Drive unit housing with integrated filter

Abstract

A drive unit assembly includes a motor having: a motor housing; a shaft extending through the motor housing; a rotor coupled to the shaft; a stator arranged around the rotor; and one or more motor busbars communicatively coupled to the stator. The drive unit assembly further includes a filter having: a filter housing coupled to the motor housing; one or more filter busbars, each filter busbar having an inlet and an outlet configured to communicatively coupled to at least one of the one or more motor busbars; a printed circuit board (PCB) communicatively coupled to the one or more filter busbars; and one or more dissipative components coupled to the PCB.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] introduction

[0002] The information provided in this section is for the purpose of presenting the general context of this disclosure. The work of the currently attributed inventors, to the extent described in this section, and in aspects that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, is acknowledged, neither explicitly nor implicitly, as prior art relative to this disclosure.

[0003] This disclosure relates generally to vehicles, and more particularly to a voltage filter for a drive unit of a vehicle. Background Technology

[0004] Electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) rely on drive units or motors to convert electrical energy into mechanical energy for propulsion. The performance of these drive units is crucial to the overall efficiency and reliability of the vehicle. Alternating current (AC) filters can be used to mitigate electrical noise and harmonics that can interfere with motor performance. By filtering out unwanted frequencies, AC filters help maintain the integrity of electrical signals, thus ensuring smoother and more reliable motor operation.

[0005] A key factor affecting the performance of an AC filter is the length of the leads connecting the filter to the drive unit. Longer leads can lead to increased common-mode current, resulting in increased electromagnetic interference (EMI) and core heating in the motor. The shortcomings of existing systems will be addressed through one or more principles of this disclosure. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In one configuration, a drive unit assembly is provided, including a motor having: a motor housing; a shaft extending through the motor housing; a rotor coupled to the shaft; a stator arranged around the rotor; and one or more motor busbars communicatively coupled to the stator. The drive unit assembly also includes a filter having: a filter housing coupled to the motor housing; one or more filter busbars, each filter busbar having an inlet and an outlet configured to communicatively coupled to at least one of the one or more motor busbars; a printed circuit board (PCB) communicatively coupled to the one or more filter busbars; and one or more dissipative components coupled to the PCB.

[0007] The drive unit assembly may include one or more of the following optional aspects or steps. For example, the filter housing can be connected to the motor housing using one or more bolts.

[0008] According to at least one aspect, the filter can include a thermal interface material (TIM) disposed between the one or more dissipative components and the motor housing.

[0009] According to another aspect, the filter can include a TIM disposed between the PCB and the motor housing.

[0010] According to at least one example, the drive unit assembly may also include a cooling system communicatively connected to the motor housing. The cooling system may include one or more conduits communicatively connected to the one or more dissipative components. A TIM (Transmission Injection Mechanism) may be disposed between the one or more conduits and the dissipative components.

[0011] According to at least one aspect, the drive unit assembly can further include a filter busbar communicatively coupled to a PCB. The PCB can be coupled to the filter busbar using one or more fasteners. One or more conductive lugs can be disposed between the busbar and the PCB relative to the one or more fasteners.

[0012] In another configuration, a drive unit assembly is provided, including a motor comprising: a motor housing defining a chamber; a shaft extending through the motor housing; a rotor coupled to the shaft; a stator arranged around the rotor; fluid movable throughout the chamber; and one or more motor busbars communicatively coupled to the stator. The drive unit assembly further includes: a filter disposed within the chamber of the motor housing; and one or more dissipative components coupled to the filter.

[0013] The drive unit assembly may include one or more of the following optional aspects or steps. For example, the one or more dissipative components may be arranged within the chamber and directly coupled to the filter.

[0014] According to at least one aspect, the one or more dissipative components can be arranged outside the motor housing and communicatively connected to the filter.

[0015] On the other hand, the filter can be arranged inside the motor housing, and the fluid can directly contact or immerse the filter.

[0016] According to at least one example, the filter can be enclosed within a case. The case can be mounted to the motor housing using one or more fasteners.

