Mechatronic device

Abstract

To provide an electromechanical integrated device capable of suppressing deterioration of assemblability.SOLUTION: An electromechanical integrated device 1 is configured ot include a rotary electric machine 2, a first case member 11 for accommodating the rotary electric machine, control devices 31 and 32 for controlling the rotary electric machine, a cooler 33 for cooling the control device with a coolant for cooling the rotary electric machine, a second case member 12 for accommodating the control devices and the cooler, and a power line 4 that electrically connects the rotary electric machine and the control devices to deliver power between the rotary electric machine and the control devices, the first case member and the second case member being integrated with each other, and has a first temperature sensor 61 which is provided in the first case member and detects a temperature of the coolant, and a second temperature sensor 62 which is provided in the first case member and detects the temperature of the power line. The control devices estimate the temperature of the rotary electric machine on the basis of, the temperature of the coolant detected by the first temperature sensor and the temperature of the power line detected by the second temperature sensor.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an electromechanical integrated device. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent document 1 discloses a configuration in which, in an integrated electro-mechanical device formed by integrating a case member that houses a motor and a case member that houses a control board that controls the motor, a temperature sensor that measures the temperature of the motor is attached to the motor. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2013-116011 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in the configuration disclosed in Patent Document 1, it is necessary to run wiring such as a cable to connect the temperature sensor inside the case member that houses the motor and the control board inside the case member that houses the control board, which may make assembly difficult.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a mechanically and electrically integrated device that can suppress deterioration of assembly performance. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the object, a mechanically and electrically integrated device according to the present invention includes a rotating electric machine, a first case member that houses the rotating electric machine, a control device that controls the rotating electric machine, a cooler that cools the control device using a refrigerant that cools the rotating electric machine, a second case member that houses the control device and the cooler, and a power line that electrically connects the rotating electric machine and the control device and exchanges power between the rotating electric machine and the control device, the mechanically and electrically integrated device being configured by integrating the first case member and the second case member, 2 a first temperature sensor provided in the case member for detecting a temperature of the refrigerant; 2 and a second temperature sensor provided within a case member for detecting the temperature of the power line, and the control device estimates the temperature of the rotating electric machine based on the temperature of the coolant detected by the first temperature sensor and the temperature of the power line detected by the second temperature sensor.

[0007] As a result, the temperature of the rotating electric machine is estimated based on the detection results of the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor provided in the second case member, so there is no need for a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the rotating electric machine in the first case member or a cable connecting this temperature sensor to a control device provided in the second case member, thereby preventing deterioration of assembly ease.

[0008] In the above, the first temperature sensor may be provided in the cooler so as to detect a temperature of the coolant that flows into the cooler after cooling the rotating electric machine.

[0009] This makes it possible to reduce the influence of heat other than the temperature of the rotating electrical machine on the temperature of the coolant detected by the first temperature sensor. Effect of the Invention

[0010] The integrated mechanical and electrical device of the present invention estimates the temperature of the rotating electric machine based on the detection results of a first temperature sensor and a second temperature sensor provided in the second case member, thereby eliminating the need for a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the rotating electric machine in the first case member and a cable connecting this temperature sensor to a control device provided in the second case member, thereby achieving the effect of suppressing deterioration of assembly ease. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a drive unit according to the first embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a cooling circuit of the drive unit according to the first embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a drive unit according to the second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0012] (Embodiment 1) A first embodiment of a drive unit which is an electro-mechanical integrated device according to the present invention will be described below. Note that the present invention is not limited to this embodiment.

[0013] Fig. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a drive unit 1 according to a first embodiment. As shown in Fig. 1, the drive unit 1 is a unit (electromechanical integrated device) in which a rotating electric machine 2 and a PCU (Power Control Unit) 3 are integrated. The drive unit 1 is mounted on, for example, an electric vehicle. As shown in Fig. 1, the drive unit 1 has a case 10 formed of a plurality of case members, and includes the rotating electric machine 2, a PCU 3, a bus bar 4, a terminal block 5, and the like, which are housed inside the case 10.

[0014] Case 10 is configured by integrating a transaxle case 11, which is a first case member that houses rotating electric machine 2, and a PCU case 12, which is a second case member that houses PCU 3. Transaxle case 11 and PCU case 12 are separated by a partition wall 14 inside case 10. In addition, the upper side of PCU case 12 is open, and a PCU cover 13 is attached to PCU case 12 so as to cover this opening.

