Motor-integrated electronic control device and manufacturing method thereof

Abstract

This motor-integrated electronic control device (2) is configured such that a first connector (61) is provided on a side opposite to a motor (4) in a first housing (81) while a second connector (62) is provided on the motor (4) side in a second housing (82), and the first connector (61) and the second connector (62) are provided in mutually different directions, that is, are provided so as to be pointed in opposite directions. Accordingly, it is possible to avoid trouble in which an electric signal flowing through an electric circuit mounted to a first substrate (71) and an electric signal flowing through an electric circuit mounted to a second substrate (72) cross each other, and it is possible to suppress electric noise generated by the electric circuit on the first substrate (71) from adversely affecting the electric circuit on the second substrate (72).

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a motor-integrated electronic control device and a method for manufacturing the motor-integrated electronic control device. [Background technology]

[0002] As an example of a conventional motor-integrated electronic control device, for example, the one described in Patent Document 1 below is known.

[0003] In brief, this motor-integrated electronic control device is attached to a power steering device of an automobile and controls the steering assist force of the power steering device by driving and controlling the motor. Specifically, a power module, a power supply board and a control board connected via flexible wiring and overlapping in a folded state, and a connector member formed integrally with a power connector and a signal connector are arranged in a layered manner on one axial end side of the motor, and are housed in a metal case. The power module and the power supply board are connected to an on-board power source (battery) via the power connector, and the control board is connected to a torque steering angle sensor provided in the on-board power steering device via a signal connector. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2020-108237 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, in the conventional electronic control device, the power module, the power supply board, and the control board are connected to an external device via the integrated connector member, and therefore the control circuit disposed on the control board crosses the power supply circuit through which a relatively large current flows, and may be affected by electrical noise.

[0006] Therefore, the present invention has been devised in consideration of the technical problems associated with the conventional motor-integrated electronic control device, and aims to provide a motor-integrated electronic control device and a manufacturing method thereof that can suppress the effects of electrical noise emitted from the power supply circuit system. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In one aspect, the motor-integrated electronic control device of the present invention is a motor-integrated electronic control device formed by combining a motor and an electronic control device that drives and controls the motor, and is characterized by comprising: a circuit board on which electronic components that drive and control the motor are mounted, the circuit board including a first board and a second board arranged opposite each other in the rotational axis direction of the motor; a housing having a divided structure arranged opposite the rotational axis direction of the motor, the housing including a first housing that accommodates the first board and a second housing that accommodates the second board; a first connector provided on the side of the first housing opposite the motor and for external connection of the first board; and a second connector provided on the side of the second housing facing the motor and for external connection of the second board.

[0008] In this way, in the present invention, the first connector is provided on the side of the first housing opposite the motor, and the second connector is provided on the side of the second housing facing the motor, and the first connector and the second connector are provided in different directions (opposite directions) from each other, which makes it possible to avoid a problem in which an electric signal flowing through an electric circuit mounted on the first board crosses an electric signal flowing through an electric circuit mounted on the second board.

[0009] In another aspect of the motor-integrated electronic control device, it is desirable that the first housing is formed of a metal material, the first board has a power supply circuit that supplies power to the motor and is arranged on the opposite side of the motor in the direction of the motor's rotational axis, and the second board has a control circuit that drives and controls the motor and is arranged between the first board and the motor in the direction of the motor's rotational axis.

[0010] In this way, in the present invention, the first board constituting the power supply circuit is housed in the first metal housing located on the opposite side of the motor, and heat generated on the first board is dissipated via the first housing separated from the motor. Therefore, compared to dissipating heat via the motor housing, the heat generated on the first board can be dissipated more effectively without being affected by self-heating of the motor.

[0011] In yet another aspect of the motor-integrated electronic control device, it is preferable that the second housing is formed of a metal material, the first board is fastened to the first housing by a plurality of first metal screws penetrating first mounting holes formed through the first board, and the first board copper foil constituting the power supply circuit is exposed on the first board at the hole edge of the first mounting hole, and the first board is grounded by connecting the first screws, the first board copper foil, and the first housing when the first board is fastened by the first screws, and the second board is fastened to the second housing by a plurality of second metal screws penetrating second mounting holes formed through the second board, and the second board copper foil constituting the control circuit is exposed on the second board at the hole edge of the second mounting hole, and the second board is grounded by connecting the second screws, the second board copper foil, and the second housing when the second board is fastened by the second screws.

[0012] In this way, in the present invention, the first board copper foil is exposed at the edge of the first mounting hole in the first board, and the first board copper foil is grounded to the first metal housing via the first metal screw, and the second board copper foil is exposed at the edge of the second mounting hole in the second board, and the second board copper foil is grounded to the second metal housing via the second metal screw. As a result, the first and second housings reflect part of the electromagnetic noise received from the outside and absorb part of it, and the induced current absorbed by the first and second housings can be returned to the outside from the GND of the first connector via the first and second housings. Also, the first and second housings reflect electromagnetic noise generated inside (for example, the second board constituting the control circuit) so as not to be released to the outside, and the first and second housings absorb part of it, and the induced current absorbed by the first and second housings can be returned to the GND of the second board via the first and second housings. In this way, the electromagnetic noise absorbed by the first and second housings is returned to the source of the noise via the shortest possible loop, and no unnecessary detour paths are required, thereby adequately protecting the signal lines on the second board (control circuit).

[0013] In yet another aspect of the motor-integrated electronic control device, it is preferable that the motor penetrates the second housing and is connected to the first board.

