Connection device between a cable connection clamp and an electrical conductor, method for producing the same, and electric machine
Technical Field
The invention relates to a connection device according to the invention between a cable connection clamp and an electrical conductor of a single, double or multiple core. According to the invention, it also relates to an electric machine, in particular an oil-operated electric machine, having at least one such connection device. According to the invention, it finally relates to a method for producing such a connecting device.
Background
Cable clamps for the electrically conductive connection of single-, twin-or multi-conductor electrical lines or cables to electrical machines, electrical devices or electrically conductive components have been known for a long time in different embodiments. DE 2052465 a thus describes a connecting line, in particular a grounding cable (Massekabel), which is used primarily for connecting a battery to a vehicle body. The connecting line is formed at least from a litz wire (Litze) made of aluminum or the like, to the ends of which cable clamps, likewise made of aluminum, are correspondingly fixed. In particular, it is provided here that, on the one hand, the respective end of the strand is inserted into the associated cable terminal in such a way that a cavity between its individual wires is avoided by the cable terminal being made of die-cast aluminum (aluminum-drackguss) and being cast onto the above-mentioned end of the strand, and, on the other hand, the cable terminal is completely surrounded, except for the peripheral edge at the strand-side end, by a heavy metal layer made of lead or zinc or an alloy made of the same, wherein the transition from the heavy metal layer to the aluminum surface of the peripheral edge is covered by an outer jacket layer made of an air-and moisture-tight, electrically non-conductive material. Furthermore, this document proposes a strand-side free end of the jacket layer, which is designed in a funnel-like manner for the kink protection (Knickschutz) of the strand. Furthermore, a cable terminal with a sleeve-like connecting section having a funnel, which is formed integrally with the connecting section, as a kink protector for the associated electrical line at its free end is known from the internet address "http:// de.
Disclosure of Invention
The object of the invention is to create a connection arrangement between a cable clamp and single-, double-and multi-conductor electrical conductors, which has a fluid-tight connection point between the cable clamp and the electrical conductors, which connection point is produced at minimum cost while maintaining the advantages of the prior art. Furthermore, the object of the invention is to make available an electric machine with at least one such connecting device. Furthermore, the object of the invention is to specify a suitable method for producing such a connecting device.
The object set is achieved by a connecting device according to the above-described form of the invention, by an electric machine according to the invention and by a method according to the above-described form of the invention.
To this end, a connection device between a cable clamp and a single-, double-or multi-core electrical conductor, which is respectively made of an electrically conductive material, is provided, wherein the cable clamp has a sleeve-like connection section, to which a functional section of the cable clamp is integrally connected, wherein the electrical conductor is accommodated by the connection section and is electrically conductively connected thereto, and wherein a free end of the connection section is designed as a funnel, which is designed integrally therewith, having a feed-through for the electrical conductor, and is provided such that, during assembly of the cable clamp with the electrical conductor, the connection section is closed in a fluid-tight manner.
By this measure, the joining point between the cable clamp and the electrical conductor is reliably protected against environmental conditions which are unfavorable for the joining point, for example, which are caused by the special arrangement of the connecting device.
A particularly simple and cost-effective means for fluid-tight closure of the connecting section is obtained in that at least the funnel is filled with a filling material. Preferably, the above-mentioned fillers consist of plastics, further preferably plastics in the form of one-component, two-component or multicomponent flow resins (Fliessharz) or thermoplastics. By means of such plastics, a closure combining simple processability with high sealing action, dimensional stability and electrical insulation can be achieved. Furthermore, the plastic can be used for the electrical insulation of the further outer section of the cable clamp by applying the plastic as a coating to the section in a work step in which the plastic is inserted into a funnel. As far as the electrical connection of the cable clamp to the electrical conductor is concerned, this electrical connection is preferably produced by resistance pressure welding, which advantageously combines a force fit and a form fit with a material fit. Resistance pressure welding is understood here as a welding method in which the welded parts to be joined are pressed against one another and a current flows through them. The heat formed by the electrical resistance in the case of current flow through the contact area of the weld creates heat that is used for welding. By pressing together the parts to be welded, a force fit and a form fit are furthermore achieved therebetween, which is obtainable in the case of the known joining method of crimping (Crimpen). According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, both the cable clamp and the electrical line are made of copper or a copper alloy, since copper has an outstanding electrical conductivity.
The invention also relates to an electric machine, in particular an oil-operated electric machine, having at least one connecting device of the type described above.
The method for producing a connection between a cable clamp and a single-, double-or multi-conductor electrical line, respectively, made of an electrically conductive material is characterized by the following steps:
a) providing a cable clamp having a sleeve-like connecting section to which a functional section of the cable clamp is integrally coupled, wherein a free end of the connecting section is configured as a funnel with a feed-in for an electrical conductor, which funnel is configured integrally therewith,
b) providing a single, dual or multiple core electrical conductor,
c) the electrical conductor is inserted axially into the sleeve-like connecting section of the cable clamp,
d) an electrically conductive connection is established between the electrical conductor and the connecting section of the cable clamp, and
e) the connecting section is fluid-tightly closed in the form of a sleeve.