[0017] In another configuration, a vehicle is provided, comprising: a vehicle body; an inverter coupled to the vehicle body; a power supply coupled to the vehicle body and communicatively coupled to the inverter; and a drive unit assembly communicatively coupled to the inverter via an alternating current (AC) cable. The drive unit assembly includes a motor having: a motor housing; fluid movable throughout the motor housing; a shaft extending through the motor housing; a rotor coupled to the shaft; and a stator arranged around the rotor. The drive unit assembly further includes a filter communicatively coupled to the motor, the filter including: one or more busbars, each busbar having an inlet and an outlet; and a printed circuit board (PCB) communicatively coupled to the one or more busbars. The drive unit assembly also includes one or more dissipative components communicatively coupled to the filter.

[0018] The vehicle may include one or more of the following optional aspects or steps. For example, a filter may be arranged inside the motor housing, and the one or more dissipative components may be arranged outside the motor housing.

[0019] According to at least one aspect, the filter can be disposed inside the motor housing. The filter can be arranged in a cover connected to the motor housing.

[0020] This invention includes at least the following technical solutions:

[0021] Solution 1. A drive unit component, the drive unit component comprising:

[0022] A motor, the motor comprising:

[0023] Motor housing,

[0024] A shaft extending through the motor housing,

[0025] Rotor, the rotor being connected to the shaft,

[0026] Stator, the stator being arranged around the rotor, and

[0027] One or more motor busbars, the one or more motor busbars being communicatively connected to the stator; and

[0028] Filter, the filter comprising:

[0029] A filter housing, which is connected to the motor housing.

[0030] One or more filter busbars, each filter busbar having an inlet and an outlet, the outlet being configured to communicatively connect to at least one of the one or more motor busbars.

[0031] A printed circuit board (PCB) communicatively connected to the one or more filter busbars, and

[0032] One or more dissipative components are connected to the PCB.

[0033] Option 2. The drive unit assembly according to Option 1, wherein the filter housing is connected to the motor housing by one or more bolts.

[0034] Option 3. The drive unit assembly according to Option 1, wherein the filter includes a thermal interface material (TIM) disposed between the one or more dissipative components and the motor housing.

[0035] Option 4. The drive unit assembly according to Option 1, wherein the filter includes a TIM disposed between the PCB and the motor housing.

[0036] Option 5. The drive unit assembly according to Option 1, wherein the drive unit assembly further includes a cooling system communicatively connected to the motor housing.

[0037] Option 6. The drive unit assembly according to Option 5, wherein the cooling system includes one or more pipes communicatively connected to the one or more dissipative components.

[0038] Option 7. The drive unit assembly according to Option 6, wherein the TIM is disposed between the one or more pipes and the dissipative component.

[0039] Option 8. The drive unit assembly according to Option 1, wherein the drive unit assembly further includes a filter busbar communicatively connected to the PCB.

[0040] Option 9. The drive unit assembly according to Option 8, wherein the PCB is connected to the filter busbar using one or more fasteners.

[0041] Option 10. The drive unit assembly according to Option 9, wherein one or more conductive lugs are disposed between the busbar and the PCB relative to the one or more fasteners.

[0042] Solution 11. A drive unit assembly, the drive unit assembly comprising:

[0043] A motor, the motor comprising:

[0044] Motor housing, the motor housing defining a cavity,

[0045] A shaft extending through the motor housing,

[0046] Rotor, the rotor being connected to the shaft,

[0047] Stator, the stator being arranged around the rotor,

[0048] A fluid, the fluid being movable throughout the chamber, and

[0049] One or more motor busbars, the one or more motor busbars being communicatively connected to the stator;

[0050] A filter, the filter being disposed within the cavity of the motor housing; and

[0051] One or more dissipative components are connected to the filter.

[0052] Option 12. The drive unit assembly according to Option 11, wherein the one or more dissipative components are arranged in the cavity and directly connected to the filter.

[0053] Option 13. The drive unit assembly according to Option 11, wherein the one or more dissipative components are arranged outside the motor housing and communicatively connected to the filter.

[0054] Option 14. The drive unit assembly according to Option 11, wherein the filter is arranged within the motor housing, and the fluid directly contacts or immerses the filter.

[0055] Option 15. The drive unit assembly according to Option 11, wherein the filter is enclosed within a housing.

[0056] Option 16. The drive unit assembly according to Option 15, wherein the housing is mounted to the motor housing using one or more fasteners.

