Description:Technical field of the invention
[0002] The present invention relates to an electronic circuit integrated motor apparatus. The invention particularly relates to a motor and an electronic circuit integrated in the same housing to achieve a compact structure.
Background of the invention
[0003] In recent years, an Electronic Control Device/Unit (hence sometimes abbreviated as "ECU") including a microcomputer has become widely employed in automobiles and various devices/equipment, for achieving electronic control. To transform the electronic control result to a mechanical output, various actuators such as a motor, or a solenoid are used. Generally, ECU communicates to an actuator to perform an action based on the inputs it received. If the actuator and the ECU are located separately, a wire harness connecting the actuator and the ECU is necessary so that the actuator and the ECU can be integrated to achieve the desired output,
[0004] When the entire motor and the controller/ ECU are assembled, the high-voltage interface and the low-voltage interface are required to be connected between the motor and the controller. In general, the motor and the controller are designed independently, installed independently, and externally connected with several wires, wherein the wiring is intricate, and noise is readily detectable from these wires. Additionally, a cooling mechanism like a cooling fan or a radiation fin is needed to cool the independently installed control unit or a controller, which has the drawback of increasing the size and expense. Although the combination/ integrated method, more particularly motor integrated ECU allows for modular production of the motor and controller, the spatial arrangement of the entire equipment/device is limited by excessive mechanical and electrical interfaces, necessitating the smallest motor and controller dimensions and the shortest wiring harness designs possible.
[0005] The Patent number KR102000214B1 titled “ECU Integrated Motor” relates to a motor in which an ECU is integratedly formed to achieve a compact structure. The connection method of a bus bar and a terminal is changed to a connection of self-taping screws so as to be easily assembled compared to an existing soldering connection method, thereby achieving an effect of drastically reducing a defect rate.
[0006] The Patent number CN217159497U titled “Electronic control integrated executing motor” relates an integrated motor technical field especially relates to an electronic control integrated form actuating motor, controller including motor and control motor, the controller has the shell of cavity and installs the electronic circuit board in the cavity including inside, and the shell is installed on the motor, and the board carries a plurality of electronic component that have calorific capacity on the electronic circuit board, punishment in the position relative with each electronic component on the inner chamber wall of cavity do not take shape to have the heat dissipation stage body, and equal interval forms first clearance between each heat dissipation stage body and the relative electronic component, and the intussusception of first clearance is filled with the heat dissipation and is glued. The internal heat during working can be conducted to the controller shell for heat dissipation by means of the heat dissipation glue and the heat dissipation platform body, so that high power can be realized through reliable heat dissipation; the cured state of the heat-dissipating glue is similar to that of rubber, and the heat-dissipating glue can effectively protect electronic elements in a vibration impact environment, so that the requirement of strong-level vibration impact can be met on the premise of using conventional elements.
[0007] Hence, there exists a need for motor-integrated electronic control apparatus capable of improving ingress protection with a simple structure and establishing an electrical connection with wiring harnesses as short as possible.

