FR2728116A1 - POWER REGULATOR EQUIPMENT FOR ELECTRIC MOTOR AND CENTRIFUGAL FAN EQUIPPED WITH SUCH EQUIPMENT - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to power regulating equipment for an electric motor. The equipment (40) comprises a plate (42), one face of which carries electronic components (46, 48, 50) and of which an opposite face is provided with cooling ribs (54, 56, 58) arranged to form a branch of 'inlet (60) suitable for being supplied by an air flow and two outlet branches (62, 64) connected to the inlet branch, so that the air flow is able to circulate along a shaped path of Y, tangentially to the plate. The power regulator equipment of the invention can be integrated in particular into a centrifugal fan for a motor vehicle heating and / or air conditioning installation.

Description

Eqcipment power regulator for electric motor and fan

  The invention relates to a power regulator device for an electric motor, of the type comprising a plate whose first face carries at least one electronic component.

  and a second face of which is provided with cooling ribs

  to be swept by a stream of air.

  Such equipment generally comprises several electronic components, including power transistors, forming part of an electronic circuit for regulating the motor. These components emit a large amount of heat that is dissipated by the airflow sweeping the cooling ribs, which form

  thus the fins of a cooling radiator.

  In a particular application, such equipment provides regulation of the electric motor of a clean fan to be part of a heating and / or air conditioning system of a motor vehicle, as taught by

  example by the publication FR-A-2 676 610.

  The fan produces a pulsed air stream, a small portion of which is diverted to provide a flow of air

  on the cooling ribs of the equipment.

  The known power control equipment is not entirely satisfactory because either the shape of the cooling ribs is not adequate, or the air flow must take a complicated path to ensure cooling. This is particularly the case of the power regulator of the

  aforementioned publication, in which the cooling ribs

  have an arcuate shape that is not sufficiently

  health to ensure good heat dissipation.

  The object of the invention is in particular to overcome the disadvantages

mentioned above.

  It proposes for this purpose a power regulating equipment of the type defined in the introduction, in which the cooling ribs are arranged to form an own input branch to be fed by the air flow and two output branches connected to the branch. and clean to evacuate the flow of air, so that the air flow is clean to flow in a path Y-shaped,

tangentially to the plate.

  Thus, the flow of air is made tangentially to the plate along a path in three branches, Y-shaped, in three privileged directions, which allows

  to ensure optimal scanning of the plate.

  In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the input branch has an input end located near an edge of the plate and an output end located in a central region of the plate, while each branch of outlet has an inlet end located in this central region and an outlet end located near an edge of the plate, so that the input branch and the two output branches extend into

  radial directions with respect to this central region.

  The air flow can thus sweep the plate from an edge of the latter, borrow the input branch to reach the central region of the plate and then be distributed between the two output branches to win two

other edges of the plate.

  Advantageously, the output branches each extend in a general direction at an angle of 45 °.

  report to the general management of the branch of entry.

  In one embodiment of the invention, the cooling ribs have a lower height in the central region of the plate to form a clean housing

  to receive an end of the engine.

  Advantageously, the plate carries at least three electronic power components, including transistors, respectively disposed on the opposite side to the input branch and the two output branches. Each branch is thus assigned to the cooling of a component

particular electronic.

  According to another characteristic, the output branches have equivalent output sections, which allows the air flow to be distributed equally between the two

output branches.

  In another aspect, the invention relates to a centrifugal fan, of the type comprising a turbine adapted to rotate in a volute of a housing under the action of an electric motor, and wherein the housing houses equipment such as

than previously defined.

  Preferably, this equipment is housed in a bottom of the housing in a position such that the plate extends in a plane substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the engine and that the face provided with the fins is

found on the engine side.

  According to another characteristic, the input branch and the two output branches of the cooling ribs each extend in a substantially radial position.

  relative to the axis of rotation of the motor.

  Advantageously, the input branch communicates, through an air inlet, with a zone of overpressure of the volute, while the two output branches each communicate, through an air outlet, with a zone of

depression of the volute.

  The circulation of the air flow is thus done in a natural way. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the air inlet and the two air outlets are each defined by a channel communicating the volute with the bottom of the housing. These three channels can be realized

monoblocks with the bottom of the case.

  In a centrifugal fan of the aforementioned type, the volute comprises an exhaust pipe extending in a direction tangential to the turbine, a nozzle being formed at the

  junction of the exhaust manifold and the volute.

  According to the invention, the input branch of

  the power regulating equipment makes an angle of

  65 to 75 with respect to this beak.

  An optimal configuration is obtained for obtaining an overpressure zone at the air inlet and the zones

  depression at the outlets.

