Conductor arrangement and transportable electrical drive device

Abstract

The invention relates to a conductor assembly for transmitting electrical power in a mobile system, in particular in a land, air or water vehicle, comprising an inner conductor (1) and an outer conductor (3) coaxially arranged thereto, which are electrically insulated from each other by means of an insulation layer (2).

Claims

1. A mobile electrical drive device having a conductor arrangement for transmitting electrical energy in a mobile system comprising a land vehicle, aircraft, or watercraft, the conductor arrangement comprising: an inner conductor; and an outer conductor arranged coaxially thereto, insulated from each other by an insulating layer, wherein the conductor arrangement is configured to electrically connect an electrical energy source to a drive motor for supplying the same with energy, wherein the conductor arrangement is designed for a DC voltage between the inner and outer conductors of less than 1000 volts, wherein the conductor arrangement connects a battery to the drive motor of the drive device, wherein the drive device comprises: a circuit configuration for feeding the drive motor implemented as a multiphase electric machine, the circuit configuration comprising a circuit board having one connection each for a positive pole and a negative pole for connecting to an intermediate circuit voltage; and at least one semiconductor power switch each mounted on the circuit board and connecting the positive pole and the negative pole to an output connection, forming a half-bridge circuit, wherein the connections for the positive pole and the negative pole and the output connection are each implemented having a flat area such that the connections for the positive pole and the negative pole are disposed adjacent to each other or one above the other relative to a plane of the circuit board and extend flat in axial and radial directions of the drive motor, and wherein the output connection is set up for providing a cycled voltage as an actuating signal for an electrical phase of the machine.

2. The drive device according to claim 1, wherein the circuit board comprises an electrically insulating board on which the connections for the positive pole and the negative pole and the output connection are mounted.

3. The drive device according to claim 1, comprising an intermediate circuit capacitor connected between the connection for the positive pole and the connection for the negative pole of the circuit board.

4. The drive device according to claim 1, wherein one circuit board is provided for actuating each phase of the multiphase electric machine.

5. The drive device according to claim 1, the drive motor thereof comprising a stator having slots in each of which one electrically conductive bar extending in an axial direction is provided, wherein bars are distributed along a circumference of the stator and wherein each bar is associated with one electrical phase of the drive motor.

6. The drive device according to claim 5, wherein each circuit board is disposed at an end face on the stator in an axial extension of the associated bar.

7. The drive device according to claim 1, wherein a contact ring is provided for connecting negative poles of the circuit board to each other and a contact ring is provided for connecting positive poles of the circuit board to each other.

8. The drive device according to claim 1, wherein the battery comprises an extensive, flat base plate and comprises at least two plates disposed in parallel and electrically separated by an insulator, forming a sandwich structure.

9. The drive device according to claim 8, wherein the plates comprise at least one comb structure for increasing a capacitance of a capacitor formed by the sandwich structure.

10. The drive device according to claim 8, wherein the insulator comprises carbon.

11. The drive device according to claim 8, wherein the battery comprises high-current contacts or busbars for charging the battery and mounted on a base plate of the battery.

12. The drive device according to claim 11, wherein the high-current contacts or busbars comprise a displaceable cover.

13. The drive device according to claim 1, comprising a protective circuit arrangement for tripping a fuse, wherein the fuse is connected in series with a battery cell of the battery, the protective circuit arrangement comprising a short-circuit switch connected in parallel to a series circuit comprising the battery and the fuse.

14. The drive device according to claim 13, wherein the short-circuit switch comprises half bridges implemented for feeding the drive motor, implemented as a multiphase electric machine, such that a direct short circuit or a short circuit across the drive motor is brought about in case of a fault.

15. The drive device according to claim 1, wherein: the circuit board comprises a flat board; the flat board comprises a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface; each of the first surface and the second surface is larger than any of side surfaces of the flat board; the connection for the positive pole is flat, is disposed on one of the first and second surfaces, and is larger than any of the side surfaces of the flat board; and the connection for the negative pole is flat, is disposed on one of the first and second surfaces, and is larger than any of the side surfaces of the flat board.

16. The drive device according to claim 15, wherein: the output connection is flat, is disposed on one of the first and second surfaces, and is larger than any of the side surfaces of the flat board; and the output connection is disposed adjacent to at least one of the connections for the positive and negative poles.

17. The drive device according to claim 15, wherein each of the connections for the positive and negative poles is substantially rectangular in shape.

