Rotary electric machine device and electric power steering device

Abstract

Provided are a rotary electric machine device (100) and an electric power steering device (150) that are small and lightweight and have high vibration resistance and excellent assemblability. A rotary electric machine device (100) comprises a control device (1) that is provided on the opposite side from an output side of an output shaft (23). The control device (1) has power modules (5a, 5b) that are connected to a rotary electric machine (2), power supply connectors (33a, 33b), busbars (41a, 41b) that are held by busbar holders (42a, 42b, 42c) and connected to the power modules (5a, 5b) and the power supply connectors (33a, 33b), a power supply smoothing coil (19) and smoothing capacitors (18) that are connected to the busbars (41a, 4b), and holders (45a, 45b, 45c) that hold the power supply smoothing coil (19) and the smoothing capacitors (18) from the outer circumferential side of the rotary electric machine (2) such that the power supply smoothing coil (19) and the smoothing capacitors (18) are aligned in the axial direction of the rotary electric machine (2) and the power supply smoothing coil (19) is positioned on the opposite side from the output side.

Description

Rotating electrical machine device and electric power steering device

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a rotating electrical machine device and an electric power steering device.

[0002] As a conventional rotating electrical machine device, there is a product in which a rotating electrical machine and a control device are coupled and integrated along an output shaft. In the rotating electrical machine device, a stator, a rotor, etc. are built in the case of the rotating electrical machine, and a structure in which a control device is stacked in series with the rotating electrical machine is disclosed.

[0003] The rotating electrical machine device is mounted on a vehicle and used as a drive device for wheels. In addition, it may be used as a drive device for an electric power steering device. The rotating electrical machine device mounted on a vehicle is required to be small and lightweight and to ensure durability. Since the control device generates heat during continuous use under high load, it is necessary to adopt a cooling structure. For this reason, a control device has been proposed in which a heat sink is provided in the control device along the output shaft of the rotating electrical machine, and a power conversion circuit and a smoothing capacitor are arranged around the heat sink. (For example, Patent Document 1)

[0004] Patent No. 6608555

[0005] In the technique described in Patent Document 1, in a cylindrical control device having the same diameter as the rotating electrical machine, a square column-shaped heat sink is provided at the center. Then, a power conversion circuit and a smoothing capacitor are arranged on the side surface of the heat sink to achieve heat dissipation and miniaturization and weight reduction.

[0006] However, while Patent Document 1 mentions the placement of smoothing capacitors as large, heavy heat-generating components, it does not mention the placement of power supply smoothing coils. Furthermore, it does not mention the structure for holding these large, heavy components. If the power supply smoothing coil and smoothing capacitors are held only at the terminal connections, these components may shake violently when subjected to vibration and shock, potentially colliding with surrounding materials and generating abnormal noise. Vibration may also cause damage to the connections and deterioration of the components. As a countermeasure, the power supply smoothing coil and smoothing capacitors can be fixed by filling the cylindrical control device case with filler, but this would increase weight and cost. Moreover, it would worsen assembly workability, leading to further cost increases.

[0007] This disclosure was made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a rotating electric machine that integrates a control device and a rotating electric machine, which is compact, lightweight, highly vibration-resistant, and has excellent product assembly properties. It also aims to provide an electric power steering device that is compact, lightweight, highly vibration-resistant, and has excellent product assembly properties.

[0008] The rotating electric machine apparatus according to this disclosure comprises a rotating electric machine and a control device provided on the non-output side, which is the opposite side of the output side of the output shaft of the rotating electric machine. The control device comprises a power module having a switching element connected to the windings of the rotating electric machine, a power connector located on the non-output side of the control device, a busbar held by a busbar holder and connected to the power module and the power connector, a power smoothing coil connected to the busbar, a plurality of smoothing capacitors connected to the busbar, and a holder that holds the power smoothing coil and smoothing capacitors from the outer circumference of the rotating electric machine, arranged radially outward from the busbar holder and aligned in the axial direction of the rotating electric machine, such that the power smoothing coil is located on the non-output side.

[0009] The electric power steering system described herein is equipped with a rotating electric motor.

[0010] In a rotating electric machine device integrating a control device and a rotating electric machine according to this disclosure, it is possible to obtain a rotating electric machine device that is compact, lightweight, highly vibration-resistant, and has excellent product assembly properties. Furthermore, by using such a rotating electric machine device, it is possible to obtain an electric power steering device that is compact, lightweight, highly vibration-resistant, and has excellent product assembly properties.

[0011] This is a circuit diagram of the rotating electric machine according to Embodiment 1. This is an axial cross-sectional view of the rotating electric machine according to Embodiment 1. This is a cross-sectional view perpendicular to the axis of the rotating electric machine according to Embodiment 1. This is a perspective view of the front surface of the holder of the rotating electric machine according to Embodiment 1. This is a perspective view of the back surface of the holder of the rotating electric machine according to Embodiment 1. This is a perspective view of the front surface of the holder of the rotating electric machine according to Embodiment 1 with components assembled on it. This is a perspective view of the back surface of the holder of the rotating electric machine according to Embodiment 1 with components assembled on it. This is an enlarged view of the snap-fit ​​portion of the holder of the rotating electric machine according to Embodiment 1. This is a perspective view of the busbar holder of the rotating electric machine according to Embodiment 1. This is a circuit diagram of the rotating electric machine according to Embodiment 2. This is an axial cross-sectional view of the rotating electric machine according to Embodiment 2. This is a cross-sectional view perpendicular to the axis of the rotating electric machine according to Embodiment 2. This is an axial cross-sectional view of the rotating electric machine according to Embodiment 3. This is a cross-sectional view perpendicular to the axis of the rotating electric machine according to Embodiment 3. This is a perspective view of the front surface of the holder of the rotating electric machine according to Embodiment 3. This is a perspective view of the back surface of the holder of the rotating electric machine according to Embodiment 3. This is a perspective view of the front surface of the holder of the rotating electric machine according to Embodiment 3, with components assembled on it. This is a perspective view of the back surface of the holder of the rotating electric machine according to Embodiment 3, with components assembled on it. This is a perspective view of the busbar holder of the rotating electric machine according to Embodiment 3. This is a configuration diagram of the electric power steering device according to Embodiment 4.

[0012] The rotating electric machine and electric power steering device, which are embodiments of this disclosure, will be described below with reference to the figures. In each figure, the same or similar components are denoted by the same reference numerals. In order to avoid unnecessary redundancy in the following description and to facilitate the understanding of the parties, detailed explanations of already well-known matters and redundant explanations of substantially identical components may be omitted. Furthermore, the contents of the following description and accompanying drawings are not intended to limit the subject matter described in the claims.

[0013] 1. Embodiment 1 <Circuit Diagram of Rotating Electrical Machine> Figure 1 is a circuit diagram of a rotating electric machine 100 according to Embodiment 1. The rotating electric machine 100 consists of a control device 1 and a rotating electric machine 2. The control device 1 consists of control units 1a and 1b.

[0014] Rotating electric machine 2 is shown as a rotating electric machine equipped with two sets of three-phase windings for U-phase, V-phase, and W-phase. A rotating electric machine is a general term for both an electric motor and a generator. The rotating electric machine receives AC power from a DC power source via a power converter and drives its output shaft. The output shaft is then driven externally, generating electricity, which is converted into DC current by the power converter and can charge the DC power source. The rotating electric machine may also have only the function of an electric motor.

