U.S. patent application number 12/513522 was filed with the patent office on 2010-03-25 for electric compressor for automobile use.
This patent application is currently assigned to MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.. Invention is credited to Makoto Hattori, Akihiro Hoshino, Koji Nakano, Koji Toyama.
Application Number | 20100074772 12/513522 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39737924 |
Filed Date | 2010-03-25 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100074772 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hoshino; Akihiro ; et
al. |
March 25, 2010 |
ELECTRIC COMPRESSOR FOR AUTOMOBILE USE
Abstract
An object of the present invention is to provide an electric
compressor for automobile use, which can satisfy a plurality of
requirements including protection of an inverter board, suppression
of electromagnetic noise, vibration and noise, and the like. A
cover 20B covering an opening of a housing 11 of the electric
compressor is configured by laminating a conductive material layer
21 formed of a conductive material and an insulating material layer
22 formed of an insulating material. By the conductive material
layer 21 of the cover 20B, electromagnetic noise radiated from the
inverter board 12 and the like is prevented from leaking to the
outside of the housing 11. Also, by providing the insulating
material layer 22 so as to be directed to the inside of the housing
11, the conductive material layer 21 of the cover 20B is insulated
from the inverter board 12 to which a high voltage is applied, so
that the electric compressor is made small in size. Also, by the
insulating material layer 22, vibration of the conductive material
layer 21 is suppressed, thus reducing vibration and noise of the
electric compressor.
Inventors: |
Hoshino; Akihiro;
(Nagoya-shi, JP) ; Nakano; Koji; (Nagoya-shi,
JP) ; Hattori; Makoto; (Kiyosu-shi, JP) ;
Toyama; Koji; (Nagoya-shi, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
WESTERMAN, HATTORI, DANIELS & ADRIAN, LLP
1250 CONNECTICUT AVENUE, NW, SUITE 700
WASHINGTON
DC
20036
US
|
Assignee: |
MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES,
LTD.
Tokyo
JP
|
Family ID: |
39737924 |
Appl. No.: |
12/513522 |
Filed: |
September 28, 2007 |
PCT Filed: |
September 28, 2007 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/JP2007/069099 |
371 Date: |
August 13, 2009 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
417/410.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H02K 11/022 20130101;
F04B 39/121 20130101; F04B 35/04 20130101; F04B 2203/0204 20130101;
H02K 11/33 20160101; H02K 5/24 20130101; H02K 11/0141 20200801 |
Class at
Publication: |
417/410.1 |
International
Class: |
F04B 17/03 20060101
F04B017/03 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 6, 2007 |
JP |
2007-055210 |
Claims
1. An electric compressor for automobile use comprising: a
compressor constituting an air conditioner for automobile use; a
motor for driving the compressor; a control board for controlling
the operation of the motor; a housing which accommodates the
compressor, the motor, and the control board, and has an opening
above the control board; and a cover which is arranged so as to
face the control board to close the opening of the housing, and is
configured by laminating a conductive material layer formed of a
conductive material and an insulating material layer formed of an
insulating material.
2. The electric compressor for automobile use according to claim 1,
wherein the cover is provided in a state in which the insulating
material layer is arranged on the side of the control board
accommodated in the housing.
3. The electric compressor for automobile use according to claim 2,
wherein in the outer peripheral part of the cover, the conductive
material layer is formed with an extending part extending to the
housing side; and the extending part is provided so as to cover the
side of the insulating material layer interposed between the
conductive material layer and the housing.
4. The electric compressor for automobile use according to claim 3,
wherein the extending part is provided so as to be in direct
contact with the outer peripheral surface of the housing.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to an electric compressor for
automobile use constituting an air conditioner for automobile
use.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] An air conditioner for automobile use is required to have
space-saving properties to accommodate various pieces of equipment
in an engine room of a vehicle. To meet this requirement, in recent
years, there has been provided an electric compressor unit in which
a compressor constituting an air conditioner for automobile use, a
motor for driving the compressor, and an inverter board for
converting a direct current to an alternating current to drive the
motor are integrated (for example, described in Patent Document
1).
