Vehicle electrical distribution system and method of use therefor

• US 20040195014A1
• Filed: 04/02/2003
• Published: 10/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Chernoff, Adrian B., White, Tommy E.
• Granted Patent: US 6,935,449 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/65.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/66 Arrangements of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 24/02 Vehicle body, not intended to move relatively to the vehicle frame, and mounted on vibration absorbing mountings, e.g. rubber pads
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

An electrical distribution system for a vehicle having electrical devices includes at least one junction box and a plurality of terminals interconnected by at least one conductive path. The electrical distribution system operatively interconnects the electrical devices when the electrical devices are appropriately connected to the electrical distribution system via the terminals. A method for advantageously using an electrical distribution system having sufficient terminals and sufficient conductive paths to accommodate a plurality of vehicle electrical device combinations is also provided.

Claims

1. A vehicle chassis comprising:

at least three wheels;

a steering system;

a braking system;

an energy conversion system;

an energy storage system operatively connected to the energy conversion system;

the steering system, the braking system, and the energy conversion system being operatively connected to the wheels;

an electrical distribution system having at least one junction box with at least one electrical connector;

a plurality of electrical devices, each of the plurality of electrical devices at least partially forming one of the steering system, the braking system, the energy conversion system, and the energy storage system;

wherein each of the plurality of electrical devices is operatively connected to said at least one junction box so as to be in electrical communication with at least one other of the plurality of electrical devices; and

wherein at least two of the steering system, braking system, and energy conversion system are responsive to nonmechanical control signals.

2. The vehicle chassis of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one conductive path forming a portion of the electrical distribution system and being operatively connected to said at least one junction box such that said at least one electrical connector is an access port at which current may enter, or depart from, said at least one conductive path;

wherein the plurality of electrical devices are operatively connected to said at least one conductive path so as to be in electrical communication with one another.

3. The vehicle chassis of claim 2, wherein one of the plurality of electrical devices is configured to transmit signals.

4. The vehicle chassis of claim 3, wherein one of the plurality of electrical devices is a microprocessor.

5. The vehicle chassis of claim 3, wherein one of the plurality of electrical devices is a sensor.

6. The vehicle chassis of claim 2, wherein one of the plurality of electrical devices is a fuel cell.

7. The vehicle chassis of claim 2, wherein the energy storage system includes a battery, and wherein the battery is operatively connected to said at least one junction box via said at least one electrical connector, the battery configured to transmit and receive electrical energy via the electrical distribution system.

8. The vehicle chassis of claim 2, wherein said at least one junction box comprises a first junction box and a second junction box spaced a distance apart from the first junction box.

9. The vehicle chassis of claim 8, wherein the first junction box and the second junction box each include a plurality of electrical connectors to provide multiple access ports to said at least one conductive path.

10. The vehicle chassis of claim 9, wherein the first junction box and the second junction box each include a branched connection operatively connecting the plurality of electrical connectors to said at least one conductive path.

11. The vehicle chassis of claim 8, wherein said at least one conductive path is characterized by a variable measurable characteristic;

and wherein the vehicle chassis further comprises

a microprocessor;

an interface for the microprocessor;

a first sensor mounted with respect to the first junction box and configured to measure the characteristic of said at least one conductive path at the first junction box and transmit a first sensor signal indicative of a first value of the characteristic to the microprocessor.

12. The vehicle chassis of claim 11, wherein the microprocessor is adapted to recognize a predetermined fault condition based on the first sensor signal.

13. The vehicle chassis of claim 11, further comprising a second sensor mounted with respect to the second junction box and configured to measure the characteristic of said at least one conductive path at the second junction box and transmit a second sensor signal indicative of a second value of the characteristic to the microprocessor;

and

wherein the microprocessor is adapted to compare the first sensor signal and the second sensor signal, and transmit a signal indicative of a fault condition to the interface when the second value differs more than a predetermined amount from the first value.

