CN106953473B

CN106953473B - Casing with built-in control device and electric compressor combined with the casing

Info

Publication number: CN106953473B
Application number: CN201611009918.8A
Authority: CN
Inventors: A.贝雷特
Original assignee: Valeo Japan Co Ltd
Current assignee: Valeo Japan Co Ltd
Priority date: 2015-11-16
Filing date: 2016-11-16
Publication date: 2021-01-22
Anticipated expiration: 2036-11-16
Also published as: EP3168476B1; FR3043878B1; CN106953473A; EP3168476A1; FR3043878A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to an electric compressor housing 1 for a vehicle, which delimits an inner space 132 closed by a cover 50, which inner space is designed to receive at least one printed circuit board 40, which printed circuit board 40 forms a control device for an electric motor built in the electric compressor, the housing 1 having at least one positioning device 11, which is designed to position the printed circuit board 40 in the inner space 132, said positioning device 11 passing through the printed circuit board 40 such that a free end 13 of the positioning device 11 protrudes beyond the surface of the printed circuit board 40, said free end 13 cooperating with said cover 50 such that the cover 50 can be positioned in a predetermined position relative to the housing 1.

Description

Casing with built-in control device and electric compressor combined with the casing

Technical Field

The present invention relates to the motor vehicle industry. More specifically, the invention relates to a casing designed to contain the control means for the electric motor of the compressor, in particular an electric refrigeration compressor with built-in control means.

Background

Currently, the motor vehicle industry provides users with motor vehicles equipped with air conditioning systems designed to regulate the temperature within the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle. Recently, continuous improvements in this field have resulted in electric compressors provided with built-in control devices. Such an electric compressor is produced by building the control means into a housing provided for this purpose. Such electric compressors with built-in control are now provided in air-conditioned vehicles, such as motor vehicles.

An electric compressor with built-in control device designed for a motor vehicle comprises a housing receiving the electric motor of the compressor, a compression mechanism and a control device for the electric motor, called control device, located inside the housing. The control device is designed to convert direct current generated from a high-voltage power supply into three-phase alternating current, and supply the three-phase alternating current to a motor of the compressor through electrical terminals. The electrical terminals enable the motor to be powered while ensuring that the coolant circuit remains sealed.

The control device for an electric motor includes a plurality of electronic components, including a printed circuit board. Further, the compressor may include electrical terminals as described above, as well as low and high voltage connectors. The different components mentioned above are assembled inside the housing and their respective positions relative to each other need to be ensured so that an automatic rigid attachment method can be used on the printed circuit board. Furthermore, a perfect seal must be ensured, which requires a precise positioning of the closure lid on the housing.

While these various components often have dimensional tolerances to facilitate their assembly, this pre-assembly stage is still critical. This criticality leads to alignment difficulties which ultimately lead to failures which result in the housing in which the control device is installed or even the entire compressor being discarded, in particular due to insufficient sealing between the housing and the cover.

The applicant has demonstrated the need to improve these prior art techniques in order to ensure an efficient, functional and perfectly sealed assembly of the different components of the control device inside the compressor casing, so as to position and electrically connect the compressor casing automatically and reliably. This ensures optimum operation of the control device and ultimately of the electric compressor in combination with such a control device.

Disclosure of Invention

It is therefore an object of the present invention to perfect a casing designed to receive the different components of a control device for an electric motor of a compressor, and more particularly a control device that can be built-in an electric motor with a built-in inverter, in which the positioning of said different components of said control device with respect to each other is optimized by the structure of the casing itself, so as to ensure their respective positions and their rigid attachment to each other. This object is fully achieved if the alignment means of the components of the control device are also aligned with the cover, ensuring that the control device is sealed and protected.

The present invention relates to an electrical compressor housing for a vehicle, which delimits an interior space closed by a cover, which interior space is designed to receive at least one printed circuit board forming a control device for an electric motor built into the electrical compressor, which housing has at least one positioning device designed to position the printed circuit board in the interior space, which positioning device penetrates the printed circuit board such that a free end of the positioning device protrudes beyond the surface of the printed circuit board, which free end cooperates with the cover such that the cover can be positioned in a predetermined position relative to the housing.