[0057] Option 17. A vehicle, the vehicle comprising:

[0058] Vehicle body;

[0059] An inverter connected to the vehicle body;

[0060] A power source, which is connected to the vehicle body and communicatively connected to the inverter;

[0061] A drive unit assembly, communicatively connected to the inverter via an AC cable, the drive unit assembly comprising:

[0062] A motor, the motor comprising:

[0063] Motor housing,

[0064] A fluid that can move throughout the motor housing.

[0065] A shaft extending through the motor housing,

[0066] Rotor, the rotor being connected to the shaft, and

[0067] Stator, the stator being arranged around the rotor;

[0068] A filter, communicatively connected to the motor, the filter comprising:

[0069] One or more busbars, each busbar having an inlet and an outlet, and a printed circuit board (PCB) communicatively connected to the one or more busbars; and

[0070] One or more dissipative components are communicatively connected to the filter.

[0071] Option 18. The vehicle according to Option 17, wherein the filter is disposed inside the motor housing, and the one or more dissipative components are disposed outside the motor housing.

[0072] Option 19. The vehicle according to Option 17, wherein the filter is disposed inside the motor housing.

[0073] Option 20. The vehicle according to Option 19, wherein the filter is arranged in a housing connected to the motor housing. Attached Figure Description

[0074] The accompanying drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure.

[0075] Figure 1 It is a front perspective view of a vehicle including a propulsion system, based on the principles of this disclosure;

[0076] Figure 2 It is based on the principles of this disclosure. Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a circuit diagram of a part of the propulsion system;

[0077] Figure 3 It is a cross-sectional view of the configuration of the drive unit component according to the principles of this disclosure;

[0078] Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional view of another configuration of the drive unit assembly based on the principles of this disclosure;

[0079] Figure 5AIt is a cross-sectional view of the configuration of a printed circuit board (PCB) and a busbar according to the principles of this disclosure;

[0080] Figure 5B It is set in Figure 5A End view of the conductive lug between the PCB and the busbar;

[0081] Figure 6 This is a partial side view of the configuration of a filter arranged on a motor housing according to the principles of this disclosure;

[0082] Figure 7 This is a cross-sectional view of another configuration of the drive unit assembly based on the principles of this disclosure;

[0083] Figure 8 This is a cross-sectional view of another configuration of the drive unit assembly based on the principles of this disclosure;

[0084] Figure 9 This is a cross-sectional view of another configuration of the drive unit assembly according to the principles of this disclosure; and

[0085] Figure 10 This is a cross-sectional view of another configuration of the drive unit assembly based on the principles of this disclosure.

[0086] Throughout the accompanying drawings, corresponding reference numerals indicate the relevant parts. Detailed Implementation

[0087] Example configurations will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. Example configurations are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and will fully convey the scope of this disclosure to those skilled in the art. Specific details, such as examples of specific components, apparatus, and methods, are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the configurations of this disclosure. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the example configurations may be embodied in many different forms without the need for the specific details, and that the specific details and example configurations should not be construed as limiting the scope of this disclosure.

[0088] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular exemplary configurations only and is not intended to be restrictive. As used herein, the singular articles “a,” “an,” and “the” may be intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes,” and “have” are inclusive and therefore indicate the presence of features, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof. The method steps, processes, and operations described herein should not be construed as necessarily requiring them to be performed in the particular order discussed or illustrated, unless specifically indicated as such. Additional or alternative steps may be employed.

[0089] When an element or layer is described as being “on,” “joined to,” “connected to,” “attached to,” or “linked to” another element or layer, it may be directly on, joined to, connected to, attached to, or linked to the other element or layer, or there may be an intermediate element or layer present. In contrast, when an element is described as being “directly on,” “directly joined to,” “directly connected to,” “directly attached to,” or “directly linked to” another element or layer, there may be no intermediate element or layer present. Other terms used to describe relationships between elements should be interpreted in a similar manner (e.g., “between” versus “directly between,” “adjacent” versus “directly adjacent,” etc.). As used herein, the term “and / or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0090] The terms “first,” “second,” “third,” etc., may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers, and / or segments. These elements, components, regions, layers, and / or segments should not be limited by these terms. These terms may be used only to distinguish one element, component, region, layer, or segment from another. Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, terms such as “first,” “second,” and other numerical terms do not imply a sequence or order. Therefore, without departing from the teachings of the example configuration, the first element, component, region, layer, or segment discussed below may be referred to as the second element, component, region, layer, or segment.

