Abstract: The present disclosure is concerned with bus bars that are provided with protrusions that allow them to be brought directly or indirectly in contact with a cooling system to remove heat generated in the bus bars themselves. The disclosure further provides a method of cooling a bus bar. The method includes providing at least one bus bar with at least one protrusion, and connecting the at least one protrusion to a cooling element.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for modulating undesired electric-motor braking. Based upon the detection of an inverter degradation event, one of a first gate driver and a second gate driver (e.g., a high gate driver and a low gate driver, such as for one phase of an inverter) may be asserted in an alternating manner while the other of the first gate driver and a second gate driver is de-asserted, and the first gate driver and second gate driver may then be provided to a power switch circuitry. The alternating assertion of the one of the first gate driver and the second gate driver may be associated with a higher-speed state, and the de-assertion of both the first gate driver and the second gate driver may be associated with a lower-speed state.

Abstract: A drive circuit for an electric machine is disclosed. In one example, the drive circuit utilizes a bootstrap capacitor and a bootstrap diode, followed by a regulator, as a basis for driving a gate of a power stage of an inverter. The regulated voltages from the bootstrap capacitor and bootstrap diode eliminate the need for using a transformer for driving the gate of the power stage of the inverter.

Abstract: Systems for a voltage balanced multi-set hairpin windings for electric motors are provided. The systems comprise a stator assembly of an electric motor system, a plurality of radial slots positioned around an inner cylindrical surface, and a winding scheme for the stator assembly including alternating positioning of a hairpin wire having a seven slot span and another hairpin wire having a five slot span in four sub-circuits.

Abstract: The present disclosure is concerned with a stator for an electric machine comprising a plurality of stacked laminations each including inwardly facing slots defining inwardly facing teeth configured to receive prewound coils thereonto. Each slot including a generally triangular projection configured and sized as to be in proximity of the prewound coils.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for a power module. In one example, the power module may have a half-bridge configuration with electrical terminals arranged at opposite side of the power module, semiconductor chips arranged in a printed circuit board (PCB), a capacitor electrically coupled to the electrical terminals and arranged above and in contact with a top plate of the power module, and one or more connectors coupled to the PCB to couple the power module to external circuits. The power module may be directly cooled by flowing a coolant over the semiconductor chips.

Abstract: A thermal interface for discrete semiconductor devices (such as IGBT's) having a thermally conductive structure, a PCB populated with discrete electronic components, and each of the discrete semiconductor devices having a housing extending beyond the edge of the PCB and in a direction substantially parallel to a plane of the PCB, and a clamp bar secured to the thermally conductive structure adapted to compressively secure each housing to the thermally conductive structure and adapted to maintain thermal contact between a surface of each housing and the surface of the thermally conductive structure. A thermally conductive and electrically insulative pad is positioned between the semiconductor device housing and the thermally conductive structure. A casing enclosing the interface and PCB includes the thermally conductive structure formed on a backwall of the casing.

Abstract: A mass tuned damper for electric machines, particularly those with an external rotor and an internal stator in cantilever arrangement. The mass tuned damper includes a body with a predetermined mass and a mounting mechanism with a predetermined rigidity configured to couple the body onto a mounting surface of the stator. The mass tuned damper is configured, by varying the mass of body and/or the rigidity of the mounting mechanism, to oscillate at a first frequency equal to, but at least partially out of phase with, a resonance frequency of the stator.

Abstract: An electric machine provided with a stator structure including internal and external layers of interleaved pre-wound coils made of rectangular wire coated with enamel insulation varnish is described herein. The two layers of pre-wound coils allow the use of slightly different size of pre-wound coils, which facilitates their insertion into the stator slots.

Abstract: A method for forming the heads of coils made of rectangular wire so that it fits within the slots of the stator of an electric machine. The method includes receiving a coil having unformed first and second heads separated by first and second legs and applying controlled deformation to yield properly shaped heads. Actuators are provided for causing sequential actuated movements of one of the first and second legs to force the head-forming elements into contact with different portions of the first and second heads while allowing selective free movements of the other leg in response to the actuated movements.

Abstract: An electric machine is described herein. The electric machine includes a casing, a stator, a rotor generally coaxial with the stator, an enclosed cooling assembly circulating a first cooling fluid within the casing, and an open cooling assembly through which a second cooling assembly can flow; the open cooling assembly cooling both the stator and the first cooling fluid.

Abstract: A multiphase connector for electric powertrain systems includes a terminal block and a plug member that are, at least in part, made from electrically conductive metal. The terminal block has at least one socket surrounding a retaining spring and the plug member has at least one contact pin configured to be inserted in to the at least one socket. The plug member can be engaged with the terminal block without use of installation tools and includes one or more cable gland assembly in contact with a shield of a shielded cable.

Abstract: A machine that forms the heads of coils made of rectangular wire so that it fits within the slots of the stator of an electric machine. The machine receives a coil having unformed first and second heads separated by first and second legs and applies controlled deformation to yield properly shaped heads. The machine comprises first and second leg support mechanisms for gripping the first and second legs and head-forming elements mounted to the first and second leg support mechanisms for contacting portions of the heads of the coil while the first and second legs are gripped by the leg support. Actuators are provided for causing sequential actuated movements of one of the first and second legs to force the head-forming elements into contact with different portions of the first and second heads while allowing selective free movements of the other leg in response to the actuated movements.

Abstract: An embodiment of a liquid cooled electric machine is provided with an enclosed stator and includes a cooling assembly so configured as to allow cooling liquid to flow in the coil receiving slots of the enclosed stator to thereby cool the coils positioned therein.

Abstract: A multiple-phase electric machine provided with multiple inverter power circuits is described herein. The present multiple-phase electric machine aim at performing configuration changes while reducing the loss of torque when machines are switched between configurations. This is done by forming groups of phases defining machine portions that are powered by a separate inverter power circuit and by switching the machine portions separately with controlled switching devices.