Motor

Abstract

A motor 100 includes a housing 30, a stator 10, and a terminal block 50 attached to the housing 30 and including a terminal 51 and a terminal holder 52. The housing 30 includes an accommodation part 311 that accommodates the terminal block 50 inserted in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction, and holds the terminal block 50 so that at least a part of the terminal block 50 overlaps with a stator core 1 of the stator when viewed in the axial direction. The terminal 51 of the terminal block 50 includes a busbar fastening part 51a fastened to a busbar 5 of the stator 10 by a fastening body B1. The busbar fastening part 51a is placed so that at least a part of the fastening body B1 overlaps with the stator core 1 when viewed in the axial direction.

Description

Motor

[0001] The present invention relates to a motor including a stator, a rotor, and a housing.

[0002] Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2020-137365 (Patent Document 1) discloses a rotating electric machine unit mounted on an electric vehicle or the like. The rotating electric machine unit includes a motor and a case that houses the motor. The motor includes a stator and a rotor. The rotating electric machine unit includes a conductive member holder that collectively holds conductive members connected to the coil ends of the stator, and a terminal block. The terminal block is disposed radially outside the conductive member holder. At least a portion of the terminal block overlaps with the conductive member holder radially.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2020-137365

[0004] The present application discloses a motor that can reduce the axial dimension of the motor.

[0005] A motor according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a housing, a stator accommodated in the housing, and a terminal block attached to the housing and including terminals and a terminal holder for holding the terminals. The housing includes a receiving portion that accommodates the terminal block, which is inserted in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction, and holds the terminal block so that at least a portion of the terminal block overlaps with a stator core of the stator as viewed from the axial direction. The terminals of the terminal block include busbar fastening portions that are fastened to busbars of the stator by fasteners. The busbar fastening portions are positioned so that at least a portion of the fasteners overlap with the stator core as viewed from the axial direction.

[0006] Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the configuration of a motor in this embodiment. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the stator 10 shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing an example of assembly of the first cover and terminal block shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing a state in which the terminal block is accommodated in the accommodating section. Fig. 5 is a diagram showing an example of arrangement of the terminal block and bus bars as viewed from the axial direction. Fig. 6 is a diagram showing a modified arrangement of the terminal block and bus bars as viewed from the axial direction.

[0007] The inventors have studied ways to reduce the size of a motor. In their study, they focused on the insertion direction of the motor's terminal block and the direction in which the terminals are fastened. As a result of their study, they discovered that the axial dimension of the motor can be reduced by inserting the motor's terminal block into the housing in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction. The following embodiments are based on this finding.

[0008] (Configuration 1) A motor according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a housing, a stator accommodated in the housing, and a terminal block attached to the housing and including terminals and a terminal holder that holds the terminals. The housing includes an accommodating portion that accommodates the terminal block, which is inserted in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction, and holds the terminal block so that at least a portion of the terminal block overlaps a stator core of the stator as viewed from the axial direction. The terminals of the terminal block include bus bar fastening portions that are fastened to bus bars of the stator by fasteners. The bus bar fastening portions are positioned so that at least a portion of the fasteners overlap the stator core as viewed from the axial direction.

[0009] According to the first aspect of the present invention, the terminal of the terminal block is fastened to the bus bar near a position where it overlaps with the stator core when viewed from the axial direction, and is held in a state where it extends from the bus bar in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction. Therefore, the housing accommodating portion and the terminal block are formed to extend from the bus bar in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction, which allows the axial dimension of the motor to be reduced.

[0010] (Configuration 2) In the above configuration 1, the bus bar fastening portion of the terminal may be fastened to the bus bar of the stator in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction by the fastener. The fastener may be inserted into the bus bar fastening portion in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction. This allows the fastener to extend in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction. This allows the axial dimension of the motor to be reduced.

[0011] (Configuration 3) In the above configurations 1 and 2, the housing may include a service hole that opens axially radially inside the accommodating portion and is large enough to pass the fastener therethrough, and a cover that closes the service hole. This allows the fastener to be introduced into the housing through the service hole and inserted into the bus bar fastening portion during the motor assembly process. This simplifies the manufacturing process. In this case, the fastener is inserted into the bus bar fastening portion through the service hole. The bus bar fastening portion is fastened to the stator bus bar by the fastener inserted through the service hole.

