JP7740937B2 - Power System - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a power supply system.

Technologies disclosed in Patent Documents 1 to 3, for example, are known as power supply systems equipped with multiple batteries that are mounted on vehicles. These Patent Documents 1 to 3 describe configurations that include switches to achieve redundant power supply.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-140920 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-169307 International Publication No. 2017/159308

However, when changing the specifications of a vehicle (such as upgrading), it may be necessary to change the path through which power is supplied to a load or to change the power supply destination. In such cases, it is desirable to be able to change the path more easily.

The present invention was made in consideration of the above, and aims to provide a power supply system that makes it easier to change the path for supplying power to a load or the destination of the power supply.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the objectives, one aspect of the present invention is a power supply system comprising a first battery, a first power line electrically connected to the first battery, a second power line electrically connected to a first load, a third power line electrically connectable to the second battery, and a fuse electrically connectable to the first power line and the second power line and capable of electrically connecting the second power line and the third power line by switching the connection.

The fuse may be a slow-blow fuse.

The fuse may be a plug-in fuse.

The fuse may be a bolt-mounted fuse.

The vehicle may further include a fourth power line electrically connecting the second battery and the third power line.

According to the present invention, the path for supplying power to a load or the destination of the power supply can be more easily changed by simply switching the fuse.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a power supply system before the specification of a vehicle is changed. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of the power supply system after the vehicle specifications are changed. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of fuse reconnection when vehicle specifications are changed. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of how to change the connection of a plug-in type fuse. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of how to change the connection of a bolt-fixed fuse.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below. Furthermore, in the drawings, identical parts are appropriately designated by the same reference numerals, and duplicate explanations are appropriately omitted.

(Embodiment)
1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a power supply system of a vehicle before a specification change. Vehicle 100 is an example of a vehicle whose specifications can be changed. An upgrade is an example of a specification change of vehicle 100.

The vehicle 100 has a first compartment 101 and a second compartment 102. The first compartment 101 is, for example, an engine compartment, and the second compartment 102 is, for example, a cabin. The vehicle 100 also has a grommet 103, provided, for example, on the dashboard, for wiring power lines between the first compartment 101 and the second compartment 102.

<Before specification change>
A vehicle 100 before the specification change is equipped with a power supply system 10. The power supply system 10 includes a battery 11 as a first battery and a battery 12. The battery 11 is installed in a first chamber 101, and the battery 12 is installed in a second chamber 102. The batteries 11 and 12 are, for example, lead-acid batteries, lithium-ion batteries, nickel-metal hydride batteries, or capacitors.

The vehicle 100 before the specification change also includes loads 13a, 13b, 13c, and 13d. Loads 13a, 13b, 13c, and 13d are, for example, electrical devices related to the running of the vehicle 100, such as drive, steering, braking, and gear shifting, and controllers that control these electrical devices. These loads 13a, 13b, 13c, and 13d are supplied with power via power lines from one or both of batteries 11 and 12 of the power supply system 10. Note that loads 13a, 13b, and 13c are mounted in the first chamber 101, and load 13d is mounted in the second chamber 102.

The first power line, power line 15a, is a bus bar and is provided in a relay box 14 included in the power supply system 10. The relay box 14 is mounted in the first chamber 101. The power line 15a is electrically connected to the battery 11 and serves as a path for supplying power from the battery 11 to a load.

Power line 15b, which serves as the second power line, is electrically connected to load 13a, which serves as the first load. Power line 15b and power line 15a are electrically connected by fuse 16. As a result, load 13a is supplied with power from battery 11 via power line 15a, fuse 16, and power line 15b.

Power line 15c, which serves as the third power line, extends from near fuse 16 to grommet 103. In this embodiment, power line 15c before the specification change is not electrically connected to other power lines, loads, or the battery.

<After specification change>
2 is a configuration diagram of a power supply system after a specification change of a vehicle. A load 13e is additionally installed in vehicle 100A after the specification change due to the specification change. Load 13e is, for example, an electrical device for improving the driving performance of vehicle 100.

Vehicle 100A is equipped with power supply system 10A, which is a modified version of power supply system 10. In power supply system 10A, battery 12, which constitutes power supply system 10, has been replaced with battery 12A, which serves as a higher-performance second battery. Power supply system 10A also includes power line 15d and power line 15e, which serve as fourth power lines. Power line 15e is a power line that supplies power from battery 12A to load 13e.

Furthermore, in power supply system 10A, when the specifications are changed, fuse 16 is reconnected, and fuse 16 electrically connects power line 15b, which serves as the second power line, to power line 15c, which serves as the third power line. Furthermore, power line 15c, which serves as the third power line, is electrically connected to battery 12A, which serves as the second battery, via power line 15d, which serves as an added fourth power line. This allows load 13a to be supplied with power from battery 12A.

