Inverter arrangement and electric motor arrangement comprising an inverter arrangement
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- SCHAEFFLER TECHNOLOGIES AG & CO KG
- Filing Date
- 2025-12-05
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-30
Smart Images
Figure DE2025101158_30072026_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
[0001] P241347
[0002] - 1 - Inverter arrangement and electric motor arrangement comprising an inverter arrangement
[0003] The invention relates to an inverter arrangement for supplying two electric motors, in particular an electric rear axle of a motor vehicle, comprising a first inverter unit comprising a first capacitor unit with several first and second capacitor connections, and a second inverter unit comprising a second capacitor unit with several first and second capacitor connections, as well as an EMC filter having a first filter connection and a second filter connection, wherein the first capacitor connections of the first and second capacitor units are electrically coupled to the first filter connection and the second capacitor connections of the first and second capacitor units are electrically coupled to the second filter connection.
[0004] Modern motor vehicles often feature an electric drive system, in which at least one of the two axles is driven by an electric motor. A common example is a dual-motor rear axle, which has two separate electric motors. Each electric motor drives one wheel of the rear axle. An inverter assembly is associated with the electric motors, providing the operating voltage. The inverter assembly is designed to operate both electric motors; that is, it is configured to provide the separate operating voltages required to power the two independently operating electric motors. For this purpose, the inverter assembly comprises two separate inverter units, a first inverter unit and a second inverter unit, each containing a capacitor unit and corresponding power modules. The two inverter units are also referred to as welded assemblies.An EMC filter is assigned to the inverter units, serving to protect the inverter electronics from conducted interference signals; it is therefore an interference suppression filter. The EMC filter is electrically connected to the two capacitor banks of the two inverter units in the same manner. The two inverter units, or rather the welded assemblies, form a current-carrying path between the DC-side EMC filter and the AC-P241347.
[0005] -2 - Connections of the inverter units, from which the alternating voltage provided by the inverter units is tapped.
[0006] Specifically, the first inverter unit has a first capacitor unit with multiple first and second capacitor terminals. Similarly, the second inverter unit also has a second capacitor unit, which likewise has multiple first and second capacitor terminals. The EMC filter, in turn, has a first filter terminal and a second filter terminal, with the first capacitor terminals of both the first and second inverter units being electrically connected to the first filter terminal, and the second capacitor terminals of both the first and second inverter units being electrically connected to the second filter terminal. Due to a mirror-image connection geometry of the two filter terminals on the EMC filter, the two inverter units are designed differently with regard to the configuration or arrangement of the respective first and second capacitor terminals of the capacitor units., that two differently designed capacitor units and thus ultimately inverter units are used.
[0007] The invention is based on the problem of providing an improved inverter arrangement.
[0008] To solve the problem, in an inverter arrangement of the type mentioned above, the invention provides that the two identical capacitor units, arranged parallel to each other and rotated 180° relative to each other, have an identical arrangement of the first and second capacitor terminals with respect to the number and positioning of the capacitors, wherein a distribution busbar is provided for electrical coupling of the first and second capacitor terminals with the first and second filter terminals, the distribution busbar having an arrangement of first and second busbar capacitor terminals corresponding to the number and positioning of the first and second capacitor terminals, wherein the first busbar capacitor terminals are connected to the first capacitor terminals and the second busbar capacitor terminals are connected to the second capacitor terminals, as well as P241347
[0009] - 3 -a first and a second rail filter connection, wherein the first rail filter connection is connected to the first filter connection and the second rail connection is connected to the second filter connection.
