Converter arrangement comprising movable contacts, but immovable converter assembly

• US 10,153,709 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2015
• Issued: 12/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Mobility GmbH (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Nagel, Andreas, Ponath, Harald
• Primary Examiner(s): Santana, Eduardo Colon
• Assistant Examiner(s): Agared, Gabriel
• Application Number:
  US15/544,802
• Publication Number:
  US 20170366097A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,098 Days
• Field of Search: 318494
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/03 for supply of electrical power to vehicle subsystems or for circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 31/32 with rectilinearly-movable contact
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 4/00 Circuit arrangements for mains or distribution networks not specified as ac or dc
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/003 Constructional details, e.g. physical layout, assembly, wiring or busbar connections
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 27/04 using variable-frequency supply voltage, e.g. inverter or converter supply voltage

Abstract

A converter arrangement includes a basic structure having a receptacle, a first electrical network including lines arranged on the basic structure, a plurality of first contacts arranged on the basic structure and movable via a first actuator from a first connection position into a first release position, and a converter assembly securable in the first release position as a unit in a fixed location in the receptacle of the basic structure and removable from the receptacle. The converter assembly is electrically connected to the lines of the first electrical network when the first contacts assume the first connection position, and electrically disconnected from the lines of the first network when the first contacts assume the first release position. The receptacle of the basic structure is immobile when the first contacts move from the first connection position into the first release position.

Claims

1. A converter arrangement, comprising:

a basic structure having a receptacle;

a first electrical network including lines arranged on the basic structure;

a plurality of first contacts arranged on the basic structure and movable via a first actuator from a first connection position into a first release position; and

a converter assembly securable in the first release position as a unit in a fixed location in the receptacle of the basic structure and removable from the receptacle, said converter assembly being electrically connected to the lines of the first electrical network when the first contacts assume the first connection position, and electrically disconnected from the lines of the first network when the first contacts assume the first release position,

wherein the receptacle of the basic structure is immobile when the first contacts move from the first connection position into the first release position.

2. The converter arrangement of claim 1, wherein the first network is a DC voltage network, said DC voltage network including a voltage stabilizing capacitor arranged in a fixed location on the basic structure.

3. The converter arrangement of claim 1, further comprising flexible lines connecting the first contacts to the lines of the first network.

4. The converter arrangement of claim 3, wherein the flexible lines are embodied as strip lines which, when viewed from the lines of the first network to the first contacts, have a length, a width in cross-section, a thickness, and are spaced from one another at a distance.

5. The converter arrangement of claim 4, wherein the width of the flexible lines is significantly greater than the distance of the flexible lines from one another.

6. The converter arrangement of claim 1, wherein the first contacts are embodied as contact bridges, said contact bridges being electrically connected both to the converter assembly and to the lines of the first network in the first connection position, and electrically disconnected from the converter assembly and from the lines of the first network in the first release position.

7. The converter arrangement of claim 1, wherein the first contacts are embodied as plugs or receptacles for plugs of plug-in electrical connections.

8. The converter arrangement of claim 1, further comprising an evaluation device configured to automatically detect a malfunction of the converter assembly, said evaluation device being embodied as a control device for the first actuator and connected to the first actuator for control purposes.

9. The converter arrangement of claim 1, wherein the first actuator is embodied as an electrical, a hydraulic or a pneumatic actuator.

10. The converter arrangement of claim 1, further comprising a second electrical network including lines arranged on the basic structure;

and a plurality of second contacts arranged on the basic structure, said second contacts movable via a second actuator from a second connection position into a second release position, said converter assembly securable in the second release position as a unit in a fixed location in the receptacle of the basic structure and removable from the receptacle, said converter assembly being electrically connected to the lines of the second electrical network when the second contacts assume the second connection position and electrically disconnected from the lines of the second network when the second contacts assume the second release position, wherein the receptacle is immobile when the second contacts move from the second connection position into the second release position.

11. The converter arrangement of claim 10, further comprising a control device for jointly activating the first actuator and the second actuator or the first actuator and the second actuator are identical to one another.

12. The converter arrangement of claim 10, wherein the second electrical network is a multi-phase alternating current network.

13. A vehicle, comprising:

a converter arrangement including a basic structure having a receptacle, a first electrical network including lines arranged on the basic structure, a plurality of first contacts arranged on the basic structure and movable via a first actuator from a first connection position into a first release position, and a converter assembly securable in the first release position as a unit in a fixed location in the receptacle of the basic structure and removable from the receptacle, said converter assembly being electrically connected to the lines of the first electrical network when the first contacts assume the first connection position, and electrically disconnected from the lines of the first network when the first contacts assume the first release position, wherein the receptacle of the basic structure is immobile when the first contacts move from the first connection position into the first release position;

a second electrical network; and

a traction drive connected to the converter arrangement via the second electrical network.

14. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the first network is a DC voltage network, said DC voltage network including a voltage stabilizing capacitor arranged in a fixed location on the basic structure.

15. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the converter arrangement includes flexible lines connecting the first contacts to the lines of the first network.

16. The vehicle of claim 15, wherein the flexible lines are embodied as strip lines which, when viewed from the lines of the first network to the first contacts, have a length, a width in cross-section, a thickness, and are spaced from one another at a distance.

17. The vehicle of claim 16, wherein the width of the flexible lines is significantly greater than the distance of the flexible lines from one another.

18. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the first contacts are embodied as contact bridges, said contact bridges being electrically connected both to the converter assembly and to the lines of the first network in the first connection position, and electrically disconnected from the converter assembly and from the lines of the first network in the first release position.

19. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the first contacts are embodied as plugs or receptacles for plugs of plug-in electrical connections.

20. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the converter arrangement includes an evaluation device configured to automatically detect a malfunction of the converter assembly, said evaluation device being embodied as a control device for the first actuator and connected to the first actuator for control purposes.

21. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the first actuator is embodied as an electrical, a hydraulic or a pneumatic actuator.

22. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the second electrical network includes lines arranged on the basic structure, and a plurality of second contacts arranged on the basic structure, said second contacts movable via a second actuator from a second connection position into a second release position, said converter assembly securable in the second release position as a unit in a fixed location in the receptacle of the basic structure and removable from the receptacle, said converter assembly being electrically connected to the lines of the second electrical network when the second contacts assume the second connection position and electrically disconnected from the lines of the second network when the second contacts assume the second release position, wherein the receptacle is immobile when the second contacts move from the second connection position into the second release position.

23. The vehicle of claim 22, wherein the converter arrangement includes a control device for jointly activating the first actuator and the second actuator or the first actuator and the second actuator are identical to one another.

24. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the second electrical network is a multi-phase alternating current network.