FR3047123A1 - SUPPORT ASSEMBLY FOR AN ELECTRIC MOTOR, IN PARTICULAR IN A HEATING, VENTILATION AND / OR AIR CONDITIONING DEVICE FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a support assembly (B) for a motor (1), comprising two coaxial rings including an inner ring (3) adapted to receive one or more elements of said motor (1) and an outer ring (4). adapted to be fixed on a housing forming a structural element (2). The support assembly further comprises a decoupling element (5) extending between the two rings (3, 4) for damping any possible transmission of movement and / or vibration of the inner ring (3) to the ring. outer (4), said rings and the decoupling element being arranged coaxially around an axis of revolution (XX). The decoupling element (5) has an axial end face (59) which is extended substantially at its center by at least one boss (60). The invention applies in particular to heating, ventilation and / or air conditioning devices for a motor vehicle.

Description

The present invention relates to the field of heating, ventilation and / or air conditioning devices for motor vehicles, and more particularly relates to a support assembly of an electric motor for such a device.

Motor vehicles are commonly equipped with heating, ventilation and / or air conditioning devices, which make it possible to generate one or more air flows and to manage the temperature and distribution within the passenger compartment of the vehicle. These heating, ventilation and / or air conditioning devices include, among others, an air supply device powered by an electric motor to generate an air flow. By air delivery device is meant a device for sucking and / or blowing air. The electric motor is in particular an electronically commutated electric motor, controlled by a power supply module for rotating a ventilation wheel.

Electronically commutated electric motors, or brushless DC motors (also known under the name of "brushless"), comprise a rotor and stator assembly, each of these components carrying electromagnetic elements whose interaction generates the displacement of the rotor relative to the stator, and further the displacement of the ventilation wheel. The rotor and the stator are mounted independently of one another in said motor, and it should be ensured that the relative positioning of these two components is correct for optimum operation of the motor. The assembly of the electric motor in the heating, ventilation and / or air conditioning device is carried out by means of a support assembly which advantageously comprises an inner ring configured to receive the stator of the electric motor and an outer ring capable of being fixed to a structural element of the vehicle forming a housing housing of the heating, ventilation and / or air conditioning device.

It is understood that when the engine is in operation, the stator is subjected to vibrations and stresses due to the rotational movement of the rotor, and it is sought that these vibrations are not transmitted to the outer ring fixed to the vehicle structure, in order to avoid premature wear of the whole. A decoupling element is then provided between the two rings, the main role of which is to filter the acoustic frequencies and the vibrations generated by the motor and to eliminate or, at the very least, to limit as far as possible their transmission via the housing. , the heating, ventilation and / or air conditioning and the vehicle structure.

This decoupling element is made of a material capable of fulfilling the expected role with respect to mechanical and acoustic vibrations (for example, an elastomeric material), said material being inserted between the inner receiving ring of the motor stator and the outer ring of connection to the housing. It can be provided that this material is inserted either in the form of an annular ring extending integrally between the inner and outer rings of the support assembly, or in the form of a plurality of discrete elements regularly distributed angularly between inner ring and outer ring. Whatever the form taken by this decoupling element, it enters into its role to limit as much as possible, or even to suppress, in particular, any excessive relative movement of the inner and outer rings relative to one another and, in particular, any tilting movement of one of these rings relative to the other.

The object of the present invention is to provide a support assembly for a heating, ventilation and / or air conditioning device of a motor vehicle which is simple in construction and in which the transmission of the vibrations generated by the operation of the electric motor is reduced. at most, or even deleted.

For this purpose, the subject of the invention is a support assembly for an engine, which comprises two coaxial rings including an inner ring adapted to receive one or more elements of said motor and an outer ring configured to be fixed on a housing forming an element. of structure, and which further comprises a decoupling element which extends between the two rings to damp any possible transmission of movement and / or vibration of the inner ring to the outer ring, said rings and the decoupling element being arranged coaxially around an axis of revolution. The decoupling element has an axial end face which is extended substantially at its center by at least one boss. This or these bosses allow to increase the freedom of relative movements, tangentially and axially, of the inner ring and the outer ring between them.