[0003] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent No. 3086819
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
Problems to be Solved by the Invention
[0004] With recent advances in electric control of a vehicle, a
housing forming the shell of such an electric compressor has been
required to suppress radiation of electromagnetic noise, so that
the housing has conventionally been formed of a conductive material
such as aluminum.
[0005] In addition, since a voltage as high as 300 V is applied to
the inverter board to rotationally drive the motor, the housing
must have insulating properties from the surroundings.
[0006] Furthermore, vibration and noise caused by the rotation of
the compressor are required to be suppressed for the quietness of
vehicle.
[0007] The present invention has been accomplished to solve the
above technical problems, and accordingly an object thereof is to
provide an electric compressor for automobile use, which can
satisfy a plurality of requirements including security of
insulating properties, suppression of electromagnetic noise,
vibration and noise, and the like.
Means for Solving the Problems
[0008] An electric compressor for automobile use of the present
invention accomplished to achieve the above object comprises a
compressor constituting an air conditioner for automobile use; a
motor for driving the compressor; a control board for controlling
the operation of the motor; a housing which accommodates the
compressor, the motor, and the control board, and has an opening
above the control board; and a cover which is arranged so as to
face the control board to close the opening of the housing, and is
configured by laminating a conductive material layer formed of a
conductive material and an insulating material layer formed of an
insulating material.
[0009] According to this configuration, by the conductive material
layer of the cover, electromagnetic noise radiated from the control
board can be prevented from leaking to the outside of the
housing.
[0010] To the control board, a voltage as high as 300 V generated
by a generator constituting the air conditioner for automobile use
is supplied. Therefore, if a metal such as a battery terminal is
inadvertently brought into contact with the cover covering the
inverter board of the electric compressor, an electrical short
circuit or the like may occur. If the insulating material layer is
provided so as to be directed to the outside of the housing, even
if the terminal of, for example, a battery or a booster cable, the
terminal of electronic equipment, or the like is inadvertently
brought into contact with the cover from the outside, insulation
from a high voltage flowing in the control board can be attained,
and an electrical short circuit with the control board can be
prevented.
[0011] Furthermore, by forming the insulating material layer of a
resin or a rubber-based material, vibration of the conductive
material layer produced by the vibration caused by the rotation of
compressor can be suppressed, and thereby vibration and noise of
the electric compressor can be reduced.
[0012] Also, since a high voltage is applied to the inverter board,
to secure the insulating properties from the housing, a certain
distance (referred to as an insulation distance) is needed, which
hinders the downsizing of the housing. Therefore, if the cover is
provided in the state in which the insulating material layer is
arranged on the side of the control board accommodated in the
housing, by the insulating material layer, the conductive material
layer of the cover can be insulated from the control board to which
a high voltage is applied, so that the distance between the control
board and the conductive material layer (insulation distance) can
be decreased.
[0013] Furthermore, it is effective that in the outer peripheral
part of the cover, the conductive material layer is formed with an
extending part extending to the housing side, and the extending
part is provided so as to cover the side of the insulating material
layer interposed between the conductive material layer and the
housing. Thereby, electromagnetic noise can be restrained from
leaking from the insulating material layer interposed between the
conductive material layer and the housing to the side. Also, if the
extending part is provided so as to be in direct contact with the
outer peripheral surface of the housing, electrical continuity
between the conductive material layer and the housing can be
increased.
ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION
[0014] According to the present invention, by the cover configured
by laminating the conductive material layer formed of a conductive
material and the insulating material layer formed of an insulating
material, the plurality of requirements including security of
insulating properties, suppression of electromagnetic noise,
vibration and noise, and the like can be satisfied.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] FIG. 1 is a view showing a general configuration of an
electric compressor in accordance with an embodiment;
[0016] FIG. 2 is a view showing an example of a cover for an
electric compressor, showing a case where an insulating material
layer is provided so as to be directed to the outside of a
housing;
[0017] FIG. 3 is a view showing an example of a cover for an
electric compressor, showing a case where an insulating material
layer is provided so as to be directed to the inside of a housing;
and
[0018] FIG. 4 is a view showing a modified example of the cover
shown in FIG. 3.