  In the description that follows, made only as a

  for example, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which: - Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of a centrifugal fan equipped with a regulating device of

  according to the invention, the cutting plane being perpendicular to

  dicular to the axis of rotation of the motor and passing through the volute, according to the line I-I of Figure 2, the motor and the turbine being removed for clarity of the drawing; - Figure 2 is a sectional view along the line II-II of Figure 1; - Figure 3 is a sectional view along the line III-III of Figure 1;

  FIG. 4 is a view from above of the standard equipment

  fan power source of FIG. 1; - Figure 5 is a sectional view along the line V-V of Figure 4; and - Figure 6 is a bottom view of the equipment of the

figure 4.

  The centrifugal fan shown in Figures 1 to 3 comprises a housing 10 having a portion 12 in the form of volute or spiral, hereinafter called "volute 12", inside which is adapted to turn a turbine 14 under the action of an electric motor 16, about an axis of

Revolution XX (Figures 2 and 3).

  The volute 12 comprises an end face 18 provided with a circular opening 20 centered on the axis XX and serving to

  admit air inside the volute 12.

  The latter further comprises a side wall 22 defined by generatrices parallel to the axis XX and supported on a generally spiral-shaped curve. The wall 22 is open and is connected on the one hand to a wall 24 via a spout 26 and to an opposite wall 28 extending the wall 22 (Figure 1). The walls 24 and 28

  together define an exhaust or exhaust manifold

  30 which extends in a generally tangential direction

  the tubing 30 is further delimited by the end face 18 and by a face

opposite end 32.

  Thus, air can be admitted into the volute through its opening 20, be moved by the turbine by effect

  centrifuge and leave the volute through the exhaust manifold-

30.

  On the end face 32 is connected a housing bottom 34 which has a bottom wall 36 and a side wall

  stage 38, this housing bottom used to house the motor 16.

  The housing base also houses a regulating device

40 of power according to the invention.

  The equipment 40 comprises a plate 42 of substantially rectangular shape whose plane is arranged perpendicularly to the axis XX. The plate 42 is made of heat conducting material, for example aluminum. It is fixed in the bottom of the housing 34 via a support 39 in

  crown shape and three screws 41 (Figures 1, 2 and 3).

  The plate 42 has a generally smooth first face 44 disposed opposite the bottom wall 36 of the casing (FIGS. 2 and 3) and on which is fixed an electronic control circuit of the motor. This electronic circuit comprises in particular three power transistors 46, 48 and

50 (FIGS. 1, 4 and 6).

  The plate 42 has an opposite face 52 on which are

  formed in relief three sets of cooling ribs

  respectively 54, 56 and 58 (Figures 1 and 4).

  The cooling ribs 54 are parallel to one another and to an axis E contained in the plane of the plate 42 and passing through its center O through which the axis XX passes. The

  ribs 54 define an input branch 60.

  The cooling ribs 56 are parallel to each other and to an axis Sl contained in the plane of the plate and passing through the center O. These ribs 56 define a

first branch of exit 62.

  The cooling ribs 58 are parallel to one another and to an axis S2 contained in the plane of the plate and passing through the center O of the latter. The ribs 56

  define a second output branch 64.

  As can be seen in FIG. 1, the axis E of the input branch is shifted by an angle A close to 70 relative to

  at the nozzle 26 for connecting the exhaust pipe 30.

  Moreover, the axes S1 and S2 each make an angle of 45

relative to the E axis (Figure 1).

  The ribs 54 of the input branch are deflected in the region of the center of the plate to form, on one side the ribs 56 of the output branch 62, and on the other side the ribs 58 of the output branch 64, in order to define a general Y-shaped structure. The cooling ribs are adapted to be swept by a flow of air coming from the volute by the input branch and then discharged into the volute by the two output branches. . For this purpose, the case bottom delimits three channels each connecting the volute to one of the three branches of the

plate 42.

  These three channels comprise first an inlet channel 66, one end of which opens into the volute and whose other end delimits an air port 68 (FIGS. 1 and 2). In the housing are further formed a first outlet channel 70, one end of which opens into the volute in a region of depression thereof and another end of which delimits an air mouth 72 (Figure 1). In addition, a second outlet channel 74 of bent shape has an end opening into the volute in a region of depression thereof and another end defines a

air port 76 (Figures 1 and 3).

  The three channels 66, 70 and 74 extend in directions generally parallel to the axis XX. They can be formed directly by molding with the caseback or be

reported in this one.

  The air vents 68, 72 and 76 are respectively located in the direction of the axes E, S1 and S2 and opposite the

branches 60, 62 and 64 (Figure 1).

  Thus, a flow of air F is taken from the volute in a region of overpressure thereof and is conducted to the mouth 68. The air flow then runs along the cooling ribs 54 of the input branch. 60 then divides into two flows respectively along the cooling ribs 56 and 58 of the two outlet branches 62 and 64. This air is then discharged through the mouths 72 and 76 to

  return to the volute through exit channels 70 and 74.

