Vehicle Electric Drive Terminal Device Busbar Mounting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electric drives for vehicles face challenges in securely connecting supply busbars to terminal devices, which can lead to electrical safety issues due to insufficient air and creepage distances.
Innovation Solution
The electric drive incorporates a terminal device with concentrically arranged ribs forming mounting spaces for supply busbars, providing defined axial distances and sufficient air and creepage distances to enhance electrical safety, and features phase connection busbars with larger cross-sectional areas for secure mechanical and electrical connections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If supply busbars are connected to terminal devices using conventional terminal devices, then the connection is simple, but the air and creepage distances are insufficient leading to electrical safety issues
Solution Approach 1:
The terminal device is segmented into multiple functional components: an insulation body with base and ribs, accommodation spaces for terminal busbars, and mounting spaces for supply busbars. This segmentation allows each component to fulfill specific functions while maintaining proper spacing and insulation, thereby achieving both electrical safety and structured organization.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a third dimension (axial direction) by having ribs protrude axially from the base to form mounting spaces. This dimensional extension creates adequate air and creepage distances between live parts and ground, resolving the electrical safety issue while maintaining a compact radial footprint.
2Strength
If phase connection busbars have larger cross-sectional areas for secure connections, then mechanical and electrical connection strength is improved, but the space required in accommodation spaces increases
Solution Approach 1:
The phase connection busbars feature locally varied cross-sectional areas: larger sections at connection points (phase and coil connection sections) for secure electrical and mechanical bonding, and smaller sections (bar section) in intermediate areas. This local quality variation optimizes connection strength where needed while minimizing space consumption in non-critical areas.
3Reliability
If mounting spaces are positioned with axial distance from bar sections, then electrical safety is enhanced, but the overall device length increases
Solution Approach 1:
The ribs serving as structural support elements simultaneously perform multiple functions: they define accommodation spaces for terminal busbars, create mounting spaces for supply busbars through axial protrusion, and provide insulation. This multi-functionality achieves electrical safety without proportionally increasing device dimensions.
Data Source
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AI summary
Electric drive (1) for a vehicle (100), comprising: an electric machine (2) having a stator (3), which comprises a stator core (12) with a longitudinal axis (23) and a stator winding (13), the stator winding (13) forming a winding head (14) at an axial face side (15) of the stator core (12); an inverter (6); supply busbars (8a-c) connected to the inverter (6); and a terminal device (9), comprising - an insulation body (22) comprising a base (24) and a plurality of concentrically arranged ribs (25a-d) protruding from the base (24) into an axial direction and extending along a circumferential direction, - a plurality of accommodation spaces (26a-c), each formed between a respective pair of radially adjacent ribs (25a-d), and - a plurality of phase connection busbars (27a-c), each - being arranged inside one of the accommodation spaces (26a-c) and insulated against the winding head (14) by the insulation body (22), - having a cross-sectional area with opposing long sides (34) extending along the axial direction and with opposing short sides (35) connecting the long sides (34) and - having a phase connection section (36d) connected to one of the supply busbars (8a-c), a coil connection section (36a-c) being connected to the stator winding (13) and a bar section (37a-d) extending between the phase connection section (36d) and the coil connection section (36a-c); wherein the long sides (34) within the phase connection section (36ad) are larger than the long sides (34) within the bar section (37a-d) so that the phase connection section (36d) protrudes out of the accommodation space (26a-c), wherein the ribs (25a-c) form mounting spaces arranged with an axial distance to the bar section (37c) of a respective phase connection busbar (27a-c), wherein the supply busbars (8a-c) are mounted inside the mounting spaces.