[0012] (Configuration 4) In any of the above configurations 1 to 3, the bus bar fastening portion may include a plurality of fastener insertion holes into which fasteners can be inserted in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction. At least one of the plurality of fastener insertion holes may be positioned differently from the other fastener insertion holes in the insertion direction of the terminal block. In this manner, by arranging the plurality of fastener insertion holes so as to be offset in the insertion direction of the terminal block, the plurality of bus bars and bus bar fastening portions can be efficiently arranged within the housing.

[0013] For example, the positions of the multiple fastener insertion holes in the terminal block insertion direction as viewed from the axial direction may correspond to the arc of the outer periphery of the stator core. That is, the multiple fastener insertion holes may be arranged along the arc of the outer periphery of the stator core. This allows the shape of the terminal block as viewed from the axial direction to follow the arc of the stator. As a result, the terminal block can be arranged efficiently in the motor.

[0014] The stator may include multiple bus bars. In this case, the terminal block includes terminals corresponding to the multiple bus bars. Each of the multiple terminals is provided with a bus bar fastening portion. Each of the multiple bus bar fastening portions is provided with a fastener insertion hole. That is, the multiple terminals have multiple fastener insertion holes corresponding to the multiple bus bars. As an example, the stator may include coil wires and bus bars for three phases, U, V, and W. In this case, the three-phase bus bars are fastened to the bus bar fastening portions by fasteners inserted into the three fastener insertion holes. The three fastener insertion holes corresponding to the three-phase bus bars may be, for example, such that, as viewed from the axial direction, the circumferentially central fastener insertion hole is located further rearward in the terminal block insertion direction than the fastener insertion holes at both ends. In this case, the three fastener insertion holes can be arranged along an arc on the outer periphery of the stator core. Alternatively, as viewed from the axial direction, the three fastener insertion holes may be arranged so that they are gradually shifted in the terminal block insertion direction. In this case as well, three fastener insertion holes can be arranged along the arc of the outer periphery of the stator core.

[0015] (Configuration 5) In any of configurations 1 to 4, the housing may include a housing main body and a motor cover fastened to the housing main body by a housing fastener. The accommodating portion may have a housing fastener insertion hole into which the housing fastener is inserted. In this way, by providing the accommodating portion with a housing fastener insertion hole (e.g., a screw hole) for fastening the housing main body and the motor cover, the accommodating portion can be positioned radially inward. This allows for further miniaturization of the motor.

[0016] (Configuration 6) In any of the above configurations 1 to 4, the housing may have a housing main body that holds the stator core, and the motor cover that is fastened to the housing main body by a housing fastener. The accommodating portion may be included in the motor cover. This makes the housing main body that holds the stator core and the motor cover that houses the terminal block separate members (separate bodies). This allows the accommodating portion to be positioned radially inward from the outer periphery of the stator core. In this configuration, the housing main body and the motor cover including the accommodating portion may be axially connected and fastened by a housing fastener.

[0017] In the above configurations 1 to 6 and the following configurations, the "direction perpendicular to the axial direction" includes not only a direction strictly perpendicular to the axial direction, but also a direction at a slight angle relative to a plane perpendicular to the axial direction. In other words, a direction at an angle relative to a plane perpendicular to the axial direction that is small enough to reduce the axial dimension of the motor is also considered to be perpendicular to the axial direction. From this perspective, a direction within 20 degrees relative to a plane perpendicular to the axial direction can be considered to be perpendicular to the axial direction. In the above configurations, the motor may include a rotor disposed inside the stator and rotatably supported by the housing. In the above configurations, the stator may include a conductor forming a coil, and the bus bar may be connected to an end of the conductor forming the coil. The bus bar may be a lead wire of the coil. In the above configurations, the bus bar fastening portion of the terminal may be positioned so that the entirety of the bus bar fastening portion overlaps the stator core when viewed from the axial direction. This allows for efficient arrangement of the bus bar and the terminal block.

