Abstract: An electronic device including an electronic switch M1, an electrical pre-charge circuit and a measurement, command and diagnosis module. The main electronic switch M1 has a first electrical terminal D1, a second electrical terminal S1, and a main driving terminal G1. The main electronic switch M1 is adapted to take, based on a driving signal DRV, depending on the command signal CMD and on an enabling signal ENB, a closed condition or an open condition, wherein the first electrical terminal D1 is respectively connected to or disconnected from the second electrical terminal S1. The pre-charge electrical circuit is adapted to carry out, based on the command signal CMD, a pre-charge operation, aimed at equalizing the electric potentials (V1, V2) of the first and second terminals of the device, before the main electronic switch M1 takes a closed condition, upon of a transition from the open condition.

Abstract: An electronic control device for controlling a vehicle battery pack comprises a non-programmable monitoring and actuation unit and a two-way serial communication interface. The non-programmable monitoring and actuation unit is electrically and operatively connectable to the battery pack and to each of the battery cells C to detect analog battery parameters P, including at least the magnitudes of battery voltage Vb and battery current Ib, in addition to temperature (Tc1, Tcn), current (Ic1, Icn) and voltage (Vc1, Vcn) of each battery cell C. The non-programmable monitoring and actuation unit generates monitoring signals Sm representative of the detected analog battery parameters P. The two-way serial communication interface is connected to the non-programmable monitoring and actuation unit to receive the monitoring signals Sm and to supply the aforesaid at least one command signal Sc.

Abstract: A method to construct an electric machine provided with: a stator having a magnetic core longitudinally crossed by a plurality of stator slots; a stator winding having a series of rigid bars, which are “U”-shaped and are inserted through the stator slots defining an entry side, in which the cusps of the “U”-shaped bars are placed, and an exit side, in which the legs of the “U”-shaped bars are placed; the construction method comprises the steps of electrically connecting the ends of at least two non-adjacent legs to one another by means of a connection bridge, which is made of a flat plate arranged perpendicular to the central axis of rotation and has, for each leg, a corresponding “U”-shaped seat, which is suited to receive the end of the leg.

Abstract: A laser welding method to weld two adjacent metal elements of a stator winding with rigid bars for an electric machine; the two metal elements are arranged one beside the other and have respective upper surfaces, which are arranged coplanar to one another and have at least one common edge; in succession, in the direction of the upper surfaces of the two metal elements, a first laser beam is aimed, which is fed along a first welding line, which is perpendicular to the common edge and extends through the common edge itself, and then a second laser beam is aimed, which is fed along a second welding line, which is perpendicular to the common edge and extends through the common edge itself, is parallel to and spaced apart from the first line and has a length that is smaller than the one of the first line.

Abstract: An electric machine provided with: a stator having a magnetic core longitudinally crossed by a plurality of stator slots; a stator winding having a series of rigid bars, which are “U”-shaped and are inserted through the stator slots defining an entry side, in which the cusps of the “U”-shaped bars are placed, and an exit side, in which the legs of the “U”-shaped bars are placed; the ends of at least two non-adjacent legs are electrically connected to one another by means of a connection bridge; and an insulating support is provided, which houses the connection bridge, is arranged under the connection bridge and has a plurality of through holes, into which some legs are inserted, which have to pass through the insulating support itself.

Abstract: An electronic device for the diagnosis of insulation loss of an energized electrical apparatus, with respect to a ground. The device includes a first resistance-switch group and a second resistance-switch group, connectable or disconnectable in a controlled manner, and also a first measurement circuit and a second measurement circuit, arranged in parallel to the first and second resistance-switch groups, respectively. The first and second measurement circuits include respective first and second detection circuits, first and second charge modulation circuits and first and second partition resistors (RBminus, RBplus). The first and second charge modulation circuits allow a dynamic “switching” measurement technique. Moreover, a method is described for measuring the insulation resistances (RIminus, RIplus) of an energized electrical apparatus with respect to ground, in which the method is carried out by a device according to the invention. Finally, a self-diagnosis method of device is described.

Abstract: A cooling circuit with cooling liquid for lithium-ion batteries comprising a battery pack comprising a plurality of cells electrically connected with each other, suitable for powering an electric machine for traction. The cells are perimetrically delimited by external walls. At least one bag contains cooling liquid associated in contact with the outer walls of the cells. The bag is made of deformable plastic material so as to be counter-shaped to the outer walls to adhere perimetrally to the outer walls and the circuit provides forced circulation of the cooling liquid through said at least one bag.

