U.S. patent application number 13/320530 was filed with the patent office on 2012-03-15 for inverter-integrated electric compressor.
Invention is credited to Eisuke Fujimura, Jun Mizuno, Kazumi Osato, Makoto Shibuya, Masanori Taguchi.
Application Number | 20120063935 13/320530 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 43085044 |
Filed Date | 2012-03-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120063935 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Fujimura; Eisuke ; et
al. |
March 15, 2012 |
Inverter-Integrated Electric Compressor
Abstract
An inverter-integrated electric compressor configured in such a
manner that a motor is incorporated within a compressor, a control
circuit board is provided to an inverter section which is provided
with a motor drive circuit for driving the motor, and electric
component parts including the control circuit board is fixed within
a containment space surrounded by a compressor housing, wherein the
control circuit board is fixed within the housing space through a
board-fixing section, and a board vibration-isolating member, said
board vibration-isolating member consisting of an electrically
insulative elastic material, is provided between the control
circuit board and the board-fixing section. A frame member having a
convcave holding section may be loaded on the control circuit
board, and a board vibration-isolating member, said board
vibration-isolating member consisting of an electrically insulative
elastic material, may be provided between the control circuit board
and the frame member. The inverter-integrated electric compressor
has highly reliable performance and configured in such a manner
that the vibration of the control circuit board of the motor drive
circuit is suppressed as much as possible.
Inventors: |
Fujimura; Eisuke; (Gunma,
JP) ; Taguchi; Masanori; (Gunma, JP) ; Osato;
Kazumi; (Gunma, JP) ; Mizuno; Jun; (Gunma,
JP) ; Shibuya; Makoto; (Gunma, JP) |
Family ID: |
43085044 |
Appl. No.: |
13/320530 |
Filed: |
May 12, 2010 |
PCT Filed: |
May 12, 2010 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/JP2010/058021 |
371 Date: |
November 14, 2011 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
417/410.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F04C 2240/808 20130101;
F04B 39/121 20130101; F04C 18/0215 20130101; F04C 23/008 20130101;
F04C 2270/12 20130101; F04C 2240/30 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
417/410.1 |
International
Class: |
F04B 35/04 20060101
F04B035/04 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
May 13, 2009 |
JP |
2009-116275 |
Sep 4, 2009 |
JP |
2009-204684 |
Claims
1. An inverter-integrated electric compressor, wherein a compressor
incorporates a motor, an inverter section having a motor drive
circuit to, drive said motor is provided with a control circuit
board, and electric component parts including said control circuit
board are fixed in a housing space surrounded by a compressor
housing, characterized in that said control circuit board is fixed
through a board-fixing section in said housing space and a
vibration isolating for board vibration-isolating member, which is
made of an electrically insulative elastic material, is provided so
as to interpose between said control circuit board and said
board-fixing section.
2. The inverter-integrated electric compressor according to claim
1, wherein said electric component parts are sealed at least
partially by an electrically insulative filler filled in said
housing space.
3. The inverter-integrated electric compressor according to claim
2, wherein said board vibration-isolating member is made of a
material harder than said electrically insulative filler.
4. The inverter-integrated electric compressor according to claim
1, wherein said control circuit board is provided with an insertion
hole through which a part of said board vibration-isolating member
is inserted so as to fix said vibration-isolating member onto said
control circuit board, and that said board vibration-isolating
member is provided with a neck part having a smaller diameter than
said insertion hole and a locking part having a greater diameter
than said insertion hole.
5. The inverter-integrated electric compressor according to claim
1, wherein a frame member having a concave holding section with a
concave part formed into a concave shape is loaded onto said
control circuit board while said board vibration-isolating member
made of an electrically insulative elastic material is provided so
as to interpose between said control circuit board and said frame
member.
6. The inverter-integrated electric compressor according to claim
5, wherein said board vibration-isolating member is disposed as
being plane-symmetrical viewed from said control circuit board.
