Motor Vehicle Cable Connecting Element Active Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electrical connections in motor vehicles fail to meet stringent requirements for high current ratings and efficient heat management, leading to increased electrical resistance and potential thermal issues.
Innovation Solution
A connecting element with a housing that incorporates a passage for coolant flow, thermally coupling electrical contacts to the passage for active cooling, using materials like aluminum or copper for efficient heat transfer, and potentially branching channels for targeted cooling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional electrical connections are used in motor vehicles, then the structure is simple, but the current-carrying capacity is insufficient and heat management is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the electrical connection function with the cooling function into a single integrated connecting element. The housing contains both electrical contacts and a coolant passage, merging two separate systems (electrical connection and thermal management) into one component, thereby improving current-carrying capacity without proportionally increasing overall system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The connecting element serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides electrical connection through the electrical contacts while also providing active cooling through the integrated coolant passage. This multi-functionality allows the single component to meet stringent requirements for both electrical performance and thermal management
2Temperature
If electrical contacts are thermally coupled to the passage for active cooling, then heat management improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling passage is integrated directly into the housing that contains the electrical contacts, merging the thermal management system with the electrical connection structure. This integration allows effective heat removal from the electrical contacts while avoiding the complexity of separate cooling systems
Solution Approach 2:
The housing itself serves dual purposes: it provides structural support for the electrical contacts and simultaneously acts as the coolant passage structure. The housing material and design enable it to function as both an electrical insulator and a thermal conduction path for the coolant, reducing the need for additional cooling components
3Power
If high current ratings are required, then power transmission improves, but electrical resistance increases causing thermal issues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful heat generated by electrical resistance into a manageable thermal parameter by integrating an active cooling system. The coolant passage is positioned to remove heat at its source from the electrical contacts, transforming the waste heat into a controlled thermal flow that prevents energy loss and maintains efficient power transmission
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the thermal parameters of the connecting element by introducing active cooling through the coolant passage. This allows the system to maintain lower operating temperatures despite high current ratings, effectively changing the thermal behavior from passive heat accumulation to active heat removal, thereby reducing electrical resistance losses
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 solution enhances current-carrying capacity, reduces electrical resistance, and allows for a smaller form factor, while also simplifying cooling circuits and reducing material usage, such as copper, thereby addressing the challenges of rising voltage and current ratings in motor vehicle systems.
Implementation Method 1
the electrical contacts of the connecting element, for the purposes of active cooling by means of the coolant, are thermally coupled to the passage
Implementation Method 2
a coolant can flow... through which a coolant can flow... heat generated specifically on the electrical contacts is evacuated by the coolant
Implementation Method 3
between an electrical contact and the passage, or an inner space of the passage respectively, a heat-conducting element can be arranged, in order to permit the exceptionally effective and efficient transmission of heat from the respective electrical contact to the passage
Data Source
AI summary
A connecting element for electrically connecting a cable to an electrical device of a motor vehicle includes a housing in which at least two electrical contacts are at least partially accommodated and a passage which extends from a first opening of the housing, through the housing, to a second opening of the housing and through which a coolant can flow. In order to allow an electrical connection which satisfies relatively stringent requirements, the electrical contacts are thermally coupled to the passage for active cooling by the coolant.