Power supplying apparatus for a vehicle and an intensive wiring apparatus

• US 6,169,337 B1
• Filed: 08/25/1999
• Issued: 01/02/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Car Engineering Company Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.), Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi Car Engineering Company Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.), Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Saito, Hiroyuki, Sakamoto, Shinichi, Yoshida, Tatsuya, Horibe, Kiyoshi, Koni, Mitsuru
• Primary Examiner(s): PALADINI, ALBERT WILLIAM
• Application Number:
  US09/382,671
• Time in Patent Office: 496 Days
• Field of Search: 307/10.1, 307/147, 307/42, 307/125, 340/825.07, 324/503, 361/62
• US Class Current: 307/10.1
• 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: H02J 13/0004 involved in a protection system
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/46 for ICE-powered road vehicles

Abstract

The electric power breaker for breaking the electric power is placed on the midpoint of the electric power line from the battery power supply, and the electric power line is extracted from the electric power breaker. In addition, the electric power supply terminal is placed on the midpoint on the electric power line, from which the electric power is supplied to the individual electric load. The electric power distribution and the electric power supply operation to the electric loads are controlled by the multiplex communication. A semiconductor device having a self protection function is used as the switching device for supplying the electric power. The electric power line covered by the electric conductive material is arranged in a loop topology so as to start from the connection point to the battery and pass through the designated positions in the vehicle and return to the battery. On the designated points on this loop, plural control modules are connected, and the electric power is supplied to them from the battery. By isolating plural electric conductive parts of the electric conductive layer covering the electric power line, each part connected to the abnormality detection circuit of the individual control module, and by detecting the electric potential change in the individual electric conductive part, the position of the abnormality can be identified by the position of the isolated electric conductive part where the short circuit abnormality is detected.

Claims

1. An electric power supply apparatus for an ignition system of an automobile, comprising:

an ignition switch having a first output for directly controlling a starter motor;

a multiplex communication device including a plurality of communication nodes wherein said multiplex communication device receives said first output and at least a second output from said ignition switch and distributes to each of said communication nodes power supply information, power break information and power distribution information.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said power supply information, said power break information and said power distribution information at each of said nodes forms a back-up system upon failure at one of said communication nodes.

3. An electric power supply apparatus for an automotive vehicle comprising:

a first electric power supply cable connected on one end to a automobile battery through a fuse;

a plurality of power terminal units connected to another end of said first power supply cable;

a communication line connecting together each of said plurality of power terminal units for signal transmission;

a second power supply cable connected at one end to said first power supply cable and supplying electric power to a starter relay and a starter motor;

an ignition key switch which, when operated in a starter actuating position, allows current to be supplied to a coil of said starter relay for turning on said starter motor.