Electric drive unit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9450476-B2
Application number	US-201114122788-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 4, 2011
Priority date	Sep 12, 2011
Publication date	Sep 20, 2016
Grant date	Sep 20, 2016

Abstract

An electric drive unit ( 100 ) of the invention includes the electric motor ( 1 ) and the control apparatus ( 20 ) that is disposed on an axis line of a rotation shaft ( 2 ) of the electric motor ( 1 ) and controls the driving of the electric motor ( 1 ). The electric motor ( 1 ) has a motor terminal ( 13 ) extending parallel to an axial direction of the rotation shaft ( 2 ) toward the control apparatus ( 20 ) and a slit ( 13 a ) is provided to the motor terminal ( 13 ) at an end on a side of the control apparatus ( 20 ). The control apparatus ( 20 ) has a motor connection terminal ( 34 ) provided on a line extended from the motor terminal ( 13 ) and connected to the motor terminal ( 13 ). The slit ( 13 a ) in the motor terminal ( 13 ) is press-fit and fixed to the motor connection terminal ( 34 ).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electric drive unit having an electric motor and a control apparatus that is disposed on an axis line of a rotation shaft of the electric motor and controls driving of the electric motor, wherein the control apparatus comprising:
a drive portion that drives the electric motor and is formed of semiconductor switching elements switching a current of the electric motor and passive elements electrically connected to the switching elements, and
a frame having a plurality of conductive plates configured to be connected to respective terminals of the passive elements, the conductive plates are insert-molded with insulating resin,
wherein one of the electric motor and the control apparatus has a first terminal extending parallel to an axial direction of the rotation shaft toward the other with a slit being provided to the first terminal at an end on a side of the other;
the other has a second terminal provided on a line extended from the first terminal and electrically connected to the first terminal; and
the first terminal is fixed in a state of being press-fit to the second terminal by allowing the slit to sandwich the second terminal,
wherein the first terminal is made of copper alloy having higher heat-resistant creep characteristics than the second terminal.

2. The electric drive unit according to claim 1 , wherein
at least tip ends of the slit in the first terminal are of a tapered shape.

3. The electric drive unit according to claim 1 , wherein
the first terminal has an end face perpendicular to the axis line of the rotation shaft at an end on a side opposite to a side where the slit is provided; and
an abutment member abutting the end face is further included.

4. The electric drive unit according to claim 1 , wherein
the first terminal is a motor terminal of the electric motor;
an intermediate member having lower heat-resistant creep characteristics than the motor terminal is further included; and
the motor terminal is electrically connected to an armature winding of the electric motor via the intermediate member.

5. The electric drive unit according to claim 4 , wherein
the electric motor further includes an insulating holder having a supporting portion that supports the intermediate member; and
the motor terminal is located on a radially outer side than the supporting portion.

6. The electric drive unit according to claim 1 ,
wherein the frame is provided with a guide portion in which the first terminal is inserted.

7. The electric drive unit according to claim 1 ,
wherein the first terminal is a motor terminal of the electric motor;
the second terminal is a motor connection terminal of the control apparatus; and
the motor connection terminal is insert-molded in the frame.

8. The electric drive unit according to claim 6 ,
wherein the frame has an end face perpendicular to the axis line of the rotation shaft on an outer side than the guide portion and at an end on an opposite side to the electric motor; and
a supporting member that supports the frame by abutting on the end face is further included.

9. The electric drive unit according to claim 1 , wherein
the first terminal is a motor terminal of the electric motor;
the second terminal is a motor connection terminal of the control apparatus;
a semiconductor module formed by encapsulating a semiconductor switching element in mold resin is further included;
the semiconductor module has an opening in which the motor terminal is inserted; and
the motor connection terminal is positioned and fixed on an inner side of the opening.

10. The electric drive unit according to claim 9 ,
wherein the motor connection terminal is integrally molded with the semiconductor module.

11. The electric drive unit according to claim 9 ,
wherein the control apparatus further includes a heat sink by which heat generated in the semiconductor module is released; and
the semiconductor module is fixed to the heat sink by fixing the frame to the heat sink in a state of being pressed against the heat sink.

12. An electric drive unit having an electric motor and a control apparatus that is disposed on an axis line of a rotation shaft of the electric motor and controls driving of the electric motor, wherein the control apparatus comprising:
a drive portion that drives the electric motor and is formed of semiconductor switching elements switching a current of the electric motor and passive elements electrically connected to the switching elements, and
a frame having a plurality of conductive plates configured to be connected to respective terminals of the passive elements, the conductive plates are insert-molded with insulating resin,
wherein one of the electric motor and the control apparatus has a first terminal extending parallel to an axial direction of the rotation shaft toward the other with a slit being provided to the first terminal at an end on a side of the other;
the other has a second terminal provided on a line extended from the first terminal and electrically connected to the first terminal; and
the first terminal is fixed in a state of being press-fit to the second terminal by allowing the slit to sandwich the second terminal, and wherein
the first terminal is a motor terminal of the electric motor;
the second terminal is a motor connection terminal of the control apparatus;
a housing disposed on the axial line of the rotation shaft and connecting the electric motor and the control apparatus is further included;
an insulating member is positioned and fixed to the housing on a side of the electric motor; and
the motor connection terminal is fixed to the housing via the insulating member.

13. The electric drive unit according to claim 12 , wherein
the insulating member is fixed in a state of being press-fit to a through-hole provided to the housing.

14. The electric drive unit according to claim 12 ,
wherein the insulating member is provided with a guide portion in which the motor terminal is inserted.

15. The electric drive unit according to claim 12 ,
wherein the motor connection terminal is insert-molded in the insulating member.

16. The electric drive unit according to claim 1 ,
wherein a speed reducing apparatus that reduces a rotation speed of the electric motor is attached to the electric motor on an opposite side to the control apparatus.

17. The electric drive unit according to claim 1 ,
wherein a speed reducing apparatus that reduces a rotation speed of the electric motor is attached to the control apparatus on an opposite side to the electric motor.

Assignees

• Ito Shinichi
• UMAZUME Haruki
• Yamamura Akihiro
• Hemmi Shinsuke
• Miyajima Masayasu
• Mitsubishi Electric Corp

Inventors

• Ito Shinichi
• UMAZUME Haruki
• Yamamura Akihiro
• Hemmi Shinsuke
• Miyajima Masayasu

Classifications

• H02K3/522

  for generally annular cores with salient poles · CPC title

• B62D5/0406

  including housing for electronic control unit · CPC title

• H02K11/38 Primary

  Control circuits or drive circuits associated with geared commutator motors of the worm-and-wheel type · CPC title

• H02K11/225

  Detecting coils · CPC title

• H01R13/112

  forked sockets having two legs · CPC title