Electric compressor structure and electric compressor protector

Abstract

To inhibit a housing of an electric compressor from being damaged or deforming with external force propagated to the housing via a protector of the electric compressor.SOLUTION: An electric compressor 1 includes: a compression mechanism; electric parts 3, 4; a housing 10 for accommodating the compression mechanism 2 and the electric parts 3, 4; fixed surface parts 41, 42 fixed to the housing 10; and a protector 40 disposed in a position facing the electric parts 3, 4 outside the housing 10. The protector is provided with a deformation induction part which induces deformation when the protector 40 is subjected to load from the outside, in a position facing the electric parts 3, 4.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an electric compressor structure and a protector for an electric compressor.

Background Art

[0002] For example, a compressor mounted on a vehicle, such as one used in the vehicle air conditioning system, is usually arranged inside a power compartment (engine compartment or motor compartment) provided at the front of the vehicle. Here, for example, compressors for vehicles having an engine include those driven using the power of the engine and those driven without using the power of the engine. As a compressor that does not use the power of the engine, an electric compressor driven by electric power is known.

[0003] Generally, an electric compressor has a compression mechanism, a motor, a housing that houses these, and an inverter that controls the drive of the motor, and is configured to rotate the motor by electric power to compress gas or the like. As for electric compressors, for example, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, there are those that arrange an inverter for driving the motor inside the compressor housing to achieve miniaturization and weight reduction of the air conditioning system, and high efficiency by shortening the wiring length.

[0004] On the other hand, depending on the location (facility) where the electric compressor is installed, the electric compressor may be subjected to an impact load. For example, when the electric compressor is provided at the front of the vehicle, if the vehicle is subjected to a frontal collision or a side collision, an impact load may be transmitted to the electric compressor. In contrast, for example, it is possible to arrange the electric compressor so as to be surrounded by a highly rigid vehicle body structural member to make the structure such that the impact load is difficult to be transmitted. Also, it is possible to protect the electric compressor from the impact load by making the vehicle body structure a more robust structure. However, in such cases, there may be restrictions in layout and an increase in weight due to an improvement in vehicle body rigidity.

[0005] In contrast, there are known electric compressors, such as the one disclosed in Patent Document 1, in which a cover member is provided on the outside of the housing of the electric compressor. This cover member suppresses the load acting on the part of the cover member that is fixed to the housing when the electric compressor is subjected to an external force, using the principle of leverage. In this way, the electric compressor is intended to be protected from external forces. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2016-160824 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0007] However, in electric compressors like the one described above, when a large impact load acts on the cover member, such as during an offset collision of a vehicle, the load transmitted to the fixing points of the cover member to the housing and to the support bosses that support the electric compressor increases. In such cases, the housing may deform, mainly around the fixing points and support bosses. If the amount of deformation is large, the housing may break. Therefore, in protective structures that attach cover members like the one described above, there was room for improvement in protecting the electric compressor from impact loads.

[0008] The present invention was made to solve the above problems, and its objective is to prevent damage and deformation of the housing of an electric compressor due to external forces transmitted to the housing of the electric compressor via the electric compressor protector. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The electric compressor structure according to the present invention for achieving the above objective comprises a compression mechanism for compressing a refrigerant, an electric unit for driving the compression mechanism by electric power, a housing for housing the compression mechanism and the electric unit, and a protector having a fixed surface portion fixed to the housing and positioned on the outside of the housing facing the electric unit. In this electric compressor, the protector is provided with a deformation-inducing portion at a position facing the electric unit that induces deformation when a load is applied from the outside of the protector. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the present invention, it is possible to suppress damage and deformation of the housing of an electric compressor due to external forces transmitted to the housing of the electric compressor via the electric compressor protector. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view showing the external appearance of the electric compressor according to the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of the electric compressor. [Figure 3] Figure 1 is a front view of the electric compressor. [Figure 4] This is a front view showing the electric compressor with the protector removed (Figure 3). [Figure 5] This is a schematic plan view showing the electric compressor shown in Figure 1 mounted on the front of the vehicle. [Figure 6] Figure 5 is a schematic side view of the vehicle and electric compressor as seen from the direction of arrow A. [Figure 7] Figure 3 is a schematic front view illustrating the electric compressor. [Figure 8] Figure 3 is a schematic side view of the electric compressor as seen from the left side. [Figure 9] Figure 2 is a front view showing the protector as a standalone unit. [Figure 10] This is a cross-sectional view taken along the XX arrow in Figure 9. [Figure 11] This is a cross-sectional view taken along the YY arrow in Figure 9. [Figure 12] In the side view of Figure 9, (a) is the left side view and (b) is the right side view. [Figure 13] This is a schematic front view showing a modified example of Figure 7. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0012] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the electric compressor according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings (Figures 1 to 13). In the figures, the direction of arrow Fr indicates the front in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle on which the electric compressor 1 is mounted. In the description of the embodiment, "front (front end) and rear (rear end)" correspond to the front and rear of the vehicle in the longitudinal direction. Also, arrows R and L indicate the right and left sides as seen from the perspective of an occupant of the vehicle on which the electric compressor 1 is mounted, looking towards the front of the vehicle. In the description of the embodiment, the outside of the housing indicates the direction from the inside of the housing 10 to the outside.

[0013] As shown in Figure 4, the electric compressor 1 of this embodiment includes a compression mechanism 2 for compressing a refrigerant such as air, electric units 3 and 4 for driving the compression mechanism 2 with electric power, and a housing 10 for housing the compression mechanism 2 and the electric units. Furthermore, as shown in Figures 1 to 4, it has a protector 40 that is detachably attached to the outside of the housing 10. Here, the electric units 3 and 4 include a motor 3 having a cylindrical or columnar long rotating shaft (not shown) and an inverter 4 for controlling the drive of the motor 3. The electric compressor 1 of this embodiment is also located inside a power compartment 80 provided at the front of the vehicle.

[0014] First, the vehicle front structure in which the electric compressor 1 of the present embodiment is arranged will be described. The power compartment 80 is arranged between the front wheels 86 provided on both sides in the vehicle width direction. As shown in FIG. 5, the vehicle front structure includes a side member 83, a radiator 85, a bumper member 84, and two power sources (the first power source 81 and the second power source 82).

