US-12620866-B2 - Wiring harness conductive shield termination arrangement

US12620866B2US 12620866 B2US12620866 B2US 12620866B2US-12620866-B2

Abstract

A system for transmitting an alternating current in an aircraft. The system includes a source of electricity in the aircraft having a source connector housing, an electric load in the aircraft having a load connector housing, a cable electrically coupling the source of electricity to the electric load, a shield surrounding the cable and having a first end electrically connected to the source connector housing, and a capacitor disposed inside the load connector housing and electrically coupling a second end of the shield to the load connector housing.

Inventors

Fraz Ahmad Kharal
Antwan Shenouda

Assignees

PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20240207

Claims (20)

1 . A system for transmitting an alternating current in an aircraft, comprising: a source of electricity in the aircraft having a source connector housing; an electric load in the aircraft having a load connector housing; a cable electrically coupling the source of electricity to the electric load; a shield surrounding the cable and having a first end electrically connected to the source connector housing; and a capacitor disposed inside the load connector housing and electrically coupling a second end of the shield to the load connector housing.
2 . The system as defined in claim 1 , further comprising a resistor electrically disposed in series with the capacitor to electrically couple the shield to the load connector housing.
3 . The system as defined in claim 1 , further comprising a wire disposed inside the load connector housing, the capacitor disposed along the wire, the wire electrically coupling the second end of the shield to the load connector housing.
4 . The system as defined in claim 2 , further comprising a wire disposed inside the load connector housing, the capacitor and the resistor disposed along the wire, the wire electrically coupling the second end of the shield to the load connector housing.
5 . The system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the capacitor is a cylindrical capacitor concentrically disposed between the shield and an inner diameter surface of the load connector housing.
6 . The system as defined in claim 2 , wherein the capacitor is a cylindrical capacitor and the resistor is a cylindrical resistor, the cylindrical capacitor and the cylindrical resistor concentrically disposed between the shield and an inner diameter surface of the load connector housing.
7 . The system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the shield is directly connected to the source connector housing at the first end.
8 . An electric motor system for an aircraft, comprising: a motor controller having a motor controller connector housing; an electric motor having an electric motor connector housing; a cable electrically coupling the motor controller to the electric motor; and a shield extending from a first end to a second end, the shield surrounding the cable and grounded to the motor connector housing at the first end and to the electric motor connector housing at the second end, the shield electrically coupled to one of the motor controller connector housing and the electric motor connector housing via a capacitor disposed inside the one of the motor controller connector housing and the electric motor connector housing.
9 . The electric motor system as defined in claim 8 , wherein the motor controller is operable to output a three-phase output signal to the electric motor, and wherein the cable is a first phase cable, the system further comprising a second phase cable and a third phase cable each disposed in parallel with the first phase cable and electrically coupling the motor controller to the electric motor.
10 . The electric motor system as defined in claim 9 , further comprising: a second phase shield surrounding the second phase cable and grounded to the motor connector housing at a second phase first end and to the electric motor connector housing at a second phase second end, the second phase shield electrically coupled to one of the motor controller connector housing and the electric motor connector housing via a second capacitor; and a third phase shield surrounding the third phase cable and grounded to the motor connector housing at a third phase first end and to the electric motor connector housing at a third phase second end, the third phase shield electrically coupled to one of the motor controller connector housing and the electric motor connector housing via a third capacitor.
11 . The electric motor system as defined in claim 8 , wherein the shield is directly connected to the motor controller connector housing at the first end and to the electric motor connector housing via the capacitor at the second end.
12 . The electric motor system as defined in claim 8 , further comprising a resistor disposed in series with the capacitor to electrically couple the shield to one of the motor controller connector housing and the electric motor connector housing.
13 . The electric motor system as defined in claim 8 , further comprising a wire disposed inside the one of the motor controller connector housing and the electric motor connector housing, the capacitor disposed along the wire, the wire electrically coupling the second end of the shield to the one of the motor controller connector housing and the electric motor connector housing.
14 . The electric motor system as defined in claim 12 , further comprising a wire disposed inside the one of the motor controller connector housing and the electric motor connector housing, the capacitor and the resistor disposed along the wire, the wire electrically coupling the second end of the shield to the one of the motor controller connector housing and the electric motor connector housing.
15 . The electric motor system as defined in claim 8 , wherein the capacitor is a cylindrical capacitor radially disposed between the shield and an inner diameter surface of the one of the motor controller connector housing and the electric motor connector housing.
16 . The electric motor system as defined in claim 12 , wherein the capacitor is a cylindrical capacitor and the resistor is a cylindrical resistor, the cylindrical capacitor and the cylindrical resistor radially disposed between the shield and an inner diameter surface of the one of the motor controller connector housing and the electric motor connector housing.
