High efficiency B+ connection

1. An alternator, comprising:

a B+ bolt;

a plurality of rectifier B+ terminals;

a bus conductor having a plurality of bends, each of the plurality of bends surrounding a respective individual one of the plurality of rectifier B+ terminals and having an end formed into a bus ring terminal; and

a stop;

wherein the bus ring terminal is placed onto the B+ bolt and wherein a load cable ring terminal may be placed onto the B+ bolt in direct contact with the bus ring terminal and compressed thereto by the stop.

2. The alternator of claim 1 , wherein the stop is a nut.

3. The alternator of claim 1 , wherein the bends are crimped and welded to the respective rectifier B+ terminals.

4. The alternator of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of rectifier modules each having a respective one of the rectifier B+ terminals, the modules each having an electrically insulative cover, wherein the bus conductor rests on at least one of the module covers.

5. The alternator of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of rectifier modules each having a respective one of the rectifier B+ terminals, wherein the bus conductor is copper and is operable to transfer heat out of the rectifier modules.

6. The alternator of claim 1 , wherein the bus conductor has a substantially rectangular cross-sectional profile, and wherein one of the long sides of the bus conductor is crimped to engage the rectifier B+ terminals at the respective bends.

7. The alternator of claim 6 , wherein the end of the bus conductor is stamped to form the bus ring terminal.

8. The alternator of claim 7 , further comprising a housing end cover having a hole for passing the B+ bolt therethrough, the housing end cover having a channel structured for accepting and retaining a load cable placed therein.

9. The alternator of claim 6 , wherein the end of the bus conductor is twisted about ninety degrees and stamped to form the bus ring terminal.

10. A method of connecting B+ on an alternator having a plurality of rectifier B+ terminals and a B+ stud, comprising:

bending a copper bus conductor so that one side of the bus conductor surrounds and abuts each of the rectifier B+ terminals;

shaping one end of the bus conductor into a ring terminal;

placing the ring terminal of the bus conductor onto the B+ stud; and

wherein the copper bus conductor has a substantially rectangular cross-sectional profile, and wherein the one side of the bus conductor that surrounds and abuts each of the rectifier B+ terminals is a cross-sectionally long side of the bus conductor.

11. A method of connecting B+ on an alternator having a plurality of rectifier B+ terminals and a B+ stud, comprising:

bending a copper bus conductor so that one side of the bus conductor surrounds and abuts each of the rectifier B+ terminals;

shaping one end of the bus conductor into a ring terminal;

placing the ring terminal of the bus conductor onto the B+ stud; and

wherein the shaping comprises twisting the end of the bus conductor about ninety degrees and stamping the end to form the bus conductor ring terminal.

12. A method of connecting B+ on an alternator having a plurality of rectifier B+ terminals and a B+ stud, comprising:

bending a copper bus conductor so that one side of the bus conductor surrounds and abuts each of the rectifier B+ terminals;

shaping one end of the bus conductor into a ring terminal; placing the ring terminal of the bus conductor onto the B+ stud; and

further comprising crimping and welding the bus conductor to each of the rectifier B+ terminals.

13. A method of connecting B+ on an alternator having a plurality of rectifier B+ terminals and a B+ stud, comprising:

bending a copper bus conductor so that one side of the bus conductor surrounds and abuts each of the rectifier B+ terminals;

shaping one end of the bus conductor into a ring terminal;

placing the ring terminal of the bus conductor onto the B+ stud; and

wherein the alternator further comprises a plurality of rectifier modules each having an electrically insulative cover and a respective one of the rectifier B+ terminals, the method further comprising resting the bus conductor on at least one of the rectifier modules.

14. A method of connecting B+ on an alternator having a plurality of rectifier B+ terminals and a B+ stud, comprising:

bending a copper bus conductor so that one side of the bus conductor surrounds and abuts each of the rectifier B+ terminals;

shaping one end of the bus conductor into a ring terminal;

placing the ring terminal of the bus conductor onto the B+ stud; and

further comprising placing a load cable ring terminal onto the B+ stud in direct contact with the bus conductor ring terminal.

15. A method of connecting B+ on an alternator having a plurality of rectifier B+ terminals and a B+ stud, comprising:

providing a plurality of rectifier modules each having one of the B+ terminals surrounded by an electrically insulative cover;

coupling the B+ terminals and the B+ stud together with a copper bus conductor; and

cooling the copper bus conductor.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the cooling is by convection.

17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising resting the copper bus conductor against at least one of the electrically insulative covers.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the coupling comprises bending the copper bus conductor so that one side of the bus conductor surrounds and abuts each of the rectifier B+ terminals.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the copper bus conductor has a substantially rectangular cross-sectional profile, and wherein the one side of the bus conductor that surrounds and abuts each of the rectifier B+ terminals is a cross-sectionally long side.