Motor unit, blower, and air conditioning device

Abstract

This motor unit comprises: a motor which has a shaft, a rotor that is attached to the shaft, a stator that surrounds the rotor, a peripheral member that covers the stator, and a heat sink which is supported by the peripheral member; and a motor support that supports the motor. The heat sink has a first engagement part which has at least one of a protrusion and a recess. The motor support has a second engagement part which has at least one of a recess and a protrusion and which engages with the first engagement part of the heat sink.

Description

Motor unit, blower and air conditioner

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a motor unit, a blower, and an air conditioning apparatus.

[0002] As motors become smaller, efficient heat dissipation from the motor has become an issue. For example, Patent Document 1 proposes fixing the motor to a mounting base with screws to bring the motor into direct contact with the mounting base, thereby improving heat dissipation from the motor.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 62-037033 (see Figures 1 and 2)

[0004] In recent years, as motors have become more powerful and smaller, the heat density of motors due to heat generated by windings has tended to increase, which has led to a demand for further improvements in the heat dissipation capabilities of motors.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to improve the heat dissipation performance of a motor.

[0006] The motor unit of the present disclosure includes a motor having a shaft, a rotor attached to the shaft, a stator surrounding the rotor, an outer casing covering the stator, and a heat sink supported by the outer casing, and a motor support supporting the motor. The heat sink has a first engagement portion having at least one of a protrusion and a recess. The motor support has a second engagement portion having at least one of a recess and a protrusion that engages with the first engagement portion of the heat sink.

[0007] According to the present disclosure, the engagement between the first engagement portion of the heat sink and the second engagement portion of the motor support increases the heat transfer area between the heat sink and the motor support, thereby improving the heat dissipation performance of the motor.

[0008] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a motor according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a motor unit according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing a motor unit according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing a state in which the motor according to the first embodiment is attached to a motor support. FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view showing a motor unit according to a first modified example. FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a motor unit according to a second embodiment. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a motor according to a fourth embodiment. FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view showing a motor unit according to the fourth embodiment. FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view showing a motor unit according to a second modified example. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an air conditioning apparatus to which the motor units according to the respective embodiments and respective modified examples can be applied, and FIG. 11 is a diagram showing its outdoor unit.

[0009] Each embodiment will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings, but the present disclosure is not limited to these embodiments.

[0010] Embodiment 1. <Configuration of Motor 1> Fig. 1 is a diagram showing a motor 1 according to embodiment 1. As shown in Fig. 1, the motor 1 has a shaft 10, a rotor 2 fixed to the shaft 10, a stator 3 surrounding the rotor 2, and a molded resin part 40 as an outer member covering the stator 3. The central axis Ax of the shaft 10 defines the center of rotation of the rotor 2. The stator 3 and the molded resin part 40 are collectively referred to as a molded stator 4.

[0011] In the following description, the direction of the central axis Ax of the shaft 10, i.e., the direction of the rotation axis of the rotor 2, will be referred to as the "axial direction." The circumferential direction centered on the central axis Ax will be referred to as the "circumferential direction." The radial direction centered on the central axis Ax will be referred to as the "radial direction." The axial direction will be defined as the Y direction, and the X and Z directions will be defined as being perpendicular to each other on a plane perpendicular to the Y direction. Here, the XY plane is a horizontal plane, and the Z direction is the vertical direction.

[0012] The shaft 10 protrudes from the molded stator 4 to one side in the axial direction, and a mounting portion 10a is formed at the tip of the protruding side to which, for example, an impeller 70 of a blower (FIG. 4) is attached. Therefore, the protruding side of the shaft 10 is referred to as the "load side," and the opposite side is referred to as the "anti-load side." In addition, in the axial direction (i.e., the Y direction), the direction toward the load side is referred to as the +Y direction, and the direction toward the anti-load side is referred to as the -Y direction.

[0013] The rotor 2 has a rotor core 20 fixed to the shaft 10 and a plurality of magnets 22 embedded in the rotor core 20. The shaft 10 is fixed by press-fitting or the like into a central hole 23 formed in the rotor core 20. However, a resin or the like may be provided between the shaft 10 and the rotor core 20.

[0014] The rotor core 20 is an annular member centered on the central axis Ax. The rotor core 20 is formed by stacking a plurality of laminated elements in the axial direction (i.e., the Y direction) and integrating them by caulking or the like. The laminated elements are, for example, electromagnetic steel sheets, and have a thickness of 0.1 mm to 0.7 mm.