[0010] The inverter arrangement according to the invention is characterized by the use of two identically configured capacitor units, and consequently, two identically configured inverter units. The two capacitor units, which are designed as cuboid blocks comprising multiple capacitors, each have first and second capacitor terminals, as described. When considering the two capacitor units in the same position, the first and second capacitor terminals of each capacitor unit are positioned identically; that is, no specific terminal configuration is provided on one capacitor unit that differs from that of the other capacitor unit.The two capacitor units are now arranged parallel to each other, rotated by 180°, so that positional differences inevitably arise in the location of the first and second capacitor terminals of the first capacitor unit compared to the location of the first and second capacitor terminals of the second capacitor unit. In order to electrically connect the respective first capacitor terminals of both capacitor units to the first filter terminal of the EMC filter and the respective second capacitor terminals of both capacitor units to the second filter terminal of the EMC filter, a distribution busbar is provided according to the invention, which has an arrangement of first and second busbar capacitor terminals corresponding to the number and positioning of the first and second capacitor terminals of both capacitor units.The first busbar capacitor terminals are connected to the first capacitor terminals of both capacitor units, while the second busbar capacitor terminals are connected to the second capacitor terminals of both capacitor units. Furthermore, the distribution busbar has a first and a second busbar filter terminal, with all first busbar capacitor terminals being electrically connected to the first busbar filter terminal, and all second busbar capacitor terminals being electrically connected to the second busbar filter terminal. The first busbar filter terminal is connected to P241347.
[0011] - 4 -the first filter connection of the EMC filter and the second rail filter connection is connected to the second filter connection of the EMC filter.
[0012] This distribution busbar, with its specific arrangement of both the busbar capacitor terminals and the busbar filter terminals, provides a contact element that is connected between the two capacitor units and the EMC filter. This contact element ensures the corresponding electrical connection between the first capacitor terminals and the first filter terminal, and between the second capacitor terminals and the second filter terminal. The distribution busbar thus forms corresponding current paths that connect the relevant terminals regardless of their specific location. This, in turn, allows the use of identically configured capacitor units—that is, identical components that do not need to be specifically designed with regard to the particular arrangement of the filter terminals. Since the other components of the two inverter units, such as the power modules, DC link capacitors, and AC connections, etc., are also identical, this design allows for a more efficient and consistent electrical connection.Since components that are regularly mounted on a respective carrier board can be configured identically, two identically constructed inverter units, i.e., welded assemblies, can be used, which further increases the proportion of identical parts and reduces manufacturing effort and costs.
[0013] Furthermore, the first and second capacitor terminals of both capacitor units can be arranged in a straight row, with the two rows spaced apart and the first and second rail contact terminals interlocking between the two rows. The distribution rail with its rail capacitor terminals is thus effectively placed between the capacitor terminal rows, so that the corresponding terminals to be connected overlap and can be easily connected, for example, by screwing them together.
[0014] Furthermore, the first and second capacitor terminals and the first and second rail capacitor terminals can be arranged alternately. The connection configuration is therefore such that, for example with reference to P241347
[0015] - 5 -a corresponding series arrangement, in which a first and a second capacitor connection are provided alternately in the series, as well as on the distribution busbar in alternating succession a first and a second busbar capacitor connection.
[0016] In a specific embodiment, the distribution busbar can comprise a first busbar section, on which the first busbar capacitor connections are arranged, and a second busbar section, on which the second busbar capacitor connections are arranged, wherein the first busbar section has the first busbar filter connection and the second busbar section has the second busbar filter connection. The distribution busbar is therefore two-part and consists of two separate busbar sections, wherein the first busbar section contacts all first capacitor connections of both capacitor units and connects them to the common first filter connection, while the second busbar section contacts all second capacitor connections of both capacitor units and connects them to the common second filter connection.When the first and second capacitor connections are arranged in the respective rows, the two rail components have a relatively similar appearance; these are simple metal components that can be manufactured by stamping and forming, for example from copper sheet.
[0017] If, as is preferred, the distribution busbar with its busbar capacitor connections is placed between the two rows of capacitor connections, then the first busbar capacitor connections are expediently arranged to project alternately on both sides of the first busbar section, and the second busbar capacitor connections are arranged to project alternately on both sides of the second busbar section. Each busbar section thus has an elongated section from which, apart from its length, corresponding busbar capacitor connections project on both sides.
[0018] In a further specification of the construction of the distribution busbar, it can include a support element to which the first busbar component and P241347 are attached on one side.
