JP2022130107A - Electric equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a technique relating to electric equipment which includes an elongated opening in a housing and a plurality of terminal blocks arranged side by side inside the opening, the opening being covered by a cover, and enables the cover to be smoothly attached to the housing.SOLUTION: Electrical equipment includes a housing, a plurality of terminal blocks, a plurality of terminals fixed to the terminal blocks, and a cover. The plurality of terminal blocks are arranged in the opening and arranged side by side along the longitudinal direction of the opening. Each terminal has a tip portion fixed to the terminal block, and an intermediate portion extending from the base portion of the tip portion in a normal direction to the outer surface of the housing. The back surface of the cover has a first rib to be inserted into a first space between a pair of adjacent terminal blocks, and a second rib to be inserted into a second space between another pair of adjacent terminal blocks. The distance from the edge of the opening in the first space to the intermediate portion is shorter than the length of the first rib in the short-side direction of the opening. The width of the opening in the second space in the short-side direction is equal to the length of the second rib in the short-side direction of the opening.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The technology disclosed in this specification relates to an electric device having an elongated opening in a housing, a plurality of terminal blocks lined up inside the opening, and a cover covering the opening.

Patent Documents 1 and 2 disclose electrical equipment having the housing and cover described above. The cover of the electric device disclosed in Patent Document 1 is provided with ribs for reinforcing the cover on the back surface (the surface facing the opening).

JP 2014-138446 A Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-017900

A plurality of terminal blocks are arranged inside the opening along the longitudinal direction of the opening. Ribs on the underside of the cover fit into spaces between adjacent terminal blocks. If the cover is misaligned in the longitudinal or lateral direction of the opening, the cover cannot be properly attached to the housing. The present specification provides a technique that allows the cover to be smoothly attached to the housing.

An electrical device disclosed in this specification includes a housing, a plurality of terminal blocks, a plurality of terminals, and a cover. An elongated opening is provided in the outer surface of the housing. A plurality of terminal blocks are arranged in the opening and aligned along the longitudinal direction of the opening. Each of the plurality of terminals is fixed to each of the plurality of terminal blocks. Each terminal has a tip portion fixed to the terminal block and an intermediate portion extending from the base portion of the tip portion in the normal direction to the outer surface of the housing and to which a conductor is connected.

A cover is attached to cover the opening of the housing. The rear surface of the cover has a first rib inserted into a first space between a pair of adjacent terminal blocks and a second rib inserted into a second space between another pair of adjacent terminal blocks. is doing.

The opening has a pair of edges that intersect in its lateral direction. The distance from the edge of the opening in the first space (the edge intersecting the widthwise direction of the opening) to the intermediate portion of the terminal is shorter than the length of the first rib in the widthwise direction of the opening. The width of the opening in the second space in the transverse direction is equal to the length of the second rib in the transverse direction of the opening. It should be noted that the length of the second rib and the width of the opening should be equal within a predetermined error range.

According to the above-described structure, if the cover is attached while the cover is displaced from the opening in the longitudinal direction, the first rib interferes with the intermediate portion of the terminal. Therefore, the operator can sense that the cover is displaced in the longitudinal direction. In particular, when the cover is brought closer to the opening, the first rib contacts the intermediate portion before the first rib reaches the terminal block, and the operator can quickly detect that the cover is displaced. and the position of the cover can be modified.

When the first rib is correctly positioned in the first space, the second rib is also correctly positioned in the second space. At this time, if the cover is displaced in the lateral direction of the opening, the second rib cannot be inserted into the second space. When the cover is correctly positioned with respect to the opening even in the lateral direction, it becomes possible to push the cover to the outer surface of the housing. In the electric device disclosed in this specification, the first rib and the second rib on the back surface of the cover function as guides in the longitudinal direction and the lateral direction of the opening, respectively, so that the cover can be smoothly attached to the housing. .

Details and further improvements of the technique disclosed in this specification are described in the following "Mode for Carrying Out the Invention".

It is a perspective view of the electric equipment of an Example (state which removed the cover from the housing|casing). It is the perspective view which looked at the cover from the back side. It is a front view of a housing|casing (a cover is abbreviate|omitted). FIG. 4 is a front view of the housing (the cover, terminals, and conductors are omitted); FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VV of FIG. 3; FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VI-VI of FIG. 3; It is the perspective view which looked at the cover of the modification from the back side. FIG. 11 is a front view of a housing corresponding to a modified cover (with the cover removed);

An electric device of an embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. The electrical equipment of the embodiment is the inverter 2 . FIG. 1 shows a perspective view (partial perspective view) of the inverter 2 . The inverter 2 is an electric device that outputs two sets of three-phase alternating current. Description of the internal structure and circuitry of the inverter 2 is omitted.

