High voltage conductor cables may be connected between a power supply and a load. These high voltage conductor cables may include one or more phase conductor cables configured to conduct one or more phases of electricity (e.g., multiple conductor cables may be configured to conduct different phases of electricity). The one or more phase conductor cables may be used to transfer power (e.g., a three-phase power transfer). These high voltage conductor cables may cause electromagnetic interference (EMI), for example the high voltage conductor cables in electric vehicles.
The following is a short summary of some of the inventive concepts for illustrative purposes only and is not an extensive overview, and is not intended to identify key or critical elements or to limit or constrain the inventions and examples in the detailed description. One skilled in the art will recognize other novel combinations and features from the detailed description.
Described herein are methods, devices, and systems for integrating and electrically connecting cable shields of conductor cables. A cable shield may surround a conductor cable to prevent the effects of electromagnetic interference (EMI) by grounding the shield to an electrical ground, such as to chassis ground, to earth ground, or the like. The cable shields may be electrically connected using a multi-phase ground shield bridge that includes a shield bridge conductor embedded in a polymer structure. The shield bridge conductor may electrically connect the cable shields of two or more power conductor cables of the multi-phase shield bridge and a ground conductor cable of the multi-phase ground shield bridge. The ground conductor cable may be configured to be connected to an electrical ground.
The methods, devices, and systems described herein may integrate and electrically interconnect shielding, such as formed in shielded cables. By surrounding a conductor with shielding, the effects of electromagnetic interference (EMI) may be alleviated, especially in a multi-phase cable configuration. By electrically connecting the respective shielding to an electrical ground (such as to chassis ground, to earth ground, or the like), shielding functionality may be further improved. By directly interconnecting the shielding of different cables (not via common ground), the overall construction can be simplified and more effective. For example, the shielding of a first cable can be directly connected to the shielding of a second cable, e.g. via a shield bridge conductor. This may provide a particularly short and effective conductive path. Furthermore, a single ground conductor cable can be used to ground the respective shielding of two or more cables. When using shielded cables conducting different phases, a multi-phase ground shield bridge configuration may be formed. By embedding at least part of the configuration, such as the shield bridge conductor, in a polymer or other embedding structure, a more reliable construction may be formed. Part of the shield bridge configuration may be integrated in a power device. e.g. one or more of an electrical power supply, inverter, converter, load, et cetera. For example, the conductors of the shield bridge configuration may be electrically connected to different phases of the power device. By electrically connecting the ground conductor cable of the shield bridge configuration with a shielding or ground of the power device, further improvements in reliability and efficiency may be achieved. By attaching or integrating the shield bridge configuration with a housing of the power device, a particularly compact and reliable assembly may be formed.
These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present disclosure will become better understood with regard to the following description, claims, and drawings. The present disclosure is illustrated by way of example, and not limited by, the accompanying figures. In the drawings, like numerals reference similar elements.
The accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, show examples of the disclosure. It is to be understood that the examples shown in the drawings and/or discussed herein are non-exclusive and that there are other examples of how the disclosure may be practiced.
Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and devices for electrically connecting cable shields of multiple high voltage conductor cables, also referred to herein as power conductor cables, using a ground shield bridge. Power conductor cables may connect between one or more power sources and one or more loads, where each cable has a cable shield surrounding the power conductor cable. The multiple power conductor cables may conduct different phases of electricity. A shield bridge conductor integrated in a ground shield bridge may electrically connect the cable shields of the multiple power conductor cables to each other. The shield bridge conductor may be embedded in a polymer structure connectable to and/or integrated with a housing of one or more sources and/or one or more loads. For example, the polymer structure may form a tooth shape structure protruding from the housing of an electric traction motor. For example, a ground conductor cable may ground both the shield bridge conductor and the housing of the one or more sources and/or the one or more loads. For example, the ground shield bridge is integrated into the power wires leaving the inverter of an electric vehicle. For example, a ground shield bridge may electrically connect, using the shield bridge conductor, the cable shields and the ground conductor cable, thereby protecting the power cables from emitting electromagnetic interference (EMI).
