Electric compressor with a hermetic terminal

1 . An electric compressor comprising:

a compression assembly,

an electric motor arranged to drive the compression assembly;

a compressor housing forming hermetic accommodation of the electric motor and the compression assembly; and

a hermetic terminal comprising:

a terminal holder defining a cavity and forming part of the housing, wherein the cavity formed by the terminal holder being terminated by a circumferential edge of a sidewall welded into the compressor housing and thereby forming one single unit with the compressor housing,

at least two electrically conductive terminal pins extending through the terminal holder and connected to the electric motor, and

an insulative structure insulating the terminal pins from the terminal holder and having a surface exposed in the cavity,

wherein the electric compressor further comprises a sealing element defining an enclosed space in the cavity,

wherein the sealing element forms a base and an annular wall extending from the base and configured to extend into the cavity such that the annular wall is in contact with the sidewall, and

wherein the sealing element comprises at least one annular ridge extending upwards from the base, the annular ridge extending about the annular wall outside the cavity.

2 . The electric compressor according to claim 1 , wherein the sealing element is electrically non-conductive.

3 . The electric compressor according to claim 1 , wherein the terminal holder defines an edge extending about the cavity and the sealing element is configured to seal against the edge to thereby define the enclosed space in the cavity.

4 . The electric compressor according to claim 3 , wherein the sealing element comprises a plug structure configured to electrically engage the terminal pins and connect them to the electric motor.

5 . The electric compressor according to claim 4 , wherein the plug structure is configured to maintain the sealing element against the edge by the engagement between the terminal pins and plug structure.

6 . The electric compressor according to claim 4 , wherein the plug structure defines a cable direction in which cables extend away from the hermetic terminal, the cable direction being downwards relative to gravity when the electric compressor is in an operational orientation.

7 . The electric compressor according to claim 6 , wherein the at least one annular ridge extends in parallel with the annular wall.

8 . The electric compressor according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the annular wall or annular ridge comprises at least one indentation defining an opening across the annular wall or annular ridge.

9 . The electric compressor according to claim 8 , defining an operational orientation and

wherein at least one indentation is located in a downwards portion of the annular ridge or annular wall relative to gravity when the electric compressor is in the operational orientation.

10 . The electric compressor according to claim 8 , comprising at least two indentations defining an opening across one of the annular wall or annular ridge.

11 . The electric compressor according to claim 10 , wherein the at least two indentations are symmetrical with respect to a vertical plane when the electric compressor is in an operational orientation.

12 . The electric compressor according to claim 1 , wherein the base forms a surface which is perpendicular to the terminal pins.

13 . The electric compressor according to claim 1 , comprising three terminal pins extending through the terminal holder and connecting to the electric motor.

14 . The electric compressor according to claim 1 , wherein the terminal pins extend through the terminal holder and contact the sealing element, the sealing element electrically isolating the terminal pins from each other.

15 . The electric compressor according to claim 1 , comprising a refrigerant in the housing, the refrigerant selected from the group consisting of R134a, R407C, R744 (CO2), and R290.

16 . The electric compressor according to claim 1 , wherein the insulative structure comprises an insulative sealing element for each terminal pin, each insulative sealing element insulating a terminal pin from the terminal holder and having a surface exposed in the cavity.

17 . A method of sealing a cavity of a hermetic terminal for an electric compressor, wherein the cavity is formed by a terminal holder being terminated by a circumferential edge of a sidewall welded into a compressor housing of the electric compressor and thereby forming one single unit with the compressor housing, the method comprising:

providing a sealing element configured to define an enclosed space in the cavity, the sealing element being provided with an integrated plug structure, and the plug structure is utilized for keeping the sealing element against an edge of the terminal holder to thereby define the enclosed space in the cavity,

wherein the sealing element forms a base and an annular wall extending from the base and configured to extend into the cavity such that the annular wall is in contact with the sidewall, and

wherein the sealing element comprises at least one annular ridge extending upwards from the base outside the cavity.