[0015] As shown in FIG. 5, the side member 83 is a member extending in the vehicle front-rear direction and is arranged on both outer sides in the vehicle width direction of the power compartment 80. Further, the side member 83 is arranged inside the front wheels 86 in the vehicle width direction and is a highly rigid member constituting the vehicle body skeleton. The bumper member 84 is arranged at the front end of the side member 83 and extends in the vehicle width direction. The radiator 85 is arranged at the rear of the bumper member 84 and has a substantially rectangular shape when viewed from the front of the vehicle.

[0016] In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, the first power source 81 and the second power source 82 are arranged side by side in the vehicle width direction and are arranged at an interval behind the radiator 85 in the vehicle rear direction. In the present embodiment, the first power source 81 is an engine or an electric motor 3, and the second power source 82 is an electric motor 3.

[0017] In this embodiment, the electric compressor 1 has a compression mechanism 2, a motor 3, and an inverter 4 arranged in a line along the longitudinal direction of the rotating shaft inside the housing 10. The housing 10 is a substantially cylindrical member extending in the longitudinal direction of the rotating shaft. The protector 40 is a plate-shaped member attached to the housing 10 and has fixing surfaces 41 and 42 that are fixed to the housing 10. The protector 40 is also positioned on the outside of the housing 10, facing the electric units 3 and 4. The protector 40 has a deformation-inducing section that induces deformation when a load is applied from the outside of the protector 40, and is provided at a position facing the electric units 3 and 4. The deformation-inducing section of the protector 40 is a part that is set to have lower strength and rigidity than other parts of the protector 40, and includes, for example, stepped sections 51-54, notches (e.g., gaps 49), openings (e.g., insertion sections 61 and 62), thin-walled sections, etc., which result in a fragile structure. Details of the deformation-inducing section will be described later.

[0018] In this embodiment, the electric compressor 1 is detachably attached to the first power source 81, as shown in Figures 5 and 6. The connection between the electric compressor 1 and the first power source 81 will be described later. The electric compressor 1 is positioned at a distance from the radiator 85 at the rear of the vehicle. Here, the protector 40 is attached to the front of the housing 10 in the front-rear direction of the vehicle. When the electric compressor 1 is viewed from the front of the vehicle, it is positioned so as to overlap with a portion of the inverter 4 and motor 3 inside the housing 10.

[0019] By providing a deformation-inducing section in the protector 40 of the electric compressor 1 in this manner, when an external force acts on the protector 40, deformation of the protector 40 is induced, and the external force can be absorbed as deformation energy of the protector 40. As a result, it becomes possible to suppress the impact energy transmitted from the protector 40 to the housing 10.

[0020] In other words, with the above configuration, it becomes possible to suppress damage and deformation of the housing 10 due to external forces transmitted to the housing 10 of the electric compressor 1 via the protector 40 of the electric compressor 1.

[0021] The components of the electric compressor 1 will be described below. First, the motor 3 and inverter 4 that constitute the electric unit will be described. The motor 3 has a rotating shaft, a rotor (not shown), and a stator (not shown). The rotating shaft is rotatably supported by at least two bearings (not shown) provided in the housing 10, and in this example extends horizontally along the vehicle width direction. The rotor is positioned to surround the rotating shaft from the radial outside and is configured to rotate together with the rotating shaft. The stator is positioned to surround the rotor from the radial outside and is attached to the inner wall of the housing 10.

[0022] The inverter 4 controls the drive of the motor 3 by supplying power from an external power source to supply current to the rotor coil and stator coil. As shown in Figure 4, the inverter 4 is located to the left of the motor 3 in the vehicle width direction. The inverter 4 is also provided with two connectors (for example, a high-voltage wiring connector 5 and a low-voltage wiring connector 6). For example, the high-voltage wiring connector 5 is connected to the high-voltage wiring and supplies power to drive the motor 3. The low-voltage wiring is connected to the low-voltage wiring and is configured to send and receive electrical signals (control signals) to control the drive of the motor 3. Each connector 5 and 6 protrudes from the end of the housing 10 along the longitudinal direction of the rotation axis. In this example, the high-voltage wiring connector 5 and the low-voltage wiring connector 6 protrude to the left from the left end of the housing 10.

[0023] Next, the housing 10 will be described. As shown in Figure 4, the housing 10 is substantially cylindrical in shape and extends in the longitudinal direction of the rotation axis of the motor 3. The outer part of the housing 10 is provided with a portion to which the protector 40 is attached and a portion to which it is attached to the vehicle body. In this example, it is attached to the first power source 81 and extends in the vehicle width direction.

[0024] The interior of the housing 10 in this embodiment is divided into at least three regions. In this example, as shown in Figure 4, the housing 10 has a compression mechanism housing 32 that houses the compression mechanism 2, a motor housing 33 that houses the motor 3, and an inverter housing 34 that houses the inverter 4, and in Figure 4, each part is shown by a dashed line. The three housings are arranged in the longitudinal direction (vehicle width direction) of the rotation axis of the motor 3. A partition 37 is provided between the inverter housing 34 and the motor housing 33 to separate these regions, and the partition 37 is sealed to prevent refrigerant from flowing into the inverter housing 34.

[0025] Next, the external shape of the housing 10 will be described. When attached to the first power source 81, the housing 10 is cylindrical and extends in the vehicle width direction. The housing 10 has connecting parts 11 to 14 for connecting the housing 10 to the components of the vehicle via connecting members such as housing fixing bolts 71. Multiple connecting parts 11 to 14 may be provided. In this case, the multiple connecting parts 11 to 14 should be spaced apart from each other along the first direction (in this example, the vehicle width direction) where the compression mechanism 2 and the electric parts 3 and 4 are aligned. The connecting parts 11 to 14 may also be provided on both sides of the housing 10 in a second direction (in this example, the vehicle vertical direction) that intersects the first direction where the compression mechanism 2 and the electric parts 3 and 4 are aligned.

[0026] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 6, the connecting parts 11 to 14 in this example are fastened to the first power source 81 by housing fixing bolts (connecting members) 71. In this embodiment, the cylindrical body of the housing 10 is provided with a first connecting part 11, a second connecting part 12, a third connecting part 13, and a fourth connecting part 14.