18. The drive device according to claim 1, wherein: the connection for the positive pole comprises a first flat plate; the connection for the negative pole comprises a second flat plate; and the first flat plate and the second flat plate are disposed adjacent to each other or one above the other.

19. The drive device according to claim 18, wherein: the output connection comprises a third flat plate; and the third flat plate is disposed adjacent to at least one of the first and second flat plates.

Description

(1) The proposed principle is explained in further detail below using drawings for a plurality of embodiment examples. Shown are:

(2) FIG. 1 A first embodiment example of a conductor arrangement according to the proposed principle,

(3) FIG. 2 A second embodiment example of a conductor arrangement according to the proposed principle,

(4) FIG. 3 An embodiment example for inner conductors and/or outer conductors,

(5) FIG. 4 A further embodiment example for inner conductors and/or outer conductors,

(6) FIG. 5 A further embodiment example for inner conductors and/or outer conductors,

(7) FIG. 6 An embodiment example of a conductor arrangement according to the proposed principle,

(8) FIG. 7 An embodiment example of a conductor arrangement according to the proposed principle,

(9) FIG. 8 A further embodiment example of a conductor arrangement according to the proposed principle,

(10) FIG. 9 A detail of a further embodiment example of a conductor arrangement according to the proposed principle,

(11) FIG. 10 An embodiment example of a high-current contact for a battery according to the proposed principle,

(12) FIG. 11 A further embodiment example of a high-current contact for a battery according to the proposed principle,

(13) FIG. 12 A further embodiment example of a high-current contact for a battery according to the proposed principle,

(14) FIGS. 13 and 14A further embodiment example of a high-current contact for a battery according to the proposed principle,

(15) FIG. 15 An embodiment example of a cover of a contact of a battery,

(16) FIGS. 16 and 17 Embodiment examples of a battery according to the proposed principle using detail views,

(17) FIG. 18 An embodiment example of a protective circuit configuration for tripping a fuse according to the proposed principle,

(18) FIG. 19 A further embodiment example of a protective circuit configuration for tripping a fuse according to the proposed principle,

(19) FIG. 20 A first embodiment example of a drive device according to the proposed principle,

(20) FIG. 21 A second embodiment example of a drive device according to the proposed principle,

(21) FIG. 22 A third embodiment example of a drive device according to the proposed principle, and

(22) FIG. 23 A fourth embodiment example of a drive device according to the proposed principle,

(23) FIG. 24 A refinement of the embodiment example from FIG. 8,

(24) FIG. 25 A refinement as an example of the embodiment example from FIG. 7,

(25) FIG. 26 A further example of a refinement of the embodiment example from FIG. 8,

(26) FIG. 27 An embodiment example of a circuit board plugged onto a bar,

(27) FIG. 28 An embodiment example of the connection of a circuit board having contact rings,

(28) FIG. 29 Another embodiment example of the mounting of the circuit board on contact rings,

(29) FIG. 30 A third embodiment example of the mounting of a circuit board on contact rings,

(30) FIG. 31 An embodiment example of the mounting of a circuit board on contact rings by means of contact pads,

(31) FIG. 32 A further embodiment example of the mounting of a circuit board on contact rings by means of contact pads,

(32) FIG. 33 A third embodiment example of the mounting of a circuit board on contact rings by means of contact pads,

(33) FIG. 34 An embodiment example of the mounting of the circuit board between contact rings,

(34) FIG. 35 An embodiment example of a comb structure of a base plate of a battery.

(35) FIG. 1 shows an example embodiment of a conductor arrangement for transferring electrical energy in a transportable system, in particular in a land vehicle, aircraft, or watercraft. The conductor arrangement comprises an inner conductor 1 and an outer conductor 3 disposed coaxial thereto. The inner conductor 1 and the outer conductor 3 are insulated from each other by an insulating layer. Like the inner and outer conductor, said insulator is also cylindrical in shape. The outer conductor 3 is enclosed by a further cylindrical insulating layer 4.

(36) The inner insulator 2 and the outer insulator 4 can comprise plastic, for example, preferably a thermoplast. Said insulators can be implemented as a network structure or flat and closed, for example.

(37) The inner conductor 1 and the outer conductor 3 can comprise aluminum or copper, in pure form or as an alloy. The material can be solid or stranded. The strands can be implemented as a braided network structure, for example.

(38) The exterior of the conductor arrangement is advantageously practically free of fields. This applies particularly when high currents are transmitted by means of the conductor arrangement, as is the case, for example, in an electrically powered motor vehicle in the drivetrain, that is, between the battery and the drive motor.

