ELECTRICAL SYSTEM ASSEMBLY FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE

• US 20160101748A1
• Filed: 04/29/2014
• Published: 04/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mahle International GmbH (MAHLE-STIFTUNG GmbH)
• Original Assignee: Mahle International GmbH (MAHLE-STIFTUNG GmbH)
• Inventors: Binder, Tobias, Cramme, Markus, Krappel, Michael, Ambrosio, Daniele
• Granted Patent: US 9,669,780 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/03 for supply of electrical power to vehicle subsystems or for circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/07 using capacitors charged and discharged alternately by semiconductor devices with control electrode , e.g. charge pumps

Abstract

An electrical system assembly for a motor vehicle may include a first electrical system and a second electrical system galvanically isolated from the first electrical system. The second electrical system may be switchable between an idle state and an active state. A capacitive coupling element may couple the first electrical system to the second electrical system. A signal transmission unit may be arranged in the first electrical system and may be configured to transmit an activation signal to the capacitive coupling element for activating the second electrical system. A signal receiving unit may be arranged in the second electrical system and be configured to receive the activation signal via the capacitive coupling element and switch the second electrical system from the idle state to the active state.

Claims

1. An electrical system assembly for a motor vehicle, comprising:

a first electrical system,

a second electrical system galvanically isolated from the first electrical system, the second electrical system being switchable between an idle state and an active state,

a capacitive coupling element, wherein the first electrical system is capacitively coupled to the second electrical system via the capacitive coupling element for transmitting signals,

a signal transmission unit arranged in the first electrical system and communicating with the capacitive coupling element, wherein the signal transmission unit is configured to transmit an activation signal on an input side of the capacitive coupling element for activating the second electrical system from the idle state to the active state, and

a signal receiving unit arranged in the second electrical system and communicating with the capacitive coupling element, wherein the signal receiving unit is configured to receive the activation signal on an output side of the capacitive coupling element and switch the second electrical system from the idle state to the active state in response to receiving the activation signal.

2. The electrical system assembly according to claim 1, wherein the capacitive coupling element includes at least two capacitors electrically connected in parallel to one another.

3. The electrical system assembly according to claim 1, wherein the second electrical system is configured to receive an electric current from an energy supply unit in the idle state when the electric current is below a predetermined value.

4. The electrical system assembly according to claim 3, wherein the predetermined value is 100 μ

a.

5. The electrical system assembly according to claim 1, wherein:

the second electrical system includes a switchable switching element, the switching element switchable between an opened state associated with the idle state of the second electrical system, and a closed state associated with the active state of the second electrical system,

an energy supply unit electrically coupled to the second electrical system, wherein the energy supply unit in the closed state of the switching element is electrically connected to the second electrical system and in the opened state is electrically isolated from the second electrical system, and

the second electrical system further includes a control unit interacting with the signal receiving unit, wherein the control unit is configured to switch the switching element to the closed state in response to the signal receiving unit receiving the activation signal.

6. The electrical system assembly according to claim 1, wherein the signal transmission unit includes a signal transmitter configured to transmit the activation signal as an alternating voltage signal.

7. The electrical system assembly according to claim 6, further comprising a charge pump disposed in the first electrical system between the signal transmission unit and the capacitive coupling element wherein the charge pump is configured to adjust an amplitude of the alternating voltage signal transmitted via the signal transmitter of the signal transmission unit.

8. The electrical system assembly according to claim 1, wherein the signal receiving unit includes a rectifier device configured to rectify the activation signal transmitted by the signal transmission unit.

9. The electrical system assembly according to claim 1, further comprising:

at least one electrical consumer electrically connected to the first electrical system and the second electrical system;

wherein the at least one consumer is electrically isolated from the second electrical system in the idle state and is electrically connected to the second electrical system in the active state.

13. The electrical system assembly according to claim 2, wherein at least one of the at least two capacitors includes a ceramic chip capacitor.

14. The electrical system assembly according to claim 9, wherein the second electrical system is configured to communicate an electric current to the at least one electrical consumer in the idle state when the electric current is below a predetermined threshold.

15. The electrical system assembly according to 14, wherein the predetermined threshold is 100 μ

a.

10. A motor vehicle, comprising:

at least two electrical consumers;

at least one electrical system assembly for supplying electrical energy to the at least two electrical consumers, the at least one electrical system assembly including;

a first electrical system;

a second electrical system galvanically isolated from the first electrical system, the second electrical system switchable between an idle state and an active state;

a capacitive coupling element in communication with the first electrical system and the second electrical system, wherein the first electrical system is capacitively coupled to the second electrical system via the capacitive coupling element for transmitting signals;

a signal transmitting unit coupled to the first electrical system and communicating with an input side of the capacitive coupling element, wherein the signal transmitting unit is configured to transmit an activation signal to the input side of the capacitive coupling element for activating the second electrical system from the idle state to the active state; and

a signal receiving unit coupled to the second electrical system and communicating with an output side of the capacitive coupling element, wherein the signal receiving unit is configured to switch the second electrical system from the idle state to the active state in response to receiving the activation signal

wherein the at least two electrical consumers are electrically connected to one another via the first electrical system and second electrical system, of the at least one electrical system assembly; and

a joint electric energy supply unit arranged in the second electrical system, wherein the joint electric energy supply unit is electrically isolated from the second electrical system in the idle state and is electrically connected to the second electrical system in the active state.

11. The motor vehicle according to claim 10, wherein the at least two electrical consumers include at least one of an oil pump, an electric coolant pump, an electric exhaust gas turbocharger, an electric compressor and an electric fan.

16. The motor vehicle according to claim 10, wherein the capacitive coupling element includes at least two capacitors electrically connected in parallel to one another.

17. The motor vehicle according to claim 10, wherein an electrical current supplied to the second electrical system via the joint electric energy supply unit is at least one of interrupted and reduced in the idle state with respect to the active state.

18. The motor vehicle according to claim 10, wherein the second electrical system includes a switching element switchable between an opened state associated with the idle state of the second electrical system and a closed state associated with the active state of the second electrical system;

wherein the joint electric energy supply unit is electrically connected to the second electrical system in the closed state of the switching element and is electrically isolated from the second electrical system in the opened state of the switching element; and

the at least one electrical system assembly further includes a control unit in communication with the signal receiving unit and the switching element, wherein the control unit is configured to switch the switching element to the closed state in response to the signal receiving unit receiving the activation signal.

19. The motor vehicle according to claim 10, wherein the signal transmission unit includes a signal transmitter configured to transmit the activation signal as an alternating voltage signal.

20. The motor vehicle according to claim 19, wherein at least one of:

the first electrical system includes a charge pump arranged between the signal transmission unit and the capacitive coupling element, wherein the charge pump is configured to adjust an amplitude of the alternating voltage signal transmitted via the signal transmitter, and

the signal receiving unit includes a rectifier device configured to rectify the alternating voltage signal transmitted by the signal transmitter.

12. A method for activating an electrical system of an electrical system assembly, comprising:

connecting capacitively a first electrical system to a second electrical system via a capacitive coupling element, wherein the first electrical system is galvanically isolated from the second electrical system, and wherein the second electrical system is switchable between an idle state and an active state;

transmitting an activation signal of a signal transmission unit arranged in the first electrical system to a signal receiving unit arranged in the second electrical system via the capacitive coupling element; and

switching the second electrical system from the idle state to the active state in response to the signal receiving unit receiving the activation signal, wherein an electrical current in the second electrical system is at least one of interrupted and reduced in the idle state with respect to the active state.