ELECTRICAL BUSBAR, ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR ASSEMBLY AND POWER CONVERTER

• US 20140198475A1
• Filed: 01/17/2013
• Published: 07/17/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Inventors: Menzies, David, Qin, Yu, Hampo, Richard J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,666,968 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/811
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/08 Resiliently-mounted rigid pins or blades
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0091 Housing specially adapted for small components for resistors H01C; for capacitors H01G; for integrated circuits H01L23/00
• 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

Abstract

An electrical connector assembly is provided with an electrical busbar for conducting power. The busbar has a width, a length, and a thickness. The busbar has a first portion with a first length, and a second portion with a second length. The second portion is oriented at a non-zero angle relative to the first portion. A connector is mounted to the busbar. One of the width and the thickness is reduced for receipt of a sensor about the busbar. A power converter assembly is provided with a direct current bus capacitor and a power module oriented in a housing. A plurality of the electrical connector assemblies are each connected to at least one of the direct current bus capacitor and the power module.

Claims

1. An electrical connector assembly comprising:

an electrical busbar for conducting power, the busbar having a width, a length, and a thickness, the busbar having a first portion with a first length, and a second portion with a second length, the second portion oriented at a non-zero angle relative to the first portion; and

a connector mounted to the busbar.

2. The electrical connector assembly of claim 1 wherein the connector is formed integrally with the busbar.

3. The electrical connector assembly of claim 1 wherein the connector is welded to the busbar.

4. The electrical connector assembly of claim 1 wherein the connector is not fastened to the busbar by a threaded fastener.

5. The electrical connector assembly of claim 1 wherein the connector comprises at least one blade.

6. The electrical connector assembly of claim 5 wherein the at least one blade is generally parallel with one of the first and second portions.

7. The electrical connector assembly of claim 1 wherein the connector comprises a female portion formed integrally with the busbar.

8. The electrical connector assembly of claim 1 wherein the connector is mounted to the first portion;

and

wherein the electrical connector assembly further comprises a sensor mounted to the second portion.

9. The electrical connector assembly of claim 8 wherein the sensor comprises a current sensor.

10. The electrical connector assembly of claim 8 wherein the second portion is formed with an abutment surface for locating the sensor.

11. The electrical connector assembly of claim 8 wherein the width of the second portion is less than the width of the second portion for locating the sensor.

12. The electrical connector assembly of claim 8 wherein an aperture is formed into the second portion of the busbar to electrically connect to another electrical component.

13. The electrical connector assembly of claim 8 wherein the sensor is not fastened to the busbar by a threaded fastener.

14. A power converter assembly comprising:

a housing;

a direct current bus capacitor oriented in the housing;

a power module oriented in the housing;

a plurality of electrical connector assemblies according to claim 1 each connected to at least one of the direct current bus capacitor and the power module.

15. An electrical busbar for conducting power, the busbar having a width, a length, and a thickness, wherein one of the width and the thickness is reduced for receipt of a sensor about the busbar.

16. An electrical connector assembly comprising:

an electrical busbar according to claim 15; and

a connector mounted to the busbar.

17. The electrical connector assembly of claim 16 wherein the connector is mounted to the first portion;

and

wherein the electrical connector assembly further comprises a sensor mounted to the second portion.

18. The electrical connector assembly of claim 17 wherein the busbar is formed with an abutment surface for locating the sensor.

19. A power converter assembly comprising:

a housing;

a direct current bus capacitor oriented in the housing;

a power module oriented in the housing;

a plurality of electrical connector assemblies according to claim 16 each connected to at least one of the direct current bus capacitor and the power module.

20. A vehicle power converter assembly comprising:

a housing;

a direct current bus capacitor oriented in the housing;

a power module oriented in the housing;

a plurality of electrical busbars for conducting power, each busbar having a width, a length, and a thickness, each busbar having a first portion with a first length, and a second portion with a second length, the second portion oriented at a non-zero angle relative to the first portion, one of the first and second portions being connected to at least one of the direct current bus capacitor and the power module; and

a plurality of connectors each mounted to one of the plurality of busbars for connection external of the housing.