[0019] - 6 -the other side has the second rail component arranged, with the first and second rail capacitor connections all lying in a common plane. The distribution busbar is therefore constructed in a sandwich-like manner, with a centrally located, quasi-plate-shaped support element made of an insulating material, for example, a plastic, and the two rail components, with the first rail component located on one side and the second rail component on the other side of the support element. Inevitably, if all the capacitor connections are in a row, the rail capacitor connections of the lower rail component are somewhat longer than the rail capacitor connections of the upper rail component, since all connections lie in a common plane.
[0020] The specific geometry of the respective rail components can be such that the first and second rail components each have a straight section where the respective rail capacitor connections are located, and an angled section extending from this straight section where the respective rail filter connection is located. This angled design makes it possible to compensate for a corresponding vertical offset between the plane of the capacitor connections and the plane of the EMC filter connections. For example, the two filter connections of the EMC filter are located at the ends, i.e., on one side of the EMC filter, which in turn is positioned above the capacitor units, so that the corresponding vertical offset can easily be bridged by this second angled section.
[0021] The two rail filter connections can be located next to each other and in one plane, i.e., they are arranged on a common side of the distribution busbar, so that they can be connected in a corresponding manner, for example also by screwing, to the filter connections that are also located next to each other in a common plane.
[0022] In addition to the inverter arrangement itself, the invention further relates to an electric motor arrangement comprising a machine housing with two P241347 motors included therein.
[0023] - 7 - Electric motors and an inverter arrangement of the type described above. This electric motor arrangement may, for example, be part of or an entire electric axle, in particular the rear axle of a motor vehicle.
[0024] The invention is explained below with reference to exemplary embodiments and the drawings. The drawings are schematic representations and show:
[0025] Figure 1 is a perspective schematic representation of an inverter arrangement according to the invention,
[0026] Figure 2 shows a partial exploded view of the inverter arrangement from Figure 1.
[0027] Figure 3 shows a perspective view of a capacitor unit.
[0028] Figure 4 shows a side view of the capacitor unit from Figure 3.
[0029] Figure 5 shows a perspective view of a distribution busbar,
[0030] Figure 6 shows a side view of the distribution busbar from Figure 5.
[0031] Figure 7 shows a top view of the distribution busbar from Figure 5, and
[0032] Figure 8 shows a view of the distribution busbar in the direction of arrow VIII in Figure 6.
[0033] Figure 1 shows an inverter arrangement 1 according to the invention, designed to supply two electric motors, in particular an electric rear axle of a motor vehicle. The inverter arrangement 1 comprises two identically configured inverter units, a first inverter unit 2 and a second inverter unit 3. The first P241347
[0034] - 8 - Inverter unit 2 comprises a first capacitor unit 4 and a component generally referred to as the first power unit 5, comprising, for example, power modules, a DC link capacitor, and AC terminals 6 serving the connection to the respective associated electric motor. The second inverter unit 3 comprises a second capacitor unit 7 configured identically to the first capacitor unit 4 and a component referred to as the second power unit 8, which is configured identically to the first power unit 5.
[0035] Furthermore, an EMC filter 9 is provided, which is appropriately connected to the corresponding first and second capacitor terminals of the two capacitor units 4, 7. A distribution busbar 10 serves this purpose, being connected on one side to the first and second capacitor terminals and on the other side to corresponding filter terminals of the EMC filter 9.
[0036] Figure 2 shows a partial exploded view of the inverter assembly 1 from Figure 1. The two capacitor units 4 and 7 are shown, arranged rotated 180° relative to each other. Each capacitor unit 4 and 7 has first capacitor terminals 11 arranged in an identical sequence, and second capacitor terminals 12 arranged alternately with these, as shown in Figure 2 using capacitor unit 4 as an example, with an identical arrangement on capacitor unit 7. A total of four first capacitor terminals 11 and four second capacitor terminals 12 are provided. Due to the 180° rotation, a first capacitor terminal 11 of the first capacitor unit 4 is always opposite a second capacitor terminal 12 of the second capacitor unit 7, and a second capacitor terminal 12 of the second first capacitor unit 4 is always opposite a first capacitor terminal 11 of the second capacitor unit 7.Figures 3 and 4 show only one capacitor unit, although, as mentioned, the respective illustration applies to both capacitor units 4 and 7. The first and second capacitor terminals 11 and 12 are shown, which are offset from a longitudinal side 13 of the housing 14 of the respective capacitor unit 4 and 7 and are arranged in a row 15 as shown. This row 15 therefore forms an interface to the distribution busbar 10. P241347.