[0015] The rotor core 20 has a plurality of magnet insertion holes 21 along its outer periphery. The magnet insertion holes 21 are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction of the rotor core 20. A magnet 22, which is a permanent magnet, is inserted into each magnet insertion hole 21. The magnet 22 is made of a rare earth magnet containing, for example, neodymium (Nd), iron (Fe), and boron (B).

[0016] The stator 3 has an annular stator core 30 that surrounds the rotor 2 from the radial outside, a coil 32 wound around the stator core 30 , and an insulating portion 31 provided between the stator core 30 and the coil 32 .

[0017] The stator core 30 is made by stacking a plurality of laminated elements in the axial direction (i.e., the Y direction) and integrating them by caulking, etc. The laminated elements are, for example, electromagnetic steel sheets, and have a thickness of 0.1 mm to 0.7 mm.

[0018] The insulating portion 31 is made of a thermoplastic resin such as PBT (polybutylene terephthalate). The insulating portion 31 may be molded integrally with the stator core 30, or may be molded in advance and then assembled to the stator core 30.

[0019] The coil 32 is made of magnet wire and is wound around the stator core 30 via an insulating portion 31. The magnet wire is, for example, a copper wire or an aluminum wire. The coil 32 may be wound by concentrated winding or distributed winding.

[0020] The molded resin portion 40 is made of a thermosetting resin such as unsaturated polyester. For example, a bulk molding compound (BMC) made by mixing glass fiber with unsaturated polyester is used. The outer peripheral surface 40a of the molded resin portion 40 is the outer peripheral surface of the molded stator 4 and also the outer peripheral surface of the motor 1.

[0021] The molded resin part 40 is cylindrical with a bottom, and has an opening 41 on the load side and a bottom 42 on the anti-load side. The rotor 2 is inserted into the hollow part inside the stator 3 from the opening 41.

[0022] A step 43 is formed around the opening 41 of the molded resin part 40, and an annular bracket 15 is attached to this step 43. The bracket 15 is made of metal and holds the load-side bearing 11. A bearing holder 44, which is a recess, is formed in the bottom 42 of the molded resin part 40 to hold the anti-load-side bearing 12.

[0023] The bearings 11 and 12 are disposed on both sides of the rotor 2 in the Y direction and are positioned in the Y direction relative to the shaft 10 by e-rings 13 and 14. The bearings 11 and 12 rotatably support the shaft 10. A cap 16 is fixed to the shaft 10 to prevent moisture from entering the bracket 15.

[0024] A heat sink 45 is provided in the molded resin part 40. The heat sink 45 is provided so as to cover the end surface 40b on the anti-load side of the molded resin part 40. The heat sink 45 has, for example, a disk shape centered on the central axis Ax (see FIG. 3 described later).

[0025] The heat sink 45 is a member that receives heat from the molded stator 4 and dissipates the heat to the outside of the motor 1. The heat sink 45 is made of a material with a higher thermal conductivity than the molded resin portion 40. More specifically, the heat sink 45 is preferably made of a metal, such as aluminum.

[0026] The heat sink 45 is integrally formed (i.e., molded) together with the stator 3 using the mold resin that forms the mold resin portion 40. The stator 3 and the heat sink 45 are placed in a molding die, and the mold resin is injected, whereby the stator 3 and the heat sink 45 are integrally molded with the mold resin.

[0027] The heat sink 45 is not limited to being integrally molded with the stator 3 using molded resin. For example, the heat sink 45 may be fixed to the end surface 40b of the molded resin part 40 with a fixing member such as a screw.

[0028] The heat sink 45 has a contact surface 45a on the side of the molded resin portion 40. The contact surface 45a is, for example, a surface perpendicular to the central axis Ax. The contact surface 45a contacts the end surface 40b of the molded resin portion 40 and receives heat from the molded resin portion 40.

[0029] A first engaging portion 46 is formed on the opposite side of the heat sink 45 from the molded resin portion 40. The first engaging portion 46 has a protrusion 46a and a recess 46b. The protrusion 46a is a projection that protrudes in the -Y direction and is formed long in the X direction (see FIG. 3). A plurality of protrusions 46a are arranged in the Z direction. Recesses 46b are formed between adjacent protrusions 46a in the Z direction.

[0030] 2 is a perspective view showing the motor unit 6 having the motor 1 and the motor support 5 that supports it. The motor unit 6 is also called a motor assembly. The motor support 5 has a support plate 50 that serves as a base, an opposing plate 55 that is spaced apart from the support plate 50 in the Y direction, and a connecting portion 53 that connects these together.

