U.S. patent application number 10/811802 was filed with the patent office on 2004-10-07 for motor-compressor.
This patent application is currently assigned to DENSO CORPORATION. Invention is credited to Takemoto, Tsuyoshi.
Application Number | 20040197213 10/811802 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 33028261 |
Filed Date | 2004-10-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040197213 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Takemoto, Tsuyoshi |
October 7, 2004 |
Motor-compressor
Abstract
The output terminal 137 of the circuit board 133 constituting
the motor driving circuit board, and the input terminal 124
penetrating the motor housing 121, are electrically connected to
each other in such a manner that the outer protrusion 124a of the
input terminal 124 is directly engaged to the engagement hole 137a
of the output terminal 137. Thus, the output terminal 137 and the
input terminal 124 can be directly connected to each other without
lead wires or the like, so that the work of connection between the
output terminal 137 and the input terminal 124 can be
simplified.
Inventors: |
Takemoto, Tsuyoshi;
(Nukata-gun, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
POSZ & BETHARDS, PLC
11250 ROGER BACON DRIVE
SUITE 10
RESTON
VA
20190
US
|
Assignee: |
DENSO CORPORATION
|
Family ID: |
33028261 |
Appl. No.: |
10/811802 |
Filed: |
March 30, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
417/410.1 ;
417/423.7 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H02K 11/33 20160101;
H02K 7/14 20130101; F04B 35/04 20130101; H02K 5/225 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
417/410.1 ;
417/423.7 |
International
Class: |
F04B 017/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Apr 2, 2003 |
JP |
2003-099437 |
Claims
1. A motor-compressor comprising: an electrical motor for driving a
compressor mechanism which sucks and compresses refrigerant; a
motor housing in which said motor is accommodated and fluid flows;
a driving circuit board which is mounted on the outside of said
motor housing and on which a motor driving circuit, for driving
said motor, is formed; an output terminal which is mounted on said
driving circuit board and outputs driving power for said motor; and
an input terminal, which penetrates said motor housing, for
inputting said driving power to said motor while sealing said motor
housing against leakage of said fluid, wherein said output terminal
and said input terminal are directly engaged and electrically
connected with each other.
2. The motor-compressor of claim 1, wherein: said input terminal
has an engagement protrusion protruded to the outside of said motor
housing; said output terminal has an engagement hole corresponding
to the shape of said engagement protrusion, and said engagement
protrusion and said engagement hole are engaged with each other so
that said output terminal and said input terminal are electrically
connected with each other.
3. The motor-compressor of claim 2, wherein said engagement
protrusion and said engagement hole are both shaped, substantially,
as a pillar.
4. The motor-compressor of claim 2, wherein said engagement
protrusion and said engagement hole are both shaped, substantially,
as a column.
5. The motor-compressor of claim 1, wherein said driving circuit
board has a conductor pattern connected with said output terminal,
and said output terminal and said conductor pattern are both formed
of resin by insert molding.
6. The motor-compressor of claim 5, further comprising a resin
casing for driving circuit board, in which a space for
accommodating said driving circuit board is provided, wherein said
driving circuit board and said casing for driving circuit board are
molded in one piece.
7. The motor-compressor of claim 1, wherein said driving circuit
board is of a laminated construction, and an engagement hole is
provided in the lower-layer board.
8. The motor-compressor of claim 1, wherein said fluid is sucked
refrigerant which will be sucked by said compressor mechanism.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a
motor-driving-circuit-integrated motor-compressor consisting of an
electric motor for driving a compressor mechanism which sucks and
compresses refrigerant, and a motor-driving circuit, such as an
inverter circuit or the like for driving the motor, integrated with
the motor and is effectively applied to a vapor compression type
refrigerating system.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] A conventional motor-compressor is disclosed in Japanese
unexamined Patent Publication No. 2002-70743. This motor-compressor
is provided with a casing, in which a motor driving circuit is
accommodated, mounted on the outer surface of the motor housing in
which a motor for driving the compressor mechanism is accommodated.
This casing is provided with an inverter output terminal connected
to the motor driving circuit, and the motor housing is provided
with a sealed terminal for input to the motor. The inverter output
terminal and the sealed input terminal are connected with each
other through lead wires.
[0005] However, the conventional motor-compressor described above
has a problem that the work of connection between the inverter
output terminal and the sealed input terminal at the manufacture of
the motor-compressor is complicated because the both terminals are
connected to each other through lead wires which are electrical
connecting means.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The present invention has been developed in view of the
above problem and aims to provide a motor-compressor capable of
simplifying the work of connection between the output terminal on
the motor driving circuit side and the input terminal on the motor
side.