According to various features of the invention, taken alone or in combination, it may be provided that: - said at least one boss has a section, in a radial plane containing the axis of revolution, having substantially the shape of a U; the inner ring, the outer ring and the decoupling element each have a first face configured to be turned away from the motor, said at least one projection extending along the axis of revolution, said first face of the decoupling element; - The decoupling element comprises a plurality of bosses angularly evenly distributed around the periphery of the decoupling element; the decoupling element comprises damping blocks and a membrane connecting them, said blocks and the membrane being differentiated by the radial thickness of the material forming the decoupling element; - The membrane has a thin wall adapted to be pressed against the outer face of the inner ring extended substantially perpendicularly by the axial end face carrying the boss; - The boss extends from the axial end face opposite the thin wall forming, due to the elasticity of the material component of the decoupling element, a bellows; flat support zones are formed between two successive bosses, directly above the damping blocks; - The bearing zones are configured to be arranged opposite a stiffening means of the decoupling element carried by the outer ring and / or the inner ring; - The decoupling element is made of an elastomeric material. The invention also relates to a heating, ventilation and / or air conditioning device for a motor vehicle, characterized in that it comprises a motor and a support assembly of the motor as described above. Other characteristics, details and advantages of the invention will emerge more clearly on reading the description given below as an indication in relation to the following figures: FIG. 1 is a schematic general perspective view of a support assembly of an electric motor according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, said assembly being mounted in a housing, - Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view of an inner ring of the support assembly of the FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic perspective view of an outer ring of the support assembly of FIG. 1; FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic view, substantially in the same perspective as that of FIGS. 2 and 3; illustrating the assembly of the inner ring of FIG. 2 and the outer ring of FIG. 3; FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a single support assembly with a decoupling element in FIG. sere between the inner ring and the outer ring, in which is made visible, and in particular by the detail 5a, the cooperation of an anti-tip finger carried by the inner ring with a housing passing through the outer ring, - and Figure 6 is a perspective view of the decoupling element of FIG. 5, with a detail 6a in which a membrane of this decoupling element is seen in section. It should first be noted that the figures show the invention in detail for its implementation, said figures can of course be used to better define the invention where appropriate.

FIG. 1 shows an assembly A formed of an electric motor 1, of the rotor / stator type, mounted on a support assembly B (visible only in particular in FIG. 5), itself secured to a housing 2 of structure a heating, ventilation and / or air conditioning device. The support assembly B comprises an inner ring 3, made integral with the stator (here not visible) of the electric motor, an outer ring 4, fixed on the housing 2, and a decoupling element 5 of which at least part is placed between the inner ring 3 and the outer ring 4.

As shown in Figure 1, the inner ring 3, the outer ring 4, and the decoupling element 5 are substantially coaxial with the axis of rotation XX of the rotor / stator assembly of the electric motor 1, embodied by the output shaft 10. Furthermore, the housing 2 substantially forms a form of revolution substantially around this axis common to the engine and the support assembly. The housing has a bearing surface 20 and fixing lugs to be plated and screwed onto a corresponding bearing surface not shown, and this bearing surface is substantially annular to define a housing adapted to receive the support assembly B comprising the inner ring 3, the outer ring 4 and the decoupling element 5. In other words, the housing 2 has a concave shape, and the assembly formed by the inner ring 3, the outer ring 4 and the decoupling element 5 is accommodated in the cavity formed by the concave portion of this housing. Advantageously, the dimensions of the inner and outer rings 4 and of the decoupling element 5 are defined in such a way that, once housed in the casing 2, the assembly which they form is substantially flush with the bearing surface 20 of FIG. this case.

In what follows, arbitrarily, the "high" and "low" references will refer to the orientation of the set A as illustrated by FIG. 1. Thus, the "high" or "superior" the part and / or the elements located, once the assembly has achieved, on the same side as the output shaft 10 of the motor relative to the bearing surface 20 previously defined, the mentions "low" or "lower" designating, therefore, the parts or elements situated opposite the elements and / or parts marked as "high" or "higher". Referring to these arbitrary conventions: the angles of view of Figures 2 to 6 are such that the elements are shown with the corresponding upper faces visible, the angle of view of Figure 1 shows more specifically the lower parts of the rings, the decoupling element and the housing 2.