Summary of the invention:
[0008] The present invention overcomes the drawbacks of the prior art by disclosing an electronic circuit integrated motor apparatus, wherein the apparatus comprises a motor comprising a tubular motor casing forming a protective covering, Further, the motor comprises of a housing which supports the motor rotating a shaft and is equipped with a bracket at one end in the axial direction and a terminal box installed in the housing equipped with multi-phase terminals and fitted with a plurality of thimbles. Further, the apparatus comprises a heat sink with alternative pin fin arrangement to maximize the total heat transfer, extending from an outer wall of the motor casing in the same direction as the shaft's centerline. Furthermore, the apparatus comprises an electronic circuit mounted on the motor casing in the motor housing through the bracket, wherein the bracket is a non-driven end bracket.
[0009] In one embodiment, the multiphase terminals are connected to the electronic circuit with the help of a mould attached to a plurality of screws. In an embodiment, a thermal isolation material is provided between the bracket and the electronic circuit to prevent any thermal runaway or heat transfer from the motor to the electronic circuit.
[0010] The present invention addresses the need for more compact and lightweight automobile/ equipment components by merging motors and electronic control units, resulting in a more space-efficient product/apparatus. Furthermore, combining these components has a plethora of other advantages, such as lower manufacturing costs due to reduced assembly time. Furthermore, integrated motors and ECUs minimize the requirement for a connective medium, avoiding the problem of noise caused by the wire harness functioning as an antenna. Integrated motors and ECUs also eliminate the issue of wire harness attenuation.
Brief description of the drawings:
[0011] The foregoing and other features of embodiments will become more apparent from the following detailed description of embodiments when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, like reference numerals refer to like elements.
[0012] FIG 1a and 1b illustrates an external perspective view of an electronic circuit integrated motor apparatus, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
[0013] FIG 2a. illustrates an exploded perspective view of the motor, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
[0014] FIG 2b. illustrates a schematic cross-sectional view of an electronic circuit, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
[0015] FIG 3 illustrates an exploded perspective view of the electronic circuit integrated motor apparatus, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
[0016] FIG 4a and 4b a back view of the electronic circuit integrated motor apparatus, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
[0017] FIG 5 illustrates a perspective view of the electronic circuit, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
[0018] FIG 6a and 6b illustrates a perspective view of the mould, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
[0019] FIG 7a, 7b, 7c and 7d illustrates a perspective view of the terminal with fuse mould, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
[0020] FIG 8a and 8b illustrates a perspective front and back view of the bracket, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
[0021] FIG 9a and 9b illustrates an exploded view of the electronic circuit, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
[0022] FIG 10a and 10b illustrates a schematic view of the electronic circuit, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
[0023] FIG 11 illustrates a schematic view of the motor-integrated electronic control apparatus without a gasket, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
[0024] FIG 12a-12b illustrates a schematic view of the motor-integrated electronic control apparatus with a gasket, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
[0025] FIG 13a-13b illustrates a schematic view of the motor-integrated electronic control apparatus with a gasket, in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.
Detailed description of the invention:
[0026] Reference will now be made in detail to the description of the present subject matter, one or more examples of which are shown in figures. Each example is provided to explain the subject matter and not a limitation. Various changes and modifications obvious to one skilled in the art to which the invention pertains are deemed to be within the spirit, scope, and contemplation of the invention.
[0027] Referring to FIG. 1a and 1b, an external perspective view of an electronic circuit integrated motor apparatus, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. The apparatus (100) comprises a motor (101), further the motor (101) comprises a tubular motor casing (102) forming a protective covering, wherein the casing (102) further comprises of a housing (103) which supports the motor (101) rotating a shaft (104) and is equipped with a bracket (105) at one end in the axial direction. Further, the apparatus (100) comprises a heat sink (108) with alternative pin fin arrangement to maximize the total heat transfer, extending from an outer wall of the motor casing (102) in the same direction as the shaft's centerline. Furthermore, the apparatus (100) comprises an electronic circuit (109) mounted on the motor casing (102) in the motor housing (103) through the bracket (105), wherein the bracket (105) is a non-driven end bracket.
[0028] Referring to FIG. 2a, an exploded perspective view of the motor, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, is illustrated. The motor (101) comprises a terminal box installed in the housing (103) equipped with multi-phase terminals (106) and fitted with a plurality of thimbles (107). In an embodiment, the thimbles (107) minimize current leakage, avoids overheating and electrical failures due to lose or improperly terminated connections and provides maximum contact between the wires to reduce resistance. between the wires.