[0015] The rotating electric machine 2 is configured by a motor generator that functions as a power source for traveling, and has a motor function and a power generating function. The rotating electric machine 2 is connected to a gear mechanism (not shown) so as to be capable of transmitting power, and the power output by the rotating electric machine 2 is transmitted to drive wheels (not shown) via the gear mechanism or the like.

[0016] The PCU 3 includes a control board 31, a power module 32 on which a plurality of semiconductor elements and the like are provided, and a cooler 33. In the first embodiment, the control board 31 and the power module 32 constitute a control device for controlling the rotating electric machine 2 of the present invention. The PCU 3 is electrically connected to a battery (not shown). The cooler 33 is disposed in the PCU case 12 so as to be in contact with the power module 32 below the power module 32, and is configured to share a refrigerant that cools the rotating electric machine 2 and cool the power module 32 and the like by flowing the refrigerant through a cooling flow path formed in the cooler 33. In the first embodiment, the lubricating oil of the rotating electric machine 2 is used as the refrigerant.

[0017] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a cooling circuit of the drive unit 1 according to the first embodiment. In the cooling circuit of the drive unit 1 according to the first embodiment, an electric pump 7, a PCU 3, an oil cooler 8, a rotating electric machine 2, an oil pan 9, and the like are arranged, and each is connected by a pipe forming a flow path through which the refrigerant flows. Then, by operating the electric pump 7, the refrigerant cooled in the oil cooler 8 is sent from the oil cooler 8 to the rotating electric machine 2, and the rotating electric machine 2 is cooled by directly applying the refrigerant from above the rotating electric machine 2. The refrigerant after cooling the rotating electric machine 2 is collected in an oil pan 9 provided below the rotating electric machine 2 in the transaxle case 11, and sent from the oil pan 9 to the electric pump 7. The refrigerant sent to the electric pump 7 is sent to a cooler 33 provided in the PCU 3, and the power module 32 of the PCU 3 and the like are cooled. The refrigerant after cooling the power module 32 of the PCU 3 and the like is sent to the oil cooler 8, and is cooled by heat exchange with other refrigerants and the like.

[0018] Further, the cooler 33 of the PCU 3 is provided with a coolant temperature sensor 61 that detects the temperature of the coolant flowing into the cooler 33. The coolant temperature sensor 61 outputs a signal of the detected coolant temperature to the control board 31 of the PCU 3.

[0019] The busbar 4 is a power line for electrically connecting the rotating electric machine 2 and the PCU 3 to exchange power between the rotating electric machine 2 and the PCU 3, and is supported by the terminal block 5. The terminal block 5 is fitted into a through hole formed in the bulkhead 14 in the case 10 and fixed to the bulkhead 14. It is preferable to provide a sealing member between the terminal block 5 and the bulkhead 14 to seal so that no gap is formed. In the case 10, the busbar 4 extends from the terminal block 5 in the vertical direction to the rotating electric machine 2 side and the PCU 3 side, and in the transaxle case 11, a terminal of the rotating electric machine 2 is connected to the busbar 4, and in the PCU case 12, a terminal of the PCU 3 is connected to the busbar 4. As a result, the PCU 3 is electrically connected to the rotating electric machine 2 via the busbar 4. That is, the rotating electric machine 2 is electrically connected to the battery via the PCU 3. In addition, in the PCU case 12, a busbar temperature sensor 62 for detecting the busbar temperature is provided on the busbar 4. The bus bar temperature sensor 62 outputs a signal of the detected bus bar temperature to the control board 31 of the PCU 3.

[0020] Here, in the drive unit 1 according to the first embodiment, the rotating electric machine 2 and the PCU 3 are cooled by the same refrigerant, and the refrigerant after cooling the rotating electric machine 2 is sent to the cooler 33 of the PCU 3 to cool the power module 32 of the PCU 3 and the like. At this time, the temperature of the refrigerant sent to the cooler 22 of the PCU 3 changes depending on the temperature of the rotating electric machine 2. Therefore, in the drive unit 1 according to the first embodiment, the refrigerant temperature sensor 61 detects the temperature of the refrigerant flowing into the cooler 33 of the PCU 3, so that information on the temperature of the rotating electric machine 2 can be obtained. Also, in the drive unit 1 according to the first embodiment, the refrigerant temperature sensor 21 is provided in the cooler 33 so as to detect the temperature of the refrigerant flowing into the cooler 33 after cooling the rotating electric machine 2, so that the thermal influence other than the temperature of the rotating electric machine 2 (exhaust heat from the rotating electric machine 2) on the temperature of the refrigerant detected by the refrigerant temperature sensor 61 can be reduced.