Abstract: An electronic device including an electronic switch M1, an electrical pre-charge circuit and a measurement, command and diagnosis module. The main electronic switch M1 has a first electrical terminal D1, a second electrical terminal S1, and a main driving terminal G1. The main electronic switch M1 is adapted to take, based on a driving signal DRV, depending on the command signal CMD and on an enabling signal ENB, a closed condition or an open condition, wherein the first electrical terminal D1 is respectively connected to or disconnected from the second electrical terminal S1. The pre-charge electrical circuit is adapted to carry out, based on the command signal CMD, a pre-charge operation, aimed at equalizing the electric potentials (V1, V2) of the first and second terminals of the device, before the main electronic switch M1 takes a closed condition, upon of a transition from the open condition.

Abstract: An electronic device including an electronic switch M1, an electrical pre-charge circuit and a measurement, command and diagnosis module. The main electronic switch M1 has a first electrical terminal D1, a second electrical terminal S1, and a main driving terminal G1. The main electronic switch M1 is adapted to take, based on a driving signal DRV, depending on the command signal CMD and on an enabling signal ENB, a closed condition or an open condition, wherein the first electrical terminal D1 is respectively connected to or disconnected from the second electrical terminal S1. The pre-charge electrical circuit is adapted to carry out, based on the command signal CMD, a pre-charge operation, aimed at equalizing the electric potentials (V1, V2) of the first and second terminals of the device, before the main electronic switch M1 takes a closed condition, upon of a transition from the open condition.

Abstract: An electronic device for controlling the electric charge of a load electrically supplied by a battery pack, comprising: a support; a control module integrated in the support; an electric pre-charging circuit of the load controlled by the control module; an electric active discharge circuit of the load controlled by the control module. The electric pre-charging circuit comprises at least one first solid-state switch and is integrated on the support. The electric active discharge circuit comprises at least one second solid-state switch and is integrated on the support. The first solid-state switch and the second solid-state switch work either as a switch or as a variable resistor.

Abstract: Method and station for the construction of a stator winding with rigid bars for a rotary electrical machine; an insulated wire of electrically conductor material and provided on the outside with an insulating layer is unwound from a coil. A final end of the insulated wire is bent in a “U” shape so as to create a bar having two legs connected to one another by a cusp. The insulated wire is transversely cut to separate the rigid bar from the remaining part of the wire; and the bar is inserted into a stator slot of a magnetic core of a stator. The electrical conductivity is measured between the core and the outer surface of the insulated wire by means of a first electrode electrically and permanently connected to the core of the insulated wire and a second electrode, which rubs against the outer surface of the insulated wire.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a solid-state relay including a power semiconductor switch device connected between a first electrical terminal and a second electrical terminal and having a command terminal. An electronic driving block is adapted to generate a command signal applied to the command terminal to switch the at least one semiconductor switch device from a closed/open state to an open/closed state to disconnect/connect the first electrical circuit portion from/to the second portion of the electrical circuit. An electronic block detects a current which crosses the power semiconductor switch device. The electronic detection block includes a first electronic device adapted to generate a first signal indicative of a difference of potential between the first and second terminals generated by the current which crosses a total resistance present between the first and second terminals of the power semiconductor switch device in the closed state.

Abstract: A vehicle step apparatus including an extending and retracting device having a mounting bracket, a step bracket, and an arm assembly. A gear box has a cavity into which at least a portion of a motor shaft of a motor is inserted. A worm wheel is rotatably disposed in the cavity and has a worm wheel body meshing with the motor shaft. An output shaft is mounted to the worm wheel body. A sun gear is fitted over the output shaft. A planet carrier is rotatably disposed in the cavity and connected with the arm assembly. A planet gear is rotatably mounted to the planet carrier and meshes with the sun gear. An adjusting member is mounted in the gear box, and is movable in an axial direction of the motor shaft and abuts against a free end of the motor shaft.