[0027] As shown in Figures 1 to 4, the first connecting portion 11 and the second connecting portion 12 have a cylindrical shape through which housing fixing bolts 71 can be inserted. In this example, the first connecting portion 11 and the second connecting portion 12 are cylindrical in shape that incline downwards towards the rear of the vehicle and are provided at the lower part of the cylindrical housing 10 body. The first connecting portion 11 and the second connecting portion 12 are spaced apart from each other in the vehicle width direction (first direction), with the first connecting portion 11 spaced apart to the right of the second connecting portion 12, and their positions in the vehicle vertical direction are set to be approximately the same.

[0028] As shown in Figure 4, the third connecting portion 13 and the fourth connecting portion 14 have a cylindrical shape through which the housing fixing bolt 71 can be inserted when viewed from the front of the vehicle. In this example, as shown in Figure 6, the third connecting portion 13 and the fourth connecting portion 14 are cylindrical in shape that inclinate downwards toward the rear of the vehicle and are provided on the upper part of the main body of the cylindrical housing 10 that extends in the vehicle width direction. Furthermore, the third connecting portion 13 and the fourth connecting portion 14 are spaced apart from each other in the vehicle width direction (first direction), and the fourth connecting portion 14 is spaced apart to the left of the third connecting portion 13 and is positioned slightly above the third connecting portion 13.

[0029] The first connecting portion 11 is provided with a first hole 11a through which a housing fixing bolt 71 is inserted, and a seating surface 11b is formed on the periphery of the first hole 11a at the front end of the first connecting portion 11. The housing fixing bolt 71 passes through the first hole 11a, the head seating surface of the housing fixing bolt 71 abuts against the seating surface 11b of the first connecting portion 11, and the rear end of the first connecting portion 11 abuts against the receiving portion 81a of the first power source 81. The first connecting portion 11 and the receiving portion 81a are fastened together by tightening the housing fixing bolt 71 (see Figure 6). The second connecting portion 12 is provided with a second hole 12a and a seating surface 12b, similar to the first connecting portion 11, and the rear end of the second connecting portion 12 is fastened to the receiving portion 81a of the first power source 81 by a housing fixing bolt 71. The third connecting portion 13 is provided with a third hole 13a and a seating surface 13b, and the fourth connecting portion 14 is provided with a fourth hole 14a and a seating surface 14b. The rear ends of the third connecting portion 13 and the fourth connecting portion 14 are fastened to the receiving portion 81a of the first power source 81 by housing fixing bolts 71.

[0030] The first connecting section 11 and the third connecting section 13 are arranged side by side with a gap between them in the vertical direction of the vehicle when the electric compressor 1 is viewed from the front of the vehicle. In this example, the third connecting section 13 is positioned above the first connecting section 11. The fourth connecting section 14 is positioned above the second connecting section 12 in the vertical direction of the vehicle, with a gap between them, and is positioned slightly to the left in the vehicle width direction. The inclination directions of the first connecting section 11, the second connecting section 12, the third connecting section 13, and the fourth connecting section 14 are parallel to each other. Furthermore, the seat surfaces 11b, 12b, 13b, and 14b of the first connecting section 11, the second connecting section 12, the third connecting section 13, and the fourth connecting section 14 are inclined towards the rear of the vehicle as they move upwards towards the vehicle, and are parallel to each other when the electric compressor 1 is mounted on the vehicle. Furthermore, in the vehicle width direction, the motor housing 33 is preferably positioned approximately between the first connecting section 11 and the second connecting section 12, and between the third connecting section 13 and the fourth connecting section 14. Since the stator of the motor 3 is relatively rigid, the stator portion of the motor 3 and the first power source 81 can form a highly rigid structure via the first connecting sections 11 to 4th connecting sections 14 connected to the first power source 81.

[0031] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the fixed surfaces 41 and 42 of the protector 40 are fixed at positions offset in the vehicle's vertical direction (a direction intersecting the first direction) between the connecting portions 11 to 14, which are aligned in the vehicle's width direction (first direction). In this example, the fixed surfaces 41 and 42 of the protector 40 are attached to the first mounting portion 21 and the second mounting portion 22 provided on the housing 10. The fixed surfaces 41 and 42 of the protector 40 will be described later.

[0032] The first mounting portion 21 is positioned between the first connecting portion 11 and the second connecting portion 12 in the vehicle width direction (first direction), and is positioned slightly above the first connecting portion 11 and the second connecting portion 12. The second mounting portion 22 is positioned between the third connecting portion 13 and the fourth connecting portion 14 in the vehicle width direction, and is positioned slightly below the third connecting portion 13 and the fourth connecting portion 14. The first mounting portion 21 and the second mounting portion 22 protrude from the outer peripheral surface of the main body of the housing 10, and the direction of protrusion is inclined upward as it is directed towards the front of the vehicle (Figure 2). In addition, the inclination direction of the first mounting portion 21 and the second mounting portion 22 is parallel to the inclination direction of the first connecting portion 11.

[0033] The front portions of the first mounting portion 21 and the second mounting portion 22 are provided with seating surfaces 21b and 22b, respectively, so that the fixed surfaces 41 and 42 of the protector 40 can contact them. In this example, the first mounting portion 21 is provided with a first bolt hole 21a into which a protector fixing bolt 72 is screwed, and a seating surface 21b is formed around the periphery of the first bolt hole 21a at the front end of the first mounting portion 21. The first fixed surface 41 of the protector 40, described later, contacts this seating surface 21b. The second mounting portion 22 is provided with a second bolt hole 22a, and a seating surface 22b is formed around the periphery of the second bolt hole 22a at the front end of the second mounting portion 22. The second fixed surface 42 of the protector 40, described later, contacts this seating surface 22b. The seating surfaces 21b and 22b of the first mounting portion 21 and the second mounting portion 22 are parallel to each other and are inclined towards the rear of the vehicle as they move upwards from the vehicle when the electric compressor 1 is mounted on the vehicle. The inclination direction of the seating surfaces 21b and 22b of the first mounting portion 21 and the second mounting portion 22 corresponds to the inclination direction of the first fixed surface portion 41 and the second fixed surface portion 42 of the protector 40.