In a preferred implementation, parts of the systems and devices as described herein may be manufactured from shielded cables. A shielded cable or screened cable typically has a common conductive layer around its conductors for electromagnetic shielding with insulating material there between (inner insulating layer). This shield is usually covered by an outermost insulating layer of the cable. Common types of cable shielding can be categorized as foil type (metallized film), wire strands (braided or unbraided), or both. As used herein, preferably a cable shielding based on wire strands is used. A portion of the outer insulation may be stripped from each cable to expose a respective shield portion of the cable shield, e.g. wire strands and/or film. For each cable, the exposed shield portion may be pulled from the rest of the cable to form a piece of conductive shield wiring electrically connected to a remaining portion of the cable shield. The shield wirings of the cables may be electrically interconnected such that a shield bridge conductor is formed between the cable shields of the plurality of shielded cables. Optionally, a terminal lug may be connected to an end of the interconnected shield wiring to form a ground conductor cable. Preferably, the shield wirings are re-insulated. This may include insulating parts of the shield bridge, ground conductor cable, and/or encapsulating at least part of the shield bridge configuration in an embedding structure. Preferably at least the shield bridge conductor and electrical connections/bondings to the cable shielding are embedded. For example, the configuration may be at least embedded in a polymer structure or other dielectric material which may be connected or integrated with a power device.
The polymer structure may be a resin, thermoplastic, or thermosetting material. The polymer structure may comprise a rigid shell and a potting material. The potting material may allow compliance during assembly and/or molding, a wide operating temperature range, and vibration resistance. The rigid shell may protect the potting material and may provide abrasion resistance.
In a series-connected bridge configuration, the shielding of a first cable may be grounded exclusively via the shielding of a second cable (via the shield bridge conductor there between), so the first cable does not require a direct connection to a ground conductor cable, or separate connection to electrical ground. This may provide a particularly convenient construction. Alternatively, or additionally, the first and second cables may be connected to a single ground conductor cable connected to the shield bridge conductor there between. Also, more than two, e.g. three, cables can be interconnected in this way having a single connection to ground. For example, in a series-connected bridge configuration, the shielding of a first cable may be directly connected to the shielding of a second cable, the shielding of the second cable may be directly connected to the shielding of a third cable, and the shielding of the third cable may be connected to the ground conductor cable (or to a fourth cable, etc.). Advantageously, the series interconnected cables can provide a flat configuration that can be easily constructed and expanded, e.g. around a perimeter of a power device. For example, the shielding of the third cable may be exclusively connected to the shielding of the first cable via the shielding of the second cable and does not require a direct connection or extra wire. Alternatively, or additionally, the shielding of the third cable may be directly connected to the shielding of the first cable and/or the ground conductor cable may be connected anywhere to the shield bridge conductor, e.g. between the first and second cables, between the second and third cables, and/or between the first and third cable.
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Although the shield bridge examples herein show integration in the housing's of loads, the shield bridge may be configured to be integrated into the housing's of a power sources. For example, a shield bridge may be integrated in the housing of a power inverter used to provide power to an electric motor. For example, a shield bridge may be integrated in the housing of an electrical storage device used to provide power to a power inverter. For example, a shield bridge may be integrated in the housing of a battery charger used to provide power to an electrical storage device. Some devices may be considered both load and sources, but at least one shield cable is required for each interconnection between devices.
In cases where high reliability is specified, a shield bridge may be integrated into a plurality of devices that are interconnected with power cables. For example, when a single power source and single load are electrically connected, shield bridges may be integrated into the housings of both the power source and load. For example, when a single power source and multiple loads are electrically connected, shield bridges may be integrated into the housings of at least some of the power source and loads. For example, when a multiple power sources and multiple loads are electrically connected, shield bridges may be integrated into the housings of at least some of the power source and loads.
The multi-phase shield bridge may provide many benefits over other solutions. By integrating two or more of the shields using the multi-phase shield bridge only one ground conductor cable may be needed to ground a plurality of shields of the conductors and one or more housings of the one or more loads/sources. This may allow relatively simpler product assembly and relatively larger mean time between failures due to fewer parts. The integrated polymer structure may encapsulate the shield bridge conductor and bonding points with the cable shields and ground conductor cable. For example, the polymer structure may provide a moisture and dust barrier to the conductors, bonding points, and attached housing. The polymer structure may also mechanically secure the bonds between the multi-phase shield bridge and each cable shield, and may prevent failures, such as a mechanical failure of the ground conductor cable. For example, the polymer structure may provide strain relief of the bonding points from the mechanical forces on the cables. The benefits of protection from the environment using the polymer structure may increase the maintenance time intervals, decrease the mean time between failures, and produce a more reliable product.