[0021] Furthermore, when power is exchanged between the PCU 3 (power module 32) and the rotating electric machine 2 via the bus bar 4, the bus bar 4 becomes an electrical resistance and generates heat according to the magnitude of the current flowing through the bus bar 4. Furthermore, when power is supplied from the PCU 3 (power module 32) to the rotating electric machine 2 via the bus bar 4, a current flows through the stator coil of the rotating electric machine 2, causing the stator coil to generate heat and increasing the temperature of the rotating electric machine 2. Therefore, in the drive unit 1 according to the first embodiment, information regarding the temperature of the rotating electric machine 2 can be obtained by detecting the temperature of the bus bar 4 using the bus bar temperature sensor 62.

[0022] In the drive unit 1 according to the first embodiment, the correlation between the coolant temperature, the busbar temperature, and the temperature of the rotating electric machine 2 is obtained in advance by experiments or the like, and, for example, a map showing the correlation between the coolant temperature, the busbar temperature, and the temperature of the rotating electric machine 2 is stored in a storage unit of the control board 31 of the PCU 3. The control board 31 of the PCU 3 estimates the temperature of the rotating electric machine 2 based on the map from the coolant temperature detected by the coolant temperature sensor 61 and the busbar temperature detected by the busbar temperature sensor 62. As a result, the control board 31 of the PCU 3 can control the rotating electric machine 2 based on the estimated temperature of the rotating electric machine 2, for example, so that the temperature of the rotating electric machine 2 does not become a predetermined temperature or higher.

[0023] In the drive unit 1 according to the first embodiment, the temperature sensor for estimating the temperature of the rotating electric machine 2 can be removed from the rotating electric machine 2, and a cable, a connector, and the like for connecting the control board 31 of the PCU 3 and the temperature sensor provided in the rotating electric machine 2 can be eliminated. Therefore, in the drive unit 1 according to the first embodiment, by wiring between the control board 31 of the PCU 3 and the temperature sensor provided in the rotating electric machine 2 in order to estimate the temperature of the rotating electric machine 2, it is possible to suppress the need to additionally provide a sealing member for sealing cables, connectors, and the like in the partition wall 14 to ensure sealing properties and to suppress deterioration of assembly.

[0024] In the drive unit 1 according to the first embodiment, instead of the busbar temperature sensor 62, a current detection sensor that detects a current flowing through the busbar 4 (power module 32), a voltage detection sensor that detects the voltage of the busbar 4 (power module 32), or the like may be provided in the busbar 4 or the power module 32 within the PCU case 12. The control board 41 of the PCU 3 may estimate the temperature of the rotating electric machine 2 using the detected current value, voltage value, and refrigerant temperature.

[0025] (Embodiment 2) A second embodiment of the drive unit, which is an electro-mechanical integrated device according to the present invention, will be described below.

[0026] Fig. 3 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a drive unit 101 according to embodiment 2. As shown in Fig. 3, the drive unit 101 according to embodiment 2 is a unit (an integrated electromechanical device) in which a rotating electric machine 102 and a PCU 103 are integrated together.

[0027] 3, the drive unit 101 includes a rotating electric machine 102, a PCU 103, a bus bar 104, a terminal block 105, a gear mechanism 180, and a differential mechanism 190, which are housed in a case 110. The case 110 is configured by integrating a transaxle case 111, which is a first case member that houses the rotating electric machine 2, the gear mechanism 180, and the differential mechanism 190, and a PCU case 112, which is a second case member that houses the PCU 3. The transaxle case 111 and the PCU case 112 are separated by a partition wall 114. In addition, the PCU case 112 has an opening on the side opposite to the rotating electric machine 102 side, and a PCU cover 113 is attached to the PCU case 112 so as to cover this opening. The inside of transaxle case 111 is partitioned by a partition wall 115 into an accommodation chamber in which rotating electric machine 102 is accommodated and an accommodation chamber (gear box) in which gear mechanism 180 and differential mechanism 190 are accommodated.