[0091] In this application, which includes the following definitions, the term "module" may be replaced by the term "circuit". The term "module" may refer to, be a part of, or include the following: application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC); digital, analog, or mixed-signal analog / digital discrete circuit; digital, analog, or mixed-signal analog / digital integrated circuit; combinational logic circuit; field-programmable gate array (FPGA); processor (shared, dedicated, or group) for executing code; memory (shared, dedicated, or group) for storing code executed by the processor; other suitable hardware components that provide the described functionality; or combinations of some or all of the above, such as in a system-on-a-chip.

[0092] The term "code" as used above can include software, firmware, and / or microcode, and can refer to programs, routines, functions, classes, and / or objects. The term "shared processor" covers a single processor that executes some or all of the code from multiple modules. The term "group processor" covers a processor that, in combination with additional processors, executes some or all of the code from one or more modules. The term "shared memory" covers a single memory that stores some or all of the code from multiple modules. The term "group memory" covers a memory that, in combination with additional memory, stores some or all of the code from one or more modules. The term "memory" can be a subset of the term "computer-readable medium." The term "computer-readable medium" does not cover transient electrical and electromagnetic signals propagating through a medium, and therefore can be considered tangible and non-transitory memory. Non-limiting examples of non-transitory memory include tangible computer-readable media, including non-volatile memory, magnetic storage devices, and optical storage devices.

[0093] The apparatus and methods described in this application may be implemented, in whole or in part, by one or more computer programs executed by one or more processors. The computer programs include processor-executable instructions stored on at least one non-transitory tangible computer-readable medium. The computer programs may also include and / or depend on stored data.

[0094] A software application (i.e., a software resource) can refer to computer software that causes a computing device to perform a task. In some examples, a software application may be referred to as an "application," "app," or "program." Example applications include, but are not limited to, system diagnostic applications, system management applications, system maintenance applications, word processing applications, spreadsheet applications, messaging applications, media streaming applications, social networking applications, and gaming applications.

[0095] Non-transitory memory can be a physical device used to store programs (e.g., instruction sequences) or data (e.g., program state information) on a temporary or permanent basis for use by a computing device. Non-transitory memory can be volatile and / or non-volatile addressable semiconductor memory. Examples of non-volatile memory include, but are not limited to, flash memory and read-only memory (ROM) / programmable read-only memory (PROM) / erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM) / electronically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM) (e.g., commonly used in firmware, such as boot programs). Examples of volatile memory include, but are not limited to, random access memory (RAM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), static random access memory (SRAM), phase-change memory (PCM), and magnetic disks or magnetic tapes.

[0096] These computer programs (also referred to as programs, software, software applications, or code) include machine instructions for a programmable processor and can be implemented in high-level procedural and / or object-oriented programming languages, and / or in assembly / machine language. As used herein, the terms “machine-readable medium” and “computer-readable medium” refer to any computer program product, non-transitory computer-readable medium, device, and / or apparatus (e.g., disk, optical disk, memory, programmable logic device (PLD)) used to provide machine instructions and / or data to a programmable processor, including machine-readable media that receive machine instructions as machine-readable signals. The term “machine-readable signal” refers to any signal used to provide machine instructions and / or data to a programmable processor.

[0097] Various implementations of the systems and techniques described herein can be implemented in digital electronic and / or optical circuits, integrated circuits, specially designed ASICs (Application-Specific Integrated Circuits), computer hardware, firmware, software, and / or combinations thereof. These various implementations can be implemented in one or more computer programs that are executable and / or interpretable on a programmable system including at least one programmable processor, which may be dedicated or general-purpose, and is configured to receive data and instructions from a storage system, at least one input device, and at least one output device, and to transfer data and instructions to the storage system, at least one input device, and at least one output device.

