Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for an electric axle in a vehicle. The electric axle comprises an electric motor having a stator and a rotor, a coolant manifold mounted to an end plate of the rotor, wherein the coolant manifold is configured to flow coolant to rotor coolant lines extending axially through the rotor, and a spray ring comprising coolant lines coupled to the coolant manifold, wherein coolant flowing from the coolant manifold to the spray ring flows in a direction angled to an axial direction, wherein the spray ring is positioned circumferentially about axial stator end windings.

Abstract: An inverter assembly including a phase-control chamber and a direct current (DC) chamber. The phase-control chamber includes a direct current (DC) link capacitor electrically connected a control circuit board via multiple connectors. The DC chamber includes a ferrite filter fixed to a DC bus bar via a support component.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for a winding reconfiguration assembly for an electric machine. The winding reconfiguration assembly includes a multi-position contactor device designed to switch stator windings in the electric machine between a first electric configuration in a first position and a second electric configuration in a second position. The winding reconfiguration assembly further includes an electromagnetic actuator configured switch the multi-position contactor device between the first position and the second position in response to a change in the polarity of a coil in the electromagnetic actuator.

Abstract: A system is shown for cooling components of an inverter. In one example, an inverter comprises a first compartment including a direct current (DC) link capacitor that is electrically coupled to a discharge resistor; and a thermal pad in contact with the DC link capacitor; a cooling system configured to circulate coolant through a housing adjacent to the thermal pad; and a noise filtering ferrite element coupled to a DC bus bar. A cooling plate may be further included between the DC link capacitor and the thermal pad and during a during a first condition when the inverter is operating, heat is transferred from the DC link capacitor to the cooling system; and during a second condition when the inverter is not operating, heat is reduced in the DC link capacitor by discharging electricity stored in the DC link capacitor via the discharge resistor.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for an electric axle in a vehicle. An electric axle comprises an electric motor having a stator and a rotor, a coolant manifold mounted to an end plate of the rotor, wherein the coolant manifold is configured to flow coolant to rotor coolant lines extending axially through the rotor, and a first spray ring arranged adjacent to the coolant manifold and a second spray ring arranged distally to the coolant manifold, wherein the first spray ring receives coolant from the coolant manifold via an interior passage and the second spray ring receives coolant from the coolant manifold via an outer passage.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for an electric motor. In one example, the electric motor may include a stator with end windings protruding axially, along a central axis of rotation of the electric motor, from a first end of the stator and a first end plate arranged at the first end of the stator. The first end plate may have an inner face with indentations configured to receive the end windings, the indentations including a thermally conductive material to interface with the end windings. In addition, the first end plate may include at least one cooling channel for flowing a coolant.

Abstract: Systems are provided for a cooling system for an electric vehicle. In one example, a system includes a plate arranged between separate circuit boards. The plate directly cools one of the circuit boards and block thermal communication between the circuit boards.

Abstract: Systems are provided for an electric motor. In one example, a system may include a plurality of segmented slots positioned around an inner surface of a stator, wherein each of the plurality of segmented slots comprises a first section comprising a first width and a second section comprising a second width, the second width different than the first.

Abstract: Methods and systems for a dielectric material coated busbar are provided. In one example, a conductive material may be formed into a shape of a busbar and portions of the busbar may be selectively coated with a dielectric material which may be both electrically insulating and thermally conductive. The dielectric coated portions of the busbar may dissipate heat to a heat sink via a thermal interface material compressed on the busbar.

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: 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: 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: 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.