7. The inverter-integrated electric compressor according to claim
5, wherein said insertion hole is a through-hole and that one board
vibration-isolating member between said control circuit board and
said frame member is formed integrally with another board
vibration-isolating member between said control circuit board and
said board-fixing section.
8. The inverter-integrated electric compressor according to claim
5, wherein said frame member is formed integrally with said board
vibration-isolating member.
9. The inverter-integrated electric compressor according to claim
1, wherein said compressor is used in an air conditioning system
for vehicles.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to an inverter-integrated
electric compressor which incorporates a motor drive circuit
including an inverter, and specifically relates to an
inverter-integrated electric compressor which prevents external
vibration from transmitting to a control circuit board of the motor
drive circuit.
BACKGROUND ART OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Such a structure as disclosed in Patent document 1 is known
as a structure of an inverter-integrated electric compressor which
incorporates a motor drive circuit including an inverter therein.
In such a structure, a printed circuit board is fixed so as to be
clipped between a structural body extending from an electric motor
housing and a top lid, in order to enhance the vibration resistance
of the printed circuit board composing a part of the motor drive
circuit.
[0003] Patent document 2 discloses an automotive electric
compressor which is filled with insulation gel agent as covering a
circuit board for a countermeasure against vibration of circuit
boards, etc. Patent document 3 discloses an electric compressor in
which a heavy load made of potting material is placed on the center
of a circuit board so as to function as a vibration-isolating
member, in order to prevent vibration of the circuit board without
filling gel thereinto.
PRIOR ART DOCUMENTS
[0004] Patent Documents
[0005] Patent document 1: JP2006-177214-A
[0006] Patent document 2: JP2006-316754-A
[0007] Patent document 3: JP2008-133729-A
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] Problems to be Solved by the Invention
[0009] The vibration of the control circuit board of a motor drive
circuit including an inverter can be prevented to some extent by
introducing such structures as disclosed in Patent documents 1-3.
However, the vibration of the control circuit board cannot be
perfectly restrained even by applying such structures.
Particularly, because external vibration transmitted to the control
circuit board makes the control circuit board itself generate
bending and vibration, it has been difficult to eradicate the
possibility that component parts which have been placed on the
control circuit board might fall away from the control circuit
board.
[0010] Therefore, being focused on the above-described problems, an
object of the present invention is to provide an
inverter-integrated electric compressor, of which control circuit
board of a motor drive circuit is prevented from vibrating as much
as possible, having high performance reliability.
[0011] Means for Solving the Problems
[0012] To achieve the above described object, an
inverter-integrated electric compressor according to the present
invention is an inverter-integrated electric compressor, wherein a
compressor incorporates a motor, an inverter section having a motor
drive circuit to drive the motor is provided with a control circuit
board, and electric component parts including the control circuit
board are fixed in a housing space surrounded by a compressor
housing, characterized in that the control circuit board is fixed
through a board-fixing section in the housing space and a board
vibration-isolating member, which is made of an electrically
insulative elastic material, is provided so as to interpose between
the control circuit board and the board-fixing section. The
board-fixing section can be realized by a plate-like fixing member
(board-fixing plate) which fixes the control circuit board, for
example. Alternatively, the control circuit board can be fixed
directly to a compressor housing itself as a board-fixing section,
with no fixing member.
[0013] The inverter-integrated electric compressor according to the
present invention makes it possible that the control circuit board
is prevented from bending and vibrating which are accompanied by
vibration transmitted from outside, because the control circuit
board is fixed through the board-fixing section in the housing
space surrounded by a compressor housing while the board
vibration-isolating member made of electrically insulative elastic
material is provided so as to interpose between the control circuit
board and the board-fixing section. It is preferable that the board
vibration-isolating member is bonded to the control circuit board
or the board-fixing section, from a viewpoint of an easy
assembling.
