Electric compressor

Abstract

To provide an electric compressor that reduces conducted noise while avoiding compromising assembly ease. [Solution] An electric compressor 10 comprising a compression mechanism 20, a motor 30, and an inverter 40, wherein the inverter 40 has an inverter case 60 and an inverter cover 70 that constitute a housing space S for housing inverter components 50, and a connector 80, the connector 80 has an external connection part 81a which is located outside the inverter case 70 and connected to the object to which the connector 80 is connected, and a lead terminal 82 which includes an internal lead terminal part 82a which is located inside the inverter case 70 and connected to the inverter components 50, and the inverter case 60 has a case-side surrounding wall 63 which surrounds the lead arrangement space S1 in which the internal lead terminal part 82a is located in a pocket shape and separates it from other spaces S2 in the housing space S.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an electric compressor including a compression mechanism that compresses a working fluid by the movement of a movable member with respect to a fixed member, a motor, and an inverter.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, as a compressor that is used in a refrigerant circuit or the like of an air conditioner for an electric vehicle and sucks and compresses the working fluid (refrigerant) of the air conditioner and discharges it to a discharge pipe, there is known one including a compression mechanism that compresses a working fluid by the movement of a movable member with respect to a fixed member, a motor for driving the compression mechanism, and an inverter (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] There is a problem that electromagnetic noise generated in the inverter electric circuit is detected as conducted noise through a cable connected to the outside.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to solve these problems and provide an electric compressor that reduces conducted noise from the inverter to the outside while avoiding impairment of assemblability.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The present invention provides an electric compressor comprising a compression mechanism that compresses a working fluid by the movement of a movable member relative to a fixed member, and a motor and inverter for driving the compression mechanism, wherein the inverter comprises an inverter case and an inverter cover that constitute a housing space for housing inverter components, and a connector attached to the inverter case, the connector comprises an external connection portion located outside the inverter case and connected to the target to which the connector is to be connected, and a lead terminal including an internal lead terminal portion located inside the inverter case and connected to the inverter components, and the inverter case comprises a case-side surrounding wall that encloses the lead arrangement space where the internal lead terminal portion is located in a pocket-like manner, separating it from other spaces in the housing space, thereby solving the above problem. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] This invention makes it possible to reduce conducted noise from the inverter to the outside while avoiding compromising assembly ease. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] A cross-sectional view showing an electric compressor according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is an explanatory diagram illustrating the configuration of the inverter case and inverter cover. [Figure 3] A cross-sectional view shown at position iii-iii in Figure 2, viewed in the direction of the arrow. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] An electric compressor 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0010] First, the electric compressor 10 is used in the refrigerant circuit of an air conditioning system for electric vehicles and is configured as a compressor (in this embodiment, a so-called horizontally mounted inverter-integrated scroll type electric compressor) that sucks in and compresses the working fluid (refrigerant) of the air conditioning system and discharges it to the discharge pipe. As shown in Figure 1, it comprises a compression mechanism 20 that compresses the working fluid by the movement of a movable member 22 relative to a fixed member 21 (in this embodiment, the orbital rotational movement of the movable scroll member 22 relative to a fixed scroll member 21), a motor 30 for driving the compression mechanism 20, and an inverter 40 for driving the motor 30.

[0011] The inverter 40 converts a direct current from the vehicle's battery (not shown) into a three-phase alternating current and supplies it to the motor 30. As shown in Figures 1 to 3, it comprises an inverter component 50, an inverter case 60 and an inverter cover 70 that constitute a housing space S for housing the inverter component 50, a connector 80 attached to the inverter case 60, and a fastening member 90 for fixing the circuit board 51, which is the inverter component 50, to the inverter case 60. Figure 2(a) shows the inverter case 60 with the inverter cover 70 removed, and Figure 2(b) shows the inverter case 60 with the inverter cover 70 attached, viewed from the top plate portion 71 side of the inverter cover 70.

[0012] The inverter components 50 are various parts that make up the inverter 40, and as shown in Figure 3, the inverter components 50 include a circuit board (rigid circuit board) 51 to which the lead terminals 82 of the connector 80 are electrically connected, and various electronic components.

[0013] In this embodiment, the connector 80 is used to supply power from a vehicle battery (not shown) to the inverter 40. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, it has a connector body 81 which is located outside the inverter case 60 and has an external connection portion 81a which is connected to the object to which the connector 80 is connected (not shown; in this embodiment, a power supply harness or cable to which the mating connector connected to the connector 80 is attached), and a lead terminal 82 which is located inside the inverter case 60 (in the housing space S) and has an internal lead terminal portion 82a which is connected to the inverter components 50. In this embodiment, the lead terminal 82 is configured as an L-shaped lead terminal, and as shown in Figures 2 and 3, it extends from inside the connector body 81 and is positioned so that the tip that connects to the substrate 51 through a through hole formed in the inverter case 60 (outer peripheral wall portion 62) is located within the housing space S. As shown in Figure 3, the tip of the lead terminal 82 is inserted into a through hole formed in the substrate 51 and soldered to it, thereby connecting and fixing it to the substrate 51.

