Motor Cooling Plate Busbar Layout for Serviceable PCB Replacement
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge in electric motors with stator-side bar windings is the high current requirement due to low inductance, necessitating low voltage components that are difficult to insulate and require complex screw connections for printed circuit boards, leading to extensive disassembly for repairs.
Innovation Solution
The integration of busbars in groove-like recesses on the cooling plate, allowing individual replacement of printed circuit boards without disassembling the entire structure, with electrical contact through the busbars and the circuit boards, reducing assembly and disassembly efforts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If screw connections are used to attach busbars to cooling plates for each printed circuit board, then secure electrical contact is achieved, but insulation complexity increases and repair effort increases
Solution Approach 1:
The busbar is extracted from the cooling plate structure and placed in a separate groove, allowing it to be electrically insulated from the cooling plate while maintaining secure electrical contact with the printed circuit board. This separation resolves the contradiction by enabling independent insulation of the busbar without affecting the overall contact security.
Solution Approach 2:
The groove acts as an intermediary structure between the busbar and cooling plate, providing both mechanical support and electrical insulation. This intermediary element allows the busbar to be securely positioned while preventing direct electrical contact with the cooling plate, thus reducing insulation complexity.
2Reliability
If screw connections are used to attach busbars to cooling plates, then secure contact is established, but repair effort increases due to extensive disassembly
Solution Approach 1:
The electrical connection system is segmented into modular components: the busbar in the groove, the printed circuit board, and the cooling plate. This segmentation allows individual replacement of printed circuit boards without affecting the busbar or cooling plate, significantly reducing repair effort while maintaining contact security through the standardized groove interface.
Solution Approach 2:
The groove design provides a dynamic, adaptable connection system where the busbar can accommodate different printed circuit board configurations. The groove structure allows for easy insertion and removal of printed circuit boards, enabling rapid repair and replacement without extensive disassembly.
3Reliability
If individual insulation sleeves are used for each screw connection, then insulation is achieved, but device complexity and assembly time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The insulation function is merged into the groove structure itself rather than requiring separate insulation sleeves for each connection. The groove provides continuous insulation along the entire busbar length, eliminating the need for multiple discrete insulation components and significantly reducing assembly time.
Solution Approach 2:
The groove serves multiple functions simultaneously: mechanical support for the busbar, electrical insulation between the busbar and cooling plate, and positioning feature for printed circuit board attachment. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate insulation components, reducing both complexity and assembly time.
Data Source
AI summary
Various embodiments of the teachings herein include an electric motor comprising: a stator with a plurality of field conductors; a cooling plate; a printed circuit board arranged on the cooling plate; a plurality of power electronic components for controlling the field conductors, the power electronic components arranged on the printed circuit board; and a groove-like recess in the cooling plate. The cooling plate in is mechanical contact with the field conductors via current conductors electrically connected to the field conductors. A busbar is arranged in the groove-like recess and thereby electrically insulated from the cooling plate and at least partially covered by the printed circuit board. The printed circuit board is in electrical contact with the busbar.