[0007] In order to achieve the above aim, a motor-compressor
according to the present invention comprises:
[0008] an electrical motor (120) for driving a compressor mechanism
(110) which sucks and compresses refrigerant;
[0009] a motor housing (121) in which the motor (120) is
accommodated and fluid flows;
[0010] a driving circuit board (130) which is mounted on the
outside of the motor housing (121) and on which a motor driving
circuit for driving the motor (120) is formed;
[0011] an output terminal (137) which is mounted on the driving
circuit board (130) and outputs driving power for the motor (120);
and
[0012] an input terminal (124), which penetrates the motor housing
(121), for inputting the driving power to the motor (120) while
sealing the motor housing (121) against leakage of the fluid,
[0013] wherein the output terminal (137) and the input terminal
(124) are directly engaged and electrically connected with each
other.
[0014] In this configuration, the output terminal (137) and the
input terminal (124) can be directly connected to each other
without through any connecting means. Thus, the work of connection
between the output terminal (137) and the input terminal (124) can
be simplified.
[0015] Furthermore, in the present invention,
[0016] the input terminal (124) has an engagement protrusion (124a)
protruded to the outside of the motor housing (121), the output
terminal (137) has an engagement hole (137a) corresponding to the
shape of the engagement protrusion (124a), and
[0017] the engagement protrusion (124a) and the engagement hole
(137a) are engaged with each other so that the output terminal
(137) and the input terminal (124) are electrically connected with
each other.
[0018] In this configuration, the engagement protrusion (124a) of
the input terminal (124) is engaged with the engagement hole (137a)
of the output terminal (137), so that the output terminal (137) and
the input terminal (124) can be electrically connected with each
other.
[0019] Furthermore, in the present invention, the engagement
protrusion (124a) and the engagement hole (137a) are both shaped,
substantially, as a pillar.
[0020] In this configuration, the engagement protrusion (124a) and
the engagement hole (137a) can be formed easily, and the work of
engagement between the engagement protrusion (124a) and the
engagement hole (137a) is also easy.
[0021] Furthermore, in the present invention, the engagement
protrusion (124a) and the engagement hole (137a) are both shaped,
substantially, as a column.
[0022] In this configuration, the engagement protrusion (124a) and
the engagement hole (137a) can be formed more easily, and the work
of engagement between the engagement protrusion (124a) and the
engagement hole (137a) is also easier.
[0023] Furthermore, in the present invention, the driving circuit
board (133) has a conductor pattern (136) connected with the output
terminal (137), and is formed of resin by insert molding together
with the output terminal (137) and the conductor pattern (136).
[0024] In this configuration, when the driving circuit board made
of resin on which the conductor pattern (136) is formed by insert
molding is formed, the output terminal (137) can be easily formed
on the driving circuit board (133).
[0025] Furthermore, in the present invention, a resin casing (131a)
for the driving circuit board is comprised such that a space for
accommodating the driving circuit board (130) is provided, and the
driving circuit board (133) and the casing (131a) for driving
circuit board are molded in one piece.
[0026] In this configuration, when the driving circuit board (133)
made of resin on which the output terminal (137) and the conductor
pattern (136) are formed by insert molding is formed, the casing
(131a) for driving circuit board can be formed at the same
time.
[0027] Furthermore, in the present invention, fluid flowing in the
motor housing (121) is a sucked refrigerant and will be sucked by
the compressor mechanism.
[0028] In this configuration, the temperature of the sucked
refrigerant is relatively low, so that it is possible to cool the
motor (120). Further, the input terminal (124) is able to prevent
the sucked refrigerant from leaking out of the motor housing
(121).
[0029] The present invention may be more fully understood from the
description of preferred embodiments of the invention, as set forth
below, together with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0030] In the drawings:
[0031] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a vapor compression-type
refrigerating cycle in which a motor-compressor according to a
first embodiment of the present invention is used;
[0032] FIG. 2A is a schematic structural side view, partially
cut-away, of the motor-compressor according to the first
embodiment; FIG. 2B is a side view, partially cut-away, of the
motor of the motor-compressor; FIG. 2C is a cross sectional view
taken along the line II-II of FIG. 2B;
[0033] FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross sectional view of part A shown
in FIG. 2A; and
[0034] FIG. 4 is a schematic structural side view, partially
cut-away, of a motor-compressor according to a second
embodiment.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0035] Embodiments of the present invention are described below on
the basis of the drawings.