[0037] - 9 -
[0038] On the opposite side of the housing 14, corresponding connection blocks 16 are provided, to which the power modules of the respective power units 5, 8 are connected.
[0039] As described, the distribution busbar 10, which is specifically configured and constructed for this purpose, is connected to the first and second capacitor terminals 11, 12 of both capacitor units 4, 7. This is shown in detail in Figures 5-8. The distribution busbar 10 comprises a first busbar component 17, which includes a straight section 18 from which first busbar capacitor terminals 19 project on both sides. As Figures 6 and 7 show, corresponding to the axially offset positioning of the first capacitor terminals 11 of the two capacitor units 4, 7, the first busbar capacitor sections 19 are also offset from each other on both sides. The straight section 19 transitions into an angled section 20, at the end of which a first busbar filter terminal 21 is located.
[0040] Similarly, a second rail component 22 is provided, which also has a straight section 23 from which second rail capacitor terminals 24 project on both sides, offset from each other in the same way as the first rail capacitor terminals 19. As Figure 5 clearly shows, the first rail capacitor terminals 19 and the second rail capacitor terminals 24 are positioned with a gap between them. Here, too, an angled section 25 adjoins the straight section 22, at the end of which a second rail filter terminal 26 is arranged. Both rail filter terminals 21 and 26 are arranged on a common side of the distribution busbar 10 and lie in a common plane.
[0041] The distribution busbar 10 further comprises a support 27, for example made of an insulating plastic material, on which both busbar components 17, 22 are arranged or held, wherein the first busbar component 17 is located above and the P241347
[0042] - 10 -second rail component 22 is arranged below the support 27 or is fixed with its straight component section 22 in a chamber-like holder 28.
[0043] The two rail filter connections 21, 26 serve to connect to the EMC filter 9, which has a first filter connection 29 and a second filter connection 30 for this purpose. The first rail filter connection 21 is connected to the first filter connection 29, and the second rail filter connection 26 is connected to the second filter connection 30. Since, as shown in Figure 1, the EMC filter 9 is arranged above the two capacitor units 4, 7, the angled component sections 20, 25 bridge the offset between the plane in which the capacitor connections 11, 12 are connected to the rail capacitor connections 19, 24 and the plane in which the rail filter connections 21, 26 are connected to the filter connections 29, 30.
[0044] In the assembly position, the rail capacitor connections 19, 24 engage between the two rows 15 with the capacitor connections 11, 12, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, so that a horizontal connection of the plate-shaped capacitor connections 11, 12 with the rail capacitor connections 19, 24 can be made via suitable fastening elements 31 in the form of connecting screws.
[0045] Due to the specific configuration of the distribution busbar 10 and the arrangement of the first and second busbar capacitor terminals 19, 24, whose position and respective positioning depend on the position and positioning of the first and second capacitor terminals 11, 12 in the two rows 15 of the capacitor units 4, 7, it is consequently possible to create corresponding busbar-side connection interfaces that are designed with respect to the interfaces formed via the capacitor terminals 11, 12 on the two capacitor units 4, 7, so that identically configured capacitor units 4, 7 can be used.The specific geometry of the two rail components 17, 22 allows for corresponding contact with the two filter connections 29, 30, which are arranged parallel to each other in a plane on one side of the EMC filter 9 and which, like the rail filter connections 21, 26, are plate-shaped, with corresponding fastening elements 32, again connecting screws. D.P241347.