Referring to Figure 2, the inner ring 3 has the general shape of a cylinder whose outer diameter is greater than the thickness, and whose thickness is substantially equal to the depth of the housing formed in the housing 2, as that has been defined above. The inner ring 3 is pierced, substantially axially, with an orifice 30 of generally cylindrical general shape, intended to accommodate elements of the engine 1. For this purpose, particular shapes 32 are arranged, substantially radially, from the wall inner 31 defining the orifice 30, to promote the introduction and maintenance of these elements of the motor 1 in the inner ring 3. These particular shapes 32 here take the form of notches formed radially from the inner wall 31, and they are angularly evenly distributed over the inner wall 31, 3 in number. It goes without saying that any shape, any number, and any orientation of the particular shapes 32 from the inner wall 31 of the orifice 30 may also be envisaged, insofar as they allow the insertion and maintenance, within the inner ring 3, the engine 1 elements to be placed therein. At its outer periphery, the inner ring 3 is limited by an outer wall 33 whose general surface is substantially cylindrical, in which and from which are arranged a number of elements projecting radially, able to cooperate with the outer ring. 4 and / or with the decoupling element 5, to form means for limiting the tilting of the inner ring relative to the outer ring. It will be understood that without departing from the context of the invention, it could be provided that the projecting elements extend radially from an inner wall of the outer ring 4, in the direction of the decoupling element and the inner ring.

In particular, according to the invention, means for limiting the tilting of the inner ring relative to the outer ring are formed by anti-tip fingers 34 made of material with the inner ring 3 and which extend radially from the wall external 33 of the latter, in the opposite direction to that of the axis of revolution of the inner ring 3. Advantageously, but not exclusively, regardless of their number, the anti-tilt fingers are angularly regularly distributed to the surface of the outer wall 33 of the inner ring 3. However, it is conceivable, for reasons of space or for other mechanical reasons, that the angular distribution of the anti-tilt fingers 34 from the outer wall 33 of the inner ring 3 is different. According to the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG. 2, the anti-tilt fingers 34 are 3 in number, and they are angularly regularly distributed on the surface of the outer wall 33 with an angle of 120 ° thus formed. between two consecutive anti-tilt fingers 34 on the outer wall 33 of the inner ring 3. According to other embodiments, the number of anti-tip fingers 34 may be different without affecting the invention.

Advantageously, each anti-tilt finger 34 fits, from the outer wall 33, into a substantially parallelepipedal first volume V (not shown in the figures) whose dimension, in the radial direction along which the anti-finger -basing considered, is superior to other dimensions. In other words, if the term "length" designates the radial dimension according to which extends an anti-tip finger 34 given from the outer wall 33 of the inner ring 3, this length is greater than the width and the height of the first substantially parallelepipedal volume V in which this finger is inscribed. More precisely, within this first substantially parallelepipedal volume V, the anti-tilt finger has, in section along a plane perpendicular to the length of this finger, the general shape of an inverted H whose two parallel branches are arranged, in reference to the orientations defined above, parallel to an upper face 35 and a lower face 36 of the inner ring 3. Advantageously, the branches of the anti-tilt finger have substantially the same thickness, either the parallel branches of the H or the central branch of the same H. It is understood that the central branch extends substantially parallel to the axis of revolution of the ring which carries the anti-tilt finger.

With reference to FIG. 3, the outer ring 4 has substantially the shape of a circular ring with an inner wall 40 and an outer wall 41 defining the thickness of the outer ring 4. The diameter of the inner wall, substantially cylindrical, 40 is greater than the diameter of the outer wall, substantially cylindrical, 33 of the inner ring 3. More specifically, the diameter of the outer wall 33 of the inner ring 3, out of the anti-tilt fingers 34, and the diameter of the wall inner, substantially cylindrical, 40 of the outer ring 4, are defined such that in the assembly they form with the decoupling element 5, these two rings allow the passage of the decoupling element between they, in a coaxial arrangement with their common axis coincident, when the assembly A is made, with the output shaft 10 of the engine. As more specifically shown in Figure 4, these dimensions are defined such that a substantially annular space 6 exists between the outer wall 33 of the inner ring 3 and the inner wall 40 of the outer ring 4. The diameter and shape substantially cylindrical outer wall 41 of the outer ring 4 are defined in such a way that the insertion, within the housing arranged in the casing 2, of the assembly formed by the outer ring 4, the inner ring 3 and the decoupling element 5, is done without friction and without excessive play that could jeopardize the proper operation of the assembly A.

