Fixing device for holding capacitor and electric motor drive having fixing device

Abstract

The invention relates to a fixing device for an electrical apparatus, such as an electric motor drive, an electrolyser or a frequency converter. The fixture is provided for holding capacitors and PCBAs of different sizes, and / or holding capacitors and PCBAs at different positions relative to the electrical device. The fixing device comprises at least one protruding portion for holding the capacitor, said protruding portion having a support and preferably a wall. The fixture further comprises a receiving portion for receiving a nut of the spacer portion, the receiving portion having a connection feature wherein the spacer portion is provided for connecting the first PCBA, such as a PCBA comprising a large capacitor, to a power PCBA, and wherein the protruding portion and the receiving portion are provided on the main portion of the fixture. The invention also relates to an electrical application device, such as an electric motor drive, an electrolyser or a frequency converter, having a fixture for holding a capacitor and a PCBA.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a fixing device for electrical equipment such as electric motor drives, electrolyzers, or frequency converters. The fixing device is configured to hold capacitors and PCBAs of different sizes, and / or hold capacitors and PCBAs in different positions relative to the electrical equipment. The fixing device includes at least one protruding portion for holding the capacitor, the protruding portion having a support portion and preferably a wall. The fixing device also includes a receiving portion for receiving a nut for a stand-off portion, the receiving portion having a connection feature, wherein the stand-off portion is configured for connecting a first PCBA to a power PCBA, such as a PCBA comprising a large capacitor, and wherein the protruding portion and the receiving portion are disposed on a main portion of the fixing device. The invention also relates to electrical application equipment having a fixing device for holding capacitors and PCBAs, such as electric motor drives, electrolyzers, or frequency converters. Background Technology

[0002] Complex electrical devices, such as electric motor drives, electrolyzers, or frequency converters, consist of many components that must be arranged relative to each other in a reasonable manner. Typical problems associated with the arrangement of components include ensuring that different types of components do not require specific fixing devices and that these components can be arranged precisely to minimize stress on the components and to minimize tolerances, especially tolerance chains related to electrical connections. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The object of the present invention is to provide an improved fixing device that overcomes the above-mentioned problems and an improved electrical application device having the fixing device. This object is achieved by the fixing device according to claim 1 and the electrical application device according to claim 10. Advantageous embodiments are limited by the dependent claims.

[0004] Claim 1 provides a fixing device for electrical equipment such as an electric motor drive, an electrolyzer, or a frequency converter. The fixing device can be a retainer or mount capable of connecting various components of the electrical equipment such that the components are held in a desired position, orientation, and state. The fixing device described herein is configured to hold capacitors and PCBAs of different sizes, and / or hold capacitors and PCBAs in different positions relative to the rest of the electrical equipment. In particular, capacitors of different sizes can be attached to the fixing device at different positions. The fixing device can also allow at least two different PCBAs to be precisely positioned relative to each other.

[0005] The fixing device includes at least one protruding portion for holding at least one capacitor, the protruding portion having a support and preferably a wall. Each protruding portion can be configured to hold one capacitor at a time. If two protruding portions are arranged adjacent to each other, the two protruding portions can share a common wall between them. The capacitor can be considered as part of the fixing device.

[0006] The fixing device further includes a receiving portion for receiving a nut of a stand-off portion, the receiving portion having a connecting feature, wherein the stand-off portion is configured to connect a first PCBA to a power PCBA, and wherein the protrusion and the receiving portion are disposed on a main portion. The main portion of the fixing device may be a nearly planar structure, preferably extending parallel to the plane of the PCBA connected to the fixing device. The stand-off portion may be configured to separate two PCBAs and fix the two PCBAs relative to each other. The stand-off portion may be oriented substantially perpendicular to the plane in which the PCBAs and / or the main portion of the fixing device extend. The first PCBA may include a large and heavy capacitor.

[0007] This invention enables the connection of four or more different PCBA variants, each with preferably different capacitor configurations, to a single type of fixture, wherein the fixture provides vibration protection for the capacitor connection. Therefore, the present invention reduces the number of different types of fixtures and thus provides a cost-effective solution that reduces the number of parts, reduces the requirements for production resources, reduces tooling investment, simplifies production steps, reduces development time, and reduces time to market.

[0008] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the support portion and the wall are preferably oriented circumferentially relative to each other, wherein the support portion includes a connection portion for connecting to a capacitor, the connection portion being preferably connected to the capacitor via a snap-fit ​​connection portion. Therefore, each protrusion may include a circumferentially arranged support structure for holding a preferably cylindrical capacitor. Thus, the circumferential direction of the support structure of the protrusion can be referenced to the circumferential direction of the cylindrical capacitor it supports.