[0014] In this way, in the present invention, the motor is connected to the first board by penetrating the second housing, which makes it possible to efficiently connect the motor and the first board over a relatively short distance compared to a case in which the motor and the first board are connected by detouring the second housing.

[0015] As yet another aspect of the motor-integrated electronic control device, it is desirable that a power module for power conversion of the motor is disposed between the first housing and the first board, and that heat from the power module is dissipated via the first housing.

[0016] In this way, in the present invention, the heat generated in the power module is dissipated through the first housing separated from the motor, which makes it possible to effectively dissipate the heat generated in the power module without being affected by the self-heating of the motor, as compared to dissipating the heat through the motor housing.

[0017] In still another aspect of the motor-integrated electronic control device, it is preferable that the power module is disposed in contact with an inner surface of the first housing via a heat dissipation sheet.

[0018] In this way, in the present invention, the power module is brought into close contact with the inner surface of the first housing via the heat dissipation sheet, thereby enabling the heat generated in the power module to be dissipated effectively.

[0019] In still another aspect of the motor-integrated electronic control device, it is preferable that the heat dissipation sheet has insulating properties.

[0020] In this way, in the present invention, the power module that is disposed in contact with the first housing is insulated via the heat dissipation sheet, which makes it possible to suppress adverse effects of the current flowing through the power module and noise generated by the current being transmitted to the metallic first housing.

[0021] In still another aspect of the motor-integrated electronic control device, it is preferable that the first board and the second board are electrically connected by an internal connector.

[0022] In this way, in the present invention, the first board and the second board are directly connected via the internal connector. This makes it possible to simplify the internal structure of the electronic control device, reducing the manufacturing cost of the motor-integrated electronic control device, and efficiently connecting the first board and the second board over a relatively short distance. Furthermore, by directly connecting the first board and the second board, the manufacturing workability of the motor-integrated electronic control device is improved, and the productivity of the motor-integrated electronic control device can be improved.

[0023] In addition, the internal connection connector maintains a predetermined distance between the first board and the second board, thereby preventing noise generated on either the first board or the second board from adversely affecting the other board.

[0024] In yet another aspect of the motor-integrated electronic control device, the internal connection connector includes a first internal connection connector provided on the first board and a second internal connection connector provided on the second board and arranged so as to be able to mate with the first internal connection connector, and it is desirable that the second internal connection connector be arranged so as to be able to float in the horizontal direction of the second board.

[0025] In this way, in the present invention, the second internal connector is provided so as to be floating, so that even if a positional deviation occurs between the first internal connector provided on the first board accommodated in the first housing and the second internal connector provided on the second board accommodated in the second housing due to a manufacturing error of the first housing or the second housing or an assembly error of the first and second boards to the first and second housings when the first housing and the second housing are joined, the floating structure of the second internal connector absorbs the positional deviation and makes it possible to properly connect the first internal connector and the second internal connector, thereby improving the efficiency of connecting the first board and the second board and improving the yield of the motor-integrated electronic control device.

[0026] Furthermore, as one embodiment of a manufacturing method for the motor-integrated electronic control device, it is desirable to have a first step of forming a first housing assembly by accommodating and fixing the first board in the first housing to which the first connector is attached, a second step of forming a second housing assembly by accommodating and fixing the second board in the second housing to which the second connector is attached, a third step of forming an ECU assembly by electrically connecting the first board and the second board and joining the first housing assembly and the second housing assembly, and a fourth step of forming the motor-integrated electronic control device by joining the ECU assembly and the motor.

[0027] In this way, in the present invention, it is possible to sub-assemble the electronic control device as an ECU assembly independent of the motor in the third step, which improves the assembly work of the electronic control device as an ECU assembly since the heavy motor is not required when assembling the electronic control device, compared to the conventional method of assembling the electronic control device by stacking it on the motor.

[0028] In another aspect of the manufacturing method of the motor-integrated electronic control device, it is preferable to have a first inspection step of inspecting the ECU assembly between the third step and the fourth step.

[0029] According to the conventional motor-integrated electronic control device, the electronic control device is inspected after the assembly of the motor-integrated electronic control device is completed. Therefore, if the electronic control device fails the inspection after being integrated with the motor, the entire motor-integrated electronic control device needs to be reassembled to eliminate the abnormality of the electronic control device, and there is room for improvement in the yield (first-run rate) of the motor-integrated electronic control device.

[0030] In contrast, in the present invention, the electronic control device is inspected before being coupled to the motor, thereby improving the yield (first-run rate) of the motor-integrated electronic control device.

[0031] In still another aspect of the method for manufacturing the motor-integrated electronic control device, it is preferable to have a second inspection step of inspecting the motor-integrated electronic control device after the fourth step.

[0032] In this way, in the present invention, after the electronic control device is inspected, the motor-integrated electronic control device obtained by combining the electronic control device with the motor is inspected, thereby improving the yield (first-run rate) of the motor-integrated electronic control device. Effect of the Invention

