Split laminated DC bus structure

• US 8,947,899 B2
• Filed: 03/09/2012
• Issued: 02/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Allen-Bradley Co., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Allen-Bradley Co., Inc.)
• Inventors: Savatski, Robert Allen, Loth, Michael, Gettelfinger, Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Santana, Eduardo Colon
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dhakal, Bickey
• Application Number:
  US13/415,893
• Publication Number:
  US 20130234636A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,061 Days
• Field of Search: 174/68.2, 361/715, 363/144, 363/132, 363/56, 363/137, 363/141
• US Class Current: 363/144
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 5/4585 having a rectifier with controlled elements
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/003 Constructional details, e.g. physical layout, assembly, wiring or busbar connections
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 27/06 using dc to ac converters or inverters H02P27/05 takes precedence
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing

Abstract

An apparatus and method for mounting additional components, such as capacitors, to a DC bus of a motor drive. In one aspect, a motor drive includes an enclosure defining an interior, an input for receiving input electrical power from a power source, an output for providing output electrical power to a load, an intermediate DC circuit including a DC bus located in the interior of the enclosure, and a modular capacitor bus electrically coupled with the intermediate DC circuit, the modular capacitor bus including at least one capacitor mounted thereto. The modular capacitor bus is mountable as a unit to the DC bus.

Claims

1. A motor drive, comprising:

an input for receiving input electrical power from a power source;

an output for providing output electrical power to a load;

a DC circuit including a DC bus connecting the input and the output; and

a capacitor bus electrically coupled with the DC circuit, the capacitor bus including a planar surface and at least one capacitor mounted thereto, the at least one capacitor extending outwardly from a single side of said planar surface;

wherein the capacitor bus includes a laminated bus structure mounted as a unit to the DC bus, the laminated bus structure having a first positive conductor and a first negative conductor forming a first pair of conductors, and a second positive conductor and a second negative conductor forming a second pair of conductors, the at least one capacitor being coupled to one of the first or second pair of conductors.

2. The motor drive of claim 1, wherein a plurality of pairs of capacitor terminals accessible from a single side of the capacitor bus.

3. The motor drive of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the DC bus and the capacitor bus extend in parallel spaced-apart planes such that air can circulate between the DC bus and the capacitor bus.

4. The motor drive of claim 1, wherein the capacitor bus is supported on the DC bus.

5. The motor drive of claim 1, wherein the capacitor bus is mounted to the DC bus with at least one fastener, and at least one spacer is interposed between the DC bus and the capacitor bus.

6. The motor drive of claim 1, wherein the motor drive is mountable to a wall.

7. The motor drive of claim 2, wherein the capacitor bus includes at least two capacitors mounted thereto and arranged in parallel, each of the capacitors coupled to a respective one of the first or second pair of conductors.

8. The motor drive of claim 7, wherein each of the at least two capacitors arranged in parallel is part of a series of capacitors arranged in series.

9. A capacitor bus electrically couplable to an associated DC power bus comprising:

a plurality of insulator layers;

a plurality of conductor layers, each conductor layer disposed between respective insulator layers;

at least two terminals for electrically coupling at least two of the conductor layers to the associated DC power bus;

wherein each conductor layer includes at least one capacitor terminal for connecting the conductor layer to an associated capacitor, each of the capacitor terminals accessible from a single common side of the modular capacitor bus;

wherein the capacitor bus includes a planar surface bounded by a peripheral edge, each capacitor terminal being spaced from the peripheral edge;

whereby a plurality of capacitors can be connected to respective pairs of the plurality of conductor layers and supported on said single side of said capacitor bus;

wherein the capacitor bus includes a laminated bus structure;

wherein the laminated bus structure has a first positive conductor and a first negative conductor forming a first pair of conductors, and a second positive conductor and a second negative conductor forming a second pair of conductors, whereby the plurality of capacitors are couplable to one of the first or second pair of conductors.

10. The capacitor bus of claim 9, further comprising at least two capacitors supported on said single side of the capacitor bus and electrically coupled in parallel.

11. The capacitor bus of claim 9, wherein the capacitor bus is generally planar and configured to be mounted to an associated DC power bus in spaced apart relation thereto such that air can circulate around the capacitor bus.

12. The capacitor bus of claim 9, further comprising a plurality of pairs of capacitor terminals located adjacent to each other and in close proximity to each other for connection to a respective capacitor, each of the terminals of each pair associated with a different one of the plurality of conductor layers.

13. The capacitor bus of claim 10, wherein each of the at least two capacitors arranged in parallel is part of a series of capacitors arranged in series.

14. The capacitor bus of claim 12, wherein the pairs of capacitor terminals are arranged in rows across the capacitor bus.

15. A method of mounting a plurality of capacitors to a DC power bus comprising:

mounting at least two capacitors to a capacitor bus having a laminated bus structure having a first positive conductor and a first negative conductor forming a first pair of conductors, and a second positive conductor and a second negative conductor forming a second pair of conductors, a plurality of conductor layers, each conductor layer disposed between adjacent insulator layers, the at least two capacitors being supported on a single first side of the capacitor;

electrically coupling the at least two capacitors to a respective pair of conductor layers of the capacitor bus via capacitor terminals accessible from a single side of the capacitor bus;

mounting the capacitor bus to a DC power bus such that a second side of the capacitor bus opposite the first side faces the DC power bus, the capacitor bus and DC power bus being in spaced relation to each other such that air can circulate therebetween; and

electrically coupling the capacitor bus to the DC power bus.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the mounting at least two capacitors includes mounting at least two banks of capacitors to the capacitor bus.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the mounting at least two banks of capacitors includes mounting the two banks of capacitors in parallel.