This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2021-048972 filed on Mar. 23, 2021, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
The present disclosure relates to an electric compressor.
An electric compressor includes a compression portion configured to compress a fluid, an electric motor configured to drive the compression portion, and an inverter configured to drive the electric motor. In such an electric compressor, a noise is generated by driving the compression portion or by driving the electric motor. The noise generated by driving the compression portion or by driving the electric motor causes a housing of the electric compressor to vibrate, resulting in generating a radiated sound.
An electric compressor disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2013-194673, for example, includes a soundproofing cover covering an entire circumference of an outer peripheral surface of a housing of the electric compressor. Even when a noise generated by driving a compression portion or by driving an electric motor causes the housing of the electric compressor to vibrate to generate a radiated sound, the radiated sound is absorbed by the soundproofing cover, and thus the noise from the electric compressor is reduced.
An electric compressor for a vehicle is mounted on an object to be mounted, such as a frame and an engine of the vehicle, for example. Specifically, as in an electric compressor disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2017-44313, for example, a support bracket supports a housing of the electric compressor to the object. A vibration insulator is interposed between the support bracket and the object to thereby reduce transmission of a vibration generated from the housing to the object via the support bracket.
However, if the vibration generated from the housing is transmitted to the support bracket, the support bracket may vibrate, which may result in generating a radiated sound from the support bracket. The radiated sound generated from the support bracket may cause a noise from the electric compressor.
The present disclosure is directed to providing an electric compressor capable of reducing a noise generated therefrom.
In accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure, an electric compressor includes a compression portion, an electric motor, an inverter, a housing, a support bracket, a vibration insulator, and a soundproofing cover. The compression portion is configured to compress a fluid. The electric motor is configured to drive the compression portion. The inverter is configured to drive the electric motor. The housing includes an outer peripheral surface that has a cylindrical shape and accommodates the compression portion, the electric motor, and the inverter. The support bracket is fastened to the housing and supports the housing to an object to which the electric compressor is mounted. The vibration insulator is interposed between the support bracket and the object. The soundproofing cover is made of an elastically deformable sound absorbing material and covers the housing and the support bracket.
Other aspects and advantages of the disclosure will become apparent from the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrating by way of example the principles of the disclosure.
The disclosure, together with objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description of the embodiments together with the accompanying drawings in which:
The following will describe an electric compressor according to an embodiment of the present disclosure with reference to
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
The compression portion 12 may be provided by, for example, a scroll type that includes a fixed scroll fixed to an inner peripheral surface of the peripheral wall 11b of the housing 11 and a movable scroll facing the fixed scroll. The electric motor 13 is driven by power supplied from the inverter 14. The compression portion 12 that is driven by the driven electric motor 13 compresses the refrigerant taken into the housing 11.
As illustrated in
The electric compressor 10 includes a plurality of shank portions 17. The plurality of shank portions 17 is protruded from the outer peripheral surface 11c of the peripheral wall 11b of the housing 11. Each of the shank portions 17 is integrally formed with the housing 11. In other words, the housing 11 includes the shank portions 17. Each of the shank portions 17 has a cylindrical shape. The shank portions 17 each protrude from the outer peripheral surface 11c of the peripheral wall 11b of the housing 11 on a side opposite to the mounting legs 15 with respect to the axial line of the housing 11. The shank portions 17 protrude from the outer peripheral surface 11c of the peripheral wall 11b of the housing 11 in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the housing 11 and opposite to the openings of the female screw holes 15a of the mounting legs 15. In other words, in a state where the electric compressor 10 is mounted on the vehicle body 16, the shank portions 17 protrude from the outer peripheral surface 11c of the peripheral wall 11b of the housing 11 toward a side opposite to the vehicle body 16. The shank portions 17 are disposed side by side at intervals in the axial direction of the housing 11.
The electric compressor 10 includes a support bracket 20. The support bracket 20 is fastened to the housing 11. The support bracket 20 supports the housing 11 with respect to the vehicle body 16, i.e., the object to which the electric compressor 10 is to be mounted. In other words, the support bracket 20 is interposed between the housing 11 and the vehicle body 16. The support bracket 20 is made of metal, for example. The support bracket 20 is formed by press-molding a single metal plate having a rectangular flat plate shape.
The support bracket 20 includes a bracket body 21, and four mounting portions 22 to be fixed to the vehicle body 16. The bracket body 21 includes a body 23 and a pair of extensions 24. The body 23 having a plate shape extends in the axial direction of the housing 11 and curves along the outer peripheral surface 11c of the peripheral wall 11b of the housing 11. A longitudinal direction of the body 23 coincides with the axial direction of the housing 11. The extensions 24 each having a flat plate shape extend outwardly from respective side edges of the body 23 in a circumferential direction. A longitudinal length of each of the pair of extensions 24 is identical with a longitudinal length of the body 23.