[0018] An example of an embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an example configuration of a motor 100 according to this embodiment. The motor 100 includes a stator 10 and a rotor 20. The rotor 20 is rotatably supported inside the stator 10. The stator 10 and the rotor 20 are arranged coaxially. The axial direction of the stator 10 is the same as the direction of the rotation axis J of the rotor 20. The axial direction of the stator 10 is, in other words, the axial direction of the motor. The stator 10 and the rotor 20 are housed in a housing 30. The stator 10 is fixed relative to the housing 30, and the rotor 20 is rotatably supported relative to the housing 30.

[0019] In the example of FIG. 1 , the housing 30 includes a first cover 31, a housing main body 32, and a second cover 33. The housing main body 32 is formed in a cylindrical shape that surrounds the outer periphery of the stator 10 and supports the outer periphery of the stator 10. The housing main body 32 holds a stator core 1, which will be described later. The first cover 31 is attached to one axial end of the housing main body 32. The first cover 31 covers one axial end of the stator 10 and the rotor 20. The first cover 31 supports the rotor 20 via a bearing 31 a. The second cover 33 is attached to the other axial end of the housing main body 32. The second cover 33 covers the other axial end of the stator 10 and the rotor 20. The second cover 33 supports the rotor 20 via a bearing 33 a. In the example of Figure 1, the first cover 31, the housing main body 32, and the second cover 33 are each formed as separate members (separate bodies), but either the first cover 31 and the housing main body 32, or the second cover 33 and the housing main body 32, may be formed integrally, i.e., as a single member.

[0020] The stator 10 includes a stator core 1 and a conductor 2. The stator core 1 has a plurality of slots arranged in the circumferential direction. The conductor 2 includes a plurality of slot wires 2s inserted into each of the slots and extension wires 2e extending from the slot wires 2s to the outside of the slots. N slot wires 2s (N is a natural number) are inserted into each slot, arranged in N layers in the radial direction. In this embodiment, as an example, N=8. The conductor 2 forms three-phase coils: U-phase, V-phase, and W-phase.

[0021] A bus bar 5 is connected to the end of the conductor wire 2 forming the coil of each phase of the stator 10. The bus bar 5 is connected by welding to an extension wire 2e extending from one axial end of the stator core 1. The bus bar 5 is a lead wire of the coil of the stator 10. The lead wire may also be called, for example, a phase current input / output line, a power supply line, or a power line. The bus bar 5 may also be called a lead line bus bar, a power supply bus bar, or the like.

[0022] The rotor 20 has a rotor shaft 21, a rotor core 22 attached around the rotor shaft 21, and magnets 23 serving as magnetic flux generators provided in the rotor core. The magnets 23 are embedded in the rotor core 22. The rotor shaft 21 is rotatably supported by a housing 30 via bearings 31a and 33a. In the example of Fig. 1, a portion of the rotor shaft 21 near one end is supported by the bearing 31a of the first cover 31, and a portion of the rotor shaft 21 near the other end is supported by the bearing 33a of the second cover 33.

[0023] The first cover 31 is an example of a motor cover. The first cover 31 is assembled to the housing main body 32 in the axial direction. The mating surfaces of the housing main body 32 and the first cover 31 are surfaces perpendicular to the axial direction. The first cover 31 is fastened to the housing main body 32 by housing fasteners T2a to T2l (see FIG. 3).

[0024] The first cover 31 (housing 30) has an accommodating portion 311 that accommodates the terminal block 50. The accommodating portion 311 is formed in a part of the first cover 31. The accommodating portion 311 has a wall that surrounds the terminal block 50. The wall of the accommodating portion 311 extends in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction. The terminal block 50 is inserted into the accommodating portion 311 in the axial direction along the inside of this wall. The terminal block 50 is fixed to the first cover 31 while inserted into the accommodating portion 311. In other words, the terminal block 50 is inserted into and held in an opening in the first cover 31 that faces in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction.

[0025] The terminal block 50 has a terminal 51 and a terminal holder 52 that holds the terminal. The terminal 51 is formed of a conductor. The terminal holder 52 is formed of an insulator. One end of the terminal 51 is exposed to the outside of the housing 30 (first cover 31), and the other end is connected to the bus bar 5 inside the housing 30. In this way, the terminal 51 has a bus bar fastening portion 51a that is connected to the bus bar 5.