[0031] The support plate 50 is a flat plate-like member having a width in the X direction, a thickness in the Y direction, and a height in the Z direction. The support plate 50 is made of, for example, metal. In particular, the support plate 50 is preferably made of plated steel or stainless steel. Openings 54 for allowing airflow to pass through are preferably formed at both ends of the support plate 50 in the Z direction.

[0032] A circular hole 51 for inserting the motor 1 is formed in the center of the support plate 50. The motor 1 is attached to the hole 51 of the support plate 50 so as to protrude from the support plate 50 on both sides in the Y direction.

[0033] The opposing plate 55 is disposed at a position overlapping the hole 51 when viewed in the Y direction. That is, the opposing plate 55 faces the heat sink 45 ( FIG. 1 ) of the motor 1 inserted into the hole 51 of the support plate 50. The opposing plate 55 is, for example, disk-shaped, but may have other shapes.

[0034] The connecting portions 53 extend in the Y direction between the support plate 50 and the opposing plate 55, and connect the support plate 50 and the opposing plate 55. In the example shown in Fig. 2, four connecting portions 53 are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction around the hole portion 51. The number of connecting portions 53 is not limited to four, and may be one or more, and is preferably two or more.

[0035] The opposing plate 55 and the connecting portion 53 of the motor support 5 are preferably made of the same material as the support plate 50, and are particularly preferably made of metal, more specifically, plated steel or stainless steel. The support plate 50, opposing plate 55, and connecting portion 53 are fixed to one another by, for example, welding.

[0036] 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the motor 1 and motor support 5 of the motor unit 6. The inner diameter of the hole 51 in the support plate 50 of the motor support 5 is larger than the outer diameter of the motor 1. A holder portion 52 is provided on the inner peripheral edge of the hole 51 in the support plate 50 as a holding portion for supporting the motor 1. Specifically, the two holder portions 52 are arranged to sandwich the motor 1 in the Z direction.

[0037] Each holder portion 52 has an extending portion 52a extending radially inward from the inner peripheral edge of the hole 51 in the support plate 50, and an abutting portion 52b formed at the tip of the extending portion 52a. The circumferential width of the abutting portion 52b is wider than the circumferential width of the extending portion 52a. The abutting portion 52b has a curved shape that follows the outer peripheral surface 40a of the molded stator 4, and abuts against the outer peripheral surface 40a of the molded stator 4.

[0038] The holder portions 52 may be fixed to the holes 51 of the support plate 50 by welding, or may be punched out of a metal plate together with the support plate 50. The number, arrangement, and shape of the holder portions 52 are not limited to the example described here, and may be any as long as they can hold the motor 1 inside the holes 51.

[0039] The opposing plate 55 has an opposing surface 55a as a first surface facing the support plate 50 and a back surface 55b as a second surface on the opposite side. The opposing surface 55a and the back surface 55b are, for example, surfaces perpendicular to the Y direction.

[0040] A second engagement portion 56 is formed on the opposing surface 55a of the opposing plate 55 in a region facing the heat sink 45. The second engagement portion 56 has a convex portion 56a and a concave portion 56b. The convex portion 56a is a protrusion that protrudes in the +Y direction and is formed long in the X direction. A plurality of convex portions 56a are arranged in the Z direction. A concave portion 56b is formed between convex portions 56a adjacent to each other in the Z direction.

[0041] When the motor 1 is attached to the hole 51 of the motor support 5, the first engaging portion 46 of the heat sink 45 engages with the second engaging portion 56 of the opposing plate 55. Specifically, the protruding portion 46 a engages with the recessed portion 56 b of the opposing plate 55, and the recessed portion 46 b of the heat sink 45 engages with the protruding portion 56 a of the opposing plate 55.

[0042] By engaging the first engaging portion 46 of the heat sink 45 with the second engaging portion 56 of the opposing plate 55 in this manner, the heat sink 45 and the opposing plate 55 are fixed to each other, thereby increasing the heat transfer area between the heat sink 45 and the opposing plate 55. The first engaging portion 46 and the second engaging portion 56 may be press-fitted or adhesively bonded.

[0043] 3, the first engaging portion 46 is formed on the entire surface of the anti-load side (i.e., the surface in the −Y direction) of the heat sink 45. However, it is sufficient that the first engaging portion 46 is formed on at least a part of the anti-load side surface of the heat sink 45. Furthermore, it is sufficient that the second engaging portion 56 is formed in an area facing the first engaging portion 46.

