Fishtail Packaging and Cooling

• US 20130187453A1
• Filed: 10/31/2012
• Published: 07/25/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Drive Labs Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Quantum Fuel Systems Technologies Worldwide Inc.
• Inventors: Flett, Fred, Hudak, Joseph
• Granted Patent: US 9,622,384 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/23
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/12 Bikes
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/18 Buses
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/28 Trailers
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/36 Vehicles designed to transport cargo, e.g. trucks
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/545 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/547 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/147 electro magnetic [EMI]
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/51 characterised by AC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/24 Using the vehicle's propulsion converter for charging
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/16 responding to battery ageing, e.g. to the number of charging cycles or the state of health [SoH]
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/26 by cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/14 for vehicles propelled by ac motors
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 3/00 Plate-like or laminated elements; Assemblies of plate-like or laminated elements specially adapted for movement F28F5/00
• 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: H05K 7/1432 specially adapted for power drive units or power converters
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/14329 specially adapted for the configuration of power bus bars
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20509 : Multiple-component heat spreaders; Multi-component heat-conducting support plates; Multi-component non-closed heat-conducting structures
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/209 : Heat transfer by conduction from internal heat source to heat radiating structure H05K7/20909 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 : Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

A combined battery charger and motor driver circuit assembly includes a plurality of power transistors arranged as a planar array, a cold plate configured to couple heat from each of the transistors in the array, a conductive power coupling fitting (also termed a bus bar), at least one capacitor, and a ferrite bead filter surrounding a necked section of the bus bar. The bus bar has a plurality of individually electrically conductive layers, each two of the layers being separated by an insulating layer, each conductive layer providing a plurality of contacts, the contacts in a layer configured to provide electrical contact, in the alternative, for power transistor collectors or power transistor emitters. The laminated bus bar is extended to form a fishtail shape along a specified section distal to the power transistors. The fish tail section terminates in two electrical contacts configured to provide electrical contact via discrete conductors to respective positive and negative battery terminals. A top surface of the capacitor is conductive at least in part. The capacitor makes electrical and thermal contact with a conductor of the laminated bus bar distal to the transistor array. A bottom surface of the capacitor is also conductive at least in part and is in electrical contact with a conductor of the laminated bus bar proximal to the transistor array.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a plurality of power transistors, arranged as a planar array;

a cold plate, configured to couple heat from each of the transistors in the array;

a generally flat conductive power coupling fitting, also termed herein a bus bar, having a plurality of individually electrically conductive layers, each two of the layers being separated by an insulating layer, each conductive layer providing a plurality of contacts, the contacts in a layer configured to provide electrical contact, in the alternative, for power transistor collectors or power transistor emitters, of said bus bar being necked along a specified section thereof distal to the power transistors, the necked section terminating in two electrical contacts configured to provide electrical contact via discrete conductors to respective positive and negative battery terminals;

at least one capacitor, whereof a top surface, conductive at least in part, makes electrical and thermal contact with a conductor of said bus bar distal to the transistor array, and a bottom surface, conductive at least in part, makes at least electrical contact with an adapter bracket that makes electrical contact with a conductor of said bus bar proximal to the transistor array; and

,

said bus bar is in physical and thermal contact with said cold plate.

2. the device of claim 1 further comprising a ferrite bead filter surrounding the necked section of the bus bar.

3. The circuit assembly of claim 1, further comprising an X/Y filter subassembly positioned so that two terminals of the X/Y subassembly can be captured between contacts on the battery conductors and the terminating contacts of the bus bar, where between at least one capacitor is connected, the X/Y subassembly further having at least one additional terminal configured for attachment to an available ground contact provided as a packaging element, and the XIY subassembly further having at least one capacitor connected from a positive terminal to ground and at least one capacitor connected from a negative terminal to ground.

4. A method for charging a battery and driving a motor load using components for both purposes, comprising:

accessing a portable source of energy provided as direct electrical current (DC);

switching the DC to form a synchronous, phase-shifted plurality of isolated sequences of pulse-width-modulated output pulses, with each output sequence carried on one of a plurality of electrical conductors, and with the conductors directed from a locus of pulse forming;

arranging conductors from the portable source to the locus of pulse forming as a laminated plurality of conductive layers, separated by at least one insulating layer;

providing a narrowed region of the laminated plurality of layers, interposed between the locus of pulse forming and a terminal locus from which the portable energy source is accessed; and

,

surrounding the narrowed region with a ferrimagnetic ceramic loop, with the loop having a closed path orthogonal to the principal directions of current flow.

5. A bus bar cooling assembly comprising:

A substantially flat conductive bus bar having at least two electrically conductive layers separated by an insulating layer, each conductive layer and a flat top and bottom surface;

a cold plate having a top surface with a sealable aperture forming a cooling well therein and with a flat bottom thermally connected to the top of the bus bar;

wherein said flat bottom surface of said cold plate substantially covers the top of said bus bar.

6. A bus bar cooling assembly comprising:

A substantially flat conductive bus bar having at least two electrically conductive layers separated by an insulating layer, each conductive layer and a flat top and bottom surface;

a cold plate further comprising;

a top surface dimensioned to about the size of an GBT Hybrid;

in said cold plate'"'"'s top surface a sealable aperture corresponding to the dimensions of cooling fins extending from the bottom of said IGBT Hybrid; and

,

a substantially flat bottom surface thermally connected to the top of a bus bar, wherein said flat bottom surface is larger than said top surface and covers at least the majority of the top of said bus bar.

7. A method to thermally manage a power supply and capacitor, the method comprising:

electrically couple one or more capacitors to the bottom of a flat conductive bus bar;

thermally connect said one or more capacitors to said bottom surface;

thermally connect a generally flat bottom surface of a cold plate to a generally flat the top of said bus bar; and

,

thermally connect cooling means of an IGBT Hybrid to an aperture formed within the top surface of said cold plate;

wherein said aperture is substantially smaller than the generally flat bottom of said cold plate.