The extensions 24 each have two through holes 24h. Each of the through holes 24h extends through the associated extension 24 in a thickness direction. The support bracket 20 is disposed so that the through holes 24h communicate with the female screw holes 15a of the associated mounting legs 15 of the housing 11.
Two of the four mounting portions 22 protrude from both ends of one of the pair of extensions 24 in the longitudinal direction toward one side opposite to the body 23. The other two of the four mounting portions 22 protrude from both ends of the other of the pair of extensions 24 in the longitudinal direction toward the other side opposite to the body 23. The mounting portions 22 each have a flat plate shape. The mounting portions 22 each have an insertion hole 22h. Each of the insertion holes 22h extends through the associated mounting portion 22 in a thickness direction.
The electric compressor 10 includes vibration insulators 25. The vibration insulators 25 are interposed between the support bracket 20 and the vehicle body 16. Specifically, the vibration insulators 25 are interposed between the respective mounting portions 22 of the support bracket 20 and the vehicle body 16. The vibration insulators 25 are made of, for example, rubber. In other words, the vibration insulators 25 are elastic bodies having elastic forces.
The electric compressor 10 includes a soundproofing cover 40 covering an entire circumference of the outer peripheral surface 11c of the housing 11. The soundproofing cover 40 covers the housing 11 and the support bracket 20. The soundproofing cover 40 has a first cover 50 and a second cover 60. The first cover 50 and the second cover 60 each are made of a sound absorbing material that is elastically deformable and has sound absorbing properties. The first cover 50 and the second cover 60 are, for example, made of foamed resin urethane. In other words, the first cover 50 and the second cover 60 are made of flexible materials. Therefore, the soundproofing cover 40 is made of at least an elastically deformable sound absorbing material.
The first cover 50 includes a pair of first end walls 51 each having a plate shape, and a first peripheral wall 52 connecting the pair of first end walls 51 to each other. The first peripheral wall 52 includes a first cover body 53, a pair of first cover extensions 54, and a pair of first cover side portions 55.
The first cover body 53 and the pair of first cover extensions 54 are interposed between the support bracket 20 and the vehicle body 16. In other words, the first cover 50 is interposed between the support bracket 20 and the vehicle body 16. The first cover body 53 having a long plate shape extends in the axial direction of the housing 11 and curves along the outer peripheral surface 11c of the peripheral wall 11b of the housing 11. The first cover body 53 extends along the body 23 of the support bracket 20. A longitudinal direction of the first cover body 53 coincides with the axial direction of the housing 11. A longitudinal length of the first cover body 53 is longer than the longitudinal length of the body 23 of the support bracket 20. The first cover body 53 is in contact with the body 23 of the support bracket 20. The first cover body 53 covers a surface of the body 23 of the support bracket 20 on a side opposite to the housing 11.
The pair of first cover extensions 54 each having a flat plate shape extends outwardly from respective side edges of the first cover body 53 in a circumferential direction. The first cover extensions 54 extend along the respective extensions 24 of the support bracket 20. A longitudinal length of each of the pair of first cover extensions 54 is identical with a longitudinal length of the first cover body 53. The longitudinal length of each of the pair of first cover extensions 54 is longer than the longitudinal length of each of the pair of extensions 24 of the support bracket 20. The first cover extensions 54 are in contact with the associated extensions 24 of the support bracket 20. The first cover extensions 54 cover surfaces of the associated extensions 24 of the support bracket 20 on respective sides opposite to the housing 11.
The first cover side portions 55 each having a flat plate shape rise from respective end edges of the first cover extensions 54 on associated sides opposite to the first cover body 53. The first cover side portions 55 each extend along side edges of the associated extensions 24 of the support bracket 20 on associated sides opposite to the body 23. A longitudinal length of each of the pair of first cover side portions 55 is identical with the longitudinal length of each of the pair of first cover extensions 54. The longitudinal length of each of the pair of first cover side portions 55 is longer than the longitudinal length of each of the pair of extensions 24 of the support bracket 20. The first cover side portions 55 are in contact with the side edges of the associated extensions 24 of the support bracket 20 on the associated sides opposite to the body 23. The first cover side portions 55 cover the side edges of the associated extensions 24 of the support bracket 20 on the associated sides opposite to the body 23.
