Electrical wiring system for the drive unit in vehicles

• US 6,577,025 B2
• Filed: 11/20/2001
• Issued: 06/10/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: BMW AG (Bayerische Motoren Werke AG), LISA Drã¤Xlmaier GmbH (Fritz Dräxlmaier Holding GmbH)
• Original Assignee: LISA Drã¤Xlmaier GmbH (Fritz Dräxlmaier Holding GmbH)
• Inventors: Hentschel, Andreas, Eckstein, Fred, Kasprzok, Manfred, Gröbmair, Max
• Primary Examiner(s): FLEMING, FRITZ M
• Application Number:
  US09/988,797
• Publication Number:
  US 20020067077A1
• Time in Patent Office: 567 Days
• Field of Search: 307/10.1, 307/147
• US Class Current: 307/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0207 Wire harnesses
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/00 Installations of electric cables or lines or protective tubing therefor in or on buildings, equivalent structures or vehicles installations of bus-bars H02G5/00; overhead installations H02G7/00; installations in or on the ground H02G9/00

Abstract

The invention relates to an electrical wiring system for the drive unit in automobiles, especially for a combustion engine having a transmission, comprising a central distribution unit (1), first electrical connections (8, 9) between the vehicle and the distribution unit (1), second electrical connections (3) between the distribution unit (1) and the functional units (4) of the drive unit (7) or in the surrounding engine area, wherein the first (8, 9) and the second (3) electrical connections are configured as electrically non-branching point-to-point connections, the interconnections (10) between the first and the second electrical connections are configured in the central distribution unit, the central distribution unit (1) is mounted on the drive unit (7) and the central distribution unit (7) comprises a control platform (6) with at least one electronic control module (5).

Claims

1. An electrical wiring system for a drive unit in a vehicle, comprising:

a central distribution unit mounted on the drive unit and comprising a control platform with at least one electronic control module;

first electrical connections detachably connectable between the vehicle and said central distribution unit, each of said first electrical connections being an electrically non-branching point-to-point main connection to a corresponding component in the vehicle;

second electrical connections connected between said central distribution unit and functional components of the drive unit or detachably connectable between said central distribution unit and functional components within a surrounding engine compartment, each of said second electrical connections comprising an electrically non-branching point-to-point circuit connection to a corresponding functional component;

characterized in that

circuit interconnections between selected first and selected second electrical connections are configured within the central distribution unit;

whereby said interconnected central distribution unit and functional components of said drive unit results in a pre-wired drive unit with related functional control electronics that is adapted to be fully bench-tested as a free-standing unit.

2. The electrical wiring system as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that the central distribution unit is mounted on an internal combustion engine or on the corresponding drive motor of the drive unit or on the ancillary components of the engine.

3. The electrical wiring system as set forth in claim 2, characterized in that the central distribution unit is mounted on an air intake of the internal combustion engine.

4. The electrical wiring system as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that the central distribution unit is mounted on a transmission of the drive unit.

5. The electrical wiring system as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that the control platform is configured as a circuit plate or FPC (flexible printed circuit) plate.

6. The electrical wiring system as set forth claim 1, characterized in that at least one electronic control module takes on the motor control functions and transmission control functions.

7. The electrical wiring system as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that the control platform carries additional active and passive electrical and electronic elements or modules.

8. The electrical wiring system as set forth in claim 7, characterized in that the electrical and electronic elements or modules comprise high-level power stages, relays or fuses.

9. The electrical wiring system as set forth in claim 7, characterized in that the electrical or electronic elements or modules comprise high-level power stages, relays or fuses.

10. The electrical wiring system as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that the control platform is configured in a modular way.

11. The electrical wiring system as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that at least one of said second electrical connections is detachably connected between said central distribution unit and its corresponding functional component.

12. The electrical wiring system as set forth claim 1, characterized in that at least one electronic control module takes on the motor control functions or transmission control functions.

13. The electrical wiring system as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that the control platform carries additional active and passive electrical or electronic elements or modules.

14. The electrical wiring system as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that the control platform carries additional active or passive electrical and electronic elements or modules.

15. The electrical wiring system as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that the control platform carries additional active or passive electrical or electronic elements or modules.

16. A drive arrangement of a vehicle having

a drive motor which carries ancillary components and electrical functional units;

and

an electrical wiring of the drive motor having a central distribution unit mounted on the drive motor or on the ancillary components, said central distribution unit being detachably connectable to the vehicle via first electrical connections, connected to functional components of the drive motor via ones of second electrical connections and detachably connectable to selected functional units or other units that are outside the drive motor via others of second electrical connections;

the central distribution unit includes a control platform comprising at least one electronic control module for controlling drive motor functions, and wherein interconnection circuits between selected first and selected second connections are formed inside said central distribution unit;

characterized in that

each of said first electrical connections being an electrically non-branching point-to-point main connection between said central distribution unit and a selected vehicle components, and each of said second electrical connections comprises an electrically non-branching point-to-point circuit connection between said central distribution unit and a selected functional unit or other unit outside the drive motor;

whereby said interconnected central distribution unit and functional components of said drive motor results in a pre-wired drive motor with related functional control electronics that is adapted to be fully bench-tested as a free-standing unit.