[0044] <Heat Dissipation Effect> Next, the heat dissipation effect of the motor unit 6 of embodiment 1 will be described. Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing the motor 1 attached to the motor support 5. The first engaging portion 46 of the heat sink 45 and the first engaging portion 46 of the opposing plate 55 are omitted in Figure 4. As shown in Figure 4, the motor 1 is attached to the hole 51 so as to protrude in the +Y direction and the -Y direction relative to the support plate 50 of the motor support 5.

[0045] An impeller 70 is fixed to a mounting portion 10a at the tip of the shaft 10. Note that the shape of the impeller 70 is shown in a simplified form in Figure 4. When the motor unit 6 is attached to the outdoor unit 101 (Figure 11(B)), a heat exchanger 71 (e.g., a condenser) is disposed on the -Y side of the motor unit 6. As the impeller 70 rotates, airflow that has passed through the heat exchanger 71 passes through the motor unit 6 in the +Y direction as indicated by arrow F.

[0046] In the motor 1, heat is generated when a current flows through the coil 32 of the stator 3. The heat generated in the stator 3 moves to the molded resin part 40 and the heat sink 45 as shown by arrows H, and is dissipated through three paths.

[0047] The first heat dissipation path is a heat dissipation path by natural convection from the outer peripheral surface 40a of the molded stator 4 (i.e., the outer peripheral surface 40a of the molded resin portion 40). The second heat dissipation path is a heat dissipation path by forced convection caused by the airflow caused by the rotation of the impeller 70 flowing along the outer peripheral surface 40a of the molded stator 4. The third heat dissipation path is a heat dissipation path by thermal conduction from the heat sink 45 of the molded stator 4 to the motor support 5. Of these first to third heat dissipation paths, the third heat dissipation path is dominant.

[0048] In the first embodiment, the first engaging portion 46 (FIG. 3) of the heat sink 45 of the molded stator 4 engages with the second engaging portion 56 (FIG. 3) of the opposing plate 55 of the motor support 5, thereby increasing the heat transfer area between the heat sink 45 and the opposing plate 55. This increases the amount of heat transferred from the motor 1 to the motor support 5.

[0049] A portion of the heat transferred from the motor 1 to the motor support 5 is dissipated as the airflow passes through the motor support 5, and another portion is dissipated from the housing 106 (Figure 11 (B)) of the outdoor unit 101 to which the motor support 5 is attached, etc.

[0050] The motor 1 can be reliably fixed to the motor support 5 by engagement between the first engagement portion 46 of the heat sink 45 of the motor 1 and the second engagement portion 56 of the opposing plate 55 of the motor support 5. Furthermore, because the support plate 50 and the opposing plate 55 of the motor support 5 are spaced apart in the Y direction, the motor 1 can be stably supported at two points in the Y direction.

[0051] In addition, the motor 1 is held by the holder portion 52 in the hole portion 51, and a gap is formed between the inner edge of the hole portion 51 and the outer surface 40a of the motor 1, allowing airflow to pass through this gap, thereby promoting heat dissipation from the outer surface 40a of the molded stator 4.

[0052] Furthermore, the extension direction of the convex portion 46a and the concave portion 46b of the first engagement portion 46 and the extension direction of the convex portion 56a and the concave portion 56b of the second engagement portion 56 are the X direction, which is advantageous in supporting the motor 1 against gravity. Note that these extension directions are not limited to the X direction, but may be the Z direction or a direction inclined relative to these.

[0053] It is sufficient that the first engaging portion 46 has at least one of a convex portion 46 a and a concave portion 46 b, and the second engaging portion 56 has at least one of a convex portion 56 a and a concave portion 56 b. For example, even if the first engaging portion 46 has one convex portion 46 a and the second engaging portion 56 has one concave portion 56 b, the engagement between the convex portion 46 a and the concave portion 56 b can increase the heat transfer area between the heat sink 45 and the opposing plate 55, thereby increasing the amount of heat transferred from the motor 1 to the motor support 5.

[0054] The outer casing member covering the stator 3 is not limited to the molded resin part 40, but may be, for example, a metal shell. In this case, the stator 3 can be fitted onto the inner circumferential surface of the shell, and the heat sink 45 can be fixed to the shell.