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS
[0019] 10 . . . electric compressor, 11 . . . housing, 12 . . .
inverter board (control board), 13 . . . capacitor, 14 . . .
reactor, 15 . . . control circuit board, 20, 20A, 20B, 20C . . .
cover, 21 . . . conductive material layer, 21a . . . extending
part, 22 . . . insulating material layer, 23 . . . bolt
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
[0020] The present invention will now be described in detail based
on an embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings.
[0021] FIG. 1 is a view showing a configuration of an electric
compressor 10 in accordance with this embodiment.
[0022] As shown in FIG. 1, for the electric compressor 10, a motor
(not shown) and a scroll compressor (not shown) are accommodated in
a lower accommodation chamber 11a of a housing 11, and an inverter
board (control board) 12 is accommodated in an upper accommodation
chamber 11b, which has an upward opening, of the housing 11.
[0023] The inverter board 12 comprises a capacitor 13 and a reactor
14, which are used for smoothing a dc voltage supplied to the
inverter board 12, a control circuit board 15 for controlling the
application of a high ac voltage to the motor, and a power board 16
for converting a high-voltage direct current to a high-voltage
alternating current and applying the alternating current to the
motor to rotationally drive the motor.
[0024] The upward opening of the upper accommodation chamber 11b is
covered with a cover 20. Hereunder, a plurality of modes of the
cover 20 are explained.
[0025] A cover 20A shown in FIG. 2 has an external shape that
corresponds to the shape of the opening of the upper accommodation
chamber lib, and is configured so that a conductive material layer
21 formed of a conductive material such as aluminum or an
iron-based material and an insulating material layer 22 formed of
an insulating material such as a resin or a rubber-based material
are laminated. By the contact of the conductive material layer 21
of the cover 20A with the housing 11, electrical continuity is
made.
[0026] The cover 20A can be provided in the state in which the
insulating material layer 22 is directed to the outside of the
housing 11, and the conductive material layer 21 is directed to the
inside of the housing 11.
[0027] The cover 20A is attached to the housing 11 with bolts 23 or
the like.
[0028] In the above-described configuration, by the conductive
material layer 21 of the cover 20A, electromagnetic noise radiated
from the inverter board 12 and the like can be prevented from
leaking to the outside of the housing 11.
[0029] By providing the insulating material layer 22 so as to be
directed to the outside of the housing 11, even if the terminal of,
for example, a battery or a booster cable, the terminal of
electronic equipment, or the like is inadvertently brought into
contact with the cover 20A in the engine room of a vehicle,
insulation from a high voltage flowing in the inverter board 12 can
be attained, and an electrical short circuit with the inverter
board 12 can be prevented.
[0030] Furthermore, since the insulating material layer 22 is
formed of a resin or a rubber-based material, vibration of the
conductive material layer 21 of the cover 20A produced by the
vibration caused by the rotation of compressor can be suppressed,
and thereby vibration and noise as the electric compressor 10 can
be reduced.
[0031] Also, a cover 20B shown in FIG. 3 differs from the cover 20A
shown in FIG. 2 in that the lamination sequence of the conductive
material layer 21 and the insulating material layer 22 is reversed.
That is to say, the cover 20B configured by laminating the
conductive material layer 21 formed of a conductive material and
the insulating material layer 22 is provided in the state in which
the insulating material layer 22 is directed to the inside of the
housing 11, and the conductive material layer 21 is directed to the
outside of the housing 11.
[0032] In the cover 20B, electrical continuity between the
conductive material layer 21 of the cover 20B and the housing 11 is
made by the bolts 23 for attaching the cover 20B to the housing
11.
[0033] In the above-described configuration, by the conductive
material layer 21 of the cover 20B, electromagnetic noise radiated
from the inverter board 12 and the like can be prevented from
leaking to the outside of the housing 11.
[0034] Also, by providing the insulating material layer 22 so as to
be directed to the inside of the housing 11, the conductive
material layer 21 of the cover 20B can be insulated from the
inverter board 12 to which a high voltage is applied, so that the
distance between the inverter board 12 and the conductive material
layer 21 (insulation distance) can be decreased. As a result, the
housing 11, that is, the electric compressor 10 can be made small
in size.