[0028] The rotating electric machine 102 has a rotor 121, a stator 122 in which a stator coil is wound around a stator core, and a rotor shaft 123. The rotor 121 is provided integrally with the rotor shaft 123. The rotor shaft 123 is rotatably supported by partition walls 114 and 115 via bearings 171 and 172. The rotor 121 is disposed with a small gap between it and the inner periphery of the stator 122.

[0029] The gear mechanism 180 includes a counter drive gear 181, a counter driven gear 182, a final drive gear 183, and a counter shaft 184. The counter drive gear 181 is provided on the rotor shaft 123, and meshes with a counter driven gear 182 provided on a counter shaft 184 arranged in parallel with the rotor shaft 123. The counter shaft 184 is provided with a final drive gear 183 on the opposite side of the counter driven gear 182 in the axial direction. The final drive gear 183 meshes with a differential ring gear 191 of a differential mechanism 190. Power output from the rotor shaft 123 of the rotating electric machine 102 is transmitted to the differential mechanism 190 via the counter drive gear 181, the counter driven gear 182, the counter shaft 184, the final drive gear 185, and the differential ring gear 191. The power transmitted to the differential mechanism 190 is transmitted to the left and right drive wheels via drive shafts 201, 202, thereby driving and rotating the left and right drive wheels.

[0030] The PCU 103 includes a control board 131, a power module 132, and a cooler 133. In the second embodiment, the control board 131 and the power module 132 constitute a control device for controlling the rotating electric machine 102 of the present invention. The PCU 103 is electrically connected to a battery (not shown). The cooler 133 is disposed in the PCU case 112 so as to be in contact with the power module 132, and is configured to share a refrigerant that cools the rotating electric machine 102, and to cool the power module 132 and the like by flowing the refrigerant through a cooling flow path formed in the cooler 133. In the second embodiment, the lubricating oil of the rotating electric machine 2 is used as the refrigerant.

[0031] The drive unit 101 according to the second embodiment has a cooling circuit similar to that of the drive unit 1 according to the first embodiment, and includes an electric pump 107, a PCU 103, an oil cooler (not shown), a rotating electric machine 102, and an oil pan (not shown), which are connected to each other by a pipe 221 that forms a flow path through which the refrigerant flows. Then, by operating the electric pump 107, the refrigerant cooled in the oil cooler is sent from the oil cooler to the rotating electric machine 102, and the rotating electric machine 102 is cooled by directly applying the refrigerant from above the rotating electric machine 2. After cooling the rotating electric machine 102, the refrigerant is collected in an oil pan provided below the rotating electric machine 102 in the transaxle case 111, and sent from the oil pan to the electric pump 107. The refrigerant sent to the electric pump 107 is sent to a cooler 33 provided in the PCU 103, and the power module 132 of the PCU 103 and the like are cooled. After cooling the power module 132 of the PCU 103 and the like, the refrigerant is sent to an oil cooler, where it is cooled by exchanging heat with other refrigerants and the like.

[0032] Further, the cooler 133 of the PCU 103 is provided with a coolant temperature sensor 161 that detects the temperature of the coolant flowing into the cooler 133. The coolant temperature sensor 161 outputs a signal of the detected coolant temperature to the control board 131 of the PCU 103.

[0033] The bus bar 104 is a power line for electrically connecting the rotating electric machine 102 and the PCU 103 to exchange power between the rotating electric machine 102 and the PCU 103, and is supported by a terminal block 105. The terminal block 105 is fitted into a through hole formed in a partition wall 114 in the case 110 and fixed to the partition wall 114. It is preferable to provide a sealing member between the terminal block 105 and the partition wall 114 to seal so that no gap is formed. In the case 110, the bus bar 104 extends from the terminal block 105 to the rotating electric machine 102 side and the PCU 103 side, and a terminal of the rotating electric machine 102 is connected to the bus bar 104 in the transaxle case 111, and a terminal of the PCU 103 (power card) is connected to the bus bar 104 in the PCU case 112. As a result, the PCU 103 is electrically connected to the rotating electric machine 102 via the bus bar 104. That is, the rotating electric machine 102 is electrically connected to the battery via the PCU 103 .

[0034] Furthermore, a busbar temperature sensor 162 that detects the busbar temperature is provided on busbar 104 inside PCU case 112. Busbar temperature sensor 162 outputs a signal of the detected busbar temperature to control board 131 of PCU 103.

