IP Library Granted Patent US 12,368,338
Granted Patent B2
US 12,368,338 · App. 18/257,141 · Granted Jul 22, 2025

Connection device for a stator, stator arrangement for an electric machine, method for producing a stator arrangement and electric machine for driving a vehicle

Inventors: Sebastian Dieterich (Bad Neustadt a.d.Saale, DE); Bianca Hofmann (Bad Neustadt a.d.Saale, DE); Michael Menz (Bad Neustadt a.d.Saale, DE)
Assignee: Valeo eAutomotive Germany GmbH
H02K3/50H02K15/02H02K15/33H02K2203/09
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,368,338
App. No.
18/257,141
Granted
Jul 22, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Connection device for a stator having a stator winding, including N phases, first and second connection units which each comprise N contact portions and a conductor arrangement. The contact portions of the first connection unit are each designed for electrically conductive contacting of one of N connection portions of the stator winding, and the conductor arrangement of the first connection unit electrically conductively connects the contact portions of the first connection unit. The contact portions of the second connection unit are each designed for electrically conductive contacting of one of N further connection portions of the stator winding and the conductor arrangement of the second connection unit comprises N conductor portions, which are electrically insulated from each other and are each electrically conductively connected to one of the N contact portions of the second connection unit. A fastening mechanism permits the connection units to be detached and fastened.

Claims (43)

1. Connection device for a stator having a stator winding, comprising a number N of phases, comprising a first connection unit and a second connection unit, which each comprise N contact portions and a conductor arrangement, wherein the contact portions of the first connection unit are each designed for electrically conductive contacting of one of N connection portions of the stator winding, and the conductor arrangement of the first connection unit electrically conductively connects the contact portions of the first connection unit, wherein the contact portions of the second connection unit are each designed for electrically conductive contacting of one of N further connection portions of the stator winding and the conductor arrangement of the second connection unit comprises N conductor portions, which are electrically insulated from each other and are each electrically conductively connected to one of the N contact portions of the second connection unit, wherein a fastening means is provided, by means of which the first connection unit and the second connection unit can be transferred from a detached position into a fastened position, in which the first connection unit and the second connection unit are fastened to each other and the conductor arrangement of the first connection unit and the conductor arrangement of the second connection unit are electrically insulated from each other.

2. Connection device according to claim 1 , wherein

the fastening means comprises a first fastening portion and a second fastening portion, which engage with each other in the fastened position, wherein one of the connection units comprises an insulation body, which is arranged on the conductor arrangement of the one connection unit and forms the first fastening portion, wherein the second fastening portion is formed by the other of the connection units.

3. Connection device according to claim 2 , wherein

the first fastening portion and the second fastening portion each form a latching element, wherein the latching element of the first fastening portion and the latching element of the second fastening portion are connected such that they engage with each other in the fastened position to form a latching connection.

4. Connection device according to claim 2 , wherein:

one of the fastening portions forms a protrusion and the other of the fastening portions forms a recess corresponding to the protrusion, wherein the fastening portions engage with each other in the fastened position to produce a form fit.

5. Connection device according to claim 2 , wherein

the other of the connection units comprises an insulation body, which is arranged on the conductor arrangement of the connection unit and forms the second fastening portion.

6. Connection device according to claim 2 , wherein

the second fastening portion is formed by the conductor arrangement of the other of the connection units.

7. Connection device according to claim 1 , wherein

the fastening means is designed to force the first connection unit and the second connection unit together in the fastened position as a result of a force acting on the first connection unit and the second connection unit, so that the connection portions of the stator can be electrically conductively fastened to the contact portions, in particular by a substance-bonded joining technique.

8. Connection device according to claim 1 , wherein

a respective contact portion of the first connection unit is designed as a recess of the conductor arrangement of the first connection unit and/or a respective contact portion of the second connection unit is designed as a recess of one of the conductor portions of the conductor arrangement of the second connection unit.

9. Connection device according to claim 1 , wherein

the conductor arrangement of the first connection unit is designed as a busbar and/or a respective conductor portion of the conductor arrangement of the second connection unit is designed as a busbar.

10. Stator arrangement for an electric machine, comprising:

a stator, comprising a stator core having an axial end face and a stator winding, which comprises a number N of phases and is formed in portions by shaped conductors, which extend through the stator core, and by first to 2Nth connection portions, which extend in the axial direction at the end face, adjoining part of the shaped conductors in different angular positions of a circumferential direction; and

a connection device according to claim 1 , wherein the contact portions of the first connection unit contact the first to Nth connection portions, in particular to form a star point, and the contact portions of the second connection unit contact the (N+1)th to (2N)th connection portions, in particular to form connections for the phases.