[0098] The processes and logic flows described in this specification can be executed by one or more programmable processors (also referred to as data processing hardware), which execute one or more computer programs to perform functions by manipulating input data and generating output. The processes and logic flows can also be executed by special-purpose logic circuitry (e.g., FPGAs (Field-Programmable Gate Arrays) or ASICs (Application-Specific Integrated Circuits)). For example, processors suitable for executing computer programs include both general-purpose microprocessors and special-purpose microprocessors, as well as any one or more processors of any kind of digital computer. Typically, the processor receives instructions and data from read-only memory or random access memory, or both. The basic elements of a computer are a processor for executing instructions and one or more memory devices for storing instructions and data. Typically, a computer will also include one or more mass storage devices (e.g., magnetic disks, magneto-optical disks, or optical disks) for storing data, or the computer will be operatively coupled to receive data from or transfer data to one or more mass storage devices, or both. However, a computer does not necessarily need to have such devices. Computer-readable media suitable for storing computer program instructions and data include all forms of non-volatile memory, media, and memory devices, including, for example, semiconductor memory devices such as EPROM, EEPROM, and flash memory devices; magnetic disks such as internal hard disks or removable disks; magneto-optical disks; and CD-ROM and DVD-ROM disks. Processors and memory can be supplemented by or integrated into dedicated logic circuitry.

[0099] To provide interaction with a user, one or more aspects of this disclosure can be implemented on a computer having a display device for displaying information to the user, such as a CRT (cathode ray tube), LCD (liquid crystal display) monitor, or touchscreen; and optionally a keyboard and pointing device (e.g., a mouse or trackball) through which the user can provide input to the computer. Other types of devices can also be used to provide interaction with the user; for example, feedback provided to the user can be any form of sensory feedback, such as visual feedback, auditory feedback, or tactile feedback; and input from the user can be received in any form (including sound input, voice input, or tactile input). Additionally, the computer can interact with the user by sending documents to and receiving documents from a device used by the user; for example, by sending a webpage to a webpage in response to a request received from a webpage on the user's client device.

[0100] refer to Figure 1An illustrative example of a vehicle 10 having a vehicle body 12 is provided. The vehicle 10 includes one or more wheels 14 coupled to the vehicle body 12. Additionally, the vehicle 10 includes a propulsion system 100 for providing power to at least one of the one or more wheels 14 to propel the vehicle 10.

[0101] Generally speaking, reference Figure 2 The propulsion system 100 includes a drive unit assembly 110, an inverter 120, and a power source (e.g., a battery) 150. The drive unit assembly 110 may include a motor 160 and a current filter 170 communicatively connected to the motor 160.

[0102] Motor 160 can be a three-phase AC motor that receives three-phase alternating current (AC) power (although the configuration described herein can be used with motors or machines having any number of phases).

[0103] Inverter 120 includes various switching devices connected to drive bus 122. For example, a first switching assembly includes inverter switches 124 and 126 connected to the first phase (A phase) of motor 160, a second switching assembly includes inverter switches 128 and 130 connected to the second phase (B phase), and a third switching assembly includes inverter switches 132 and 134 connected to the third phase (C phase). Additional components, such as capacitor 136 for ripple current and voltage stabilization, may be included.

[0104] In at least one configuration, each inverter switch is a semiconductor switch. As a non-limiting example, the inverter switch may include a metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) controlled thyristor (MCT), a gallium nitride (GaN) field-effect transistor (FET), a metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET), a silicon carbide junction field-effect transistor (SiC JFET), an insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT), or any other suitable low-loss device with appropriate rated voltage and rated current.

[0105] Each switching component can be a half-bridge connected to a phase of AC cable 138. For example, switches 124 and 126 form a half-bridge connected to phase A conductor 140 of AC cable 138, and switches 128 and 130 form a half-bridge connected to phase B conductor 142. Switches 132 and 134 form a half-bridge connected to phase C conductor 144.

[0106] Phase A conductor 140 is connected to the Phase A winding of motor 160, Phase B conductor 142 is connected to the Phase B winding, and Phase C conductor 144 is connected to the Phase C winding.

[0107] Filter 170 may include diode bridge rectifier circuit 172. Diode bridge rectifier circuit 172 includes pairs of diodes in a half-bridge configuration connected to each phase of motor 160 and AC cable 138. Each half-bridge has an input (AC input) connected to a motor phase and a direct current (DC) output for dissipating energy or transferring energy from motor 160.

[0108] For example, diode bridge rectifier circuit 172 (also referred to as diode bridge circuit 172) includes pairs of diodes 174 and 176 connected in parallel to conductor 140 and / or phase A terminal. Pairs of diodes 178 and 180 are connected in parallel to conductor 142 and / or phase B terminal, and pairs of diodes 182 and 184 are connected in parallel to conductor 144 and / or phase C terminal.