[0026] The busbar fastening portion 51a is fastened to the busbar 5 by the fastener B1. The fastener B1 is inserted into a hole (fastener insertion hole 51ah) in the busbar fastening portion 51a and a hole in the busbar 5. The fastener B1 may be, for example, a screw such as a bolt. The busbar fastening portion 51a is positioned so that the fastener B1 overlaps with the stator core 1 when viewed from the axial direction. In the example of FIG. 1 , the busbar fastening portion 51a is positioned so that it overlaps with the stator core when viewed from the axial direction. As a result, the terminal 51 of the terminal block 50 is connected to the busbar 5 axially outside the stator core 1 within the housing 30.

[0027] In the example of FIG. 1 , the bus bar fastening portion 51 a of the terminal 51 is fastened to the bus bar 5 in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction. The fastening body B1 is inserted into the bus bar fastening portion 51 a in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction. The bus bar fastening portion 51 a and the bus bar 5 are overlapped, and the normal to their mating surfaces is oriented in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction. In this way, by making the insertion direction of the terminal block 50 and the insertion direction of the fastening body B1 the same, the connection portion between the bus bar 5 and the terminal 51 can be efficiently arranged.

[0028] In the example shown in FIG. 1 , the terminal block 50 is disposed so as to extend in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction from the fastening position between the bus bar 5 and the terminal 51 and reach the outside of the housing 30. Furthermore, at least a portion of the fastening body B1 that fastens the bus bar fastening portion 51a to the bus bar 5 is disposed in a position that overlaps with the stator core 1 when viewed from the axial direction. This configuration improves the layout efficiency of the terminal block 50 in the axial direction and in the direction perpendicular to the axial direction. Therefore, the dimensions of the motor in the axial direction and in the direction perpendicular to the axial direction can be reduced. Furthermore, the structure of the terminal block 50 and the first cover 31 that holds it can be simplified.

[0029] In the example of FIG. 1 , the accommodation portion 311 of the first cover 31 has a protrusion 313 that protrudes axially outward from the other portion of the first cover 31 in a portion of the circumferential direction of the axially outer portion of the stator core 1. The protrusion 313 forms a space that protrudes axially outward at one axial end of the stator core 1 within the housing 30. The busbars 5 and the busbar fastening portions 51a of the terminals 51 are disposed in this space. The terminal block 50 and the accommodation portion 311 extend from this space in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction. The axially outer end of the terminal block 50 within the accommodation portion 311 can be located at the same position as the axially outer end of the space within the protrusion 313, or at a position closer to the center (i.e., closer to the stator 10) in the axial direction.

[0030] The first cover 31 has a service hole 31b that opens axially on the radially inner side of the accommodation portion 311, and a lid 312 that closes the service hole 31b. The service hole 31b is large enough to allow the fastener B1 to pass through. During the assembly process, the fastener B1 is inserted into the housing 30 through the service hole 31b and into the bus bar 5 and the hole in the bus bar fastening portion 51a. This simplifies the manufacturing process.

[0031] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the stator 10 shown in FIG. The extension wire 2e of the conductor 2 of the stator 10 extends to coil end portions E1, E2 at both axial ends of the stator core 1. That is, the conductor 2 includes an extension wire 2e at one axial end side J1 and an extension wire 2e at the other axial end side J2. In the example of FIG. 2, the bus bar 5, neutral conductor 4, and crossover wire 2B are connected by welding to the extension wire 2e at one axial end side J1. The crossover wire 2B is a wire connecting the slot wires in the innermost layer and the slot wires in the outermost layer. One end of the crossover wire 2B is connected by welding to the extension wire of the slot wire in the outermost layer, and the other end is connected by welding to the extension wire of the slot wire in the innermost layer.