(39) It is thereby possible to reduce the operating voltage for which the conductor arrangement is designed relative to previously typical voltages in the motor vehicle having an electrical drive, and as a counterpart to accept even higher current levels. This is because practically no shielding effort is necessary with the coaxial construction of the cable.

(40) The conductor arrangement can be designed for a nominal DC voltage of <1000 V between the inner and outer conductor, for example.

(41) In another embodiment, the conductor arrangement is designed for a nominal DC voltage between the inner and outer conductor in an interval from 1 to 60 V. Said voltage range is also referred to as safety extra-low voltage.

(42) As shown in FIG. 1, the inner conductor 1 comprises a cylindrical cavity 5 for receiving a coolant. The coolant can be liquid or gaseous.

(43) Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 2, the inner conductor can comprise no cavity. In all other matters, the embodiment of the conductor arrangement from FIG. 2 corresponds to that of FIG. 1 in construction and functionality.

(44) FIG. 3 shows an embodiment example of a plaited network structure. Alternatively, said structure can be woven. The inner conductor 1 and/or the outer conductor 3 can be constructed having said plaited network structure of conductive material, such as aluminum or copper.

(45) As can be seen from FIGS. 4 and 5, said plaited network structure of the conductors has the advantage that the network can be compressed or stretched in both the longitudinal and transverse directions. Said mesh can comprise a cylindrical shape, for example produced as tubes or rolled as a flat network.

(46) FIG. 6 shows an embodiment example of a conductor arrangement having a plaited network structure for the inner conductor and outer conductor. The conductor arrangement has a coaxial round structure at one end 6 and a coaxial rectangular structure at the other end 7.

(47) A transition from a coplanar to a coaxial connection interface of the conductor arrangement can be particularly advantageously used in the drivetrain of a motor vehicle, such as between the battery and the drive motor. The network structure is stretched at the outer radius 8 of the curved conductor arrangement, while the network structure is compressed at the inner radius 9. Because the drive motor and battery are commonly supported on body or chassis components supported displaceably to each other, the flexible construction of the conductor arrangement is also advantageous here.

(48) FIG. 7 shows an embodiment of a circuit board 10 in a circuit configuration for feeding a drive motor designed as a multiphase electric machine. Preferably one circuit board is provided for actuating each phase of the multiphase electric machine.

(49) The circuit board 10 comprises a board 13 and comprises flat mounted voltage connections thereon for a positive pole 11 and for a negative pole 12.

(50) The connection for the positive pole 11 has a large area, as does the connection for the negative pole 12, wherein the connection for the positive pole is present on the top side of the board 13 and the connection for the negative pole is present on the bottom side of the board 13. Both connections are substantially rectangular in shape. The positive pole 11 and the negative pole 12 are used for connecting to an intermediate circuit voltage. An output connection 14 also has a large area and rectangular shape and is also provided for connecting to each connection of the corresponding phase of the machine.

(51) In place of the board 13, a supporting plate or a printed circuit board (PCB) can be provided.

(52) At least one semiconductor power switch, not shown here, is connected between the output connection 14 and the connection for the positive pole 11. At least one semiconductor power switch is further connected between the output connection 14 and the connection for the negative pole 12, also not shown here. The semiconductor power switches can preferably be mounted on the circuit board where the connection for the positive pole 11 and the output connection or the connection for the negative pole 12 and the output connection meet at slight spacing along a separating line 15 to the insulation.

(53) The purpose of said circuit configuration is to connect either the positive potential or the negative potential of the positive or negative pole 11, 12 to the output connection 14 of the circuit and thus to one phase of the machine. The contact between the output connection and the phase of the machine can be provided via various types of connections, such as screws, splices, or solder. Attaching by means of electrically conductive adapter pads is also possible, said pads thereby being implemented having a straight or angled design. Said design serves for adapting to the mechanical interface of the machine.

(54) One alternative embodiment of the circuit configuration is shown in FIG. 8. Unlike in FIG. 7, the positive pole and the negative pole 11, 12 are not disposed on opposite sides of the board 13, but rather adjacent to each other on the same side. The connection pads are thereby implemented such that the positive pole 11 and the negative pole 12 each cover one corner of the board 13, while the plate for contacting the output connection covers two corners of the board.

(55) An intermediate circuit capacitor, not shown here, can be mounted at the separating location 16 between the positive pole 11 and the negative pole 12 running in a parallel straight line along the board 13. One semiconductor power switch, also not shown here, is mounted at each separating location 15 also running in a straight line between the positive pole 11 and the output connection 14 and between the negative pole 12 and the output connection 14.

