Patent ID: 12212204

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG.1shows an exemplary arrangement of an interconnection arrangement10with a receiving element12for securing a temperature sensor. The interconnection arrangement10has three busbars14,14a,14b, each of which form a connector ring segment with an external terminal16,16a,16band a winding terminal18,18a,18b. The winding terminals18,18a,18beach comprise four mutually isolated terminal lugs, with which in each case one turn of a stator winding can be placed in contact. The respective connector ring segments are accommodated in a housing20, which fixes the connector ring segments and insulates them electrically from one another. The external terminals16,16a,16band the winding terminals18,18a,18bare arranged in an interconnection region22of the interconnection arrangement10. The interconnection region22is delimited circumferentially. The busbars14,14a,14bare, for example, surrounded by the housing20within the interconnection region22.

The receiving element12is arranged on one of the busbars14,14a,14boutside the interconnection region22. The housing20for example does not surround the receiving element12. The receiving element12shown in the exemplary arrangement is an extension of busbar14b. The receiving element12is thus formed in a unit with the busbar14band is thus also electrically conductive. In this case, a current path extends from the external terminal16bof the busbar14bto the coil terminal or winding terminal18bthrough the interconnection region22, whereas no current path is formed within the receiving element12. Because the receiving element12and busbar14bof the interconnection arrangement10are configured in one piece, a good thermal connection is obtained between the receiving element12and the busbar14b. For example, the busbar14bcomprises copper or aluminum, which provide not only electrical conductivity but also good thermal conductivity. This makes it is possible for a temperature at the receiving element12of the busbar14bsubstantially to correspond to a temperature of the connector ring segment of the busbar14bwithin the interconnection region22. A temperature sensor attached to the receiving element12may thus detect with a high level of accuracy a temperature at the contacting region between external terminals and stator winding.

The receiving element12of the exemplary embodiment is configured with two portions, a first circumferentially extending bar12aand a second bar12baccordingly being provided. This makes it possible, for example, to attach two separate temperature sensors to the receiving element12. Furthermore, in one exemplary arrangement, marker points13are provided on the receiving element12on a side facing the housing20. The marker points13may indicate to what extent a housing of a temperature sensor to be attached to the receiving element12may, for example, be pushed in the direction of the housing20of the interconnection arrangement on mounting in order to achieve optimum positioning of the temperature sensor.

The external terminals16,16a,16bcomprise securing arrangements to which, for example, power electronics busbars or a power supply for the stator winding may be secured, such as, for example, by a screw fastening or plug-in connector. Turn ends of the stator winding may for example be secured non-detachably to the terminal lugs of the winding terminal (for example by welded joints).

FIG.2is a plan view of the interconnection arrangement10with the receiving element12. The figure reveals shoulders or projections24a,24bof the respective bars12a,12bformed on the receiving element12in the exemplary arrangement, the projections24a,24bin the radial direction. The projections24a,24bmay be provided for fastening a push-on temperature sensor or for aligning the push-on temperature sensor.

FIG.3shows an example of the interconnection arrangement10with a receiving element12comprising two bars12a,12bprotruding separately from the housing20of the interconnection arrangement10. According to the example shown inFIG.3andFIG.4, the housing20of the interconnection arrangement is widened circumferentially at the receiving element12. The widened portion provides a housing limit stop26, the position of which may correspond to a position of the marker points13of the previous example. The provision of the housing limit stop26makes it possible to simplify the mounting of a temperature sensor on the receiving element12. A temperature sensor may, for example, be pushed onto the receiving element12(or onto a respective bar12a,12b), until a housing of the temperature sensor strikes against the limit stop26.

FIG.5shows an exemplary arrangement of a temperature sensor device50in a housing52comprising a hard component. The temperature sensor device50shown inFIG.5is pushed onto a receiving element12of an interconnection arrangement10(cf. for exampleFIGS.1to4). In the process, the housing52of the temperature sensor device50strikes against a housing limit stop26of the housing20of the interconnection arrangement10. Within the housing52of the temperature sensor device50, a temperature sensor54is arranged with a sensor head or a sensor element56. The exemplary temperature sensor54shown is, for example, a NTC (negative temperature coefficient) sensor.

The receiving element12is accommodated in an opening in the housing52adapted geometrically to the receiving element12. The temperature sensor54forms an inner surface of the opening, such that the temperature sensor54is in direct contact with the receiving element12. On a side facing the housing20of the interconnection arrangement10, the housing52has a cable opening for guiding out a cable58of the temperature sensor54, which may for example be connected to a device for temperature evaluation. With the assistance of the temperature sensor device50shown inFIG.5, undoable fixing of the temperature sensor54by a plastics clip is shown, here of the housing52configured as a plastics clip. In one exemplary arrangement, the plastics clip may comprise, at least in part, a thermoplastic.

The plastics clip52or the housing52may be C- or U-shaped in configuration in a plane perpendicular to the illustration ofFIG.5and have a base region52aand two legs52bprojecting perpendicular therefrom, of which just one is visible in the sectional representation ofFIG.5. Between the two legs52ba slot is provided, via which the temperature sensor54may be introduced from a side opposite the base region52. Openings may be formed on the receiving element12or projection of a connecting conductor or busbar (for example on the receiving element12), into which the legs52bof the plastics clip52may be inserted. Spring elements53in the form of spring tongues53are formed on the base region52avia which the plastics clip52and the temperature sensor54accommodated therein are fixed to the receiving element12.