[0046] - 11 -h., that the two identical inverter units 2, 3 can be connected to the remaining DC current path via the distribution busbar 10 provided according to the invention and any local offsets can be compensated for.P241347
[0047] - 12 - List of reference symbols
[0048] 1 Inverter arrangement
[0049] 2 Inverter units
[0050] 3 Inverter unit
[0051] 4 capacitor units
[0052] 5 power units
[0053] 6 AC outlets
[0054] 7 Capacitor unit
[0055] 8 power units
[0056] 9 EMC filters
[0057] 10 distribution busbar
[0058] 11 Capacitor connection
[0059] 12 Capacitor connection
[0060] 13 Long side
[0061] 14 cases
[0062] 15th row
[0063] 16 terminal block
[0064] 17 Rail component
[0065] 18 Component section
[0066] 19 Rail capacitor connection
[0067] 20 Component section
[0068] 21 Rail filter connection
[0069] 22 Rail component
[0070] 23 Component section
[0071] 24 rail capacitor connection
[0072] 25 Component section
[0073] 26 Rail filter connection
[0074] 27 carriers
[0075] 28 bracket
[0076] 29 Filter connection P241347
[0077] - 13 - 30 Filter connection
[0078] 31 Fastening element
[0079] 32 Fastening element
Claims
P241347 - 14 - Patentansprüche 1. Inverter arrangement for supplying two electric motors, in particular an electric rear axle of a motor vehicle, comprising a first inverter unit (2) comprising a first capacitor unit (4) with several first and second capacitor terminals (11, 12) and a second inverter unit (3) comprising a second capacitor unit (7) with several first and second capacitor terminals (11, 12), and an EMC filter (9) having a first filter terminal (29) and a second filter terminal (30), wherein the first capacitor terminals (11) of the first and second capacitor units (4, 7) are electrically coupled to the first filter terminal (29) and the second capacitor terminals (12) of the first and second capacitor units (4, 7) are electrically coupled to the second filter terminal (30), characterized in that the two identical capacitor units (4, 7) arranged parallel to each other and rotated by 180° relative to each other are7) have an identical arrangement of the first and second capacitor terminals (11, 12) with respect to the number and positioning, wherein a distribution busbar (10) is provided for electrical coupling of the first and second capacitor terminals (11, 12) with the first and second filter terminals (29, 30), the distribution busbar having an arrangement of first and second busbar capacitor terminals (19, 24) corresponding to the number and positioning of the first and second capacitor terminals (11, 12), wherein the first busbar capacitor terminals (19) are connected to the first capacitor terminals (11) and the second busbar capacitor terminals (24) are connected to the second capacitor terminals (12), and a first and a second busbar filter terminal (21, 26), wherein the first busbar filter terminal (21) is connected to the first filter terminal (29) and the second busbar terminal (26) is connected to the second filter terminal (30).
2. Inverter arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the first and second capacitor terminals (11, 12) of both capacitor units (4,P241347) - 15 - 7) are arranged in a straight row (15), with both rows (15) being spaced apart from each other and the first and second rail capacitor connections (19, 24) being positioned between the two rows (15).
3. Inverter arrangement according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the first and second capacitor terminals (11, 12) and the first and second rail capacitor terminals (19, 24) are arranged alternately.
4. Inverter arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the distribution busbar (10) has a first busbar component (17) on which the first busbar capacitor connections (19) are arranged, and a second busbar component (22) on which the second busbar contact connections (24) are arranged, wherein the first busbar section (17) has the first busbar filter connection (21) and the second busbar section (22) has the second busbar filter connection (26).
5. Inverter arrangement according to claim 4, characterized in that the first rail capacitor connections (19) alternately project to both sides of the first rail component (17) and the second rail contact connections (24) alternately project to both sides of the second rail component (22).
6. Inverter arrangement according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that a support element (27) is provided on which the first rail component (17) is arranged on one side and the second rail component (22) is arranged on the other side, wherein the first and the second rail capacitor connections (19, 24) are all in a common plane.
7. Inverter arrangement according to one of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that the first and the second rail component (17, 24) each have a straight component section (18, 23) on which the respective rail capacitor connections (19, 24) are provided, and an angled section thereto. - 16 - Component section (20, 25) where the respective rail filter connection (21, 26) is provided.
8. Inverter arrangement according to claim 7, characterized in that the two rail filter connections (21 , 26) are located next to each other and in one plane.
9. Electric motor arrangement comprising a machine housing with two electric motors (27) included therein and an inverter arrangement (1) according to one of the preceding claims.