Electronic device
The electrical connector with a captive nut mechanism addresses the challenge of busbar tolerance dispersions by enabling flexible and efficient three-phase connections between inverters and electric motors, ensuring continuous power transmission.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- FR · FR
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- VALEO EAUTOMOTIVE GERMANY GMBH
- Filing Date
- 2024-12-13
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-19
AI Technical Summary
Existing inverter assemblies in motor vehicles face challenges in accommodating tolerance dispersions between busbars of the inverter and electric motor, necessitating a flexible and efficient connection mechanism.
An electrical connector with a captive nut mechanism that allows adjustable AC connections between the inverter and electric motor, utilizing a sliding nut to adapt to varying busbar positions, ensuring efficient power transmission.
Facilitates flexible assembly of three-phase connections, adapting to busbar tolerances while maintaining continuous power transmission, and preventing direct screw contact with busbars.
Smart Images
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Abstract
Description
Title of the invention: Electronic device
[0001] The invention relates in particular to an electronic device, specifically an inverter.
[0002] Modern motor vehicles generally incorporate an inverter that converts direct current (DC), usually supplied by sources such as batteries, into alternating current (AC), which is used to power the vehicle's electrical systems, including an electric motor. At the vehicle manufacturer's, the inverter is connected to the electric motor using busbar conductors, typically three in number for the three electrical phases of the motor.
[0003] In particular, there is a need to allow an assembly, for example, of a high-voltage inverter with an electric motor, which takes into account tolerance dispersions between the electric bars (or "busbar") of the inverter and those of the electric motor which are fixed, without possible movement, on the customer's side.
[0004] The invention aims in particular to meet this need.
[0005] The invention thus relates to an electronic device, in particular an inverter, specifically configured to be installed on board a vehicle, the electronic device comprising: - a housing, - electronics housed within the casing, - an electrical connector in the housing and connected to the electronics, this connector being configured to be mounted with an additional connector from an external electrical module, in particular an electric motor, the electrical connector comprising: • a first conductor bar (or “busbar”) comprising a first connection part, in particular flat, configured to be in electrical contact with a second connection part of a second conductor bar (or “busbar”) of the complementary connector, • a cavity and a captive nut housed in the cavity, with the possibility of movement of the captive nut within the cavity between: • a clear position in which the captive nut and a wall of the cavity on which the first connecting part of the first conductor bar is located, provide an insertion window for the insertion, with some play, of the second connecting part of the second conductor bar of the complementary connector, and a tight position in which the captive nut presses the first connecting part of the first conductive bar against the second connecting part of the second conductive bar of the supplementary connector.
[0006] Thanks to the invention, three-phase connections can be made between an electric motor and the associated inverter, allowing a flexible assembly of the interconnector part with the AC phase busbar (AC for alternating current), either the first connection part of the first conductor bar, using a sliding part (i.e. the captive nut) which adjusts itself to the position of the incoming interconnector part, or the second connection part of the second conductor bar of the complementary connector.
[0007] Thus, an adjustable AC connection configuration can be obtained which easily adapts to the incoming connection of the interconnector (i.e. the second connection part of the second conductive bar of the complementary connector), while maintaining efficient and continuous power transmission to the inverter.
[0008] According to one aspect of the invention, the electrical connector comprises a body carrying three conductive bars, each of these conductive bars having the first connection part in the sense of the invention.
[0009] According to one aspect of the invention, the conductive bars are, at least in part, overmolded into the material of the body of the electrical connector.
[0010] According to one aspect of the invention, the captive nut, in particular made of metal, includes a thread to receive a screw, the thread facing an orifice on a bottom wall of the cavity.
[0011] According to one aspect of the invention, the tapping is configured to receive a screw which is screwed in from the bottom wall of the cavity.
[0012] Thus the screw head rests on the outside of the bottom wall of the cavity, and the threaded rod of the screw passes through the orifice in the bottom wall of the cavity and engages in the thread of the captive nut.
[0013] When the screw is screwed into the thread of the captive nut, the captive nut is moved towards the bottom wall of the cavity.
[0014] According to one aspect of the invention, the captive nut comprises a sloping face such that the captive nut has a cross-section which reduces towards the bottom wall of the cavity.
[0015] According to one aspect of the invention, the cavity has a shape which, in cross-section, has a narrowing towards the bottom wall of the cavity.
[0016] According to one aspect of the invention, the cavity has a sloping face against which the sloping face of the captive nut is applied.
[0017] According to one aspect of the invention, the sloping face of the cavity is located opposite the wall of the cavity where the first connecting part of the first conducting bar is located.
[0018] According to one aspect of the invention, the sloping faces on the captive nut and on the cavity have an angle, for example between 2° and 15°, with respect to a descent axis of the captive nut in the cavity.