[0055] Effects of the First Embodiment As described above, the motor unit 6 of the first embodiment includes the motor 1 and the motor support 5. The motor 1 includes the shaft 10, the rotor 2 attached to the shaft 10, the stator 3 surrounding the rotor 2, the molded resin portion 40 as an outer casing member covering the stator 3, and the heat sink 45 supported by the molded resin portion 40. The heat sink 45 includes a first engaging portion 46 having at least one of a protrusion 46a and a recess 46b. The motor support 5 includes a second engaging portion 56 having at least one of a recess 56b and a protrusion 56a, which engages with the first engaging portion 46 of the heat sink 45. The engagement between the first engaging portion 46 and the second engaging portion 56 increases the heat transfer area between the heat sink 45 and the opposing plate 55, allowing heat from the motor 1 to be efficiently dissipated from the motor support 5. In other words, the heat dissipation performance of the motor 1 can be improved.

[0056] The motor support 5 has a support plate 50 with a hole 51 and an opposing plate 55 arranged at a distance from the support plate 50 in the Y direction, the motor 1 is inserted into the hole 51, and a second engagement portion 56 is formed on the opposing plate 55. Therefore, the motor 1 can be stably supported by the support plate 50 and the opposing plate 55, and heat can be efficiently transferred from the heat sink 45 to the opposing plate 55.

[0057] In addition, a gap is formed between the inner edge of the hole 51 of the motor support 5 and the outer surface 40a of the motor 1, allowing air to flow through this gap, promoting heat dissipation from the outer surface 40a of the motor 1.

[0058] Furthermore, since the convex portion 46a and the concave portion 46b of the first engagement portion 46, and the convex portion 56a and the concave portion 56b of the second engagement portion 56 extend horizontally, the engagement between the first engagement portion 46 and the second engagement portion 56 can be utilized to support the motor 1 against gravity.

[0059] Furthermore, since the outer casing of the motor 1 is made of the molded resin part 40, the stator 3 and the heat sink 45 can be integrally supported by the molded resin part 40. Furthermore, heat generated in the coil 32 can be efficiently transferred to the heat sink 45 via the molded resin part 40.

[0060] Modification 1. Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing a motor unit 6A of Modification 1. The motor unit 6A of Modification 1 differs from the motor unit 6 of Embodiment 1 in the configuration of the motor support 5A.

[0061] In the first embodiment, the motor 1 is held by a holder portion 52 (FIG. 3) provided in a hole 51 in a support plate 50 of the motor support 5. In contrast, in the first modification shown in FIG. 5, the inner diameter of the hole 51 in the support plate 50 of the motor support 5A is smaller than that of the first embodiment, and the outer peripheral surface 40a of the molded stator 4 is configured to fit into the inner peripheral edge of the hole 51.

[0062] Motor 1 is supported by the fit between outer peripheral surface 40a of molded stator 4 and hole 51 of support plate 50, and by the engagement between first engaging portion 46 of heat sink 45 and second engaging portion 56 of opposing plate 55. In Modification 1, holder portion 52 (FIG. 3) described in Embodiment 1 is not necessary, which reduces the manufacturing cost of motor unit 6A.

[0063] Except for the points mentioned above, the motor unit 6A of the first modified example is configured similarly to the motor unit 6 of the first embodiment.

[0064] As described above, in the motor unit 6A of variant 1, the outer surface 40a of the motor 1 fits into the inner peripheral edge of the hole portion 51 of the motor support 5A, thereby simplifying the configuration for supporting the motor 1 and reducing the manufacturing cost of the motor unit 6A.

[0065] Embodiment 2. Figure 6 is a perspective view showing a motor unit 6B according to embodiment 2. As shown in Figure 6, the motor unit 6B according to embodiment 2 differs from the motor unit 6 according to embodiment 1 in that the motor support 5B has a fin-shaped portion 57.

[0066] The opposing plate 55 of the motor support 5B has an opposing surface 55a and a back surface 55b, as described in embodiment 1. The opposing surface 55a of the opposing plate 55 is formed with the second engaging portion 56 (FIG. 3) described in embodiment 1. Note that the second engaging portion 56 is hidden in FIG. 6.

[0067] A fin-shaped portion 57 is formed on the back surface 55b of the opposing plate 55. The fin-shaped portion 57 has a convex portion 57a ​​and a concave portion 57b. The convex portion 57a ​​is a protrusion that protrudes in the -Y direction and is formed long in the Z direction. A plurality of convex portions 57a are arranged in the X direction. A concave portion 57b is formed between convex portions 57a adjacent to each other in the X direction.

[0068] 6, the Z-direction lengths of the convex portions 57a and the concave portions 57b are long in the central region A1 of the back surface 55b of the opposing plate 55, and the Z-direction lengths of the convex portions 57a and the concave portions 57b are short in the peripheral regions A2 on both sides of the central region A1 in the X direction. However, the Z-direction lengths of the convex portions 57a and the concave portions 57b can be changed as appropriate.

