress the sealing material 10 from penetrating into the lower case 3, thereby preventing component failure due to foreign matter contamination. [Explanation of symbols]

[0015] 1 Inverter case 2 inverters 3 Lower case 4 Top cover 5 Lower flange (flange) 6 Lower sealing surface (sealing surface) 7 Side part 8 Upper flange 9 Upper sealing surface 10 Sealing material 11 Inner wall

Claims

[Claim 1] An inverter case comprising a lower case that surrounds the bottom and side surfaces of an inverter, and an upper cover that covers the top surface of the inverter, and an annular seal for preventing dust from entering from outside is bonded to a sealing surface where the lower case and the upper cover join together, A flange portion to which the sealing material is bonded is formed on the lower case in a state of protruding outward, and an inner wall portion having a thickness higher than the sealing material is formed on the flange portion and along the entire inner periphery of the sealing material, inside the sealing material. An inverter case characterized by:

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