# US 12,005,771 B2 · Lightweight high-efficiency, high temperature electric drive system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,005,771 B2 - Document ID: US12005771B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/154,598 - Filed: 2023-01-13 - Published: 2023-05-18 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2020-05-20 - Assignees: Deere & Company - Applicants: Deere & Company - Inventors: Brij N. Singh - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12005771B2 ## CPC - B60K 11/04: Arrangement or mounting of radiators, radiator shutters, or radiator blinds - H02K 11/33: Drive circuits, e.g. power electronics (H02K11/38 takes precedence) - B60K 1/00: Arrangement or mounting of electrical propulsion units (B60K7/00 takes precedence; arrangement or mounting of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion B60K6/00) - B60K 7/0007: {the motor being electric} - B60K 11/02: with liquid cooling - H02K 3/12: arranged in slots - H02K 5/203: {specially adapted for liquids, e.g. cooling jackets} - H02K 5/225: {Terminal boxes or connection arrangements (specially adapted for submersible motors H02K5/132)} - H02K 7/116: with gears - H02K 11/0094: {Structural association with other electrical or electronic devices} - H02K 15/0407: Manufacturing of windings by etching, printing or stamping the complete coils - B60K 25/00: Auxiliary drives (arrangement of tyre-inflating pumps mounted on vehicles B60C23/10) - B60K 2001/003: {with means for cooling the electrical propulsion units} - B60K 2001/006: {the electric motors} - B60K 2025/005: {driven by electric motors forming part of the propulsion unit} - B60Y 2400/61: Arrangements of controllers for electric machines, e.g. inverters - F01P 2050/24: Hybrid vehicles - H02K 9/19: for machines with closed casing and closed-circuit cooling using a liquid cooling medium, e.g. oil - B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES - H02K: DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES (dynamo-electric relays H01H53/00; conversion of DC or AC input power into surge output power {H03K3/53}) - B60Y: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO ASPECTS CROSS-CUTTING VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY - F01P: COOLING OF MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; COOLING OF INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES (arrangements in connection with cooling of propulsion units in vehicles B60K11/00; heat-transfer, heat-exchange or heat-storage materials C09K5/00; {cooling of gas-turbine engines F02C7/12}; heat exchange in general, radiators F28) ## Abstract Lightweight high-efficiency, high temperature electric drive system is disclosed herein. An example electric drive system including an electric motor including an output shaft. The example electric drive system including power electronics electrically coupled to the electric motor, wherein the power electronic include an inverter. The example electric drive system including a gearbox coupled to the output shaft. The example electric drive system including a first heat exchanger coupled to a surface of the electric motor, the first heat exchanger including coolant. The example electric drive system including a second heat exchanger coupled to a surface of the power electronics, the second heat exchanger including the coolant. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An electric drive system comprising: an electric motor including an output shaft to drive an electric vehicle; power electronics electrically coupled to the electric motor, the power electronics including: an inverter to supply high-frequency current and voltage to the electric motor, the inverter including a power board, the inverter mounted radially outward from the electric motor; and a control board to control the inverter using the power board, the power board to supply power to the inverter via a capacitor ring, wherein the inverter and the capacitor ring are electrically coupled via a pressurized connection; and a thermal management system including an inlet and an outlet coupled to the inverter and to a heat exchanger, the inlet and the outlet positioned on a housing, the housing mounted radially outward from the inverter. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The electric drive system of claim 1, wherein the power board is to provide power to the inverter to generate the high-frequency current and voltage, the power including positive and negative direct current power. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The electric drive system of claim 1, wherein the inverter includes first inverter phase circuitry, second inverter phase circuitry, and third inverter phase circuitry, wherein the first inverter phase circuitry, the second inverter phase circuitry, and the third inverter phase circuitry are equally spaced radially from each other around the electric motor. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The electric drive system of claim 3, wherein the control board includes a first lead, a second lead, and a third lead to supply control inputs to the first inverter phase circuitry, the second inverter phase circuitry, and the third inverter phase circuitry, respectively. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The electric drive system of claim 1, wherein the power electronics include a coolant channel coupled to the thermal management system. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The electric drive system of claim 1, wherein the capacitor ring comprises a plurality of capacitor elements, an insulating ring, a direct current positive power connection, a direct current negative power connection, a direct current positive bus bar, and a direct current negative bus bar. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The electric drive system of claim 6, wherein the direct current positive bus bar and the direct current negative bus bar are flexible, wherein the plurality of capacitor elements are inserted into the direct current positive bus bar and the direct current negative bus bar and the direct current positive bus bar and the direct current negative bus bar are folded into a ring shape, wherein an inner circumference of the ring shape corresponds to an outer circumference of the insulating ring. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The electric drive system of claim 1, wherein the pressurized connection includes a pressurized connection pair, wherein the pressurized connection pair includes a pressurized connection for positive direct current voltage and a pressurized connection for negative direct current voltage. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The electric drive system of claim 8, wherein the capacitor ring is fastened to the electric motor via a plurality of pairs of pressurized connections, wherein each pair of pressurized connections corresponds to a phase of the inverter. ### Claim 10 (depends on 3) The electric drive system of claim 3, wherein the first inverter phase circuitry, the second inverter phase circuitry, and the third inverter phase circuitry are shaped to fit over a cylindrical shape of the electric motor. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The electric drive system of claim 10, wherein the first inverter phase circuitry, the second inverter phase circuitry, and the third inverter phase circuitry are electrically coupled to the electric motor by a lap joint. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The electric drive system of claim 11, wherein the lap joint includes bolts, an inverter power terminal, a motor power terminal, and guiding pins, wherein the bolts secure a surface of the inverter power terminal to a surface of the motor power terminal to facilitate electrical connection. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The electric drive system of claim 12, wherein the surface of the inverter power terminal and the surface of the motor power terminal include interlocking grooves. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The electric drive system of claim 11, wherein the thermal management system includes a cooling ring in contact with the lap joint. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The electric drive system of claim 14, wherein the cooling ring of the thermal management system extends circumferentially between the electric motor and the inverter. ### Claim 16 An electric drive system comprising: an electric motor including an output shaft to drive an electric vehicle; power electronics electrically coupled to the electric motor, the power electronics including: an inverter to supply high-frequency current and voltage to the electric motor, the inverter including a power board; and a control board to control the inverter using the power board, the power board to supply power to the inverter via a capacitor ring, wherein the inverter and the capacitor ring are electrically coupled via a pressurized connection. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The electric drive system of claim 16, wherein the capacitor ring comprises a plurality of capacitor elements, an insulating ring, a direct current positive power connection, a direct current negative power connection, a direct current positive bus bar, and a direct current negative bus bar. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The electric drive system of claim 17, wherein the direct current positive bus bar and the direct current negative bus bar are flexible, wherein the plurality of capacitor elements are inserted into the direct current positive bus bar and the direct current negative bus bar and the direct current positive bus bar and the direct current negative bus bar are folded into a ring shape, wherein an inner circumference of the ring shape corresponds to an outer circumference of the insulating ring. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The electric drive system of claim 16, wherein the pressurized connection includes a pressurized connection pair, wherein the pressurized connection pair includes a pressurized connection for positive direct current voltage and a pressurized connection for negative direct current voltage. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The electric drive system of claim 16, wherein the inverter is electrically coupled to the electric motor by a lap joint, the lap joint in contact with a cooling ring, the cooling ring to extend circumferentially between the electric motor and the inverter.