JPH0154223B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] (Industrial Application Field) The present invention provides a central box that forms a wiring concentration section and performs a predetermined function between a plurality of wire harnesses arranged in the body of an automobile. The present invention relates to a wiring device for an automobile that connects electrical component units installed in various parts of the vehicle body and a central box via a wire harness.

(Prior Art) In recent years, as automobiles have improved their driving performance, safety, and comfort, there has been remarkable progress in electrical equipment, and various electrical components (switches, relays, fuses, The types and number of intermittent control parts such as load equipment such as lamps, motors, electronic devices, signal parts such as various sensors, load control units that control load equipment, etc. are increasing dramatically. Such an increase in the types and number of electrical components has resulted in an extremely large number of electrical wiring attached to the vehicle body and an extremely complex wiring route, which has led to
This results in an increase in the weight of the vehicle, an increase in the cost of the wiring device, and furthermore, problems such as the work involved in inspecting and repairing the electrical wiring become complicated.

As one of the countermeasures against problems related to electrical wiring of automobiles, for example, Utility Model Application No. 58-63145
As described in the publication, electrical connections of electrical components installed in various parts of the vehicle body are made using a wire harness formed by bundling a plurality of wires in advance in a shape suitable for attachment to the vehicle body. A control box equipped with a junction harness section that relays multiple wire harnesses is installed near the instrument panel, and a control unit for various electrical components is built into this control box. 2. Description of the Related Art Automotive wiring devices are known in which each control unit and various electrical components are interconnected through a junction harness. In this way, a control box equipped with a junction harness section is used to interconnect multiple wire harnesses to which various electrical components are connected, and to connect each control unit to the wire harnesses. This will lead to the simplification of electrical wiring that consists of

However, even if such a control box is used to simplify electrical wiring, a large amount of space will be required within the control box if a large number of control units for various electrical components are incorporated into the control box. The control box becomes larger,
Also, since it is difficult to separate the control unit for some electrical components, control units are placed in each part of the vehicle body and connected to each wire harness. Furthermore, since the control unit is optionally installed, the control unit is attached to each part of the vehicle body and connected to a predetermined location of each wire harness.

By the way, among the electrical component units represented by the control units installed in various parts of the vehicle body as described above, for example, power is supplied from a specific sensor through a predetermined power supply path with a fuse interposed. In many cases, a sensor includes multiple control units that use a common detection signal to perform their respective control operations. For example, if the power supply to a particular sensor is cut off due to a fuse interposed in the power supply line blowing out and the sensor becomes inoperable, multiple control units that receive detection signals from the This will result in an abnormal situation in which normal control operations cannot be performed. Therefore, measures have been taken to quickly and reliably deal with the situation where the sensors shared by multiple electrical component units stop working, thereby minimizing the damage and increasing the reliability of the electrical system in automobiles. It is desired to improve the performance and furthermore to prevent the wiring from becoming complicated when such measures are taken.

(Objective of the Invention) In view of the above, the present invention provides a system in which one end of a plurality of wire harnesses, which are arranged in a vehicle body with different wiring routes and are connected to a sensor and a plurality of electrical component units that share this sensor, is connected to a central The power is supplied to the sensor via the central box, and the detection signal from the sensor is distributed and supplied to multiple electrical component units via the central box. It is now possible to detect an abnormality in the power supply to the sensor without complicating the process, and to quickly and reliably take measures to substantially prevent damage in the event that the sensor stops working. The purpose is to provide automotive wiring equipment.