[0032] In this embodiment, the conductor 2 of the stator 10 includes at least two coils connected in parallel for each of the U, V, and W phases. The busbar 5 includes three busbars 5u, 5v, and 5w corresponding to the three phases. The busbars 5u, 5v, and 5w for each of the three phases are connected by welding to extensions of slot wires inserted in at least one layer (second to (N-1)th layers) other than the outermost layer (Nth layer) and the innermost layer (first layer) of the slots. The conductor 2 forming each coil for each of the three phases includes a winding portion in which slot wires inserted into the slots at a predetermined S / N slot pitch are connected in series by extension wires 2e and wound around the outer periphery of the rotor 20, and a crossover wire 2B connecting the slot wires in the outermost layer (Nth layer) of the winding portion to the slot wires in the innermost layer (first layer) of the slots. S / N can be the number of slots corresponding to one magnetic pole of the rotor. In the example of FIG. 2, each phase includes four parallel coils. Therefore, there are four crossover wires 2B for each phase.

[0033] At one axial end J1 of the stator core 1, a circumferential weld is disposed, connecting extension wires 2e extending from two slots of the SN slot pitch of the winding portion of the conductor 2. A bus bar 5 is connected to the extension wire 2e by welding axially outward of the circumferential weld (axially farther from the stator) than the circumferential weld. A crossover wire 2B is also connected to an extension wire 2e extending from the innermost slot axially outward of the circumferential weld. A hole in the bus bar 5 for fastening the bus bar 5 to a terminal 51 is provided axially outward of the weld between the bus bar 5 and the extension wire 2e. That is, the connection portion of the bus bar 5 to the terminal 51 is located axially outward of the connection portion of the bus bar 5 to the extension wire 2e (see also FIG. 1 ). This allows the bus bar 5 and the crossover wire 2B to be efficiently welded to the extension wire 2e after the extension wires of the winding portion are welded during the manufacturing process.

[0034] 2, the bus bar 5 is formed to extend in a U-shape from the welded portion with the extension wire 2e. That is, the bus bar 5 extends axially inward (toward the stator core) from the welded portion with the extension wire 2e, then curves and extends axially outward. This facilitates the work of welding the bus bar 5 and the crossover wire 2B to the extension wire 2e.

[0035] 2, the bus bars 5, the neutral wire 4, and the crossover wire 2B are concentrated in a portion of the circumferential direction on one axial end J1 of the stator core 1. A protrusion 313 of the first cover 31 is formed in the region where the bus bars 5, the neutral wire 4, and the crossover wire 2B are arranged.

[0036] 3 is a perspective view showing an example of assembly of the first cover 31 and terminal block 50 shown in FIG. 3. In the example of FIG. 3, the first cover 31 is assembled in the axial direction to the housing main body 32 that holds the stator 10. The mating surface AW between the housing main body 32 and the first cover 31 is a surface perpendicular to the axial direction. The terminal block 50 is inserted into the accommodating portion 311 of the first cover 31 in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction.

[0037] The housing main body 32 and the first cover 31 are fastened together by a plurality of housing fasteners T2a to T2l. The housing fasteners T2a to T2l are inserted into holes formed in protrusions on the outer peripheral walls of the housing main body 32 and the first cover 31. Some of the housing fasteners T2a to T2l, namely, housing fasteners T2a and T2b, are inserted into the fastening position through holes 311a1, 311b1, and 311b2 of the accommodation portion 311 of the first cover 31. In this way, the holes 311a1, 311b1, and 311b2 of the accommodation portion 311 are examples of housing fastener insertion holes into which the housing fasteners T2a and T2b are inserted.

[0038] In the example of FIG. 3 , during fastening, the housing fastener T2a is inserted into the hole 311a1 in the circumferentially outer wall of the accommodating portion 311. The housing fastener T2b passes through the hole 311b1 in the axially outer wall of the accommodating portion 311 and is inserted into the hole 311b2 in the axially inner wall of the accommodating portion 311. The housing fastener T2a fastens the housing main body 32 and the first cover 31 while inserted into the hole 311a1. The housing fastener T2b fastens the housing main body 32 and the first cover 31 while inserted into the hole 311b2 in the axially inner wall of the accommodating portion 311. The housing fasteners T2a and T2b are positioned so as to overlap with the terminal block 50 inserted into the accommodating portion 311 as viewed from the axial direction. In this way, by providing the accommodating portion 311 of the terminal block 50 at a position so as to overlap with the housing fasteners T2a and T2b as viewed from the axial direction, the terminal block 50 can be positioned efficiently.