14. The vehicle chassis of claim 8, wherein the plurality of electrical devices includes a first device operatively connected to said at least one conductive path via the first junction box and configured to transmit a first signal, and a second device operatively connected to said at least one conductive path via the second junction box such that the second device is in electrical communication with the first device to thereby receive the first signal;

wherein the vehicle chassis further comprises a first microprocessor mounted with respect to the first junction box;

a second microprocessor mounted with respect to the second junction box and operatively connected to the first microprocessor; and

an interface for the second microprocessor;

wherein the first microprocessor is configured to replicate the first signal at the first junction box to generate a replicate first signal, and transmit the replicate first signal to the second microprocessor; and

wherein the second microprocessor is configured to receive the first signal via said at least one conductive path at the second junction box, compare the first signal to the replicate first signal, and transmit a second signal indicative of a fault condition when the first signal at the second junction box and the replicate first signal differ more than a predetermined amount from one another.

15. The vehicle chassis of claim 8, wherein said at least one conductive path includes a plurality of conductive paths extending substantially parallel to one another between the first junction box and the second junction box.

16. The vehicle chassis of claim 15, further comprising at least one microprocessor and at least one sensor, and wherein said at least one microprocessor and at least one sensor are operatively interconnected by one of the plurality of conductive paths.

17. The vehicle chassis of claim 16, wherein the energy conversion system includes at least one electric motor operatively connected to another of the plurality of conductive paths.

18. The vehicle chassis of claim 1, wherein the plurality of electrical devices includes an actuator.

19. The vehicle chassis of claim 1, further comprising a preassembled module, the preassembled module including at least one of the plurality of electrical devices, a wire operatively connected to said at least one of the plurality of electrical devices at one end and operatively connected to a complementary electrical connector at the other end, the complementary electrical connector being engaged with one of said at least one connectors of said at least one junction box.

20. A method of coordinating the electrical communication of vehicle devices, the method comprising:

determining a quantity of electrical device combinations for a vehicle portion, the combinations quantitatively or functionally differing from one another; and

maintaining an inventory of substantially identical electrical distribution systems each having

a plurality of junction boxes each including at least one electrical connector with terminals,

a plurality of conductive paths operatively connected to the plurality of junction boxes to operatively interconnect the terminals of the plurality of junction boxes,

wherein the electrical distribution systems each include sufficient conductive paths and sufficient terminals to accommodate, and operatively interconnect, the electrical devices of each of the quantity of electrical device combinations without modification.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

assembling a first vehicle portion having a first plurality of electrical devices according to one of the quantity of electrical device combinations and a first electrical distribution system taken from the inventory and operatively interconnecting the first plurality of electrical devices; and

assembling a second vehicle portion having a second plurality of electrical devices according to one of the quantity of electrical device combinations different from the first plurality and a second electrical distribution system taken from the inventory and operatively interconnecting the second plurality of electrical devices.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the first plurality of electrical devices includes electrical devices that at least partially form a first by-wire steering system, a first by-wire braking system, and a first by-wire energy conversion system, and wherein the second plurality of electrical devices includes electrical devices that at least partially form a second by-wire steering system, a second by-wire braking system, and a second by-wire energy conversion system.

23. A method of assembling vehicles, the method comprising:

assembling a first vehicle portion, the first vehicle portion including

a first selection of electrical devices characterized by a first quantity of electrical devices, each of the electrical devices of the first selection being characterized by a configuration;

a first electrical distribution system for interconnecting the first selection of electrical devices, the first electrical distribution system including

a first plurality of conductive paths, and

a first plurality of junction boxes spaced a distance apart from one another, each of the first plurality of junction boxes having at least one electrical connector and being operatively connected to the first plurality of conductive paths so that said at least one electrical connector is an access port to at least one of the first plurality of conductive paths;

wherein the first selection of electrical devices is sufficiently operatively connected to the first plurality of conductive paths so that each of the first selection of electrical devices is in electrical communication with at least one other of the first selection of electrical devices; and

wherein each of the first plurality of junction boxes operatively connects, via its respective at least one electrical connector, at least one of the electrical devices of the first selection to the first plurality of conductive paths.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

