Motor vehicle with a capacitor device for storing electric energy

• US 7,579,709 B2
• Filed: 11/15/2006
• Issued: 08/25/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Original Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Inventors: Goetz, Georg, Fenkart, Marcel, Glonner, Hans
• Primary Examiner(s): PALADINI, ALBERT WILLIAM
• Application Number:
  US11/599,428
• Publication Number:
  US 20070114077A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,014 Days
• Field of Search: 307/10.1, 307/45, 307/46, 307/48, 320/166, 320/167
• US Class Current: 307/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/14 responsive to accident or emergency, e.g. deceleration, tilt of vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/48 Parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/36 Temperature of vehicle components or parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0007 Measures or means for preventing or attenuating collisions
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0069 relating to the isolation, e.g. ground fault or leak current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/04 Cutting off the power supply under fault conditions protective devices and circuit arrangements in general H01H; H02H
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/40 using propulsion power supplied by capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/51 characterised by AC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/66 Arrangements of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0031 using battery or load disconnect circuits H02J9/002 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors

Abstract

A motor vehicle is provided with a capacitor device for storing electric energy. The capacitor device is specifically discharged by a short-circuiting switch, which is arranged in parallel to the terminal posts of the capacitor device, without any intermediary activity of a separate discharge resistor.

Claims

1. A motor vehicle having an electric drive machine, the motor vehicle comprising:

a capacitor device for storing electric energy feedable to the electric drive machine of the motor vehicle;

a short-circuiting switch coupled in parallel with terminal posts of the capacitor device; and

wherein the capacitor device is dischargeable by actuating the short-circuiting switch without any intermediary activity via a separate discharge resistor.

2. The motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the short-circuiting switch is an electronic switch;

and

a controller for actuating the electronic switch.

3. The motor vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a side door sill and a cardan tunnel formed in the vehicle, wherein the capacitor device is disposed in the side door sill or the cardan tunnel.

4. The motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the capacitor device is coupled in a heat conductive manner to body parts of a vehicle body for dissipating thermal energy.

5. The motor vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the capacitor device is coupled in a heat conductive manner to either the side door sill or the cardan tunnel for dissipating thermal energy.

6. The motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the capacitor device comprises a plurality of capacitor cells, said capacitor cells being wired together in series and disposed inside a side door sill or a cardan tunnel of the vehicle such that terminal posts that are short-circuited via the short-circuiting switch have a minimal spacing in relation to one another.

7. The motor vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the short-circuiting switch is a mechanical switch which detects deformation of the vehicle body in an area of the side door sill, wherein if deformation is detected, the mechanical switch causes a short-circuiting of the capacitor device.

8. The motor vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the short-circuiting switch is a mechanical switch which detects deformation of the vehicle body in an area of the side door sill, wherein if deformation is detected, the mechanical switch causes a short-circuiting of the capacitor device.

9. The motor vehicle according to claim 6, wherein the short-circuiting switch is a mechanical switch which detects deformation of the vehicle body in an area of the side door sill, wherein if deformation is detected, the mechanical switch causes a short-circuiting of the capacitor device.

10. The motor vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a housing in which the capacitor device and the short-circuiting switch are arranged.

11. A capacitor system for feeding electric energy to an electric drive machine of a motor vehicle, the capacitor system comprising:

a capacitor device for storing the electric energy; and

a short-circuiting switch arranged in parallel to terminal posts of the capacitor device, wherein actuation of the short-circuiting switch discharges the capacitor device without any intermediary activity of a separate discharge resistor.

12. The capacitor system according to claim 11, wherein the short-circuiting switch is an electronic switch controllable via a controller.

13. The capacitor system according to claim 11, wherein the short-circuiting switch is a mechanical switch for detecting deformation of a body of the vehicle, said deformation causing the short-circuiting of the capacitor device.