[0009] In another preferred embodiment of the invention, two adjacent protrusions share the same wall, and / or the proximal connecting portion is positioned closer to the main portion than the distal connecting portion.

[0010] In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the proximal connecting portion of the given protrusion is offset relative to the distal connecting portion in the circumferential direction, and / or each support includes a proximal connecting portion and a distal connecting portion spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction. Therefore, the two connecting portions can be spaced apart from each other in both the circumferential and axial directions.

[0011] In another preferred embodiment of the invention, four protruding portions are preferably provided, and the four protruding portions are oriented in a straight line. The protruding portions may be spaced apart from each other at equal distances. Within the scope of the invention, any suitable number of protruding portions may be selected.

[0012] In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the connecting features preferably include three snap-fit ​​connecting portions and three separators, all three snap-fit ​​connecting portions and three separators being oriented circumferentially relative to each other. The connecting features may be radially disposed inside the separators. The circumferential orientation of these features may be referenced to the circumferential orientation of the nut they hold. The snap-fit ​​connecting portions may be oriented such that they hold the nut against the main part of the fixing device.

[0013] In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the receiving portion includes a through portion for receiving a portion of the spacer portion. The through portion may be disposed in the central portion of the receiving portion. The through portion may be a cylindrical or tubular aperture. The size of the through portion may be selected such that the spacer portion may be received only partially within the through portion.

[0014] In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the spacer portion includes an external thread portion and an internal thread portion, wherein the external thread portion has a smaller outer diameter than the internal thread portion, and wherein the external thread portion is screwed into the nut to set the distance between the two PCBAs. The external thread portion and the internal thread portion may be spaced apart from each other in the axial direction of the spacer portion. The axial direction of the spacer portion may refer to the axial direction of at least a partial cylindrical shape of the spacer portion. The axial direction of the spacer portion may be substantially perpendicular to the main portion of the fixing device.

[0015] The internally threaded portion can be used as a spacer to separate two PCBAs. The axial ends of the internally threaded portion can each abut one of the two PCBAs. The externally threaded portion can be screwed into a nut to provide the desired distance between the main portion and one of the two PCBAs.

[0016] In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the protruding portion extends in a direction opposite to that of the connection feature relative to the main portion. The different orientations of the protruding portion and the connection feature allow for the provision of a capacitor that is opposite to that of the PCBA relative to the main portion.

[0017] The present invention also relates to an electrical application device having a fixed device, such as an electric motor driver, an electrolyzer, or a frequency converter. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Further details and advantages of the invention are described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The drawings show:

[0019] Figure 1a , Figure 1b Different views of embodiments of the fixing device;

[0020] Figure 2a , Figure 2b Detailed views of embodiments of the fixing device with different capacitors;

[0021] Figure 3 : Detailed view of the receiving section;

[0022] Figure 4 Detailed sectional view of the interval section;

[0023] Figure 5 : Detailed sectional views of the two spaced sections; and

[0024] Figure 6 : Perspective view of another embodiment of the fixing device. Detailed Implementation

[0025] Figure 1a and Figure 1b Different views of embodiments of the fixing device are shown. Figure 1a A perspective view of the fixing device is shown, and Figure 1b A top view of the fixture is shown. The fixture is configured for use with electrical equipment such as an electric motor drive, an electrolyzer, or a frequency converter, wherein the electrical equipment is not shown in the figure. The fixture can be integrally formed from a single injection-molded part.

[0026] A fixing device can be a retainer or a mounting component that connects various parts of an electrical device, maintaining the parts in a desired position, orientation, and state relative to the rest of the electrical device. The fixing device ensures the desired precision and rigidity of the connection between the parts, the fixing device, and the rest of the electrical device.

[0027] The fixing device includes at least one protruding portion 1 with a support 11. Figure 1a and Figure 1bIn one embodiment, four protruding portions 1 are provided, each protruding portion 1 including multiple support portions 11. Four support portions can be provided for each protruding portion 1.

[0028] The support portions 11 may have substantially the same shape. The support portions 11 of the given protrusions 1 may be arranged in a circular pattern and / or spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction. The circumferential direction may refer to the circumference of a circle, along which the support portions 11 of the given protrusions 1 are arranged. The protrusions 1 may be spaced apart from each other at equal distances.

[0029] like Figure 1b As shown, a wall 12 can be disposed between two adjacent protrusions 1. If the two protrusions 1 are arranged adjacent to each other, they can share a common wall between them. The wall 12 and the support 11 can be configured to hold the capacitor 10. The wall 12 and the support 11 are shown as surrounding the substantially cylindrical capacitor 10. The geometry of the wall 12 and / or the support 11 can be the same or can be different from each other. Each protrusion 1 can be configured to hold a single capacitor 10 at a time.

