Device for distributing electrical energy and method for monitoring the distribution of energy

• US 7,109,604 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2003
• Issued: 09/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Daimler AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Original Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Inventors: Kablaoui, Hassan, Mittnacht, Juergen
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild, Lynn
• Assistant Examiner(s): RUTLAND WALLIS, MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US10/386,111
• Publication Number:
  US 20040000909A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,287 Days
• Field of Search: 307/9.1, 307/10.1, 307/11, 307/147, 307/3.1, 307/31, 307/29, 307/38, 307/115, 307/126, 307/154, 361/704, 701/22
• US Class Current: 307/31
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0023 Detecting, eliminating, remedying or compensating for drive train abnormalities, e.g. failures within the drive train
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0069 relating to the isolation, e.g. ground fault or leak current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/40 using propulsion power supplied by capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/31 for starting of fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/34 by heating
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/40 for controlling a combination of batteries and fuel cells
• 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: H02H 11/008 preventing unsafe switching operations in substations (Schaltfehlerschutz)
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/00 Circuit arrangements for dc mains or dc distribution networks
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/46 for ICE-powered road vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/40 Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells

Abstract

A device having an energy-generating unit and a distributor unit for distributing electrical energy to electrical loads. The electrical loads are connected to connector part halves of the distributor unit. Connector part halves, arranged at the load ends of the lines, are connected to connector part halves of the loads. The connector part halves which are connected to the lines have line bridges which serve to close or open a line section of a diagnostic circuit. A switching means is actuated by means of a control unit and is arranged between the energy-generating unit and the distributor unit. A signal generator and an evaluation unit are assigned to the diagnostic circuit. The invention also relates to a method for monitoring the diagnostic circuit.

Claims

1. A device for generating energy and distributing electrical energy to a plurality of electrical loads, said device comprising:

a distributor unit containing a plurality of distributor connector part halves;

a plurality of pairs of lines for connecting said plurality of electrical loads to said plurality of connector part halves wherein said lines have respective first line and second line connector part halves arranged at a respective first distributor unit end and load end of said lines, wherein said second line connector part halves arranged at the load end of said lines are connected to respective connector load part halves of said plurality of loads;

a diagnostic circuit having a line section wherein said line section is at least one of open and closed by line bridges of said first line and second line respective connector part halves arranged on said respective pairs of plurality of lines;

a switching device actuated by a control unit wherein said switching device is arranged between an energy-generating unit and said distributor unit; and

a signal generator and an evaluation unit functioning in association with said diagnostic circuit, wherein a diagnostic signal (u₁, u₂) is fed into the diagnostic circuit and at least one of a measured and calculated value of the diagnostic signal (y₁, y₂) is determined by the evaluation until, and wherein a fault state is diagnosed if a deviation of a determined value of the diagnostic signal (y₁, y₂) from the original diagnostic signal (u₁, u₂) exceeds a predefined tolerance threshold, and wherein a fault state is diagnosed if the diagnostic signal (y₁, y₂) does not change sign in a specific time interval.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the signal generator is a generator for at least one of an encoded and pulse-width-modulated signal (u₁, u₂).

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the energy-generating unit is a fuel cell unit.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein one of said plurality of electrical loads is an electrical machine with drive electronics.

5. A method for monitoring the device constructed according to claim 1, wherein, when a fault state occurs, the switching device is actuated and the distributor unit is separated from the energy-generating unit.

6. A method for monitoring the device constructed acording to claim 1, wherein, when a fault state occurs, the switching device is actuated and the distributor unit is separated from the energy-generating unit.

7. The device according to claim 2, wherein the energy-generating unit is a fuel cell unit.

8. The device according to claim 2, wherein one of said plurality of electrical loads is an electrical machine with drive electronics.

9. The device according to claim 3, wherein one of said plurality of electrical loads is an electrical machine with drive electronics.

10. A method for monitoring a device constructed according to claim 2, wherein a diagnostic signal (u₁, u₂) is fed into the diagnostic circuit and at least one of a measured and calculated value of the diagnostic signal (y₁, y₂) is determined by the evaluation until, and wherein a fault state is diagnosed if a deviation of a determined value of the diagnostic signal (y₁, y₂) from the original diagnostic signal (u₁, u₂) exceeds a predefined tolerance threshold.

11. A method for monitoring a device constructed according to claim 3, wherein a diagnostic signal (u₁, u₂) is fed into the diagnostic circuit and at least one of a measured and calculated value of the diagnostic signal (y₁, y₂) is determined by the evaluation until, and wherein a fault state is diagnosed if a deviation of a determined value of the diagnostic signal (y₁, y₂) from the original diagnostic signal (u₁, u₂) exceeds a predefined tolerance threshold.

12. A method for monitoring a device constructed according to claim 4, wherein a diagnostic signal (u₁, u₂) is fed into the diagnostic circuit and at least one of a measured and calculated value of the diagnostic signal (y₁, y₂) is determined by the evaluation until, and wherein a fault state is diagnosed if a deviation of a determined value of the diagnostic signal (y₁, y₂) from the original diagnostic signal (u₁, u₂) exceeds a predefined tolerance threshold.