11. Method for producing a stator arrangement, comprising the following steps:

providing a stator, comprising a stator core having an axial end face and a stator winding, which comprises a number N of phases and is formed in portions by shaped conductors, which extend through the stator core, and by first to 2Nth connection portions, which extend in the axial direction at the end face, adjoining part of the shaped conductors in different angular positions of a circumferential direction;

providing a connection device according to claim 1 ;

transferring the fastening means from the detached position into the fastened position such that the contact portions of the first connection unit contact the first to Nth connection portions, in particular to form a star point, and the contact portions of the second connection unit contact the (N+1)th to (2N)th connection portions, in particular to form connections for the phases.

12. Method according to claim 11 , furthermore comprising the following step:

joining the connection portions and the contact portions, in particular to form substance-bonded joints, in the fastened position of the fastening means.

13. Method according to claim 11 , wherein the connection device comprises a transfer fastening means comprising a first fastening portion and a second fastening portion, which engage with each other in the fastened position, wherein one of the connection units comprises an insulation body, which is arranged on the conductor arrangement of the one connection unit and forms the first fastening portion, wherein the second fastening portion is formed by the other of the connection units, and

wherein the transfer of the fastening means from the detached position into the fastened position comprises:

executing a relative movement of the connection units towards each other along a movement direction running substantially perpendicularly to an extent direction of the connection portions so that the fastening portions engage with each other, or

executing a relative movement of the connection units towards each other along a movement direction running substantially parallel to an extent direction of the connection portions so that the fastening portions engage with each other.

14. Method according to claim 11 , wherein the connection device comprises a fastening means designed to force the first connection unit and the second connection unit together in the fastened position as a result of a force acting on the first connection unit and the second connection unit, so that the connection portions of the stator can be electrically conductively fastened to the contact portions, in particular by a substance-bonded joining technique, and

wherein the transfer of the fastening means from the detached position into the fastened position comprises: forcing the first connection unit and the second connection unit together by means of the fastening means as a result of a force acting on the first connection unit and the second connection unit; wherein, in particular, steps of detaching the fastening means and removing the fastening means are provided after joining the connection portions and the contact portions.

15. Electric machine for a driving a vehicle, comprising: a stator arrangement according to claim 10 and a rotor mounted rotatably inside the stator.

16. Connection device according to claim 3 , wherein:

one of the fastening portions forms a protrusion and the other of the fastening portions forms a recess corresponding to the protrusion, wherein the fastening portions engage with each other in the fastened position to produce a form fit.

17. Connection device according to claim 3 wherein

the other of the connection units comprises an insulation body, which is arranged on the conductor arrangement of the connection unit and forms the second fastening portion.

18. Connection device according to claim 3 , wherein

the second fastening portion is formed by the conductor arrangement of the other of the connection units.

19. Connection device according to claim 2 , wherein

a respective contact portion of the first connection unit is designed as a recess of the conductor arrangement of the first connection unit and/or a respective contact portion of the second connection unit is designed as a recess of one of the conductor portions of the conductor arrangement of the second connection unit.

20. Connection device according to claim 2 , wherein

the conductor arrangement of the first connection unit is designed as a busbar and/or a respective conductor portion of the conductor arrangement of the second connection unit is designed as a busbar.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jul 22, 2026
From: VALEO EAUTOMOTIVE GERMANY GMBH; VALEO SIEMENS EAUTOMOTIVE GERMANY GMBH; SIEMENS AUTOMOTIVE EPOWERTRAIN SYSTEMS GMBH; BLITZ E16-802 GMBH
To: VALEO ELECTRIFICATION
Reel/Frame 076028/0968 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 7, 2023
From: DIETERICH, SEBASTIAN; HOFMANN, BIANCA; MENZ, MICHAEL
To: VALEO EAUTOMOTIVE GERMANY GMBH
Reel/Frame 064828/0327 →
Priority Claims (1)
DE 10 2020 215 909.2 · Dec 15, 2020 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240106294A1 · Mar 28, 2024
References Cited (10)
US 3457442A · Crites · 1969 [cited by examiner]
US 5233246A · Yockey · 1993 [cited by examiner]
US 5682070A · Adachi · 1997 [cited by examiner]
US 6825586B2 · Edrington · 2004 [cited by examiner]
US 10910924B2 · Kodama · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 11670980B2 · Ryu · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 20010002776A1 · Suzuki et al. · 2001 [cited by applicant]
US 20050136707A1 · Kiyota · 2005 [cited by applicant]
US 20090026859A1 · Kinoshita et al. · 2009 [cited by applicant]
International Search Report issued Mar. 23, 2022 in PCT/EP2021/083347 filed on Nov. 29, 2021, 2 pages. [cited by applicant]