[0034] Furthermore, the housing 10 is provided with a housing-side contact portion 28 against which the protector 40 abuts. In this example, as shown in Figure 4, the housing-side contact portion 28 is positioned between the second connecting portion 12 and the fourth connecting portion 14 in the vehicle's vertical direction, and is positioned to the left of the second mounting portion 22 with a gap in the vehicle's width direction (the longitudinal direction of the motor 3's rotation axis). The housing-side contact portion 28 protrudes toward the protector 40, and a flat surface is formed at its tip. This flat surface is configured to abut against the second outer surface portion 46 of the protector 40, which will be described later. Additionally, the outer surface of the housing 10 may be provided with a receiving portion 28a against which the protector-side contact portion 64, which will be described later, abuts (Figure 4).

[0035] Furthermore, the housing 10 has a refrigerant inlet 24 into which the refrigerant flows and a refrigerant outlet 25 into which the refrigerant is discharged. The refrigerant inlet 24 is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the housing 10, and in this example, it is located in the vehicle width direction between the second mounting portion 22 and the housing side contact portion 28. The refrigerant outlet 25 is located at the right end of the outer circumferential surface of the housing 10, near the compression mechanism 2. In addition, the outer circumferential surface of the housing 10 is provided with a positioning projection 26 that protrudes from the outer circumferential surface. The positioning projection 26 is for determining the position of the protector 40 and is inserted into a positioning portion 57, which will be described later. The positioning projection 26 is located between the first mounting portion 21 and the second mounting portion 22, near the first mounting portion 21.

[0036] Next, the shape and other characteristics of the protector 40 will be described in detail. The protector 40 is a plate-shaped member having multiple surfaces and multiple stepped sections. In this embodiment, the multiple surfaces constituting the protector 40 include a first fixed surface section 41, a second fixed surface section 42, a first outer surface section 45, a second outer surface section 46, and a third outer surface section 47. Furthermore, the protector 40 has a first flange section 65 and a second flange section 66. In addition, the multiple stepped sections include a first stepped section 51, a second stepped section 52, a third stepped section 53, and a fourth stepped section 54. Each surface section and each stepped section will be described below.

[0037] First, the first fixed surface portion 41 will be described. As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the first fixed surface portion 41 is the part located on the right side in the vehicle width direction at the bottom of the protector 40 when the electric compressor 1 is mounted on the vehicle. As shown in Figure 9, the first fixed surface portion 41 extends in the vehicle vertical direction, and the upper right side has an arc shape. The right end of the first fixed surface portion 41 extends in the vehicle vertical direction, and the lower end of the first fixed surface portion 41 extends in the vehicle width direction. The first fixed surface portion 41 has a first mounting hole 41a through which the protector fixing bolt 72 passes. The first mounting hole 41a is located in the middle of the first fixed surface portion 41 in the vehicle vertical direction and is positioned to correspond to the first mounting portion 21 of the housing 10. The protector fixing bolt 72 passes through the first mounting hole 41a and is screwed into the first bolt hole 21a. At this time, the head seating surface of the protector fixing bolt 72 is in contact with the seating surface provided around the first mounting hole 41a, and by tightening the protector fixing bolt 72, the first fixing surface portion 41 is fastened (fixed) to the seating surface 21b of the first mounting portion 21. As described above, when the electric compressor 1 is mounted on the vehicle, the first fixing surface portion 41 is inclined towards the rear of the vehicle as it moves upward towards the vehicle, and this inclination direction corresponds to the inclination direction of the seating surface 21b of the first mounting portion 21 of the housing 10.

[0038] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 9, the first fixed surface portion 41 is provided with a positioning portion 57 through which the positioning projection 26 of the housing 10 passes. The positioning portion 57 is substantially rectangular in shape and extends in the vertical direction of the vehicle, and as shown in Figures 1 and 3, the positioning projection 26 is inserted into the elongated hole of the positioning portion 57 with a predetermined interlocking fit.

[0039] As shown in Figure 9, the second fixed surface portion 42 is located on the upper right side in the vehicle width direction of the protector 40 when the electric compressor 1 is mounted on the vehicle. The second fixed surface portion 42 is positioned above the vehicle with a gap between it and the first fixed surface portion 41. A gap 49 is formed between the first fixed surface portion 41 and the second fixed surface portion 42. The upper right side of the second fixed surface portion 42 has an arc shape. The lower end of the second fixed surface portion 42 extends in the vehicle width direction. The second fixed surface portion 42 has a second mounting hole 42a through which the protector fixing bolt 72 passes, and the second mounting hole 42a is positioned to correspond to the second mounting portion 22 of the housing 10. The second fixed surface portion 42 is fastened (fixed) to the second mounting portion 22 by the protector fixing bolt 72. The second fixed surface portion 42 is also inclined, similar to the first fixed surface portion 41. The gap 49 is formed to allow access to the refrigerant inlet 24 when the protector 40 is attached to the housing.

[0040] In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 6 and 8, the first outer surface portion 45, the second outer surface portion 46, and the third outer surface portion 47 are located outward from the first fixed surface portion 41 and the second fixed surface portion 42 in the outward direction of the housing 10, from the inside to the outside. When the electric compressor 1 is mounted on a vehicle as shown in Figure 1, the first outer surface portion 45, the second outer surface portion 46, and the third outer surface portion 47 are positioned forward of the vehicle than the first fixed surface portion 41 and the second fixed surface portion 42.

[0041] First, the first outer surface portion 45 will be described. As shown in Figures 9 to 12, the first outer surface portion 45 is located to the right of the first fixed surface portion 41 in the vehicle width direction, and is located in front of the first fixed surface portion 41 in the vehicle longitudinal direction. As shown in Figures 1 and 3, the first outer surface portion 45 is provided with a first insertion portion 61 that penetrates in the vehicle longitudinal direction. The first insertion portion 61 is positioned to correspond to the second connecting portion 12. This allows the housing fixing bolt 71 of the second connecting portion 12 to be tightened via the first insertion portion 61, even when the protector 40 is attached to the housing 10. In addition, the rigidity of the first outer surface portion 45 is reduced in the portion where the first insertion portion 61 is provided. That is, the first insertion portion 61 is provided as part of the deformation-inducing portion described above.

[0042] Furthermore, a first stepped portion 51 is provided between the first fixed surface portion 41 and the first outer surface portion 45. As shown in Figures 10 and 11, the first stepped portion 51 extends from the left end of the first fixed surface portion 41, inclined toward the front of the vehicle as it moves to the left, and is formed to connect to the first outer surface portion 45. In this example, the first fixed surface portion 41 and the first outer surface portion 45 are connected smoothly and continuously by the first stepped portion 51 which has a gentle slope. The first stepped portion 51 is set to have lower rigidity than the first fixed surface portion 41 and the first outer surface portion 45. That is, the first stepped portion 51 is provided as the deformation-inducing portion described above.