Preferably, in view of step d), the electrical conductor is connected to the cable clamp by resistance pressure welding. It is further preferred that at least the above-mentioned funnel is filled with a filling material in view of step e). In this case, one-component, two-component or multi-component flow resins or thermoplastic plastics can be used advantageously as fillers.
The advantage of the method according to the invention results from its simple and cost-effective conversion with a particularly minimized number of operating steps for reliably forming the splice connection between the cable clamp and the electrical conductor and for reliably protecting the formed splice site against adverse environmental conditions (e.g. oil).
Drawings
The invention will be further elucidated on the basis of an embodiment which is schematically shown in the drawing. However, it is not limited to this embodiment. Wherein:
fig. 1 shows a partial view of an electric machine with a fastening device according to the invention, which accordingly comprises an electrical line which is electrically connected to a cable clamp, and
fig. 2 shows a perspective single illustration of the above-described fastening device.
List of reference numerals
1 electric machine
2 stator coil
3 terminal board
4 cable jointing clamp
5 electric lead
6 connecting section
7 functional segment
8 penetration part
9 free end (connecting section 6)
10 funnel
11 introduction port
12 free end (electric lead 5)
13 bonding position
14 of a filler.
Detailed Description
Fig. 1 shows an electric machine 1 which can be used, for example, as a traction drive for a motor vehicle, which is not shown. According to this embodiment, the above-described motor 1 has three contacts of the stator coil 2 of the motor 1 at its terminal block (klemmrett) 3 closed. The terminal block 3 is a connection or an interface to a power electronic device (inverter) not shown.
The contacting is formed according to fig. 1 and 2 by an electrical conductor 5, which is now multi-core and is equipped at one end with a cable clamp 4. Both the cable clamp 4 and the electrical conductor 5 are made of copper or a copper alloy. However, the invention is not limited to this preferred electrically conductive metallic material, but every other suitable metallic material (for example also aluminum or aluminum alloys) is contemplated.
The respective cable clamp 4 is provided as a preform for electrically conductive connection to the relevant electrical line 5. According to this exemplary embodiment, the cable clamp 4, which is composed of a galvanized copper tube, is produced according to a deformation process, in particular according to a stamping process, in such a way that it forms a sleeve-like connecting section 6 for joining the electrical lines 5 and a plate-like or flat functional section 7 integrally connected thereto.
The plate-like functional section 7 is produced, for example, by a segmented press-fitting of the tube cross section. Simultaneously with the design of the functional section 7 described above, a through-opening 8 in the form of a long hole is then provided in this functional section, which long hole serves for fixing the cable clamp 4 to the terminal strip 3 described above by means of a mechanical fixing element, preferably a fixing screw, which is not shown in the drawing. Simultaneously with or before or after the formation of the plate-like or planar functional section 7, a funnel 10 with an inlet 11 for the electrical line 5 is likewise formed at the free end 9 of the connecting section 6 or at the end 9 opposite the functional section 7.
The electrically conductive connection of the cable clamp 4 to the electrical conductor 5 is preferably achieved in that first the free end 12 of the electrical conductor 5 is introduced axially via the inlet 11 of the funnel 10 into the connecting section 6 of the cable clamp 4 and is connected there to the cable clamp 4 in an electrically conductive manner by means of the resistance welding process described above. By this joining method, heat is formed which causes a burning of the core of the electrical conductor 5 or of the possible paint insulation of the metal wire. Due to the arrangement of the electric machine 1 and accordingly also its previously described contact in an oil-containing environment, it is necessary to protect the "open", that is to say uninsulated, regions of the joining points 13, which are composed of copper or a copper alloy and which may be produced by the above-described burning.
This protection is produced according to the invention in that the connecting section 6 is closed fluid-tightly during the assembly of the cable clamp 4 with the electrical conductor 5, i.e. after the associated cable clamp 4 and the associated electrical conductor 5 have been joined to one another. According to this exemplary embodiment, at least the funnel 10 configured for this purpose is filled with a filling material 14. In tests on the subject of the application, plastics, in particular one-component, two-component or multi-component flow resins, have proven suitable as fillers 14, which combine simple processability with a high sealing action, dimensional stability and electrical insulation. The resin is not only suitable for filling the cavity formed by the funnel 10, but is also suitable for penetrating into and filling up possible gaps yet to be drawn between the connecting section 6 of the cable clamp 4 and the electrical lines 5 and possible gaps yet to be drawn between the individual cores of the electrical lines 5, as a result of which a particularly high fluid tightness and correspondingly a particularly high protection of the "open" regions of the joining points 13 is achieved. Alternatively, the filler 14 can also be formed, for example, from a thermoplastic plastic.