[0036] (First Embodiment)
[0037] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a vapor compression type
refrigerating cycle for a vehicle using a
motor-driving-circuit-integrate- d motor-compressor (hereinafter
referred to compressor) 100 according to a first embodiment of the
present invention.
[0038] Reference numeral 200 denotes a radiator (condenser) for
cooling the refrigerant discharged from the compressor 100.
Reference numeral 300 denotes a receiver (gas-liquid separator) for
separating the refrigerant flowing out of the radiator 200 into
gaseous refrigerant and liquid refrigerant to discharge the liquid
refrigerant and store surplus refrigerant in the refrigerating
cycle.
[0039] Reference numeral 400 denotes an expansion valve of a
decompressing means for decompressing the liquid refrigerant which
has flowed out of the receiver 300. Reference numeral 500 is an
evaporator for evaporating the refrigerant decompressed by the
expansion valve 400. In this embodiment, an expansion valve 400 is
adopted as the decompressing means. However, this embodiment is not
limited thereto, and a fixed restrictor or the like may be adopted
as the decompressing means.
[0040] Next, the structure of the compressor 100 will be
explained.
[0041] As shown in FIG. 1, the compressor 100 comprises a
compressor mechanism 110 (scroll-type compressor mechanism in this
embodiment) which sucks and compresses refrigerant, an electrical
motor 120 (brushless DC motor in this embodiment) for driving the
compressor mechanism 110, and a driving circuit board 130 on which
an inverter circuit, which is a motor driving circuit for driving
the motor 120, and the like, are formed.
[0042] Reference numeral 111 denotes a compressor mechanism housing
made of aluminum alloy in which the compressor mechanism 110 is
accommodated. Reference numeral 121 denotes a motor housing made of
aluminum alloy in which the motor 120 is accommodated. The
compressor mechanism housing 111 and the motor housing 121
constitute a housing of the compressor 100.
[0043] On the motor housing 121, as shown in FIG. 1, a suction port
123 connected to the refrigerant-outlet of the evaporator 500 is
formed. On the compressor mechanism housing 111, as shown in FIG.
1, a discharge port 112 connected to the refrigerant-inlet of the
radiator 200 is formed. Reference numeral 131 denotes a casing for
driving circuit board in which the driving circuit board 130 is
accommodated.
[0044] The scroll-type compressor mechanism 110 described above
enlarges or reduces the volume of the working chamber by rotating
the movable scroll against the fixed scroll, and the fixed scroll
serves as part of the compressor mechanism housing 111.
[0045] FIG. 2A is a side view, partially cut-away, of the
compressor 100. FIG. 2B is a side view, partially cut-away, of the
motor 120 of the compressor 100. FIG. 2C is a cross sectional view
of the motor 120. The motor 120 consists of a stator 127 and a
rotor 128, and the rotor 128 is fixed to the rotating shaft 128a
rotatably supported by the bearing 128b.
[0046] As shown in FIG. 2A, a metal casing 131 is provided on the
upper side of the motor housing 121. In the casing 131, the driving
circuit board 130 is provided. The bottom face 122 of the inside
(space for accommodating the driving circuit board 130) in the
casing 131 is the outer face of the motor housing 121.
[0047] The driving circuit board 130 consists of a circuit board
132 containing electrical elements 134 and a circuit board 133
containing electrical elements 135, and is supported by a
supporting portion 122a mounted on the bottom face 122. The circuit
board 132 is a so-called rigid printed board in which a conductor
pattern, etc. are formed on a insulating substrate made of epoxy
resin, etc.
[0048] On the other hand, the circuit board 133 is a molded board
made of resin (polybutylene terephathalate in this embodiment), in
which bus bars 136, which are high stiffness conductors
constituting a large-current circuit pattern, etc. of the motor
driving circuit, are provided so as to be laminated between resin,
and an output terminal 137 is shaped like a cylinder by insert
molding so as to be joined to the bus bars 136 and disposed in such
a manner that it penetrates the circuit board 133 in a direction
perpendicular to the board plane. The electrical elements 135
contained in the circuit board 133 are heating elements of
relatively high heating values and are disposed so as to make
contact with the bottom face 122.
[0049] Reference numeral 124 denotes an input terminal penetrating
the motor housing 121. The input terminal 124 is connected with
lead wires 126 inside the motor housing 121 so that driving power
for the motor 120 (see FIG. 1) which has been input from the input
terminal 124 is supplied to the motor 120 (see FIG. 1) through the
lead wires 126.