(Structure of the Invention) In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a wiring device for an automobile according to the present invention includes a plurality of wire harnesses arranged in a vehicle body and a plurality of sensors connected to the wire harnesses and generating detection signals of the same type. and a plurality of electrical component units that are also connected to the wire harness and share one of the plurality of sensors described above, and a plurality of connector parts to which one end of each of the wire harnesses is connected, and It is equipped with an installed central box. Then, the central box connects a busbar wiring section including a sensor power supply busbar that separately delivers power to be supplied to the plurality of sensors to the connector section via the power distribution section, and a busbar wiring section that supplies the detection signals from the plurality of sensors. and an abnormality detection means for detecting an abnormality in the power supply to one of the plurality of sensors through at least the sensor power supply busbar,
When an abnormality is not detected by the abnormality detection means, a detection signal is sent from one of the plurality of sensors described above, and when an abnormality is detected, another one of the plurality of sensors is supplied with appropriate power. a signal processing section that sends a detection signal from the sensor, and a signal processing section and a plurality of connector sections that supply the detection signal from one of the plurality of sensors described above or the other one to the plurality of electrical component units. and a wiring connection section that connects the two via a branch connection section.

With this configuration, when an abnormality occurs in the power supply to one of the plurality of sensors due to a fuse blowing out, etc., it is detected by the abnormality detection means in the central box, and the plurality of electrical equipment Instead of the detection signal from one sensor, the product unit is immediately supplied with a detection signal from another one of the multiple sensors to which appropriate power is supplied, reducing the complexity of wiring. This makes it possible to substantially avoid damage caused by a situation in which a regular detection signal cannot be obtained from one sensor, without causing problems.

(Example) Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an example of a wiring device for an automobile according to the present invention, and schematically shows the body of an automobile to which the wiring device is applied, using a dashed-dotted line.

In FIG. 1, an instrument panel 14 is provided at the front of a vehicle compartment 12 in which a driver's seat 10 is located, and a central box 20 is installed near this instrument panel 14.
The central box 20 includes an instrument wire harness 16 disposed along the instrument panel 14, a dash board wire harness 18 disposed on the dash board,
Front wire harness 2 located at the front of the vehicle body
2 and one end of a rear wire harness 23 disposed at the rear of the vehicle body are independently connected.

A floor wire harness 24 arranged on the floor of the vehicle compartment 12 is connected to the other end of the instrument wire harness 16 via a coupler 30. The four provided door wire harnesses 26 are connected via couplers 32, respectively. Further, an engine room wire harness 28 disposed in the engine room 17 is connected to the dart board wire harness 18 and the front wire harness 22 via couplers 34 and 36.

Each wire harness 1 with different wiring routes described above
6, 18, 22, 23 and wire harnesses 24, 26 and 28 connected thereto, respectively.
A battery 37 connected to the front wire harness 22 of intermittent control parts such as switches, relays, and fuses, and load devices such as lamps, motors, and electronic devices arranged in various parts of the vehicle body.
Various electrical equipment units such as an auto cruise control unit 41 that controls electrical loads, a meter control unit 42, a power seat control unit 43, and an engine control unit 44 are shown, and other electrical equipment is omitted. The control unit, vehicle speed sensors 31A and 31B, and other sensors (not shown) are connected, and connections between these various electrical components and vehicle speed sensors 31A and 31B and other sensors and various controls are provided. The units 41, 42, 43 and 44 are connected to each other by the above-mentioned wire harnesses 16, 18, 2.
2, 23, 24, 26 and 28 and the central box 20.

In this example, especially through this central box 20, the vehicle speed sensors 31A and 31B
distribution of the detection signal from the vehicle speed sensor 31A to each control unit 41 to 44, detection of an abnormality in the power supply to the vehicle speed sensors 31A and 31B, and when an abnormality in the power supply to the vehicle speed sensor 31A is detected. A detection signal from the vehicle speed sensor 31B is supplied to each of the control units 41 to 44 in place of the detection signal from the vehicle speed sensor 31A.

