Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Vincent T Skalski

Serdar Hakki Yonak

Shailesh Shrikant Kozarekar

Shahram Zarei

Behzad Vafakhah

Brandon Dobbins

Sudhir Kumar

Michael W Degner

Edward Chan-Jiun Jih

Brian Joseph Robert

Alvaro Masias

John P Casci

Myung Ki Sung

Brian Richard Light

Moon Young Lee

Kevin Lloyd Newman

Jeremy Richard Ikerd

A power module assembly for a power inverter of a vehicle includes a housing defining a cavity and a plurality of cards arranged side-by-side in a planar, linear array. The array is positioned within the cavity such that an inlet manifold is defined between a first longitudinal side of the array and the housing and an outlet manifold is defined between a second longitudinal side of the array and the housing. The inlet and outlet manifolds cooperate to form a fluid circuit that is in direct contact with both sides of each of the cards.

Power module assembly for a vehicle power inverter

An inductor for a boost converter in a hybrid vehicle includes a core, a coil winding, and an end cap. The coil winding is disposed about the core. The end cap is disposed over a first end of the inductor, overhangs the coil winding, defines a channel that is configured to receive fluid from a pump, defines at least one nozzle that is configured to direct fluid from an overhanging portion of the end cap and onto the coil, and defines a fluid reservoir that is in fluid communication with the channel and the at least one nozzle.

Cooling system for an inductor in a power supply device of a hybrid/electric vehicle

An electrified vehicle includes a first electrical component, a second electrical component, and a terminal block assembly adapted to electrically couple the first electric component to the second electrical component. The terminal block assembly includes a housing, a bus bar, and a first seal adapted to seal the second electrical component from a wet environment of the first electrical component.

Terminal block assembly for electrified vehicles

Inductor cooling systems and methods are disclosed. A vehicle inductor cooling system may include an inductor assembly, a flange extending around a periphery of the inductor assembly, and a sealing wall having an outer periphery and a sealing surface forming a seal with the flange. A bottom surface may extend from the outer periphery and a cavity may be defined by the outer periphery, the bottom surface, and the inductor assembly. A coolant inlet may be configured to provide coolant to the cavity. The inductor assembly may include at least one conductive coil wrapped around a core. A bottom portion, optionally only the bottom portion, of the coil may be disposed within the cavity and configured to be directly contacted and cooled by the coolant (e.g., ATF).

Inductor cooling systems and methods

A vehicle is provided with a transmission and an inductor assembly that is mounted within a chamber of the transmission. The inductor assembly includes a coil, a core and an insulator having first and second portions that are oriented toward each other. Each portion includes a base, a support extending from the base, and a spool extending transversely from the support to engage the other portion. Each spool includes an external surface for supporting the coil and a cavity extending therethrough for receiving the core.

Inductor assembly support structure

An inverter system control (ISC) module is provided. The ISC module includes a housing having an upper cavity, a lower cavity, a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet, and a divider wall extending in a plane between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet. The inverter system further includes a power module secured within the upper cavity to define an upper fluid chamber with the divider wall, and a capacitor assembly secured within the lower cavity to define a lower fluid chamber with the divider wall.

Inverter capacitor system having internal cooling channel

A vehicle is provided with a transmission having a chamber with fluid therein. The vehicle includes a core and a conductor that are mounted within the chamber. The core includes a pair of elements that are oriented toward each other along a longitudinal axis. Each element includes a base with a post and at least two projections extending longitudinally from the base. The conductor is disposed over the posts and is configured to receive the fluid through an opening formed between adjacent projections.

Inductor assembly

An inverter system control (ISC) module is provided. The ISC module includes a power module defining a coolant channel for receiving a coolant, and a capacitor assembly disposed adjacent to the power module. The capacitor assembly includes a housing, a potting material disposed within the housing, and a plurality of power sources disposed within the potting material. The capacitor assembly further includes a cooling bar extending within the potting material between the power sources, and further extending out of the potting material and into the power module.

A power-module assembly includes plates defining pockets and arranged in a stack such that the pockets cooperate to define coolant chambers interleaved with the plates. The assembly further includes cards having a power module encased in a frame. The frame has an outward projecting spacer, and each card is disposed in a corresponding one of the chambers with the spacer contacting a wall of the corresponding chamber to form a coolant passage between the wall and the card.

Inductor cooling systems and methods are disclosed. A vehicle may include a transmission case including a coolant inlet and an inductor assembly having a flange extending around a periphery thereof. A thermally conductive cover having a sealing surface may form a seal with the flange. A cavity may be defined between the cover and the inductor assembly and configured to receive coolant from the coolant inlet. A thermal interface material (TIM) may be in contact with a surface of the cover and a surface of the transmission case. The TIM may be a solid or a paste-like substance. If the TIM is solid, it may be in a state of compression between a bottom surface of the cover and the surface of the transmission case. The TIM may transfer heat from coolant in the cavity to the transmission case while the coolant is not being circulated.

Inductor cooling systems and methods are disclosed. A vehicle inductor cooling system, may include an inductor assembly, a flange extending around a periphery of the inductor assembly, an inductor cover having a sealing surface forming a seal with the flange, a cavity defined by the inductor cover and the inductor assembly, and a first opening defined in the inductor cover configured to provide coolant to the cavity. The flange may include a first recess defined therein that communicates with the first opening and is configured to receive coolant through the first opening and provide it to the cavity. A portion of the cover including the first opening may be configured to form a seal with a coolant inlet of a vehicle transmission case such that coolant is configured to flow through the coolant inlet, through the first opening, into the first recess, and into the cavity.

A vehicle inductor assembly includes an inductor, a thermal plate, an emitter, and a controller. The inductor is secured within a housing. The thermal plate supports the inductor and includes a channel having a flexible wall with actionable particles. The emitter is located adjacent the channel. The controller is programmed to activate the emitter to impart a force upon the particles to move the wall such that a cross-sectional area of the channel is adjusted to influence a flow rate of coolant flowing therethrough. The wall may be a membrane partially secured to an interior of the channel and include the actionable particles. The actionable particles may be one of dielectric and magnetic particles and the emitter may selectively output one of a voltage, an electric field, or a magnetic field to move the dielectric or magnetic particles such that the membrane moves to adjust the cross-sectional area of the channel to influence a flow rate of coolant flowing therethrough.

Peristaltic pump for inductor thermal management

A power module assembly includes opposing end caps collectively having coolant ports and a row of cards that each have a major side defining a projection extending across the card. A side panel extends between the end caps such that the panel and row define a channel in fluid communication with the ports and configured to convey coolant directly across the cards. The side panel defines a groove that receives the projections.

A vehicle electrical power system includes a variable voltage converter. The variable voltage converter includes an inductor assembly having a housing that defines a chamber containing dielectric fluid. An inductor is disposed within the chamber and is in contact with the fluid. The power system also includes a pump configured to circulate the dielectric fluid to cool the inductor.

Growing community of inventors

Plymouth, MI, United States of America

Vincent T Skalski