Sealed Electrical Conductor Assembly for Oil-Tight Housing Feedthroughs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrical conductors in electric motors and generators fail to provide sufficient sealing against oil ingress or creep, despite the use of flow path extensions like flutings and labyrinthine structures.
Innovation Solution
An electrical conductor with a sealing body made of an elastic material, which is materially bonded to the conductor and includes a fastening part with axial segments that form radially circumferential separation regions for a casting tool, allowing for a cost-effective and improved sealing solution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If flow path extensions like flutings and labyrinthine structures are used in the conductor, then sealing against oil is improved, but the sealing is still insufficient and the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The housing wall opening is divided into multiple sealing segments (first sealing segment, second sealing segment, third sealing segment) with different sealing mechanisms. Each segment handles specific sealing requirements, creating a staged sealing approach that is more effective than a single complex structure.
Solution Approach 2:
A sealing body made of elastic material is introduced as an intermediary element between the conductor and the housing wall. This sealing body actively deforms to fill gaps and prevents oil infiltration, providing reliable sealing without modifying the conductor's electrical function or adding complex structural features to the conductor itself.
2Reliability
If a sealing body made of elastic material is used, then sealing effectiveness is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The fastening part with axial through-opening is pre-formed on the conductor before the sealing body is applied. This preliminary preparation ensures proper positioning and alignment, enabling the sealing body to be accurately placed and materially bonded in subsequent steps without requiring complex alignment procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines multiple functions into integrated components: the fastening part serves both mechanical attachment and positioning functions, while the sealing body provides both sealing and material bonding to the conductor. This integration reduces the number of separate components and simplifies the overall manufacturing process.
3Ease of manufacture
If multiple axial segments with separation regions are added to the fastening part, then casting tool separation is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The fastening part features localized radial extensions (second axial segment, third axial segment) that create separation regions only where needed for casting tool withdrawal. These localized features provide functional separation without adding complexity to the entire fastening part structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The fastening part extends in multiple axial dimensions with radial projections, creating separation regions in the radial direction that facilitate casting tool separation. This multi-dimensional approach to separation is more effective than simple linear features.
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 proposed solution achieves a cost-effective and improved sealing against oil, ensuring effective micro-gap sealing and preventing oil ingress or creep, while also allowing for easy assembly and fixation of the electrical conductor.
Implementation Method 1
the electrical conductor is enclosed, at least in a first sealing segment, by a sealing body made of an elastic material
Implementation Method 2
the electrical conductor has a materially bonded connection to the sealing body
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to an electrical conductor for the conduction of electrical current through an opening of a housing wall, wherein the electrical conductor is enclosed, at least in a first sealing segment by a sealing body made from an elastic material. The electrical conductor can be inserted with the sealing body into an opening of a housing wall for sealing between sealing body and housing wall. The electrical conductor has a materially bonded connection to the sealing body, and a fastening part is provided on the conductor and has an axial through-opening through which the electrical conductor is inserted, wherein the fastening part extends radially, starting from the axial through-opening, in a first axial segment which has the maximum radial extension of the fastening part perpendicular to the axial through-opening. The fastening part has, on one side or two sides of the first axial segment, a second axial segment and/or a third axial segment respectively forming a radially circumferential separation region for a casting tool. The invention furthermore relates to a corresponding method for production.