Device and method for connecting a stator and a pulse inverter of an electric motor of an at least partially electrically driven motor vehicle as well as motor vehicle with an electric motor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12580457-B2
Application number	US-202418581942-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 20, 2024
Priority date	Feb 23, 2023
Publication date	Mar 17, 2026
Grant date	Mar 17, 2026

Abstract

The described examples may relate to a connection device for electrically conductively connecting a stator and a pulse inverter of an electric motor. The connection device includes at least one clamping piece pair with two clamping pieces, which are movable in relation to each other along a clamping direction between a closed and an open position and formed to clamp a stator-side line end with a pulse inverter-side line end between the two clamping pieces in the closed position such that an electrically conductive connection of the line ends is established. The connection device may include a bolt mounted rotatably around a rotational axis extending obliquely with respect to the clamping direction, which includes at least one eccentric portion along its longitudinal extension direction, which is formed to convert a rotational movement of the bolt around the rotational axis into a translational movement of the two clamping pieces of the at least one clamping piece pair to each other until reaching the closed position.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A connection device to detachably, electrically conductively connect a stator of an electric motor of an at least partially electrically driven motor vehicle to a pulse inverter of the electric motor, comprising
a pair of clamping pieces arranged movably to each other, so that the pair of clamping pieces are movable towards each other and away from each other, along a clamping direction, between a closed position and an open position to clamp at least one stator-side line end with at least one pulse inverter-side line end between the pair of clamping pieces in the closed position to establish an electrically conductive connection of the at least one stator-side line end and the at least one pulse inverter-side line end; and a bolt mounted rotatably around a rotational axis extending obliquely with respect to the clamping direction,
the bolt includes an eccentric portion along its longitudinal extension direction for a clamping piece of the pair of clamping pieces,
the eccentric portion configured to convert a rotational movement of the bolt around the rotational axis in a closing rotational direction into a translational movement of the pair of clamping pieces towards each other until reaching the closed position.

2 . The connection device according to claim 1 , wherein the rotational axis includes an angle between 10 degrees inclusive and 90 degrees inclusive with the clamping direction.

3 . The connection device according to claim 1 ,
wherein a first clamping piece of the pair of clamping pieces comprises a receiving area formed by two opposing a first lateral leg and a second lateral leg to receive a second clamping piece of the pair of clamping pieces, wherein the second clamping piece is arranged within the receiving area and is movable along the clamping direction between the first lateral leg and the second lateral leg in relation to the first clamping piece, wherein the bolt extends within the second clamping piece at least in sections, so that the eccentric portion of the bolt ( 32 ) associated with the second clamping piece presses to the first lateral leg through an aperture in a side surface of the second clamping piece facing the first lateral leg upon the rotational movement and moves the second clamping piece towards the second lateral leg to reach the closed position.

4 . The connection device according to claim 3 , wherein the bolt is arranged within the receiving area between the first clamping piece and the second clamping piece at least in sections.

5 . The connection device according to claim 3 ,
wherein the first lateral leg comprises a snap element, and wherein the eccentric portion comprises a locking element formed complementarily to the snap element, which is configured to lock into the snap element to form a locking snap connection upon reaching the closed position.

6 . The connection device according to claim 5 ,
wherein the first lateral leg comprises a stop, and wherein the eccentric portion abuts on the stop upon reaching the closed position.

7 . The connection device according to claim 1 , wherein at least one portion of the bolt, comprises a material less elastic with respect to the pair of clamping pieces.

8 . The connection device according to claim 7 , wherein the at least one portion is the eccentric portion.

9 . An at least partially electrically driven motor vehicle, comprising:
an electric motor; and a connection device detachably, electrically conductively connecting a stator of the electric motor to a pulse inverter of the electric motor, the connection device including,
a pair of clamping pieces arranged movably to each other, so that the pair of clamping pieces are movable towards each other and away from each other, along a clamping direction, between a closed position and an open position to clamp at least one stator-side line end with at least one pulse inverter-side line end between the pair of clamping pieces in the closed position to establish an electrically conductive connection of the at least one stator-side line end and the at least one pulse inverter-side line end; and
a bolt mounted rotatably around a rotational axis extending obliquely with respect to the clamping direction,
the bolt includes an eccentric portion along its longitudinal extension direction for a clamping piece of the pair of clamping pieces,

the eccentric portion configured to convert a rotational movement of the bolt around the rotational axis in a closing rotational direction into a translational movement of the pair of clamping pieces towards each other until reaching the closed position.

10 . The at least partially electrically driven motor vehicle according to claim 9 , wherein the rotational axis includes an angle between 10 degrees inclusive and 90 degrees inclusive with the clamping direction.

11 . The at least partially electrically driven motor vehicle according to claim 9 ,
wherein a first clamping piece of the pair of clamping pieces comprises a receiving area formed by two opposing a first lateral leg and a second lateral leg to receive a second clamping piece of the pair of clamping pieces, wherein the second clamping piece is arranged within the receiving area and is movable along the clamping direction between the first lateral leg and the second lateral leg in relation to the first clamping piece, wherein the bolt extends within the second clamping piece at least in sections, so that the eccentric portion of the bolt associated with the second clamping piece presses to the first lateral leg through an aperture in a side surface of the second clamping piece facing the first lateral leg upon the rotational movement and moves the second clamping piece towards the second lateral leg to reach the closed position.

12 . The at least partially electrically driven motor vehicle according to claim 11 , wherein the bolt is arranged within the receiving area between the first clamping piece and the second clamping piece at least in sections.

13 . The at least partially electrically driven motor vehicle according to claim 11 ,
wherein the first lateral leg comprises a snap element, and wherein the eccentric portion comprises a locking element formed complementarily to the snap element, which is configured to lock into the snap element to form a locking snap connection upon reaching the closed position.

14 . The at least partially electrically driven motor vehicle according to claim 13 ,
wherein the first lateral leg comprises a stop, and wherein the eccentric portion abuts on the stop upon reaching the closed position.

15 . The at least partially electrically driven motor vehicle according to claim 9 , wherein at least one portion of the bolt, comprises a material less elastic with respect to the pair of clamping pieces.

16 . The at least partially electrically driven motor vehicle according to claim 15 , wherein the at least one portion is the eccentric portion.

17 . A method of detachably, electrically conductively contacting the stator and the pulse inverter of the electric motor of the at least partially electrically driven motor vehicle according to claim 9 ,
arranging the at least one stator-side line end and the at least one pulse inverter-side line end to oppose each other, and connecting the at least one stator-side line end and the at least one pulse inverter-side line end with the connection device, so that the at least one stator-side line end and the at least one pulse inverter-side line end are detachably electrically conductively connected t

Assignees

• Audi Ag
• Volkswagen Ag

Inventors

• Csákány András
• Emde Marvin
• Lenz Andreas
• Possen Max

Classifications

• H02K15/00

  Processes or apparatus specially adapted for manufacturing, assembling, maintaining or repairing of dynamo-electric machines · CPC title

• H01R4/42

  Clamping area to one side of screw only · CPC title

• H01R2201/10

  for dynamoelectric machines · CPC title

• H02K11/33 Primary

  Drive circuits, e.g. power electronics (H02K11/38 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H02K3/38

  around winding heads, equalising connectors, or connections thereto · CPC title