SPLIT LAMINATED DC BUS STRUCTURE

• US 20130234636A1
• Filed: 03/09/2012
• Published: 09/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Allen-Bradley Co., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Allen-Bradley Co., Inc.)
• Inventors: Savatski, Robert Allen, Loth, Michael, Gettelfinger, Lee
• Granted Patent: US 8,947,899 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 318/400.26
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 5/4585 having a rectifier with controlled elements
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/003 Constructional details, e.g. physical layout, assembly, wiring or busbar connections
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 27/06 using dc to ac converters or inverters H02P27/05 takes precedence
• 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: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing

Abstract

An apparatus and method for mounting additional components, such as capacitors, to a DC bus of a motor drive. In one aspect, a motor drive includes an enclosure defining an interior, an input for receiving input electrical power from a power source, an output for providing output electrical power to a load, an intermediate DC circuit including a DC bus located in the interior of the enclosure, and a modular capacitor bus electrically coupled with the intermediate DC circuit, the modular capacitor bus including at least one capacitor mounted thereto. The modular capacitor bus is mountable as a unit to the DC bus.

Claims

1. A motor drive, comprising:

an enclosure defining an interior;

an input for receiving input electrical power from a power source;

an output for providing output electrical power to a load;

an intermediate DC circuit including a DC bus located in the interior of the enclosure; and

a modular capacitor bus electrically coupled with the intermediate DC circuit, the modular capacitor bus including at least one capacitor mounted thereto;

wherein the modular capacitor bus is mountable as a unit to the DC bus.

2. The motor drive of claim 1, wherein the DC bus includes a laminated bus structure.

3. The motor drive of claim 1, wherein the capacitor bus includes a laminated bus structure.

4. The motor drive of claim 1, wherein the capacitor bus includes at least two capacitors arranged in parallel.

5. The motor drive of claim 4, wherein each of the at least two capacitors arranged in parallel is part of a series of capacitors arranged in series.

6. The motor drive of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the DC bus and the modular capacitor bus extend in parallel spaced-apart planes such that air can circulate between the DC bus and the modular capacitor bus.

7. The motor drive of claim 1, wherein the modular capacitor bus is supported on the DC bus.

8. The motor drive of claim 1, wherein the capacitor bus is mounted to the DC bus with at least one fastener.

9. The motor drive of claim 1, wherein the motor drive is mountable to a wall.

10. A modular capacitor bus electrically couplable to an associated DC power bus comprising:

at least one insulator layer;

at least one conductor layer;

at least one terminal for electrically coupling the at least one conductor layer to the associated DC power bus;

at least one capacitor terminal for connecting the at least one conductor to an associated capacitor.

11. The modular capacitor bus of claim 10, wherein the capacitor bus includes a laminated bus structure.

12. The modular capacitor bus of claim 11, further comprising a plurality of positive conductor layers, a plurality of negative conductor layers, and a insulator layer between each of the conductor layers.

13. The modular capacitor bus of claim 12, wherein the capacitor bus includes at least two capacitors arranged in parallel.

14. The modular capacitor bus of claim 13, wherein each of the at least two capacitors arranged in parallel is part of a series of capacitors arranged in series.

15. The modular capacitor bus of claim 10, wherein the modular capacitor bus is generally planar and configured to be mounted to an associated DC power bus in spaced apart relation thereto such that air can circulate around the capacitor bus.

16. A method of mounting a plurality of capacitors to a DC power bus comprising:

mounting at least one capacitor to a capacitor bus;

electrically coupling the at least one capacitor to a conductor of the capacitor bus;

mounting the capacitor bus to a DC power bus such that the capacitor bus and DC power bus are in spaced relation to each other; and

electrically coupling the capacitor bus to the DC power bus.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the mounting at least one capacitor includes mounting at least two banks of capacitors to the capacitor bus.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the mounting at least two banks of capacitors includes mounting the two banks of capacitor in parallel.