Elastomer Damping Element for Axle Drive Current Sensor Insulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing power electronics designs for axle drives face issues with vibrational loading between current sensors and high voltage electrical contact pins, leading to wear and potential component failure due to reduced cross-sections and additional plastic parts required for insulation, which complicates mounting and increases the risk of failure.
Innovation Solution
A damping arrangement is introduced, featuring a circuit board with a current sensor housed in a two-part housing and an electrical contact pin surrounded by a damping element, which can be made of an elastomer material with a SHORE A hardness of 50 or less, providing insulation and reducing vibrational loading without compromising air gaps or creepage paths.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a two-part housing is used to maintain air gap and creepage paths, then insulation between LV current sensor and HV electrical contact pin is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional plastic parts and assembly steps
Solution Approach 1:
The damping element integrates multiple functions: it provides mechanical damping for vibrational loading, electrical insulation between LV and HV components, and structural support. By combining these functions into a single component, the design eliminates the need for separate insulation parts while maintaining reliability and reducing assembly complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The damping element is designed as a multi-functional component that simultaneously addresses vibration damping, electrical insulation, and mechanical support requirements. This universal component replaces what would otherwise require multiple specialized parts, simplifying the overall device structure while maintaining all necessary functions.
2Volume of moving object
If small spacings are used between components to reduce space requirements, then compactness is improved, but wear between components increases under vibrational loading
Solution Approach 1:
The damping element is pre-installed between the LV current sensor housing and the HV electrical contact pin to provide cushioning against vibrational loading. This beforehand cushioning protects the components from wear caused by vibrations while maintaining the compact spacing required for space-efficient design.
Solution Approach 2:
The damping element acts as an intermediary component between the LV current sensor housing and the HV electrical contact pin. It mediates the mechanical interaction by absorbing vibrations and reducing direct contact stresses, thereby preventing wear while allowing the components to remain in close proximity for compactness.
3Reliability
If the damping element completely surrounds the electrical contact pin, then insulation is improved and creepage paths are prevented, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The damping element is designed as a flexible ring or O-shaped component that can elastically surround the electrical contact pin. This flexible shell design provides complete insulation and prevents creepage paths while remaining manufacturable through standard processes such as injection molding, avoiding the need for complex assembly operations.
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
The damping element effectively reduces wear and the likelihood of component failure by absorbing vibrational excitations, while maintaining insulation and allowing for efficient fastening without increasing space requirements, thus enhancing the reliability of power electronics in axle drives.
Implementation Method 1
a damping element arranged between the current sensor housing and the electrical contact pin. As a result of using a damping element, vibrational loading is reduced especially between the electrical contact pin and the current sensor
Implementation Method 2
the damping element is formed of an elastomer. In one embodiment, the damping element is formed of an electrically insulating material having a hardness value of less than or equal to 50 SHORE A
Implementation Method 3
the damping element is formed of an electrically insulating material or an electrically non-insulating material. The damping element completely surrounds the electrical contact pin. The fact that the electrical contact pin is completely surrounded avoids the formation of undesired creepage paths
Data Source
AI summary
What is provided is a damping arrangement for power electronics applications having a circuit board, and a current sensor electrically connected to the circuit board, which current sensor is held in a current sensor housing, and an electrical contact pin passing through the circuit board and surrounded by the current sensor housing, wherein a damping element is arranged between the current sensor housing and the electrical contact pin.