Bus bar module

• US 6,552,273 B2
• Filed: 09/04/2001
• Issued: 04/22/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Inventors: Nishida, Shiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Reichard, Dean A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, Jinhee J
• Application Number:
  US09/945,591
• Publication Number:
  US 20020053456A1
• Time in Patent Office: 595 Days
• Field of Search: 174/149.B, 174/68.2, 174/70.B, 174/71.B, 174/72.B, 174/99.B, 174/137.A, 174/155, 174/156, 174/137.B, 174/168, 361/611, 361/624, 361/637
• US Class Current: 174/149.00B
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 5/002 Joints between bus-bars for compensating thermal expansion

Abstract

A bus bar module (10) includes a bus bar (11) made of a metal material integrally molded into an insulating layer (12) made from resin. The bus bar module (10) also includes a distortion absorptive section (15) for absorbing distortion resulting from difference in the thermal expansion coefficient between the bus bar (11) and the insulating layer (12). Thus, the insulating layer (12) can stretch out by a difference in expanded dimension between the insulating layer (12) and the bus bar (11) at thermal expansion. In this way, the distortion resulting from the difference in the thermal expansion coefficient between the bus bar (11) and the insulating layer (12) can be absorbed, and crack occurrence in the insulating layer (12) can be prevented.

Claims

1. A bus bar module comprising an elongate bus bar made of a conductive metallic material and having opposite first and second ends;

and a resin insulating layer integrally molded around the bus bar, whereby

the resin insulating layer comprises a first section extending from a location in proximity to the first end of the elongate bus bar to a location between the first and second ends of the elongate bus bar, the resin insulating layer further comprising a second section extending from a location in proximity to the second end of the elongate bus bar to a location in proximity to the first section of the resin insulating layer, a distortion absorptive gap being provided between the first and second sections of the resin insulating layer for allowing a distortion to be absorbed that results from a difference in thermal expansion coefficients between the bus bar and the insulating layer.

2. The bus bar module of claim 1, further comprising an insulating coating covering the bus bar.