[0015] <Control device circuit> Control units 1a and 1b have the same configuration and are equipped with almost identical components. Therefore, control unit 1a will be used as a representative example for explanation. Control unit 1a comprises a control circuit 4a, a power module 5a that supplies current to the rotating electric machine 2, a power cutoff switching element 6a, and a filter 7a. The power module 5a is also called an inverter circuit.

[0016] The positive (+B) and negative (GND) terminals of the DC power supply 8 mounted on the vehicle are connected to the rotating electric machine 100. The current from the DC power supply 8 passes through the filter 7a and power cut-off switching element 6a of the rotating electric machine 100 and is supplied to the power module 5a. An external ignition switch 9 turns on the power supply circuit 10a of the control circuit 4a, which in turn turns on the power to the control circuit 4a.

[0017] The rotating electric device 100 is mounted on a vehicle and used as a drive device for the wheels, and may also be used as a drive device for an electric power steering system, etc. Here, we will assume, for example, that it is used as a drive device for an electric power steering system. When the rotating electric device 100 is applied to an electric power steering system, it can supply the desired motor current and assist the steering force. Information from sensors 11, such as a torque sensor that detects steering torque mounted near the steering wheel of the vehicle and a speed sensor that detects the vehicle's travel speed, is input to the input circuit 12a.

[0018] Information from the sensors 11 is transmitted to the CPU 3a via the input circuit 12a of the control circuit 4a. The CPU 3a calculates and outputs a current value, which is a control amount for rotating the rotating electric machine 2, from this information. The drive circuit 13a receives a command signal from the CPU 3a and outputs a drive signal to drive each switching element of the power module 5a.

[0019] Since the drive circuit 13a outputs only a small current, it is built into the control circuit 4a. However, the drive circuit 13a can also be incorporated into the power module 5a.

[0020] The power module 5a includes positive-side switching elements 14Ua, 14Va, 14Wa, negative-side switching elements 15Ua, 15Va, 15Wa, rotating electric machine circuit breaker switching elements 16Ua, 16Va, 16Wa, shunt resistors 17Ua, 17Va, 17Wa, and smoothing capacitors 18Ua, 18Va, 18Wa. The positive-side switching elements 14Ua, 14Va, 14Wa and the negative-side switching elements 15Ua, 15Va, 15Wa are connected in series, and current is supplied from the midpoint of the connection to the three-phase (U, V, W) windings of the rotating electric machine 2.

[0021] The switching elements for the rotating electric machine can interrupt the current in each phase when necessary. By detecting the voltage across the shunt resistors 17Ua, 17Va, and 17Wa, it is possible to detect the current flowing through each phase. The smoothing capacitors 18Ua, 18Va, and 18Wa are provided to suppress current ripple caused by the on / off switching of the positive and negative switching elements, thereby improving the driving efficiency of the rotating electric machine 2. These circuits have the same circuit configuration for each phase winding, and it is possible to supply current to each phase winding independently. In the figure, the circles indicate the connection terminals to the control unit 1a for each wiring.

[0022] Furthermore, the potential difference across the shunt resistors 17Ua, 17Va, and 17Wa, as well as the voltage at the winding terminals of the rotating electric machine, may be transmitted to the input circuit 12a. This information is input to the CPU 3a, and the difference between the calculated target current value and the detected value is calculated to perform so-called feedback control.

[0023] A rotation sensor 21a for detecting the rotational position of the rotor of the rotating electric machine 2 is described. The rotational information detected by the rotation sensor 21a is transmitted to the input circuit 12a of the control circuit 4a.

[0024] The control circuit 4a also outputs a drive signal for the power supply interruption switching element 6a, which connects and disconnects the power supply between the DC power supply 8 and the power module 5a. This power supply interruption switching element 6a can interrupt the current supply to the entire power module 5a.

[0025] Furthermore, since a large current flows through the power cut-off switching element 6a, it generates heat, so it can be configured to be cooled as a single unit by incorporating the power module 5a. In addition, a filter 7a consisting of a capacitor and a coil is placed near the connection point with the DC power supply 8 in order to suppress the emission of noise caused by the PWM drive of the power module 5a.

[0026] The CPU 3a may have an abnormality detection function that detects abnormalities in the drive circuit 13a, power module 5a, motor windings, etc., in addition to the sensors 11, based on the various input information. If an abnormality is detected, the CPU 3a may cut off the current supply to only a predetermined phase according to the abnormality. In that case, the positive and negative switching elements and the rotating motor cutoff switching element 16 of the corresponding phase can be turned off. Alternatively, the power cutoff switching element 6a may be turned off to cut off the power supply to the entire power module 5a from the source.

[0027] The control unit 1a has been described above, and the same applies to the control unit 1b. In the control device 1 of the rotating electric machine 100 according to Embodiment 1, two sets of rotation sensors 21a and 21b and two sets of control units 1a and 1b are installed to ensure redundancy.

[0028] The CPU 3a of control unit 1a and the CPU 3b of control unit 1b are connected by a communication line 20 so that they can exchange information with each other. They may also monitor each other's abnormality detection status and, if an abnormality is detected, transmit the details of the abnormality to the other party.

[0029] <Configuration of the Rotating Electric Machine> Figure 1 shows an example of a brushless motor, the rotating electric machine 2, which has two sets of delta-connected three-phase windings. Rotation sensors 21a and 21b for detecting the rotational position of the rotor of the rotating electric machine 2 are shown. Two sets of sensors, rotation sensors 21a and 21b, are installed to ensure redundancy. The rotational information of the rotating electric machine 2 is transmitted to the input circuits 12a and 12b of the control circuits 4a and 4b of the control device 1.

[0030] Furthermore, the rotating electric motor 2 may be a brushless motor with a star connection instead of a three-phase delta connection. In addition, the rotating electric motor 2 may be a brushed motor with two pairs of two poles. The winding specifications can be distributed winding or concentrated winding. The rotating electric motor 2 may also be a so-called tandem motor having two stators. The rotating electric motor 2 only needs to be configured to output the desired motor speed and torque with either one set of windings or two sets working together.

[0031] Figure 2 is an axial cross-sectional view of the rotating electric machine 100 according to Embodiment 1. Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the rotating electric machine 100 according to Embodiment 1 perpendicular to the axis. Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the section cut parallel to the axial direction of the rotating electric machine 100 along the dashed line in Figure 3, as seen from the direction of arrow B. Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the section cut perpendicular to the axial direction of the rotating electric machine 100 along the dashed line in Figure 2, as seen from the direction of arrow A.

[0032] Let's explain Figure 2. The upper half of Figure 2 shows the control device 1, and the lower half shows the rotating electric machine 2. In such an integrated device, it is desirable that the maximum external dimensions of the control device 1 be the same as or smaller than those of the rotating electric machine 2. Therefore, a structure is adopted in which the main parts are positioned upright parallel to the output shaft.

