Reducing eddy current propagation in electric device housing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12559246-B1
Application number	US-202418983819-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Dec 17, 2024
Priority date	Dec 17, 2024
Publication date	Feb 24, 2026
Grant date	Feb 24, 2026

Abstract

An aircraft assembly includes a first electric cable and an electric device. The electric device includes a device housing and a first electric terminal disposed within an internal volume of the device housing. The device housing includes a first metal sidewall, a first wall cable port and an open first wall aperture next to the first wall cable port. The first metal sidewall is between and borders the internal volume and an external environment. The first wall cable port projects through the first metal sidewall from the external environment to the internal volume. The open first wall aperture projects through the first metal sidewall from the external environment to the internal volume. The first electric cable projects longitudinally through the first wall cable port into the internal volume. The first electric cable is received by and is electrically coupled to the first electric terminal within the internal volume.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An assembly for an aircraft, comprising:
an electric device for the aircraft, the electric device including a device housing and a first electric terminal disposed within an internal volume of the device housing, the device housing including a first metal sidewall, a first wall cable port and an open first wall aperture next to the first wall cable port, the first metal sidewall between and bordering the internal volume and an external environment outside of the electric device, the first wall cable port projecting through the first metal sidewall from the external environment to the internal volume, and the open first wall aperture projecting through the first metal sidewall from the external environment to the internal volume; and a first electric cable projecting longitudinally through the first wall cable port into the internal volume, the first electric cable received by and electrically coupled to the first electric terminal within the internal volume; wherein the open first wall aperture is configured to obstruct an eddy current conduction path through the first metal sidewall.

2 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein
the first wall cable port has a circular cross-sectional geometry; and the open first wall aperture has a non-circular cross-sectional geometry.

3 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein
the first wall cable port has a circular cross-sectional geometry; and the open first wall aperture has an elongated cross-sectional geometry.

4 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein
the first wall cable port has a first port cross-sectional area; and the open first wall aperture has a first aperture cross-sectional area that is smaller than the first port cross-sectional area.

5 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein
the open first wall aperture is spaced from the first wall cable port by an inter aperture-port distance; and the inter aperture-port distance is equal to or smaller than a diameter of the first wall cable port.

6 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein
the open first wall aperture has a major axis dimension and a minor axis dimension; and the major axis dimension and the minor axis dimension are each smaller than a diameter of the first wall cable port.

7 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein
the open first wall aperture has a major axis dimension and a minor axis dimension; the major axis dimension is equal to or larger than a diameter of the first wall cable port; and the minor axis dimension is smaller than the diameter of the first wall cable port.

8 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein
the open first wall aperture is one of a plurality of open first wall apertures arranged in an array that is next to the first wall cable port; and each of the plurality of open first wall apertures projects through the first metal sidewall from the external environment to the internal volume.

9 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein
the open first wall aperture is one of a plurality of open first wall apertures arranged to a first side of the first cable port; and each of the plurality of open first wall apertures projects through the first metal sidewall from the external environment to the internal volume.

10 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein
the open first wall aperture is one of a plurality of open first wall apertures; each of the plurality of open first wall apertures projects through the first metal sidewall from the external environment to the internal volume; a first of the plurality of open first wall apertures is disposed to a first side of the first wall cable port; and a second of the plurality of open first wall apertures is disposed to a second side of the first wall cable port.

11 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the device housing further includes a cover connected to the first metal sidewall and covering the open first wall aperture.

12 . The assembly of claim 11 , wherein the cover comprises a non-magnetic material.

13 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the internal volume is substantially fluidly decoupled from the external environment by the device housing.

14 . The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second electric cable projecting longitudinally into the internal volume through a second wall cable port in a second metal sidewall of the device housing, the second electric cable received by and electrically coupled to a second electric terminal within the internal volume; and a terminal block including and electrically coupling the first electric terminal and the second electric terminal.

15 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the electric device is configured as a junction box for the aircraft.

16 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the electric device is configured as an electric machine for the aircraft, and the electric machine is configurable as at least one of an electric motor or an electric generator.

17 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the electric device is configured as a controller.

18 . An assembly for an aircraft, comprising:
an electric device for the aircraft, the electric device including a device housing and a first electric terminal disposed within an internal volume of the device housing, the device housing configured to substantially fluidly isolate the internal volume from an external environment outside of the electric device, the device housing including a first metal sidewall, a first wall cable port and a first wall aperture arranged proximate to the first wall cable port, the first metal sidewall between and bordering the internal volume and the external environment, the first wall cable port extending through the first metal sidewall between the external environment and the internal volume, and the first wall aperture extending through the first metal sidewall between the external environment and the internal volume; and a first electric cable extending longitudinally through the first wall cable port into the internal volume, the first electric cable received by and electrically coupled to the first electric terminal within the internal volume; wherein the first wall aperture is configured to obstruct a magnetic field conduction path through the first metal sidewall.

19 . An assembly for an aircraft, comprising:
an electric device for the aircraft, the electric device including a device housing and a plurality of first electric terminals disposed within an internal volume of the device housing, the device housing including a first metal sidewall, a plurality of first wall cable ports and a plurality of first wall apertures, the first metal sidewall between and bordering the internal volume and an external environment surrounding the electric device, each of the plurality of first wall cable ports extending through the first metal sidewall, the plurality of first wall apertures arranged in an array that is next to and overlaps each of the plurality of first wall cable ports, and each of the plurality of first wall apertures extending through the first metal sidewall; and a plurality of first electric cables, each of the plurality of first electric cables extending longitudinally from the external environment, through a respective one of the plurality of first wall apertures, into the internal volume, and each of the plurality of first electric cables received by and electrically coupled to a respective one of the plurality of first electric terminals within the internal volume; wherein the plurality of first wall apertures are configured to obstruct magnetic field conduction paths

Assignees

• Rtx Corp

Inventors

• Choe Jung Muk
• Clark Thomas E

Classifications

• B64D41/00

  Power installations for auxiliary purposes · CPC title

• B64D2221/00

  Electric power distribution systems onboard aircraft · CPC title

• B64D31/16 Primary

  for electric power plants · CPC title