FIG. 2 shows an example of a specific configuration of a part of the central box 20 mentioned above. In this specific configuration example, a wiring board section 40 is provided, and this wiring board section 40 includes the instrument wire harness 16, the dashboard wire harness 18, and the front wire harness 22, each having a different wiring route. and four connector parts 51 and 5 to which one end of the rear wire harness 23 is connected, respectively.
2, 53 and 54 and fuses 46a and 46b
A power distribution section 4 in which a branch point 45 is provided and a branch point 45 is provided.
9 and includes a busbar connecting the connector section 51 and the connector section 54; A signal processing unit 60 configured including
This signal processing section 60 and each connector section 51, 5
2, 53, and 54 via a branch connection section 70 in which branch points 68 and 69 are formed, and the connection point 4 in the above-mentioned busbar wiring section 50.
7 and 48 and the level comparison circuit 6 of the signal processing section 60
1 and 62, respectively, and further connects the AND circuits 63 and 64 of the signal processing section 60 and the connector section 51.
A wiring connection portion 72 is provided to connect the two.

Then, the wire 2 of the front wire harness 22 in which the ignition key switch 39 is interposed
The power from the battery 37 connected to
5. The wiring path 5 formed by the sensor power supply busbar via the fuse 46a and the connection point 47
0a to the connector section 51, and also via the branch point 45 of the power distribution section 49, the fuse 46a and the connection point 48, and the connector section 5 by the wiring path 50b formed by the sensor power supply bus bar.
1, and further supplied to vehicle speed sensors 31A and 31B via wires 16c and 16d of instrument wire harness 16, respectively.

As a result, the vehicle speed sensors 31A and 31B are activated, and vehicle speed detection signals Sa and Sb obtained from these sensors are sent to the instrument wire harness 1, respectively.
The vehicle speed detection signal Sa is input to the AND circuit 63 of the signal processing section 60 through the wires 16e and 16f of No. 6, and is introduced to the wiring connection section 72 via the connector section 51.
Further, the vehicle speed detection signal Sb is supplied to the AND circuit 64 of the signal processing section 60, respectively.

In this state, the voltage Va' obtained by dividing the voltage Va at the connection point 47 in the busbar wiring section 50 at a predetermined ratio is compared by the level comparison circuit 61 with the reference voltage V _E applied to the reference input terminal. The voltage Vb' applied to the input terminal and obtained by dividing the voltage Vb at the connection point 48 in the busbar wiring section 50 at a predetermined ratio is a level comparison circuit in which the reference voltage V _E is applied to the reference input terminal. It is applied to the comparison input terminal of 62.

Then, the connection point 4 in the busbar wiring section 50
When the voltage Va′ obtained by dividing the voltage Va at the node 7 is equal to or higher than the reference voltage _VE , that is, when the voltage Va at the connection point 47 is appropriate, the level comparison circuit 61
A high level output signal S ₁ is output from the voltage
When Va' is lower than the reference voltage V _E , i.e., connection point 4
When the voltage Va at the node 7 is abnormal, for example, when the fuse 46a is blown and the voltage Va at the connection point 47 is zero, the level comparison circuit 61 outputs a low level output signal _S1 . . This output signal S ₁ is supplied to the AND circuit 63, and its level is inverted by the inverter 66 to form a level inverted signal S ₁ ', which is then sent to the AND circuit 65.
supplied to From the AND circuit 63 to which the output signal S ₁ is supplied, a vehicle speed detection signal Sa is obtained and supplied to the OR circuit 67 only when the output signal S ₁ takes a high level.

On the other hand, the connection point 48 in the busbar wiring section 50
When the voltage Vb′ obtained by dividing the voltage _{Vb of} When the voltage Vb' is lower than the reference voltage _VE , that is, when the voltage Vb at the connection point 48 is abnormal, for example, the fuse 4
6b is fused and the voltage Vb at the connection point 48 is zero, the level comparison circuit 62 outputs a low level output signal _S2 . This output signal _S2 is supplied to the AND circuit 64, and the AND circuit 6
4, a vehicle speed detection signal Sb is obtained and supplied to the AND circuit 65 only when the output signal S ₂ takes a high level. Then, a vehicle speed detection signal Sb that has passed through the AND circuit 64 is obtained from the AND circuit 65 only when the level inversion signal S ₁ ' takes a high level, and this is supplied to the OR circuit 67.