[0033] The rotating electric machine 2 comprises an output shaft 23, a rotor 24, and a stator 25, all housed in a case 22. The stator 25 is arranged with three-phase windings 26 for U-phase, V-phase, and W-phase. An annular wiring section 27 is located near the top of the windings 26 to connect the ends of the windings 26 and extend them to the control device 1.

[0034] Furthermore, the motor winding ends 28ua, 28va, 28wa, 28ub, 28vb, and 28wb extend from the annular wiring section 27 through the frame 29 into the control device 1. Two sets of three winding ends 28ua, 28va, 28wa, 28ub, 28vb, and 28wb are grouped together and extended towards the outer periphery inside the control device 1.

[0035] Multiple pairs of permanent magnets are arranged on the rotor 24. Bearings 30a and 30b for rotating the output shaft 23 are positioned above and below the output shaft 23. The bearing 30a closer to the control device 1 in Figure 2 is positioned in the center of the frame 29. The frame 29 forms the boundary between the rotating electric machine 2 and the control device 1 and acts as a cover for the rotating electric machine 2. A sensor rotor 31 is positioned at the end of the output shaft 23 opposite to the output side, on the non-output side.

[0036] <Configuration of the control device> Next, the configuration of the control device 1 will be described. The control device 1 is covered with a housing 32 on its outer layer. On the end face opposite the output side, power connectors 33a and 33b for connecting to an external power supply (DC power supply 8), and a plurality of signal connectors 34a and 34b for connecting to sensors 11 are arranged. Near where the power connectors 33a and 33b and the signal connectors 34a and 34b are located, large components such as the power smoothing coils 19a and 19b for filters 7a and 7b are arranged.

[0037] Power connectors 33a and 33b are connectors through which relatively large currents from the power supply system flow. Signal connectors 34a and 34b are connectors through which relatively small currents from the signal system flow. An example is shown in which two sets each of two types of connectors, one for the power supply system and one for the signal system, are provided. However, it is also possible to provide only one set of connectors, and the connection lines to the control device 1 are branched into two sets.

[0038] Inside the housing 32, a rectangular prism-shaped prism portion 35b of the heat sink 35 is positioned in the center. The main parts of the control circuits 4a, 4b and power modules 5a, 5b are positioned on each side of the rectangular prism portion 35b of the heat sink 35. The lower part of the heat sink 35 is a cylindrical portion 35a that is inscribed within the case 22 of the rotating electric machine 2. The central part of the cylindrical portion 35a is hollow. The output shaft 23 extends from the hollow part of the cylindrical portion 35a. A sensor rotor 31 is mounted on the non-output end of the output shaft 23. Here, control circuits 4a and 4b should be read as control boards (printed circuit boards) 4a and 4b on which the control circuits are mounted.

[0039] The sensor rotor 31 is a pair or multiple pairs of magnetic rotors. Rotation sensors 21a and 21b are provided on the opposing surfaces of the sensor rotor 31. The rotation sensors 21a and 21b are mounted on the circuit board 36.

[0040] The rotation of the sensor rotor 31 generates a change in the magnetic field. The rotation sensors 21a and 21b can independently detect the change in the magnetic field. The rotation sensors 21a and 21b may be configured with two sets built into a single package. Figure 2 shows an example of a configuration with components in a single package.

[0041] The power lines and signal lines of the rotation sensors 21a and 21b are connected to the control circuits 4a and 4b, respectively, via the wiring patterns of the circuit board 36. The circuit board 36 may be fixed by enclosing it within a hole drilled in the lower part of the heat sink 35. The circuit board 36 has a smaller area compared to the control circuit boards 4a and 4b. The sensor rotor 31 and rotation sensors 21a and 21b have been described as magnetic sensor types, but are not limited to this type and may be resolver type, Hall sensor type, or optical sensor type.

[0042] Figure 3 shows a horizontal cross-section of the rotating electric machine 100. The rectangular prism portion 35b of the heat sink 35 is positioned in the center. Control circuits 4a and 4b are positioned along two parallel sides of the rectangular prism portion 35b. Power modules 5a and 5b are positioned in close contact with the two adjacent sides. The two sets of control circuits 4a and 4b and power modules 5a and 5b are separated and independently provided on the sides of the rectangular prism portion 35b of the heat sink 35.

[0043] To connect the signal terminals 37a and 37b of the power modules 5a and 5b to the control circuits 4a and 4b, the circuit boards of the control circuits 4a and 4b are shaped to extend slightly to one side. The heat sink 35 and the control circuits 4a and 4b are arranged approximately point-symmetrically around the output shaft 23. Therefore, it is possible to connect either set of windings 26 to the three-phase winding ends 28ua, 28va, 28wa, 28ub, 28vb, and 28wb of the rotating electric machine 2 using the shortest possible connection.

[0044] The winding ends 28ua, 28va, 28wa, 28ub, 28vb, and 28wb are arranged in the outer circumferential direction of the control circuits 4a and 4b, respectively. Therefore, they can be easily connected to the output terminals 39a and 39b of the power modules 5a and 5b via extension terminals 38a and 38b.

[0045] Also, bus bar units 40a and 40b are attached to the surface of the heat sink 35 to which the substrates of the control circuits 4a and 4b are attached. The bus bar units 40a and 40b are composed of power / GND bus bars 41a and 41b, extension terminals 38a and 38b, and bus bar holders 42a and 42b that hold them. The power / GND bus bars 41a and 41b are connected to the positive electrode (+B) and negative electrode (GND) of the DC power supply 8, the positive-side power supplies of the U-phase, V-phase, and W-phase of the power modules 5a and 5b, and the output to the rotating electric machine 2.

[0046] The power / GND bus bars 41a and 41b are connected to the power lines 43a and 43b of the power connectors 33a and 33b. As shown in the circuit diagram of FIG. 1, the power lines 43a and 43b are connected to the filters 7a and 7b and then input to the input circuits 12a and 12b of the control circuits 4a and 4b.

[0047] The control circuits 4a and 4b are connected to the signal lines 44a and 44b of the signal connectors 34a and 34b. The signal lines 44a and 44b are input to the input circuits 12a and 12b of the control circuits 4a and 4b.

[0048] <Holding by holders of power smoothing coils and smoothing capacitors> Hereinafter, the power smoothing coils 19a and 19b are collectively referred to as the power smoothing coil 19. The smoothing capacitors 18Ua, 18Va, 18Wa, 18Ub, 18Ub, 18Wb are collectively referred to as the smoothing capacitor 18. Also, the positive-side switching elements 14Ua, 14Ub, 14Va, 14Vb, 14Wa, 14Wb are collectively referred to as the positive-side switching element 14. The negative-side switching elements 15Ua, 15Ub, 15Va, 15Vb, 15Wa, 15Wb are collectively referred to as the negative-side switching element 15. (The symbols 14Ub, 14Vb, 14Wb, 15Ub, 15Vb, 15Wb, 18Ub, 18Vb, 18Wb are omitted in FIG. 1)

[0049] As shown in Figure 2, the vertically elongated cylindrical power supply smoothing coil 19 and the three vertically elongated cylindrical smoothing capacitors 18 are arranged parallel to the output axis direction, with their longitudinal directions perpendicular to the output shaft of the rotating electric machine 2. The terminals 47 of the three smoothing capacitors 18 are connected to the busbar in the same direction (to the left in Figure 2). The connection may be made using methods such as soldering or welding.