[0039] The first cover 31 is attached to the housing body 32 so that the protrusions 313 of the first cover 31 include, when viewed from the axial direction, an area in which the bus bars 5, neutral conductor 4, and crossover wires 2B of the stator 10 held in the housing body 32 are arranged. As a result, the bus bars 5, neutral conductor 4, and crossover wires 2B are arranged in the space within the housing formed by the protrusions 313.

[0040] After the first cover 31 is fastened to the housing main body 32 by the housing fasteners T2a to T2l, the terminal block 50 is inserted into the accommodating portion 311. As shown in FIG. 3 , the accommodating portion 311 is formed by a wall extending in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction on the outer periphery of the first cover 31. The accommodating portion 311 forms a space that opens in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction. The terminal block 50 is inserted into this space. The terminal block 50 has a shape that allows it to be inserted into the accommodating portion 311. The outer peripheral surface of the terminal block 50 around the insertion direction axis has a shape that corresponds to the inner surface of the accommodating portion 311. When viewed from the insertion direction F, the outer edge of the terminal block 50 has a shape that follows the inner edge of the accommodating portion 311.

[0041] In the example of FIG. 3 , a sealant 52a is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the terminal block 50. The sealant 52a provides a seal between the outer peripheral surface of the terminal block 50 and the inner surface of the accommodating portion 311. For example, if the housing 30 is configured to seal a cooling liquid (e.g., cooling oil) inside, the sealant 52a can ensure a sealing function. From a similar perspective, a sealant 314 may also be provided on the outer surface around the service hole 31b. The sealant 314 provides a seal between the lid 312 that closes the service hole 31b and the first cover 31. The sealants 52a and 314 may be, for example, an annular elastic body such as an O-ring.

[0042] In the example of FIG. 3 , the terminals 51 of the terminal block 50 include terminals 51u, 51v, and 51w for three phases: U, V, and W. The terminals 51u, 51v, and 51w are held in a terminal holder 52. The front ends of the terminals 51u, 51v, and 51w in the insertion direction are bus bar fastening portions 51au, 51av, and 51aw that are fastened to the bus bars 5u, 5v, and 5w. The rear ends of the terminals 51u, 51v, and 51w in the insertion direction are portions that are exposed to the outside of the housing 30. The terminals 51u, 51v, and 51w are plate-shaped. The normal to the plate surface of the bus bar fastening portions 51au, 51av, and 51aw is perpendicular to the axial direction. The normal to the plate surface of the rear ends (exposed portions) of the terminals 51u, 51v, and 51w in the insertion direction is axial.

[0043] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the terminal block 50 accommodated in the accommodation portion 311. FIG. 4 is a view of the portion indicated by the dashed line R1 in FIG. 3 from a different direction. The stator core, a portion of the extension wires, the crossover wires, and the neutral wire are not shown in FIG. 4 . As shown in FIG. 4 , the terminal block 50 is fixed in the accommodation portion 311 with the bus bar fastening portions 51au, 51av, and 51aw inserted to positions where they contact the bus bars 5u, 5v, and 5w. The terminal block 50 may be fixed to the accommodation portion 311 by, for example, fasteners (not shown). The terminal block 50 is arranged so that the fastener insertion holes 51ahu, 51ahv, and 51ahw of the bus bar fastening portions 51au, 51av, and 51aw overlap the holes of the bus bars 5u, 5v, and 5w in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction. Fasteners B1 are inserted into these holes. The fasteners B1 fasten the bus bar fastening portions 51au, 51av, and 51aw to the bus bars 5u, 5v, and 5w. The fasteners B1 are introduced into the housing through the service hole 31b and inserted into the fastener insertion holes 51ahu, 51ahv, and 51ahw of the bus bar fastening portions 51au, 51av, and 51aw and the holes of the bus bars 5u, 5v, and 5w. In the example of FIG. 4 , the service hole 31b is provided in the wall of the protrusion 313.

