Three-phase connector for electric vehicle drivetrain
AssigneeBallard Power Systems Inc.
InventorsAjay V Patwardhan, John Franklin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A three-phase connector carries all three phases in one connector and keeps the phases properly isolated from each other and the motor case. The three-phase connector has metal connector components that are spaced from one another and supported in a nylon over molding covering each of the connector components, except for upper and lower exposed ends of the connector components, which are each drilled and tapped to receive bolts. First and second connector components extend above and below a flange of the three-phase connector with their respective exposed upper and lower ends offset in different planes than the exposed upper and lower ends of the third connector component.
Claims19
A poly-phase connector to interconnect a poly-phase electrical bus and a poly-phase machine, the poly-phase connector comprising:
- an electrically insulating body comprising a first side and a second side;
- and
- at least three spaced electrically conductive connector components, each of the connector components comprising a first end and a second end, the first ends couplable to a respective phase of one of the poly-phase electrical bus and the poly-phase machine, and the second ends couplable to a respective phase of the other of the poly-phase electrical bus and the poly-phase machine,
- wherein each of the connector components is at least partially received in the electrically insulating body such that both the first end and the second end of each of the connector components are exposed, all connector components of the poly-phase connector are coplanar with, and parallel to, each other, and the first end of at least one of the connector components extends a distance from the electrically insulating body different from a distance which the first end of at least one of the other connector components extends from the electrically insulating body.
A poly-phase connector to interconnect a poly-phase electrical bus and a poly-phase machine, the poly-phase connector comprising:
- an electrically insulating body comprising a first side and a second side;
- and
- a number of spaced electrically conductive connector components, each of the connector components comprising a first end and a second end, the first ends couplable to a respective phase of one of the poly-phase electrical bus and the poly-phase machine, and the second ends couplable to a respective phase of the other of the poly-phase electrical bus and the poly-phase machine,
- wherein each of the connector components is at least partially received in the electrically insulating body such that both the first end and the second end of each of the connector components are exposed, all connector components of the poly-phase connector are coplanar with, and parallel to, each other, the first end of at least one of the connector components extends a distance from the electrically insulating body different from a distance which the first end of at least one of the other connector components extends from the electrically insulating body, and each of the connector components is a single, unitary piece.
A poly-phase connector to interconnect a poly-phase electrical bus and a poly-phase machine, the poly-phase connector comprising:
- a number of spaced electrically conductive connector components, each of the connector components comprising a first end and a second end, the first ends couplable to a respective phase of one of the poly-phase electrical bus and the poly-phase machine, and the second ends couplable to a respective phase of the other of the poly-phase electrical bus and the poly-phase machine;
- and
- an electrically insulating body comprising a single, unitary over molding of electrically insulating material covering each of the connector components and forming a flange spaced between the first and the second ends of the connector components,
- wherein at least the first end of each of the connector components is exposed, all connector components of the poly-phase connector are coplanar with, and parallel to, each other, the first end of at least one of the connector components extends a distance from the flange different from a distance which the first end of at least one of the other connector components extends from the flange, and each of the connector components is a single unitary piece.
A poly-phase connector to interconnect a poly-phase electrical bus and a poly-phase machine, the poly-phase connector comprising:
- at least three spaced electrically conductive connector components, each of the connector components comprising a first end and a second end, the first ends couplable to a respective phase of one of the poly-phase electrical bus and the poly-phase machine, and the second ends couplable to a respective phase of the other of the poly-phase electrical bus and the poly-phase machine;
- and
- an electrically insulating body comprising an over molding of electrically insulating material covering each of the connector components and a flange spaced between the first and the second ends of the connector components,
- wherein at least the first end of each of the connector components is exposed, all connector components of the poly-phase connector are coplanar with, and parallel to, each other, and the first end of at least one of the connector components extends a distance from the flange different from a distance which the first end of at least one of the other connector components extends from the flange.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.