Therefore, when the output signal _S1 takes a high level, that is, when the voltage Va at the connection point 47 is appropriate, the OR circuit 67 sends out the vehicle speed detection signal Sa from the vehicle speed sensor 31A, and also outputs signal
When S ₁ takes a low level, i.e. when the voltage Va at the connection point 47 is abnormal, the output signal S ₂
If the voltage Vb at the connection point 48 is at a high level, that is, if the voltage Vb at the connection point 48 is appropriate, the vehicle speed detection signal Sb is sent from the vehicle speed sensor 31B.

Then, the vehicle speed detection signal Sa from the vehicle speed sensor 31A sent from the OR circuit 67 or the vehicle speed detection signal Sb from the vehicle speed sensor 31B is transmitted to each connector section 51 to 54 via the branch connection section 70 of the wiring connection section 72. The meter control unit 42, the auto cruise control unit 41, the engine control unit 44, and the power seat are connected to the meter control unit 42, the auto cruise control unit 41, the engine control unit 44, and the power seat via the respective wires 16a, 18a, 22a, and 23a in the wire harnesses 16, 18, 22, and 23 that are distributed to and connected to these. It is supplied to the control unit 43.

Based on this configuration, when the voltage Va at the connection point 47 provided in the busbar wiring section 50 is appropriate, power is appropriately supplied to the vehicle speed sensor 31A, and a regular vehicle speed detection signal is output from the vehicle speed sensor 31A. Sa is obtained. Then, the vehicle speed detection signal Sa from the vehicle speed sensor 31A is sent to the signal processing section 60.
The signal is sent out from the OR circuit 67 and supplied to the meter control unit 42, auto cruise control unit 41, engine control unit 44, and power seat control unit 43, and normal control operations are performed in each of them.

On the other hand, if, for example, the fuse 46a blows out and the voltage Va at the connection point 47 becomes zero, no power is supplied to the vehicle speed sensor 31A, and a normal vehicle speed detection signal Sa is not obtained from the vehicle speed sensor 31A. It disappears.

However, in this case, if the voltage Vb at the connection point 48 is appropriate, power is being appropriately supplied to the vehicle speed sensor 31B, and a regular vehicle speed detection signal Sb is obtained from the vehicle speed sensor 31B. At this time, a low level output signal S ₁ is obtained from the level comparison circuit 61 of the signal processing section 60 and a high level output signal S ₂ is obtained from the level comparison circuit 62. The vehicle speed detection signal Sb from the vehicle speed sensor 31B is sent from the OR circuit 67, and this is sent to the meter control unit 4.
2. The signal is supplied to the auto cruise control unit 41, engine control unit 44, and power seat control unit 43, and normal control operations are performed in each of them. Therefore, in this case, the vehicle speed sensor 31A
No inconvenience occurs due to the inability to obtain the vehicle speed detection signal Sa from the vehicle.

In this way, for example, if the fuse 46a blows out and power is not supplied to the vehicle speed sensor 31A, and a normal vehicle speed detection signal Sa cannot be obtained from the vehicle speed sensor 31A, such an abnormality is immediately detected. In place of the vehicle speed detection signal Sa,
Regular vehicle speed detection signal Sb from vehicle speed sensor 31B
Countermeasures will be taken quickly and reliably to ensure that the right people are used, and as a result, there will be no substantial damage.

However, if a situation occurs in which power is not supplied to the vehicle speed sensor 31A and power is not supplied to the vehicle speed sensor 31B, the transmission of the vehicle speed detection signal SA or Sb from the OR circuit 67 of the signal processing section 60 is stopped. However, the occurrence of a situation where the power supply to both vehicle speed sensors 31A and 31B is stopped at the same time,
It can only happen very rarely.

The central box 20, which has the functions described above, is mechanically constructed as shown schematically in FIGS. 3 and 4, for example.

The example shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 has a top case 2 and a low case 3, and the top case 2 has the aforementioned connector parts 51 to 4.
54 are respectively formed in the connector portions 5.
In addition, the remaining two of the connector parts 5 in which each of the connector parts 51 to 54 are formed are provided in the row case 3 (one of them is not shown in the figure).