[0035] In the drive unit 101 according to the second embodiment, the correlation between the coolant temperature, the busbar temperature, and the temperature of the rotating electric machine 102 is obtained in advance by an experiment or the like, and, for example, a map showing the correlation between the coolant temperature, the busbar temperature, and the temperature of the rotating electric machine 2 is stored in a memory unit of the control board 131 of the PCU 103. Then, the control board 131 of the PCU 103 estimates the temperature of the rotating electric machine 102 based on the map from the coolant temperature detected by the coolant temperature sensor 161 and the busbar temperature detected by the busbar temperature sensor 162. In this way, the control board 131 of the PCU 103 can control the rotating electric machine 102 based on the estimated temperature of the rotating electric machine 102, for example, so that the temperature of the rotating electric machine 102 does not become equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature.

[0036] In the drive unit 101 according to the second embodiment, the temperature sensor for estimating the temperature of the rotating electric machine 102 can be removed from the rotating electric machine 102, and a cable, a connector, and the like for connecting the control board 131 of the PCU 103 and the temperature sensor provided in the rotating electric machine 102 can be eliminated. Therefore, in the drive unit 101 according to the second embodiment, by wiring between the control board 131 of the PCU 3 and the temperature sensor provided in the rotating electric machine 102 in order to estimate the temperature of the rotating electric machine 102, it is possible to suppress the need to additionally provide a seal member for sealing cables, connectors, and the like in the partition wall 114 to ensure sealing properties and to suppress deterioration of assembly properties.

[0037] Furthermore, in drive unit 101 according to embodiment 2, resolver 210 is disposed in PCU case 112 to detect the rotation speed of rotor shaft 123 of rotating electric machine 102 as information for control board 131 of PCU 103 to control rotating electric machine 102. This makes it possible to eliminate resolver 210 from within transaxle case 111, and to do away with cables, connectors, and the like that were provided in conventional drive units for connecting the control board of the PCU and the resolver provided in the transaxle case.

[0038] In drive unit 101 according to the second embodiment, electric pump 107 for circulating refrigerant in the cooling circuit is disposed in PCU case 112. This makes it possible to eliminate electric pump 107 from inside transaxle case 111, and makes it possible to eliminate cables, connectors, and the like that are provided in conventional drive units for connecting a PCU control board and an electric pump provided in the transaxle case. [Explanation of symbols]

[0039] 1,101 Drive units 2,102 Rotating Electric Machines 3,103 PCU 4,104 Busbars 5,105 Terminal block 7,107 Electric pump 8. Oil cooler 9. Oil pan 10,110 cases 11,111 Transaxle case 12,112 PCU case 13,113 PCU cover 14,114,115 Bulkhead 31,131 Control board 32,132 Power Module 33,133 Cooler 61,161 Refrigerant temperature sensor 62,162 Busbar Temperature Sensor 121 Rotor 122 Stator 123 rotor shaft 180 Gear mechanism 181 Counter drive gear 182 Counter driven gear 183 Final drive gear 184 Countershaft 190 Differential mechanism 191 Differential ring gear 201,202 Drive shaft 221 Piping

Claims

[Claim 1] A rotating electric machine; a first case member that houses the rotating electric machine; A control device for controlling the rotating electric machine; a cooler that cools the control device using a refrigerant that cools the rotating electric machine; a second case member that houses the control device and the cooler; a power line electrically connecting the rotating electric machine and the control device to exchange electric power between the rotating electric machine and the control device; Equipped with A mechanically and electrically integrated device configured by integrating the first case member and the second case member, the refrigerant is a lubricating oil that lubricates the rotating electrical machine, An oil cooler is provided to cool the refrigerant by heat exchange with another refrigerant. a cooling circuit for circulating the refrigerant is configured so that the refrigerant is sent from the oil cooler to the rotating electric machine to cool the rotating electric machine, the refrigerant after cooling the rotating electric machine is sent to the cooler to cool the control device, and the refrigerant after cooling the control device is sent to the oil cooler to cool the refrigerant, a first temperature sensor provided in the cooler within the second case member so as to detect a temperature of the coolant flowing into the cooler after cooling the rotating electric machine; a second temperature sensor provided in the second case member and configured to detect a temperature of the power line; having The control device is characterized in that it estimates the temperature of the rotating electric machine based on the temperature of the coolant detected by the first temperature sensor and the temperature of the power line detected by the second temperature sensor.

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