[0019] Thus, when the screw is screwed into the captive nut, the captive nut descends into the cavity and, thanks to the sloping face, the more the captive nut descends, the more it will compress the first connection part of the first conductive bar against the second connection part of the second conductive bar of the complementary connector, until it reaches the tightened position.
[0020] In the invention, the screw does not have direct contact with the first connecting part of the first conductive bar nor the second connecting part of the second conductive bar of the complementary connector, because there is the intervening presence of the captive nut.
[0021] Advantageously, the window between the captive nut and the cavity defines a window of dimension substantially larger than the section of the second connecting part of the second complementary conductive bar which must be inserted into the window.
[0022] In particular, in the exposed position, the window between the captive nut and the cavity defines a window with dimensions of approximately 20 mm by 10 mm, for example, and the second connecting part of the second conductive bar of the supplementary connector, which must be inserted into the window, has cross-sectional dimensions of approximately 10 mm by 5 mm, for example. This facilitates the insertion of the second conductive bar of the supplementary connector into this window.
[0023] According to one aspect of the invention, the captive nut and the cavity have a substantially polygonal cross-section.
[0024] According to one aspect of the invention, the electrical connector comprises a body with three cavities, each receiving a captive nut, in particular for each of the phases of the electric motor.
[0025] According to one aspect of the invention, a hood is provided to close the cavity to keep the nut captive in the cavity, in particular to prevent the captive nut from being lost during transport, for example before its assembly in the factory.
[0026] The invention further relates to an assembly comprising an electronic device (in particular an inverter) as mentioned above, and an external electrical module, in particular an electric motor, electrically connected together using the respective conductive bars.
[0027] According to one aspect of the invention, the complementary connector comprises a body carrying three conductive bars, each of these conductive bars having the second connection part in the sense of the invention.
[0028] According to one aspect of the invention, the conductive bars are, at least in part, overmolded into the material of the body.
[0029] According to one aspect of the invention, the conductive bars extend on the same side of the body of the complementary connector.
[0030] According to one aspect of the invention, the conducting bars extend in a parallel manner.
[0031] The present invention also relates to a method for assembling an inverter with an external electrical module, in particular an electric motor, the method comprising the following steps: - insert the second part of the connection of the second conductor bar of the supplementary connector into the window provided between the captive nut and the cavity, the nut being in the disengaged position; - tighten the screw which is engaged with the captive nut so as to lower the captive nut into the cavity and thus compress the first connecting part of the first conductor bar against the second connecting part of the second conductor bar, until the tightened position is reached.
[0032] Other features, details and advantages of the invention will become clearer upon reading the following description on the one hand, and several exemplary embodiments given by way of illustration and not limitation with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings on the other hand, in which:
[0033] [Fig-1] [Fig.1] represents, schematically and partially, in perspective, a electronic device according to an example of an embodiment of the invention;
[0034] [Fig.2] Fig.2 is a detailed, cross-sectional view of the electronic device of the [Fig.l];
[0035] [Fig. 3] Fig. 3 is another cross-sectional view of part of the electronic device of the [Fig.l].
[0036] The features, variants, and different embodiments of the invention can be combined in various ways, provided they are not incompatible or mutually exclusive. In particular, variants of the invention may be conceived comprising only a selection of features, described hereafter in isolation from the other described features, if this selection of features is sufficient to confer a technical advantage and / or to differentiate the invention from the prior art.
[0037] Figure [Fig.1] shows an electronic device 100, here an inverter, configured to be mounted on board a motor vehicle.
[0038] The electronic device 100 comprises: - a case 1, - an electronics 2 (represented very schematically in pontificates on the [Fig.l]) housed in the case 1, the electronics 2 comprising a plurality of electronic boards.
[0039] The electronic device 100 further includes an electrical connector 4 in the housing 1 and connected to the electronics 2, this connector 4 being configured to be mounted with a complementary connector 35 of an external electrical module 200, here an electric motor.
[0040] The electrical connector 4 includes a first conductive bar 5 (or "busbar") comprising a first connection part 6, which is flat with a plate shape, configured to be in electrical contact with a second connection part 7, which is also flat with a plate shape, of a second conductive bar 8 (or "busbar") of the complementary connector 35.
[0041] The conductor bar 5 (or “busbar”) is for example made of copper.
[0042] The electrical connector 4 further comprises a cavity 10 and a captive nut 11 housed in cavity 10 with the possibility of movement of the captive nut 11 in cavity 10 between: - a clear position in which the captive nut 11 and a wall 12 of the cavity 10 on which the first connecting part 6 of the first conductive bar 5 is present, provide an insertion window 14 for the insertion, with some play, of the second connecting part 7 of the second conductive bar 8 of the complementary connector 35, - and a tight position in which the captive nut 11 presses the first connecting portion 6 of the first conductive bar 5 against the second connecting portion 7 of the second conductive bar 8 of the complementary connector 35, as illustrated in particular in Figures 2 and 3.
