Cooled inlet cold plate design for robust electrical isolation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12355201-B2
Application number	US-202217831749-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 3, 2022
Priority date	Jun 4, 2021
Publication date	Jul 8, 2025
Grant date	Jul 8, 2025

Abstract

An electrical connector assembly includes a connector housing in which a pair of electrically conductive busbars are disposed, a metallic cooling plate in thermal communication with major surfaces of the pair of electrically conductive busbars, and a dielectric structure that is configured to prevent electrical contact between the pair of electrically conductive busbars and the cooling plate.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electrical connector assembly, comprising:
a connector housing in which a pair of electrically conductive busbars are disposed;
a metallic cooling plate in thermal communication with major surfaces of the pair of electrically conductive busbars; and
an isolator ring surrounding the cooling plate which defines a pair of openings through which the cooling plate thermally communicates with the major surfaces of the pair of electrically conductive busbars, the isolator ring defines a separating fin disposed between one busbar of the pair of electrically conductive busbars and another busbar of the pair of electrically conductive busbars, the separating fin is configured to prevent electrical contact between the pair of electrically conductive busbars.

2. The electrical connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the isolating ring defining the pair of openings extends beyond the cooling plate in a direction perpendicular to the major surfaces of the pair of electrically conductive busbars.

3. The electrical connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the isolator ring is formed from an electrically insulative material.

4. The electrical connector assembly of claim 3 , wherein the isolator ring is formed from a 15% glass filled polybutylene terephthalate material.

5. The electrical connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the isolator ring defines two separating fins separated from one another and arranged parallel to one another.

6. The electrical connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the cooling plate includes a coolant channel in fluidic communication with an inlet port and an outlet port.

7. The electrical connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the cooling plate comprises a plurality of coolant channels that are in fluidic communication with an inlet port and an outlet port.

8. The electrical connector assembly of claim 7 , wherein a plurality of cooling fins extend into the plurality of coolant channels.

9. The electrical connector assembly of claim 7 , wherein the cooling plate includes a coolant seal disposed between the cooling plate and the connector housing.

10. The electrical connector assembly according to claim 7 , wherein the inlet port and the outlet port are interconnected to a liquid cooling system of an electrically propelled vehicle.

11. The electrical connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the cooling plate includes a first section formed of a polymeric material and a second section formed of a metallic material.

12. An electrical connector assembly, comprising:
a connector housing in which a pair of electrically conductive busbars are disposed;
a metallic cooling plate in thermal communication with major surfaces of the pair of electrically conductive busbars;
a separating fin disposed between one busbar of the pair of electrically conductive busbars and another busbar of the pair of electrically conductive busbars, the separating fin is configured to prevent electrical contact between the pair of electrically conductive busbars; and
a means for providing thermal communication between the cooling plate and the major surfaces of the pair of electrically conductive busbars.

Assignees

• Aptiv Technologies AG

Inventors

• Mathews Thomas
• Fredrickson Mark

Classifications

• B60L53/16 Primary

  Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles · CPC title

• H01R2201/26

  for vehicles · CPC title

• H01R9/223

  Insulating enclosures for terminals (for switches H01H9/0264) · CPC title

• F28F2265/24

  for electrical insulation · CPC title

• F28F3/12

  Elements constructed in the shape of a hollow panel, e.g. with channels {(F28D1/02, F28D1/03 take precedence)} · CPC title