[0014] In the inverter-integrated electric compressor according to
the present invention, it is preferable that a frame member having
a concave holding section with a concave part formed into a concave
shape is loaded onto the control circuit board while the board
vibration-isolating member made of an electrically insulative
elastic material is provided so as to interpose between the control
circuit board and the frame member. In addition, the concave part
of the concave holding section can be formed into a concave shape
along outlines of electric component parts loaded onto the control
circuit board so as to improve vibration prevention ability of the
electric component parts. When the frame member with the concave
holding section is loaded onto the control circuit board while the
board vibration-isolating member made of electrically insulative
elastic material is provided as interposing between the control
circuit board and the frame member, the control circuit board can
be further prevented from bending and vibrating which are
accompanied by vibration transmitted from the outside. It is
preferable that the board vibration-isolating member is bonded to
the frame member or the control circuit board from a viewpoint of
an easy assembling. Alternatively, it is possible that a plurality
of board vibration-isolating members are provided at either obverse
side or reverse side of the control circuit board respectively.
[0015] In the inverter-integrated electric compressor according to
the present invention, it is preferable that the electric component
parts are sealed at least partially by an electrically insulative
filler filled in the housing space. When the electrically
insulative filler, such as urethane resin, is filled in the housing
space and at least a part of the electric component parts are
sealed, the motor drive circuit is kept electrically insulative
while the control circuit board is further prevented from
vibrating.
[0016] In the inverter-integrated electric compressor according to
the present invention, it is preferable that the board
vibration-isolating member is made of a material harder than the
electrically insulative filler. Specifically when urethane resin is
employed as the electrically insulative filler, synthetic rubber
such as ethylene propylene rubber (EPDM) and silicone rubber or
natural rubber can be employed as the board vibration-isolating
member. Besides, being harder than the electrically insulative
filler means that a hardness which is measured with a durometer in
conformity with JISK6253 is higher than the electrically insulative
filler.
[0017] In the inverter-integrated electric compressor according to
the present invention, it is preferable that the control circuit
board is provided with an insertion hole through which a part of
the board vibration-isolating member is inserted so as to fix the
vibration-isolating member onto the control circuit board, and that
the board vibration-isolating member is provided with a neck part
having a smaller diameter than the insertion hole and a locking
part having a greater diameter than the insertion hole. When such
an insertion hole is provided, the board vibration-isolating member
can be easily set to a fixing position on the control circuit
board.
[0018] In the inverter-integrated electric compressor according to
the present invention, it is preferable that the board
vibration-isolating members are disposed as being plane-symmetrical
viewed from the control circuit board. When the board
vibration-isolating members are disposed as plane-symmetrical as
viewed from the control circuit board, the control circuit board is
sandwiched from both top and bottom sides by the board
vibration-isolating member, as more firmly achieving vibration
prevention.
[0019] In the inverter-integrated electric compressor according to
the present invention, it is preferable that the insertion hole is
a through-hole and that one board vibration-isolating member
between the control circuit board and the frame member is formed
integrally with another board vibration-isolating member between
the control circuit board and the board-fixing section. Thus, board
vibration-isolating members provided at both top/bottom sides may
be formed integrally, so as to decrease the number of component
parts which compose the electric compressor while the board
vibration-isolating member is easily fixed onto the control circuit
board without bonding the board vibration-isolating member onto the
control circuit board, and therefore, the electric compressor can
be improved in assembly easiness. It is preferable that the board
vibration-isolating member is formed such that the locking part is
deformed elastically so as to come to have smaller diameter than
the insertion hole when compression force is applied from outside
and such that it is restored elastically so as to come to have
greater diameter than the insertion hole when the compression force
is removed. The board vibration-isolating member of which locking
part is formed as such makes it easier to fix the board
vibration-isolating member onto the control circuit board.
[0020] In the inverter-integrated electric compressor according to
the present invention, it is possible that the frame member is
formed integrally with the board vibration-isolating member. If the
frame member is formed integrally with the board
vibration-isolating member made of electrically insulative elastic
material, the number of component parts which compose the electric
compressor can be decreased and the frame member can absorb a shock
even when the frame member is shocked from outside.