An elongated opening 12 is provided in the outer surface 11 of the housing 10 of the inverter 2, and six terminal blocks 13 for outputting two sets of three-phase alternating current are arranged in the opening 12. To be precise, six terminal blocks 13 are arranged inside the housing 10, and the six terminal blocks 13 are arranged along the longitudinal direction of the opening 12 so as to be visible from the outside through the opening 12. I'm in. In other words, the six terminal blocks 13 are arranged in the opening 12 when viewed from the normal direction of the outer surface 11 and are arranged along the longitudinal direction of the opening 12 .

A terminal 20 is fixed with a bolt 24 to each of the six terminal blocks 13 . In FIG. 1, the state where the second terminal 20 from the left is removed from the terminal block 13 is depicted. The remaining terminal block 13 is hidden behind the terminal 20 and cannot be seen. In FIG. 1, only the two terminals 20 and conductors 23 on the left side are denoted by reference numerals, and the four terminals on the right side (and the conductors connected to the terminals) are omitted.

Although details will be described later, the terminal 20 has a tip portion 21 fixed to the terminal block 13 and an intermediate portion 22 bent at a right angle from the base portion of the tip portion 21 . The structures of the terminal block 13 and the terminals 20 will be described later in detail.

A conductor 23 is connected to the base of the intermediate portion 22 . The terminal 20 and the conductor 23 are made from a single elongated metal plate. An elongated metal plate (or metal bar) for transmitting power is sometimes called a busbar. One end of conductor 23 (bus bar) is connected to terminal block 13 of inverter 2 via terminal 20, and the other end is connected to a device that consumes three-phase alternating current (for example, a three-phase alternating current motor). The conductor 23 may be a flexible cable instead of a metal plate (metal bar). The terminal block 13 is also provided with an in-casing terminal that electrically connects the circuit of the inverter 2 and the terminal 20, but the illustration thereof is omitted.

The X direction of the coordinate system in the drawing corresponds to the normal direction of the outer surface 11 of the housing 10 . The Y direction of the coordinate system corresponds to the longitudinal direction of the elongate aperture 12 and the Z direction corresponds to the lateral direction of the aperture 12 . In subsequent figures, the relationship between each coordinate axis and the housing 10 is the same. Hereinafter, in order to simplify the description, the longitudinal direction (Y direction) of the opening 12 may be referred to as the longitudinal direction of the opening, and the lateral direction (Z direction) of the opening 12 may be referred to as the lateral direction of the opening.

Opening 12 is covered with cover 30 . The cover 30 is fixed to the housing 10 with bolts 34 . FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the cover 30 as seen from the back side. A plurality of ribs 32 are provided on the back surface of the cover 30 (the surface facing the housing 10). For convenience of explanation, the rightmost rib 32 in FIG. 2 is called a first rib 32a, and the rib 32 adjacent to the first rib 32a is called a second rib 32b. The length of the first rib 32a in the width direction of the opening (rib length Wr1) is longer than the length of the second rib 32b in the width direction of the opening (rib length Wr2). The lower end of the cover 30 is notched so as not to interfere with the conductors 23 extending from the housing 10 to other devices.

FIG. 3 shows a front view of the housing 10 viewed from the normal direction (X direction) of the outer surface 11. As shown in FIG. In FIG. 3, the first rib 32a and the second rib 32b are indicated by phantom lines, and the remaining ribs 32 and the body of the cover 30 are omitted. To aid understanding, the first rib 32a and the second rib 32b are hatched. FIG. 4 shows a front view of the housing 10 with the illustration of the cover 30, the terminals 20 and the conductors 23 omitted. FIG. 5 shows a cross section along line VV in FIG. 3, and FIG. 6 shows a cross section along line VI-VI.

The six terminal blocks 13 are arranged along the longitudinal direction of the opening (Y direction). For convenience of explanation, the terminal block 13 at the left end is referred to as a terminal block 13a. The terminal block 13 on the right side of the terminal block 13a is called a terminal block 13b, and the terminal block 13 on the right side is called a terminal block 13c. Description of the remaining three terminal blocks is omitted. For convenience of explanation, the terminal 20 fixed to the terminal block 13a is called the terminal 20a, the terminal 20 fixed to the terminal block 13b is called the terminal 20b, and the terminal 20 fixed to the terminal block 13c is called the terminal 20c. called. Description of the remaining three terminals is omitted.

