Abstract: An electric compressor includes a hollow cylindrical housing, a compression unit that compresses refrigerant, a motor that functions as a drive source of the compression unit, an inverter that controls the motor, and a refrigerant liquid accumulation unit that accumulates refrigerant liquid in the housing. The refrigerant liquid accumulation unit is disposed at a lower portion in the housing when the electric compressor is installed on the vehicle. According to the electric compressor, the refrigerant liquid is accumulated in the refrigerant liquid accumulation portion at a long-time stop, so that degradation of insulation property in the electric compressor (especially, of the motor and the inverter) can be prevented.

Abstract: An electrically driven hermetic compressor comprises a hermetic casing, an electric motor unit encased in the casing, and a compression mechanism encased by the casing and drivingly connected to the electric motor unit through a crankshaft. The compression mechanism includes a cylinder, a piston reciprocatingly slidable in the cylinder, a valve plate having formed therein a suction port and a discharge port and providing valve seats around the ports, suction valve and a discharge valve cooperating with the suction and discharge ports. The cylinder, the piston and the valve plate cooperate to define a compression chamber. The compressor further has a passage system providing separate passages for a gas to be compressed and the gas after compression, and a motion converting mechanism for converting rotary motion of the crankshaft into linear reciprocating motion of the piston.