Switch Arrangement in a Motor Vehicle Electrical System

• US 20160160828A1
• Filed: 04/30/2014
• Published: 06/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Auto-Kabel Management GmbH
• Original Assignee: Auto-Kabel Management GmbH
• Inventors: Betscher, Simon, Tazarine, Wacim, Gronwald, Frank
• Granted Patent: US 9,644,594 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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: F02N 11/0862 characterised by the electrical power supply means, e.g. battery
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0866 comprising several power sources, e.g. battery and capacitor or two batteries
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/087 Details of the switching means in starting circuits, e.g. relays or electronic switches
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2011/0874 characterised by said switch being an electronic switch
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2011/0877 said switch being used as a series-parallel switch, e.g. to switch circuit elements from series to parallel connection
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2011/0885 Capacitors, e.g. for additional power supply
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2250/02 Battery voltage drop at start, e.g. drops causing ECU reset

Abstract

Switch system for a motor vehicle electrical system comprising a first switch element arranged between a generator-battery line and a starter-battery line of a vehicle electrical system, such that the generator-battery line and the starter-batter line can be short circuited spatially in the region of the starter

Claims

1. Switch system for a motor vehicle electrical system comprising:

a first switch element arranged between a generator-battery line and a starter-battery line of a vehicle electrical system, such that the generator-battery line and the starter-battery line can be short circuited spatially in the region of the starter.

2. Switch system according to claim 1, wherein the first switch element is arranged in the region of an engine compartment of a motor vehicle.

3. Switch system according to claim 1, wherein the first switch element is connected at a cross-sectional tapering to the starter-battery line.

4. Switch system according to claim 3, wherein the cross-sectional tapering is such that the starter-battery line has a greater cross-section between the first switch element and the starter than the starter-battery line at least in parts between the first switch element and the battery and/or an output of a switch network.

5. Switch system according to claim 3, wherein the cross-sectional tapering causes at least a halving of the conductor cross-section, in particular a tapering from at least 85 mm² to at least 25 mm² of the conductor cross-section.

6. Switch system according to claim 1, wherein the first switch element is connected to the generator-battery line in such a way that the line length between the first switch element and the generator is less than between the first switch element and the battery and/or an output of a switch network.

7. Switch system according to claim 1, further comprising a switch network between the first switch element and the battery arranged electrically in parallel to the first switch element.

8. Switch system according to claim 7, wherein the switch network has a second switch element in the starter-battery line and a third switch element in the generator-battery line.

9. Switch system according to claim 8, wherein the second and the third switch element are substantially able to be short-circuited with a battery positive terminal.

10. Switch system according to claim 7, wherein the switch network is encapsulated in a housing.

11. Switch system according to claim 8, wherein the switch elements are each able to be controlled separately.

12. Switch system according to claim 4, further comprising a multi-wired control line guided into the housing to switch the switch elements of the switch network.

13. Switch system according to claim 4, wherein the housing is adapted to a pole niche of a vehicle battery.

14. System according to claim 7, wherein the switch network is arranged in spatial proximity to the battery, in particular at a distance of less than 50 cm, in particular that a line length between a battery terminal and the input amounts to less than 50 cm.

15. System according to claim 7, wherein the switch network is arranged in a battery tray or a current distributor.

16. System according to claim 7, wherein the switch network is arranged in a pole niche of the battery.

17. Switch system according to claim 1, wherein a switch element has at least one electronic switch, in particular a semi-conductor switch, a transistor switch, a MOSFET switch, an IGBT switch or an electrical switch, in particular a relay or an antiserial switch.

18. Switch system according to claim 1, wherein a switch element is formed from a parallel connection of at least two switches which are able to be switched separately.

19. Switch system according to claim 1, wherein a switch element is able to be switched in a pulsed manner.

20. Switch system according to claim 8, further comprising a control circuit connected to the switch elements, wherein the control circuit switches the switch elements depending on vehicle states.

21. Switch system according to claim 20, wherein the control circuit opens at least the second switch element, preferably the second switch element and the third switch element, in the case of vehicle standstill.

22. Switch system according to claim 20, wherein the control circuit initially only closes the second switch element and the third switch element during starting, preferably warm starting, of a combustion engine of the vehicle for a first start phase of less than 2 seconds, preferably less than 1 second, and additionally closes the first switch element after expiry of the first start phase.

23. System according to claim 20, wherein the control circuit monitors the state of the switch elements and, in the case of an error state of a switch element, bridges the faulty switch element electrically by switching at least one other respective switch element.

24. Switch system according to claim 1, wherein the generator-battery line is connected to a first part of electrical loads.

25. Switch system according to claim 24, wherein the battery is connected to a second part of electrical components in parallel to the switch network.

26. Method to control a switch system according to claim 8, the method comprising:

in the case of vehicle standstill, opening at least the second and/or the third switch element;

during warm starting of a combustion engine of the vehicle, initially closing only the second switch element and the third switch element for a first start phase of preferably less than 1 second; and

closing the first switch element after expiry of the first start phase.

27. Method according to claim 26, further comprising in the case of an error function of the second switch element, this is bridged by closing the first switch element and the third switch element, and that in the case of an error function of the third switch element, this is bridged by closing the first switch element and the second switch element.

28. Switch system according to claim 1, wherein the first switch element is connected to the starter-battery line in such a way that the line length between the first switch element and the starter is less than between the first switch element and the battery.