[0033] According to the present invention, since the first connector and the second connector are provided in different directions (opposite directions), it is possible to avoid a problem in which an electric signal flowing through an electric circuit mounted on the first board crosses an electric signal flowing through an electric circuit mounted on the second board, thereby making it possible to prevent electric noise generated in the electric circuit of the first board from adversely affecting the electric circuit of the second board. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0034] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a steering device to which a motor-integrated electronic control device according to the present invention is applied; [Diagram 2] 1 is a perspective view of a motor-integrated electronic control device according to the present invention; [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the motor-integrated electronic control device shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 2. [Diagram 5] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. [Figure 6] 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line CC in FIG. 2. [Figure 7]3 is a perspective view of the motor-integrated electronic control device shown in FIG. 2 with the housing removed. FIG. [Figure 8] 5A and 5B are cross-sectional views of the motor-integrated electronic control device shown in FIG. 4, where FIG. 5A shows the shielding effect against external electromagnetic noise, and FIG. 5B shows the shielding effect against internally generated electromagnetic noise. [Figure 9] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a conventional motor-integrated electronic control device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0035] Hereinafter, an embodiment of a motor-integrated electronic control device and a manufacturing method for a motor-integrated electronic control device according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, an example in which the motor-integrated electronic control device according to the present invention is applied to an electric power steering device of an automobile, as in the conventional case, will be described. In addition, in the following description, the direction along the rotation axis Z of the motor 4 will be referred to as the "axial direction", the direction perpendicular to the rotation axis Z will be referred to as the "radial direction", and the direction around the rotation axis Z will be referred to as the "circumferential direction".

[0036] (Configuration of electric power steering device) FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an electric power steering device to which a motor-integrated electronic control device according to the present invention is applied.

[0037] 1, this electric power steering device comprises a steering device main body 1 that changes the direction of steered wheels (not shown) in accordance with the rotation of a steering shaft 11, and a motor-integrated electronic control device 2 that generates a steering assist torque that assists the steering torque based on the steering torque input to the steering shaft 11, and these are integrally connected. In this case, the motor-integrated electronic control device 2 is attached to the side of the steering device main body 1 via a plurality of bolts (not shown), and the tip side of the motor-integrated electronic control device 2 is supported in a so-called cantilever state.

[0038] The steering device main body 1 has a steering shaft 11 linked to a steering wheel (not shown), and is connected to a motor-integrated electronic control device 2 via a speed reduction mechanism 3 (e.g., a worm gear) arranged on the outer periphery of the steering shaft 11. That is, in a manual driving state, a steering torque is input to the steering device main body 1 from a steering wheel (not shown) based on the steering operation of the driver, and in an automatic driving state, a steering torque generated by the motor-integrated electronic control device 2, which is drive-controlled based on vehicle information, is input via the speed reduction mechanism 3.

[0039] In addition, in the steering device main body 1, the steering shaft 11 and the sector shaft 12 are connected via a sector gear (not shown) housed inside the steering case 10, and the tip of the sector shaft 12 is connected to steered wheels (not shown) via a pitman arm (not shown). As a result, the rotation of the steering shaft 11 is converted into a rotation of the sector shaft 12 by the sector gear (not shown), and the direction of the steered wheels (not shown) is changed via the pitman arm (not shown) in accordance with the rotation of the sector shaft 12.

[0040] The motor-integrated electronic control device 2 includes a motor 4 that is linked to a steering shaft 11 and applies a steering assist torque to the steering shaft 11, and an electronic control device 5 that is attached to the opposite side of a drive shaft (not shown) of the motor 4 and drives and controls the motor 4. The drive shaft of the motor 4, not shown, is linked to the steering shaft 11 via a reduction mechanism 3, and applies to the steering shaft 11 a steering assist torque generated by being driven and controlled by the electronic control device 5. The electronic control device 5 is electrically connected to a steering angle sensor and a torque sensor, not shown, provided in the steering device main body 1 via a harness H, and drives and controls the motor 4 based on detection information from the steering angle sensor and the torque sensor.

[0041] (Configuration of motor-integrated electronic control device) Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of the motor-integrated electronic control device 2. Fig. 3 shows an exploded perspective view of the motor-integrated electronic control device 2 shown in Fig. 2.

[0042] The motor-integrated electronic control device 2 includes a motor 4 that generates a steering assist torque and an electronic control device 5 that drives and controls the motor 4, which are integrally connected at the axial end (the upper end in Figures 2 and 3) opposite the drive shaft of the motor 4, which is not shown in the figure.

[0043] The motor 4 is, for example, a three-phase AC brushless motor, and has a motor housing 41 formed from a metal material in a generally cylindrical shape, and a drive shaft 42 that is rotationally driven via motor elements (rotor and stator) (not shown) housed inside the motor housing 41. The motor 4 is provided such that the drive shaft 42 extends from a tip end 401 attached to the steering device body 1, and three-phase (U-phase, V-phase, W-phase) motor terminals 43 protrude from a base end 402 connected to the electronic control device 5. The base end 402 of the motor 4 is formed in a stepped shape with respect to the general portion, and is configured to be able to fit into the electronic control device 5.

[0044] The electronic control device 5 has a circuit board 7 on which electronic components that drive and control the motor are mounted, and a housing 8 that has a divided structure and is arranged opposite to each other in the direction of the rotation axis Z of the motor 4 and that accommodates the circuit board 7. The circuit board 7 includes a first board 71 and a second board 72 that are arranged opposite to each other in the direction of the rotation axis Z of the motor 4. The first board 71 is a power supply board that constitutes a power supply circuit that supplies power to the motor 4, and a power module 73 that is used for power conversion of the motor 4 is mounted on the first board 71. On the other hand, the second board 72 is a control board that constitutes a control circuit that drives and controls the motor 4. The housing 8 includes a pair of housings, a first housing 81 and a second housing 82, that are divided in the direction of the rotation axis Z of the motor 4.

[0045] Fig. 4 shows a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in Fig. 2, Fig. 5 shows a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in Fig. 2, and Fig. 6 shows a cross-sectional view taken along line CC in Fig. 2. Also, Fig. 7 shows a perspective view of the motor-integrated electronic control device 2 shown in Fig. 2 with the housing 50 removed.