[0043] In the example described, the electrical connector 4 comprises a body 17 carrying three conductive bars 5 (of the type first bar 5 as described), each of these conductive bars 5 having the first connecting portion 6 in the sense of the invention.
[0044] The conductive bars 5 are partially overmolded into the material of the body 17 of the electrical connector 4. This body 17 of the electrical connector 4 comprises an overmolded metal insert 29.
[0045] The body 17 of the electrical connector 4 is mounted, for example using screws, on a plate 30 of the inverter, a plate which also serves as a support for electronic boards.
[0046] The conductive bars 5 each have an L-shaped profile, with one arm of the L which is overmolded.
[0047] The body 17 comprises three cavities 10 (of the type described above), each receiving a captive nut 11 for each phase of the electric motor. Each of the conductive bars 5 corresponds to one of these phases.
[0048] The conducting bars 5, identical or of slightly different shapes, extend in parallel, along a row.
[0049] Thanks to the invention, it is possible to make connections of each of the three phases between an electric motor and the associated inverter, allowing a flexible assembly of the interconnector part with the AC phase busbar (AC for alternating current), namely the first connection part 6 of the first conductor bar 5, using a sliding part (i.e. the captive nut 11) which adjusts itself to the position of the incoming interconnector part, i.e. the second connection part 7 of the second conductor bar 8 of the complementary connector 35.
[0050] Thus, an adjustable AC connection configuration can be obtained which easily adapts to the incoming connection of the interconnector (i.e. the second connection part 7 of the second conductor bar 8 of the complementary connector 35), while maintaining an efficient and continuous power transmission to the inverter.
[0051] The captive nut 11, here made of metal, includes a thread 18 to receive a screw 19, the thread 18 facing an orifice 20 on a bottom wall 21 of the cavity 10.
[0052] The tapped hole 18 is configured to receive a screw 19 which is screwed from the bottom wall 21 of the cavity 10.
[0053] Thus the head of the screw 19 rests on the outside of the bottom wall 21 of the cavity 10, and the threaded rod of the screw 19 passes through the orifice 20 of the bottom wall 21 of the cavity 10 and engages in the thread 18 of the captive nut 11.
[0054] When the screw 19 is screwed into the thread 18 of the captive nut 11, the captive nut 11 is moved towards the bottom wall 21 of the cavity 10.
[0055] The captive nut 11 includes a sloping face 23 such that the captive nut 11 has a cross-section which reduces towards the bottom wall 21 of the cavity 10.
[0056] The cavity 10 has a shape which, in cross-section, has a narrowing towards the bottom wall 21 of the cavity 10.
[0057] The cavity 10 has a sloping face 24 against which the sloping face 23 of the captive nut 11 is applied.
[0058] The sloping face 24 of the cavity 10 is located opposite the wall 12 of the cavity 10 where the first connecting part 6 of the first conducting bar 5 is located.
[0059] The faces 23, 24 sloping on the captive nut 11 and on the cavity 10 have an angle, for example between 2° and 15°, with respect to a descent axis XD of the captive nut 11 in cavity 10.
[0060] Thus, when the screw 19 is screwed into the captive nut 11, the captive nut 11 descends into the cavity 10 and, thanks to the sloping face, the further the captive nut 11 descends, the more it will compress the first connecting part 6 of the first conductor bar 5 against the second connecting part 7 of the second conductor bar 8 of the supplementary connector 35, until it reaches the tightened position.
[0061] In the invention, the screw 19 does not have direct contact with the first connecting part 6 of the first conductive bar 5 nor with the second connecting part 7 of the second conductive bar 8 of the complementary connector 35, because there is the intervening presence of the captive nut 11.
[0062] Advantageously, the insertion window 14 between the captive nut 11 and the cavity 10 defines a window 14 of dimension substantially larger than the section of the second connecting part 7 of the second complementary conductive bar 8 which must be inserted into the insertion window 14.
[0063] In particular, in the exposed position, the insertion window 14 between the captive nut 11 and the cavity 10 defines a window with dimensions of approximately 20 mm by 10 mm, for example, and the second connecting part 7 of the second conductor bar 8 of the supplementary connector 35, which is to be inserted into the insertion window 14, has cross-sectional dimensions of 10 mm by 5 mm, for example. This facilitates the insertion of the second conductor bar 8 of the supplementary connector 35 into this insertion window 14.
[0064] The captive nut 11 and the cavity 10 have a substantially polygonal cross-section.
