SENSOR FASTENER FOR MEASURING A TEMPERATURE IN AN ELECTRIC MACHINE OF A MOTOR VEHICLE

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a sensor fastener for measuring a temperature on a busbar assembly with a busbar, said assembly has at least one busbar assembly with at least one busbar. One or more busbars have bending elements, each of which has a free end; and a connecting ring for connecting to the busbar assembly. The bending elements extend through the connecting ring such that the free ends are free-standing in such a manner that the temperature of the free ends can be measured by a temperature sensor, thereby allowing a precise measurement of the temperature in a winding of an electric machine for a motor vehicle.

Claims

1. A sensor fastener for measuring a temperature on at least one busbar assembly having at least one busbar, said at least one busbar assembly being arranged in an electric machine with a rotational axis, for driving a motor vehicle, comprising: a busbar assembly having at least one busbar, wherein one or more busbars have a plurality of bending elements, each of which has a free end; a connecting ring for connecting to the busbar assembly, the bending elements extending through the connecting ring such that the free ends of the bending elements are free-standing in such a manner that the temperature of the free ends can be measured by a temperature sensor.

2. The sensor fastener according to claim 1, wherein the free ends of the bending elements for measuring a temperature are configured for contact with a temperature sensor in a radial direction relative to the rotational axis of the electric machine.

3. The sensor fastener according to claim 1, wherein the sensor fastener is configured for a releasable connection to a temperature sensor, wherein the connecting ring has at least one connecting ring abutment for interacting in a releasably connecting manner with at least one temperature sensor abutment of a temperature sensor.

4. The sensor fastener according to claim 1, wherein the sensor fastener is configured for at least one of a force-fitting or a form-fitting connection with a temperature sensor, wherein the connecting ring has at least one connecting ring abutment for interacting in a connecting manner with at least one temperature sensor abutment of a temperature sensor, or wherein the bending elements are configured for interacting in at least one of a force-fitting or a form-fitting connecting manner with a temperature sensor.

5. The sensor fastener according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the bending elements are configured such that their free ends are arranged radially offset to the rotational axis, or the sensor fastener has at least one connecting ring abutment which is arranged radially offset to the rotational axis in order to arrange a temperature sensor between the radially offset free ends or between the radially offset connecting ring abutment.

6. The sensor fastener according to claim 1, wherein the sensor fastener is configured to receive a temperature sensor via a pushing movement, wherein the pushing movement extends along a pushing direction (S) lateral to the rotational axis.

7. The sensor fastener according to claim 1, wherein the sensor fastener has at least one connecting ring abutment including at least one of a latch or a stop.

8. The sensor fastener according to claim 1, wherein the busbar assembly has three busbars.

9. A stator assembly, having at least one sensor fastener for an electric machine with the sensor fastener according to claim 1, further comprising at least one temperature sensor.

10. The stator assembly according to claim 9, wherein the at least one temperature sensor and the at least one sensor fastener have an epoxy coating in a connected state.

11. A sensor fastener for measuring a temperature of a busbar assembly element in an electric machine, the sensor fastener comprising: a busbar assembly having at least one busbar including a plurality of bending elements each having a free end; and a connecting ring connected with the busbar assembly such that each one of the plurality of bending elements extends through the connecting ring and the free ends of the bending elements are exposed and configured to be engaged with a temperature sensor, and the sensor fastener is configured to engage with the temperature sensor via a form-fitting or a force-fitting.

12. The sensor fastener according to claim 11, wherein the free ends of the plurality of bending elements are dimensioned for contact with a temperature sensor in a radial direction relative to a rotational axis of the electric machine.

13. The sensor fastener according to claim 11, wherein the sensor fastener is configured for a releasable connection to a temperature sensor, wherein the connecting ring has at least one abutment configured to releasably connect with a corresponding temperature sensor abutment of the temperature sensor.

14. The sensor fastener according to claim 11, wherein the busbar assembly has three busbars.

15. The sensor fastener according to claim 11, wherein the sensor fastener has at least one connecting ring abutment including at least one of a latch or a stop.

16. The sensor fastener according to claim 11, wherein the sensor fastener is configured to receive a temperature sensor via a pushing movement, wherein the pushing movement extends along a pushing direction (S) lateral to a rotational axis of the electric machine.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0042] In the following, the disclosure is explained by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings using preferred exemplary embodiments, wherein the features shown below can represent an aspect of the disclosure both individually and in combination. In the figures:

[0043] FIG. 1: shows a temperature sensor for connection to a sensor fastener according to a preferred embodiment of the disclosure;

[0044] FIG. 2: shows a perspective view of a busbar of a sensor fastener of a preferred embodiment of the disclosure;

[0045] FIG. 3: shows a busbar assembly having three busbars of a sensor fastener of a preferred embodiment of the disclosure;

[0046] FIG. 4: shows the busbar according to FIG. 2 from another perspective view,

[0047] FIG. 5: shows a plan view of a sensor fastener according to a preferred embodiment of the disclosure;

[0048] FIG. 6: shows a perspective detail of the sensor fastener from FIG. 5;

[0049] FIG. 7: shows a plan view of the sensor fastener from FIG. 5;

[0050] FIG. 8: shoes a perspective view of the temperature sensor from FIG. 1 and the sensor fastener from FIG. 5; and

[0051] FIG. 9: shows a perspective view of a stator assembly having the temperature sensor from FIG. 1 and the sensor fastener from FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0052] The disclosure relates to a sensor fastener 10 for measuring a temperature on at least one busbar assembly 12 with at least one busbar 12a, 12b, 12c, said assembly being arranged in an electric machine with a rotational axis, for driving a motor vehicle, having at least