[0046] 4 to 6, the motor-integrated electronic control device 2 is a so-called mechanically and electrically integrated electronic control device in which the electronic control device 5 is attached to the base end portion 402 of the motor 4 and the motor 4 and the electronic control device 5 are integrally connected. The electronic control device 5 is attached to the base end portion 402 of the motor 4 in series in the axial direction.

[0047] The first board 71 is accommodated in the first housing 81 and fixed to the inner bottom surface of the first housing 81 (in the present embodiment, the inner bottom surface 814a of the first bottom wall 814) via a plurality of first screws SW1. The first board 71 mainly mounts a power connector, a power FET, a Zener diode, an electrolytic capacitor, a power relay (all not shown), and a power module 73, which constitute a power circuit that supplies power to the motor 4. In addition, the first board 71 is connected to three-phase (U-phase, V-phase, W-phase) motor terminals 43 extended to the base end portion 402 of the motor 4 through a motor fitting hole 824 provided penetrating the bottom wall 821 of the second housing 82, and power is supplied to the motor 4 via the first board 71.

[0048] As shown in Figs. 4 to 7, the power module 73 is fixed to the inner bottom surface of the first housing 81 (in the present embodiment, the inner bottom surface 814a of the first bottom wall 814) via a plurality of third screws SW3 in a state where the power module 73 is biased toward the first housing 81 by a metal plate-shaped pressing spring 74. At this time, an insulating heat dissipation sheet 75 is interposed between the power module 73 and the first housing 81, and the power module 73 is fixed so as to abut against the inner bottom surface of the first housing 81 (in the present embodiment, the inner bottom surface 814a of the first bottom wall 814) via the heat dissipation sheet 75. With this configuration, heat generated by the power module 73 is transferred to the first housing 81 via the heat dissipation sheet 75 and dissipated to the outside via the first housing 81.

[0049] 5, the first board 71 has a plurality of first mounting holes 711 formed in the periphery of the first board 71 through which the shafts of the plurality of first screws SW1 can penetrate. As a result, the first board 71 is fastened to the first housing 81 by the first screws SW1 inserted into the first mounting holes 711 being screwed into the plurality of bosses 810 integrally formed in the bottom wall 811 of the first housing. At this time, the first board copper foil 712 constituting the power supply circuit is exposed at the hole edge of the first mounting hole 711 of the first board 71. As a result, when the first board 71 is fastened by the plurality of first screws SW1, each of the first screws SW1 contacts the first board copper foil 712 via the washer WS1, and the first board copper foil 712 contacts the respective bosses 810 of the first housing 81, so that the power supply circuit formed in the first board 71 is grounded.

[0050] 4 to 6, the second board 72 is fixed to an inner bottom surface 821a of the second housing 82 via a plurality of second screws SW2, and is accommodated in the second housing 82. The second board 72 mainly has a microcomputer, a power supply IC, a pre-driver, and an electrolytic capacitor (all not shown), which constitute a control circuit that drives and controls the motor 4.

[0051] Similarly to the first board 71, the second board 72 has a plurality of second mounting holes 721 formed in the periphery of the second board 72 through which the shafts of the plurality of second screws SW2 can penetrate, as shown in FIG. 5, and the second screws SW2 inserted in the second mounting holes 721 are screwed into a plurality of bosses 820 integrally formed in the bottom wall 821 of the second housing, thereby fastening the second board 72 to the first housing 81. At this time, the second board copper foil 722 constituting the control circuit is exposed at the hole edge of the second mounting hole 721 of the second board 72. As a result, as the second board 72 is fastened by the plurality of second screws SW2, each second screw SW2 comes into contact with the second board copper foil 722 via the washer WS2, and the second board copper foil 722 comes into contact with each boss 820 of the second housing 82, so that the control circuit formed on the second board 72 is grounded.

[0052] As shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the first board 71 and the second board 72 are electrically connected via an internal connector 60 consisting of a pair of male and female connectors provided on the inner surfaces of the first and second boards 71 ​​and 72 so as to face each other. The internal connector 60 is a so-called board-to-board connector, and is composed of a first internal connector 601 consisting of a male connector provided on the first board 71 side, and a second internal connector 602 consisting of a female connector provided on the second board 72 side. With this configuration, the first board 71 and the second board 72 are spaced apart from each other in the axial direction by the axial length L of the internal connector 60, and this distance is maintained. The internal connector 60 has a floating structure in which the female second internal connector 602 is movable in the horizontal direction, and when the first internal connector 601 is fitted into the second internal connector 602, the position of the second internal connector 602 can be adjusted.

[0053] The first housing 81 is made of a metal material with relatively high heat dissipation properties, such as an aluminum alloy, and is formed into a bottomed rectangular tube shape with one axial end facing the second housing 82 open and the other end closed by a bottom wall 811. The first housing 81 also has a side wall 812 that rises roughly vertically from the periphery of the bottom wall 811, and is attached to the second housing 82 by a plurality of fourth screws SW4 via a brim-shaped flange portion 813 provided at the tip of the side wall 812.

[0054] In addition, the bottom wall 811 of the first housing 81 is formed in a stepped shape in the width direction (left and right direction in Figures 4 to 6) and has a first bottom wall 814 that is located at a relatively high position and has a relatively short distance to the second housing 82, and a second bottom wall 815 that bulges outward more than the first bottom wall 814 and is located at a lower position than the first bottom wall 814 and has a relatively long distance to the second housing 82.