[0050] By arranging the smoothing capacitors 18 with their terminals 47 facing the same direction, multiple smoothing capacitors 18 can be electrically connected using the same power supply busbar, shortening the busbar connection distance and improving efficiency. Since the busbar can be connected in the shortest possible way and the busbar length can be minimized, it contributes to miniaturization, cost reduction, and improved ease of assembly. As shown in Figure 3, the holders 45a and 45b are positioned radially outward from the rotating electric machine 2 relative to the power supply smoothing coil 19 and the multiple smoothing capacitors 18.

[0051] Furthermore, by positioning the power smoothing coil 19 on the opposite side of the output, the power smoothing coil 19 can be brought as close as possible to the power connectors 33a and 33b. This shortens the distance between the power connectors 33a and 33b, the power smoothing coils 19a and 19b, and the power modules 5a and 5b. This is advantageous in reducing power supply noise and losses due to the passage of large currents.

[0052] The central axes of the vertically elongated cylindrical power supply smoothing coil 19 and the multiple smoothing capacitors 18 are arranged along the circumferential direction of the rotating electric machine 2. The holders 45a and 45b have a main body portion 65 provided radially outward from the rotating electric machine 2 than the power supply smoothing coil 19 and the smoothing capacitors 18, a pressing portion 48 extending radially inward from the main body portion 65 on one axial side of the smoothing capacitor 18, on the terminal 47 side, and a snap-fit ​​portion 60 extending radially inward from the main body portion 65 on the other axial side of the smoothing capacitor 18, opposite to the terminal 47.

[0053] Figure 4 is a perspective view of the front surface of the holders 45a and 45b of the rotating electric machine device 100 according to Embodiment 1. Figure 5 is a perspective view of the back surface of the holders 45a and 45b. Figure 6 is a perspective view of the front surface of the holders 45a and 45b with components assembled on them. Figure 7 is a perspective view of the back surface of the holders 45a and 45b with components assembled on them. Figure 8 is an enlarged view of the snap-fit ​​portion 60 of the holders 45a and 45b. Figure 9 is a perspective view of the busbar holders 42a and 42b. Here, for convenience, the side of the holders 45a and 45b on which the smoothing capacitor 18 and power supply smoothing coil 19 can be arranged is referred to as the front surface, and the opposite side is referred to as the back surface.

[0054] Here, we will explain how the smoothing capacitor 18 and the power supply smoothing coil 19 are held by the holders 45a, 45b and the busbar holders 42a, 42b. In Figure 9, the power supply / GND busbars 41a, 41b and extension terminals 38a, 38b held by the busbar holders 42a, 42b are omitted from the description.

[0055] The power supply smoothing coil 19 and the multiple smoothing capacitors 18 are housed in holders 45a and 45b. The holders 45a and 45b, which hold the multiple smoothing capacitors 18 and the power supply smoothing coil 19, are then pressed into the mounting surfaces 46 of the busbar holders 42a and 42b at approximately perpendicular angles, snap-fit, or fixed with adhesive. Here, the fixing can be ensured by pressing the projections 56 provided on the holders 45a and 45b into the mounting holes 57 provided on the busbar holders 42a and 42b.

[0056] The power supply smoothing coil 19 and the multiple smoothing capacitors 18 are described in the state in which they are assembled in holders 45a and 45b. Holder-side busbars 70 are incorporated into holders 45a and 45b. The power supply smoothing coil 19 is connected to busbar holders 42a and 42b and power lines 43a and 43b via the holder-side busbars 70.

[0057] As shown in Figure 3, the holders 45a and 45b are positioned radially outward from the rotating electric machine 2 relative to the multiple smoothing capacitors 18 and power supply smoothing coils 19. The multiple smoothing capacitors 18 and power supply smoothing coils 19 are fixed to the busbar holders 42a and 42b with adhesive 59.

[0058] Figures 4 and 5 show the external appearance of holders 45a and 45b. Figures 6 and 7 show the state in which the smoothing capacitor 18 and power supply smoothing coil 19 are housed. Holders 45a and 45b are provided with a pressing portion 48, a terminal groove portion 49, and a snap-fit ​​portion 60 for each smoothing capacitor 18.

[0059] An enlarged view of the snap-fit ​​portion 60 is shown in Figure 8. The snap-fit ​​portion 60 is provided with two beam portions 51 that extend parallel to the longitudinal direction of the smoothing capacitor 18. A U-shaped beam-shaped connecting portion 52 is provided at the tip of each beam portion 51, which is bent to oppose the pressing portion 48. The connecting portion 52 is configured to avoid the center of the smoothing capacitor 18 on the opposite side (explosion-proof valve side) from the terminal 47.

[0060] A claw portion 53 is provided at the tip of the U-shaped beam-shaped connecting portion 52. A concave guide groove portion 54 is provided on the upper surface of the claw portion 53. In addition, a receiving portion 50 is provided in the center of the two beam portions 51, parallel to the beam portions 51. When assembling the smoothing capacitor 18 to the holders 45a and 45b, the guide groove portion 54 is shaped to conform to the outer shape of the smoothing capacitor 18.

[0061] In this embodiment, the guide groove 54 is shaped to conform to the side surface (curved surface) of the cylindrical smoothing capacitor 18. For example, it is similar in shape to a depression formed when the side surface (curved surface) of a given cylinder is pressed against a soft object such as clay.

[0062] The terminals 47 of the smoothing capacitor 18 are inserted into the terminal groove portion 49 and clamped between the pressing portion 48 and the snap-fit ​​portion 60. The claw portion 53 fixes the smoothing capacitor 18 on the opposite side (explosion-proof valve side) from the terminals 47 of the smoothing capacitor 18. In this way, the smoothing capacitor 18 is held while creating a space between the U-shaped beam-shaped connection portion 52 and the explosion-proof valve of the smoothing capacitor 18.

[0063] The holders 45a and 45b are provided with a terminal press-fitting portion 61 and a core receiving portion 62 for the power supply smoothing coil 19. The terminal portion 63 of the power supply smoothing coil 19 is press-fitted into the terminal press-fitting portion 61, and the coil is held in place by supporting the large-diameter portion of the coil with the core receiving portion 62. The core receiving portion 62 has a V-shape that follows the cylindrical shape of the core portion 64, which is the large-diameter portion of the power supply smoothing coil 19 opposite to the terminal portion 63.

[0064] By setting the inner diameter of the terminal press-fitting portion 61 of the holder 45a, 45b to be tightly fitted or partially fitted to the outer diameter of the terminal portion 63 of the power supply smoothing coil 19, the fixing of the power supply smoothing coil 19 can be made stronger and precise positioning can be achieved. This improves vibration resistance. Furthermore, it is expected to facilitate subsequent processes such as bonding.

[0065] The core receiving portions 62 of the holders 45a and 45b are V-shaped to conform to the cylindrical shape of the core portion 64, which is the large-diameter portion of the power supply smoothing coil 19. This makes manufacturing easier and allows for secure holding of the power supply smoothing coil 19. This improves vibration resistance and also improves the ease of product assembly.

