Abstract: A battery pack has multiple wall-shaped projecting portions, which are provided on side surfaces of battery cells perpendicular to a layer direction X, extend in a flow direction of cooling fluid and arranged in a direction perpendicular to the flow direction of the cooling fluid, to form fluid passages between neighboring battery cells. It further has multiple enlarged projecting portions, which are provided at intermediate portions of the wall-shaped projecting portions extending in the flow direction of the cooling fluid and brought into contact with the neighboring battery cells to receive action force therefrom. An outer dimension of the enlarged projecting portions in the direction, in which the multiple wall-shaped projecting portions are arranged, is made larger than a thickness dimension of the wall-shaped projecting portions.

Abstract: A battery temperature rise causing system has a converting unit for converting voltage of electric power held in one of a rechargeable battery and an accumulator and applies the converted voltage to the other one, and a control unit controlling the converting unit to alternately perform first transfer of electric power from the battery to the accumulator and second transfer of electric power from the accumulator to the battery while changing the first transfer for the second transfer each time the battery voltage reaches a lower limit and changing the second transfer for the first transfer each time the battery voltage reaches an upper limit, and to increase temperature of the battery due to heat generated by electric current flowing through the battery during the electric power transfer.

Abstract: A battery temperature rise causing system has a converting unit for converting voltage of electric power held in one of a rechargeable battery and a capacitor and applies the converted voltage to the other one, and a control unit controlling the converting unit to alternately perform first transfer of electric power from the battery to the capacitor and second transfer of electric power from the capacitor to the battery while changing the first transfer for the second transfer each time the battery voltage reaches a lower limit and changing the second transfer for the first transfer each time the battery voltage reaches an upper limit, and to increase temperature of the battery due to heat generated by electric current flowing through the battery during the electric power transfer.

Abstract: An electric power source device has multiple layered battery cells which are electrically connected in series and/or in parallel. The battery cells are accommodated in a battery casing, which has a heat insulating structure at a portion surrounding the battery cells. The power source device further has a heating unit between lower surfaces of the battery cells and a bottom plate of the battery casing. A heat storage layer is further provided between the heating unit and the bottom plate for storing the heat generated at the heating unit.

Abstract: A battery pack has multiple wall-shaped projecting portions, which are provided on side surfaces of battery cells perpendicular to a layer direction X, extend in a flow direction of cooling fluid and arranged in a direction perpendicular to the flow direction of the cooling fluid, to form fluid passages between neighboring battery cells. It further has multiple enlarged projecting portions, which are provided at intermediate portions of the wall-shaped projecting portions extending in the flow direction of the cooling fluid and brought into contact with the neighboring battery cells to receive action force therefrom. An outer dimension of the enlarged projecting portions in the direction, in which the multiple wall-shaped projecting portions are arranged, is made larger than a thickness dimension of the wall-shaped projecting portions.

Abstract: An air-conditioning system includes a refrigeration cycle and a control unit. The refrigeration cycle includes an electric compressor in which a compression mechanism for drawing a refrigerant therein for compression is integrated with an electric motor for driving the compression mechanism, and a motor drive circuit for driving the motor is cooled using an intake refrigerant drawn into the compression mechanism. The control unit provides operational control to the motor drive circuit and the refrigeration cycle. When the temperature of the motor drive circuit has exceeded a predetermined temperature, the control unit varies a condition of supplying air to exchange heat with the refrigerant flowing through the refrigeration cycle to thereby reduce the temperature of the intake refrigerant.

Abstract: An air-conditioning system includes a refrigeration cycle and a control unit. The refrigeration cycle includes an electric compressor in which a compression mechanism for drawing a refrigerant therein for compression is integrated with an electric motor for driving the compression mechanism, and a motor drive circuit for driving the motor is cooled using an intake refrigerant drawn into the compression mechanism. The control unit provides operational control to the motor drive circuit and the refrigeration cycle. When the temperature of the motor drive circuit has exceeded a predetermined temperature, the control unit varies a condition of supplying air to exchange heat with the refrigerant flowing through the refrigeration cycle to thereby reduce the temperature of the intake refrigerant.

Abstract: An air-conditioning system includes a refrigeration cycle and a control unit. The refrigeration cycle includes an electric compressor in which a compression mechanism for drawing a refrigerant therein for compression is integrated with an electric motor for driving the compression mechanism, and a motor drive circuit for driving the motor is cooled using an intake refrigerant drawn into the compression mechanism. The control unit provides operational control to the motor drive circuit and the refrigeration cycle. When the temperature of the motor drive circuit has exceeded a predetermined temperature, the control unit varies a condition of supplying air to exchange heat with the refrigerant flowing through the refrigeration cycle to thereby reduce the temperature of the intake refrigerant.

Abstract: In a vehicle air conditioner for heating a passenger compartment by a heater core and a heat pump cycle, when operation of a heat pump cycle is switched from a defrosting operation to a heating assist operation, a heating degree of the heater core is increased higher than a predetermined heating degree. Further, when the operation of the heat pump cycle is switched from the defrosting operation to the heating assist operation, an air outlet mode except for a defrosting mode for defrosting a windshield is set. Further, in the defrosting operation of the heat pump cycle, the temperature of an interior heat exchanger of the heat pump cycle is set higher.

Abstract: In an electrical compressor having a motor and an electrical circuit integrated with a compression portion, a part of electrical components of the electrical circuit is disposed in spaces between a cylindrical outer surface of a motor housing and an imaginary flat surface that imaginarily contacts the cylindrical outer surface. Therefore, the spaces can be used effectively, and the electrical compressor can be downsized. Further, the part of the electrical components can be effectively cooled by refrigerant in the motor housing. On the other hand, the outer surface of the motor housing is used as one surface defining an inner space of a casing for accommodating the electrical circuit. In this case, the electrical circuit can be effectively cooled by refrigerant in the motor housing.