[0055] The first bottom wall 814 has a plurality of heat dissipation fins 816 formed on its outer surface facing the outside, and the power module 73 is disposed in contact with the inner surface of the first bottom wall 814. This allows heat transferred from the power module 73 to the first bottom wall 814 of the first housing 81 to be efficiently dissipated via the heat dissipation fins 816. Also, the shape and number of the heat dissipation fins 816 make it possible to adjust the heat dissipation capacity.

[0056] The second bottom wall 815 is formed flat, and a first connector through hole 817 is formed in the center, through which the generally rectangular first connector 61 can be inserted. The first connector 61 is attached so that a first connector opening 611 faces the opposite side to the motor 4 in the axial direction, and a plurality of first connector metal terminals 612 housed inside the first connector opening 611 are connected to the first board 71 by soldering. The first connector 61 is connected to a power source (battery) on the vehicle side via a harness (not shown), and the vehicle side power source is guided to a power source circuit formed on the first board 71 via the first connector 61.

[0057] 4 and 5, a window 818 is formed at an end (corner) in the width direction (left-right direction in FIGS. 4 and 5) of the first bottom wall 814 of the first housing 81, allowing the connection portion between the motor terminal 43 and the first board 71 to be exposed to the outside, and when connecting the motor 4 and the electronic control device 5, the motor terminal 43 can be soldered to the first board 71 from the outside through the window 818. After the motor terminal 43 is soldered, the window 818 is closed by a cover member 83 attached via a plurality of screws SW5.

[0058] The second housing 82 is made of a metal material such as an aluminum alloy, and is formed in a bottomed rectangular tube shape with one axial end facing the first housing 81 open and the other end closed by a bottom wall 821. The second housing 82 also has a side wall 822 that rises substantially vertically from the periphery of the bottom wall 821, and is coupled to the first housing 81 via a plurality of fourth screws SW4 that are screwed into a brim-shaped flange portion 823 provided at the tip of the side wall 822.

[0059] A motor fitting hole 824 into which the base end 402 of the motor 4 can be fitted is formed penetrating the bottom wall 821 of the second housing 82 along the axial direction at a substantially central position on one end side in the width direction (left-right direction in Figs. 4 to 6). A second connector through hole 825 into which the substantially rectangular second connector 62 can be inserted is formed on the other end side in the width direction of the bottom wall 821 of the second housing 82. The second connector 62 is attached so that a second connector opening 621 faces the motor 4 side in the axial direction, i.e., the opposite side to the first connector 61, and a plurality of second connector metal terminals 622 housed inside the second connector opening 621 are connected to the second board 72 by soldering. The second connector 62 is connected to the steering angle sensor and torque sensor (both not shown) provided in the steering device main body 1 via a harness H (see Fig. 1), and leads detection signals of the steering angle sensor and torque sensor inputted via the second connector 62 to a control circuit formed on the second board 72.

[0060] (Manufacturing method for motor-integrated electronic control device) A manufacturing method (assembly method) for the motor-integrated electronic control device 2 will be described below mainly with reference to Fig. 3. Note that since the motor 4 and the electronic control device 5 can be assembled independently of each other as described later, the motor 4 will be described as being assembled on a separate line.

[0061] First, in the first step, the first housing assembly SA1 is assembled. Specifically, the power module 73 is fixed in close contact with the first bottom wall 814 of the first housing 81 via the pressure spring 74 and the heat dissipation sheet 75, and the first connector 61 is inserted from the inside of the first bottom wall 814 into the first connector through hole 817 and attached to the second bottom wall 815. Thereafter, the first board 71 is inserted into the first housing 81 and fixed with a plurality of first screws SW1, and the power module 73 and the first connector metal terminal 612 are soldered to the first board 71. This completes the assembly of the first housing assembly SA1.

[0062] Next, in the second step, the second housing assembly SA2 is assembled. Specifically, the second connector 62 is inserted into the second connector through-hole 825 from inside the bottom wall 821 of the second housing 82 and attached to the bottom wall 821. Thereafter, the second board 72 is inserted into the second housing 82 and fixed with a plurality of second screws SW2, and the second connector metal terminals 622 are soldered to the second board 72. This completes the assembly of the second housing assembly SA2.

[0063] Next, in a third step, the first board 71 of the first housing assembly SA1 and the second board 72 of the second housing assembly SA2 are connected by the internal connector 60, and the first housing assembly SA1 and the second housing assembly SA2 are joined together via a plurality of fourth screws SW4, thereby completing the assembly of the electronic control device 5, which is an ECU assembly. Then, after the third step, in a first inspection step, the electronic control device 5, which is an ECU assembly whose assembly has been completed, is inspected.

[0064] Next, in a fourth step, the electronic control device 5, which is an ECU assembly that has passed the ECU inspection step, is attached to the motor 4, and the motor 4 and the electronic control device 5 are coupled together. Specifically, the base end 402 of the motor 4 is fitted into the motor fitting hole 824, and the motor terminal 43 is soldered to the first board 71 through the window 818 of the first housing 81. Thereafter, a cover member 83 is attached to the window 818 to close it, and the motor 4 and the electronic control device 5 are fastened together with a plurality of screws (not shown), completing the assembly of the motor-integrated electronic control device 2. Then, after the fourth step, in a second inspection step, the motor-integrated electronic control device 2 that has been assembled is inspected, and the one that has passed the second inspection step is shipped as a finished product.

[0065] (Effects of this embodiment) In the conventional motor-integrated electronic control device, as shown in Fig. 9, a power module 73, a first board 71 which is a power supply board, and a second board 72 which is a control board are connected to an external device (not shown) via an integrated connector member CN. This causes a relatively large current electrical signal flowing through the power supply circuit arranged on the first board 71 to cross an electrical signal flowing through the control circuit arranged on the second board 72, and there is a risk that the control circuit arranged on the second board 72 will be affected by electrical noise.