[0066] Furthermore, ribs 55 are provided on the opposite side of the holders 45a and 45b from the side that houses the smoothing capacitor 18 and the power supply smoothing coil 19. When assembling the smoothing capacitor 18 and the power supply smoothing coil 19, rigidity can be ensured when assembling the holders 45a and 45b to the busbar holders 42a and 42b after assembly. In addition, the ribs 55 can be gripped to hold the holders 45a and 45b during the assembly process.

[0067] Figure 9 shows the external appearance of the busbar holders 42a and 42b. The busbar holders 42a and 42b are provided with mounting holes 57 for the projections 56 of the holders 45a and 45b to be assembled. The holders 45a and 45b are fixed to the busbar holders 42a and 42b by press-fitting the projections 56 of the holders 45a and 45b into the mounting holes 57 of the busbar holders 42a and 42b.

[0068] Furthermore, after assembling the busbar holders 42a and 42b with the holders 45a and 45b, recesses 58 for accommodating the claw portion 53 are provided in the busbar holders 42a and 42b. This prevents the claw portion 53 from interfering with (hindering assembly of) the busbar holders 42a and 42b when assembling the holders 45a and 45b with the busbar holders 42a and 42b.

[0069] Furthermore, adhesive 59 may be applied to the mounting surfaces 46 of the busbar holders 42a and 42b, and the smoothing capacitor 18 and power supply smoothing coil 19 may be fixed to the busbar holders 42a and 42b with the adhesive 59. The busbar holders 42a and 42b, adhesive 59, smoothing capacitor 18 and power supply smoothing coil 19, and holders 45a and 45b are arranged in that order radially outward from the center line of the output shaft of the rotating electric machine 2. Adhesive 59 may also be applied to the recess 58, and the claw portion 53 may be fixed in the recess 58 with the adhesive 59.

[0070] In the above description, the busbar holders 42a and 42b, the adhesive 59, the smoothing capacitor 18, and the power supply smoothing coil 19 are arranged in that order. However, the busbar holders 42a and 42b may be placed in direct contact with the smoothing capacitor 18 and the power supply smoothing coil 19 and fixed using the adhesive 59 or a foaming agent.

[0071] The smoothing capacitor 18 and the power supply smoothing coil 19 are mounted on the busbar holders 42a and 42b of the mounting surface 46. At this time, recesses shaped to conform to the outer diameter of the smoothing capacitor 18 and the power supply smoothing coil 19 may be formed in the smoothing capacitor 18 and the power supply smoothing coil 19 at positions facing them (not shown). Alternatively, a portion may be provided on the mounting surface 46 at a position facing the smoothing capacitor 18 and the power supply smoothing coil 19, protruding in the direction of the smoothing capacitor 18 and the power supply smoothing coil 19. Recesses shaped to conform to the outer diameter of the smoothing capacitor 18 and the power supply smoothing coil 19 may be formed in the protruding portion (not shown).

[0072] The effects obtained by the device configured as described above will now be explained. In a structure where the power supply smoothing coil 19 and smoothing capacitor 18 are held only by the connection points between the power supply smoothing coil 19 and the power supply / GND busbars 41a and 41b, problems may arise in terms of resistance to shock and vibration. When shock and vibration are applied to a vehicle equipped with the rotating electric machine 100, the smoothing capacitor 18 and power supply smoothing coil 19 may vibrate greatly, and the connection points with the power supply / GND busbars 41a and 41b may deteriorate. In addition, there is a risk of abnormal noise being generated due to contact between parts or between parts and other materials.

[0073] In this embodiment, the power supply smoothing coil 19 and the smoothing capacitor 18 are housed and supported in holders 45a and 45b. Therefore, even if the vehicle on which the rotating electric machine 100 is mounted is subjected to shocks and vibrations, vibrations of the smoothing capacitor 18 and the power supply smoothing coil 19, and contact with other components can be suppressed. Furthermore, the holders 45a and 45b, which house the power supply smoothing coil 19 and the smoothing capacitor 18, are fixed to busbar holders 42a and 42b. This makes it possible to support the power supply smoothing coil 19 and the smoothing capacitor 18 more firmly. Then, by fixing the power supply smoothing coil 19 and the smoothing capacitor 18 to the busbar holders 42a and 42b with adhesive, the power supply smoothing coil 19 and the smoothing capacitor 18 can be fixed even more firmly.

[0074] Furthermore, by providing recesses 58 in the busbar holders 42a and 42b, it is possible to prevent the claw portion 53 from interfering with the busbar holders 42a and 42b when assembling the holders 45a and 45b. In addition, vibration resistance is further improved by fixing the claw portion 53 by applying adhesive 59 to the recesses 58.

[0075] Furthermore, by configuring the U-shaped beam-shaped connection portion 52 so as to avoid the center of the opposite side (explosion-proof valve side) of the terminal 47 of the smoothing capacitor 18, and by holding the smoothing capacitor 18 with only the claw portion 53 in contact with it, it becomes possible to create a space between the connection portion 52 and the smoothing capacitor 18, making it possible to fix the smoothing capacitor 18 without blocking the explosion-proof valve of the smoothing capacitor 18. This makes it possible to limit the damage in the event of damage due to overheating of the smoothing capacitor 18.

[0076] Furthermore, when assembling the smoothing capacitor 18 to the holders 45a and 45b, the ease of assembly is improved by inserting the smoothing capacitor 18 along the outer shape of the smoothing capacitor 18 into the guide groove 54. By inserting the terminals 47 of the smoothing capacitor 18 into the terminal groove 49 provided in the pressing portion 48, the position of the terminals 47 can be fixed, preventing the smoothing capacitor 18 from rotating during assembly. In addition, by extending the receiving portion 50 of the smoothing capacitor 18 in the longitudinal direction of the smoothing capacitor 18, the smoothing capacitor 18 can be assembled without tilting in the axial direction of the capacitor. Moreover, by forming beam portions 51 from both sides of the receiving portion 50, the snap-fit ​​portion 60 becomes more flexible when assembling the smoothing capacitor 18, thus preventing damage to the holders 45a and 45b.

[0077] Furthermore, the smoothing capacitors 18 and power supply smoothing coils 19, which have been pre-inserted into holders 45a and 45b, can be assembled to the busbar holders 42a and 42b all at once. As a result, compared to the case where the smoothing capacitors 18 and power supply smoothing coils 19 are individually assembled to the busbar holders 42a and 42b to which adhesive 59 has been applied, assembly is improved, and vibration resistance is improved because the application state of the adhesive 59 is more stable.

[0078] Furthermore, by providing a rib 55 on the opposite side of the smoothing capacitor 18, assembly is improved when assembling the smoothing capacitor 18 and when assembling the holders 45a and 45b to the busbar holders 42a and 42b. In addition, the strength of the holders 45a and 45b themselves is increased by providing the rib 55, which suppresses deformation during assembly and improves assembly accuracy.

[0079] In the case of an electric power steering system in which both motor windings and motor drive circuits are provided in two independent sets, it becomes possible to provide a device with high vibration resistance and excellent product assembly capabilities.

[0080] Furthermore, by arranging the central axes of the two long cylindrical components parallel when housing and supporting the power supply smoothing coil 19 and smoothing capacitor 18 in holders 45a and 45b, the durability against vibration can be improved. The power supply smoothing coil 19 and smoothing capacitor 18 are relatively heavy and have large capacitance compared to other electronic components. Therefore, they can be said to be the components that are most susceptible to the effects of vehicle vibrations.

