Flexible Rectangular Bus Bar Heat Dissipation
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Solution Overview
Problem
High voltage circuit applications, such as electric or hybrid electric vehicles, require flexible bus bars that efficiently dissipate heat and maintain electrical connectivity while accommodating packaging constraints, which traditional round wires or rigid bus bars fail to address effectively.
Innovation Solution
A flexible electrical bus bar assembly with a rectangular cross-section and a high width-to-thickness ratio, covered by a dielectric material, features exposed ends that form a blade-type male terminal, allowing for easy bending and connection, and includes a method of manufacturing that involves forming a flexible strip, covering it with dielectric material, and folding the ends to create integral terminals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If traditional round wires or rigid bus bars are used, then structural strength is maintained, but heat dissipation efficiency deteriorates and flexibility is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The bus bar uses a thin flat strip configuration instead of traditional round wires or rigid structures. This thin film approach enables the bus bar to be flexible and easily routed while maintaining effective heat dissipation through increased surface area contact with cooling surfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from three-dimensional round wire structures to two-dimensional flat strip configurations. This dimensional change improves heat dissipation efficiency by increasing surface area and enables flexibility for routing in constrained spaces while maintaining structural integrity.
2Ease of operation
If the bus bar is made flexible with thin strip configuration, then routing flexibility is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention specifies precise parameter ranges including width-to-thickness ratio of at least 20:1, strip thickness of 0.1mm to 0.5mm, and controlled bending forces less than 5 newtons. These parameter changes enable flexible routing while maintaining manufacturing precision through standardized dimensional controls.
Solution Approach 2:
The bus bar is pre-formed with specific dimensional characteristics and dielectric coating applied in advance during manufacturing. This preliminary action ensures that flexibility and precision requirements are met before installation, reducing the need for post-manufacturing adjustments.
3Reliability
If dielectric material is added to cover the conductor, then electrical insulation is improved, but heat dissipation efficiency may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The dielectric material covers only the central portion of the bus bar strip, leaving the edges exposed. This local quality approach provides electrical insulation where needed while maintaining heat dissipation pathways at the edges, resolving the contradiction between insulation and thermal management.
Solution Approach 2:
The bus bar structure is segmented into covered central portions for insulation and exposed edge portions for heat dissipation. This segmentation allows simultaneous achievement of electrical insulation reliability and thermal management efficiency through functional zoning.
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 solution provides improved heat dissipation and flexible routing in high power applications, enabling efficient electrical connectivity and reduced cross-heating in stacked configurations, thus enhancing the performance of electrical bus bars in high voltage systems.
Implementation Method 1
a dielectric material covering a central portion of the electrical conductor
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
An electrical bus bar assembly (110) includes an elongate flexible electrical conductor (112) formed of a strip of electrically conductive material having a generally rectangular cross section and a width to thickness ratio of at least 20:1 and a dielectric material (116) covering a central portion (114) of the electrical conductor (112) such that the electrical conductor (112) has exposed distal portions (118) at each end of the assembly (110). A method (100) for forming such as assembly (110) includes the steps of forming (102) a flexible strip (112) from an electrically conductive sheet such that the strip (112) has a generally rectangular cross section with a width to thickness ratio of at least 20:1 and covering (104) a central portion (114) of the strip (112) with a dielectric material (116) and leaving distal portions (118) at each end exposed