[0066] Furthermore, in the conventional motor-integrated electronic control device, the power module 73 disposed adjacent to the motor 4 is configured to dissipate heat via the motor housing 41. For this reason, when dissipating heat from the power module 73, it is affected by the self-heating of the motor 4, and there is a risk that the power module 73 cannot dissipate heat sufficiently.

[0067] In contrast, the motor-integrated electronic control device 2 according to this embodiment has the following advantages, thereby making it possible to solve the problems associated with the conventional motor-integrated electronic control devices.

[0068] The motor-integrated electronic control device 2 of this embodiment is a motor-integrated electronic control device formed by combining a motor 4 and an electronic control device 5 that drives and controls the motor 4, and is equipped with a circuit board 7 that is a circuit board on which electronic components that drive and control the motor 4 are mounted, and includes a first board 71 and a second board 72 that are arranged opposite each other in the direction of the rotation axis Z of the motor 4, a housing 8 that has a divided structure that is arranged opposite the direction of the rotation axis Z of the motor 4, and includes a first housing 81 that accommodates the first board 71 and a second housing 82 that accommodates the second board 72, a first connector 61 that is provided on the side of the first housing 81 opposite the motor 4 and is used for external connection of the first board 71, and a second connector 62 that is provided on the side of the second housing 82 facing the motor 4 and is used for external connection of the second board 72.

[0069] Thus, according to this embodiment, the first connector 61 is provided on the side opposite to the motor 4 in the first housing 81, while the second connector 62 is provided on the side of the motor 4 in the second housing 82, and the first connector 61 and the second connector 62 are provided so as to be oriented in different directions, i.e., in opposite directions. This makes it possible to avoid a problem in which a relatively large current electric signal flowing through the electric circuit (power supply circuit) mounted on the first board 71 crosses with an electric signal flowing through the electric circuit (control circuit) mounted on the second board 72. This makes it possible to prevent electric noise generated in the electric circuit (power supply circuit) of the first board 71 from adversely affecting the electric circuit (control circuit) of the second board 72.

[0070] In addition, in this embodiment, the first housing 81 is formed from a metal material, the first board 71 has a power supply circuit that supplies power to the motor 4 and is arranged on the opposite side of the motor 4 in the direction of the rotation axis Z of the motor 4, and the second board 72 has a control circuit that drives and controls the motor 4 and is arranged between the first board 71 and the motor 4 in the direction of the rotation axis Z of the motor 4.

[0071] Thus, in this embodiment, the first board 71 constituting the power supply circuit is housed in the first housing 81 made of metal and located on the opposite side of the motor 4, and heat generated on the first board 71 is dissipated via the first housing 81 separated from the motor 4. Therefore, compared to the case where heat is dissipated via the motor housing 41 of the motor 4, the heat generated on the first board 71 can be dissipated effectively without being affected by the self-heating of the motor 4.

[0072] In this embodiment, the second housing 82 is formed of a metal material, and the first board 71 is fastened to the first housing 81 by a plurality of first screws SW1 made of metal that penetrate first mounting holes 711 formed through the first board 71. At the same time, the first board copper foil 712 that constitutes the power supply circuit of the first board 71 is exposed at the hole edge of the first mounting hole 711. When the first board 71 is fastened by the first screws SW1, the first screws SW1, the first board copper foil 712, and the first housing 81 are fixed to each other. and is grounded by connecting the second board 72 to the second housing 82, and the second board 72 is fastened to the second housing 82 by a plurality of second metal screws SW2 that pass through second mounting holes 721 formed through the second board 72, and is configured so that the second board copper foil 722 that constitutes the control circuit on the second board 72 is exposed at the hole edge of the second mounting holes 721, and the second board 72 is grounded by being connected to the second screws SW2, the second board copper foil 722, and the second housing 82 as the second board 72 is fastened by the second screws SW2.

[0073] In this manner, in this embodiment, the first board copper foil 712 is exposed at the edge of the first mounting hole 711 in the first board 71, and the first board copper foil 712 is grounded to the metal first housing 81 via the metal first screw SW1, and the second board copper foil 722 is exposed at the edge of the second mounting hole 721 in the second board 72, and the second board copper foil 722 is grounded to the metal second housing 82 via the metal second screw SW2. As a result, as shown in Fig. 8(a), the electromagnetic noise EW1 received from the outside is partly reflected and partly absorbed by the first and second housings 81, 82, and the induced current IC1 absorbed and generated by the first and second housings 81, 82 can be returned to the outside from the GND of the first connector 61 via the first and second housings 81, 82, as shown by the arrow A1 in Fig. 8(a). 8(b), electromagnetic noise EW2 generated inside (for example, the second board 72 constituting the control circuit) is reflected by the first and second housings 81, 82 so as not to be emitted to the outside, and a part of it is absorbed, and the induced current IC2 absorbed and generated in the first and second housings 81, 82 can be returned to the GND of the second board 72 via the first and second housings 81, 82 as shown by the arrow A2 in Fig. 8(b). In this way, the electromagnetic noises EW1, EW2 absorbed in the first and second housings 81, 82 are returned to the source of the electromagnetic noises EW1, EW2 by the shortest loop, and no unnecessary detour paths are provided, thereby appropriately protecting the signal lines on the second board (control circuit).

[0074] In this embodiment, the motor 4 is connected to the first board 71 by penetrating the second housing 82 .