[0050] FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross sectional view of part A shown
in FIG. 2A.
[0051] As shown in FIG. 3, the input terminal 124 penetrating the
motor housing 121 is a conductor shaped like a column, and is
supported by the motor housing 121 through a sealing material layer
124c filled between the motor housing 121 and the input terminal
124. In this embodiment, glass is used as sealing material to form
the sealing material layer 124c.
[0052] The sealing material layer 124c electrically insulates the
input terminal 124 from the motor housing 121, and constitutes a
sealing structure in order to prevent the refrigerant flowing in
the motor housing 121, described later, from leaking out of the
motor housing 121. The inner protrusion 124b of the input terminal
124 protruding inside the motor housing 121 is connected with the
lead wires 126 described above. Further, the outer protrusion 124a
of the input terminal 124 protruding outside the motor housing 121
is designed to be engaged and connected to the engagement hole 137a
of the output terminal 137 described later. The outer protrusion
124a is the engagement protrusion in this embodiment.
[0053] The input terminal 124 consists of three elements in this
embodiment. Only one of the three elements is shown in the figure,
and the other elements are not shown in the figure.
[0054] The output terminal 137, inserted in the circuit board
together with the bus bar 136, is shaped like a cylinder. In the
output terminal 137, an engagement hole 137 engaged with the input
terminal 124 is formed. The engagement hole 137a is shaped like a
column (the cross section in the horizontal direction in the figure
is shaped like a column) corresponding to the shape of the outer
protrusion 124a of the input terminal 124.
[0055] The outer protrusion 124a of the input terminal 124 is
press-fitted in the engagement hole 137a of the output terminal 137
so that the input terminal 124 is electrically connected to the
output terminal 137 and driving power is supplied from the driving
circuit board 130 to the motor 120.
[0056] The bus bars 136 inserted in the circuit board 133
constitute the conductor pattern, in this embodiment, which is
connected with the output terminal 137, and the circuit board 133
formed by insert molding, together with the output terminal 137 and
the bus bar 136, corresponds to the substantial driving circuit
board in the present invention.
[0057] Next, the operation of the compressor 100 will be described
on the basis of the above configuration.
[0058] When the motor 120 of the compressor 100 is driven by the
power supplied through the output terminal 137 and the input
terminal 124 from the driving circuit board 130, the motor 120
drives the compressor mechanism 110 coupled with the motor 120 to
causes the compressor mechanism 110 to suck the refrigerant. At the
same time, low temperature gaseous refrigerant (sucked refrigerant)
flows into the motor 120 from the suction port 123. The refrigerant
which has flowed into the motor 120 from the suction port 123 cools
the motor 120 while flowing in the motor housing 121, and then is
sucked and compressed by the compressor mechanism 110. The
refrigerant compressed by the compressor mechanism 110 becomes high
temperature gaseous refrigerant, which is discharged from the
discharge port 112.
[0059] Part of the sucked refrigerant flowing from the suction port
123 to the compressor mechanism 110, when the compressor mechanism
110 is driven, flows the upper inside of the motor housing 121
shown in FIG. 2B. This sucked refrigerant absorbs, through the
motor housing 121, the heat from the electrical elements 135, which
are main heat sources in the inverter circuit, and cools the casing
131 through the motor housing 121. Thus, the driving circuit board
130, on which the inverter circuit, etc. are formed, is efficiently
cooled.
[0060] In the above configuration, the outer protrusion 124a of the
input terminal 124 and the engagement hole 137a of the output
terminal 137 are directly engaged to each other, so that the output
terminal 137 and the input terminal 124 are electrically connected
to each other. Thus, the output terminal 137 and the input terminal
124 can be directly connected to each other without connecting
means such as lead wires or the like, so that the work of
connection between the output terminal 137 and the input terminal
124 can be simplified.
[0061] Furthermore, the number of components of the compressor 100
can be reduced more than when using connecting means. Further, the
output terminal 137 and the input terminal 124 are not disposed
apart from each other, which contributes to the downsizing of the
compressor 100.
[0062] Furthermore, the outer protrusion 124a of the input terminal
124 and the engagement hole 137a of the output terminal 137 are
both shaped like a column, so that the outer protrusion 124a and
the engagement hole 137a are formed easily and the work of
engagement between the outer protrusion 124a and the engagement
hole 137a is also easy. Further, the contact area between the outer
protrusion 124a and the engagement hole 137a can be secured easily,
so that secure electrical connection between the input terminal 124
and the output terminal 137 is possible.