The pair of first cover side portions 55 each have two cutout portions 56. The cutout portions 56 of each of the first cover side portions 55 are cut out to allow the associated mounting portions 22 of the support bracket 20 to pass over. The mounting portions 22 of the support bracket 20 extend through the associated cutout portions 56.
The first cover extensions 54 each have two through holes 54h. Each of the through holes 54h extends through the associated first cover extension 54 in a thickness direction. The first cover 50 is disposed so that the through holes 54h communicate with the associated through holes 24h of the support bracket 20.
The first cover 50 is attached to the housing 11 together with the support bracket 20. Specifically, the first cover 50 is attached to the housing 11 together with the support bracket 20 by screwing bolts 57 into the associated female screw holes 15a of the mounting legs 15 through the associated through holes 54h of the first cover 50 and the associated through holes 24h of the support bracket 20. The first peripheral wall 52 of the first cover 50, which is disposed between the housing 11 and the vehicle body 16, covers a portion of the outer peripheral surface 11c of the housing 11 on a side close to the vehicle body 16 together with the bracket body 21 of the support bracket 20. The first end walls 51 of the first cover 50 cover portions of the associated end walls 11a of the housing 11 together with the bracket body 21 of the support bracket 20.
The second cover 60 has a semi-cylindrical shape. The second cover 60 has a separate body from the first cover 50. The second cover 60 includes a pair of second end walls 61 each having a plate shape, and a second peripheral wall 62 having a semi-cylindrical shape and connecting the pair of second end walls 61 to each other. The second cover 60 is disposed with respect to the housing 11 so that the second peripheral wall 62 covers the remaining portion of the outer peripheral surface 11c of the peripheral wall 11b of the housing 11, which is uncovered by the first peripheral wall 52 of the first cover 50. In other words, the second peripheral wall 62 of the second cover 60 covers a portion of the outer peripheral surface 11c of the housing 11 on a side opposite to the vehicle body 16. The second peripheral wall 62 of the second cover 60 extends in a circumferential direction of the housing 11. The second peripheral wall 62 of the second cover 60 is in contact with the outer peripheral surface 11c of the housing 11. The second cover 60 is also disposed with respect to the housing 11 so that the second end walls 61 cover the remaining portions of the associated end walls 11a of the housing 11, which are uncovered by the first end walls 51 of the first cover 50.
Therefore, the entire housing 11 is covered by the first cover 50 and the second cover 60. In other words, the soundproofing cover 40 of the present embodiment has a combined structure of the first cover 50 having one of divided portions of a cylindrical shape into two and the second cover 60 having the other of the divided portions of the cylindrical shape into two.
The second cover 60 has insertion holes 60h through which the associated shank portions 17 are inserted. Each of the insertion holes 60h extends through the second peripheral wall 62. The second cover 60 is disposed with respect to the housing 11 so that the shank portions 17 of the housing 11 are inserted through the associated insertion holes 60h of the second cover 60. Fasteners 65 each having a disc shape, for example, are press-fitted onto ends of the respective shank portions 17 so that surrounding portions of the associated insertion holes 60h of the second peripheral wall 62 are pressed against the housing 11 by the fasteners 65 to be held between the fasteners 65 and the housing 11, by which the second cover 60 is attached to the housing 11.
The soundproofing cover 40 includes a first sound insulating member 71 and a second sound insulating member 72. The first sound insulating member 71 and the second sound insulating member 72 have greater hardness than those of the first cover 50 and the second cover 60. The first sound insulating member 71 and the second sound insulating member 72 are sound insulating sheets made of, for example, vinyl chloride resin, polyolefin resin, or the like.
The first sound insulating member 71 is disposed to cover a portion of an outer surface of the first cover 50. In other words, the first sound insulating member 71 covers the housing 11 and the support bracket 20 via the first cover 50. The first sound insulating member 71 is interposed between the first cover 50 and the vehicle body 16. The second sound insulating member 72 is disposed to cover a portion of an outer surface of the second cover 60. In other words, the second sound insulating member 72 covers the housing 11 via the second cover 60. The second sound insulating member 72 has a separate body from the first sound insulating member 71.
The electric compressor 10 is mounted to the vehicle body 16 by screwing bolts 75 into respective female screw holes 16a of the vehicle body 16 through the associated insertion holes 22h of the mounting portions 22 of the support bracket 20 and through the associated vibration insulators 25. The support bracket 20 supports the housing 11 to the vehicle body 16. The vibration insulators 25 interposed between the support bracket 20 and the vehicle body 16 reduce a likelihood of transmission of a vibration generated from the housing 11 to the vehicle body 16 via the support bracket 20.
The following will describe operational effects of the present embodiment.