[0035] Also, this insulating material layer 22 is provided so as to
be interposed between the conductive material layer 21 and an outer
peripheral edge part 11c of the housing 11, and is formed of a
resin or a rubber-based material that is softer than the conductive
material layer 21 and the housing 11, so that the insulating
material layer 22 functions as a packing between the cover 20B and
the housing 11. Thereby, the sealing ability between the cover 20B
and the housing 11 is enhanced, and thereby the waterproofness and
dustproofness in the housing 11 can be improved.
[0036] Furthermore, by this insulating material layer 22 as well,
vibration of the conductive material layer 21 of the cover 20B
produced by the vibration caused by the rotation of compressor can
be suppressed, and thereby vibration and noise as the electric
compressor 10 can be reduced.
[0037] A cover 20c shown in FIG. 4 is configured so as to have a
shape such that the conductive material layer 21 is in direct
contact with the housing 11 in the outer peripheral part of the
cover 20B shown in FIG. 3.
[0038] That is to say, the cover 20C is configured by laminating
the conductive material layer 21 formed of a conductive material
and the insulating material layer 22, and is provided in the state
in which the insulating material layer 22 is directed to the inside
of the housing 11 and the conductive material layer 21 is directed
to the outside of the housing 11. In the outer peripheral part of
the cover 20C, the conductive material layer 21 is integrally
formed with an extending part 21a that intersects at right angles
with a surface 20f of the main part of the cover 20C and extends to
the housing 11 side. This extending part 21a may be formed
continuously throughout the entire periphery of the outer
peripheral part of the cover 20C, or may be formed at a plurality
of locations.
[0039] The cover 20C is fixed to the housing 11 with bolts 23 or
the like. It is preferable that the extending part 21a of the
conductive material layer 21 be in direct contact with the outer
peripheral surface of the housing 11 in the state in which the
cover 20C is fixed to the housing 11.
[0040] In the above-described configuration, like the cover 20B
shown in FIG. 3, by the conductive material layer 21 of the cover
20C, electromagnetic noise radiated from the inverter board 12 and
the like can be prevented from leaking to the outside of the
housing 11.
[0041] Also, by providing the insulating material layer 22 so as to
be directed to the inside of the housing 11, the conductive
material layer 21 of the cover 20C can be insulated from the
inverter board 12 to which a high voltage is applied, so that the
electric compressor 10 can be made small in size. Further, the
insulating material layer 22 is provided so as to be interposed
between the conductive material layer 21 and the outer peripheral
edge part 11c of the housing 11, so that the insulating material
layer 22 functions as a packing. Thereby, the waterproofness and
dustproofness in the housing 11 can be improved.
[0042] In addition, by this insulating material layer 22, vibration
of the conductive material layer 21 can be suppressed, and thereby
vibration and noise as the electric compressor 10 can be
reduced.
[0043] In the cover 20C, since the extending part 21a is located on
the outer periphery side of the insulating material layer 22,
electromagnetic noise is restrained from leaking from the
insulating material layer 22 interposed between the conductive
material layer 21 and the housing 11 to the side, so that the
electromagnetic noise suppressing effect is further enhanced. Also,
if the extending part 21a formed in the outer peripheral part of
the conductive material layer 21 is brought into direct contact
with the outer peripheral surface of the housing 11, electrical
continuity between the conductive material layer 21 of the cover
20C and the housing 11 can be increased. Also, since being formed
so as to intersect at right angles with the surface 21f of the main
part of the conductive material layer 21, the extending part 21a
also functions as a reinforcement for the cover 20C. Thereby, the
thickness of the conductive material layer 21 can be decreased,
which leads to a reduction in weight of the electric compressor
10.
[0044] In the above-described embodiment, the shapes and
constructions of parts of the electric compressor 10, the
configuration of the inverter board 12, and the like are not
subject to any restriction.
[0045] Also, the insulating material layer 22 may be provided not
only on either one surface side of the conductive material layer 21
but also on both surface sides thereof. In the latter case, the
effects of both of the covers 20A and 20B shown in FIGS. 2 and 3
can be achieved.
[0046] Besides, the configurations described in the above-described
embodiment can be chosen or changed appropriately to other
configurations without departing from the spirit and scope of the
present invention.
* * * * *