[0029] Referring to FIG. 2b, a schematic cross-sectional view of an electronic circuit, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, is illustrated. The apparatus (100) comprises an electronic circuit (109) mounted on the motor casing (102) in the motor housing (103) through the bracket (105), wherein the bracket (105) is a non-driven end bracket. In an embodiment, the multiphase terminals (106) are connected to the electronic circuit (109) with the help of a mould (110) attached to a plurality of screws (111). In another embodiment, the electronic circuit (109) is oriented in the direction of the shaft’s (104) centerline and positioned towards the heat sink (108) to provide motor’s drive control. The electronic circuit (109) is configured with a printed circuit board (117) that is mounted on the bracket (105) and oriented in the direction of the centerline of the shaft (104). In an embodiment, a thermal isolation material (112) is provided between the bracket (105) and the electronic circuit (109) to prevent any thermal runaway or heat transfer from the motor (101) to the electronic circuit (109). In an embodiment, a number of electronic components are installed on the electronic circuit (109), and each electronic component has a reasonably high heat value during operation.
[0030] Referring to FIG. 3, an exploded perspective view of the electronic circuit integrated motor apparatus, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, is illustrated. In an embodiment, the multiphase terminals (106) are connected to the electronic circuit (109) with the help of a mould (110) attached to a plurality of screws (111). The multi-phase coils (106) are provided with a movable top cover (113) to avoid exposure from the environment.
[0031] Referring to FIG. 4a and 4b, a back view of the electronic circuit integrated motor apparatus, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, is illustrated. In an embodiment, a battery pack is connected to the positive and negative terminals (114) secured with a sealed top cover (115) and a cable gland (116) for signal wire routing into the housing (103). In an embodiment, the apparatus (100) is provided with bass arrangement. More particularly the base of the heat sink (108) is provided with fasteners and side wall of the heat sink (108) are extended with metallic element preferably aluminum, thereby eliminating additional parts, seals and fasteners and increasing the thickness of the heat sink (108) locally. In an embodiment, the extended side part of the heat sink (108) also acts as a part of the heat sink (108). In an embodiment, the base of the heat sink (108) have a critical function and is conducting heat away from the apparatus (100). Spreading heat away from the heat sources as quickly as possible helps keep the temperature of the apparatus (100) down, thus increasing its overall lifetime and reliability. Spreading the heat also enables the heat to be passed more evenly to the alternatively arranged fins. This improves both the effectiveness and efficiency of the heat sink (108) by sharing the load across as many surfaces as possible and not just the fins directly above the heat sources. In an embodiment, the heat sink (108) is anodized to provide protection from corrosion, increases electrical isolation and improves the surface emissivity.
[0032] Referring to FIG. 5, a perspective view of the electronic circuit, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, is illustrated. The electronic circuit (109) is oriented in the direction of the shaft’s centerline and positioned towards the heat sink (108) to provide motor’s drive control. In an embodiment, the multiphase terminals (106) are connected to the electronic circuit (109) with the help of a mould (110) attached to a plurality of screws (111). In an embodiment, the mould (110) is preferably a custom-made mould.
[0033] Referring to FIG. 6a and 6b, a perspective view of the mould, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. The terminal box installed in the housing (103) equipped with multi-phase terminals (106) and fitted with a plurality of thimbles (107). the multiphase terminals (106) are connected to the electronic circuit (109) with the help of a mould (110) attached to a plurality of screws (111). Further, the electronic circuit (108) is equipped with a fuse (119) to protect from power surges and faults.
[0034] The apparatus (100) comprises the battery pack connected to the positive and negative terminals (114) secured with a sealed top cover (115). In an embodiment, a custom-made positive terminal with fuse mould arrangement as depicted in FIG 7a and 7b and a custom-made ground terminal with fuse mould arrangement as depicted in FIG 7c and 7d is installed on the apparatus (100) to provide ingress protection to the terminals.
[0035] Referring to FIG. 8a and 8b, a perspective front and back view of the bracket, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. In an embodiment, the motor (101) comprises a housing (103) which supports the motor (101) rotating the shaft (104) and is equipped with the bracket (105) at one end in the axial direction. In an embodiment, the electronic circuit (109) is mounted on the motor casing (102) in the motor housing (103) through the bracket (105), wherein the bracket (105) is a non-driven end bracket.
[0036] Referring to FIG. 9a and 9b, an exploded view of the electronic circuit, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, is illustrated. In an embodiment, the positive and negative terminals (114) secured with the sealed top cover (115) and a cable gland (116) for signal wire routing into the housing (103). In an embodiment, the cable gland (116) acts as a sealing and terminating device to ensure the protection of the apparatus (100).