[0044] (Assembly Example) Here, an assembly example of the housing 30 will be described. First, as shown in FIG. 2, the bus bar 5, neutral conductor 4, and crossover conductor 2B are connected to the coil end portion E1 of the stator 10 by welding. Then, as shown in FIG. 3, the first cover 31 is axially assembled to the housing main body 32 that holds the stator 10. The housing main body 32 and the first cover 31 are fastened together by housing fasteners T2a to T2l. Then, the terminal block 50 is inserted into the accommodating portion 311 of the first cover 31. As shown in FIG. 4, the bus bar fastening portion 51a of the terminal 51 of the terminal block 50 is fastened to the bus bar 5 by the fastener B1. The fastener B1 is inserted into the fastener insertion hole 51ah of the bus bar fastening portion 51a and the hole of the bus bar 5 through the service hole 31b. Then, the service hole 31b is closed with the cover 312. The cover 312 may cover the holes 311a1 and 311b1 of the accommodating portion 311 for passing the housing fasteners T2a and T2b therethrough, in addition to the service hole 31b.

[0045] (Example of Arrangement of Bus Bars 5 and Terminal Block 50) Fig. 5 is a diagram showing an example of arrangement of the terminal block 50 and the bus bars 5 as viewed from the axial direction. In the example of Fig. 5, among the three-phase bus bar fastening portions 51au, 51av, and 51aw, the circumferentially central bus bar fastening portion 51av is located further rearward in the insertion direction F of the terminal block than the other bus bar fastening portions 51au and 51aw. In this way, by making the position of at least one of the multiple bus bar fastening portions 51au, 51av, and 51aw in the insertion direction F different from that of the other bus bar fastening portions, the fastener insertion holes 51ahu, 51ahv, and 51ahw of the multiple bus bar fastening portions 51au, 51av, and 51aw can be arranged along the arc of the stator core 1. This allows the bus bars 5u, 5v, and 5w and the bus bar fastening portions 51au, 51av, and 51aw to be arranged efficiently.

[0046] 5, the three-phase bus bar fastening portions 51au, 51av, and 51aw are arranged so that the entirety of the bus bar fastening portions 51au, 51av, and 51aw overlaps with the stator core 1 when viewed in the axial direction. This increases the arrangement efficiency of the terminal block 50 in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction. As a variation of this, the three-phase bus bar fastening portions 51au, 51av, and 51aw may be arranged so that a portion of the bus bar fastening portions 51au, 51av, and 51aw overlaps with the stator core 1 when viewed in the axial direction.

[0047] In the example of FIG. 5 , the radial direction of the welded portion 3-5v between the circumferentially central bus bar 5v of the three-phase bus bars 5u, 5v, and 5w and the extended wire 2e is substantially the same as the insertion direction F of the terminal block 50. In this way, the insertion direction of the terminal block 50 into the accommodating portion 311 can be aligned with the radial direction of the stator core 1. In this case, the wall of the accommodating portion 311 extends in the radial direction. In this case, the bus bars 5 and the bus bar fastening portions 51a can be efficiently arranged along the arc of the stator core 1.

[0048] In Figure 5, the ends of the extension wires 2e are indicated by rectangles. In the example of Figure 5, each of the three-phase bus bars 5u, 5v, and 5w is connected by welding to the extension wires 2e extending from the slot wires of the pth and p+1th layers of two adjacent slots. This connects the bus bars to the conductors of the four coils of each phase. Welds 3-5u, 3-5v, and 3-5w between the bus bars and extension wires of each phase are concentratedly arranged. In addition, between the weld 3-5u between the extension wire 2e of the bus bar 5u of one phase and the weld 3-5v between the extension wire 2e of the adjacent bus bar 5v, there are circumferential welds for the number of SN slots (six slots in the example of Figure 5). In this way, by arranging the welded portions 3-5u, 3-5v, and 3-5w of the three-phase bus bars 5u, 5v, and 5w at intervals equivalent to the SN slots, the bus bars 5u, 5v, and 5w can be concentrated in the circumferential direction, thereby reducing the circumferential range of the protrusions 313 provided in the area including the bus bars 5u, 5v, and 5w.