[0081] Long, cylindrical electronic components have high durability in a specific direction (e.g., the longitudinal direction), so arranging them in the same direction can improve the overall durability of the rotating electrical equipment. Vehicles in motion experience significantly greater vertical acceleration from road surface irregularities and steps compared to longitudinal acceleration during acceleration and deceleration and lateral acceleration during turns. The vibration frequency is also known to be high. Therefore, aligning the component placement of the power supply smoothing coil 19 and smoothing capacitor 18 with respect to vertical vibrations contributes to improved durability.

[0082] 2. Embodiment 2 Figure 10 is a circuit diagram of the rotating electric machine 100 according to Embodiment 2. Figure 11 is an axial cross-sectional view of the rotating electric machine 100 according to Embodiment 2. Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view of the rotating electric machine 100 according to Embodiment 2 perpendicular to the axis. Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view of the section cut parallel to the axial direction of the rotating electric machine 100 along the dashed line in Figure 12, as seen from the direction of arrow D. Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view of the section cut perpendicular to the axial direction of the rotating electric machine 100 along the dashed line in Figure 11, as seen from the direction of arrow C.

[0083] <Configuration of the Rotating Electrical Machine> In Embodiment 1, a rotating electric machine having two sets of three-phase coils was controlled by two sets of control units and two sets of power modules. In contrast, in Embodiment 2, a rotating electric machine having only one set of three-phase coils is controlled by one set of control units and one set of power modules.

[0084] The control device 1 in the circuit diagram of the electric power steering device 150 in Figure 10 has the same configuration and is equipped with almost the same components as 1a in Figure 1. The rotating electric machine 2 has only three-phase coils of Ua, Va, and Wa.

[0085] The configuration of the rotating electric machine 2 is almost identical to that shown in Figure 1. The control device 1 has an outer layer covered by a housing 32, and on the end face opposite the output side, there is a power connector 33a for connecting to an external power supply (DC power supply 8) and a plurality of signal connectors 34a for connecting to sensors 11. Near where the power connector 33a is located, there is a power smoothing coil 19 for the filter 7a, which is a large component.

[0086] Inside the housing 32, a rectangular prism portion 35b of a heat sink 35 is positioned in the center. A control circuit 4a is positioned along one side of the rectangular prism portion 35b. A power module 5a is positioned in close contact with the adjacent side. A busbar unit 40a is attached to another side parallel to the side on which the control circuit 4a is located. A holder 45a holding a smoothing capacitor 18 and a power supply smoothing coil 19 is positioned on the busbar unit 40a. The configuration of the busbar holder 42a, smoothing capacitor 18, power supply smoothing coil 19, adhesive 59, and holder 45a is the same as in Embodiment 1.

[0087] The lower part of the heatsink 35 is a cylindrical section 35a that is inscribed within the motor case 22. The non-output end of the output shaft 23 extends to the center of this section, and the sensor rotor 31 is mounted there. The power line 43a and various signal lines 44a are also electrically connected to the busbar, smoothing capacitor 18, and power smoothing coil 19, as in Figure 2.

[0088] The winding end terminals 28ua, 28va, 28wa, 28ub, 28vb, and 28wb are arranged in the outer circumferential direction of the busbar unit 40a and are connected to the output terminal 39a of the power module 5a via the busbar unit 40a. The circuit board 36 is positioned in a hole that penetrates the lower part of the heatsink 35.

[0089] The same effects as in Embodiment 1 can be obtained with the device configured as described above. In this way, even in the case of an electric power steering device equipped with one set each of motor windings and motor drive circuits, it is possible to provide a device with high vibration resistance and excellent product assembly capabilities.

[0090] 3. Embodiment 3 Figure 13 is an axial cross-sectional view of the rotating electric machine 100 according to Embodiment 3. Figure 14 is a cross-sectional view of the rotating electric machine 100 according to Embodiment 3 perpendicular to the axis. Figure 13 is a cross-sectional view of the section cut parallel to the axial direction of the rotating electric machine 100 along the dashed line in Figure 14, as seen from the direction of arrow F. Figure 14 is a cross-sectional view of the section cut perpendicular to the axial direction of the rotating electric machine 100 along the dashed line in Figure 13, as seen from the direction of arrow E.

[0091] <Configuration of the Rotating Electrical Machine> In Embodiment 1, a rotating electric machine having two sets of three-phase coils was controlled by two sets of control units and two sets of power modules. In contrast, in Embodiment 3, a rotating electric machine having two sets of three-phase coils is realized as a control circuit 4c in which the control circuits of the two sets of control units are mounted on a single control circuit board, and controls the two sets of power modules 5a and 5b.

[0092] In Embodiment 3, only one busbar unit 40c is installed. The busbar unit 40c has a holder 45c that holds four smoothing capacitors 18 and two power supply smoothing coils 19. The assembly configuration of the busbar holder 42c, smoothing capacitors 18, power supply smoothing coils 19, adhesive 59, and holder 45c is similar to that of Embodiment 1.

[0093] Furthermore, Embodiment 3 differs in that the four smoothing capacitors 18 supported by the holder 45c are oriented 180 degrees apart from each other, and the orientation of the terminals 47 is staggered. Also, the central axes of the two power supply smoothing coils 19 are arranged adjacent to each other in directions 180 degrees apart, along the output axis of the rotating electric machine.

[0094] Although a circuit diagram is not shown in Embodiment 3, it is similar to Embodiment 1 in that it includes a multilayer winding rotating electric machine 2, two power supply interruption switching elements 6a and 6b that supply current to the multilayer winding rotating electric machine 2, and two drive circuits 13a and 13b that drive two power modules 5a and 5b, respectively.

[0095] The configuration of the rotating electric machine 2 is almost identical to that shown in Figure 1. The control device 1 has an outer layer covered by a housing 32. Power connectors 33a and 33b for connecting to an external power supply (DC power supply 8) and a plurality of signal connectors 34a and 34b for connecting to sensors 11 are located on the half-output end face.

[0096] Inside the housing 32, a rectangular prism portion 35b of the heat sink 35 is positioned in the center. A control circuit 4c is positioned on one of the sides of the rectangular prism portion 35b. Power modules 5a and 5b are positioned on the side adjacent to the control circuit 4c. Furthermore, a busbar unit 40c is positioned on the opposite side of the control circuit 4c, with the rectangular prism portion 35b of the heat sink 35 in between.

[0097] Control circuit 4c encompasses control circuits 4a and 4b in Figure 1 and may be implemented on a single circuit board. Furthermore, this example illustrates the case where two smoothing capacitors 18 are provided for each of the three phases in control circuits 4a and 4b. The number of smoothing capacitors 18 to be installed is not limited to this and may be increased or decreased as needed.

[0098] The lower part of the heatsink 35 is a cylindrical portion 35a that is inscribed within the motor case 22. The non-output end of the output shaft 23 extends to the center of this portion, and the sensor rotor 31 is mounted therein, as in Figure 2. The power lines 43a, 43b and various signal lines 44a, 44b are also electrically connected to the power / GND busbars 41a, 41b and the control circuit 4a, as in Figure 2.