[0043] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 6 and 8, the first outer surface portion 45 is positioned at a distance from the housing 10. In this example, the first outer surface portion 45 is positioned at a distance from the seating surface 12b of the second connecting portion 12 of the housing 10. In addition, a first flange portion 65 is provided at the end of the first outer surface portion 45. The first flange portion 65 extends perpendicular to the first outer surface portion 45 in the direction approaching the housing 10, and is a so-called free end.

[0044] As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the second outer surface portion 46 is positioned to the right of the second fixed surface portion 42 in the vehicle width direction, and is positioned in front of the second fixed surface portion 42 in the vehicle front-rear direction. Also, as shown in Figure 3, the second outer surface portion 46 extends in the vehicle width direction, and the upper part of the left side of the second outer surface portion 46 in the vehicle height direction is positioned to overlap the high-voltage wiring connector 5. As schematically shown in Figure 7, the protector 40 only needs to be able to protect the high-voltage connector 5. The second outer surface portion 46 is provided with a second insertion portion 62 that penetrates in the vehicle front-rear direction, similar to the first outer surface portion 45. The second insertion portion 62 is positioned to correspond to the fourth connecting portion 14. As a result, the housing fixing bolt 71 of the fourth connecting portion 14 can be tightened via the second insertion portion 62, similar to the first insertion portion 61. Also, the rigidity of the second outer surface portion 46 is reduced in the portion where the second insertion portion 62 is provided. In other words, the second insertion portion 62 is also provided as part of the deformation-inducing portion described above. In this embodiment, the second outer surface portion 46 is arranged to overlap the high-voltage wiring connector 5, but the second side portion 46 of the protector 40 may be arranged to overlap both the high-voltage wiring connector 5 and the low-voltage wiring connector 6.

[0045] Furthermore, a second stepped portion 52 is provided between the second fixed surface portion 42 and the second outer surface portion 46. As shown in Figures 10 and 11, the second stepped portion 52 extends from the left end of the second fixed surface portion 42, sloping forward towards the vehicle as it moves to the left, and connects to the second outer surface portion 46. The second fixed surface portion 42 and the second outer surface portion 46 are connected smoothly and continuously by the second stepped portion 52, which has a gentle slope. The second outer surface portion 46 is also positioned at a distance from the housing 10. In this example, the second outer surface portion 46 is positioned at a distance from the seating surface 14b of the fourth connecting portion 14 of the housing 10. Also, as shown in Figure 8, a second flange portion 66 is provided at the end of the second outer surface portion 46, similar to the first outer surface portion 45. The second flange portion 66 extends perpendicular to the second outer surface portion 46 in the direction approaching the housing 10, and is a so-called free end. The distance that the second flange portion 66 extends from the second outer surface portion 46 is set to be longer than the distance that the first flange portion 65 extends from the first outer surface portion 45.

[0046] Next, the third outer surface portion 47 will be described. As shown in Figure 9, the third outer surface portion 47 is a portion that extends to connect the first outer surface portion 45 and the second outer surface portion 46. When the electric compressor 1 is mounted on the vehicle, the third outer surface portion 47 extends in the vertical direction of the vehicle to connect the right sides of the first outer surface portion 45 and the second outer surface portion 46. In this embodiment, the three outer surface portions 45-47, the two fixed surface portions 41 and 42, and the gap 49 form a bifurcated shape (U-shape). The third outer surface portion 47 is positioned at a distance from the housing 10, similar to the first outer surface portion 45 and the second outer surface portion 46, and is positioned further forward of the vehicle than the first outer surface portion 45 and the second outer surface portion 46. When an external force F3 (Figure 8) acts on the third outer surface portion 47, a larger deformation amount can be secured due to the larger distance from the housing 10. Furthermore, in this embodiment, a recessed portion 56 is provided at the upper part of the left side of the gap 49 (corresponding to the bottom of the bifurcated shape), which is recessed upwards towards the vehicle. The recessed portion 56 is formed to separate the second stepped portion 52 and the fourth stepped portion 54, which extend in different directions from each other. By providing the recessed portion 56 in this way, the second stepped portion 52 and the fourth stepped portion 54 can be deformed individually more easily.

[0047] As shown in Figures 9 to 12, the third outer surface portion 47 is connected to the first outer surface portion 45 via the third stepped portion 53 and to the second outer surface portion 46 via the fourth stepped portion 54. First, the connection between the third outer surface portion 47 and the first outer surface portion 45 will be described. The lower end and the lower right side of the third outer surface portion 47 are connected to the first outer surface portion 45 via the L-shaped third stepped portion 53. The third stepped portion 53 as a whole protrudes from the first outer surface portion 45 in a curved manner toward the front of the vehicle. The third stepped portion 53, located below the third outer surface portion 47, extends in the vehicle width direction, inclining upward from the top of the first outer surface portion 45 toward the front of the vehicle, and smoothly connects to the lower part of the third outer surface portion 47. The third stepped portion 53, located at the lower right side of the third outer surface portion 47, extends in the vertical direction of the vehicle, and extends inclined to the left in the vehicle width direction as it moves from the left side of the first outer surface portion 45 toward the front of the vehicle, and smoothly connects to the lower right side of the third outer surface portion 47.

[0048] Next, the connection between the third outer surface portion 47 and the second outer surface portion 46 will be described. As shown in Figures 9 to 11, the upper part of the third outer surface portion 47 is connected to the second outer surface portion 46 via the fourth stepped portion 54. The fourth stepped portion 54 protrudes from the second outer surface portion 46 in a curved manner toward the front of the vehicle. The fourth stepped portion 54 extends in the vehicle width direction, and as it extends from the lower part of the second outer surface portion 46 toward the front of the vehicle, it slopes downward and smoothly connects to the upper part of the third outer surface portion 47.

[0049] Furthermore, the third stepped portion 53 and the fourth stepped portion 54 are set to have lower rigidity than the first outer surface portion 45, the second outer surface portion 46, and the third outer surface portion 47. In other words, the third stepped portion 53 and the fourth stepped portion 54 are also provided as part of the deformation-inducing portion described above.