The position of the printed circuit board relative to the other components placed in the interior space and the position of the cover are thus ensured in a particularly simple and reliable manner, so that an automatic rigid attachment method for these components can be used. The single positioning means, in particular the alignment pins, ensure a correct positioning of the printed circuit board and the cover.

The housing according to the invention can advantageously have the following features taken alone or in combination:

-the position of the printed circuit board aligns said board with respect to at least one aperture formed in the housing and designed to receive an electrical connector,

-the at least one positioning device is located in the vicinity of the aperture so as to set the predetermined position for the electrical connector within the housing relative to the position of the at least one aperture,

-the housing comprises at least a first aperture designed to receive a first electrical connector and a second aperture designed to receive a second electrical connector, characterized in that the positioning device is located between the first aperture and the second aperture,

according to a first variant, the positioning means are located on the housing in a strip delimited on one side by a first aperture and on the other side by a second aperture,

more specifically, the positioning means are mounted on the housing within said strip and within a strip delimited by a second straight line passing through the top of the two apertures and a second straight line passing through the base of the two apertures. In this respect, the positioning means are strictly speaking located between the two orifices,

the housing defines a gap separated from the inner space by a bottom and designed to receive an electric motor, electrical terminals designed to form an electrical connection between the printed circuit board and the electric motor,

-a sealing element is positioned at the interface between the perimeter of the interior space and the perimeter of the lid, in order to ensure that said lid sealingly closes the interior space,

the sealing element is made of a flexible material or a thin metal or a multilayer combination of metal and synthetic material,

-positioning means cooperating with the sealing element to enable said sealing element to be positioned in a predetermined position with respect to the housing.

The invention also relates to an electric air-conditioning compressor for a vehicle comprising a housing according to any one of the features described in this document.

According to one aspect of the compressor, the first connector is disposed in the first aperture of the housing, the second connector is disposed in the second aperture of the housing, and the printed circuit board is connected to the first connector and the second connector by at least one solder joint.

Advantageously, the compressor comprises an electric motor controlled by the printed circuit board and received in a gap of the casing opposite the inner space with respect to the bottom.

According to a variant embodiment, the compressor comprises a scroll compression device driven by an electric motor.

The printed circuit board is a main component of a control device of a motor mounted in a compressor. The control device also comprises a power supply module. The latter controls the speed of the electric motor of the compressor, thereby achieving a variable coolant rate to allow regulation of the temperature within the vehicle's passenger compartment with air conditioning. In this way, the rotational speed of the electric compressor may be varied as a function of the load of the air conditioning system of the vehicle.

Drawings

The objects, objects and features of the invention and its advantages are more clearly set forth in the description of the preferred embodiments of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an electric compressor with a built-in control device;

figure 2 is a front view of a housing designed to receive the different components of the control device according to the invention;

fig. 3 is a front view of the housing shown in fig. 2 after the printed circuit board has been placed therein;

figure 4 is a partial cross-section of a housing fitted with a cover positioned on the housing, the housing being designed to receive a control device;

figure 5 shows a sealing element designed to be positioned between the housing and the cover of the housing.

All other relevant objects are explained in the description.

Detailed Description

With specific reference to fig. 1 to 5, the following description is intended to clearly and completely explain the present invention, but should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention to the embodiments described below.

Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of an electric air conditioner compressor 100 with a built-in control device 140. The apparatus 100 includes a motor 110 designed to operate a compression device 120, the compression device 120 being, for example, a scroll compression device. The electric compressor 100 comprises a housing 130 designed to receive a control device 140 of the electric motor. As described above, the control device 140 is an inverter, i.e., a device for converting direct current into alternating current, and a device for controlling the rotational speed of the motor of the compressor.