[0069] The extending direction of the convex portion 57a ​​and the concave portion 57b is not limited to the Z direction, but may be the X direction or a direction inclined relative to these.

[0070] Since the fin-shaped portion 57 is provided on the opposing plate 55, heat transferred from the heat sink 45 of the motor 1 to the opposing plate 55 can be dissipated from the fin-shaped portion 57 by natural convection or forced convection.

[0071] In particular, since the fin-shaped portion 57 is provided on the back surface 55b of the opposing plate 55, the airflow generated by the rotation of the impeller 70 (FIG. 4) is blown onto the fin-shaped portion 57. This improves the efficiency of heat dissipation from the fin-shaped portion 57.

[0072] Except for the points described above, the motor unit 6B of the second embodiment is configured similarly to the motor unit 6 of the first embodiment. As in the first modification, the outer peripheral surface 40a of the motor 1 may be fitted onto the inner peripheral edge of the hole 51 of the support plate 50.

[0073] As described above, in the motor unit 6B of embodiment 2, the motor support 5B has a fin-shaped portion 57, so that heat transferred from the motor 1 to the opposing plate 55 can be efficiently dissipated from the fin-shaped portion 57.

[0074] Furthermore, since the fin-shaped portion 57 is provided on the back surface 55b of the motor support 5B (i.e., the surface opposite the second engagement portion 56), the airflow generated by the rotation of the impeller 70 is blown onto the fin-shaped portion 57, thereby improving the heat dissipation efficiency from the fin-shaped portion 57.

[0075] 7 is a perspective view showing a motor unit 6C according to embodiment 3. The motor unit 6C according to embodiment 3 differs from the motor unit 6B according to embodiment 2 in that the portion of the motor support 5C including the fin-shaped portion 57 is made of a material with high thermal conductivity.

[0076] The support plate 50, holder portion 52 (FIG. 6), and connecting portion 53 of the motor support 5C are made of, for example, plated steel or stainless steel, as in embodiment 1. In contrast, the opposing plate 55 including the fin-shaped portion 57 is made of a material with higher thermal conductivity than the support plate 50, for example, aluminum.

[0077] Although not shown in Figure 7, a second engagement portion 56 (Figure 3) is formed on the opposing surface 55a of the opposing plate 55, and as described in embodiment 1, this engages with the first engagement portion 46 (Figure 3) of the heat sink 45 of the motor 1.

[0078] By forming the opposing plate 55 including the fin-shaped portion 57 from aluminum, heat from the heat sink 45 can be easily transferred to the fin-shaped portion 57 of the opposing plate 55. Therefore, heat generated in the motor 1 can be efficiently dissipated from the fin-shaped portion 57.

[0079] Furthermore, as in the first embodiment, the support plate 50, holder portion 52 and connecting portion 53 can be formed from high-strength materials such as plated steel plate or stainless steel, thereby increasing the support strength of the motor 1.

[0080] The opposing plate 55 is not limited to aluminum, and may be made of any material with high thermal conductivity, such as copper. Furthermore, only the fin-shaped portion 57 of the opposing plate 55 may be made of aluminum, copper, or the like.

[0081] Except for the points described above, the motor unit 6C of the third embodiment is configured similarly to the motor unit 6B of the second embodiment. As in the first modification, the outer peripheral surface 40a of the motor 1 may be fitted onto the inner peripheral edge of the hole 51 of the support plate 50.

[0082] In the motor unit 6C of embodiment 3, the portion of the motor support 5C including the fin-shaped portion 57 is formed from a material (e.g., aluminum or copper) with a higher thermal conductivity than the support plate 50, making it easier for heat from the motor 1 to move to the fin-shaped portion 57, further improving the heat dissipation efficiency from the fin-shaped portion 57.

[0083] Embodiment 4. Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view showing a motor 1D of a motor unit 6D of embodiment 4. Figure 9 is a perspective view showing a motor unit 6D of embodiment 4. The motor unit 6D of embodiment 4 differs from the motor unit 6 of embodiment 1 in that the heat sink 47 of the motor 1D is formed from the same material as the molded resin portion 40.

[0084] In the first embodiment, a metal heat sink 45 (FIG. 1) is attached to the molded resin part 40. In contrast to this, in the fourth embodiment, a heat sink 47 is formed as part of the molded resin part 40. The material of the heat sink 47 is the same as the material of the molded resin part 40, and is, for example, a thermosetting resin such as unsaturated polyester, one example of which is BMC.

