FLEXIBLE CONNECTOR SYSTEM FOR CONNECTING A HIGH CURRENT MOTOR TO A PCB OF AN INTEGRATED ELECTRONICS SYSTEM OF A VEHICLE

• US 20150194857A1
• Filed: 11/25/2014
• Published: 07/09/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc. (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc. (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Hernandez, Irving U., Choi, Hyun Sung, Lawrence, Vincent
• Granted Patent: US 10,003,235 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 11/33 Drive circuits, e.g. power electronics H02K11/38 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 15/14 Casings; Enclosures; Supports
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 5/225 Terminal boxes or connection arrangements specially adapted for submersible motors H02K5/132
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing

Abstract

An integrated electronics system for a vehicle includes a housing, a circuit board mounted to the housing, at least one circuit board electrical terminal fixed to the circuit board and extending therefrom and an electric motor having windings. At least one motor electrical terminal is connected to the circuit board electrical terminal. A flexible wire is electrically connected between the windings and the at least one motor electrical terminal so as to permit the at least one motor electrical terminal to move with respect to different axes when being coupled to the at least one circuit board electrical terminal.

Claims

1. An integrated electronics system for a vehicle, comprising:

a housing,

a circuit board mounted to the housing,

at least one circuit board electrical terminal fixed to the circuit board and extending therefrom,

an electric motor having windings,

at least one motor electrical terminal connected to the circuit board electrical terminal, and

a flexible wire electrically connected between the windings and the at least one motor electrical terminal so as to permit the at least one motor electrical terminal to move with respect to different axes when being coupled to the at least one circuit board electrical terminal.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one circuit board electrical terminal is a male terminal and the at least one motor electrical terminal is a female terminal.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the motor is a three-phase AC motor having current rating of about 50 Amps.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein three motor electrical terminals are provided, each mating with an associated circuit board electrical terminal.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the flexible wire is a braided mesh wire.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a body generally adjacent to the circuit board, the body having at least one aperture there-through, the at least one motor electrical terminal mating with the at least one circuit board electrical terminal within the aperture.

7. A method of electrically connecting a motor to circuit board of an integrated electronics system for a vehicle, the circuit board including at least one circuit board electrical terminal fixed to the circuit board and extending therefrom, the method comprising the steps of:

providing at least one flexible wire electrically connected between windings of the motor and a motor electrical terminal,

moving the motor electrical terminal with respect to the fixed circuit board electrical terminal so as to align therewith, and

connecting the motor electrical terminal to the fixed circuit board electrical terminal.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the motor is a three-phase AC motor having current rating of about 50 Amps and the step of providing the at least one flexible wire connected with the electrical terminal includes selecting the flexible wire and the motor electrical terminal to have a current rating substantially equal to the current rating of the motor.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the at least one circuit board electrical terminal is a male terminal and the at least one motor electrical terminal is a female terminal.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the flexible wire is provided as a braided mesh wire.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising a body generally adjacent to the circuit board, the body having at least one aperture there-through, wherein the connecting step includes connecting the motor electrical terminal with the circuit board electrical terminal within the aperture.