17 . An hybrid-electric propulsion system for an aircraft, comprising: an air mover; a heat engine rotatably coupled to the air mover; an electric motor rotatably coupled to the air mover; a motor controller; and a three-phase cable assembly electrically coupling the motor controller to the electric motor, the three-phase cable assembly comprising three cables arranged in parallel, each of the three cables having a shield surrounding each of the three cable and grounded to a connector for the electric motor via a capacitor disposed in the connector for the electric motor.
18 . The hybrid-electric propulsion system as defined in claim 17 , further comprising three resistors, each resistor electrically disposed in series with the capacitor of each of the three cables to electrically couple the shield of each of the three cables to the connector for the electric motor.
19 . The hybrid-electric propulsion system as defined in claim 17 , further comprising a wire disposed inside the connector for the electric motor, the capacitor disposed along the wire, the wire electrically coupling an end of the shield to the connector for the electric motor.
20 . The hybrid-electric propulsion system as defined in claim 17 , wherein the capacitor of each of the three cables is a cylindrical capacitor concentrically disposed between the shield of each of the three cables and an inner diameter surface of the connector for the electric motor.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The disclosure relates generally to electrical connectors, and, more particularly, to electrical connectors which offer protection against electromagnetic interference and environmental contamination. BACKGROUND In electrical systems, for instance in the context of a hybrid-electric propulsion system, it may be desirable to mitigate electromagnetic interference (EMI). Typically, shielding is employed in cables and wires to contain and redirect electromagnetic fields. The cable shield may be grounded at each cable end to help dissipate electromagnetic energy that might otherwise interfere with the signals carried by the cable. However, when the shield is grounded at both ends, it may form a conductive path, allowing currents induced by electromagnetic fields to flow, which may lead to localized heating. Improvements are thus always desirable. SUMMARY In one aspect, there is provided a system for transmitting an alternating current in an aircraft, comprising: a source of electricity in the aircraft having a source connector housing; an electric load in the aircraft having a load connector housing; a cable electrically coupling the source of electricity to the electric load; a shield surrounding the cable and having a first end electrically connected to the source connector housing; and a capacitor disposed inside the load connector housing and electrically coupling a second end of the shield to the load connector housing. In another aspect, there is provided electric motor system for an aircraft, comprising: a motor controller having a motor controller connector housing; an electric motor having an electric motor connector housing; a cable electrically coupling the motor controller to the electric motor; and a shield extending from a first end to a second end, the shield surrounding the cable and grounded to the motor connector housing at the first end and to the electric motor connector housing at the second end, the shield electrically coupled to one of the motor controller connector housing and the electric motor connector housing via a capacitor disposed inside the one of the motor controller connector housing and the electric motor connector housing. In a further aspect, there is provided an hybrid-electric propulsion system for an aircraft, comprising: an air mover; a heat engine rotatably coupled to the air mover; an electric motor rotatably coupled to the air mover; a motor controller; and a three-phase cable assembly electrically coupling the motor controller to the electric motor, the three-phase cable assembly comprising three cables arranged in parallel, each of the three cables having a shield surrounding each of the three cable and grounded to a connector for the electric motor via a capacitor disposed in the connector for the electric motor. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Reference is now made to the accompanying figures in which: FIG. 1 is a schematic depiction of an embodiment of a hybrid-electric propulsion system; FIG. 2 is a schematic depiction of an exemplary connection between an electric motor controller and an electric motor; FIG. 3 is a schematic depiction of a cable shield system between the electric motor controller and electric motor of FIG. 2; FIG. 4 is a schematic depiction of another cable shield system between the electric motor controller and electric motor of FIG. 2; FIG. 5 is a schematic depiction of another cable shield system between the electric motor controller and electric motor of FIG. 2; and FIG. 6 is a schematic depiction of another cable shield system between the electric motor controller and electric motor of FIG. 2. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown an exemplary hybrid-electric propulsion system 100 for an aircraft. An electrical system 101 is part of the hybrid-electric propulsion system 100. The hybrid-electric propulsion system 100 includes a heat engine 104, e.g. a thermal engine, and an electric motor/machine 106, which on their own or together drive an air mover 105, e.g. a propeller, fan or the like, by way of a reduction gear box 107 and output shaft 111. The reduction gear box 107 has an input 109a for heat engine 104 and an input 109b for electric motor 106. Those skilled in the art will also readily appreciate that a clutch can be disposed between the reduction gear box 107 and the respective heat engine 104 and another clutch can be disposed between the electric motor 106 and the reduction gear box 107. It is understood that the electric motor 106 may have a motor mode and a generator mode. The term “electric motor” is thus herein intended to encompass such “electric machine”. It is contemplated that the heat engine 104 could be a heat engine of any type, e.g., a gas turbine, spark ignited, diesel, rotary or reciprocating engine of any fuel type and with any configuration of turbomachinery elements, either turbocharger, turbosupercharger, supercharger and exhaust recovery turbo compounding, either mechanically,