Stator Busbar Sensor Mounting for Winding Head Temperature Sensing

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing temperature measurement methods for electrical machine stators often fail to accurately represent the temperature at the winding head due to the distance between the measurement point and the winding head, leading to potential overheating issues.

Innovation Solution

A stator device with a temperature sensor positioned on the busbar that connects the stator winding's connection sections, allowing for precise temperature detection at the winding head and connection portions, and a fixing device that securely holds the sensor in place, eliminating the need for attachment to the stator housing or end shield, thus ensuring accurate and reliable temperature monitoring.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If the temperature sensor is attached to the neutral conductor using a spring clip, then the attachment is easy to do, but the measured temperature does not correspond to the actual temperature of the winding head

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of attachmentVSAvoidtemperature measurement accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a spring terminal as an intermediary component that bridges the gap between the neutral conductor and the winding head. The temperature sensor is attached to this spring terminal, which is itself attached to the neutral conductor. This intermediary structure allows the sensor to be positioned closer to the winding head while maintaining easy attachment through the spring clip mechanism, thereby improving measurement accuracy without sacrificing ease of installation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent positions the temperature sensor in a different spatial dimension relative to the neutral conductor. Instead of attaching the sensor directly along the length of the neutral conductor, the spring terminal extends the attachment structure in a different direction, allowing the sensor to be positioned axially closer to the winding head while maintaining electrical connection to the neutral conductor.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Device complexity

If the temperature sensor is positioned far from the winding head, then the attachment is simplified, but the temperature measurement does not reflect the actual winding head temperature

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveattachment complexityVSAvoidtemperature measurement accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The spring terminal serves as a mediator that resolves the spatial conflict between sensor positioning and attachment simplicity. It provides a flexible connection structure that can extend to position the sensor close to the winding head while maintaining a simple clip-based attachment mechanism to the neutral conductor, thus achieving both accurate measurement and simple installation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Measurement precision

If the fastening section is attached to the stator housing or end shield, then the temperature sensor can be positioned at the detection position, but sufficient clearance and creepage distances may not be maintained

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetemperature detection accuracyVSAvoidclearance and creepage distance
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses the busbar as an intermediary mounting structure instead of attaching the fastening section directly to the stator housing or end shield. The busbar serves as a conductive element that is already positioned in the appropriate location, allowing the temperature sensor to be mounted at the correct detection position while maintaining sufficient clearance and creepage distances through the busbar's inherent positioning and insulation properties.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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

This configuration provides more precise temperature measurement at the winding head, simplifies assembly, and maintains sufficient clearance and creepage distances, enhancing the reliability of the electrical machine's thermal management.

Implementation Method 1

a temperature sensor (14) configured to detect a temperature at a predetermined detection position of an outer part of the stator device

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentEP4254745A1Stator device for an electric machine
Publication Date: 2023.10.04 VALEO ELECTRIFICATION
  • EP4254745A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4254745A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4254745A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Stator device (1) for an electric machine (100), comprising: - a stator core (2) having a longitudinal axis (3) and an axial end face (4); - a stator winding (6) which forms a winding head (7) extending from the stator core (2) to a first axial position (25) at the end face (4); - several connection sections (8) which are electrically connected to the stator winding (6) and which project from the stator core (2) at the end face (4) to a second axial position (26) which is axially further away from the stator core (2) than the first axial position (25); - a busbar (10) which electrically connects the connection sections (8) to each other; - a temperature sensor (14) configured to detect a temperature at a predetermined detection position (27) of an outer part (9) of the stator device (1) consisting of the winding head (7) and the connection sections (8);and - a fastening device (12) comprising a fastening section (13) attached to the busbar (10) and a holder section (15) holding the temperature sensor (14) at the sensing position (27).