[0014] The inverter case 60 and inverter cover 70 are made of metal (aluminum in this embodiment) and, as shown in Figure 1, have top plate portions 61 and 71 and outer peripheral wall portions 62 and 72 that hang down from the periphery of the top plate portions 61 and 71, respectively.

[0015] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the inverter case 60 has a case-side surrounding wall 63 that surrounds (encloses) the lead arrangement space S1 in which the inner lead terminal portion 82a is located within the housing space S in a pocket-like manner, and separates it from the other spaces S2 of the housing space S. As shown in Figure 2, the case-side surrounding wall 63, when viewed in a direction perpendicular to the substrate 51 (up and down in Figure 3), works in cooperation with the outer peripheral wall 62 of the inverter case 60 to surround the entire area around the portion of the lead terminal 82 that is located within the housing space S (with a gap between it and the lead terminal 82). In this embodiment, the case-side surrounding wall 63 is integrally formed with the inverter case 60 (the top plate portion 61 and the outer peripheral wall portion 62), but the case-side surrounding wall 63 may be formed separately from the inverter case 60 and attached and fixed to the inverter case 60. Furthermore, at least a portion of the case-side surrounding wall 63 may be made of a magnetic material; that is, the entire case-side surrounding wall 63 may be made of a magnetic material, or a portion of the case-side surrounding wall 63 may be made of a magnetic material, such as by covering the surface of the case-side surrounding wall 63 with a magnetic material. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the case-side surrounding wall 63 has a fastened portion 63a to which the fastening member 90 is fastened. Specifically, it integrally has a boss-shaped fastened portion 63a into which the fastening member 90, configured as a fastening bolt, is inserted and screwed.

[0016] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the inverter cover 70 has a cover-side surrounding wall 73 that works in cooperation with the case-side surrounding wall 63 to separate the lead arrangement space S1, where the lead terminals 82 are located, from the other spaces S2 of the housing space S. As shown in Figure 2, the cover-side surrounding wall 73, when viewed in a direction perpendicular to the substrate 51 (up and down direction in Figure 3), works in cooperation with the outer peripheral wall portion 72 of the inverter cover 70 to surround (enclose) the entire area around the inner lead terminal portion 82a of the lead terminal 82 that is located within the housing space S (with a gap between it and the lead terminal 82). In this embodiment, as can be seen in Figure 2, the case-side surrounding wall 63 and the cover-side surrounding wall 73 are formed to overlap when viewed in a direction perpendicular to the substrate 51 (the up and down direction in Figure 3). Furthermore, in this embodiment, the cover-side surrounding wall 73 is integrally formed with the inverter cover 70 (the top plate portion 71 and the outer peripheral wall portion 72), but the cover-side surrounding wall 73 may be formed separately from the inverter cover 70 and attached and fixed to the inverter cover 70. Further, at least a part of the cover-side surrounding wall 73 may be made of a magnetic material, that is, the entire cover-side surrounding wall 73 may be made of a magnetic material, or a part of the cover-side surrounding wall 73 may be made of a magnetic material, such as by coating the surface of the cover-side surrounding wall 73 with a magnetic material. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the cover-side surrounding wall 73 has an insertion portion 73a into which the fastening member 90 is inserted. Specifically, it integrally has a boss-shaped insertion portion 73a into which the fastening member 90 configured as a fastening bolt is inserted.

[0017] As shown in FIG. 3, the case-side surrounding wall 63 and the cover-side surrounding wall 73 have a portion that cooperatively sandwiches a part of the substrate 51 in a state where the inverter cover 70 is attached to the inverter case 60. In the present embodiment, a part of the substrate 51 is sandwiched between the fastened portion 63a of the case-side surrounding wall 63 and the insertion portion 73a of the cover-side surrounding wall 73. Here, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the substrate 51 is disposed across both the lead arrangement space S1 and the other space S2. Further, in the present embodiment, in a state where the inverter cover 70 is attached to the inverter case 60 as shown in FIG. 3, with respect to the substrate 51, the case-side surrounding wall 63 and the cover-side surrounding wall 73 do not contact portions other than the fastened portion 63a and the insertion portion 73a, and a gap is formed between the case-side surrounding wall 63 and the cover-side surrounding wall 73.

[0018] The electric compressor 10 of the present embodiment thus obtained has a case-side surrounding wall 63 that pocket-shapedly surrounds the lead arrangement space S1 in which the inner lead terminal portion 82a is disposed and partitions it from the other space S2 of the accommodation space S. Thereby, conduction noise from the inverter 40 to the outside can be reduced. That is, when a connector 80 connecting the inside and outside of the inverter 40 is installed as in the present embodiment, noise generated from the inverter component 50 may be conducted to the outside of the inverter 40 via the connector 80 (lead terminal 82 thereof). Regarding the noise transmitted from the inverter component 50 to the connector 80 through the board wiring, although the arrangement of an EMI filter (EMI removal filter, emi filter, etc.) between the main circuit of the inverter component 50 and the connector 80 can suppress the transmission of noise to the connector 80, when the lead terminal 82 of the connector 80 is arranged in the accommodation space S as in the present embodiment, the inner lead terminal portion 82a of the lead terminal 82 may function as an antenna, receive the electromagnetic wave noise from the inverter component 50 transmitted through the space, and the received noise may be conducted to the outside through the connector 80. Therefore, in the present embodiment, by providing a case side surrounding wall 63 that surrounds the lead arrangement space S1 in which the inner lead terminal portion 82a is arranged in a pocket shape and partitions it from the other space S2 of the accommodation space S, it is possible to suppress the lead terminal 82 from receiving the electromagnetic wave noise generated from the inverter component 50 (installed in the other space S2), and thus reduce the conductive noise from the inverter 40 to the outside.

