Motor cover and electric motor equipped with the same

• US 7,554,235 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2004
• Issued: 06/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mitsuba Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mitsuba Corporation
• Inventors: Suzuki, Makoto, Hattori, Toshiyuki, Kano, Masami, Ogiwara, Makoto
• Primary Examiner(s): NASRI, JAVAID H
• Application Number:
  US10/583,226
• Publication Number:
  US 20070164621A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,659 Days
• Field of Search: 310/89, 310/68.R, 310/71, 310/64, 310/43, 310/83, 746/06.A
• US Class Current: 310/89
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 11/38 Control circuits or drive circuits associated with geared commutator motors of the worm-and-wheel type
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 5/225 Terminal boxes or connection arrangements specially adapted for submersible motors H02K5/132
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/1166 comprising worm and worm-wheel structural association with bearings specially adapted for worm gear drives H02K7/081
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/2189 Cooling

Abstract

A heat sink (35) is fixed by insert molding to a resin-made motor cover covering a case body fixed to a motor body. A flow-in portion (61) extending along a straight line and branch portions (62) to (66) formed so as to be branched to the flow-in portion (61) are formed in the heat sink (35), a tip portion of a power-feeding terminal (58) is disposed at the branch portion (62), and the tip portion of the power-feeding terminal (58) is disposed at the branch portion (63). In addition, when a molding resin is cast in the flow-in portion (61) and the branch portions (62) to (66) during the insert molding, these power-feeding terminals (58) and (59) are fixed to the branch portions (62) and (63) and terminal parts (58b) and (59b) are positioned by the branch portions (62) and (63).

Claims

1. An electric motor equipped with a case body and a motor cover covering the case body, the electric motor comprising:

a resin-made cover main body to be fixed by insert molding in a state where first and second metal parts are spaced from each other, the cover main body being provided in the motor cover; and

a flow-in portion in which a resin material is cast when the cover main body is insert-molded, and a branch portion, which is formed to be branched to the flow-in portion and in which the resin material is cast via the flow-in portion, the flow-in portion and the branch portion being provided in the first metal part,

wherein a portion of the second metal part is disposed in the branch portion.

2. The electric motor according to claim 1, wherein a cross-sectional area perpendicular to a longitudinal-directional axis line of the branch portion is formed smaller than a cross-sectional area perpendicular to a longitudinal-directional axis line of the flow-in portion.

3. The electric motor according to claim 1, wherein the first metal part is a heat sink, which is arranged so as to oppose a control circuit controlling the motor main body and emits heat inside the case body to outside, and the second metal part is a power-feeding terminal electrically connecting the control circuit and the motor main body.

4. The electric motor according to claim 3, wherein the flow-in portion and the branch portion are formed in a groove shape in the heat sink.

5. The electric motor according to claim 1, wherein the first metal part is exposed from only one surface of a front surface and a rear surface of the cover main body.

6. The electric motor according to claim 5, wherein a heat radiating resin portion contacting with the first metal part and a base portion supporting the heat radiating resin portion are provided in the cover main body;

the heat radiating resin portion is formed of a thermal conductive resin material; and

the base portion is formed of a resin material different from the thermal conductive resin material.

7. The electric motor according to claim 1, wherein the first metal part is formed of an aluminum material.

8. The electric motor according to claim 1, wherein the case body is formed of a conductor;

and a power-feeding unit that controls power feeding to the electric motor and is electrically connected to the first metal part is contained in the case body;

by a fixing member formed of a conductor, the cover main body is fixed to the case body and the first metal part is electrically connected to the case body.

9. The electric motor according to claim 8, wherein the power-feeding unit comprises a brush apparatus performing the power feeding to the electric motor.

10. The electric motor according to claim 8, wherein the power-feeding unit comprises a control circuit controlling the electric motor.

11. The electric motor according to claim 8, wherein the fixing member includes:

a clip portion engaged with the case body and the cover main body and fixing the cover main body to the case body; and

a contact portion formed so as to protrude from the clip portion and contacting with the first metal part.

12. The electric motor according to claim 8, wherein a contact portion is fixed by being press-fitted to a press-fitting portion provided in the first metal part.