Bus Bar Joint Geometry for Lower Connector Assembly Heat
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing connector assemblies for electrically connecting motors and inverters in hybrid vehicles experience significant temperature rises due to increased contact resistance, which can affect device performance and safety.
Innovation Solution
The connector assembly design features a bus bar configuration with enlarged joint portions to enhance heat dissipation, including a first connection part, a second connection part, and a joint portion with increased width and length, allowing for improved thermal management by increasing the surface area for heat dissipation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the bus bar is separated into connection parts and inserted into a connector portion, then the connector assembly allows for separate provision and assembly of bus bar portion and connector portion, but contact resistance increases and temperature rise occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a connector portion as an intermediary component between the bus bar connection parts. This connector includes a housing with insertion ports and internal contact structures that facilitate the electrical connection while managing the thermal and mechanical aspects of the joint, thereby enabling separate provision and assembly while controlling temperature rise through proper contact design and material selection.
2Volume of moving object
If the bus bar becomes shorter to fit the connector assembly, then the assembly compactness improves, but the temperature rise in the bus bar becomes remarkable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by concentrating the electrical connection and heat generation at specific localized points within the connector portion, rather than distributing it along the entire bus bar length. The connector housing and internal contacts are designed to manage heat at the connection interfaces, allowing the bus bar to be shorter while controlling temperature rise through localized thermal management at the connection points.
3Ease of operation
If the contact resistance increases in the connector assembly, then the separate assembly becomes feasible, but heat generation during energization becomes large
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs parameter changes by optimizing the electrical and thermal parameters of the connector components. This includes selecting appropriate contact materials with suitable electrical conductivity and thermal conductivity, designing contact geometries that minimize contact resistance, and configuring the housing and internal structures to facilitate heat dissipation. These parameter optimizations enable separate assembly while minimizing energy loss as heat.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration effectively suppresses temperature rises during energization, minimizing thermal stress and allowing for the use of a broader range of materials in the connector assembly, while maintaining efficient electrical connectivity.
Implementation Method 1
a surface area of the joint portion is enlarged, whereby an amount of heat dissipated from the joint portion can be increased
Data Source
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AI summary
Provided is a connector assembly capable of suppressing temperature rise in a bus bar during energization. The connector assembly of the present invention includes a connector portion having an insertion port, and a bus bar portion having a bus bar, and the bus bar includes a first connection part, a second connection part extending in an opposite direction from the first connection part along the first direction, and a joint portion joining the first connection part and the second connection part. The width of the joint portion is larger than that of each of the first connection part and the second connection part in a range from one end to another end of the joint portion, and a distance from the one end to the another end of the joint portion is larger than the width of each of the first connection part and the second connection part.