A space between a pair of adjacent terminal blocks 13a and 13b is called a first space SP1, and a space between another pair of adjacent terminal blocks 13b and 13c is called a second space SP2. As understood from FIGS. 3 to 6, when the cover 30 is correctly attached to the housing 10, the first rib 32a is inserted into the first space SP1, and the second rib 32b is inserted into the second space SP2. .

Aperture 12 has an upper edge 12a and a lower edge 12b extending along its length. A projection 15 projecting toward the center of the opening 12 is provided on the upper edge 12a. The protrusion 15 is positioned to face the second space SP2. The projection 15 narrows the lateral width of the opening 12 in the second space SP2. The width of the opening 12 in the second space SP2 in the lateral direction (opening width Wsp2) is shorter than the width of the opening 12 in the first space SP1 (opening width Wsp1).

When the cover 30 correctly closes the opening 12, the first rib 32a is inserted into the first space SP1 (the space between the terminal blocks 13a and 13b), and the second rib 32b is inserted into the second space SP2 (between the terminal blocks 13b and 13c). space between) (see FIGS. 3, 5, 6). However, if the position of the cover 30 with respect to the opening 12 is not correct in the YZ plane, the ribs 32 cannot be inserted between the adjacent terminal blocks 13 and the cover 30 cannot be attached to the housing 10 . The electrical equipment (inverter 2 ) of the embodiment has a structure in which the cover 30 can be smoothly attached to the housing 10 . Its structure will be described below.

5 shows a cross section along line VV in FIG. 3, and FIG. 6 shows a cross section along line VI-VI in FIG. In other words, FIG. 5 shows a cross section of the housing 10 cut along a plane passing through the first space SP1, and the sides of the terminal block 13b and the terminals 20b are visible. FIG. 6 shows a cross section of the housing 10 cut along a plane passing through the second space SP2, in which the terminal block 13b and the terminals 20c are visible. 5 and 6, the cover 30 is drawn in phantom lines. As shown in FIG. 5, the first rib 32a is inserted into the first space SP1. As shown in FIG. 6, a second rib 32b is inserted into the second space SP2.

The terminal 20 has a tip portion 21 and an intermediate portion 22 . The tip portion 21 is fixed to the terminal block 13 . 5 and 6, illustration of a support portion for supporting the terminal block 13 is omitted. In addition, the terminal block 13 is provided with in-housing terminals for conducting the circuit of the inverter 2 and the terminals 20, but the in-housing terminals are also omitted in FIGS.

The intermediate portion 22 extends from the base of the tip portion 21 in the normal direction (X direction) of the outer surface 11 . The tip portion 21 is positioned within the opening 12 and the intermediate portion 22 extends outside the opening 12 in the normal direction. A conductor 23 is connected to the base of the intermediate portion 22 . The conductor 23 and the terminal 20 are bent metal plates, the normal direction of the tip portion 21 coincides with the normal direction of the outer surface 11, and the normal direction of the intermediate portion 22 coincides with the lateral direction of the opening. As shown in FIG. 3, the width of the terminal 20 in the longitudinal direction of the opening is longer than the width of the terminal block 13 in the longitudinal direction of the opening.

The length (rib length Wr1) of the first rib 32a in the lateral direction of the opening is longer than the distance Wa between the upper edge 12a of the opening 12 and the intermediate portion 22 of the terminal 20. As shown in FIG. Rib length Wr1 is longer than the distance between lower edge 12b and intermediate portion 22 . In other words, the opening 12 has a pair of edges (upper edge 12a and lower edge 12b) extending along the longitudinal direction of the opening. , the length of the first rib 32a (rib length Wr1). Due to this dimensional relationship, the cover 30 interferes with the terminal 20 and cannot even approach the opening 12 at the position where the terminal 20 and the first rib 32a correspond in the normal direction.

The length of the second rib 32b in the width direction of the opening (rib length Wr2) is the same as the width of the second space SP2 in the width direction of the opening (width Wsp2). Strictly speaking, the rib length Wr2 is slightly shorter than the opening width Wsp2.

The above relationship between rib length and opening width provides the following advantages. If the cover 30 is attached to the opening 12 while the cover 30 is displaced from the opening 12 in the longitudinal direction, the first rib 32a interferes with the intermediate portion 22 of the terminal 20a or the intermediate portion 22 of the terminal 20b. Therefore, the operator can sense that the cover 30 is displaced from the opening 12 in the longitudinal direction of the opening. In particular, since the intermediate portion 22 extends to the outside of the housing 10, the operator can sense the displacement of the cover 30 early.