Specific dimensions, specific materials, specific ranges, specific resistivities, specific voltages, specific shapes, and/or other specific properties and values disclosed herein are by example and do not limit the scope of the present disclosure. The disclosure herein of particular values and particular ranges of values for given parameters are not exclusive of other values and ranges of values that may be useful in one or more of the examples disclosed herein. Moreover, it is envisioned that any two particular values for a specific parameter stated herein may define the endpoints of a range of values that may be suitable for the given parameter. For example, the disclosure of a first value and a second value for a given parameter can be interpreted as disclosing that any value between the first and second values could also be employed for the given parameter. For example, if parameter X is exemplified herein to have value A and also exemplified to have value Z, it is envisioned that parameter X may have a range of values from about A to about Z. Similarly, it is envisioned that disclosure of two or more ranges of values for a parameter (whether such ranges are nested, overlapping or distinct) subsume all possible combination of ranges for the value that might be claimed using endpoints of the disclosed ranges. For example, if parameter X is exemplified herein to have values in the range of 1-10, or 2-9, or 3-8, it is also envisioned that Parameter X may have other ranges of values including 1-9, 1-8, 1-3, 1-2, 2-10, 2-8, 2-3, 3-10, and 3-9.
In the description of various illustrative features, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which is shown, by way of illustration, various features in which aspects of the disclosure may be practiced. It is to be understood that other features may be utilized and structural and functional modifications may be made, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.
Terms such as “multiple” as used in this disclosure indicate the property of having or involving several parts, elements, or members. The term “multiple” used herein may be interchangeable with the term “plurality”.
It may be noted that various connections are set forth between elements herein. These connections are described in general and, unless specified otherwise, may be direct or indirect; this specification is not intended to be limiting in this respect, and both direct and indirect connections are envisioned. Further, elements of one feature in any of the embodiments may be combined with elements from other features in any of the embodiments, in any combinations or sub-combinations.
All described features, and modifications of the described features, are usable in all aspects of the inventions taught herein. Furthermore, all of the features, and all of the modifications of the features, of all of the embodiments described herein, are combinable and interchangeable with one another. For example, it will be understood that aspects described with reference to
Clauses:
Clause 1: An apparatus, comprising:
Clause 2: The apparatus of clause 1, wherein the plurality of conductors comprises three conductors, wherein the plurality of cable shields comprises three cable shields, and wherein the plurality of bonds comprises four bonds.
Clause 3: The apparatus of any one of clauses 1-2, wherein the polymer structure is configured to be integrated with a housing of the multi-phase power source or a load.
Clause 4: The apparatus of any one of clauses 1-3, wherein the plurality of conductors are configured to supply power from the multi-phase power source to a load.
Clause 5: The apparatus of any one of clauses 1-4, wherein the plurality of cable shields are electrically connected to a power source shield.
Clause 6: The apparatus of any one of clauses 1-5, wherein the plurality of cable shields are electrically connected to a load shield.
Clause 7: The apparatus of any one of clauses 1-6, wherein the ground conductor cable is electrically connected to a ground terminal.
Clause 8: A method, comprising:
Clause 9: The method of clause 8, wherein the plurality of conductors comprises three conductors, and the plurality of cable shields comprises three cable shields.
Clause 10: The method of any one of clauses 8-9, wherein the polymer structure is mechanically attached to a load.
Clause 11: The method of any one of clauses 8-10, wherein the plurality of conductors supply power from a power source to a load.
Clause 12: The method of any one of clauses 8-11, wherein the plurality of cable shields are electrically connected to a power source shield.
Clause 13: The method of any one of clauses 8-12, wherein the plurality of cable shields are electrically connected to a load shield.
Clause 14: The method of any one of clauses 8-13, wherein the terminal lug is electrically connected to a ground terminal.
Clause 15: A power device, comprising:
Clause 16: The power device of clause 15, wherein the plurality of conductors comprises three conductors, wherein the plurality of cable shields comprises three cable shields, and wherein the plurality of bonds comprises four bonds.
Clause 17: The power device of any one of clauses 15-16, further comprising a power source or a load, and the power device comprises a plurality of phases.
Clause 18: The power device of any one of clauses 15-17, wherein the plurality of conductors are configured to supply power from a multi-phase power source to a load.
Clause 19: The power device of any one of clauses 15-18, wherein the housing further comprises a shield, and wherein the plurality of cable shields are electrically connected to the shield.
Clause 20: The power device of any one of clauses 15-19, wherein the ground conductor cable is electrically connected to a ground terminal.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/192,361, filed May 24, 2021, entitled “Integrated Ground Shield,” which is incorporated by reference in its entirety in this disclosure.
Number | Date | Country | |
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63192361 | May 2021 | US |