[0050] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 9, a narrow section 48 is provided in the middle of the third outer surface portion 47 in the vehicle's vertical direction, with a shorter length in the vehicle width direction compared to the upper and lower ends. Therefore, the narrow section 48 of the third outer surface portion 47 has lower rigidity than the upper and lower ends. In other words, the narrow section 48 is provided as part of the deformation-inducing section described above.

[0051] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 8, the protector 40 of this embodiment is provided with a protector-side contact portion 64. Although detailed illustrations are omitted, the protector-side contact portion 64 protrudes toward the housing 10 and is configured to contact the outer surface of the housing 10 when the protector 40 is fixed to the housing 10. The protector-side contact portion 64 may be configured to contact, for example, a receiving portion 28a provided on the housing 10. Alternatively, the housing-side contact portion 28 may be omitted, and the protector-side contact portion may be provided to contact a position corresponding to the housing-side contact portion 28. In this case, two protector-side contact portions will contact the housing 10.

[0052] As described above, the protector 40 of this embodiment has outer surface portions (first outer surface portion 45, second outer surface portion 46, third outer surface portion 47) located outward from the fixed surface portions (first fixed surface portion 41 and second fixed surface portion 42) in the outward direction of the housing 10 from the inside to the outside, and deformation induction portions are provided on the outer surface portions 45 to 47. By providing the outer surface portions 45 to 47 outside the fixed surface portions 41 and 42, it is possible to make it easier for the outer surface portions 45 to 47 to receive external forces, and when the external force is transmitted to the outer surface portions 45 to 47, the area around the deformation induction portion is deformed, causing the external force to be consumed as deformation energy of the outer surface portions 45 to 47, thereby absorbing the external force. As a result, it is possible to suppress the transmission of external forces to the housing 10.

[0053] Furthermore, as described above, the housing 10 has connecting parts 11 to 14 for connecting the housing 10 to a first power source 81 that constitutes the vehicle, such as an engine, via connecting members such as housing fixing bolts 71, and the connecting parts 11 to 14 are provided with seating surfaces 11b to 14b that face the protector 40. Here, the deformation induction part includes insertion parts 61 and 62 through which the connecting member can be inserted, at positions facing the seating surfaces 12b and 14b. As described above, the insertion parts 61 and 62 are positioned corresponding to the communication parts 12 and 14. By configuring it in this way, deformation is induced around the insertion parts 61 and 62, and external forces can be absorbed as deformation energy around the insertion parts. In addition, with the protector 40 fixed to the housing 10, it becomes possible to connect the housing 10 to the vehicle with the housing fixing bolts 71, making it easier to attach the electric compressor 1 to the vehicle.

[0054] Furthermore, in this embodiment, multiple connecting parts (first connecting part 11 to fourth connecting part 14) are provided, and the multiple connecting parts, for example, the first connecting part 11 and the second connecting part 12, are arranged at intervals along the first direction (for example, the vehicle width direction) in which the compression mechanism 2 and the electric part are aligned. The fixed surface part (for example, the first fixed surface part 41) is fixed at a position between the first connecting part 11 and the second connecting part 12 aligned in the first direction, and at a position offset in a direction intersecting the first direction (vertical direction). As a result, the external force transmitted from the fixed surface parts 41 and 42 to the housing 10 can be transmitted (distributed) to the vehicle body side from the respective seating surfaces 21b and 22b on both sides in the direction in which the fixed surface parts are aligned, and the load transmitted from the housing 10 to the electric part can be suppressed.

[0055] Furthermore, the protector 40 is plate-shaped, and as described above, the deformation-inducing portion includes stepped portions (first stepped portion 51 and second stepped portion 52) provided between the fixed surface portions 41 and 42 and the outer surface portions 45 and 46. With this configuration, when an external force is applied, deformation can be induced around the first stepped portion 51 and the second stepped portion 52. Moreover, because the protector 40 is formed as a single plate from the fixed surface portions 41 and 42 to the outer surface portions 45 and 46, the outer surface portions 45 and 46 are more easily deformed by the amount of the positional difference between the fixed surface portions 41 and 42 and the outer surface portions 45 and 46 formed by the stepped portions 51 and 52. As a result, the first stepped portion 51 and the second stepped portion 52 can effectively absorb external forces.

[0056] Furthermore, the connecting portions 11 to 14 are provided on both sides of the housing 10 in a second direction (the vehicle vertical direction intersecting the vehicle width direction) that intersects the first direction. In this example, this corresponds to the first connecting portion 11 and the third connecting portion 13, or the second connecting portion 12 and the fourth connecting portion 14. Also in this example, the fixed surface portions 41, 42 and the outer surface portions 45, 46 are arranged on both sides of the protector 40 in the second direction. That is, the first fixed surface portion 41 and the first outer surface portion 45 are located at the bottom in the second direction (vehicle vertical direction), and the second fixed surface portion 42 and the second outer surface portion 46 are located at the top in the second direction (vehicle vertical direction). In addition, a gap 49 is formed between the fixed surface portions 41, 42 on both sides in the second direction, or between the outer surface portions 45, 46 on both sides in the second direction. By configuring it in this way, the first fixed surface portion 41 and the second fixed surface portion 42 are arranged with a gap between them, and the contact area of ​​the first outer surface portion 45 and the second outer surface portion 46 can also be reduced. When an external force is transmitted to one outer surface portion (for example, the first outer surface portion 45), the transmission of the external force to the other outer surface portion (for example, the second outer surface portion 46) can be suppressed, and the deformation of the outer surface portions 45 and 46 on one side can be promoted.

[0057] Furthermore, the protector 40 of this embodiment has a connecting portion (for example, a third outer surface portion 47) that connects the outer surface portions on both sides in the second direction (vehicle vertical direction) (for example, a first outer surface portion 45 and a second outer surface portion 46). Also, the gap between the first fixed surface portion 41 and the second fixed surface portion 42 is formed to extend across both outer surface portions, both fixed surface portions, and the connecting portion. In other words, the protector 40 has a bifurcated shape due to the gap. When an external force is transmitted to one outer surface portion, compared to a member formed in the shape of a rectangular plate, for example, the external force is less likely to be transmitted to the other outer surface portion, thus promoting the deformation of the outer surface portion on one side.

