Electric motor having heat radiator at electric connection with inverter

• US 5,814,909 A
• Filed: 06/19/1995
• Issued: 09/29/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamada, Eiji, Kawabata, Yasutomo, Miyatani, Takao
• Primary Examiner(s): Stephan, Steven L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TAMAI, KARL I
• Application Number:
  US08/492,136
• Time in Patent Office: 1,198 Days
• Field of Search: 361/705, 361/712, 361/704, 310/64, 310/65, 310/52, 310/68 R, 310/68 C, 310/71, 174/15.1, 174/15.6
• US Class Current: 310/64
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 11/33 Drive circuits, e.g. power electronics H02K11/38 takes precedence

Abstract

Electric motor coils are electrically connected to a power device in an inverter. A conductor for supplying a drive current to the motor coils includes a heat radiating area or other heat radiating member in the wiring path. Thus, the heat from the electric motor is radiated from the conductor in the wiring path. The power device and other components of the inverter can be prevented from being thermally damaged or degraded by the heat transmitted from the motor coils to the inverter through the conductor having higher heat conductivity.

Claims

1. An electric motor having an inverter and motor coils electrically connected to the inverter, electric power being supplied from said inverter to said motor coils, said electric motor comprising two conductors respectively connected to said motor coils and inverter, said two conductors being electrically connected to each other through an electrically conductive member having a heat conductivity lower than that of said conductors, thereby transmitting electric power from said inverter to said motor coils through said conductors and conductive member.

2. An electric motor as defined in claim 1 wherein said electric motor is a motor built-in inverter system in which the inverter is connected integrally to the electric motor and located close to the electric motor.

3. An electric motor as defined in claim 1 wherein a heat radiating member is disposed on the outer wall of the motor casing.

4. The electric motor according to claim 1, wherein said electrically conductive member comprises a heat radiating member.

5. The electric motor according to claim 4, wherein said heat radiating member is in the form of a flat plate.