First orifices 42 are arranged radially in the outer ring 4. Each first orifice 42 is here passing through, in that it extends radially from the inner wall 40, into which it opens, to the outer wall 41, in which it also opens. Each through hole 42 is delimited by an inner wall 43 and forms, within the annular outer ring portion 4, a housing of a second substantially parallelepipedal radial volume V (not shown in the figures). This second substantially parallelepipedal volume V formed by each through-orifice 42 in the outer ring 4 is greater than the substantially parallelepipedal volume V in which each tilt finger 34 of the inner ring 3 fits, so that each finger can be accommodated. in the housing formed by the first orifice.

Advantageously, but not exclusively, regardless of their number, the through orifices 42 are angularly evenly distributed within the ring that forms the outer ring 4. H is however conceivable that, for reasons of space or for d Other mechanical reasons, the angular distribution of the through orifices 42 in the ring formed by this outer ring 4 is different. According to the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figure 3, the through holes 42 are three in number, and they are angularly evenly distributed within the ring formed by the outer ring 4. An angle of 120 ° is thus formed between two through holes 42 consecutive. According to other embodiments, the number of anti-tilt fingers 34 may be different without affecting the invention. In any case, according to the invention, the number of through holes 42 formed within the outer ring 4 should be equal to or greater than the number of anti-tilt fingers 34 that the inner ring 3 comprises.

The walls 43 delimiting each of the through orifices 42 are pierced axially by at least one opening opening 44, 45, able to pass through axial thrust pins which limit the deflection of the anti-tilt finger inside the first orifice. By axial means parallel to the axis of revolution of the outer ring 4.

The inner and outer rings 3 and 4 are defined such that, within the support assembly that they form with the decoupling element 5, each through hole 42 is radially in the same position as the one anti-tip finger 34. More specifically, the inner ring 3 and outer 4 are shaped such that each anti-tilt finger 34 of the inner ring 3 extends within the second substantially parallelepipedal volume V formed by the through hole 42 in whose eyes he is. The length of each anti-tilt finger 34 can be defined in such a way that it extends substantially through the outer ring 4, over all or part of the radial dimension of the through hole 42 corresponding. The viewing angle chosen for FIG. 4 allows a more precise illustration of the configuration of the inner ring 3 and of the outer ring 4 within the assembly B. It is clearly shown in this figure that each anti-tilt finger 34 is engaged in a through hole 42 of the outer ring 4, and that, the inner 3 and outer 4 rings being coaxial, their dimensions are defined in such a way that there is, between the outer wall 33 of the inner ring 3 and the inner wall 40 of the outer ring 4, a substantially annular space 6. More specifically, the annular space 6 consists of successive portions of the same annular space, separated from each other by the anti-tilt fingers 34 radially placed between the inner ring 3 and the outer ring 4. It should be noted that, as well that it has been indicated above, the second volume V, defined by each through hole 42 within the outer ring 4, being greater than the first volume V, in which fits each anti-tilt finger 34, each of these anti-tilt fingers may have an axial, tangential, or a combination of these two movements within the through hole 42 in which it is engaged. These movements, whose amplitude is substantially of the order of a few millimeters, define the degrees of freedom of the inner ring 3 with respect to the outer ring 4 within the assembly B and thereby the degrees of freedom of the motor with respect to the housing 2. Within the support assembly B according to the invention, the decoupling element 5 makes it possible to damp these vibrations, and to make the possible movements and jerks of the rotor relative to the stator as independent as possible from the rest of the heater, ventilation and / or air conditioning.