[0075] In this manner, in this embodiment, the motor 4 (motor terminals 43) is connected to the first board 71 by penetrating the second housing 82. This allows the motor 4 and the first board 71 to be connected efficiently over a relatively short distance, compared to a case in which the motor 4 and the first board 71 are connected by detouring the second housing 82.

[0076] In addition, in this embodiment, a power module 73 that is used for power conversion of the motor 4 is disposed between the first housing 81 and the first board 71, and heat from the power module 73 is dissipated via the first housing 81.

[0077] Thus, in this embodiment, the heat generated in the power module 73 is dissipated via the first housing 81 separated from the motor 4. This allows the heat generated in the power module 73 to be dissipated effectively without being affected by self-heating of the motor 4, as compared to the case where the heat is dissipated via the housing of the motor 4.

[0078] In this embodiment, the power module 73 is disposed in contact with the inner surface of the first housing 81 with the heat dissipation sheet 75 interposed therebetween.

[0079] In this manner, in this embodiment, heat is dissipated by bringing the power module 73 into close contact with the inner surface of the first housing 81 via the heat dissipation sheet 75. This makes it possible to more effectively dissipate heat generated in the power module 73.

[0080] In this embodiment, the heat dissipation sheet 75 has insulating properties.

[0081] In this manner, in the present embodiment, the power module 73 arranged in contact with the first housing 81 is insulated via the heat dissipation sheet 75. This makes it possible to suppress adverse effects of the current flowing through the power module 73 and noise generated by the current being transmitted to the metallic first housing 81.

[0082] In this embodiment, the first board 71 and the second board 72 are electrically connected by an internal connector 60.

[0083] Thus, in this embodiment, the first board 71 and the second board 72 are directly connected via the internal connection connector 60. This makes it possible to simplify the internal structure of the electronic control device 5, reducing the manufacturing cost of the motor-integrated electronic control device 2, and efficiently connecting the first board 71 and the second board 72 over a relatively short distance. Furthermore, by directly connecting the first board 71 and the second board 72, the manufacturing workability of the motor-integrated electronic control device 2 is improved, and the productivity of the motor-integrated electronic control device 2 can be improved.

[0084] In addition, the internal connection connector 60 maintains the distance L between the first board 71 and the second board 72, thereby preventing noise generated on either the first board 71 or the second board 72 from adversely affecting the other board.

[0085] In addition, in this embodiment, the internal connection connector 60 includes a first internal connection connector 601 provided on the first substrate 71 and a second internal connection connector 602 provided on the second substrate 72 and arranged so as to be able to engage with the first internal connection connector 601, and the second internal connection connector 602 is arranged so as to be able to float in the horizontal direction of the second substrate 72.

[0086] In this manner, in this embodiment, the second internal connection connector 602 is provided so as to be capable of floating in the horizontal direction of the second board 72. As a result, even if a positional deviation occurs between the first internal connection connector 601 provided on the first board 71 accommodated in the first housing 81 and the second internal connection connector 602 provided on the second board 72 accommodated in the second housing 82 due to a manufacturing error of the first and second housings 81, 82 or an assembly error of the first and second boards 71, 72 relative to the first and second housings 81, 82 when the first housing 81 and the second housing 82 are joined, the floating structure of the second internal connection connector 602 absorbs the positional deviation, making it possible to appropriately connect the first internal connection connector 601 and the second internal connection connector 602, improving the workability of connecting the first board 71 and the second board 72 and improving the yield of the motor-integrated electronic control device 2.

[0087] In addition, this embodiment includes a first step of forming a first housing assembly SA1 by accommodating and fixing a first board 71 in a first housing 81 to which a first connector 61 is attached, a second step of forming a second housing assembly SA2 by accommodating and fixing a second board 72 in a second housing 82 to which a second connector 62 is attached, a third step of forming an ECU assembly (electronic control device 5) by electrically connecting the first board 71 and the second board 72 and joining the first housing assembly SA1 and the second housing assembly SA2, and a fourth step of forming a motor-integrated electronic control device 2 by joining the ECU assembly (electronic control device 5) and a motor 4.

[0088] As described above, in the present embodiment, in the third step, it is possible to sub-assemble the electronic control device 5, which is an ECU assembly, independent of the motor 4. As a result, compared to the conventional method (see FIG. 8 ) in which the electronic control device 5 is assembled by stacking components such as circuit boards on the motor 4, the assembly of the electronic control device 5 is facilitated since the heavy motor 4 is not involved in the assembly of the electronic control device 5, and the assembly workability of the electronic control device 5 can be improved.

[0089] In this embodiment, a first inspection step of inspecting the ECU assembly (electronic control device 5) is provided between the third step and the fourth step.

[0090] In the structure of the conventional motor-integrated electronic control device 2, the electronic control device 5 was inspected after the assembly of the motor-integrated electronic control device 2 was completed. Therefore, if the electronic control device 5 failed the inspection after being integrated with the motor 4, it was necessary to reassemble the entire motor-integrated electronic control device 2 in order to eliminate the abnormality of the electronic control device 5, and there was room for improvement in terms of the yield (first-run rate) of the motor-integrated electronic control device 2.

[0091] In contrast, in this embodiment, the electronic control device 5 is inspected individually before the motor 4 and the electronic control device 5 are coupled together. Therefore, even if the electronic control device 5 fails the inspection, the electronic control device 5 alone can be reassembled to eliminate the abnormality in the electronic control device 5 that failed the inspection, and there is no need to reassemble the entire motor-integrated electronic control device 2. This makes it possible to improve the yield (first-run rate) of the motor-integrated electronic control device 2.