(56) The plates implementing the positive pole 11, the negative pole 12, and the output connection 14 can be made of aluminum or copper plates, for example, and be mounted on the electrically insulating base board 13 comprising plastic, for example.

(57) In an alternative embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9, a sandwich structure comprising a plurality of thin, conductive layers each spaced apart by thin insulating layers is provided in place of each plate for implementing the current-carrying connections. The metal layers, such as copper layers, are electrically connected by means of interlayer connections and the current is thus divided. A conventional standard multilayer PCB can be used to this end.

(58) FIG. 10 shows an embodiment example of high-current contacts for contacting the base plate of the battery.

(59) To this end, the base plate comprises at least two contact bars mount on a sandwich structure comprising at least two conductive plates having insulators between the same and conductively connected to each of the plates of the base plate.

(60) The high-current contact shown in FIG. 10 is offered by the manufacturer Druseidt and enables a disconnectable terminal contact for high current to the base plate of the battery. The contact shown in FIG. 10 is thereby present at least twice for each pole of the DC voltage for charging the battery and is fixedly connected to a charging station, for example. The contact can also be made by a displaceable ground-level connection at a charging station, or by autonomously parking a vehicle on a contact point comprising the high-current contacts.

(61) Alternative high-current contacts from Ampac are shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 in an alternative example.

(62) FIGS. 13 and 14 show an embodiment of the contacts from Multi-Contact, also to be used for contacting the base plate.

(63) In a preferred embodiment, the high-current contacts are coated at least on the vehicle side. A corresponding coating can be provided on the contact bars below the base plate. Said coating can be produced by special anodization, for example. Alternatively or additionally, the electrical contact surfaces can be coated with copper, cupal, silver, tin, and/or gold in order to improve conductivity and increase corrosion resistance. A coating comprising graphite or carbon nanotubes can be used alternatively or additionally.

(64) The charging station can comprise spray nozzles for applying contact grease to the contact surfaces.

(65) FIG. 15 shows a protective cover for the contact bars of the base plate of the vehicle. This can be slidingly supported on the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. A lamellar seal present in the present embodiment is not visible. The parts are displaceable along the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, that is, along a diagonal from the top left to the bottom right in the present figure.

(66) FIGS. 16 and 17 show details of a base plate of a rechargeable battery of an electrically powered vehicle having a proposed sandwich structure. Semicircular or round openings 20, 21 tapering down from the open side can be used for contacting the upper contact of the upper plate of the sandwich structure from the bottom of the vehicle.

(67) Of course, a plurality of such contact openings can be provided in alternative embodiments in order to increase current-carrying capacity.

(68) Alternatively, the geometric shape of the contact openings can be designed differently, for example as a polygon or elongated hole.

(69) FIG. 18 shows an embodiment example of a protective circuit configuration for tripping a fuse 30 connected in series with a battery cell 31. The battery cell 31 is part of a battery or a rechargeable battery of an electrically powered motor vehicle, for example. A short-circuit switch 32 is connected in parallel to the series circuit comprising the fuse 30 and the battery 31. A control unit 33 detects an impermissibly high current of the battery cell 31 by means of a fault current detection device 34 and in this case actuates the short-circuit switch 32. The power electronics 35 of a motor 36, such as the drive motor of the motor vehicle, is connected in parallel with the short-circuit switch 32. The half bridges of the power electronics 35 described above, potentially comprised by a circuit configuration for feeding the drive motor, can be used alternatively or in addition to producing a short circuit in parallel with the series circuit comprising the fuse and the battery.

(70) In other words, the control unit 33 detects a short circuit or a deviation in general from a difference between the battery current on one side and the DC current draw at the power electronics on the other side. If further consumers are present, said consumers must be considered in the balance in order to detect the fault case. In case of a fault, the short-circuit switch 32 is closed in order to trip the fuse 30 to protect the battery cell 31.

(71) The DC current draw of the power electronics can be measured by means of the current sensor 34. Alternatively, the DC current draw can be calculated without a current sensor. A speed sensor and a torque model are used to calculate the mechanical power. The DC current can be calculated using a loss model for the machine and the power electronics.