assembling a second vehicle portion, the second vehicle portion including

a second selection of electrical devices characterized by a second quantity of electrical devices, each of the electrical devices of the second selection being characterized by a configuration;

a second electrical distribution system substantially identical to the first electrical distribution system, the second electrical distribution system including

a second plurality of conductive paths,

a second plurality of junction boxes spaced a distance apart from one another, each of the second plurality of junction boxes having at least one electrical connector and being operatively connected to the second plurality of conductive paths so that said at least one electrical connector is an access port to at least one of the second plurality of conductive paths;

wherein the second selection of electrical devices is sufficiently operatively connected to the second plurality of conductive paths so that each of the second selection of electrical devices is in electrical communication with at least one other of the second selection of electrical devices;

wherein each of the second plurality of junction boxes operatively connects, via its respective at least one electrical connector, at least one of the electrical devices of the second selection to the second plurality of conductive paths; and

wherein the second quantity of electrical devices is different from the first quantity of electrical devices, or the second selection includes an electrical device that is differently-configured from the vehicle function of every electrical device of the first selection.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the first vehicle portion further includes a first by-wire steering system, a first by-wire braking system, a first by-wire energy conversion system, and a first energy storage system operatively connected to the first by-wire energy conversion system;

wherein each of said at least one electrical transmitting device and said at least one electrical receiving device of the first selection of electrical devices at least partially forms one of the first by-wire steering system, the first by-wire braking system, the first by wire energy conversion system, and the first energy storage system;

wherein the second vehicle portion further includes a second by-wire steering system, a second by-wire braking system, a second by-wire energy conversion system, and a second energy storage system operatively connected to the second by-wire energy conversion system; and

wherein each of said at least one electrical transmitting device and said at least one electrical receiving device of the second selection of electrical devices at least partially forms one of the second by-wire steering system, the second by-wire braking system, the second by wire energy conversion system, and the second energy storage system.

26. A vehicle chassis comprising:

at least one nonmechanical signal transmitting device;

at least one nonmechanical signal receiving device;

a signal distribution system having

a conductive medium through which nonmechanical signals are transmissible, and

at least one junction box having at least one terminal for the conductive medium;

wherein said at least one nonmechanical signal receiving device is in communication with said at least one nonmechanical signal transmitting device via the conductive medium; and

wherein said at least one nonmechanical signal receiving device or said at least one nonmechanical signal transmitting device is operatively connected to the conductive medium via said at least one terminal.

27. The vehicle chassis of claim 26, wherein said at least one junction box includes a first junction box and a second junction box spaced a distance apart from the first junction box;

wherein the conductive medium extends between, and operatively interconnects the first junction box and the second junction box; and

wherein said at least one nonmechanical signal transmitting device is operatively connected to said at least one terminal of the first junction box, and said at least one nonmechanical signal receiving device is operatively connected to said at least one terminal of the second junction box.

28. A method of detecting faults in a vehicle electrical system, the method comprising:

monitoring a characteristic of a conductive path in a first junction box, the conductive path extending into a second junction box spaced a distance apart from the first junction box;

monitoring the characteristic of the conductive path in the second junction box; and

determining whether the monitored characteristic of the conductive path in the first junction box differs more than a predetermined amount from the monitored characteristic of the conductive path in the second junction box.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising transmitting a signal indicative of a fault condition if the characteristic of the conductive path in the first junction box differs more than a predetermined amount from the characteristic of the conductive path in the second junction box.

30. A method of monitoring the quality of signal transfer in a vehicle, the method comprising:

receiving a signal from a conductive path in a first junction box, the conductive path extending into a second junction box spaced a distance apart from the first junction box;

replicating the signal to produce a replicate signal;

receiving the signal from the conductive path in the second junction box; and

comparing the replicate signal to the signal from the conductive path in the second junction box to determine if the signal from the conductive path in the second junction box differs more than a predetermined amount from the replicate signal.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising transmitting a signal indicative of a fault condition if the signal from the conductive path in the second junction box differs more than a predetermined amount from the replicate signal.