FIG.6shows an alternative possibility for connecting the temperature sensor54to the receiving element12of the connecting conductor. In this exemplary arrangement, a housing60is provided as the housing for accommodating the temperature sensor54which comprises a flexible plastics element (for example a soft component), for example an elastomer. In one exemplary arrangement, the housing60is produced from silicone, for example.

In the exemplary arrangement, the housing60comprising the soft component is fundamentally cuboidal in configuration, for example, and has an opening62, the cross-section and/or length of which is adapted to a receiving element of an interconnection arrangement. The cross-section of the opening62is for example smaller than a cross-section of the receiving element12, such that on insertion of the extension12into the opening62the elastomer is put under tension, which fixes the housing60and the temperature sensor54to the receiving element12. A bar12aof the receiving element12may for example be accommodated in the opening62. The housing60has a shaped portion64, for example, which may simplify the mounting or removal of the housing60on or from an extension. The plastics element may alternatively be of cylindrical configuration.

FIG.7is a sectional view of the housing60with mounted temperature sensor54on an extension or receiving element12. On one end face (for example the rear) the plastics element has an opening for introduction of the temperature sensor54, through which the cable58of the temperature sensor54may for example be guided. On the other, opposing end face, the plastics element is of open configuration, for example (owing to the opening62), in order to push the plastics element together with the temperature sensor54already accommodated therein onto the receiving element12. The dimensioning of the resilient plastics element is in this case selected, for example, such that in the installed state mechanical pretensioning prevails, such that the temperature sensor54is pressed against the receiving element12. The leg of the plastics element on which the temperature sensor54rests has a retaining projection, for example, for supporting the cable58of the temperature sensor54.

FIG.8shows a schematic view of a rear66of a housing (for example comprising a thermoplastic or an elastomer) for a temperature sensor54for pushing onto a receiving element12. The figure reveals an opening68through which the temperature sensor54may for example be introduced into the housing and which may moreover for example fix a cable58of the temperature sensor54, such that, if mechanical tensile forces are applied to the cable, the temperature sensor54does not change position relative to the receiving element12.

FIG.9shows an exemplary arrangement of an interconnection arrangement10with temperature sensors54a, battached thereto. The temperature sensors54a, bare here secured to a receiving element12of the interconnection arrangement10by a heat-shrinkable sleeve. A first temperature sensor54ais secured to a first bar of the receiving element12by a first heat-shrinkable sleeve70a. A second temperature sensor54bis secured to a second bar of the receiving element12by a second heat-shrinkable sleeve70b. The use of a heat-shrinkable sleeve may improve contact of the respective temperature sensor54a, bon the respective bar of the receiving element12.

Respective connecting cables58a,58bof the temperature sensors54a, bare guided out of the heat-shrinkable sleeves70a,70band connected with a common plug-in element72(also possible, for example, in arrangements with a different sensor housing). The temperature sensors54a, bmay thereby, for example, be connected simply to evaluation electronics by plug-in connection.

FIG.10shows the exemplary arrangement according toFIG.9in plan view. The interconnection arrangement with the mounted temperature sensors54a, bprovides a system74for detecting a temperature in which it is particularly simple to exchange one or both temperature sensors54a, b. In this respect, in the case of a defective temperature sensor, the respective heat-shrinkable sleeve70amay for example be undone and said temperature sensor replaced. In this respect, it is not necessary to perform work in the interconnection region of the interconnection arrangement10, such that even in the case of winding contacts formed in relation to a stator winding (cf.FIG.12), the risk of damage to respective contact points is minimized.

FIG.11is a sectional view of securing of the temperature sensor54awith a sensor element56to the receiving element12by the heat-shrinkable sleeve70a. The receiving element12projects out of the housing20of the interconnection arrangement10. The shrunk heat-shrinkable sleeve70ahere presses the temperature sensor54aonto the receiving element12and at the same time fixes the sensor cable58aof the temperature sensor54in place.

When the temperature sensor54ais secured using the heat-shrinkable sleeve, the temperature sensor54ais attached on the extension or receiving element12and enveloped by the heat-shrinkable sleeve70atogether with the extension12. The hose may for example be shrunk using a hot air gun, so securing the sensor head in optimized manner to the receiving element12. The inner surface of the heat-shrinkable sleeve70amay in addition be configured to be self-adhesive, in order to ensure additional fixing and/or a simpler mounting. Injection-molded encapsulation of the interconnection arrangement10(for example the housing20) may define a stop point for positioning of the heat-shrinkable sleeve on the receiving element12.

FIG.12shows a stator100with an interconnection arrangement10. The stator has a stator winding102with turn ends104which are electrically contacted at respective terminal lugs of the winding terminals18,18a,18bof the respective busbars of the interconnection arrangement10. In this case, it is apparent in particular that the contacting between interconnection arrangement10and stator winding102is embodied solely in the interconnection region22. On the other hand, in the region of the receiving element12no contact with the stator winding102is formed, such that at the exposed extension12a temperature sensor device50may be attached and replaced for straightforwardly measuring a temperature of the interconnection arrangement10or of the stator100.

The proposed arrangement for securing the temperature sensor may for example also simplify initial mounting of the temperature sensor. In this case, securing of the temperature sensor may take place for instance on mounting of the stator, as a step following interconnection and impregnation of the stator. Various options are proposed for fixing the temperature sensor on the receiving element or the extension.

The present disclosure proposes concepts for securing a temperature sensor to an extension or receiving element of the connecting conductor provided outside the interconnection region. It is thereby straightforwardly possible, for example, to separate the temperature sensor from the extension if replacement is needed, wherein the risk, for example, of damage to the overall interconnection arrangement or in particular the electrical contact points is minimized.