[0109] According to at least one aspect, the DC output of the diode bridge circuit 172 is connected to the push bus 122 via a low-inductance cable 186. The low-inductance cable 186 is configured to transmit the DC power output from the diode bridge circuit 172. The low-inductance cable 186 can be used to return or route DC energy from voltage spikes to the inverter 120 and the power supply 150. Routing energy back to the inverter 120 and the power supply 150 improves the effectiveness of the diode bridge circuit 172 in mitigating overvoltage with minimal power loss.

[0110] For the purposes of this disclosure, a "low-inductance" cable can be any conductor or group of conductors exhibiting an inductance below a selected threshold. According to one aspect, each phase of a low-inductance cable (e.g., a three-phase coaxial cable) has an inductance of less than about 1 microhenry (μH) and / or less than about 1 / 10 of the inductance of an AC cable 138. For example, twisted-pair or coaxial cables with small wire gauges (e.g., US Wire Gauge (AWG) 10 or 12) can be used as low-inductance cables.

[0111] Figures 3-7 Another illustrative configuration of the drive unit assembly 210 is shown in the figure. This configuration is similar in many ways to... Figures 1-2 The configurations are similar. Therefore, the descriptions of these configurations are incorporated into each other, and the descriptions of the common themes of these configurations may generally not be repeated.

[0112] refer to Figure 3A drive unit assembly 210 is provided, which includes a motor (i.e., drive unit) 212 and a filter 214. The motor 212 includes a motor housing 216 that encases and protects the internal components of the motor 212. For example, the motor housing 216 can be made of one or more materials, including cast iron or aluminum. The motor housing 216 also defines a chamber 218 containing a fluid 220, such as a lubricant (e.g., lubricating oil) or coolant. The fluid 220 can contact one or more moving parts, such as bearings, gears, etc., to reduce friction and wear and remove heat from the parts. The motor housing 216 can include one or more shaft openings 222 and one or more electrical openings 224. The motor 212 also includes a shaft 226 extending between and through the motor housing 216 and through the one or more shaft openings 222. A gearbox 228 is communicatively coupled to the shaft 226 and is capable of moving (e.g., agitating) the fluid 220 through the chamber 218. The rotor 230 can be coupled to the shaft 226, and the stator 232 can be arranged around the rotor 230. One or more motor busbars 233 configured for single-phase, three-phase, or n-phase power can be communicatively coupled to the stator 232 and can be arranged in or adjacent to the one or more electrical openings 224.

[0113] In this illustrative configuration, the drive unit assembly 210 includes a filter housing 234 that can be configured to be attached to or otherwise coupled to the motor housing 216. For example, as Figure 3 As shown, the filter housing 234 can be welded (e.g., laser, TIG, etc.), glued (e.g., via adhesive), or otherwise attached to the motor housing 216 via another method commonly used in the automotive industry. According to one aspect, reference... Figure 4 The motor housing 216 may include one or more threaded openings 236 configured to receive one or more bolts 238, such that the filter housing 234 can be secured to or otherwise fastened to the motor housing 216. The filter housing 234 may include one or more connector openings 239, at least one of which may be configured to communicate with at least one of the electrical openings 224 of the motor housing 216. Additionally, the filter housing 234 may be configured to house and protect the filter 214.

[0114] For example, filter 214 can be configured as an alternating current (AC) filter, such as a passive low-pass filter (i.e., a passive resistive-capacitive (RC) filter), a resistive-capacitive-diode (RCD) filter, or an active RCD filter. For an active RCD filter, the resistor can be partially or entirely replaced by a semiconductor device (such as a MOSFET or IGBT). In any case, filter 214 can be configured to be connected in parallel to motor 212. According to one aspect, filter 214 can include communicative connections to one or more filter busbars 242 (…). Figure 5A The filter 214 is a printed circuit board (PCB) 240 having one or more first or inlet terminals 244 and one or more second or outlet terminals 246. A first connector 248 is connectable to the inlet terminal 244, allowing the filter 214 to be easily connected to an inverter or another electrical component. Similarly, a second connector 250 is connectable to the one or more outlet terminals 246, allowing the filter 214 to be easily connected to a motor 212 (i.e., the one or more motor busbars 233). Additionally, a seal 252 is connectable adjacent to the one or more outlet terminals 246, configured to seal the one or more electrical openings 224 of the motor housing 216 and prevent fluid 220 from escaping or leaking from the chamber 218.