[0019] In addition, by providing the case side surrounding wall 63 on the inverter case 60 (that is, forming the case side surrounding wall 63 integrally with the inverter case 60, or forming the case side surrounding wall 63 separately from the inverter case 60 and fixing it to the inverter case 60), when assembling the electric compressor 10, there is no need to separately provide and assemble a shielding member for shielding electromagnetic wave noise, so it is possible to avoid deterioration of the assembling property.

[0020] Furthermore, because the inverter cover 70 has a cover-side surrounding wall 73 that works in cooperation with the case-side surrounding wall 63 to separate the lead placement space S1 from other spaces S2 in the housing space S, it is possible to surround the lead placement space S1 from both the inverter case 60 side and the inverter cover 70 side. Therefore, electromagnetic noise reception by the lead terminals 82 can be more reliably suppressed without requiring any design changes to the inverter components 50, including the circuit board 51.

[0021] Furthermore, since the case-side surrounding wall 63 and the cover-side surrounding wall 73 have portions that cooperate to sandwich a part of the circuit board 51 when the inverter cover 70 is attached to the inverter case 60, it is possible to suppress the transmission of vibrations from the connector 80's connection target (harness or cable) to the circuit board 51 via the lead terminals 82 to other inverter components 50, etc., thereby improving the reliability of the inverter 40.

[0022] Furthermore, since the case-side surrounding wall 63 has a fastening portion 63a to which a fastening member 90 for fixing the substrate 51 to the inverter case 60 is fastened, it is possible to more reliably suppress the transmission of the above vibration to other inverter components 50, etc., thereby improving the reliability of the inverter 40.

[0023] Furthermore, if at least a portion of the case-side surrounding wall 63 (and the cover-side surrounding wall 73) is made of a magnetic material, electromagnetic noise reaching the lead terminals 82 can be suppressed more reliably.

[0024] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various design changes can be made without departing from the present invention as described in the claims, such as constructing the electric compressor 10 by arbitrarily combining the configurations of the above or below embodiments or modified versions.

[0025] For example, in the embodiment described above, the connector 80 was described as a power supply connector, but the use of the connector 80 can be anything, such as for signal transmission. [Explanation of symbols]

[0026] 10. Electric compressor 20... Compression mechanism 21 ··· Fixing components 22 ··· Movable parts 30 ··· Motor 40 ··· Inverter 50... Inverter parts 51 ··· Circuit board 60 ··· Inverter Case 61 ··· Top panel 62 ... Outer wall 63 ··· Case-side surrounding wall 63a... Part to be fastened 70 ··· Inverter cover 71 ··· Top panel 72 ... Outer wall 73 ··· Cover side surrounding wall 73a... Inserted part 80... Connector 81... Connector body 81a ··· External connection section 82 ··· Lead terminals 82a... Inner lead terminal section 90 ··· Fastening member S ··· Containment space S1 ··· Lead placement space S2... Other spaces

Claims

1. An electric compressor comprising a compression mechanism that compresses a working fluid by the movement of a movable member relative to a fixed member, and a motor and inverter for driving the compression mechanism, The inverter comprises an inverter case and an inverter cover that constitute a housing space for accommodating inverter components, and a connector attached to the inverter case. The connector has an external connection portion located outside the inverter case and connected to the object to which the connector is to be connected, and a lead terminal portion including an internal lead terminal portion located inside the inverter case and connected to the inverter component. The electric compressor is characterized in that the inverter case has a case-side surrounding wall that encloses the lead arrangement space, where the inner lead terminal portion is arranged, in a pocket-like manner within the housing space, and separates it from the other spaces within the housing space.

2. The electric compressor according to claim 1, characterized in that the inverter cover has a cover-side surrounding wall that cooperates with the case-side surrounding wall to separate the lead arrangement space from other spaces in the housing space.

3. The electric compressor according to claim 2, characterized in that the case-side surrounding wall and the cover-side surrounding wall have portions that cooperate to sandwich a part of the circuit board to which the inner lead terminal portion of the inverter component is connected when the inverter cover is attached to the inverter case.

4. The inverter component further comprises a fastening member for fixing the circuit board to which the inner lead terminal portion is connected to the inverter case, The electric compressor according to claim 1, characterized in that the case-side surrounding wall has a fastened portion to which the fastening member is fastened.

5. The electric compressor according to claim 1, characterized in that at least a portion of the case-side surrounding wall is made of a magnetic material.

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