[0053] one busbar assembly 12 with at least one busbar 12a, 12b, 12c, wherein one or more busbars 12a, 12b, 12c have a plurality of bending elements 14a, 14b, 14c, 14d, 14e, 14f, 14g, each of which has a free end 16a, 16b, 16c, 16d, 16e, 16f, 16g;

[0054] one connecting ring 18 for connecting to the busbar assembly 12, wherein the bending elements 14a, 14b, 14c, 14d, 14e, 14f, 14g extend through the connecting ring 18 such that the free ends 16a, 16b, 16c, 16d, 16e, 16f, 16g of the bending elements 14a, 14b, 14c, 14d, 14e, 14f, 14g are free-standing in such a manner that the temperature of the free ends 16a, 16b, 16c, 16d, 16e, 16f, 16g can be measured by a temperature sensor 20.

[0055] FIGS. 1 to 4 show the inventive solution in its individual components, i.e., the temperature sensor in FIG. 1, the busbar arrangement 12 in FIG. 3 and a second busbar 12b of the busbar arrangement 12 in FIGS. 2 and 4. Furthermore, FIG. 5 shows a structural unit of the sensor fastener 10, wherein the busbar assembly 12 and the connecting ring 18 are joined together to form the sensor fastener 10. In an exemplary manner, FIGS. 6 to 9 disclose the functionality and assembly steps of the sensor fastener 10 when it is integrated into an electric machine and how the thermal connection of the temperature sensor 20 in the stator of the electric machine or between the wires is enabled and fixed.

[0056] The temperature sensor 20 is preferably designed as an NTC or PTC resistance element.

[0057] FIG. 1 illustrates the basic structure of a preferred temperature sensor 20. Here, the temperature sensor 20 is surrounded by a shrink tube. This shrink tube has, on each side, temperature sensor abutment means 24a, 24b, each designed as a guide shaft, used to fix the temperature sensor 20. This temperature sensor 20 is connected to a cable by means of a connection technology, for example by welding or crimping.

[0058] FIGS. 2 and 4 show a structure of a preferred busbar 12b. The busbar 12b is expanded compared to conventional busbars in order to be bent up in three directions. First, a sheet is conventionally shaped flat, for example by punching or laser cutting the sheet. Then the individual bending elements 14a, 14b, 14c, 14d, 14e, 14f, 14g are correspondingly reshaped and/or left unbent. For example, the bending element 14d is pulled radially inward, against the two closest bending elements 14c, 14e, in order to be able to position the temperature sensor 20 in such a way that an optimal heat transfer can take place.

[0059] FIG. 3 shows a busbar assembly 12 with three busbars 12a, 12b, 12c of an electric machine.

[0060] The busbar assembly 12 with three busbars 12a, 12b, 12c is, as shown in FIG. 5, surrounded by a plastic-like material. This also means that the busbar assembly 12 is connected to the connecting ring 18.

[0061] FIGS. 6 and 7 show an interface of the temperature sensor 20, comprising, for example, four connecting ring abutment means 22a, 22b, 22c, 22d. The fourth connecting ring abutment means 22d, designed as stop means or a holding element, serve to bring the temperature sensor 20 into an end position or to limit it there. The mounting direction of the temperature sensor 20 is shown as the pushing direction S, see FIG. 8. The lateral connecting ring abutment means 22a, 22b, 22c are designed, for example, as latches and clamp the temperature sensor 20 so that it does not change its position undesirably in the last assembly step, see FIG. 9.

[0062] FIG. 9 discloses the end position of the temperature sensor 20, which is preferably coated or encased in a final assembly step with an insulating material, not shown, for example epoxy. This is done in order to isolate open weld points at free ends 16a, 16b, 16c, 16d, 16e, 16f, 16g of the bending elements 14a, 14b, 14c, 14d, 14e, 14f, 14g. Since the temperature sensor 20 is at approximately the same height as any weld points on the busbars 12a, 12b, 12c, this process can be used to hold the temperature sensor 20 in position and at the same time to thermally insulate it accordingly.

[0063] Finally, the temperature sensor 20 is pressed directly between the busbars 12a, 12b, 12c and is largely protected from environmental influences by the insulation by epoxy dipping. This means that there are no media streams, for example: water, air or oil, directly on the temperature sensor 20, so that it remains protected.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0064] 10 Sensor fastener [0065] 12 Busbar assembly [0066] 12a First busbar [0067] 12b Second busbar [0068] 12c Third busbar [0069] 14a First bending element of the second busbar [0070] 14b Second bending element of the second busbar [0071] 14c Third bending element of the second busbar [0072] 14d Fourth bending element of the second busbar [0073] 14e Fifth bending element of the second busbar [0074] 14f First bending element of the first busbar [0075] 14g Second bending element of the first busbar [0076] 16a Free end of the first bending element of the second busbar [0077] 16b Free end of the second bending element of the second busbar [0078] 16c Free end of the third bending element of the second busbar [0079] 16d Free end of the fourth bending element of the second busbar [0080] 16e Free end of the fifth bending element of the second busbar [0081] 16f Free end of the first bending element of the first busbar [0082] 16g Free end of the second bending element of the first busbar [0083] 18 Connecting ring [0084] 20 Temperature sensor [0085] 22a First connecting ring abutment means [0086] 22b Second connecting ring abutment means [0087] 22c Third connecting ring abutment means [0088] 22d Fourth connecting ring abutment means [0089] 24a First temperature sensor abutment means [0090] 24b Second temperature sensor abutment means [0091] 26 Stator assembly [0092] S Pushing direction