The motor 110 has a rotating shaft 131 that rotates about a longitudinal axis a. The housing 130 according to the present invention may be attached to the first longitudinal end of the motor 110 by being attached to an additional housing containing the motor 110. The housing 130 delimits an interior space 132 which contains components of a control device 140 of the electric motor 110, in particular a printed circuit board. The interior space 132 is bounded by a bottom 133 and a peripheral wall 134 of the housing 130, which wall extends substantially perpendicular to a plane containing most of the bottom 133.

The interior space 132 also contains electrical terminals 20 for safely conducting three-phase alternating current from the control device 140 to the motor 110, particularly by electrically isolating the current from the base 133. The electrical terminals 20 are advantageously insulated glass terminals. The terminals are also sealed to prevent coolant fluid present around the motor 110 from entering the interior space 132.

According to another alternative, the housing 130 has a chamber 135 delimited by a second peripheral wall 136, the second peripheral wall 136 extending in a direction opposite to the direction in which the peripheral wall 134 delimiting the inner space 132 (referred to as first wall) extends. In other words, the housing 130 includes an interior space on one side of the bottom 133 and a receiving area for the motor 110 on the other side.

The electrical terminal 20 comprises at least two

conductive bars

20a, 20b cooperating with a printed circuit board forming the control means 140. According to the exemplary embodiment in fig. 1, the electrical terminal 20 comprises three conducting

bars

20a, 20b, 20c based on the three-phase characteristics of the current to be supplied to the electric motor 10. Fig. 1 shows that the conductive rods pass completely through the bottom 133 of the housing 130, while the electrical terminals 20 are rigidly connected to the bottom 133, which bottom 133 is likewise assembled via the interior space 132 or via the chamber 135.

According to the invention, the position of the printed circuit board is determined by the electrical terminals 20, in particular by at least one of the

conductive bars

20a, 20b and/or 20c passing through said printed circuit board.

Fig. 2 shows an embodiment of a housing 1 designed to receive a control device. The housing 1 is designed in particular for a control device for controlling an electric compressor with a built-in control device designed for a vehicle, preferably a motor vehicle.

The assembly formed by the housing 1 and the cover 50 (as shown in fig. 4) provides an inner space 132 capable of receiving the different electronic components of the control device. The assembly comprising the housing 1 and the cover 50 must form a sealed container capable of receiving the different electronic components of the control device.

The housing 1 shown in fig. 2 is specifically designed to enable an optimal positioning of the different electronic components and the electrical terminals 20 during their assembly. In order to ensure said positioning within the housing 1, said housing 1 is provided with alignment means, called first positioning means 11. Optionally, the housing 1 comprises second positioning means 10. Naturally, the invention also covers embodiments in which the housing 1 is provided with a single positioning means 11.

As shown in fig. 2, the first positioning means 11 and the second positioning means 10 are relatively distant from each other. By way of positioning example, the first positioning device 11 is located in the upper half of the compressor and the second positioning device 10 is located in the lower half of the compressor, the compressors then being separated by a plane passing through the longitudinal axis a.

According to this example, the electrical terminal 20 is located substantially between the two

positioning devices

10, 11. More specifically, the electrical terminal 20 is placed on the bottom portion 133 such that a straight line passing through the center of each

positioning device

10, 11 contacts the electrical terminal 20.

The first positioning means 11 and the second positioning means 10 make it possible to determine precisely the position of the electrical terminals 20 inside the casing 1, according to the stages before the assembly of the printed circuit board. This determined position of the electrical terminals 20 is important because it determines the position of the printed circuit board.

Thus, once the electrical terminal 20 has been correctly positioned within the housing 1 and rigidly attached to the bottom 133 by the arrangement formed by the two positioning means 10, 11, the printed circuit board 40 can be approached and positioned more precisely, in particular with respect to the high-voltage and low-voltage connectors previously positioned in the

apertures

21 and 22 in the housing 1. In this regard, the first positioning means 11 are located on the casing 1 substantially between the first aperture 21 designed to receive the high-voltage electrical connector and the second low-voltage electrical connector, called signal connector.

