Bus bar assembly with plated electrical contact surface

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12237658-B2
Application number	US-202217852854-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 29, 2022
Priority date	Jul 29, 2021
Publication date	Feb 25, 2025
Grant date	Feb 25, 2025

Abstract

A bus bar assembly includes a bus bar formed of a first electrically conductive material having a planar contact portion. The bus bar defines a first bore extending through the contact portion. The bus bar assembly further includes a contact insert formed of a second electrically conductive material that has a greater hardness than the first electrically conductive material. The contact insert defines a first surface that is mechanically and electrically connected to the contact portion of the bus bar. The contact insert defines a second surface this is plated with a third electrically conductive material which is different than the second electrically conductive material. The contact insert defines a smooth second bore coaxial with the first bore and extending from the first surface to the second surface.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A bus bar assembly, comprising:
a bus bar formed of a first electrically conductive material having a planar contact portion, wherein the bus bar defines a first bore extending through the contact portion; and
a contact insert formed of a second electrically conductive material that has a greater hardness than the first electrically conductive material, wherein the contact insert defines a first surface that is mechanically and electrically connected to the contact portion of the bus bar and wherein the contact insert defines a second surface plated with a third electrically conductive material different than the second electrically conductive material, wherein the contact insert defines a smooth second bore coaxial with the first bore and extending from the first surface to the second surface, wherein the contact insert defines a cylindrical collar extending from the second surface and defining an annular groove therein, wherein the collar includes a lip extending over the annular groove, and wherein the second surface defines a plurality of alternating projections and indentations radially extending beyond the lip and the collar.

2. The bus bar assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the collar is in an interference fit with an inner wall of the first bore such that a portion of the bus bar is deformed and disposed within the annular groove.

3. The bus bar assembly according to claim 1 , wherein a diameter of the lip is less than a diameter of the collar.

4. The bus bar assembly according to claim 2 , wherein the bus bar defines a cylindrical indentation in the contact portion surrounding the first bore.

5. The bus bar assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the bus bar defines a cylindrical indentation in the contact portion surrounding the first bore, wherein an outer surface of the contact located intermediate the first and second surfaces defines a plurality of serrations extending from the outer surface, and wherein this plurality of serrations is in an interference fit with the indentation such that a portion of the bus bar is deformed and disposed between the plurality of serrations.

6. The bus bar assembly according to claim 5 , wherein the plurality of serrations is non-parallel to an axis of the second bore and are non-perpendicular to the axis of the second bore.

7. The bus bar assembly according to claim 5 , wherein the second surface defines a plurality of alternating projections and indentations radially extending from the second bore.

8. The bus bar assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the first surface of the contact insert is welded to the contact portion of the bus bar.

9. The bus bar assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the contact insert defines a cylindrical collar extending from the second surface and defining a plurality of serrations therein and wherein the collar is in an interference fit with an inner wall of the first bore such that a portion of the bus bar is deformed and disposed within the plurality of serrations.

10. The bus bar assembly according to claim 9 , wherein the plurality of serrations extend along the collar is a direction parallel to an axis of the second bore.

11. The bus bar assembly according to claim 9 , wherein the collar and the second bore have an obround cylindrical shape.

12. A method of manufacturing a bus bar assembly, comprising:
providing a bus bar formed of a first electrically conductive material having a planar contact portion and defining a smooth first bore extending through the contact portion;
providing a contact insert formed of a second electrically conductive material that has a greater hardness than the first electrically conductive material, the contact insert defining a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface that is plated with a third electrically conductive material different than the second electrically conductive material and defining a smooth second bore, wherein the contact insert defines a cylindrical collar extending from the second surface and defining an annular groove therein, wherein the collar includes a lip extending over the annular groove, and wherein the second surface defines a plurality of alternating projections and indentations radially extending beyond the lip and the collar;
arranging the contact insert on the contact portion such that the second bore is coaxial with the first bore; and
mechanically and electrically attaching the first surface of the contact insert to the contact portion of the bus bar.

13. The method according to claim 12 , further comprising:
inserting an alignment tool within the second bore of the contact insert;
aligning an axis of the second bore with an axis of the first bore using the alignment tool; and
attaching the contact insert to the contact portion using a welding process.

14. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the welding process is selected from a list consisting of sonic welding, laser welding, resistance welding, spin welding, brazing, and soldering processes.

15. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the welding process is a torsional sonic welding process.

16. The method according to claim 12 , further comprising:
forming an interference fit between a collar extending from the contact insert and an inner wall of the first bore such that a portion of the bus bar is deformed and disposed within an annular groove.

17. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the bus bar defines a cylindrical indentation in the contact portion surrounding the first bore, wherein an outer surface of the contact located intermediate the first and second surfaces defines a plurality of serrations extending from the outer surface, and wherein the method further comprises:
forming an interference fit between a plurality of serrations on an outer edge of the contact insert and the first bore such that a portion of the bus bar is deformed and disposed between the plurality of serrations.

Assignees

• Aptiv Technologies AG

Inventors

• Durse Nicholas A
• Bohan Andrew
• Martin Jacob
• Weidner Jonathan

Classifications

• H02G5/007

  Butt joining of bus-bars by means of a common bolt, e.g. splice joint (electrically conductive connections characterised by contacting members H01R4/58) · CPC title

• F16B2200/93

  Fastener comprising feature for establishing a good electrical connection, e.g. electrostatic discharge or insulation feature · CPC title

• F16B5/025

  specially designed to compensate for misalignement or to eliminate unwanted play · CPC title

• F16B17/006

  of rods or tubes to sheets or plates · CPC title

• F16B19/02

  Bolts or sleeves for positioning of machine parts, e.g. notched taper pins, fitting pins, sleeves, eccentric positioning rings · CPC title