[0037] Referring to FIG. 10a and 10b, a schematic view of the electronic circuit, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, is illustrated. In an embodiment, a plurality of capacitors (118) positioned near one or more semiconductor modules are accommodated on the side wall surface of the heat sink (108).
[0038] Referring to FIG 11, a schematic view of the motor-integrated electronic control apparatus without a gasket, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, is illustrated. In an embodiment. there is no thermal insulation material placed between the motor housing (103) and the electronic circuit (109). As a consequence of this absence of insulation, heat transfer can occur between the motor (101) and the electronic circuit (109). The bracket (105), preferably made of Aluminum, facilitates the heat transfer. Moreover, bracket (105) allows it to transfer heat effectively between the motor (101) and the electronic circuit (109). Consequently, the heat generated by the motor (101) has the potential to be transferred to the electronic circuit housing (103), and vice versa, thereby impacting the overall temperature and performance of both components.
[0039] Referring now to FIG 12a-12b, a schematic view of the motor-integrated electronic control apparatus with a gasket, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, is illustrated. In an embodiment, to address heat transfer concerns between various components of the apparatus (100), thermal isolation is implemented. This is achieved by strategically placing gasket 1 (120a) and gasket 2 (120b) between the motor housing (103) and the bracket (105), as well as between the bracket (105) and the electronic circuit (109). The gaskets act as barriers, minimizing direct contact and thermal conductivity between these components. They are carefully crafted from materials with low thermal conductivity, such as Nylon or other suitable choices. The use of low thermal conductivity materials in the gaskets ensures limited heat transfer through them, preventing significant heat exchange between the motor (101), bracket (105), and the electronic circuit (109). Moreover, the gaskets are designed to have a specific thickness of 2mm and are L-shaped to precisely fit the apparatus's (100) requirements, providing an effective thermal barrier. By incorporating these gaskets, the apparatus (100) effectively controls and manages heat transfer, enhancing its overall thermal performance and efficiency.
[0040] Referring now to FIG 13a-13b, a schematic view of the motor-integrated electronic control apparatus with a gasket, in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, is illustrated. In an embodiment, thermal isolation is achieved by introducing an O ring gasket - O-ring 1 (121a) and O-ring 2 (121b) between the motor housing (103) and the bracket (105), as well as between the bracket (105) and the electronic circuit (109). These O-rings act as barriers to minimize heat transfer between the different components of the assembly (100). They are made of materials with low thermal resistance, such as Nylon or other suitable materials, to ensure limited heat conduction. The O-rings are designed in a round shape under normal conditions, but when compressed, they take on an L-shape, allowing them to fit snugly between the components and providing an effective thermal barrier. By utilizing these O-rings, the assembly (100) effectively reduce heat transfer, thereby improving thermal performance and overall efficiency.
[0041] In an embodiment, an example considering the three different configurations (1 configuration refers to the apparatus without gasket, 2nd configuration refers to the apparatus with L shaped gaskets, and 3rd configuration refers to the apparatus with O ring gaskets) are being compared regarding thermal power transfer and temperature rise on the Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor (MosFET). In Configuration - 1, the thermal power transfer from the motor to the ECU is 64.4W, which is higher compared to the other two configurations. As a result, the temperature rise on the MosFET is 122.4degC. In Configuration - 2, the thermal power transfer from the motor to the ECU is 20W, which is lower than in Configuration - 1. Consequently, the temperature on the MosFET is 108.6degC, lower than the temperature in Configuration - 1. In Configuration - 3, the thermal power transfer from the motor to the ECU is 13.4W, the lowest among all the configurations. Additionally, it is observed that the MosFET temperature in Configuration - 3 is 95degC, which is the lowest temperature among all the configurations. These comparisons indicate that the thermal power transfer from the motor to the ECU and the resulting temperature on the MosFET vary significantly based on the different configurations. Configuration - 3 have the most favorable thermal characteristics, with the lowest thermal power transfer and the lowest MosFET temperature.
[0042] The current invention provides a compact and lightweight electronic circuit integrated motor apparatus (100) that reduces space by combining the components in a single housing (103). Furthermore, integrating motor (101) and electronic circuit (109) components provides a slew of other benefits, including cheaper manufacturing costs due to shorter assembly times. Furthermore, integrated motor (101) and electronic circuit (109) reduce the need for a connecting medium, minimizing the noise problem produced by the wire harness acting as an antenna. In addition, the apparatus (100) helps in eliminating the problem of wire harness attenuation. Further, the apparatus (100) is provided with alternative pin fin arrangement at the base of the heat sink (108) to maximize the total heat transfer. Further, the apparatus (100) comprises thermal isolation material to prevent heat transfer from the motor (101), bracket (105) to the electronic circuit (109) and finally to the heat sink (108).