(72) FIG. 19 shows a refinement of a protective circuit configuration for tripping a fuse. Said refinement largely corresponds to that of FIG. 18 and is not described here again in this respect. In place of a single series circuit comprising a fuse 30 and a battery cell 31, however, in FIG. 19 a series-parallel circuit comprising a total of four series circuits is provided, each comprising a fuse 30 and a battery cell 31. In the present embodiment example, two each of such series circuits are connected to each other in series and two each are connected in parallel. The passive fuses 30 altogether protect each battery cell 31. The active switch and the control unit, however, need not be provided for each cell and connected in parallel thereto. Current is measured by means of the current sensor 34.

(73) In alternative embodiments, an arbitrary number of the four series circuits shown as examples can be connected in parallel and/or in series.

(74) The battery cells 31 can be cells of a conventional rechargeable battery or cells of a fuel cell or a flow cell battery.

(75) FIGS. 20 through 23 each show an embodiment example of a drive device according to the proposed principle, wherein one conductor arrangement 38 is connected between a rectifier 35 and a battery 37 according to the proposed principle. One drive motor 36 each is provided between the rectifier 35 and a gearbox 39.

(76) FIG. 24 shows a refinement of the circuit board 10′ from FIG. 8, but populated by electronic components. A support capacitor 17 is particularly mounted between the positive pole 11 and negative pole 12, each flat in design, said capacitor connecting the two poles to each other across the separating line 16. Two semiconductor power switches 18, 19 are connected between the positive pole 11 and the output connection 14 on one side and between the output connection 14 and the negative pole on the other side. A circuit board connects one reference connection each of the semiconductor power switches 18, 19 to each other.

(77) FIG. 25 shows a refinement of the circuit board 10 from FIG. 7, also populated in contrast to the plate in said figure. Two support capacitors 17 are mounted on the flat positive pole 11 and, not shown here, contact the negative pole. A total of four semiconductor power switches 77 are further connected between the output connection 14 and the positive pole 11. The semiconductor power switches 22 are connected to each other by means of a common circuit board at a common reference potential connection. The negative pole can be connected to the capacitor 17 by means of a hole.

(78) FIG. 26 shows an alternative embodiment of the circuit board from FIG. 24. A flat contact pad is provided on one side and an angled contact pad on the other side for contacting the output connection 14 and said pads can be connected to a bar of the winding to be placed in a slot for contacting the output connection 14 of the circuit board. Two contacting options are thus provided.

(79) For all embodiments according to FIGS. 24 through 26, the potentials between the positive pole, the negative pole, and the output connection are separated by separation point or separation lines 16, 16′.

(80) For the embodiments according to FIGS. 24 through 26, the bottom sides are also each populated by semiconductor switches for interconnecting one or both of the two poles, depending on the implementation.

(81) FIG. 27 shows the embodiment example of the circuit board 10′ from FIG. 24 mounted on the axial end face of an electric machine. The output connection 14 is conductively connected to a bar 23. One circuit plate 10′ is provided for each bar 23 and is connected to the end face thereof, but for visibility purposes only one single circuit board is shown in FIG. 27. The contact can be produced by means of various methods.

(82) FIGS. 28 through 30 show embodiment examples of contacting a circuit board 10′ according to FIG. 24 having two contact rings 24, 25 for connecting all positive poles of all circuit boards to each other and for connecting all negative poles of all circuit boards to each other.

(83) FIG. 28 thereby shows the mounting of the circuit board in the axial direction adjacent to the contact rings, FIG. 29 shows the mounting of the circuit board in the radial direction between the contact rings, and FIG. 30 shows the mounting in the axial and radial direction between the contact rings. Only one circuit board is shown again for better visibility.

(84) FIGS. 31 through 33 each show one embodiment example of a circuit board 10 according to FIG. 25, each mounted by means of contact pads on two contact rings 26, 27 for short-circuiting all positive poles and all negative poles, similar to FIGS. 28 through 30. The circuit boards, however, are not connected directly to the contact rings, but rather by means of contact pads.

(85) FIG. 31 in turn shows the mounting in the axial direction adjacent to the contact rings, FIG. 32 shows the mounting in the radial direction between the contact rings, and FIG. 33 shows the mounting in the axial and radial direction relative to the contact rings 26, 27. Only one circuit board is shown again for better visibility. The contact pads can comprise holes or not, depending on the type of connection.

(86) FIG. 34 shows an embodiment example of mounting a circuit board 10′ between two contact rings 24, 25 in a detail view of a cross section in the axial direction.

(87) FIG. 35 shows an embodiment example of a base plate of a rechargeable battery having a sandwich structure according to the proposed principle, wherein the two plates each have an interlaced comb structure in order to increase the capacitance of the plate capacitors.