Electrically-driven compressor

Abstract

An electrically-driven compressor including a housing, an electric motor, a compression mechanism, a cover member, a motor drive circuit, and a sealing member is disclosed. The electric motor is accommodated in the housing. The compression mechanism is accommodated in the housing and operated by the electric motor. The cover member is attached to the housing. The housing and the cover member form an accommodation portion including an accommodation space therein. The motor drive circuit is accommodated in the accommodation space and drives the electric motor. The sealing member is arranged between the housing and the cover member to seal the accommodation space. The sealing member includes an elastic seal portion that comes into close contact with the housing and the cover member. A core sustains the shape of the seal portion in conformance with the circumferential edge of the accommodation space. The core is formed so that at least a circumferential edge part of the core is in conformance with the circumferential edge of the accommodation space. The seal portion is formed integrally with the circumferential edge part of the shape sustaining member by depositing rubber material thereon.

1 . An electrically-driven compressor comprising:
 a housing;   an electric motor accommodated in the housing;   a compression mechanism accommodated in the housing and operated by the electric motor;   a cover member attached to the housing, wherein the housing and the cover member form an accommodation portion including an accommodation space therein;   a motor drive circuit, accommodated in the accommodation space, for driving the electric motor; and   a sealing member, arranged between the housing and the cover member, for sealing the accommodation space, wherein the sealing member includes an elastic seal portion that closely contacts the housing and the cover member and a shape sustaining member for sustaining the shape of the seal portion in conformance with a circumferential edge of the accommodation space, the shape sustaining member is shaped so that at least a circumferential edge part of the shape sustaining member is in conformance with the circumferential edge of the accommodation space, and the seal portion is formed integrally with the circumferential edge part of the shape sustaining member by depositing rubber material thereon, wherein   the sealing member is formed on the circumferential edge part of the shape sustaining member to cover an outer circumferential part of the shape sustaining member, and   a groove portion is formed on surfaces of the seal portion facing an open end of the housing and an open end of the cover member.   
     
     
         2 . The electrically-driven compressor according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the sealing member is arranged between parallel opposing surfaces of the housing and the cover member;   the elastic seal portion has an upper surface and a lower surface that are parallel to and closely contact the parallel opposing surfaces of the housing and the cover member;   the shape sustaining member has an upper surface and a lower surface that are parallel to the parallel opposing surfaces of the housing and the cover member;   the sealing member covers the outer circumferential part of the shape sustaining member to prevent the shape sustaining member from facing the housing and the cover;   the housing, cover, and sealing member each have an outer surface exposed to the external environment;   the cover member is attached to the housing by a bolt, which does not extend through the sealing member;   the bolt extends at a position located inside the sealing member, wherein the bolt does not contact the sealing member;   the seal portion covers the outer circumferential edge part of the shape sustaining member, but does not cover an inner circumferential edge part of the shape sustaining member;   the inner circumferential edge part is not covered by the housing and the cover member; and   the seal portion prevents the shape sustaining member from contacting the housing and the cover member, and the seal portion prevents the cover member from contacting the housing.   
     
     
         3 . The electrically-driven compressor according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the housing includes a side wall having the shape of a polygon and extending from the housing, the side wall having the open end; and   the accommodation portion is formed by attaching the cover member to the open end of the side wall so as to cover the open end of the side wall.   
     
     
         4 . The electrically-driven compressor according to  claim 1 , wherein the shape sustaining member includes a core having the shape of a frame and extending along the circumferential edge of the accommodation space. 
     
     
         5 . The electrically-driven compressor according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the motor drive circuit includes a circuit board;   the shape sustaining member is formed by the circuit board;   the circuit board has a circumferential edge part that is formed in conformance with the circumferential edge of the accommodation space; and   the seal portion is arranged on the circumferential edge part of the circuit board.   
     
     
         6 . The electrically-driven compressor according to  claim 4 , wherein:
 the sealing member has the shape of a frame extending along the circumferential edge of the accommodation space; and   a positioning portion for positioning the sealing member between the housing and the cover member by contacting or engaging the sealing member is arranged in at least either between the sealing member and the accommodation portion or between the sealing member and the motor drive circuit.   
     
     
         7 . The electrically-driven compressor according to  claim 6 , wherein:
 the core includes an inner circumferential part extending inward into the sealing member from an inner circumference of the seal portion; and   the sealing member is positioned by contact of the inner circumferential part of the core with a contact portion arranged on an outer circumferential part of the motor drive circuit.   
     
     
         8 . The electrically-driven compressor according to  claim 6 , wherein the positioning portion includes a recess and a projection arranged between an inner circumferential part of the sealing member and an outer circumferential part of the motor drive circuit. 
     
     
         9 . The electrically-driven compressor according to  claim 6 , wherein the positioning portion includes the groove portion arranged on the seal portion and an engagement projection arranged on at least one of the housing and the cover member and engageable with the groove portion. 
     
     
         10 . The electrically-driven compressor according to  claim 6 , wherein:
 the sealing member has the shape of a polygonal frame and includes a plurality of corners; and   the positioning portion is arranged between each of two opposing corners of the sealing member and a region of the accommodation portion or the motor drive circuit corresponding to the corner.   
     
     
         11 . The electrically-driven compressor according to  claim 10 , wherein the positioning portion is arranged to extend along two sides forming the corner of the sealing member. 
     
     
         12 . The electrically-driven compressor according to  claim 1 , wherein the accommodation space is formed by an accommodation cavity formed in at least one of the housing and the cover member.