Bus bar for connecting electrical components with arrangement for measuring current and power electronics for controlling an electric machine

• US 6,380,728 B1
• Filed: 03/30/2000
• Issued: 04/30/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AG (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Inventors: Weimer, Jürgen, Tareilus, Alfred
• Primary Examiner(s): Karlsen, Ernest
• Application Number:
  US09/538,653
• Time in Patent Office: 761 Days
• Field of Search: 324/117.H, 324/117.R, 324/127, 324/126
• US Class Current: 324/117.00H
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/20 for testing or measuring purposes
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 31/00 Coupling parts supported only by co-operation with counterpart

Abstract

A power electronics device for controlling an electric machine, for example a permanently excited synchronous machine includes a plurality of capacitors and power semiconductors connected to a bus bar. To measure currents through the bus bar, the bus bar includes at least one portion with a shaped section. This at least one portion comprises an essentially U-shaped configuration. A sensor of a current-measuring device is provided in the vicinity of the at least one portion to measure the current flowing therethrough. The sensor is designed to measure an electric and/or magnetic field in the bus bar and is in turn connected to an evaluation device. The sensor and/or the evaluation device are disposed on at least one control printed circuit board of the power electronics device, which is arranged underneath the bus bar.

Claims

1. A power electronics device for controlling an electric machine, comprising:

a power part including a plurality of capacitors and a plurality of power semiconductors, and

a bus bar comprising at least one conductive layer with at least one portion having a shaped section operatively connectable to a current-measuring device, said bus bar being plate-shaped and connected to said capacitors and said power semiconductors for distributing current, wherein at least one portion of said bus bar comprises a shaped section operatively arrangeable relative to a current measuring device such that the current-measuring device detects a parameter indicating a current flow through the shaped section and wherein said at least one portion comprises a slot operatively arranged for subdividing a current carrying path through said at least one portion.

2. The power electronics device of claim 1, wherein a material of said at least one conductive layer comprises one of copper and aluminum.

3. The power electronics device of claim 1, wherein said at least one portion with said shaped section is arranged proximate an end of said bus bar.

4. The power electronics device of claim 1, wherein said bus bar comprises an essentially T-shaped structure comprising a vertical section and a transverse section, and wherein said at least one portion with said shaped section is arranged in said transverse area of said T-shaped structure.

5. The power electronics device of claim 1, wherein said at least one portion comprises a U-shaped configuration.

6. The power electronics device of claim 1, further comprising:

a current-measuring device having a sensor and an evaluation device connected to said sensor, wherein said sensor is operatively arranged for detecting a parameter indicating a current flow through the shaped section of said at least one portion of said bus bar.

7. The power electronics device of claim 6, wherein said sensor for measuring the current is proximate said at least one portion with the shaped section of the bus bar.

8. The power electronics device of claim 6, wherein said sensor is connected to said at least one portion with the shaped section of the bus bar.

9. The power electronics device of claim 6, wherein said sensor is operative for measuring at least one of an electric field and a magnetic field generated by current flowing through said at least one portion.

10. The power electronics device of claim 6, wherein said sensor comprises a sensor element based on one of magnetoresistance and the Hall effect.

11. The power electronics device of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of terminals connected to said bus bar.

12. The power electronics device of claim 1, further comprising at least one control printed circuit board connected to said power semiconductors.

13. The power electronics of claim 1, further comprising a current-measuring device having a sensor and an evaluation device connected to said sensor, wherein at least one of said sensor and said evaluation device is arranged on said control printed circuit board.

14. The power electronics device of claim 13, wherein said sensor is constructed underneath said at least one portion of said bus bar with the shaped section for detecting a parameter indicating a current flow through the shaped section.