Power inverter connector having integrated current sensors

• US 7,717,747 B2
• Filed: 11/06/2006
• Issued: 05/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Doo, Young, Hatch, Erik, Selogie, Mark L, Korich, Mark D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hammond; Briggitte R
• Application Number:
  US11/556,741
• Publication Number:
  US 20080105476A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,289 Days
• Field of Search: 439/34, 439/620.1, 439/620.08, 903/915
• US Class Current: 439/620.01
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/003 Constructional details, e.g. physical layout, assembly, wiring or busbar connections

Abstract

A vehicular power inverter connector assembly is provided. The assembly includes a housing, a plurality of first engagement formations on the housing shaped to mate with a plurality of inverter engagement formations on a vehicular power inverter, a plurality of second engagement formations on the housing shaped to mate with a plurality motor engagement formations on a vehicular motor, and a plurality of current sensors connected to the housing and configured to detect current flowing between the vehicular power inverter and the vehicular motor.

Claims

1. A vehicular drive system comprising:

an electric motor comprising a plurality of motor engagement formations;

a power inverter comprising a plurality of inverter engagement formations; and

a connector assembly comprising;

a housing;

a plurality of first engagement formations on the housing mated with the plurality of inverter engagement formations on the power inverter;

a plurality of second engagement formations on the housing mated with the plurality of motor engagement formations on the electric motor;

a plurality of conductors connected to the housing, the plurality of conductors interconnecting the first engagement formations and the second engagement formations; and

a plurality of current sensors connected to the housing and configured to detect current flowing between the vehicular power inverter and the vehicular motor through the plurality of conductors.

2. The vehicular drive system of claim 1, wherein the first engagement formations are configured to detachably secure the housing to the power inverter and the second engagement formations are configured to releasably attach the housing to the electric motor.

3. The vehicular drive system of claim 2, wherein each of the plurality of conductors interconnects a respective one of the first engagement formations and a respective one of the second engagement formations.

4. The vehicular drive system of claim 3, wherein each of the plurality of current sensors is configured to detect current flowing between respective first and second engagement formations through a respective conductor.

5. The vehicular drive system of claim 4, wherein the housing and the first engagement formations are configured such that when the first engagement formations are mated with the inverter engagement formations on the vehicular power inverter, the housing is substantially adjacent to a housing of the vehicular power inverter.

6. The vehicular drive system of claim 5, wherein the housing and the second engagement formation are configured such that the housing is substantially adjacent to the electric motor.

7. The vehicular drive system of claim 6, wherein the motor engagement formations are conductive pins and the second engagement formations each have an opening therein, the opening of each of the second engagement formations being sized to receive one of the conductive pins.

8. The vehicular drive system of claim 7, further comprising a direct current (DC) power supply coupled to the power inverter.

9. The vehicular drive system of claim 8, wherein the housing has first and second opposing sides, the first engagement formations being on the first side of the housing and the second engagement formations being on the second side of the housing.

10. The vehicular drive system of claim 9, wherein the current sensors have an annular shape and at least a portion of the conductors extend through a respective current sensor.

11. A automotive drive system comprising:

an electric motor comprising a plurality of motor engagement formations;

a power inverter comprising a plurality of inverter engagement formations; and

a connector assembly comprising;

a housing having first and second opposing sides;

a plurality of first engagement formations on the first side of the housing mated with the plurality of inverter engagement formations on the power inverter to detachably secure the housing to the power inverter;

a plurality of second engagement formations on the second side of the housing mated with the plurality of motor engagement formations on the electric motor to releasably attach the housing to the electric motor;

a plurality of conductors connected to the housing, each of the plurality of conductors interconnecting a respective one of the first engagement formations and a respective one of the second engagement formations; and

a plurality of current sensors connected to the housing, each of the plurality of current sensors configured to detect current flowing between the vehicular power inverter and the vehicular motor through a respective one of the plurality of conductors.

12. The automotive drive system of claim 11, wherein the housing and the plurality of first engagement formations are configured such that the housing is substantially adjacent to the power inverter.

13. The automotive drive system of claim 12, wherein the motor engagement formations are conductive pins and the second engagement formations each have an opening therein, the opening of each of the second engagement formations being sized to receive one of the conductive pins.

14. The automotive drive system of claim 13, further comprising a direct current (DC) power supply coupled to the power inverter.

15. The automotive drive system of claim 14, wherein the current sensors are magnetic rings and at least a portion of the conductors extend through a respective magnetic ring.

16. An automotive drive system comprising:

a frame;

an actuator coupled to the frame having a plurality of actuator engagement formations;

an automotive power inverter; and

an connector assembly comprising;

a housing having first and second opposing sides;

a plurality of first engagement formations on the first side of the housing and connected to the automotive power inverter;

a plurality of second engagement formations on the second side of the housing mated with the plurality of actuator engagement formations on the actuator to releasably attach the housing to the actuator;

a plurality of conductors connected to the housing, each conductor interconnecting a respective one of the first engagement formations and a respective one of the second engagement formations; and

a plurality of current sensors connected to the housing, each current sensor configured to detect current flowing between the automotive power inverter and the actuator through a respective conductor.

17. The automotive drive system of claim 16, wherein the automotive power inverter further comprises a housing and wherein the housing of the connector assembly is substantially adjacent to the housing of the connector assembly.

18. The automotive drive system of claim 17, wherein the actuator further comprises a housing and wherein the housing of the connector assembly is substantially adjacent to the housing of the connector assembly.

19. The automotive drive system of claim 18, wherein the actuator is an electric motor having a conductive coil therein and engagement formations are pins electrically coupled to the conductive coil.

20. The automotive drive system of claim 19, further comprising a combustion engine coupled to the frame and mechanically coupled to the electric motor.