Liquid-cooled rotary electric machine integrated with an inverter

• US 6,992,409 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2003
• Issued: 01/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Tatematsu, Kazutaka, Torii, Koshi, Nakamura, Seiji
• Primary Examiner(s): Schuberg, Darren
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HANH N
• Application Number:
  US10/385,516
• Publication Number:
  US 20030173839A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,056 Days
• Field of Search: 310/52, 310/54, 310/58, 310/64
• US Class Current: 310/52
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 11/33 Drive circuits, e.g. power electronics H02K11/38 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 5/18 with ribs or fins for improving heat transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 5/203 specially adapted for liquids, e.g. cooling jackets

Abstract

A rotary electric machine includes a rotor for rotation around a rotational axis, a stator core that has a cylindrical shape and includes a slot therein, a cooling unit having a coolant passage, and a casing that accommodates the rotor and the stator core. A stator coil is inserted in the slot of the stator core and has a coil end protruded from a side face of the stator core. An electric part is mounted on the cooling unit and controls a current of the stator core. The rotor is rotatably supported inside of the stator core. The cooling unit cools both the stator core and the electric part. The cooling portion is accommodated in spacing defined by the side face of the stator core and an outer circumference wall of the coil end.

Claims

1. A rotary electric machine, comprising:

a stator core, which has a cylindrical shape and includes a slot therein;

a rotor, which is rotatably supported inside of the stator core;

a casing, which accommodates the rotor and the stator core;

a stator coil, which is inserted in the slot of the stator core, and includes a coil end protruded from a side face of the stator core;

a cooling unit, which includes a coolant passage formed directly in a body of the cooling unit;

an electric part, which is mounted on the cooling unit, and controls the stator coil, wherein the coolant passage is accommodated in a space defined by a side face of the stator core and an outer circumference wall of the coil end, and the cooling unit contacts the side face of the stator core, wherein the coolant passage of the cooling unit is annular;

wherein the cooling unit includes a plate and a body,

the coolant passage is disposed in the body and has an opening,

the opening is opened in the axial direction of the rotor, and

the plate has a ring plate shape and adheres to the body of the cooling unit so that the plate seals the opening of the coolant passage.

2. A rotary electric machine according to claim 1, further comprising:

a through bolt for bolting the body and the plate of the cooling unit and the stator core in the axial direction of the rotor.

3. A rotary electric machine according to claim 1, wherein

the coolant passage has a helical passage, and

the plate includes a coolant inlet and a coolant outlet that are connected to two ends of the coolant passage, respectively.

4. A rotary electric machine according to claim 3, wherein an axial direction of the helical passage is parallel to the axial direction of the rotor.

5. A rotary electric machine according to claim 1, wherein the electric part is mounted on the plate of the cooling unit.

6. A rotary electric machine according to claim 5, further comprising:

a cover, which is mounted on the plate of the cooling unit so that the cover protects the electric part.

7. A rotary electric machine according to claim 6, further comprising an electric terminal, wherein

the electric terminal is mounted on the plate of the cooling unit, is protruded from the cover, and connects to an external power supply so that the external power supply supplies an electric power to the electric part through the electric terminal.

8. A rotary electric machine according to claim 5, wherein the electric part is mounted on one side of the plate of the cooling unit, and the other side of the plate faces the stator core.

9. A rotary electric machine according to claim 1, further comprising a bearing, wherein the rotor is rotatably supported with the plate of the cooling unit through the bearing.

10. A rotary electric machine, comprising:

a stator core, which has a cylindrical shape and includes a slot therein;

a rotor, which is rotatably supported inside of the stator core;

a casing, which accommodates the rotor and the stator core;

a stator coil, which is inserted in the slot of the stator core, and includes a coil end protruded from a side face of the stator core;

a cooling unit, which includes a coolant passage; and

an electric part, which is mounted on the cooling unit, and controls the stator coil, wherein

the cooling unit is accommodated in a space defined by a side face of the stator core and an outer circumference wall of the coil end, and contacts the side face of the stator core,

the coolant passage of the cooling unit is annular,

the cooling unit includes a plate and a body,

the coolant passage is disposed in the body and has an opening,

the opening is opened in the axial direction of the rotor, and

the plate has a ring plate shape and adheres to the body of the cooling unit so that the plate seals the opening of the coolant passage.

11. A rotary electric machine according to claim 10, further comprising:

a through bolt for bolting the body and the plate of the cooling unit and the stator core in the axial direction of the rotor.

12. A rotary electric machine according to claim 10, wherein

the coolant passage has a helical passage, and

the plate includes a coolant inlet and a coolant outlet that are connected to two ends of the coolant passage, respectively.

13. A rotary electric machine according to claim 12, wherein an axial direction of the helical passage is parallel to the axial direction of the rotor.

14. A rotary electric machine according to claim 10, wherein the electric part is mounted on the plate of the cooling unit.

15. A rotary electric machine according to claim 14, further comprising:

a cover, which is mounted on the plate of the cooling unit so that the cover protects the electric part.

16. A rotary electric machine according to claim 15, further comprising an electric terminal, wherein the electric terminal is mounted on the plate of the cooling unit, is protruded from the cover, and connects to an external power supply so that the external power supply supplies an electric power to the electric part through the electric terminal.

17. A rotary electric machine according to claim 14, wherein the electric part is mounted on one side of the plate of the cooling unit, and the other side of the plate faces the stator core.

18. A rotary electric machine according to claim 10, further comprising a bearing, wherein the rotor is rotatably supported with the plate of the cooling unit through the bearing.