[0063] Furthermore, the circuit board 133 is formed of resin, by
insert molding, together with the output terminal 137 and the bus
bar 136 connected to it. Thus, the output terminal 137 can be
easily formed on the driving circuit board 130. In addition, in
contrast to a case that the output terminal 137 is provided
separately from the driving circuit board 130, the work of
connection between the output terminal 137 and the driving circuit
board 130 is not required, and the size of the compressor 100 can
be reduced.
[0064] (Second Embodiment)
[0065] Next, a second embodiment will be described on the basis of
FIG. 4. The configuration of the casing 131 of the second
embodiment is different from that of the first embodiment described
above. The same components as the first embodiment are shown with
the same notations, and descriptions of these components are
omitted.
[0066] As shown in FIG. 4, the casing 131 of this embodiment
consists of a box portion 131a having a substantially rectangular
tube structure with top and bottom wide openings, and a cover
portion 131b made of metal plate disposed so as to cover the top
opening of the box portion 131a. The box portion 131a and the
circuit board 133 accommodated in it are molded in one piece.
[0067] In this configuration, the same effect as the first
embodiment can be obtained. In addition, when the circuit board 133
is formed, part of the casing for driving circuit board 131 can be
formed at the same time. Further, the circuit board 133 is
supported by the box portion 131a of the casing 131, so that the
number of processes for assembling the construction can be further
reduced.
[0068] (Other Embodiments)
[0069] In the above embodiments, the column-shaped outer protrusion
124a of the input terminal 124 is engaged and connected with the
column-shaped engagement hole 137a of the output terminal 137.
However, the present invention is not limited thereto provided that
the input terminal 124 and the output terminal 137 are directly
engaged and connected with each other.
[0070] The outer protrusion 124a and the engagement hole 137a may
be both shaped like a prism. Further, shapes of the outer
protrusion 124a and the engagement hole 137a are not limited to the
shape of a prism, that is, the outer protrusion 124a may not have
the same shape as the engagement hole 137a, elongated in the
direction of press-fitting the outer protrusion 124a into the
engagement hole 137a, and may partially have a diameter-enlarged
portion or the like in consideration of a latched state at
engagement and the like. Further, the input terminal 124 may have a
engagement hole in which an engagement protrusion formed on the
output terminal 137 is engaged.
[0071] Furthermore, in the second embodiment described above, the
circuit board 133 in which the bus bar 136, etc. are inserted, and
the box portion 131a of the casing 131 are molded in one piece.
However, bus bars, etc. may be inserted also in the box portion
131a to be used as part of the driving circuit board.
[0072] Furthermore, in the above embodiments, the casing 131 is
formed on the upper side of the motor housing 121 shown in FIG. 2A
or FIG. 4. However, the position of the casing 131 is not limited
thereto. For example, the casing 131 may be formed on the right
side of the motor housing 121 shown in FIG. 2A or FIG. 4.
[0073] Furthermore, in the above embodiments, fluid flowing in the
motor housing 121 is sucked refrigerant. However, the fluid is not
limited thereto. For example, if it is not necessary to cool the
motor 120 and the driving circuit board 130, the fluid may be
discharged refrigerant.
[0074] Furthermore, in the above embodiments, the driving circuit
board 130 is disposed in a space in the motor housing 121. However,
silicon gel or the like may be potted in the casing 131 for the
purpose of insulation and/or water-resistance.
[0075] Furthermore, in the above embodiments, the compressor 110 is
a scroll compressor. However, the compressor 110 is not limited
thereto, and may be a vane compressor, a swash plate type variable
displacement compressor, or the like. Further, the positions of the
discharge port 112 and suction port 123 are not limited to the
positions in the above embodiments provided that sucked refrigerant
flows in the motor casing if it is necessary to cool the motor 120
and/or the driving circuit board 130.
[0076] Furthermore, in the above embodiments, the motor 120 is a
brushless motor. However, the motor is not limited thereto and may
be an alternating-current motor or the like. Further, the motor
driving circuit is an inverter circuit. However, the motor driving
circuit is not limited thereto and may be a circuit, for driving a
direct current motor, using chopper control method for example.
[0077] While the invention has been described by reference to
specific embodiments chosen for purposes of illustration, it should
be apparent that numerous modifications could be made thereto by
those skilled in the art without departing from the basic concept
and scope of the invention.
* * * * *