[0021] It is suitably preferable that the inverter-integrated
electric compressor according to the present invention is used in
an air conditioning system for vehicles. Namely, because the
control circuit board which composes the motor drive circuit is
highly prevented from vibrating in the inverter-integrated electric
compressor, required performance reliability can be ensured even in
an air conditioning system for vehicles, which is attached to
engines and required to have superior vibration resistance.
[0022] Effect According to the Invention
[0023] The inverter-integrated electric compressor according to the
present invention makes it possible that the control circuit board
is efficiently prevented from vibrating, because the control
circuit board composing a part of the inverter section is fixed
through the board-fixing section and the frame member is loaded
onto the control circuit board while the board vibration-isolating
member made of electrically insulative elastic material is
interposed between the control circuit board and the board-fixing
section as well as between the control circuit board and the frame
member. Further, the vibration resistance of the electric
compressor can be improved much more because the electric
components are sealed at least partially by the electrically
insulative filler which is filled into the housing space surrounded
by the compressor housing.
BRIEF EXPLANATION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0024] FIG. 1 is a longitudinal section view showing an
inverter-integrated electric compressor according to an embodiment
of the present invention.
[0025] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the inverter section of
FIG. 1.
[0026] FIG. 3 is an elevation view showing a fixing structure of
the control circuit board of FIG. 2 in the housing space.
[0027] FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the frame member of FIG.
3.
[0028] FIG. 5 is an elevation view showing examples (A)-(C), for
combinations of a board vibration-isolating member and an insertion
hole according to the present invention.
[0029] FIG. 6 is a section view showing an embodiment of an
inverter section according to the present invention.
[0030] FIG. 7 is a section view showing another embodiment of the
inverter section according to the present invention.
EMBODIMENTS FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
[0031] Hereinafter, desirable embodiments of the present invention
will be explained as referring to figures.
[0032] FIG. 1 shows a whole of inverter-integrated electric
compressor 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
In FIG. 1, compression mechanism 2 is comprised of fixed scroll 3
and movable scroll 4. Movable scroll 4 is made to swing relative to
fixed scroll 3 as being prevented from rotation with a
rotation-preventing mechanism. Motor 7 is incorporated in
compressor housing (center housing) 6. Main shaft 8 (rotation
shaft) is driven to rotate by motor 7. The rotation of main shaft 8
is converted into the swing of movable scroll 4, through eccentric
pin 9 which is provided at a side of main shaft 8 and eccentric
bush 10 which is engaged rotatably therewith. In this embodiment,
refrigerant, which has been sucked as fluid to be compressed, is
led to compression mechanism 2 through a providing-section for
motor 7. The refrigerant which has been compressed by compression
mechanism 2 is delivered via discharge hole 13 and discharge
chamber 14 into an external circuit out of compressor housing (rear
housing) 15.
[0033] Inverter section 21 having a circuit for driving motor 7 is
provided in a housing space surrounded by compressor housing 12
(front housing). In further detail, inverter section 21 is provided
at an outer side of partition wall 22, which is provided against
the side of passageway for sucking refrigerant in compressor
housing 12. Inverter section 21 supplies electricity to motor 7
through lead wire and through seal terminal 23 (output terminal of
inverter section 21) which is provided as penetrating partition
wall 22. In a providing-section for seal terminal 23, the side of
passageway for sucking refrigerant and the side of provided
inverter section 21 are sealed. Thus inverter section 21 is
provided at an outer side of partition wall 22, so that electric
component parts composing inverter section 21 can be at least
partially cooled through partition wall 22 by sucked
refrigerant.
[0034] Inverter section 21 is comprised of electrical components
such as IPM (Intelligent Power Module) 25, which has an inverter
function, and control circuit board 26 and is also comprised of
other electric component parts such as capacitor 27 which is
provided separately or integrally therewith. The opening side to
the outside of compressor housing 12 which mounts inverter section
21 is covered as being sealed with lid member 29, and motor drive
circuit 21 is protected by lid member 29.