Here, we will explain fuse reconnections in more detail. Figure 3 is an explanatory diagram of fuse reconnections when vehicle specifications are changed.

Load 13a is a load that requires a change in power supply source from battery 11 to battery 12A when the specifications are changed as described above. An example of such a load is an electric power steering device, but it is not limited to this.

Before the specification change, load 13a was supplied with power from battery 11 (see Figure 1) via power line 15a, fuse 16, and power line 15b. Meanwhile, power line 15c, which has connector 15ca at one end, is not connected to any other power lines or loads.

In contrast, after the specification change, load 13a receives power from battery 12A via power lines 15d and 15c, fuse 16, and power line 15b. Note that electrical connection between power line 15d and power line 15c is achieved by connecting connector 15ca to connector 15da provided at one end of power line 15d.

Therefore, power line 15c can be said to be a power line that is installed in advance, for example, during the manufacture of vehicle 100, in preparation for future specification changes. By installing power line 15c in advance, it becomes unnecessary to perform the cumbersome task of retrofitting additional power line 15c in the first compartment 101, which has a complex interior and many pieces of equipment, such as an engine compartment.

As described above, in this embodiment, the path for supplying power to a load or the power supply destination can be changed by the simple task of reconnecting the power. This eliminates the need for a special structure, such as a switch mechanism for path switching, in the relay box 14. Furthermore, the path is changed using a fuse already installed in the vehicle, and the fuse is configured to have both the power line protection function and the path change function, so there is no need to add a new fuse, which is beneficial in terms of reducing the number of parts and lowering costs.

The fuse 16 is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, a slow-blow fuse (SBF). A slow-blow fuse melts relatively slowly and can withstand relatively long rush currents, making it suitable for cases where the load 13a includes a motor.

(First example of a fuse)
4 is an explanatory diagram of the replacement of a plug-in fuse as a first example of fuse 16. Plug-in fuse 16A is an SBF, and is a fuse that can be easily replaced by hand or with a tool. For example, power line 15a is provided with a male terminal tab 15Aaa, and power line 15b is provided with a male terminal tab 15Aba. Before the specification change, fuse 16A electrically connects power line 15a and power line 15b by inserting terminal tabs 15Aaa and 15Aba.

In this case, when changing specifications, fuse 16A is first pulled out and then replaced so that terminal tab 15Aba is inserted into male terminal tab 15Acb provided at one end of power line 15c, thereby reconnecting fuse 16A. As a result, power line 15b and power line 15c are electrically connected.

(Second example of a fuse)
5 is an explanatory diagram of the reconnection of a bolt-fixed fuse as a second example of fuse 16. Bolt-fixed fuse 16B is an SBF having a structure in which two terminals with bolt holes extend from the fuse body, and is a fuse that can be fastened and detached with a bolt. For example, power line 15a is provided with terminal tab 15Baa with a bolt hole, and power line 15b is provided with terminal tab 15Bba with a bolt hole. Before the specification change, fuse 16B electrically connected power line 15a and power line 15b by fastening terminal tabs 15Baa and 15Bba with bolts (not shown).

In this case, when changing specifications, fuse 16B is reconnected so that terminal tab 15Bba is bolted to terminal tab 15Bcb provided at one end of power line 15c. This electrically connects power line 15b and power line 15c. Note that the position of terminal tab 15Bcb can be adjusted by loosening the bolt fastening fuse 16B to terminal tab 15Bba without removing it and rotating fuse 16B as shown by the arrow, so that the bolt hole in the terminal of fuse 16B aligns with the bolt hole in terminal tab 15Bcb, making reconnection easier.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments. The present invention also encompasses configurations that appropriately combine the above-described components. Furthermore, further effects and modifications can be easily derived by those skilled in the art. Therefore, the broader aspects of the present invention are not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications are possible.

10, 10A: Power supply system 11, 12, 12A: Batteries 13a, 13b, 13c, 13d, 13e: Load 14: Relay box 15Aaa, 15Aba, 15Acb, 15Baa, 15Bba, 15Bcb: Terminal tabs 15a, 15b, 15c, 15d, 15e: Power lines 15ca, 15da: Connectors 16, 16A, 16B: Fuses

Claims (5)

A first battery;
a first power line electrically connected to the first battery;
a second power line electrically connected to the first load;
a third power line electrically connectable to the second battery;
a fuse electrically connectable to the first power line and the second power line, the fuse being movable to switch the connection from the first power line to the third power line, thereby electrically connecting the second power line and the third power line;
A power supply system. The power supply system according to claim 1 , wherein the fuse is a slow-blow fuse. The power supply system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the fuse is a plug-in fuse. 3. The power supply system according to claim 1, wherein the fuse is a bolt-fixed fuse. 5. The power supply system according to claim 1, further comprising a fourth power line electrically connecting said second battery and said third power line.