[0058] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the first insertion portion 61 constituting the deformation induction portion is positioned at a distance from the housing 10, and the protector 40 has a fixing portion (in this example, the center of the first mounting hole 41a of the first fixing portion 41) that is provided within the plane of the fixing surface portions 41 and 42 and fixed to the housing 10, and a protector-side contact portion 64 that is positioned at a distance from the fixing portion and on the end side of the electric unit and contacts the housing 10. Here, the end side of the electric unit is the end in the direction in which the motor 3 and inverter 4 are arranged (vehicle width direction), and in this example, it is the left end. That is, the position where the receiving portion 28a is shown in Figure 4. As shown in Figure 9, the first insertion portion 61 is positioned on or off the imaginary line L1 connecting the fixing portion (center of the hole) of the first fixing surface portion 41 and the center of the protector-side contact portion 64, or offset outward from the imaginary line L1 (downward in this example). The imaginary line L1 extends upwards towards the vehicle as it moves to the left in the vehicle width direction when the electric compressor 1 is mounted on the vehicle, and the angle between the imaginary line L1 and the horizontal line to the left is acute. Furthermore, the direction outside the imaginary line L1 is the direction approaching the end of the protector 40 that is closer to the imaginary line L1. Note that in Figure 9, the imaginary line L2 connects the fixing point of the second fixed surface portion 42 and the receiving portion 64a, but a protector-side contact portion 64 may be provided on the receiving portion 64a. In this case, the second insertion portion 62 may be positioned on or offset outside (above) the imaginary line L2.

[0059] Furthermore, since the protector 40 is supported by the fixing portion of the first fixed surface portion 41 and the protector-side contact portion 64, and the remaining portions are spaced apart from the housing 10, for example, when an external force acts near the first flange portion 65, the external force can be absorbed by bending at the supported portion.

[0060] When the housing 10 is substantially cylindrical, as shown in Figure 8, the protector 40 extends in the direction of the tangency of the cylinder of the housing 10 (i.e., a straight line perpendicular to the straight line connecting the circular center C (virtual rotation center point) of the housing 10 and the outer surface of the housing 10). As the protector 40 extends outward (as its vertical dimension increases), the radial distance (D1 in Figure 8) between the end of the protector 40 and the housing 10 increases, and the deformation allowance of the first outer surface portion 45 increases. Furthermore, since the first insertion portion 61 is provided, the deformation at the first insertion portion 61 increases, allowing it to absorb external forces more effectively. The same applies to the second fixed surface portion 42.

[0061] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 8, the deformation of the second flange portion 66 can be made such that, when an external force F2 acts on the protector 40, the angle α formed by the second flange portion 66 and the second outer surface portion 46 becomes larger (opens up), thereby allowing the second flange portion 66 to deform away from the first outer surface portion 45 and absorb the impact.

[0062] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the protector 40 is positioned outside the vehicle relative to the housing 10, and the insertion direction of the connecting member (housing fixing bolt 71) to the vehicle components (in this example, the first power source 81) is inclined with respect to the vehicle's longitudinal direction or vehicle width direction. The insertion direction of the connecting member extends inclined downwards towards the rear of the vehicle, similar to the inclination direction of the first connecting portion 11, for example. For example, when the front of the vehicle in this embodiment receives an impact load acting from the front to the rear, the connection direction (inclination direction) of the connecting member will be inclined with respect to the direction in which the load is received. As a result, at least one of the connecting member (housing fixing bolt 71) and the connecting portion (for example, the first to fourth connecting portions 11 to 14) becomes more susceptible to damage, and due to the damage to these components, the electric compressor 1 detaches from the vehicle components (first power source 81) and moves, for example, upwards with respect to the direction in which the impact load (external force) is received, thus suppressing damage to the electric units 2 and 3. In this example, the electric compressor 1 is less likely to be caught between the bumper member 84 and the first power source 81 during a frontal collision.

[0063] In this embodiment, the insertion direction of the connecting member is inclined downwards as it approaches the rear of the vehicle, but it is not limited to this. For example, it may be inclined upwards as it approaches the rear of the vehicle. It may also be inclined to one side (right or left) in the vehicle width direction with respect to the vehicle's longitudinal direction. That is, it may be inclined to one side in the vehicle width direction as it approaches the rear of the vehicle. As shown in Figure 6, it is preferable that the side surface of the vehicle component facing the electric compressor 1 is inclined in a direction intersecting the insertion direction. This allows the corresponding side surface to function as a guide, making it easier to move the electric compressor 1 to the desired position. In other words, by having the side surface of the vehicle component facing the electric compressor 1 inclined in a direction intersecting the insertion direction, it becomes possible to move the electric compressor 1 in the intended direction when subjected to an impact load.

[0064] The electric compressor 1 of this embodiment can suppress damage to the protective part (electric part) by reducing the impact on the protective part (electric part) during a collision. Furthermore, by allowing the protector 40 to buckle and dissipate the impact during a collision, it is possible to reduce the plate thickness and shape of the protector 40, thereby enabling weight reduction. In addition, it is possible to ensure the necessary capacity while ensuring the ease of assembly of the electric compressor 1 into the vehicle.

[0065] Furthermore, since the electric compressor 1 can be assembled to the vehicle with the protector 40 attached to the housing 10, the cycle time for the process of assembling the electric compressor 1 to the first power source, etc., on the vehicle manufacturing line can be shortened. In addition, because the protector 40 functions as a single mass, the vibration level of the electric compressor 1 can be reduced, so for example, it is possible to improve NVH performance by shifting the resonance point between the electric compressor 1 and the resonance point on the vehicle side (first power source, etc.).

[0066] The description of this embodiment is illustrative for explaining the present invention and does not limit the invention as described in the claims. Furthermore, the configuration of each part of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications are possible within the technical scope described in the claims.

[0067] In this embodiment, the electric compressor 1 is positioned between the radiator 85 and the first power source 81 in the vehicle's longitudinal direction, but is not limited to this. For example, the electric compressor 1 may be positioned inside the power compartment 80, in the vehicle's width direction, between the first power source 81 and the side member 83. In this case, the protector 40 may be positioned facing the side member 83. That is, in this embodiment, the housing 10 of the electric compressor 1 and the protector 40 are positioned in the vehicle's longitudinal direction, but are not limited to this; they may be positioned side by side in the vehicle's width direction, or side by side in the vehicle's vertical direction.