Abstract: An electric apparatus with safety connector for preventing electric shock, having an electric circuit comprising at least a pair of terminals electrically separated from each other, and a cover which covers the electric circuit so as to prevent access to it when it is disposed in the assembly configuration to cover the electric circuit. The cover is mechanically fixed in position by a plurality of attachment mechanisms. A safety connector associated with the cover and provided with an electric conductor element, wherein the security connector passes through the cover so as to short-circuit the terminals and a projection supports the electric conductor element and is movable from a closed configuration in which it short-circuits the terminals to an open position in which it does not short circuit the terminals. A cover element which, in closed configuration, at least partially overlaps at least one of attachment mechanisms.

Abstract: An electronic control device 1 for controlling a vehicle battery pack 50 is described. The device 1 may be used to control a vehicle battery pack 50 adapted to supply a battery voltage Vb and a battery current Ib through a plurality of battery cells C. The device 1 is adapted to interact with a remote control unit 60 external to the battery pack 50. The device 1 comprises a non-programmable monitoring and actuation unit 2 and a two-way serial communication interface 3. The non-programmable monitoring and actuation unit 2 is electrically and operatively connectable to the battery pack 50 and to each of the battery cells C to detect analogue battery parameters P, comprising at least the magnitudes of battery voltage Vb and battery current Ib, in addition to temperature (Tc1, Tcn), current (Ic1, Icn) and voltage (Vc1, Vcn) of each battery cell C.

Abstract: A method to construct an electric machine provided with: a stator having a magnetic core longitudinally crossed by a plurality of stator slots; a stator winding having a series of rigid bars, which are “U”-shaped and are inserted through the stator slots defining an entry side, in which the cusps of the “U”-shaped bars are placed, and an exit side, in which the legs of the “U”-shaped bars are placed; the construction method comprises the steps of electrically connecting the ends of at least two non-adjacent legs to one another by means of a connection bridge, which is made of a flat plate arranged perpendicular to the central axis of rotation and has, for each leg, a corresponding “U”-shaped seat, which is suited to receive the end of the leg.

Abstract: A laser welding method to weld two adjacent metal elements of a stator winding with rigid bars for an electric machine; the two metal elements are arranged one beside the other and have respective upper surfaces, which are arranged coplanar to one another and have at least one common edge; in succession, in the direction of the upper surfaces of the two metal elements, a first laser beam is aimed, which is fed along a first welding line, which is perpendicular to the common edge and extends through the common edge itself, and then a second laser beam is aimed, which is fed along a second welding line, which is perpendicular to the common edge and extends through the common edge itself, is parallel to and spaced apart from the first line and has a length that is smaller than the one of the first line.

Abstract: An electric machine provided with: a stator having a magnetic core longitudinally crossed by a plurality of stator slots; a stator winding having a series of rigid bars, which are “U”-shaped and are inserted through the stator slots defining an entry side, in which the cusps of the “U”-shaped bars are placed, and an exit side, in which the legs of the “U”-shaped bars are placed; the ends of at least two non-adjacent legs are electrically connected to one another by means of a connection bridge; and an insulating support is provided, which houses the connection bridge, is arranged under the connection bridge and has a plurality of through holes, into which some legs are inserted, which have to pass through the insulating support itself.

Abstract: A cooling circuit with cooling liquid for lithium-ion batteries comprising a battery pack comprising a plurality of cells electrically connected with each other, suitable for powering an electric machine for traction, said cells being perimetrically delimited by external walls, at least one bag containing cooling liquid associated in contact with said outer walls of the cells. Advantageously, at least one bag is made of deformable plastic material so as to be counter-shaped to said outer walls to adhere perimetrally to said outer walls and the circuit comprises means of forced circulation of the cooling liquid through said at least one bag.

Abstract: An electronic device including an electronic switch M1, an electrical pre-charge circuit and a measurement, command and diagnosis module. The main electronic switch M1 has a first electrical terminal D1, a second electrical terminal S1, and a main driving terminal G1. The main electronic switch M1 is adapted to take, based on a driving signal DRV, depending on the command signal CMD and on an enabling signal ENB, a closed condition or an open condition, wherein the first electrical terminal D1 is respectively connected to or disconnected from the second electrical terminal S1. The pre-charge electrical circuit is adapted to carry out, based on the command signal CMD, a pre-charge operation, aimed at equalizing the electric potentials (V1, V2) of the first and second terminals of the device, before the main electronic switch M1 takes a closed condition, upon of a transition from the open condition.