[0035] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing inverter section 21 of
FIG. 1. Inverter section 21 is composed of noise filter 30, HV
connector 31, LV connector 32, etc., other than IPM 25 and control
circuit board 26. Because a lot of electric component parts are
loaded onto control circuit board 26, performance reliability of
the electric compressor tends to be lost if vibration is not
sufficiently prevented. Above all electric component parts,
capacitor 27 is a component part which tends to fall away from a
control circuit board under vibration thereof because of its great
height when mounted on control circuit board 26.
[0036] FIG. 3 shows a structure where control circuit board 26 of
FIG. 2 is fixed in a housing space surrounded by compressor housing
12 where compressor housing 12, board-fixing plate 36, control
circuit board 26 and frame member 37 are placed according to
placement order at the time of assembling, being depicted as an
elevation view from the lower side of FIG. 2. Control circuit board
26 is fixed on compressor housing 12 (front housing) by bolts
through board-fixing plate 36. Board vibration-isolating member 38
made of columned EPDM rubber is fixed to board-fixing plate 36 by
bonding. Control circuit board 26 and board-fixing member 36 are
fastened by bolts, so that board vibration-isolating member 38 is
pushed to contact control circuit board 26, as preventing vibration
of control circuit board 26. Board vibration-isolating member 39 is
bonded to be fixed to frame member 37 as being positioned
symmetrically from board vibration-isolating member 38 with respect
to plane of control circuit board 26. Thus board-fixing plate 36
and frame member 37, to which board vibration-isolating members 38,
39 are fixed by bonding respectively, are fixed by bolts as
sandwiching control circuit board 26, so that control circuit board
26 is prevented from bending and vibrating.
[0037] FIG. 4 is a plan view of frame member 37 of FIG. 3 from the
upper side of FIG. 3. Frame member 37 has concave holding section
40 which has a concave part formed into a concave shape and vent
hole 41 which is perforated in concave holding section 40. Frame
member 37, when loaded as covering control circuit board 26 as
shown in FIG. 3, forms the gap which can be filled with urethane
resin as electrically insulative filler together with control
circuit board 26. This gap is sealed by filling with urethane
resin, so that circuit component parts, such as control circuit
board 26 and capacitor 27 placed on control circuit board 26, can
be further firmly prevented from vibrating. In addition, because
providing with vent hole 41 makes it possible to prevent air from
generating and staying inside urethane resin, circuit component
parts such as capacitor 27 can be firmly fixed onto control circuit
board 26 after the urethane resin is hardened. In addition, because
board vibration-isolating member 39 is formed by material harder
than urethane resin, even after the urethane resin is hardened the
effect of vibration isolating for the control circuit board can be
maintained.
[0038] FIG. 5 is an elevation view showing examples (A)-(C) for
combination of a board vibration-isolating member and an insertion
hole for fixing the board vibration-isolating member onto the
control circuit board. In example (A), insertion holes 44,45,
through which neck parts 42,43 of board vibration-isolating members
38,39 are inserted, are positioned symmetrically from each other
with respect to plane of control circuit board 26, where board
vibration-isolating members 38,39 are locked onto control circuit
board 26 by locking parts 46,47. As in example (A), insertion holes
44,45 are positioned symmetrically from each other with respect to
plane of control circuit board 26, so that board-fixing plate 36
and frame member 37 push control circuit board 26 from both top and
bottom sides with board vibration-isolating members 38,39, so as to
make it possible to prevent vibration of control circuit board 26,
and therefore, the effect of vibration isolating can be improved.