When the first rib 32a is correctly positioned in the first space SP1, the second rib 32b is also correctly positioned in the second space SP2. At this time, if the cover 30 is displaced in the lateral direction of the opening, the second rib 32b cannot be inserted into the second space SP2. When the cover 30 is correctly positioned with respect to the opening 12 also in the lateral direction of the opening, the cover 30 can be pushed to the edge of the opening 12 . In the inverter 2, the first rib 32a and the second rib 32b on the back surface of the cover 30 function as guides in the longitudinal direction and the lateral direction of the opening 12, respectively, so that the cover 30 can be smoothly attached to the housing 10. Become.

As shown in FIG. 2, the cover 30 has three ribs in addition to the first rib 32a and the second rib 32b. One or more ribs among the three ribs may have the same structure as the first ribs 32a, and the remaining ribs may have the same structure as the second ribs 32b. The opening 12 is preferably provided with a projection at a position corresponding to the edge of the second rib 32b in the widthwise direction of the opening.

Note that the protrusion 15 is not necessarily required. Even if the projection 15 is not provided, the length of the second rib 32b in the widthwise direction of the opening is equal to the width (opening width Wsp2) of the second space SP2 (space into which the second rib 32b is inserted) in the widthwise direction of the opening. should be equal. The length of the second rib 32b (rib length Wr2) and the width of the second space SP2 (opening width Wsp2) should be equal within a predetermined allowable error range (clearance). More specifically, since the second rib 32b is inserted into the second space SP2, the rib length Wr2 and the opening width Wsp2 satisfy the relationship of opening width Wsp2>rib length Wr2>(opening width Wsp2−permissible error). In that sense, they should be equal.

(Modification) FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of a cover 130 of a modification as viewed from the rear side, and FIG. 8 shows the front of a housing corresponding to the cover 130 (the same housing as the housing 10 of the first embodiment). Figure shows. The cover 130 has a third rib 32c in addition to the first rib 32a and the second rib 32b. Illustration of the body of 130 is omitted. In FIG. 8, the first rib 32a, the second rib 32b, and the third rib 32c are hatched to aid understanding. In FIG. 8, illustration of the remaining ribs is also omitted.

As shown in FIG. 8, the third rib 32c is arranged to be inserted between the edge 12c of the opening 12 extending along the width direction of the opening and the terminal block 13a adjacent to the edge 12c. That is, the third rib 32c also contributes to alignment of the cover 130 with respect to the opening 12 in the longitudinal direction of the opening, similarly to the first rib 32a.

The technology disclosed in this specification may be applied to electrical equipment other than inverters.

Although specific examples of the present invention have been described in detail above, these are merely examples and do not limit the scope of the claims. The technology described in the claims includes various modifications and changes of the specific examples illustrated above. The technical elements described in this specification or in the drawings exhibit technical usefulness alone or in various combinations, and are not limited to the combinations described in the claims as of the filing. In addition, the techniques exemplified in this specification or drawings can simultaneously achieve a plurality of purposes, and achieving one of them has technical utility in itself.

2: Inverter 10: Housing 11: Outer surface 12: Opening 12a: Upper edge 12b: Lower edge 13, 13a, 13b, 13c: Terminal block 15: Projections 20, 20a, 20b, 20c: Terminal 21: Tip 22: Intermediate Part 23: Conductors 24, 34: Bolts 30, 130: Cover 32: Rib 32a: First rib 32b: Second rib 32c: Third rib

Claims (1)

a housing having an elongated opening on its outer surface;
a plurality of terminal blocks arranged in the opening and arranged along the longitudinal direction of the opening;
A plurality of terminals fixed to each of the plurality of terminal blocks, each terminal including a tip portion fixed to the corresponding terminal block and a base portion of the tip portion extending in a normal direction of the outer surface. a plurality of terminals having intermediate portions to which the conductors are connected;
A cover for covering the opening, wherein a first rib inserted into a first space between a pair of adjacent terminal blocks and a first rib between another pair of adjacent terminal blocks are provided on the back surface of the cover. a cover provided with a second rib inserted into the two spaces;
and
the distance from the edge of the opening in the first space to the intermediate portion is shorter than the length of the first rib in the lateral direction of the opening;
The electric device, wherein the width of the opening in the second space in the lateral direction is equal to the length of the second rib in the lateral direction.

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