[0099] <Holding of power supply smoothing coil and smoothing capacitor by holder> Figure 15 is a perspective view of the front surface of the holder 45c of the rotating electric machine 100 according to Embodiment 3. Figure 16 is a perspective view of the back surface of the holder 45c. Figure 17 is a perspective view of the front surface of the holder 45c with components assembled on it. Figure 18 is a perspective view of the back surface of the holder 45c with components assembled on it. Figure 19 is a perspective view of the busbar holder 42c. Here, for convenience, the side of the holder 45c on which the smoothing capacitor 18 and the power supply smoothing coil 19 can be placed is referred to as the front surface, and the opposite side is referred to as the back surface.

[0100] Here, we will explain how the smoothing capacitor 18 and the power supply smoothing coil 19 are held by the holder 45c and the busbar holder 42c. In Figure 19, the power supply / GND busbar 41a and the extension terminal 38c held by the busbar holder 42c are omitted from the description.

[0101] The two power supply smoothing coils 19 and the four smoothing capacitors 18 are housed in the holder 45c. The holder 45c, which holds the multiple smoothing capacitors 18 and the multiple power supply smoothing coils 19, is then pressed into the mounting surface 46 of the busbar holder 42c approximately perpendicularly, snap-fitted, or fixed with adhesive. Here, the fixing can be ensured by pressing the projection 56 provided on the holder 45c into the mounting hole 57 provided on the busbar holder 42c.

[0102] The following describes the state in which multiple power supply smoothing coils 19 and multiple smoothing capacitors 18 are assembled in a holder 45c. A holder-side busbar 70 is incorporated into the holder 45c. The power supply smoothing coils 19 are connected to a busbar holder 42c and power lines 43a and 43b via the holder-side busbar 70.

[0103] As shown in Figure 17, the holder 45c is positioned radially outward of the rotating electric machine 2 relative to the multiple smoothing capacitors 18 and the multiple power supply smoothing coils 19. The multiple smoothing capacitors 18 and the multiple power supply smoothing coils 19 are fixed to the busbar holder 42c by adhesive 59.

[0104] The external appearance of the holder 45c is shown in Figures 15 and 16. The state in which the smoothing capacitor 18 and the power supply smoothing coil 19 are housed is shown in Figures 17 and 18. The holder 45c is provided with a pressing portion 48, a terminal groove portion 49, and a snap-fit ​​portion 60 for each smoothing capacitor 18.

[0105] As shown in Figure 13, the multiple smoothing capacitors 18 are arranged in the output axis direction such that their longitudinal direction is perpendicular to the output shaft of the rotating electric machine 2. The power supply smoothing coil 19 is assembled in the output axis direction so as to be perpendicular to the smoothing capacitors 18. The terminals 47 of the multiple smoothing capacitors 18 are connected to the power supply / GND busbars 41a and 41b in alternating directions. Similar to Embodiment 1, the holder 45c incorporates the holder-side busbar 70. The power supply smoothing coil 19 is connected to the busbar holder 42c and power lines 43a and 43b via the holder-side busbar 70. As shown in Figures 13 and 14, the holder 45c is positioned radially outward from the multiple smoothing capacitors 18 and the power supply smoothing coil 19 of the rotating electric machine 2.

[0106] Figures 15 and 16 show the holder 45c. Figures 17 and 18 show the holder 45c with the smoothing capacitor 18 and power supply smoothing coil 19 housed inside. The shapes of the pressing portion 48, terminal groove portion 49, receiving portion 50, beam portion 51, connecting portion 52, and claw portion 53 of the holder 45c are the same as in Embodiment 1. The four smoothing capacitors 18 are arranged alternately to match the orientation of the terminals 47. The shapes of the terminal press-fit portion 61 and core receiving portion 62 are the same as in Embodiment 1. The ribs 55 and projections 56 of the holder 45c also have the same structure as in Embodiment 1.

[0107] Figure 19 shows the external appearance of the busbar holder 42c. The busbar holder 42c is provided with staggered recesses 58 for accommodating the claw portion 53 when the holder 45c is assembled. The smoothing capacitor 18 and the power supply smoothing coil 19 are fixed to the busbar holder 42c with adhesive 59 in the same manner as in Embodiment 1.

[0108] The winding end terminals 28ua, 28va, 28wa, 28ub, 28vb, and 28wb are arranged in the outer circumferential direction of the busbar unit 40c. They are then connected to the output terminals 39a of the power modules 5a and 5b via the busbar unit 40c. The circuit board 36 is positioned in a hole that penetrates the bottom of the heatsink 35.

[0109] In the device configured as described above, in addition to the same effects as in Embodiment 1, by arranging the smoothing capacitors 18 in alternating orientations, it becomes possible to provide the connection positions of the terminals 47 of the smoothing capacitors 18 near the respective power modules 5a and 5b of the two systems, thereby improving the noise suppression effect.

[0110] Even in the case of an electric power steering system equipped with two sets each of motor windings and motor drive circuits, it is possible to provide a device that has high vibration resistance, excellent product assembly capabilities, and high noise suppression effects.

[0111] The four smoothing capacitors 18 supported by the holder 45c are oriented 180 degrees apart from adjacent smoothing capacitors 18, and the orientation of their terminals 47 is staggered. This is advantageous when connecting the smoothing capacitors 18 to two power modules 5a and 5b by extending a busbar from a single busbar unit 40c in the left-right direction, as shown in Figure 4. Because the connection can be made with a short busbar, the impedance can be lowered. This contributes to noise reduction, overheating prevention, weight reduction, miniaturization, and cost reduction.

[0112] By positioning the two power supply smoothing coils 19 on the opposite side of the output compared to the smoothing capacitor 18, the power supply smoothing coils 19 can be brought as close as possible to the power connectors 33a and 33b. This shortens the distance between the power connectors 33a and 33b, the power supply smoothing coils 19a and 19b, and the power modules 5a and 5b. Therefore, it is advantageous in reducing power supply noise and losses due to the passage of large currents.

[0113] Furthermore, by arranging the two power supply smoothing coils 19 so that current flows in opposite directions to adjacent power supply smoothing coils 19, the magnetic field generated when current flows through the power supply smoothing coils 19 can be canceled out. This reduces noise caused by magnetic field generation, prevents magnetization of surrounding components, and prevents malfunctions of the rotation sensors 21a and 21b.

[0114] 4. Embodiment 4 Figure 20 is a configuration diagram of the electric power steering device 150 according to Embodiment 4. An example of applying the rotating electric device 100 to an electric power steering device 150 mounted on a vehicle will be explained with reference to Figure 20. Figure 20 is an overall configuration diagram of the electric power steering device 150 and is an example of a rack-type electric power steering device.

[0115] The driver generates steering torque in the vehicle's steering mechanism using the steering wheel 151. The torque sensor 152 detects this steering torque and outputs it to the rotating electric device 100. The speed sensor 153 also detects the vehicle's speed and outputs it to the rotating electric device 100. The rotating electric device 100 generates auxiliary torque to assist the steering torque based on inputs from the torque sensor 152 and the speed sensor 153 and supplies it to the steering mechanism of the vehicle's front wheels 154. The torque sensor 152 and the speed sensor 153 are part of the sensors 11 in Figure 1. The rotating electric device 100 may also generate auxiliary torque based on inputs other than the torque sensor 152 and the speed sensor 153.