According to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5, the decoupling element 5 is in the form of a part made of a material having an ability to damp the vibrations, such as, by way of nonlimiting example, a elastomeric material. The decoupling element 5, obtained by injection of material when the inner and outer rings are already in place in the mold, comprises a central portion of revolution 51, at a first axial end of which is arranged a first seal 52, extending the central portion of revolution towards the inside of the decoupling element to be interposed between the inner ring 3 and the motor 1, and at a second opposite axial end of which is arranged a second seal 53, extending the central portion of revolution towards the outside of the decoupling element to be interposed between the outer ring 4 and the housing 2.

It is understood that the central portion of revolution 51 is configured to occupy, inter alia, the annular space 6 existing between the inner ring 3 and the outer ring 4. The central portion 51 has damping blocks 54 regularly distributed angularly over all the periphery of the decoupling element, and connecting membranes 55 interconnecting the damping blocks 54 to form a central portion of continuous revolution. It is understood that the damping blocks consist of a greater elastomer thickness than the thickness of elastomer constituting the connecting membranes. At least one of these bonding membranes has a shape defined in such a way that the latter substantially marries, within each through orifice 42 of the outer ring 4, the external shape of the anti-tilt finger 34 engaged in this orifice crossing. More specifically, and as shown in FIG. 5, the decoupling element 5 forms, at the level of each through hole 42 of the outer ring 4, a first wall 56 whose shape and dimensions are such that it marries, in being pressed against them, the walls 43 of the second substantially parallelepipedal interior volume V formed by the through hole 42 considered, a second wall 57 whose shape and dimensions are such that it matches the outer contours of the anti-tilt finger 34 which extends within the through hole 42 considered.

According to another advantageous characteristic of the invention, the first wall 56 and the second wall 57 are shaped such that a slight space E (visible in FIG. 5), of the order of a few millimeters, remains between them, and in particular axially between the elastomer covering the upper branch of the finger and the elastomer covering the upper part of the wall delimiting the through hole, and axially between the elastomer covering the lower branch of the finger and the elastomer covering the lower part. of the wall delimiting the through hole. The movements of the anti-tilt fingers 34 inside the through orifices 42, consecutive to the relative movements of the inner ring 3 and the outer ring 4, thus remain possible. But when the inner ring 3 and the outer ring 4, under the effect of the rotation of the motor 1, have relative movements between them which could lead the anti-tilt fingers 34 to strike the inner walls 43 of the through holes 42 to within which they extend, these movements are dampened by the natural elasticity of the material constituting the decoupling element 5. It follows, on the one hand, a reduction (or even a suppression) of the transmission of the movement of the inner ring 3 to the outer ring 4 (and, thereby, the housing 2 of the heating, ventilation and / or air conditioning) and, on the other hand, a suppression of any clacking noise induced by this percussion. It should be noted that the particular shape of each anti-tilt finger 34, whose section, in a plane perpendicular to the radial direction in which it extends, has substantially the shape of an inverted H, also contributes, by the conformation and dimensions of this H, to attenuate and dampen vibrations and snapping sounds they can generate.

In a detail of FIG. 6, the section of the connecting membrane of the decoupling element has been made visible in the standard zones of this connecting membrane 55, that is between the damping blocks 54 and distance from the zones corresponding to the housings of the anti-tilt fingers. The membrane 55 has a thin wall 58, able to be pressed against the outer face 33 of the inner ring 3, which carries at a first axial end the first seal 52 and which is extended substantially perpendicularly to the opposite axial end by a face axial end face 59. This axial end face has substantially at its center a bellows zone 60 which comprises at least one boss which extends axially, that is to say, according to the axis of revolution XX of the decoupling element, opposite the thin wall. This bellows zone makes it possible, because of the elasticity of the material making up the decoupling element, to compensate for the axial and / or tangential motions of the various components of the motor. This bellows is extended radially opposite the thin wall by a rim 61 configured to bear on the outer ring 4. The second seal 53 is carried by the axial end face 59.

