Electric compressor with integrated sensor(s)

A scroll-type electric compressor configured to compress a refrigerant, comprising:

• a housing defining an intake volume, a discharge volume and an inverter cavity, the housing having a generally cylindrical shape and having a central axis, the housing includes an inverter housing and an inverter back cover, the inverter housing and the inverter back cover defining the inverter cavity, the inverter housing includes a holder aperture;
• an inverter module mounted inside the inverter cavity of the housing and adapted to convert direct current electrical power to alternating current electrical power, the inverter module includes a printed circuit board;
• a motor mounted inside the housing;
• a compression device, coupled to the motor, for receiving the refrigerant from the intake volume and compressing the refrigerant as the motor is rotated;
• an internal housing partition separating the intake volume and the inverter cavity, the internal housing partition including a passage therethrough for receiving refrigerant from the intake volume, the passage having an intake volume end and an inverter cavity end, the intake volume end being open to the intake volume;
• a holder being located within the holder aperture and defining at least a portion of the internal housing partition, the passage being located within the holder;
• a pressure sensor mounted to the printed circuit board and being positioned within the inverter cavity adjacent the inverter cavity end of the passage for sensing a pressure associated with the refrigerant within the passage and the intake volume;
• a temperature sensor positioned within the intake volume and being coupled to the printed circuit board by a plurality of wires;
• and,
• a sealing device adjacent the inverter cavity end of the passage configured to seal the intake volume from the inverter cavity.

A scroll-type electric compressor configured to compress a refrigerant, comprising:

• a housing defining an intake volume, a discharge volume and an inverter cavity, the housing having a generally cylindrical shape and having a central axis, the housing including an inverter housing and an inverter back cover, the inverter housing and the inverter back cover defining the inverter cavity;
• an inverter module including a printed circuit board and being mounted inside the inverter cavity of the housing, the inverter module being adapted to convert direct current electrical power to alternating current electrical power;
• a motor mounted inside the housing;
• a compression device, coupled to the motor, for receiving the refrigerant from the intake volume and compressing the refrigerant as the motor is rotated;
• an internal housing partition separating the intake volume and the inverter cavity, the internal housing partition including a passage therethrough for receiving refrigerant from the intake volume, the passage having an intake volume end and an inverter cavity end, the intake volume end being open to the intake volume;
• a pressure sensor module housing having a pressure sensor cavity and a pressure sensor module including a pressure sensor module printed circuit board electrically coupled to the printed circuit board and being positioned with the pressure sensor cavity;
• a pressure sensor mounted to the pressure sensor module printed circuit board and being positioned within the pressure sensor cavity adjacent the inverter cavity end of the passage for sensing a pressure associated with the refrigerant within the passage and the intake volume;
• and,
• a sealing device adjacent the inverter cavity end of the passage configured to seal the intake volume from the inverter cavity.