[0092] In this embodiment, a second inspection step of inspecting the motor-integrated electronic control device 2 is performed after the fourth step.

[0093] In this manner, in this embodiment, after the inspection of the electronic control device 5, the motor-integrated electronic control device 2 formed by combining the electronic control device 5 and the motor 4 is inspected. According to this method, at the stage of combining the electronic control device 5 and the motor 4, the electronic control device 5 has already been inspected and is a non-defective product. Therefore, even if the electronic control device 5 is found to be NG in the second inspection process, the connection state between the motor 4 and the electronic control device 5 is merely reviewed to eliminate the abnormality in the motor-integrated electronic control device 2, and there is no need to reassemble the entire motor-integrated electronic control device 2. This makes it possible to improve the yield (first-run rate) of the motor-integrated electronic control device 2.

[0094] The present invention is not limited to the configurations and aspects exemplified in the above-described embodiments, and can be freely modified depending on the specifications and costs of the target application as long as the form can achieve the above-described effects of the present invention.

[0095] In particular, in the above embodiment, the second housing 82 is formed from a metal material, but since the second substrate 72 generates a relatively small amount of heat, there is little need to dissipate heat through the second housing 82, and therefore it is also possible to form it from a resin material.

Claims

1. A motor-integrated electronic control device is configured by combining a motor with an electronic control device that drives and controls the motor, a circuit board on which electronic components for driving and controlling the motor are mounted, the circuit board including a first board and a second board arranged opposite each other in a rotation axis direction of the motor; a housing having a divided structure arranged opposite to each other in a rotational axis direction of the motor, the housing including a first housing accommodating the first board and a second housing accommodating the second board; a first connector provided on the first housing opposite the motor and configured to connect the first board to an external device; a second connector provided on a side of the second housing facing the motor, the second connector being used for connecting the second board to an external device; Equipped with the first housing has a window portion that opens to an end surface opposite to the motor in a rotational axis direction of the motor, the second housing has an end surface facing the motor, the end surface having a motor fitting hole into which the motor can be fitted, the motor has a motor terminal extending in a rotation axis direction of the motor on an end surface facing the second housing, the motor terminal is inserted through the motor fitting hole into a terminal insertion hole provided in the first board and faces the window portion as the motor terminal is fitted into the motor fitting hole, and is soldered to the first board through the window portion. A motor integrated electronic control device.

2. 2. The motor integrated electronic control device according to claim 1, The first housing is made of a metal material, the first substrate has a power supply circuit for supplying power to the motor, and is disposed on an opposite side to the motor in a direction of a rotation axis of the motor; the second substrate has a control circuit for driving and controlling the motor, and is disposed between the first substrate and the motor in a rotational axis direction of the motor; A motor integrated electronic control device.

3. 3. The motor integrated electronic control device according to claim 2, The second housing is made of a metal material, the first substrate is fastened to the first housing by a plurality of first metal screws passing through first mounting holes formed through the first substrate, and a first substrate copper foil constituting the power supply circuit is exposed on the first substrate at the hole edge of the first mounting hole, and the first substrate is grounded by being connected to the first screws, the first substrate copper foil, and the first housing as the first substrate is fastened by the first screws; the second substrate is fastened to the second housing by a plurality of second metal screws penetrating second mounting holes formed through the second substrate, and a second substrate copper foil constituting the control circuit is exposed on the second substrate at the hole edge of the second mounting hole, and the second substrate is grounded by being connected to the second screws, the second substrate copper foil, and the second housing as the second substrate is fastened by the second screws; A motor integrated electronic control device.

4. 3. The motor integrated electronic control device according to claim 2, a power module for converting power of the motor is disposed between the first housing and the first board, The power module dissipates heat through the first housing. A motor integrated electronic control device.

5. 5. The motor-integrated electronic control device according to claim 4, The power module is disposed in contact with an inner surface of the first housing via a heat dissipation sheet. A motor integrated electronic control device.

6. 6. The motor-integrated electronic control device according to claim 5, The heat dissipation sheet has insulating properties. A motor integrated electronic control device.

7. The motor integrated electronic control device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, The first substrate and the second substrate are electrically connected by an internal connector. A motor integrated electronic control device.

8. 8. The motor integrated electronic control device according to claim 7, the internal connection connector includes a first internal connection connector provided on the first board, and a second internal connection connector provided on the second board and capable of being fitted with the first internal connection connector; the second internal connector is provided so as to be capable of floating in a horizontal direction of the second substrate; A motor integrated electronic control device.

9. A method for manufacturing the motor-integrated electronic control device according to claim 1, comprising the steps of: a first step of forming a first housing assembly by accommodating and fixing the first board in the first housing to which the first connector is attached; a second step of forming a second housing assembly by accommodating and fixing the second board in the second housing to which the second connector is attached; a third step of electrically connecting the first board and the second board to couple the first housing assembly and the second housing assembly together to form an ECU assembly; a fourth step of forming the motor integrated electronic control unit by coupling the ECU assembly and the motor; A method for manufacturing a motor-integrated electronic control device, comprising:

10. A method for manufacturing the motor-integrated electronic control device according to claim 9, comprising the steps of: A first inspection step for inspecting the ECU assembly is provided between the third step and the fourth step. Have A method for manufacturing a motor-integrated electronic control device.

11. A method for manufacturing the motor-integrated electronic control device according to claim 10, comprising the steps of: A second inspection step of inspecting the motor integrated electronic control device after the fourth step is included. A method for manufacturing a motor-integrated electronic control device.

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