Two boards 4 and 6 forming a wiring board section 40 are housed inside the upper case 2 and the low case 3, and the board 4 is provided with a power distribution section 49 having the aforementioned branch point 48. Then, a bus bar wiring section 50 is formed. A plurality of busbars 4a including a sensor power supply busbar are disposed, and various relays 8a, fuses 8b including the above-mentioned fuses 46a and 46b, and, for example, a flasher unit 8c, etc. are covered with the upper case 2 or are covered with the upper case. The circuit board 6 is also formed with a wiring connection section 72 in which a branch connection section having the above-mentioned branch points 68 and 69 is provided, and an integrated circuit forming the signal processing section 60. Various circuit components 7 including circuit component 7a are attached, and conductors forming wiring paths for them are further applied. These substrates 4 and 6 are arranged opposite to each other with a spacer 9 in between,
Mutual electrical connection is made by the flexible connection sheet 8d.

(Effects of the Invention) As is clear from the above description, the automotive wiring device according to the present invention provides a plurality of sensors that are arranged on the vehicle body with different arrangement routes and generate the same type of detection output. One end of a plurality of wire harnesses to which a plurality of electrical component units that share a sensor are connected is concentrated in a central box, and power is distributed and supplied to the plurality of sensors via the central box. , any of the detection signals from the plurality of sensors can be distributed and supplied to the plurality of electrical component units through the central box, and the detection signals obtained from the plurality of sensors are sent to the central box for each electrical component. When a sensor stops operating due to an abnormality in the power supply to one of the electrical component units, this is immediately detected and the power supply to each electrical component unit is restored normally. Since a signal processing unit is installed to supply the detection signal from the electrical equipment, it is possible to quickly and reliably take countermeasures in the event that one sensor stops working. The unit can be made to take appropriate control actions continuously, without suffering any substantial damage. Therefore, it is possible to effectively improve the reliability of an electrical system in an automobile that includes a plurality of electrical component units that share a specific sensor without complicating wiring.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an example of an automotive wiring device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a connection diagram showing an example of a central box used in the example shown in FIG. 1, and FIGS. 3 and 4. 1A and 1B are a perspective view and a sectional view, respectively, showing an example of a specific mechanical configuration of a central box used in the example shown in FIG. 1. FIG. In the figure, 16 is an instrument wire harness, 18 is a dash board wire harness, and 20
is a central box, 22 is a front wire harness, 23 is a rear wire harness, 31A and 31B are vehicle speed sensors, 40 is a wiring board section, 41 is an auto cruise control unit, 42 is a meter control unit, 43 is a power seat control unit, 4
4 is an engine control unit, 49 is a power distribution section,
50 is a bus bar wiring section, 51 to 54 are connector sections, 60 is a signal processing section, 70 is a branch connection section, 72
is the wiring connection part.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of wire harnesses disposed on a vehicle body, a central box having a plurality of connector portions installed at predetermined portions of the vehicle body and to which each of the wire harnesses is independently connected to each other, and the wire harness The central box comprises first and second sensors connected to the central box and generating the same type of detection signal, and a plurality of electrical component units to which the detection signal from the first or second sensor is supplied. , a busbar wiring section including a sensor power supply busbar that separately delivers power to be supplied to each of the first and second sensors to the connector section via a power distribution section; A detection signal from the sensor is supplied, and an abnormality detection means is provided for detecting an abnormality in the power supply to the first sensor through at least the sensor power supply busbar, and when no abnormality is detected by the abnormality detection means, the first a signal processing section that sends out a detection signal from the first sensor and sends out a detection signal from the second sensor to which appropriate power is supplied when an abnormality is detected; A wiring connection section that connects the signal processing section and the plurality of connector sections via a branch connection section in order to supply the detection signal from the first or second sensor to the plurality of electrical component units. An automotive wiring device characterized by: