ELECTRIC COMPRESSOR

Japanese Patent JP3818213

B2

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent degradation in the durability of a motor and the like due to heat transmitted from a heating element, such as a drive circuit, in an electric compressor wherein the motor, the drive circuit, containing an inverter, for actuating the motor, and a compressor driven by the motor are integrated with one another. SOLUTION: To pass fluid, before being sucked into a compressing portion, through the interior of a motor portion 3 as a medium for cooling, for example, a plurality of cooling medium paths 17 and 18 are formed in parallel with a rotating shaft 14. The heat-absorbing capability of the paths 17 formed in portions 4a to be installed on a heating element, such as the drive circuit 5, is made higher than the heat-absorbing capability of the paths 18 formed in the other portions 4b. To enhance the heat-absorbing capability, the cross-sectional area or surficial area of the cooling medium paths 17 can be increased. To increase the surficial area, the surfaces of the paths can be made uneven. Other possible heating elements include in-vehicle internal combustion engines. In this case, return coolant from a vehicle air conditioner can be utilized as the cooling medium.