[0115] refer to Figure 5A PCB 240 may include one or more through holes 254 configured to receive one or more fasteners 256. (See reference) Figure 5A and Figure 5B One or more conductive lugs or spacers 258 can be arranged between the PCB 240 and the one or more filter busbars 242 and communicatively connect the PCB 240 to the one or more filter busbars 242.

[0116] Generally, PCB 240 can be configured with field-eliminating properties to minimize loop leakage inductance across terminals 244, 246 of filter 214. Filter 214 can include one or more dissipative components 260 (e.g., power resistors, active power devices (e.g., metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs), insulated-gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs)), etc.). According to one aspect, the one or more dissipative components 260 can be directly or indirectly connected to PCB 240. Additionally, as Figure 3 As shown, a phase change thermal interface material (TIM) 262 can be disposed between the one or more dissipative components 260 and the motor housing 216. Additionally or alternatively, refer to... Figure 6The TIM 262 can be arranged between the PCB 240 and the motor housing 216. This arrangement is desirable for utilizing the motor housing 216 as a heat sink to remove heat from the filter 214 and / or the one or more dissipative components 260. Alternatively, for example, the filter 214 can be encapsulated with a thermally conductive and electrically insulating package, which is desirable for improving thermal performance and mechanical strength.

[0117] refer to Figure 7 The drive unit assembly 210 may include a cooling system 264 communicatively coupled to a chamber 218 of the motor housing 216. The cooling system 264 may include a pump 266 configured to move fluid 220 along one or more conduits 268 to a heat exchanger 270 to remove heat from the fluid 220. Additionally, the cooling system 264 may be configured such that one or more of the conduits 268 are communicatively coupled to the one or more dissipative components 260. More specifically, for example, a TIM 262 may be arranged between one of the conduits 268 and the one or more dissipative components 260 and / or the PCB 240, enabling heat removal during and / or after operation of the drive unit assembly 210.

[0118] Figure 8 Another illustrative configuration of the drive unit assembly 310 is shown in the figure. This configuration is similar in many ways to... Figures 1-2 and Figures 3-7 The configurations are similar. Therefore, the descriptions of these configurations are incorporated into each other, and the descriptions of the common themes of these configurations may generally not be repeated.

[0119] refer to Figure 8A drive unit assembly 310 is provided, which includes a motor 312 and a filter 314. The motor 312 includes a motor housing 316 that houses and protects at least a portion of the internal components of the motor 312 and / or the filter 314. For example, the motor housing 316 can be made of one or more materials, including cast iron or aluminum. The motor housing 316 also defines a chamber 318 containing a fluid 320 (e.g., lubricating oil). The fluid 320 can contact one or more moving parts, such as bearings, gears, etc., to reduce friction and wear. Additionally or alternatively, for example, the fluid 320 can contact the filter 314 and remove heat during or after operation. The motor housing 316 can include one or more shaft openings 322 and one or more electrical openings 324. The motor 312 also includes a shaft 326 extending through the motor housing 316 at least between the one or more shaft openings 322. A gearbox 328 can be communicatively coupled to the shaft 326 and can be configured to circulate (e.g., spray) the fluid 320 throughout the chamber 318. The rotor 330 can be coupled to the shaft 326, and the stator 332 can be arranged around the rotor 330. One or more motor busbars 334 configured for single-phase, three-phase, or n-phase power can be communicatively coupled to the stator 332 and can be arranged in or adjacent to the one or more electrical openings 224.

[0120] Continue to refer to Figure 8 The drive unit assembly 310 may include a fluid reservoir 336 for cooling one or more components within the motor housing 316. According to one aspect, the fluid reservoir may be configured to release fluid 320 in a controlled manner by gravity (i.e., gravity feeding). In another configuration, fluid 320 may be continuously or selectively sprayed onto components disposed within the motor housing 316.

[0121] In this illustrative configuration, the filter 314 is arranged within the chamber 318 of the motor housing 316 and can directly ( Figure 8 ) or indirectly ( Figure 9 and Figure 10 The filter 314 is connected to the motor housing 316. For example, the filter 314 can be configured as an AC filter, such as a passive low-pass filter (i.e., a passive resistor-capacitor (RC) filter), a resistor-capacitor-diode (RCD) filter, or an active RCD filter. In any case, the filter 314 can be configured to be connected in parallel to the motor 312.