[0030] The support portion 11 and the wall 12 are preferably oriented circumferentially relative to each other, wherein the support portion 11 includes connecting portions 111, 111' for connecting to the capacitor 10, preferably via a snap-fit ​​connection. Thus, each protrusion 1 may include a circumferentially arranged support structure for holding the preferably cylindrical capacitor 10.

[0031] The connecting portions 111, 111' may include a close connecting portion 111, which is positioned closer to the main portion 3 than the distant connecting portion 111'. The distant connecting portion 111' may be located at the end portion of each support portion 11. All the distant connecting portions 111' of the given protrusion 1 and / or all the protrusions 1 may be spaced from the main portion 3 by the same larger distance, and / or all the close connecting portions 111 may be spaced from the main portion 3 by the same smaller distance. The spacing of the connecting portions 111, 111' from the main portion 3 defines the size of the capacitor 10 that can be connected to the connecting portions 111, 111' and thus to the fixing device.

[0032] The proximal connecting portion 111 of the given protrusion 1 can be offset relative to the distal connecting portion 111' in the circumferential direction. Each support portion 11 includes a proximal connecting portion 111 and a distal connecting portion 111' spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction. Therefore, the two connecting portions 111, 111' can be spaced apart from each other in both the circumferential and axial directions.

[0033] The fixing device also includes a receiving portion 23, wherein the protruding portion 1 and the receiving portion 23 are disposed on the main portion 3. The main portion 3 may be a planar portion, which preferably extends parallel to the plane in which the protruding portion 1 is aligned. The receiving portion 23 is configured to receive a connecting component for connecting the fixing device to the PCBA. The receiving portion 23 and the protruding portion 1 may be oriented in opposite directions, such that the PCBA and the capacitor 10 may be disposed on opposite sides of the main portion 3.

[0034] Figure 2a and Figure 2b Detailed views and embodiments of the mounting device with different capacitors 10 are shown. Figure 2a The larger capacitor 10 is connected to the distal connection portion 111' and held in place by the distal connection portion 111'. Figure 2b The smaller capacitor 10 is connected to and held in place by the proximal connection portion 111. Therefore, the fixing device described herein is configured to hold capacitors 10 of different sizes and to hold the capacitors 10 in different positions relative to the rest of the electrical equipment and relative to the fixing device itself. In particular, capacitors 10 of different sizes (i.e., different lengths) can be attached to the fixing device at different positions.

[0035] Figure 3 This is a detailed view of the main portion 3 with multiple receiving portions 23, including connecting features 22. The receiving portions 23 and connecting features 22 are configured to connect the main portion 3 to the PCBA. The receiving portions 23 are oriented away from the protrusion 1. The receiving portions 23 can be offset from the position of the protrusion 1 along the plane of the main portion 3.

[0036] Figure 4 This is a detailed sectional view of the stand-off section 2, which is located between the main part 3 of the fixture and the two PCBAs 30 and 40.

[0037] The two PCBAs 30 and 40 are a first PCBA 30 and a power PCBA 40, wherein the first PCBA 30 may include a heavy-duty capacitor, and therefore the first PCBA 30 can be described as a capacitor PCBA 30 located closer to the mounting device than the power PCBA 40. The capacitor PCBA 30 can be directly connected to the capacitor 10. The capacitor PCBA 30 can be held on one side by a receiving portion 23 and / or a connecting feature 22, and on the other side by one or more resilient holding portions 26 connected to the main portion 3 of the mounting device. Thus, the mounting device can be configured to position the capacitor PCBA 30 in a single fixed position. The one or more resilient holding portions 26 and / or the receiving portion 23 and their components, namely the connecting feature 22 and the separating portion 24, can be integrally formed with each other wholly or partially.

[0038] The receiving portion 23 is configured to receive the nut 20 of the spacer portion 2, wherein the spacer portion 2 is configured to connect the capacitor PCBA 30 to the power PCBA 40. The spacer portion 2 may be configured to space the two PCBAs 30, 40 apart and to fix the two PCBAs 30, 40 relative to each other.

[0039] The receiving portion 23 includes a lead-through 25 for accommodating a portion of the spacer portion 2. The lead-through 25 may be disposed in the central portion of the receiving portion 23. The size of the lead-through 25 may be selected such that the spacer portion 2 may be partially accommodated within the lead-through 25.

[0040] The spacer portion 2 includes an external thread portion 211 and an internal thread portion 211', wherein the external thread portion 211 has a smaller outer diameter than the internal thread portion 211'.