[0116] The electric power steering device 150 according to Embodiment 4 is equipped with a rotating electric machine 100 and the like. By improving the vibration resistance of the rotating electric machine 100 applied to the electric power steering device 150 and improving the ease of assembly, the reliability of the electric power steering device 150 can be improved, and cost reduction can be contributed to improved productivity.

[0117] While this disclosure describes various exemplary embodiments and examples, the various features, aspects, and functions described in one or more embodiments are not limited to the application of a particular embodiment, but are applicable individually or in various combinations to the embodiments. Accordingly, countless variations not illustrated are envisioned within the scope of the art disclosed in this disclosure. For example, these include modifying, adding or omitting at least one component, or extracting at least one component and combining it with a component from another embodiment.

[0118] 1 Control device, 2 Rotating electric machine, 4a, 4b Control circuit, 5a, 5b Power module, 14, 14Ua, 14Ub, 14Va, 14Vb, 14Wa, 14Wb Positive side switching element, 15, 15Ua, 15Ub, 15Va, 15Vb, 15Wa, 15Wb Negative side switching element, 18, 18Ua, 18Va, 18Wa, 18Ub, 18Ub, 18Wb Smoothing capacitor, 19, 19a, 19b Power supply smoothing coil, 23 Output shaft, 26 Winding, 33a, 33b Power connector, 42a, 42b, 42c Busbar holder, 45a, 45b, 45c Holder, 47 Terminal, 48 Pressing part, 49 Terminal groove part, 50 Receiving part, 51 Beam part, 52 53 Claw portion, 54 Guide groove portion, 55 Rib, 56 Projection portion, 57 Mounting hole, 58 Recess, 59 Adhesive, 60 Snap-fit ​​portion, 61 Terminal press-fit portion, 62 Core receiving portion, 63 Terminal portion, 64 Core portion, 65 Main body portion, 100 Rotating electric machine, 150 Electric power steering device

Claims

1. A rotating electric machine apparatus comprising a rotating electric machine and a control device provided on the non-output side, which is the opposite side of the output side of the output shaft of the rotating electric machine, wherein the control device comprises a power module having a switching element connected to the winding of the rotating electric machine, a power connector located on the non-output side of the control device, a busbar held by a busbar holder and connected to the power module and the power connector, a power smoothing coil connected to the busbar, a plurality of smoothing capacitors connected to the busbar, and a holder that holds the power smoothing coil and the smoothing capacitors from the outer circumference of the rotating electric machine, arranged radially outward from the busbar holder and aligned in the axial direction of the rotating electric machine, such that the power smoothing coil is located on the non-output side.

2. The rotating electric machine according to claim 1, wherein the smoothing capacitor is formed in a cylindrical shape, and the central axis of the smoothing capacitor is arranged along the circumferential direction of the output shaft.

3. The rotating electric machine according to claim 2, wherein the power supply smoothing coil is formed in a cylindrical shape, and the central axis of the power supply smoothing coil is arranged along the circumferential direction of the output shaft.

4. The rotating electric machine according to claim 2, wherein the control device has a plurality of power supply smoothing coils formed in a cylindrical shape, and the central axis of the power supply smoothing coils is arranged along the output axis.

5. The rotating electric machine according to claim 4, wherein the power supply smoothing coil is arranged such that current flows in the opposite direction to that of the adjacent power supply smoothing coil.

6. The rotating electric machine according to any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein the holder has a terminal press-fit portion into which one end of the power supply smoothing coil is press-fitted, a core receiving portion into which the other end of the power supply smoothing coil is held from the circumferential direction, a pressing portion provided on the terminal side of the smoothing capacitor into which the smoothing capacitor is pressed, and a snap-fit ​​portion provided on the opposite side of the pressing portion, sandwiching the smoothing capacitor, into which the smoothing capacitor is fixed.

7. The rotating electric machine according to claim 6, wherein the pressing portion of the holder is provided with a terminal groove through which the terminals of the smoothing capacitor pass.

8. The rotating electric machine apparatus according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the holder comprises a main body portion provided radially outward from the power supply smoothing coil and the smoothing capacitor of the rotating electric machine, a terminal press-fit portion extending radially inward from the main body portion at one end of the power supply smoothing coil, a core receiving portion extending radially inward from the main body portion at the other end of the power supply smoothing coil, a pressing portion extending radially inward from the main body portion at one axial side of the smoothing capacitor, and a snap-fit ​​portion extending radially inward from the main body portion at the other axial side of the smoothing capacitor.

9. The rotating electric machine according to any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein the power supply smoothing coil has a terminal portion at one end and a core portion at the other end with a larger diameter than the terminal portion, the terminal press-fit portion of the holder has an inner dimension for interference fit with respect to the outer diameter of the terminal portion of the power supply smoothing coil, the core receiving portion of the holder has a V-shaped notch that conforms to the cylindrical shape of the core portion of the power supply smoothing coil, and the snap-fit ​​portion of the holder has two beam portions that extend along the radially outer portion of the rotating electric machine on the outer circumferential surface of the smoothing capacitor to the other axial side of the smoothing capacitor, and then extend radially inward of the rotating electric machine on the other axial side of the smoothing capacitor, avoiding the central axis of the smoothing capacitor, a connecting portion that connects the tips of the two beam portions, and a claw portion provided on the connecting portion.

10. The rotating electric machine according to claim 9, wherein the holder has a receiving portion that extends in the axial direction of the smoothing capacitor and supports the outer surface of the smoothing capacitor, between the two beam portions that extend along the outer surface of the smoothing capacitor.

11. The rotating electric machine according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the two beam portions and the connecting portion do not contact the smoothing capacitor, and the claw portion contacts the smoothing capacitor and holds the smoothing capacitor.

12. The rotating electric machine according to any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein the claw portion of the holder is provided with a guide groove portion into which the end of the smoothing capacitor opposite to the terminal of the smoothing capacitor slides and fits when the smoothing capacitor is attached.

13. The rotating electric machine according to any one of claims 9 to 12, wherein the busbar holder is provided with a recess for accommodating the claw portion of the holder.

14. The rotating electric machine according to claim 13, wherein the claw portion of the holder is fixed to the recess of the busbar holder via adhesive.

15. The rotating electric machine according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the holder is provided with ribs on the side opposite to the power supply smoothing coil and the smoothing capacitor.

16. The rotating electric machine according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein a plurality of the smoothing capacitors are assembled in the holder with their terminals facing the same direction.

17. The rotating electric machine according to any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein the plurality of smoothing capacitors are assembled in the holder with their terminal orientations opposite to those of adjacent smoothing capacitors.

18. The rotating electric machine according to any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein the power supply smoothing coil and the smoothing capacitor are fixed to the busbar holder via adhesive.

19. The rotating electric machine according to any one of claims 1 to 18, wherein the holder is fixed to the busbar holder by pushing the projection into the mounting hole.

20. An electric power steering device comprising a rotating electric device according to any one of claims 1 to 19.

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