On-vehicle electric compressor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016185188-A1
Application number	US-201514975813-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 20, 2015
Priority date	Dec 25, 2014
Publication date	Jun 30, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An on-vehicle electric compressor for a vehicle includes a compression mechanism compressing a refrigerant, an electric motor driving the compression mechanism and a housing accommodating therein the compression mechanism and the electric motor. The on-vehicle electric compressor further includes a cover fixed to the housing, a motor driving circuit disposed between the housing and the cover and driving the electric motor, and a protecting member protecting the cover against an external force caused when the vehicle has a collision. The protecting member has a contact portion that is contactable with a receiving portion when the external force is applied to the protecting member, the receiving portion having a greater rigidity than the cover to receive the external force through the contact portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An on-vehicle electric compressor comprising:
a compression mechanism compressing a refrigerant; an electric motor driving the compression mechanism; a housing accommodating therein the compression mechanism and the electric motor; a cover fixed to the housing; a motor driving circuit disposed between the housing and the cover and driving the electric motor; and a protecting member protecting the cover against an external force caused when the vehicle has a collision, wherein the protecting member has a contact portion that is contactable with a receiving portion when the external force is applied to the protecting member, the receiving portion having a greater rigidity than the cover to receive the external force through the contact portion.

2 . The on-vehicle electric compressor according to claim 1 , wherein the cover includes a bottom wall and a peripheral wall extending from the bottom wall in a direction that intersects the bottom wall, wherein the protecting member includes a first protecting portion that covers at least a part of the bottom wall and a pair of second protecting portions that extends from the first protecting portion to have the peripheral wall disposed therebetween and covers at least a part of the peripheral wall, and wherein the second protecting portion has the contact portion.

3 . The on-vehicle electric compressor according to claim 1 , wherein the housing is provided with the receiving portion.

4 . The on-vehicle electric compressor for the vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the cover includes a seat projecting out from an outer surface of the cover, and the protecting member is placed on the seat, and wherein a dimension of the seat from the outer surface of the bottom wall is greater than a spaced distance between the contact portion and the receiving portion that is measured before the external force is applied to the protecting member.

5 . The on-vehicle electric compressor according to claim 1 , wherein the cover is made of a resin, and part of the protecting member is held by the cover so that the protecting member and the cover are integrated.

6 . The on-vehicle electric compressor according to claim 1 , wherein the cover has a connecting portion that is connected to an external connector of an external power source, and the protecting member is formed with a hole through which the connecting portion is inserted.

Assignees

• Toyota Jidoshokki Kk

Inventors

• Kinoshita Yusuke
• Suitou Ken
• Koide Tatsuya
• Yano Junya

Classifications

• F04C28/28

  Safety arrangements; Monitoring · CPC title

• F04C2240/808

  Electronic circuits (e.g. inverters) installed inside the machine · CPC title

• F04C18/0215 Primary

  where only one member is moving · CPC title

• F04C23/008

  Hermetic pumps · CPC title

• F01C21/10

  Outer members for co-operation with rotary pistons; Casings (casings for rotary engines or machines in general F16M) · CPC title