[0068] Furthermore, although the electric compressor 1 of this embodiment is mounted on a vehicle, it is not limited to this. For example, it may be placed in a factory facility or the like.

[0069] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a gap is provided between the first fixed surface portion 41 and the second fixed surface portion 42 of the protector 40, but this is not limited to this. For example, the portion corresponding to the gap may be made thinner. Also, in this embodiment, a housing-side contact portion 28 is provided, but this is not limited to this. A protector-side contact portion 64 may be provided in the position corresponding to the housing-side contact portion 28, instead of the housing-side contact portion 28.

[0070] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the compression mechanism 2, motor 3, and inverter 4 are arranged in a straight line, but this is not limited to this configuration. For example, as shown in Figure 13, the compression mechanism 2, motor 3, and inverter 4 may be arranged in a roughly L-shape. In this case, the protector 40 should be positioned to protect the motor 3 and inverter 4. In this case, the connector of the inverter 4 should also be configured to be protected by the protector 40. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0071] 1 Electric compressor 2 Compression mechanism 3 motors 4 Inverters 5. First connector 6. Second connector 10 Housing 11 1st connection part 11a 1st hole 11b Seat 12 2nd connection part 12a 2nd hole 12b Seat 13 Third connection part 13a 3rd hole 13b Seat 14 4th connection part 14a 4th hole 14b Seat 21 First mounting section 21a First bolt hole 21b Seat 22 Second mounting section 22a First bolt hole 22b Seat 24 Refrigerant inlet 25 Refrigerant outlet 26 Positioning protrusions 28 Housing side contact portion 28a Receiving part 32 Compressor housing 33 Motor housing 34 Inverter housing 37 Partition 40 Protector 41 1st fixed surface part 41a First mounting hole 42 Second fixed surface part 42a Second mounting hole 45 First outer surface part 46 Second outer surface part 47 Third outer surface (connecting part) 48 Narrow section (deformation-inducing section) 51 First step section (deformation induction section) 52 Second step section (deformation induction section) 53 Third step section (deformation induction section) 54. Fourth step section (deformation induction section) 56 Recessed area 57 Positioning section 61 First insertion section (deformation induction section) 62 Second insertion section (deformation induction section) 64 Protector side contact area 65 First flange section 66 Second flange section 71 Housing fixing bolts (connecting members) 72 Protector mounting bolts 80 Power Compartments 81 1st power source 82 Second power source 83 Side Member 84 Bumper Member 85 Radiator 86 Front Wheel

Claims

1. A compression mechanism for compressing the refrigerant, The aforementioned compression mechanism is driven by an electric motor, A housing that accommodates the compression mechanism and the electric unit, An electric compressor comprising: a protector having a fixed surface portion fixed to the housing and positioned on the outside of the housing facing the electric unit, The electric compressor structure is characterized in that the protector has a deformation-inducing part, which induces deformation when a load is applied from the outside of the protector, provided at a position opposite the electric part.

2. The protector has an outer surface portion located outward from the fixed surface portion in the outward direction of the housing, from the inside to the outside of the housing. The electric compressor structure according to claim 1, characterized in that the deformation-inducing portion is provided on the outer surface portion.

3. The housing has a connecting portion for connecting the housing to a component of the vehicle via a connecting member. The connecting portion is provided with a seating surface facing the protector. The electric compressor structure according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the deformation-inducing portion includes an insertion portion through which the connecting member can be inserted, at a position facing the seat surface.

4. The housing is provided with a plurality of the aforementioned connecting parts, The multiple connecting parts are arranged at intervals along the first direction in which the compression mechanism and the electric unit are aligned. The electric compressor structure according to claim 3, characterized in that the fixed surface portion is fixed at a position between the connecting portions arranged in the first direction and at a position offset in a direction intersecting the first direction.

5. The protector is a plate-shaped member, The electric compressor structure according to claim 2, characterized in that the deformation-inducing portion includes a stepped portion provided between the fixed surface portion and the outer surface portion.

6. The housing has a connecting portion for connecting the housing to a component of the vehicle via a connecting member, The connecting portion is provided on both sides of the housing in a second direction that intersects the first direction in which the compression mechanism and the electric unit are aligned. The fixed surface portion and the outer surface portion are arranged on each of the two sides of the protector in the second direction. The electric compressor structure according to claim 5, characterized in that a gap is formed between the fixed surface portions on both sides in the second direction, or between the outer surface portions on both sides in the second direction.

7. The protector has connecting portions that connect the outer surfaces on both sides in the second direction, The gap is formed to extend across the outer surfaces on both sides, the fixed surfaces on both sides, and the connecting portion. The electric compressor structure according to claim 6, characterized in that the protector has a bifurcated shape due to the gap.

8. The deformation-inducing portion is positioned at a distance from the housing, The aforementioned protector is A fixing portion provided within the plane of the aforementioned fixing surface portion and fixed to the housing, It has a contact portion that is spaced apart from the fixed portion, positioned on the end side of the electric portion, and contacts the housing, The electric compressor structure according to claim 1, characterized in that the deformation-inducing portion is arranged on or outside the imaginary line connecting the fixed portion and the contact portion.

9. The housing has a connecting portion for connecting the housing to a component of the vehicle via a connecting member. The connecting portion is provided with a seating surface facing the protector. The protector is positioned outside the vehicle, beyond the housing. The protector is provided with a deformation-inducing part that induces deformation when a load is applied from the outside of the vehicle, located opposite the electric part. The deformation-inducing portion includes an insertion portion at a position opposite the seating surface through which the connecting member can be inserted. The electric compressor structure according to claim 1, characterized in that the insertion direction of the connecting member into the components constituting the vehicle is inclined with respect to the vehicle's longitudinal direction or vehicle width direction.

10. An electric compressor protector for protecting an electric compressor having a compression mechanism for compressing a refrigerant, an electric unit for driving the compression mechanism by electric power, and a housing for housing the compression mechanism and the electric unit, The protector is positioned on the outside of the housing, facing the electric unit. A fixing surface that is fixed to the housing, A deformation induction part is provided at a position opposite the electric part, configured to deform when a load is applied from the outside of the protector, A protector for electric compressors, characterized by having [a certain feature].

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