[0041] The external threaded portion 211 can be screwed into the nut 20 to set the distance between the two PCBAs 30, 40. The internal threaded portion 211' can be used as a spacer to separate the two PCBAs 30, 40. At least one axial end portion of the internal threaded portion 211' can abut against at least one of the PCBAs 30, 40, particularly the power PCBA 40. The external threaded portion 211 can be screwed into the nut 20 to a certain extent, which provides a desired distance between the main portion 3 and the power PCBA 40, i.e., the power PCBA 40 is further away from the main portion 3 than the capacitor PCBA 30. The fixing device allows the two PCBAs 30, 40 to be precisely positioned relative to each other, and has a variable distance that can be adjusted by the position of the nut 20 on the external threaded portion 211.

[0042] By using a dedicated spacer portion 2, the currently described fixing device allows for the holding of PCBAs 30, 40 of different sizes and keeps them in different positions relative to the rest of the electrical equipment and relative to the fixing device itself. Specifically, spacer portions 2 with different geometries can connect different types of PCBAs 30, 40 with different thicknesses to the main portion 3. For example, the threads on the internal thread portion 211' and / or the external thread portion 211 of the spacer portion 2 can extend different distances to space the PCBAs 30, 40 apart from each other by different distances. Alternatively or additionally, the axial extension of the internal thread portion 211' can be selected to the desired distance between two PCBAs 30, 40. A nut 20 of the spacer portion 2 can always be screwed onto the spacer portion 2 such that the nut 20 contacts the first PCBA 30.

[0043] Figure 5 This is a detailed cross-sectional view of the two spacer portions 2 located between the main portion 3 of the mounting device and the capacitor PCBA 30. Other components of the electrical application equipment containing the mounting device are also shown, and may include electrical components, housing portions, fasteners, connectors, and controllers. The electrical equipment may be an electric motor driver, electrolyzer, or frequency converter with the mounting device currently described.

[0044] Figure 6 This is a perspective view of another embodiment of the fixing device. Here, two receiving portions 23 and two protruding portions 1 are provided on opposite sides of the main portion 3 of the fixing device. At least one elastic retaining portion 26 is configured to press the PCBA toward the main portion 3. The PCBA is not shown in the figure.

Claims

1. A fixing device for electrical equipment, such as an electric motor driver, an electrolytic capacitor, or a frequency converter, the fixing device being used to hold capacitors (10) and PCBAs (30, 40) of different sizes, and / or to hold capacitors (10) and PCBAs (30, 40) in different positions, the fixing device comprising at least one protrusion (1) for holding capacitors (10) and a receiving portion (23) for receiving a nut (20) of a spacer portion (2), the protrusion (1) having a support portion (11) and preferably having a wall (12), the receiving portion (23) having a connection feature (22), wherein, The spacer portion (2) is configured to connect the first PCBA (30) to the power PCBA (40), and wherein the protruding portion (1) and the receiving portion (23) are disposed on the main portion (3).

2. The fixing device according to the preceding claim, characterized in that, The support (11) and the wall (12) are preferably oriented in a circumferential direction relative to each other, wherein the support (11) includes a connecting portion (111, 111') for connecting to the capacitor (10), the connecting portion (111, 111') being preferably connected to the capacitor (10) via a snap-fit ​​connection.

3. The fixing device according to the preceding claim, characterized in that, Two adjacent protrusions (1) share the same wall (12), and / or the proximal connecting portion (111) is positioned closer to the main portion (3) than the distal connecting portion (111').

4. The fixing device according to the preceding claim, characterized in that, The proximal connecting portion (111) of the given protrusion (1) is offset relative to the distal connecting portion (111') in the circumferential direction, and / or each support (11) includes a proximal connecting portion (111) and a distal connecting portion (111') spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction.

5. The fixing device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, Preferably, four protruding parts (1) are provided, and the four protruding parts (1) are oriented in a straight line direction.

6. The fixing device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The connection feature (22) preferably includes three snap-fit ​​connection parts and three separation parts (24), all three snap-fit ​​connection parts and three separation parts being oriented relative to each other in the circumferential direction.

7. The fixing device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The receiving portion (23) includes a conductive portion (25) for accommodating a portion of the spacer portion (2).

8. The fixing device according to the preceding claim, characterized in that, The spacer portion (2) includes an external thread portion (211) and an internal thread portion (211'), wherein the external thread portion (211) has a smaller outer diameter than the internal thread portion (211'), and wherein the external thread portion (211) is screwed into the nut (20) to set the distance between the two PCBAs (30, 40).

9. The fixing device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The protruding portion (1) extends relative to the main portion (3) in a direction opposite to that of the connecting feature (22).

10. An electrical application device having a fixed device according to any one of the preceding claims, the electrical application device being, for example, an electric motor driver, an electrolyzer, or a frequency converter.

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