  In this way, it ensures the cooling of the circuit components, including power transistors 46, 48 and 50. To obtain optimum efficiency, the transistors 46, 48 and 50 are each arranged in the region of a branch. In the example, these three transistors are respectively arranged in the region of the input branch and in

the region of the branches of exit.

  Moreover, the output branches 62 and 64 have equivalent outlet sections at the mouths 72 and 76 to ensure an even distribution of the air flow between

the two branches.

  Reference is now made to Figures 4 to 6 to describe

  In a detailed manner, a device 40 according to the invention comprises

  as a plate 42 identical to that described above.

  The input branch 60 has an inlet end 78 located near an edge 80 of the plate 42 and an outlet end 84 located in a central region 86 of the plate, that is to say around the center O. The output branch 62 has an inlet end 88 located in this central region and an outlet end 90 located near an edge 92 of the plate. Similarly, the output branch 64 has an inlet end 94 located in the central region and an outlet end 96 located near an edge 98 of the plate. Thus, the branches 60, 62 and 64 extend in generally radial directions with respect to this central region. As can be seen better in FIG. 5, the cooling ribs have a lower height in the central region, the latter delimiting a generally frustoconical shaped housing suitable for housing a

  end of the motor 16. This reduces the clutter

  fan, while ensuring a good cooling

  power transistors.

  As can be seen in FIG. 4, the transistors 46, 48 and are respectively fixed in the region of the branches 60,

  62 and 64, on the opposite side to the cooling ribs.

  The plate 42 further comprises three holes 102, 104 and 106

for fixing it to the support 39.

  In FIG. 5, for the sake of simplicity, the intersections of the ribs with the

frustoconical housing 100.

  Of course, the power regulating equipment of the invention is not limited to use in a centrifugal fan for a heating installation

  and / or air conditioning of a motor vehicle.

  It can be used in conjunction with other types of

electric motors.

Claims (12)

claims   1.- Power regulator equipment for electric motor   that of the type comprising a plate (42) having a first face (44) carrying at least one electronic component (46, 48) and a second face (52) of which is provided with cooling ribs (54, 56, 58) adapted to be swept by an air flow (F), characterized in that the cooling ribs (54, 56, 58) are arranged to form an inlet branch (60) adapted to be fed by the flow of air (F) and two output branches (62, 64) connected to the input branch (60) and adapted to evacuate the air flow (F), so that the air flow (F) is clean to circulate on a journey in   Y-shape, tangentially to the plate (42).   2. Equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that the input branch (60) has an input end   (78) near an edge (80) of the plate and one end   an outlet end (84) located in a central region (86) of the plate, while each output branch (62; 64) has an inlet end (88; 94) located in this central region and an output end (90; 96) located near an edge (92; 98) of the plate, so that the input branch and the two output branches extend in radial directions (E; S1; S2) relative to to the central region (86).   3. Equipment according to one of claims 1 and 2,   characterized in that the output legs (62, 64) each extend in a general direction (S1, S2) at an angle of 45 with respect to the general direction (E) of the input branch (60).   4. Equipment according to one of claims 2 and 3,   characterized in that the cooling ribs (54, 56, 58) have a lower height in the central region (86) to form a housing (100) adapted to receive a end of the motor (16).   5. Equipment according to one of claims 1 to 4,   characterized in that the plate (42) bears at least three   electronic components of power (54, 56, 58), in particular   transistors, respectively disposed on the opposite side to the input branch (60) and the two output branches (62, 64).   6. Equipment according to one of claims 1 to 5,   characterized in that the output branches (62, 64) have   equivalent output sections.   7.- Centrifugal fan comprising a turbine (14) adapted to rotate in a volute (12) of a housing (10) under the action of an electric motor (16), characterized in that the housing (10) houses equipment (40) according to one of Claims 1 to 6.   8. Centrifugal fan according to claim 7, characterized in that the equipment (40) is housed in a bottom (34) of the housing in a position such that the plate (42) extends in a plane substantially perpendicular to the axis (XX) of the motor (16) and that the face (52) provided with   fins (54, 56, 58) is on the motor side (16).   9. Fan according to claim 8, characterized in that the input branch (60) and the two output branches (62, 64) each extend in a position substantially   radial with respect to the axis of rotation (XX) of the motor (16).   10. Fan according to one of claims 7 to 9,   characterized in that the input branch (60) communicates, through an air inlet (68), with an overpressure zone of the volute, while the two output branches (64, 66) communicate with each other. , through an air outlet (72, 74) with a depression zone of the volute. 11.A fan according to claim 10, characterized in that the air inlet (68) and the two air outlets (72, 74) are each defined by a channel (66, 70, 74)   communicate the volute (12) with the bottom (34) of the box.   12. Fan according to claim 11, wherein the housing (2) comprises an exhaust pipe (30) connected to the volute (12) by a spout (26), characterized in that the input branch (60 ) of the equipment (40) makes an angle of 65 to 75 relative to the spout (26).