Abstract: In an electric compressor, in which an electric motor and a compressor driven thereby are integrated, in order to prevent a reduction in the durability of the electric motor and the like due to heat conducted from heat radiating bodies such as drive circuits, a fluid, prior to being taken into the compressor portion, is circulated through the electric motor portion as a medium for cooling. In this case, a plurality of cooling medium passages for example are provided parallel to the axis of rotation, and the endothermic capacity of passages formed in the vicinity of heat radiating bodies is made greater than the endothermic capacity of passages formed in other portions.

Abstract: An air-conditioning system includes a refrigeration cycle and a control unit. The refrigeration cycle includes an electric compressor in which a compression mechanism for drawing a refrigerant therein for compression is integrated with an electric motor for driving the compression mechanism, and a motor drive circuit for driving the motor is cooled using an intake refrigerant drawn into the compression mechanism. The control unit provides operational control to the motor drive circuit and the refrigeration cycle. When the temperature of the motor drive circuit has exceeded a predetermined temperature, the control unit varies a condition of supplying air to exchange heat with the refrigerant flowing through the refrigeration cycle to thereby reduce the temperature of the intake refrigerant.

Abstract: In an electric compressor integrally comprising a compression mechanism, a motor and an electric circuit (inverter) for driving the motor, the electric circuit is protected from thermal damage. When an actual number of revolutions is not more than a fixed number of revolutions and the temperature of an electric circuit 13 exceeds a fixed temperature, the temperature Tm of a motor 12 and the temperature Ti of the electric circuit 13 are lowered by increasing the number of revolutions of the motor, and when the actual number of revolutions is more than a fixed number of revolutions and the temperature of the electric circuit 13 exceeds a fixed temperature, the temperature Tm of the motor 12 and the temperature Ti of the electric circuit 13 are lowered by decreasing the number of revolutions of the motor.

Abstract: In an air conditioner for a hybrid vehicle, an air conditioning unit performs air-conditioning operation by electrical power supplied from a battery. When a residual charging degree of the battery becomes equal to or lower than a target degree, an electrical motor generator is driven by a vehicle engine so that the battery is charged through the electrical motor generator. Further, when a rotation speed of the engine is lower than a predetermined speed or when a power generation efficiency due to the engine is lower than a predetermined efficiency, air-conditioning capacity of the air conditioning unit is set lower, so that a consumption power of the air conditioner is restricted. Accordingly, the frequency for starting the engine only for charging the battery can be reduced.

Abstract: In an air conditioner for a hybrid vehicle, an air conditioning unit performs air-conditioning operation by electrical power supplied from a battery. When a residual charging degree of the battery becomes equal to or lower than a charging-starting target value, an electrical generator is driven by a vehicle engine so that the battery is charged through the electrical generator. Further, when the battery is in a discharging mode, the control unit decreases an air-conditioning capacity of the air conditioning unit, as compared with that in a charging mode of the battery. Accordingly, a frequency for consuming the engine for charging the battery can be reduced. Therefore, a fuel consumption efficiency can be effectively improved and a total discharge amount of environmental destruction substance contained in exhaust gas of the engine can be effectively reduced.

Abstract: In an air conditioner for a hybrid vehicle, an air conditioning unit performs air-conditioning operation by electrical power supplied from a battery. When a residual charging degree of the battery becomes equal to or lower than a charging-starting target value, an electrical generator is driven by a vehicle engine so that the battery is charged through the electrical generator. Further, when the battery is in a discharging mode, the control unit decreases an air-conditioning capacity of the air conditioning unit, as compared with that in a charging mode of the battery. Accordingly, a frequency for consuming the engine for charging the battery can be reduced. Therefore, a fuel consumption efficiency can be effectively improved and a total discharge amount of environmental destruction substance contained in exhaust gas of the engine can be effectively reduced.

Abstract: In a vehicle air conditioner with a heat pump cycle having an interior heat exchanger and an exterior heat exchanger, when a frosting on a surface of the exterior heat exchanger is determined and when a temperature of hot water supplied to a heater core is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature, the exterior heat exchanger is defrosted in a defrosting operation. Accordingly, the defrosting operation can be performed while a sufficient heating can be obtained.

Abstract: In an air conditioner for a hybrid vehicle, an air conditioning unit performs air-conditioning operation by electrical power supplied from a battery. When a residual charging degree of the battery becomes equal to or lower than a target degree, an electrical motor generator is driven by a vehicle engine so that the battery is charged through the electrical motor generator. Further, when a rotation speed of the engine is lower than a predetermined speed or when a power generation efficiency due to the engine is lower than a predetermined efficiency, air-conditioning capacity of the air conditioning unit is set lower, so that a consumption power of the air conditioner is restricted. Accordingly, the frequency for starting the engine only for charging the battery can be reduced.

Abstract: In an electric compressor integrally comprising a compression mechanism, a motor and an electric circuit (inverter) for driving the motor, the electric circuit is protected from thermal damage.

Abstract: In an electric compressor, in which an electric motor and a compressor driven thereby are integrated, in order to prevent a reduction in the durability of the electric motor and the like due to heat conducted from heat radiating bodies such as drive circuits, a fluid, prior to being taken into the compressor portion, is circulated through the electric motor portion as a medium for cooling. In this case, a plurality of cooling medium passages for example are provided parallel to the axis of rotation, and the endothermic capacity of passages formed in the vicinity of heat radiating bodies is made greater than the endothermic capacity of passages formed in other portions.