[0085] The heat sink 47 has a first engagement portion 48 that engages with a second engagement portion 56 (FIG. 9) of the opposing plate 55 of the motor support 5. The first engagement portion 48 has a protrusion 48a and a recess 48b. The protrusion 48a and the recess 48b of the first engagement portion 48 have the same shapes as the protrusion 46a and the recess 46b (FIG. 3) of the first engagement portion 46 of the first embodiment.

[0086] In the manufacturing process of the motor 1D, a molding die having concave and convex portions for forming the first engagement portions 48 is used, the stator 3 is placed in the molding die, and the molding die is filled with molding resin. As a result, the molding resin portion 40 having the first engagement portions 48 is molded so as to cover the stator 3.

[0087] The configuration of the motor support 5 is as described in embodiment 1. The first engagement portion 48 of the heat sink 47 of the motor 1D engages with the second engagement portion 56 of the opposing plate 55 of the motor support 5, thereby increasing the heat transfer area between the heat sink 45 and the opposing plate 55, and increasing the amount of heat transferred from the motor 1D to the motor support 5.

[0088] In the motor unit 6D, the heat sink 47 is formed as part of the molded resin portion 40, so the number of parts is smaller than in the motor unit 6 of embodiment 1. Furthermore, it is possible to reduce the processing costs that would be incurred if the heat sink 45 were made of metal. As a result, the manufacturing costs of the motor unit 6D can be reduced.

[0089] Except for the points mentioned above, the motor unit 6D of embodiment 4 is configured similarly to the motor unit 6 of embodiment 1. Note that, as in Modification 1, the outer peripheral surface 40a of the motor 1 may be fitted onto the inner peripheral edge of the hole 51 of the support plate 50, or fin-shaped portions 57 may be provided on the motor support 5 as in embodiment 2 or 3.

[0090] As described above, in the motor unit 6D of embodiment 4, the heat sink 47 of the motor 1D is formed from the same material as the molded resin part 40, so the heat sink 47 can be formed as part of the molded resin part 40, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost of the motor unit 6D.

[0091] Modification 2. Figure 10 is an exploded perspective view showing a motor unit 6E of Modification 2. In Embodiments 1 to 4 and Modification 1, the second engagement portion 56 was formed on the opposing plate 55 of the motor support 5, 5A to 5D. In contrast, in the motor unit 6E of Modification 2, the motor support 5E does not have an opposing plate 55, and the second engagement portion 56 is formed on the support plate 50.

[0092] In the motor unit 6E of the second modification, the first engagement portion 46 of the heat sink 45 engages with the second engagement portion 56 of the support plate 50, thereby fixing the motor 1 to the motor support 5E. This simplifies the configuration of the motor support 5E, thereby reducing manufacturing costs. Furthermore, to stabilize the support of the motor 1, the support plate 50 may be provided with an arm or the like extending along the outer circumferential surface 40a of the motor 1.

[0093] <Air Conditioning Apparatus> Next, a description will be given of an air conditioner to which the motor units 6, 6A to 6E of the above-described Embodiments 1 to 4 and Modifications 1 and 2 can be applied. Fig. 11(A) is a diagram showing the configuration of an air conditioner 100 to which the motor unit 6 of Embodiment 1 is applied. The air conditioner 100 comprises an outdoor unit 101 and an indoor unit 102. The outdoor unit 101 and the indoor unit 102 are connected by a refrigerant pipe 103.

[0094] The outdoor unit 101 includes a compressor 104, a condenser 105, an outdoor blower 110, and a housing 106 that houses these components. The outdoor blower 110 is, for example, a propeller fan. The outdoor blower 110 has an impeller 70 and a motor 1 that drives the impeller 70.

[0095] The indoor unit 102 includes an evaporator 122, an indoor blower 120, and a housing 123 that houses these components. The indoor blower 120 is, for example, a crossflow fan. The indoor blower 120 has an impeller 121 and a motor 1M that drives the impeller 121.

[0096] 11(B) is a cross-sectional view of the outdoor unit 101. The motor 1 is supported by a motor support 5 arranged inside the housing 106 of the outdoor unit 101. An impeller 70 is attached to the shaft 10 of the motor 1 via a hub 17. The configurations of the motor 1 and the motor support 5 are as described in the first embodiment. The motor 1 and the motor support 5 constitute a motor unit 6.