In example (B), a tip of neck part 50 of board vibration-isolating
member 49 is provided with stopper part 51 having greater diameter
than insertion hole 48 which is a through-hole. After stopper part
51 is elastically deformed and inserted into insertion hole 48,
stopper part 51 is elastically restored at the opposite side of
locking part 52 as viewed from control circuit board 26, so as to
achieve a structure where board vibration-isolating member 49
cannot easily fall away from insertion hole 48 of control circuit
board 26. Example (C) is developed one of examples (A) and (B).
Board vibration-isolating member 53 is fixed onto control circuit
board 26 by inserting neck part 54 of board vibration-isolating
member 53 into insertion hole 48 which is a through-hole. One
locking part 55 of board vibration-isolating member 53 is
elastically deformed and inserted into insertion hole 48, and is
elastically restored at the opposite side of the other locking part
56 with respect to control circuit board 26, so as to achieve a
structure where board vibration-isolating member 53 cannot easily
fall away from insertion hole 48 of control circuit board 26, as
with example (B). In example (C), as with example (A) board-fixing
plate 36 and frame member 37 push control circuit board 26 from
both top and bottom sides with board vibration-isolating member 53,
so as to prevent vibration of control circuit board 26. Namely,
example (C) is a developed example where board vibration-isolating
members 38,39 in example (A) are combined.
[0039] FIG. 6 is a section view showing an embodiment of inverter
section 21 as an application of the present invention. In this
embodiment, control circuit board 26, which is provided with
electric component parts such as capacitor 27, is fixed to
compressor housing 12 as a board-fixing section through board
vibration-isolating member 38. In such a condition where the
circuit board is prevented from vibrating, electrically insulative
filler such as urethane resin is filled in the housing space of
compressor housing, so as to seal control circuit board 26
including electric component parts such as capacitor 27.
[0040] FIG. 7 is a section view showing another embodiment of
inverter section 21 as an application of the present invention. In
this embodiment, control circuit board 26, which is provided with
electric component parts such as capacitor 27, is fixed to
compressor housing 12 as a board-fixing section through board
vibration-isolating member 38, and is covered by frame member 37 at
the upper side of FIG. 7 while board vibration-isolating member 39
is interposed between control circuit board 26 and frame member 37.
Thus control circuit board 26 is fixed as sandwiched between board
vibration-isolating members 38,39 from obverse side and reverse
side, so that control circuit board 26 is efficiently prevented
from vibrating. In such a condition where the circuit board is
prevented from vibrating, electrically insulative filler such as
urethane resin is filled in the housing space of compressor housing
12, so as to seal control circuit board 26 including electric
component parts such as capacitor 27.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS OF THE INVENTION
[0041] The inverter-integrated electric compressor according to the
present invention is applicable to substantially all types of
compressors, and is specifically suitable for a compressor to be
mounted in vehicles where it is often mounted in a narrow space and
its motor drive circuit is sensitive to heat and vibration.
EXPLANATION OF SYMBOLS
[0042] 1: inverter-integrated electric compressor
[0043] 2: compression mechanism
[0044] 3: fixed scroll
[0045] 4: movable scroll
[0046] 6: compressor housing (center housing)
[0047] 7: motor
[0048] 8: main shaft
[0049] 9: eccentric pin
[0050] 10: eccentric bush
[0051] 12: compressor housing (front housing)
[0052] 13: discharge hole
[0053] 14: discharge chamber
[0054] 15: compressor housing (rear housing)
[0055] 21: inverter section
[0056] 22: partition wall
[0057] 23: seal terminal
[0058] 25: IPM
[0059] 26: control circuit board
[0060] 27: capacitor
[0061] 29: lid member
[0062] 30: noise filter
[0063] 31: HV connector
[0064] 32: LV connector
[0065] 36: board-fixing plate
[0066] 37: frame member
[0067] 38, 39, 49, 53: board vibration-isolating member
[0068] 40: concave holding section
[0069] 41: vent hole
[0070] 42, 43, 50, 54: neck part
[0071] 44, 45, 48: insertion hole
[0072] 51: stopper part
[0073] 46, 47, 52, 55, 56: locking part
* * * * *