Electric current distribution system for automotive vehicles

• US 5,608,271 A
• Filed: 08/30/1995
• Issued: 03/04/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Inventors: Saka, Yuuji, Onizuka, Takahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Shoop, Jr., William M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): GANJIAN, PETER
• Application Number:
  US08/520,608
• Time in Patent Office: 552 Days
• Field of Search: 307/9.1-10.8, 307/11, 307/31, 307/38, 307/39, 307/40, 307/41, 307/42, 307/112, 307/116, 307/126, 307/125, 307/139, 307/140, 307/147, 364/492, 364/493, 364/424.01, 364/424.02, 364/424.03, 364/424.04, 364/424.05, 439/76.1, 439/76.2, 180/287, 340/825.3, 340/825.31, 340/825.34, 235/382, 361/601, 361/622, 361/627, 361/641
• US Class Current: 307/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0238 Electrical distribution centers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/03 for supply of electrical power to vehicle subsystems or for circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00

Abstract

An electric current distribution system is provided for a plurality of types of automotive vehicles. The distribution system is installed in a vehicle compartment and distributes current from an input terminal to loads (6) via a plurality of output terminals. The distribution system includes a box (10) having input terminals at least equal in number to the maximum number of output terminals necessary for the different types of vehicles. A reading device (12) is provided in the box (10) for reading vehicle specific data stored in a memory (11) that may be outside the box (10), for storing in advance the vehicle specific data for each type of vehicle. A controller (16) is provided in the box (10), and receives the vehicle specific data from the reading device (12), specifies which output terminals out of the plurality of output terminals are to be used and outputs a corresponding control signal. A current regulator (18) is provided in the box (10), for regulating the currents supplied from the specified output terminals to the respective loads (6) connected with the specified output terminals in accordance with the control signal.

Claims

1. An electric current distribution system for a plurality of types of automotive vehicles which is adapted to distribute a current supplied to an input terminal thereof to a plurality of loads (6) via a plurality of corresponding output terminals thereof, comprising:

a box (10) having a specified number of input terminals and a plurality of output terminals and being installable in a vehicle compartment, the number of output terminals being selected to at least equal a maximum number of output terminals necessary for the plurality of types of vehicles,

a reading device (12) provided in the box (10) for reading vehicle specific data stored in a storage means (11) for storing in advance the vehicle specific data for each of the plurality of types of vehicles,

a controller (16) provided in the box (10), which receives the vehicle specific data from the reading device (12) and specifies which output terminals out of the plurality of output terminals are to be used and outputs a corresponding control signal, and

a current regulator (18) provided in the box (10), for regulating currents supplied from the specified output terminals to the respective loads (6) connected with the specified output terminals in accordance with the control signal.

2. An electric current distribution system according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle specific data comprise output terminal data indicating which vehicle specific output terminals out of the plurality of output terminals are to be used, and output current data indicating the vehicle specific values of the output currents to be supplied via the vehicle specific output terminals.

3. An electric current distribution system according to claim 1, wherein the storage means (11) comprises a floppy disk (FD).

4. An electric current distribution system according to claim 1, wherein the storage means comprises a magnetic tape.

5. An electric current distribution system according to claim 2, wherein the storage means (11) comprises a floppy disk (FD).

6. An electric current distribution system according to claim 2, wherein the storage means comprises a magnetic tape.

7. An electric current distribution system according to claim 1, wherein the storage means (11) is disposed externally of said box and is electrically connected to said reading device (12).