Bus Bar Terminal Offset for EPS Motor Assembly
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The existing bus bars for electronic power steering systems face high raw material loss and manufacturing costs due to complex terminal shapes and assembly structures, requiring multiple molds and intricate insulator designs, which complicates the assembly process and increases the risk of inaccurate terminal placement.
Innovation Solution
A bus bar design featuring power terminals with a partial ring shape and a neutral terminal, where the central axes of virtual circles are offset and angled identically around the neutral terminal, simplifying the mold fabrication and assembly by using a single type of mold and reducing the complexity of the insulator structure, allowing for efficient connection to the stator coil.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If three types of molds are separately fabricated for different terminal shapes, then the terminals can be accurately formed, but the manufacturing cost and raw material loss increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple terminal types (power terminals and neutral terminal) into a single standardized mold design. All terminals share the same basic structure with identical mounting holes and connection interfaces, allowing one mold to produce all terminal variants by adjusting only the electrical connection configuration, thereby eliminating the need for three separate molds
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a universal terminal design that can serve multiple functions through a single standardized structure. The same terminal body and mounting mechanism are used for both power terminals and neutral terminals, with the mold capable of producing different terminal types by changing only the internal electrical connection layout, making the manufacturing system multi-functional
2Adaptability or versatility
If various types of terminals are assembled with the insulator, then the bus bar can be customized for different configurations, but the assembly process becomes complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines all terminal types (power terminals and neutral terminal) into a single integrated insulator component rather than assembling separate terminal pieces. The insulator is manufactured as one unified part with all terminal connections pre-integrated, eliminating the need for manual assembly of multiple terminal components with the insulator
Solution Approach 2:
The invention performs preliminary integration of all terminal connections during the insulator manufacturing process itself. The terminals are pre-positioned and pre-connected within the insulator structure before the final assembly stage, so that during bus bar assembly, the entire terminal assembly is already prepared and requires no additional assembly steps
3Device complexity
If complex insulator structures are used to accommodate various terminals, then all terminal types can be integrated, but the injection molding process becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the insulator and all terminal components into a single integrated injection molding process. Rather than creating a complex multi-component assembly, the design combines the insulator body, terminal mounting structures, and electrical connections into one homogeneous plastic part that can be manufactured in a single injection molding operation
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a homogeneous material approach by making the entire insulator structure from a single type of plastic material with consistent properties throughout. This avoids the complexity of multi-material injection molding or assembly of different materials, allowing standard injection molding processes to be used while achieving full structural integration
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4
AI summary
Disclosed herein is a bus bar, including an insulator and a plurality of terminals inserted into the insulator and connected to the coil of a stator. The central axes of virtual circles extended from the inner circumferential surfaces of the plurality of terminals are differently disposed. In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the insulator has a simple structure because the terminals having the same shape are assembled. Furthermore, the productivity of an assembly process can be improved because whether or not each terminal has been properly assembled with the insulator does not need to be checked.