[0049] 6 is a diagram showing a modified arrangement of the terminal block 50 and the bus bars 5 as viewed from the axial direction. In the example of FIG. 6, the three-phase bus bar fastening portions 51au, 51av, and 51aw are arranged at positions gradually shifted in the insertion direction F of the terminal block 50. In this example, the insertion direction F of the terminal block 50 is inclined by approximately 45° with respect to the radial direction of the welded portion 3-5v with the extension wire 2e of the central bus bar 5v. In this example as well, the three fastener insertion holes 51ahu, 51ahv, and 51ahw of the three-phase bus bar fastening portions 51au, 51av, and 51aw can be arranged along an arc on the outer periphery of the stator core 1.

[0050] (Other Modifications) In the above embodiment, the bus bar 5 and the bus bar fastening portion 51a are fastened to each other in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction, and the fastener B1 is inserted into the hole of the bus bar 5 and the fastener insertion hole 51ah of the bus bar fastening portion 51a in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction. As a modification of this, the bus bar 5 and the bus bar fastening portion 51a may be fastened to each other in the axial direction, and the fastener B1 may be inserted into the hole of the bus bar 5 and the fastener insertion hole 51ah of the bus bar fastening portion 51a in the axial direction. In this case as well, the arrangement efficiency of the terminal block 50 can be improved.

[0051] 1 , the axially outer surface of the protrusion 313 of the first cover 31 and the axially outer surface of the accommodating portion 311 are flush (on the same plane). This prevents the accommodating portion 311 from protruding in the axial direction from the first cover 31. As a variation of this, the axially outer surface of the accommodating portion 311 may be located axially more inward than the axially outer surface of the accommodating portion 311.

[0052] In the above embodiment, the motor is typically a three-phase AC motor. Each of the coil groups for the U, V, and W phases has at least two parallel coils, and may be configured as a four-parallel, six-parallel, or eight-parallel configuration depending on the required performance and characteristics. While the motor 100 is an interior permanent magnet synchronous motor in the above embodiment, the configuration of the motor 100 is not limited to this. For example, the motor may be a reluctance synchronous motor or an induction motor.

[0053] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the above-described embodiments are merely examples for carrying out the present invention. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and the above-described embodiments can be appropriately modified and carried out without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0054] 1: stator core, 2: conducting wire, 2s: slot wire, 2e: extension wire, 2B: crossover wire, 5: bus bar, 10: stator, 20: rotor, 30: housing, 31: first cover (motor cover), 32: housing body, 311: accommodating section, 31b: service hole, 50: terminal block, 51: terminal, 51a: bus bar fastening section, 52: terminal holder, B1: fastening body, T2a to T2l: housing fastening body

Claims

1. A motor comprising: a housing; a stator accommodated in the housing; and a terminal block attached to the housing and including a terminal and a terminal holder for holding the terminal, wherein the housing includes an accommodating portion that accommodates the terminal block inserted in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction and holds the terminal block so that at least a portion of the terminal block overlaps with a stator core of the stator when viewed in the axial direction, wherein the terminal of the terminal block includes a bus bar fastening portion that is fastened to a bus bar of the stator by a fastening body, and the bus bar fastening portion is positioned so that at least a portion of the fastening body overlaps with the stator core when viewed in the axial direction.

2. A motor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bus bar fastening portion of the terminal is fastened to the bus bar of the stator in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction by the fastener, and the fastener is inserted into the bus bar fastening portion in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction.

3. A motor as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the housing includes a service hole which opens in the axial direction on the radially inner side of the accommodating portion and is large enough to allow the fastener to pass through, and a cover which closes the service hole.

4. A motor as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the busbar fastening portion includes a plurality of fastener insertion holes into which the fasteners can be inserted in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction, and the position of at least one of the plurality of fastener insertion holes in the insertion direction of the terminal block is different from the positions of the other fastener insertion holes.

5. A motor as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the housing has a housing body and a motor cover fastened to the housing body by a housing fastener, and the accommodating portion has a housing fastener insertion hole into which the housing fastener is inserted.

6. A motor as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the housing has a housing main body that holds the stator core, and a motor cover that is fastened to the housing main body by a housing fastener, and the accommodating portion is included in the motor cover.

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