The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 03, 2003
Filed:
Apr. 11, 2002
Ernest J. Morrow, Monticello, FL (US);
Sally M. Sellers, Tallahassee, FL (US);
Gary D. Knudsen, Tallahassee, FL (US);
General Dynamics Land Systems Inc., Sterling Height, MI (US);
Abstract
A method for cooling bus bars in order to increase their current-carrying capacity while saving space and weight. The method comprises the steps of providing a housing having an interior wall; locating a distribution manifold within the housing, the distribution manifold comprising a hollow bus bar ; communicating to the manifold a supply of an evaporative coolant ′; and delivering the coolant ′ outwardly under pressure so that upon exiting the manifold , the coolant ′ undergoes a phase change from the liquid to the vapor state. Heat is extracted from the manifold at least as quickly as heat is generated by the flow of current. The extraction of heat by the flow of coolant ′ and evaporation maintains or lowers the temperature of the bus bar and enables a given size of bus bar to carry more current without a significant rise in temperature. The invention also includes an apparatus for cooling bus bars in an electrical circuit. The bus bars are mounted in close proximity with each other, thereby saving space and weight in the electrical circuit and providing good electrical noise immunity.