In one embodiment, illustrated in the figures, the shape of the bellows zone 60 has a section, in a radial plane, substantially in the shape of an inverted U whose base is oriented, according to the previously defined denominations and orientations, towards the upper part of the assembly B. The U-shaped configuration of the bellows zone makes it possible to increase the freedom of movement of the inner ring 3 with respect to the outer ring 4, both tangentially and axially, without the risk of tearing. of the decoupling element 5 during such movements, which could occur if the axial end face 59 was stretched between the two rings. It is possible to provide bellows zones of a shape different from that of a U-shape illustrated in the figures, and for example a V-shaped, W-shaped or omega-shaped, the bellows zone possibly having at least one boss and at least one a recess arranged on either side of the axial end face 59.

Advantageously, the decoupling element is configured so that a first face of the membranes 55 carrying the bellows zones 60 is oriented, correspondingly to the orientation of a first face of the inner and outer rings, in the opposite direction of the motor, so that the bellows act in the area where the amplitude of relative movement from one ring to the other is the largest.

As can be seen in FIGS. 5 and 6, a plurality of bellows zones 60 project from the axial end face 59 of the decoupling element 5, and these bellows zones extend periodically, being regularly angularly distributed. These bellows zones are interrupted in alignment with flat support zones 62 formed at the top of the damping blocks 54. These flat support zones 62 allow the facing of a stiffening means facing the decoupling element, which can be indifferently carried by the outer ring and the inner ring. These stiffening means make it possible to limit the axial deformations of a decoupling element for which a highly elastic material can therefore be provided for the absorption of radial movements. The invention thus makes it possible, by virtue of the specific shape of the elastomer element between the two rings of the support assembly, to increase the freedom of relative movements, tangentially and axially, of the inner ring and the outer ring. between them. Thanks to the presence of the decoupling element 5 and the existence of the first and second walls 56, 57, thereof, and by the presence of a bellows 60 formed by the boss or bosses that this element of decoupling includes, it is possible to strongly limit any transmission to the outer ring 4, a possible vibration resulting from a movement or jerk of the engine 1 during operation.

Claims (12)

1. Support assembly (B) of a motor (1), which comprises two coaxial rings including an inner ring (3) adapted to receive one or more elements of said motor (1) and an outer ring (4) configured to be fixed on a housing forming a structural element (2), and which further comprises a decoupling element (5) which extends between the two rings (3, 4) for damping any possible transmission of movement and / or vibration of the inner ring (3) to the outer ring (4), said rings and the decoupling element being arranged coaxially around an axis of revolution (XX), characterized in that the decoupling element (5) has a axial end face (59) which is deformed substantially at its center to form at least one bellows region (60). 2. The assembly of claim 1, characterized in that said bellows zone (60) has at least one boss relative to the axial end face (59). 3. An assembly according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said bellows zone (60) comprises at least one boss and at least one recess arranged on either side of the axial end face (59) along of the axis of revolution (XX). 4. An assembly according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the inner ring (3), the outer ring (4) and the decoupling element (5) each have a first face configured to be rotated to the opposite end. opposite the motor (1), said bellows zone (60) having at least one protrusion extending along said axis of revolution (XX), said first face of the decoupling element. 5. An assembly according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the decoupling element (5) comprises a plurality of bellows zones (60) angularly regularly distributed around the periphery of the decoupling element. 6. Assembly according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the decoupling element (5) comprises damping blocks (54) and a membrane (55) connecting them, said blocks (54) and the membrane ( 55) differing in the radial thickness of the material forming the decoupling element (5). 7. Assembly according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the membrane (55) has a thin wall (58) adapted to be pressed against the outer face (33) of the inner ring (3) extended substantially perpendicularly by the face of axial end (59) carrying the bellows zone (60). 8. Assembly according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the bellows zone (60) comprises at least one boss which extends from the axial end face (59) opposite the thin wall (58). 9. Assembly according to one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that flat support zones (62) are provided between two successive bellows zones (60), directly above the damping blocks ( 54). 10. Assembly according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said bearing areas (62) are configured to be arranged opposite a stiffening means of the decoupling element (5) carried by the outer ring (4). and / or the inner ring (3) 11. Assembly according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the decoupling element (5) is made of an elastomeric material. 12. Heater, ventilation and / or air conditioning for a motor vehicle, characterized in that it comprises a motor (1) and a support assembly according to one of the preceding claims.