As shown in fig. 2, the power module 30 is positioned using four

stops

31, 32, 33, 34 mounted around the power module 30.

As shown in fig. 3 and in accordance with the present invention, the printed circuit board 40 is positioned as follows: the printed circuit board 40 is positioned using at least one of the three

conductive bars

20a, 20b, 20c of the electrical terminal 20. At the same time, the first positioning device 11 is received in a hole 35 formed through the printed circuit board 40. The correct and final positioning of the printed circuit board 40 within the inner space 132 of the casing 1 is achieved by using a combination of means formed by the electrical terminals 20 and the first positioning means 11, which are designed to pass through the printed circuit board 40.

In other words, the three

conductive bars

20a, 20b, 20c of the electrical terminal 20 and the first positioning means 11 pass through the printed circuit board 40 and together determine the position of the printed circuit board 40 within the housing 1. The electrical terminals 20 and the first positioning means 11 cooperate to ensure an optimal positioning with the printed circuit board 40, in particular with the high and low voltage connectors and/or the power supply module 30.

If the housing 1 is provided with first positioning means 11, it is advantageous if this first positioning means 11 is positioned near the location of the critical components of the control device that have to be connected to the printed circuit board 40.

Thus, as shown in fig. 1:

the first positioning means 11 are located in the vicinity of the location of the first aperture 21 for the first electrical connector and the second aperture 22 for the second electrical connector. Advantageously, this first positioning means 11 is positioned strictly between said first and

second apertures

21, 22 to ensure a precise positioning of the printed circuit board 40 in the region of the connector soldered to the printed circuit board after attachment within the housing 1.

In fact, this arrangement makes it possible to:

correct and easy positioning of the critical components of the control device inside the casing 1, and/or

The printed circuit board 40 is reliably positioned in a predetermined position determined by the position of the electrical terminals 20 and the position of the first positioning means 11.

Once the printed circuit board 40 has been correctly positioned, the three

conductive rods

20a, 20b, 20c are connected to the printed circuit board 40 by means of soldered connection elements or rigidly attached to the printed circuit board 40. The connecting element is for example a weld with a circular hole designed to fit a portion of the conductive rod. This precise positioning of the printed circuit board ensures that the electrical contacts of the high-voltage connector and the low-voltage connector and/or the power supply module 30 pass through the printed circuit board 40 so that they can be soldered thereto.

According to the invention and as shown in fig. 4, the first positioning means 11 are mounted on the housing 1 close to the connector holes 21, 22 (as shown in fig. 2) and are designed to pass completely through the printed circuit board 40. The first positioning means 11 are particularly long enough to achieve this. The free end 13 of the positioning means 11 projecting from the housing 1 is at least strictly greater than the thickness of the printed circuit board 40. The first positioning means 11 then protrude beyond the surface of the printed circuit board 40; the part of the first positioning means 11 that protrudes beyond the surface of said printed circuit board 40 serves as a reference for positioning the cover 50 on the housing 1, so that the cover 50 can be positioned correctly with respect to the housing 1. To accomplish this, the free end 13 of the locating means is located in a hole 137 formed in the thickness of the cover 50.

As also shown in fig. 4, the first end 12 of the first positioning device 11 enables it to be positioned in a recess formed in the bottom 133 bounding the interior space 132. The first positioning means 11 pass through the material forming the printed circuit board and protrude beyond the surface of said printed circuit board 40 close to the second end 13.

The sealing element 60, made of a flexible material or thin metal or a multilayer combination of metal and synthetic material (such as a metal sealing gasket), is positioned between the housings 1 on the cover 50, and more specifically at the interface between the periphery of the inner space 132 of the housing 1 and the periphery of the cover 50. The cover 50 is attached to the housing 1 using any suitable means, such as screws 15.