[0122] According to one aspect, filter 314 may include a printed circuit board (PCB) 338 communicatively coupled to one or more filter busbars 340, the one or more filter busbars having one or more first or inlet terminals 342 and one or more second or outlet terminals 344. A first connector 346 may be coupled to the inlet terminal 342, allowing filter 314 to be easily coupled to an inverter or other electrical component. The one or more outlet terminals 344 may be configured to be communicatively coupled to the one or more motor busbars 334 via connectors or otherwise.

[0123] Filter 314 can include components configured to directly contact the fluid 320 in chamber 318. In other words, for example, components of filter 314 can be configured to withstand high-temperature and corrosive environments. This may be desirable for the thermal management of filter 314, for example. Alternatively, at least a portion of filter 314 can be encapsulated with a thermally conductive and electrically insulating encapsulant. Encapsulating at least a portion of filter 314 may be desirable for improving thermal performance and mechanical strength, for example.

[0124] In at least some configurations ( Figure 9 and Figure 10 In this example, filter 314 can be enclosed in housing 348 and arranged within motor housing 316. In this illustrative example, reference is made to... Figure 9 and Figure 10 The housing 348 can be mounted within the chamber 318 using one or more clips or fasteners 350. The housing 348 can include one or more electrical openings 352 and one or more seals 354 configured to receive the one or more filter manifolds 340 but prevent fluid 320 from entering or leaking into the housing 348. According to at least one aspect, the PCB 338 can include one or more thermal pathways 356 configured to receive a phase change thermal interface material (TIM) 358.

[0125] Filter 314 can include direct ( Figure 8 and Figure 9 ) or indirectly ( Figure 10 One or more dissipative components 360 are connected to PCB 338. (See reference) Figure 10 The one or more dissipative components 360 are communicatively connected to the PCB 338 and disposed outside the motor housing 316. According to one aspect, for example, the dissipative component 360 can be connected to an external heat sink 362 to remove heat from the filter 314.

[0126] Several embodiments have been described. However, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure. Therefore, other embodiments are within the scope of the appended claims.

[0127] The above description has been provided for illustrative and descriptive purposes. It is not intended to be exhaustive or limiting of this disclosure. Elements or features of a particular configuration are generally not limited to that particular configuration, but are interchangeable where applicable and can be used in a selected configuration, even if not specifically shown or described. Elements or features of a particular configuration may also vary in many ways. Such variations will not be considered a departure from this disclosure, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this disclosure.

Claims

1. A drive unit assembly, the drive unit assembly comprising: A motor, the motor comprising: Motor housing, A shaft extending through the motor housing, Rotor, the rotor being connected to the shaft, Stator, the stator being arranged around the rotor, and One or more motor busbars, the one or more motor busbars being communicatively connected to the stator; and Filter, the filter comprising: A filter housing, which is connected to the motor housing. One or more filter busbars, each filter busbar having an inlet and an outlet, the outlet being configured to communicatively connect to at least one of the one or more motor busbars. A printed circuit board (PCB) communicatively connected to the one or more filter busbars, and One or more dissipative components are connected to the PCB.

2. The drive unit assembly according to claim 1, wherein, The filter housing is connected to the motor housing by one or more bolts.

3. The drive unit assembly according to claim 1, wherein, The filter includes a thermal interface material (TIM) disposed between the one or more dissipative components and the motor housing.

4. The drive unit assembly according to claim 1, wherein, The filter includes a TIM disposed between the PCB and the motor housing.

5. The drive unit assembly according to claim 1, wherein, The drive unit assembly also includes a cooling system that is communicatively connected to the motor housing.

6. The drive unit assembly according to claim 5, wherein, The cooling system includes one or more pipes communicatively connected to the one or more dissipative components.

7. The drive unit assembly according to claim 6, wherein, The TIM is positioned between the one or more pipes and the dissipative component.

8. The drive unit assembly according to claim 1, wherein, The drive unit assembly also includes a filter busbar that is communicatively connected to the PCB.

9. The drive unit assembly according to claim 8, wherein, The PCB is connected to the filter busbar using one or more fasteners.

10. The drive unit assembly according to claim 9, wherein, One or more conductive lugs are disposed between the busbar and the PCB relative to the one or more fasteners.

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