[0065] A hood (not shown) is provided to close the cavity 10 to keep the nut captive in the cavity 10, in particular to prevent the captive nut 11 from being lost during transport, for example before its assembly in the factory.
[0066] The complementary connector 35 comprises a body 37 carrying three conductive bars 8 (of the second conductive bar type), each of these conductive bars having the second connection part 7 in the sense of the invention.
[0067] The conductive bars 8 are partly overmolded in the material of the body 37. The conductive bars 8 each have an L-shaped profile, with one arm of the L which is overmolded.
[0068] The conductive bars 8 extend on the same side of the body 37 of the complementary connector 35.
[0069] The conducting bars 8, identical or of slightly different shapes, extend in parallel, along a row.
[0070] The present invention also relates to a method for assembling an inverter with an external electrical module, the method comprising the following steps: - insert the second part of the connection of the second conductor bar 8 of the supplementary connector 35 into the insertion window 14 provided between the captive nut 11 and the cavity 10, the nut being in the disengaged position; - screw the screw 19 which is engaged with the captive nut 11 so as to lower the captive nut 11 into the cavity 10 and thus compress the first connecting part 6 of the first conductor bar 5 against the second connecting part 7 of the second conductor bar 8, until the tightened position is reached.
Claims
Demands
1. An electronic device (100), in particular an inverter, in particular configured to be installed on board a vehicle, the electronic device (100) comprising:
2. - a case (1), - electronic components (2) housed in the casing (1), - an electrical connector (4) in the housing (1) and connected to the electronics, this connector being configured to be mounted with a complementary connector (35) of an external electrical module (200), in particular an electric motor, the electrical connector (4) comprising: • a first conductive bar (5) including a first connection part (6), in particular flat, configured to be made electrically contacted with a second connection part (7) of a second conductive bar (8) of the complementary connector (35), • a cavity (10) and a captive nut (11) housed in the cavity (10) with the possibility of displacement of the captive nut (11) in the cavity (10) between: • a clear position in which the captive nut (11) and a wall (12) of the cavity (10) on which the first connecting part (6) of the first conductive bar (5) is located, provide an insertion window (14) for the insertion, with some play, of the second connecting part (7) of the second conductive bar (8) of the complementary connector, • and a tight position in which the captive nut (11) presses the first connecting part (6) of the first conductive bar (5) against the second connecting part (7) of the second conductive bar (8) of the supplementary connector. A device according to the preceding claim, wherein the electrical connector (4) comprises a body carrying three conductive bars (5), each of these conductive bars having said first part of connection (6), and the conductive bars are, at least in part, overmolded into the material of the body of the electrical connector (4), and the body includes in particular three cavities (10) each receiving a captive nut (11).
3. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the captive nut (11), in particular made of metal, comprises a thread (18) for receiving a screw (19), the thread (18) facing an orifice on a bottom wall (21) of the cavity (10), and in particular the thread (18) is configured to receive a screw which is screwed from the bottom wall (21) of the cavity (10).
4. Device according to the preceding claim, wherein the captive nut (11) comprises a sloping face such that the captive nut (11) has a cross-section which narrows towards the bottom wall (21) of the cavity (10), and the cavity (10) has a shape which, in cross-section, narrows towards the bottom wall (21) of the cavity (10), the cavity (10) having a sloping face (24) against which the sloping face (23) of the captive nut (11) is applied.
5. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the window between the captive nut (11) and the cavity (10) defines a window of dimension substantially larger than the cross-section of the second connecting part (7) of the second complementary conductive bar (8) which is to be inserted into the window.
6. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the captive nut (11) and the cavity (10) have a substantially polygonal cross-section.
7. Assembly comprising an electronic device (100), in particular an inverter, according to any one of the preceding claims, and an external electrical module, in particular an electric motor, electrically connected together using the respective conductive bars.
8. Assembly according to the preceding claim, wherein the complementary connector comprises a body carrying three conductive bars, each of these conductive bars having the second connecting part (7).
9. Assembly according to the preceding claim, wherein the conductive bars (8) are, at least in part, overmolded into the material of the body, and the conductive bars extend on the same side
10. of the complementary connector body, particularly in a parallel manner. A method for assembling an inverter according to claims 1 to 6 with an external electrical module, in particular an electric motor, the method comprising the following steps: - insert the second part of the connection of the second conductor bar (8) of the supplementary connector into the window provided between the captive nut (11) and the cavity (10), the nut being in the disengaged position; - screw the screw which is engaged with the captive nut (11) so as to lower the captive nut (11) into the cavity (10) and thus compress the first connecting part (6) of the first conductor bar (5) against the second connecting part (7) of the second conductor bar (8), until the tightened position is reached.