[0097] In the outdoor blower 110, the impeller 70 is rotated by the motor 1 to blow air to the outside. During cooling operation of the air conditioner 100, the heat released when the refrigerant compressed by the compressor 104 is condensed in the condenser 105 is released to the outside by the air blown by the outdoor blower 110.

[0098] In the indoor fan 120 (FIG. 11A), an impeller 121 is rotated by a motor 1M to blow air into the room. During cooling operation of the air conditioner 100, the indoor fan 120 blows air from which heat has been removed when the refrigerant evaporates in an evaporator 122.

[0099] In the motor unit 6 of the first embodiment, a stable operating state is maintained because the heat generated by the motor 1 is efficiently dissipated from the motor support 5. This improves the reliability of the outdoor blower 110, and thereby improves the reliability of the air conditioning apparatus 100.

[0100] Furthermore, instead of the motor unit 6 of embodiment 1, any of the motor units 6A to 6E of embodiments 2 to 4 and modifications 1 and 2 may be used. Furthermore, the motor units 6, 6A to 6E of embodiments 1 to 4 and modifications 1 and 2 are not limited to being provided in the outdoor blower 110, but may be provided in at least one of the outdoor blower 110 and the indoor blower 120.

[0101] Although the preferred embodiments have been specifically described above, the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various improvements and modifications can be made.

[0102] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1, 1D Motor, 2 Rotor, 3 Stator, 4 Molded stator, 5, 5A, 5B, 5C, 5E Motor support, 6, 6A, 6B, 6C, 6D, 6E Motor unit, 10 Shaft, 11, 12 Bearing, 15 Bracket, 20 Rotor core, 22 Magnet, 30 Stator core, 32 Coil, 40 Molded resin portion (outer shell member), 40a Outer circumferential surface, 41 Opening, 42 Bottom, 45, 47 Heat sink, 46, 48 First engaging portion, 46a, 48a Convex portion, 46b, 48b Concave portion, 50 Support plate (base), 51 Hole portion, 52 Holder portion (holding portion), 53 Connecting portion, 54 Opening, 55 Opposing plate, 55a Opposing surface (first surface), 55b Back surface (second surface), 56 Second engagement portion, 56a Convex portion, 56b Concave portion, 57 Fin-shaped portion, 57a Convex portion, 57b Concave portion, 70 Impeller, 71 Heat exchanger, 100 Air conditioning apparatus, 101 Outdoor unit, 102 Indoor unit, 110 Outdoor blower, 120 Indoor blower, 121 Impeller.

Claims

1. A motor having a shaft, a rotor attached to the shaft, a stator surrounding the rotor, an outer casing member covering the stator, and a heat sink supported by the outer casing member, and a motor support for supporting the motor, wherein the heat sink has a first engaging portion having at least one of a convex portion and a concave portion, and the motor support has a second engaging portion having at least one of a concave portion and a convex portion that engages with the first engaging portion of the heat sink.

2. The motor unit according to claim 1, wherein the motor support has a fin-shaped portion.

3. The motor unit according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the motor support has a support plate having a hole through which the motor is inserted, and an opposing plate disposed at a distance from the support plate in the axial direction of the shaft, the opposing plate has an opposing surface facing the heat sink of the motor, and the second engaging portion is formed on the opposing surface.

4. The motor unit according to claim 3, wherein the opposing plate has a fin-shaped portion on a back surface opposite to the opposing surface of the motor.

5. The motor unit according to claim 4, wherein a portion of the motor support including the fin-shaped portion is formed of a material having a higher thermal conductivity than the support plate.

6. The motor unit according to claim 2, 4 or 5, wherein a portion of the motor support including the fin-shaped portion is formed of aluminum or copper.

7. The motor unit according to any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein a gap is formed between an inner peripheral edge of the hole and an outer periphery of the motor, and a holding portion for holding the motor inside the hole is provided in the hole.

8. The motor unit according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the first engaging portion has a plurality of concave portions, a plurality of convex portions or both, which extend in the horizontal direction and are arranged in the vertical direction.

9. The motor unit according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the outer casing member is a molded resin portion integrally formed with the stator.

10. The motor unit according to claim 9, wherein the heat sink is molded of a material different from that of the molded resin portion.

11. The motor unit according to claim 9, wherein the heat sink is formed of the same material as the molded resin portion.

12. A blower comprising the motor unit according to any one of claims 1 to 11, and an impeller rotated by the motor of the motor unit.

13. An air conditioner comprising an outdoor unit and an indoor unit connected to the outdoor unit, wherein at least one of the outdoor unit and the indoor unit has the blower according to claim 12.

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