The first cover 50 covers the portion of the outer peripheral surface 11c of the housing 11 on the side close to the vehicle body 16, and the second cover 60 covers the portion of the outer peripheral surface 11c of the housing 11 on the side opposite to the vehicle body 16. Therefore, even when a noise generated by driving the compression portion 12 or by driving the electric motor 13 causes the housing 11 to vibrate to generate a radiated sound, the radiated sound is absorbed by the first cover 50 and the second cover 60.
The first cover 50, which is disposed between the housing 11 and the vehicle body 16, covers the portion of the outer peripheral surface 11c of the housing 11 on the side close to the vehicle body 16 together with the support bracket 20. Therefore, even when a vibration from the housing 11 is transmitted to the support bracket 20 so that the support bracket 20 generates a radiated sound, the radiated sound is absorbed by the first cover 50.
The following will describe advantageous effects of the present embodiment.
(1) The soundproofing cover 40 covers the housing 11 and the support bracket 20. Therefore, even when a radiated sound is generated from the housing 11 and the support bracket 20, the radiated sound is absorbed by the soundproofing cover 40. This reduces a noise from the electric compressor 10.
(2) The second cover 60 is attached to the housing 11. This configuration, for example, saves necessity to preassemble the first cover 50 and the second cover 60 so as to cover the outer peripheral surface 11c of the housing 11. This results in enhancement of workability.
(3) The first cover 50 is attached to the housing 11 together with the support bracket 20. Therefore, while the support bracket 20 is attached to the housing 11, the first cover 50 is concurrently attached to the housing 11. This configuration enhances the workability compared to a case where the support bracket 20 and the first cover 50 are individually attached to the housing 11.
(4) The first sound insulating member 71 is disposed to cover the outer surface of the first cover 50. In other words, the first sound insulating member 71 covers the housing 11 and the support bracket 20 via the first cover 50. Since the first cover 50 is interposed between the first sound insulating member 71 and the support bracket 20, the first sound insulating member 71 is unlikely to come into contact with the support bracket 20. Therefore, even when the first sound insulating member 71 is disposed to cover the support bracket 20, the first cover 50 reduces a likelihood of transmission of a vibration generated from the support bracket 20 to the first sound insulating member 71. This configuration reduces a noise generated from the electric compressor 10 even when the soundproofing cover 40 includes the first sound insulating member 71 having the hardness greater than that of the first cover 50.
The embodiment according to the present disclosure may be modified as follows. The components of the above-described embodiment and the following modifications may be combined as far as they offer equivalent advantageous effects in essence to the technical scope of the claims.
The second cover 60 includes covering portions 64 that extend further from the associated flanges 63 along side edges of the associated mounting portions 22 on sides opposite to the associated extensions 24. The covering portions 64 cover the side edges of the associated mounting portions 22 on the sides opposite to the associated extensions 24. In this way, the second cover 60 may cover the mounting portions 22. Then, the bolts 75 are screwed into the respective female screw holes 16a of the vehicle body 16 through the associated insertion holes 63h of the flanges 63, the associated insertion holes 22h of the mounting portions 22, and the associated vibration insulators 25. In this way, the second cover 60 may be attached to the support bracket 20.
The configuration according to the above-described another embodiment saves necessity to attach the second cover 60 to the housing 11 and thus saves necessity for a design change of the housing 11 so as to attach the second cover 60 to the housing 11. This may simplify the configuration of the housing 11.
Since the second cover 60 covers the mounting portions 22, a radiated sound that can be generated from the mounting portions 22 is absorbed by the second cover 60. This further reduces a noise generated from the electric compressor 10.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2021-048972 | Mar 2021 | JP | national |
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
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5137432 | Tsai | Aug 1992 | A |
9267565 | Tomiyama | Feb 2016 | B2 |
11084355 | Shin | Aug 2021 | B2 |
Number | Date | Country |
---|---|---|
106907325 | Mar 2017 | CN |
107387417 | Nov 2017 | CN |
3690330 | Aug 2020 | EP |
05-014572 | Feb 1993 | JP |
2013-194673 | Sep 2013 | JP |
2013194673 | Sep 2013 | JP |
2015-090130 | May 2015 | JP |
2017-044313 | Mar 2017 | JP |
2020-133408 | Aug 2020 | JP |
20020044428 | Jun 2002 | KR |
Entry |
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English translation of JP2013194673 generated from Espacenet Feb. 25, 2022 (Year: 2022). |
English translation of CN106907325 generated from Espacenet Jun. 29, 2023 (Year: 2023). |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20220307506 A1 | Sep 2022 | US |