Fig. 5 is a front view of a sealing element 60 made of a flexible material or thin metal or a multi-layer combination of metal and composite material. If the sealing element 60 is made of thin metal or a multi-layer combination of thin metal and flexible composite material, the thin metal may be a material such as steel having a thickness of approximately 0.3mm, allowing a certain degree of deformation. When the cover 50 is attached to the housing 1, the sealing member 60 made of thin metal is subjected to a compressive stress that resists deformation of the flattened sealing member 60, thereby improving the seal between the cover 50 and the housing 1.

The shape of said sealing element 60 makes it possible to substantially adapt to the contour of the casing 1 containing the different components of the control device according to the invention. As shown in fig. 5, the sealing element 60 has seven apertures disposed around its periphery, each aperture being designed to receive a screw for attaching the cover 50 to the housing 1. Furthermore, the sealing element 60 has a first lug-type extension 61 designed to allow the first positioning means 11 to pass through. The sealing element 60 also has a second extension 62 designed to enable the second positioning device 10 to pass through.

Fig. 5 also shows how the two

extensions

61, 62, through which the first 11 and second 10 positioning means can pass, are relatively far apart from each other. This arrangement enables optimum positioning of the sealing element 60 when the sealing element 60 is mounted on the periphery of the housing 1.

The above description discloses a first positioning device and a second positioning device. According to an exemplary embodiment, these positioning means are positioning pins of circular cross-section press-fitted into the housing 1.

Claims

1. Electric compressor housing (1) for a vehicle delimiting an internal space (132) closed by a cover (50), said internal space being designed to receive at least one printed circuit board forming control means (140) for a motor (110) built into the electric compressor, said housing (1) having at least one positioning means (11) designed to position said printed circuit board (40) in said internal space (132), said positioning means (11) passing through said printed circuit board (40) so that a free end (13) of said positioning means (11) protrudes beyond the surface of said printed circuit board (40), said free end (13) cooperating with said cover (50) so that the cover (50) can be positioned in a predetermined position with respect to said housing (1)

Characterized in that the positioning of the printed circuit board (40) aligns it with respect to at least one aperture (21, 22) formed in the housing (1) and designed to receive an electrical connector, and in that said at least one positioning means (11) is located in proximity to said aperture (21, 22).

2. Housing (1) according to claim 1, comprising a first aperture (21) designed to receive a first electrical connector and at least one second aperture (22) designed to receive a second electrical connector, characterized in that said positioning means (11) are located between said first aperture (21) and said second aperture (22).

3. Housing (1) according to claim 1 or 2, delimiting a chamber (135) separated from said internal space (132) by a bottom (133) and designed to receive an electric motor (110), an electrical terminal (20) being designed to form an electrical connection between said printed circuit board (40) and said electric motor (110).

4. The housing (1) according to claim 1 or 2, comprising a sealing element (60) at the interface between the perimeter of the inner space (132) and the perimeter of the cover (50) to ensure that the cover (50) sealingly closes the inner space (132).

5. Housing (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that the sealing element (60) is made of a flexible material or thin metal or a multi-layer combination of metal and synthetic material.

6. Housing (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that said positioning means (11) cooperate with said sealing element (60) to enable the positioning of said sealing element (60) in a predetermined position with respect to said housing (1).

7. An electric air-conditioning compressor (100) for a vehicle, comprising a housing (1) according to any one of the preceding claims.

8. The electric air-conditioning compressor (100) according to claim 7, comprising a first connector placed in a first aperture (21) of the casing (1) and a second connector placed in a second aperture (22) of the casing (1), the printed circuit board (40) being connected to the first and second connectors by at least one solder joint.

9. Electric air-conditioning compressor (100) according to any of claims 7 or 8, comprising an electric motor (110) controlled by a control device (140) and positioned in a gap (135) of the casing (1) opposite the internal space (132) with respect to a bottom (133).

10. The electric air conditioning compressor (100) of claim 9, comprising a scroll compression device (120) driven by the electric motor (100).