Reference numbers:
Components Reference Numbers
Apparatus 100
Motor 101
Motor casing 102
Housing 103
Shaft 104
Bracket 105
Multi-phase terminals 106
Plurality of thimbles 107
Heat sink 108
Electronic circuit 109
Mould 110
Plurality of screws 111
Thermal isolation material 112
Movable top cover 113
Positive and negative terminals 114
Sealed top cover 115
Cable gland 116
Printed circuit board 117
Plurality of capacitors 118
Fuse 119
L shaped gasket 1 120a
L shaped gasket 2 120b
O ring gasket 1 121a
O ring gasket 2 121b
, Claims:We claim:
1. An electronic circuit integrated motor apparatus, the apparatus (100) comprises:
a. a motor (101) comprising:

a. a tubular motor casing (102) forming a protective covering, comprises of a housing (103) which supports the motor (101) rotating a shaft (104) and is equipped with a bracket (105) at one end in the axial direction; and
b. a terminal box installed in the housing (103) equipped with multi-phase terminals (106) and fitted with a plurality of thimbles (107).

b. a heat sink (108) with alternative pin fin arrangement to maximize the total heat transfer, extending from an outer wall of the motor casing (102) in the same direction as the shaft's centerline; and

c. an electronic circuit (109) mounted on the motor casing (102) in the motor housing (102) through the bracket (105), wherein the bracket (105) is a non-driven end bracket.

2. The apparatus (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the multiphase terminals (106) are connected to the electronic circuit (109) with the help of a mould (110) attached to a plurality of screws (111).

3. The apparatus (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein a thermal isolation material (112) is provided between the bracket (105) and the electronic circuit (109) to prevent any thermal runaway or heat transfer from the motor (101) to the electronic circuit (109).
4. The apparatus (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electronic circuit (109) is oriented in the direction of the shaft’s centerline and positioned towards the heat sink (108) to provide motor’s drive control.
.
5. The apparatus (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the multi-phase coils (106) are provided with a movable top cover (113) to avoid exposure from the environment.

6. The apparatus (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein a battery pack is connected to the positive and negative terminals (114) secured with a sealed top cover (115) and a cable gland (116) for signal wire routing into the housing (103).

7. The apparatus (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electronic circuit (109) is configured with a printed circuit board (117) that is mounted on the bracket (105) and oriented in the direction of the centerline of the shaft (104).

8. The apparatus (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electronic circuit (108) is equipped with a fuse (119) to protect from power surges and faults.

9. The apparatus (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the thimbles (107) minimize current leakage, avoids overheating and electrical failures due to lose or improperly terminated connections and provides maximum contact between the wires to reduce resistance. between the wires.

10. The apparatus (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heat sink (108) is anodized to provide protection from corrosion, increases electrical isolation and improves the surface emissivity.