EV Joint Bus Bar Vertical Spacing for Waterproofing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing joint designs between a battery and an electric motor in electric vehicles fail to prevent short circuits when submerged in water and do not adequately protect against external forces during collisions.
Innovation Solution
A joint design with positively and negatively charged bus bars spaced in the upper-lower direction within a joint box, connected via first and second connector portions, and secured to a vehicle frame, allowing for separate submersion and collision protection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the joint box is sealed to prevent water entry, then waterproofness is improved, but the complexity of the sealing structure increases and may fail under collision forces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the critical electrical components (bus bars) from the vulnerable joint box environment by spacing them vertically, so that even if water enters the joint box, only the lower bus bar may be submerged while the upper bus bar remains dry, preventing short circuits without requiring complex sealing structures
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary anti-action by pre-positioning the bus bars at different vertical heights before water submersion can occur, creating a preventive measure against potential short circuits that would otherwise require complex active sealing mechanisms
2Reliability
If the joint is protected from external forces during collision, then reliability is improved, but the joint requires specific positioning between rigid components which reduces design flexibility
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the joint protection function with the existing vehicle structure by positioning the joint between the battery and electric motor, utilizing these rigid components as natural protective barriers against collision forces without requiring additional dedicated protection structures
Solution Approach 2:
The battery and electric motor serve dual functions: as operational components of the vehicle and as protective structures for the joint, eliminating the need for separate protection mechanisms and maintaining design flexibility
3Volume of moving object
If the bus bars are positioned close together to reduce space, then compactness is improved, but the risk of short circuit increases when submerged in water
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from horizontal arrangement of bus bars to vertical arrangement in the upper-lower direction, utilizing the vertical dimension to create effective spacing that prevents simultaneous submersion while maintaining compact horizontal footprint of the joint box
Data Source
AI summary
A joint disposed on a power transmission path between an electric motor that drives a vehicle and a battery includes a first connector portion to which a first cable connected to a battery side is connected, a second connector portion to which a second cable connected to an electric motor side is connected, a joint box including the first connector portion and the second connector portion, a positive electrode bus bar provided inside the joint box and connects a positive electrode of the first connector portion and a positive electrode of the second connector portion, and a negative electrode bus bar provided inside the joint box and connects a negative electrode of the first connector portion and a negative electrode of the second connector portion. The positive electrode bus bar and the negative electrode bus bar are disposed to be spaced from each other in an upper-lower direction.